This week, Tuesday is Cheap-cheap Night, starting at 6pm (schedule here), and Wednesday and Thursday are both host of fireworks shows at night.Info here. Gates open at 6pm on weeknights except for the July 4th holiday, where they open at 2pm.
In addition to carnival rides, you can take a ride on the original Batcopter from the early Batman show and movies. You will also find special attractions, carnival oddity shows, great food and shopping.
Games include water games, racing games, balloon pops, pitch games, basketball, guessing games, duck ponds, fishing and more.
Last year, I went on almost every ride and even found a psychic with my name!
The Merchant is super quiet during lunch and often pretty hopping during dinner. Both atmospheres have their advantages if you are in one of those moods.
Last week, I took out my boyfriend for a quiet and late (3pm) lunch. We were the only people in the restaurant, but it was cool (it was 90 degrees outside), quiet, and nice to have the place to ourselves. Service was perfectly timed—not too rushed (we are European)—and not too slow. They were attentive in keeping our glasses full and checking on us every now and then, but not intrusive at all.
My date got the short-rib burger, a $15 monstrosity of glorious meat topped with horseradish chive cheddar, bourbon bacon, beer-friend onions, and LT. He chose to have cheese added to his fries. I watched in awe as his 6-ft 148 pound body cleaned the plate. It was that good.
I was enticed by the bbq duck quesadilla, but eventually decided on the pan-seared rare tuna wrap, mixed with asian-style vegetables and dressed with teriyaki sauce and wasabi mayonnaise and comes with a side salad. I could only get through half of it. Tuna was maybe not as rare (or juicy?) as I liked and I thought the flavor a little bland…maybe not enough of the dressing/condiments.
We were both in a food coma walking out. The hearty portions left no room for dessert, even though the deep-fried Snickers looks like it’s worth a try. Next time.
On a previous lunch date, I sat outside (great for people watching). My friend and I ordered the steak wrap to split (with onions, goat cheese and horseradish), which was plenty of food per person—even really hungry people—on a warm July day. We were spending the rest of the afternoon outside, and you never want to get into a food coma when you’re susceptible to a heat one. I don’t even think I finished my half in fear I’d get sluggish, even though I walked in hungry.
Dinner here is always more impressive than it seems it will be. The bar is fairly scene-y, the lighting is just right, and the service is usually spot-on in attentiveness. I’ve tried a variety of things here for dinner. My favorite meal would be a shared appetizer of “bang bang” shrimp to start, then the warm goat cheese salad with apples in raspberry vinaigrette, and sea scallops (pan roasted with truffle butter) served with broccoli rabe for an entree. I tried my companion’s filet mignon, which was flavored and cooked to perfection, everything a carnivore would like in a good piece of meat.
When you’re jonesing for a well-made drink and a sophisticated bar crowd, going here for cocktails won’t disappoint. There are happy hour specials every night of the week, too, and on weekends, drink specials last all night long.
No matter where you are in Jersey City, there is rarely a lack of a dollar store nearby. I’ll start with my three favorite in my neighborhood of the heights. All are on Central Avenue. (There are more on Central, but I frequent these the most.)
99¢ Gallery is awesome for makeup, arts & crafts supplies (they really have everything), party favors, gag gifts, gift wrap, shampoo, cow’s silk lotion, and Dove soap (the big bars are only $1 each; less than half the price at drugstores). I go here on a bi-weekly basis to stock up on toiletrees, cleaning supplies and makeup. The owners and people that work there probably think I am a party planner with all of the festive things I buy (gift bags, tissue paper, party poppers, glitter letters, glow bracelets, candles, temporary tattoos, bubbles) or that I have issues. I can’t tell. But they are super friendly and have the best selection, so I always stop there first.
This is going to sound crazy, but for all of my antique jewelry hunting and all of the inexpensive modern jewelry available on the cheap at national chains, this place kills it when it comes to conversation pieces that are inexpensive. As one might guess, not everything is a dollar in the dollar store, but 99 ¢ent-RAL’s jewelry still only ranges from $2-8 a piece. I love their headbands and hats, too. It’s a great accesories place in general. There also happened to be some really cute bathing suits there last week, so I bought one—a $12 jewel-encrusted bikini—and it looks great!
99¢ Vision has $1 brand-name dishsoap, hand soap, quality baking tins (3 for $1) and the widest selection of posterboard and craft supplies. Basically, Vision is your go-to spot for kitchen and office needs. They also tend to have the best decorations and wrapping options when it comes to holidays. Just look at these Easter baskets I created below:
