Yeah, I'm from Jersey, wanna make something of it?

[gurdymonkey]

No, I do not condone the barbaric behavior of the men in the Firebird, but they weren't from New Jersey. Place the blame where it belongs. Those assholes were from California.

Things you might not know:

New Jersey is a peninsula.

Highlands, New Jersey has the highest elevation along the entire eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida.

New Jersey is the only state where all of its counties are classified as metropolitan areas.

New Jersey has more race horses than Kentucky.

New Jersey has more Cubans in Union City (1 sq mi.) than Havana, Cuba.

New Jersey has the densest system of highways and railroads in the US.

        New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to

as the “Diner Capital of the World.”

New Jersey is home to the original Mystery Pork Parts Club (no, not Spam): Taylor Ham or Pork Roll.

Home to the less mysterious but the best Italian hot dogs and Italian sausage w/peppers and onions.

North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world, with seven major shopping malls in a 25 square mile radius.

New Jersey is home to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The Passaic River was the site of the first submarine ride by inventor John P Holland.

New Jersey has 50+ resort cities &towns; some of the nation’s most famous: Asbury Park, Wildwood, Atlantic City, Seaside Heights, Long Branch, Cape May

New Jersey has the most stringent testing along our coastline for water quality control than any other seaboard state in the entire country.

New Jersey is a leading technology &industrial state and is the largest chemical producing state in the nation when you include pharmaceuticals.

Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being the best you can buy.

You haven’t lived until you have eaten New Jersey sweet corn.

Here’s to New Jersey - the toast of the country! In 1642, the first brewery in America, opened in Hoboken.

New Jersey rocks! The famous Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar in Mahwah, in 1940.

New Jersey is a major seaport state with the largest seaport in the US, located in Elizabeth. Nearly 80 percent of what our nation imports comes through Elizabeth Seaport first.

New Jersey is home to one of the nation’s busiest airports (in Newark), Liberty International.

George Washington slept here. Several important Revolutionary War battles were fought on New Jersey soil, led by General George Washington.

The light bulb, phonograph (record player), and motion picture projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory.

We also boast the first town ever lit by incandescent bulbs.

The first seaplane was built in Keyport, NJ.

The first airmail (to Chicago) was started from Keyport, NJ.

The first phonograph records were made in Camden, NJ.

The game Monopoly, played all over the world, named the streets on its playing board after the actual streets in Atlantic City.

And, Atlantic City has the longest boardwalk in the world,

Not to mention salt water taffy...

New Jersey has the largest petroleum containment area outside of the Middle East countries.

The first Indian reservation was in New Jersey, in the Watchung Mountains.

New Jersey has the tallest water-tower in the world. Union, NJ!!!

New Jersey had the first medical center, in Jersey City.

The Pulaski SkyWay, from Jersey City to Newark, was the first skyway highway.

NJ built the first tunnel under a river, the Hudson (Holland Tunnel).

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

The first intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick in 1889 (Rutgers College played Princeton).

The first drive-in movie theater was opened in Camden, NJ, (but they’re all gone now!).

New Jersey is home to both of “NEW YORK’S” pro football teams!

The first radio station and broadcast was in Paterson, NJ.

The first FM radio broadcast was made from Alpine, NJ, by Maj. Thomas Armstrong.

Bob Meade adds: The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the second highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.

You know you’re from Jersey when . .

You don’t think of fruit when people mention “The Oranges.”

You know that it’s called Great Adventure, not Six Flags.

A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter.

You’ve known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.

You’ve eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 A.M.

You know that the state isn’t one big oil refinery.

At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen.

You know what a “jug handle” is.

You know that WaWa is a convenience store.

You know that the state isn’t all farmland.

You know that there are no “beaches” in New Jersey—there’s the shore—and you don’t go “to the shore,” you go “down the shore.” And when you are there, you’re not “at the shore”; you are “down the shore.”

You know how to properly negotiate a circle.

You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving.

You know that this is the only “New” state that doesn’t require “New” to identify it (try . . . Mexico . . . York ... Hampshire—doesn’t work, does it?).

You know that a “White Castle” is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.

You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege.

You don’t think “What exit?” is funny.

You know that people from the 609 area code are “a little different.” Yes they are!

You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton—that’s for out-of-staters.

The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or localbar.

You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.

You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.

Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony.

You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits.

You’ve gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall.

You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and people from Central Jersey go to Belmar, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way.

You weren’t raised in New Jersey—you were raised in either North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey.

You don’t consider Newark or Camden to actually be part of the state.

You remember the stores Korvette’s, Two Guys, Rickel’s, Channel, Bamberger’s and Orbach’s.

You also remember Palisades Amusement Park and Olympic Park.

You’ve had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries.

You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.

And finally .

You’ve NEVER, EVER pumped your own gas.

I haven't had a decent slice since I moved out here!  I miss the pizza......

 

Comments

[mermaidlady]

Ah, you remind me of my roots. Even *mumble* decades removed from the state of my birth, I still long for a proper diner, squeal on the rare occasions (like coming back from Pennsic) that I can get fried Taylor ham on a hard roll, and dream of hot dogs from Jimmy Buff's (no peppers please). Although my family never went down the shore, my father as a kid spent his summers at Bradley Beach, home of Sid's. That hotdog stand that made such an impression, my father named one of his boats after his favorite kind of dog.

Causing trouble then running away,

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

but what do you expect from a Delaware guy.

Isn't it Joisey? I thought Nort' Joisey was the 6th Borough.

[mamapduck.livejournal.com]

There is a reason they call it The Garden State. I thought the people on Staten Island were being cute when they advertised produce, "Fresh from Jersey!" until I bought some.

Only halfway decent veggies I got out there. Nowhere near the variety or quantity I get here but a refreshing change.

When Boy and I make a pilgrimage to NYC you can come with us and eat pizza. There's a place on SI that still makes me drool.

[marymont.livejournal.com]

There's one *I* remember from SI that I hope is still there--it was fabulous. I haven't been back in over 15 years, but I really would get pizza there again if I could.

Big floppy slices, with just enough grease and a sauce to die for. And a big jar of pepperoncini on the counter with which to abuse your gastric system until your pizza's ready.

Where is yours? Mine was Jimmy's in Eltingville--but a Google Search doesn't find it.

[mamapduck.livejournal.com]

It was either called Goodfellas or Godfather's- I'm pretty sure it was Goodfellas. (It's been ten years.) This was a sit down place rather than a by the slice eatery but they did a mushroom pie- mushroom cream sauce with three kinds of mushrooms. [die]. It was over by the University Hospital.

What I miss more often is white pie. Nobody on this coast makes white pie and in the short time I was East I developed a strong affinity for white pie and garlic knots. Nobody here makes garlic knots and breadsticks are just not the same.

Ooh! Rice balls! Rice balls from the bodega on the corner. >swoon

[bronx-baroness.livejournal.com]

My husband comes from NJ. That alone makes it a wonderful place!

[bovil.livejournal.com]

There's a pizza joint in San Jose, "Slice of NY" that's actually got good reviews from expat New Yorkers. Worst thing anybody has said was "But it's not the right kind of New York pizza!" It's a single strip-mall storefront between Stevens Creek Surplus and JJ's House of Blues.

It's actually very good. Totally not "Pizz'A Chicago" (which bears no resemblance to "Chicago-style" pizza).