When the temperature reads 26 degrees, it’s hard to distress over global warming. Things like making it from the PATH to your apartment without getting frostbite suddenly become more important than ozone layers and ultraviolet rays.
The Current has come up with six ways to keep you warm until it’s time to gripe about your roommate’s aerosol hairspray again.
Soup is good food
The Soup Hut, Washington and Second streets, Hoboken
Whether it comes in the form of mushroom, mullagatoni or classic minestrone, a cup of soup is still the best way to warm up on a cold winter day.
The Soup Hut, conveniently located on the corner of Washington and Second streets in Hoboken, offers a bevy of broth seven days a week. For instance, last Friday they had country vegetable, potato leek, green pea, grilled chicken and corn, chicken noodle, New England clam chowder and Maryland crab chowder. Small cups start at $4.25. An extra large cup of chowder will cost you $9.50. Each purchase comes with a hunk of fresh bread and a peppermint patty.
According the clerk behind the counter, New England clam chowder is the hut’s most popular concoction, with chicken noodle coming in a close second.
Kings, Fresh Ideas, (in the Shipyard, and at their newest location at 325 River St., Hoboken), Anthony David’s Gourmet Specialties (953 Bloomfield St. Hoboken), Biaggio’s Italian Deli (202 Hudson St., Hoboken), and Diana’s (506 Jefferson St., Hoboken) are among the places that also serve homemade soup.
Perk-o-latte
Empire Coffee and Tea Company, 231 Washington St., Hoboken
Quaffing a cup of coffee is another certain way to raise your temperature. The Empire Coffee and Tea Company offers over 75 gourmet grounds. They have traditional French roast, vanilla macadamia, German chocolate, French vanilla, southern pecan, coconut, blueberry bliss and truckstop Fiesta, among others.
If java isn’t your thing, Empire also has tea. Some of their flavors include jasmine, apple cinnamon, chai spice and traditional English breakfast. They also have hot cocoa and hot apple cider.
"We make a pot of coffee every 10 minutes," said Yomira, an Empire employee who has been manning the counter for two years. "A pot is never on for more than 15 minutes."
Arousing undergarments
Galatea Lingerie, 1224 Washington St., Hoboken
There’s nothing like lingerie to raise the temperature on a cold winter night. And Galatea Lingerie is overflowing with arousing undergarments that are guaranteed to heat things up. For instance, the matching cherry red Coabella garter belt ($76), bra ($74) and G-string ($23) could raise a plastic mannequin’s temperature.
For the more modest types, the boutique also sells sushi-printed pajamas and terry-cloth robes.
Cover up
Down to Earth, 527 Washington St., Hoboken
They say 90 percent of your body heat escapes through your head. So for crying out loud, put on a hat. Down to Earth, the trendy boutique on Washington Street, sells a variety of classy chapeaux. They have Caroline Amato wooly caps ($43), Leah Aiken olive green suede floppy hats ($136), and vintage Blue Marlin baseball hats. ($34). All designed to look good and keep you warm. Winter is not the time to worry about your hair.
Bask in the sun
(Planet Sun 55-14th St., Hoboken, 222-8520)
It might not be the healthiest thing to do, but baking in a bed of ultraviolet "A" rays will almost certainly warm you up. And it will also give you that distinctive orange glow that can only come for a tanning salon.
According to the Beach Training web site, sunlight – even the artificial kind – offers a plethora of positive health effects ranging from a reduction in the frequency of the common cold to an increased sex drive to stress release. According to the site, the sun may even help protect against certain types of cancer.
Of course, most dermatologists don’t recommend tanning salons. Why risk your health for a little color? But you can make your tanning bed and lie in it.
Planet Sun Tanning Salon charges $8 for a single session; $37 for six sessions; $55 for 10 sessions; $75 for 15 sessions; and, for the real sun worshippers, $88 for 20 sessions.
Shaken or stirred
(Anywhere you want)
Finally, taking a page from the "Hal Wastes His Wages" philosophy of life, alcohol is always a surefire way to heat things up. Of course, unless they come in the form of warm whiskey, cocktails won’t necessarily warm you up, but they will certainly help you forget the icicles dangling from your doorway. So head to your favorite tavern or coffee bar (particularly one with a fireplace, like McSwiggan’s on First Street or the Starbucks in the Shipyard), order something with tropical and toast spring, which is only a few months away. q