Free Carriage Rides & Strolling Santa on Friday Nights in December

Come to Downtown Somerville on Friday nights in December for free horse and carriage rides on Main Street from 6:00 - 9:00 pm (weather permitting). Santa strolls Main Street and visits shops and restaurants on Friday nights too.

Many stores are open until 8 pm for shopping, including All in One Basket, The Big Little Railroad Shop, The Back Door, Beneath It All, Crazy Deals, Crystal Palace, Curmudgeon Music, Discover Wine, The Hungry Hound, The Pianosmith, Path Liquors, Price Wise, Somerville Center Antiques (34 W. Main St. store only), Wishes & Dreams, Xpress Gear, and Zanita Gems & Jewelry.

There are over 25 restaurants open for dinner with choices from casual, family friendly restaurants to elegant dining with a world of cuisines to choose from.

Children can visit with Santa and tell them their holiday wishes during December in Downtown Somerville and parents will receive a free photo of their children with Santa.

Saturday, Dec. 8th: 10 am - noon, Santa Breakfast at Two Brothers Bagels, 53 W. Main St. AND Noon - 2 pm Commerce Bank, 50 W. Main St.

Saturday, Dec. 15th: Noon - 3 pm, Lunch with Santa, Central Pizzeria, 126 W. Main St.

Saturday, Dec. 22: 11 am - 2pm, Commerce Bank, 50 W. Main St.


Merry Christmas!

The Man in the Black Sunglasses

At least three times in the last two weeks, approximately 50 pallets of red and white wine have been delivered and destroyed to Bridgewater Resources Inc. on Polhemus Drive in an 18-wheeler truck. It's interesting to watch a river of red and white waste itself into the nearest gutter drain and the 25,000 some-odd glass bottles pulverize into the other garbage instead of tripping down the street to the recycling center. It's interesting to see a man in black sunglasses take as many digital photos over the course of the 10 minutes it takes to complete and to respond to what's going on with: all I can tell you is I'm supposed to see it destroyed; it's government related.

How? I wonder. Maybe huge stocks were tempered incorrectly? Maybe the overstock is regularly demolished by two bulldozers within minutes of a set of 3 pallets hitting the ground. Not the type of thing you donate but how is the project manager not prepared with a response along the lines of the stock being spolied? Where do the drains at the dump flow into?

Dumps by nature are typically shady places with guard-dogs and razor wire and being surrounded by billowing factories out of Mad Max but come on.

Natives

I overheard a conversation about how what we refer to now as Downtown Somerville was once called Uptown.

"Let's go Uptown to the movies."

"Let's go Uptown for dinner - when did it change?"

Those who knew it as Uptown were proud to have known the town for so long no matter.

For more on the history of Somerville, see the below link:

http://www.somervillenj.org/history.html

Autumn in Somerville

get your ice-scraper handy

ride a bike

go play pitch & putt for free in the evening at Green Knoll since it's closed

go bowling

take in a football game; Pop Warner - Somerville or Immaculata - or maybe Princeton

keep a pen and paper in your pocket

take some color pictures, maybe some black & whites and digital - write something on the back of them

decide for yourself the best looking type of tree that causes you to be out collecting leaves

have the extra pair of gloves you don't wear ready for someone with red hands

Snow Removal and Yard Work

Dear Somerville,

I'd again like to offer to those in need of property maintenance to be in touch with me at fpquinn@gmail.com for the upcoming Winter. Please don't hesitate to request help or wait until the snows have fallen.

Thank you for considering this complimentary help.

Sincerely,

Frank

The U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame (part 2)

I had little idea how unautomatic it was through the years to keep the museum cared for and here in Somerville; or all its homes. I too commend the Board and everyone that has had a role in the Hall. As for your opinion Glenn Cole of Bridgewater (replying to part 1), yours is the healthier one for the sake of the Hall and cycling, at this time. But it ain't easy to hear as a hometown boy.

When it was conceived, the Board had Rutgers Business Management students give a presentation on its founding and the first thing they said was, "Museums are a hard sell." It's about someone coming up with a good plan, one based on the health of cycling; most people own a bike.

Trexlertown, PA, home of the Lehigh Valley velodrome has expressed interest, among others. If I was on the Board and not a Somerville resident, my choice for its best interest might be in relocation, but if say, donations came in, I would volunteer to help write and design the necessary fund-raising materials.

The reality is the County has offered space in a yet-to-be-constructed building on East Main St. but it must prove its sustainability before they will act. In order to keep the Hall of Fame in Somerville, seed money needs to be raised to produce fund-raising materials and someone is needed to initiate contact with potential sponsers and follow-up with them. I'm willing to do what I can but is there someone in Somerville willing to donate 5K to the cause for the necessary literature? Does anyone have ideas or contacts for potential sponsership? M'all ears and hands.

The United States Cycling Hall of Fame (part 1)

It Belongs on Main Street, Somerville.

Our historic entity was grounded on a corner of the Somerville Shopping Center, during the time Pathmark and the old Alfonso's Pizzeria did business there.

It has since been placed in Bridgewater near Patriot's Stadium; now displaced from an address currently renovating.

Someone in California has made a bid to relocate it. To me It is like Cooperstown, NY sold the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame to Las Vegas, NV. That ain't us far as I've felt. Nor them.

As the story develops, I hope the Mayor and Council, all affiliates, the Main Street New Jersey project and our community will do what it takes to keep the U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame here in Somerville.

Need Help with leaves or sidewalk snow?

If you are in need of assistance or know someone who does in Somerville, please email me describing your need.

Note your name, address and phone(s). I will be back to you regarding community service for your property.

Town like the Town Well

We meetup all the time. With all the human relationships we have and have had in Somerville. Like the other day I ran into my Kindergarten teacher who reminded me I'm a writer and to keep it up. With two religion teachers that hugged me and slapped my face and said its been years. I like the idea of helping neighbor to neighbor and how we have a town unlike many surrounding whose design un-neighbors themselves by acre and yellow lawn and noise ordinances at the ready instead of a knock, request and apology.

It's good to know the following story would never happen here.

The Tunnel

A man has been standing
in front of my house
for days. I peek at him
from the living room
window and at night,
unable to sleep,
I shine my flashlight
down on the lawn.
He is always there.

After a while
I open the front door
just a crack and order
him out of my yard.
He narrows his eyes
and moans. I slam
the door and dash back
to the kitchen, then up
to the bedroom, then down.

I weep like a schoolgirl
and make obscene gestures
through the window. I
write large suicide notes
and place them so he
can read them easily.
I destroy the living
room furniture to prove
I own nothing of value.
When he seems unmoved
I decide to dig a tunnel
to a neighboring yard.
I seal the basement off
from the upstairs with
a brick wall. I dig hard
and in no time the tunnel
is done. Leaving my pick
and shovel below,

I come out in front of a house
and stand there too tired to
move or even speak, hoping
someone will help me.
I feel I'm being watched
and sometimes I hear
a man's voice,
but nothing is done
and I have been waiting for days.

Mark Strand

All the Houses

How come most the streets of homes except some Somerville homes are set back the same distance from the curb?

What are the historical zoning-statements acknowledging and granting the territories in conjuction with the langauge of their deed? Or, which, came first?

Just something I wonder driving by. Anyone know?

Kevin Foley Through The Gauntlet

Kevin Foley of Somerville, NJ, being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, recently led Penn State to a second consecutive collegiate victory as a Sophomore. He posted teens under par which you can read about if you Google: Kevin Foley Golf – or start by reading his bio at: http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/mgolf/mtt/foley_kevin00.html

The type of talent Kevin Foley possesses comes from his purist mentality for the game of golf. Winning the Joseph I. Bedell Junior Tournament at age 11 in a tournament for 8-17 year-olds was big. And being the youngest of 8 helps too I believe. This is the type of pure golfing family, having learned from eldest brother Brian, that won't even hit off the mats at Pitch & Putt at Green Knoll Golf Course. Although it is technically against the rules to hit from the surrounding grass, the mats present to them the problem that that shot is too easy and therefore not close enough to real golf. If one of them were to use a mat during the round, their score would be marred by an asterisk. They may hole-out a shot from the mats, but it will always have been, from the mats.

I never even seen one of them slouch replacing a divot. If you've seen or played golf with any of the Foleys, it ain't hard to observe the unspeaking rogue respect they walk in as talented brothers. None moreso these days than the youngest, Kevin.

They all looked up to Brian being 6-foot-4 and a sling of himself driving the ball so deep off the tee, he’d land buckets over backnets of every local golf-range. It was a thing to behold as a kid shanking shots between the awe and pretending one’s own connection made the same thwack. A ball-shank was brought and walked around back to retrieve the drives Brian sent into orbit still ascending as they headed toward Rt. 206 from the Raritan Golf Range (now affectionately nicknamed “The Black Pearl”, after the pirate ship, since its netting running lengthwise flails with tears).

End up with socks full of burrs and shins of thornmarks but it made us feel victorious I remember. Don't even ask how many thousands of barely hit high-quality balls were harvested like morels when the ponds were drained at Green Knoll and Raritan Valley Country Club, where all looped as caddy, double-bagging. The hunt was on and joyful announcing of the purest ball finding was commonplace to the responses of intense envy, which brought a faster pace to it all – “Titleist Extra-Spin!” “Slazenger Balata!” (which was later shortened to simply: Slaz Balaz). Foleys were grammar school kids spinning back wedge shots 10 feet into the pin. Let's just say an entire kiddie-pool full was a fixture in the backyard. And so was Kevin Foley at a bathroom sink with a steel-tooth brush whitening them back to pure, and back to the course.

It all happened well before that day for Brian Foley, but looking back, him hitting that shot sure created a new fever and momentum for the boys. The Boy Scouts of America held a benefit hole-in-one competition; the first 3 shots were on the house - $10 each shot after. Brian holed out in the complimentary amount. Brian won $50,000 that day.

Coincidentally, Kevin was on his way to play Pitch & Putt as a kid and had to have the ball off the fireplace mantle to play with that earned his brother 50K. Apparently, he scratched it all up during his round. His brothers scolded him pretty bad for using it but neither Brian nor any other brother could honestly give a damn now. Kevin is ranked 17th amateur golfer in the nation. His 5-year plan is the PGA Tour.

Despite ages and time, I like to think looking at the moon that Alan Shepard forgot to bring golf balls and found a couple of the Foleys’ up there.

Keep hittin’ ‘em where you want ‘em Kev!

Growing up in Somerville

20 years ago I was 7 and Jim was 6. We’d call eachother up: Wanna come over and play? 9 out of 10 times we spend the day—interested and happy—either building something, riding bikes or swinging from the rope in my backyard on Davenport Street. Like the day I’m writing about.

From a high—seated-rope that hung knotted from a beast whose roots gathered enough earth to register a zipcode, or so we believed, we’d swing that limb shook—enough to make that rope crack sounds of mercy from length against one of our weights. One day a kid came over from behind a neighboring garage.



20

20 years ago Jim and I
were spending our days swinging
from a Davenport St. maple,

off a knotted seat & after a while
he’d insist on a pair of saw-horses
standing, 2x4s and ply-wood to

highten the ride in some ville,
any ville. And, in short, I was afraid.
But he swung in laughter-hanging-

suspended and made his way back steady
safe. My turn felt like a burn; but look
a neighbor came introducing

and we followed him off & watched
him pluck his neighbor’s sunflowers like
cornstalks from his neighbor. Just for fun.

His mother leaned a window frame
what the hell! We went back to the rope
as the neighbor kid skulked off.

The Parklands of Somerville

Want to know where you can play what in town?

http://www.somervillenjrec.com/facil.html

In addition to the linked park list from Somerville Recreation, there's a:

Bird Sanctuary at Prospect Circle

A weddingphoto-gazebo in Ellsworth Van Fleet gardens at N. Bridge St. and William St.; diagonally across from the Y.

Ride bmx, rollerblades or a skateboard at Ken Cornell Wheel Park at E. Main and Veteran's Memorial Dr.

Walking and Cycling paths are at Grove St. Park and Culver St. Park

Baker & Taylor Park at Kirby Avenue has a quiet playground

Flockhart Park on Mercer St. is named after Mayor Thomas Flockhart for planning of the town's parkspace.

Causes are sometimes lost so there’s a

Novena to Saint Jude

Saint Jude, I resort to your protection and in my prayer, I offer thee this light which I will burn every Tuesday night. Comfort me in my difficulty, and through they lodging in the house of our Savior, intercede for us in our necessity. I beseech thee to have pity in regard to this favor I ask of you. (Name Favor) that I may be able to overcome as slaying a dragon at my barefeet. (Speak 3 Hail Marys, 3 Our Fathers and 3 Glory Bes).

This novena is said 9 Tuesdays in succession and a copy of this prayer is left in the Church to help another soul in distress and to support devotion to you St. Jude.

This miraculous saint grants everything no matter how difficult and grants it at the termination of 9 Tuesdays.

Somerville is great because of

Clotheslines full of sheets & washcloths, and every cloth in between
Basil & rosemary and figs & tomatoes shared neighbor to neighbor
No Starbucks on Main Street
Kids playing football across 3 lawns
Hammock yawns
Slate sidewalks that should be cared for beneath our feet
3 pies for 3 different pizza moods
50s tunes over Friday Night Cruiser
The Courthouse; County-Seat
Because of its teachers of Art Science English History Design Law and Architects
Kids that have to be home by 6
Yardsales of great generosity
The United States Cycling Hall of Fame
Our Time to Remember; 9-11 Memorial
A town that reads like a fabled 21st century and
Sheets for the dinner table

Introduction an Invitation

I feel I been loaned a key the size of a Mountain Ave. screendoor—the weight of a pencil or a pen—the shape of diamonds hopping a chainlink fence; a scratch that raises like a courtroom verdict and spends the rest of a day in a hammock considering dividends that have nothing to do with money.

And everything to do with Somerville.

I hope to be that factual. So, like a ball thrown yards overhead & parks at your feet: Can I get some help? Do you have a Somerville story or tip that wants or needs to be said? I'm talking about a type of relationship of Somerville history and currentcy. Write me at fpquinn@gmail.com.

I’ve written one article that appeared last Sunday, 23 Sept. in Letters To The Editor, titled: Navy veteran's stories bring wartime to life: http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070923/OPINION02/709230318/1010/NEWS06
and hope to bring out more.

Have yourself a great weekend.

Welcome to the Somerville blog

Welcome to the Courier News Somerville blog. Please be sure to share your thoughts.