Jersey City Business: Misunderstood Whiskey

Photo from @misunderstoodwhiskey Instagram

I like whiskey. Always have. It takes something truly unique and special to snap me out of my usual order of a Jack neat when I cozy up next to the bar. Fortunately, unique and special is exactly what JD and Chris were looking for when they set out infusing dozens of whiskies in their home refrigerators in search of what would become the recipe behind Misunderstood Whiskey. They we’re looking for the perfect ingredient that would maintain all the great qualities of whiskey, but take away the sting that a lot of people don’t like. They eventually found the perfect blend - an 80 proof American blended whiskey, infused with ginger and born in some mason jars in their Jersey City apartment. Misunderstood Whiskey was born— distilled and bottled in Kentucky. It’s the perfect whiskey for whiskey novices, with some sweet vanilla tasting notes, but still strong enough for those of us that love to taste our alcohol.

 I was lucky enough to get some first hand cocktail tips from the guys themselves behind the bar at Luna Restaurant and Bar in Jersey City. Check out the recipes below for your festive holiday whiskey needs:

Bad Apple by LUNABad Apple by LUNA

+ Fresh juiced apple

+ 2 oz Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey 

+ Cinnamon stick Garnish 

Directions: Juice 1 fresh apple in mason jar with ice. Add whiskey. Stir and garnish with cinnamon stick. 

Dirty Jack Frost:

+ 5 oz Hot Cocoa

+ 1/4 oz Creme de menth

+ 1.5 oz Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey

+ Toasted Marshmallow Garnish 

Directions: Combine all ingredients in hot cup. Stir & serve. Garnish with Marshmallow. Serve warm. 

Dark Side of the Moon shot by LUNA

+1 oz Fernet Branca

+ 1 oz Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey

Directions: Pour into shot glass and enjoy.

For more information on our friends at Misunderstood Whiskey, check out their Instagram here and their website here. And don’t forget about our friends at Luna Restaurant and Bar here!

Jersey City Business: ChicpeaJC

Photo by Greg Pallante and taken from @chicpeajc

I think it’s safe to assume that if you’re a Jersey City resident, you know who ChicpeaJC is. I’d even venture to say her reach extends to a lot of Hudson County residents . But I really wanted to meet Lynn Hazan, the face (and a lot of the time, body) behind Chicpea. 

I send her a DM on Instagram introducing myself, HudsonCounty60 and my pitch: ChicpeaJC’s top 3 Jersey City businesses she would bring out of town guests to. I really didn’t think I would hear back— I’m sure I only get a small portion of the DMs she gets, and I still get a lot. But by the end of the day she responds. We pick a day to shoot, her three businesses, and we’re off.

When I walk in to our first location, The Hair Room JC, there she is with her laptop, and three iPhones. She says this is her usual MO and she wanted to give us a glimpse of her real life. And it makes sense. Not only does she run ChicpeaJC, but she throws huge events (like the upcoming Terminal of Terror), runs the nonprofit Content Creators Academy, and has an entire additional side business where she does the marketing/social media for other businesses - while also finding time to workout and raise a daughter. 

Let’s talk about The Hair Room for a second. I can’t get over how cute it is! It’s like walking into a salon from the 50’s. Every station is a vintage vanity, there are pink rotary phones and a bathroom lined with vintage hair dye boxes and makeup. Lauren and Amber, the women in the shop that day, are equally as lovely and nice, not to mention Amber is done with Lynn’s hair in record time.

We move on to lunch at Uncle Momo’s. Uncle Momo's is a Lebanese French Bistro on Grove Street, and Lynn swears by it. The interior is typically French, and the kind of bistro I fantasize about having a nice glass of wine at, on a perfect fall afternoon. The food is the kind of Mediterranean food I've always loved-- hummus, falafel, schwarma, kofta, etc. Everything is absolutely delicious and tastes fresh. Lynn calls it the most underrated restaurant in Jersey City, and I couldn’t agree more. 

I ask her about Content Creators Academy, or CCA.JC, her nonprofit youth mentorship program that aims to teach kids the skills they need to market themselves and their entrepreneurial pursuits in this digital era. The program teaches students skills like photography and editing, building a brand, video editing and creating content. The organization brings in mentors from different fields for the students to talk to and learn from. This is exactly the kind of program I wish was around when I was younger. Did I mention it's entirely free for the kids?

Photo taken from @chicpeajc

Lastly we move on to Another Man's Treasure Vintage, a business I consider to be a part of the #HudCo60Fam, and one of Lynn's favorite places to shop in Jersey City. AMT Vintage has made a name for themselves as a vintage authority, and every single piece shows you why-- they have items dating back to the 1920's and it's all beautifully curated. She and Meika, the owner, are clearly very well acquainted-- as soon as we walk in Meika pulls out some pieces she's been holding for Lynn, including a body skimming gold dress, reminiscent of a 90's runway look. This was absolutely my favorite part of the day, if not for anything else other than Lynn's clear enthusiasm for fashion, something her followers are well aware of. She comes alive in the store in a way she hadn't all day. It felt for a moment that we were really hanging out and I was digging it. 

My day with Lynn was inspirational, educational and illuminating. It gave me something to aspire to with my own business and platform, and showed me that the work never stops, the rewards to reap do get better. If you're not already following Lynn check out her blog here, and her Instagram here. Also don't forget the wonderful businesses we checked out below.

And don't forget, Spooky Terminal and Terminal of Terror are coming up October 27th. Tickets are available here.

Till next time friends!

The Hair Room JC: Website, Instagram

Uncle Momo: Website, Instagram

Another Man’s Treasure Vintage: Website, Instagram

Content Creators Academy: Website, Instagram

Jersey City Business: Blo Jersey City & UniK Wax Jersey City

Photo courtesy @blojerseycity on Instagram

I'm not great at keeping up with all the grooming that typically goes into being a girl. I'm good at the minimum, like I can make myself look presentable, but I've never been the girl with perfectly coifed hair or who is perfectly hairless all the time. This weeks featured businesses inspired me a bit though. Located right next to each other, Blo Jersey City and UniK Wax Jersey City are so close they actually share an entryway, and make the grooming process easy.

Blo JC is perfectly pink and white, clean and fun. There are products all over, a couple of hair washing sinks and a makeup counter. I think it's safe to say that most Hudson County women have been to a blow dry bar. We know that they only offer washing and styling (blow outs, up dos, and braids) and we know you can book group visits (whether a bachelorette/ bridal party or girls night). So what's different about Blo? Well, they also offer makeup services for starters. And they will go to your home for all of these services as well.

I get to sit down with Gigi, Chief Style Boss, and start the actual process, which starts with picking out a style. I never really know what to pick here so I just ask for lots of volume and a few curls, and Gigi points me towards the Hollywould. Then it's my favorite part fo the process: the wash and massage. After a thorough rinsing we head over to Gigi's chair where the blowout begins. Despite my long, thick hair, Gigi manages to finish the whole process in about 45 minutes, and it looks AMAZING. Convenience, peace of mind (not worrying about my hair for days) and speed. 

Photo courtesy @unikwaxstudios Instagram

Next up we head right next door to UniK Wax. Again, we've all been to a version of these wax centers, and maybe even been to one of the older UniK Wax models. This revamp is particularly interesting, as I see so many improvements. Firstly, the actual visual image is different-- the colors and textures of the inside of the store reflect the all natural feel they're going for. The service menu is HUGE, and complete with diagrams so that whatever your need is, they have identified it and priced it. But my favorite part is that as soon as you walk into the Wax Center, there's a little room to the left called "The Lab". In this room, there's a person who measures, pours and heats the exact amount of wax needed for your service(s), to eliminate that pesky double dipping wax issue. 

As they usually do, my eyebrows need a little cleaning up, so I volunteer them as our tester. I'm taken in the back, past the lab and front desk, to an area where they have a vanity counter with three chairs. Such a great idea! Why need to go into a little room, if I'm having such a small, not private area waxed? The rooms are still very much alive and well for those having some more intimate body parts done. While getting ready for this part of our shoot, about 3 different people tell me about the wax and how it's "painless", elastic, and only hardens to the hair. They tell me the owners story about her daughter being allergic to wax and all the pain she went through, but wax is wax right? And I've been having my eyebrows waxed for years, so nothing can really phase me. One swipe of the wax and a pull, and I get it. It is different, and I guess you can really call it painless.

Blo Jersey City and UniK Wax Jersey are the perfectly placed one-two punch for a lot of the beauty services we all use pretty regularly. For more information on Blo Jersey City you can check out their website here and Instagram here. For UniK Wax Jersey City you can check out their Facebook page here and Instagram here. And don't forget you have until tomorrow, October 12th at noon to enter our giveaway where you can win 1 blowout at Blo and a $40 UniK gift certificate for the waxing services of your choosing!