In an effort to explore more of NYC and its surrounding areas, I ventured out to New Jersey for a day. Boy, am I glad I made the (short) trip across the water! There are some fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline from the numerous parks along the riverbank and the neighborhoods were also fun to explore. I went to Jersey City and Hoboken. It was quite a nice retreat away from the hectic ways of Manhattan...there was an instant change in scenery as soon as you stepped out from the subway station. Gone were the numerous skyscrapers crammed onto each block, packed sidewalks, and congested roads. Instead, you step out to much more of an open space with large factory-type buildings mixed with modern office buildings, emoting more of an industrial atmosphere.
I spent a majority of my time in New Jersey walking along Washington Street in Hoboken, which happens to be the location of Carlo's Bake Shop, home of TLC's Cake Boss. I've never watched the show, so I didn't really know what to expect when I visited the store. It was quite a mad house, considering the size of the store and the number of people that cram into the small space. It's also quite an impersonal experience: walk in, grab a ticket, wait for your number to show up on the 'Now Serving' marquee, place your order, pay the cashier, and get ushered out the door by the ever-growing mob of people anxiously waiting for their number to appear on the magical marquee. Personally, I was a bit put off by the atmosphere. I ended up just getting a cannoli. It was one of the best I've had, though...fresh, crisp exterior and a smooth, creamy filling that had just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the fried dough.
I also visited Crumbs Bake Shop, a popular bakery chain that originated in 2003 in the Upper West Side neighborhood of NY. Today, their stores can be found in many locations along the East Coast and in L.A. Crumbs specializes in cupcakes, and I had the opportunity to sample a few while I was in Hoboken. My field of selection was very limited as I am not a fan of cream cheese frosting/filling, which a great majority of their cupcakes included. An unfortunate thing because so many of their cupcakes looked and sounded scrumptious! I caved and tasted a couple that included a cream cheese frosting or filling...I just had to pick around, but that didn't allow me to fully enjoy the cupcakes :(
