Hey Creative I am glad you are safe and thank you for the warning.

It is sad that there were so many negative responses.

I was once followed in NYC, in the evening, lots of people, but when I turned down a less crowded block, I noticed him and realized he had been walking the same blocks as I, turning here and there, and so as I paid attention, he would cross the same streets and then I stopped and waited to cross a street, went half way, turned around and went back. He did the same, so I ducked into a crowded store and told the salesperson I was being followed. He saw me through the window and I pointed at him. He was then gone. I did not see any cops along the way after I noticed him.

This happened a very long time ago but I still remember the creepy feeling of that evening. I wish things like this wouldn't happen, but they do and the more we speak up & share our experiences with each other, the safer we can all be.

Wow, I remember that bookstore on Grove st. I loved that place and was sad to see them go. The fabric store too. And its a shame about Imagine Atrium, my kids and I loved that place and I bought something as often as I could afford to because I believe a neighborhood needs a good bookstore. I didn't really go to Bagua because I make my own juices at home, but at the same time it sucks that we keep losing interesting independent buisnesses because of the cost of rent. I wish them well and hope something new and better will work out for them (the owners & employees of Bagua).

I think some of you are missing where the gentleman said in the beginning of the article that he worked overtime all the time when he was working. He then relied on a system (social security) to take care of him once he was older and retired.

It was only about 10-12 years ago that I was paying $500 a month for a 2 bedroom in the heights. Things have changed dramatically for many people in the past decade. Even just this past year grocery prices are way up.

He had the forethought to make sure he lived in a place where he could be able to possibly afford to live out the rest of his years. I wish him the best.

Maybe heres an argument for the rent vs. buy debate.

The landlord made a bad investment choice, he took a risk and it didn't pay off. He wants a bailout like the rest of big business out there. Can you really blame either side?

Yeah, that was weird. I remember when my son was a baby, he looked like one of those little fat buddha statues and everyone always wanted to touch him...Its hard when you are a polite person, but I always said no, strangers have cooties that I don't want on my baby.

If you see the woman again, I would definately stop her to talk & find out, is she a neighbor? Did she say Why she wanted the pic? and a print from a cellphone is not so great...

Ask her questions like, does she have kids? grandkids? does she live around there, work around there???

Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about this time, but in the future if something like that happens, don't be afarid to say no, after all, you don't know them, what does it matter if they get offended.

Just spoke to parks & recreation, they are putting in a public swimming pool, theres supposed to be landscaping around it.

I have mixed feelings...

Pavement not bad at all. In fact it was this block wide stretch of grass and trees. We used it as a "shortcut" to get to #22 school....

Update today, another tree down and poles taking up most of the sidewalk around it have been put in, fencing going up. From the looks of things I'm afraid they may be taking down all of the trees there, about 17 more in that space...Workers were resting in the shade of the trees that remained....sad. very sad.

How do I post photos? Do they need to be online already? I couldn't figure out how to add them from my computer.

Walked my kids to school yesterday to discover 4 beautiful LARGE Cherry trees and two other larger trees were butchered down. My kids & I were very upset. I have taken some really great portraits of them in front of the trees when they were like giant puffballs of white flowers. There's already almost no trees around here. Whats the deal?

Really really sad about this.

I used to catch the bus in Jersey City on the corner of Sip & Kennedy. Theres a newstand on that corner that used to sell the tickets, I haven't been there in a few years but it has the same type of deal with money back in chips & a restaurant coupon. And, you don't have to commute home from Port Authority after your day at AC.

Check around at news stands. There are usually handwritten signs that say bus tickets to AC. Or you can ask inside and they may know where you can go.

Have fun!!

Was just wondering the same thing, flew overhead really close 3 times, saw the jet flying with the commercial plane..

Thanks stevehpna, I couldn't remember which month. Looking forward to it.

Does anyone know if there will there be a flea market again this year? If so when and how can I get a table?

I always enjoy going & shopping, but now I've got too much stuff....

Thanks

Don't be afraid of the meat market, Maloney's is awesome, always fresh, very friendly & service oriented, the only place where I will buy ground beef.

When I buy ground beef in other supermarkets, I will pick a piece of sirloin and ask them to grind it, that way you know it all comes from the same piece of beef, and that its good (and lean).

Sorry to hear about everyone's trouble at A & P, I thought tricks like that were only in ghetto markets...

Jeebus...."Seriously, the logic of privileging artists, most of whom at some point made the choice to be voluntarily poor (do trustifarian artists qualify?), is a bit hard to understand. I think a lot of other folks such as car service drivers, cops, small business people, etc. contribute more to everyday quality of life than artists so it just comes down to artists successfully working the political system to their own benefit."

Take a look around you, do you wear clothes? they were all designed by someone...

Do you eat food? the packages they come in were designed by someone...

Do you like the park? gee, that was designed by someone too...

Do you read magazines & newspapers? Graphic artists and photographers hard at work there.

Oh and what about that expensive bottle of wine you are drinking with dinner, do you think the delivery guy drew the picture on the label for you?

Do you get my point? perhaps you do not see artists everyday like you see the bus driver or the store clerk but our contribution to society is no less valuable.

And who out there is really working the political system to their benefit anyway???Politicians? CEO's? Trump?

Basically, the arts are always the first to get kicked in the ass when time get hard.

I also believe that there need to be affordable places to live for everyone, not just one group. If you are a cop or firefighter or teacher, they also have special programs that help them buy homes based on their chosen profession. Why not artists too?

Its because of us artists that the rest of you even want to live here. We search and, take up residence in the large warehouse spaces where we can work and make noise with our music and hammers and saws, then what happens? the rest of you look and say, hey, they're having fun, it must be cool if artists live there...lets burn them out of their homes and work spaces then we can build expensive carboard condos and because the artists were there first we can call it an arts district and charge those rich fools even more money than what its worth because they will look stylish...oooohhh... I don't know where you are coming from, but the arts DO pay, and we do pay our rents, we just keep it real.

Theres a little spot on Bergen Ave by Journal Square across the street from the post office. Theres also the Indian neighborhood going down Newark Ave from Kennedy Blvd. There are some very pretty sari shops and fabrics for reasonable prices.

Then theres always the garment district in NYC 40th-37th streets between 8th ave & Broadway.

Good luck

I was in there once during one of the past studio tours. Its a very unique space, the stairways were a little awkward, but I liked that someone had the balls to make the space truly their own. But I wonder why are they selling? Why go through all that work if it wasn't where you wanted to spend most of your life there?

Thanks Bright, I imagine I just haven't always heard whats going on at City Hall & the Courthouse for my lack of keeping up on Pro Arts website.

Greg IS great and I usually get his emails about events.

I'm looking forward to the RockSoup V-day event Fathom, let me know how I can help

I was just having this conversation with a friend of mine. I\'d like to offer a few observations.

I noticed that recently (the past year or so) I really wasn\'t hanging out in Jersey City like I used to and I was wondering why...My friend and I got to talking and realized that we lost a couple of venues where art and socializing were greatly supported. One was Victory Hall, there was always an opening to attend or an art show to try out for to have your work shown.

Second was Grace Church. Once Garth moved, there are no longer the monthly art shows and openings, music and poetry included, that were so great to be a part of. It was also a very family friendly venue.

3rd was the weekly email update from ProArts. I miss it!!. Sure it was long and slightly cumbersome, but that was good, it meant there were things going on and calls to artists wanting to be answered. I know I can always go check on their website, but I don\'t always remember that and its not the same as getting an email announcement.

Also, there used to be way more art openings going on at both the courthouse up on Newark Ave by the square and at city hall, and MFA under the overpass.

As an artist myself who has actively participated in the JC art scene for a few years now, I admit I am getting tired of it. Not for lack of talent, just visit any other town or city outside of JC (not counting NYC) and you will see there is SERIOUS talent right here, really great artists are here and I love knowing many of them and love meeting those I haven\'t met yet. What\'s tiring is the

LACK OF SALES!!!

At these wonderful events that still take place, I say, where are the buyers? Where are the little red dots that show the paintings & drawings and scupltures have been sold??

I agree with the OP\'s who say it is the artists who make up the nightlife here, so if those of you non-artists want there to be more reasons to hang out and have a good time, you need to buy some art. Fish with Braids is doing a great job of having a monthly show and bring in people from other neighborhoods in JC as well as from NYC. How many hundreds of people live over in Newport & don\'t even know we have an art scene??


I also agree that it is discouraging to go to a JC Friday event and its a restaurant on a regular night hoping for customers. It is uncomfortable to walk in and look at the art and have to lean over someone who is trying to enjoy their meal in order to read the bio on the wall. Its not fair to the artist displaying their work either. That night should be about showcasing & promoting the artist you have chosen to show. Move some tables around for the evening, offer some sangria for gratis and people will stay, the longer they stay the more likely they are to feel comfortable, perhaps buy something they like and order some food to soak up the free sangria in their tummies.

I think I\'ve ranted enough for now...

Its still true about the annual school trip to LSC. Not just that, the kids get a free pass every year that admits up to 4 people for free. Its the only way I'll go. But I must say, my kids favorite part is the gift shop....much more information in the books for sale. Not crazy about the renovations either, it seems darker in the exhibits and lighter in the stairwells...

Today I was sitting outside my front door watching my kids on their bikes when the UPS truck rolled up. It was around 4:45 pm more or less. He got out of the truck with an envelope and a yellow sticker in his hand. He went to one door about 4 doors down from me walked up to the door, slapped the sticker on and then came down the street to the building right next door to mine (a 4 family building) rang a buzzer, forced the front door open and threw an envelope in and walked away. No signature, no waiting to "Deliver" the envelope. He then literally rushed off and sped away.

I haven't used UPS for almost a year now because of him personally. The last time I had something delivered from UPS, it was 4 really heavy boxes of supplies for my work that he didn't even help me across the threshold of my door. Just slammed them down onto the sidewalk like, how dare I order something that made him work. I got it after 2 stealth notices only because I waited outside almost all day.

I have officially and formally complained to UPS about him but apparantly it meant nothing because there he was today, still delivering yellow notices.

I'm getting confused...hipster, hippie,yuppie, yupster, new yorkster, nerd, geek, geekster, poser, wanna-be, mid-westerner, california dude, surfer, stroller moms, dog walkers, poopsters...

whats worse? i say the luxury condos because construction starts at 5am across the street from my house and it sucks now that I no longer have the AC on to drown out the noise....

I really don't see what all the complaining is about, there is not 1 mailbox in my neck of the woods, I have to get on the bus to Grove Street to use the mail box outside of the PATH.... On the plus side, at least they ring my doorbell when delivering a package. For that I say thank you mr. postman. They even wait for me to answer the door...

I have given up on the stealth UPS man...he just doesn't deliver....

I just recently learned that Communipaw is the old Lenape Indian trail to the Hudson River, predates the Dutch. (please correct me if I got this wrong- there were signs all over neighborhood a few months back with really interesting historical info)

In addition to the Stegman's, the next block over is Wegman......

What literail stop would I go to for the Mexican food? Would the seafood place be in walking distance? Only been to Bayonne once, but its time for a little adventure.

Thanks.

My favorite things about JC:

In my neighborhood, there are moments when everything seems to just stop. No trucks, no people on the street, no car alarms or sirens, not even the whizz of a bicycle. Just silence.

The people.

Things seem to run at a different pace than in NYC. (slower) Which I prefer. Even though at times it can seem very crowded and full of traffic, there are also times of emptiness.

We have Liberty State Park where you can fly kites any day of the year because it is always windy there.

Little India.

The artists.

2nd st. bakery

All the owner-operated businesses around town, they are truly corageous people and I shop locally for most everything.

The 14th St. Salvation Army

Extra Supermarket on MLK Blvd.

The waterfront at Exchange Pl.

and many more......


My least favorite things:

The stealth UPS man who never rings my bell, but always leaves a slip...

the Bergen Ave. Bus, it costs the most $1.50 and never has AC, not even today in a heat wave....

i'll have to agree with 3rdandwild. Relax & give it a chance.

As for reverse commuting, I also do so into Newark and I love it. Its less of a headache than when I used to commute into NY. But just check your schedules, not all NJ transit trains run with the reverse commuter in mind. While there might be 10 trains heading into NYC at rush hour, there may only be 1 or two going the other way at that time.

The first time I went out to an event here in JC was the Cathedral Arts Festival at Grace Church Van Vorst and I made friends that night that I still have today, years later, all ages. Don't limit yourself to an age group for friendship, especially if you are an artist, there is so much fun to be had!!!

I am also a parent of 2 and I take my kids everywhere, restaurants, openings, poetry readings, etc... Don't discriminate, JC is rich with extraordinary people doing cool & interesting things. Enjoy.

Welcome to JC. I am curious Atsushi, are you a survivor (or your parents) survivors of Hiroshima? My grandfather was there in the aftermath and he never really spoke about it. I can only assume its because of the devastation he was witness to.

There is this sort of urban beauty about JC that appeals to many, myself included, that despite urban decay/renewal/blight/plight/etc... no where else really feels like home...Been here 15 years, from NY. But parents & grandparents & great-grandparents all born & raised here in JC.

I would say the closest comparison to Hiroshima I would make happened on the other side of the river on 9/11. No joke, we here in JC felt the pain that day & it continues. I did not personally lose someone that day, but I feel loss. I feel sorry for newcomers to JC who never saw the twin towers in the backdrop of every view.

Anyways, don't mean to be a downer, I was just curious about your comparison and where its coming from.

A few, maybe 7-8 months back I saw this story on the news about an illegal immigrant roundup in a suberb of Boston one afternoon. What the agents neglected to take into account was that of the over 500 people they arrested, most of them were parents with children in school and after school that day many children were left alone. I searched in vain for a follow up story but as it was a quick news clip, I didn't catch which town it was. I've always wondered, what happend??

I used to go during toddler time with my kids, and also for swimming laps. So its pretty mild at those times. I have walked past during free times and it would be older kids there, but the life guards seemed to run things pretty well, there are alot of rules about no "horseplay" in and around the pool.

I used to live across the street from the pool at Pavonia-Westside and it was great when I lived there. It's been 2 years since I've been there. Its free, its really clean and there are special hours for swimming-so call ahead. I think early morning is lap swimming, there are toddler hours and theres open time (the most crowded time) If you have kids its great, the waterfall/ fountain is refreshing.

Enjoy!!