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I've read this forum for several years and not felt compelled to create an account or post until now.
I'm from the South and I had the chance to spend last week in NJ for business and then 2 days of PTO. I stayed in Basking Ridge and spent time in Florham Park, Madison, and Far Hills.
I admit that I had stereotypes about "Yankees" and New Jersey itself, mostly developed from TV shows, and they weren't fair.
I was HORRIBLY wrong! Everyone I encountered at the office, restaurants, hotels, and stores was incredibly kind and welcoming. People asked me where I'm from and then about the South. They seemed fascinated that our beaches are free and that I prefer to pump my own gas as opposed to the full-service deal at NJ gas stations. (although in the winter, I bet I'd like to stay in my warm car while someone else's hands freeze pumping gas)
My colleagues made sure I knew when to leave the office and the best way to travel to avoid traffic. I admire how y'all are able handle that insane traffic every single day. (My 50-mile commute takes 50 minutes unless it's "icy" or "snowing")
Where I'm from, we say hey to everyone you pass on the street whether you know them or not. I caught myself saying hey to everyone in NJ, and almost everyone responded. I went for a walk at Natirar on my last morning, which is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. So many people greeted me and a few nice ladies even said "you're so fair-skinned; make sure you stay in the shade" and they told me which areas had more shade.
I realize that I was in very nice, affluent areas, but no one seemed snobby or exclusive. I can usually sniff out an insincere, sugar-coated "bless your heart."
We all have different ideas and stereotypes for various reasons, and I know that there are good and bad people everywhere you go. I apologize for this long, silly, rambling post, but I just wanted to say a general thank you for broadening my horizons.
Glad to see you visited Natirar, most of our friends back in NJ have never been there and if you ask them if they liked 90 acres that say "what"!
I sat in traffic once about 15 yrs ago near the Georgia Dome .... With my Jersey plates on the car, someone in a lifted F150 decided it best to welcome me by screaming " Go home yankee " and then spat on my windshield....
I sat in traffic once about 15 yrs ago near the Georgia Dome .... With my Jersey plates on the car, someone in a lifted F150 decided it best to welcome me by screaming " Go home yankee " and then spat on my windshield....
I have to confess I read the title and thought.."OMG...NOW WHAT". LOL What a nice post though. Thank you for it! You visited some gems in our state, that's for sure.
I have to confess I read the title and thought.."OMG...NOW WHAT". LOL What a nice post though. Thank you for it! You visited some gems in our state, that's for sure.
Thanks for sharing that, it's nice to hear that people can judge an area on the good that they experience as well as the bad. I found myself thinking about some of the threads on this forum just this past weekend, my family and I took a trip to Avon-by-the-Sea and we stopped in one town for WaWa, another to get gas, another to eat, etc, and EVERYONE was very nice. There are a lot of nice people here. Unfortunately because the population density is higher, you are more likely to come across a rude person or have a negative interaction because there are more people here overall, but I don't think the ratio is any different here than elsewhere. Just my $0.02.
This reminds me of the one time my buddies from Michigan drove in to visit me in NJ. When they stopped by the gas station and one of them was about to start filling the gas tank, the operator told him, "Welcome to Jersey. Don't touch the #$%^ing pump."
This reminds me of the one time my buddies from Michigan drove in to visit me in NJ. When they stopped by the gas station and one of them was about to start filling the gas tank, the operator told him, "Welcome to Jersey. Don't touch the #$%^ing pump."
So when someone says "hot", it reminds you of something "cold"?
Wow, thank you for all the nice comments! I honestly didn't know how my little story would be received.
To respond to some of the questions/comments:
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweepTheLeg
I hope you enjoyed a pork roll sandwich while you were here!
Unfortunately I didn't, but it sounds intriguing! I can't remember if I saw it on any menus. I did enjoy an amazing "turkey joe" at a deli ... so amazing that I went back the next day and bought 4 for the road. The very nice worker offered to wrap them up in extra aluminum foil and plastic bags so they'd survive in a cooler on my drive home. I owe him a huge debt of gratitude because the sandwiches are still great!
I saw "pork...sandwich" and immediately thought of our pulled pork sandwiches with slaw here. I definitely have to take some with me the next time I go to our NJ office. That would be the best example of southern hospitality ever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliftonite1979
I sat in traffic once about 15 yrs ago near the Georgia Dome .... With my Jersey plates on the car, someone in a lifted F150 decided it best to welcome me by screaming " Go home yankee " and then spat on my windshield....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retriever
So...you don't like Southern Hospitality?
How sad that someone would yell and spit on someone's windshield! That's terrible.
And I laughed at the Southern Hospitality. I've heard visitors say that it can seem very fake and insincere, and I can definitely understand that. I thought that the people in NJ seemed very authentic and genuine. I didn't get the impression that someone would say "Wow, I love your shoes/sweater/accent" and then mock me behind my back ... I think they just wouldn't say the fake compliment in the first place.
Tahiti and JerseyGirl415, now that I looked at the title again, it does seem suspect at first glance. And Tahiti, thank you for the compliment that this should be a sticky!
Thankfully the gas station attendant was MUCH nicer than the one that Stradivarius described ... he smiled as he stopped me on the way around my car to the tank. I had been told about full-service before, but I wasn't thinking when I hopped out of the car. Force of habit, I guess.
Sorry, I'm rambling again and this turned into another much-longer-than-I-intended post.
If you were in North jersey that "Pork Roll" would be called "Taylor Ham"...same thing just different names.
It's a great breakfast sandwich....Taylor Ham, egg and cheese on a hard roll YUM....try one if you come back
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