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Johnny Meatballs On A Roll - On Location

Johnny Meatballs On A Roll - On Location

Johnny Meatballs DeCarlo (July 11, 2011)

A Weekend in Fort Lee

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August 24, 2010 was less than a week before Megin and I got married—and during those hectic days, the two of us were still going crazy finishing the final few details of our big friggin’ reality show wedding…but we still had meatball business to handle.

We made the time to go to Fort Lee and promote the Johnny Meatballs Empire together at the Saturday night “Movies & Music Under The Stars” event at the Community Center. Looking back at the pictures from that night brought back fond memories, but it also showed how much the business has grown in one year…

All we had back then was a basic table and a few crockpots and now, of course, we have our custom-built wagon-on-wheels with umbrella, pop-up tent and three tables containing all kinds of food products and merchandise. But even so, back then we had a line of people who wanted to try my meatballs. It was a great feeling to be in Fort Lee—literally down the street from where I grew up in nearby Palisades Park. That was an event that I knew I wanted to return to someday. And I did. 


Fast-forward to this past weekend, when I came back to Fort Lee at the invite of my good friends at the Fort Lee Film Commission—a town I consider my second home—for not one, but two fantastic events! On Saturday, it was indeed a visit under the stars again for the wonderful Movies & Music Night…then Sunday, it was for the Farmers Market—both events which are held at the beautiful Jack Alter Community Center. This was not the first time I came back to Fort Lee and it won’t be the last. We were set up on Main Street for their Arts & Music Fair last month, and we will be at St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in August.
 
We have so much fun in Fort Lee that we will now be regular weekly fixtures at both the Movie Night and Farmers Market every Saturday and Sunday from now until the fall! What is it about Fort Lee that we love so much? As I said, despite never actually living there, being raised in Pal Park just a few blocks away, it was like Fort Lee was my backyard. It was a neighborhood where I always came to play and eat and shop. The town has changed a lot since the ‘60s and ‘70s when my parents grew up, and a lot more since the ‘80s and ‘90s when I was there. But it still has retained a lot of the old-timers who strongly support the community. 

 
That support is never more evident than at the stunningly gorgeous Community Center—a magnificent building with a enormous European-style fountain on one side and a perfectly manicured field of grass on the other side—where the sprawling lighted stage features talented bands and showcases classic and new films on the outdoor projection screen. It’s all so fitting, since Fort Lee is the birth of the motion picture industry. The Film Commission and all the other civic volunteers in the various organizations keep the local traditions thriving and are constantly creating new ones. The Movie Night and the Farmers Market are two perfect examples of this, and I am honored to have my meatball cart there for both. 
 
It’s not just me and Megin on our own anymore, we now have Ray, who is a great partner and his son Dom among our staff. Meg and the kids did come by to visit both days and all the support from them, along with my great customers make all of this so rewarding. A fellow foodie commented on one of my photos saying: “I don’t miss street vending at all! How long before you get tired of it?” I was really taken back by that remark. These on-location events are actually my favorite part of my business. There’s not much better than interacting directly with the public and being out and about. I don’t even mind the set-up and breakdown process—we have it down to such a science that our whole Italian village display is ready in fifteen minutes. 

 
You gotta do what you love in this life and you’ll never feel like you are working. I love being Johnny Meatballs and bringing the Johnny Meatballs Experience to friends—old and new—as often as I can. It’s so fulfilling to have someone right in front of you sink their teeth into one of my sandwiches and smile with satisfaction! 
 
So if you are looking for something fun and free for a Saturday night, come out to the Community Center. The full list of movie screenings and bands scheduled to appear is posted at www.fortleenj.org. As for Sunday, their Farmers Market is one of the best around, with pickles, olives, fresh breads and so much more. There’s the fruits & vegetables and yours truly for your dinner options, and then there’s lots of after-dinner options too—from my pal “Johnny Cookies” (the Cookie King of NJ) to Semisweet Desserts and Mortgage Apple Cakes. See you there!
 
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Be sure to mark your calendars for all our upcoming venues…
 
JULY
• EVERY TUESDAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER (11AM-6PM)HASBROUCK HEIGHTS FARMERS MARKET - BOULEVARD & CENTRAL AVENUE
• EVERY FRIDAY UNTIL OCTOBER (11AM-6PM)ENGLEWOOD FARMERS MARKET - VAN BRUNT STREET (TONY BENNETT STUDIOS PARKING LOT)
• EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT UNTIL SEPTEMBER (7PM-9PM)FORT LEE MOVIES & MUSIC UNDER THE STARS - FORT LEE COMMUNITY CENTER (INWOOD TERRACE SIDE)
• EVERY SUNDAY UNTIL NOVEMBER (8AM-2PM)FORT LEE FARMERS MARKET - FORT LEE COMMUNITY CENTER (ANDERSON AVENUE SIDE)

AUGUST
• AUGUST 3,4,5 - FORT LEE FEAST OF ST. ROCCO
• AUGUST 6,7 - MONTCLAIR FEAST OF ST. DONATO

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