Glocally Newark

       There’s a revival going on in Newark; anyone with eyes can see it, from the new bars and restaurants sprouting up, to the immense growth in the art community, and the buildings being restored, remodeled and rising into the sky. Three years ago, I came to Newark for my boyfriend, and watched this revolution unfold. We moved into a newly restored Victorian apartment right outside of the Ironbound, next to the Prudential Center. I was smitten, not only with the city, but the man of my dreams. Unfortunately, our love, his and mine, was not meant to be. But the end of our relationship was no reason to end my love affair with Newark.

       After the ugly break-up and move out, my friends pried the ice cream out of my hands and forced me to join them for girls’ night out cocktails. We arrived at Kilkenny’s  AleHouse, our typical Thursday night drink spot, and it was there that my best friend broke the news. “Love left Newark a long time ago,” she said matter-of-factly before taking a long sip of her martini, “don’t know where he went or what happened to him, but if you see him, send him my way.”

       I felt like all the wind had been knocked out of me, and I wasn’t sure if it was her words or the fact that I had just finished my third Long Island Iced Tea. It baffled me. How could someone believe that love could just up and move out of an entire city? An apartment maybe, I just did and boy was I heartbroken over leaving, but an entire city? Impossible! An eternal optimist, I wouldn’t let her  negativity get to me. I figured he was just lost or helping someone else. After all Newark is a city of almost 280,000, so maybe someone was just hogging him.

       Well 6 months of optimism and countless first (and last) dates later, my hope began wavering. In fact I was beginning to feel so low that I almost bailed on Thursday girls’ night, but I didn’t want to break my promise to be there. When I arrived at Kilkenny’s, I noticed that my seat was taken…by a guy none the less! My once pessimistic best friend, who informed me love was all but dead just months earlier, was now introducing me to her boyfriend, or as she put it, soul mate.

       There is a revival going on in Newark, and I am single handedly attempting to bring it on. Love needs to make his way back, and I’m standing here in my 5 inch heels proclaiming I will be that much needed revolutionary to lure love’s return to the Brick City. So please check back as I chronicle my trials and tribulations of dating (or attempting to find a date) and being a young, attractive, single girl in Newark.

My Ex and I at Hell's Kitchen on Halloween