SHOP - Antiques (part I)

If you're in the market for something really old, your best bet is one of Hoboken's newest shops, Mackey Blue. You'll find maps from 1850, toys from the 1970s, books, prints, linens, furniture, tableware and more from anywhere inbetween. Best of all, proprietress Karen Marsh is as nice as they come. Every customer is warmly greeted and Karen will help sort through her very deep inventory to help you track down a treasure. The merchandise, including the furniture, changes rapidly as customers snap it all up.
Mind the hours: only open on weekends (for now).
1200 Washington St., #E (entrance is around the corner on 12th St.)

SEE - The Bloomin' Season

Quite suddenly, Spring has sprung.

DO - Pick a Skein

If you're out of yarn, need help with a pattern, or want to learn what "skein" means, stop by Patricia's Yarns and ask Patricia Scribner, owner and knitter extraordinaire. The light-filled shop is stocked with beautiful colors and fibers and it is easy to tuck into one of the comfy armchairs and start knitting and purling right there. You can also come back for a private or group class. "Open Knit Nite" is a great way to finally finish a long-neglected project. If you get started now, you might just have a basket of homemade gifts ready in time for the holidays.
107 4th St.
(201) 217-YARN (9276)
www.patriciasyarns.com

SEE - Colorful Living

Brownstones are prevalent, but they aren't all brown. Rowhouses line many of the streets, and while some were unfortunately "modernized" in the '50s and '60s, most owners chose to renovate while preserving the original details, and still others found ways to make their own colorful mark without compromising the pre-war architecture.

EAT - French for Garden Street

"The only crepe shop in Hoboken," Rue de Jardin is as charming as can be. There are crepes on the menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, as well as omelettes, panini sandwhiches, salads and more. Sit by the window with an espresso or Turkish coffee and watch the stream of children that pass by on their way to play in the adjascent Church Square Park. Peruse a magazine from the rack, a book from the shelf, or plug in your laptop. Live music on Friday evenings.
343 Garden St.
(201) 222-2177

LIVE - Downstairs

A walk-up isn't for everyone. Typically referred to as "garden apartments," these dwellings are tucked beneath nearly every brownstone entrance.

SHOP - Slice of Heaven

Homeslice is the go-to boutique uptown for every gift-giving need, including for yourself. The shop is carefully curated with a high standard of beauty and an eye for detail, resulting in a selection of beautiful clothes and footwear and stunning pieces of jewelry - treasures to add to your closet and jewelry box. You will also find everything from books, to bath and body treats, to chocolates, as well as small home decor objects, all wonderfully luxurious in their quality. It is impossible to visit and not bring something home.
1030 Washington St.
(201) 963-7800

EAT - At Charritos

With 2 locations, one uptown and one downtown, Hobokenites are spoiled with Charritos' authentic and delicious Mexican cuisine. The menu is complete, the flavors are rich and spicy, and the quacamole, made to order at your table. The decor is always colorful and festive - they go all out for a number of holidays, which heightens the already friendly atmosphere.
121 Washington St.
(201) 418-8600
1023 Washington St.
(201) 659-2800

SEE - An Alexander Calder Original

Before Alexander Calder became an acclaimed and influential sculptor, he was an undergraduate at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, graduating in 1919 with an engineering degree. The mobile he gave to the school hangs in the Samuel C. Williams Library on campus, just up the hill along 8th St.