Weehawken Library to host ‘shabby chic’ furniture art program in February
During the month of February, The Weehawken Public Library will host a first-of-its-kind Shabby Chic Art Program focusing on unique furniture techniques. Local artist Janet Tava will lead the free how-to program, which will be held in two sessions, the first on Tuesday, Feb. 16. Part II of the program will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Both sessions will be held at the library from 7 to 9 p.m.
Residents interested in participating will be asked to bring a small piece of furniture with them; through the course of the program, they will learn how to transform the piece into something chic. In the first class, participants will be instructed on how to prep and coat furniture; during the second class, Ms. Tava will focus on teaching distressing and decorating techniques.
Space is limited to 10 participants. Registration is required. Call the library at (201) 863-7823 for additional information.
Verona Quartet plays classics at UBS Atrium Series on Feb. 17
The UBS Atrium Series will present the Verona String Quartet in a classical concert on Feb. 17 at 12:30 p.m. in the Atrium at 1000 Harbor Boulevard in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken, New Jersey.
The Verona Quartet was recently named the Graduate Resident String Quartet in residence at the Juilliard School. As such, the quartet works closely with the renowned Juilliard String Quartet. The group has performed across four continents in venues such as Wigmore Hall (London), Izumi Hall (Osaka), the National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), the Melbourne Recital Hall (Melbourne) and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC). It has also appeared on National Public Radio and “The Weekly Special” on PBS and will make its Lincoln Center debut at Alice Tully Hall in May 2016.
The Verona Quartet is a recent winner of the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and has also won top prizes at prestigious competitions in England, Australia, and Japan. The Quartet has collaborated with artists such as Pedja Muzijevic, Jean-Michel Fonteneau and has worked with members of the Alban Berg, American, Brentano, Cavani, Cleveland, Fine Arts, Guarneri, Miami, Pacifica, Tokyo, Vermeer and London Haydn Quartets.
The Verona Quartet’s members hail from the USA, Canada, and Singapore, and hold degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and Eastman School of Music.
All performances for the UBS Atrium Series begin at 12:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public and the venue is wheelchair accessible. Free parking is available in the adjacent outdoor lot and public transportation options include NJ Transit Bus 158 as well as the Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Lincoln Harbor. For directions and more info, please check the HRPAC website – www.hrpac.org – or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
Elevator repair person dies in accident in shaft of Galaxy Towers
A 44-year-old elevator repair person was accidentally killed inside an elevator shaft in Tower II of the Galaxy Towers Condominium on Boulevard East on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was an employee of Slade Elevator doing scheduled monthly maintenance on the elevator.
According to a statement issued by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the worker apparently got caught between the elevator door and the top portion of the elevator car and was dragged upwards. This contradicts earlier reports that he fell as much as 45 stories to his death.
The incident took place about 7:30 a.m. An email from Galaxy management to residents later that afternoon read, in part, “While there is no indication that this tragedy was a result of an elevator malfunction, in an abundance of caution, Tower II elevators will be operated by attendants, and will not be returned to automatic service until the safety of the elevators can be verified with certainty.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating to determine an official cause of death.
Gypsy Yogis to host art appreciation crash course
Gene Wisniewski, a Weehawken resident, did his very first “Six-Hour Art Major” four years ago in a small private yoga studio in town. Since then, the course has been offered at various colleges and cultural institutions, such as SUNY Purchase and Manhattan’s renowned 92nd Street Y. But coincidentally, his return engagement in Weehawken will be held in another yoga studio, Gypsy Yogis, at 2502 Palisade Ave.
Wisniewski first contacted Mary Ann Fernandez, Gypsy Yogis’ owner, after seeing a posting on nextdoor.com stating that she gave art classes. Fernandez is also an artist, and after meeting and sensing an immediate rapport, the two decided her space would be an ideal venue.
The class will run on two Saturdays, Feb. 27 and March 5. The first session will be from 4:30-7:30 p.m.; the second will start and end a half hour earlier. The cost for both sessions is $80, and enrollment is limited to twelve participants.
“The arts are really taking off in Weehawken and Union City,” says Fernandez. “There’s an Equity theater company now in Weehawken called Hudson Theatre Works. The level of quality here is the equivalent of anything you’d see in the city, without having to go across the river. And it’s cheaper.”
Wisniewski describes “The Six-Hour Art Major” as “Art School, Condensed”. Besides Art History and Art Appreciation, the course also features hands-on drawing exercises and a general discussion on developing creativity.
Wisniewski received his art education at the New York Academy of Art, The National Academy of Design, The New School, and L’Ecole Albert Defois in Vihiers, France. He has exhibited in galleries nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. He has fourteen years’ experience teaching and lecturing on visual art, and is the author of Art: Who, What, How, When, Where, and Especially, Why, being released later in 2016.
To obtain further information, please contact Mary Ann Fernandez, (201) 453.3496, gypsy.yogis@gmail.com, or Gene Wisniewski, (917) 566.8390, gene@genewisniewski.com.
NY Waterway and NJ Transit add low-cost ferry option for bus and light rail customers
NY Waterway and NJ Transit have announced Hudson Go Pass, a partnership that will allow customers on select NJ Transit buses and the Hudson/Bergen Light Rail to transfer to a NY Waterway ferry, saving time and avoiding delays, all for as little as 37 cents extra per trip.
Starting Feb. 1, Hudson Go Pass will allow customers who ride NJT’s 156R, 158 and 159R bus routes to transfer at the NY Waterway Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken for various ferry trips. At West 39th Street, free NY Waterway buses meet every arriving ferry for a seamless connection to multiple routes serving Midtown.
The Hudson Go Pass is offered all day, seven days a week for West 39th Street passengers and weekdays for Lower Manhattan passengers.
Customers who participate in tax-free purchase arrangements such as TransitChek or WageWorks should note that the federal government has raised the limit which can be set aside tax free to $255 per month.
There are many more details. Customers can visit nywaterway.com/GoPass or call NY Waterway Customer Service at 1-800-53-FERRY (800-533-3779).
Grace Theater Workshop registering for children’s program
The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. is currently holding registration for its professional theatre training program for children ages eight and up. Registration takes place on Mondays through Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jose Marti Freshman Academy, 1800 Summit Ave., Union City. Classes are open to all residents of Hudson County. Unlimited free classes will be held in ballet, hip hop, salsa, singing, and acting. To register, kids must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. No special clothing or equipment is needed. The registration fee is $30 per student. All of the instructors are professional performers. For information, visit GraceTheatre.com. The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
European retailer Primark to be among tenants when American Dream mall opens in 2017
Primark, a leading European retailer of women’s wear, men’s wear, children’s wear, and home goods, will open its first store in northern New Jersey at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford. The retailer will open as part of the American Dream grand opening, scheduled for 2017.
“We are delighted to be joining this superb location in the New York metropolitan area,” said Paul Marchant, Primark chief executive. “The opening of our store at American Dream is a notable step forward in our focused momentum in the Northeast, and we look forward to continuing to provide our amazing fashion at amazing prices to new Primark customers.”
Founded in June 1969, Primark has 299 stores and approximately 60,000 regular employees in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, France, and the United States. In addition to two stores currently open in the Northeastern U.S., Primark has announced plans to launch six store locations in 2016.
The 3 million-square-foot American Dream complex will contain a shopping mall with anchor tenants Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor, along with over 450 retail, food and specialty shops, complemented by North America’s largest fully-enclosed indoor DreamWorks Water Park, Amusement Park, and a 16-story Big Snow Indoor Ski & Snow Park.
There will also be a 1,500-seat live performing arts theater, a 285-foot-tall observation wheel, luxury movie theatres by Cinemex, a 70,000-square-foot Sea Life Aquarium & Lego Discovery Center, a NHL-size ice rink, and an18-hole miniature golf course. The center also features The Collections, a 460,000 square foot luxury and fashion area, and The Dining Terrace, a collection of 15 full-service restaurants.