Author: James

file photo Village Green

Outdoor Dining in the Village of Ridgewood

from yelp

1. Cafe 37

14 reviews
$$$ • American (New), Cafes

Outdoor Seating

37 S Broad St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 857-0437

Visited Cafe 37 on their first weekend of opening. They were set up for outdoor dining as well. We sat outside and the weather made it that much more enjoyable. …

2. Mediterraneo

46 reviews
$$ • Mediterranean

Outdoor Seating

23 N Broad St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 447-0022

This is one of our go to spots when the weather gets nice.  It is probably our favorite outdoor dining spot. …

3. Sook Pastry

76 reviews
$$ • Bakeries, Creperies

Outdoor Seating

24 S Broad St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 493-2500

for more.  PS: When we visited, they had outdoor seating and it was a lovely day so that was nice. There were a lot of people but it wasn’t too busy or crowded….

4. Malee Thai Restaurant

49 reviews
$$ • Thai

Outdoor Seating

2 E Ridgewood Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 612-7797

make your way to your destination.  As you approach the restaurant you may notice that there is outside seating located on their patio.  …
5. Village Green Restaurant

27 reviews
$$$ • Italian, American (Traditional)

Outdoor Seating

36 Prospect St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 445-2914

This was the 3rd time dining at Village Green within the past year or so and was by far the best experience for me (Saturday 5/11/2013).  …
6. Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine

11 reviews
$$ • Mediterranean, Turkish

Outdoor Seating

28 Oak St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 251-8686

Food was good and fresh, has outdoor seating, and a newly renovated interior.service was pretty muddled which is the only reason it only gets 4 stars.  They were pleasant enough, but they

7. Gazelle Cafe and Grill

26 reviews
$$ • Cafes, American (Traditional)

Outdoor Seating

11 Godwin Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07451 (201) 689-9689

attentive waitresses.   – open kitchen concept – mouth watering smells – impressively clean kitchen  – dimly lit for a warm atmosphere – fun, but not overbearing music – a few outdoor seats

8. Sakura Bana Restaurant

55 reviews
$$ • Sushi Bars, Japanese

Outdoor Seating

43 Franklin Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 447-6525

This place was great! Outdoor seating, BYOB, great staff and great prices! My date and I had a great time! I would definitely go back!

9. La Bottega

23 reviews
$$ • Italian

Outdoor Seating

14 Oak St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 445-7222

The “Home of the Perfect Panini,” La Bottega ridgewood NJ is a full-service dining venue that focuses on panini. The word panino [pa’ni*no] is Italian for “small bread roll”; its plural form

10. A Mano

72 reviews
$$ • Pizza, Italian

Outdoor Seating

24 Franklin Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 493-2000

Okay.  A Mano’s is a very nice open spaced restaurant/pizzeria.  My girlfriend and I actually decided to eat outside. The night was just perfect for outdoor dining.

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Outdoor+Dining&find_loc=Ridgewood%2C+NJ

 

Register NOW for RIDGEWOOD SUMMER DAY CAMP

Fresh air, sunshine, new friends, fun, games, and special memories all add up to Ridgewood Summer Day Camp.

Camp will open for the 2013 summer season Tuesday, July 2nd, and run for six weeks through Friday, August 9th. Children entering grades 1 through 6 will enjoy arts and crafts, organized games, swimming, special events and optional trips. Camp will be held at The Stable, Graydon Pool, Maple Park, Veteran’s Field, the Community Center at Village Hall and Leuning Park, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Children are to bring a bag lunch and beverage. Bus transportation from Village locations is available to all.

The day camp registration fee for Ridgewood children is $525.00, non-resident children $700.00, which includes two camp T-shirts and optional bus transportation.

All campers must possess a 2013 Graydon Pool membership badge (visit www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon for details).

Off-site trips are optional with limited space; prices vary and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Registration will be accepted from April 1 through June 10, 2013 as space allows. You may register online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass (payment by Visa/Mastercard). For registration assistance and/or special needs, please visit the Recreation Office, The Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue, or call the office at 201-670-5560.

Residents near Valley worried about truck traffic
Saturday, June 1, 2013
BY  BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD — With six years of major construction looming should The Valley Hospital get approval to double in size, residents told the Planning Board they are worried about the truck traffic the project will create.

Homeowners want to know how many trucks will travel through the residential streets every day while the hospital grows from 562,000 square feet to 995,000 and adds a 245,000-square-foot parking garage. They also want to know if the hospital’s new design will leave ample space for delivery trucks to turn around on the hospital campus.

Chuck Olivo, a traffic expert with Stonefield Engineering and Design hired by Valley, spent a good portion of the three-hour meeting Thursday night talking about the hospital’s plan for 1,870 parking spaces and the possibility of offering 2,000 spaces. Valley will be adding only three beds but will be transforming all 454 to private rooms and upgraded treatment areas.

Yet when residents had the opportunity to speak, they quickly peppered Olivo with questions about truck traffic. Construction will be completed in two stages, taking three years each. About 170,000 cubic yards of soil and rock will be excavated and trucked from the site during construction — requiring, according to previous testimony, 11,250 truck trips.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/209766811_Residents_near_Valley_worried_about_truck_traffic.html

Bergen County Executive Donovan Vetoes Freeholders Pay-to-Play Ordinance – Again
May 31,2013

Once again as she stated she would, Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan has vetoed Freeholder Ordinance 13-06 voted upon by the Freeholder Board on May 22, 2013. The Freeholder Board originally passed the ordinance at the May 15th meeting, but due to an error in postings, the board had to vote for a second time.

As with the first Veto, the Freeholder’s ill-conceived attempt would weaken what has been described as one of the strongest ordinances banning pay-to-play in the State of New Jersey.

In her current Veto letter, County Executive Donovan remains steadfast on her position. “I emphasize my position again that there should be one statewide law covering pay-to-play disclosure. I believe that such a law should be designed to limit the influence of both vendors and political leaders whose power lies in the political purse. We, in Bergen County, are all too aware of the impact of late, undisclosed money “wheeled” in from all over the State, and probably elsewhere, to unfairly tip the balance in an election.”

Donovan cited numerous reasons for the Veto including that in its current language raises many legal concerns. “The Ordinance, as written, is being applied in the middle of an election cycle (Election Year 2013) and by law, should not be applied retroactively. This Ordinance is clearly intended to act retroactively.” The County Executive also re-emphasized her non-support for the Ordinance as it is currently constituted.

The County Executive ended her May 31st Veto letter with a powerful message. “I offer to the Freeholder Board, as I have in the past, that we should join together to urge the Governor and Legislature to adopt a comprehensive state-wide law banning the corrupting practice of play-to-play while allowing candidates and political parties to raise the funds needed to conduct campaigns guaranteeing transparency to the public and enhancing public confidence that government-generate contracts are not a disguised mechanism of political campaign financing.”

newyork.cbslocal.com

Ridgewood OWS ” bomb” doctor indicted in alleged storage of bomb materials, illegal weapons
Friday, May 31, 2013    Last updated: Friday May 31, 2013, 5:25 PM
BY  KIBRET MARKOS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

A Ridgewood physician has been indicted on charges that he caused the risk of widespread damage by stashing large amounts of bomb-making materials at his home.

Roberto Rivera, 60, also is charged with the criminal possession of two Cobray M11 9mm assault rifles, a stun gun and a large-capacity ammunition magazine that authorities said were found at his home.

The 11-count indictment returned Wednesday by a grand jury in Bergen County also charges Rivera with possessing two other rifles and a .40-caliber handgun despite having been prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been committed to an institution for a mental disorder. Prosecutors declined comment on Friday about his commitment to a hospital.

Police said they responded to Rivera’s home on Nov. 16, 2012, on a hazardous-material report and found chemicals in his basement, prompting a Bergen County bomb squad and an FBI terrorism task force to join the search.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_doctor_indicted_in_alleged_storage_of_bomb_materials_illegal_weapons.html

 

Crime Prevention Alert: Cyber Criminals Using Photo-Sharing Programs to Compromise Computers
Ridgewood Police
05/30/13

Ridgewood NJ.. The FBI has seen an increase in cyber criminals who use online photo-sharing programs to perpetrate scams and harm victims’ computers. These criminals advertise vehicles online but will not provide pictures in the advertisement. They will send photos on request. Sometimes the photo is a single file sent as an e-mail attachment, and sometimes the victim receives a link to an online photo gallery.

The photos can and often contain malicious software that infects the victim’s computer, directing the user to fake websites that look nearly identical to the real sites where the original advertisement was seen. The cyber criminals run all aspects of these fake websites, including “tech support” or “live chat support” and any “recommended” escrow services. After the victim agrees to purchase the item and makes the payment, the criminals stop responding to correspondence. The victims never receive any merchandise.

The FBI urges consumers to protect themselves when shopping online. Here are a few tips for staying safe:

Be cautious if you lose an auction on an auction site but the seller contacts you later saying the original bidder fell through.

Make sure websites are secure and authenticated before you purchase an item online. Use only well-known escrow services.

Research to determine if a car dealership is real and how long it has been in business.
Be wary if the price for the item you’d like to buy is severely undervalued; if it is, the item is likely fraudulent.

Scan files before downloading them to your computer.

Keep your computer software, including the operating system, updated with the latest patches.

Ensure your anti-virus software and firewalls are current—they can help prevent malware infections.

If you have fallen victim to this type of scam, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

file photo Boyd Loving of Robert Paoli

Salute to WW11 Vets
May 31,2013
ROBERT PAOLI
12:14 PM

Ridgewood NJ, Saturday, June 1st 2013 at Legionnaire Jack McCooe house at 12 noon American Legion Post 53 will honor 10 WW11 veterans. Some are legionnaires and others are from the community.

Kathleen Donovans office will be present for a special citation to each of them  The ceremony will take place at Sean and Rosie McCooe house at 70 Walthery Ave in Ridgewood.

Honeybee colonies key to sustainability plan at Valley Hospital
Thursday, May 30, 2013    Last updated: Thursday May 30, 2013, 4:30 PM
BY  JAMES M. O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Four stories up — out on the roof above the doctors, nurses and staff at The Valley Hospital’s Luckow Pavilion in Paramus — a new group of employees are busy at work creating a city out of wax.

Beekeeper Joseph Lelinho of Bee Bold Apiaries, demonstrates how bees make honey on the rooftop of the Valley Hospital’s Luckow Pavilion in Paramus, where they are keeping bees as part of an extension program to ‘go green.’

Valley has installed two colonies of honeybees in tall, pale cream boxes, which will produce honey the hospital plans to use in its patient food and also package to sell in its gift shop.

Each colony will likely produce up to 100 pounds of honey by season’s end. The beekeepers will harvest 30 pounds of that and leave the rest for the bees to eat through the winter.

“The hospital is trying to be as green as possible and this fits in with our goals for sustainability,” said Valley dining director Dawn Cascio.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/Honeybee_colonies_key_to_sustainability_Valley_Hospital.html

photo by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood school ceremony remembers the fallen
Thursday May 30, 2013, 5:16 PM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Candles glowed in dozens of paper bags arranged beneath the stage in the dimly lit Benjamin Franklin Middle School (BF) auditorium last Thursday.

Benjamin Franklin Middle School (BF) students created luminaries with messages to veterans for their Memorial Day Remembrance ceremony.

Decorated by BF students during their morning classes, each luminary was a small emblem of patriotism, decorated in red, white and blue. In exchange for their bags, many students donated to an organization that aids wounded veterans.

The luminaries were one aspect of what will become an annual tradition.

BF’s first Memorial Day Remembrance complemented Monday’s annual Memorial Day ceremony in Van Neste Square.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/209569271_Ridgewood_school_ceremony_remembers_the_fallen.html

 

FBI nominee Comey was held captive as a Bergen teen
Thursday, May 30, 2013    Last updated: Thursday May 30, 2013, 11:56 PM
BY  SHAWN BOBURG
STAFF WRITER
The Record

He could be the country’s next top crime fighter, overseeing investigations into the most serious threats facing the nation.

But James Comey — President Obama’s pick to be the director of the FBI — got an unwelcomed introduction to law and order as a teenager in Allendale more than 35 years ago, during a brief and dangerous brush with a notorious criminal who had all of Bergen County on edge.

A man dubbed “the Ramsey rapist” held 15-year-old Comey and his younger brother at gunpoint after breaking into their Allendale home on an October day in 1977, one of a string of break-ins that included the rape of two area baby sitters. The Comey brothers, locked in a bathroom while the intruder searched the home, escaped through a window, only to encounter the man again on their lawn. The brothers ran back inside the house, locked the doors and called police, setting off a massive manhunt.

https://www.northjersey.com/allendale/FBI_nominee_criticized_by_civil_liberties_groups_praised_by_colleagues.html

Ex-Microsoft manager plans to create first U.S. marijuana brand
By Jonathan Kaminsky

SEATTLE | Thu May 30, 2013 6:45pm EDT

(Reuters) – A former Microsoft executive plans to create the first U.S. national marijuana brand, with cannabis he hopes to eventually import legally from Mexico, and said he was kicking off his business by acquiring medical pot dispensaries in three U.S. states.

Jamen Shively, a former Microsoft corporate strategy manager, said he envisions his Seattle-based enterprise becoming the leader in both recreational and medical cannabis – much like Starbucks is the dominant name in coffee, he said.

Shively, 45, whose six years at Microsoft ended in 2009, said he was soliciting investors for $10 million in start-up money.

The use, sale and possession of marijuana remains illegal in the United States under federal law. Two U.S. states have, however, legalized recreational marijuana use and are among 18 states that allow it for medical use.

“It’s a giant market in search of a brand,” Shively said of the marijuana industry. “We would be happy if we get 40 percent of it worldwide.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/30/us-usa-marijuana-idUSBRE94T0ZE20130530

Ridgewood Arts council urging people to pop in the Pop-Up Art Gallery
Wednesday May 29, 2013, 12:25 PM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

New York City artist Marcela Carvalho has exhibited in the south of France, Finland, her native Brazil and is currently featured at the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in Chelsea.

IMAGE OF ARTWORK COURTESY OF CRISTINA DEUTSCH
Artwork by Marcela Carvalho will be among the featured pieces on display during the first Pop-Up Art Gallery to be held in Ridgewood on May 31 and June 1.

This weekend, she is adding 31 N. Broad St. in Ridgewood to that list.

On Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, the new Ridgewood Arts Council (RAC) is holding a “Pop-Up Art Gallery” that will feature about 18 artists, three from Ridgewood and many from New Jersey, according to RAC members, who hope to enhance the village’s growing reputation as a cultural destination.

https://www.northjersey.com/community/209354381_Ridgewood_Arts_council_urging_people_to_pop_in_the_Pop-Up_Art_Gallery.html

Varian Fry ( wymaninstitute.org )

Catherine Taub, Ridgewood activist and historian of her hometown’s ‘American Schindler,’ dies at 64
Thursday May 30, 2013, 6:50 PM
BY  JAY LEVIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Until Catherine Taub visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum 15 years ago, few knew that Varian Fry, who helped spare more than 2,000 artists, writers and others from Nazi persecution, spent his childhood in Ridgewood.

Ms. Taub, a village resident who died Tuesday at age 64, dedicated herself to perpetuating the legacy of the man known as the “American Schindler.”

She led the drive to rename a portion of South Monroe Street, outside West Side Presbyterian Church, “Varian Fry Way.” She got the Postal Service to issue a commemorative postmark in 2007, on the 100th anniversary of Fry’s birth. And she administered the Varian Fry Humanitarian Scholarship, awarded to a Ridgewood High School senior demonstrating the same “commitment to care” displayed by Fry.

https://www.northjersey.com/obituaries/Catherine_Taub_Ridgewood_activist_and_historian_of_her_hometowns_American_Schindler_dies_at_64.html

Architect discusses layout for Valley Hospital expansion plan
Thursday May 30, 2013, 5:04 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

A series of architectural renderings depicting The Valley Hospital’s expansion proposal earned fleeting moments of praise from some Ridgewood Planning Board members Wednesday night, but scrutiny over the details and other aspects of the plan continued.

Architect Steve Evers, who specializes in health care facility designs, made his second appearance in the public hearing process for Valley’s request to amend the village master plan. If approved by the board and Village Council, the amendment will fundamentally permit the hospital to grow nearly twice as large as the existing facility.

The proposed construction will take place over two phases. Previous testimony by the hospital experts revealed that phase 1 will be completed between six and seven years, while the start of the second phase might be “a decade or two” away.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/209567021_Architect_discusses_layout_for_Valley_Hospital_expansion_plan.html