5 Fun Winter Ideas in New Brunswick, New Jersey by Rutger's Campus

1. The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum located on 71 Hamilton Street in New Brunswick, the museum is free for members, children under 18, Rutgers students, staff, and faculty with I.D. For everyone else it's a mere $3, and free on the first Sunday of the month to all. The museum is open Tuesday through Sundays from 10am-4: 30 pm on the weekdays and noon-5pm on the weekends (Closed Monday). I would recommend coming on the weekend or early on a weekdays as the New Brunswick streets fill up fast with cars from the Rutgers college students during the day.

The museum houses 50,000 works of art ranging from Russian and Soviet art to American nineteenth century art. The museum also hosts performances and events such as The Zimmerli drawing society for adults and art after hours from 6-9pm each first Wednesday of the month. Art after hours consists of various lectures, music, dance performances, films, and light refreshments are served. Metered parking around the museum is free on weekends in New Brunswick and limited parking is available by the Kirkpatrick Chapel. While you are there be sure to check out the Café Z inside the museum for an excellent and quick lunch. The small café consistently has a line inside it during weekdays for the cheap, good meals. The café serves breakfast sandwiches, vegetarian meals, wraps, panini's, and smoothies.

2. The exotic dance workshops may be headquartered in East Hanover, NJ, but get together 8-10 ladies and they will come to you in New Brunswick! The instructor will teach you and your friends (sorry no couples, and no men) the tricks of the trade when it comes to pole and erotic dancing. By demonstrating on a spring loaded, adjustable pole, temporary resurrected in your home, you will learn moves similar to those in Carmen Electra's Striptease videos. The minimum age is 18, but each lady will have an experience trying out her "moves" on the pole after a demonstration and detailed instructions. This is great for bachelorette parties, workouts, or just a girl's night in. According to a 2007 article in The New York Times, there were 350 pole instructors across the USA and Canada registered with the Canadian company, EPM Empowernet, training instructors to the Tupperware party of modern day. On average the dance workshop costs approximately $25-$30 per person, but you should contact for a more detailed quote. If you are up for a drive out of town, the company also teaches workshops at their East Hanover location.

3. What would a night in New Brunswick be without the grease trucks? The stationary food vendors located right in front of the bus stop on College Ave. (and conveniently next to several frat houses) serves sandwiches that have caught the attention of The Travel Channel, Maxim Magazine, and The Food Network. The calorie and fat laden sandwiches combine seemingly odd combinations of food into one huge sandwich to make for the most amazing 3 am snack. (E.g. "Fat Bitch" is cheese steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and Mayo) Not only that, but the sandwiches are ridiculously cheap for the amount of food you are consuming. The New Brunswick activity may not seem to be a winter one since the grease trucks is outdoors, but truck me that won't stop anyone from going. Even if you aren't brave enough to purchase a Fat Darrell or a Fat Dick the trucks are stocked with all shorts of cheap, quick eats and a great place to socialize.

4. Amber Lion Antiques. The small antique shop is located right on New Brunswick's George Street next to the Subway, and can easily be missed unless your are looking for it. The large store sells everything from furniture, clothing, records, and books. Rutgers Alumni even receive 10% off their purchase. The shop is located on 356 George Street or your can contact at 732-214-9090 and speak to one of the dealers, Rob Marchisotto, to get a better idea of the specific antiques in case you had something in mind.

5. Clydz. This restaurant/bar is equally as appealing for their extensive martini menu as there are or their unique menu serving up duck quesadillas and grilled elk rack chop. The cozy restaurant is located at 55 Paterson Street and serves drinks like the sake martini or the apple martini. The food can be expensive, but there are great specials like the $25-$30 3 course tasting menus. Don't fret if you are a huge meat eater, the Holland pepper stuffed with roasted wild mushrooms, organic tomatoes, basmati rice, and baby watercress salad for $18 is both affordable and delicious.

Bonus: Technically in Piscataway, NJ, the Rutgers Scarlet Knight's women's basketball team can be seen at the Louis Brown Rutgers Athletic Center on Bartholomew Road, You may remember them from the rant that got DJ Don Imus kicked terminated from his radio show Imus in the Morning. The 2009-10 team are a member of the Big East Conference and will attempt to win the NCAA championship.