Live music, Macy’s fireworks, hot weather, cold beer
I spent the early part of the day hanging out with my family. It was great to see everyone frolicking in the pool. Everyone but me, that is. I’ve never been much of a pool person, but later in the day, I’d be wishing for a cold dip.
Back to Hoboken, I scored a parking spot right in front of my house. Then began the arduous task of maneuvering thru town on foot. The rubber of my sneakers was literally sticking to the griddle underneath me.
I would spend the rest of my day shuffling between the hot summer sun of Sinatra Park (401 Sinatra Dr, Hoboken) to listen to music and the frigid awesomeness of beers at Louise & Jerry’s (329 Washington St, Hoboken).
When holidays fall on a weekend in Hoboken, the bustling burb can be a glorious ghost town. Even today, despite the crowds camping out along the river to get the best views for the evening, the rest of the city was fairly quiet.
And that’s just the way I like it.
Due to scheduling conflicts (and my need to spend time indoors, away from the heat), I wound up missing most of my friends who were performing at the park. One band I did get to see were Ed Smith & The Ego.
When the band finished, it was time to take the very long walk to Shipyard Marina (1301 Sinatra Dr, Hoboken) for a party on the river. Why so far away? Because, the way that the fireworks barges were situated, you really could not see them from Sinatra Park. And besides, they had beer at the party. The city did not allow any alcohol served or consumed in public, outdoor areas.
Of course, before hiking the ten or so blocks to the marina, I made one more stop at Louise & Jerry’s to cool off a bit.
For the second year in a row, the Macy’s Fireworks were on the Hudson river. For far too long those of us in Jersey had to suffer through obstructed views or long travel time to see them. So we were thankful to have them here again this year. However, there was one thing I really didn’t understand.
Why were all of the barges clumped together so close? They covered maybe 30 or so blocks on the west side of Manhattan.
Sure, it was nice. Boom boom bang crack boom sizzle sizzle ooooh aaaahh! … Still, all of the barges showed the same exact displays. Why not spread them out?
- Two in the Hudson
- Two in the East River
- Two in the Harbor
I mean, the whole thing is computerized, right? It’s not like there’s this group of guys are running around the barges with matches lighting fuses.
That was my only real complaint. In the end, it was a fantastic night filled with friends, heat, air conditioning, beer, fireworks and fun.
Rumor has it that next year the fireworks will be on the East River again. I hope they take my suggestion of spreading them out to heart. It’s a big-ass city and everyone wants to see the boom booms!
