it's friday, my friends!  i still haven't met a super bowl football player , but last night we did meet " Captain Morgan " at Park and Sixth , got our photos with him, and scored 8 free drinks all because he was promoting the new "white rum".  honestly i don't care what kind of rum it is, as long as it's free, right? haha

with the new layout and header, i decided to brand this space with the "tagline":

beyond the stoop  ...and the semi-city life




living in jersey city VERY MUCH gives us that "city life" feeling.

here are 10 reasons why:

1. we live in a "walk-up"/ brownstone /townhouse/rowhouse/whatever-you-call-it-in-your-city.
2. mr p takes the train to work and works on park ave amongst some of the top businesses in the nation.
3. we frequently meet friends for happy hour at the staple neighborhood spots, all "just around the corner".
4. we have our favorite bodega , our favorite brunch spot , our favorite wine store , and favorite place to pick up a good vintage find .
5. we do our laundry at the laundromat (hey, getting 5 loads done in 2 hours has its perks)
6. we sometimes sneak to the rooftop for a quiet get-away with cheese and wine and debate whether what we see in the sky is a star or an airplane.
7. it's normal to see bikers with baby seats, skateboarders, strollers, and scooters (for kids AND adults )
8. we never have to worry about "who's going to drive home" after a night of drinking, because there's always a way home on a train, on a bus, or in a taxi.
9. we spend the summertime attending street fairs and dining on the sidewalks.
10. most of the stores in the neighborhood are locally-owned and operated.

but really... it's just a "semi-city" life, and there are some perks to living just outside of "THE city".

here are 10 reasons why:

1. i work in suburbia new jersey, so i have a car and drive to work (ok i admit, being able to have a car is 75% of the reason why it's the "semi"-city life, and it's awesome)
2. i still park on the street, but i can actually find parking.
3. we're seconds from most of the major highways in the area, so getting around and getting out to that beautiful green part of new jersey is fast and easy (despite what the media claims, it really is called "the garden state" for a good reason)
4. though most of the stores are small businesses, we still have a few big box staples like BJ's, target, McD's, and starbucks.
5. we have a huge park just a few minutes away (via walking, biking, or driving) called Liberty State Park that lets you feel like you've truly escaped the urban life.
6. "going to the beach " in the summer is as simple as packing a bag and driving a half hour.
7. rent and real estate is cheap (or, at least cheap-ER than manhattan)
8. gas stations are easily found.
9. "going to the grocery store" is a pleasant experience that happens often, almost everyday (you'll know what i mean if you ask a manhattan-ite about shopping for groceries )
10. did i mention i have a car and can find parking?

jersey city is truly the best of both worlds!! if you're truly not convinced yet, read this article from itsjerseycity.com to see all the fabulous buzz about jersey city in 2013.  it was pretty impressive.... (p.s. that's where we got our super cool shirts in the photo too)

cheers.
jenn

p.s. don't for get to follow me on the T the P the IG and the FB ;)