Yay, Jersey City!

[MÇA]

Jersey City regains title as most diverse city in U.S.: study
By Ron Zeitlinger | The Jersey Journal
on February 22, 2017 at 1:05 PM, updated February 22, 2017 at 3:16 PM

Jersey City is No. 1 again.

The city has been named the most diverse in the nation in a WalletHub.com study released this morning. Jersey City was No. 1 in 2015 and slipped to No. 2 in 2016, although it was still considered the most diverse mid-size city last year.

"Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a city and something for which we are exceptionally proud," Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said. "Jersey City has always been a welcoming home for new groups seeking a better life, bringing a diversity of cultures, religions, and languages here, which is truly the embodiment of the promise of America."

The study ranked 500 cities by using three key metrics -- ethno-racial diversity, linguistic diversity and birthplace diversity. The three categories are weighted -- with ethnoracial diversity making up 50 percent of the score. Read more

[AmbushBug]

Is that a love letter or a checklist?

Sounds like it was written by a marketing strategist . . . a lazy one.

"We ate at [nearby restaurant], played at [local park], bought [stuff] at [store]."

Who is this fooling?

[MÇA]

Love Letters: Jersey City, NJ
Posted: 02/25/2015 9:19 am EST
Updated: 02/25/2015 9:59 am EST

David Massoni is the proprietor of Three Kings of Kings County, which includes TALDE Brooklyn, TALDE Jersey City, Thistle Hill Tavern, Pork Slope, Carrino Provisions and the soon-to-be-opened TALDE Miami Beach. David moved to NYC in 1997 and spent 3 years under the tutelage of Chef/Owner Henry Meer at The Cub Room Restaurant and City Hall Restaurant. He then left NYC to travel around northern Italy studying wine along the way.

Dear Jersey City,

I should begin with the fact that right now I'm just a part-timer here, but I'm already in love with you, Jersey City. I was wooed by my new business partners to cross the East and Hudson Rivers to open not one, but two restaurants, a gourmet market and an event space in the former Telephone Communications Building of New Jersey and New York at 8 Erie Street. So a leap of faith doesn't even begin to cut it when you sign on to a 13,000 square foot project that at the time was a raw space filled with debris and rubble without a roof. I am, however, a dreamer and what I saw was a rare opportunity to be part of a fantastic transformation, and to fill a much needed void in a community begging for more.

So my Brooklyn business partners and I started coming to visit you every week, sometimes twice a week to get to know our new part time home. Stepping out of the Grove Street station, we were welcomed with insider knowledge. Our New Jersey business partners knew all the right places to take us, like Marco & Pepe for tapas, Satis Bistro for small bites and Razza for wood-fired pizzas. e played Galaga and drank IPA's at Barcade. We discovered a great falafel spot. We stumbled upon a killer little Cuban sandwich joint. We indulged at a perfect hole-in-the-wall Chinese dumpling house. We enjoyed a very special dinner at the delicious Thirty Acres. We sipped Stumptown coffee at Word Bookstore. After enjoying ice cream from Torico Ice Cream, we worried what would become of our waistlines. Yes, there is a trend here... we eat, and drink, a lot! Hey, it's research and development! At least that's what we tell our wives.

Which brings me to this: how did I convince my wife, Rachel, that you were going be the key to a new future for our family? I started spending Sundays dragging her, our 6-year-old, Luca, and 3-year-old, Olive, on drives and outings in and around my new part-time city. Showing you off wasn't difficult. We went to the Liberty Science Center and had brunch at Lighthorse Tavern. We had pizza lunches at Roman Nose, and shopped at Kanibal Home, E. Tittlemouse and Co., and the Sneaker Room. My kids played in Hamilton Park, watching the dogs run and enjoying the sunshine in the summer. After seeing all those dogs, we took another big step. We strengthened our bond with you when we adopted a dog from the amazing people at See Spot Rescued. His name is Jim, and we love him to pieces. We now have frequent trips Hound About Town to spoil him rotten. As predicted, my family fell for you too. I knew it wouldn't be too hard, you charmed us all easily.

With that, 2014 ended with what had started as interest and a crush blossoming into full blown love! I'm so proud to have my new businesses in such a cool and vibrant city. I'm thrilled to be a part of the passion that Mayor Fulop is nurturing. Driving around the city to see the murals courtesy of the mural arts program that infuses unique grit and charm to you. Speaking of driving, there is something so great about being able to get my car washed at the City Car Wash for $10 by a real person!

As the newcomers, you have made us feel at home, Jersey City. Each and every day, we are excited to open our doors and meet our neighbors. I find reasons to sneak away whenever I can to discover something new, and as you keep growing there seems to be a new little gem popping up every day. There's an amazing line of businesses just on our stretch of Erie Street. We meet different and supportive neighbors every day, each with a unique Jersey City story. Everything about you, Jersey City, is personal. There is a face, a life to each facet of the town. You feel like home, Jersey City. We wanted to fit in, and while we're from Brooklyn, we feel like Jersey has embraced us.

[MÇA]

MCA brought this to my attention: Jersey City is the second most diverse city in the nation.

Huzzah!

Movin' on up! JC is #1 on WalletHub's Cities with the Most Ethno-Racial and Linguistic Diversity.

[MÇA]

Jersey City one of best cities in America to be single: report
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa / The Jersey Journal
on June 10, 2014 at 10:19 AM, updated June 10, 2014 at 11:32 AM


Jersey City is one of the best places to be single, one report says.

Rent.com's new list of the best cities in the country to be single puts Jersey City at No. 9, in part because of its many art and entertainment events. On their report on the Huffington Post, they highlight JC Fridays, a quarterly citywide festival of free arts events, as one reason JC is great for singles.

In their study, Rent.com also analyzed the percentage of unattached men and women aged 20 or over and factored in the availability of nightlife, the safety of the city and the propensity for people to actually go out and do things like dance, bar hop, and attend concerts.

Do you think Jersey City is a great place to be single? What are you favorite places to meet people or go on dates?

Jersey City among worst cities in America for singles, study says
By Janelle Griffith | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 22, 2014 at 10:42 AM, updated December 22, 2014 at 11:03 AM


If you find yourself standing solo under the mistletoe this holiday season, you might not be to blame, especially if you live in Jersey City.

A new study has found New Jersey's second largest city is among the worst for singles in the United States.

WalletHub.com, a personal finance website, ranked the 150 most populated cities in the U.S. for those seeking "the right partner."

The website considered such metrics as the percentage of singles, restaurant meal costs and the number of attractions per capita in each location.

"The city one calls home dictates such important factors as the number of prospective partners, diversity of dating activities and costs of going out," the report states.

According to WalletHub.com, Jersey City and New York rank Nos. 144 and 145 respectively. (If you're willing to move, Boise, Idaho, Madison, Wisconsin, and Denver, Colorado are the top three cities for singles).

Read more

[MÇA]

Jersey City is nation's 2nd best up-and-coming fitness city: report
By Patrick Villanova | The Jersey Journal
on September 10, 2014 at 5:46 PM

Gyms, yoga, martial arts and more — Jersey City's fitness scene is on the rise, according to a new report.

New Jersey's second largest city was ranked the No. 2 up-and-coming fitness city in the nation by Women’s Health Magazine as part of their “20 Best Up-and Coming Cities for Every Social Scene” report.

The list featured four categories and listed the top five cities in each group. According to the magazine's website, Women's Health partnered with Yelp on a six-month project that also produced lists of the five best up-and-coming cities for nightlife, foodies, and arts and culture.

Jersey City ranked second in the fitness category following Scottsdale, Ariz. The other three cities in the group were No. 3 Ann Arbor, Mich., No.4 Portland, Ore. and Charlotte, N.C., which checked in at No. 5.

“We are thrilled that Women’s Health has identified Jersey City as a city on the rise with regard to fitness as we certainly know our residents place health and wellness as priority,” Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement.

“That is why we have added several new recreational programs for our youth and adults, are working to enhance bike and pedestrian assets throughout the city, are investing nearly $6 million into renovating parks and have expanded nutritional programming through our Health Department," Fulop added.

Jersey City scored highly for the number of gyms and fitness programs offered, with Women's Health citing "31 gyms, 14 Pilates studios, 14 martial-arts studios, four boxing gyms, and 10 dance studios — all within 21 square miles."

Jersey City was also recently featured as the site for Dr. Oz’s Heart Health Clinic as this year’s season opener. Additionally, Jersey City has become a member of the New Jersey Mayors’ Wellness Campaign and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative.

For more information about wellness programming offered by the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services, call 201-547-6800.

For more information on recreational programming for adults and children, call the Jersey City Recreation Department at 201-547-5003.

[moelissa]

More like #5. 

[Binky]

What do you mean "We"?

[Bobblehead]

We're number 1!

Jersey City tops list of N.J. cities with most alcoholics
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa / The Jersey Journal
on July 02, 2014 at 9:45 AM, updated July 02, 2014 at 10:12 AM

Jersey City has the most alcoholics in New Jersey, a new report says.

Jersey City had 676 cases of alcoholism treatment reported in 2013, making it the city with the most reported alcoholics in the state, Patch.com reports. Though Patch lists Newark as being right behind at No. 2, the two large cities have the same number of reported alcoholics.

The report was based off statistics provided by the Division of Addiction Services in the New Jersey Department of Human Services for the state's 565 towns. These stats only account, however, for recorded substance abuse treatment admissions.

Bayonne also made their list of the 20 most alcoholism-plagued cities, coming in at No. 10 with 190 reported cases. Despite Hoboken's local reputation as the go-to place in Hudson to get a drink, the Mile Square City did not make the list with only 63 reported cases. See all the stats for Hudson County here.

The list is dominated by urban, populated areas. For example, Trenton, Paterson and Elizabeth round out the top five.

Patch.com notes that "Independence Day also has become the deadliest holiday weekend for alcohol-related traffic crashes--even ahead of New Year's Day."

On the same day that the JJ posts its sangria recipe for the Fourth!

Actually, I crunched the numbers, and per capita, Bayonne slays us. Figures.

[MÇA]

We're number 1!

Jersey City tops list of N.J. cities with most alcoholics
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa / The Jersey Journal
on July 02, 2014 at 9:45 AM, updated July 02, 2014 at 10:12 AM

Jersey City has the most alcoholics in New Jersey, a new report says.

Jersey City had 676 cases of alcoholism treatment reported in 2013, making it the city with the most reported alcoholics in the state, Patch.com reports. Though Patch lists Newark as being right behind at No. 2, the two large cities have the same number of reported alcoholics.

The report was based off statistics provided by the Division of Addiction Services in the New Jersey Department of Human Services for the state's 565 towns. These stats only account, however, for recorded substance abuse treatment admissions.

Bayonne also made their list of the 20 most alcoholism-plagued cities, coming in at No. 10 with 190 reported cases. Despite Hoboken's local reputation as the go-to place in Hudson to get a drink, the Mile Square City did not make the list with only 63 reported cases. See all the stats for Hudson County here.

The list is dominated by urban, populated areas. For example, Trenton, Paterson and Elizabeth round out the top five.

Patch.com notes that "Independence Day also has become the deadliest holiday weekend for alcohol-related traffic crashes--even ahead of New Year's Day."

[MÇA]

Jersey City one of best cities in America to be single: report
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa / The Jersey Journal
on June 10, 2014 at 10:19 AM, updated June 10, 2014 at 11:32 AM


Jersey City is one of the best places to be single, one report says.

Rent.com's new list of the best cities in the country to be single puts Jersey City at No. 9, in part because of its many art and entertainment events. On their report on the Huffington Post, they highlight JC Fridays, a quarterly citywide festival of free arts events, as one reason JC is great for singles.

In their study, Rent.com also analyzed the percentage of unattached men and women aged 20 or over and factored in the availability of nightlife, the safety of the city and the propensity for people to actually go out and do things like dance, bar hop, and attend concerts.

Do you think Jersey City is a great place to be single? What are you favorite places to meet people or go on dates?

[jcgov]

Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced today that Jersey City has been ranked the 8th Most LGBT-Friendly City in America by the financial website Nerdwallet.
 
“We are excited to have such a diverse community in Jersey City that is recognized nationally,” said Mayor Fulop.  “As we prepare to celebrate LGBT Pride Month, it is a great honor to see Jersey City ranked alongside such large cities as San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago.”
 
Mayor Fulop was an early supporter of gay marriage and Jersey City made history when eight couples were among the first to be married during a midnight ceremony at City Hall in October when New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize same-sex marriage.
 
Other cities that ranked in the top ten include Austin, Atlanta and Minneapolis.  Nerdwallet is a financial information website that according to its online profile “offers data-driven tools and impartial information to help consumers make solid decisions about the money.”

For the report and how the rankings were done, visit http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/most-lgbt-friendly-cities

[MÇA]

This Jersey City Reporter article pretty much matches up with what I have heard growing up.

Earl Williams, a security guard who has lived in Jersey City for 25 years, said that he heard "Chilltown" going back to when he was in elementary school in the early 1980s.

"Man, Chilltown, I used to hear that when I growing up," said Williams. "It started right up here on the Hill."

"The Hill" Williams was referring to is a section of the city where the land rises, which one notices when traveling from downtown Jersey City into the Bergen-Lafayette section.

Williams called over a friend who was hanging around the supermarket, who goes by the name of Trues.

"That name Chilltown, they call Jersey City that because you come to JC and you could chill out." said Trues. "When I grew up here, there was a different mentality."

[...]

Dwayne "Baritone" Francis broke it down. He thought back to 1980, hen he was a freshman at Hudson Catholic High School.

"I first heard it around that time, when rap was becoming popular in Jersey City," said Francis, who is now the president/founder of the recently opened Whatz So Funny? Comedy Club, located on Martin Luther King Drive.

"Back then, MCs and DJs from Manhattan or Newark would come through Jersey City and they would be welcomed at block parties without any problems." Francis mentioned old-school rappers such as Doug E. Fresh, Biz Markie, and Grandmaster Flash coming through Jersey City in the early 1980s.

"That's why Jersey City was known as Chilltown, a place where people can chill without any problems. It was like a fraternity, with a group of your peers all trying to make the music and the culture better. Like a ghetto Mayberry."

[Sue2dRescue]

Anyone know the history of our city being referred to as "Chilltown?"

[MÇA]

Study: Jersey City one of top cities to own a dog
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa / The Jersey Journal
on May 15, 2014 at 8:59 AM

Jersey City is one of the best cities in the country to own a dog, according to a recent study by a finance web site.

Jersey City came in at No. 3 after NerdWallet analyzed 95 of the largest cities in the U.S. for several factors including social opportunities (mostly determined by number of off-leash dog parks per 100,000 residents), affordability (including veterinarian costs) and walkability.

While Jersey City doesn't have many dog parks, the city earned high scores for its walkability. According to the study, "Chilltown" is the most walkable city for dog owners in America.

NerdWallet noted that Jersey City also has pet boutiques like Jersey City Unleashed, which they describe as a "pet resort and spa where dogs can attend day camp, receive special spa and grooming services and more."

Other fun places to take your pet include Club Barks and k9dergarten, both located Downtown.

Jersey City is also home to pet adoption centers like the Liberty Humane Society in Liberty State Park.

Jersey City was only topped by Portland, Ore., and Norfolk, Va.

[MÇA]

25 Reasons Jersey City Is The Best Place To Live. It's on BuzzFeed, so it must be true.

[DarkMoment]

I "...pay for... (my) overpriced apartment..." by being here 32 years and living in a rent-stabilized apt. beyatches! 

Very true. I know my fair share of folks who are highly educated but I question how they hold down a job to pay for their over priced apartments in Jersey City. 

[DarkMoment]

I like Skinner's for food, music and adults. Barcade for the cheap craft brewskies and friends.

Skinner's, then Barcade. Discuss.

[raspberrie]

cool! Nice production values too.

[Soshin]

wut?

[fasteddie]

Iconic Jersey City burger joint featured in rap music video
By The Jersey Journal
on March 24, 2014 at 1:43 PM, updated March 24, 2014 at 1:58 PM

For decades, the White Mana in Jersey City has been known for serving up tasty sliders to hungry patrons.
The iconic burger joint on Tonnele Avenue recently added another claim to fame when it was featured in rapper Le1f's new music video for his song, "Boom" -- the first single off his new LP, "Hey."

In the video, the MC is shown rapping, dancing and of course, serving up burgers from behind the White Mana's counter. Later on, the rapper appears getting into a Jeep outside the classic diner, which served patrons during the 1939 World's Fair.

Le1f, an openly gay New York-based rapper, recently appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and performed his track, "Wut."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKwLsWwlqYk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Bobblehead]

Mighty, Muslim and Leaping Off the Page
Marvel Comics Introducing a Muslim Girl Superhero

By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES
Published: November 5, 2013

With most superheroes, when you take away the colorful costume, mask and cape, what you find underneath is a white man. But not always. In February, as part of a continuing effort to diversify its offerings, Marvel Comics will begin a series whose lead character, Kamala Khan, is a teenage Muslim girl living in Jersey City.

read the rest of the story

I just read the first installment of this. The story so far is fairly basic teen angst tale, but from a slightly different angle. Along the way, it manages to make snarky references to Greenville as well as the local "meatheads." Looking forward to the next issue.

Oh, and I think there is a signing event at Word bookstore next Monday at 7:00 PM.

[CeeDub]

Skinner's, then Barcade. Discuss.

[MÇA]

Jersey City is the new foodie destination
By Chadner Navarro
New York Post
November 30, 2013 | 8:16pm

When news broke in October that “Top Chef” alum Dale Talde plans to open a second location of his popular Brooklyn eatery Talde in Jersey City next year, everyone was quick to anoint the other side of the Holland Tunnel as the next great food destination.

But Jersey City’s culinary scene has been on the rise ever since former Momofuku chef Kevin Pemoulie and his wife, Alex, opened Thirty Acres, an inventive American restaurant, to much acclaim in April 2012.

A number of talented chefs and restaurateurs, from NYC and beyond, have since followed suit, lured by cheap rents and  residents who welcome innovation and experimentation.

“We all have unique spins on what we have to offer,” says Jessie Isaacs, a former pastry chef at Nobu who opened her own sweets emporium, Cocoa Bakery, in Jersey City last month.

Talde isn’t slated to debut until next fall, but there are plenty of other delicious reasons to hop on the PATH train before then. Here are six:

Cocoa Bakery
275 Grand St.; 201-830-3430

While owner Jessie Isaacs says her traditional cupcakes “are definitely worth trying,” to really get an idea of what she’s doing, opt for some of her more unique combinations — like a chocolate cupcake topped with chocolate stout beer buttercream ($2.75) or a chocolate-ganache-filled banana cupcake with chocolate cream-cheese frosting ($2.75). Or eschew cupcakes all together and try a delightful mini pumpkin or chocolate whoopie pie ($13 for 1/2 pound).

Sam A.M.
112 Morris St.; 201-432-2233

Dieters beware: It’s all about hearty meals at this cozy cafe that only serves breakfast and lunch. The chicken & waffles ($15) forgoes frying for chicken that’s roasted and accompanied by sage gravy and a house-made cranberry sauce. Worried about starting your day with such a heavy dish? “It’s always the right time to have chicken and waffles!” enthuses Kirk. Sweeter fare, like a toasted croissant ice-cream sandwich ($6), is no less indulgent.

Milk Sugar Love
Available at various locations

Don’t like fruitcake? Maybe you just haven’t had the right version of the oft-derided holiday treat. Emma Taylor, former Gramercy Tavern pastry cook and founder of this new organic ice cream and cakes outfit, says her fruitcake ($3 at Warehouse Cafe, 140 Bay St.) “tastes better as it ages” — especially if you treat it right.

“Keep it in an airtight container and spritz it now and then with your alcohol of choice,” she says. “The flavor will reach its peak in about two weeks.” Still not convinced? Try some of Taylor’s other tasty treats, like homemade ice creams (left) in funky flavors such as lemon olive oil ($6 at Roman Nose, 125 Newark Ave).

Park & Sixth Gastropub
247 Washington St.; 201-630-4184

Owner Brian Dowling’s month-old Park & Sixth Gastropub is all about comfort food made fancy. “I offer a different twist to familiar food at an affordable price,” says Dowling. To that end, he serves up a dry-aged Wagyu burger (right, $16) with a memorable mustard-onion jam, an oven-roasted pork chop topped with a fried egg ($21) and delightfully crispy tater tots ($7) that are more akin to goat cheese and cheddar croquettes and come with an addictive Sriracha ketchup for dipping. While Dowling insists that he’s “not reinventing the wheel,” he ought to give himself more credit. Whatever he’s doing, it’s delicious.

Razza
275 Grove St.; 201-356-9348

Chef Dan Richer’s Maplewood, NJ, restaurant, Arturo’s, landed him in the semifinals for a James Beard Award in 2011. At his year-old Jersey City outpost, Razza, it’s all about the bread. His favorite loaf is an unleavened rustic rye made with a mix of locally grown rye flour and locally milled wheat flour that’s served with homemade butter (left, $4). It’s a simple combo that makes for breaded bliss. “The way the two come together at the last second before you bite into it is what makes this dish special,” Richer gushes.

Thirty Acres
500 Jersey Ave.; 201-435-3100

“No signature dishes,” Kevin Pemoulie says of the menu at the restaurant he manages with his wife Alex (both right). “We want customers to return because they are excited to try new things.” The kitchen’s offerings rotate based on market availability, and fish entrees — like an arctic char with grapefruit-glazed turnips ($26) — are consistently great. So is the impossibly tender beef-tongue sandwich ($12), a brunch standby elevated by Latin accoutrements such as chipotle eggplant and avocado.

[MÇA]

Jersey City No. 1 in NJ for LGBT community, report says
By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
on November 19, 2013 at 12:51 PM, updated November 19, 2013 at 1:54 PM

The gay, lesbian and transgender community finds more support in Jersey City than any other New Jersey municipality, according to a new study by gay rights group Human Rights Campaign.

Jersey City beat out other gay-friendly cities like Asbury Park, Lambertville and Ocean Grove thanks to transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, openly gay city leaders and active engagement with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Jeffrey Campbell, who runs Hudson Pride Connections Center, located in Jersey City, said he's not surprised the city is viewed well by the HRC.

City leaders, including Mayor Steve Fulop, are "paying attention" to all minority communities, which creates "a very inclusive environment," Campbell said.

"In his quest to make Jersey City No. 1 in five years, I think he is very clear that that does include the large population of LGTB folks here in the city,” he said. "He's got to do the work and he's doing it."

Dubbed the Municipal Equality Index, the study awards points based on whether the municipality has non-discrimination laws, whether the city has gay-inclusive services and whether local police engage with the gay and transgender residents. Jersey City won 100 points, 41 points more than Asbury Park, which has a very active LGBT community.

Last year, Jersey City scored 83 points on the HRC's Municipal Equality Index.

"We have one of the largest LGBT communities in the state and I have long advocated for equality for our LGBT community, including marriage equality," said Fulop, who officiated at eight gay marriages in a midnight ceremony at City Hall on Oc. 21. "It was an honor last month to play a small part of history as we celebrated the first same-sex marriages in our state's history and we will continue to advocate for the equal treatment of all of our citizens."

Nationwide, 25 cities won 100 points this year, including Minneapolis; St. Louis, Mo.; and Columbus, Ohio.

Here in New Jersey, New Brunswick and Ocean Grove scored 77 points; Lambertville, 76; Paterson, 60; Asbury Park, 50; and Trenton, 57.

[MÇA]

The Atlantic Cities follows up with a full write-up on JC from their Where Millennials Can Make It Now series.

Jersey City: Cheaper, Yes, But Also a Real Sense of Community
NONA WILLIS ARONOWITZ

Twenty-nine-year-old Mark Bunbury is a poster child for upward mobility. He grew up in Jersey City in a low-income family, the son of Trinidadian and Guyanese immigrants. He attended a public high school, graduated from Penn State, then went on to law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He’s now an ambitious, gregarious labor attorney, with disposable income to burn.

Still, despite some expectations from family and peers, he never went across the river to New York. Instead, he carved out a niche in his hometown at the urging of a few friends who stayed.

“I kept hearing all this buzz about Jersey City, how it was changing, how people were investing a lot here,” he says. Even though Bunbury’s mom was “super weirded-out” by his return, he’s thriving here and has no plans to leave.

For Bunbury and many of the Millennials I met there, Jersey City functions as a lot more than just a “sixth borough.” It has the dual upsides of being smaller (its population is right around 250,000), cheaper, and more community-oriented than its gargantuan neighbor—yet closer to the tip of Manhattan than some places in Brooklyn and the upper Island. Real estate prices in downtown Jersey City, which has experienced rapid development over the past few years, can rival yuppie Brooklyn’s, but residential neighborhoods like Jersey City Heights are starting to entice young people with actual cheap rent, laid-back bars, and a cornucopia of inexpensive ethnic restaurants. One Jersey City twentysomething described the Heights as having the melting pot feel of Queens—except maybe closer to your downtown job.

Read the whole thing.

[fasteddie]

Mighty, Muslim and Leaping Off the Page
Marvel Comics Introducing a Muslim Girl Superhero

By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES
Published: November 5, 2013

With most superheroes, when you take away the colorful costume, mask and cape, what you find underneath is a white man. But not always. In February, as part of a continuing effort to diversify its offerings, Marvel Comics will begin a series whose lead character, Kamala Khan, is a teenage Muslim girl living in Jersey City.

read the rest of the story

[MÇA]

Jersey City is emerging as the hot new foodie destination in the NYC area
Chefs like Dale Talde are starting restaurants there, and it's also home to places such as Razza, Thirty Acres and Barcade
By Gina Pace / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, November 6, 2013, 2:00 AM



From left, David Massoni, John Bush and Dale Talde talk about their new restaurant endeavor as they stand
in the raw space on Erie St. in Jersey City.

The hottest new foodie neighborhood has a posh wood-fired pizzeria, a buzzed-about hipster bar and a new eatery on the way from Park Slope’s most-hyped chef. No, it’s not Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ditmas Park, Greenwood Heights or Ridgewood. In fact, it’s not even in New York state.

Apparently all those years of “sixth borough” jokes have finally rubbed off on Jersey City, which is in the midst of a culinary renaissance.

Star chef Dale Talde, best known for cooking up a storm on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and his well-reviewed eponymous Park Slope eatery, has partnered with Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, the stars of HGTV’s “Kitchen Cousins,” to open a second location of his Asian-fusion restaurant Talde in Jersey City next year, as well as an Italian market next door called Carrino Provisions.

Talde admits he was hesitant to cross the Hudson — just as he was hesitant to cross the East River. It’s only been a few years since he left his stomping grounds of the lower East Side to open the original Talde, along with his other Park Slope joints Thistle Hill Tavern and Pork Slope.

“It was the exact same reason I was skeptical about going into Brooklyn,” Talde says. “I had just never been there.”

Carrino and Colaneri convinced Talde and his business partners to check out a downtown Jersey City building they are renovating — a giant, light-filled space built in 1892 as the Garden State’s first telephone switching station for calls between New Jersey and New York.

The Jersey City-based cousins had hoped to convince Talde to open a stall in a planned Italian market in the building, but after seeing the space and visiting other new eateries around Jersey City, the chef and his business partners opted to take over half the ground floor for a new restaurant. The top floors of the building at 8 Erie St., between Bay and First Sts. — once Jersey City Police headquarters — will soon be convereted luxury apartments.

“It reminds me of all the Brooklyn neighborhoods,” says David Massoni, one of Talde’s partners. “There are corners I’ll turn down and it feels like Bushwick. Other corners I’ll turn down and it feels like you’re right in the heart of Park Slope.”

The new Talde won’t be Jersey City’s first restaurant with New York cred. Thirty Acres, opened by Momofuku alums, has been luring Manhattanites over the bridge since last April. Barcade, an offshoot of the popular video game-centric Williamsburg bar, gives downtown Jersey City a craft beer option. Locals cite restaurants like Mediterranean-inspired Satis, gastro pub Marco & Pepe and Mexican standby Taqueria as other reasons to stay in town.

“By no means do we feel like we are the trailblazers. Other people have come here first. If Barcade wasn’t around the corner we wouldn’t even be thinking about this,” Massoni says. “The fact that we are coming will bring other people to Jersey City, too, because it is a great market.”

Fred Shandler and Dan Richer chose Jersey City as the second outpost for their artisinal pizza empire after the success at Arturo’s in Maplewood, N.J. They opened Razza — which means “pure-bred” or “original” in Italian — in what they consider an emerging Jersey City neighborhood by the Grove St. PATH station last year.

And their Jersey City clientele eat up their pies, which use locally milled flour, wild yeast and veggies from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The Santo ($18), with sausage, shaved onion and chili oil atop a crust charred in a wood-burning oven, made Thrillist’s list of America’s top 33 pizzas.

“We feel that Jersey City is at a tipping point of receiving massive attention,” Shandler says. “We’re thrilled about being here.”

So are spouses Kevin and Alex Pemoulie. Kevin gave up a job working in Manhattan for James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang to open Thirty Acres in Jersey City; Alex juggles a full time job running the financial operations for Chang’s Momofuku group with running the front of the house at Thirty Acres.

“We were looking for a community feel. In New York we had a lot of friends in the restaurant world, but there wasn’t a sense of a community around us,” said Kevin. His sister lived in Jersey City, and when the couple visited they fell in love with the neighborhood near Van Vorst park.

“Everyone here is really into food. They are thankful and excited for new places — but they will let you know if it sucks,” says Alex, laughing. “Jersey City is ready for a wider variety of restaurants.”

Local real estate broker Eugene Cordano agrees — and he says Jersey City’s culinary transformation is fueled by its residential explosion.

“Everything that is being built there is the demographic that restaurants like Thirty Acres would want to capitalize on,” Cordano says. “You have thousands and thousands of apartments there and people coming in, and a real lifestyle has developed in Jersey City.”

Thirty Acres, named for a Prohibition-era boxing arena in town, serves a mix of small plates and heartier dishes from roasted pears with sea urchin mayo, pickled squash, maitake and shiso ($14) to Spaghetti Nero with bottarga, garlic and chili flakes ($18).

The couple behind the restaurant view their food as seasonal, creative and a mixture of refined and casual.

“We call ourselves New New Jersey cuisine,” Alex says. “That’s not really a thing yet, but it’s starting with us.”

[MÇA]

From The Atlantic Cities: Where Millennials Can Make It Now

"The Gems Next Door
Prototypes: Jersey City, New Jersey; Milwaukee, Wisconsin

These more modestly sized, vibrant cities tend to be adjacent to giant ones. They mimic some of the charms of their bigger siblings, but at a dramatically reduced price point. In places like Milwaukee and Jersey City, local governments are more accessible, and the likelihood of being able to buy property or pay rent without scrambling is far higher. In each case, places like Chicago or New York are short drives or train rides away, but Jersey City and Milwaukee are more than mere commuter towns—they have attracted a niche of young people invested in their communities."

Bring on those Millenials and their micro-units!

[Bobblehead]

Jersey City women, represent!

[MÇA]

Street Art NYC says, "Just over the river — about ten minutes away from Manhattan — a street art scene is flourishing in Jersey City." See some examples, both old and new, here: Jersey City’s Burgeoning Street Art Scene: Pixel Pancho, LNY, MOR, Dulk, NoseGo, Mr. Mustart, Serringe, Distort, Then One, Ekundayo & more

[Bobblehead]

MCA brought this to my attention: Jersey City is the second most diverse city in the nation.

Huzzah!

I've seen similar studies in the past saying that, even if you add socioeconomic factors into the mix, JC is still in the top 3 in terms of diversity.

That's something to be proud of.

[Darna]

Not sure if being on "Bizarre Foods" is really a good thing.  But, the show will be highlighting some good eats in this town.

Bizarre Foods America Season Five Announced
Thursday, September 12, 2013, by Hillary Dixler

The fifth season of Bizarre Foods America premieres on November 4, and Travel Channel has released some details about the first episode. For the season opener, host Andrew Zimmern will be exploring New Jersey, with stops at the New Jersey Aquaculture Innovation Center and a seafood supplier down the Jersey shore. He will also head to Jersey City to visit a Philippine grocery store, a "whole-hog rotisserie pit house," and Thirty Acres, the restaurant from chef Kevin Pemoulie and Eater Young Guns semifinalist Alex Pemoulie.

For more of the article, go here.

[Bobblehead]

JC gear manufacturer created head gear for international superstar Wayne Rooney:

https://twitter.com/StevenFulop/status/380065108929814528

[moelissa]

Very true. I know my fair share of folks who are highly educated but I question how they hold down a job to pay for their over priced apartments in Jersey City. 

According to Bloomberg, Jersey City and Atlanta have shown the biggest increases in educated adults in the period from 2000 to 2011. Biggest Brain Gains: US Cities.

Christ, people must have been REALLY stupid back in the day.......

It says educated, not intelligent or wise.

[Frank M]

According to Bloomberg, Jersey City and Atlanta have shown the biggest increases in educated adults in the period from 2000 to 2011. Biggest Brain Gains: US Cities.

Christ, people must have been REALLY stupid back in the day.......

It says educated, not intelligent or wise.

[Soshin]

According to Bloomberg, Jersey City and Atlanta have shown the biggest increases in educated adults in the period from 2000 to 2011. Biggest Brain Gains: US Cities.

Christ, people must have been REALLY stupid back in the day.......

[MÇA]

According to Bloomberg, Jersey City and Atlanta have shown the biggest increases in educated adults in the period from 2000 to 2011. Biggest Brain Gains: US Cities.

[MÇA]

CBS 2 jumps on the bandwagon.



For Young Families Priced Out Of The Five Boroughs, Jersey City Is The Place To Be
Crime Is Down In Some Parts Of The City And So Are Home Prices
August 19, 2013 8:45 PM

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — If you’ve been priced out of the Five Boroughs you won’t have to go far to find the Tri-State area’s newest up-and-coming neighborhood. Some parts of Jersey City are plagued by crime but other sections are being built up and have been attracting New Yorkers who have been priced out of Brooklyn.

“You can get a lot for your money in terms of real estate and I think for us as young parents it is a wonderful place to be,” Marni Schapiro told CBS 2′s Christine Sloan. The Schapiro’s four-story brownstone was a steal that they found in foreclosure at just over $600,000 and their children have their choice of private schools.

“Jersey City is big. There are still some neighborhoods that aren’t as safe but we have a wonderfully safe neighborhood,” she said.

The average price of a home in Williamsburg is $700,000, in Bushwick more than $445,000, in Hoboken it’s around $600-thousand, but in Jersey City the average is $287,000. The mayor of Jersey City has recently launched a campaign to get people to cross the river and check out his city.

“We are going to start marketing Jersey City as a destination point. There is always a stigma attached to it and we never got the credit we deserved,’ said Mayor Steven Fulop.

Some residents still remember when many buildings in the city were run down.

“Now it is a multi-cultural place. You name it, you see it and we’re all getting along together,” said Howard Wilson.

The neighborhood renaissance has taken decades and residents expect it to spread to other parts of the city that are still plagued by crime. The Jersey City Planning Authority expects 30-thousand additional residents by 2020.

[Bobblehead]

See? I didn't know that.

But look back and you will find similar articles about how the penthouse at the Beacon sold for a record $$$ figure (probably to a shill buyer). Etc., etc. And some restaurant reviews. Dinner, diversions, and apartments for New Yorkers--no news.

[Darna]

LOL, Bobble.  It was in the Real Estate section of the Times.

[Bobblehead]

That article is about one thing only: real estate. It should have a line saying it was sponsored.

Find me one article in the NYTimes about the mayoral election before the outcome was determined. They still only see JC as a place that "New Yorkers" can visit, or live, if they have to, in these terrible times.

[MÇA]

Time for yet another NY Times shallow dive into the cesspool of Dirty Shitty.


Meanwhile, in Jersey City ...
By RONDA KAYSEN
Published: August 15, 2013

Have New Yorkers finally discovered Jersey City?

As property values soar even in Brooklyn neighborhoods once viewed as on the fringe, New Yorkers are looking across that other river that separates Manhattan from the rest of the world: the Hudson. And some of them are heading to Jersey City, which has a flintier personality than Hoboken, its preppy neighbor to the north. New Jersey’s second-largest city, it now has a branch of the popular Williamsburg arcade-bar Barcade; farm-to-table restaurants; and a new mayor who worked for Goldman Sachs, served in Iraq and rappelled down a skyscraper.

Jersey City has long attracted the Wall Street crowd to its splash of waterfront high-rises that promise cheaper rent and a speedy ride to Manhattan. But for years, the rest of the city was an afterthought with a reputation for high crime, failing schools and a lack of night life. But as the economy and housing market improve, other Jersey City neighborhoods are enjoying newfound attention, with boutique storefronts opening and New Yorkers steadily moving in.

The renovated Hamilton Park, surrounded by brownstones, has new landscaping, tennis courts, free Wi-Fi and a playground. Construction is under way for White Eagle Hall, a new arts site downtown. And the Journal Square PATH station plaza will soon be renovated as part of a new development with three high-rises and retail. In a sign that parents from “the city” have moved in, TriBeCa Pediatrics opened an office in Hamilton Park.

“Jersey City is good for 30- to 40-somethings who aren’t interested in hanging out in Williamsburg anymore,” said Kevin Pemoulie, the former chef of Momofuku Noodle Bar, who last year along with his wife, Alex, opened the restaurant Thirty Acres in the Van Vorst Park neighborhood. He, like many others who have moved to Jersey City, also liked the in-transition quality of the area.

With New York City rents reaching new highs, housing prices by comparison are still reasonable in Jersey City. The average rent here was $1,900 a month during the second quarter of the year, according to data provided by Trulia. In early July, the average listing price for a home downtown was $604,000 and in Hamilton Park was $426,000, according to data provided by Liberty Realty.

Richard LeFrak, chief executive of the LeFrak Organization, which began developing the Newport neighborhood in 1986 when it was rail yards and warehouses, is one who has noticed a change. “I would say, in the last three years, when you say you live in Jersey City,” he said, “people don’t look at you like there’s something wrong with you.” In the next decade, LeFrak plans to add condos, a hotel and an outdoor swim club to Newport.

A year and a half before the Pemoulies opened Thirty Acres, they moved to Jersey City from Williamsburg, shaving $600 a month off their rent. They pay $1,650 a month for a large two-bedroom apartment two blocks from the Grove Street PATH station, which has a renovated pedestrian plaza with shops and new residential developments nearby.

“Brooklyn is just ridiculous — it’s expensive,” Mr. Pemoulie said. “It’s frustrating to be there. All of my friends ended up moving out.”

Indeed, some parts of Brooklyn have even eclipsed Manhattan in rent prices. The average rent for a one-bedroom in Williamsburg in July was $3,155 a month, a price point rivaling those of many Manhattan neighborhoods, according to a market report by MNS. Even less-developed Brooklyn neighborhoods are commanding a premium: in Bushwick in July, the average rent for a one-bedroom was $1,900.

Still, for many New Yorkers, crossing the Hudson is a psychological hurdle, even if Jersey City now has a Two Boots Pizza and a coffee shop that serves Blue Bottle Coffee.

“The PATH train is like the train to Hogwarts,” said Kip Jacobson, 41, alluding to the “Harry Potter” series. Mr. Jacobson moved to the Van Vorst Park neighborhood from Williamsburg a year ago with his wife, Samantha, and their young son.

Jersey City’s new mayor, Steven Fulop, 36, intends to persuade budget-conscious and reluctant New Yorkers to give his city a chance. Mr. Fulop has been in office for less than two months and already has plans to start a marketing campaign called “Across the River” to entice New Yorkers.

“I’m looking to portray Jersey City as a cool place to be,” said Mr. Fulop (who a year ago completed the 140-mile triathlon known as the Ironman U.S. Championship).

Sitting in his sparse office a few weeks after his inauguration, he declared, “There’s a stigma associated with living in Jersey that we’ve got to correct.”

But Jersey City itself has more than just an image problem. Its public schools remain partly under state control, and certain areas have a serious crime problem; Mr. Fulop knows the two issues must be addressed before the city’s reputation can improve and more upwardly mobile families can be persuaded to remain. In his first month, he chose a veteran of the New York Police Department to be his new public safety director. Similarly, the city’s new school superintendent once worked for the New York City Department of Education.

One newcomer, Celeste Madhere, describes herself as having been “anti-Jersey.” Ms. Madhere, 39, who is originally from Chicago, had lived in Brooklyn for 15 years. “When you’re a transplant,” she said, “you always want to live in the city or in Brooklyn. There is no other place to live.”

 But when she and her husband, Serge, a Brooklyn native, began searching for a larger apartment, the best they could find was a Crown Heights two-bedroom listed at $3,200 a month. “It was in a questionable area and still an hour-and-five-minute commute to work,” said Ms. Madhere, an associate production manager for the Hearst Corporation.

Reluctantly, Ms. Madhere ventured to Jersey City. When she saw the Beacon, a 14-acre Art Deco complex, she was sold. Her commute, which includes a shuttle ride to the PATH train, is now 33 minutes door to door. “I was like, ‘This is really $2,200?’ ” she said of the two-bedroom apartment that she and her husband have called home since late July. “It had a dishwasher!”

Like many of the new developments in Jersey City, the Beacon has a generous amenity package with a dog run, an organic garden, a spa and a screening room. The buildings, some of which date to 1929, have details like terrazzo floors, a wood-paneled poker room and a frieze of the history of humanity. Rents range from $1,825 a month, for a studio, to $2,400 a month for a two-bedroom. Set midway between the Grove Street and Journal Square PATH stations, the complex offers a free shuttle to the train.

Developers are building, and not just along the waterfront. Citywide, 2,610 units of housing are under construction and 11,405 more have been given the green light, according to the mayor’s office. In fact, the city has enough developable land available to fill all of Hoboken, which is one square mile. But the construction is still not keeping pace with demand. In July there was only a two-month supply of available homes downtown, according to Liberty Realty.

“If you see a vacant building in Jersey City,” said Joseph V. Covello, the owner of Liberty Realty, “someone is bidding on it or renovating it.”

Mr. Fulop, too, is moving farther into the city. Two weeks before his election he sold his apartment, a fifth-floor walk-up in the desirable Paulus Hook neighborhood. Now he is renting in the Madox, a luxury boutique apartment house also in Paulus Hook. But he will leave the waterfront as soon as he closes on a brownstone near Liberty State Park.

This summer, the Greenpoint bookstore WORD hosted a reading at Barcade in Jersey City. More than 250 people showed up to hear Chuck Klosterman read from his new book of essays. WORD’s owner, Christine Onorati, who plans to open her second bookstore near the Grove Street PATH station in September, found the event encouraging. “The neighborhood is so receptive,” she said. “People who live there are so desperate for retail, because they love not having to leave Jersey City.”

[Bad Circles]

The Chuck Klosterman reading at Barcade last night was packed.  I don't think I've seen the bar that crowded since the opening week.

[moelissa]

They used some pretty out dated material to come up with this list.

[stephen]

5. Fremont

The boringest place on earth.  That kid will grow up to hate you.

[devb]

Yonkers, Little Rock, Houston, Newark, DETROIT?

Something tells me they spent about 15 minutes just skimming some barely accurate statistics for this link baiting pile of crap. They couldn't even bother doing a write up beyond the first entry?

[MÇA]

Suck it, Cities #14 and lower!


The 100 best places to raise kids
You and your kids call it home, but how does your city rank nationally?
 By Jaclyn Colletti and Joel Weber, researchers
 Children's Health
 updated 10/20/2009 10:37:25 AM ET

From the moment she finds out she's expecting, a new parent's mind begins to construct a fantasy of the perfect place to build a nest: a community that's safe, nurturing, stimulating, and economically sound. A neighborhood where parents reflect your values — education, health and fitness, concern for the environment — and raise their children the same way. The kind of place where a child can slip on her rubber boots, grab her colorful umbrella, and play on the quiet, tree-lined street outside her home without worry.

The editors of Children's Health wanted to find where in America such places existed and how we can make the communities we live in today more like that ideal, so we embarked on a comprehensive statistical analysis to rank 100 noteworthy American cities scattered across the country. We considered more than 30 factors that parents deem vitally important, including crime and safety, education, economics, housing, cultural attractions, and health. (See the criteria used.) When we crunched the numbers, these were the cities that best complemented family life.

1. Burlington, VT
2. Madison, WI
3. Fargo, ND
4. Lincoln, NE
5. Fremont, CA
6. Lexington, KY
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Cheyenne, WY
9. Omaha, NE
10. Yonkers, NY
11. Austin, TX
12. St. Paul, MN
13. Jersey City, NJ
14. San Francisco, CA
15. New York, NY
16. Little Rock, AR
17. Washington, DC
18. Minneapolis, MN
19. Colorado Springs, CO
20. Billings, MT
21. Boston, MA
22. Seattle, WA
23. Sioux Falls, SD
24. Pittsburgh, PA
25. Bangor, ME
26. San Diego, CA
27. Albuquerque, NM
28. Raleigh, NC
29. Portland, OR
30. Providence, RI
31. Louisville, KY
32. Manchester, NH
33. Wichita, KS
34. Anchorage, AK
35. Lubbock, TX
36. Boise City, ID
37. Durham, NC
38. Des Moines, IA
39. San Jose, CA
40. Nashville, TN
41. Montgomery, AL
42. Atlanta, GA
43. Spokane, WA
44. Denver, CO
45. Fort Wayne, IN
46. Newark, NJ
47. Aurora, CO
48. El Paso, TX
49. Indianapolis, IN
50. Kansas City, MO
51. Charlotte, NC
52. Charleston, WV
53. Buffalo, NY
54. Oklahoma City, OK
55. Richmond, VA
56. Rochester, NY
57. San Antonio, TX
58. Arlington, TX
59. Columbia, SC
60. Tulsa, OK
61. Greensboro, NC
62. Baton Rouge, LA
63. Norfolk, VA
64. Columbus, OH
65. Anaheim, CA
66. Corpus Christi, TX
67. Jacksonville, FL
68. Los Angeles, CA
69. Fort Worth, TX
70. Chicago, IL
71. Oakland, CA
72. St. Louis, MO
73. Tucson, AZ
74. Cincinnati, OH
75. Riverside, CA
76. Philadelphia, PA
77. Wilmington, DE
78. St. Petersburg, FL
79. Salt Lake City, UT
80. Dallas, TX
81. Houston, TX
82. Jackson, MS
83. Baltimore, MD
84. Bakersfield, CA
85. Hartford, CT
86. Birmingham, AL
87. Milwaukee, WI
88. Sacramento, CA
89. Grand Rapids, MI
90. Modesto, CA
91. Toledo, OH
92. Las Vegas, NV
93. Phoenix, AZ
94. Tampa, FL
95. Cleveland, OH
96. Fresno, CA
97. Memphis, TN
98. Orlando, FL
99. Miami, FL
100. Detroit, MI

[justiceiro]

I miss Jersey City. I can't wait to come home!!!

Me too.

[Soshin]

Most people on this site know this already but for anybody new out there, it's worth noting that Jersey City does not end at the Turnpike Overpass.  The thing I love most about JC is the local spots that are not always easy to get to but are well worth the trip:

Laico's or Rita and Joe's for pasta. 
Salumeria Ercolano for great sandwiches and the best rocket-fuel espresso in the tristate area.
Park Tavern for the beers and burgers and jukebox that still has mix CD's made by the barman on it.
Astor Bar for the time capsule.
Lee Sim's for old school chocolates.
Boulevard Drinks for the dogs.
NJCU for the lovely campus
Lincoln Park West for the little bit of urban wilderness
Miss America for ambience (although the food is mediocre)
The Loew's Theater for reminding us that movies were once magic
Little India for the delicious cheap food
Phillipine Bread House for the ensaymadas

The list goes on........

[moelissa]

I miss Jersey City. I can't wait to come home!!!

[Darna]

What I love about JC:
Paris Banh Mi Food Truck
New Thanh Hoai
Cinnamon Snail Truck
Incrediballs Truck

and, best for last,


MCA

[Bobblehead]

This is the thread where you post things where Jersey City distinguishes itself in a good way. Yeah, so maybe this will be an occasional series?

Anyway, it turns out we have a pretty state of the art recycled glass separation facility: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/06/11/190668206/how-a-used-bottle-becomes-a-new-bottle-in-6-gifs

 

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