This is a picture of my neighborhood as I rarely see it, from across the river in another state.

I was in Weehawken today, after taking a bus under the Hudson River, then missing my stop (the first one), taking a grand tour of Hoboken, getting a lecture from the bus driver on how not to miss my stop, waiting for him to take his break at the bus depot, taking a second grand tour of Hoboken, and then finally getting to my destination at a riverview restaurant in Weehawken.

Were the views worth it? Yes.

New Jersey, in spite of its reputation is lovely. It has the views and an enticing slowed-down neighborhood pace. But for all that, as someone at the restaurant mentioned, living in New Jersey—in sight of Manhattan—is a bit like driving to a concert and then sitting in the parking lot.