Donna and I just finished a 6 day visit with her family back in New Jersey. Great times with family and friends over the Christmas holiday. Here are some observations from this Midwest Boy -
1 - There's nothing quite like the hum and vibe of NYC, especially during the holidays. The noise, smells, and sights seem particularly heightened during this time of year. To the taxi drivers - keep honking those horns. To the food-cart-workers - keep cooking those smelly chestnuts. To the tourists around the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Plaza - keep crowding everyone in. There's no other city quite like it.
2 - Loved, loved, loved seeing "Jersey Boys" on Broadway. Such good music, such a good story, such a good production. Thanks Tony for making it happen.
3 - Is there such a thing as a straight road in New Jersey? My usually good sense of direction takes a beating each time we visit. You could set me on a street corner 3 blocks away from my brother-and-sister-in-law's house and I swear it would take me 8 days to find my way home. Even the GPS gets confused.
4 - Hey NY/NJ - there really are sports teams other than the Giants, Yankees, Jets, and Mets. Really. Go ahead and look it up.
5 - Just because I'm originally from SOUTH Dakota does not mean I should have a SOUTHERN accent. Yikes!
6 - Is there any course in a meal better than the anti-pasto course? It is hands down my all-time favorite. How fun is it to eat meats and cheeses I have no idea on how to pronounce their names? Best ever.
7 - If the eating habits I adopted during our stay is any indication, I would absolutely weigh 387 pounds if I lived there year-round. It doesn't hurt that all the cooking is excellent as well. Thanks Gail and Tony! Thanks Trish and Joey!
8 - I love how Newark people poke fun at the accents of Philly people.
Thanks to all the Paulie's, Tony's, Sal's, Joey's, diners, Taylor Ham and egg sandwiches on a hard roll, Rowan University sweatshirts, nephews and nieces, in-laws, train stations, Jersey Shores, toll roads, and Parkways that I get to experience each time I visit. You all are a treat!
And finally, thanks to the Wood and Refinski families for opening their homes to us during our stay. My Jersey girl, Donna, absolutely sparkles when she's back in her 'hood. Best Christmas present ever.
