Local Celebs & A Big Idea
Issue #5 includes a whiz-bang idea to improve the town, notable neighbors, plus excellent photos and a video.
Yes I have a brilliant idea and also want to intro you to some amazing locals so let’s get this party started, shall we?
Live From the Duke of Weehawken’s Summer Palace…
OK yes, this postcard depicts the current parking lot of Lidl, Planet Fitness, and all the wonders of Tower Plaza. It was a reservoir once upon a time but—progress, ya know?
So What’s the Big Idea?
We all shop there. We love the Best Liquors and their handmade mobiles swaying from the drop ceiling, we adore easy access to physical therapy, the town offices, and the urgent care. But there’s one thing that’s been bugging me: the fliers.
To be clear: I’m 100% pro-flier. But the tape — packing tape, scotch tape, and sometimes duct tape — and the desperation of placement? It looks terrible. It is a hot mess. It is not a good look for our town.
Then I saw that even the police are trying to get the word out on random scraps of wall:
You guys. We can do better.
I thought: what if we had a community bulletin board right there in Tower Plaza? And what if we put it on our big wall of nothing?
But who has Tower Plaza power? I’ve lived here more than 18 years but I had no idea. I needed some sort of sign… [insert angelic choir sound effect here]
Exactly 2 minutes after wondering how to talk to the powers that be — I see a phone number right there on the sign (how did I never see that before?) and called Lester M. Entin Associates. I got put through to someone, I explained the problem, and I suggested the community bulletin board. The woman agreed it was a very good idea and would put it to them. Happy days!
But she did have one concern. She asked me, “who will police the board for inappropriate or out-of-date fliers?”
I told her that was a good question…
But I thought and said that right now there’s nothing “inappropriate” and no one is “policing” it because even the police have an out-of-date flier up.
I said I thought neighbors could help remove out-of-date stuff and maybe we could have some language about people kindly removing their fliers if their dog is found/their bike is sold/their event is over. She remained in the “ok your idea is not bad” camp and said she’d get back to me. Basically it would be so great to have a dedicated place people might be able to share this info and I will update you, dear readers, if there’s progress on this crazy dream of mine.
Weehawken Artist Christine Cornell Sketches Trump, Gets Interviewed By Absolutely Everyone
Christine Cornell has lived in Weehawken since 1990. I’ve known her since I moved here in 2005. She’s often in the news because of her frequent court appearances. Nope, she’s not in trouble, she’s a hard-working courtroom artist. On a recent CNN interview, NY criminal defense attorney Arthur Aidala praised Christine saying, “This woman is a legend…I don’t say this lightly… she looks very young, but she’s been in the courthouse for decades.” He went on to say having a Cornell hanging in your home was a prized possession for many lawyers.
Christine told me she’s been interviewed more than 15 times in the past two weeks, and then she just gave up counting. She’s on national TV; she’s on TV in Australia. But the video made by the Washington Post and released last week is the best profile I’ve seen so far so I’m sharing it below. I love how it shows her working and really highlights her humanity and her humor. And though she is at the court in NYC every day this video gets you up close and personal with her in Weehawken, NJ.
This video above is less than 4 mins but you can see more video and read the whole article on the WaPo website here: How sketch artists at Trump’s hush money trial capture what cameras can’t.
Oscar-Winning Restaurant Owned By Weehawkenites? Yep.
OK so if you know me you know:
I ❤️ Weehawken.
I dig Frenchy food.
I adore gritty 70’s films (especially if set in New York City).
Did you know there’s an iconic Manhattan restaurant that happens to deliver on all of the above? First the basics on Copinette, a restaurant that bills itself as American cuisine with French influence:
In 2018, Amy Babic teamed up with fellow Weehawken resident and Daniel Boulud alum Andrew Obradovic to open her 3rd establishment, Copinette, on 50th and 1st Ave, just steps from the United Nations. Copinette is celebrated for its elegant atmosphere, personal charm and contemporary American cuisine.
OK so where does the gritty 70’s come in? This place looks FRESH.
Well it is totally modern, but it was also the site of a famous scene in the 1971 hit film The French Connection. The film won 5 Academy Awards and no spoilers — but it has the best car chase scene ever and lots of grit. In the movie, and in real life, the restaurant was called “Copain” which means “boyfriend.” Now as “Copinette” the place looks totally different of course, but it’s THE PLACE. And they even have a “French Connection” table you can book. So I booked it, and yessiree I’m excited. You can see some great photos of the filming the movie here on Copinette’s website.
More on this story as it digests…. er, I mean, develops.
Reminder:
June 14th @ 7P don’t miss the
Parenting Is A Joke live show and podcast taping in Hoboken. Tickets here: milesquaretheatre.org/shows-events/parenting-is-a-joke/ Babysitting add-on is available!Coming Soon: More Weehawken Celebs
I need to wrap up this issue, but next time we’re gonna highlight another celebrity who has lived here longer than me — Nancy Giles.
You can see Nancy Giles on CBS Sunday Morning, hear her voice everywhere, see her in movies like Big with Tom Hanks… and you can listen to her podcast The Giles Files which is produced with her friend Nancy Wyatt who also lives in Weehawken.
But I’ll leave you with a taste. Here’s Nancy leading America on a walk around Weehawken during the pandemic. It’s from a hard time but it’s a beautiful local time capsule we can open now.
Got Tips? Recs?
Bring it. This newsletter is free right now. Best contact is to send a DM to the Weirdhawken Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weehawkengazette/ — you can also comment here, but you know, be nice.
Tah for now nice nabes!
Susie