This past Saturday, my boyfriend and I abandoned Newark's annual Portuguese feast for a trip to Jersey City. We were tired of the usual drunken chaos and more importantly we were broke and couldn't afford to piss away money on beer and sausage sandwiches.We decided to get out and get some sun at Liberty State Park, Jersey City's "free, green and non-commercial, urban waterfront oasis" which is kept that way by the friends of LSP apparently.
We wound up taking a little tour though "The Heights" and the surrounding areas I called home for 18 years of my life.
That's how it usually starts once I'm in Jersey City's vicinity. A trip to the mall. A train ride into the city. A visit to my dad's house. Whatever it is that I'm doing usually gets derailed for a couple of moments while I reminisce over my part of "The Sixth Borough".
John and I laced up our kicks and jumped out of the Trailblazer to enjoy the blazing hot summer weather and soon as my feet hit the floor I knew I hadn't put on enough sunblock. It was around 4:00pm and the park was in full effect with people everywhere barbecuing and making mountains of food. One family had five metal chafing dishes on sternos heaping with food and four grills all smoking with fervor. The sound of Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop" filled the air. Ahhh summer in J.C.
Our aim was to walk along the long path that faces Ellis Island but John's foot was developing a blister and we were both about to pass out from heat stroke so we just got back in the car headed for Harrison. We were making our way through J.C's Greenville section when I suggested the ride up to "The Heights".
The gentrification that is so apparent on Jersey City's waterfront hasn't spread to other parts of the city just yet and so it's still the city that I remember which both comforts and upsets me. The first time I saw the new "Harborside Financial Center" and "Harismus Cove" I nearly keeled over in shock.
In one hand I welcome it's freshness. I can't fault new residents for being attracted to the waterfront after it's makeover. Residents see Jersey City as a new Williamsburg with lively, edgy neighborhoods and easy access to Manhattan. On the other hand, I feel as if it's not really Jersey City anymore over there.
I've never been one against change but in the "bad old days" everyone I knew would laugh in your face if you said Jersey City was a new Manhattan. Cool artists, yes. Bad ass music scene, no doubt. Urban underground, you betcha. Hipster haven? Not so much. I mean it just feels so right yet so wrong.
I guess that's why it's refreshing to go back to my old stomping grounds just to see what's good. The old place looks like a fucking wreck. I mean who's idea was it to paint my old apartment building on 44 Beacon burgundy?! More people have moved to the block but other than that everything is the same. All the buildings look shorter in a way and I have to wonder if that's because of my perspective when I was living there. All in all, It's good to go back to the old hood once and a while so I don't ever forget where I came from, what I am and what I have become.
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