Recently in Review Category

After Rocco joined me in my home, one of the goals I had was to make sure that I was trained properly in obedience training.

If you scour the internet or watch TV, there's a thousand people who will give you a thousand different ways to train a dog. Everyone has got an opinion on the "right" way to train a dog, and each owner needs to figure out what is best for them and their dog.

What *I* wanted was to learn about positive reinforcement with Rocco. I asked my dog walker, Lauren (who, by the way, is excellent and if you are interested in her services, feel free to email me and I will pass along her contact info) for a reference.

She didn't hesitate and told me to use the trainer that she used on her Siberian Huskies: Joana Watsky, owner of Sit and Stay.

I called Joana, and we talked a lot on the phone. She asked me about my dog, what I was looking to achieve, and how she could help.

I already knew a lot, with thanks to my sisters for their advice, but I wanted to make sure that I was laying the proper foundation to raising a good dog now, and not trying to correct bad behavior later.

Joana explained how she worked with positive reinforcement to train puppies, and that it was never too early to teach owners these methods. Also she would cover grooming, housebreaking (with command words once outside), basic commands (sit, stand, down, "leave it"), command praise and dog psychology - plus any other questions I had.

We made an appointment, and she arrived at my home last night.

Suffice to say, I already knew a lot of what she taught me and it's a great class for a first time owner or someone, like me, who does have dog experience but is looking to fill in the gaps.

I learned a lot, especially about redirecting Rocco's love to chew everything. Often I would catch him chewing on my couch or going to a lamps electrical wire - and of course i'd say "NO". But she taught me that it's not enough to just do that, we have to say "Leave It" and then direct him to something that is positive, like a dog toy he can chew on.

She was also teaching me that while i'm teaching Rocco that i'm the "pack leader" I have to temper my love towards him. It can't just be "affection, affection, affection...then discipline". He has to earn attention through being a good puppy, not just be an owner who showers him with playtime or petting. Not letting him up on furniture or sleeping in my bed (I haven't allowed this since day 1).

There was a lot of other things she covered, including teaching Rocco "sit", "stand", "down". "Down" was a bit tricky, Rocco has a stubborn streak and didn't like "down", but her persistence and training methods did get him into a down position. Commands like "stay" and "come" would be taught at a later date when the puppy is a bit older.

By taking this class I also got 15% off her group obedience class in the future, which I will be attending when Rocco is about 6 months old. If you are like me, and live in or around Hoboken, have a dog and want to learn a few things - I highly recommend taking this class.

Bonus points if you remember that D movie from the 80's.

No, didn't watch the movie this weekend, I went out Friday night to Raoul's Restaurant at 180 Prince Street.

As you know, I am not a huge fan of anything pretentious. Most of the bars or restaurants I will avoid if they come across as "the place to be" - i'm looking at you, The Madison. I don't mind fine restaurants or "cool" bars, I just hate the kind of places that don't make you feel welcome unless you are "important". The Madison will always have a dark place in my heart because they make people wait in line when there's no one in the bar. Who does that? But I have to say i'm impressed with what Andrew W.K. is trying to to. He's what I would be doing if I had a few million...make others happy, some money and not being a douche about it.

But I digress.

My brother was coming up to town, with his wife, and wanted to go out to dinner. They lived in NYC, on Duane Street, for 3 years, before moving out in 2002. It was really great to have a family member living in the city from 1999-2002, and I tagged along with them to try out many great restaurants and bars. Some were borderline when it comes to my snooty scale, but even I can't turn down trying places like Nobu.

K was coming up and already picked a place for us to eat - Raoul's Restaurant. I don't recall eating there, and he said it had the "best Steak au poivre ("pepper steak") in the city". I looked at the place online, checked out the menu and the prices and part of me inwardly groaned. But...he's family and sort of stubborn like I can be stubborn about certain things. So, I decided to just go with the flow.

I meet them at the Soho Grand around 8:30pm on Friday, with K giving me a "Yo" call from across the lobby. I inwardly chuckle, because to an outside observer, someone not from from Philly or New York, probably don't even understand what that translates to. "YO". Think about the colloquial nature of that greeting/attention phrase. Our family and friends grew up saying that. It was the classic phrase amongst my brother and myself, and it was just...pleasant to hear it again. Again, this is hard to describe, but I enjoyed hearing a friendly face say it.

I scampered up the steps, shook K's hand and then went to the bar to have a few drinks while we waited for his wife to join us.

The Soho Grand was "THE" hotel once, and still is nice...but it's showing its age. Sort of like that beautiful 20-something club girl that is now the...sort...of...over 30-something girl still trying to be the club girl. Still beautiful...but you see the wrinkles and spots showing up.

At a copper topped table, stained with old glass watermarks, near the bar we ordered a drink, and I started the night with a glass of Oban. I gotta say this for my scotch people...isn't this the most beautiful scotch you can buy? It is like silk. I love drinking it, just too bad it is $90 a bottle (although I did see a place in New York selling it for $70...but still.)

K and I chatted a bit. My old memories of our previous golf game from last year were a distant memory...you can get angry over stuff, but it's family...you let that go and move on.

That sort of reminds me of friendship. I think you can really tell who your friends are about how they react to disagreements. If you are really friends, you forgive and let things go. If you weren't meant to be friends, then you harbor that hatred or jealousy. K and I may get upset over each other, but a few months away and seeing each other again is a wonderful reunion...at least for the short term.

After A* joined us, we walked over to Prince Street.

Raoul's is a small, 40-50 seat bistro in the heart of the Soho at 180 Prince Street.

My fears of an overbearing, snobbish restaurant quickly washed away as soon as I entered. It was a great looking tavern, with a small 12 person bar, a few boots and tables packed into the approximately 1000 square foot space (no larger than many restaurants we have in Hoboken). It had pictures lining the walls of various eclectic designs and portraits. A beautiful tin ceiling, and a buzzing crowd and I just breathed in the scene.

The maitre d' was an older, tall guy who reminded me of Michael from Sobsey's Produce. He spoke to my brother for a few moments, offering us two different seats, a booth for 4 or a 6 top by the window.

Now those in the restaurant biz know...you usually don't give up a 6 top to three people, especially in prime real estate at the corner window seat.

No problem, they sat us down and the feast began.

I looked over their wine list, hoping they would have the same wine that Matt and I had at Wolfgang's...Stag's Leap Artemis. They didn't. My brother had a look and asked if I tried Ridge Zinfandel.

Zinfandel? The horror!

No. I didn't, and he said "Trust me" and ordered a bottle.

Glad I did. The peppery zinfandel was a big hit, and we shared the artichoke appetizer with Raoul's vinaigrette. Really great, served cold (I may have preferred warm), but still a tasty treat to enjoy over wine.

My brother ordered the Steak au Poivre (with French Fries), I ordered the Rack of Lamb (with Roasted Asparagus, Spinach and Olive) and A* had the Seared Big Eye Tuna (with Cucumber Pousse Pied and Melon)

Oh. My. God.

Those are the only words that do justice to this meal. We all shared each other's dishes, and there weren't any leftovers. It was so good, I was already contemplating when I would return after our meal, when I saw someone walking towards the exit.

Hey.

He looks familiar.

Where do I know...that's Ryan Gosling.

He was coming from the back of the restaurant, sitting in the booth behind the one we were first offered. That would have been an even more interesting blog posting, because I know I would have have some more interesting things to say. Suffice to say, looked like a regular guy. Taller than I expected. He had his trimmed beard and knitted skullcap rocking. I watched as he approached, but didn't linger long at looking at him...as anyone who lives in New York is quickly trained to do. We aren't the tourists who gush "OHMYGODITSRYANGOSLING!" and fawn.

But, I did just write a paragraph on him, so I guess i'm guilty in some regards for even writing about it. Bottom line is that I wasn't expecting to see anyone semi-famous and it was mildly amusing to see a "star" after finishing our meal and enjoying our port wine.

Oh..forgot that part. We concluded the meal with dessert (I had the Crème Brûlée and K & A shared Profiteroles), and port wine. They had a very tasty 20 year old tawny, but at $20 a glass, I wasn't going to have seconds when I can buy a bottle for $50.

The night ended on a 3rd bottle of Ridge Zinfandel, and many funny stories and chats with my family. It was early by the time we left the restaurant, only 11:30, and my walk back to the PATH and then into Hoboken by a few minutes after midnight.

A great night. Definitely a date place. Definitely not cheap, but if you are a bit more careful with what you buy (the 3 bottles of wine alone killed our bill), it's something that I can fit into my "treat yourself well" night. Last year I had the shore house at Bradley Beach, maybe this year i'll skip the shore house (I was approached recently to see if I wanted to re-join...i'm thinking about it...) and treat myself to some great NYC restaurants like Raoul's.

If there is ONE restaurant you need to try before you ever leave New York City...eat at Raoul's.

WOLFGANG'S DOWNTOWN
409 GREENWICH ST (BEACH)
NEW YORK, NY US
PHONE: 212-925-0350

HOURS: MON-THU: 12:00PM-10:30PM, FRI: 12PM-11PM, SAT 5PM-11PM, SUN: 5:00-10:30PM

Over the years living here I have been fortunate to try many steakhouses in the city. I have dined at Sparks, Bobby Van's, Strip House, The Palm, Smith & Wollensky, Peter Luger's, The Post House, The Capital Grille, MarkJoseph...the list goes on.

Suffice to say, I think I have a good feel for steak and steakhouses.

Now that i'm working in the West Village for 'Corporation X', I have had a chance to explore the neighborhood. Only a few blocks away from my office is Dylan Prime and Wolfgang's Downtown. My buddy Matt mentioned the idea about grabbing a steak, and away we went.

Wolfgang's was started by the head waiter at Peter Lugers, Wolfgang Zwiener. He took the best aspects of Luger's, the steak, and added something even better: a comfortable place for everyone to enjoy the experience.

We made reservations for a Thursday at 7pm, and were seated promptly upon arrival. The establishment is upscale, but not fussy. Many other steakhouses have a pretentious air about them which make dining there, for me, a bit annoying. I can't stand walking into a restaurant where you, the customer, need to feel like you walked into God's gift to steakhouses...like Peter Luger's. I'm sure someone will come rushing to Luger's defense, but I have been there three times and each time it seems I have the rudest waiter who needs to make me feel like I don't belong in their inner sanctum.

Nothing like that at Wolfgang's. Everyone was friendly, and the people there were upscale casual, some in suits, and our seats were in front of the restaurant, with the large expansive glass windows, providing the view of the cityscape along Greenwich street.

We barely glanced at the menu, already knowing that we would share a Porterhouse for two, and grabbed the canadian bacon appetizer along with a seafood platter we would share. Combine that with a bottle of 2005 Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet and we were ready.

There comes a time in your life when there is a simple harmony to the world. I can remember a few times in my life when this happens, when it seems that the world slows down and becomes less complicated. This was one of those nights. Maybe it was the wine, the company and the food which became an orchestra of pleasure for the senses, but I was relaxed and enjoying my night.

The fare was a pleasure to behold, along with quick, efficient service. The canadian bacon was a bit of a disappointment, I heard so many good things about it, but I was expecting more. The seafood platter was delicious, next time I am definitely ordering that again. The porterhouse steak was cooked to perfection, accompanied by hashed potatoes and asparagus.

Our "dessert" were two glasses each of Oban scotch, and by 8:30pm I was full and heady from a really great meal. We headed back into Hoboken, taking the PATH from Christopher, and ended the night at Mulligan's with a couple of drinks and a few games of pool.

In retrospect, I think that's one of the highlights of living in Hoboken. You get all the great aspects of what the city has to offer, but can hop on a train and be back at your local pub in a short time.

I really want to try to get out more, far too often I find myself in a rut - working, sleeping, eating, repeat. Certainly I cannot eat at places like Wolfgang's every week, it was extremely expensive (the wine and the scotches didn't help), but completely worth it. Now I have to try Dylan Prime next...

Fleet Feet
604 Washington St
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 533-1200

I started my interval training, and I noticed that my shins (in both legs) were getting very sore by the fourth week of running. I made sure I was stretching right, targeting my hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves before and after each run. Yet, I still found that I was plagued with shin splints, and remembered that when I ran track (briefly) in high school that the same thing would happen but eventually they would go away.

Of course that was 20 years ago, and it didn't seem to be getting better as I ran. I took the last week off from running, and did some on line research. Aside from HOW I ran, and HOW I stretched, many sites also mentioned that your running shoes could be the culprit.

My Nike shoes were in good shape, but I bought them about 4 years ago when I first joined Club H, and really just didn't do much research into the shoes. I figured they were by Nike, they were running shoes, and they cost over $100 - so they must be good.

Little did I realize that there are many factors that go into buying the correct running shoe, and we all have different biomechanics and foot shape that affect what shoes we should wear. There were online sites that had various recommendations to guide me, but most said the same thing: "visit a biomechanics expert or experienced shoe retailer" when choosing a good running shoe.

I orginally wanted to just figure it out myself, and buy something online, and asked a friend what were his running shoes. He said "Asics. I buy them at Fleet Feet, I think they take the time to fit your foot properly...my wife swears by them, plus it's a small business in Hoboken providing something different, I like to support that stuff."

Last night, I stopped by the store, which was located on 6th and Washington to see if they could help. I was greeted by the employee, and he asked if he could help - and started to talk to him about running, my running style and what I was looking for (including my problems with my shins). He listened to what I had to say, and I told him that I was interested in Asics (Nimbus-10 to Cumulus-10), and he agreed that Nimbus were a good brand to look at, but first said we should measure my feet and see how I walked.

I have always been the same side shoe over the years, but what I didn't take into consideration was the flexibility of my arch. A "normal" foot has an arch, which also gives (flexes) when you put weight on it. Some people have flat feet, which is when there is no arch to the foot, and others have high arches.

There's also pronation, which is the rolling motion of the foot from heel to toe and you can determine pronation by the wear on the rubber sole of your shoes. Neutral is an even roll, Underpronation is when the outside of the foot absorbs more weight and overpronation is when the inside of the foot takes the majority of the weight - and the wear of the insides or soles of your shoes will help determine this.

These were things that I never really considered when buying a running shoe. I figured shoes were shoes, and it was a bit of an eye opening experience. After working with Shawn, who later I found out was the owner of the store, he knew which shoes would work for me, and we tried on a bunch of shoes from Brooks, Asics and Mizuno. He showed me one model of each maker which were the "intermediate" shoes and one model which were a bit more "advanced".

I had six pairs of shoes in front of me, and I tried on each shoe, feeling how the length and width of the shoe fit my foot. I found that the Asics were a bit more narrow than I liked, but very soft on my feet. The Brooks were good, but I wasn't super impressed. By the time I tried on the Mizuno, I felt like my feet were leaping off the ground and ready to run.

I was even encouraged to try a "test run" with the shoes, and I walked outside, and ran a half block down Washington street, stopping at East LA. The shoes felt really good, and I wanted to go running right away!

I went back to the store, and asked Shawn that they felt good and he told me a few things about buying from Fleet Feet.

First, if you buy them and in the next few days find that the shoes are uncomfortable, you can always come back and return the shoes for an exchange of something new. I really liked that because I was afraid of buying shoes and making the wrong choice. For example, the Asics felt great but they had a more "cushiony" feel to them. The Mizuno were more "springy" to me, as if they propelled me forward with each step. So I was happy that I bought with Fleet Feet versus buying from an online site that may not have such a flexible return policy.

Second, they keep track of your purchase history at Fleet Feet, and once you spend $250 at their store, they send you a $50 gift certificate. That's a nice way of rewarding customer loyalty.

Third, Fleet Feet isn't just some faceless corporate entity. The local running clubs HoHa and The Mile Square Running Club include Fleet Feet & other locations in Hoboken as their local starting point. Both clubs are co-ed, social and always looking for new members of various ages and running paces.

I was really impressed after leaving the store and happy with my new purchase. I was glad I went to a local store to get properly fitted, rather than guessing at a shoe from an online store.

Remember I wrote about Half-Life 2: The Orange Box in my last entry?

For you non-nerds, just stop reading now and read something else from my blog that you may have missed over my years and isn't my "Essential Entry". How about my Top 5 Embarassing Moments: High School? Or The Top 5 Memories Of My Father, for my relatives who haven't read it...

For those who enjoy video games, read on.

One of my favorite meals is brunch. My last report was about Court Street's brunch. My next report is about Mikie Squared, owned by Michael and Cindy Fasciano, who also own Margarita's on 8th and Washington.

Of course you can take this review with a grain of salt, I do work at this restaurant, but I don't work during brunch. I have been working Saturday nights there for the last few months and eating at the restaurant at least once or twice a week for dinner or brunch. The brunch at Mikie's is every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm. They regularly get a sizeable crowd, depending on what college or NFL game is on television.

The brunch menu has quite a few interesting and eclectic choices. You should know that nearly everything they serve is made from scratch. Unlike many restaurants in Hoboken, Mikie Squared takes the raw ingredients of every dish and prepares it on the premises. What they don't make in the restaurant, they only serve the highest quality ingredients and their attention to detail is what will win you over.

I have sampled many of them, and this is what I can tell you. The Huevos Rancheros ($10) is by far my favorite dish. It is a symphony of ingredients, including two sunny side eggs, on top of a crisp tortilla shell, with melted monterrey jack cheese and refried beans, a touch of homemade fresh guacamole and diced tomatoes, along with a Ranchero sauce complete the dish . It is served with homefries.

The Eggs Benedict ($11) comes as a close second favorite for me. The simplicity of the meal, with poached eggs over Canadian bacon and english muffins is what I like most about it. One of my biggest peeves with eggs Benedict at other restaurants is the Hollandiase sauce. Some restaurants make them too buttery and others are heavy with the lemon juice. The sauce they use I think is a wonderful balance between the two and its subtle effect on the palate is what makes me order this time and again.

I have tried the Pancakes ($10) and the French Toast ($11), also. The pancakes remind me of French crepes I have tried in Paris, with its light, fluffy, thin texture. The pancakes are served with fresh sliced bananas and strawberries. Also note that the syrup is real maple, not some nameless industrial processed syrup.

The french toast is made with brioche bread dipped in battered eggs and cinnamon, then pan fried and dusted with powdered sugar. A sweet amaretto strawberry sauce is drizzled over top, and it is served with fresh bananas and strawberries, along with real maple syrup. As one person commented to me, "They are to die for!"

I have tried the Steak and Eggs ($12), and its a great power breakfast for those looking for a protein infusion to start their day. Made with marinated hangar steak and sunny side up eggs, I think of it as the "hangover cure". Wolf that down to start your day and soak up the alcohol from the night before, and you will be right as rain.

They have also added a few new dishes in the last few days. "The Bambino" Italian Omelet ($11 - With homemade mozzarella, red bell peppers, sliced fresh tomatoes, with homefries and toast), Fabulous Shrimp Frittata ($12 - tomato, scallions, and shrimp with homefries and toast), The Defibrillator Omelet ($11 - Not for the feint of heart! ham, sausage, bacon, jalapeno & pepperjack cheese, with homefries and toast), Mikie's Breakfast Burrito Wrap ($11 - A tortilla wrap filled with two eggs, sausage, homefries, peppers, onions, and homemade guacamole).

I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. Certainly some people are going to read the prices at Mikie's and say, "Wow! That's expensive. I can go to a diner and it only costs "$XXX" for "XYZ"!"

I agree that there are cheaper alternatives in Hoboken. But I seriously question the quality of those ingredients, the way that the food is prepared and the attention to detail. Sure, eggs are eggs, but Mikie's bacon is large, fresh and have a smoky, crisp flavor. The hollandaise sauce, mozzarella, guacamole, homefries, along with a multitude of other ingredients are made fresh in the kitchen. They only buy the highest quality shrimp, beef and pork. The fruits that accompany many dishes are freshly sliced, the sauces are homemade and maple syrup is of the highest quality and fantastic with the pancakes or French toast.

But, to each their own. Mikie's is easily one of the top tier brunches that Hoboken has to offer. Looking to bring your family in for an impressive brunch or maybe a choice for someone special in your life? I'd choose Mikie's.

I can love both fair and brown;
Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betrays;
Her who loves loneness best, and her who masks and plays;
Her whom the country form'd, and whom the town;
Her who believes, and her who tries;
Her who still weeps with spongy eyes,
And her who is dry cork, and never cries.
I can love her, and her, and you, and you;
I can love any, so she be not true.

John Donne, "The Indifferent", (1572-1631)

The birds are chirping and the trees are blossoming. It was a beautiful spring Sunday in Hoboken, and I wore shorts for the first time this year, while looking for a restaurant to have brunch.

When it comes to breakfast, it easily is my most favorite meal of the day. So many fun choices, from eggs to pancakes to french toast to cereal to soup (yes, we ate soup for breakfast growing up). Many times when I have guests over (heh), I can whip up delicious breakfasts myself. But cooking for yourself is like doing many things alone - it just isn't as fun. So, what I have done many a weekend is try the various brunches in Hoboken at many different restaurants in proximity to my humble abode.

I haven't tried every place in town, but I have been to many. I have tried places like East LA, The Hoboken Gourmet Company, Liberty Bar and Restaurant, Amanda's, The Brass Rail, and Court Street. Yes, I know there are plenty of other places for me to try and I will attempt to visit them all in the next coming weeks and report back.

But my current favorite is....

Court Street.

Boy, oh boy. I don't know if you have been there, but i'm sure its not a very big secret, considering that the entire place is packed every weekend. Today when I arrived, the bar was fairly open, and the seating in the back was about 60% full. I asked the bartender if it was like this all the time, and she mentioned that "It is because of the nice weather, everyone is out doing things". That made sense, because even on my walk up to the bar I noticed that Stinky Sullivan's (yes, it will always be "Stinky's" to me) that the front area was full of people boozing it up in the sun.

This is my second visit to Court Street for brunch. I visit there about once a week, or so, for dinner, and love the wine lists (especially the choices of wine they have by the glass) and food. They simply hit three key points for my dining experience: Taste, Portions and Price. The food is always delicious on a consistent basis. The portions they serve aren't skimpy, and I always walk away full. The price is excellent, you get coffee, fruit, bread and your choice of an entree for one reasonable fixed price.

Of course I have other side considerations to when I dine. I don't forget about important key points like service or atmosphere. As much as service is important, I have found that if the food is delicatable, people are willing to put up with poor service for good food - like people who visit the "Soup Nazi" in New York. The same is true for a good atmosphere, like people who go to "The Madison" and stand outside in line for an hour in cold weather.

Fortunately, those considerations are moot at a restaurant like Court Street. The wait staff are aimable and chatty, and the atmosphere contains zero pretentiousness that other snooty establishments in town like to air.

I found out a tidbit of good news about Court Street this year. Turns out that every summer Court Street closes for brunch on the weekends. Turns out they are going to be open all summer long, Saturday and Sunday, for brunch. On a sweltering hot summer day would you rather be outside wilting in the heat or inside in a nice, cool, air conditioned restaurant eating? Hey, the choice is yours.

I'm not indifferent about it. I will be in Court Street on Sundays, i'm sure.

...

Oh, on an interesting side note the bartender said to me..."You look familiar... do you have a blog?"

"Yea,", I said sheepishly, "Philly2Hoboken.com"

"I thought I recognized you, my coworker send me links to read."

I'm no Kevin McCormick, but it certainly is amusing when that happens.

Marma Day Spa
1122 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-795-3636

Spa Hours
Sunday 10am-4pm
Monday thru Friday 12pm-9pm
Saturday 9am-5pm

The longer I live in Hoboken, the more I realize that it is a much bigger town than I realize, with so many interesting businesses and restaurants. My latest foray was getting a massage at Marma Day Spa, located at 1122 Washington Street.

Marma was based on the principles of Ayurveda (pronounced eye-yer-vay-duh) is the art of healthy living developed in India. The word, from ancient Sanskirit literally means "Knowledge of Life". Such principles of Ayurveda includes the use of herbs, nutrition, panchakarma cleansing and acupressure massage which promote taking charge of your life and healing.

These principles are not lost upon walking into Marma, where the front entrance has statues of Indian dieties, textbooks on the subject of spiritual healing and an atmosphere of comfort. The receptionist marked off my appointment, and led me into a back area of the spa, where they had individual lockers, and a changing room. I was given a robe and rubber slippers, where I removed my clothing and waited on a couch in a private area adorned with candles and a small faux waterfall.

In a short time I was introduced to Carla, who was a very friendly massage therapist, and she led me into one of the four therapy rooms. The rooms are small, with the sound of dripping water, soothing music and candlelight, all playing upon my different senses. The massage began with her washing and massaging my feet in a large stainless steel bowl. She first asked the purpose of the massage, and anything she should know about my health. I asked why, and explained to me about how Ayurvedic massage focused on hitting certain pressure points in the body and that depending on why I needed the massage, she would change the massage accordingly. I told her about my leg, and to take care around the knee area, but otherwise I just wanted to destress and relax.

After drying my feet we selected a liquid scent that she would use during the massage. There was a whole table with dark, tiny bottles on them each containing a different fragrance. I had her choose one for me, since I really was aloof about what scent was used. She chose orange mint, and then left the room to let me disrobe and get on the massage table, under the sheets.

After a few minutes she returned, and before she began she told me to let her know if she was using too much or too little pressure during the massage. She first started by having me breathe in the citrus oils from her hands three times, with deep breaths. She began the massage in earnest, and it was, quite simply, wonderful.

I could write about the finer points of the massage, but what is there to tell, really? It was relaxing and soothing, and when I walked out of the spa I felt like a million bucks. I walked home, and when I entered my home I realized for the first time, in a long time, that I completely forgot about my sore leg. My surgery was mid-January, and the whole walk home was at a brisk pace with little thought about my leg.

A few days after I called Laurie and chatted with her a bit about her salon and spa.

Owned by Laurie Michelson, also the owner of Hair Cult salon on 11th and Washington. Laurie told me she was a hairstylist in the entertainment industry including Carly Simon, Bon Jovi, Kip Winger, Sean Penn (while he filmed State of Grace). She needed a base of operations for her work, and Hair Cult was born 18 years ago.

She came up with the idea to open a spa after listening to feedback from her customers.

"At our spa we give head massages while we shampoo our clients hair, many told us they would love to have other spa services and Marma started because of that.", Laurie told me.

When she opened the salon she combined the elements of Ayurveda along with the products and mission statement from Aveda, creating an enviromental concept salon. The Aveda website quotes Horst M. Rechelbacher, the founder of Aveda, "Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for enviromental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world."

It seems to me that Laurie isn't just creating a business, but a way of life for her clients. If my massage at Marma was any indication, I can only imagine how wonderful the other spa services at the salon could be. The offer Spa therapy, skin care, manicure, pedicures and waxing. Prices and services are explained in detail on their website at www.marmadayspa.com. Of course i'm about 6 years late getting to Marma, and hoping I can make up for lost time. If you haven't been here yet, maybe it is about time to make an appointment and see what you have been missing.

I finished reading, "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan, and it was a touching tale about the unrequited love and bond that a canine companion can bring to our life. Marley, a yellow Lab, was blockheaded in form and actions, barrelling through screen doors and dragging dining tables by his leash, while trying to fetch any piece of fabric, trash or food into his cavernous maw. Many families wouldn't put up with such an unruly hound, but the Grogans learned to love Marley and his boneheaded ways up until his passing after thirteen years. The book is an easy, witty and lighthearted look into the Grogan's life of the last thirteen years, from John's early years working in Florida, to his stint with Organic Gardening to his present job as a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Any dog owner of past or present will instantly relate with this book, and it certainly is a GREAT read if you ever plan on adopting or buying a dog. Caveat emptor - Let the buyer beware.

I, myself, was not in a family of sushi lovers. I used to be one of those people who would laugh at the raw fish eaters and part of my ignorance was because I was never properly introduced to sushi.

My first experience with sushi was in Ocean City, NJ, on the boardwalk at some hole in the wall establishment run by people who were as Asian as me. It was terrible, I hated it and it just reaffirmed my hatred of raw fish for many years. In 1999, my brother and his wife moved to New York, in an apartment on Duane Street in SoHo. They, being the quintessential yuppies, loved sushi and decided to formally get me interested in it - by taking me to a proper sushi bar.

They decided on Tomoe, on Thompson. If you haven't been to Tomoe, well it certainly ranks up there with one of the better sushi bars in the city. What it lacks in decor and size it certainly makes up for in fish quality and deliciousness. It began with much trepidation, but my fears were soon allayed and I was hooked (no pun intended).

Fast forward seven years and i'm now in Hoboken, where I eat sushi at least once a week. My trips to Tomoe are few and far between, and I find myself trying various establishments in Hoboken over the years for my sushi fix. In recent memory, our town has seen an explosive growth of sushi or Japanese restaurants: Sushi Lounge, Sushi House, Robongi, and Illuzion to name a few.

Before the sushi purists read the rest, I will save us all time. Don't email me and or add comments about how Hoboken sushi can't compare to New York. Yes, I know this. New York rules. But for Hoboken, and my standards, the quality of the fish I have discovered has been pleasantly surprising..

Up until lately, I would usually dine at Sushi Lounge every Wednesday, at the bar around 7pm. I would sit down and order the same thing every week - a bottle of Sapporo, an order of edamame & a sushi deluxe (Sushi Lounge calls it the "Sushi Rock"). When I eat sushi, I add only a small bit of soy sauce (with wasabi mixed in) to the edge of the sushi. Pet Peeve Alert: I really hate people who DUNK the entire piece of fish into their bowl and saturate the entire thing. Why not just drink the soy sauce, people?

Anyhow, that was my routine for a few weeks. I liked being able to sit at a bar, order sushi and have a drink. My only thing that I didn't like about Sushi Lounge is that the Sapporo was $7 for a 16 ounce bottle. Sure, I understand the whole cost/drink ratio of bars and restaurants, but $7? The beer was ice cold, and I loved that, but paying over $20 for my food and 1/3 of that was for 1 drink - it would always annoy me when I got the bill. But I would pay my 20% and still would walk away satisfied.

If I didn't want to sit down for sushi, I would normally order from Robongi. When Robongi first opened, I hated it. I would constantly find scales in my fish, and whoever the head chef was, didn't do a good job. But, as of the last year, Robongi has been delicious and the scale problem disappeared. This is the place that I would order takeout, and enjoy eating at my apartment.

Yesterday some people were talking about sushi on Hobokenchat, and we talked about our interests in sushi. It was Wednesday and I was jonesing for some raw fish, but didn't want to walk in the rain (I forgot my umbrella) to Sushi Lounge.

Instead, I went home and thought I would try Illuzion for the first time. I went to the 7th and Park liquor store and bought a 6 bottle pack of Sapporo, for $8.50. $8.50! I stopped by the dry cleaner to get my clothes at Sarah Cleaners. The girl who works there (is it Sarah? Or is Sarah the owner and she doesn't work the place?) is Korean and extremely nice. She has the most adorable Yorkie named Asia, that I love to play with each time I go in there.

I was holding my six pack and she said, "It has been a long day I need a drink too!" I replied, "Yea why don't you come back to my place and I will give you a cup of Furey..."

I kid! I kid!

No, I mentioned how I was going to order sushi and the first thing she said was, "Maru!" and gestured towards Washington Street.

Ah, yes, Maru. The red headed stepchild of Hoboken sushi. Before the recent influx of japanese restaurants, Maru has always been the quiet favorite amongst the established Hoboken resident. I never really went there because i'm your typical Gen X - we like the trendy looking places over the non-trendy. Sushi Lounge was, well, cool. Flat screen TV's and black glossy bar with a great soundsystem playing house music. I was drawn into that place like a fly on sugar.

Maru was stodgy and old. Like the defunct Tamura II - it just didn't visually appeal to me. So I never went to that restaurant. In the last year or so, I noticed that they actually renovated their interior, and it wasn't on the same level as Sushi Lounge, it looked much nicer inside.

Once Sarah (?) mentioned Maru, I decided to give them a try again.

I did go to Maru once before. The first time I tried Maru I was passing by the restaurant one night and dedided to try it. I saw an absolutely gorgeous girl sitting in the window, who was waiting for sushi and talking on a cell phone. I wanted her - and I wanted sushi, so I went in to order. Sadly the cell phone girl was engrossed in her conversation and I didn't get to chat her up. My second strike was that this night that one of their chefs called out sick. I literally sat there for 30 minutes for a takeout order of a sushi deluxe. I wasn't happy on both counts and I really wasn't impressed with my sushi order.

But I usually give restaurants a second chance. I learned in my days of restaurant reviews for Hobokeni - that you really shouldn't go to a restaurant once and try to write a review. Businesses are like people - they can have good nights or bad nights.

I went home, iced down the Sapporo and ordered from Maru over the phone. My order was delivered 30 minutes later, and i'm trying to think the best way to describe this...

It was absolutely fucking God damn ridiculously delicious.

Yes, I just took the Lord's name in vain. I'm sorry, it had to be done.

Holy shit (there I go again), what the fuck just happened? This was dee-lic-ious (that's three syllables people). I was in 7th Heaven with that takeout order, drinking my $1.50 Sapporo and watching TV while tapping my feet and wolfing down the fish.

Farewell, Robongi! I loved ya, babe, but I have a new takeout lover in my life.

If you haven't tried Maru, well, make sure you try it soon:
Hours - (Please confirm) Mon-Thu 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-10:30pm, Fri 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-11pm, Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10pm
Address - 219 Washington St
Telephone - (201) 798-3311

Free Advice: Never order fish on a Monday. I always get sushi on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for good reason - that is usually when you have the best chances to get FRESH fish.

A visitor to my site saw my review about Carl's Philly Cheesesteaks, and emailed me about a place called Wogie's:

Hello,

I read your blog today for the first time. I made it my new book mark
for a daily read. I am a huge fan of Dalessandro's myself, I make a
trip there every time I go home. Have you ever tried Woogie's on
Greenwich Ave for cheeseteaks? Its owned buy a guy in Philadelphia
and I heard the cheesesteaks are awesome.

I got to email chatting with my new friend, and she turns out to be a Philly Eagles fan and fellow cheesesteak enthusiast. I promised her that I would follow up on her suggestion. It only took me a month, but I finally got to Wogie's.

Located on the corner of Charles St & Greenwich Ave, it is an easy walk from the 9th street PATH train station. Just make a right exit from the station, cross the street to Greenwich, and make another right walking two blocks north to Charles. Wogie's is on the west side of the street - you can't miss its red awning with "Wogie's" on it. For you non-Hobokenites you can take the A, C, E, B, D, F, V to W. 4th St.; 1 to Christopher St.-Sheridan Sq.

They are open Sun-Thu, 11:30am-2am, Fri-Sat, 11:30am-3am. If you are in the West Village on the weekend, here is a late night stop for you.

I got there on a Monday night, and the place was pretty dead - but I used to bartend on Monday nights and they aren't a very active night. There were a few outside tables, but inside was empty. I plopped down at the bar, and noticed that they had $3 drafts of Yuengling (along with Rolling Rock, Bud Lt)! They also had Victory on tap , and if you read my Hop Devil review - Victory is the same brewer of Hop Devil. Of course I noticed this after I ordered my captain and coke. Damn!

The bartenders there were more interested in sitting outside with some friends, so I only occasionally saw them. The waitress was also very quiet. I sat and watched Monday Night Football, while I waited about 15 minutes for my pizza cheesesteak to arrive.

I will use the following words to stress how good this cheesesteak was: tasty, good, fingerlickin good, goodtasting, savory, savorous, palatable, toothsome, gusty [Scots], gustable [old], sapid, delicious, delightful, delectable, exquisite; delicate, dainty; juicy, succulent, luscious, ambrosial, nectarous, scrumptious and yummy.

It was all this. Why?

The meat was tender and juicy, chopped correctly in a Philly manner and invoking a mouthwatering flavor that I haven't had for a long time. Yes, Carl's and Philly's (in Hoboken) are very good. I like them both, I am not knocking either. But Wogie's was delicious.

It was a greasy steak. No, this isn't a sirloin - this was a greasy mess that was everything that a steak should be.

They had a roll which is by far the best roll I have found in New York. It had a semi-crisp exterior (not hard, but hard enough not to go soggy on you in a minute) and a soft interior. As soon as I sunk my teeth into this monster I was in cheesesteak heaven.

The provolone cheese was UNDER the meat, so it melted nicely. The sauce was DEE-LISH-OUS. It tasted like a pizza sauce, not a canned marinara sauce. I doubt it was a freshly chopped tomato spread, but I loved the sauce. Plus I ordered some onions on it and I think I ate the entire thing in 8 bites.

One downfall of Wogies is the french fry situation. You can order a steak, but you don't get anything with it. You can order fries, and they give you a MONSTER basket of fries that there is no chance one person (like me) can eat. They certainly should have a smaller order for people. But the string fries were tasty enough.

The cheesesteak was $6.75, and the fries were $3. I ordered 1 captain and coke along with it and my bill was $17! Grrrr.

But, certainly another establishment to add to my list of places to get my cheesesteak fix. I'm willing to try other places, just send me an email if you think you know of one.

Fresh Direct, the online market which specializes in fresh, organic products announced last week that they were delivering to Hoboken residents. From their website, you can browse the various departments from fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, cheese, deli goods, dairy, breads, pastries, full meals, household goods, beverages or even frozen foods. Once you fill up your shopping cart - FreshDirect will arrange delivery to your door, for a $4.99 delivery charge - during the weekdays or weekends, at a specific 2 hour window you specify. FreshDirect claims that their food is fresher than a supermarket because they get their food directly from the source, circumventing the layers of distributors and middlemen that others use. They prepare the food at their own facilities - from roasting green coffee beans, aging their own beef or baking their own breads. There are no retail locations for FreshDirect - which allows them to keep their costs down and even less expensive than your local supermarkets.

Hype? Reality? Somewhere in-between?

So I decided to discover this on my own, and ordered up from FreshDirect last week, on a Wednesday. I went on the website, registered, and first found out that first time users of their site get a $20 coupon towards any fresh food. I ordered up filet mignon, ground veal, chicken breasts, tuna steak, vegetables, pasta, canned goods and some paper products, along with a whole wheat baguette. My focus was to order foods that I would use over the next week to prepare dinners at home. Normally, I stop at the Kings at 333 River St or the A&P on 6th street on my walk home to buy the ingredients for my dinners.

The ease of use on the website was incredible. I was floored at the pictures and information that FreshDirect provides. It was like using Amazon.com - but just ordering up your favorite foods. I also found that I ordered more than I expected. I kept searching on various items, like Prosciutto, real Prosciutto di Parma Ham. They had that from Citterio or Leoncini, for example.

Also what was unexpected was the various qualities of meats that are available. Most supermarkets get "USDA Choice" meats. If you are unfamiliar with the meat grading system, USDA Choice grade beef is tender, juicy and good flavor - but is second in rank to USDA Prime. USDA Prime is normally only available to hotels and restaurants. I don't think any A&P would ever carry USDA Prime. Places like Peter Lugers, Old Homestead and Sparks would only serve USDA Prime to their customers. Premium beef does carry a premium price, and is more expensive. I ordered up two USDA Prime filet mignons, and had them vacuum sealed for freshness. All meat orders on FreshDirect have rubs and marinades available with your purchase. Chicken is available in different forms, from money saving bulk packs or individual orders. Available antibiotic free or grade A chicken, if you prefer.

Simply put - this website caters to everyone. Are you a discerning cook that wants very specific kind of cheeses? Are you simply trying to get some quick meals ready for the week? Are you hoping to find specialty foods? FreshDirect blew me away.

I made arrangements to have the order delivered between 11am to 1pm on Saturday, since I was busy on Thursday and Friday. The FreshDirect truck and delivery person appeared at 12:20pm and delivered 3 boxes and 1 frozen bag. It was brought to my door, I signed the delivery paper and brought the goods inside.

After you open the boxes, you first notice the attention to detail that FreshDirect takes with their packaging. Each box was seperated by the type of goods: One box was boxed & canned items. One box was meats and vegetables, which was still cold from the refrigerated truck. The frozen bag was the frozen bread I ordered. Every meat was seperately wrapped in a styrofoam container, with plastic and then wrapped in another plastic bag. Each meat had a label inside, identifying the product, along with care instructions.

Monday night I grilled up a tuna steak, using the blackened rub from FreshDirect. Tuesday night I made meatballs using the ground veal. Tonight I plan on searing the filet mignons. The food has been delicious, and I am extremely satisfied with what they offer.

My total bill was around $100. I paid a premium, for example, on the filet mignons. I was curious. Was Fresh Direct ripping me off? I took my bill and walked over to the Kings on 333 River Street and decided to compare prices.

Last week I was reading New York Metro, and they had an article on "Best Cheesesteaks in New York", which is an oxymoron, since it's like saying "Best Italian Ices in Iraq" - just not gonna happen.

Interestingly enough - I was pleasantly surprised with Carl's Philly Cheesesteaks. I scurried down to 34th and 3rd from my office in midtown during lunch of last week (took the 6 train to 32nd and Park) and walked in to a nondescript deli. At first I was thinking "This place sucks" - then thought of my favorite cheesesteaks at Dalessandro's in Roxborough or Pat's and Geno's - they aren't anything special.

Suffice to say - I really like Carl's. It is much better than our own Philly's Cheesesteaks in Hoboken (sorry guys) and totally worth a trip if you work in New York City on the East side. They deliver, too - but I was just outside their delivery range. Plus they have a second store at 79 Chambers St. downtown.

The staff at midtown were very friendly and accomodating. I didn't have to spell out what I needed for my provolone pizza steak with onions. I figured that I was already damning my diet so I did order cheese fries and a coke. Also don't expect to sit down and enjoy your steak - Carl's has 2 tables and 6 seats. I was expecting it to be larger, but it really is just a hole-in-the-wall shop.

You know what else? Carl's is fairly priced. My Pizza cheesesteak was $6.25! Along with cheese fries and a coke and my total was around $10.

I wouldn't recommend eating here every week like you did if you lived around South Jersey/Philly - but if you have that cheesesteak itch and you are in New York - hands down try Carl's Philly Cheesesteaks.

Get one, and post a comment. Take the Carl's Challenge.

For the record, nothing beats a Philly steak - but this place sure comes close to making me happy.

Grolsch.

The name, rolls off the tongue with a strong Dutch accent just as much as the beer stays true to its ethnic heritage. First brewed in the seventeenth century by Peter Cuyper of Grolle (present day Groenlo) who developed the brew in 1615. By 1677, he was the Master Brewer, in charge of all the other brewers in Grolle. He mastered his own method of brewing and his own style of beer, which to this day is the same recipe passed down from generation to generation.

I have heard of Grolsch before, but never tried one - but it is a lager, and I decided to take the plunge. It is very crisp and refreshing, it has a faint hoppy taste that you get from drinking other Holland imports, but not as strong as a Hieneken's.

Unlike the Hop Devil, this beer packs a normal punch of 5% alcohol by volume.

I kept these beers all to myself this time, Jon decided to wimp out and buy his favorite Hoegaarden white beer.

My verdict? I think Grolsch is good, but I still would like a Yuengling Lager over it. If you like that Dutch/German hoppy flavored beer - I think you will like Grolsch. If you are more of a malty person - like Yuengling or Newcastle, you may not enjoy it as much.

But hey, give it a try - always fun to try something new, right?

One of the cool things about travelling all over the world is trying new things. I have tasted dishes made from Kangaroo, Emu and Camel in Australia. I have tried homemade wine and grappa from my family in Italy. I sampled beers during the Oktoberfest festival in Munich.

Sometimes, you forget that life is about trying new things. I'm as a guilty as the next guy when it comes to my habitual problem of living life like a horse wearing blinders. I trod along the well worn path of the life that lay before me - the life of a middle aged working professional. The 45 hour-a-week guy, who watches the weeks pass and has glimmers of excitement and hope every Friday at 6pm - for something interesting may happen. Sometimes, you just have the little things that make life an adventure.

Last weekend, I sat on the couch drinking a Coors Light, which was left over from a party the night before. To me, a Coors Light is your most basic beer, and I don't mind it or really savor it. Much like I really don't savor a cold glass of milk or orange juice. It's milk. It's OJ. It's Coors Light.

Whatever. It meets the basic criteria of what I want - satisfy a thirst for a particular craving. Dairy. Juice. Beer.

Drinking that Coors Light I turned to Jon.

"Hey man, I hope you don't mind me drinkin' this. You had a 12 pack in the cooler...", I began.

Jon smiled and waved his hand in a quick, dismissing gesture, "I hate Coors Light, drink it all you want."

"There's nothing like a cold beer on a hot summer evening.", I sighed.

"Come on, it's a Coors Light. We should get some good beer!", he said.

"What, like a PBR?", I joked.

"Anything is better than Coors.", he stressed.

"I remember once, when I travelled through Australia, each region would have a bitter, a beer, which were much better than what we had up here. I remember Victoria Bitter, VB - loved that stuff...", I recalled.

"All right...let's try some of that action!", he said, snapping his fingers and pointing at me.

"I don't think they have that up here. But let me walk over to Garden Wine and Liquor on the corner of 7th and Park and see what that liquor store has. The guy who runs it is pretty cool and always has a good wine for me to try...", I remarked.

I walked over to the liquor store on 7th and Park. I have been going in there long enough that the guy knows me - I know him - but I still never remember his God damn name.

"Hey man! Do you have a beer list?", I asked.

The owner says, "Oh, no. What you see in the cooler is what I have...what are you lookin' for?"

"I want somethin' different. Nothing crazy, like beer made with prune juice or added caffeine. Just a good, tasty American beer to try.", I reply.

"I got some guys who are real beer connoisseurs, they make me get some of these beers.", he says gesturing to a variety of six-packs in the glass cooler, "Here is one...it's called HopDevil! Supposed to be made with some real good hops, and has a strong, remarkable taste to it."

"Sounds good, i'll try it.", I tell him.

I paid $9 for the six-pack, and went home, to try out the new ale with Jon.