My bandmates came from Paterson and we’d always stay there when we’d play NYC in the 90s.
One time, I made small talk with an old man at my friend’s mom’s empanada shop, and waved hi to him on the street later. My friend asked me what the hell I was doing. I guess at the time that guy was the local mob dude??!??? I didn’t know. Seemed like a nice old man to me.
Anyway, we used to do a little hike to an abandoned place they called the Castle. Is that still there? It was a sketchy place kids liked to explore.