Thursday, June 7, 2012

Beer situation resolved, and in other news...

Today I figured out the beer situation here in New Jersey.  Not only do they not have hefeweizen in this state (which was bad enough, I have to drink Blue Moon instead), but they don't sell beer or wine at all in grocery stores!  You have to go to a liquor store to buy it.  Keep in mind that I'm coming from California, where you can buy 80 proof vodka at Albertson's!  It never ceases to amaze me how different the liquor laws are between the different states.  I'll never forget my trip to Texas when I discovered what a "dry county" is, now that was wierd.
Monkey looked super today, much fresher and rested from traveling.  He's very perky!  Lana handwalked him a couple times and he was feeling a bit frisky.  According to her, he tried to show off his "fancy moves".  I asked if that meant passage and she said yes, he does it quite well.  Now he just has to do it when I tell him!  He's been drinking a ton of water and eating well, thankfully. 
So far the weather here has been very pleasant, much cooler than California and Idaho.  It's been in the mid-70s during the day and mid-50s at night.  Skies have been overcast and we've had some afternoon thunderstorms and rain showers.  The humidity is definitely higher here than in Boise (surprise, surprise) but not unbearable.  Yesterday the forecast read that it would heat up to around 90 over the weekend, but today it looks like its supposed to stay in the upper 70s, maybe low 80s.  I told Lana the weather seems like a cross between Portland and Boise weather...overcast and slightly humid all the time like PDX, but with afternoon thunderstorms like we get in Boise sometimes.
I have to say I rather like the New York/New Jersey accents.  The accent gives the person a certain edge and makes them sound cooler and tougher than they probably are (at least in some cases).  That said, so far the East coasters have all been relatively friendly (as opposed to what I expected).  They are curt and blunt but not unfriendly.  The driver of the truck yesterday was the first genuine New Yorker that I've met, and his first conversation with me was complaining (loudly) about how the Mexicans on the plane wouldn't help us load our gear onto the truck.  "They just stood around!!  Unbelievable!!" 

3 comments:

  1. Hey Heather! Don't forget you know me. I'm a genuine New Yorker - raised in Rockland County and Long Island. My parents lived in Flatbush, Brooklin and I lived in Queens as a college student. I graduated from a SUNY school. Most of my extended family still lives in New York. I've just toned the accent down a bit so people can understand me better. Glad to hear you are enjoying your trip, that Monkey is adjusting well and you are getting along with the locals. Take care, May

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  2. Beer can be bought at bars too and taken home. We got a few 6-packs when we were there last summer. GOOD LUCK!!!

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  3. @ May: I had no idea you were from New York! Next time I'm home you'll have to show me your best New York accent.
    @ Corrine: Thanks for the info! I'm having trouble finding good microbrews, but I guess it isn't Portland.

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