New Year’s Resolution Hot Spots
By Ashley Kromrey
Another year has gone by, and your head’s still spinning before you can think of a new year’s resolution. If you don’t have the necessary willpower and motivation to lose 15 lbs or scale the top of Mt. Everest in the new year, perhaps you can start local. Make it your resolution to try out some great places that you miss or just haven’t been to, right in Hudson County! In the spirit of attainable resolutions, the Digest has devised a bucket list of New Year’s resolution hot spots, aka places and shops to scope out right in your backyard in the new year. One for every month of the year, no excuses.
- Hansel n’ Griddle of Hoboken is a great stop for lunch. They have everything from wings, wraps, paninis to hot list sandwiches, crisp sandwiches, and hand-pressed burgers. They offer an array of salads and they even feature a vegetarian menu. For a nice cold beverage, check out their smoothies. Did we mention they offer breakfast all day!
2. Have you heard of Bubble tea? A must try in Hoboken is Vivi Bubble Tea. The “bubbles” at the bottom of each tea are actually Tapioca pearls. They have a gummy texture and taste mildly sweet with a weak flavor. The bubbles are optional for those who dislike them. First timers should definitely try Taro bubble tea. The taste is light, sweet vanilla and slightly nutty. Stick around and eat something light, try their signature ramen noodles or popcorn chicken.
3. Ladies, make this one of your New Year’s resolution hot spots, Blow-Out in Jersey City. If you are looking to achieve perfect hair for a night out, look no further. The salon features a variety of custom blowout selections from Soho Chic, Miami Heat, Uptown Sleek, Jersey Girl and more. At Blow-Out hair bar and beauty lounge they offer updos, braid-outs and conditioning treatments too. All styles include an invigorating shampoo & five- minute scalp massage in their lather lounge (wine, champagne or spa water included).
4. For the fashionista, Townhouse Shops in Hoboken provide both classic and trendy pieces. Moderately priced, they have the ideal outfit for work casual, date nights or casual wear and their scarves are always buy one get one half off.
5. New Year, new you. Open up and learn how to be more flexible at Local Barre Hoboken. Even if you have never danced before, try their signature class, Open Barre. This class is a fusion of ballet fundamentals, core conditioning, yoga and stretching, using lightly weighted yoga balls, stretching strap, ballet barre, playground ball, and yoga mat. Achieve a lean, flexible, and youthful body at $20 of unlimited classes. Shape up before Valentine’s day.
6. Still tense from the Holiday madness? Relax and indulge at Massage Envy of Hoboken. Even a single massage session can significantly lower heart rate, cortisol and insulin levels, all of which help relieve daily stress. How convenient it would be to solve all your everyday ailments from headaches, backaches, strengthen your immune system and even help your breathing (you can sigh with relief now).
7. Kanibal & Co of Jersey City, is your perfect store for gift buying this year, and maybe gifts to give others too. Featuring goods from refurbished vintage furniture, found objects, new home decor, apparel and paper products. The shop stocks a rotating collection of goods that are both forward-thinking and rooted in tradition. They even offer monthly creative classes instructed by local experts and artists, everything from quilting, vase floral arranging, Valentine’s card screen printing etc.
8. Starving and need a quick slice on your commute home, or a pie delivered across Hoboken? Hot House Pizza is open seven days a week, have warm and delicious pizza any day of the week.
9. Maxwell’s Tavern is where it’s at for any night of the week in Hoboken. Grab a brewski and have some fun with trivia themed nights, open mics, comedy shows, concerts and more in one awesome intimate venue. Open from 5pm weekdays and 11am weekends, Maxwell’s is a thumbs up, must visit place to eat, drink and be entertained.
10. Milk Sugar Love in Jersey City, has small shop gourmet churned ice cream and baked desserts made from organic farmers and local artisan ingredients. So good they were even recognized by the New York Times. We agree, definitely worth digesting. Want to have an ice cream social? They’ve got that covered with their Ice Cream Sundae or Ice Cream Sandwich party packages for 8-12 people. Their Pint Club, is a really cool ice cream delivery program.
11. In need of some comfort food? Hoboken’s House of Que has your Austin Texas style Bar-B-Que cooked by Texas pitmaster Mike Rodriquez. Enjoy your southern comfort cuisine with a cocktail in hand from the bar, then sit down to communal seating in their cafeteria style dining room, while feasting as live music with special feature bands all night.
12. To unwind and unleash your inner child check out HopsScotch in Jersey City, where recess meets happy hour. Their German & Belgian-inspired pub has 20 hi-def televisions and board games on every table. Featuring 40 plus craft beers and 100 whiskey and scotches to enjoy in their whiskey lounge, definitely go to HopsScotch to play. The Digest has frequented this playground.
The Digest can attest that these New Year’s resolution hot spots were hand-picked for you to look forward to. Go ahead, ring in yule tide the right way!