Kearny is the best place to grow up in New Jersey (and America, and the world)

Coming to Rutgers, I was nervous to leave my hometown of Kearny, New Jersey. I knew 80 per cent of Rutgers students were New Jerseyans, but only a handful were hailing from the 10 square miles that is K-Town. How would I meet someone who would understand my random craving for the greasy delight of The Greeks or wanting to head over to Bunny Hill after a blizzard? The truth is there’s no place like Kearny and being away from it too long can leave you wanting to return. The important thing is to remember some of the things that make it one of the best places to live in New Jersey.

Kearny has had its share of fame on the big and small screen

The popular HBO original series The Sopranos, the Clint Eastwood film Jersey Boys, and the original Annie movie were filmed in various locations in Kearny. Kearny-natives will easily be able to spot the areas that were shot in town. In Jersey Boys, as soon as the film starts, though it’s dubbed Belleville, New Jersey, the street Tommy DeVito is walking down is Elm Street. As for The Sopranos, the popular Satriale’s Pork Store was located on Kearny Avenue. However, after the show ended, the building was taking down and is currently a parking lot. In Annie, the bridge that the little orphan Annie climbs is the popular NX Bridge that remains in its up position.

Jesus was always riding his bike around town

His name might not actually be Jesus, but that’s what everyone has referred to him as. This man, whose name is actually Mario, spends his time riding his bike all around Kearny. With the radio attached to his bike always blasting music and the American flag waving as he rides around town, it is always easy to spot Jesus and he always offer a thumbs up or a nod whenever you wave to him. He has grown a following of some sort, even having his own Facebook page that was created back in 2010.

There are always great places to eat

If you’re hungry in Kearny, you’ll definitely find something to satisfy you, no matter what you’re in the mood for. One of the most notable food spots in Kearny is The Greeks, a family run diner that was featured on Food Network’s American Diner Revival, but be sure to get there before 4pm since it’s only open for breakfast and lunch. 

Some other well known spots are Hamburgao, a Brazilian burger joint, which was featured on the Travel Channel. If you’re in the mood for Portuguese pastries, you can head straight down to Arcos Pastry. If you want Mexican food, Mi Pueblito is the perfect place to eat. And of course, no one can forget the deliciousness of the bread from Brother’s Bakery. Rutgers students would feel at home in Kearny by eating at Fat Stacks, which was founded by recent college graduates (including one Rutgers alum) who loved fat sandwiches so much, they brought it to Kearny with them.

3/5 of My Chemical Romance came out of Kearny

Of the musicians that came out of Kearny, the most recent ones who gained fame wereMatt Pelissier, Ray Toro and Frank Iero, three members of My Chemical Romance (Matt Pelissier was the original drummer). Toro was born and raised in Kearny.Matt Pelissier attended Kearny High School and even sat in the same room where I had my biology class. With his first band, The Rodneys, they named their first and only album “Soccertown USA” in honor of the town. Iero grew up in Kearny and even attended Rutgers University, before he dropped out in order to go on tour with My Chemical Romance.

Kearny is known as Soccertown, USA

As it’s nickname implies, Kearny is the soccer capital of New Jersey. Out of Kearny came professional soccer players Tony Meola, John Harkes, Tab Ramos, Hugh MacDonald, and more. Since the inception of the Hudson County Tournament in 2009, the Kearny High Girls Varsity Soccer Team has remained undefeated. Even some of my own high school classmates were big soccer stars, such as Timothy Farias, who currently plays for Rutgers-Newark. When he was only 16, Tim played for an academy called BW Gottschee, which was the highest level of soccer in the country a person his age could play for. With that team, he got to play with professional teams, such as Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union, and more.

You couldn’t wait to go sledding on Bunny Hill when there was a snow storm

Dubbed Bunny Hill after the zoo that used to be there, the steep hill is a popular place for people of all ages to go sledding. If you live in Kearny, you definitely made your way speeding down that hill at one point in your life. And it was definitely some of the most fun times you’ve had in your life.

Two for Tuesday was the best deal at Lincoln Cinema

Sure, we all called it Stinkin’ Lincoln, but the truth was that when you were tight on money and wanted to see a movie with some friends, Lincoln Cinema had your back with their cheap tickets and good deals. Every Tuesday, you could buy two tickets for the price of one and if you were friends with the theater of Facebook, they would send you a coupon for a free movie on your birthday that could be used within a month. Unfortunately, Lincoln Cinema closed for good in 2015.

The train tracks were always exciting to walk along

At one point, trains used to go along the railroads that run through town. However, the trains stopped running on them in the early 2000’s and it became a popular destination for exploration. Although it’s discouraged by officials, people still like to follow the tracks and see where it will lead them.

@heroesgirl96