Lighting Up the Night!

"The Grass Isn't Always Greener ..."
For years, after moving to Downtown Jersey City, I hid in my humble abode before nightfall, too frightened to venture out. Back in the day, my neighborhood wasn't trendy and had only a few upscale restaurants -- but it did have many artists who opened their studios for tours. It also had a Burger King.
Those were the days when my eyes would light up whenever I saw Guardian Angels from New York City. One time, after narrowly escaping injury from shards of glass hurled my way -- and toward my face -- by street children, and getting followed for three blocks by a male stranger, I shyly approached a Guardian Angel who was looking tough in her red tam. I asked her if I should give myself an earlier curfew than 9 p.m. for running errands, especially grocery shopping. Before she could reply, she asked me where I shopped. When I told her, what she shared scared me out of ever going to that supermarket again: aggravated assaults, rapes, murders.
However, over time, Jersey City, like Hoboken and Weehawken, evolved into a "suburb of Manhattan." The first Starbucks that I saw was a huge sign that gentrification was happening. (It was difficult to ignore the mermaid irony.) Many residents, including artists, were displaced; numerous mom-and-pop stores went out of business; and, yeah, even BK went away.
The Hard Grove Café, which had reigned on its corner diagonally across the intersection from the Grove Street Triangle and which seemed to sway on weekend nights from the fantastic brass and percussion of Latin music and the aroma of delectable Cuban cuisine (oh, the black beans there!😛), was reduced to a shell of its former shelf after relocating to an easily overlooked side street.
Between municipal politicians and real estate developers, the old neighborhood's soul seemed to have been sold to the devil. More years flew by, though, and many of us working-class residents just started making the best of it. We still need to save funds to afford the pricier restos downtown. Thankfully, the frequency and severity of criminal incidents have decreased, so it's relatively safe to walk around at night. Personally, I wouldn't push it past 10 p.m. and would encourage folks leaving restos and bars after that time to use Uber or call a taxi if home is more than a half-mile away beyond the downtown area.
Only recently -- since the end of the pandemic -- have I dared to try those chic restaurants in my section of the downtown area, but they're rare splurges. Some, like Würstbar, Skinner's Loft and Roman Nose, serve high-quality meals in good proportions. But, hey, sometimes a chick just wants a deal/no deal from McDonald's or a non-gourmet slice of pizza. (Whom am I kidding? Two slices😆 ... )
At least photographing the très cher restos and shooting videos of them don't cost a thing. So I did the latter, after the drizzle fizzled and I stepped into the night. I literally had Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" on my brain as I strolled down restaurant row -- please check out that short ("Where the Night Is Young").
Thank you for viewing my video.🌃
#nightlife #nighttimeasmr #citylife #diningout #downtownjerseycity #gentrification #restaurantrow #steppinout #joejackson #nightanddayalbum

[@johnbarrientos9]

awesome hidden gem found here looking forward to more

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

Thanks for your kind comment, John, and for liking this night scene from my 'hood. I hope to capture more nighttime magic, going forward.😀

[@EventyrsorenDenmark]

Beautiful city light😊

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

Yes it was. Thanks for watching from Denmark!👍🏼

[@OUTNABOUTwithYoursTrulyLIZZOC]

Pretty lights, try zooming in and out next time! Cheers! 🥂

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

Thanks for commenting. I can't zoom more in or out with my phone camera.🤷🏽‍♀️

[@OUTNABOUTwithYoursTrulyLIZZOC]

@@gabrielapaulinho1luv What phone do you have ?

[@gabrielapaulinho1luv]

@OUTNABOUTwithYoursTrulyLIZZOC Thanks for asking and for any tips you can and may provide.🙂.🫶🏻 A Samsung android, A32 5G (Model No.: SM-A326U). I'm finishing my lunch -- and actually eating, for a change.😉 I will return to my channel after my workday here is done, at which point I'll have plenty of time on my way home, and after I reach home, to read all replies showing via notifications. I also check each video under "Manage Videos" for new replies. Thanks very much if and when (of course, at your convenience) you're able to help me with my inability to activate zoom (in and out) in video mode. I know only how to zoom in/out in photo mode. Go figure.🤷🏽‍♀️😔