Nitpick – European Home Provisions is in East Brunswick, literally across the street from South River. The Old Bridge Turnpike, which it’s on, is the boundary between the two towns.
Hey, Ichbin Dubist, I grew up there. You live anywhere nearby?
Well that’s true. I grew up in Princeton and when my parents bought their house way, way back it was a nice and still affordable town.
A bunch of us used to rent a house in Manasquan every summer! Best times of my life
Lordy, I know 3 or 4 people who grew up in Manhattan when the drinking age was 18 who claimed to have regularly snuck into Limelight at 12 and 13! Chew on that, 20-year-old of 2006! Does anyone know if there’s any truth to the rumor than James Gandolfini was a bouncer at the Melody while a Rutgers student?
I thought it was in SR for some reason. Anyway, I grew up in East Cupcake, class of 1983, and am currently in transit between Harlem and the Hudson Valley.
In honor of European Provisions’ paprika bacon I have actived my (quite possible wqrong) Hungarian sig.
Lordy, I know 3 or 4 people who grew up in Manhattan when the drinking age was 18 who claimed to have regularly snuck into Limelight at 12 and 13! Chew on that, 20-year-old of 2006! Does anyone know if there’s any truth to the rumor than James Gandolfini was a bouncer at the Melody while a Rutgers student?
I thought it was in SR for some reason. Anyway, I grew up in East Cupcake, class of 1983, and am currently in transit between Harlem and the Hudson Valley. I don’t think I could afford a third of home there now.
In honor of European Provisions’ paprika bacon I have actived my (quite possibly wrong) Hungarian sig.
I also have self-echolalia and am afraid to show my signature in public.
Echolalia. Echolalia.
The word is spelled benny, but the origin is uncertain. This page claims that the term is an acronym derived from the Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York stations on the Jersey Shore rail line. Meanwhile, this page suggests that benny is short for “beneficiary”, as the year-round denizens of the Shore felt that the summer tourists were sponging off the local taxpayers by essentially using the roads, plumbing, and other infrastructure for free. At any rate, bennies are generally the “damn tourists from New York or North Jersey”, although the term has more geographically generalized uses as well.
By the way, I’m not from the Garden State, but Long Time First Time was born in Jersey City and sneaked me into this thread when the bouncer wasn’t lookin’.
I doubt anyone else knows this, but we has a Restaurant in Tinton Falls called Charlie Browns, (not the chain), it became Gertrude Browns and strangely enough was bought out by the Charlie Brown’s Chain.
When I was 16 the drinking age was already 21 and Gertrude Browns had a basement bar. They basically never proofed unless you did something dumb.
That and the old Blue Dolphin in Long Branch were the two bars I used to sneak into when I was in High School.
Jim
You know you’re hardcore Jersey when:
- you’ve never been in Grand Central.
- you don’t know anybody who’s ever been in Grand Central.
- you’re not entirely sure what the hell Grand Central is for.
<---- laughing with glee. Um… Harrisburgh would be Philly-West from May to August. 
O.C. would be Philly-East. Agreed, LBI is not a dead president- and Harvey Cedars has nothing to do with Cedars Sinai. 
It ain’t Taylor Ham if you’re from Mt Laurel, Cherry Hill or Camden. It’s scrapple.
The only decent salt water taffy is pulled in Cape May. ( d&r )
Rt. 17 in Paramus really is the L.I.E. of New Jersey.
Paulsboro is a small corner of Hell, transported onto the Earth. Just so people can see what Hell is.
The Corporate Corridor ain’t on the ninth floor.
New Jersey also has Penn Station. ( relentlessly confusing to folks not from the Northeast Corridor. Penn Station Newark, opposed to Pennsylvania Station in NYC. )
No matter what diner you walk into, on whatever traffic circle you happen to be driving around, your name immediately becomes “Hon”. Deal with it.
Willingboro: The Levittown of New Jersey.
Yes, Lambertville really is that pretty in the autumn.
Cartooniverse, who routinely drives down into NJ to get diesel.
For many decades Criterion Chocolates of Eatontown has made great salt water taffy. They use to sell it on the Asbury Boardwalk. Now I can only get it at the factory itself. It is as good as or better than Cape May Taffy.
Hardcore Jersey = Arguing over the best Saltwater Taffy!
If I may add one last item: In NW Jersey, there is a little roadside stand called Mackey’s Orchard (its near the ‘4 Sisters Winery’). They bake Amazing apple pies (the crust rises easily 8 inches above the rim of the pie tin) in an old brick oven. These pies weigh about 8 pounds each and are worth every penny. (Don’t forget to pick up a bag of oven-fresh doughnuts while you’re there…you’ll thank me.)
Sadly, these days you have to call in advance to reserve a pie (yes they go that fast). Fall is a good time to head out there to get pumpkins, stop by the winery for a free wine tasting, and pick up pie and doughnuts.
Hasn’t anyone seen “The Toxic Avenger”?? Filmed in Jersey City and a scene at the Popeye’s on Route 17 in Rutherford.
I’ve been to the White Castle on Kennedy Blvd. in Jersey City and the one on Route 17, but there was a White Manna on Tonnele Ave. (a.k.a. 1 & 9). I have no idea if it’s still there or not. And I believe there was a Blue Castle, but I don’t remember where.
And LBI isn’t a dead President from Texas, there was a beach plum festival there last Sunday!
I’m not sure about that but Mario Batali worked at Stuff yer Face.
“The Toxic Avenger”, I saw it a long time ago. Funny, high camp film. I was 20 when I saw it.
Jim
Remember Mario Cantone on “Steampipe Junction”? My older brother and I saw it come on, and that was the first time I ever hear the word “'Mo”
Beware of Doug - too funny! I nearly choked reading that.
Gertrude Brown’s/Charlie Browns - Thursday is the day to get vershnickered during lunch hour. Dollar beers. Also, Portofino’s across the intersection is owned by a nice guy named Sayid, who calls himslef Vinny Portofino.
Chubby’s in Red Bank STILL let’s you drink underage. Free, too, if you show your tits to the bartender.
Another sign you’re from Jersey - when you buy your home, your first reaction is not to remove every single tree on the property.
First a question–how do you guys pronounce “Iselin”? I have a feeling I’ve been saying it wrong. Bonus: How do you pronounce Iselip (LI) and is it the same because that’s what I’ve been saying. 
And an observation; I merged onto 287N from 78 E and saw a sign that made me feel like I was in The Twilight Zone. It was for the next three exits:
Pluckemin
Bedminster
Netcong
I’m sure these were all perfectly legitimate towns but the collection just seemed bizarre, like they were almost correct but not quite, like aliens had taken parts of town names and rearranged them. And it reminded me of Bridget Jones heading off to sleep: “I’m going to Bedfordshire.”
Is-lynn
As opposed to “Metuchen, Metuchen. End-doors out…”
Is Lynn as in "Is Lynn going to Iselin?
I pronounce Iselip as Ice Lip, but I am fairly sure that I am wrong.
Jim
I pronouce them the same way, was going to explain it the same way, and am also pretty sure we’re wrong about the latter.
Must be a Jersey thing.