New Jersey & Jersey Girls
 

So, as a few of you are already aware, I plan to head over to America next summer (Combining the trip with a visit to the Giants Stadium providing that the Bon Jovi Homecoming show is announced). Obviously, I wanted to visit all the 'Jovi Areas' of interest and explore the place. Kathleen and Brooke (As long as she isnt too busy with the baby) have already agreed to be my tour guides for the time I am over there.

I was wondering, those of you who live there, have lived there and who have been on holiday in Jersey, can you please tell me best places to go to. I dont really mind where I go to be honest, but I'd like to see as much as I can. Where is the best place to see the NY skyline? Where sells the best lager?

In addition, what are the Jersey Girls REALLY like? Are they really as cool as they sound? Are they all beautiful, or is it just a select few? Are they totally crazy? Do they drive too fast? I wanna know! I have to prepare myself ;) :D

OK - I'll take this one on Kev :)

First of all I'm looking forward to next summer. Warm summer nights at Giants stadium are the best. There really is magic in the night.

Second - here is a list - posted originally by Sambo-Chris a few years ago. I think it came from the Asbury Park Press a few years ago (2001 I think). It may be a lttle out of date but it still covers the basics.

1. Jon's childhood home in Sayreville, 16 Robin Hood Drive

2. Broadway Central Cafe South Amboy, 1114 S. Broadway:
The band used to hang out there very often, especially Tico. There are BJ artifacts in several places surround the bar including a platinum album for SWW and a life-size autographed poster in the women's room.

3. Hunka Bunka Ballroom (Starland Ballroom now), Sayreville, Jernee Mill Road:
Alec worked there once and Jon used to play there.

4. Fast Lane, Asbury Park, 207 Fourth Ave, and...

5. Stone Pony Asbury Park, 913 Ocean Ave:
Jon played there with his earlier bands.

6. The Roadside Diner, Route 33/34 West in Wall Township:
The cover for Crossroad was shot here. 10 min from Asbury Park

7. Seaside Heights boardwalk:
Favorite hangout of the band, videos like In and out of Love were filmed there, and photos for the NJ album are made here.

8. Surf and Turf Ale House, 415 Rute 18 S, East Brunswick:
Richie played there with his earlier band.

9. The Count Basie Theater in Red Bank on Monmouth St.where the legendary Christmas concerts were.

10. Seaside Heights - where the In and out of Love video was shot!

The best place to see the New York skyine is from the Jersey side - New Yorkers actually move to Jersey so they can see their city all lit up at night when they go home.

And third, last but not least - Jersey girls are a breed unto themselves. We are not all beautiful but we are all very much our own person. Perhaps we are a bit more independent than women from other parts of the world - and this puts some (insecure) men off. We do , however usually know what we like and are not shy about expressing our opinions. Attitude is everything :D And everyone drives too fast in Jersey - it's the state passtime - and a matter of pride :D

The Jersey Girl mystique is hard to put into words. One would never say earthy - that's way too California. Gritty gets closer when you understand that a true Jersey Girl sleeps just fine with sand in the bed, but the definition still falls shorter than a pair of faded cutoffs. Jersey Girls go to the beach or "down the shore". We're not formal. "Casual attire" means shoes and bras are optional. We have perfected the lost art of tanning, and know how to drive a traffic circle with attitude. We know good corn and tomatoes when we taste them, and we're never afraid to dance. Big hair actually never went out of fashion here :)

A few isolated facts:

In 1642, the first brewery in America opened in Hoboken, NJ. New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah in 1940. (This should please you Kev. And Les Paul is 90 and still rockin'. We're a hardy bunch here which may account for why I'm still on this board at my age. 57 ain't even close to 90 LOL.)

New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the Diner Capital of The World. (They are all good and they are open 24 hous a day - seven days a week. You never goes hungry here - even at 4 in the morning after a bad night LOL. And all the waitresses will call you "Hun" - as in "Wanna nother cuppa coffee Hun?" short for Honey)

The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, which is also the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.

Enough travelogue,
Kathleen

Rather impressive... NJ is one of the few places I would like to visit in the US.

Many thanks to ya Kathleen for posting that list. You pretty musch listed everything and everywhere I wanna visit (BJ-wise). I really have no idea where any of it is though, so I will definately need a guide :D

Food places open 24/7? Thats excellent, when we all roll in at 5am, they will be very handy. I aint leaving Jersey in any sober state :D

My 'thing' about Jersey Girls, just goes on n on. I think its the accent that does it for me )

I wanna know more! So anymore information from anyone, would be very welcome :D

visit Newark, NJ. you'll love it there.

Why is this?

He's being sarcastic Kev. Newark is known for having crime and race problems. The thing is, there are still some very nice areas in Newark and it's improving. It would improve faster without corrupt politicians though. My daughter (16) worked in Newark all last summer - rode the train in etc - and she never had a problem. I sometimes do some engineering for parts of the Port Authority at Gateway Center and I've never had a problem either. Parts of it are terminally seedy but it's not the crime capital of the world.
McNabb has a dim view of New Jersey.


Kathleen

I thought the airport was named Newark... OOOPS! :D

No - you are right - it is Newark Airport. The airport is on the outskirts of the city (as are most airports) and really doesn't have much to do with the rest of the city.
Newark used to be a very beautiful, wealthy community that had a population of blacks as service people. The same situation existed in Asbury Park. After the race riots in the sixties and seventies, all the wealthy whites left the area (not ALL but most) and only the poor blacks were left. Both places have been slowly deteriorating. Recently, however, with property values skyrocketing - even that property is starting to be bought up and fixed up. It's about time in my opinion.

Kathleen

It feels like NJ are huge state when you describe it, isn't it rather small?? :D

I want to go there! it seems like a nice place!