Bayonne Life on the Peninsula Spring | Summer 2022

SPRING | SUMMER 2022

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INSIDE: BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT | A DAY IN BERGEN POINT | LIGHTS, CAMERA, BAYONNE

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CONTENTS BLP

COVER 40 BENANTI’S Cover Photo by Maxim Ryazansky

FEATURES 16 BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT The Wellness Group of Bayonne

20 BERGEN POINT

16

Packed With Businesses

26 LIGHTS, CAMERA, BAYONNE! Major Motion Picture Studio

30 FITZPATRICK PARK An Old Park Sees New Life

DEPARTMENTS 6 OUR STAFF 6 CONTRIBUTORS 8 POINT & SHOOT Seeing Red

32 ON THE JOB WITH Free Flow Bayonne

38 HELPING HANDS Panacea Alliance

42 EDUCATION Quiet Books

42

4 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

Dr. DiAntonio

Dr. Marisenoj

942 Avenue C Bayonne

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OUR FULL SERVICE PRACTICE INCLUDES:

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• Dental Hygiene • Implants • Cosmetic • Endodontic • Restorative • Pediatric • Periodontal • Oral Surgery • Orthodontic

Spring | Summer 2022 Volume 8 • Number 1 Published twice annually A Publication of Newspaper Media Group

PUBLISHER Perry Corsetti ART DIRECTOR Terri Saulino Bish DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Tish Kraszyk

DANIEL ISRAEL

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Ron Kraszyk VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ

CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez FINANCIAL Sharon Metro Bayonne Life on the Peninsula is published by the Newspaper Media Group, 166-168 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002, (201) 798-7800, Email bayonnemag@hudsonreporter.com.

Subscriptions are $10 per year, $25 for overseas, single copies are $7.50 each, multiple copy discounts are available. VISA/MC/AMEX accepted.

Subscription information should be sent to BLP Magazine Subscriptions, 166-168 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright ©2022 Newspaper Media Group .All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Bayonne Life on the Peninsula is a publication of Newspaper Media Group 166-168 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002 phone 201.798.7800 fax 201.798.0018

DANIEL ISRAEL is a writer and videographer. He first set foot in Bayonne in 2018.

Ever since, his life has centered around the city. When he’s not working, Daniel enjoys relaxing in 16th Street Park and visiting Bayonne’s coffee shops and eateries.

VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ has studied photography, publication design, and graphic arts. “I’ve been fascinated by photography for 20 years,” he says.

MAXIM RYAZANSKY

MAXIM RYAZANSKY is a photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries and published worldwide. A recent transplant to Bayonne, he spends his spare time trying to figure out the best pizza place in town.

TARA RYAZANSKY is a writer who moved from Brooklyn to Bayonne. She works as a blogger for Nameberry. com and spends her spare time fixing up her new (to her) 100-year-old home.

TARA RYAZANSKY

TERRI SAULINO BISH is the art director for The Hudson Reporter’s award-winning magazines and newspapers.

Her work includes capturing many of the iconic photos featured in print and online across Hudson County.

6 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

B L P CONTRIBUTORS

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8 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

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14 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

Buzzing with Excitement

The Wellness Group of Bayonne

Dr. Noah

By Tara Ryazansky Photos Courtesy of Dr. Noah DeKoyer

L

ast January, The Wellness Group of Bayonne was buzzing with excitement. Dr. Noah DeKoyer led an event called An Evening With The Bee Keepers.

16 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

The beekeepers are Dr. Noah and his family.

“When my father retired, he was considering becoming a master gardener. That’s a course that you can take through Rutgers University,” Dr. Noah explains.

But the new retiree decided not to take on the program.

The Head Beekeeper “It was a little bit too comprehensive.

He would have had to go to class every Friday. So instead, he joined a local bee club.

He learned a lot, and it started from there.”

Now the family has been beekeeping together in Bergen County for eight years.

“My father is the head beekeeper, for sure,” said Dr. Noah, adding that he and

his siblings help. “He has the time to check in on them and make sure that things are going right. Historically, in my father’s youth, my family has had other beekeepers, so doing this has always been in the back of our minds to do this.”

The family also enjoys gardening.

Dr. Noah shares his plants on Instagram at @drnoahdekoyer and @wellnessgroupof bayonne.

“If you look at #dekoyergarden2022 you’ll see all of my different garden posts,” he says.

The Harvest Last year’s haul included figs, tomatoes, celery and, of course, plenty of flowers. The garden supports the DeKoyers’ bee population, and in return, the bees help pollinate the garden.

“Our bees are crucially important.

Certain things wouldn’t exist without bees,” Dr. Noah says. “They’re fascinating, too.

They’re struggling from environmental toxins and other natural invaders so it’s a really good thing to beekeep if you can.”

At the event, Dr. Noah discussed how bees can help humans.

“All of the products from the beehive, whether it’s propolis or honey, even venom, all have real benefits for humans,” Dr. Noah explains. “Of course, honey is a form of sugar, so if you’re diabetic, you

have to be careful, but raw honey is chock full of all sorts of nutrients like B vitamins and amino acids. It’s anti-microbial. It’s got so many positive benefits. It can help with seasonal allergies because if it’s unprocessed, there are little bits of pollen from the local flowers. That tends to help some people with their seasonal allergies, not everybody, but some people.”

Dr. Noah also described the process of beekeeping.

The Supers “You have the beehive, and on the bottom is where all the bees are. You want to keep the bees and the queen on the bottom of the hive. On the top is where the bees build out the honeycombs,” he said, pointing out the wooden boxes where the bees create their hive. “Those are called supers.

As the season goes on, you add more supers. It gets higher and higher until it can be almost 6 feet. Those boxes are filled with the honeycomb.”

Next, it’s time to extract the honey.

“You take the smoker that everyone is so familiar with, and you smoke the hive, and you remove the top boxes, and you put these trays in a centrifuge and you spin the honey out from the hive. It basically just pours out, and you put it in the bottle to enjoy,” Dr. Noah says. “Last year, we got about 600 pounds of honey.”

The DeKoyer family extracts honey from their beehives twice per year. Dr. Noah holds up two bottles that show off the difference between each harvest.

“Typically, in the summer, it’s a much lighter honey, and in the fall, it’s a much darker honey because of the different flowers,” Dr. Noah explains. see next page SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 17

22

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from page 17

“If anyone wants to find out more about our honey, they can come into the office and try it,” Dr. Noah says.

The Wellness Group of Bayonne recently relocated.

“We practiced together on 734 Broadway for 15-plus years, and we just moved to 120 Lefante Way at the end of August 2021,” Dr. Noah says. “It’s been great. We’re in the Stop & Shop parking lot with HomeGoods and T.J. Maxx and Otaiko right next to us. People can come in and get adjusted or get whatever services they’re doing and then go food shopping with unlimited parking.

734 was a great home to us for many, many years, but there was no parking, which is a little stressful. Now we have the parking and a beautiful walk along the river by the golf course. It’s great.”

Practicing Wellness Dr. Noah shares his practice with chiropractors Dr. Charles P. Gonzales, Dr. Maris Stella Fraga and Dr. Michael Acanfora. They also offer physical therapy with Dr. Kamakshi and acupuncture with licensed acupuncturists Teresa Knott and Cathey Baier.

The office hosts events similar to An Evening With The Bee Keepers frequently. They feature health and wellness topics. Check fccofbayonne. com or call 201-858-0444 for details.

Dr. Noah was inspired to begin a career as a chiropractor as a child.

“When I was a kid, I was very familiar with that pink bubblegum-tasting amoxicillin. I had strep throat and ear infections constantly,” Dr. Noah says, adding that a friend of his mother’s suggested that they try a visit to her chiropractor. “I remember walking down that hallway and getting that adjustment and hopping off the table and saying, ‘Wow, mom, that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.’

I was, like, 10 years old. After that first adjustment, I never got another earache or strep throat ever again.”

Dr. Noah continues, “People still think it’s about car accidents and low back, and we do take care of people with low back pain every single day, but what it really is about is maximizing the way your body works and maximizing the way your nervous system works.”—BLP

� d�� �� Bergen Point

La Branche Bistro & Cafe

Packed with Local

BUSINESSES

By Tara Ryazansky Photos courtesy of @minutesfrom manhattan and Tish Kraszyk

B

ergen Point is a tiny neighborhood at the tip of Bayonne where it juts into the Kill van Kull. The little stretch of downtown shopping on Broadway might not be more than a few blocks, but it’s packed with great local businesses to visit. Join me for a day in Bergen Point.

I started my morning with brunch at La Branche Bistro & Cafe. The place got its name because it’s the second restaurant of the owners of Bake n’ Brew Cafe.

If you have visited Bake n’ Brew you might have noticed the tree mural that decorates the walls of the cafe. “This place is like a branch of that tree,” owner Johanna Lara explains. Here at La Branche a mural by the same artist depicts a flowering branch.

Lara wowed us with delicious eggs Benedict, scallops, and arepas from her eclectic menu.

“My friends would ask me, ‘What kind of cuisine will you have?’ I would say,

20 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

“I don’t know, we’re just going to serve food!’,” she laughs. “We have a Mediterranean background including France, Morocco, some regions of Egypt, Spain, Greece, then, of course, there’s the little South American corner in there. I’m from Venezuela.”

The Reina Pepiada Arepas were the highlight of the meal. Arepas are gluten-free cornbread patties with a filling. This kind is stuffed with a dairy-free avocado chicken salad.

Everything else was delicious too, including the Nutella crepe for dessert.

After that, I went shopping at Bergen Point Boutique. Owners, Carrissa Golomb and Shez Zamrudeen showed me around the brand new space.

The pair are longtime small business owners; Golomb owns Reese’s Hair Pieces in Bayonne and Zamrudeen owns the Deen Boutique.

“We’ve always wanted to do something like this where other small businesses could show off their products,” Golomb says, explaining that the store sells items from 16

La Branche Bistro & Cafe

different vendors who will switch every three months.

“You’ll always find something fresh and new here,” Zamrudeen explains.

I wander around the space where you can find anything from plants from Rudo Plants & Home, who were featured on

our Spring-Summer 2021 cover, to beautiful activewear by Wear Love More.

I was drawn to the cool prints on the high-quality matching sets, but what really impressed me was that they are made sustainably with recycled fabric.

“That’s one of our Bayonne vendors,” Golomb says.

The line is designed by Bergen Point resident, Brianna Baker. Baker, who has previously designed for Donna Karan and Oscar De La Renta sleepwear and lingerie, decided to start the line because she found herself frustrated with what she saw on the market.

“There’s a lot of boxes that I wanted to check,” Baker explains. “A lot of activewear bras out there only cater to an A or B cup. It’s a problem I’ve dealt with my whole life.”

Then, there was the issue of sustainability. “There are so many sustainable fabrics that can be used, but the market has been slow to get to it,” Baker says.

And of course, the line had to be cute. “I’m a huge prints person, but I couldn’t find any activewear prints that I like, so I started making my own.”

Now I have to decide whether I get one of the animal print sets or the floral.

Next, I went to HIGHWAYS, where I love hunting for unique items. It’s fun to play thrift or pass, but it’s important to me that shopping at this organization supports our community.

Manager, Nala Ortiz says, “What we sell helps us maintain the building which hosts the food pantry and other things that we do for the community like the uniform drive, the backpack drive, and holidays like the Christmas gift giveaway and Thanksgiving. People in need can come at any time and get clothes and information about resources and programs that might be beneficial for them.”

Ortiz says that she’s been noticing more shoppers from the community lately.

“We have been seeing a lot more younger customers and vintage shoppers come in. You can find great things like vintage clothes from ’70s. I’ve seen nice jean jackets and those corduroy bell-

bottoms that don’t go out of style. You can find anything from Walmart to Burberry.

You can find little treasures here.”

I browsed the housewares area where I found vintage pastel Fiestaware sets. Then I took to the racks where I found one of those 90’s leather jackets that I keep seeing everywhere and a pretty rust-colored blouse.

I headed back out to stop by a new store that I noticed called VJC’s Boutique.

“We’re a family boutique.

We have a little bit of everything; children’s clothing, women’s clothing, mommyand-me, accessories, makeup, and body products. We like to be trendy and affordable,” says Vicki Tooker who co-owns the boutique with Joy Ramos.

I browse the store and find glitter hair gel. They have many colors and glow-inthe-dark options. “We make it,” Tooker says. I find some cute tutus as well. Upon closer inspection, I notice something interesting about them.

“We like to say that this all started with a light-up tutu because it’s the first thing that we made,” Tooker tells me as she demonstrates how with the flip of a switch on a tiny hidden battery pack, the tutu lights up. “Everyone fell in love with them so we made more and started traveling all over Jersey to flea markets, fairs, and carnivals.”

VJC previously had a much smaller retail space in Bayonne. “When we saw something was available in Bergen point we knew that we had to come here,” Tooker says. They plan to host birthday parties in the shop in collaboration with Mona Lisa Pizzeria soon. Mona Lisa has great Italian food, and if I wasn’t so full, I would’ve stopped in for a slice.

“This area is blossoming and growing,” Tooker says.

Mona Lisa

Bergen Point Boutique

see next page SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 21

Artist Portraits by Maxim Ryazansky at The Little Boho Bookshop

VJC’s Boutique

from page 17

So is the size of my shopping bag! I head back to my car, but I pop in to visit The Little Boho Bookshop before I leave.

Owner, Sandra Dear was straightening up the store after some little visitors left.

She tells me about Read Across Bayonne. “We’re having each pre-k class in the district come in for story-time. The children each get two Little Golden Books and the teachers get books to take back to their classroom just to promote reading early,” Dear explains.

The bookshop has plenty of books for grown-ups as well. They even sell my personal favorite, Artist Portraits, a book of photographs by my husband, Max Ryazansky!

After perusing the shelves I chat with Dear about the neighborhood. She tells me that the greengrocer, Produce Smart, recently switched owners and has been adding some exciting new products.

“You have to try this ice cream,” she tells me. Since CJ’s Gourmet Italian Ice, a Bergen Point favorite, has yet to open for the season,

22 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

I don’t need much more convincing than that.

I head over to Produce Smart where owner, Jon Panno shows me the Sip ’N Swirl freezer. “It’s all small batch. It’s all-natural. The dairy is sourced locally. The flavors are just absolutely amazing,” he says, adding that it’s a New Jersey brand based in Little Falls.

Panno is a lifelong resident and says he thought the area needed a store like this. He previously leased it to someone else, but now that he has taken it over he’s updating the space and products. “Down here there was a need for groceries, fresh produce, and housewares. The feedback from the customers has been amazing.”

There are so many more places to visit in Bergen Point, but now I have to rush home with my ice cream before it melts.

You can see more of my day on Instagram at @ minutesfrommanhattan.

Leave a comment and tell me which neighborhood I should visit next! — BLP

CJ’s Ices

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Lights, Camera, Bayonne!

The view down the main road which will be called Paseo.

Coming Soon: A Major Motion Picture Studio

By Daniel Israel Renderings Courtesy of Gensler

T

he former roughly 2.2 million Texaco site, a vacant industrial slice of land at the southernmost tip of Bayonne, will see the empty lot of paved concrete be transformed into 1888 Studios by redeveloper Togus Urban Renewal, LLC and 1888 Studios, LLC. The planned studio has been described as “the largest ground-up film studio in North America.” What does that mean exactly? Well, the redeveloper is going to be constructing all of the 19 or 20 or so buildings and facilities it needs to operate the studio all at once. Historically, that is not something that does not really ever occur when building the structures for a film studio.

Thus, this is not only a unique opportunity for the film industry, it is also a unique opportunity for Bayonne to return to its roots. While it may not be known for it, the city has a history with the film industry.

Centaur Film Company started in Bayonne The move to allow the construction of a motion picture studio is fitting, given that it was home to one of the earliest independent motion picture companies.

26 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

In 1907, William and David Horsely established Centaur Film Company. It was the first motion picture company in America that was not controlled by Thomas Edison and his camera patents.

Ironically, the studio’s name comes from the year Edison discovered the motion picture camera, an interesting choice given the history.

In Bayonne, the Horsleys operated out of the studio for a few years. During that time, the studio was located on what is now Broadway, but back then was at 900 Avenue D. A few years after establishing Centaur Film Company, the Horselys ventured West. Soon, they became the first film producers to go to Hollywood in 1911, establishing West Coast operations under the Nestor Motion Picture Company.

They filmed at both studios until 1912. That year, the Horselys ceased filming in Bayonne as Nestor Motion Picture Company merged with four other film companies to become Universal Picture Company.

A burgeoning industry headed to the city Since then, a number of television shows and movies have been filmed in the city, from War of the Worlds to the Equalizer. But now, many more are expected to be shot in the Peninsula

City, as the studio is sure to attract the industry to the city with its revolutionary new studio.

The studio will also bring with it thousands of jobs. And with that, the redeveloper has promised to offer a job fair to allow Bayonne residents to get first dibs. Additionally, the 1888 Studios will work with the school district to establish apprenticeship programs with students.

This is in major contrast to previous plans for the site, which called for up to 7,000 residential units as part of Kaplan Companies’ plans for the site. Mayor James Davis has touted his administration’s efforts to bring the film studio to fruition.

“We are very proud that our City Administration worked successfully to get the studio complex approved,” Davis told Bayonne: Life on the Peninsula Magazine.

“Bayonne will have thousands of new, high-paying union jobs, multimillion-dollar buildings, and a prestigious industry … It is most appropriate that Bayonne will be the home of a major new motion picture studio. Bayonne is one of the places where that industry first began.”

see page 28

A photo of the Centaur Film Company established in1907. Shutterstock/everettcollection.com The planned entryway aims for a classic movie studio feel.

A rendering of the planned creative office.

A photo of the former location of the Centaur Film Company. Photo by Daniel Israel

The current state of the Texaco site.

A rendering of the planned mill buildings on the site.

A rendering of the planned post production office.

An aerial rendering of 1888 Studios

from page 26

Insiders excited following approval And it may be the future of the industry. The project has earned the praise of Bayonne native and prolific novelist, screenwriter, and producer George R.R. Martin, who wrote the novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire” which was adapted into the Emmywinning television series “Game of Thrones,” helpe create the “Wild Cards” anthology series, and contributed to the world-building for the video game “Elden Ring,” among other accomplishments.

“This is just so cool,” Martin recently wrote on his blog. “The site they have picked, the old Texaco plant in the shadow of the Bayonne Bridge, is just a few blocks west of the federal housing projects where I lived from age four until I left for college, at First Street across from Brady’s Dock. You can see the bridge from the park across the street from our apartment.”

Martin said the studio will be a great opportunity for young people.

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“And if a film studio had been there when I was a kid… instead of Texaco… who knows what effect that might have had on my life and my dreams? If they can actually get the 1888 Studio built, it will be an incredible thing for all the young dreamers in Bayonne, and the rest of Jersey.”

Martin even talked about possibly coming back to Bayonne to shoot something there upon the studio’s completion.

“It would be so so so cool if the studio gets built, and one day I return to shoot a film or television show there,” Martin said. “Probably not a Westeros show, as Bayonne has a notable lack of castles… but hey, maybe Wild Cards! The Great and Powerful Turtle lived in the same apartment I did at 35 East First Street, and had his junkyard hideout on the Hook.”

Martin has come back to the city several times over the past few years, and has had many discussions about the re-birth of Bayonne with Davis.

Those discussions will likely continue as shovels are put in the ground on 1888 Studios. — BLP

The City is Thriving & Ready to Serve You

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• New Employee Tax Credits. One-time Corporate deductions of either $1,500 or $500, as applicable.

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• Unemployment Insurance-based Awards (Rebates) • Preferred Financing and Training, Utility Rates, and Regulatory Assistance.

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For online UEZ application, questions or information, please contact Bayonne Urban Enterprise Office | 201-858-6357 or UEZ Help Desk (877) 913-6837 | HelpDesk@dca.state.nj.us Ad paid for with the use of UEZ funds SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 29

FITZPATRICK PARK An Old Park Sees New Life Post-facelift

Story and Photos by Daniel Israel

T

hose who live near Avenue C in Bayonne, specifically the area around 27th and 28th Streets, now have a new gem of an amenity at their fingertips.

The city has reopened Fitzpatrick Park across from City Hall following a major facelift. And residents have had nothing but compliments for the new upgrades.

The park was renovated by contractor Picerno-Giordano Construction, a regular contractor for park construction in Bayonne. The upgrades include a roller hockey rink, a firefighter-themed playground area, a police-themed playground, a water spray area, landscaping, and benches. A clock and bell tower are in the works.

Additionally, there were storm water management upgrades in the form of a new storm water collection cistern and a new storm water piping system, separate from the existing sanitary piping from 26th Street to 28th Street. New drainage structures were installed at each of the Avenue C intersections with 26th, 27th, and 28th Streets.

The overhaul of the park was much needed, as it hadn’t seen any work done on it in many years. Firzpatrick Park was first constructed in the 1970s on the site of the former Police and Fire Headquarters, thus

30 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

the appropriately themed playgrounds.

It is named for former Mayor Francis Fitzpatrick, who served 12 years in office from 1962 to 1974.

Officials proud of double investment Officials from the city, state, and county were present at the reopening ceremony back in December of 2021.

Mayor James Davis is proud to tout the duality of the park renovations as not just bringing Fitzpatrick Park back to life with new amenities, but also tacking storm water management.

“This is a collaboration between the state, county and the city, to not only help open space, but to also help with the problem of flooding that every city in New Jersey deals with,” Mayor Davis said.

Mayor Davis said that there would be additional anti-flooding initiatives elsewhere in Bayonne. He thanked Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and the Hudson County Open Space Fund for their support.

“This is the first project that we were working on that is completed now,” he said. “We are going to go to all the areas that historically flood in the city of Bayonne and start engineering it so that we can start changing the flood areas.”

Mayor Francis Fitzpatrick holds his granddaughter Allison at the first dedication of the park. Photo courtesy of the Fitzpatrick family New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said that the park renovations were more than just a physical upgrade to the park amenities.

“We’re not just investing in our environment, a garden, a swing set, or a hockey rink,” LaTourette said. “We’re investing in our communities and in our people.”

LaTourette said investments in parks like this can spur other investments in the city.

“They can spark and even drive economic growth, but most importantly, they give space: physical space, emotional space, a place to connect with nature and with one another,” LaTourette said.

Francesca Giarratana, Chief of Hudson County’s Division of Planning, highlighted that the project was in part funded by the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund. The approximately $3 million in improvements were funded partially by about $661,713 from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund and approximately $1,478,547 in funding from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank or I-Bank, which is a program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

“The County Executive was proud to recommend this project to receive funding for the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund, a half a million to start and some reprogrammed funds after to bring it to a total of about $660,000 in county funds,” Giarratana said.

Many members of the Fitzpatrick family came to the event including Liz Fitzpatrick, Krissy Fitzpatrick Ryan, Katy Fitzpatrick, Mary Liz Fitzpatrick Myers, and Allison Fitzpatrick Weir.

Fitzpatrick Weir, the granddaughter of Mayor Fitzpatrick, cut the ribbon at the rededication ceremony. Fitzpatrick Weir, who was also present at the original dedication of the park in 1974, said that seeing it renovated made her proud of her grandfather.

“He was such a great man and I am so proud of him,” she said. “He would be so proud of this because he loved Bayonne more than anyone. He would to have such a beautiful park across from City Hall, where all the kids can come and play and have a good time.”

Upgraded park gets rave reviews That was in December. Since then, it has been relatively cold until recently.

However, the park has seen use by children and students alike.

Teacher Samantha Maggio from Phillip G. Vroom School brings her preschoolers to the park frequently. She said the difference between the renovated park and the former state of the park was tremendous.

“It’s a great addition. The playground is so much better than it was. Overall, it’s much nicer than the park that was here. Our kids love it. We come here every day when it’s nice out.”

And this is not just a new thing as spring beckons. Maggio said she brings her students here throughout the year.

That is, as long as the weather permits.

“We come in the fall and even in the winter as long as its warm enough,” Maggio said.

While not everyone was eager to talk, the adults with children at the park who did speak with BLP had nothing but praise for the park.

Kathy Perkins-Czander watches her two grandchildren multiple times a week, often bringing them to the facelifted park.

“I’m glad they cleaned it up,” Perkins-Czander said. “It looks great.”

As spring erupts, Perkins-Czander added that it was nice to have the park available for the kids.

“It’s nice to have the amenities,” Perkins-Czander said. “And it’s very close to home.”

Perkins-Czander applauded this and other park upgrades ongoing throughout the city.

“You’ve got to keep current with that kind of thing for the kids,” PerkinsCzander said. “We need a lot of open space.”

In addition to Fitzpatrick Park, Morris Park recently held a “soft reopening” following a major overhaul for the first time in many years. And Collins Park is under construction also receiving a facelift as well.

As the city takes care of its existing parks, it also looks to the creation of new parks such as those slated to be constructed as part of the redevelopment of the former Texaco and former A&P sites. Needless to say, Bayonne is embracing its greener side as more open space is added and upgraded.

Once known for its vast industry, the Peninsula City may soon be known for its top-tier parks. — BLP

Officials cut the ribbon reopening the park in 2021

SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 31

By Tara Ryazansky Photos by Max Ryazansky

W

hen you imagine the place where wine gets made, you might picture the rolling fields of a scenic vineyard.

You wouldn’t be wrong. But the industrial section of Bayonne, New Jersey, plays a unique part in the wine world, too.

Senior director of operations Chris Russell greets me at Free Flow’s Bayonne facility. We don safety glasses, and he brings me out onto the floor with a warning about occasional forklift traffic. A boozy, berry smell hits me.

“If you drink, this is the best smell in the world,” Russell says.

What I’m smelling today is Rosé by Sabine, one of the more than 250 wine brands that works with Free Flow in order to have their wine kegged or canned.

“We process our international and domestic customer’s wine,” Russell says.

“We will keg it just like a beer that you would see if you went to a brewery.”

You might be more accustomed to seeing wine sold by the bottle, but Free Flow is a company that is bringing wine on tap to bars and restaurants all over America.

“I’ll liken us to the electric car,” Russell

32 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

explains. “When the electric car first came out maybe 12 years ago, one person in your entire city had one. About 12 years ago, when wine was first introduced in kegs, it was the same.

Each year that goes by, more and more people opt for a keg. The reason being, about 26 bottles fit into a keg. Imagine storing 26 bottles or one keg. Shipping from point A to point B is much easier with kegs.”

That’s not the only benefit of kegged wine.

“When it comes to the bottle, the cork is technically porous,” Russell says.

“The enemy of wine is oxygen. As soon as you put wine in a bottle, your case starts to slowly deteriorate. When it’s in a keg, it never sees the sunlight. Your last glass of wine is as fresh as your first glass.”

But the most compelling part is happening right in front of us. Empty kegs that have been returned to Free Flow are being processed for reuse.

“For me, it’s the sustainable standpoint alone that gets me on board,” Russell says. “It is the electric car of how to consume wine.”

As warehouse workers, Dvontaay Harris and Lamont Thomas clean kegs,

Brandon Syphrett fills empty kegs with Sabine Rosé.

“Let’s follow the line,” Russell says, leading me along the hose that Syphrett uses to add wine to each keg.

THE SPACECRAFT It’s connected to a giant tank that stores thousands of gallons of wine.

Farther back are more tanks that hold wine in the long term for clients who want to store it for a while before kegging. Russell explains that sometimes when shipping costs are low, clients will send a surplus of wine to keg later.

Next, it’s time to see how the wine is delivered. Russell shows me what he calls a spacecraft. I don’t see any aliens nearby, but I do see an enormous version of boxed wine. Complete with the same type of port to pour from right at the bottom.

“It’s 256 gallons,” Russell says as he converts it from the metric system. “We have a lot of European customers.”

Despite being shipped in a bag, which is referred to as a bladder, the wine usually fares well on its long journey. Russell says that Jeff Orchard, the director of operations, has been with the compa-

ny for 12 years and he’s seen only two that have arrived damaged.

So wine gets delivered, the wine goes in tanks, then, wine goes in kegs, kegs are sent to restaurants or resorts and then gets poured into your glass. After they’re emptied, the kegs get returned and cleaned and enter the process once again.

There’s a little more to it than that.

WINE SEASON Russell introduces me to Shawn Blount, who is pulling kegs for an order to send out. The kegs that Syphrett is filling will replenish the stock that Blount is sending out.

“We recognize that we’re running into rosé season,” Russell says.

Then, at the front of the building, wine laboratory technician Andre Hill is testing red wine in a system of beakers.

“My background as far as wine consumption is, I open the bottle, and I drink it. Red, or white, I pop a bottle open and leave it on the counter.

If four days later I drink some more it tastes the same to me,” Russell says. “I’ve learned a lot here. Wine has see page 34 SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 33

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a certain content of sulfur, and it can’t be above a certain alcohol limit. Andre makes sure that it meets that requirement.”

“If we didn’t check the sulfur levels, they would naturally just start dropping, and the bacteria would start fermenting, and the wine would spoil,” Orchard, the director of operations, explains.

Hill tests new wine when it arrives as well as making frequent checks on the wine that is stored in the tanks at Free Flow.

Out on the floor is the newest addition to Free Flow’s Bayonne location.

A giant tank lays on its side on the warehouse floor.

“That is called a Brite Tank,” Russell says. “Soon, that tank will be standing up as it should be. What it’s going to do is allow us to carbonate wine. We are going to start our first order in the middle of May.” This update will allow businesses to provide sparkling wine by the kegfull rather than opening a bottle and hoping that half won’t go to waste if no one else orders any.

I say, “Cheers to the new Champagne tank.” Then I remember that it’s called Champagne only if it’s from a certain region in France, and this sparkling wine will be made in Bayonne! — BLP

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2019 Graduation from HCCC. Photo by HCCC

Panacea Alliance

By Tara Ryazansky Photos Courtesy of Diego Villatoro

T

he idea for Panacea Alliance came about after founder Diego Villatoro volunteered for a Hackensack River cleanup.

“Some friends and I were talking about there needing to be more of a spirit of stewardship and a commitment to our local community,” he explains. “We wanted to do something more centered towards

our communities here in Hudson County.”

Villatoro is a Bayonne newcomer. He is originally from Honduras and grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I moved to New Jersey for school,” Villatoro says.

He is currently a graduate student at Rutgers-Newark, where he studies economics.

“I feel that this is interconnected with what I’m studying. For example, one of the specific fields of economics that I’m looking into is urban economics and part of that is our local green spaces and how they help us generally have a better life in

Diego teaching an informal class

urban settings,” Villatoro says. “Here in our Bayonne local parks, the big one and the one closest to where I live around 16th Street, you can go there on just about any day and the shoreline does not look good.

“I understand a lot of people bring up concerns like how is this really making a change. Some people may say, ‘Why are you wasting time doing something like that?’ We think that it’s important to get as much plastic away from the shores because it’s where our wildlife lives. All of this plastic is getting broken away and it’s coming back into our water system. The more that we get out of our water system, the better it is for us.”

A Need to Serve Villatoro has always been driven to help.

“After I finished high school, I didn’t think college was for me. I didn’t think I was smart enough. I didn’t think I could make it or anything. So I thought, you know, I want to do something with my life. As an immigrant, I felt like I wanted to give back to the country that had adopted my family and me so I saw

38 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

no other better way than to serve the country,” Villatoro says. “I was active duty for about seven years. During that time, I did a tour of duty in Iraq, I did two overseas tours, one in Germany and one in Korea, and after a while seeing that wealth disparity throughout the world in the different places that I traveled when I was with the military active duty. It got me really interested in learning more about economics and wealth disparities and why some people have and some are have-nots. I wanted to see how I could be of service there and see how I could help in that situation. I left the Army and came here to New Jersey and decided to put it all in on economics.”

Hackensack River Keepers shore clean up.

Diego with friend and founding member, Anass Ennasraoui.

Making a Connection Villatoro hopes to bring the student and veteran communities together to help the Panacea Alliance with its mission.

“We plan to engage other students from around our community from student organizations at Rutgers, Saint Peter’s University and Hudson County Community College,” Villatoro says. “Being in the service, I believe that a lot of us have that yearning to continue to serve our communities. I believe that’s a great source of connection that we help to build within our veteran communities as well.”

Panacea Alliance hopes to host its first event in Bayonne in the middle of April.

Follow along on Instagram at @panjnc for more information.

“The goal of our organization is to inspire all residents here in Bayonne and around Hudson to take that step so when they see that bottle in the street, they have that initiative to pick it up and be excited about conservationism and sustainability.

We want to pass on that spirit of stewardship.” — BLP SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 39

Benanti’s Photo by Tara Ryazansky

Charlie Benanti

By Tara Ryazansky Photos by Max Ryazansky

C

harlie Benanti has been making sandwiches for so long that he’s acquired a special skill.

“After so many years, if you say, ‘Make me a sandwich.’ I’ll know what you want,” he says. “We got a good prosciutto, we’ve got a good soppressata, we’ve got capocollo, the rosemary ham is fantastic, too.

The mozzarella is the best in the sandwich because cold cuts have salt, and the moz-

40 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

zarella has no salt. It makes it perfect. It balances everything. I can make you one right now.”

Charlie gets to work at the slicer. He has been running Benanti’s Italian Delicatessen for more than 45 years. The place carries Italian groceries and delicious homemade foods to go. Customers grab their bread from the front of the store and line up for a sandwich.

“What’s up, kid,” Charlie calls out to one customer.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a baby,” Cliff Latko tells me.

Now, he comes in from Bergen County when he visits his mother in Bayonne.

“We see the kids grow up here,” Charlie says.

He’s watched Bayonne grow and change, too.

“Thank God Bayonne is still good,” Charlie says. “Change is not bad; I know we were a different generation. But me, I don’t change much.”

Neither does the inside of Benanti’s.

“Things go up, and they don’t come down. It’s like Christmas every day here,” jokes Charlie’s friend, David Solari, as he

EATERY BLP

gestures toward an oversized jingle bell that dangles from the ceiling.

David and a group of guys join Charlie for breakfast most mornings.

“It’s like the mini Sopranos. In the summer time, you’ll find five or six of us outside with coffee, and I mean espresso, not the American coffee.”

Most of the group are longtime customers or friends through the Sicilian Club and its bocce team. Charlie came to Bayonne from Sicily in 1966.

“We’re close-knit friends here. We’re almost family,” said David, adding that he’s been coming to Benanti’s as a customer since it was in its original location across the street when he was a kid.

Later, it became his local hangout.

“I was delivering the Community News to Charlie’s house one day and he goes, ‘Why don’t you come to the deli once in a while?’ It just started off there.”

Today, Charlie and David are joined by Mario Esposito from Ace Endico food distributors and Mark Squitieri, a recently retired mathematics teacher from Bayonne High School.

“I don’t know how he puts up with us,” David says with a laugh.

Charlie gives me my sandwich and some supplies for dinner later.

“The most popular thing is our cold cuts.

They are the best. After that, we have the ravioli, we have the manicotti, we have the

meatballs, we have the sauce, we have the mozzarella; I make it every day. We make the sausage, too. We’ve got everything,” Charlie says “We’ve got good food. We’ve got good friends.”

I say goodbye to Charlie and his crew and head home with my gigantic sandwich.

Charlie got it right. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of Italian deli ESP or if all of his ingredients are so good that there’s no combination that would be wrong. Either way, Charlie made me the perfect sandwich. It had that balance that he described.

The thinly sliced cured meat paired with the fresh mozzarella. Plus, it was big enough to feed a family of four.

Later, I heated up Charlie’s sauce and meatballs for a quick pasta dinner. It was ready in just over 10 minutes but it reminded me of the Sunday suppers that I used to have at my grandmother’s house when I was a kid. The sauce was fresh and rich, and the all-beef meatballs were delicious. It disappeared quickly.

I don’t know what Charlie’s secret is, but I know I’ll be back to Benanti’s Italian Delicatessen for more. It’s like Charlie says, “Italian food is No. 1!” —BLP

SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 41

QUIET

By Tara Ryazansky Photos by Kate Moriashcha

K

eeping small children entertained for any length of time can be a challenge. Svetlana Kizilova, the founder of Sketch Design Quiet Books, has a solution that doesn’t require WiFi. Quiet books aren’t your typical board book.

“It’s not a book that you read. It’s like a book and interactive toy that a child can play with,” Kizilova says. “Quiet books aren’t just designed for play, they help kids learn, explore different textures and develop fine motor skills by doing some easy tasks. The child can also get a lot of cool practical skills like brushing teeth.”

Touch and Learn

Kizilova flips to a page that shows a felt face with

42 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

Svetlana and Alex (son)

a mouth that opens to reveal its teeth. The child can use a small toothbrush to clean the character’s teeth.

Another one of her books is sort of like a portable dollhouse. Each page has a different room where a removable doll can do activities like taking a bath or cooking in a kitchen. She has a similar version with a dog instead of a doll.

“For little kids, it’s important because they want to touch everything and see how it works.

With these books, they can touch and they can learn. They can learn colors, learn counting, and shapes, and a lot of different stuff,” she says, adding that she has infant-

safe options that are great for babies and more advanced options for older children.

“When I had my child I was looking for some good toys and they were difficult to find. I don’t like little children looking at iPhones, iPads or playing with electronics. I think it’s not too healthy,” Kizilova explains. “I was looking for something different and I found these books on Etsy. You can find some quiet books on Amazon, but they are pretty bad quality.”

Kizilova says that these books are popular in Eastern Europe where she’s from. Kizilova moved here from Ukraine in 2015.

“I thought, why not make one?”

Kizilova has a sewing and design background because she worked in coat making in Ukraine. She created a quiet book for her son and he loved it.

Help From My Friends “At the playground, many women started to ask, ‘What is it? Where did you get it?’ I started to accept orders and make books for my friends and some people from the playground. Then, I posted it on Facebook and I got so many comments and so many women reached out asking me to make a book for them.”

Sketch Design Quiet Books grew into an online shop.

“When I started it was just me, but now I have a small team of some friends who are helping me and we’re hoping to grow.”

EDUCATION BLP

Daughter, Emily

SPRING | SUMMER 2022 ~ BLP• 43

EDUCATION BLP

Kizilova says that she also gets help from a very important co-worker.

“My son helps me a lot right now. When he was a baby, he helped me to design and create some new pages because I could see what he likes more and I created more pages according to his and his friends’ interests. Now, I can get real help from him. Sometimes he helps me sew letters for the names for personalization. He helps with cutting and putting everything together sometimes.

He also helps me pack everything.”

Family First Kizilova has a stock of books that are for sale, but unfortunately, production has halted for now. The books are made with fabric and other accessories that Kizilova sources from Ukraine. As the country is being invaded by Russia, Kizilova is unable to get high-quality supplies to make quiet books.

It’s been a difficult time for Kizilova, who has many friends and relatives back in Ukraine.

“I stopped working a little bit because I was so upset with the situation in Ukraine,” Kizilova says.

“In the first days and first weeks I was just crying and so depressed and then I realized I need to do something.

I teamed up with my friend, who is from Ukraine, too.

We’re trying to raise money to help a maternity hospital because this girl has a connection. We want to provide some formula and diapers for these kids.”

Kizilova is donating half of the income from Sketch Design Quiet Books to volunteer efforts and Ukrainian organizations.

“At least it’s something,” she says. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Every page in my books is made to develop some skill.

I love that the child can play like hours with these books.

— BLP Website: sketch-design.us Etsy.com/shop/Sketch designStore Instagram: @sketch. design.us Facebook: Sketch Design YouTube: Sketch Design

44 • BLP ~ SPRING | SUMMER 2022

what’s on the menu

KP Sarelli’s 241 Broadway (201) 858-4065 sarellisrestaurant.com

Since 2007, KP Sarelli’s has been serving delicious Northern Italian cuisine in this cozy downtown restaurant. Treat yourself to traditional italian dishes, like eggplant rollatini or spaghetti marinara and don’t skip dessert.

San Vito’s Ristorante & Pizzeria www.sanvitosnj.com 406 Broadway (201) 858-2448

From hot sandwiches to gourmet pizzas, you’ll find something for everyone on the menu at San Vito’s. Serving only the finest Italian cuisine enjoy homestyle dishes cooked to perfection.

Yi Sushi Go yisushigo.com 266 Broadway, (201) 823-2011 Yi Sushi offers fresh nigiri, specialty rolls and a host of appetizers.

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