EDITOR’S LETTERSpring Forward

I don’t know where you’ll be on March 20 at 7:44 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, but you should be dancing around an imaginary circle with your wand, a large seed, and a bowl of soil. That is, if you are paganly observing the vernal equinox. But you will probably be driving to work, steering with one hand and drinking a giant latte with the other. Still, it’s hard not to notice and be buoyed by the early flowers, fragrant earth, and singular scents of spring.
Check out our story on landscaper Valerie Hufnagel, who makes it her business to know what you’re supposed to do with your own little patch of urban earth.
Get a jump on the summer wedding season with our special wedding section, which will help you with everything from cake toppers to venues.
The whole marriage thing starts with the proposal. In “Popping the Question,” we gathered unusual or romantic proposal stories. Was yours fun, funny, or touching? Email it to krounds@hudsonreporter.com, and we may include it in next year’s wedding section.
One of the biggest decisions a bride will make is what she and her wedding party will wear. In Threads, we offer a visual tableau.
Our cover story, penned by former Hudson Reporter managing editor Diana Schwaeble, gets up close and personal with Hudson County Renaissance man Val Emmich, who is making a name for himself as a musician, actor, and novelist. Keep an eye on this rising Jersey City star.
Our departments covered a lot of ground in this issue. Child’s Play is about a photographer who focuses on children. The images say it all.
Speaking of kids, is it safe to have a pit bull if you have children in the house? In Fur, Fins, & Feathers, we try to settle once and for all whether this much-maligned breed is a gentle friend or neighborhood menace.
If you want to get away from it all, there’s the short trip and the longer trip. Backyard Adventure takes us up the Harlem River, where the divine Miss M, Better Midler, has built a community boathouse at Swindler Cove Park. If you want a Weekend Getaway, head north to the Maine coast, arriving before the summer crowds swoop down on this postcard-perfect, lobster-rich, lighthouse-heavy ocean oasis.
There’s much more in this issue. But don’t just read—write. We want to hear your ideas for covering life along the Hudson.