On Monday night my cousin who has been staying with us since she came back from living in Europe for 2 years went to a premiere in NYC.
She came back on the Path and decided to wait for the bus rather than take a cab home. (not what I would've done however) It was 3am and very cold. She saw a police squad car go by almost immediately and apparently the officer went around the block and returned. He asked her what she was doing, address, etc. Officer Joe called in that he'd be dropping female at said address and asked her to get in.
He did just that. Obviously she was very grateful and so were we...

Indomitus wrote:

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Yup. They do.

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Lucky's is the best, and it's at the end of my block, so I sure am Lucky.

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a treasure.

My additions:
- Suez Canal Egyptian seafood restaurant on Tonnele Avenue, followed by dessert and tea at Bengal Sweets around the corner on Newark Ave.
- Liberty State Park. Imagine if the golf course or water park people had won?!
- Europa deli on Jersey Ave. 10 different kinds of kiebasa, kishka, home-made stuffed cabbage.
- Nah Trang Vietnamese on Newark Ave. Saigon Cafe has its charm and certain menu items are great there, but Nah Trang is cheaper and often better. Plus the "ambience" just can't be beat.
- The creative juices that make the festivals go.
- The artists.
- Damn, I can't help it -- Art House.
- Lots more. I've been in this city almost twelve years now, longer than I've lived anywhere else except my home town. There's a lot that could be a lot better, but the good outweighs the bad. Which makes me want to make it better all the time.

I mean who dont love a city where there are 2 different pizzarias right next door to each other!! monmouth btwn 3rd-4th. either you stand in between the doors and say eennie meenie....or you go to one for a few years and decide to go to the other for a few. both serve greazy double sized slices for like 3 bucks, thats 1/2 a pie!!- great for sunday mornin comin down.....what else...JC has a freakin dedicated subway line to NYC!!!- quicker than livin in queens or brooklyn....also, you can own and park a car here (watch out for street cleaning which is more about tickets than actual cleaning- aint now way of scrubbin these streets- just push it around!!)....marco and pepe- great beers, decent food great place to bring out of towners, always hoppin, just dont walk in with more than 4 people....what ever happened to the lounge they had upstairs??....i think JC has the best drivers in the world, very well behaved and yeilding to pedestrians...we are in dire need of an f-in place for bands to play and people to listen, raw, like uncle joes usedta do....great to have a movie theater in the mall...best place to see cut em up bang stab em movies or horror movies- just watch out for the family havin dinner with the baby in the back rows, nothin you can do bout that, but sip on your cocktail...Lib State park- what a freakin place for a bike ride or a soccer game..or fishin (although if you are brave enough to eat anything you catch otta there you must take vitamins)...ramble ramble ramble...oh yeah where the hell di you take that pic of the hamburgular.. good thing he has a helmet on...although it might get stuck on his head after crammin that cow down....

totally forgot to post it, but looking thru some of the other posts it seems that there's at least one thing we can all agree on - liberty state park. havent been there since the fall, but ill probably head up there at least a couple of times a week once it gets a little warmer.

FAB, I support you posting your family photos, but dude!

We all have to admit that the quality of our contract workers arriving on our shores, is improving our image and our local girls could learn a thing or too on beauty and seduction !

With all the crappy local news and the crappy weather and the crappy amount of people riding the PATH with no common sense or manners, I figured it's time to bump this thread.

Current JC rotation:

Eats:
* La Conguita - good, cheap Latin food
* Honshu - they have better sushi than Komegashi and nicer staff (however, their sake selection is weak; byo sake!)
* Bertucci's - yes, it's an Italian chain restaurant, but way better than olive garden and good thin crust pizza
* Shadman - fast, cheap Pakastani halal
* Wong's Gourmet Chinese - Best take-out Chinese in downtown

Places:
* Sky Tobacco - not too many places to smoke a cigar indoors during the winter. Good selection as well.
* Trader Joe's (in Edgewater) - still hoping for a JC TJs! No Whole Foods!!
* Liberty State Park - we are really spoiled with a great park nearby!
* BJs - love buying in bulk!!

food:

honshu - amazing sushi you can have delivered! plus, i can walk there if i'm not feeling too lazy.

amelia's - 2nd to whoever recommended the pulled pork sandwich

presto's - it's a little hole in the wall, but the food is outstanding

places:

liberty state park - one of my favorite places of all time. just beautiful.

the peninsula - wonderful place to walk the dogs on a summer evening - maybe they'll even go for a dip!

van vorst park - lush vegitation, movies in the summer, and a flea market....need i say anything else?

stores:

canis minor - very customer friendly and supports animal rescue

tia's - ok, so i haven't actually been inside, but their window display is always fantastic!

To eat:

Chicken Delight on Montgomery St. near Begen Ave/McGinley Square - they deliver

Great Wall Chinese at Old Colony Square - no delivery but you can call ahead for pick up.

Prince of Pizza on Bergen Ave at McGinley Square (not sure if they deliver)

Monteleone's Bakery on Newark Ave near Kennedy Blvd.

Nice little fruit and vegie store corner of Fairmount and Bergen.

Places to go:

Liberty State Park

West Side of Lincoln Park - to see the river and the birds, especially the egrets.

Brownstone Diner Pancakes!!

Places:

Exchange Place - on a clear night in the summer. I couldn't ask for a more relaxing place to hang out and drink coffee.

Liberty State Park - All the time. This park is awesome to walk your dog, ride a bike, rollerblade, or jog through. In the morning the view of the sun rising over the river is captivating.

Lincoln Park West - To watch some of our local schools play baseball and softball in the Spring. I used to play softball in high school and College. Sometimes I go see my old high school team play. There's a lot of talent in this city.

Pershing Field Ice Rink - I grew up skating at Pershing Field. I skated daily up until I was about 14. I still go from time to time and for what they charge for admission, it's highly worth it.

Food:

Gino's Pizza/Stadium Pizza - Two of my favorite stops to have a slice or two, dining in.

Blimpie - I like the one on Central Ave. the best, but the one on Newark Ave. delivers to my apartment. I'm not a fan of the one on Grand or on Bergen.

Our Hero - Another McGinley Square staple. Usually full of St. Doms and Hudson Catholic kids, but their sandwiches are still as good as they were back in high school.

White Castle - Good for the late night craves, if you want to wait 45 minutes in the drive thru on a busy night.

Ashiya on 440 - Half Priced Sushi. It's a great stop for me when I'm at NJCU and need to grab a quick lunch or dinner.

Stores:

Canis Minor - A staple for pet owners. They carry premium foods, cute dog clothing, a good selection of training supplies, and all of those things you don't "need" until you see them.

A&P on 18th St - A little pricey, but they have an olive bar! Their store is very clean and well organized, unlike Shop Rite at Metro Plaza.

Kennedy Stores - On Central Ave, this "junk" store has every little thing you can imagine. I usually get my thermals there in the winter time and cheap odds and ends I may need around the house.

Pecoraro's bakery for the best Italian bread this side of the pond.

Liberty State Park

There's nothing like an early morning run or bike through the park. You're looking right at the biggest city in the US, yet you have the entire big, beautiful park to yourself. For those of you who haven't done this, its a must.

some others:

the 2nd St Bakery....the italian sausage bread and delicious sandwiches for $5 that are off the hook.

the keyhole for *cheap* drinks.

the emphasis on outdoor music...Groove on Grove.

More...Asian fusion place on Grove...delicious.

some things i second:

marco and pepe...one of my favs.

madame claude....best hangar steak in town!

another man's treasure....warren and meika(?) are great!

the white star's empanadas are authentic as can be.

All of the above.

And the fact that a complete stranger and his little son just came over to my apartment building to deliver a package to me that accidentally got delivered to them, down the street. And even apologized for not getting it to me sooner!

-Proximity to NYC
-Great neighbors
-Affordable housing (in our area)
-Star Bar
-Another Man's Treasure
-Balance Hair Salon
-Grace Bakery and Restaurant
-The neighborhood bodega
-Less sin taxes than NYC
-Seasonal Farmer's Markets
-Diversity and corresponding cultures, especially restaurants and groceries
-The stunning view from Liberty State Park

We've only been here since August and have so much more to discover. Looking forward to warmer weather (and less renovation/restoration) to more appreciate our city.

1. Wednesday's at the White Star. Enough said.

2. PJ Ryans (sorry...O'Hara's Downtown)

3. JCTKD

4. Brownstone Diner, especially their french toast

5. Ox, especially for brunch

1. The fact that trash is picked up even on holidays

2. Having neighbors I've known for decades (as well as
newer ones). Being able to walk down the street &
run into people I know.

3. Saigon Cafe ... great food & friendly people

4. The "ahhh" feeling when I get off the PATH train & back to
Jersey City from Manhattan. It's home sweet home!

1. Nah Tran on Newark Ave - Awesome, cheap Vietnamese food. And the owner, well lets say, he is energetic in a great way!

2. The Brownstone Diner for an abundant Breakfast.

3. Presto for the greatest Italian comfort food at a reasonable price.

4. The variety of small markets; the one on Grove, a few on Newark Ave, Subia's on Jersey Ave. All have decent organic and fresh food options.

5. The abundance of shoe repair places, which I have never used, but its nice to know that they are there in case I pop a tread or something.

6. The light rail, which I also never use, but looks really cool when you show out of town guests.

7. The Library, which not only has a beautiful building, but in the areas not taken up by its incredibly bloated city political machine patronage staff, is also filled with a solid selection of books.

8. The bizarre array of characters that frequent my block and make it an "experience" every time I come home!

9. The eclectic assortment of sleepy watering holes like Skinner's, LITM, Barrow St., the Lampost.

10. And finally, the reason why Jersey City is the most livable area this side of the Hudson; The Parks!

Liberty State Park, Van Vorst, Hamilton and my personal favorite, the stepchild of the Jersey City parks that is often overlooked and incredibly underrated, Lincoln Park.

This is not say we don't need more Parks! (I'm looking at you 6th st embankment!)

11. And just to round out my list with a bonus favorite: How about the ever vigilant Jersey City Parking Authority who do an incredible job of penalizing errant, as well as innocent, Parkers, thereby keeping the JC streets clean and functioning at peak efficiency! And lets not forget their judicial tag-team partner, the Jersey City Municipal Court! Thanks Guys!

Ashiya - japanese food in route 440, in front of hudson mall. sushi is cheap in price but quality is excellent. you can also bring your own liquor and drink it inside.

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That's not as uncommon as you may think.

If I had to pick a favorite it would be Liberty State Park.

I have only been here since August, but my BF has been here for about 4 years. We really like Triumph, Amelias, and Hard Grove. For breakfast I like The Beechwood, but haven't been there in awhile because the service tends to be real bad. I enjoy living in Jersey City. I am a member at Brickhaus and I love it there! I heart JC!

I agree that Lighthorse is good, but the service is spotty and turns off a lot of people. One of the best beer selections in the area and the bar is great although some of the bartenders need to learn how to pour a beer.

York St. - wouldn't go there again if you paid me - enough said.

Triumph - better alternative to York St and quieter/less crowded than Lighthorse.

Taqueria - best tacos around, hands down. Great food at a great price.

Komegashi - best sushi in JC, always fresh.

Amelia's - decent food, great pulled pork sandwiches.

Restaurant (i use that term loosely)

if you find yourself near Congress and New York ave in the heights, stop at the taco stand in front of Lee's Liquors. He now has a full shed and will be there all winter. Honestly, the BEST tacos i've ever had. I don't get the love w/ Taqueria, but that may be b/c i hate corn tortillas and they seem to use a lot of that, but anyway, great friendly guy and AMAZING huge ass tacos for $3 a pop. One fills you up.

Marco & Pepe is still my favorite restaurant (they've even learned to turn down the loud music!), with Madame Claude as a close second. My only complaint about Madame Claude (and I've told this to the owners who chuckled) is their tiny thick rimmed wine glasses. Since the place is BYO, I bring good wine. I've threatened to bring my own glasses next time.

1 Restaurants / Bars: Rita and Joe's (broadway and 1/9) - Excellent food and nice atmosphere. The back room is also available for parties, etc.

Charritos (heights on Central near Charles) - Much better and somewhat cheaper than the one in Hoboken. More seating area, authentic Mexican decor, and very good fod. BYOB which is a nice touch. People on here swear by Taqueria but honestly, I'd much rather go to Charritos. To each his own

2 Services: The Jitneys - people give them a bad name, but they run really frequently and get you from point A to point B with few issues

2a Services NOT to take - any yellow cab. A five minute ride once put me back like $12... never again.

I've been in Jersey City now for over 4 years. I realize many of the people on this board have been here much longer. Reading these forums since I've moved here, I've noticed many people complaining about the city and a prevailing negative attitude on this board. While Jersey City is far from perfect, I love living here and I love the area. After today and seeing a near tragedy on the Hudson turn out to become a miracle and ending positively (and being awake all night from the helicopters hovering above the Airbus below my window - and already e-mailing out of work), I decided I should make a thread about some of the great places and experiences I've had here. Please share your own. (Sarcastic comments are welcome, as well as constructive criticism, but please leave the JC / JC establishment bashing at the doorstep).

1) Restaurants / Bars

A) Light Horse

This place is great for a date or business. The wine list is excellent, and the food is always top notch. It?s my favorite place to grab lunch when I have the opportunity. I've never brought someone there who hasn't enjoyed the food, drinks or decor. I do wish the menu would change more often, but my guests and I have never had anything that wasn't delicious. Drinking some Australian Rose Shiraz outside in the summertime on a weekend is what it?s all about.

B) York Street Tavern

This is certainly a go to spot in Paulus Hook if you're looking for someplace for a few drinks casually on a down night. It?s a great neighborhood bar. It is almost always the busiest bar on a weeknight, although Saturdays it is pretty empty (but so are most places I've seen in Jersey City - and who wants to go out in JC on a Saturday anyway). It has improved exponentially since Jeff left, and the new owners are doing well. It makes me very happy that Jeff predicted their failure to me, but instead they?ve done a great job. If you haven't been there in the past 6 months definitely stop by ? it is a much different place. You?ll see many of the same faces, but the overall vibe has changed for the better ? and you won?t hear the same song twice in one night thank God.

C) Barrow Street Bar

I had been there only once my first few years here, and something about it rubbed me the wrong way. Recently I?ve been going there a lot and I?ve grown to love it. It?s an awesome place to play some pool, darts, or Deer Hunter. (Who doesn?t love Deer Hunter?) The owner is actually a very nice guy if you get to know him. I think most of the bashing he and his establishment have gotten on here is unfounded. I haven?t eaten their food, but every night I?ve gone drinking there recently I have had a great time. If I?m feeling competitive or social, that?s where I go. I guess it might be because I always win ;).

D) LITM

I know people complain about prices of many of the places in JC, and I?ve heard it tons of times about this place. If you were in the city you would be paying a decent amount more for the same thing and exactly the same quality. It feels like New York and it?s a billion times easier to make it there than crossing the river. I do agree it is a bit overpriced, but in a few years when this whole area is completely ?gentrified?, I?m sure we will all miss the good old days. They do attract the most mixed crowd of any place I?ve seen in JC so it makes it interesting. My friends are always impressed by the drink selection ? no one expects it out this way.

E) OX

I?ve only gone here once and it was recent, but the food was very good. I was severely disappointed by the wine selection, but I was expecting a big list for some reason. I didn?t realize it wasn?t that kind of place. My girlfriend liked her cocktail, and since that?s what they're all about I will give them a pass on the wine. Their polenta in the Ox Tail was better than what I had at Light Horse, and the rest of the dish was enjoyable. I do think the d?cor was too sparse, although it worked. If you think I?m knocking this place ? I?m not. We had a great time. There are only a handful of restaurants in NJ that can match it.

2) Services

A) Budget Taxi

This has been my taxi company since I?ve moved here. I have used them at least 200 times, and they?ve only been late or taken too long 4-5 times, which is more than acceptable in my opinion. They have never been late getting me to the airport, and you can?t ask for much more for $25 dollars. I call them when I land and they are always there right when I get my bags and walk to the curb. Highly recommended.

I have many many more establishments, businesses, and experiences I want to talk about. I will soon. The fact of the matter is that Jersey City is absolutely one of the best places to live. I know many of you will disagree, but I?ve been around? in my opinion it offers the best mix of what life has to offer ? at least for me. It doesn?t offer everything for sure - but if it?s not available here, it?s extremely easy to get to even if it requires hoping on a plane.

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Please let me know about your experiences. I know it?s hard for most of the people here, but let?s TRY to keep it positive. I hope some of you will jump on this opportunity and share some of the great things you?ve experienced here.