Author Archives: itees

Jersey City Bicycle Ward Tour 2011

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Okay, after riding in the JC Ward Tour this past saturday, I looked and looked for any media coverage and found none. I find it pretty interesting that 500+ bicycle riders could have a police escort, shut down many roads of Jersey City for more than 2 hours this past saturday, and yet I couldn’t find one story about it online.

So, you know what? That why blogs were born, so here you go, a first hand account with photos. Anyone who finds this blog post and wants to chime in or add video and pictures, the more the merrier.

I left my house in Jersey City Heights at about 9am, to meet Bike Hoboken at Pier A park in Hoboken at 9:30. I was proud to have made a donation to Lose the training wheels.org, an organization Bike Hoboken was supporting for the ride.

We were about 10-12 strong and off we rode to Exchange Place to meet the rest of the riders ready for the 2011 tour. We arrived at about 10:15 and checked in. Every rider must check in, get their bib number and this way Bike JC can gauge how many riders there are.

Lots of parents with kids, bicycles built for 2 and 3! Lots of bicycles with trailers and kids in them. For a kid to ride alone they must have been 10 or older. All sorts of bicycles from $20 recycled racers, to hybrids like mine, to fancy, hand-painted and customized bikes.

We all started to move into position as the tables were starting to be set up (Made with Love, yum!), so when we arrived back, we’d be able to drink and eat!

Off we went by motorcycle police escort at the “horn” sound at 11am. We went at a pace of between 12-20 miles an hour, there were some hills, but mostly a leisurely ride on a beautiful Spring day. We passed through all the wards of Jersey City (Ward Tour) and after 15 miles of scenic areas, including Lincoln Park, Saint Peter’s College, Journal Square, The Heights and more, we arrived back at Exchange Place.

Upon arrival riders locked up their bikes and it was time to listen to music, eat and drink… many vendors, but I headed to Lucinda’s creperie, (OMG! Vege crepe, woohoo!) and some awesome beer. There were other trucks and tables set up like, Sava Polish Diner, Krave Korean BBQ, Made With Love, but I was focused on the vege healthy, light eating after a 15 mile ride (more like 23 from my house). There were bands playing, The Bad Parts, The Defending Champions (who were playing when I left…) and after that, The Audio Bodies, and Kiwi…

There were tables for non-profit causes such as, East Coast Greenway Alliance, Embankment Coalition (who came over to explain their mission and I signed their list), Friends of Liberty State Park, Liberty Humane Society and Uptown Crew!

Bike stores: Grove Street Bicycles, Easy Riders JC, Jersey Cycles.
Jersey City and Hoboken Bicycle Clubs: BikeJC.org, BikeHoboken.org

Anyway, here are some photos and maybe in the 3rd annual ward tour in 2012, we’ll get some media coverage? Geez! I heard 760 people had registered, if you didn’t come out, make sure to ride next year! Just amazing and so fun!

John Ruddy – Oculus Deus at Paul Vincent Gallery in Hoboken

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Last Sunday I attended the wonderful opening reception of local artist, John Ruddy, at the Paul Vincent Gallery in Hoboken. The gallery gives an artist the space to spread their art out into multiple rooms, and during the afternoon we all moved into one of the rooms for a special musical performance by Cris Nyne. It’s wonderful to see the artists community come out and support one another and the place was hopping! Different types of artists crowded the rooms, painters, photographers, actors, etc…

John Ruddy’s art was quite original. What I loved was that he treated the frame and the wall surrounding the picture as part of the piece. The frames were decorated, the walls were decorated… it made me think where does the art begin and where does it end? It makes me realize art is not just a picture on a wall, (not that I thought this, but it’s a nice reminder) but everything surrounding the piece and me as well.

Have a look at some of the folks who attended and John Ruddy’s work.

Gallery Hopping in Downtown Jersey City

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As Bilbo Baggins once said in LOTR by J.R.R. Tolkin, “It’s amazing what can happen once you step outside your door!”

It was a very long week and I had worked long hours and by friday was quite tired. My good friend and photographer, John Crittenden and I had planned on visiting a bunch of galleries, but it was a rainy, dreary day and I wasn’t sure I was up for it. However, I had a feeling I needed to go with him, and so off we went.

First stop was the  _gaia gallery space at 315 3rd street. They had some interesting photographs up and a small intimate crowd had gathered. While there, I made a connection through a friend to a woman who works at the Bronx Zoo and can help my cause, Frogs Are Green. Then I met the artist Aileen Bassis, who is also a school teacher (kids may enter the 2011 Frogs Are Green art contest) and her friend Andrew Kapochunas, (we had a neat discussion about single malts and Scotland).

Next stop was “Unzipped” showing the two artists, “Then One” & “Ntel” at 58 Gallery at 58 Coles Street. Very cool gallery design and multimedia artwork, (you’ll see in the photos).

We picked up another friend there, and off we went to the closing party of “Freeze” at Art House Productions, Hamilton Square, 1 McWilliams Place. As I moved around the room I noticed a beautiful photograph of a cat and standing next to me is my friend John, taking a few pictures of the exhibit. I look down at the card saying who’s work it was and it was John’s piece! The conversation went something like this… “I’ve never seen this photograph, I want it!” He looks at me surprised, “what?” he says… I say, “I’m buying it!” “Really?” he says… “Yes!” and I did.

I’ve never bought an image off the wall in a gallery before, and it was thrilling! The picture is now proudly hanging in my home!

After seeing all this artwork, we were so hungry, so off we went for a bite at the Hard Grove Cafe. The food there is always awesome, and the place was packed… and it was Karoke night! This kid (in photo) was fabulous!

 

Saturday evening was the closing party for John’s exhibition at Made With Love, Actualities II. Friends gathered, wine flowed, and great food of course!

Here’s a small gallery from the weekend.