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Jersey Food - November, 2004

Harvey Cedars has a wonderful new gourmet restaurant full of flavor and classy elegance called Plantation Restaurant.  Sidling up to the large bar which offers all sorts of wonderful drinks and exceptional Mohito's can be a great way to spend a late shore afternoon.   Appetizers such as their crispy calamari are great with their tasty Mohito's.

Our group sat down to a lovely meal which began with fresh salads all around.  Of special note was the salad with field greens, candied walnuts, fried cranberries, goat cheese and walnut vinaigrette.  It's pretty hard to make much out of meatloaf but theirs was by far the best I've ever tasted and the cheddar cheese mashed potatoes were just perfect with it.  Others in the group remarked how they enjoyed the center cut pork chop with chili glazed center and Fettuccine Alfredo with gulf shrimp and sun dried tomatoes.

The Plantation Restaurant is an adventuresome mix of traditional dishes with an eclectic upscale twist unlike most shore eateries.  The restaurant is located where The Owl Tree used to be for those that have been to the area, and it's sure to be around for a long time if the quality of the food, atmosphere and location are any indication.

Plantation Restaurant - 7908 Long Beach Blvd., Harvey Cedars, New Jersey Tel. 609-494-8191

To Learn More About Feeding The Hungry In New Jersey

New Jersey Has A New Color: New Jersey now has their very own Crayola Crayon color called NEW JERSEY BOARDWALK.  The very earthy brown color is sure to be the brunt of many jokes but it's no joke that without New Jersey there would be no "boardwalk."

Jersey Treasure - November, 2004

New Jersey is always full of surprises and treasures of all kinds found throughout our great state.  The late fall provides for so much delightful scenery with the leaves falling and the sun changing the light all around us.  Many photographers love this time of year and seek to capture the colors and nature's spectacle.

What type of camera is used to capture beautiful images is a hotly debated topic; some prefer digital, some prefer film.  Digital is here to stay and has made steady inroads into all levels of photography.  Many agree that while digital is convenient and speedy it just doesn't have the quality of a well-exposed film image.  Many people don't mind using the digital cameras as evidenced by sales figures.  For some though. film is the way to go.

Ever wonder where those old film cameras go?  Sure, like everything else Ebay has many, but there is also a Jersey Treasure tucked away in a small strip mall on Rt. 1 in Trenton, New Jersey.  Le Camera & Video has all types of cameras and lenses from old Canons, Nikons and even Leicas.  The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.  For someone in Jersey that has an interest in film photography Le Camera might have just what you are looking for to complete your camera kit or start a new one.  Sure there is Ebay but there is nothing like getting in your car and being able to actually touch and inspect the old camera or lens you wish to buy.

Many people feel that new is always better, but there are just as many who believe that the old tried and true stands up better.  When one looks at a beautiful Jersey picture, the equipment becomes secondary to the results.   Le Camera & Video is a Jersey Treasure filled with quality old cameras built to stand the test of time and to capture the passage of it.

Le Camera & Video  - 2781 US Highway 1, Trenton, NJ Tel. 609-771-8787

Jersey Spin Factoid: President George Washington proclaimed the adoption of Thanksgiving Day by the Congress as a national holiday following a resolution of an Elizabeth, New Jersey man named Elias Boudinot.  Boudinot also served as the Continental Congress president.

Have an interesting Jersey Story you would like to write and see published here?  Just email it to us and if we like it we will make arrangements to purchase it from you!  Send your submission: here

With the onset of the holiday season, it seems to be the time of year when memories of years gone by come flooding back.  There is so much being planned for the revitalization of Newark, that one can't help to remember how vibrant that city used to be.

In the 1940's and 1950's Newark was a thriving metropolis.  Young people from the suburbs headed to Newark looking to fill the many job opportunities at banks, department stores, insurance companies, manufacturing companies and a myriad of other positions to be found there.  It provided what small-town New Jersey was missing.

People have the tendency to forget that it was not too long ago when there was no such thing as a "mall."  All shopping was done at local shops throughout the towns where you lived.  If you had the need to shop in a department store, then you headed to New York or Newark.

It's sad to realize that all the wonderful stores that lined Broad Street, Halsey Street and Market Street have fled the city.  Shopping in Hahnes with it's wonderful elevator operators calling out what could be found on each floor was great fun,  Bambergers was always "all dressed up" for the holidays with a wide variety of merchandise.  If you were looking for a bargain, you headed for S. Kleins or Orbachs.  Kresges was another wonderful store, less expensive than Hahnes, but more upscale than Kleins or Orbachs.  Most of those stores are just memories now.  Progress?  Maybe yes -  maybe no.

Young people thought nothing of hopping on a bus in the suburbs - going to Newark for the day, doing some shopping, going to dinner and heading back home in the evening.  Those days were certainly more carefree and many of us miss that lively city that fell into decay after the riots in the 1960's when so many businesses closed their doors.

There seems to be a slow resurgence underway in the city; pockets of Newark have come back to life.  NJPAC is bringing people back to the city.  Wonderful restaurants can be found in the Ironbound section with its well-cared for homes and Portuguese population which is so vital to the city.

Newark, with its beautiful old buildings and historical churches is a large part of New Jersey's collective nostalgia.  Wouldn't it be great to see this city restored to some of its former vibrance and unique importance.  For the time being, however, many of us have pleasant memories and are holding good thoughts for the future.