Garden Variety New Yorker

Living in New Jersey is very different than living on Long Island.  Even though both are basically suburbs of the city, and I’m virtually the same distance away from Manhattan, it’s a lot more rural on the mainland.  New Jersey Transit doesn’t run as smoothly, as often, or as overnight as the Long Island Rail Road. 

It’s a little quieter at night, but not noticeably.  In general though, things don’t stay open as late in New Jersey.  In the Paramus/Fair Lawn area, most stores are even closed on Sundays, which means everyone has to either rush around on Saturday to get weekend errands done, or drive to further away towns to do things.  Luckily grocery stores are still open.  And you can get your liquor and beer in the same store, which cuts down on trips. 

I still think of myself as a New Yorker, despite now living in New Jersey.  I hope never to lose that, wherever I may live.