Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with NJ

How to find a taxi/care service to get parents from Jersey City to Long Island on Xmas?

anitanita — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:47:29 -0800

Shot in the dark filter: Does anyone have any ideas about how I can find a taxi/ car & driver service who can get my parents from Jersey City, NJ to Long Island for Christmas? Hi all,

Since you never know until you ask, I was wondering how I could find a car service that can get my folks to the family christmas party at my cousin's in Long Island this year. When I visit them for christmas, I usually drive, but this year I probably won't be able to make it. I know there are public transport options, but the folks are hitting 80 this year, and my father has sight issues, so I'd rather find another way.

I've never hired a car service before, and can imagine that getting someone on christmas must be like hitting a lottery ticket. But, I thought I'd ask the hive mind.

I'd just need them to get out there, and they could stay overnight. I could hire a different car service/taxi cab the next day (I think it might be easier to hire a taxi/car service on the 26th).

Bonus points if you have any ideas about how car services charge? If I can do this, it is easier just to give them my credit card up front and make sure my parents have money for tip? Money isn't really the issue, their comfort is.

Anything else I should be thinking of?

Thanks All!

The Handyman Can, the Handyman Can

mmf — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:47:41 -0800

We need a handyman in the Princeton, NJ area. Qualifications are: competent, neat, honest, reliable. The problem seems to be that everyone wants to do serious remodeling, and we have more of a honey-do list. Tried Angie's List, but the names are mostly in the Philadelphia area.

Is there a regional airport that would make it easier for me to get to Red Bank, New Jersey

Dave. — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:16:15 -0800

Is there a regional airport that would make it easier for me to get to Red Bank, New Jersey as compared to going into the dreaded Newark Airport (EWR)? I know that Red Bank is only 30 miles south of Newark ... but for obvious reasons (flight delays, traffic, etc) I would like to avoid it. Unfortunately, I can't come up with a better alternative. Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!

And if it matters, this is a flight leaving 11/1 and returning 11/6 out of Jacksonville or Gainesville, FL.

My dog just attacked a large rodent-like creature, should I be worried?

AZNsupermarket — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:23:01 -0800

My dog just attacked a large rodent-like creature, should I be worried? I was walking my dog (A soft-coated wheaten terrier) at night in Closter NJ, when he ran off to chase a large rodent-like creature. He bit it and attacked it, and the creature fought back, but no skin was broken that I could see, and there was no blood. Eventually the creature got away. My dog seems to be okay, and is all up to date on all his shots - he got a whole bunch about a month ago (including kennel cough and distemper). This event has left me a little shaken. Is there any possibility that my dog may be hurt without me realizing it or contracted a disease from the creature? Should I take him to see a vet?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Should I screw nightschool?

WeekendJen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:28:15 -0800

I am going to see Bruce Springsteen in Giants Stadium on October 8th and want to know if there have been any opening acts on the "Working on a Dream" tour... I'm trying to get my schedule for this day set and wanted to know if it would be OK to get there at 8:30, even though the tickets list the showtime as 7:30 and the stadium opens at 6. Any input appreciated! Thanks!

Jersey wedding in the works!

Nutritionista — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:45:03 -0800

Help! We need an interesting wedding venue in NJ for spring or summer of 2010. The man and I are getting hitched! It's very exciting! However, now we're faced with finding a venue for our nuptials. Does anyone have any suggestions for a unique place for a reception in New Jersey? We're trying to find an budget-friendly, interesting, "out of the box" place to have both the reception and the ceremony. We've lived in Jersey all our lives, but we definitely need some assistance in this area. Here are some specifics:

Spring/summer of 2010
120 guests
Ceremony and reception in the same place
Semi-formal to casual vibe
Outdoor ceremony if possible, with a contingency plan if it rains

Forgive me if I've forgotten any important details - my head is a swimming right now. Our minds are wide open, so no idea is too strange. Thanks in advance for any help you can give us!

Business owner getting unemployment?

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 07:34:53 -0800

This weekend I might (finally) give up my business and close it down ... been losing money all year, cash gone, prospects not looking good, etc etc. I'll lay off the 5 employees. And they will all be able to claim unemployment benefits on Tuesday (we're in NJ, USA). But what about me? I'm not an employee as such, I haven't paid myself anything for 10 months. I've hardly taken any kind of 'owners draw' in those 10 months (maybe $1000). My understanding of unemployment is that the benefit is paid based on average wages earned over the last xx months. (ie approx zero for me). Can I get unemployment? Or some other financial help? If I did struggle on with the business should be start paying myself some huge salary to make myself eligible for unemployment later? (or should I have been doing that?). Please - nice (but helpful) answers only. Not going to be a fun few days. Thanks

Out of state used car headache

zvs — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:44:26 -0800

I'm looking into buying a used car, and found a pretty good looking one from a colleague in New Jersey. I live in Brooklyn. How the heck does this work? Parking and title questions follow... I've never bought a car before, so it's all new to me. If I buy this car, the original owner has to take the plates off -- then I guess I'll need a NY in-state temporary plate to get it to my house.

Problem 1: Do I just leave it in NJ until I manage to get NY plates? Do I have to get title to get a transfer plate, or does that include title? The website is less than clear.

Problem 2: Where the heck do I keep it? Will I get ticketed if it's on the street? Will I get ticketed for moving an unplated car during street cleaning?

Problem 3: Where do I pay sales tax?

Anybody done this before?

I need health insurance (me and everyone else...)

greta simone — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:10:37 -0800

Ohshitfilter: Temporary health insurance options in NJ? I just moved from NC to NJ five weeks ago, after finishing a Masters program. My student health insurance ends on August 14, and since I have not been successful in finding employment (as I had hoped) I need to come up with a plan.

I have heard of COBRA, but I also heard that the State of New York does not accept COBRA. This is a problem for me, because my residence in NJ is temporary and I plan on moving to Manhattan or Brooklyn in the next few months. Secondly, I can not prove residency in NJ as I am not on the lease and have no bills in my name (staying with a friend). Am I screwed? I cannot seem to find the information online that I need.

I need the the cheapest health insurance I can get that will also cover prescriptions in some form (I have allergy and asthma and BC meds I must take).

What are my options? Please point me in the right direction or to a place where I can at least get more information.

Help!
Thanks.

What's the PIT like at a rock concert in Camden, NJ? (Susquehanna Bank Center)

thankyoumuchly — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:55:25 -0800

Will I like PIT area tickets for a rock concert at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ? Thinking about attending a rock concert at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. I am considering purchasing tickets in the PIT area dead center in front of the stage.

Will I like these tickets? I'm an averaged size guy so I can take a little shoving but I want to watch the concert and enjoy it.

Here's a pic of the seating chart. The PIT is orange, smack dab in front of the stage:

http://www.indux.com/map/131_TweeterCenter_EndStage_tn.jpg

Have any of you MeFites attended a concert there? Can you speak to the experience of the PIT in front of the stage? Will my neck be craned the whole time (is the PIT way below the stage?). Will I get moshed into oblivion. Are there seats or standing only? Can I move around within the entire PIT area or are there "front PIT tickets", "back PIT tickets" etc?

I've been to a concert there on the Lawn back when it was the "Tweeter Center" (note: Camden, not Boston). But the lawn was wayyyy back from the stage and I don't remember if I saw the PIT.

Please let me know you experiences. Details are a plus, please elaborate!

Long Weekend Road Trip Leaving from Central NJ

booksherpa — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:14:06 -0800

Help us narrow down our choices for an extended weekend road trip leaving from central NJ. My husband and I are debating where to go away for a long weekend later this month. We'll be driving, and plan to be away Friday to Monday. We can leave on Thursday night if the first night's destination is close enough.

Things we like:
- good food, could be gourmet or brewpub or bakery or farmers market or diner, as long as it's interesting
- used bookstores, the bigger the better (we've done Book Barn in Niantic)
- funky, artsy towns with interesting shopping (if there's lots of cool handcrafted jewelry, even better!)
- minor league baseball
- scenic drives
- state fairs and other quirky local events
- craft fairs
- random wish: I'd like to find a wine store that could sell me a case of Putney Mountain Winery's Maple Apple Wine. Mmmmm, tasty!

Things we don't want for this trip:
- nightlife/nightclubs
- camping/hiking
- bed and breakfasts (we're on the heftier side, and have points to use up as well)
- the beach (both grew up at the Jersey Shore, like water views, not so much with the tourists)
- amusement parks

We adore Vermont, and had considered a Saratoga Springs, NY/Middlebury, VT trip as both are places we've only seen a little of and had earmarked to explore further. We're trying to branch out and explore new places. We'd like to keep each day's driving portion to less than 3 hours total. Monday's drive can be longer.

We've already been extensively to: Bennington, Brattleboro, Manchester, Burlington, Woodstock VT; Northampton MA; Mystic CT. He spent 4 years at college in Boston, and a large city isn't our first choice. On the list of possible destinations, besides Saratoga Springs and Middlebury are Rhinebeck NY, non-Northampton bits of central MA, Providence RI and parts of Southern Vermont. I'll happily listen to discussion of other parts of New England, as well as points south of us - we just tend to have a New England orientation for road trips.

Ommegang Rouge Keg in NYC/NJ

Optimus Chyme — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:50:01 -0800

How can I get a keg of Ommegang Rouge in Jersey City or NYC? We have a car, so transporting it's not an issue - I just have no idea who carries it for retail sale. Thank you!

Where can I learn to dance just for fun?

WeekendJen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:12:35 -0800

I'm looking for a dance studio where I can learn modern dance choreography, but not necessarily for a recital. I'm in central NJ. When I was younger I always took "dance class" and enjoyed it. Now I'm older and need to excercise, but gyms are boring to me. Does anyone know of any dance studios in the central NJ / NYC metro area where members can drop in and learn dances with no intention of it culminating in a performance? I like Modern dance (think Mia Michaels on So You Think You Can Dance) and have some experience / moderate flexibility left. I am in my mid-twenties and would prefer to be in class with people around my age. Thanks in advance!

Where to find Diet Mt. Dew in NJ?

ThyroidBob — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:37:04 -0800

Where can I buy Diet Mountain Dew in cases in/around northeast New Jersey (as close as possible to Scotch Plains)? I can't even seem to find it in 2L bottles, but I'm really looking for the 36-can cases. I've looked at BJ's, Stop 'n' Shop, and Target (I'm getting desperate). I know from experience that Sam's Club stocks them in Michigan, at least. But there don't seem to be any of those near my current location. I'm hoping some fellow caffeine-dependent Mefites here will be able to help me out.

Also (a bit of an aside), what's up with that, anyway? Is Diet Mt. Dew that unpopular on the East Coast that it's hard to come by in more than just one container/quantity?

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South New Jersey area?

schroedinger — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:11:05 -0800

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South NJ/Moorestown area based on these requirements? I have read other questions and still need help. I would like to move to some area in the Philadelphia/Moorestown/South New Jersey region. I have a few requirements:

1) Easy, relatively short commute by car or public transit, to Moorestown, NJ (specifically 111 West 2nd Street)
2) Has coffee shops/froo froo bakeries with job opportunities in at least in the $8-$10/hour range
3) Cheap--ideally could get a room or something somewhere for $600/month or less.

I'm moving up specifically to lift at the gym located at 111 West 2nd Street in Moorestown, so it is vitally important that it be easy to get to there regularly.

I have a pretty high tolerance for sketch. I'm OK with roommates. I have a car, but prefer not to use it. It would be great to somehow live in Philly itself since I think the city would be a better social atmosphere than the suburbs (I'm single and in my mid-twenties), but I'm also not going to have a lot of money to spend on tolls so if that means living in NJ so be it.

If there are job opportunities that pay at least $8-$10/hour outside coffee shops and all that, that's great too, those just happen to be where my job background is centered.

I don't know the area at all, so I'm flying blind here. Any help is welcome.

Help me pass my road test mefi!

QueenHawkeye — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:45:22 -0800

Help me pass my road test on Wednesday this time around. The last time I took my road test was sometime last summer. I failed because I drove straight into the first set of cones when trying to parallel park. I had a panic attack right before the test because the person taking me to my road test, had gotten lost on the way there and would not ask anybody for directions how to get there, and it was in the middle of nowhere! Note, I parked perfectly the three times I tried parallel parking the day before. I've never driven straight into a pair of cones before the test, EVER.

This time around, I'm trying to not have an anxiety attack but I keep thinking about how I failed the first time around, so that's not helping me right now.

I'm trying to get some practice time in, but I get criticized by the method [the way my instructor that I did my required 6 hours in NJ taught me how to parallel park.] I'm trying to parallel park by the person who's taking me out to practice. I don't even get practice driving on the roads, just parallel parking [and even that's not happening!]. I like to think that I am a decent driver, I follow signs, the speed limit, and practice in pro-active driving whenever I actually DRIVE on the road.

So I'm looking up to you mefi users; help me pass my road test this time around, tips to how to parallel park [or on/about the road test in general!] without having someone chastise me the way I'm parking with, will be loved and put into good use [hopefully].

Bonus points for tips to get rid of my anxiety/fear of failing the test this time around!

Safe, affordable, and pet-friendly apartments near Princeton?

Nematoda — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:14:10 -0800

Looking for safe, affordable, and pet-friendly apartments in the Princeton, NJ area. My little sis is moving to the Princeton, NJ area for a new job in a few months, and I’ve volunteered to help her search for apartments. She will be living by herself, so something in a safe community is highly desired. Her budget will probably allow her to afford ~$1000 a month in rent, and she’ll be bringing a medium sized dog. She will have a vehicle, but would use public transportation if it were close. Does anyone have suggestions for nice apartments we should look at in the Princeton area?

Hiking 9-5!

ginagina — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:44:21 -0800

How should we prepare for a 10 mile/8 hour guided hike through the NJ Pine Barrens? My boyfriend and I are signed up to go on a hike that is scheduled from 8:30AM to 5:30PM with a one hour lunch break that takes us through the NJ Pine Barrens. We're both in good shape and are experienced hikers. The distance doesn't concern us but we've never hiked for that amount of time before and want to ensure that we are prepared for a full day of exertion.

We'll have a guide and will also bring our digital compass/gps in case we get separated from the group.

What do you recommend in terms of food and supplies? Is there anything else we should know about hiking for that long? Anyone else hike through the Pine Barrens (Franklin Parker Reserve) in March?

We're staying at a bed and breakfast the night before the hike and won't have access to a refrigerator so all food we bring will have to be non-perishable.

Thanks in advance!

Tattoo Removal NJ

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:07:31 -0800

Tattoo removal in Central NJ -- Can anyone recommend a tattoo removal place that is within an hours drive from Princeton, NJ? I have had a few expensive and painful sessions already, but I have recently relocated here to NJ and need a new laser shop.

Thank you.

Central NJ Spots'o'Beauty

aleahey — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:56:00 -0800

NJ MeFi'rs: Looking for a nice outdoor spot to take my girlfriend tonight. Localized in Central Jersey. Ideas? (More criteria within) Well I need it to be within driving distance (<1 hr) of Edison, NJ. I'm looking for a spot with a nice view, or a great view of the stars, or a waterfall, or basically anything really worth seeing at night. Preferably somewhat secluded, but not something we're going to have to hike in the dark to.

All ideas welcome, much appreciated!

What qualities do YOU look for in your legal secretary?

aleahey — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:00:12 -0800

Future-lawyer seeking experience while still an undergraduate. Any chance of being hired? Essentially I'm looking for any type of position within a law firm that will afford me some real-world experience. (Read: mail room, up).

I've been sending out resumes pretty regularly for the past few months, and have yet to see any real responses.

Admittedly, my resume does not contain any experience in law, or office-work. Its heavily focused on technology, as that was my field-of-choice out of high school.

So my question is, can any lawyers perhaps shed some light on what they would be looking for in an assistant/secretary? Without a degree, what qualities should I be focusing on to make myself at least worth an interview?

Should I just go to waiter route until I have the Poli Sci degree?

Thanks so much.

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of a primary?

jujube — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:54:15 -0800

Is it common practice to have a slate of official party endorsed candiates in a primary election? My state (NJ) has its primary election tomorrow. I noticed on my ballot that there is a slate of candidates that have been endorsed by the offical party committee for my local area, and then there are other candidates that haven't been endorsed by the offical Party Powers-that be who are also running. Is this common practice that I've just never noticed before, or something very peculiar to the local branch of my political party? To explain further, the first column says something to the effect of, "regular party", with a slate of candidates under it. The next column says "candidate for change", etc. The label of "regular party" is where you would normally see party affiliation "democratic", "republican", etc., in a general election.

Having a slate of official party-endorsed candidates for a party primary election seems to defeat the purpose of having a direct primary election in the first place. Is this just another weird NJ-ism that I'm noticing as a recent transplant to this lovely state, or is this a common practice? Also, to clarify, I'm not talking about endorsements for a slate by, say, the local LWV that you might receive in a mailing. But rather, an official endorsement by the local party chapter powerholders for it's own primary election candidate of choice.

Princeton old-school Italian?

brujita — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:01:03 -0800

Princeton, NJ area mefites: What would you recommend for the best independent red-sauce Italian/pizza place?

How does a Canadian pay US taxes for 2 months of work in NJ?

TheyCallItPeace — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:49:31 -0800

I am a Canadian who worked for two months in the NJ last year. How do I sort out my taxes in the US? I am a Canadian citizen and resident, and I worked for two months in NJ doing a research internship. Now it is time to sort out my taxes. I figured the easiest way to do it would be using some sort of online software, like Turbo Tax, but it is asking me odd questions, and it seems to be oblivious to the possibility that I am a foreigner who only worked and lived in the US for 2 months (they ask me about my other incomes throughout the year, etc).

Worse yet, when I get to the state tax portion, it insists that I enter a US state for my residence, and a postal code, although for the federal portion it allowed me to give a foreign address.

Any Canadians out there that have been in a similar situation? Can I just go to HR&Block and have them sort this shit out for me? Is it easier to just go through the forms on my own anyways, instead of using this software?

Please help ...

Good spots for stargazing/astrophotography in NJ?

Godbert — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:37:37 -0800

Where are some good (relatively) dark-sky places I can go in New Jersey for some stargazing/astrophotography? I've long been interested in astronomy, and lately I've been meaning to take up some astrophotography, and though I have a camera and a telescope, I unfortunately live in a big city, right across from an even bigger city (Manhattan). The end result is that there's so much light pollution it's not really worth trying anything.

I have a car, and I'd like to be able to take myself, the telescope, and the camera and go somewhere less light-polluted, with a clear view of the sky, but I have no idea what places fit the bill.

I live in Hoboken, and I'm looking for somewhere within about an hour's drive.