Essentially New Jersey?

Being from Central Jersey and having to argue with North/South Jerseyans over your existence

A lot of suburban New Jersey felt like a depression. Like the sort a bowling ball would make in a bed. Difficult to scramble out of, easy to fall back into. Kind of boring. There would be New Brunswick to the south, and NYC way to the north, but for all the towns nearby there wasn't really anything. It was like living on Sunday constantly.

The shore. Many states have beaches. NJ has the shore.

http://www.newjerseyshore.com/beach-badges.shtml.

"Melk" Wawa for sure Yuengling Rita's and frozen custard Tastykake! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzarotti (it's deep fried calzone YUP) Amish markets and pork roll closeness to Philly and thus its sports teams (Phillies, Flyers) the shore, LBI, the Pine Barrens the current status of the http://media.nbcbayarea.com/images/funtown+pier+after.jpg may be helpful in setting the date in your writings (i.e. is it still intact [2012 to mid-2012], has it been ravaged by a hurricane [late 2012-2013], or has it also been gutted by a large fire [late 2013-present]) locals seem to like/tolerate Chris Christie despite his dingus tendencies (maybe not lately...) being easily able to drive long distances like it's nothing/especially to get to the yacht club where your sailboat lives. sailing in general (but not in a rich-person yacht club sense) ah, the wonders my south NJ boyfriend has taught me!

PORK ROLL

Well, that area of NJ still has a strong diner culture, for one thing.

We always called pork roll Taylor Ham (Morris County). You go "down the shore" to Point Pleasant or Seaside for the day, to eat Kohrs Frozen Custard and all manner of greasy Italian food on the boardwalk. Tastycake cupcakes come from Philly but are big in NJ. In Morris County and especially Morristown there is lots of revolutionary war history and many historical sites. George Washington slept here a lot! Diners, of course. Excellent pizza and Italian food all over north Jersey. From my friends who grew up in Newark, Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot Dogs. Jimmy just passed away this year. Now, there are great Portugal and Argentine all you can eat and heavy on the meat restaurants in Newark. Hoboken has become a hip town of young professionals who work in The City (that's NYC if you live here). Check out Weird NJ for the odder aspects of the Garden State.

My Central Jersey youth was essentially spent: - Driving to Princeton Record Exchange - Driving to New Hope, PA to go to the witch stores - Driving down the shore, hopefully borrowing somebody's grandma's beach badge, and stopping at the bagel store on the way - Driving through a traffic circle to the mall - Driving to the diner to waste time, probably by buying a single cup of coffee and getting refills for several hours - Taylor ham.