The Illuminated Donkey

Continuing the theme of defenses/attacks of New Jersey cities on the PATH line, Erin the Gigglechick spots and dismisses an incredibly silly attack on our beloved (okay, that's a bit strong) Jersey City. Here's a little sample:

Jersey City is a town of ghosts. It is a shanty town of old ideas and dreams. It is an opportunistic spurt that grew like a stalagmite, a deposit from the seeping drip of commerce across the river. As I waited for the light rail to take me to Newport, I could not help but feel the emptiness of the place. Canyons of office buildings of recent build. In their desolate, hurried growth they looked like cardboard boxes made to resemble stone and marble. The storefronts, empty. People milled about in huddled clusters, never straying far from the doors they came out of.

As Erin points out, perhaps the reason that the folks weren't hanging around outside is because it's like 20 freaking degrees below zero out there! If they stood outside for too long they'd freeze to death. The author of the piece, Pitchaya of Hands Free, is going to the Blogger Bash so I may get a drink thrown in my face, but in any case I'd be happy to list a few places around Jersey City that are vibrant and interesting and filled with people walking around and chatting and stuff — just not by the financial district, and not on the coldest day of the year.