“Haver” is the Dutch word for oats. Prior to the brick making industry that began in Haverstraw in the late 1700s, miles of “haver grass” or wild oats spread out into Haverstraw Bay, the widest length of the Hudson River. Legend has it when Henry Hudson sailed up the river in 1609 he commented on these magnificent grassy plains.

The Village was originally named Warren, or the Village of Warren after a Revolutionary general, but was subsequently changed to a more “historic” and “representative” name later during the mid-1800s.

Haverstraw’s throwing a wedding celebration to accompany its International Food Walk! The event is called ‘My Big Fat Haverstraw Wedding’ and will feature a few prominent Haverstraw fellows strutting their stuff in the latest fashion wedding gowns! This is a fun rendition of the popular Dancing Under the Stars series that has been held in front of Village Hall several times over the past couple years. It’s bound to be a fun evening!

What: International Food Walk
When: 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday
Where: participating downtown Haverstraw restaurants

What: Dancing Under the Stars
When: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday
Where: in front of Haverstraw Village Hall at 40 New Main St.

The Half Moon

As many of you are aware, the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration has been moving full steam ahead for the past few months. The Hudson River is 400 years old! That’s cause for celebration. Below is an op-ed written by the Director of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission Tara Sullivan. Please, come out and celebrate the Hudson River this year by attending some of the fantastic events that are being held throughout the year, especially this summer and fall.

Pride in New York’s great history and a commitment to a sustainable economic and environmental future for the Hudson River Valley were in evidence among the thousands of residents and tourists who turned out to welcome the fleet of heritage ships in its stately parade from the Statue of Liberty to Albany, following the course of Henry Hudson’s voyage 400 years ago.An estimated 100,000 spectators on land and more than 1,500 boaters joined in the festivities, saluting and celebrating the flotilla during its eight-day, 120-mile nautical trip retracing that famous world-changing journey. Nearly 100 events commemorated the River Day theme, demonstrating the power of the Hudson to serve as the centerpiece of the region’s $4.5 billion tourism industry.

Could this passion and intensive nostalgia be turned into a sustainable valley event bringing along some economic sustenance and more environmental awareness? Shall we band together and follow Seattle and countless other water-connected communities who have made an annual opening day the biggest day of the year?

Starting with Gov. David Paterson’s official launch of River Day with the Blessing of the Fleet, organizations including Battery Park, Cloisters, the Hudson River Museum, Marist College, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Mills Mansion, Vanderbilt Mansion, Bard College, Scenic Hudson and Clermont Estate mobilized staff and visitors to watch the flotilla parade by. Hudson River Maritime Museum had a huge welcome celebration and West Point honored the flotilla with the 16 cannon salute.

New Jersey towns, Yonkers, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Philipse Manor, Haverstraw, Croton and Ossining, Stony Point, Peekskill, Garrison and Cold Spring, Highland Falls, Cornwall and New Hamburg, Tivoli, Coxsackie, Coeymans, Bethlehem, and Schodack – all had record numbers packed along the riverbank to cheer, ring church bells, blast cannons and sound sirens.

Nyack, Tarrytown, Piermont, Newburgh, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park, Rhinecliff, Kingston, Cats-kill, Athens, Hudson, Castleton and Rensselaer hosted the ships overnight, fed the crews and looked after the ships.

Private porches and balconies, yards full of spectators declaring: “This is better than TV!” Countless barbeques, picnics blankets and parties lined the riverbank.A class from Saugerties came out by boat to greet the captain of the Half Moon with a special Quadricentennial flag.

Pete Seeger sang valley ballads, Jay Unger and Molly Mason played a welcome concert, the Culinary Institute of America made a huge Quadricentennial cake, and the Half Moon cut a riverwide ribbon.

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome joined the flotilla when weather cooperated, making formation flyovers and reminding all of us on the ground of the famous first flight over water by Wilbur Wright 100 years ago up the Hudson River.

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis sailed on the Clearwater, where he and his wife once took their marriage vows. A River Day wedding happened on Day Seven, after a double rainbow (without rain) greeted the flotilla, followed by a spectacular fireworks display reflected over the water and witnessed by hundreds of boaters and park-goers.

And most of all, the backbone of the volunteer force of more than 1,000 people came from the wholehearted support of boat clubs, yacht clubs and marinas of the river valley. They coordinated a boat ballet, sending their memberships out in waves to escort the historic journey.

Goals affirmed

The leading river environmental organizations -Scenic Hudson, Clearwater and Riverkeeper – chose River Day as their backdrop to articulate their common goals for the coming Quadricentennial decade: a cleaner river and protected parklands.

The boaters say they have wanted to establish an annual opening day on the river for decades, the towns say they want to celebrate the river with their neighbors and the local historians say it is high time to have a valleywide tradition set in stone for the next 100 years.

River Day has launched the Quad events for the remainder of this auspicious year and made New York’s Quadricentennial a household word in the valley.

Perhaps more importantly, River Day has shown that at the end of 2009, we will not say goodbye to the Quad, but instead say, “See you next June at River Day!”

Yes, see you next River Day! To find out more about Quad events, go to www.exploreny400.com or www.hudsonhappenings.com

Floriana, or Ana Peguero has started a most interesting craft based on her heritage infused with environmental conservation. Ana paints reclaimed glass bottles for all kinds for different uses; this is more accurately called “upcycling” by the young greensters of today. Most of Ana’s work is inspired by patterns she remembers from her childhood and younger life in a central Dominican Republic village. Ana came to Haverstraw nearly one decade ago. Today, she resides in New City. Read her account below for some background on her life and her craft:

My name is Floriana Peguero. I was born and raised in a very small town surrounded by enormous mountains, lush green vegetation, precious tropical flowers and honest sincere people. The time spent in my native land is what allows me to see and appreciate the endless color of our beautiful world. I come from Constanza, located in the center of The Dominican Republic, truly a fantastic and dreamy paradise.

I was born in a tiny village called Palero, the 4th of 13 brothers and sisters. This explains, at least to some degree, why I am so drawn to the idea of recycling. Coming from such a large family it was necessary that what my older siblings used would pass into my hands and thereafter to those younger than me. Ever since I can remember I have been a collector. I saved matchbooks, postage stamps, cactus plants and miniature bottles, which reminds me of an amusing anecdote: My darling brother Julio, may he rest in peace, enjoyed availing himself of the contents of my miniature bottles and then refilling them with coffee.  I am sure that this memory accounts for much of my love of glass and bottles. Julio’s spirit lives on in my craft; believe me, you would have loved him too.

For me, glass is the simplest yet most elegant of materials. Of course this doesn’t mean that I will not work with other canvases, in fact I do. Glass bottles are my favorite medium, but plastic bottles have their own charm. In fact I think we should encourage every child who drinks a bottle of water or juice or a bottle of any other beverage to imagine the possibility of painting it. In this way, we are fostering the idea of conservation as well as the imaginations and creative capabilities of our younger generation.

If you’re interested in Ana’s “Botellas” Bottles, please contact her by email at jas22152@hotmail.com . You may also use HaverstrawLife.com and the comment area below to get in contact with Ana. Thank you!

The “Learn-to-Row” Day held by the North Rockland Rowing Club, sponsored by U.S. Rowing, was held down at the Haverstraw Ferry Landing on Saturday, June 6th. At least 40 new rowers were able to try the rowing machines and go out on the water in the crew shells. It was a great day of learning and exposure to the sport.

There has been great interest in the sport and the Rowing Club from many Haverstraw residents and other Rockland County natives. Feel free to contact the Rowing Club at (845) 942-1030, and ask for Susan or Jerry. Also, visit the website at www.northrocklandrowingclub.org ! It’s VERY fun and rowing exercises the entire body!

A Big Red Tomato has sprouted in Haverstraw Village. Reyes “Ray” Dominguez, a long-time Haverstraw resident, has created his most recent venture, The Big Red Tomato at 9 Main Street, right across from Lucas Candies. The new bar and grill boasts a tasty fusion of Latin, American, and international flavors. Ray has come a long way since his immigration from Mexico years ago. His story is an inspiration for us all, and the true entrepreneurial spirit of the Big Red Tomato is bright.

Ray lives the American Dream.

Driven by his will to succeed in America, the absolute global Capital of Opportunity, Ray Dominguez started small – he was a dishwasher at the New City Diner on Route 59. He made his rounds at several local golf course eateries, including Rotella Golf Course’s Bogie’s and at Spook Rock Golf Course. Ray made his “Head Chef” debut at the Rainbow Grill, just before heading to a top chef position at Civile’s Restaurant in Emeline Park in the Village of Haverstraw. Then he made his way to the former Bricktown Brewery as an additional chef for that restaurant. Ray was able to save his money earned, and soon opened Broadway Pizza – a hit among the pizza joints of the Village. Over the years, Ray developed multiple skills, required to save money and make some extra money on the side.

Ray’s carpentry skills are forefront. Ray opened Broadway Home Improvement, a company that offers carpentry, painting, and other home services. The fine woodwork of the Big Red Tomato bar and wall paneling is immediately apparent as one enters the restaurant. The bar area is composed of large, mitered moulding pieces of dark grained wood. Mr. Dominguez is a driven entrepreneur in every way.

When Ray bought the multi-story, mixed-use building at 9 Main Street a few years ago, he dreamed up the concept of a higher-end restaurant where he could experiment with his culinary skills and offer fine drinks at a bar setting. The patch of earth behind 9 Main offered a fine, sunny spot for growing tomatoes – big, red, delicious tomatoes. Ray would cultivate his tomato plants all summer, using the ingredients in his sauce at Broadway Pizza, another ingenious way to cut down on operating costs. This brings another meaning to “local food.” The name of his dream restaurant was soon born: The Big Red Tomato.

I haven’t even spoken about the food yet.

The food is wonderful. Ray combines various nationalities and cultures, as if his menu were a microcosm of the Village itself. Mexican Eggrolls, my favorite, are deliciously crispy and bursting with flavor. Again, the menu is expansive and varied, so you’ll more than likely find something that suits your taste – it’s a safe bet. With the departure of Bricktown Brewery, I’m very excited that there’s finally a restaurant in the Village that picks up the slack of offering a high-quality, wide range of tastes at an affordable price.

HaverstrawLife welcomes the Big Red Tomato to the Village. Ray Dominguez will continue to act as a foundation for the community – his drive and spirit has already brought so much to downtown Haverstraw, and he will only continue to offer more excitement and positive change to an ever changing Village.

The Big Red Tomato

9 Main Street, Haverstraw, New York

Open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 11pm

(845) 269-3746

I’m posting just to inform everyone that the existing New York Waterway ferry, with service from Haverstraw to the Ossining Metro-North train station is SAFE from budget cuts. Unfortunately, the recent NY Water Taxi ferry pilot program, with service from Haverstraw to Yonkers and Lower Manhattan will be no more. With the ailing economy, Albany and the federal government has decided to suspend the service from Haverstraw and retain the service running from Yonkers. Most politicians, however, have stated that they hope and envision the reintroduction of the Manhattan-direct ferry service once the economy rebounds. Read more about the suspended NY Water Taxi service here: http://villageofhaverstraw.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/water-taxi-to-suspend-service-from-haverstraw/

The Union Restaurant is thriving amidst the worst economic fallout since 1939. Paulo Feteira, the maitre d’hotel, and David Martinez, head chef of Union, have combined their talents to bring about this blast of Euro-Latin fusion cuisine. Paulo and David are together twenty-year veterans of Peter X. Kelly’s Xaviar’s Restaurant and Freelance Cafe of Piermont. The two men’s resumes have ushered up valuable and overwhelming name recognition for Union Restaurant and have poised the Village of Haverstraw to become a regional restaurant destination; evidence of this exists every Friday night when New Jersey license plates line Main Street and Westchesterians are commonplace. The Union is THE anchor restaurant of Main Street.

Fine, formal wait service compliments Union’s atmosphere. Service here is impeccable; every plate is served with a new set of utensils, an army of waiters handle your every need. Union Restaurant is located in the historic, brick Pressler Building of New Main in Haverstraw, which was once home to a well-known clothing store that served the Village. Elaborate tin ceilings and a rear skylight harkens back to the gilded age of Haverstraw, when it was the “Brick Making Capital of the World” and when wealthy residents strolled the streets at dusk while they shopped storefront windows. Dark wood, stucco arches, and Latin American patterns and glass-work boast the Spanish subtleties of the menu. In the summer, a large, stone-paved patio is open behind the Pressler Building for plein air/al fresco dining.

Union offers up fine American cuisine with Latin flare, a wildly unique culinary fusion. None of the entrees are especially heavy and thereby leave room for all a la carte options, appetizer or any of the desserts. The lightly appointed plates, humorous twists of taste, and well-rounded menu make dining here a delight.

Paulo recommends the Arepa Columbian as an appetizer; the combination of sweet mango, moist corn cake, tangy pomegranate vinaigrette and smoky pan-seared shrimp dazzle the palette and raise eyebrows. For dinner, try the Tilapia al Sarten, a panko encrusted fillet served with spinach and white beans ragout, or the Vaca Frita braised skirt steak. The Chuleta de Puerco is also a favorite; a fine, crispy pork chop still on the bone is served beneath greens and grilled cherry tomatoes. Have the bartender serve up Union’s finest mojito, which is a favorite among many returning patrons. For a taste that is very different, to say the least, order the Yuca Au Gratin. Yes, Yuca is the oh-so-familiar South American root vegetable, and here it is served not unlike French potatoes – talk about fusion. Actually, Paulo himself is a refined combination of French and Latin backgrounds!

When I say the Union is the anchor of Main Street, I mean physically, tastefully, economically, and emotionally. Recently, the restaurant hosted its very own “We Care” event. Doors were held wide open for three days, during which all community members – poor, stable, old, and young – could sample the restaurant’s menu and fill their appetites for free. Union strongly believes that the restaurant has the responsibility to support everyone during this economic hardship. Paulo relates the Village to a pond of swimming frogs – the strong frogs support the weak and hoist them up for a breath of air, so everyone can survive, so the Village doesn’t sink. Union Restaurant is giving back to Haverstraw in so many ways, a model that should be followed by all community members.

Union Restaurant has room to serve large parties including and not limited to corporate events, showers, large birthdays, etc. The restaurant will soon host live music on its raised stage in the front dining room.

Hours:

Sunday 12-9pm : Monday Closed : Tuesday-Thursday 12-3pm Lunch, 5:30-10pm Dinner : Friday & Saturday 12-3pm Lunch, 5:30-11pm Dinner

Maitre d’Hotel – Paulo Feteira : Head Chef – David Martinez

Visit Union Restaurant’s new website at www.unionrestaurant.net for menus and event updates.

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I have sad news to report. Amid the depressed regional and national economy, another bright spot in Haverstraw is no more. The New York Water Taxi service, that ferries commuters between Haverstraw, Yonkers, and Lower Manhattan, is facing the budgetary chopping block. Unless the State Legislature can find funds to support the ferry’s dwindling on-board revenues (the bad economy is sucking jobs out of Manhattan), the ferry will be terminated on May 1, 2009. Rockland County has worked very diligently to supply Rockland commuters with a “one-seat” ride to Manhattan via ferry. The County is choosing their words carefully when they say the service will be “suspended,” hinting that they may reinstate the services when the economy rebounds. This suspension does not affect the wildly successful New York Waterway ferry services that operates from Haverstraw to Ossining. Unfortunately, by the time the economy does rebound, we will be facing $5.00 gasoline once again, and this time, we’ll be LESS prepared. Thank you New York State!

Here’s a clip from the Water Taxi’s recent Press Release:

New York, NY – New York Water Taxi (NYWT) will suspend commuter service on its Hudson River Line between Haverstraw (Rockland County) and the World Financial Center and Pier 11 (Wall Street) in Lower Manhattan effective Friday, May 1, 2009 while additional funding sources are being explored.

The service was originally launched as a pilot program in September 2007 to test the viability of direct waterborne transportation service between Haverstraw and Lower Manhattan. Between 2008 and 2009 there has been a 30% increase in ridership on the route.

”This ferry service has been providing our commuters with a valuable one-seat-ride to Lower Manhattan – a travel option Rockland County has worked diligently to establish,” said C. Scott Vanderhoef, County Executive. “We have made tremendous efforts to secure operating funds to sustain and grow this service, but to date, have been unable to secure additional funding.

This service is a pilot project, and has successfully demonstrated that with regional cooperation, the logistics of a Hudson Valley to Manhattan ferry service are achievable. In the future, with a revitalized employment market in Lower Manhattan and increased availability of funding, we hope to be able to resume service.”

New York Water Taxi will continue to run service between Yonkers and Lower Manhattan. Frequency of service is currently being examined. Also, please see another, more optimistic quote from riders and officials:

“I don’t think it was doomed to fail,” Water Taxi President Tom Fox said. “Everybody thought we would be able to continue it by getting additional funding, but the (economic) climate changed.”

David Simpson, a spokesman for Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone, said ridership had been growing steadily in the city, and with peak season approaching, it was important to keep the ferries running.

“To be a brand-new service, we’re right where we expected to be in terms of ridership,” he said.

Yonkers is looking for $3.5 million, which will cover operating costs for another three years. It is working with Westchester County to secure federal stimulus dollars.

There is still some money left to keep service going in Yonkers, but officials are looking for ways to stretch those dollars, which might lead to fewer ferry runs.

Vinnie Wilson, who catches the ferry from Yonkers, was hopeful not only that all of the Yonkers runs would survive, but also that service to Rockland eventually would return.

“We need to look a little past what’s going on right now,” said Wilson, a marketing project manager for American Express. “If we don’t invest in the future, we’ll be facing the same problems again.”