Hoboken Road Trip Part 3 - Candy Shoppe, Elysian Cafe

Continuing their ramble up the main drag of Washington Street, the Divas decided to turn up 4th Street and head to the parks by the Hudson. It was time to sit down, rest, and work some more on the Friday NY Times puzzle. On the way to the parks we stumbled on the Candy Shoppe and, of course, had to detour in. It's candy of the old-fashioned variety: fruit slices, nonpareils, Jordan almonds, etc. Everything is the same price, so you just load up your bags and pay by total weight. I'm not sure what Diva1's favorite was [the dark chocolate nonpareils -Diva1], but Diva2 loved the chocolate 'olives'; these were almonds covered with chocolate, shaped like olives and died green with a red tip. Divine; all they needed was a chocolate martini. Alas none was in sight.

The Divas continued on up 4th Street to the parks and took a well-deserved rest, finishing off the Times puzzle, solving the problems of the world and watching the local Hoboken faithful file into the church across the street for Friday confession. When the Divas were ready to move on they zig-zagged back to Washington and continued to check out the sights of Hoboken. Much to #2's surprise #1 announced she was scouting out places for lunch. On top of breakfast and bakery and candy shop, you also want lunch? OK, I can always eat; no one in #2's family ever passes up food.

Thus we came to Elysian Cafe at 1001 Washington; it's the Hoboken version of a Paris bistro and very nice it was. We dined outside under some shade, and I tell you, I felt a million miles away from NY. It was like being on vacation. Diva1 had the house Elysian burger with some great fries (crispy, tasting of potato - you get the idea) and Diva2 had the spaghetti bolognese. It was just about as bolognese as I am; in other words, just a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, but tasty it was and it came with some lovely garlic bread. There may even have been salad; Diva2 forgets. We washed it all down with root beers and the refills (on the house) kept coming. For dessert #1 had a very tasty apple strudel and #2 had the profiteroles with white and chocolate ice cream. The profiterole dough was a little tough and hard to cut, but all was forgiven because of the whipped cream on top. This was the genuine article, thick and tasting of fresh cream, and absolutely not some spritz from a spray can. Two thumbs up from the Divas on this place. We would go back.

After lunch the Divas continued meandering up Washington, giving out prizes for the day. The children's shop (El Bambi at 1204 Washington) got a prize for the pink pig humidifier for baby's room that was in the window. I wanted that pig and I'm no baby. The horticultural prize for the day went to the most beautiful and most fragrant apricot and yellow rose that the Divas wandered past somewhere i n their travels and I think Diva1 gave a prize to the very regal elk statue in front of the Hoboken BPOE lodge. By mid-afternoon the Divas had made their way to 14th Street, so they turned down it and made their way to the ferry stop at the bottom of the street. A short ferry ride later and the Divas were back at 39th Street in Manhattan after a hard day of playing tourist.

More Hoboken adventures will surely follow; Divas intend to go back at the first possible opportunity.