Are you kidding, anyway?! Lisa was the worst waitress I've ever experienced. Rude, never checked on us, never came back to the table ever, had to go and find her for a check, always hung outside or at the bar with people...in general, acted like you were bothering her by coming in to eat.

I actually met my husband there...well, we met online, but went to Hard Grove for our first "coffee safe place" meeting...so, besides being our favorite dive restaurant - it was nostalgic. Can't go back again, though - food rots, portions blow, and prices suck.

I loved their garlic shrimp and yellow rice!!!

I've seen some really cute vine-looking security bars on some homes. Would prefer more "artistic" bars but ultimately anything works. Anyone have an suggestions as to where to get the best product for the best price? Thx!

Kitten -
Your post is cracking me up. Holy water? So funny...but yeah, I'm sure having a kid helps to break down people's defenses.

we live near washington park - but we rented near to you before...that section of the heights is a bit more friendly. Pizza Masters girl always knew our order and the guys at the deli you speak of were so kind. (I don't know the names of any businesses!)

anyway...I'm inspired to make it my mission now to keep my own head up and be friendly to people. maybe then I'll be offered a cookie after I devour a slice.

My husband and I have lived in the heights for about four years as well. I lived downtown for four years before the move to the heights. We love it here - and could afford to buy more here than just a condo downtown. However, the huge thing lacking is that people are strange up in JC! In that - none of the neighbors speak to each other. We live on a really nice block -but, when people see you, they look down or away or hurry into their houses. I still remember when we moved in, I thought (being from the midwest) that all our neighbors would come over within the week with a "housewarming casserole" and a welcome. My husband (born/bred Brooklynite) laughed at my hopes...and he was right - we never saw a soul.

here I am first time owner - ready to establish roots...and everyone runs away. I think it is just our facebook/online society. I have 300 facebook friends, but very few real friends, know what I'm saying?

Then again, in my imaginary neighbors' defense - I see moving trucks around now and then but I never pay attention to who is moving in, who is renting, who just bought, etc. Maybe that is just city life.

Sorry for the novel - but - maybe the heights could be more fun if some of us got together now and then? I know we would LOVE to meet another couple in the area with similar interests. Or, I would love to meet a woman in the heights who wants to hang out and do "girl things" now and then?

CAMPING in MAINE is the best vaca EVER!

sorry, it just really excites me! Anyway, we do Hemlock Campground in Kennebunk and take bikes...you are a 20 minute bikeride from downtown Kennebunkport (restaurants/shops/whale watching tours/etc) and the beach! We like to get lobster to go from a place down the street and eat it at our campground around the fire.

Best lobster roll (and cheesesteak for that matter) in Maine is Bennett's Store (in Kennebunk)...just a short bike ride away from the overpriced small lobsta rolls in downtown Kennebunkport.

If you aren't that into bike riding...there are campgrounds in Ogunquit, Maine (my other favorite Maine town)...they have a trolley that picks you up and drives you all around town. Some campsites offer free shuttle service to the beach. Ogunquit beach was rated top 10 most beautiful beaches in some mag last year...I think. It is spectacular. There is also the Ogunquit Playhouse...amazing theatre with big Bway stars at affordable prices. Beautiful restaurants on the water and wow...I should be a travel agent. Hotels and b and b's are a plenty but pricey.

finally - just a final Maine plug. All of you men reading this...TAKE your wives to www.gazeboinnogt.com sometime this winter. The prices for the "barn suites" are halved in the winter. This place is extraordinary and was the most romantic thing my husband has ever surprised me with. Suites have walk in showers/steam rooms/big jacuzzis with dual-sided fireplaces/awesome breakfast/kitchens. Plus, Ogunquit in the winter is so pristine and quiet...yet a few cute bars/restaurants are open.

umm, hope this interests you! sorry for my raving!

wow...thx everyone for your help! that was quick!

to skeptical: we just bought, so def not moving anytime soon - love the neighborhood except for these neighbors - even they weren't too much of an issue (a little loud in the summer) until the dog came around.

CapnJohn: will def call that number! thank u for advice.

Vigilante: we are in the heights - near washington park/union city...and yes, we actually love the dog (from watching it anyway)- I would consider asking under different circumstances...but the language barrier coupled with the fact that I will be trying to get them to leave the block...well, I am too chicken-*&% you may say! and I really don't have the time to care for a dog as much as I may want to. but I could try to get it into a rescue program...I guess back to language barrier and my timid spirit?

Our neighbors acquired a large dog a few months back...they leave it outside at all hours of the day. It whines and cries and paces around...no dog house, no shade, nothing comfortable to lie on as the entire backyard is concrete.

When they first got the dog there was a freeeezing cold day shortly thereafter...the dog was making horrible sounds all day. We called JC animal control but that was around the time of all the Liberty Park stuff. No one answered. We called the cops and they actually sent someone over to deal with the issue.

So now we are nearing the hot humid days of summer and I am worried for the dog again.

But the bigger issue is that they don't clean up at all! The backyard is full of shite. and on the few hot spring days we've had - the smell of smoking urine is nasty. I can only imagine what it will smell like in August...I don't think anyone has walked this dog since it arrived.

Finally - you may wonder why we haven't just spoken to our neighbors...interesting issue. The house appears to be a transient-type place where different shifts of Mexicans sleep while they are not working. A van picks them up at all hours of the day and drops different people back off all evening. No one speaks English. We've tried. We don't know who owns the dog. We also don't know who owns the house.

okay - any ideas? please help!

I copied the following from one of my previous postings...hopefully this helps some of you. The ONLY possible recourse is to document everything (temp you keep house at, when you were away, etc) and start with the letter writing. And DO NOT pay your bill. That's the big whammy. Just pay the minimum and the parts you are not contesting. They will send you many threatening letters trying to scare you into paying (like, we are shutting off your stuff today, etc)...but state law is that as long as you have a case on file with the NJ Board of Public Utilities and Public Service Commission, they cannot shut off anything until it is resolved. Eventually (this will take months), the state people will call you and they will mediate with PSEG and the PSEG will try to negotiate with you on what you are willing to pay. I got everything credited that I asked for. Honestly, this sounds like a lot of work, but it is not...write one letter to state and one to PSEG telling them you are writing to state...then sit back and wait...here is my story below:

PSE&G is the most corrupt monopoly out there.

We lived in a one bedroom apartment for the past two years...we paid only electric and cooking gas...landlord paid all heat - hot water, etc. Our electric bills were normal for 1.5 years. Then, in the last six months of us living there...we started getting gas bills for 150 and 200 dollars per month. For cooking gas. Our gas bills used to be under 20.

We've fought and fought and have sent letters and blah blah and they keep threatening to shut off our service. But since the situation is under investigation with the Public Utilities Company PSE&G CANNOT actually shut off anything until a solution is presented.

We cannot get it touch with anyone at PSE&G who has half a brain.

They are a terrible company and this just proves what they try to do...overcharge people...people who have no recourse.

___________________________________________
update!

after one year of fighting with PSEG - sending letters to the state and calling them incessantly...we got a credit of $400 for the wrongful charges! I would say "woo hoo" but really..."boo hoo"...b/c this wasted MUCH precious time. anyway, it's good that it finally got resolved.

BUT -

another apartment we are renting out to someone received a gas/electric bill of $1,600 for the month of August! Since they were set up on automatic bill-pay - this amount was automatically taken out of their account and even caused them to bounce some checks. wonderful.

after calling PSEG - they said it was most likely a mistake. no $%&# Sherlock. anyhoo - they credited the account. But didn't send the money back. After 4 phone calls - they money will supposedly be sent back within two weeks. (3 months later and the money is not seen still).

_______________________________________
two months, four phone calls later, check is finally received.

you must be a renter, ianmac. I pray that one day you move up into the world of owning.

this is a perfect example of liberal, far-left Jersey City bringing the government in to everything. why should landlords have to pay for a tenants mishap of bringing in bedbugs? As a landlord, myself, I always make sure the unit is clean and exterminated before a new tenant arrives. At the MOST - I would consider splitting the cost - but only b/c I want a part of it getting taken care of so that it doesn't spread to other units.

at the rate JC gov is going, landlords will be expected to have a hot meal on the table when tenants get home.

checkout www.nyjourney.com and then click on the jersey city link...they meet in the movie theatre in the newport center mall on Sunday mornings. Great service with a live band/singers every week.

Mills -
Did you ever ask anyone for a seat? I know that would probably be awkward, but I can only imagine how that feels to stand on a hot train with a bowling-ball belly. When I am pregnant, I am most definitely going to tap someone on the shoulder and ask nicely for their seat.

also, usually I read on the path or bus and never look up AT ALL...so I would not be offended if someone asked me to get up.

however, you definitely shouldn't have to ask people...I'm sure there are plenty of people who see you and just ignore.

I usually take the 123 union city bus, the 99s, or the 2.50 van (whichever comes first)...they take anywhere from 15 min to 25 to get to Manhattan in rush hour (b/c of bus/carpool lane)...so it's pretty golden.

I went to hobo path b/c I wanted to get off @ 23rd st...next time I will walk from PA b/c that was a hellacious experience. I was praying to Jesus to help me get through that tunnel without passing out. And I ate my wheaties and everything that morning.

I normally take the bus to nyc from the heights...but today I did the bus to Hobo path. I will NEVER do that again. It was about 8:30AM - there were so many men towering over me - I suddenly felt empathy for shorter people. The cologne was unbelievable. And not in a good way. The train was so hot I couldn't get a breath. And to make matters worse, the train kept stopping every few feet. A couple of times the engine seemed to shut off and the little bit of air that HAD been pumping out, stopped completely. I felt a panic attack coming on in a major way...I made it, but not at all easily.

I'm really kicking myself right now.

I was driving home from Hoboken at about 11:30 and as I stopped at the light at Paterson Plank and Congress I noticed about seven teens hanging out at light rail elevator. One was climbing the wall there (next to cliff) and trying to get on top of the building or something. I had a fleeting thought that maybe they were trying to disable the video cam or something. I should have called the cops but didn't b/c I figured it is just our JC teens being JC teens and the cops wouldn't do much about it.

but then that robbery happened there 1.5 hours later with a group of teens! oh, I mad at myself.

I am also irritated that we don't have police sitting in this area EVERY night. Can we petition for this? Where/how? Anybody know? It is ridiculous that we don't have a permanent patrol in that area - all sorts of probs late at night. I NEVER see cops driving around there. One cop car parked there every night would put an end to all of this crap.

one of my former roommates fell off the ladder while going up to the roof (in JC) a few years back...she fell FIVE stories to the ground...lost one eye and did extensive damage to her body (shattered hip/knee) - it's amazing she lived. anyway, I would NEVER recommend climbing a fire escape. go to the park.

Have you tried the Journey -meets in Newport Mall Sundays...check out www.nyjourney.com and look for the jersey city location - it is a video feed from their Manhattan service which can be more "exciting" there b/c it's live...but the music in JC is live and the people are "alive"!

I would sum it up as contemporary/non-denomination Christian church.

good luck to you.

I live in the general area you are thinking of buying in. We rented for two years in the heights and have just bought recently. We love it very much...having said that...we got a security system and I don't walk around by myself after dark...I take a cab home from Hoboken. That may sound bad - but I do think the area is changing for the better and rapidly - however, it is not yet time for a young lady like me to be walking around at night. Take that for what you will. It is definitely a longer-term investment.

But we love our neighbors, the neighborhood and yada yada - but are muggings here and there near light rail and all. so, as long as you recognize this...that change has certainly not been completed around here...be alert and aware...then it's great...you are 10 min walk from Hoboken for a third of the price.

I've lived in the heights for three years now - and lived right near Pershing Field for two of those years - never had any sort of inkling that things like this were happening...especially at 7PM on a weeknight! I often worked out on that track and right in the area where the victim was attacked - and while not after dark - I would be there later than 7PM in the summer.

I know that no area is perfect - especially in such a huge city as JC but do other heights residents feel that this is becoming a norm? and as the previous poster says - is a "dump"...I love the heights and would never classify it as that...but maybe I need to open my eyes?

I personally love the dollar buses. And I love the two dollar buses home from port authority. City buses around here rot. And, like the previous poster said - the dollar bus drivers are sooo nice - they have started to become like family to me.

I can see how they bother drivers...but - whenever I've been behind the wheel - I've never had a problem. They let me pass and all is good.

I never ask the price. I give them 9 or 10 bucks every time (10 if they got me home quick...9 if we had to search for drunk people's homes)...I don't know why we "ask" what the price is...I guess once the price is established by the first few cabbies (for me 8 bucks)...then I don't ask anymore. And if someone tries to scam you by bringing the price up to 14 or whatever - I would just explain to them that you know what the price is, it's not 14, hand them the correct amount and leave.

Quote:Quote:


sorry, don't mean to lose the community spirit of transit...but when I'm coming home from work or wherever -I really just want to get home...I don't think many people want to be bothered with sharing a cab with three other people. but maybe I'm wrong. maybe many people rejoice in the fact that they can spiritize with others as they ride on home.

I don't WISH for an increase on the hobs or for anyone...nor do I wish for increased wait times. just sayin that it may be a consequence we will pay in order to get the cabs regulated.

All I know, is the current system doesn't work for ME...so I found an alternative.

They do need to regulate cabs in Hob and JC, though. if that increases wait time and raises prices on the hobs peeps, then go for it.

Thanks, Astrazombie - that's a really good tip - do the cabbies actually do it for you most times, though? They probably wouldn't listen to me, cuz I "seem" sweet and innocent. they'd just say "yeah" and then do whatever they want...

exactly - it is not cheaper in Hoboken...same price...it became a usual occurence that I would be crammed into the backseat of a cab with two drunk Hobokenites pretending they were 21 and in a frat. (their drunk friend would be in the front seat)...one time this guy almost threw up in my lap (but thank God he made it outside). They usually try to fight with the cabbie - and one guy even tried to fight verbally with me, because I wouldn't respond to his slurred advances.

plus, and here's the worst part of sharing a cab.

the usual 10 min cab ride to my place in the heights would be 25 min because we had to find all the other peoples' homes (in Hoboken) first...they found it hard to figure out where they lived after so many drinks.

so, no, the ride share thing is not cool. Good thing I work earlier hours now and it's safe for me to take the lightrail home.

but whatever - I'm sure the clients are drastically different in daylight. if you've gotta do the rideshare - pass up all cabs until you get one with an open front seat.

oh, another word to the heightsters - so you don't have to keep saying "heights?" and the cabbies reply "no"...walk past all the cabs with people...get into the first cab with no people (front seat) and say nothing until you are seated with door closed. (they hate going to the heights - so this helps)

I am not an expert on this - but I don't think the vet can notice worms unless they do a test...I only knew my cat had worms because there were sesame-seed-like white things on her bed...I didn't know what they were but found out they are actually segments of the worm which break off and fall out of their anus. I have heard of people seeing the actually live worm sticking part of itself out of the anus. I told the vet about the sesame seed things and they just said, "yep, it's worms" and gave me medicine. they asked if I wanted to test her to be more sure - but I said no.

the butt gland thing, the vet actually questioned...he said - it's more likely that she just doesn't clean herself properly b/c of her weight(she was a little dirty back there)...he said he doesn't see many cats with that problem, but more dogs. and then he said he would check to be sure. he squeezed her anal sacs and one of them squirted out tons of stuff. nasty. so, surprised, he said that was indeed what it was. she got some medicine and now she hasn't dragged it in over two days.

I hope my disgusting post has clarified things in your life!

ha ha! on your roommates rug! that's the best.

eggz - in my extensive web research on the dragging subject, I've come up with only three possibilites: worms, clogged anal sac, or overweight cat who can't clean properly down there and therefore drags to get the xtra poo off.

if it is the worms - u need to get to a vet.

if it the clogged anal sac - u need to get to a vet, cuz it could cause much bigger probs if left undealt with.

if it's weight - get them on a healthy diet...vet suggested letting the cat eat twice a day for 15 minutes each time - then pulling the food away (b/c ours is overweight)

hope this helps.

so - here's the update on our girl. went back to West Side - had doctor Buchholz...amazing! we absolutely loved him and he answered alllllll of our kitty questions and didn't push us to do vaccines. she didn't have ear mites (just wax that I thought was ear mites)...but I did diagnose her clogged anal sac correctly - which was why she was dragging her butt all the time around the house. so he fixed that (gross!) and now she's on the road to recovery! yeah! I told my husband we couldn't get new rugs until she stopped dragging and so, now we can.

thx for all your help, jc cat luvers.

umm, ha ha - I forgot to add this to my original post - not only was I next to be towed - but I found out I was next to be towed in this way:

someone was honking wildly at me as I got in to my car - I turrned to look out my window and saw a toothless black dude (nothing wrong with black, just stating facts) sitting in a tow truck (which already had a car jacked to it)...he had his whole upper body hanging out the window and he was SCREAMING at me "you wuz next baby girl, you was next...you lucky baby girl, you wuz next"...he was laughing hysterically.

so, my determination is that, yes, indeed, the people who work for this company are tools. idiots. and they enjoy their work of causing pain. let me go deeper - their lives are such crap, that they get off on making other people unhappy. but that's enough freud for the day on the towing guys.

anyhoo - that's DULCE for the advice on $1 parking for JC residents...that's great news! thank u.

yup - I parked there once to run into the mall for 20 min - I know, I'm stupid...when I came out they were getting ready to tow my car next - 20 min! be careful! it's one thing JC is actually on top of - although, of course, it's not the city - it's an independent contractor hoping to make money.

wow - ok, I've learned more on JClist today than I have in all my years of school. that's nasty about what is really in those back claws! I can't wait to get her to the vet now! gross. I would've liked it better if it was just her poo.

and no, she's not a kitten - we found her as a stray a year ago (vet guessed she was 3 at the time). she is deaf, front-declawed, and fixed - and someone pitched her out! what is wrong with people?! anyway, I would assume all teething is over. but was wondering - in regards to the vaccine article posted - does she need a vaccine against feline leukemia disease? being indoors? She tested negative when we found her.