Roaming Fashion Hits Hoboken

Forget food trucks; now even fashion has wheels! The Nomad Truck, a new fashion venture by Jessie Goldenberg, CEO/Buyer/Creator, hit the streets of Hoboken for it's grand opening on Saturday, April 13th, 2013. I received a personal invitation that peeked my interest, so I decided to check it out on my way to the Path station. 

The truck was exactly where I was told it would be - parked outside of the Village Pourhouse in Hoboken. Personally, I think partnering with bars and restaurants is the way to go with a new fashion truck, thus driving business to the restaurant and to the boutique truck simultaneously.

A rack of clothes and a chalkboard announcing the grand opening sat on the street just outside the back entrance of the truck which seemed to invite ladies to come on in and take a look. The shop was well thought out, yet understandably quaint. I stepped up and navigated the space, which already crowded with a couple other women already inside and a dog. The clothes were totally on trend. There was even a very small dressing room located toward the front of the truck for those who wanted to try on items before committing to their purchase. Due to the crowd, I decided to simply stick with the accessories and found a couple gems. Earrings and a scarf for this lady, which set me back $30.84 and my receipt was emailed directly to my gmail account. Super easy and convenient!

I'm totally on board when someone has a dream and makes it a reality. Here's to a new Hobokenista (err.. NewYorkenista) in town for young lady entrepreneurs to look up to. Great idea, Jess! Best of luck in your new project and I look forward to fashionable updates on Twitter (@TheNomadTruck). Interested folks can also check out The Nomad Truck website to find fashion rolling into a nearby neighborhood.

Stay fashionable, Hobokenistas and Hobokenbros!

~The Hobokenista
@TheHobokenista

"Big Night" aboard the SS Yankee Ferry: Part 2

As promised in "Big Night" aboard the SS Yankee Ferry: Part 1, here's the part you've all been waiting for - THE FOOD!

I really was honored to receive an invitation from the amazing culinary artist, Jamie Busch, to attend this once in a lifetime event aboard the SS Yankee Ferry. Viewing the extensive and creative menu, I knew I'd be in for something truly special.

Prior to our tour of the ship, Jamie emerged and greeted guests who had arrived. You could tell right away that he was a very warm, caring, and engaging person. When speaking with the guests aboard the ship, he truly connected with each one and made us all feel welcome, further adding to the general excitement about the meal yet to come.

 Jamie & Emma preparing the feast (photo credit: Gwen Charles)

The room where the meal commenced was the deck above the family living quarters. It was an expansive area, split in two, providing enough room for a 25-person dining table on one side and the pop-up kitchen on the other side of a curtain drawn down the middle of the space. The lighting was low - provided by strings of fun shell lights adorning the windows and candles on the table. Further adding to the ambiance was Jamie's good friend, Eric Hayes, who provided the soundtrack for the evening with his cool piano and soothing voice as he performed as assortment of chill cover songs while we munched away. The vibe was perfect.

Before the start of the meal, the first group that toured the boat awaited the arrival of the second. Those people in the first tour group were quickly greeted with the first memorable menu item, a Mojito mocktail (cocktail without alcohol = mocktail). It was so fresh and absolutely luscious, it was like a specialty cocktail I would order at a swanky Hoboken or New York bar; I had to ask for the recipe! The drink contains mint, lime, pineapple, coconut sugar, and salt, which was blended, then strained, and mixed with sparkling water. I think I might have to try and make my own, but I might add a little white rum to mine for an extra kick!

Mojito Mocktail

As the rest of the group arrived, we were encouraged to take our seats at the table and once we were all situated Jamie introduced our meal. To begin, we were all asked to place our hands on our hearts and be thankful for our experiences, our loved ones, our lives, and the meal we were about to enjoy - almost an earthy agnostic prayer. As the courses arrived one by one, Jamie's food philosophy truly shown through as he featured locally sourced items that were from sustainable farms. Everything was completely fresh and flavorful, while the stories behind the meals seemed to make everything richer!

The first course we were served was so excellent that my expectations for the rest of the meal continued to grow. To start, we received a warm spinach salad, featuring lentils, grain mustard, and New Jersey cured bacon. Holy heck. It was absolutely fantastic - fresh and delicious.

Spinach Salad w/ Lentils, Grain Mustard, & Bacon (photo credit: Gwen Charles)

Next, our meal took a slight detour into a community celebration when a guest unexpectedly borrowed the microphone from Eric. The guest began to speak, acknowledging our earlier expression of gratitude prior to our meal. He continued on to say what he was thankful for and concluded with a wedding proposal to his girlfriend! She said, "yes," and we all cheered and gave them a round of applause. Yet another unexpected moment that made our collective "Big Night" even more special. My happiest and best wishes to Daniel and Jaycee. Cheers to you!!

 Daniel & Jaycee's big moment

Following the proposal, we received our second course, roasted sweet potato with maple curry aioli and pea shoots. To be fair, I don't think you can go wrong with a sweet potato, but the pairing of the maple flavor with the crisp pea shoots was to die for! I tried to make sure a little bit of everything was included in each and every bite, which can be difficult with petite pea shoots. I would like to say it was my favorite course of the evening, but the flavors just kept escalating.

 Roasted Sweet Potato w/ Maple Curry Aioli & Pea Shoots (photo credit: Gwen Charles)

The third course of the evening was a winter beef stew with Shiitake mushrooms and wild rice. The beef was so perfectly cooked that it nearly fell apart when you tried to stab it. The flavors were classically rustic, but with a uniqueness added by the mushrooms. The perfect meal for a chilly night, and even better for a chilly night aboard a ship floating on the Hudson.

 Winter Beef Stew w/ Shiitake Mushrooms & Wild Rice

Next came the soup course - a smooth Thai butternut squash coconut soup. The soup was served in adorable handmade country style mugs. Absolutely adorable. However, I need to be completely honest, I typically avoid squash soups, but the day you are offered the most amazing meal of your life, you must suppress your inner childish picky eater and just go for it. I sipped the soup and it definitely wasn't bad! I'm not a connoisseur of squash soups, but I thought it was alright.

 Thai Butternut Squash Coconut Soup

After the soup came Atlantic cod served a top of lemon kale quinoa with a side of sweet sour beet kraut. I'm so glad I was able to save just enough room to eat nearly every spec of food on my plate. Everything about this dish made me want to be able to order it in a restaurant everyday. The mild cod was a great foil to the bitterness of the lemon kale with quinoa, then add the sweetness of the sauerkraut and the whole thing was perfection!

 Atlantic Cod w/ Lemon Kale Quinoa & Sweet Sour Beet Kraut

Oh wow... at this point, I was in heaven and I was very, very full. However, it was time for one last course and, as I used to tell my mother when I was in grade school, "you can always eat ice cream, because ice cream melts!" Still brilliant logic, if you ask me.

As the meal's grand finale, we were served in those adorable homemade mugs fresh milk and raw honey gelato. The milk was locally sourced from a nearby Amish farmer. It was to die for! And, as if that weren't enough, Jamie went around the table giving each of us a square of organic dark salted chocolate.

 Fresh Milk & Raw Honey Gelato

As the evening came to a close, everyone was so completely full and giddily happy that it seemed we were on a food high, but it was just great, local, fresh food - no additives here! Even Jamie was in such a good mood that he decided to join Eric at the piano.

One of my food philosophies is that, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, food is the common language. We've all had meals we've loved and meals we've hated, but this is definitely the former. I've added the night and the food to my mental Rolodex of amazing experiences that I will not soon forget - great food and lovely people, all in a unique atmosphere.

Thank you to all the folks out there who made this night possible. I really do appreciate and value the amazing experience we shared. Thank you!

Follow all the cool folks from Saturday night on Twitter!
Culinary Artist, Jamie Busch @letspoon
The Amazing Miss Emma @wordsprout
SS Yankee - @SSYankee
Crew member and new Hobokenite, Thom O'Donnell @Thom0Donnell
Photographer, Gwen Charles @swamigwen
And of course, yours truly! @TheHobokenista

For your entertainment, here's a photo from when Gwen caught me Tweeting!

“Big Night” aboard the SS Yankee Ferry: Part 1

Tonight, as I sat staring at the leftovers I was attempting to stomach for dinner, I could not shake the memory of the immaculate flavor symphony I was able to experience on Saturday night courtesy of Chef JamieBusch aboard the SS Yankee Ferry in Hoboken.

Sometimes you can’t question how or why things happen, but when presented with an amazing opportunity, you just have to say yes and take the plunge. My entire life I have taken the taken risks, forged into the world seeking out unique opportunities, and, as a result, reaped great unforeseeable rewards. Saturday night was no different and I couldn’t be happier for saying, “yes” to the unexpected dinner invitation I received.

Being invited to attend "Big Night" Seasonal Feast & Tour of Yankee Ferry, a houseboat in Hoboken, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, I quickly looked up the owner of the boat and co-host of the event with Chef Busch, Victoria Mackenzie-Childs, for a hint of what the night may hold. By viewing items on her store website, I quickly became acquainted with her beautiful, light hearted, design aesthetic and knew I needed to find a sweet colorful outfit for the evening. (Note: If you would like to host an event or inquire about other programs about Yankee, you can contact the correct folks by emailing ahoy@ssyankee.com!)

After choosing the perfect ensemble, I began my journey to the 12^th Street Pier. When I arrived, it seemed like a scene from a movie. The quaint unassuming boat is docked far enough out on the pier that if you don’t make it a point to walk the pier, you might not notice the boat at all. The boat sits quietly basking in light emanating from the Manhattan skyline, a picture of two worlds silently coexisting in the darkness. The entrance to the boat’s gangplank is through a wooden arch and small gate, which you might expect to see at the entrance to a fancy garden and not a boat. This archway served as the threshold to the magical night that lay ahead. 

Photo Credit: "Big Night" Seasonal Feast Eventbrite

The gangplank opens up into the boat’s workshop area with a couple of rope chairs hanging from the ceiling and a window a view of Manhattan’s financial district. We were welcomed with warm mulled apple cider in handcrafted mugs. As guests for dinner arrived, we chatted with one another while marveling at our surroundings. Prior to hearing the history of this 106 year old ship, the master chef of the evening, Jamie Busch, came to greet us. His passion and enthusiasm were evident, further adding to the excitement surrounding our imminent meal.

 

Workshop

Next, the senior crew member addressed our group with the history of the SS Yankee Ferry. I wish I could speak in a more detailed way to the ship’s history, but I decided to soak in the experience instead of scribbling notes. However, it was fascinating and I’ve included some info from memory, with the reference help from Wikipedia (so sue me!) below.

Among her rich history, the SS Yankee Ferry was built in 1907 under the name Machigonne and shipped off to Portland, Maine, where she started carrying passengers back and forth between Portland and the Casco Bay. Next, she was used to transport folks on routes originating in Boston. Then, during World War I, she was acquired by the US Navy to be a patrol boat, and was armed with heavy artillery in case the crew spotted any German U-Boats in Boston Harbor. After the war, she returned to commercial service in the New York Harbor and served as a vessel to ferry arriving immigrants from their ships to Ellis Island and, eventually, to the mainland. A many updates, name changes, and jobs followed her service to arriving immigrants, including a second commission by the US Navy during WWII, until she became Yankee in 1947 and permanently docked in Hoboken in 2006, she doesn't run on her own power at the moment, but for now floats graciously on the Hudson River.

Our tour of the main living quarters was fascinating. Victoria Mackenzie-Childs has truly made this ship her own for herself and her family. Intermixed with the historical elements of the boat from bells to a speaking tube intra-ship communication system are modern paintings, lamp shades, bold designs, playful features, colorful rugs, and more. Off the family gallery, there’s even a small chicken coop providing inhabitants with fresh eggs daily. 

Next, the tour headed up towards the bow of the ship where there was a small love seat stationed with the most beautiful and expansive view of Manhattan straight ahead. Though it was a foggy night, the Empire State Building was still shining through as a beacon directly across the river from the SS Yankee's home.

After taking a quick glance into the old captain's quarters and wheel room, we headed back to the second level, which served as the home base for our meal.

This is where I leave you with a cliff hanger – the meal prepared by chef Jamie Busch was the best meal I have ever eaten! Check out the details of dinner by reading "Big Night" aboard the SS Yankee Ferry: Part 2!

Follow all the cool folks from Saturday night on Twitter!
Culinary Artist, Jamie Busch @letspoon
The Amazing Miss Emma @wordsprout
SS Yankee - @SSYankee
Crew member and new Hobokenite, Thom O'Donnell @Thom0Donnell
Photographer, Gwen Charles @swamigwen
And of course, yours truly! @TheHobokenista

Until next time!

Hoboken's Happiest Hour: The Cuban Restaurant & Bar

There’s just no competing with the fantastic food and inventive mouth-watering drinks sold at reasonable prices during happy hour. Other happy hours in town might save you a buck, but no location offers deals more delicious AND affordable than The Cuban Restaurant & Bar on Washington Street. Plus, the atmosphere is also not to be missed. Especially the bar area seems to ooze sexiness with warm lighting and dark wood. 

For a happy hour, first come the drinks. Sure, it's great to grab a cheap class of wine, well drink, or pint of beer when you have the chance, but at The Cuban, you get to sample delectable drinks that actually feel special at a very special price. Most run in the neighborhood of $5 each. I have to admit, I've sampled almost all of them, at one time or another, and the only ones I don't like are the spicy variety. However, there are plenty of sweet ones, so I'll never get bored.

The Caipirinha de Arandano is a fresh blueberryish cocktail with a hint of citrus - delicious! My only critique is that the straight glass and the sugar rim make for a messy time and sticky fingers. I always find myself trudging up the stairs to wash my hands in the restroom after I order this one. Hint: ask for it without the sugar rim.

Caipirinha de Arandano

The Mojitos are also excellent and come in "original" with the Mojito Cubano, along with another couple varieties of the classic beverage - El Jefe Mojito features bitters and brugal anejo, while the Mojito de Ginebra is made with gin, cucumber, basil, and jasmine simple syrup. All are fresh and the second two have their own added twist. Same thing with the three Caipirinha drinks - all three similar, but each slightly unique. I'm also a fan of the Parcha Agave, which is sweet and reminds me of the beach, as well as the Antiqua Havana, which is similar to a Cubanized Manhattan. And remmber, all of these drinks are $5 on the happy hour menu!

The only drink I've had here that I absolutely didn't like was the "El Macho." It was ordered by accident when I was trying to be adventurous and told the waiter to bring me something that he liked - whooooops! The El Macho has a bunch of delicious ingredients, but it is topped of with a jalapeno - yuck! Not my drink, folks. However, I'm sure someone out there enjoys it thoroughly.

Then, during happy hour you're bound to work up an appetite, so on to the food! The Cuban Happy Hour features a bar menu where most of the food items are about $5 and all are scrumptious - definitely a step up from other eats on happy hour menus elsewhere, where everything seems to have come out of the freezer and been seeped into a deep frier. Instead, options at The Cuban are hand crafted bar deliciousness.

My favorites on the bar menu include a fresh El Cubano sandwich with slow roasted pork, ham, cantimpalo, swiss cheese, pickles, and garlic mojo - grilled on a sandwich press and served with a teeny tiny friend potato garnish. All that for just $5. Hello, affordable dinner!

El Cubano

Another menu favorites include the Empanaditas, a set of three, you choice of chicken fricassee with chard tomatillo, Ropa Vieja (braised skirt steak) with black bean puree, or crab/shrimp with salsa rosa and avacado purree.

Empanaditas

 And last, but not least, the fantastic Papas Fritas, or French fries, which are served with manchego cheese sprinkled on top and a garlic lemon aioli for dipping. Holy cow, they are delicious! Not your average happy hour deep fried potato, for sure!

 Papa Fritas

The Cuban offers their top of the line happy hour daily. Not only can you saddle up to the bar Monday-Friday from 5:00-7:00pm, but you can also make a weekend appearance on Saturday or Sunday from 3:00pm-6:00pm. It doesn’t get better than that! Make sure to hit it up before the bar is full!

Rockin' Night at Maxwell's

Yesterday night, without much to do, I went searching my favorite local hot spots on Facebook in my usual quest for deals and unique experiences around town. It was about 6:40pm when I stumbled upon a show at Maxwell’s and decided to dig deeper.

The John Corbett Band was playing at 7:00pm. The name was familiar, so I checked them out on YouTube and found a couple grainy videos with upbeat tunes I wouldn’t mind listening to and then I found a video where I could actually see the band members clearly and realized, I know why I know the name JohnCorbett! He’s an actor and most ladies loved him on Sex and the City as Aiden, or on My Big Fat Greek Wedding as Ian, or on United States of Tara as Tara’s tragically handsome and understanding husband Max, or most recently as a recurring character on Parenthood as Seth. Yup, that dashingly handsome, dedicated, lusty dude with a sexy voice and a sweet southern accent is also a musician and was rocking out mere blocks from my apartment for only $15. There was no other choice, I had to go.

In just twenty minutes I was able to whip off my p.j.'s, piece together an outfit, throw on some makeup, recruit a friend to come with, and dash out the door. I made it just in time. I arrived at 7:05 and the show started at 7:20.

The show was excellent! I didn’t know any of their music, of course, but it was a blast just the same! They played lively tunes, many with a country twist and John was that super charismatic joyful guy that you would hope he would be. Unfortunately, he seemed to be a bit under the weather and somehow decided whiskey would fix that and, I know from personal experience, nothing hurts your voice more than a shot of whiskey! But the guys played through it and John’s long time music partner and friend, Tara Novick, played a couple songs where he was featured to give John a break, but the change up also added to the diversity and overall energy of the show. 

 

The John Corbett Band @ Maxwell's 2/23/2013

As the show ended, John was quick to offer photos with fans and to hang out after the show. This, unfortunately, proved a bit difficult because there was another band supposed to play at 9pm and the audience had to clear the room. Since my friend and I are notorious rule followers, we left the room before John came back, but ran into him in the hallway! She was quick to ask for a photo and we grabbed ours quick. He was super gracious and just as handsome up close. 

 The Hobokenista, John Corbett, & The Vegan in Training

Since both my friend and I had skipped dinner, we decided to stick around Maxwell’s to grab a bite. As we waited for a table to open up we actually met Tara Novick, too! He was a social butterfly making the rounds, greeting fans, etc. As we were chatting with him, I apparently was standing next to a painting that looked a lot like me and he insisted on taking my photo, so he did and sent it to me, check it out! (Note, he made me open my eyes wide, like the girl in the picture.)

Me with a painting from Little Punk People

I later learned that the paintings around the bar are part of the latest installation by Little Punk People - check out their website here.The picture I'm with is entitled, "Ghost in the Graveyard" and is priced at $65. The artwork reminds me of Tim Burton creations and I think it's kind of funny that the most innocent looking Punk Person is the one that Tara thought looked like me, but I'll take it! (Shout out to the helpful hostess who located the information for me about the paintings! She definitely went above and beyond to make sure I had the information I wanted about this particular installation.)

When we eventually grabbed a table, we were already ready to order since we’d been checking out the menu earlier. I was in the mood for mac and cheese, while my friend is still trying to just eat raw stuff.

Our waiter was friendly and our food came lightening fast! We barely waited 10 minutes after ordering for our food to appear on the table. The reports are that the salad was great, but it was really just veggies, avocado, Parmesan cheese, and walnuts, so hopefully it would be what she expected. However, my mac and cheese was sort of blah. It wasn’t cheesy or very creamy at all. It was like someone made a roux (mixture of flour and butter, used as a thickening agent) and forgot to add any cheese. It was edible, but not much more than that.My dish came with a side of greens, which was lucky because if I'd just had bland mac and cheese I would have been epically disappointed.

 

Pear & Walnut Salad with Avacado 

 Mac & Cheese

Maxwell's is always a great time for music, and last night was no different! However, it'd be great if the food was stepped up a notch. In the future, I'll probably just go for something that can't be screwed up, like a salad.

Brunchy Goodness at Charrito's Downtown

Without a doubt, this Hobokenista is a girl who loves a good brunch. However, since most of my friends live on the other side of the Hudson, I always tend to make brunch plans in NYC. To my pleasant surprise, two friends decided they wanted to venture into Hoboken for brunch over the three day weekend. I wanted to find a place near the train station where we could also have a few breakfast beverages. With tequila in the fridge there was only one option, downtown Charrito's!

Charrito’s opens at 11:30am and we were there right at 12:30. Table-side guacamole and margaritas were first on the docket. Of course, I knew the scrumptiousness that was in store, but my friends ranted and raved about the fresh delicious flavors.

The brunch menu at Charrito’s waivers slightly from the standard dinner fare. On the dinner menu you can’t really find standard tacos, instead I always end up going for the Tacote Norteno – four tortilla stuffed with chicken and mixed vegetables, with rice, beans, and guacamole. However, Tacote Norteno was not an option at brunch, so I went with the sautéed steak tacos. They were fresh, authentic, and absolutely hit the spot! My dish came with two lime wedges and a green cilantro sauce.

However, our meal did not stop there. Since I’m awesome at choosing brunch dates, I was able to do a brunch swap – one of my tacos for one of my friend’s quesadillas.  The quesadillas were, in essence, similar to the Tacote Norteno – a mix of fresh sautéed vegetables and cheese grilled in three separate mini folded-over tortillas, so one of those for one of my tacos was the perfect swap. The cheese was a cheese I’d never had before, this isn’t your standard cheddar. It was a white cheese that looked ooey gooey, but actually had more structural stability than I would have originally expected. Lovely.

Our service throughout was great. The waiter was understanding and didn’t rush us through our breakfast decisions. He also answered all of our questions fully and completely, even if we didn’t quite recognize the name of the cheese in the quesadillas, which I think might have been Oaxaca, but don't quote me on it. 

Charrito’s is undeniably popular for dinner in Hoboken, but don’t forget to go for brunch every once in a while. The prices are more reasonable, the menu offerings are slightly different, yet the experience is still excellent. 

 Homemade Guacamole & Margaritas

 Chicken Burrito with Black Beans & Rice

 Vegetable Quesadillas

 Sauteed Steak Tacos

Sigh no more, Mumford arrived in Hoboken!

People who say there’s nothing good about New Jersey obviously have never visited Hoboken. The city touts fantastic bars, restaurants, boutiques, a great university, athletic clubs, and everything is topped off with a sweeping view of the New York City skyline – that phenomenal skyline nearly stole the show as Mumford and Sons took the stage at the first ever massive concert on Pier A.

Everybody who is anybody in Hobotown was at the show and, despite some early sprinkles, the energy was palpable. It seemed like everyone was just excited to be there and enjoy the tunes provided by incredible musicians in an epic setting. Expected crowds were estimated at nearly 15,000 people.

The word on the street is that this event took some major coordination and planning, which was very evident. The large number of barricades and ample security upon entry told all participants the Hoboken meant business. Oh, and the ga-zillion portable bathrooms set up around the perimeter also gave the impression to all, "we have thought of everything."

We grabbed a Brooklyn Summer Ale and got in line for the grilled cheese food truck early. The grilled cheese truck had lightbulbs on the side which spelled out the word “EAT” and I couldn’t tell if that was the name of the truck or simply an extremely succinct (and excellent) instruction. Ends up, it was an instruction. It’s name was “The Morris Truck” and I went for the classic grilled cheese (NY State Cheddar & Landaff), which was SO much better than any grilled cheese my mom or grandma ever whipped up for me, that’s for sure! I think there might have been something else  in it… like pure butter, truffle oil, or maybe ecstasy. All I know is it was glorious!

After grabbing our food we snagged a spot in the front section. Aaron Embry kicked off the night of music by providing the tunage for our meal. I had never heard him before, but he was excellent! He was folksy and played solo. His style completely reminded me of Ben Kweller. I know I'll be checking out more of his stuff on Spotify in the near future. 


As the skies officially began to clear and the buildings in NYC started to reflect the awesome sun setting over NJ Dawes took the stage and thus began the rockfest. It seemed everyone around us burst into song, whether or not they'd heard it before, as their anthem "When Our Time Comes" flooded the pier. Their awesomeness just added to the high energy crowd.

Mumford and Sons strode onto the stage to officially begin their set as the sun went down and the Empire State Building became alight with colors celebrating the London Olympics.  The scene was beyond brilliant. I've never been to such an amazing concert location - and it was all made possible by those who live and work in Hoboken. (Thank you, Madame Zimmer! You rock!)


The show was phenomenal! The lighting design and the large black and white screen just south of the stage gave the whole show a very special vibe. The guys rocked and played a fantastic show. It was so amazing to be a part of such a big event with so many other music enthusiasts and Hoboken peeps. For the most part, everyone in attendance seemed to be really chill and were just out to enjoy the music. However, at the end of the show we did have a run in with a belligerently drunk and aggressive couple, which was odd considering the strict beer policy of only one beer at a time per person, but there were enough sober people around that these two were out of place and my friend and I never felt threatened. 

As the boys finished up and said their goodbyes the crowd begged for one more, and one more we received. A rousing version of "The Cave" was our reward for a night well spent in Hoboken and then, to top everything off, fireworks erupted from a barge across the river as the crowd "oooo-ed" and "ahhh-ed." The only way to describe the night was, perfection.


The biggest (and only) botch of the concert was the exit strategy. To enter, we had to go through a long line of barricades, which made sense. However, to leave I had expected the majority of barricades to have been removed. They were not and there were minimal event staff present. People trying to leave had no idea where they were going or how to get out and started to panic. There really needed to be more event staff throughout the exit with flashlights instructing people how to get out. It was the only major miss of the evening. 


Major kudos to Hoboken and a special thanks for holding the 500 tickets for Hoboken residents. I hope this is the first of many events like this to come! 

 The crowd gathered for the show

Mumford takes the stage

Fireworks finale