Who will help bake the cake? Not I said the fox, Not I barked the lazy dog...

"Not I," purred the sleepy cat. "Not I," quacked the duck.

But as you know from The Little Red Hen children's story, they'll all be more than happy to eat the cake. Which brings us to the utter lack of interest or participation in the Powerhouse Arts District from it's newest residents at The One, The Trump buildings, and The Morgan. Johnny went to help friends clean up the PAD yesterday and he's worked on the Harsimus Cove clean up days. He believes in putting in the sweat equity for the neighborhoods he's near to make Jersey City a place everyone wants to live in. Know what Johnny's job he offered up was yesterday? A giant grid going around and cleaning up the dog crap that idiot owners and bad dog walkers just leave. He's used to doing it and it's disgusting for those without a dog. Went through two full rolls of poop bags. Yes, Johnny gets to call you lazy bastards out who didn't help.

When you have a dog you get to know a lot of people in a wide swath. You just do. Johnny saw people cleaning the PAD from 150 and 140 Bay St. He saw people he knew from The A building and the new Modera. Didn't see any of the others. Do they not all use the neighborhood (and this goes for every ward and neighborhood)? There were signs up. The only kind you don't feel like ripping down.

See, it's not just the two spring cleanups these three buildings have bailed on. They've bailed on the last two art crawls as well. Bet some residents from Trump, The One and The Morgan enjoyed the art crawl, it's just their heavily-abated buildings just decided to let someone else do it. Let them pay for it. All three broke the height levels in the PAD through the courts, they've not been good neighbors to begin with, and it's clear their investment in the neighborhood is mailing in the PILOT check to city hall. Didn't the city insist they have art spaces (Heck, Public Storage had to put one in per neighborhood agreements)? Why do these three buildings and their residents sit these events out at every turn?

If you see them, do ask. Then ask again if they don't have an answer. Still no answer? Give them a trash bag before they get to eat any cake.

A good meander...

Johnny's been meandering around today taking some snapshots of things that interest him. He did get over to 150 Bay St. today and that place is really coming alive. They've had the Jersey City Kickboxing Association there for a while now and it looks like Departed Soles is getting ready to go as well as a wine bar which will be located near Bay St. and Provost has chairs and tables in place but recently they put up the reflective foil inside so as not to give the finishing touches away. Also, make sure to stop by Bucket & Bay Gelato also in 150 Bay tomorrow from 8-2 pm for free coffee and WiFi.

The owner of this company should be paying @CHICpeaJC for the virtual use of her image

Finally, something fitting about what tax breaks for a hotel chain can do to a local economy

Jersey City Beer? Oh how awesome!

Now Johnny's a teetotaler, but he drank (like a Viking) many great beers/bieres in his day. According to the good folks at Seen in Jersey City, Cool City is getting it's own new brewhouse as the Departed Soles Brewing Company is moving into 150 Bay St. Here's Departed Soles, from their website:

Departed Soles Brewing Co. is proud to call Jersey City, New Jersey home, where we craft both regular and Gluten Free Craft Beer. Our offerings aren't meant to be "a good gluten free option" but a great beer that happens to be Gluten Free.  
Craft with a Kick!

What a great get for the Powerhouse Arts District. Much more from the Departed Soles Brewing Company on their story can be found right here.

2013 Jersey City Artists Studio Tour at 150 Bay Street this Saturday and Sunday

150 Bay St., conveniently located just off Marin Blvd. and hey, look at that Bay St., will be hosting some of Jersey City's top artists this Saturday and Sunday (actually they'll be hosting YOU in their Murloc huts). There's gonna be art, there's going to be incredible music (including Detroit's own Eliza Neals) and a good time for everyone. Artists include Paul Jansen, Ashley Pickett, James Fraser, Caroline Thompson Muriel Favaro, Robert Koch, Karen Fuchs, Lynda D’Amico, Chantal Lamour, Robert Kogge, Norman Cahn, Amy Donaldson, Sarah Snodgrass, and Jonathan Wolf.  It starts off your Saturday at noon (sleeping in is a good thing) and runs til 6pm. Make sure not to miss Sunday evening's concert in the 150 Bay St. courtyard.

Be there, aloha!

If you're looking for holiday arts and crafts we've got you covered

The artist/residence space at 150 Bay St. will be having an arts and crafts sale this upcoming Saturday December 10th. According to our friends at the Jersey City Independent the sale will feature:

The sale will feature work from Muriel Favaro, Robert Koch, Lynda D’Amico, Robert Kogge, Karen Fuchs, Pamela Mijal, Dolores Jansen, Julie Lomba, Keith VanPelt, Shawn Lang, Ann Giordano, and Eliza Neals. Work will include (but not be limited to) handmade t-shirts, photography, ceramics, jewelery, paintings, pottery, and custom hats.

So get out there and put a little holiday jingle in the pockets of these fine Jersey City artisans and craftspeople and pick up something nice for Christmas...

A couple shots from around town this morning

Johnny went for a long walk this morning through the Powerhouse Arts District on his way to the river. A lonely powerwasher at 150 Bay St. and the Trump Tower looking like a 1970's instamatic picture...

Powerhouse Arts District is on the move

Johnny, on one of his morning walks through Jersey City is really amazed at all the construction in the Powerhouse Arts District (PAD). Today the property at 150 Bay St. is being carved up to create first floor businesses, actually being carved and opened so that new business can hopefully break out in Jersey City. We'd love to see what's planned to go into 150 Bay St. (It'll most likely try to look like it's neighbor building across Provost at 140 Bay that has loft condos with first floor businesses). It looks like the property at 140 Bay St. got it right so here's hoping 150 Bay St. can emulate it's neighbor.

There is an awful lot of construction going on in the PAD, with the Powerhouse Arts Building itself undergoing renovations. We're all for this. We'd rather not see a garish 50 floor condo building spring up in PAD like the Trump Tower, but would love to see all those old warehouses refurbished.