Episode 0: Amanda Morrison (Don’t Sit Home) – The Best of New Jersey Podcast

Vinny Parisi: Welcome to the Best of New Jersey podcast. My name is Vinny Parisi. I’m the editor-in-chief for BestofNJ.com. If it’s your first time tuning in, the Best of New Jersey podcast features conversations with the Garden State’s most influential and recognizable names and gets the inside story on the people and places of New Jersey that help shape them into the successful men and women we know today. Okay, with that said, it is my pleasure to introduce today’s guest. You probably know her as the founder and influencer behind Don’t Sit Home, Amanda Morrison. Welcome to the Best New Jersey podcast.
Amanda Morrison: Thank you for having me.
Vinny Parisi: How’s your day going so far?
Amanda Morrison: It’s going great. 
Vinny Parisi: So, for those who don’t know, tell me a little bit about Don’t Sit Home.
Amanda Morrison: So, Don’t Sit at Home is a social media experience and kind of just a lifestyle. I started I mean, I started Don’t Sit at Home years ago because I was always that person doing everything. And I really wanted to inspire people to go out and live their best life. And that is very different for a lot of different people. And I started social media accounts just to show different things to do wherever they lived at different price levels. I just want to inspire people just to go do as much as they can when they can. And it’s been on social media for well over a decade. And now it’s been it’s, you know, between TikTok and Instagram and all social media platforms. It is a wide range of content supporting small businesses, activities, , lifestyle, self-care of a little bit of everything. So, , yeah, right now it’s just social media, but it’s going to be growing into a few different things really soon.
Vinny Parisi: Very cool. So, we’re talking sports, visiting events, food and travel, lifestyle?
Amanda Morrison: I mean, I’m always on the go, whether I live in Hoboken, New Jersey, but either if it’s around Jersey City, New York City, or Hoboken, or I’m on a plane flying around the world. I’m trying different restaurants all the time. I hike. I’m very into fitness. I am a big sports person. I do a wide range of sports. I have my particular teams, but I’m just a sports fanatic. I grew up an athlete. So, I really love the fact that anything can fall under the Don’t Sit Home umbrella.
Vinny Parisi: So, tell me a little bit more about that. You grew up in New Jersey?
Amanda Morrison: I did. I grew up in Hillsboro, New Jersey. So, I grew up in Hillsboro. I went to Hillsboro High School. I grew up an athlete, too. So, I played varsit, field hockey, basketball, and softball. And then I actually went to school in New Jersey. I went to Fairley Dickinson in Madison and I was the captain of my softball team there. 
Vinny Parisi: So what was the first sport you started playing?
Amanda Morrison: That is actually a very good question. I’ve played so many sports, , but I think that my first sport either was softball or soccer or maybe at the same time. I started sports really young, and I wasn’t terrible at them. So, I continued playing all of them and I loved them in general. So, I was just constantly keeping my parents busy between taking me to tournaments and playing on different teams. I played up until I was in college.
Vinny Parisi: So, growing up, when you’re younger, when you’re first starting sports, let’s say you have a really good game and you want to celebrate, was there a go-to pizza place, ice cream shop, where were you going to celebrate?
Amanda Morrison: Angelos’s. Angelos in Hillsboro was a staple. Even for playing sports in high school. They would always have pizza after the game or before games. They were supplying the pizza even during lunch at the high school. But my parents and I always go, and even when I’m home visiting my parents now – and I’m far from high school – and I’m still going to Angelos all the time.
Vinny Parisi: Oh, that’s great. So, you talked a little bit about how Don’t Sit Home matches sort of your personality and what you were already doing at the time, but is there something specific that was an inspiration to you to say, “I could do this. I could go on social media and kind of be an influencer in this space?”
Amanda Morrison: You know, when I started it, being an influencer wasn’t a thing. So, I even left my… I worked at the Associated Press in legal. I used to manage their global intellectual property portfolio. And even when I left in 2014, no one was saying you’re an influencer. There were influencers. There was people having an online presence, but no one was really really calling themselves that. I even quit my job when people were saying, “What? Why are you quitting?” I’m like, “To do this.” It didn’t have a name. You know, I wanted to inspire people. I want to go on social media showcasing my life. I think it was a great way to get into people’s homes that, you know, it’s print was going in a different direction. And it was a great way to showcase different, you know, events, opportunities, businesses, and just to be able, it was just another avenue and way to inspire people to get off their couch and go out do something cool.
Vinny Parisi: Right. So, you’ve been doing this for about a decade, a little over a decade?
Amanda Morrison: Yeah, a little bit longer, but it feels like it was yesterday and a million years ago at the same time. 
Vinny Parisi: Now, between then and now, we had a rather significant event, the pandemic for COVID-19. So, what did Sit Home do during that time, since obviously you’re so focused on getting out of the house?
Amanda Morrison: Well, you know, actually, I started it before Hurricane Sandy, but I didn’t tell anyone. So, it actually was kind of a preview of how life shut down. So, for Hoboken, we were absolutely underwater. Businesses were shut down. I didn’t think, well, knowing thinking back now, I should have probably launched it. But, I used my personal social media platforms to try to get the word out about businesses that were open or what people could do, you know, safely. , but, you know, it was really hard having an entire, the entire world was told to sit home during the pandemic, and it wasn’t easy. And as many businesses did, I suffered. So, I was able to support small businesses from my home in as many ways as I could. I didn’t take a dollar during the pandemic. I was like sharing different information. I would try to share people’s business post, because every day something was changing. So, you had a business who had all of their employees call out because they were they were sick, or you had a bi- you know, there was just so many different circumstances that were changing every single day. So, I tried to even share as much as I could or offer it up to my followers being like, “If you know a local business that needs help or if there’s any way that I can help or I can refer them to someone that could help them.” I really used, I mean, unfortunately, the pandemic lasted way longer than any of us would have hoped. But, I used it as a way to inspire people, but even just in general, you know, how’s everyone doing? I’m going safely for a walk at 5:00 am. I did the temporary logo change during the pandemic just kind of going with the theme of sitting home. And I did cross out the “don’t”. But, when actually outdoor dining started in New Jersey, I reposted the regular logo and I said, “Look, if you can do something safely to go support a small business or you can go do a walk safely or do something for your mental health or to help another person that is legal and safe, just go do it.” And if you can’t, then that’s fine but, you know, I was a small business too that I was just trying to support as many people as possible.
Vinny Parisi: It’s actually a really similar trajectory to BestofNJ.com. When the pandemic happened, we were a primary resource for events and obviously new business openings and alerts and things like that. Obviously, events shut down, everything shut down. So, we tried to do something similar where we created a large directory of businesses that were first offering takeout and delivery so that people didn’t have to do any indoor or outdoor dining. And it became like a big thing. It really turned out to be popular. We got a lot of calls saying, you know, “Hey, we just shifted to an online or takeout only menu. Can you add us to your directory?” and things like that. And so, that was sort of the way we sort of paired down so we could help the community at large even when things were shut down. So you’re still living in New Jersey, correct?
Amanda Morrison: I am. I’ve been living in Hoboken since I think about 2008.
Vinny Parisi: Okay. Do you have any favorite restaurants or activities that you like to do in the area?
Amanda Morrison: Honestly, it’s so hard. You know, people ask me for my favorite restaurants all the time, and I never want to get pushed into a corner for that. But, there, what’s nice is that Hoboken is about one square mile, and it’s so densely populated with so many different restaurants. There’s really something you could do. And even Hoboken, the demographic is getting a little bit older as well. So, when I moved there, it was more of a younger crowd. Or, people would get engaged or have a child or have a family and then they would move to the suburbs. And it’s been different seeing how many people are actually either staying in Hoboken when they’re building their families or moving in. So, even a lot of the restaurants are changing with, you know, the times. I mean, there’s still places you can party at any age in Hoboken. But there’s also a lot of activities. I mean, we have the view of New York City, too. So, there’s the Hoboken Cove Community Boat House. It’s actually one of my favorite free activities to do. So, either every Saturday or Sunday, you can go kayaking or paddle boarding for free with a backdrop of the skyline. , you have access to different boat rides. You have  the bike paths all along the water. There’s I mean, there’s so many different bars and restaurants to do. But, you have easy access to New York City as well. You have Jersey City that is absolutely exploding. And then I have New Jersey Transit even in New Jersey or in Hoboken. So, I’m able to get to the suburbs instantly since I don’t have a car.
Vinny Parisi: So, if you were helping people plan the perfect day trip in Hoboken, you don’t have to name any specific business as your favorite, but where would you go? Say for a brunch. Give me some ideas for brunch. Give me an activity that you’d like to do. Walk me through a day.
Amanda Morrison: You’re really trying to push me in a corner. I’m not going to say one specific thing, but there are so many, there are so many different options, too. And since it’s one, it’s a walkable city, which is great. So, even if you’ve never been to Hoboken before, you have the Frank Sinatra statue on the waterfront at Fourth and Sinatra. But you also have, I mean, Frank Sinatra is from Hoboken, so you can also go to his birthplace where there’s actual stars. So, you can see a lot of people like to go there. You have the Hoboken Muse where you can just go get a little bit of a sense of Hoboken. You have , I mean, I guess I will say a specific business, but you have Pier 13. But what’s nice is that you’re actually out in the water, too. So, it’s all the way uptown. It’s next to the ferry that’s easily accessible for other people. But, you can just, I mean, it’s just you can ride your bike, you can walk around. There is not a shortage of places to go, and it’s nice that you just, you know, it’s a walk. You can just park your car in a garage or on the street. I mean, parking is not exactly easy in Hoboken, but if you can get a spot somewhere or take public transportation, and you don’t have to worry about driving from spot to spot, which is really nice.
Vinny Parisi: Are there any annual events in the area that you look forward to?
Amanda Morrison: Well, we have the St. Ann’s Italian Festival, which is actually one of the biggest hits of the year. It happens every July, and it’s just, I think it’s like four or five days. , but you know it’s a day or a few days full of zeppole and live music and the beer garden. And that’s probably one of like the biggest Hoboken favorites.
– Okay. Between Hoboken and Jersey City, what’s a bigger spot for filming in terms of TV and film?
Amanda Morrison: I mean, that’s a hard it’s a hard question to answer, because a lot of films are actually filming in both cities. So, you have, I mean, Blake Lively did her vid- or her movie recently, and that she was filming in both cities. The Bob Dylan Dylan  optic was uh I think that they did it both in Jersey City and Hoboken. I know Adam Sandler has been filming in Hoboken. I want to I want to say Hoboken right now, but I mean that can change in a day.
Vinny Parisi: Okay. So, tell me a little bit, you said you have some interesting things on the horizon. Is there anything you can talk about in terms of what’s next for Don’t Sit Home as a brand?
Amanda Morrison: Oh, there’s  maybe certain things that you can wear coming out soon, and just a lot more video and a lot more different content styles. So, I’ve always posted my life and things to do and places to go, but even like with certain things like interviewing people in the way that  kind of showing real life experiences, and it’s not just me setting up a tripod and or selfie interviewing people, just really showcasing but like from start to finish like actual full experiences for people. So, we’ve been expanding more. So, I I am on all social media platforms, but even expanding more into like vlogging on YouTube.
Vinny Parisi: Okay. And Don’t Sit Home to be clear is not just one social media handle. You have a variety of handles that are sort of broken into categories?
Amanda Morrison: I do. So, I and one thing is that there are so many things that fall under the Don’t Sit Home umbrella, but I am aware that a lot of people do not care that I live in Hoboken or they’re not a big, you know, they’re not a big food person or they’re not a big sports person or they’re not a big travel person. So, I’m trying to make it a way that I can separate out my content that if you just want to go look at my food, you can go to Don’t Sit Home Eats. If you want to look at my sports content, you can go to Don’t Sit Home Sports. If you want to see my travel stuff, you can go to Don’t Sit Home Travel. But, at the same time, they’re all going to be connected. So, you could still follow Don’t see everything. But, if you specifically want to go through and say, “Oh, what has she eaten recently?” They can just click through and eat. And then just see all the restaurants I’ve been to.
Vinny Parisi: Okay. I do want to go back to a little bit just about sports because it was such a big part of your life. Now in New Jersey, which of the sports you played do you think is the most popular or most up and coming? Because like for instance, when I was younger, field hockey was just becoming sort of a thing you could do at my school. It wasn’t an option until I was much older. And something like lacrosse, I don’t even think was an option for me until high school. So, what do you think is sort of what is the trending sport right now? And then growing up for you, what do you think was the more popular sport that you played?
Amanda Morrison: You know, actually, like when you say field hockey, I actually had never picked up a stick before high school, and I just grew up an athlete, and I picked it up very quickly. So, I do think that field hockey has definitely grown when it’s in the younger ages. But, even softball, when I was growing up playing softball, I also played little league, because there wasn’t as many competitive teams. So, even as a way to try to become better, I would play little league and softball and travel softball. And I would even actually have to travel out of state or to, I played on a travel team out of South Jersey. But, I do think that even after I grew up in Hillsboro, and my dad actually, he used to coach me when I was younger, but my dad actually got really involved with the travel teams to try to kind of help push the competitiveness ahead. Because when I was growing up, I kind of didn’t have that available to me. I used to play in like higher age groups. But, my dad really wanted to contribute to everyone who had helped me when I was younger growing up. But, it’s hard. I mean, there’s, I think every day that there’s so many more competitive leagues and opportunities for people. And also the ability with social media. I mean, when I was younger, I wanted my dream was to go play a sport in college, but now they use social media. You can make an Instagram account and showcase your skills. And it’s so much easier than praying that a coach will watch your tape.
Vinny Parisi: Right. Was there a team when you were traveling that you were always looking forward to playing? Either a rivalry or just an area that you enjoyed visiting? 
Amanda Morrison: Uh, I don’t think so. I think the one thing that’s been very cool, though, since I still live in Hoboken, and a lot of people who played in the conference, we were at the Skyland Conference in high school, and I still run into people who played sports for different high schools in my conference. So, it’s kind of cool sometimes comparing stories. About having to like, “Oh, like did you dread like driving to a further school?” Because obviously it was the opposite of one year. A and I also played three different sports. So, I would have to travel a lot.
Vinny Parisi: Now, these days you visit a lot of sporting events. Is there a particular  sport in terms of NFL, NBA, or anything like that that you prefer to go to? Or, is there a specific event you always look forward to each year?
Amanda Morrison: Well, I mean, I like sports in general. So, I mean, I’m a big Yankee fan, Devils fan, and Giants fan. But, I love showcasing experiences at different stadiums or seeing different games. I mean, I will go to a game for any team. I I just think games are so much fun. Or, even seeing games in different kind of venues. I mean, I’ve went to the Winter Classic at Fenway Park, which is the hockey game. But, I’m credentialed for all the Jets and Giants games. So, I’m on the field for those. So, I’m actually at MetLife every weekend basically. But, I go to Prudential Center for Devils games. I go to Yankee Stadium. I’ll go to City Field for Mets games. I really just love a sporting event in general and the food that comes along with it.
Vinny Parisi: And you’ve been on the field for some Super Bowls? Is that right?
Amanda Morrison: I’ve done six Super Bowls so far. , I’ve done seven Super Bowl media weeks and six Super Bowls, which has been I didn’t think I would ever get to one, let alone six. But, it’s been a wild ride.
Vinny Parisi: So, that’s a very unique experience for the audience. Tell me what is that sort of atmosphere like when you’re on the field after a Super Bowl?
Amanda Morrison: I felt like a little kid every time. I wasn’t on the field for this past one in New Orleans. But, I was still there for 10 days. So, I definitely had the full Super Bowl week experience. But, there’s just nothing like having, like standing on the field and having the confetti fall down. I don’t care how old you are. I mean, it’s an amazing experience, even if you’re in the seats. I mean, I know I’m very lucky that I’ve been able to help some of the best, you know, photographers in the world. And it just every time I was able to do it, it still just didn’t feel… it was like a pinch me moment. And it’s not something I don’t think that would ever get old. So, I’m hoping one day it’ll happen again. But, I will definitely be at Super Bowl weeks, and I’m just praying I can get back to a game.
Vinny Parisi: I’m hoping one day the Giants will get there again.
Amanda Morrison: I do too. I very much do, too.
Vinny Parisi: So we talked a little bit about the places in Hoboken. There’s a variety of places to go. What type of food are you most interested in?
Amanda Morrison: Oh, that’s a hard question as well. I very much, I mean even the one thing with Don’t Sit Home is that it’s nice that I’ve, you know, I also get invited to a lot of different restaurants too. So, it’s really been great that I’ve been trying like I’ve been able to expand my palate and try a lot of different cuisines. So,  I really do love Italian food, but I also love Mexican. I’ve been trying to be more adventurous. And that’s one of the benefits of when I started Don’t Sit Home is not that I wouldn’t just go and try to different places. But, sometimes I would get invitations, and it’s a place I would have never heard of. And I can help spread the word from something that maybe someone else who follows me wouldn’t have heard of it either.
Vinny Parisi: Diversity is an interesting talking point, because in New Jersey there is such a diverse amount of cuisine, right? It’s not just Italian. You know, some people think Italian and seafood and bagels and pizza, and that’s New Jersey for you. 
Amanda Morrison: I mean, we have some of the best. 
Vinny Parisi: But there are always new emerging trends in the area. Everything from, you know, Korean barbecue and hibachi to new styles of Italian, there’s classic Italian, modern Italian. New American cuisine is always big. Farm to table is another big aspect of it. Now, is there a trend that you’re seeing right now that a lot of restaurants are popping up as?
Amanda Morrison: I feel like I’ve actually been seeing just a lot of farm to table, but it’s also because it’s been, you know, going through the summer, you’re seeing everyone who is actually, you know, Jersey Fresh everything. So, people are really talking about the farm to table experience. I think that’s probably even what’s coming across my social media feed the most right now.
Vinny Parisi: So, you’re obviously an expert on things to do. Tell me a little bit about activities either down the shore or really around the state that you could do during the day, at night. What sort of interests you?
Amanda Morrison: Well, part of my inspiration even behind Don’t Sit Home is that my parents were very active. So, we were very big parks people. I used to go hiking, biking, kayaking with my parents all the time. So, whether it’s a state park like Liberty State Park, or I mean basically all over the state of New Jersey. I also used to, I grew up going down the shore. But, I also did a beach house probably, oh, I might have still been in college. I used to do a beach house down in Ortley. But, I would go, you know, out in Belmar and Point Pleasant. I used to keep actually my kayak at my beach house. And I used to take it out in the bay in Lavallette. It’s just, I, you know, I love the Jersey Shore. It’ll probably always be a part of me.
Vinny Parisi: There’s also an abundance of hiking trails in New Jersey, and I didn’t know this until I started researching it. But every year we sort of put out a list of interesting hiking trails to go on for everything from beginners to advanced hikers. I didn’t actually know there were so many uh natural waterfalls in New Jersey.
Amanda Morrison: Oh, yeah. There, I mean, my dad my dad will sometimes talk to me about c- like different parks and waterfalls, and if, you know, he’s just a walking encyclopedia for all that. But, he also talks to me like I would know all of these things as well, too. And I do not. But, there has just been so many great hikes. And it doesn’t matter what skill level you are. There’s basically a hike for everyone. So, New Jersey can get a bad rap. But, we are called the Garden State for a reason. So, even, I mean, one of my favorite hikes is actually if I hike the Palisades. It’s called the Giant Stairs.It’s definitely… has a stretch that is not an easy hike. But, there are so many beautiful hikes that you really can take, you know. I mean, when I grew up some of my first memories were hiking with my parents. So, there’s definitely something for everyone in New Jersey.
Vinny Parisi: And in terms of activities down the shore, there’s so many things from boating to water activities. I know that there’s sort of kind of day cruises you can do. There’s activities where you can get on a boat and tour certain stretches of the shore and see whatever the landmarks are.
Amanda Morrison: Yeah. I mean, I love being out on the water. So, whether it’s I mean, I was very lucky that a lot of my friends around the area had boats. So, I was able to go out either on their boat or I could just go out in a kayak by myself. Or, you know, I had a couple friends who actually had kayaks down there, too. So, I was able to be out in the water in a lot of different ways.
Vinny Parisi: Now, is there anything else interesting about you that the audience should know in terms of Don’t Sit Home? Is there either activities that you like to do on camera, dancing, goat yoga, anything sort of like that?
Amanda Morrison: I mean, I’ve never done goat yoga, but I would love to. I mean, that’s one thing I’ve loved about building my brand is that genuinely anything can fall under Don’t Sit Home. I mean, I’m trying to inspire people to go out and do whatever makes them happy, or inspire them that maybe if you’ve never done it before, just try it. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it. So, I would love to do goat yoga. I mean, I do yoga, but I would love to do goat yoga. But I think I’m just more of that person that will do anything. Like, if you were to look at my social media accounts, there’s kind of no theme. But, I love that. I would love to have every single person be able to relate to me about some activity. And if I can just reach one person, inspire them to try something new or to go to a new place, or to even inspire someone to go try it by themself if they don’t have someone to do it with, I did my job.
Vinny Parisi: What do you think is the most sort of off-the-wall or interesting exotic activity that you’ve done that you hadn’t imagined doing before Don’t Sit at Home?
Amanda Morrison: Oh, that’s a long list. I’ve done… It’s not actually even in New Jersey. I think that one of my funniest moments is that I used to play in a co-ed kickball league. And they did a celebrity kickball game in Times Square. So, 9:00 a.m. on a Tuesday they had set up basically kind of a cage, and you’re playing kickball with Donovan McNabb and Ryan Lochte in the middle. People are walking to work and just watching you play kickball. And or, you know, a yoga class. Even like, it’s nice in the summertime, too. They do like fitness in the park or on the waterfront and stuff like that. And you’re just doing, you know, a yoga class and looking at the New York City skyline. I feel like if you don’t live in that area that would be, I mean, it’s just it’s cool even if you do live like where I live. But, yeah, I think that there’s a lot of things that I kind of think back like, “Oh, yeah, I did do that.” It’s not exactly normal, but it was fun.
Vinny Parisi: Well, I appreciate the conversation today. It’s been a pleasure to have you.
Amanda Morrison: Well, thank you for having me.
– Before I let you go, I do have one more announcement. Because while I am today’s host of the Best of New Jersey podcast, I am not the host of the Best of New Jersey podcast going forward. That title actually belongs to Amanda Morrison. And now that we’ve had this conversation, I hope the audience agrees that you are the perfect Jersey girl to be our host. So, congratulations.
Amanda Morrison: Thank you for having me. I’m excited. 
Vinny Parisi: Now, is there anything – now that we can talk about it – is there anything in particular that you’re looking forward to doing with the podcast?
Amanda Morrison: I am excited to just have people have another perspective of New Jersey. I mean, I was even surprised going through some of the people that are from New Jersey. They might not have stayed in New Jersey their entire lives. But, you just, you really the amount of people that are in New Jersey or even just showcasing different places to go. I mean, as I said, New Jersey can get a bad rap. But, it’s called the Garden State for a reason. There’s so many beautiful places in New Jersey. It’s so diverse, maybe not every city is diverse, but as New Jersey as a whole. Or, there’s so much great food. I think that there are so many different, it’s not just one topic we could talk about. So, even obviously where it’s going to be guests for the entire season. But, I think that even talking about their individual stories, what impact they either had on New Jersey or how they grew up in New Jersey. I think that there’ll be something for everyone to tune into.
Vinny Parisi: Yeah, it’s true. We have a really diverse list. Everything from celebrity chefs to authors, bakers, entertainers. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to watching you have conversations with these great New Jerseyans.
Amanda Morrison: I’m excited.
Vinny Parisi: Now, we talked a little bit about the handles where people can find you. But, is there anywhere else that people can find you online?
Amanda Morrison: I was going to say just, I mean, I said I have all the different uh subcategories. But, Don’t Sit Home on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, basically everything. And then from there you can figure out the other different platforms if you have a particular topic that you want to like dive into.
Vinny Parisi: Excellent. Okay. Well, thank you again so much.
Amanda Morrison: Thank you.
Vinny Parisi: And that’s going to do it for this episode of the Best New Jersey podcast.