Surf City - Jersey City

Because I'm from Jersey City, NJ, I don't know what the general consensus is around the nation when it comes to my hometown.  Sure, we all know NJ is the "Armpit of America."  Believe me, I've been on the NJ Turnpike and I know exactly why we have such a smelly reputation.  When it comes to Jersey City, I've heard different views.  On one hand, Jersey City is an urban area filled with low lives and gang bangers.  On the other hand, Jersey City is a gateway to Hoboken and NYC, on the rise downtown, and the perfect place to raise a family.  Believe it or not, both of those statements are true.  Just like any major city, it's just a matter of where you go (and where you never would) and who you associate yourself with.  But, never in my life did I expect to find such an awesome place so close to home and right under my nose.  Surf City is an AMAZING location and, last week, we spent three days there because we just couldn't get enough!

We had multiple friends tell us about Surf City and every review was positive.  We were intrigued, but never took the time to drive 15 minutes away and check it out.  Looking back, I wish we had dived in sooner because we missed out on so many beautiful Summer days, and nights, that could have been spent at this beautiful mega bar.  Don't let my picture or the exterior view fool you.  This isn't some run-down shack.  This is the beach, this is the jersey shore, this is the Caribbean all wrapped into one giant ball and placed right along the Hudson River.

To paraphrase Surf City's official "about us" section, Surf City is both an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant that sits directly on the water with beautiful views of NYC, the Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Science Center.  We first came to Surf City on a Sunday and it was absolutely beautiful!  The sun was shining, the clouds were sparse, and the crowd Surf City attracted was just my type.  There was nothing rowdy about this location at all and I liked that!  There were parents with newborn babies, dog lovers with their pups, young, old, and new couples enjoying the scenery.  Being there felt comfortable and that was what stood out most.

Before we did anything else, we wanted to look around and see what they had to offer.  We could have been seated by a hostess, but we chose to scope the joint out before settling down.  We noticed the incredible view of the water and skyline, we realized how many bars and tables they have for patrons, they have benches and chairs throughout the mega bar, and my favorite part, the sand pit that allows guests to have a seat in the sand and place your food and drinks right on the table.  A waiter or waitress even comes around to take your order.  Where you live, this may be common, but you don't find anything like this in Jersey City.  I was mesmerized by it all and, really, the service is what sets it all over the top.  Had they been rude, all of this ambiance goes right into the river.  But let me tell ya, these guys do it all right!

To be exact, there are five bars throughout the location with one, inside, being completely devoted to making frozen drinks and "buckets."  Because it gets crowded as the day progresses into night, this is an important perk.  Having the ability to choose from one of five bars to get a drink at a busy hour limits your wait time and gets you back to your company.  That's great!  In our three times there, we never waited for a drink and our bartenders were always there with another before we finished the last.  Not only is it good for business, it's good for my buzz :)

I stuck with Coors Light on all three days, but Eileen varied a bit and started the day off with a bucket.  To be more precise, she kicked it off with "Voodoo Juice."  I tried it and it was good!  Imagine an ice cold coconut drink!  Sure, it was a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for.  Besides, it's no small feat.  It's a pretty big drink that's mixed with some hard liquor.  You drink two or three "Voodoo Juice" buckets and you'll be casting more spells than Papa Shongo.  (if you don't know who that is, you're not paying attention to The Holidaze!)

After the beer and bucket, we were on to the next round.  I'm boring, so I stayed with the Coors, but this time Eileen chose to go with her first frozen margarita ever.  They call this one the Strawberry Rita at Surf City and it's only $10.  I think that's a pretty good deal and, in that setting, it's only right that you sit back, toes in the sand, sipping on an ice cold tropical drink.  If you can't make it to the Bahamas, or even if you can't make it down the shore, Surf City is absolutely perfect.  For us, there's no better staycation.

Changing gears, Eileen went from tropical drinks to beer.  But not just any beer, this was "Angry Orchard."  Ever heard of it?  I didn't until this day, but I've always been intrigued by seasonal beers.  It all started last year when I tried my first pumpkin flavored beer.  I didn't really care for it, but that's because I'm picky.  But apple is right down my alley and this was amazing.  The flavor is sweet and tangy.  It draws a fine line between Summer and Fall, but it's sooo good and, when it's that cold, it hits the spot on an 80 degree day.  This is definitely something I'll be looking for as we enter September.

Surf City has plenty of craft beers on tap and these two from Blue Moon, Agave Nectar Ale and Belgian White, stood out.  I, regretfully, never tried them at Surf City, but it did lead us to purchasing Agave Nectar later that night and, if you're looking for the perfect Summer beer, that's it!  I know the season is quickly coming to an end, but we're about to hit the 90s again this week and I'm going to soak up every last drop of Summer I can get.  Believe me, I'm more than ready for Fall and Halloween.  But Surf City makes me long for just a few more weeks!

Our friend met us later that day, but prior plans meant the party couldn't last.  But we had time for some food and one more drink.  Although I didn't snap a picture, we ordered fries and mozzarella sticks to go along with Eileen's "Mango Tango" and my final beer for the day.  It could have been the alcohol talking, but we thought the food was amazing, especially the fries!  They season them just right and, along with the mozzarella sticks, we were in foodie heaven.  It was a great way to end our first time at Surf City but, little did we know, we had only just begun.

After mentioning to my Mom, who loves anything that involves the beach and Sun, just how great Surf City was, she was intrigued.  Apparently, Surf City used to be known as the Sand Bar but, according to her, was very loud and attracted a more raucous crowd.  She was surprised to hear how much it had changed and was glad we had such a good time.  The next morning, she tells me that she and my Aunt are going to Surf City.  I guess I had really sold the mega bar, well eh?  

Of course we joined them! It's always great spending time with family and I take the opportunity to do so whenever it comes up.  This was the perfect time and place to share quality time with my two favorite ladies in the world.  We enjoyed drinks, food, and a lot of laughs.  My aunt, who isn't pictured, is the true matriarch of my entire family and was the driving force behind this outing.  I'm grateful that she decided to coordinate this little event at Surf City because the four of us had a wonderful time and created some great memories.  On top of that, it was already later in the day so we got to enjoy Surf City at night.

As the sun set, Surf City began to illuminate and shine bright in the night's sky.  It was serene.  The water was calm, the breeze was cool, and the music was just a tad bit louder in the background.  A little Margaritaville enhances the experience and makes you feel like you're really in a tropical destination on vacation.  You forget where you are and, if I didn't tell you, you'd never guess that you're in Jersey City.  For a while, even I had to question where I really was!

 

When the Sun finally drops, lights glow from all around Surf City and it's gorgeous.  Between the environment, the people, the weather, and the company, I couldn't have asked for a better night.  If you look closely above, there are fire pits lit at tables in the sand.  Even when it's not cold outside, it's there for you to make yourself even more comfortable.  It's something that Surf City doesn't have to do, but does anyway.  I've mentioned "going the extra mile" time and time again on The Holidaze and that's always what separates good from great.  That's why Surf City is great.

Need more proof?  Take a look at this sign placed at the exit.  Surf City already offers free parking in a huge lot, but if you've had too much to drink and can't drive home, they're happy to oblige.  Simply leave your license plate number with the manager and they'll keep your car safe and sound until you can soberly return to pick it up.  That's class, people!  That's really taking an interest in your well being and the well being of others.  We didn't need this service, but I'm sure people do at times and it's good to see it offered.  Again, it's something they don't have to do, but do anyway

Round Three at Surf City and I had to take a picture of my angel with the beautiful skyline behind her.  She even wore her shirt to match the Surf City logo ha!  I'm lying, but are we loving this place or what?  We didn't have much time on our third trip, but we had to stop in for a drink and some burgers.  They're just too good to pass up!

If you come to Surf City for nothing else, then come for the food!  These burgers are out of this world.  This time, I know it wasn't the alcohol talking because I only had one beer.  I'm the pickiest eater in the world, hence why I don't have any lettuce, tomato, onions, or sauce on my bacon cheeseburger, but I still know a good burger when I see it and this is awesome.  For $11, you get the burger and fries and, look, it's not small.  You're getting your moneys worth!  The fries alone are good enough to spend 11 bucks, but the burger just sets everything apart.  In our time there, we've had the bacon cheeseburger, mozzarella sticks, and fries.  Because I'm picky, I'm not sure what else I'd try, but their menu is packed with shrimp, salad, wings, chicken, burgers, oysters, clams, ribs.. you name it!  If they're anything like what we ate, then it's going to be a success!

I really can't say enough about Surf City.  We had an amazing time all three times and it won't be our last outing.  To tell you the truth, we'll probably be there once or twice this week.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so we'll probably swing by on Thursday or Friday.  It's just that good!  It's definitely my new favorite place and I'm recommending it to everybody I know.  It may seem like I'm being paid to say all this, but I'm just a new fan of Surf City who wants to spread the word to anybody who will listen.  If you're in the Jersey City area, give it a try.  If you're in NYC, hop on a ferry and dock at Surf City.  You can literally walk up the ramp from your boat and enter the bar.  I saw people show up on jet ski's and kayaks!  By land or by sea, nobody can get enough of Surf City!

Jenkinson's Boardwalk - Pt. Pleasant, NJ - Part 2

As promised, I am back with part two of my Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Pt. Pleasant, NJ trip report!  When I last left off, we were discussing the crazy amounts of fun you can have in the Fun House, especially when you're a bit inebriated and want to act like a child.  Let's face it, that's what this site celebrates.  For as much as it's about the different seasons and holidays that accompany them, it's also about embracing your childhood and enjoying the little things.  There's plenty of time for stress and responsibility throughout this life, so when you find the time to let loose and be whoever you want to be, take the opportunity and treasure it.

Now, let's get into part two!

As we exited the Fun House, the clouds were still rolling in and the sky was becoming darker.  The scent of rain and salt water was growing strong and we knew we were minutes away from a downpour.  So, we looked around and decided to take cover in one of the arcades.  We were going to wind up there anyway, especially because I wanted to hunt down Slimer, so we entered the first one we saw and beat the crowd before it got nasty.

How many times will you see me shooting baskets on Pop-A-Shot, this Summer?  Every single time I see one, somewhere.  So far, I've found one at Monster Mini Golf, Seaside, and Pt. Pleasant.  It's a guarantee that I'll spend money on these games whenever they catch my eye.  Unfortunately, this machine was a bit busted and the balls had too much air.  Every time we hit the rim, the ball bounced right back at us in a fit or rage.  We'd have one ball coming at our head, another bouncing toward the glass, and the last falling to the ground.  It became a disaster and, really, there was no way I was breaking any high scores in Pt. Pleasant.  I tried, but I failed.  We'll see what the next machine holds for me.  We have another adventure planned for today (one that is similar to a previous trip) and I know they have Pop-A-Shot, so I'll be sure to take some shots.  You, of course, will surely get tired of seeing us in the same exact pose.

Have you ever tried playing Skee Ball while taking pictures at the same time?  Up until Monday, neither have I.  But I gave I attempted to do so in order to get a cool photo of the ball going into the "100" slot.  Not only did I not get it in hole, I barely got any good pictures at all.  Then, after I got the high score and tried to pose like an idiot, the score flashed away and I wound up pointing at nothing.  So, needless to say, Skee Ball was not much of a success.  As my girlfriend said, "It's a fail."  Yep.

 The next competition was Cliff vs Eileen in a game of Air Hockey.  This is always fun and I started off strong.  I went up 5-0 early and was looking to shut her out completely.  But, little by little, she worked her way back into the game and my undefeated streak was in jeopardy.  Luckily, I was able to hold her off and end the game, but she's getting better!  I blame her comeback on the fact that I was, once again, taking pictures as we played, but I'll give her credit.  I'm looking forward to a rematch because she may just take the Championship.  But then again, she has me, so she's already the winner ;)

We looked everywhere for the stuffed Slimer that we found in Seaside, but he was nowhere to be found.  I'm sure I could Google it and order it online, but that's not the same.  There's something special about walking into an arcade, finding one of your favorite characters trapped inside a glass prison, and doing your best to wrap a crane around his body to assist in their escape!  That's what I was hoping to do for Slimer, but he's gone missing.  All I could find were these giant donuts and Monsters University characters.  I didn't have any interest in saving them, but those donuts did look cool.  Besides the fact that they look like they're from The Simpsons, I thought about trying to win one for our dog, Rocky, but I knew he'd just rip the stuffing out and there'd be a mess.  Better off without it.

Ahhh! Slimer!!  It's not the stuffed version, but there he is!  I got so pumped when I saw him, but knew he was unattainable.  This particular Slimer wasn't a crane game prize, but rather a ticket-based prize.  You know the idea; win and tally as many tickets as possible, turn them in to redeem points, and collect your prize once you have enough to do so.  The problem is, these prizes require wayyy too many points and you'd be better off just spending your money to purchase them in stores.  Try telling that to a little kid, though.  When they're spending hours inside an arcade, all they want is what they see, not what you claim you'll buy for them later.

I remember, when I was a kid, my family was spending the week down in Pt. Pleasant.  It was my Mother, Father, Aunt, two cousins, and I sharing the house.  At the time, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers was at the peak of its popularity and I was one of the crazy fanatics that never missed an episode.  I used to draw the Power Rangers, collect the toys, play the video games, and pretend I was one.  I even dressed up as the Red Ranger for Halloween after my parents looked everywhere for the crappy costume.  My favorite, in this year, was the Green Ranger and my eye was drawn to a prize up on the top shelf.  It was the Green Ranger's "Dragon Dagger!."

I wanted this damn toy so bad!  I knew it was available in stores, I knew it wasn't THAT hard to find, but I didn't care; I had to have it.  Looking back, I was just being a spoiled brat, but my entire family played every game they could just to win enough tickets to pull this box down from the top shelf.  In the end, I couldn't tell you if they were just using it as an excuse to play more great games, or if my Dad just paid them more than it's worth to speed up the process, but I DID get my Green Ranger "Dragon Dagger."  

But, of course, the thrill of the chase was more fun than actually attaining my goal.  From what I remember, the dagger didn't play the actual sounds from the show and, after a few hours, I was tired of pretending like I had any real ninja talent or weaponry skill.  I should have just kept the box sealed because, today, this goes for $300-$400!  That's probably what my family wound up paying, anyway, but it's a story that just goes to show what type of affect these arcades can have on you.  You get caught up in the excitement and play for things you don't even really want.  Regardless, I'll never forget it and I appreciate my family for doing it.  It was worth the memory.

The Candy Stands are our favorite to play because you can win something that you'll actually use.  Sure, we don't necessarily need a box of Blow Pops, but who says now when you can potentially win it for 50 cents?  There are a few other stands where you can win electronics, but the chances are slim and, if I'm going to start wasting dollars, I'd rather drive to Atlantic City and gamble it away at the Big Money Wheel.  

When Eileen and I first started dating 9 years ago, I was 16-years-old and she was 15.  Years prior, I had been addicted to a candy called "Crazy Hair."  It was like a push-pop that forced nothing but pure sugar through tiny pores to symbolize colored hair.  I remember telling her about it, but thought it was discontinued.  Then, we were dropped off in Seaside by her Aunt, and we found it at one of the candy stands!  I couldn't believe it!  We probably spent a good $20 trying to win that box and it wasn't until we said "okay, last try" that we finally won it.  I probably broke out for weeks, but it was worth it!  Just another throwback that represents the memories and emotions connected with the Jersey Shore and what the boardwalk means to me.  Even a candy stand can mean more than what they make in a Summer.

 We walked down to check out the rides, but the lightning was striking so often that they shut everything down.  It made for a few fancy photos, but it's unfortunate that we didn't get to ride the Himalaya or Tilt-A-Whirl.  Those are my favorites.  But it's nice to see that the rides weren't affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Unlike Seaside, the rides at Pt. Pleasant aren't on the pier and are placed far off the beach.  Still, I'm surprised there wasn't more damage done by the heavy winds and rain.  The storm was bad, and much more than flooding, so I'm very glad to know that the rides are up and running!

Soon, the Sun had reappeared, but the rain had done its damage.  The beaches, for the most part, began to clear and evening was upon us.  We weren't looking to stay too much later or into the night, so we had time for just a few more activities before heading for the exits.

 Always end your trip to Pt. Pleasant with Ice Cream!  If you're a traditionalist, you've gotta go to Kohr's and try one of their famous twists or, if you're thirsty, go with the Orangeade.  Oh man, that's so good!  I wish I had one, right now!

Eileen decided to stick with Kohr's and go classic with the vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.  Besides Mint Chocolate Chip, that's definitely her favorite.  I like it, but I'm more fond of the harder ice cream so I chose a different path and went with Dippin' Dots.  It's always a Jersey Shore stop for me and I always have a hard time deciding which flavor to choose.  My favorites used to be "Root Beer Float" and "Snickers," but they haven't had those in years.  "Banana Split" is also classic, but easy to find.  So I had to pick something new!

"Twix Dippin' Dots" for the win!  This was great!!  I'll admit, it's not my new favorite, but it's very good and I'll definitely be purchasing it again.  It's chocolate Dippin' Dots with little chunks of Twix' candy.  It's an obvious creation, but this is the first time I've seen it.

It still can't compete with "Root Beer Float."  That was the best!  It was vanilla dots mixed with root beer dots.  I guess they took root beer soda and froze them into dots because, as they melted, they returned to their liquid state.  Now you had vanilla Dippin' Dots mixed into actual soda.  It was amazing!  Bring it back, Double D!

So, after 3 alcoholic beverages, cheese fries, 2 zeppoles each, a walk through the Fun House, competitions in the Arcade, traveling the boardwalk, ice cream, and walking back through the parking lot, our trip to Jenkinson's in Pt. Pleasant, NJ came to an end.

This was one of the better times we've had at Pt. Pleasant and, in reality, we didn't do half of what is offered.  Jenkinson's has an aquarium, a variety of shore shops, and rides that are fun for the whole family and people of any age.  There's plenty of fun to be had in Pt. Pleasant, including a fireworks show after the sun sets.  Not to mention the concerts and events they have planned throughout the Summer.  There's always something going on, but they can't compare to the day we shared together.

To finish our night, we stopped at Walgreens on the way home and saw these beauties in the refreshment aisle.  We were looking to grab something quick, maybe a bottle of Pepsi or cans of coke, but how do you turn down vintage bottles of Coca-Cola?  I couldn't!  Even though they're more expensive and harder to open, the classic look and feel of both the box and bottles are worth every extra bit of hassle.  Just look at how much the picture pops because of the colors and style!

I had to Google why it says "Hecho En Mexico."  I knew that it translated to "Made In Mexico," but I didn't understand the significance on the label.  Apparently, these bottles of Coke were truly imported from Mexico and have a different flavor than those made in America.  I thought there was a difference in taste, but I blamed it on my own mind games due to the awesome bottle.  But it's true!  Coke imported from Mexico is made with Cane Sugar rather than High Fructose Corn Syrup.  I'm telling you that like I know what I'm talking about and capitalizing everything to emphasize my knowledge.  The truth is, I have no idea what makes them different, but I love the packaging and that's all that matters.

The funny part is that the employees at Walgreens, including the manager, had no idea these bottles were even in stock.  They asked me where I found them and agreed that they were cool.  I believe the word "classic" was used just as many times by them as it was in this entry.  The manager even agreed that "they taste much better."  He must be up to date on the whole cane sugar corn syrup confusion.  Good for him.  Now he just needs to know what items he has in stock!

 

To conclude this two-part trip report, here's a giant Budweiser from me to you!