Date Night: Patria

the Mixology Bar at Patria

It’s always exciting when my hubby and I get a date night. Especially when we go to a hip and trendy restaurant – something that we rarely ever do. Recently we actually had a double date, meaning with other adults, not our kids. Fortunately these adults expressed availability for that night on the morning of the date, because we plan so far ahead. They’re spontaneous folks too and like us, have no life.

I heard about this new hip and trendy restaurant, Patria, through my tennis instructor who is expert in all things New Jersey. Check out the link and you won’t believe this kind of hipness exists in Rahway. Last time we ate in Rahway it was at David Drake’s old restaurant, which I believe had the unusual name of David Drake. The New Jersey chef is talked about in the media as being not only a great chef in New Jersey, but also recognized OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY. That was a delicious, expensive foodie meal, and we couldn’t believe that kind of restaurant existed in Rahway. It closed a week after we ate there.

Continue reading “Date Night: Patria”

Roller Derby in New Jersey

I haven’t seen Whip It, the roller derby movie with Drew Barrymore, but now I want to. We’ve been to our first roller derby match, and it was awesome!

Big Bertha and the Central Mass Roller Derby team

You gotta love a sport where the players have names like: Mental Block, Divine Wreckage, Assay Kicker, Clara Form, Crimes New Roman, Judy Additudy, Hellen Bed, Ashlee Juggz (#34DD), Jane Scayre, Katherine Hipburn, Asalt N Pepper…

Continue reading “Roller Derby in New Jersey”

Where to go during the New Jersey Teachers’ Convention

Those of us with kids in New Jersey public schools look forward to a two day school break in November, for the teachers’ convention. You can either sit around at home, or take off in the car or on a plane for a family trip.

It’s not too late to plan something! If you haven’t yet thought of what to do, I rounded up some great links to vacations in driving distance of New Jersey, provided by seasoned fellow bloggers and travel writers. Let me know where you plan to go!

NEW YORK CITY

For a staycation, here are some ideas for local fun. See a Broadway play. I’ve got reviews of Matilda here  and reviews of Mamma Mia here. See all my Broadway reviews here.

Continue reading “Where to go during the New Jersey Teachers’ Convention”

Treat of the Day: Melt Bakery

the lovely Melt Bakery lady

We visited the High Line Park recently and happened upon the Melt Bakery cart on 23rd Street at the lawn. For the record, Melt Bakery to me sounds like a grilled cheese sandwich place. But it’s not. It’s an ice cream sandwich place. And it was yummy.

The kids got a full size “Cinnamax” – two snickerdoodle cookies surrounding cinnamon ice cream for $4.

Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Melt Bakery”

Review: CSI: The Experience with Kids – New York City

You’ve seen CSI the show (or maybe you haven’t). Now try it for yourself. CSI: the Experience is making its way around the country, and is in Discovery Times Square (I’m not sure of the ending date, though it is a limited engagement).

The exhibition has three scenarios (crime scenes). While we were able to go through all three (we had to complete one circuit and then go back to the entrance again), my understanding is that this is not the case any longer, and that you have to pay an additional fee to go through a second scenario.

Continue reading “Review: CSI: The Experience with Kids – New York City”

Review: The Muse Hotel in Times Square

I did a post awhile back about family friendly hotels in Manhattan, so I can add this to the list.

Over Columbus Day weekend, we had the opportunity to be hosted at the Muse Hotel in Times Square, a place my parents looked into staying when they visited recently. It’s a Kimpton Hotel, which is a good thing in my eyes. We’ve stayed at Kimpton Hotels in San Francisco and recommended them to friends who were visiting when we lived there. Kimpton Hotels have an off-beat style, with complementary wine hours and other fun amenities. Plus their decorating is awesome.

While the hotel has special kid-friendly options, it does look and feel like a sleek corporate hotel for men. The coloring is browns and tans, with lots of geometric shapes. Continue reading “Review: The Muse Hotel in Times Square”

How to Fight a Driving Ticket in New Jersey

What are your options if you get a traffic ticket (moving violation) in New Jersey?

A caveat in this post is that each courthouse operates separately and differently. Each traffic ticket comes with its own set of circumstances (previous violations, the specific violation, etc.). This is not legal advice, and you should not rely on it or expect that your experience will be the same. A lawyer can advise you of your rights and the best way to handle your situation.

When you get a ticket, you have two options:

Continue reading “How to Fight a Driving Ticket in New Jersey”

Treat of the Day: Dylan’s Candy Bar

I had so much fun looking at pictures of the Robot Candy Company, that I thought I’d do another candy treat of the day. This one is Dylan’s Candy Bar – have you been? More than just edible candy, they sell candy-decorated clothing (cute PJs and rain boots), fudge, chocolate-covered fruit, candy-inspired bath treats, ice cream and more. Three floors of sugar goodness.

I love the logo.

The top floor is the ice cream area. The floor where you enter (street level) is mostly candy by the pound (around $10.99/pound), plus some lollipops and hand-dipped graham crackers or marshmallows from the chocolate fountain. My favorite floor is the bottom floor. There, they have the fudge counter (free samples!), an M&M bar with various colors, retro candy, and the bath area. Plus more. Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Dylan’s Candy Bar”