There are some things that we are definitely going to miss moving to Colorado…

by Melissa D’Angelo

Living in New York and New Jersey for the past 52 years has its advantages. Now that we’re leaving, it’s made me reflect on the things that I have taken for granted. The little things that won’t be so little when I’m 1,700 miles west. I’m sure there are other transplants in Colorado that have opened pizza places and Italian bakeries but it’s just not the same. Ya know? This area of the country has a certain vibe. A certain attitude. Being so close to the greatest city in the world (I still believe that even though I hate it now) has its perks.

Here are my Top 10 things that I will miss when we leave New Jersey:

1. No one cooks as good as Grandma, but there are so many Italian restaurants in NJ that it’s hard for me to pick a favorite. Don’t get me wrong, there are some really, really bad ones too. It’s all about the sauce. But give me a crispy chicken parm or a homemade meatball and I’m in heaven. We’ve gotten some suggestions for Italian food in Colorado so we’ll have to check them out. But for now my favorite Italian places are Mezza Luna in Manalapan and good ol Camillos in Sayreville (partly for nostalgic purposes).

2. Ahh New Jersey pizza…the best! And there’s no shortage of them either. Go into any strip mall in the state and you’ll find two things – a pizza place and a nail salon. I’ve eaten pizza in other states and countries and it’s good but it doesn’t taste like it does in New Jersey. There’s something unique about pizza in NJ. If I was forced to pick, I’d say my favorite is Denino’s South Pizzeria in Brick and my favorite bar pie is from Strawberry’s Pub in Woodbridge. We love Strawberry’s so much that we included them in our Family & Friends Hike & Slice™.

3. When it comes to driving, I’m definitely a Passenger Princess. I will make the playlist, check the traffic, and get you a snack. And when it comes to pumping my own gas, I’m definitely a Jersey Girl. Naturally I’ve pumped my own gas during road trips but that doesn’t mean I like it. I appreciate the gas attendants who are out in all kinds of weather so that I can stay in my warm (or cool) car. I will miss them.

4. When Erin was at college in Ohio I remember her calling me one day and saying, “Do you know what the bagels are like here? They’re bread with a hole in the middle.” No truer words have been spoken. Now we all know New York bagels are the best because of the water, but New Jersey bagels are a close second. Everyone has their favorite combination. For me it’s pretty basic. Everything bagel with cream cheese. Sometimes vegetable cream cheese, depending on how it looks. And (don’t crucify me for this) I’ve never had pork roll, egg and cheese on a bagel so I can’t contribute to the whole pork roll/Taylor ham debate. I don’t have a favorite bagel place but Bagel Express in Milltown is great and so is Bagel Mania in Matawan.

5. Noodle kugel, knishes, Nova lox, kasha, halva. Can you even get matzo ball soup in Colorado? Apparently you can because Alan asked that question on a Facebook community page. The Jewish delicatessen is a staple in these parts. There was a large wave of German Jews who moved to the US in the mid 1800’s and they started selling the preserved foods they knew from the old country. So began our love for the deli. These delis also became iconic in movies and TV shows – think of the deli scene in When Harry Met Sally. If you ask me (even if you don’t I’ll tell you anyway) the best matzo ball soup (among other dishes) is at The Pickled Herring in Marlboro, NJ. If you’re really hungry and like a lot of leftovers you have to try Harold’s Deli in Edison.

6. You wanna go down the shore? Ask that any place else and they won’t understand it. But to us, it’s going to the beach, the Jersey Shore. I consider myself spoiled to have access to the beach in about 45 minutes. Yes, I know you have to pay to get onto the beach in NJ, which is ridiculous, but going down the shore is such a part of being a Jerseyan that you stop thinking about it after a while. Does any place else have boardwalks like us? Ahh the memories. My favorite beach is Seven Presidents in Long Branch and my favorite boardwalk is definitely Jenkinsons.

7. The home of the disco fries. NJ diners are famous for being 24-hour hot spots where breakfast is served all day long. Come on, you know you’ve hit up the diner after a night of drinking or to meet up with family or friends on the weekend for a late breakfast. The best diners have 20-page menus where you can get anything from breakfast burritos to filet-of-sole and everything in between. And no diner is complete without the refrigerated case full of deserts as soon as you walk in. We went to a diner in Colorado. The food was good but the vibe? Not the same. And the menu was only two pages long. Fuhgeddaboudit. My Favorite diner is Manny’s Diner in Clark. Order the turkey burger-trust me.

I’m starting to see a recurring theme with my list. It’s mostly food. 

8. So in keeping with the apparent theme here, I’m going to miss Italian bread/bakeries. I went to Livioti’s last week and grabbed a loaf of semolina and it was still warm. I think I let out an audible “ahhh.” And I know I’m not the only one who rips off a piece and eats it on the way home, not caring that your car is now full of crumbs. Can we please talk about rainbow cookies? In my family they’re like gold and everyone grabs for them first. You think they have sfogliatelle out there? I’ll let you know. My one stop shop for all Italian specialties is Livoti’s which has a few locations and I’ve stood in line at Normandie Bakery in Hazlet and yes it’s worth it.

9. Alan was a Starbucks person when we met. I have converted him to Wawa. You’re welcome. Wawa is to NJ like Circle K or Sheetz is to other states. It’s a staple, a go to. Wanna get coffee? Wawa. Wanna get sandwiches before we go down the shore? Wawa. Wanna get a quick snack before this road trip? Wawa. Need gas? Wawa. We’re gonna be loading up on the Wawa bagged coffee before we leave. Lucky for us we have an insider. Beckie works there and can mail us coffee if needed.

10. And last but not least, I will miss the rude and standoffish people. My people. If you know me you know I’m not a fan of people starting conversations with me in the line at ShopRite. To quote a co-worker “I’m not taking any more applications for friends.” I’m cordial, I say “thank you” when you hold the door open for me and I say “have a nice day.” The expected niceties. But please don’t start telling me about your grandson’s baseball game while I’m waiting for my cold cuts. I like the coldness of the people around here. I’m comfortable with it. We’re straight and to the point. And there is no doubt in my mind that this is what I will struggle with most when we move. Now the expectation will be chit chat and I will try my best to conform without losing my caustic delightful personality. 

Get ready Colorado cause here we come!

by Alan Karmin

When people ask where we’re from, Melissa will immediately say “New Jersey.” Me? I always say, “Originally from Brooklyn.” Now Melissa and I have both made the Brooklyn to Staten Island to New Jersey hop, skip, and jump. And we both ended up in Sayreville, graduating from Sayreville War Memorial High School.

Nevertheless, it agitates Melissa when I tell people I am “originally” from Brooklyn. “But you’re not, you LIVE in NEW JERSEY.”

Melissa gives me the old Knute Rockne speech prior to every hike. “Now remember, we’re not here to make friends. Don’t make any eye contact. Don’t say ‘hello’ and don’t dare pet any dogs.”

Melissa gets a tad annoyed when people suddenly start talking to me. Most of the time it’s because I’m wearing part of my University of Miami garb and I will get someone saying “It’s all about the U!” while giving the “U” hand signal. “Why must you attract attention?”

Like she said…Get ready Colorado cause here we come!

Melissa gave her Top 10 things she will miss moving to Colorado, so here are my Top 10 starting with No. 10:

10. Gas attendants would be an easy thing to say that I would miss about leaving New Jersey. But just about every other State makes you pump your own gas. I think I put this on my list because it was expected? But I don’t like having to touch the filthy gas handle and then having the smell on my hands for the next few hours. And then Melissa gets crazy when I have to stop and park the car and go into the men’s room to wash my hands. So gas attendants alleviate that.

9. Iris…

8. Diners are that one thing that is known to be associated with New Jersey. The Garden State is not exactly accurate. It should be the Diner State. Anyone who is a foodie will admit that diners are not the place to go for a lobster dinner or shrimp scampi or veal parmigiana. Okay, maybe some would. But the fact is that at a New Jersey diner you can find just about ANYTHING at ANY TIME of the day. The Edison Diner on Route 1 is somewhat hidden but has a great menu. When in doubt, it has been the “go to” for a quick meal. The Prestige Diner in New Providence and the Union Plaza Diner in Union are also great places for quick impromptu meals for all palettes.

7. Iris…

6. Lobster rolls…now that is something that is not a staple in Colorado. Trout rolls…maybe. But lobster rolls are strictly Northeastern cuisine. And while a lot of seafood places on the Jersey Shore will offer lobster rolls, there is absolutely no better place than a lobster roll at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough on the banks of the Mystic River, in Noank, Connecticut. Three hours door to door and worth every minute of the drive.

5. Iris…

4. The Proximity to NYC should not be forgotten. If you are not a native New Yorker, it’s hard to understand that just about everything is at your fingertips…well maybe not at your fingertips…but at least just a short subway ride away. It’s the one city in the country where you REALLY don’t NEED a car. You can somewhat easily get around with the most unique and accessible mass transit system in the world. Whether it’s the sports, the culture, the food, the vibe, there is something for everyone. And when they say the “city never sleeps” they mean it. It’s open 24 hours. I will absolutely miss going to Mets games, Broadway shows, Vincent’s Clam Bar in Little Italy, Wo Hop and Peking Duck in Chinatown, the MANY museums, the botanical gardens, the rides on the subway. But…

3. Iris…

2. The pizza…the MULTITUDE of pizza in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan are…is like nowhere on the face of the earth. And the pizza connoisseurs of the area will tell you just that. I have come to love the deep dish style of Chicago pizza and I liked the honey put on Colorado pizza, but there’s nothing like the pizza New York and New Jersey. The number of “Jersey Pizza Joints” can keep you in pizza for the rest of your life. My top three favorite New Jersey pizza places that I will miss are Strawberry’s Pizza and Pub in Woodbridge; Denino’s in Matawan; and Kinchley’s in Ramsey. In New York, I really like Don Antonio on West 50^th Street in Manhattan, Don Pepe in Penn Station, and, of course, my all-time favorite since I was a kid…where else but L&B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn? Two square slices and a squeeze cup of spumoni…ya ain’t finding THAT in Colorado!

1. IRIS…Do I even have to say why?