Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience.
The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
I also taught Principles of Management, which came with its own set of challenges. It was the amount of people in the class and what projects would they be working on.
In the past, I have created these Team projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. All of these business concepts are simulated.
Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
While my morning Business 101 classes worked on their ‘Breakfast at Primo Pizza’ project and my International Marketing students worked on their “The Historic Revolutionary War Graveyards and Cemeteries of Bergen County” projects, I had my Principle of Management students create a game plan to market the Pascack Historical Society Museum in Park Ridge, NJ to a younger, more modern audience.
When choosing a project for this class, I had had two other ideas that fell through, then I had remembered working with the Pascack Historical Society Museum the prior year for my “Bergen 250” Team Project. We had proposed a Farm to Table Dinner at the Wortendyke Barn down the road with the dinner starting with a Cocktail Party here with a tour of the museum. I asked the museum again to partner with me on this project.
The Video Presentation of the “Bergen 250”in 2024:
The museum had created a wonderful exhibition for the “Bergen 250” but when I went to visit it, no one was at the museum but myself. When I asked the volunteers that day how many people had visited the museum, they told me I was the first one. That got me thinking why people were not visiting this wonderful museum with its interesting artifacts and intriguing displays.
The outside of the Pascack Historical Society Museum at 19 Ridge Avenue in Park Ridge, NJ
Then I looked at their website and their displays. I realized that the museum was not adapting to the cellphone age. There were no QR codes at any of the displays, not enough pictures of the display on their website and their scavenger hunt bingo game needed an update to engage a younger crowd.
That’s when I came up with a Marketing plan for the museum and proposed it to their Executive Board. We worked together to come up with new ways to promote the museum and its collection. This was our combined idea and we looked at how to bring more traffic to the museum.
The Proposal for “Bergen 250: Touring the Pascack Historical Society Museum”:
I presented the project to my students after the Spring Break and then the next week took my students on a mandatory field trip to the Pascack Historical Society Museum in early April. The Board members of the Museum led us on a tour of all the exhibitions, then discussed their plans for the “Bergen 250” and then discussed some of the challenges that the museum faced with attendance.
Touring the museum
The students on their part took pictures and notes about the museum and their displays. Many would make various trips back to the museum to crest the QR codes for the displays and map the museum’s backyard for the Farm to Table fundraiser and a proposed afternoon tea.
Touring the museum
Touring the museum
Touring the museum with the Board of the museum
The museum’s Board members could not have been nicer and more helpful to the students and myself. We got a lot of insights on what direction the Board wanted to go.
Our Team picture at the museum
The tour of the museum took about an hour. We then had a Division Team Dinner at Pompilio’s Pizzeria in Downtown Westwood, NJ:
I find that these Team dinners and lunches are very helpful in getting the students together to get to know each other and we share a nice meal as a Team should. We asked the Board to join us so we could continue the conversation.
Dinner with both the Board and my Team
For the next five weeks the three Teams broken into Marketing, Historical and Foodservice created their ideas and game-plans to help the museum increase traffic by trying to bring a younger and tech savvy visitor into the space.
The Pascack Historical Society YouTube Presentation:
The video of our Presentation to the Board of the Pascack Historical Society Museum on the evening of April 29th, 2026
On the evening of April 29th, the Board members of the museum joined us for the Presentation of ideas the students came up with including setting new QR codes for all the displays, a revamped Marketing plan to showcase the museum, a new historical walking tour, one aimed at adults and one to children and the ideas for the fundraising dinner, a children’s birthday party concept and a Afternoon Tea fundraiser.
After the Presentation, we had a Q & A on the ideas and after the Presentation was over, we had a reception for our guests and for the student consultants. Then we took our Corporate Team picture.
My Divisional Team the night of the Presentation
Our reception after the Presentation
It was another successful project accomplished and it looked like the Board went home with new ideas and the students learned a few things about themselves. I could not have been more proud of the students.
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work. I came up with it one night at three in the morning when I needed an idea for a project for my students.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
In the Spring of 2026, I partnered with American Dining Creations, our on-campus leasee of our dining outlets with both the main cafeteria on the second floor and the coffee shop and pizzeria on the first floor.
We created a project three years ago in my Spring 2023 class entitled ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College-Breakfast , Lunch and Dinner’ when they were finding that the students did not know we had a cafeteria. The project was a huge success and gave the company insights to the identity problems the students had on on-campus dining.
The project ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College’ Spring 2023:
This semester we tackled the issue of options for early morning quick dining. The coffee shop offered two options, egg bites and breakfast sandwiches plus pastries and bagels.
I thought it could offer more by opening the pizzeria three hours early and offering a selection of breakfast themed pizzas, calzones and desserts that could transition to lunch. So I partnered with Jack, the manager, again and had the students create a new menu, set up the Social Media, create a new logo for the breakfast menu and plan an Opening Party to promote the new menu. The results were very interesting.
Next I had a mandatory field trip to the pizzeria where Jack described the current business and sales of Primo Pizza, our pizzeria on the Bergen Community College campus.
So in early March, we had an in class field trip to the pizzeria and arranged for Jack to tell us about the business. It was an eye opener on how the company’s contract works with the college and the perimeters you have to work with space and menu.
Jack, the manager of American Dining Creations, on the morning of our tour
My 8:00am class on their on-campus field trip
The field trip to Primo Pizzeria
The morning field trip to Primo Pizza
The Teams on our field trip
My 8:00am class Team Picture
My 8:00 am Team picture
I broke the class up into five teams and for the next six weeks we worked on the Team project, creating a new breakfast concept that would work for the college.
Being in Corporate does come with its difficulties. Teams disagreed, team members disappeared and balances were shifted throughout the six weeks. It is amazing how much of the true Corporate experience they really have on this project.
On April 29th, 2026, the students presented their ideas to Jack and myself. There were some very interesting ideas on how to grow the business at an earlier hour and how to transition breakfast items into the early lunch menu.
I really liked some of the creative ideas that the groups came up with pizzas topped with eggs and various meats and vegetable toppings, the variety of cheeses and sausages and their use of spices. Some came up with Korean, Spanish and Italian themed flavors both as toppings and fillings. The parties they planned for the Opening went from simple to a little to elaborate with budgets that went into the thousands (this would not work). I liked all of their logos and though their ideas for the menu were very clever.
Below is the PowerPoint and Presentation of the project ‘Breakfast at Primo Pizza‘:
Each Executive Team has to find our Divisional Corporate Headquarters, and plan the Division’s Corporate party. One of the items of the party is the Corporate gift which is given to each Team Member at the party. This is the item the morning Team chose, a Beach combo with a beach towel, water bottle and sun glasses. I thought it was very clever.
The Corporate Present proposal
After the Presentation was over, we had a Q& A on the ideas the students had and Jack seemed very impressed with what the students had to say. This was a great way to get feedback from the audience the company was trying to reach.
The Presentation Reception
After every Presentation, I have a reception for my students with homemade cookies and brownies that I bake for the students, chips, waters and sodas. I do this after every presentation for a job well done.
Our Presentation Team Picture
We finish each Presentation with our Team Corporate picture. My well dressed and polished future executives ready to conquer the big city. Then the final exam and then they move on to the next class.
Another successful project and another semester complete.
I was finally able to get back into the City for a short break the day after Thanksgiving. I had spent my day before at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and instead of going to Christmas tree drop off with the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association (I decided to give it a rest after 25 years), I worked in Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen serving a post-Thanksgiving Dinner. Talk about busy! They kept me running all morning and afternoon.
After lunch was over, I felt something nagging at me and instead of going home to rest, I decided it was time to finish walking the streets of Alphabet City. It was cooler than it was back in August, so it gave me a different perspective of the neighborhood with all the Community Gardens closed and the trees bare.
Holy Apostles treats people who are struggling with respect and I recognize that after over twenty years of volunteering there.
Plus I figured whatever it was that was trying to take a foothold in me would stop with lots of fresh air and exercise. It worked. After the walk, I not only felt better but was in a much better mood. A brisk walk on a sunny but cool day is the best thing in the world.
I started the walk on the corner of Avenue A and East 13th Street
Alphabet City is a neighborhood in transition. By Avenue A near the edges of the NYU campus, there is much gentrification going on where the bars and restaurants are getting more expensive to Avenue D where the projects are located and there is a massive renovation. I have never seen such changes.
Looking down East 13th Street in the late Fall
I had finished the borders and Avenues of the neighborhood in August before the Fall semester started and tried to finish the streets but this is a big neighborhood and there just was not the time. So I split my time on the neighborhood doing the top part just after Thanksgiving and the rest during a cold snap on Spring Break in mid March. The community gardens may have been dormant at the time but in March you could feel the coming of Spring.
It’s all about creativity and the unique street art
The memorial by artist
(I don’t know the artist)
Sometimes it’s just what a tagger creates that’s unique and fun
What I love about Alphabet City is the combination of creative street art that dominates all the walls and buildings making the whole neighborhood an open air museum.
Another thing I noticed was the vast amount of community gardens that dominated every block. This was the biggest concentration of them I had seen so far in the City. Many gates were locked during the colder months but during my Spring Break with 70 degree weather, the gates flung open and volunteers were preparing beds and clearing the brambles of the previous Fall. Spring flowers were on their way.
The unique paintings on the Roberto Clemente Family Guidance Center at 540 East 13th Street
Ms. Heathcote is an American born artist who graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her love of nature and animals is the main theme of her work. She is now based in Vermont (Artist bio).
I have seen this artist’s work all over the City. This is closer to Avenue D right across from the Con Ed complex.
(not sure who the tagger artist is)
The Con Ed complex dominates the core of the Northern section of the neighborhood at the top of Avenue D and East 13th Street. Nothing glamorous about living next to a power plant yet across the street between East 14th and East 13th Streets luxury housing is being developed. Only in Manhattan!
I then passed the Relaxation Garden at 208 Avenue B and East 13th Street. I never really understood this garden. While all the others in the neighborhood have beautiful plantings, artwork and flowers, this one still looks like a garbage strewn lot.
This particular garden I could see needed a lot of work and I could see by many of the articles online that a lot was being done to clean it up again. The garden is one to look to in the future. Right now the garden is full of trash and there is not much to it.
The garbage strewn lot that needs a little TLC
All over the blocks I explored there was so much street art to admire that it was like an open air museum.
This was my favorite piece of art work from the side of the mural on the Roberto Clemente building
“Chico” is the tag name for American/Puerto Rico born, New York City based artist Antonio “Chico” Garcia. “Chico” is known for his colorful murals and graffiti art, many of the works displayed on the Lower East Side (Wiki/Artist bio).
The name Dias y Flores (Days and Flowers) is taken from a hauntingly beautiful song about hope and growing bySilvio Rodriguez. ArtistBob Lasherhas created the bottle and brick pathway. On this site was once a fully occupied building; abandoned by its owners in the early 1970’s, it slowly fell prey to disrepair and drug trade. The City seized the building and cemented up the doors and windows before eventually tearing it down in 1976 and leaving a rubble-strewn lot–and an open invitation to garbage dumping of all kinds (Dias y Flores website).
In 1978, the13th Street Block Associationenvisioned in its place a community lot, with a garden and a playground, and began the labor-intensive work of clearing out the brick, rubble, and trash–from broken hypodermic needles to refrigerators and car parts–all by hand. Dias y Flores from its earliest days was graced with several experienced gardeners and horticulturalists as members. Along with the help ofGreenthumb, most of the trees and shrubs were planted by 1981. (Dias y Flores website).
The inside of Dias Y Flores Garden in the late Fall
Most of the Community Gardens are now closed for the season and won’t open up to the public again until April. In the summer when I was walking the borders and Avenues of the neighborhood, the gardens would open to the public on the weekends. I will have to wait a few months.
Rounding East 12th Street
Walking down East 12th Street was interesting in the contrasts to the different side of Alphabet City that you live on. Closer to Avenue A you are near the quickly gentrifying East Village with the NYU and Pratt students or closer to the river near the renovation of the housing projects and the park and its overhaul. It is going to be an interesting Great Saunter this year.
The artwork of artist Felix Morelo lines the walls of this restaurant
Artist Felix Morelo is American born artist now living in New York City. He has studied at the Parsons School of Design and Art Students League of New York City. He is known for his creative street art and his ‘chalk circles’ which promote dialogue (Artist website).
By March 2026, the artist painted over his work on the wall
All along East 12th Street, there are all sorts of creative street art in various forms. It seems that there are two things that dominate the neighborhood, street art and community gardens.
The memorial mural
I am not sure what happened to Nugget
(Could not find the artist on the work)
As I passed PS 34 School, I noticed the fascinating metal work of then building’s playground and had to stop and admire it. I was not sure if this was artwork or just design to protect the windows.
The ironwork art outside the playground of PS on East 12th Sttreet
I was not sure who created it but I thought it was interesting enough to stop and admire it . I thought the affect was interesting.
This is one of my favorite series of murals that I passed again when I was walking through the neighborhood. This sits on the side wall of PS 34 on East 12th Street.
The murals by Avenue C created by a series of artists from the Thrive Cooperative
The panel that lined the school created by artists from the Thrive Collective
Danielle Mastrion is a Brooklyn-born, New York City based painter and muralist who specializes in large scale, brightly colored murals. She holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design (Artist website)
I loved this whimsical school painting by artists Savannah Zambrano and Andrea Amanda
Savannah Zambrano is a freelance sequential artist thathosts workshops and panels, does face painting and caricatures, and works with Traditional and Digital Media (Artist Bio website).
The artists sign with the Thrive Collective
I loved this mural with the Puerto Rican flag by artist Miki Mu
Michela Muserra is an international muralist and illustrator based in Brooklyn. A graduate ofAccademia di Bella Artiin her hometown of Foggia, Italy. The artist has worked as a teaching artist with Thrive Collective since January 2017 (Thrive Collective website).
I love this colorful display of positive behavior of Frank Ape by artist Brandon Sines
Artist Brandon Sines was exposed to many cultures while growing up simultaneously in New York City, Toronto, and Los Angeles. He mixes Pop Art’s mass culture, Surrealism’s private associations, and inventive paint handling to create dreamlike environments. His mark making ranges from experimental techniques to illustrative precision. Parts of the paintings are crystal clear, and other parts reach abstraction.
I loved his video on how he creates his work!
I could not find the artist who created this piece
Some of the taggers really know how to decorate the corners of walls and doors
The Campos Community Garden at 640 East 12th Street
The Campos Community Garden was an empty lot until 1982 when the lot was cleared and the it was an active garden enjoyed by the community. When the main organizer moved away, it had fallen into neglect for years until it was revived in 2004 by a group of neighbors. A Children’s Garden was added in 2006 and was rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy. It is now a thriving garden enjoyed by the community and fruits and vegetables are raised to benefit everyone (The Campos Garden website).
The inside of the Campos Community Garden in the late Fall of 2025
The Down to Earth Garden is at 546 East 12th Street and was also closed for the season
The Down to Earth Garden was established in 1993 when a building was knocked down, leaving an empty lot. It was originally called the Children’s garden but changed its name in 2020. It is now part of the GreenThumb program and is part of the NYC Parks Division (Down to Earth Garden website).
The next park was the Joseph C. Sauer Playground at
The sign for the Joseph C. Sauer playground at 532 East 12th Street
Joseph C. Sauer was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His family moved to the Lower East Side of New York City when he was an infant. Sauer graduated from the Redemptorist Parochial School and excelled in athletics, especially track. He worked for the Western Electric Company, and following the death of his grandfather, Sauer and his mother took over the family’s basket manufacturing business. He worked there until he entered the United States Army on September 28, 1917 (NYCParks.org).
The history of the playground
The Sauer playground in the Fall of 2025
The last of the parks and gardens I either passed or explored on East 12th Street was the El Sol Brillante Garden. Though the gardens were closed for the season, you could see the extensive plantings through the beautifully wrought iron gates created by local artist Julie Dermansky.
The sign for the El Sol Brillante garden at 522 East 12th Street
The garden and the beautiful wrought iron gates
(From the El Sol Brillante website)
El Sol Brillante Community Garden rose from the ashes of a demolished lot of four burnt-out buildings in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1977. Residents organized to create a garden that would revitalize the neighborhood, unite local leadership, and improve the quality of their environment. The original group of forty, with the help of a resident architect, the Horticultural Society of New York (gardening advice), the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service (gardening advice), and the CETA Summer Youth Corps (labor and jobs for kids) designed plans and with very little money and a great deal of sweat equity, a garden was born. In 1978, with the assistance of the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit land trust was created and the lot was acquired in 1980. A once rubble-filled lot became a thriving 1,000 square foot, 40-plot vegetable garden, a meeting place, and a preserved natural space for its members and their community.
Artist Julie Demansky is an American born artist. She graduated from Tulane Newcomb University with a concentration in ceramics and sculpture and was awarded the Watson Fellowship. She is known for her large scale metal work projects (NYC.gov).
A full view of those beautiful gates
As I walked down the street there were several small restaurants and gourmet shops that caught my attention. I did not have a chance to stop having eaten at another restaurant in the area for lunch. These will be for another visit.
I passed this cute little bakery that warrants a visit.
Turning on East 11th Street
When I turned onto East 11th Street, it was like an open air art museum with various tags and paintings that were both creative and colorful along the walls of the neighborhood.
East 11th Street in the Fall of 2025
I thought this bird piece by Grilla was pretty interesting on this window
Artist Grilla
(I could not find any information on this tagger/artist online)
I loved this tag. I thought it was pretty creative
On the side of this building on East 11th Street was another mural painted by artist Lesley Heathcote.
The mid nautical scene was created by Artist Lesley Heathcote
In 2007, Toyota provided funding to transform this site from a basic vegetable garden into an outdoor children’s learning experience, commissioning landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh for the design.
To prepare the garden for restoration, New York Restoration Project construction crews performed demolition and grading procedures on the site, cleared debris and garbage and installed various hardscape features. Over the course of six months, NYRP horticulture and design teams worked hand-in-hand with local residents and Van Valkenburgh to realize the community’s vision for this newly renovated gem, which includes four distinct habitat areas that NYRP and New York City educators can use to present environmental education programming to neighborhood youth.
Walking down East 11th Street on a crisp late Fall day
The weather got a little warmer in the afternoon and I was enjoying the weather. The leaves on the trees were changing as the weather got cooler and more brisk. The streets were quiet on this holiday week day.
The next park I passed was the Dry Dock Playground at Szold Place on 11th Street
The sign at the entrance of Dry Dock Playground on 11th Street
The playground had been very active with basketball games, birthday parties and barbecues when I was exploring the neighborhood in the summer months. There was non stop activity until September but very silent in the colder Fall months. I did not see anyone there except when I returned in March during my Spring Break visit and it was in the 70’s. Kids were out playing basketball.
The murals behind the closed gates
(I could not get a close enough view to see who the artist was on this mural)
The park sitting quiet in the colder months but comes alive with all sorts of neighborhood activity in the summer
The last garden I passed on the block as I finished was the 11 BC Serenity Garden at 626 East 11th Street.
The garden behind closed gates in the Fall of 2025
It was one of the few locked gardens on all three of my walks in the neighborhood. I could see the garden was going through the season change and would have to visit the garden again in the warmer months.
I got to East 10th Street by the late afternoon. I could see the changes of the late fall on the parks and gardens in the neighborhood.
Rounding East 10th Street near Tompkins Square Park for the last part of the walk that day
I walked through the empty Dry Dock Playground a couple more times as I rounded the neighborhood, through the quiet paths. The sounds of children and of adults barbecuing and birthday parties are the sounds I will hear in a few months when the warm weather comes.
The Dry Dock Playground by Avenue D in the quiet cooler months. It is a mob scene in the warmer months on the weekends.
The large ‘El Bohio Murals’ created by the Thrive Collective on the outside of the old public school
Thrive Collective creates hope and opportunity through arts, sports, and mentoring in and around public schools. Our core programs – Murals; RHYME (Rhymes Help Young Minds Excel); Media; Mentors; Festivals, and Sports – connect artists, youth workers, and volunteers with local schools as teaching artists, art directors, coaches, and mentors. Project based learning and accredited curriculum integrate life and art skills in four kinds of experiences: in-school electives, after school clubs, seasonal intensives, and weekend warriors.
My favorite section of the mural created by this talented group of artists
I came across this taggers art on one of the doorways
I came across this nature scene on the corner of East 11th Street
I thought this was really original and was beautifully designed and colored by the artist. It is also one of the few murals in the neighborhood that has not be covered over by other artists.
Joel Chico is an Actor, Writer, Director from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the creator of JMC Creative Endeavors, an artistic platform for his projects as a musician, poet, painter, photographer, and spiritual wisdom keeper. He is currently in the process of writing a poetry anthology, and his Cosmic Trilogy Feature screenplays (Artist bio).
I crossed Avenue D into the housing projects and came across the murals that were painted on the first floor of the housing complex. These colorful works were created by a series of artists working with Thrive Collective (see above) to decorate these rather plain walls in the housing complex.
The mural along the housing complex
The mural by Artist Miki Mu
Artist Miki Mu
Michela Muserra(known as “Miki Mu”) is an international muralist and illustrator based in Brooklyn. A graduate ofAccademia di Bella Artiin her hometown of Foggia, Italy, Michela launched Thrive Collective’s Private Murals Collection as an advanced apprenticeship for our most promising School Murals students and artists. Michela has worked as a teaching artist with Thrive Collective since January 2017 (From the artist website on Thrive Collective).
The last part of the mural on the other side of the building
This was my favorite part of the mural
This was painted by artist bebebsmbu88
The project is inspired by a sacred ceremonial mask carved from a coconut shell in the island of Puerto Rico. It’s called “Vejigante,” and it’s an important and iconic character portrayed in the carnival celebrations in the island. The artwork pays tribute to the HipHop and Caribbean culture presenting the characters in a modern context. The Coconut Mask is a metaphor for our ancestral connection to nature and spirituality (From the artist’s website website).
Artist Bebe Bambu88 (real name Gabriel Rosario Mongil)
The artist is originally from Santurce, Puerto Rico. Artist Gabriel Rosario Mongil aka Bebe Bambu is a designer and recording artist. Originally known for his graffiti work and slam poetry, being the author of several murals in Puerto Rico and Monterrey, MX. He graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras and received a scholarship to do his masters degree in graphic design and graduated from the University of Monterrey, MX in 2013/15. During this; he had his second solo exhibition, recorded his first solo album and started offering workshops for children in communities in need (From the artist’s website)
I finally reached the end of East 11th Street in the projects. Years ago you would never dream of walking through Jacob Riis complex. Now it is the cut through to East River Park by the hipsters and college students who have moved into the area.
I then rounded the corner and I was on East 10th Street and found myself in front of Topkins Square Park to passed peak foliage. Both during the holiday weekend and on my Spring Break, the park was busy. The park has come a long way since the 1980’s when it was all drugs and homelessness. It is now the center of the community for skateboarders, dog walkers, seniors getting rest and new parents spending time with their kids.
The brownstones and tenements around Tompkins Square
Tompkins Square Park was once one of the most notorious parks in New York City between the homeless and the drug dealing. Now it is mostly college students from the downtown schools and the neighborhood residents gentrifying the neighborhood. It was in the final stages of the fall foliage. This is where I would stop in November. It was a big neighborhood to walk.
Once the weather got colder and I got busier with the holidays so I had to put the walking in Alphabet City on hold for a few months. Who knew it was going to be one of the coldest winters in recent memory. I was not able to get back to walking the neighborhood until March of 2026 during my Spring Break from the college when the temperatures hit 75 degrees.
Between the cold weather and the recent snow storms with the foot of snow, who could or wanted to walk around New York City? Then Spring Break came at the college just as the Spring thaw started and the weather really warmed up. It seemed for two days the whole City, tired of the cold weather and snow, played hooky and were in Tompkins Square Park enjoying the weather.
From March 9th through the 10th in 2026, the weather warmed up into the mid 70’s and it gave me a chance to finish walking the neighborhood. The temperatures would go right back down to the 30’s and 40’s after that until mid-April. The warm weather gave me the opportunity during my Spring Break to finish walking the streets of the neighborhood.
I walked East 12th and 11th Streets again to get a feel for the neighborhood and see if anything changed. There was a lot I missed back in November as I had more time, with better sunlight and warm weather to take my time to explore the neighborhood.
I revisited some of the streets that I had walked over the Thanksgiving break and noted all the artwork and architecture that I missed on the first trip walking all the streets of the neighborhood.
I had not seen the mural of Run DMC on the wall of the apartment building on West 12th Street.
This meticulously designed garden features vibrant floral displays, tranquil pathways, and cozy seating areas, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and reflection. With its blend of nature and artful landscaping, 11 BC Garden invites everyone to enjoy a moment of peace amidst the city’s energy (From MapQuest.com)
The 11 BC Serenity Garden in the late winter months
The Gardens were just coming into bloom when I visited during my last visit. The temperatures were about 75 degrees at the time and things had just started to bloom.
I love the street art on the neighborhood walls. The heart cheered me up!
It is funny how just small painting could make you so happy. Paintings like this were located all over the neighborhood.
The Toyota East Children’s Learning Garden was one of the many gardens open during the warm spell
The Toyota East Children’s Learning Garden on a warm
Most of the gardens I visited, most were still coming into bloom. The Toyota East Children’s Garden was opened for about an hour when I visited. The park was quiet at the time while some volunteers were maintaining the gardens.
(History of the Garden from the New York Restoration Project)
In 2007, Toyota provided funding to transform this site from a basic vegetable garden into an outdoor children’s learning experience, commissioning landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh for the design.
To prepare the garden for restoration, New York Restoration Project construction crews performed demolition and grading procedures on the site, cleared debris and garbage and installed various hardscape features. Over the course of six months, NYRP horticulture and design teams worked hand-in-hand with local residents and Van Valkenburgh to realize the community’s vision for this newly renovated gem, which includes four distinct habitat areas that NYRP and New York City educators can use to present environmental education programming to neighborhood youth (NYRP).
While I was walking down East 11th Street, I noticed how much the neighborhood had changed over the years. The whole block was gentrified and looked really nice. What I was amazed by this was how expensive everything was in the neighborhood. As I was walking around the neighborhood, I noticed how expensive the bars and restaurants were around Tompkins Square Park. I thought they would be much cheaper in this part of the neighborhood.
Looking down 11th Street at Avenue A in the Winter. It was 76 degrees during the Spring thaw
After a long walk enjoying the sunshine while revisiting the last blocks I had visited before the holidays, I turned the corner on Avenue A and started to walk the remainder of the neighborhood.
While Alphabet City does not have the classic architecture or statuary of neighborhoods to the north, it’s streets are lined with creative and interesting street art and pocket neighborhood gardens showing the dedication of residents to better their community.
This is what gives the neighborhood its charm and why it has gotten more expensive to live here. I noticed in between all the former tenement buildings, there are plenty of luxury buildings that dot the neighborhood even at the borders of the once notorious Avenue D.
Turning the corner at Avenue A an East 10th Street
I rounded East 10th Street, I noticed this giant Buddha head outside someone’s home in their front garden. I thought this was quite unique.
Passing interesting art in people’s front gardens along East 10th Street
I walked through Tompkins Square Park several times watching the skateboarders performing their feats and college students sunning themselves. It seemed like the whole City had called out sick and just wanted to enjoy the weather in the park.
I walked past the rows of apartment buildings and small businesses and then walked around the park several times to see how people were Lo enjoying their afternoon. I then started my walk down East 9th Street past many more community gardens.
The Francisco ‘Pancho’ Ramos Community Garden at 703 East Ninth Street
The Lower East Side of the 1970s was a hard place with little green. Local residents noticed the abandoned, littered lot at the corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C and began to sow seeds and plants along the chain link and among the debris, and so the Ninth Street Community Garden & Park was founded in 1979. Today Pancho’s Garden hosts community events including music, art, and gardening workshops (Ramos Garden website).
The garden is half an acre of gorgeous flowerbeds, and vegetable gardens. Meandering pathways crisscross the park, follow them to the koi and turtle pond, fig arbor, or one of many quiet nooks that offer a cool quiet spot to read a book, have a chat with a friend, enjoy a cup of coffee, or just sit and enjoy a respite from The City (Ramos Garden website).
The Ramos Garden was open that afternoon to walk around as the gardeners were preparing the beds for the Spring. There was a lot going on around the small beds and gardens that lined the pathways. This garden stretched from East 10th to 9th Streets.
Walking along the pathways of the Ramos Community Garden on a sunny warm day
The artwork in the park
More of the interesting artwork in the garden
The Ramos Community Garden during the Spring Thaw was very active
While I continued my walk down the street, I saw how the neighborhood was reacting to the recent ICE raids going on not just in the City but all over the country. There were signs and graffiti all over Alphabet City and the border with the Lower East Side.
Artworks about ICE dotted the neighborhood
All over the place
As I walked down the street, I came across more street art dotting the walls of buildings around the neighborhood. This mural was with the theme of the Old West and Doc Holliday.
I thought this piece of street art with Doc Holiday and his crew was interesting
Joel Chico is an Actor, Writer, Director from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the creator of JMC Creative Endeavors, an artistic platform for his projects as a musician, poet, painter, photographer, and spiritual wisdom keeper. He is currently in the process of writing a poetry anthology, and his Cosmic Trilogy Feature screenplays (Artist bio).
I then rounded the corner and walked down East 9th Street as the weather got warmer. It got to 78 degrees by the mid-afternoon.
Walking down East 9th Street
Tompkins Square Park had gotten even busier in the late afternoon as dog walkers, skateboarders and seniors talking amongst themselves filled the park. It was funny how all the benches were filling up and it looked like everyone had called in sick at work. It was the first really warm day since the beginning of November of 2025 and everyone was enjoying this warm and sunny day.
Walking through Tompkins Square Park during the Spring Break
I stopped in the bathroom at the park, which is a good pit stop being one of the few places where there is a public bathrooms. While I was relaxing, I watched this singer in a Mondrian kimono perform David Bowen hits. I have to admit it was a bit strange but this is Alphabet City and the guy was very entertaining.
Pinc Louds’ lead singer, Claudi (all pronouns accepted), moved from Puerto Rico to NYC in 2015 to fulfill their dream of playing in the subway. This immersion into the city’s underground, performing daily for a steady stream of New Yorkers, sculpted the sound and look of the project (Band website).
Through the “litteral” underground, Claudi met the musicians (keyboard/bassist Marc Mosteirin and drummer Matt Dallal) and other artists that would turn Pinc Louds into the full-blown spectacle they are today. Busking in the parks and tunnels opened many doors for the band, who quickly gained a cult following and by 2018 were selling out shows in such NYC venues as (le) Poisson Rouge, Market Hotel and Joe’s Pub, as well as tours throughout the US, Puerto Rico, Europe and Chile (Band website).
It was an interesting concert
The David Bowie song ‘I just Dancing’
I sat in the park listening to the concert for about a half hour and relaxed through a few songs. I swear, this guy held this concert for over an hour because everytime I walked back through the park, crisscrossing through the various streets, he was still there singing.
I walked back and forth down the various streets, ending at Avenue D and walking through various parts of the complex. Most of public housing was under renovation so I was trying to avoid any scaffolding.
The corner of Avenue D and East 9th Street. How things have changed from the 1970’s and 80’s. The housing projects were under scaffolding around the entire complex. There were changes throughout the Jacob Riis Complex.
La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez Community Garden was founded in 1976 by local residents and greening activists who took over what was then a series of vacant city lots piled high with rubble and trash. In an effort to improve the neighborhood during a downward trend of arson, drugs, and abandonment common in that era, members of the Latino group CHARAS cleared out truckloads of refuse. Working with Buckminster Fuller, they built a geodesic dome in the open “plaza” and began staging cultural events. Green Guerillas pioneer Liz Christy seeded the turf with “seed bombs” and planted towering weeping willows and linden trees. Artist Gordon Matta-Clark helped construct La Plaza’s amphitheater using railroad ties and materials reclaimed from abandoned buildings (La Plaza website).
Later, block residents tilled the western portion of the space and planted vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees. During the 1980s, the garden came under attack by developers seeking to build on the space. After numerous court battles, La Plaza was finally preserved in 2002 as part of the terms of a legal settlement. In 2003, La Plaza was renamed in memory of Armando Perez, a CHARAS founder and former District Leader of the Lower East Side who was killed in 1999 (La Plaza website).
The Armando Perez Community Garden was one of the larger community gardens in the neighborhood
I walked all through the garden, watching the planting and seeding and cleanup going on. In the two days I visited the neighborhood, almost all the Community Gardens had opened their gates and volunteers could not wait to tackle the damage done by all the recent winter storms.
The inside of the gardens in the winter
Walking through the gardens in the winter
The view of the top of the garden in the winter time
The history and importance of these Community Gardens on these neighborhoods
As I left the Community garden, I walked past a series of interesting and creative pieces of street art along the walls and doors of the various buildings on the block.
A stand pipe with colorful works
I thought this was interesting
This stood out against the wall
I was not sure what this meant
In the late afternoon, I got to Avenue A and St. Mark’s Place (East 8th Street) and walked around the ‘Restaurant Row’ that was going strong between lunch and dinner. The bars were filled with college students from Pace and NYU enjoying the weather and all the outdoor cafes were set up. This was going strong from about 2:00pm until I left the neighborhood around 6:00pm.
Making the turn on St. Marks Street/East 8th Street
As I walked down Avenue A, I took a longer tour of Tompkins Square Park and saw the singer in the Mondrian kimono still singing. This guy put on an all day concert!
The concert was still going on over an hour later
It got even warmer that afternoon and someone said that it topped 75 degrees. I think more people played hooky that afternoon as the park was packed with students gossiping and dog owners watching their pooches play. The look of the park said ‘end of winter’ but the mood was ‘Yeah, Spring is finally here’. (It would go back down into the 30’s by the end of the week).
Tompkins Square Park in the afternoon
It was so nice to get the first glimpse of Spring before the temperatures would drop again at the end of the week.
People socializing in Tompkins Square Park
Whether it was listening to music, playing with their dogs or just reading a book or conversing with neighbors, people from the neighborhood were enjoying the snap of 70 degree weather as much as possible. They enjoyed being outside and wanted to enjoy it as much as possible.
Turning the corner of Avenue A and East 8th Street
The street art along East 9th Street is unique
The De Colores Community Yard & Cultural Center at 313 East 8th Street
De Colores Community Yard & Cultural Center is a vibrant community space located in New York NY. It serves as a hub for cultural activities gardening and educational programs fostering a sense of community and inclusivity. Visitors can enjoy a variety of events workshops and green spaces designed to celebrate diversity and promote environmental awareness (MapQuest.com).
The inside of the Community Garden
The garden was going through a major clean up the day I was there and the volunteers were leaving for the afternoon.
The Earth People Community Garden at 333 East 8th Street
Earth People Garden is a serene urban oasis located in New York, NY, designed to celebrate nature and community. This park features lush greenery, vibrant flower beds, and tranquil pathways, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and reflection. Visitors can enjoy various activities, from gardening workshops to community events, all while embracing the harmony between people and the environment (Mapquest.com)
The inside of the Community Garden in the winter
The Earth People Garden like most of the gardens in the neighborhood was closing for the evening as the volunteers were giving the garden a cleaning from the Winter storms. The garden was just starting to come back into bloom.
LaCasitaCommunity Garden, established in 1990, is primarily used by the community as an event and gathering space. To that end, the garden’s renovation in September 2014 included the installation of a raised, round stage where performances can be held; a new grill and picnic tables for barbecuing; a shaded seating area; and two sheds for storage. The backdrop of the stage is a chalkboard that can be used by the local elementary school for an outdoor classroom or even as a movie projection screen (NY Restoration website).
Funded by generous support from The Geraldine Stutz Trust, the Trust aims to remember Geraldine Stutz’s significant contribution to the fashion industry, her love of theatre as well as her passion for gardening. A fashion retail groundbreaker, Stutz served 29 years as president of Henri Bendel, the upscale women’s store (NY Restoration website).
The inside of the Community Garden
I was able to walk around this garden but there was not much to see at this point. I am going to have to return to the neighborhood in two months when things start growing again.
Street art along East 9th Street
This little devil was in the detail of this work
I thought this was very clever as these small works of art are tucked here and there on walls and doors on buildings all over the block.
The Green Oasis Community/Gilbert’s Garden at 372 East 8th Street
The gardens all over the neighborhood were open as everyone was enjoying the 75 degree weather and were working in these Community Gardens getting ready for the Spring. This garden was particular busy.
The signs were all out and people were enjoying the Spring weather
As the volunteers were cleaning the beds and trimming bushes and trees, I was able to walk around the gardens. They must be very impressive when they are in full bloom. This is one of the larger gardens in the neighborhood.
The History of the Garden:
(From the Green Oasis Community Garden website)
The New York City neighborhood known as the East Village experienced massive arson and destruction during the 1960s and 1970s. The area had been compared to Dresden, Germany after World War II. Rubble from bulldozed buildings lay in mounds, and garbage accumulated. Cars were abandoned. Rats were rampant. Drug use reached epidemic proportions. Drugs and crime made the neighborhood unsafe, but few areas were worse than the neighborhood east of Avenue B (Green Oasis Community Garden website).
The inside of the garden in the winter
Normand Valle moved to East Seventh Street between Avenues C and D. From his window, he looked down upon one of these blighted lots, and decided to do something about it. In 1981, Valle, an ex-Marine, and his life partner, Reinaldo Arana, began to undo the mess one brick and one piece of garbage at a time. At the same time, Gilbert Ingram (who lived nearby on 8th Street) had taken control of another piece of that same large lot, creating a sculpture garden where he carved found wood and stone and hosted friends and neighbors who dropped by for barbecues and sculpting lessons. Both gardens engaged neighborhood children to help with the clean-up and ultimate creation of a combined garden with communal and private vegetable plots; beehives; a grape arbor; a koi pond; dozens of now huge trees, flower beds of perennials and annuals and an iconic gazebo.Thus were Green Oasis and Gilbert’s Sculpture Gardens born (Green Oasis Community Garden website).
The signs outside the gates
From the beginning, the sister gardens’ mission has been to provide a safe, green haven for all people, but especially for the children who lived in that inhospitable environment. Mr. Arana was particularly interested in the theatre, so theatrical events abounded. Plays for children were written and performed. The first generation of Nuyorican poets read poetry; music was performed; the well-known Butterfly Release ceremony was held here during the all-garden pageant The Rites of Spring until its demise in 2006 (Green Oasis Community Garden website).
The beds in the gardens were being prepared for the season
The garden pays homage to the memory of Martin R. Celic (1952-1977), a young member of Ladder Company 18 who lost his life fighting a fire in the tenement that once stood here.
The Community Garden in the Winter
The Firemen’s Memorial Garden was closed for the day but I was able to take a peak inside before it got dark. Another garden to revisit in the Spring.
I got a kick out of this written on the wall but was not sure of who it referred to
Turning the corner of East 7th Street and Avenue A
I arrived in the middle of the neighborhood by the early afternoon and continued walking past the statue of Samuel Cox, who was making his presence known for all the neighborhood to see. I just don’t think anyone knew how he was anymore but the pigeons.
The statue of Samuel S. Cox stands guard at the southwest entrance of Tompkins Square Park
Samuel Sullivan “Sunset” Cox was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and served his home state as a Democratic Congressional representative from 1857 to 1865 before being unseated. After moving to New York in 1866, Cox served again in Congress for several terms from 1869 until 1889. Although Cox once publicly declared that his most satisfying contribution to public service was championing the Life Saving Service—founded in the 1840s to patrol the coasts and save imperiled boaters during bad weather, the group was absorbed into the Coast Guard in 1915—this statue is sponsored by U.S. Postal Service workers because of Cox’s support for their quality-of-life issues (NYCParks.org).
Artist Louise Lawson was an American born artist who studied at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and Cooper Union. She worked as an apprentice under several famous sculptures and was one of the first American female sculptures to have a professional career. She is known for her Neoclassical sculptures (Wiki).
Starting the walk down East 7th Street
I thought this was a beautiful detail on 193 East 7th Street
The Clyde Romero Memorial Garden at 213 East 7th Street
When Christine Datz and Clyde Romero met in 1986, they shared a deep passion for the environment and improving their neighborhood. With a people-powered approach to sustainability they launched the Lower East Side Ecology Center in 1987. Six years before New York City implemented a citywide recycling program, the Ecology Center was already leading the way. We established a community drop-off site at the 6th Street and Avenue B Garden, where locals could recycle paper, metal, glass, and plastic (LES website).
By 1990, we leased four city-owned, rubble-filled lots on East 7th Street. These 15,000 square feet became home to one of the city’s first community composting programs. Neighbors dropped off fruit and vegetable scraps, while volunteers collected food waste from health food stores and restaurants (LES website).
Over time, we transformed the lots into an attractive garden, demonstrating how the composting of food waste can improve quality of life and ecology on a community level. Now known as the Clyde Romero Memorial Garden, it is a 6,000 square-foot protected community garden (LES website).
The inside of the gardens in the winter time
The garden like most of the ones I visited that day were still in the stages of late Winter, awaiting Spring to come soon. A lot of work was being done in here.
Admiring the street art that lined East 7th Street
I saw this beautiful butterfly on the side of a school I don’t know why but it really cheered me up.
The butterfly sculpture
Walking down East 7th Street near Avenue D. It tells you how the neighborhood has changed.
I noticed one thing about the neighborhood, as you got to the lower streets there was more newer luxury housing mixed in with the old brownstones and apartment buildings. The streets had that classic ‘New York’ look to them.
The Sam & Sadie Koenig Garden at 237 East 7th Street
This small garden was one of the few that had been really maintained and looked like it had gotten its cleaning done already. The gates were locked in the early afternoon but you could still see through the gates.
As I was walking back to Avenue A, I passed a series of colorful and interesting street art, created by both commercial and street artists. This made the block look like an open air art gallery. There was lots of interesting street art to admire and try to interpret. There are some talented artists in the neighborhood.
Michi Meko is an American born artist whose work spans painting, sculpture, and installation, activating spray paint and found objects to create layered compositions. His gestures reflect an interplay between beauty and violence, rebellion and reflection, and past and future. Meko’s art interrogates themes of identity and resilience by offering an exploration of light, texture, and form (Mariane Ibrahim Gallery website).
The term TCK in the context of the Lower East Side most frequently refers to the TCK Crew, a prolific graffiti and street art collective. While the crew is widely known for their work in Berlin. The TCK Crew is primarily recognized for “non-stop train” graffiti and raw, urban style writing (Brooklyn Street Art website)
I finally reached East 6th Street by the late afternoon and it got hotter outside. It got to 75 degrees on the Monday of my Spring Break and I was tempted to wear shorts the next day. It was so weird in that it was 36 degrees the week before. This weather was a result of the annual Spring Thaw and God knows we needed it.
The corner of East 6th Street and Avenue A
As I rounded East 6th Street, I saw this beautiful mural on the side of a restaurant but I could not find any artist name on the painting. It is a nice painting and I thought it was a nice compliment to the building.
The street art the lined the side of a restaurant on the corner of Avenue A and East 6th Street
As I walked down East 6th Street, it was a whirlwind of street art and tagging. Some the most unique art filled the walls, doorways and stairs of many of the buildings, especially the store fronts that stood empty. The neighborhood is still going through that transition but you are reminded there is still a creative vibe here.
The interesting street graffiti on the doors of buildings
This was on a garbage can cover
This tagging was on one of the doors
This was along one of the walls
The I passed 630 East 6th Street which stood out among the small buildings in the area. This is the former Pencer House Building that was built in 1900. It is a now a rental building (Street Easy.com).
The building was originally one of the Children’s Aid Society’s schools, donated by Emily Sloane Vanderbilt, the granddaughter of the Commadore. the Society turned to the architectural firm of Vaux & Radford, which would eventually design 12 Children’s Aid Society projects.Calvert Vaux, best known for his work in designing Central Park, had partnered with George Kent Radford in 1872.The Sixth Street School building would follow the same lines as their other Children’s Aid Society buildings—a blend of Victorian Gothic and Flemish Revival styles (DaytonianinManhattan.com).
The beautiful architecture really stands out among the other buildings on the block. The building has now been fully renovated and the outside restored. As I walked further down the street, more community gardens were tucked here and there on the block.
The 6BC Garden on East 6th Street between Avenues B and C more than lives up to the standards of its neighborhood. Founded in 1981, the garden began as a traditional organization – its members maintained their own plots while contributing to community spaces. A shift in leadership and the decision to incorporate, led to changes in 1995 (6BC Garden website).
6BC became an official botanical garden, the first and only one in Manhattan devoted to bio-diversity, horticultural education, neighborhood beautification, and community programming. 6BC was assigned to parks in 1999, a move that safeguards the land’s status as a green space while leaving administration, leadership and maintenance of the garden in the hands of its members (6BC Garden website).
The 6B Botanical Garden in the Winter
I was able to take a quick walk around the garden before the volunteers called it an afternoon. I really liked the paths of plants and artwork. Another place to visit in the Spring.
Walking down East 6th Street
I liked the classic look of East 6th Street. It is so classic ‘Old New York” with new stores and restaurants opening all over the place.
Our garden began as this tenement building at 530 East 6th St. It’s the building in this circa 1940 photo with the stairway and the truck parked in front. Through the 50’s and early 60’s several buildings on this block became abandoned. Some were renovated, some homesteaded and a few were totally demolished. The building that occupied our site burned in the early 70’s and was demolished soon thereafter. Immediately following, the land was marked for a community garden and in 1978 opened as the Creative Little Garden (Creative Little Garden website).
In the early 80’s Françoise Cachelin started the garden and under her leadership the lot was leased to the Parks Department and Greenthumb. She was an outspoken and staunch supporter of individual and community rights, and without her our garden would not be here today. Françoise passed away in 2003, but we continue to take inspiration from this former member of the French Resistance and spirited advocate for the rights of downtown residents (Creative Little Garden website).
The Creative Little Garden in the Winter
The garden’s gates were open but I didn’t see anyone. I ventured in to look around. I liked the organized beds and places to sit. This will be a fun place to visit when the weather gets warmer.
Walking through the Creative Little Garden in the Winter time
What I liked about this garden was the contemporary artwork that lined the walls. I thought this was really interesting.
Artwork in the Garden
I also liked the way it was landscaped. I liked the paths and rock gardens. The trees and bushes were awaiting the warmer weather to fully bloom.
The garden is so nicely designed and fun to walk through in the Winter
I rounded East 5th waiting to see what interesting things I would find on this block. It was early evening as the sun started to go down. Daylight Savings time had started and it was still light out around 7:00pm. I was also getting tired. I walked down the first two blocks before I called it quits. I passed a series of community gardens dotted the block.
The Sage Garden Community Garden at 281 East 4th Street
The Sage Community Garden is a vibrant green space nestled in New York, NY, offering a peaceful retreat amidst the bustling city. This community-driven garden is dedicated to fostering collaboration and sustainability, where local residents come together to cultivate various plants, flowers, and vegetables. With its colorful blooms and lush greenery, the garden provides a welcoming environment for relaxation, learning, and community gatherings (Mapquest.com).
The Sage Community Garden in the Winter
The Sage Garden was closed for the evening that I was there but I was able to peek through the fence and see what was going on.
I quit around 6:30pm. I was exhausted and out of shape because of the Winter of not walking around. The last traces of snow were melting during the first real day of the thaw and I decided to head down to Chinatown for dinner and continue the next morning. It was going to be in the high 70’s and a perfect day for the walk. Chinatown was busy for a Monday as people had the same idea that I had about being outside. I knew where I was heading for lunch.
Mott Street in Chinatown in the early evening on a 70 degree evening
I decided to return to North Dumpling at 23 Division Street for an early evening snack. I ordered their delicious homemade Wonton Soup and an order of their Steamed Pork and Chive Dumplings. This has become my new ‘to go’ place. I love both the food and the prices.
Dinner that evening at North Dumpling at 23 Division Street
My early dinner hit the spot as the soup really warmed me up and had a rich chicken taste. The homemade wontons were light as air.
The homemade Wonton Soup at North Dumpling
The Steamed Pork and Chive Dumplings are made right in front of you behind the front counter
After dinner, I stopped at a new bakery on Division Street that I had not noticed before on Division Street, Cardio Bakery at 51 Division Street. I just needed something sweet to complete the meal. I settled on a moist and chewy sugar doughnut. I loved the selection of baked goods here and plan on returning soon.
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
The selection at Cardio Bakery in the early evening
I needed something sweet after dinner and I didn’t want to walk to the other side of the neighborhood to some of my favorite bakeries. That is until I walked down the block from the restaurant and came across Cardio Bakery. It must have just opened because I had not noticed it before. There was so much to choose from but I was still stuffed from dinner so I settled on a sugar doughnut. It was an excellent choice.
My selection, a sugar doughnut
Yum!
After a whole afternoon of looking at street art all over Alphabet City, I walked around Chinatown and admired the street art in Chinatown. These are some of my favorite ones that I saw as I enjoyed my dessert. There are so many talented taggers in the neighborhood.
This was on one of the doors
I thought this was unique
I took the subway home that evening. I had not realized how out of shape I was after a winter of not walking around. I shoveled plenty of snow but not done much walking. The moment I sat down, I stiffened up and it was a long walk through the Port Authority.
I felt much better Tuesday morning and it really warmed up and the weather topped 78 degrees and sunny that day. I was off and running early to get back in the City and enjoy the sunshine while finishing walking the neighborhood. I started where I left off.
Finally making it to East 5th Street
I had walked all of East 5th Street the night before which is an unusual block because they built an elementary school at Avenue B that cuts one part of the neighborhood from the other. Then a series of low rise public housing was built that surrounds the back of the school. So you have to walk a combination of both East 5th and East 4th Streets.
Walking down East 5th Street on a sunny, warm morning
Passing the Secret Garden at 293 East 4th Street as I had to walk around East 4th Street to get to the extension of East 5th Street
I start the second day of my walk back at the Secret Garden which was closed for the day but I could again peek through the fencing. Spring had not come to the garden but it will soon.
The Secret Garden in the Winter
You have to walk around the Lower East Side II complex to complete the neighborhood. This is built around M 364 The Earth School.
Walking around the Lower East Side II housing behind the M364 School
Alfredo Bennett, professionally known as The Royal “Kingbee” is a NYC artist. He was born in Harlem and raised in The Bronx in the early 70’s. He began his career painting graffiti on walls until gathering recognition and eventually being commissioned to perform his artistic abilities all throughout the city of New York. The artist went to JF Kennedy High School in the Bronx (BX 200 Artist.com).
The art was not just limited to the murals that looked more professionally done. The taggers showed their creativity on the closed gates of the businesses and the walls of the buildings around the Avenue.
The Garden of the Humanities at 270-272 East 4th Street
The Generation X Cultural Garden, located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is a community garden that was founded in 1971. The garden features Geoblock paving for all-ability access, a masonry retaining wall for additional planting areas, and a mini urban orchard with nectarine, pear, peach, and apple trees. The garden also hosts cultural programming related to the Latino community and collaborates with Greenmarket farmers, Youth market displays, and TAiNO arts and crafts (Mapquest.com).
The garden in the winter time
The snow was still melting in the back of the garden as temperatures hit about 80 degrees that day.
The ‘Success’ mural in the schoolyard
I was not about to get close enough to see how the artist was on this interesting mural at the track at PS 15.
Admiring the street art on East 5th Street
It was a return and straight run down East 4th Street, having just covered most of it walking around the elementary school. The weather at this point had just hit 78 degrees, making it very pleasant to walk around without a jacket on. Mother Nature was tricking us with this early Spring weather during the Spring Thaw but with the number of people hanging out in Tompkins Square Park, it looked like most of the neighborhood was playing ‘hooky’ from work.
Turning the corner at East 4th Street
East 4th Street like most of the neighborhood was like an open air museum. There was a lot of interesting street art to see.
The interesting street art along the wall at East 4th Street
The Memorial Murals along East 4th Street
(I could not find the artist on this piece)
The Memorial Murals along East 4th Street
(I could not find the artist on this mural)
The back of the El Jardin Del Paraiso Community Garden at 710 East 5th Street
(From the El Jardin Del Paraiso Community Garden website)
The stage is set for the reemergence of community gardens during this time due to three factors: a large influx of immigrants, predominantly from agrarian cultures; the movement of many city-dwellers to the suburbs; and the deactivation of many fire houses due to dwindling city budgets. The result of the is a dramatic increase in burned-out vacant lots. These empty lots become the territory of drug dealers and the dumping grounds for rubble and toxic wastes and yet they bring a new openness to this area of Manhattan (El Jardin website).
Two movements worked to bring green spaces to the neighborhood of the Lower East Side: the homesteading and the gardening movements. Homesteaders work to rehabilitate buildings. Gardeners removed the rubble and turn the soil, reclaiming the vacant lots. El Jardín del Paraíso is founded by these two groups who were inspired by the idea that the space was large enough to be a park and a community garden.1973 — Liz Christy founds the Green Guerillas, a grass-roots organization dedicated to aiding neighborhoods and providing guidance and education in the of new community gardens. The organization recognizes the need for city involvement and lobbies for formal recognition. It is believed that Liz planted El Jardín del Paraíso’s existing two Weeping Willow trees (El Jardin website).
Walking along a very gentrified stretch of Alphabet City along East 4th Street
I came across the very colorful mural on the side of Public School 15 at 333 East 4th Street. I thought this was really interesting and I bet no one really notices it.
This was all done in tiles and I thought this was very interesting. The only thing I could find out about it was it was created in the early 1980’s by some local artists.
Reaching the edge of the neighborhood at Avenue D. I could not believe how this neighborhood has changed in thirty years.
Walking down the street, I could not believe how many luxury condos have been built on the side streets of the neighborhood about a block from the housing projects. How things have changed in this neighborhood since the first time I walked in it in 1994. There have been so many improvements in the last twenty years.
The Orchard Alley Community Garden at 350 East 4th Street
Orchard Alley is a quaint establishment nestled in the heart of New York City, offering a unique blend of artisanal goods and services. With a focus on community engagement and sustainability, Orchard Alley provides a welcoming space for individuals to connect, create, and explore (Mapquest.com).
The inside of the garden in the winter
The Orchard Ally Community Garden was also closed that day but I could see it from the fence and see the work going on in the garden. The next garden I passed was the Parque de Tranquilidad Garden at 314-318 East 4th Street. It was also locked that afternoon but I could see the garden through the gates.
The Parque de Tranquilidad Community Garden at 314-318 East 4th Street
(From the Parque de Tranquilidad Community Garden website)
The garden was started in 1979 when neighbors cleared out the lots and started the garden by planting vegetables and flowers. Parque de Tranqilidad was purchased together with other sixty three gardens city wide by the Trust for Public Land. In 2004 it became one of the fourteen gardens when The Manhattan Land Trust was founded. Garden Members take care of this little park all year long.
The inside of the garden
You could see the coming of Spring through the fencing.
I have seen this artist’s work all over the City
I saw this interesting mural along East 4th Street by Avenue A “Teach One Teach One”
I loved the details on the mural
Another look at the mural
I could not find the artist for this work but I thought it was one of the best murals that I had seen on my walk in Alphabet City. I loved the vibrance of the colors.
It looked a fairy peeking through of the woods
Rounding the East 3rd Street at the end of the day
Walking down East 3rd Street
East 3rd Street is the last full block of the neighborhood with just part of East 2nd Street extending into the neighborhood. The Los Amigos Community Garden at 221 East 3rd Street was also closed for the afternoon but I could see it through the fence.
The Los Amigos Community Garden at 221 East Third Street
The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is dedicated to the promotion and support of community gardening efforts across the United States. With a focus on networking, education, and resource sharing, the ACGA serves as a vital hub for community gardeners and leaders, fostering resilience and collaboration within urban ecosystems (Mapquest.com).
The Los Amigos inside
It looked like people had been working that afternoon. This was the same with the Brisas Del Caribe Community Garden at 237 East 3rd Street. It was locked in the later afternoon.
The Brisas Del Caribe Community Garden at 237 East 3rd Street
The Brises del Caribe Garden is a 90 x 24 plot of land located at 237 East 3rd Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In 1986 this land was an abandoned city owned lot inhabited by rats, drug addicts and dealers, and strewn with refuse and toxic wastes. The garden was born thanks to the efforts of Mary and Angel Aponte, a neighborhood couple, who cleared out the garbage and told the addicts to go elsewhere (Earth Celebrations website).
The community group Green Guerrillas gave a lot of assistance to the Apontes in the beginning. In addition, they received many letters and petitions of support from the community board, the Church and other local community groups. When Operation Green Thumb and the City saw what had been accomplished in the garden, they agreed to a year-to-year lease for the Apontes, claiming it could only be year-to-year because the City might decided to sell the land (Earth Celebrates website).
The gardens in the early Spring
The garden was closed for the day when I walked the neighborhood as was the All People’s Garden at 293 East 3rd Street. Most of these gardens would be open in late April and early May when things would be blooming again.
The All People’s Garden Community Garden at 293 East Third Street
All People’s Garden Inc. was created as a not for profit organization in 1978 by former VISTA volunteer Olean Cowart For a community organizer who work with the neighborhood community development organization known as Interfaith Adopt-A- Building, Inc. The garden was fashion out of a vacant site owned by the City of New York, and was strewn with discarded rubbish. With the help of the community and other volunteers, slowly remove the debris and create the beginning of a community garden space (All People’s Garden Inc. website).
In 1979 with the support of the Council on The Environment of the City of New York (now known as GROWNYC), a plan to open the garden for community use was also supported by the then Mayor Ed Koch and Ms. Liz Chrystie the pioneer for the first community garden on East Houston Street and the Bowery. All People’s Garden is the first Grow NYC’s PLANT-A-LOT garden in New York City. At the opening Mayor Ed Koch with Liz Chrystie plant a ceremonial Rose Bush. The ceremony was conducted to symbolize the working coordination of the City of New York in the beginning of the redevelopment of the Lower East side community open space and housing (All People’s Garden Inc. website).
Street art along East 3rd Street
I continued my walk down East 3rd Street admiring all the street art. There were so many interesting pieces to see all over the block. Just look at all the walls as you past the buildings.
Kenkeleba House was founded in 1974 by Joe Overstreet, Corrine Jennings and Samuel C. Floyd to support African American culture. Kenkeleba began its work on The Bowery near Delancey in New York City with experimental projects to assist African American, Caribbean,and African artists in developing and documenting their work. Early projects included exhibitions and experiments with poetry, music, visual arts, workshops in dance, theater, children’s programs and African markets. The name, Kenkeleba is derived from that of the Seh-Haw plant grown in West Africa, and known for its spiritual, nutritional and healing values (Kenkeleba House website).
The inside of the garden
The garden was also closed that afternoon but I could see the artwork in the garden.
When I stopped to get a Coke at a deli around the corner, I saw this mural of the Ramones that I thought was so cool. I know that they had played clubs around here so it was the perfect honor for the singing group now that most have them have passed away.
Ireland born artist Solus found creativity key to keep him inspired and on the right track. Embracing natural talent and keen eye using spray paint as his main medium, leaving his mark in Europe, America, and Asia on walls, canvas and sculpture. He has exhibited in various international solo shows in America, Canada, and Paris (Artist Bio).
The artist Solus
I passed even more community gardens along East 3rd Street, most of the closed during the day. Like of other gardens, some volunteers were cleaning out the gardens and preparing the beds for seeding.
Miracle Garden is a unique establishment in New York, NY that offers a serene and enchanting environment for visitors to explore. With its diverse collection of flora and carefully curated landscapes, Miracle Garden provides a peaceful retreat for individuals seeking a moment of tranquility amidst the bustling city (Mapquest.com).
The inside of the garden in the early Spring
The Miracle Garden was being cleaned during my walk in the neighborhood.
Walking down East 3rd Street near Avenue A
Street art by Avenue A
(I could not find the artist to this work or it may be multiple artists)
Walking down East 2nd Street
I finally got down to the last street of the neighborhood, the extension of East 2nd Street. I was tired by the time I got to this last block.
Walking down East 2nd Street
Walking down my last block in Alphabet City, East 2nd Street. This block borders Little Italy, Chinatown, the Bowery and the Lower East Side once you cross Houston Street.
One of the street murals on East 2nd Street
The Kenkeleba House Garden at 212 East Third Street on the back side of the gardens
The garden facing East 2nd Street in the early Spring
I then passed the neighborhood firehouse and its memorial to my fellow Brothers who died on 9/11. This was very touching and still pretty raw to me.
The one thing I admired was the dedication to the brave members who lives were lost on that tragic day. I was not sure who the artist was on this work but I think it was firefighter Michael “Mikey” Borriello, who is also the resident artist at Engine 28, Ladder 11. He has created art all over the firehouse.
Their touching tribute to their fallen brothers on 9/11
Peach Tree Garden is a quaint and charming establishment nestled in the heart of New York City. Specializing in providing a serene and peaceful environment for guests to relax and unwind (Mapquest.com).
The garden in the early Spring
This was one of the few community gardens that looked like it was ready to start blooming.
Looking down Avenue D at East 2nd Street. How things have changed since the 1970’s and 80’s
I finally made it to the edge of Alphabet City. This is looking up Avenue D from East 2nd Street and the edge of East Houston Street.
Walking down the tiny section of East 2nd Street
The park lining East 2nd Street was still in Winter mood when I passed it in March. It was in full bloom when I was walking the Avenues back in August so it was nice to see the contrasts in the seasons.
262 East 2nd Street was one of the more distinct buildings in the neighborhood
One of the few buildings that stood out in the neighborhood among the low rise tenement buildings, brownstones and new luxury building was 262 East 2nd Street with its elegant embellishments and faces staring back at you. I had not seen this since I left the Flatiron District a year ago. You have to look up to see all the beautiful stonework. This unique looking building was built in 1920 and recently was converted to luxury condos (Streeteasy.com).
The detail work the windows all around the building
I wrapped up the visit to the neighborhood by walking the very edges of the area, seeing the locked gates of the community gardens and an abundance of street art.
It was established in 1996 by artists Peter Cramer and Jack Waters, who wanted to create a queer public space in the city. Peter Cramer and Jack Waters had been artistic collaborators in New York since the 1980s. They became co-directors of ABC No Rio space after curating an art exhibition there together and both joined theVisual AIDScollective. The garden site on 2nd Street had been an auto chop shop before that was demolished. Cramer and Waters built the garden together, in 1996 (Wiki.org).
The inside of the garden
The garden was being prepared for the Spring and I was able to sneak a peek inside to see some of the artwork that was pretty interesting. It will be cool to see it when it is in full bloom and get to see some of the other art up close.
The artwork around the fencing
Walking down the block was lined with all sorts of metal works and murals heading back towards Avenue A and the heart of the East Village. Various artists works boldly displayed on the walls of businesses and buildings. Unique works that stood out.
The metal work on one the buildings
Artwork on the sidewalk
The mural on the corner of East 2nd Street and Avenue A
The artist Slim Storm
(I could not find any information on the artist)
The Heart of NYC
The artist Bio TATS Cru
Wilfredo “Bio” Feliciano is also a founding member of the world famous art collective known as Tats Cru “The Mural Kings” originally known as TAT Cru founded by Brim, Mack and Bio in the eighties.
Wilfredo “Bio” Feliciano’s work has been featured in many publications, movies, music videos and documentaries throughout his career. He has also painted in numerous countries over the past 30 years, invited by different organizations. Bio has collaborated with many of the top graffiti artists in the world from past to present day. He has also lectured at M.I.T. and various universities in the United States.
I finally finished walking the entire Alphabet City neighborhood around 5:00pm. It had been a long but productive two days. I could not believe the number of community gardens in the neighborhood. I was lucky it had been warm out so I got to see many of them but will have to revisit when everything comes into bloom. Right now they still hold tight to the end of Winter but I have seen in the neighborhood in August when everything is green.
For dinner that evening, I went to Two Boots Pizzeria, where I had not eaten in a decade. I went there years ago with my best friend when the neighborhood was a bit more scratchy. This is a neighborhood institution and the pizza was still wonderful. (I just read though that the original location will be closing on May 26th, 2026 after an agreement on the rent with the landlord fell through and the owner will be moving to a new location soon).
Two Boots Pizzeria at 42 Avenue A. This is its original location of the current chain of pizzerias. (It will be closing on May 26th, 2026).
I forgot how funky this place looked inside. One thing I remember was how good the pizza was and the selection of pizzas they had available that evening were rather interesting.
The pizza selection in the case
I looked through the case at the different toppings of pizza and I eyed the Cajun slice which was topped with gumbo ingredients items such as spicy sausage and shrimp. The pizza has a brown sauce instead of the traditional red tomato sauce. It was out of this world! I never had such a unique slice than this.
Finally able to sit down and relax
A slice of Cajun Pizza with a Coke
I chose a slice of Cajun pizza with sauteed shrimp and andouille sausage with Cajun seasonings. It had the most amazing flavor and one of the best slices of pizza I had had in a long time.
The Cajun Pizza was amazing and so full of flavor
Yum!
I had an interesting time in Alphabet City. It reminded me of how much the City has changed in thirty years. It never looked so good. Was that good for a neighborhood with such a storied past? It shows how the City just keeps changing.
While the neighborhood is much cleaned up since I remember it in the 1990’s, it still retains that funky independent vibe to it . Let’s see what happens in the future in an ever changing City as the tentacles of NYU keep stretching over this neighborhood. Will they adapt to it or will the neighborhood adapt to them? Just like every other neighborhood in Manhattan, I will just keep walking.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Executive Paramus, NJ Team December 10th, 2025
My Executive Team for ‘Sounds and Subs”
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Fall semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My morning Business 101 class worked on the “Sounds and Subs” concept where they were challenged to create a music based restaurant concept with a menu of creative sub and sandwiches, interesting salads, a mocktail menu, an opening party, social media and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus records, CDs and musical products. They also had to pick the location and figure out all the budgets.
They also had to create a stage area for bands and local performers for ‘Open Mic nights’. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish. I also liked the bands they chose to perform at their restaurants,
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus with creative subs and sandwiches, salads, soups and unique signature desserts. They had to also create a mocktail menu. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
Each project had to include the location of where the restaurant would in what town in Bergen County, the social media, the menu, the opening party and what would be featured in their gift shop. They had a to figure out the budget for everything as well.
Before we did the formal presentation, I had the students create the ‘Holiday Presentation’ where corporate requested that our Teams represent the company in creating the invitation, menu and holiday greeting for the Corporate party in the New Brunswick headquarters. This is the presentations:
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams. Each Team came up with different and unique concepts.
The day of the project, I have the students dress in professional dress to present their ideas to the clients. The student executives presented their ideas on location, design, menus, social media and creating an opening party for the restaurant. They also came up with ideas for local musicians who could entertain on a nightly basis. The client was looking for a concept that would attract music lovers not just from the suburbs but from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Newark.
Here are examples of ideas of what the Student Consultants would work in the town that they chose:
Team Three making their initial pitch to the client
Team Three explaining their proposal for the floor plan of their restaurant
Team Five starting their presentation
What I found interesting what the musicians who the Student Consultants chose for both their Opening Parties to promote the restaurant and to play at the restaurant on a circulating schedule. They were some pretty sophisticated musical groups which showed me the tastes of these students in their music selections.
After the presentations were over, we had a Q & A and then we had a light reception. For each of my classes, I baked cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with a variety of chips, sodas and waters for all of my students to show my appreciation for their hard work.
It really was an interesting presentation and I was very proud of my students.
My Executive Team from the ‘Farm to Table’ Restaurant concept in our Corporate picture
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Fall semester was no different.
This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My morning Business 101 class worked on the “Farmer’s Market” concept where they were challenged to create a restaurant with a menu of creative sandwiches, soups, interesting salads, a mocktail menu and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus homemade jams, jellies.
They also were tasked in finding local farms to supply the restaurant concept with fresh produce and meats. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus which reflected the seasons and had to choose one season to feature. The menu had to reflex fresh ingredients from that period with a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
The students also had to create a gift shop concept with items from the menu, items like fresh jellies and jams, a variety of baked goods and then novelty items such as shirts, bags and aprons. For extra credit, I asked them to source the items for menus. I saw the most interesting results that afternoon.
The Holiday project normally serves as Quiz Four for my class but I wanted the students to concentrate on their Academics this semester so I used this as an extra credit project.
Each Team has been requested by corporate in New Brunswick, to create a proposal for the Corporate Holiday Party that includes a invitation with a Christmas themed logo, a menu proposal with an appetizer, entree, and a dessert along with a signature holiday drink.
Then the Team had to film a video greeting in English and Spanish wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season. They had forty-five minutes to pull it off and these were the result of that project.
One Wednesday morning, December 10th, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams. Each project was so different for the same concept.
Team Two’s diorama of their restaurant concept
Team Four presenting their project presentation
Team Three starting their presentation
Each Team had to present their ideas on their location for the restaurant, budget, layout, menu, gift shop ideas and advertising. Each Team had their own unique way of interpreting the restaurant concept and bring their fresh ideas to their Presentation.
Of my three classes in the Fall 2025 semester, this class came up with some of the most clever ideas and all five Teams seemed the most competitive of all the classes.
After the presentations were over, we had a Q & A and then we had a light reception. For each of my classes, I baked cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with a variety of chips, sodas and waters for all of my students to show my appreciation for their hard work.
It really was an interesting presentation and I was very proud of my students.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Executive Paramus, NJ Team December 10th, 2025
My Executive Team Team picture
Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.
This semester I taught three sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience.
The Fall semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.
This semester I created three restaurant concept projects for my students, “Sounds and Subs”, a music store and sub/sandwich shop concept based on Mike’s Sub Shop in Boonton, NJ, “Farmer’s Market”, a farm to table concept based on The Corner Counter in Red Hook, NY and then “Pasta and Pies”, a sweet and savory pie concept with pasta dishes based on Nobel Pies out of Beacon, NY.
My evening Business 101 class worked on the “Pasta and Pies” concept where they were challenged to create a restaurant with a menu of sweet and savory pies, creative pasta dishes, a mocktail menu and a gift shop selling items from their menu plus clothing and gifts. The results were amazing to see and what students with a little creativity, a lot of time (six weeks) and a little push can accomplish.
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
The Bergecco-Parc Banner is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work. I use this concept to teach the lessons in the book.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:
This class created menus with creative pies and what delicious ingredients that can be tucked into them, selective pasta dishes with side salads and unique signature desserts. Some students kept the menus safe while others really put their heart and sole into it and showed how creative they were with their menus.
One Wednesday night, December 10th, 2025, the class presented their ideas to me and these are the results of the individual Teams.
Each of the Team members are required to be in Professional dress when presenting their project to the fictional client as they would in task life.
Team Four starting their presentation
Team One presenting their presentation
Team Two’s winning presentation and I wanted to add the best dressed Team
Some of the creative Gift Shop ideas from Team Two
Team Four presenting their project featuring their logo
Team Five making their presentation of their Team
Some very creative advertising from Team Five
At the end of the presentation and after the Q& A, we take the Corporate picture, which I do to show feature recruiters what these students are made of and what seasoned executives they will make in the future. I really am proud of the students that accomplish this project.
Our Corporate picture at the end of the evening
At the end of the evening, I always have a small reception after the presentation. Many of the groups brought samples of their pies for extra credit and our President was the manager of a bakery and brought this beautiful sheet cake with the company logo on it. I thought this was very clever.
The President’s Cake at our reception after the presentation
I bake a variety of cookies, brownies and rice crispy treats along with providing a variety of chips, sodas and waters for the reception. It is my way of recognizing a job well done.
The students did a nice job interpreting what the ideas and theme of the project was and what the client might be expecting.
It was a very interesting evening of which I hope the students carry with them in the future not just to other classes but into the workplace as well.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. logo of the Six Trees (based on the six founders of the company). Our Motto:
“A Tree grows from the strength of its roots and not from the top of the Tree” meaning that all employees opinions are noted and respected.
My boss contacted me after my Summer I class was done and asked if I could teach the Summer II class too with the same schedule After the success of our first class project, I said yes but with one catch. I had one less week to teach the class.
My first class’s final exam was on Monday and then classes started Wednesday. Because we met on Monday’s and Tuesday’s were the class days we would not meet until the next week and that fell on the Forth of July weekend so in the first two weeks of classes we met the first Tuesday of the second week of classes and that put us two weeks behind.
So on the third week of classes, we finally met with the full schedule. I had a lot of catching up to do. That being said, I had to get their Team project done and we were playing with time. I had to have at least two weeks to do the project and unlike the Critchley’s Candies project, I wanted to keep it closer to home.
The blog on the successful Critchley’s Candies Team Project:
I thought of three Merchants in Hasbrouck Heights that I thought could use some help with their Digital Marketing and Online presence. I talked with Roy Vorisek, the owner of Heights Flower Shoppe, who I have known for years and asked if he would partner with me this semester. I thought it might be a nice idea to promote one of our Merchants this time around. He loved the idea, but the only problem was that he would be leaving for a trip with his family before the Presentation and would not be returning until we finished class.
The Heights Flower Shoppe at 209 Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ (decorated for Halloween)
I was concerned that no one would be there to see the Presentation but he could send one of his family members who worked at the store so she could give her opinions. We then worked out of game plan of things he wanted to promote and ideas for Digital Marketing that the students could work on. I presented him all my ideas based on his needs in the store and then I presented the Team Project to my students.
The Proposal for “Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Heights Flower Shoppe-We Keep Growing”:
We were under a lot of time constraints just like the Summer One course in that we only had six full weeks of class, and we would miss two more days of class, so we were going to be rushing through this project. Funny though, this is what I told the students they will be experiencing for the rest of their lives. Last minute requests from both bosses and clients that you might have to achieve and finish in a weekend.
So I prepared the field trips. The first one was an optional extra credit trip the Thursday after I handed out the assignment and then the next Tuesday I met me students for a formal tour of Heights Flower Shoppe and then our Team lunch at Bella Pizza a few doors down. This is when the real work begins.
In a now in a class this quick, you do not have the time to goof around and I made my students fully aware of this. So I arranged the field trip with Ray and his staff, made sure that all my students attended and we started the tour of the store.
We started the tour with a discussion on the history of the store and Ray’s career in the flower business
The owner, Ray Vorisek, gave my students a talk first on the history of the store, his career as a florist and how the whole family participates in the business. Then he took us on a tour of the second floor that will be used for the new Christmas shop and bridal salon in the future. Then I let my students walk around and talk to the owner and his staff, who were working feverishly getting out orders that afternoon.
My students listening to Ray discuss the flower business
Ray explaining the assortment of flowers
My students touring the store and studying the merchandise
Our Team picture after the tour
The students had about a week after this tour to finish and present the project to myself and the owners niece, who would be working at the store as the rest of the family members would be away on vacation. We finished the visit in less than an hour.
As part of the tour, I took the students out for lunch five doors down at Bella Pizza at 197 Boulevard for Cheese pizza and soda. I find that when a Team ‘breaks bread’ with one another, they gel together.
Bella Pizza at 197 Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Our ‘Business Lunches’ are a way for the student consultants to get to know one another and start talking about the project in a more casual manner. There was a lot to discuss and it is easier over lunch with a few laughs.
The Special Events and Marketing Team having lunch
The Special Events and Marketing Team dining together
Members of the Marketing and Special Events Team dining together
Ray Vorisek and his daughter, Gabriella with our Senior Vice-President of Operations
It was a really nice lunch and I got to talk with Ray about some of the challenges of the business and catch up on ways he was promoting the business. Heights Flower Shoppe is a very successful business with a good following but the issue is that his core customer base was getting older and things like the way holidays were being celebrated were changing. It was going to be out job to tap into what the younger customers were looking for and how to reach them.
For the next ten days, my students worked hard, had challenges to overcome, co-workers who could be somewhat uncooperative and worked late nights to finish the project in time for our presentation on August 5th, 2025. I thought for a barely two week time frame, the student consultants did a wonderful job on the project and here is their hard work.
This was the commercial that the Marketing Team put together for store to promote it for the Digital Age:
The Commercial on Heights Flower Shoppe
The Team Presentation on YouTube
The Presentation was a huge success with both the Marketing Team and the Special Events Teams presenting their ideas with new logos, interesting Tik Tok and YouTube videos promoting the store and new special promotions such as ‘Children’s Bundles’ and holiday events highlighting Christmas, Easter and the Wedding season.
Ray’s niece, Nicole, attended the Presentation and gave us wonderful feedback on some of the ideas. Which ones were realistic and which ones would need more work. I do admit the students can be elaborate with the project and their ideas, but it is best to present all ideas first and then tailor them down to the clients budget and logistics.
The Corporate Picture for the Paramus Team-Heights Flower Shoppe with CEO Professor Justin Watrel at the end of the Team Presentation
After the Presentation was over, I hosted a small reception for both the students and our attending guests. I bake cookies, brownies and bring in snacks like chips, sodas and waters for the students and their guests for a job well. Our last time ‘breaking bread’ with one another for the conclusion of the project. It was a bit rushed but I think the Team did a great job.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Corporate reception for the Paramus Team
The next week before Final Exam, we had the Team Wrap up and each student discussed what they learned from the project. This is where I get my insights on the project and where I need to tailor my CEO skills. Just as much as the students learn from me, I learn so much from them as well. “From the students we are taught” from the ‘King and I’.
Then I presented my President of the Division her official Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Presidential hat, of which she seemed very excited to receive. It was a very difficult project to do in less than two weeks and she was up to the challenge. Respect well-deserved!
This is the first time in my career at Bergen Community College that I have taught a summer class and it was a very interesting experience. I have taught Business 101, which is the Introduction to Business class for many years but not in a modified seven week period. Normally this important entry level course is taught in fourteen weeks.
With an issue with my car the first day of class and then the Memorial Day holidays the next week put us two days behind and then I had to work on a modified Team project for the students. This would be a challenge. I had done all the on campus events I wanted and there was not much time for one of the bigger more detailed events. So I decided to reach out to a local business to help me out.
I was going to use the florist across the street from the campus and thought that would be the perfect client. The couple unfortunately was selling the business and even though they liked the idea thought it would not work since it would not help them as they were looking for a buyer of the business.
I then had another idea with a business I passed all the time driving up and down Kinderkamack Road on my was back and forth to work, Critchley’s Candies in River Edge, NJ. The business had been around for seventy years and I had met the owner once before. I thought would he help me out?
I was very lucky in that the store had a new owner, Rossana, who was willing to partner with me and liked my proposed ideas. I was lucky that she was looking for ideas to expand her business so it was a win win for the two of us. This would give her free marketing and a fresh perspective from a younger customer and would give the students an opportunity to help a small business owner.
I made two trips to the store to get some ideas and look over the merchandise. They have a nice selection of candies and chocolates and a whole new line of handmade candies that are made in store.
The inside of Critchley’s Candies
The selection of candies at Critchley’s
The selection of handmade candies
Once myself and Rosanna, the owner, worked together to fine tune the project, I brought my class to the store for their field trip. We had a two week deadline on this project and there was a lot to do (they actually did the whole project in ten days).
Over the weekend, I picked my Executive Team and fine tuned the project with more details to each section of the project. It had to be pared down because unlike many other Team projects, we had only two weeks to pull this off and present it to the client.
The proposed project:Critchley’s Candies: We’re Making it!
On one of the rainiest mornings we had in a long time (it never stopped raining for a month), I met my students to tour the candy store. We had a really nice time touring the store that morning and Rossana’s full time employee, Nancy, led the tour with myself and the class.
My students on the tour of the store
My class getting a feel of the merchandise
Nancy, one of the employees of the store led the tour discussing the different lines of merchandise.
We discussed the different types of gummies, jellies and hard candies the store carried.
The video of the tour of Critchley’s Candies that day:
My class and I touring Critchley’s Candies with Nancy, one of the long service employees at the store. She explained all the candy lines to us and what chocolates were made in house.
She then discussed the individual chocolates that are on sale for creating boxes for gift giving.
Me tasting the homemade Milk Chocolate Covered Oreo
When we finished the tour, we had a candy tasting. Everyone got a chance to taste either a homemade Milk or Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallow or Oreo Cookie. It was a sweet way to end our tour of Critchley’s Candies. Then it was on to our Team Lunch.
After the tour was over, our class took a group shot at the store with Nancy.
After the tour was over, I took my students on their first ‘Business lunch’ and we met as a class at Pompilio’s Pizzeria at 223 Westwood Avenue in Downtown Westwood, NJ. I have taken students here before for lunch on about five other Team projects.
This gives the students the opportunity to get to know each other and have some Team bonding. The pizza is also excellent here too and they have very fair prices and a wonderful ‘school special’.
The Team Lunch:
Pompilio’s Pizzeria & Restaurant at 223 Westwood Avenue in Downtown Westwood, NJ
Some of my students at our Business Team building lunch
The pizza here is excellent
From this point on the students were on their own to create the project. We have already had a series of Board meetings in class and I have had to face two students dropping the class ( I just don’t think this is for everyone).
For the next two weeks, technically ten days, the students worked with their teams on completing the assignment. This meant meeting on their own time and trips back to Critchley’s Candies to film commercials and Tik Tok videos.
We had our last Board meeting the day before the Presentation to wrap things up and go over any missing items. I strictly informed about dress code and performing the role as Student Consultants. From this point on, it would be up to them. They were also assigned two papers to finish the project up.
Paper Three: What would I change in the store if I bought Critchley’s Candies from the owner:
On Tuesday morning, June 24th, 2025, the Presentation took place in our classroom. The first mode of business for each student was to pass the ‘Dress Code’ grade. I have students come in formal business attire. My way of turning group of Gen Zers in to Gen X. Image is very important when trying to sell a concept or program and you must look the role.
With the exception of a few hiccups, the whole class looked very professional considering it was 95 degrees outside. It not been this hot all week but it felt like 100 degrees. Thank God the air conditioning was working in our part of the building that day and the classroom was very comfortable.
The Presentation started late as one student got a flat tire and we had to wait for him. At the same time the owner of the store had an issue at her full time job that got resolved just as the student arrived in class. We started the Presentation at 11:00am and now it was full attention on the project.
The President this semester, Peter McNamara and the Senior Vice-President of Operations JC Abella welcoming everyone and starting the Presentation.
Marketing Team Member Kim Perez discussing the history of Critchley’s Candies to the audience.
The Marketing Team discussing the new ‘Store Jingle’ for the commercial
The Commercial on YouTube:
This includes the store jingle at the end of the commercial.
The students also created a Tik Tok video on the store and its wonderful selection of chocolates.
The Tik Tok video:
The Tik Tok video on Critchley’s Candies
Marketing Team member Matthew discussing the creation of the ‘Store Jingle’
The Product Development and Special Event’s Team discussing the QR Codes Program for the store’s boxed and individual candies.
Product Development/Special Events Team Member Aisha Martinez discussing the new ‘Summer Camp Care package’ proposal. This included a prototype of the packaging.
Team Leader of the Product Development/Special Events Liam discussing the ‘In-house Birthday Party’ program. This caters to that jaded Bergen County child who has seen it all. This birthday concept was very creative. It made it fun to have a birthday at the store.
His proposal for the ‘Birthday Party’ invitation with Vice-President of Product Development/Special Events Joel Fife to the right and President McNamara and SVP Arabella to the left looking on.
The Presentation concluded on time with a Q&A and a discussion on some of the ideas needing adjustments. Overall the owner of Critchley’s Candies, Rossana Rossi, who I partnered on this project seemed very impressed by the results. Then we took our Team picture with the owner and her employee, Nancy, who had led us on the tour of the store two weeks earlier.
The Paramus Critchley’s Candies Team with the owners of Critchley’s Candies.
After the Presentation was over, everyone took their jackets off and I hosted a reception for the students and our guests. I baked cookies and brownies and had an assortment of snacks and sodas for the students. I thought this went by very well for a class that had been here for only seven weeks.
The reception at the end of the Presentation
This is when I can say that I am very proud of my students!
The Official Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. website for the project with QR codes, Commercials, Logos and pictures from all the visits and the presentation:
I have never taught Personal Finance and the way it has been taught in the past by previous Professors I had no interest in following. I could not see a course that was to prepare you for your financial future that could be that dry. A course with online quizzes and tests could not possibly be the best way to learn about retirement. Having experienced investing with the stock market, CD’s and Mutual Funds, I know personally the pitfalls of investing in this current very shaky market and that’s what I wanted to teach the students. Not to be afraid to start NOW!
The logo for “Lertaw Investment Inc. -Growth comes from Within”
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Lertaw Investment Inc.
So for my personal finance class, I got away from the traditional Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner that I use for my Marketing, Management and Communications classes and created Lertaw Investment Inc. Lertaw is my last name spelled backwards (okay, I thought it was clever).
So I created the scenario of the Team Project was I was the CEO of a family Investment company with headquarters in Newark, NJ, where it was founded back in the early 1800’s. This company was an offshoot of another family company that was founded after the Revolutionary War. All the students were new hires who were on probation with the company and had to prove themselves.
The Original Project and Teams with the First Task:
With so many students in this class, (I originally started with 35 students that went to 31 by the time the class was over), I broke each Team up into a Team of five lead by a Divisional Vice-Presidential and an Investment Advisor who would be their second in command. They were assigned with giving everyone a part of each week’s tasks.
For the next four weeks what I would do is give each group a series of tasks and activities that the student financial consultants had to work on as a Team. Each Team was given a budget of $25,000 and had to use this investing account to pay for client purchases and for Team expenses.
While I was doing that, each individual student had to write their own investment paper. The scenario I gave each student was that their great aunt died and left them $5,000 with the stipulation that they could not spend the money but invest it for their future. I gave a series of scenarios here as well. I figured this paper would force them to think more about the overall project. It really got them thinking.
Paper Three: Creating a Personal Financial Plan from a $5,000 inheritance from your Great Aunt:
The first Task: Opening a CD at your local bank for $1,500.
Over the next three weeks while I had the students working on their Team Project, I gave each of the students tasks to invest in for their money from their Great Aunt. The first task was they had to go to the bank and get information for opening a CD for $1,500. This way I forced all these students to talk to their banks to get a perspective on HOW to invest their money in the future.
Paper Three Task Two:
The next task was to spend $1,200 on a series of stocks that include one Tech Company, two Food Companies and one Banking Company
The last task was to open a Bond for $300 (I made a math mistake and it would have been $3,000). Oh well, this way they had money left over to keep for emergencies.
While the students were writing Paper Three for the class and doing their research for the their personal papers, which was a big part of their grades, they were using some of their personal research for their Team assignment. This way each Student Investor brought their own research and perspective to the project. This way the project got five different opinions.
Task One for the Team Project included:
(This is part of the initial package that I gave the students)
Invest $4000 in two high interest CDs for a client. This is where the individual research came in handy and each student could contribute their research on this part of the project.
Buy $6,000 of stocks in Two Tech Companies. Two Energy Companies, Two Foodservice and Two Travel Stocks. The Student Investors got to pick the companies and the amount at each company that they wanted to spend.
Plan a Cocktail party with creating a menu, invitation and budget between $1000 and $1200 in our Newark Headquarters. The Cocktail Party was going for be for both perspective clients and established customers plus Corporate members wanting to meet everyone.
The Vice-President and the Financial Advisor had to take a Business Trip to Boston, MA to meet with clients. The rest of the Team will stay behind in the office. You have to set up a travel budget for your trip for Lertaw Investments for the trip. This money will be deducted from your $25,000 so you need budget. The company will let you travel First Class if you want but it will lower your investment amount.
The top executives had to book either a Railway Ticket Round Trip or an Airline Ticket from Newark to Boston and back, a hotel room for two nights (Breakfast is included in the hotel stay), meals for lunch and dinner and extra money to see the sites in Boston if you want. Please set up the travel budget for two people and how much the Business Trip will cost.
They had to buy $5,000 worth of Mutual Funds (Vanguard, American Century Investments, T. Rowe Price etc.) for the client. You need to tell me what funds you want to buy and how much. The client is leaving this at your discretion.
Their Client wanted them to buy $2,500 worth of McDonalds stock. They want to buy as much as possible with the $2,500 so you need to watch the stock price of McDonalds and what day you will buy it. Your Team needs to tell me when you bought it, how much you bought and at what price did you buy it at.
Lertaw Investments is looking for a new Healthcare plan. The company wants proposals for new Dental, Visual and Medical plans for each of your Teams
Please sell $1,500 shares of McDonalds stock and note on your account whether you had a profit or loss on the sale. Please by $1,500 worth of Chipotle and Krispie Kreme stock. You can buy whatever shares you want of the stock but the client wants the most for their money. The remainder of the $1,000 worth of McDonald’s stock will stay in the account and please monitor the profit/loss on this investment.
Corporate liked your proposal for the cocktail party and your budget for the business trip up to Boston. They have reimbursed you for the expenses so put the money back into your account. You know must buy $1,500 worth of Automotive and Airline stocks. Please pick two automotive and one airline stock. The client is leaving the discretion of the number of shares of stock up to the Team.
The Team needed to arrange a Team Dinner for the members of your Team. Please pick a restaurant in Newark, anyone you like, and tell me the name, provide menu and pictures and what your Team will order. Remember you are considered over 21 and can drink so please think of the wine and cocktail menus as well. Your budget for dinner must be $1,000 and below. Remember that tax and tip need to be included. Some restaurants have fees for parties over five so this needs to be included.
With the remaining money in their budget, they could buy stocks of their choice. The Client now trusts you and your Team can use its discretion.
To end this project, the Team should have a remaining budget of $1,000.00 left or as close to it as possible. There are always emergencies that need to be covered and there should be this amount left in your account. The rest of the money should be spent.
The final part of the project, the Team should finish their last report with a complete breakdown of how your Team spent their $25,000.00 budget as the final page of the report and I wanted to see everything footnoted.
Each class I would do my lecture on the chapters in the book which covered the topics in the scenarios and then leave them the last half hour to meet with their Teams in class. Each Team then had to submit their findings in a full report, which they had three attempts to get correct. Only one Team of the five did it correctly and even they made mistakes.
I also set up a prize for this two step process. The Team with the best report would get ten (10) points added to their Midterm (and trust me, the class Midterm results were not that good) and then that Team would get promoted to the President and SVP of Operation’s and create the Corporate website and PowerPoint presentation for the project. I swear, I have the eye for Corporate talent and the Team that won did an excellent job with both.
The pitfall with this project like any Team project, both in school and in the workforce, there are those who do not want to do their work or milk their share of the project so they do not have to do anything else. I had to ‘fire’ (i.e. fail) one student, who did not seem to care anyway (he spent the entire time in class on his cellphone texting his friends). I also had Student Investors who spent three weeks working on a simple Cocktail Party or Team Dinner (which had nothing to do with Personal Finance), so I had to grade them on this and deal with items like this.
I had to be a very proactive CEO with over thirty Student Investors doing all different types of investing and projects for their teams. The Vice-Presidents and Team Advisors had to hand in a report to me three times before their Final Team Report was due the week before the final exam and do their breakdown of how they spent their money. You see what people are made of when they had to do basic math. I had to check each report thoroughly, add up all their business expenses and make sense of everything. Only two groups got close to a professional type of report but I could see where the frustrations came in. Again some of the Team Members did not do their job properly and I had to deal with this. I now know why so many CEOs are so frustrated today and this is just a simulated project. Still I was very proud of these students who accomplished so much and learned the book’s subject matter on their own in a pace that made sense to them.
This is what learning is about especially about Personal Finance. You have to spend the time figuring it out for yourself and that is the hardest part of life.
During the Presentation, each Team had fifteen minutes to explain how they spent and invested their money, how they planned their dinners and cocktail parties and how they researched their business trip to Boston.
I was floored by each Team’s creativity and the selection of stocks, bonds, and CDs they chose as no two Teams were the same. With the exception of the winning Team, all the other Teams got an ‘A-‘ on their projects. I found this is a better way to teach rather than trying to get them to learn it from the book.
I am constantly amazed at what happens when you challenge students to learn. We are in a new era where just reading the book and exams will not be the norm. I just love the challenge of seeing students learn and having fun doing it.
In my live classes, I open my consulting company, “Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.”, for business and the whole class bands together and we have one big project. In the era of post-COVID and online learning, I was lucky that I was able to teach one of the live classes on the Bergen Community College, Paramus Campus. It was such a pleasure welcoming students back to campus with live lectures and conversing with them.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. corporate logo of the six trees
In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.
Professor Justin Watrel, CEO & Co-Founder of Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.
The Behnke Museum Project:
I created the Behnke Museum promotion as a way to promote this wonderful museum located right next to the Bergen Community College campus for tourism. It is such a terrific museum but it never seemed to have any visitors. Not only that, it seemed that no one at the college including the Professors had been there or even knew what it was as they passed it everyday on their way to work. This project, which was the first project in the class, was going to change all of that.
With the help of Fred Behnke and the Board of Volunteers, we partnered together to help the museum promote itself for tourism and put the museum on the map. I created with the help of the Executive Team and the Student Consultants, a series of promotions, commercials and ideas to bring traffic into the museum. The Student Consultants also created an Instagram site for the museum, helped create a website and translated pamphlets into Spanish, Korean and Pilipino to help promote the museum to an outside audience where English may not be the first language. We started the project out with a tour of the museum.
The Sunday Extra Credit tour that my class at the museum
On the Sunday before the formal Class tour of the museum, I gave the students extra credit towards their project to come in on a Sunday and tour the museum at their leisure. About a third of the class took advantage of it.
The next class, I picked my Teams, set up the Executive Team and then it was ‘full steam ahead’ with the project.
We arrived at the museum later that week for our formal walking tour of the museum and the class was broken up into two teams one upstairs and one downstairs.
The Class Field Trip to the Behnke Museum as part of the project
The Team Field Trip to the Behnke Museum
Touring the first floor of the museum
After the tour was over, we took our official Team Corporate picture for the project. Even though it was a gloomy day, it was all energy and smiles and a lot of promise to help the museum gain more visitors.
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Behnke Museum Team picture with the Museum Volunteer Staff
The Student Consultants had a week to put the Presentation together and create a commercial to promote the museum and their PowerPoint on their ideas to create excitement at the museum. Here is their project Presentation and PowerPoint on the project. Please remember that they had seven days to do this.
The Team Picture after the Behnke Museum Presentation to the Museum Volunteer Staff:
The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Paramus Team for the Behnke Museum
The Behnke Museum Volunteer Staff was impressed with the students ideas and thought there was a lot good ideas that they can use.
Commercial Group One:
Commercial Group Two:
Marketing Commercial Team Two:
Commercial Group Three:
Marketing Commercial Team Three:
Commercial Group Four:
The Bergenfield Tourism Project: The Bergenfield Museum, Coopers Pond Park and South Church Graveyard Tour Project:
This is when I got the idea of doing the same project in a larger form. I saw the Bergenfield Museum, a small gem on the other side of Coopers Pond Park, that did not much traffic considering the museum is open both during the week and the weekend. The building was an original Demarest homestead and the family had their family plot in the South Church which is located right next to the park. So I approached both the museum and the church to partner with me in creating a project to promote this corner of Bergenfield, NJ for tourism.
Cooper’s Pond Park during the Summer months
So I set up the next series of tours for my students that encompassed the Bergenfield Museum, Coopers Pond Park and the historical South Church graveyard where the Demarest family plot was located. The Bergenfield Museum building is the original Demarest family homestead so it tied in nicely to the project.
Walking through Coopers Pond Park inspired this fascinating project
Two weeks after the Behnke Museum project, I introduced this project and the next week we took a walking tour of all three sites starting with walking through Cooper Pond Park, a WPA project and one of the most beautiful and underrated parks in Bergen County.
We met with the Bergenfield Volunteer Board at the museum to start the tour
The Bergenfield Museum at 100 Cooper Street in Bergenfield, NJ
The President of the Bergenfield Museum Board, Joanne, helped me organize the Team Field Trip of the museum. She had four other docents from the Board helping in four different rooms so each Team would follow each other through the rooms. Each Team had about ten minutes in each room for the docent to explain the collection to them. The Student Consultants got to visit the museum on their own time as well.
Our class being greeted by the President of the Bergenfield Museum, Joanne
Touring the Living Room of the old Demarest Homestead
Touring the old Dining Room and the Chair Factory display in the museum
Touring the Kitchen area of the old homestead
Touring the Military Room of the museum
Discussions of the function of the kitchen on the farm
Discussing the Chair manufacturing in Bergenfield, NJ
The Student Consultants touring the Living Room
The Teams taking notes during the tour
After our tour of the museum was over, we took a group picture outside of the museum with the Board of the museum.
The Student Consultants from Bergecco-Parc Consultants Inc. visiting the Bergenfield museum
After we took the group shot, we walked through the park again to my take note of its Depression era past and beautiful views and colors and made our way to the historic South Presbyterian Church and its historic graveyard where the second half of the project would take place.
South Presbyterian Church at 150 West Church Avenue
Touring the South Church graveyard for the historical walking tour with members of the Church volunteer staff
The tour was lead by Bob Carpenter, a historian who is helping renovate this historical graveyard
The tour of the historical Demarest family plot, which ties into the museum building’s historical past, was lead by historian Bob Carpenter, who is helping the church renovate and restore the graveyard. Mr. Carpenter explained to us how he was fixing all the plots and historic tombstones and how the maintenance of the stones needs to be carefully done.
Mr. Carpenter explains how to maintain the tombstones in these historic graveyards
Video of the walking tour of the historic graveyard:
Both the church volunteers and Mr. Carpenter explaining to the students how families were buried in the 1700and 1800’s
We finished the tour that afternoon inside the South Church to learn its history in the community. Though it will not be part of the project, the church offered the students a glimpse into Bergen County’s past as the original church was built before the Revolutionary War.
The Student Consultants touring the pews of the South Church
Once the tour was complete, the Student Consultants had a better understanding of the locations where the project will take place.
The new project will include walking tours, historical aspects of all three locations, and ways of creating a Destination Marketing Plan for domestic and foreign tourism. This will take place when the Student Consultants present their ideas to myself and the museum and church staffs.
The student consultants had four weeks to this project and put together their game plans. The had to put together commercials to promote the Bergenfield Museum, Coopers Pond Park and the historical cemetery of the South Church. As an extra credit assignment, I had the students develop a Halloween walking tour with food and create a separate commercial for this of which three of the for groups completed.
Quiz Four-The Holiday Project
Before the Team made their final presentation, they created Quiz Four-The Corporate Holiday Party
They did a great job on the ideas for the Corporate Holiday Party and came up with some clever menus and logos.
The Holiday Project PowerPoint:
The Christmas Greeting from the Executive Team:
Executive Greeting:
Team One Greeting:
Team Two Greeting:
Team Three Greeting:
Team Four Greeting:
Then came the big Presentation on December 11th, 2024 and this group did an amazing job with ideas for the Town of Bergenfield promoting the Bergenfield Museum, Coopers Pond Park and the South Church’s Historic Cemetery. Each Team tried to top one another.
The whole idea of the Bergenfield Project was not just to promote the museums, parks and historic churches but to create Destination Marketing Project to promote the Town of Bergenfield as a place to visit for both domestic and foreign tourism. This is the project that promotes that vision:
The Bergenfield Team website for Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc:
The day of the presentation the students had to be in professional dress with men expected to be in Jacket and tie or a suit and the ladies in blouses, slacks, suits and dresses. We presented this project to the Board and members of the Bergenfield Museum and to the Communications director of Bergenfield, NJ, which really gave the students a stamp of approval.
I thought the commercials the students came up with were very clever.
The Commercials of the Bergenfield Museum:
Team One:
Team Two:
Team Three:
Team Four:
The Children’s Walking Tour of the Bergenfield Museum:
Team One:
Team Two:
Team Three:
Team Four:
The Coopers Pond Walking Tour:
Coopers Pond Park sits between the Bergenfield Museum and the South Church and is one of the most beautiful parks and underrated parks in Bergen County. The students were tasked with creating a Walking Tour of the park.
The beauty of Coopers Pond Park in Bergenfield, NJ during the Christmas Holiday season.
Team One:
Commercial One:
Commercial Two:
Team Two:
Team Three:
Team Four:
The Historic Graveyard Tour of the South Church:
The South Church Cemetery is one of the oldest and historic cemeteries in Bergen County and home to the Demarest family plot, one of the most prominent families in Bergen County. The students were tasked with creating a short Walking Tour video promotion for the project to promote the South Church for tourism.
Team One:
Commercial Two:
Team Two:
Team Three:
Team Four:
Some of the Student Consultants also for extra credit created a Halloween Walk for the Church.
The Corporate Picture at the end of the Presentation:
The Executive Team of the Bergenfield Museum project
Another excellent Project from the Student Consultants of Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.-Paramus Benhke/Bergenfield Team
I couldn’t have been more proud of a group of students who created an excellent project!
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