Underground Ketchup Dispensers in New Jersey

I saw The Unionn again Friday night at the Village Underground. Unbelievable. I was literally steps away from boarding my train back to Poughkeepsie that afternoon when my phone rang. It was my housemate Alex - and he was coming down to meet me. Earlier in the week, a plan of this sort was mentioned, but swept under the couch pretty quickly. Thankfully the plans weren't killed altogether, and we had a more than acceptable excuse to head downtown. I guess I should mention that Alex's old boss from Dublin was in the city on holiday with his girlfriend, and they contacted him rather last minute to meet up. They wanted him to pick a place. Being the New Hampshire kid he is, and hearing me glorify The Unionn over and over again, he went with my advice and had them meet us there. I was ecstatic to go. I was even more happy when I realized how much our two guests were loving the ensemble. By mid first song they were center of the dance floor, and by the end of the last song, they'd yet to move. His boss' girlfriend, Michelle, actually asked me if I read her mind when I recommended The Unionn. I laughed and said no, fingers crossed of course.

My two friends, Anna and Allison, who I hadn't seen in about a month, also met us there. I told them I was heading to the Underground on a whim, and their envy got the best of 'em. I cannot explain how infectious this music is. You know how some guys hate to dance? And some girls I suppose too? Well, imagine if their was some sort of sound that could not only make them tap their heels to the floor, but could actually peel them off of their seats and relocate them to the middle of a steamy basement dance floor. That my friends, is The Unionn. Okay, I'm done raving.

Saturday was a Ketchup day. One of those days where you find someone you haven't spent sufficient time with in the past few days or weeks, and take them out to lunch. Nowhere fancy, something cozy. Like a diner. Or a cafe. You sit down, spill the milk, and ketchup with one another. There's really nothing like it, except for mustard days of course, but I won't get into those for Mike's sake.

Today I went to Jersey for the same reason I've entered the state the last dozen times, to see This Condition. Now we've all heard jokes about the dirty Jers a million times, but today I compiled a mental spreadsheet of all the reasons New Jersey isn't THAT bad.

1. Gas stations. So you're telling me I can get my gas cheaper than usual, AND stay seated??? I'll ride my gas light over state lines any day for that deal.

2. Six Flags. For any thrill seekers in the tristate area, this is probably where you find your fill. Crowded and overpriced, maybe, but worth it when played strategically.

3. WaWa. Delicious custom made sandwiches. I think enough's been said.

4. Colby's house. Any Italian family who'll have food waiting for me at 1 in the morning and give me a place to stay is more than okay with me.

5. The shore. I may have grown out of the novelty just a bit, but there's not much that compare's to a hectic summer boardwalk with games, prizes, rides, and mini golf just off the sand.

6. Grande Soy Latte. It's where I found my new Starbucks regular - gotta give it to the essence.

7. Rest stops. I genuinely enjoy rest stops. It's the one place where I lift my ban on fast food, and marvel at America's tackiest families. I love roadtrips, and this is a huge reason why.

8. A necessary armpit. Lots of us have heard Jersey be called the armpit of the United States. But not so many of us realize how essential that "pit" really is. If it wasn't for New Jersey, New York would border Pennsylvania. And if that was to be, that would be weird to me.

9. Elks Lodges & VFWs. I may be a long way off from Elk of the Month, but I can still appreciate their establishments, if not for the post-retirement socialization, then for serving as a reliable punk scene venue.

10. The Land of Make Believe. I'm not sure where or how this fits in, but I think it's wonderful that someplace with this name exists. Plus, I grew up seeing the same exact commercial for it everyday till I turned fifteen and stopped watching One Saturday Morning.

*Yes I just wrote a pro-Jersey list that did not include Bon Jovi. Suck it.


Lucky Monday...