Mulberries, Honeysuckle & Chalamet
Yappy hour, the world famous composer, a slamming garage sale and much more that's blowin' in the wind.
There’s so much to tell, and many pics, so strap yourselves in for this, the 7th issue of the Weehawken Gazette.
Wait, What Smells So Good?
It’s always disconcerting when you are in the NY-area and you smell something good. Who remembers when everyone freaked out because Manhattan smelled like pancakes? It was nearly 20 years ago and we worried — no joke — that it might be a terrorist attack. Known as the maple syrup mystery smell, it took years to solve and it turned out to be fenugreek seeds being processed in New Jersey. From this you’d think that NJ would’ve gotten a reputation for smelling good, but no.
Recently, when walking the waterfront path enjoying the smell of honeysuckle, we spied a well-dressed man on a phone call reaching into brush, plucking berries, and popping them into his mouth. A lady on a bicycle stopped to do the same. Best guess is it’s black mulberry, and there’s so many of them the path is stained blackish purple where the overripe have dropped. The berries are above the level any dog or man could pee, but being a paranoid type, this reporter only had one, and it tasted good. But — if you forage for anything on the waterfront, ingest it, and something bad happens? It’s at your own risk and we aren’t to blame.
That said if some enterprising soul wanted to make Weehawken’s first-ever mulberry wine and present us with a bottle, we wouldn’t say no.
Weehawken Adult Tennis Is All Love
Never learned how to play tennis? No problem. Weehawken adult tennis lessons are here for you. The price is low; the camaraderie high. It’s wonderful to meet a diverse group of neighbors you might otherwise never get to know. And for the total beginners, it’s wonderful to start actually hitting balls and celebrating when they get hit back, or laughing when they sail into the court next to yours.
Simon and Michael are terrific teachers—enthusiastic and kind to all, even after working long hours on the court.
Last night we learned Michael is an actor — and a quick Google to his acting resume shows he’s a seriously accomplished one! Lots of Broadway plus TV, appearing in shows like The Gilded Age, Succession, and more. How cool is that?
Simon we’ve known for years, he’s why all our kids can play tennis. But we only just learned he has been a road manager for the likes of Black Sabbath w/Ozzy Ozbourne as well as the original production of Jesus Christ Superstar on tour. And how cool is that?
So cool.
The next round of classes start Monday and nearly all are filled, but you can go here to see the offerings and try your luck: www.weehawken-nj.us/recreation
Little City Books Is Closing But Not Closing Closing
In Hoboken, people were sad when their beloved indie bookstore was closed and a new name was going up on the storefront. But the name of the new place? Why that’s Music Inn, a legendary music store in Greenwich Village that still exists. And maybe you heard the news that the Bob Dylan movie starring Timothée Chalamet has been filming all over Hoboken for weeks. The Little City Books Insta says they are closed June 3-June 12 “building stuff” but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what’s happening here. Little City Books isn’t confirming what is plain as day, but they added this offer to all:
“We feel bad depriving you of your bookstore for 10 days, so during that time we offer FREE SHIPPING for all online orders AND on Friday June 14th we’ll have a 10% off EVERYTHING in the store.”
We wonder why Guitar Bar wasn’t chosen for this (too small? too many people coming and going for lessons?) but we just hope they are also getting some sweet Hollywood $ lending instruments to decorate the place for this suspected movie shoot.
Related: Is Timothée being here part of the French invasion of NoHu? 🤔
World Famous Composer Lives Here
Did you know composer, conductor and pianist Lowell Liebermann, pictured below, lives in Weehawken?
Renown for his flute compositions, and described as “among the most performed of living American composers” Liebermann’s 2nd flute concerto got raves when it debuted in March of this year at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra:
Lowell Liebermann’s Flute Concerto No. 2 will likely have a long and happy existence in the concert hall. Few CSO premieres receive the kind of tumultuous cheers and extended ovations as did Liebermann’s concerto Thursday night, with Höskuldsson, Mälkki and the composer repeatedly recalled to the stage.
Give our local legend a follow on IG here: instagram.com/liebermannmusic/
And more importantly, listen to his music. There are so many great recordings and via the link above you’ll find they are on Apple Music, Spotify and wherever you like to get your music. We’ll have more on Liebermann in the future, but now you know another local rockstar who happens to be a classical star.
Early Heads Up: Yappy Hour In The Hawk
We’ll have more on this the next Gazette, but save the date: Thursday, June 20 is Weehawken’s first-ever dogs and drinks event up the cliff at the Weehawken Elks. RSVP on the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/791800586375548
Mo Rocca ‘Roctogenarians’ Coming 6/11
Speaking of books, Mo Rocca, an author, performer, and journalist we know and love has a new book profiling people who have achieved greatness late in life. As this reporter nears another birthday, this feels especially relevant.
As you can see, the book is called Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs. The Weehawken Gazette pestered him for a comment (because we know him, BRAG) about the kind of people featured in his book and he said,
“Old people are less likely to care what others think of them. They’re more likely to just go for it. No wonder so many of them are killing it in their 80s. From entrepreneur Colonel Sanders to civil rights leader Mary Church Terrell to Mr. Pickles the Tortoise, who became a first-time father at 90, the message is clear: late life is no time to peter out.”
Word! Get it on Amazon here or go local and order it from Little City Books right here.
Relation to Weehawken besides knowing the EIC of the Gazette? Mo is an award-winning correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, as is our excellent Weehawken nabe Nancy Giles, who we wrote about here.
Housekeeping
Remember when we wrote about the Weehawken people who own a cool restaurant in Manhattan called Copinette? Well we have since had dinner there and it was excellent. Special shout out to the mocktail enjoyed at the bar featuring zero-alcohol tequila—not too sweet and a little spicy. There was also great service, was not too loud for deep convos, and yes the food was fab. If you’re in the mood for a reservation head to: Copinette.
A reader who is a powerful lawyer but who we are keeping anon, wrote in to say they tried the Gazette suggestion to listen to Gershwin on the ferry as it approached Manhattan and indeed got “goosebumps.” Heck yeah!
The Weehawken Supper Club we wrote about sold out soon after the last Gazette was put to bed — but then got a cancellation and has a few spots left for 6/8 so, try your luck! They write: We have 4 seats left for the Supper Club Dinner. If you’d like to come please call 201-598-8878
Remember the great community bulletin board idea that was our top story a few weeks back? We called back and the people who manage Tower Plaza said they “forwarded the idea onto the powers that be.” We asked, “what did the powers say?” Well, they said the powers have said nothing. Hmmm. Next step ideas, anyone?
Classifieds
Slamming High-Quality No-Junk Garage Sale
60 Hudson Place, Weehawken
Sat. June 8 10a - 5p
Rain date: Sun., June 9 10a - 5p
Antiques, Audio Gear, Books, Cassettes, Clothing, Collectibles, CDs, Electronics, Guitar Gear, Household Items, Knives, Lawn & Garden, Lighters, Old Paper, Tools, Vintage Items, Vinyl, Watches, etc. Lots of cool, interesting & useful items at blowout prices. Located between Blvd East and Highwood Ave — look for the signs.
Absolutely NO early birds.
Got Tips? Recs? Wanna advertise?
This newsletter is free (for now) and we are now publishing classified ads that are helpful and relevant to our neighbors, space permitting. And we are now open to select advertisers. Get in early and you’ll get a deal. Our website is in process so best contact is to email contact@bignoyes.com or you can send a DM on Instagram to: instagram.com/felberama — you can also comment here, but you know, be nice.
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Tah for now nice nabes!
Susie
I love finding the mulberries, they are more common outside of Manhattan. Places in Brooklyn including Red Hook, Staten Island & unexpectedly along even some major roads...