SantaCon Coming to Red Bank this Saturday

They come from the North Pole, a fat and jolly mass of red creeping ever closer from beyond the horizon with only the distant sound of tiny jingle bells signaling their arrival. They are Santa, and they’re here to party. On Saturday, Red Bank is hosting its first ever iteration of SantaCon, the hugely popular dress up as Santa and hit every bar along the way – all while maintaining a feeling of good cheer – day of celebration and Santa unification recognized the world over. For all the Red Bank SantaCon details, click here !   Anthony J. Gonzalez Michael Faiella Better Homes Realty (908) 565-0457 Anthony@JerseyShore102.com Mike@JerseyShore102.com

Hampton Inn proposed in Red Bank hints at river access

RED BANK — Debate on plans to build a six-story Hampton Inn on a triangular property between Route 35, Rector Place and the river focused on the river at Monday night’s Planning Board meeting. The question and answers back and forth went between attorney Ronald Gasorowski, representing resident Steven Mitchell who opposes the project, other residents and objectors and planner Roy DeBoer. The next hearing by the borough Planning Board on the application is Dec. 21. DeBoer made several arguments on behalf of the project, including that at six stories the hotel fits in with other nearby tall buildings, including several apartment complexes, the Molly Pitcher Inn and Oyster Point Hotel and an office building. He said at 80 feet it wasn’t the highest out of all those structures, because the Grandview apartment building is 100 feet high. Mitchell cited height as one of his reasons for opposing the project early in the hearing process. “It falls in to the parameters of smart growth; it’s an adaptive reuse of the property,” he said. The developer, RBank Capital LLC, would build the first section of the “river walk” envisioned by the borough’s waterfront plan, which called for a promenade at the river’s edge along the Navesink and Swimming rivers. A deteriorating bulkhead on the river also would be replaced, he said. “The goal of the town is to build a river walk and they will get a piece of it,” DeBoer said. Opponents argued that it would be a walk to nowhere and a Middletown woman argued that there was no nearby parking for people to drive to the river walk. Mayor Pasquale “Pat” Menna said the river walk would be used by residents of the borough’s west side. DeBoer said that the triangle-shaped property presented challenges and resulted in application for waivers from some design standards where a corner of the proposed structure came closer to property lines than zoning standards permitted. “If it’s so hard to put a square peg in a round hole, why are you trying?” asked resident Conner Walby of Campbell Street, who questioned the applicant’s contention that the hotel will provide a better view of the river for neighbors than the existing gasoline station on the property. DeBoer said instead of building a solid slab, the proposed hotel has a central core and a deck on stilts which allows people to “see through” to the river. “At least one third of the site is open,” he said. “You can see under the deck and get some views that way.” Gasorowski challenged that contention, because plans call for allowing about 20 to 30 cars to park in the front of the property. “How will 20 to 30 cars parked in the front contribute to people being able to see the river?” he asked. DeBoer said people would have a “filtered view” of the river.   Written by Larry Higgs | Staff Writer

When one conjures an image of Independence Day, they gravitate to thoughts of beautiful weather, hot dogs, family friends, bar-b-cues, and FIREWORKS. As the annual celebration of America, grilling, and pyrotechnics descends upon us one would be wise to celebrate in Monmouth County, NJ. Here in the quintessential shore community towns are gearing up for their salute to America, everyday this weekend one can sample something from the veritable smorgasboard of all things Americana. My first stop of the weekend will actually begin tomorrow night In Atlantic Highlands. The Atlantic Highlands Fireman's Fair is this week; running from Tuesday to Saturday. The highlights are Wednesday night's Fire Fighter night and Friday Nights Fireworks. All festivities are located at the Atlantic Highlands harbor found at the end of First Ave. KaBoom Fest in Red Bank will encompass the 1-3rd culminating is undoubtedly the finest fireworks spectacle in New Jersey. I love these fireworks, it gets crowded so get there early. I recommend taking the train in, parking gets to be an issue (price/availability/traffic). Contact the rivercenter for dining and shopping specials. Finally we have Oceanfest in Long Branch, this celebration of America and the Atlantic is celebrating its 21st year of existence. For those who prefer fireworks actually happening on the 4th, this is the place to go. I would stop in Sea Bright this evening and catch both the Long Branch and the Sea Bright Fireworks simultaneously. Sea Bright provides the musical stylings of the Tim McLoone Band, plus great beachfront restaurants and moderately better parking that the beach at Long Branch. Come on down the shore and celebrate your independence!

Red Bank restaurants band together to market town’s culinary attractions

Tips on getting Red Bank’s groove back

  Bistro owner cites factors that keep shoppers out of town BY ANDREW DAVISON Staff Writer for the Hub RED BANK — George Lyristis, a longtime borough businessman and owner of the Bistro on Broad Street, presented a list of customer-friendly recommendations to the Borough Council at its meeting Jan. 24. Lyristis recommendations focused on making Red Bank more appealing and convenient for customers, with parking as the number one issue. “The perception to our customers is that it’s a pain to come to Red Bank, so they go somewhere else,” Lyristis said in a letter to the council he read at the meeting. “Between the parking meters not accepting credit cards and the aggressive ticketing with a $38 ticket, it’s just easier for them to go elsewhere, and they are.” Lyristis, who also owns a restaurant in Little Silver, said that he would see many patrons there who formerly frequented Bistro. Many of them, he said, cited Red Bank’s infamous parking tickets for their change in venue. “I don’t think it was a $38 parking ticket once, I think it was twice, three times, four times, five times,” he said. The letter also included a request for a parking garage as one remedy, though Lyristis said that he recognized that as an item for long-term consideration and would prefer to focus on the smaller, immediately attainable goals. Along with parking tickets, Lyristis cited inadequate signage and poorly lighted parking lots as additional factors that discourage visitors, shoppers and diners. “Half the way-finding signs are broken or incorrect,” Lyristis wrote, “People who come here have to be shown where to go to find parking and businesses. “I want to be more welcome to the out-of-towner coming in,” he told the council. Lyristis said that he also finds the downtown streets dirty. He attributed this to insufficient street cleaning and sloppy trash removal. A weekend pick up of garbage would help alleviate the problem, he suggested. “Litter lockers fill up and overflow from not being emptied on the busiest days of the week,” he wrote. Finally, Lyristis asked that the council better communicate ordinances regarding the downtown to the businesses that they would affect. “We’ve kind of lost our character down there a little bit, and obviously the borough is not going to change that; we need to change that ourselves, but there are certain things that we need changed [by the borough] as well,” Lyristis said. Councilman Michael DuPont said he agrees that businesses and the borough need to work together toward a common goal. ‘What we’re trying to do is present the image that we are trying to get our groove back and make it more customerfriendly, and I think everyone up here would attest to that,” DuPont said. Council President Arthur Murphy said that he agreed with Lyristis on many of the points and would look into addressing his concerns. “I know you’ve been in town a long time and we take your opinion seriously. We know how hard it is out there,” Murphy said. Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels said that he could not adequately comment on the requests because he and the council had only received the letter that night, but he would review it and meet with Lyristis and Red Bank River- Center, the alliance that manages the downtown shopping district. “I just want to be part of the solution,” Lyristis said.   Anthony J. Gonzalez Better Homes Realty (908) 565-0457 Anthony@JerseyShore102.com http://www.JerseyShore102.com  

Valentines Day approaching

If you're looking for a great place to dine on Valentines Day, Keyport has numerous fine restaurants. The Bayshore Bistro is a Zagat rated eatery whose chef was nominated by James Beard for best in the Mid-Atlantic region. They specialize in Cajan, creole and modern american cuisine. Nemo's features outstanding Thai, sushi and chinese, overlooking the bay with New York in the background. Lenora's Cafe is a great place for a Valentines lunch, serving homemade Mexican and American food. Trinity is the place for a romantic Valentines dinner, with great steaks and seafood, and Ye Cottage Inn always features fresh lobster and great oysters. Please make reservations early, and have a great Valentines Day.

ART SHOW DISPLAYS FOR THE SNOW DAYS

By DUSTIN RACIOPPI The iceberg-sized snowmounds are still here. The temps are near arctic. It's the winter blahs, perhaps the slowest time of year for action, especially in the arts world. And in the Red Bank sector, not much is doing now. Or at all, really, in the way of grassroots endeavors to showcase local talent, says Mellisa Pickering, one of the town's more recognizable faces - and voices, with her Irish brogue - on the coffee scene. Take those elements and it's precisely the right time to get something going, said Pickering, who has a graphic design background and a passion for art. "Red Bank is so quiet right now. I'm sick of waiting for something to happen," she said. "So we decided to make something happen ourselves." The result is a winterlong, and perhaps yearlong, biweekly arts show at Broad Street's Zebu Forno, where Pickering works. The show kicked off Saturday and continued Sunday. About a dozen artists showed off their wares, ranging from original paintings, photographs and handcrafted jewelry to niche crafts such as medieval chain armor and trinkets made from recycled materials. You'd be hard-pressed to find an assembly of artists like this one anywhere else. "The different talents they do have here is pretty good," said Krista McCaffery, of Perth Amboy, who was selling jewelry she makes out of sea glass. "It has potential." Pickering, with the help of a Craigslist ad, culled a mix of artists both locally and from all over the state to fill Zebu's recently-completed back room. The show gave the artists a chance to expose their work at a time when opportunities are few. "A venue like this, and Mellisa, who wants to support local artists at a very low price, is very helpful, especially in the winter months. " said Michelle Renee Bernard, an Ocean Grove artist who uses recycled materials to make jewelry and assorted crafts. "This is perfect." While the venue may have been perfect, it posed a small problem for Ryan Dougherty, who takes stainless steel and recreates medieval body armor. "I'm a little worried about the food over there," he said. "The profits may go right back in." Still, like most of the other artists, Southerland said he'd likely be back for the show, which is on a fluid schedule right now, Pickering said. Originally intended to be a weekly event, held on Saturdays and Sundays, Pickering said coordination may push it to be held every other weekend. But there's lot of interest, she said, leading her to believe that rather than running the shows through the winter, she may make it year-round. "I've got three hundred emails," she said. "We'll just have to see." Anyone interested in learning more of getting involved can email Pickering here.   Anthony J. Gonzalez Better Homes Realty (908) 565-0457 anthony@JerseyShore102.com http://www.JerseyShore102.com         

COURTYARDS of MONMOUTH PLAN GETS CLOSER ONCE-OVER

  Red Bank zoners held the first of what is expected to be a series of hearings on the details of a proposed 57-unit housing development on a neglected stretch of Monmouth Street Thursday night. GS Realty, the unit of Amboy Bank that owns the site, is seeking a long list of variances, from building heights and setbacks from the street, in order to clear the way for the so-called Courtyards at Monmouth project. Last July, byt a 5-2 vote, the zoning board granted a use variance for what members called “a very dense project” in new train station zone formed to attract high-density housing and retailing, though the plan calls for no stores. At the time, those in favor cited a desire to jump-start construction on the 1.24-acre property, which is also bounded by West and Oakland streets. The current hearings are aimed at establishing whether and how the project might deviate from zoning laws. An attorney for the project said that since last summer, the bank had gotten “considerable input” from neighbors, including the Red Bank Charter School , resulting in a plan that would feature solar power of common areas, a rain garden and the introduction of the borough’s first car-share program. The bulk of the Thursday’s testimony by experts for GS served to outline elements such as driveway access, sewer connections and the solar panels to be installed in canopies above parking spaces. An engineer testified that the project would provide 67 parking spaces, including two reserved for the car-share program – which would be run by a nonprofit organization – and six for use by the charter school and the community when school is out. Oakland Street’s Mandy Hanigan asked about garbage enclosures and the planting of taller trees to provide better privacy to adjoining homes. Engineer Gregory Valesi said the bank would look into providing the largest possible plantings in the buffer area. Resident James Hulsizer praised the architecture of the project’s two proposed buildings, but expressed concern that the 12-unit structure along Oakland Street would be “right up against sidewalk.” “There’s a pretty common setback along Oakland Street that’s not being matched,” he said, and asked if it could be. Lawyer Kenneth Pate replied that “there is no other location where the building can be placed” and still allow for adequate parking. “That building has a special purpose, it is an affordable housing building,” he said. Former Mayor Ed McKenna was present in the audience to pull for the plan. “This is huge,” he told redbankgreen . “It’s a huge plus for the town.” Bank officials pledged in July to provide an overall mortgage to a developer of the site, or to joint venture with one, to ensure the project gets built. They also said they would offer mortgages on every unit sold. http://www.redbankgreen.com/2011/01/courtyards-plan-gets-closer-once-over.html#more-36587   Anthony J. Gonzalez Better Homes Realty (908) 565-0457 anthony@JerseyShore102.com http://www.JerseyShore102.com         

Sugarush: A New Kind of Sweet Experience in Red Bank

Part of the reason I started this blog site was not only to build my business, but to show what makes the Jersey Shore so great.  The locals that live and work in towns like Red Bank, Long Branch, and Asbury Park are bringing life, diversity, and culture.  Spotlighting new local businesses, to me, is a great way to learn a lot about a town as you try and make a decision as to relocate there or not.  Below is an article written about a new bakery coming to Red Bank. RED BANK’S LATEST RUSH: CUPCAKES By DUSTIN RACIOPPI For years, it was a joke among friends that Jesse Bello-Paseka and his partner, Chris Paseka, should take their hobby out of their Manhattan kitchen and to the public. The couple, who, until recently did marketing and design work on Broadway, were known for their planning, decorating and baking prowess for private events and parties. But they grew tired of the daily grind in the city, and decided to make a change in lifestyle shortly after they were married this summer. “A few years ago, we joked that we’d quit our lives, quit the rat race and go to a small town and live our lives kind of stress-free,” Paseka said. “After the wedding, we were like, why don’t we entertain it?” It’s not quite the stress-free life they imagined — not yet, at least — but the pair is perfectly happy with their reincarnation as a baking and business duo and owners of Sugarush , a new specialty cupcake shop and bakery in Red Bank. The Pasekas opened the doors at 37 East Front, in the space formerly occupied by Take A Bow, on December 28, and already they’re getting used to seeing the same faces across the counter. “It’s been a wonderful response. We’ve had three repeat customers in two days,” Paseka said earlier this week. “I had one woman on New Year’s Eve, after we closed, banging on the window, going, ‘please, please let me buy something.” The Pasekas consider themselves fortunate for the immediate enthusiastic response. For more than a year, another cupcake business, Cake Red Bank, was rumored to be opening up on West Front, but hasn’t. So the excitement has been a bit of a double-edged sword, Bello-Paseka said. “People have waited so long for something to happen, to get on this cupcake train,” said Bello-Paseka, who grew up in Middletown. “And it’s like, man, we better do good.” A lot of that depends on Bello-Paseka, who’s commanding the kitchen duties while his husband handles the front end of the shop. These guys have a tall order. In addition to offering candy buffets, catering services, customized t-shirts, plus all the fixings for a sure trip to the dentist — soda, candy, brownies, cake pops — there’s the main focus of the store: the cupcakes. There’ll be six staples available each day, plus daily specials, along with a cupcake bar, where there may be anywhere from 20 to 30 different toppings, “because everybody’s sweet tooth is different,” Paseka said. “And we want to be able to satisfy every sweet tooth,” he said. The Pasekas are charitable, too. Each month they’re donating a portion of proceeds from sales of their signature Sugarush cupcake to select non-profits and good causes. This month it’s the Red Bank Fire Department. “It was important to us to give back. We have a volunteer fire department, we have a soup kitchen, we have all these things in town,” Paseka said. “I want to be able to contribute because they’re helping us survive.” It’s taken a bit of getting used to, being away from the big city and adjusting to life as small business owners, but Paseka said each day, with every new customer, he and his partner are slowly weaning themselves from the “office mentality” and saying, “New York what?” “We get to do what we want to now. That’s the great thing about it, but also the scary thing about it, because we have to do everything ,” Bello-Paseka said. “But isn’t life scary?” The Pasekas are still figuring out Sugarush’s hours, but they’ve been open most of the day since opening the doors. The official grand opening is set for 4p on January 28. -->    Anthony J. Gonzalez Better Homes Realty (908) 565-0457 anthony@JerseyShore102.com http://www.JerseyShore102.com         

EMPTY WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY?

With all the empty storefronts and ‘for sale or lease’ signs downtown, it might be hard to see a silver lining for Red Bank’s economy. Scattered along on Broad and Front streets, windows show reflections and hollowed-out stores, not merchandise. Or they’re plastered with contact information, like one downtown cornerstone, Ashes Cigar Club, which was abruptly shut down during the height of the summer bustle. But there’s still hope for Red Bank, says Nancy Adams, executive director of RiverCenter, and things aren’t all that bad when you look at the larger economic picture. Those empty storefronts have opened the door for new ventures in town, she said. And there’s lots of interest in Red Bank, she said. “There are people looking,” Adams said. “Some of these vacancies have given an opportunity to people who have wanted to come here.” Behind the scenes, she said, deals are being negotiated and leases signed. At the forefront of curiosity is Ashes, which was shut down by a court-appointed official in July. Neither Adams nor building owner Jack Anderson was willing to speak to it yet, but Anderson is working with a prospective tenant for the large space at the corner of Broad and Mechanic streets. “It’s a big, bad spot to be vacant,” Adams said. Another gap on Broad is near the corner of Wallace Street, where Nevada Exchange recently cleared out its stock of D’Angelico guitars. Last year, the business — there’s another location in Shrewsbury — switched from an antique shop and guitar dealer to strictly sell the esoteric axes. Why the business left town isn’t clear. But while exits have been made, Adams said there are positive things happening, be it new businesses coming or existing businesses holding their own, or in some cases, exceeding expectations. For example, the Front Street space that has, twice now, been home to Zuleyka’s Kitchen — which slipped out of town as quickly and quietly as it re-entered — is close to being occupied by another food establishment, although Adams won’t attach a name to it. At 88 Broad, a new beauty store is set to open within the next couple weeks. The spot, formerly Eye Candy shoes, is the perfect location for Lux, said owner Linda Martino. “It’s a trendy town and we were hoping for the foot traffic,” said Martino, of Oceanport. “We’ve always liked Red Bank. It just seemed like a nice community where not only people from the area come, but people from other places come, too.” That was a draw for Martino, but Adams said there are other reasons prospective tenants are looking at Red Bank. A big one: the longtime businesses and the ones that are thriving, like Urban Outfitters. Adams said Urban is outperforming most, if not all, of its New Jersey stores — certainly its mall-based ones. “At the very least they’re doing awesome,” she said. Also doing awesome is the enviro-friendly pizza chain Pizza Fusion. “We’re the No.1 store in the chain,” owner Paul Finkler said. “So, yeah, so far, so good.” Pizza Fusion, along with three new stores on Broad — Scottrade, Staples and the soon-to-be-opened consignment shop Double Take — show that there’s heavy interest in making downtown Red Bank a home, says Geoff Brothers, a 30-year real estate veteran in town. “These are four good leases within, what, the last nine months on Broad?” he said. “It’s not all that bad. Yes, there are vacancies, but do we really think that we’re so special that we’re not going to feel the impact of the economy?” Rental rates, an object of complaint among business owners who say they are too high, have been reduced in some places to make downtown more attractive to prospective tenants, he said. But the rates fluctuate from owner to owner, he said, and aren’t always the key factor in closing a deal. In one spot, you can pay $30 per square-foot — a “significant” compromise for the area, Brothers said — and next to it, pay $18 per square-foot. Often it’s the location’s characteristics that play a major factor, he said; pricier spaces can sell while the cheaper ones sit vacant for months, or even years at a time. “So a lot of it has to do with the type of structure, the amount of space,” he said. Adams, who is aggressively recruiting businesses to either start up or expand in Red Bank, says she has a lot of ways to sell the town even though the economy is still shaky at best. And when stacked up against other comparable downtowns, Adams says Red Bank is holding its own. “The economic climate is bad just like everywhere else,” she said, but, “a lot of the businesses that have been here for a long time are working hard to hold on. And they’re doing that.” Brothers recently drove through downtown Lorain, Ohio, a place he said is comparable to Red Bank, and there were only two stores open. The level of activity downtown, which he said still is the vibrant economic center of the area, is an accomplishment given the reality of the national real estate market. “It’s staggering out there,” Brothers said. “The fact that (Red Bank) is doing as well as it is is the story.” Economic development officials from across the state will get to compare how their towns are faring when Downtown New Jersey holds its annual meeting at the Molly Pitcher Inn on September 28. Information provided by By DUSTIN RACIOPPI of redbankgreen.com.

Let’s Bring some Good Karma to Red Bank

What makes the tri-cities (Asbury Park, Long Branch, and Red Bank) places for the alternative and creative types are the businesses that are moving to these areas. Mentioning new small businesses opening in the tri-cities, I feel, allows outsiders to see the development and rehibilitation and ignite the desire to relocate here. I would like to talk about a new small business in Red Bank. The Good Karma Cafe has opened on Front Street. The owners, Gail Doherty and Tiffany Betts, two veterans of the Hip City alternative and natural food scene, are running an all-vegan cafe. Gail Doherty once co-owned Down to Earth vegan restaurant on Broad Street and Tiffany Betts worked for Doherty almost the entire time the restaurant was open. Red Bank has attracted and retained a large community of creative and alternative types and the natural foods sector plays an important role for progressive communities. Good Karma Cafe is now in a highly visible location on Front Street in Red Bank, a very accessible locale! Good Karma Cafe will be open Monday through Saturday from 12-9pm. The menu consists of lunch and dinner selections and will be available at all times. You can enjoy your all-vegan meal in the cafe or take it out, while accompanying it with fresh juices and smoothies. The menu is 90 percent organic, 100% vegan, and you can view the menu at www.goodkarmacafenj.com. “We live the life so it’s very important to us that we don’t make food that we wouldn’t eat,” Doherty says. “We’re basically creating a place for people to eat natural foods, and build a community. I feel we had our own community of like-minded people at Down to Earth. But now people have become even more educated so we believe the demand will be here.” As for opening a business in the worst economy in 70 years. Betts says, “I don’t really care. I’m not afraid. I think people want to eat good food.” Betts also states that she likes Red Bank. “You can walk around the streets at ngiht. You feel safe here… And, it has a lot of creative people. There is also some money here which helps support the economy. Asbury Park or Red Bank to me are the only places that really feel like a city where I’d want to do something like this, and where it would go over. And, we are close enough to Asbury Park and Long Branch and other creative places where everyone just kind of melds together.”