Authentic Cuban Cuisine at Plato Cubano

BY ,  |  Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 10:30am  |  COMMENTS (8)

Chef Miguel Mendez

Chef Miguel Mendez thought it was time for Montclarions to experience “the real flavor of traditional Cuban food.”  So at the beginning of the year, he, along with co-owners Mike Ahmad and Hanna Saman, opened Plato Cubano, a self-serve, buffet-style Cuban take-out restaurant on Valley Road in Montclair.

So far, they haven’t regretted their choice.  ”The community has been responding to us very, very well,” said Ahmad.  “We’ve been very busy.  It has been so good so far.” Continue Reading

Shopping Vintage Chic and More In Montclair at St. Luke’s Second Time Around Shop

BY  |  Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 2:30pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Nestled away in the basement of 73 S. Fullerton Ave. are bargains at St. Luke’s Second Time Around Shop. The shop’s monthly half price sale starts tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan. 25).

The shop – a ministry of St. Luke’s Church – has been in operation for about 40 years with a slew of parishioners, high school students, and community volunteers. Ellen Meriney, the current shop manager, has been a steady volunteer since the shop’s initial development. Continue Reading

Tutti Vous Closes and Mexicali Rose Reopens (Again)

BY  |  Friday, Jan 20, 2012 3:00pm  |  COMMENTS (10)

Another Montclair restaurant has mysteriously disappeared. Tutti Vous, which opened in 2010 to positive customer reviews, has shut its doors. A man named Solomon, who has posted ads about the empty space in the restaurant’s window and on Craigslist, says he has no connection to the restaurant but that he owns the lease and is trying to rent or sell the space.

According to an article in the Alternative Press a year ago, Michael Mancino, a photographer, opened the bistro with his friend, Executive Chef Margie King. The article reported that just before 2011 King “packed her bags and headed south” and that Mancino took over as chef.

Continue Reading

Montclair Remembers Martin Luther King

BY  |  Monday, Jan 16, 2012 3:12pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

About 200 people gathered today at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Montclair to honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The  service, sponsored by the Montclair African American Clergy Association, the Montclair Clergy Association, and the Montclair Chapter of the NAACP, was led by St. Paul’s interim pastor, Reverend Deborah L. Spivey.

Highlights of the service included the Montclair NAACP’s Montclair youth participants reading from Dr. King’s letter from a Birmingham, Ala. jail, a liturgical dance number performed by members of St. Paul’s Baptist Church and the singing of “We Shall Overcome.”

The service concluded with “We Shall Overcome” – one of the most powerful anthems sung during the Civil Rights Movement, and a personal message from Montclair’s Union Baptist Church Reverend, Elbert L. Maxwell, where he spoke of Dr. King’s influence on his life growing up in the segregated south.

Meet Newark’s First Female Police Chief, Sheilah Coley

BY  |  Tuesday, Aug 16, 2011 2:30pm  |  COMMENTS (1)

The annals of state history have given us: Paula Dow, the first African American woman to become Attorney General in New Jersey, Sheila Oliver, the first African American woman to hold the position of New Jersey Assembly Speaker, and now Sheilah Coley, the first female chief of police in Newark’s 175 year history.

Last week, on Tuesday morning at Newark’s communication headquarters, Mayor Cory Booker formally announced Chief Coley as Newark’s first chief of police and the next African American woman to join the ranks of distinguished female accomplishments — in Essex County and the Garden State.

Chief Coley said that she is honored to join this lineage of women, and admits there have been distinct changes in the Newark police department since she became an officer in 1989.

“When I came to the Newark police department there were approximately 15 women, no female supervisors,” says Chief Coley. “Now we have 202 female officers, and we hold every rank, except deputy chief.”

Chief Coley assured those present at the gathering, however, that her appointment was not based on her gender or race.

“This is definitely not a political move,” stated Chief Coley. “I have worked hard for the last 22 years. I have done jobs that most people would not have wanted to, but I did them so I could learn the agency. I never complained, but I did the job and I did the best job I could do everywhere I was assigned,” she added. “I would want to believe — and I do believe — that this is a reward for the job I have done.” Continue Reading

Kelly Rowland: Music and a Wardrobe Malfunction at Club 4sixty6

BY  |  Tuesday, Aug 09, 2011 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (11)

Singer Kelly Rowland may have given more of a show than she originally intended at West Orange’s 4sixty6 nightclub and lounge early Monday morning. While the fact that she was “in the building,” itself brought wild cheers from the crowd, her exuberant performance got especially memorable when Rowland experienced a wardrobe malfunction, and her sequined bondage top rose, giving the audience an ongoing peek at her breasts.

But Rowland took it in good stride, by continuing to give her fans exactly what they wanted, a great performance.

The club event, hosted by Vegas Style Entertainment and The Hip Event, included an array of Rowland’s hits and new tracks from her third solo album, Here I Am. Rowland’s fans didn’t miss a beat as they sang along to her #1 hits “Dilemma” which features rapper Nelly, and Destiny’s Child #1 single “Solider.”

Rowland took her fans back to 2007 by performing “Like This,” from her second studio album “Ms.Kelly,” then gave the crowd a taste of her new album with the track titled, “I’m Dat Chick.” Saving the best for last, Rowland could not make her exit without performing her #1 single on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts, “Motivation.”.

Now that Rowland, P.Diddy, and Chris Brown have all given live performances at “New Jersey’s Vegas style nightclub,” I’m anxious to see who will be the next headliner at 4sixty6. After all, you never know who — or what — you’ll see there!

Check out our video footage after the jump. Warning, you might see something private…

Have you ever had a high-visibility wardrobe malfunction? How did you deal with it? Continue Reading

Coffee With…Calvin Gaines

BY  |  Thursday, Aug 04, 2011 10:30am  |  COMMENTS (3)

To me, he was always just “Uncle Calvin” — my mother’s youngest brother. I knew he was a record producer, by the music studio that occupies his house in West Orange.

But I wasn’t aware that the same man who sat at the holiday dinner table, told the world’s worst jokes, and shared childhood memories with my mom, had produced some of the biggest music names in the industry, including Destiny’s Child (“No, No, No“), Whitney Houston, and Lady Gaga (“Paparazzi”). I didn’t know he had won prestigious awards, and was sought after by artists looking for “something different, a little bit more creative.”

Since the age of 15, East Orange native Calvin Gaines was in the mix, sleeping in studios and doing whatever it took to learn the ins-and-outs of the music industry. He was fortunate to have artists like, Steve Washington and James Mtume as his mentors.

When I think of my uncle’s professional career there is one unique memory that immediately comes to mind.

It was 1998, I was in my second year at Montclair’s Mount Hebron Middle School, when my uncle came to my house with a demo titled, “No, No, No.” After playing the song for both my sister and I, my uncle asked for our opinions of the record. Continue Reading

NCJW Provides School Supplies for 500 Essex Children

BY  |  Wednesday, Aug 03, 2011 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (1)

The average American family will spend $603.63 on back-to-school expenses in the coming month, and for many — particularly in this economy — properly outfitting a child for the academic year is a hardship, or perhaps even simply impossible.

Enter the National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section (NCJW). On Sunday, July 31, more than 300 volunteers provided school supplies to 500 economically disadvantaged children at its third annual “Back 2 School Store.” Congregation B’nai Shalom in West Orange was set up like a department store, equipped with fitting rooms and even a shoe department with professional fitters. The children “shopped,” one-on-one, with a volunteer personal shopper. Each child spent about an hour handpicking a complete outfit, donated by a charitable foundation, sponsor, or individual donor. Along with a week’s worth of clothing, including outerwear, the children selected a backpack stocked with personal care items and school supplies. Continue Reading

“73 See Gallery” Opens in Montclair’s Fourth Ward

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 4:30pm  |  COMMENTS (14)

Nestled away in a tight alley on Pine Street in Montclair is an amazing trove unknown to many in Baristaville. Owned by Montclair artist Mary Z, the 73 See Gallery & Design Studio is both a creative showcase as well as a work of art in its own right.

The gallery, opened officially on April 8, was once an ice factory, but after a year and a half of renovations — with the help of the local community — it has been transformed into the ideal space for exhibiting art. From the shape of the walls to the color of the floors, the structure was “designed by Mary, built by the community,” says Stan Stepney, business manager and executive director of the gallery.

The gallery’s location — off the beaten path from the prime real estate of Montclair Center — is less than commercially ideal, but Z has no worries. She is enthusiastic about joining the Pine Street Historic District. Continue Reading

A Celebration of Pride

BY  |  Wednesday, Jun 22, 2011 11:59am  |  COMMENTS (2)

A crowd gathered at the first-ever Essex County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Pride Month Celebration raised their voices together and belted out Bob Marley’s classic hit “One Love.” Held yesterday, June 21, at the Hall of Records in Newark, the event was the latest addition to the year-long schedule of cultural heritage celebrations hosted by the County Executive, Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. The goal of all the celebrations is to raise awareness about the diversity of Essex County’s population.

Yesterday’s event was full of high spirits and inspirational speeches from Assembly Speaker, Shelia Oliver, New Jersey State Senator and Deputy Chief of Staff, Teresa Ruiz, and more. Acknowledged during the ceremony were the members of the LGBTQ Advisory Board for their continued work, dedication, and passion in raising public consciousness in the community. Three notable Essex County citizens, Reverend Janyce L. Jackson, Dr. Joseph A. Putrino Jr., and June E. Dowell-Burton, were presented with the Star of Essex County Award by the County Executive for their extensive strides in awareness for the LGBTQ community. Continue Reading

Featured Comment

I would love to see Santorum get the nod. Maybe then the politically comatose members of society will wake up.
Posted by
jerseygurl

Tip, Follow, Friend, Subscribe

Links & Information

Baristanet on Flickr

Browse all photos...