Isn't it time we had a Jersey City thread?

My girlfriend is also joined at the hip, but she's a WFMU geek; I imagine she'll get along just fine. We're thinkin' about doin' Hitchhikers tomorrow night; I'm headed to the Met to see the Max Ernst exhibition during the day. So Metropolitan.
Dude, I can take that spare tire off. Could use a training partner...
In any case, I'll holla atcha. Hit me up on the email, eh?

I am seriously considering moving here. I work in Newark and currently live in NYC. I hate how fucking expensive it is (especially the fucking food. Ever buy bread here? God damn), and I've head Hoboken isn't much better price wise so so so so what say you? Is it worth it? Is it fun? Good places to live?

I've been here since September. I'll do the best to give you the lowedown. It's still cheaper than Hoboken, and the closeness to NYC is VERY convenient -- in that sense it's not much different than living in Brooklyn, and the PATH is cheaper than the Subway.

I live downtown, which is the most expensive part (and closest to NYC), but I have sort of a lucky deal. Apartments in this part of town are still cheaper than Hoboken to rent, but not always cheap. You can find a deal sometimes if you walk the streets and look for something being rented by some old owner who doesn't care or isn't up on the times. Friends of ours have a one bedroom for 900 in this area, and I've seen occasional two-bedrooms for under $1400, but usually that or more.

We live by the Grove St. and Pavonia PATH stops. The next one further in is Journal Square. I don't know that area as well, but I think there are some nice places and it's a little cheaper than downtown. There's a nice little Indian district near there.

I can't say Jersey City is as alive as Williamsburg or Park Slope. There are a few bars I go to but nothing I love. Uncle Joe's is the only place that really has bands. There does seem to be a Jersey City "scene" that I'm not really part of -- people who have been here a lot longer than I have. Even since I've been here, I've seen the downtown start to get more gentrified. There are a few very good restaurants both on the cheap ethnic end and the nice end.

I think it's still up in the air whether JC develops into some kind of thriving, fun, artsy place or just a yuppie bedroom community, but there are still a lot of people here trying to make the former happen. Worst comes to worst, you can always go to NYC, which we do pretty much every weekend.

I'd offer half of my two bedroom for seven hundred flat, utilities included for somebody who's planning on spending most of their time in the city.
I live where Hurting lives; the apartments incredible, enquire within.
yeah yeah i know ILM != craigslist, but I'd prefer an ilxor...

ALERT! Uncle Joe's is Closed for Good!! (Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!)

It is indeed. I was there for the last night and drank some free whiskey. Fight For Your Right To Party never sounded so poignant before (or for that matter, poignant at all.)

I didn't hear about it until this morning (and I didn't see the other thread first, hence my redundant post above - sorry about that) so I missed the big goodbye. I hope they are willing and able to re-open somewhere else - any news on that front?

oh, wait, AND I missed free whiskey - jeesus, this really hurts!

The bartender told me they're "looking for another location." I've heard that one before, hence the quotes. They did say they'd at least look into the old Rascal's location, but my guess is that it's too expensive. I'm also not sure whether or not they can transfer their liquor license to another place. Jersey City = shitty town for bars.

forksclove are you just subletting it for the summer or renting it out? if the former, i might be interested

There's a new burrito place called Buddy's on Jersey Ave. somewhere around Grand. I've long felt that Jersey City needs a good burrito place, but this one doesn't quite deliver.

I ordered a spicy blackened chicken burrito, which, first of all, was overpriced at $7.50. The ingredients themselves were very fresh and tasty, so I think the place has potential, but the burrito was too bland. The "blackened chicken" was actually just plain grilled chicken. The rice and black beans were very good, but mild, and the only thing making it spicy was some pieces of jalapeno. No sour cream, pico, cheese, or anything else really to add flavor. Order also took a shitload of time, but I think they were struggling to fill a huge group order for a school Cinco De Mayo program.

Dude, I'm a little bummed about Jersey City lately. I've been here seven or eight months now. Haven't really met folks, and there have been a couple of major developments for the worse -- 111 First St. getting shut down, Uncle Joe's closing. It feels like there's nowhere to hang out, the streets are dead.

I used to hate Williamsburg because it's so fucking trendy, but I was there last night and I was honestly just happy to see people my age flooding the streets. At least there is some life there.

A couple of food updates:

1) Rachel, the new place on Grove, is pretty good and has very pleasant atmosphere. Sort of Israeli/Mid-East food -- mainly sandwiches, salads, hummus type stuff, etc. Excellent mint lemonade.

2) We went to Comfort a couple days ago and it was downright nasty. I don't know what happened, but the quality had sharply dropped.

So who wants some sort of meet up next month or so? Now that I am soon to be UNEMPLOYED I will have weekends off!

I'd be up for it it -- a mini FAP or FAC(offee) or something like that.

a JERSEY CITY or a HOBOKEN fap?!?

By the way, breakfasts at Kitchen Cafe are very, very good. And sometimes if the chef is feeling generous at dinner they'll make fresh potato chips as the daily special. Like, thick-cut, fresh-out-of-the-fryer chips. Never tasted the like.

But please, please behave yourselves and tip well (I'm friends with most of the waitstaff).

Also, I would be delighted to come to a JC FAP where I could SMOKE AND DRINK SIMULTANEOUSLY. Imagine that. But where??

Oh yeah, Kitchen Cafe is good.

I'm curious to try the new wine bar on Grove. I hear it's good.

kitchen cafe is a GO if anyone wants to -- it's not that far from exchange place, right?!?

It's v close to Exchange, but they don't serve any alkyhol there, Tad, and there's no smoking. So, no. Unless you're talking about a brunch meet-up in which case count me out; I love JC but these days I don't take the PATH before 2pm.

Fuck, does anyone live near where this fire is happening?

http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_215171617.html

I'm all about trying new bidnisses, and we recently got two might good ones:

1) Legal Grounds (Grand St. btw. Marin and Warren) - This guy roasts his own coffee beans on the premises. Best coffee in town, hands down.

2) Janam Tea (Manilla, one block from First St.) - This girl imports and blends her own teas. Plus they have a sweet super-deluxe scrabble board. Anyone up for scrabble?

How long is the PATH ride from Journal Sq to midtown?

15-17 minutes?

From JSQ all the way to 33rd might be like 20 mins.

22 mins exactly according to the PATH timetables.

Was down at the Post Office on Montgomery yesterday and afterwards stopped by The Merchant for a beer. Best tap pint I've had in ages. Seriously. It was super clean and fresh tasting. I've never savored a pint of beer for 45 minutes in my life! New favorite afternoon bar.

Did I miss th' fap?

The Merchant ain't bad. That wine bar (The Majestic) next door is pretty nice too.

Oh yeah, another food thing:

Edward's Steakhouse sucks. I asked for my Sirloin Steak medium rare and they burned it. Considering it was the most I ever paid for a steak ($30) I expected a little better.

Whoever's around tomorrow afternoon -- wanna meet up for Happy Hour?

Hmm, could do. I'm supposed to be at birthday drinks for someone, but that's flexible. Where do you suggest? I'm not sure where to gather, now that we're sans Uncl3 J03's. Lucky 7s?

Late afternoon?

Does Merchant have happy hour? I'd be up for this. If you're going, e-mail my main address: joshsaltzman2003@yahoo.com

Any time after 5:30 is probably good for me.

I have a dirty secret about Merchants.
I've avoided the place ever since.. well, it's not that dirty. But I might try it just this once.

Merchants has happy hour starting at 4 p.m. , I think.

Hmm. I might be home by then, might not.

Tells ya what. Why don't you e-mail me your cell # if you're going to go. I'll call when I'm on my way back.

So is deez drinks happening?

I dunno, now it's supposed to rain all afternoon and it looks like blazes outside. Sorry to be lame, but I don't think I'm crossing the state line in a thunderstorm.

I'm passing, also, unless the weather lets up.

What we really need is a bar where I can drink fancy Belgian beer but in a laid back environment. The Majestic and Marco & Pepe are too swanky.

Revive for Oetgen. I'm not sure if I've been to Tanya's or not - is that the one at Grove and Grand St.?

Every time this thread pops up I wonder why I haven't met Hurting yet. Dude, you live down the block!

I wonder too! Wanna go see Dungen at Maxwell's on September 14th? Wanna grab a beer some time this week?

BTW, I just saw that Bright Eyes is going to play the Loew's Theater in Journal Square. I'm not a particular fan, but this is great for JC. I really want that Loews to become a full-fledged concert venue. Apparently Bright Eyes did this once before and it was a big success.

Hi Hurting:

I don't live in JC, I work in JC.

Where exactly is Comfort? It sounds good.

Have you ever tried Tanya's on Grove Street? Supposed to be good.

Now over at the Square we have Casa Dante on Newark Ave. First class Italian restaurant. If you've never tried it, by all means make a reservation some evening.

We also have the VIP diner on Kennedy Blvd. For a cheap, but good red sauce Italian, try the Parmigiana House. This place is in the basement of a bar on Kennedy Blvd next to Boulevard Drinks and the police annex. It can be a little intimidating when you first come upon it, but the people are friendly enough.

Oetgen

I've eaten at Comfort a bunch of times. It's soul food - usually it's good but the last time I was there it was really bad and I'm a bit traumatized.

There's a younger black man and woman and and older black woman, who I think are the family that own it, that usually do the cooking. The one bad experience I had was when this young white guy with a crazy goatee and a young white woman were cooking, so you might want to avoid going if those two are there.

Anyway, prices are reasonable, service is slow, and if you don't get unlucky the food can be fantastic.

I don't think I've tried Tanya's, no.

Hurt, that theater is amazing, I saw a Pharmacists show there a few years ago and it was only about half-restored but nothing was roped off so when I got bored with Calvin Johnson (which took about 15 minutes), I wandered around the place and drooled. Have you been to the movies there? I never went but they've had film nights, apparently.