Asbury Park

Close to where a ship was wrecked (that area on the beach is now Haunted)

This is where we heard the last two ghost stories and learned the history behind some hauntings in Asbury. We heard about the ship that burned with the passengers inside and about how the wreckage became an attraction for the towns people. We also learned about how people would shine lights to lost ships, hoping that they were cargo ships so they could steal their cargo. The ships would then come closer to the shoreline, thinking it was another ship or a safe place to dock, and  would get stuck and have their boats' pillaged. One particular time the people of Asbury murdered an entire crew and that part of the beach is now haunted.

First Press in Asbury Park (Haunted)

Haunted Building (Residually Haunted)

Carousel House

So there are just pictures of some of the historic buildings in in Asbury Park. The Paranormal Museum serves as a tourist attraction and it's where our guide works. The Museum itself is also haunted by a little boy named Jimmy, who's a friendly ghost. We saw the carousel house, couple places in town, and the boardwalk. The boardwalk had many places to eat, an arcade, a lot of ice cream stores, a few random games, a movie theater and the run down Casino. We saw a lot of local art/spray paintings and saw a bunch of locals spending their day at the beach. Asbury Park was a cool place and had a really nice beach, my friends and I are going to try and go back this summer. All and all the trip was a lot of fun, and a cool experience; it gave us all an opportunity to see another side of NJ and another side of a town (the haunted side) that we might not have known about before or otherwise if it wasn't for this trip.

New Jersey Nets

On April 23rd the I went to see the New Jersey Nets played there last game in New Jersey. After playing at the Prudential Center for 35 years the Nets are moving to Brooklyn. During half time former players were brought out onto the court for a ceremony honoring them. Among those being honored was the late Drazen Petrovic whos mother stood for him, and former captain Jason Kidd made a video apperance. Although they lost to the 76ers it was still a great game and I am glad I got to watch them play their last game in New Jersey.

The Village Trattoria is a popular restaurant in Maplewood. It is a place where many people come together for lunch or dinner. It has a great variety of pizza that can appeal to any taste. It is a popular location for senior lunch as well. However, it is just not a place of great pizza, it also serves great Italian dishes. I went here twice last week and got a variety of slices- Buffalo, Calamari, and Fiesta. I am very happy to bring this restaurant to the blog because I know it is a place that many of us go to weekly.

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The Mall at Short Hills

The Mall at Short Hills opened in 1980, but since then it has grown to become one of the most famous malls in the Country. I was once in California and somebody asked me where I was from. I answered "Short Hills." They new exactly where it was because of the mall. 

Last week I went to the Short Hills Mall to buy a new pair or sneakers at the Foot Locker. While I was there I decided to take pictures for the blog since we recently talked about New Jersey Malls in class. I am so used to going to the Livingston Mall that I almost forgot how nice the Short Hills Mall is. In class we talked about how malls discriminate. I have never seen more evidence of discrimination than during my recent trip to the Short Hills Mall. When I was there, probably 90% of the shoppers were caucasian men and women, dressed in nice clothes, and above the age of 30. I was getting strange looks because I am a kid and I was dressed is gym shorts and a teeshirt. 

The first photo is taken from the second floor just above some of my favorite restaurants. Since the Short Hills Mall is for the upper class, the restaurants have to be on the nicer side. I love the food court at the Livingston Mall, but it would just not fit in well in the Short Hills Mall. Both Joe's and Paparazzi are high quality eating establishments which serve to a higher class. In the middle of the picture there is a sculpture which adds decoration to make the mall more visually appealing. 

The second photo is an example of the type of stores at the Short Hills Mall. Maybe one of the most expensive stores in the mall, Louis Vuitton attracts the wealthiest people in society with attractive handbags. Other stores range from fine jewelry to antique furniture, and clothing stores with the hottest new fashions. The average person can't afford merchandise from these stores, so the mall discriminates against the middle and lower class.

To top it all off, there was a brand new Porsche for sale in the middle of the mall. (Third picture)

I'm sure that most clothe shopping at the Short Hills Mall is somewhat affordable for a high school student. But if you want anything other than clothes, the Short Hills Mall is probably too expensive. 

One morning over break, I did not have my car. I had to get some groceries, and it was a nice day, so I decided to walk to ShopRite. As I was walking, I passed by a place I must have passed 100 times, but have never taken the time to look at. I passed by the Guy R. Bosworth American Legion post 140. I noticed the cannon right off the back and the bricks, but I was still not sure as to what this place was. I researched the information online, and I figured out that the American Legion provides support for American Veterans whether it be recognition, financial support, or finding jobs after the war. I also learned that on Veterans Day there is a ceremony that the mayor participates in. This is to remember and respect all those that served for our country. I think that it is amazing that we have an American Legion in our town because I think it is very important to value veterans because they dedicate their lives for the betterment of our lives. I believe that there should be more people contributing and supporting the American Legion as it is for a very noble cause and these people definitely deserve it.

Orange NJ

Born and raised in Orange New Jersey John J. McLaughlin jr. served as the postmaster and city commissioner for over 20 years. He and his wife raised their 7 children in Orange down the street from where he grew up, on East Clark Place. He was so dedicated to Orange and his work. When he passed away in 1983 the township of Orange decided to rename East Clark Place to McLaughlin Place to honor all of his hard work and dedication. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit McLaughlin Place this past weekend and see where my father grew up. Although I never got to meet my grandfather I know that this street sign in Orange, and his name plate from his office which hangs in my house, hang in his honor. 

Pulaski Barbeque

This friday, my friend Gabby Hamilton and I went to Pulaski Barbeque. We were feeling particularly Portuguese and wanted some good barbeque chicken. Though there are good places closer to us such as the Burnet Barbeque (which my family used to own), and Rei de Manivela in Hillside, nothing compares to Pulaski Barbeque in Newark. At night it is always busy with families in the dining room and on the weekends there is a line out the door for take-out. Because we went right after school on a friday, take out was quick! For only $12 you get a whole chicken (which they make right there as you can see in the picture), your choice of rice (yellow or white), and a load of fries. Trust me, all my life I've encountered portuguese barbeque and Pulaski does it right! They also make other foods such as ribs and steak. I REALLY recommend paying a visit to Pulaski's, you won't be disappointed. Altogether, places like this make up what New Jersey is to me. I spent a lot of time in Newark throughout my childhood and have shared many
laughs over lunches and dinners in places like these. Don't
forget, it's good but you have to pace yourself cause you'll be full really quick like Gabby was.

NERO'S GRILLE

Nero's Grille is an American steakhouse located in Lvingston New Jersey that has been around for 40 years. This weekend I went there to enjoy a family dinner with my grandparents. It is an ideal restaurant  for family functions, easily accessible for everyone. Not only is it a very homey restaurant but the food is excellent. The menu has options for everyone from simple mac and cheese to a nice steak dinner or several different chicken dishes. The restaurant can accommodate large parties in any of their three dining rooms or on their patio weather permitting. It is also a nice place for adults to come and share a drink with a few friends or try a nice bottle of wine from their outstanding wine list. Not only is it a perfect place for a sunday night dinner but as seen in the photos above they also do take out so you can enjoy the delicious food in the comfort of your own home. It is a major advantage to be able to go out for a great meal right around the corner from home. 

Rainbow Diner

Recently this weekend Tori and I went down the shore to a place which is like home to me. Rainbow Diner is a place that I have been going to since I was a little girl. It is located on Route 70. This diner is known for making orders twice the size of a normal size portion. Usually when I go there I get their pancakes, which are the size of a dinner plate. Trust me if you go there you must get them! Their menu constantly is growing, every time I go there it gets harder and harder to choose what to eat! It has also been recently remodeled and modernized; as its way of trying to keep up with the styles of the new diners. This diner is  in the path of most beaches and is a very popular place for locals. The next time you go down the shore this is definitely a place you should visit!

This past weekend, Toni and I took a road trip down the shore. We went to Jenkinson's Pier in Point Pleasant. Ever since I was a kid, my family and I took frequent trips down to visit the boardwalk. Jenkinson's quickly became my favorite New Jersey amusement. From great rides to great food, the boardwalk has it all. A day can quickly be filled with either playing games along the boardwalk, eating a variety of foods, or going on thrilling rides. Games one can find along the boardwalk range from dart throwing games, to shooting hoops, to water gun games, to leap frog, to ring toss. Food that's found along the boardwalk can be pizza, french fries, Kohr's ice cream (my personal favorite),  funnel cake, zeppoles, italian ices, salt water taffy, candy apples, and fudge. Rides found at Jenk's range from small roller coasters to train rides, to riding in the back of alligators, to merry go rounds. As a child, I would always ride in the back of the alligator named Victoria. She was my favorite because we shared a name. The first picture posted is of a sign for Jenkinson's Boardwalk. The second picture is along the boardwalk displaying certain food stands and games. The third picture is of me enjoying my favorite ice cream in the entire world, Kohr's chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. Yum. 

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The Jersey Gardens

I went to the Jersey Gardens at Elizabeth with my family this weekend. The place is huge (probably need 24 hours for everything). I heard that the Jersey Gardens is New Jersey's largest outlet mall with over 200 stores under one roof. There were tons of people in the food court, and many groups of teenagers walking around the mall. Compare to the Short Hills mall, there were a lot of Latins, African-Americans, and foreigners at the mall. What once was the perfect mall, filled with cheap items and always empty rocking chairs, has now turned touristy. The mall is located approximately seven minutes from Newark International Airport. Thus, I saw some shuttles from Newark airport that bring groups of tourists to the mall. If you have a chance to visit the Jersey Gardens, don't expect international names like Coach, Burberry, Gucci, etc but if your priority is to get good deals with relatively big names like Brooks Brothers, Levi's, Gap, etc, you will enjoy yourself.