Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Tourists are flocking to the country's newest rising star, New Jersey, to see the locations where The Sopranos are shot. The award-winning show has spawned tours, tribute websites, and merchandise, all of which provide a boost to New Jersey's economy. After watching the show for 4 seasons and spending a fair amount of time in Jersey, Standard Deviance can certainly see the draw. Just check out these photos:



This abandondend building is Satriale's, the meatmarket/cafe where Tony's crew hangs out. Look at the fine architecture. The brown-beige color of the brick provides an excellent juxtaposition to the metallic silver of the window bars. What a gem.



Next we see the setting of Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero's meetings with the FBI, the meetings that ultimately led to his untimely demise. The landscaping here is truly extraordinary. By placing the wire fence in the middle of the grass, the designers allow for the grass to creep up the wire, creating a center of greenery in an otherwise barren lot. Additionally the red trailer shows the human nature of Jersey. Beautiful site.



Finally, we see the lot behind the Bada Bing, where Ralphie Cifaretto beat his pregnant girlfriend to death. The vinyl siding that can be seen on the building and the neatly stacked red bricks show the practical nature of New Jerseyians, while once again we see that lawn grooming is not their forte. The bleached-out nature of the concrete creates a beautiful texture for blacktop enthusiasts to enjoy.

As we have seen there is truly a plethora of sights to be taken in on a Sopranos tour of New Jersey. Who needs Manhattan when beauty like this can be seen on just the other side of the Hudson? Standard Deviance will be making her way to the PATH station tomorrow to further investigate this beautiful state. I suggest you do the same.

Filming locations for The Sopranos [About.com]
Tourism blossoms in the Garden State, thanks to the Sopranos [MSNBC]