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LIZ HEATHER

July 10, 2025

The Best of June 2025

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Halloween, Links, Movies, Personal, Recipes, Television


June 2025

June 2025

What happened last month? Oh I don’t know, nothing too monumental other than the fact that Nathan and I got engaged. WILD STUFF. Super jacked about it. But also here’s what else down last month…

  • I had no idea that Anthropologie had an entire bridal section where you can book try-on appointments! Obviously I went.

NOT my wedding dress, but good god do I love lace

  • I started doing weekly Summer Saturdays posts again this year.

  • I compiled the best tweets of the month.

  • We took a day trip to see the filming locations of Friday the 13th in New Jersey.

  • I never wear strapless bras because they’re all terrible, so for years when I need to wear one I’ll just put on a corset (it sounds uncomfortable, but I swear it’s not). The first one I bought was about ten years ago from this great place (Orchard Corset on the Lower East Side) that only specializes in corsets. You walk in, there are boxes everywhere, it’s owned by a couple - one of them looks at you, tells you the exact right size to get and you’re set. I updated the one I got recently (it lasted ten years) and they cost around $70. They fit like a dream. Praying this place stays in business for eternity. (I also learned the proper way (below) to clasp one, how did it take me so long to learn this??)

Best corset shop in the world in NYC

The proper way to clasp a corset

  • The chain Jersey Mike’s came to Canada so I tried their signature sub (swimming in vinegar) and it was good. I wish it had even more vinegar, though.

  • I wrote about the newest costume exhibit at The Met.

  • My cousin made this piano key holder out of my grandmother’s piano (from the early 1900s)! Isn’t it gorgeous??

Homemade piano key holder

  • My friend Marla made these incredible pistachio thumbprint cookies and I can’t stop thinking about them.

  • DO NOT sleep on the incredible sushi from Hillstone.

Hillstone sushi with Irene

  • The new brown sugar foam at Starbucks is a problem, it’s so good.

  • Nathan and I saw Stranger Things on Broadway and visually it was fantastic! The story wasn’t the best and it’s way too long, but the plushies they sold are wonderful.

Stranger Things on Broadway

Stranger Things plushie

  • Still dreaming about this House of CB strapless gown.

  • In love with the concord grape Schweppes seltzer. Tastes so similar to 90s purple Crush.

Concord grape

  • My nephew Rome started a YouTube channel!

  • Lemax released their Halloween collection this year and I might have to buy the new wedding party, I don’t make the rules.

Wedding party from Lemax

  • Visited the Cheese Boutique in Toronto and I can’t believe how huge it is. It’s this giant cheese/meat/butcher/specialty foods haven.

  • This raccoon (below) came up to my parent’s window and I’m in love.

Cutest raccoon alive

  • My parent’s car had an air conditioning issue so I took it to our mechanic and they quoted us a minimum of $900 (!). Then I took it to Canadian Tire and they did the entire job for $275 and completely fixed the issue. Unbelievable. Love Canadian Tire so much.

  • I hate a sugar cookie, but the Crumbl wedding cookie was really good.

Wedding cookie from Crumbl

  • Something about having a Blue Moon on draft at a restaurant makes me so happy.

Draft Blue Moons = summer

  • Some things I watched:

    • Sirens (Netflix) - it was like a poor man’s White Lotus. Nice visuals, not much story, though.

    • Another Simple Favor - truly terrible. It’s as if AI wrote a movie about dumb hats in Capri.

    • The Mist - pretty good! Love a horror movie watch in June.

    • Milli Vanilli documentary - really good, so much I didn’t know about these guys.

    • Titan documentary - I wish it were more about the people on board and the details around the specific disaster rather than the company history, but maybe that’s just me.

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Some things I’m looking forward to this month: going to Montreal with Nathan, a million things to plan before the wedding, lane swimming and seeing the new I Know What You Did Last Summer in theatres.

WEDDING SLEEVE!

You can read last month’s roundup over here.

TAGS: monthly, monthly post, monthly roundup, Liz Heather, wedding, wedding dress, wedding sleeve lace, Canadian Tire, raccoons, Anthropologie, Anthropologie Wedding, Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th New Jersey, Friday the 13th filming locations, Orchard Corset Center, best corset place NYC, how to put on a corset, Jersey Mike's, vinegar subs, The Met, piano keys key holder, pistachio thumbprint cookies, Hillstone, Hillstone NYC, Hillstone sushi, Irene Morales, Starbucks, Stranger Things, Stranger Things Broadway, House of CB, strapless gown, concord grape Schweppes, purple Crush, Romeo Heather, Romeo Heather YouTube, Lemax, Lemax wedding party, The Cheese Boutique, cheese store Toronto, best cheese store Toronto, cute raccoon, air conditioner car problem, wedding cake Crumbl cookie, Blue Moon, Sirens, Another Simple Favor, Netflix, The Mist, Milli Vanilli, Titan, documentary


June 13, 2025

Friday The 13th Day Trip to New Jersey

by Liz Heather in Movies, Travel


For years I had no idea the original Friday the 13th was filmed in New Jersey (Blairstown and Hope, specifically). So we took a a day trip to go visit some of the spots from the movie and it was too much fun.

Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey

The daytime diner/general store at the beginning of the movie is now purely an antique shop - Hope Junction Antiques in Hope, New Jersey. They sell Camp Crystal Lake signs and other small items to commemorate the movie.

Inside Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey

Inside Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey

The sign we bought from Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey

And just down the road is Moravian Cemetery (the character Annie walks infront of it in the beginning of the movie).

Moravian Cemetery in Hope, New Jersey

From here, it’s about a 15 minute drive to Blairstown Diner (where the new owner of Camp Crystal Lake, Steve Christy (Peter Brouwer), spent most of that fateful night back in June of 1980) where we had lunch. The diner itself is celebrating its 75 year anniversary and it was wonderful. There are specialty items (like the Jason omelette, the slasher burger) and everything tasted great. I had the Summer Campers omelette (avocado, bacon, sausage, spinach) and it was perfect. Possibly the best home fries I’ve ever had. And the house-made sausage? A dream.

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When you’re done at the diner, it’s only a three-minute walk north on Carhart Street and there you can find the First National Bank building still standing brick-for-brick and column-for-column as it appeared in the film. This is part of Blairstown's famed historic district and the bank is where the exterior shots of Annie entering the daytime diner were filmed. There are a number of Friday the 13th-related stops to make while visiting the historic district, including Roy's Hall. The non-profit offers special screenings of Friday the 13th each year, so plan ahead to see if there are any screenings.

The actual Friday the 13th woods!

Our last stop was to see the outside of Camp Crystal Lake (actually called Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, Hardwick Township, New Jersey). While Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco has hosted thousands of Boy Scout troops since its inception in 1927, it is also where the majority of Friday the 13th was filmed. The only way to see the inside of the camp is to book a tour through Crystal Lake Tours where fans can visit the camp and explore nearly every square inch of Friday the 13th's Camp Blood. We didn’t book a tour, but here’s what others have said about them:

The real life Camp Crystal Lake campgrounds

“Visitors will find the original Crystal Lake sign hanging approximately 20-30 feet away from a replica of the Jeep that both Steve Christy and Mrs. Voorhees drove during the movie. And nearby, a solo canoe floats on the water. There is also a chance to inspect the archery range where Brenda (Laurie Bartram) was shot down by Mrs. Voorhees. Not everything about the filming location has remained the same. The camp’s docks are now slightly differently from the movie's, and the lifeguard tower has been significantly altered in appearance. But the beach where Alice battles Mrs. Voorhees is eerily similar, and it's easy to envision the two of them engaged in their final battle to the death. Fans can expect to walk up to a mile while taking in the campground, but the tours can last two or even three hours depending on the amount of time each group spends inspecting all of Friday the 13th's interior and exterior sets. Tours are offered in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, but there's also a special "flashlight" session at night, which adds that spooky feel horror fans crave. Plus, some of the camp's other special activities include archery and canoeing sessions.”

Crystal Lake Tours plans numerous events where fans can meet the original cast and crew (namely on big anniversaries like today). I do really wish we had managed to go to their gift shop to get a sample of Crystal Lake's waters from the Angry Mother Bottling Co. but next time for sure.

TAGS: Liz Heather, Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th the original, Friday the 13th filming locations, Friday the 13th New Jersey, filming locations horror movies, Jason Voorhees, Blairstown Diner, diner from Friday the 13th, Hope New Jersey, Blairstown New Jersey, horror road trip, horror movie roadtrip, NYC day trip