Summer at Last! From New Jersey’s State Parks to the bountiful beauty and fun of the Jersey Shore, we are looking forward to making the most of living in New Jersey this summer. That said, while we like to explore and mix it up, our favorite summer adventures are always at Island Beach State Park.

We sure do love our pizza in New Jersey. Talking about it, consuming it, comparing it and then consuming it more. Our appetite for the stuff seems endless so it is good that Jersey City keeps seeing new pizzerias opening and joining our already extensive roster of fine places.

Are we the last to have eaten at Alfalfa? The happiest salad shop in Hoboken is our new obsession. When we recently entered its’ beautiful blush-colored walls for the first time, the feel-good California vibes jumped out at us.

Spring is here and with summer just over the horizon we are feeling the urge to refresh and revitalize our closet. These retail spots in Hoboken make it nice and easy to look fab while shopping locally and ethically.

Brian Kim and Jae Park, the super-talented brother duo behind Harborside’s DomoDomo are it again. Yay. Their new Korean restaurant ONDO is located at 3 2nd St. and offers traditional Korean cuisine along with modern interpretations and reworkings of dishes.

Our award for best ground floor retail in a residential building goes to the Urby in Harborside. Located adjacent to the fabulous DomoDomo restaurant, Canard Café Bar has now taken over where 9 Bar used to be, just weeks after Canard’s sister café opened in the Financial District in NYC.

Congratulations and well wishes to J. Jammal Upholstery & Decor! As this third-generation family business approaches its 59th year, the client list continues to expand through devoted word of mouth and the advances of technology.

We have posted before about our love for this supreme chocolate shop in Jersey City. Back in the day they were located at 321 Marin Boulevard and after surviving multiple challenges borne out of the pandemic, they are now re-opened for business at a fabulous new location at 251 Newark Ave.

Is it closet cleanout season for you? Out with the old, in with the new? If that is the case, there are plenty of wonderful local organizations that accept gently used clothing donations. Some but not all organizations ask for clothes to be donated fresh from the dry-cleaner or at the very least the laundromat.

It’s finally Spring! After a long and unpredictable winter it’s time to clean up and clear out everything and that includes our green spaces. We have been interested in learning more about “clean” planting – whether that is the exact term, we mean plants that contribute to eco-diversity and reducing pollution.

The world has grown increasingly fond of all things Danish. Have you noticed? Articles in major publications routinely cite studies that conclude Danes are the happiest people on earth, that their bike culture should be used as a guide for all others to follow and that hygge is a lifestyle we should all aspire to.

There has been much anticipation for the opening of Into the Void, the brand-new antique store and coffee shop in The Village. The excitement was on full display at the recent grand opening of the shop which is located at 117 Brunswick.

The Paulus Hook waterfront has a trusted neighborhood local in Greene Hook. The warm wood bar is beautiful and inviting and the outside area replete with multicolored picnic tables is spacious and fun.

The guys at Departed Soles Brewing and Tasting Room are to Jersey City what Dolly Parton is to the world. Like Dolly, it is impossible to find anything remotely negative to say about them.

We love Bergen Lafayette’s Café Quetzal. Located next to the Lafayette Branch of the Jersey City Public Library on Pacific, this sunny family-owned restaurant flies quietly under the radar (no website or social media) and we love that old school vibe.