Does anyone know anything about Princeton, NJ?

cajunkiwi

Besides the fact that New Jersey is the "Armpit of America" - seriously, that's all anyone ever tells me.

My wife has a job interview in Princeton in two weeks, but neither of us have ever been to NJ, let alone the town of Princeton, so we have no idea what to expect there.

If anyone is from Jersey, any info you could give me about the area (and what it's like living in the state in general) I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance (unless you're just telling me it's the armpit of America... in which case, fuck you in advance haha)

Elusive

The most important thing about Princeton is the Princeton Record Exchange....one of the last great record stores standing in NJ.
The town itself is nice.....preppy, in my opinion and there is no rock venue, but there is a good brewery.

The town is affluent and beautiful. Lots of families, college kids(obviously), and big houses. NJ actually is a beautiful state....it just gets shit on when all the New Yorkers come down for the summer and treat it like their ashtray. But, they don't go all the way to Princeton. It's west and not near the beach.

If you are going to live in NJ, it's just like living anywhere else....there's good people and there are assholes. Just make sure you know how to drive a jughandle and you can handle a pork roll sandwich and you will be ok.

meme

Elusive wrote:

The most important thing about Princeton is the Princeton Record Exchange....one of the last great record stores standing in NJ.
The town itself is nice.....preppy, in my opinion and there is no rock venue, but there is a good brewery.

The town is affluent and beautiful. Lots of families, college kids(obviously), and big houses. NJ actually is a beautiful state....it just gets shit on when all the New Yorkers come down for the summer and treat it like their ashtray. But, they don't go all the way to Princeton. It's west and not near the beach.

If you are going to live in NJ, it's just like living anywhere else....there's good people and there are assholes. Just make sure you know how to drive a jughandle and you can handle a pork roll sandwich and you will be ok.

I agree with everything you said. Also, great pizza at Teresa's and great ice cream at Thomas Sweets. I'd move there in a pinch (have lived in the Midwest, Boston, NYC, and currently in Italy).

You should also consider it is a short and convenient train ride to NYC (between one and one and a half hour, if I recall correctly).

Where would you be moving from, OP?

jervin007

Elusive wrote:

The most important thing about Princeton is the Princeton Record Exchange....one of the last great record stores standing in NJ.
The town itself is nice.....preppy, in my opinion and there is no rock venue, but there is a good brewery.

The town is affluent and beautiful. Lots of families, college kids(obviously), and big houses. NJ actually is a beautiful state....it just gets shit on when all the New Yorkers come down for the summer and treat it like their ashtray. But, they don't go all the way to Princeton. It's west and not near the beach.

If you are going to live in NJ, it's just like living anywhere else....there's good people and there are assholes. Just make sure you know how to drive a jughandle and you can handle a pork roll sandwich and you will be ok.

Definitely agree about the Princeton Record Exchange. Great store! I have family there, but haven't been since I was a kid. Loved that store though and actually bought my first CD there.

Princeton is nice though.

Anastasia Beaverhausen

You're also pretty close to Philly, which is where I live before all you animals jump all over it. Princeton is really cool, laid back town. Some of NJ is dicey, but that can be said about everywhere. I used to be a Jersey hater too, but it's grown on me.

Anastasia Beaverhausen

PS...the drivers in Jersey are MANIACS, so be prepared. If you're moving from Boston, no problems, but those fffing traffic circles can suck it. Make sure you have a powerful horn on your car, or you wont stand a chance.

cajunkiwi

Hey guys, thanks for the tips.

It's all up in the air at the moment - there's only an interview on the horizon, no job offer yet, but I figured it never hurts to be informed. This could all turn out to be a moot point if my wife doesn't get the job - right now we're just doing our homework, and this message board is actually a pretty awesome resource for non-PJ related questions.

We currently live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it's over 95 degrees outside for six months of the year, there's a river you can't swim in, and when the wind starts blowing trees come down and cities flood. The violent crime rate in Baton Rouge and New Orleans is higher than in both Trenton and Newark, and the education system is... let's just say... not as good as the Garden State's.

It also feels very isolated here - since Katrina (which was five freaking years ago) the rest of the country seems to have forgotten about Louisiana. Very few bands come through here any more, so for the most part if I want live music that doesn't involve a fiddle and a banjo I have to drive to Houston (I LOVE tailgating before LSU football games, but there's only so much Big & Rich a guy can take, you know? One "We're comiiiing to your citaaaaaaaaay" is one too many). There are no real indie record stores - the last one closed down close to eight years ago (it turns out I wasn't single-handedly keeping it in business after all haha). There are no beaches in the entire state, and the closest thing resembling one is in Mississippi. If you want mountains or anything even remotely resembling elevation, you're out of luck - I literally haven't seen skis or a snowboard in a decade.

We're both job hunting like crazy, and Princeton (the town, not the school) is the first place to show real interest. From what I read it seemed nice enough - close to some beaches and some mountains, and close to NYC and Philly. That being said, I have friends in NY who I asked about it, and they said, and I quote, "the only good thing about NJ is the rest stops." Then again, this is coming from someone who hated the steak at Morton's because she ordered it well done and then said it tasted cheap - her taste is questionable anyway haha

I was a little worried about the density of the place - I read that it's the most densely populated state in the country, but that half of it is covered in forest. Is it a case of Trenton, Newark, and Atlantic City being so densely populated that it throws the numbers out of whack? Princeton didn't look too bad in the few photos I saw of it - but then again, five minutes on Google isn't exactly an in-depth study haha From what you guys have said it sounds nice though. I'm not a very preppy person myself, but I can overlook that if the tradeoff is good pizza and a good record store.

Are the ski resorts and mountain bike trails in Vernon any good? And how are the beaches north of Atlantic City? Is Beach Haven worth the drive?

Lay down your arms

Hoagie Haven is a must. Princeton is waaay nicer then the rest of Jersey.

acoustic guy

cajunkiwi wrote:

Besides the fact that New Jersey is the "Armpit of America" - seriously, that's all anyone ever tells me.

My wife has a job interview in Princeton in two weeks, but neither of us have ever been to NJ, let alone the town of Princeton, so we have no idea what to expect there.

If anyone is from Jersey, any info you could give me about the area (and what it's like living in the state in general) I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance (unless you're just telling me it's the armpit of America... in which case, fuck you in advance haha)

Very nice and high end..
FYI they say the arm pit becauce of its location not bc it stinks. Well....North Jersy maybe. But south jersey for the most part is very nice. many high end expensive areas. Inland from Atlantic City where I grew up is a very nice and safe place to live.

acoustic guy

Elusive wrote:

The most important thing about Princeton is the Princeton Record Exchange....one of the last great record stores standing in NJ.
The town itself is nice.....preppy, in my opinion and there is no rock venue, but there is a good brewery.

The town is affluent and beautiful. Lots of families, college kids(obviously), and big houses. NJ actually is a beautiful state....it just gets shit on when all the New Yorkers come down for the summer and treat it like their ashtray. But, they don't go all the way to Princeton. It's west and not near the beach.

If you are going to live in NJ, it's just like living anywhere else....there's good people and there are assholes. Just make sure you know how to drive a jughandle and you can handle a pork roll sandwich and you will be ok.

PORK ROLL! YES! LOL!!! THATS GREAT! My friend grew up with me here in Jersey and now lives in NY. She cant get Pork Roll at the Diner! WTF! Whats better @ 3am at the diner then Prok Roll and Gravy Fries!

Jearlpam0925

Everyone knows Pittsburgh is the Armpit of America. Jersey is the Toxic Pit of America. Everything south of Trenton across to AC is cool.

rhcpjam1029

Anastasia Beaverhausen wrote:

PS...the drivers in Jersey are MANIACS, so be prepared. If you're moving from Boston, no problems, but those fffing traffic circles can suck it. Make sure you have a powerful horn on your car, or you wont stand a chance.

you have to make a right to make a left.

rival.

Jearlpam0925 wrote:

Everyone knows Pittsburgh is the Armpit of America. Jersey is the Toxic Pit of America. Everything south of Trenton across to AC is cool.

i wouldn't say that. bergen county (northeast tip of NJ) is beautiful. lots of money, lots of big houses. right on the hudson river... many towns provide an amazing view of manhattan.

south jersey is the half of NJ that has a bad name.

edit: north jersey has a lot of reservations where you can hike/fish/camp. it's beautiful. NJ gets a bad name from the fuckers that only have been to newark airport.

Gary Carter

Anastasia Beaverhausen wrote:

PS...the drivers in Jersey are MANIACS, so be prepared. If you're moving from Boston, no problems, but those fffing traffic circles can suck it. Make sure you have a powerful horn on your car, or you wont stand a chance.

not only are they maniacs but they also can't drive if their life depended on it

comebackgirl

cajunkiwi wrote:

Hey guys, thanks for the tips.

It's all up in the air at the moment - there's only an interview on the horizon, no job offer yet, but I figured it never hurts to be informed. This could all turn out to be a moot point if my wife doesn't get the job - right now we're just doing our homework, and this message board is actually a pretty awesome resource for non-PJ related questions.

We currently live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it's over 95 degrees outside for six months of the year, there's a river you can't swim in, and when the wind starts blowing trees come down and cities flood. The violent crime rate in Baton Rouge and New Orleans is higher than in both Trenton and Newark, and the education system is... let's just say... not as good as the Garden State's.

It also feels very isolated here - since Katrina (which was five freaking years ago) the rest of the country seems to have forgotten about Louisiana. Very few bands come through here any more, so for the most part if I want live music that doesn't involve a fiddle and a banjo I have to drive to Houston (I LOVE tailgating before LSU football games, but there's only so much Big & Rich a guy can take, you know? One "We're comiiiing to your citaaaaaaaaay" is one too many). There are no real indie record stores - the last one closed down close to eight years ago (it turns out I wasn't single-handedly keeping it in business after all haha). There are no beaches in the entire state, and the closest thing resembling one is in Mississippi. If you want mountains or anything even remotely resembling elevation, you're out of luck - I literally haven't seen skis or a snowboard in a decade.

We're both job hunting like crazy, and Princeton (the town, not the school) is the first place to show real interest. From what I read it seemed nice enough - close to some beaches and some mountains, and close to NYC and Philly. That being said, I have friends in NY who I asked about it, and they said, and I quote, "the only good thing about NJ is the rest stops." Then again, this is coming from someone who hated the steak at Morton's because she ordered it well done and then said it tasted cheap - her taste is questionable anyway haha

I was a little worried about the density of the place - I read that it's the most densely populated state in the country, but that half of it is covered in forest. Is it a case of Trenton, Newark, and Atlantic City being so densely populated that it throws the numbers out of whack? Princeton didn't look too bad in the few photos I saw of it - but then again, five minutes on Google isn't exactly an in-depth study haha From what you guys have said it sounds nice though. I'm not a very preppy person myself, but I can overlook that if the tradeoff is good pizza and a good record store.

Are the ski resorts and mountain bike trails in Vernon any good? And how are the beaches north of Atlantic City? Is Beach Haven worth the drive?

Princeton is fairly densely populated, but not horribly so. It's very pretty there. The town is great and I agree about the record exchange! It's about 30 minutes to philly and about 75 minutes to NYC. You can catch the train at Princeton Junction which will take you directly to both, pretty quickly and inexpensively. There are some nice beaches near Atlantic City - Avalon, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle....Ocean City is very family friendly, Cape May is great for couples. I would advise avoiding Wildwood (just not my thing). Trenton was actually listed as one of the top 10 most liveable cities recently. Haven't been there in a while, but I think they're still improving the waterfront. Princeton is also about 20 minutes from New Hope, PA which is a cool little artsy town right on the Delaware River. Have gone tubing there a few times. Jersey definitely has it's faults, but it's pretty centrally located to most things (cities, mountains, beaches) and you can see tons of concerts...which is why I haven't left And I'm pretty sure Jersey has a bad name because of North Jersey...that's where all those horrible Jersey shows are located It's almost like 2 different worlds - less factories, pollution, big hair and fake tans down here :P