Chilltown Bears

The Memorial at Harbor View Park in Bayonne NJ remembers the victims of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 bombings of the World Trade Center.  It was on our list of local things to see, and we finally got a chance to this past Sunday.  It was another beautiful day to spend along the Hudson River, albeit a melancholy one given where we were headed.

About a 20 minute drive south from home, the memorial is way at the end of the old Military Ocean Terminal, a two-and-a-half mile long man-made peninsula that juts out onto the river.  It’s been closed by the military and reacquired by the City of Bayonne for commercial redevelopment and is now known as the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor.  As you drive down towards the memorial park, you can see new construction and the old military buildings as well.  The park seems out of place, but with a bird’s eye view of lower Manhattan, it’s easy to see why it was chosen as the site for it. Read more »

I spent most of the day on Saturday at the Pride Festival volunteering as a Floater (no one specific job, helped out wherever was needed) but also got to enjoy it as a spectator along with Joe and Ryan. Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day weather-wise. The turnout was great! Downtown along the riverside at Exchange Place in Jersey City is such a great venue too. Big wide open urban space with a backdrop of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline.

Saw lots of friends, and a few others I’ve noticed online on BEAR411 and such. The after-party at the Hard Grove Cafe was a blast too. I love that this pride event doesn’t take place in June – just before Labor Day, it’s a nice way to bring in the end of Summer. CARLOS

This week is Pride Week in Jersey City, organized by JCLGO for the 8th year in a row.  A series of events are scheduled, culminating in an outdoor festival at Exchange Place (on the Hudson River facing downtown Manhattan) on Saturday the 23rd.  On Saturday evening, the closing party will be held at Hard Grove Cafe, a popular bar and Cuban-fusion restaurant, where there’ll be partying and dancing on the streets.  I hope this great weather in the area makes an appearance here on Saturday!

City Hall, just down the block from us, was the site of a rainbow flag raising this past Monday to commemorate the week.  It was at 6pm and Joe wasn’t back from work yet, so our man-child Ryan joined me for the gathering and reception later in City Hall.  A couple of dozen people showed.  Some pictures above.  I walk by City Hall daily and have always admired its architecture, but had never been inside until Monday.  It has a beautiful historic look with a spectacular glass rotunda.  The council chambers are being restored (big fire in 1979, never fully restored until now,) and it too will be quite a sight. Read more »

Today marks 18 years that Joe and I have been together as a couple.  We decided instead of making a big deal out of it we’d treat ourselves to a bunch of little things we’ve been meaning to do, buy, eat, or see.  We’re going to pull out all the stops for the 20th anniversary instead. CARLOS

The closest thing to a Bear Run I’ve been to since last summer is pictured above, taken at an arcade on the boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach about an hour’s drive from here on the Jersey Shore last Sunday.  No it wasn’t Sandy Hook (I mean lets face it, who hasn’t seen my ass and my privates at this point, LOL) and not Asbury Park (still not ready for prime time IMHO.)  Point Pleasant is, well, pleasant.  Not too far away, good food, lots to see and do on the boardwalk, fair share of cute homosexuals and muscley metrosexual guidos and their girlfriends, even a few bears. It was a beautiful summer day, and Joe, Ryan and I had a real nice time. CARLOS