28 TIMES • APRIL 28, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com BUZZ QUEENS Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em tourney at a Ridgewood brewery BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GiudiceReport Put up your mechanical dukes and get ready to fi ght in Ridgewood this weekend. The owner of Queens-based microbrewery Bridge and Tunnel Brewery, Rich Castagna, is hosting the fi rst biannual Rock’em Sock’em Robots Boxing Tournament in the brewery’s taproom, located at 1535 Decatur St., on Saturday, April 30, to unveil his newest beer, The Ridgewood Grove Oak Aged Golden Ale. The name of this beer is an homage to the old Ridgewood Grove Arena, which hosted both boxing and professional wrestling matches during its time at 341- 343 St. Nicholas Ave. The 5,000-seat arena played host to boxing legends including Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson and Willy Pep from 1926 to 1956, Castagna said. The arena re-opened in 1982 and popular wrestling fi gures such as The Iron Sheik, Big John Studd, Bob Backlund, Superfl y Jimmy Snuka, Iron Mike Sharp and Chief Jay Strongbow would come to Ridgewood to put on a show. “I know of the Ridgewood Grove Arena personally because my dad used to take me to boxing matches there, then wrestling matches,” Castagna reminisced. “It was a gritty place, refl ecting the nature of the neighborhood at the time. In 1985, boxing and wrestling stopped, then in 1997, a fi re brought the arena to an end, along with the memory of its history in Ridgewood.” Castagna is determined to bring back the memory of the Ridgewood Grove Arena with his brand-new brew and boxing tournament. The rules for the tournament are simple. Registration will start at 3 p.m. Fighters will be paired off at fi ve separate Rock’em Sock’em Robots game stations. Each round will be 1 minute and the winners of 2-out-of-3 rounds advance. This will proceed until only two contenders remain. At that time there will be a short break for competitors to drink some beer and prepare for the championship round, complete with announcer, raised ring and smoke machine creating an old school smokey arena, reminiscent of the bouts that would take place at the Ridgewood Grove Arena, Castagna explained. “The winner will receive the title of The Ridgewood Grove Rock’em Sock’em Robots Boxing Champion, and will have rights to an incredibly detailed and beautiful championship belt,” Castagna said. “The belt will remain in the taproom, but the winner will have access to their belt anytime they come to the taproom. The winner can sit at the bar with their belt slung over their shoulder. Or he/she can put the belt on, and walk around the taproom to the envy of all. But in six months, the belt will be on the line all over again, so it’s to the champ’s benefi t to not get soft.” During the event, the brewery will have two poster boards on display showcasing old photos of the Ridgewood Grove Arena, photos of some of the boxers and wrestlers that performed there and a narrative of the arena’s history. Ridgewood Grove Rock’em Sock’em Robots Boxing Tournament, Bridge and Tunnel Brewery – 1535 Decatur St., Ridgewood, Saturday, April 30 from 3 to 8 p.m. Photo courtesy of Bridge and Tunnel Brewery Bridge and Tunnel Brewery is hosting the fi rst Rock’em Sock’em Robots Boxing Championship tournament this weekend in Ridgewood. Grab a boozy root beer oat at this new Ridgewood bar BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GiudiceReport Ridgewood’s newest bar is bringing a little rock ‘n’ roll to the neighborhood. Sweet Jane’s, located at 64-02 68th Ave., offi cially opened on April 13 and held a rocking grand opening party the following night. The walls of the bar are lined with old vinyl records and photos of rock ‘n’ roll stars, and there is a vintage jukebox fi lled with music from country music legends and classic rock bands. “We loved the feel of the place, and the proximity to the Fresh Pond M train stop,” said Nikki Koch, co-owner of Sweet Jane’s. “We wanted to open a bar that was homey with a southern country feeling, with nods to the music RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photos by Anthony Giudice Sweet Jane’s in Ridgewood celebrated its grand opening last week. that inspires us: Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Sun Records artists, as well as the classic rock that followed and drew infl uence from them — Lou Reed, David Bowie and T Rex.” Sweet Jane’s is owned and operated by Koch and Julia Kingrea, the same people who run the fun and diverse bar/event space/yoga studio/coffee shop, The Cobra Club in Bushwick, as well as Keith Satnik who is the managing partner of Sweet Jane’s. This caused some concern within Community Board 5 (CB 5), who were worried that they would bring that same atmosphere into a residential area of Ridgewood. “Of course Ridgewood has a very different vibe from Bushwick, which attracts a very different crowd, and the location of Sweet Jane’s would never be suitable to become a venue like The Cobra Club, so that was never part of the plan,” Koch said. “There was also some concern about noise, hours and the number of proposed outdoor seats — all of which concerns were simply and quickly cleared up once we met with CB 5 and explained our vision for Sweet Jane’s.” Sweet Jane’s offers 10 beers on tap, including draft rosé, seasonal and local beers, and an assortment of canned and bottled beers and ciders. Their signature drinks include frozen margaritas, whiskey milkshakes, Guinness fl oats, alcoholic root beer fl oats, and a refreshing boozy sweet tea. Happy Hour is available every day from 4 to 9 p.m., with $4 drafts and well drinks, $3 High Life pints and an all-day beer & shot special. “We have patio seating out front that is great for peoplewatching and enjoying a quiet drink in the neighborhood,” Koch said. “Our friendly staff and cozy decor will make everyone feel welcome.” The bar also serves up some tasty snacks including corn dogs (meat or veggie), meat pies from Brooklyn’s Dub pies, chips and onion dip, fresh pretzels from Sigmund’s, hot pockets, Frito pie and Zapps chips.
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