We've heard before that celebrity starlet Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend, New Jersey Nets power forward Kris Humphries have spent time together in Hoboken, including a late night dinner date at Maxwell's in December.

According to the gossip website Hollywood Life, the two visited the Bin 14 Trattoria Wine Bar uptown Washington Street on Monday night.

In the future, if any astute readers catch the couple somewhere in Hoboken, please contact About Town immediately. We really want to meet Kris.

Cake Boss to take over the kitchen too

The “Cake Boss” empire is expanding.

Buddy Valastro will soon launch his third television show in addition to Cake Boss and the contest show Next Great Baker, which both air on TLC. Premiering on Jan. 24, the network will feature Valastro cooking traditional Italian meals in “Kitchen Boss.”

The first episode will air that Monday at 10:30 p.m., and after that will run Monday through Friday in the 5:30 p.m. time slot.

According to the Daily News, Valastro wants average viewers to relate to the cooking style and meals prepared on “Kitchen Boss.”

The newspaper quotes him as saying, "All the cooking shows are great, but I don't want to go in like a chef. People don't have that culinary training. I want them to feel like a cook."

Valastro will still maintain his starring role on “Cake Boss,” which will begin its fourth season on Jan. 31.

Be sure to read the recent New York Times profile of Valastro that Patch linked to on Monday.

And, Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop has its own brand new fan page on Facebook.

About Town is a quick look at the not-quite-news but still-neat happenings that occur in Hoboken all the time. Seen something wacky, wild, cute, cuddly, funny or fun? Got an incidental observation or a minor celebration? Shoot it to alanskontra@hotmail.com. We want pictures too.

Let's hope he's not late to this one either

Today the Metropolitan Family Health Network will dedicate the “Senator Robert Menendez Pediatric Screening Center” at its location on Garfield Avenue in Jersey City.

In addition to the Garfield Avenue center the Network has two other locations, including another in Jersey City and one in West New York. Together the facilities have provided health care for area residents for over twenty years. In conjunction with federal funding the Network is also able to provide affordable services to the uninsured.

Menendez will attend the inauguration ceremony at 11am along with Joan Dublin, CEO of the Metropolitan Family Health Network and Scott Carey, the group's COO.

To attend the ceremony Menendez will have returned from Washington, where the 112th Congress began its session on Wednesday.

During a ceremony where members read the Constitution out loud - something the body has never done before - Menendez attended a press conference regarding the proposed Constitutional "equal rights" amendment, of which he is a chief sponsor in the Senate. The amendment, which would codify treatment and protections for women equal to that of men, has languished without ratification since first being proposed during the 1920's.

The New York Times and the Huffington Post reported on a humorous moment involving Menendez being late to the press conference he was to hold jointly with the House amendment sponsor Carolyn Maloney of New York. As the Huffington Post's Elise Foley blogged:

“A funny moment waiting outside for Sen. Bob Menendez today at a press conference for the Equal Rights Amendment. Menendez was running late, it was cold, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney was clearly irked: ‘I started once without a senator, and I paid for it. There’s too many monuments around here, and a lot of senators think they’re one of them.’ Then she backtracked: ‘But not our senator!’”

More of hoboken in washington

Today Show co-host and Hoboken resident Natalie Morales attended the reception thrown Wednesday night by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute to welcome Hispanic American members of the 112th Congress.

There are six new Hispanic members to Congress this year, added to the twenty-five who are returning from previous sessions, including Senator Menendez and 13th District Congressman Albio Sires, who represents Hoboken.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Hoboken resident and artist Julio Dones, who was presented with the inaugural “Heroes of the Fourth Ward” award Thursday night.

The award was presented by Fourth Ward City Councilman Tim Occhipinti and State Assemblyman Ruben Ramos, who previously held the ward seat. They plan on giving one award each month to a resident who makes a positive contribution to the community.

Congratulations also to Anthony Romano, who was named Chair Pro Tempore of the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

So what are we missing? Openings, closings, winners, losers or just plain strange, drop us a note, alanskontra@hotmail.com. And check back often.