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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Jersey Shore music veteran Terry Magovern dies

Jersey Shore music veteran Terry Magovern dies
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/31/07
KELLY-JANE COTTER
MUSIC WRITER

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Frank "Terry" Magovern, an influential presence on the Jersey Shore music scene for some 40 years, died Monday .

Magovern, of Rumson, was an early fan and supporter of Bruce Springsteen and many other musicians in Asbury Park's seminal music scene. In the 1960s and '70s, Magovern managed bars and booked bands in nearby beach towns, including D'Jai's in Belmar, the Riptide in Point Pleasant Beach and the Captain's Garter (later the Headliner) in Neptune. In the early '80s, Magovern managed Big Man's West in Red Bank, a club owned by E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

Magovern worked with Springsteen in myriad capacities, on tours and in the studio, but was most often described as a personal assistant to Springsteen. On the liner notes to Springsteen's 1995 album, "The Ghost of Tom Joad," Magovern is credited for "research."

Magovern also worked with Clarence Clemons during the saxophonist's time with the Red Bank Rockers.

Any musician, reporter or fan who spent time on the Springsteen circuit eventually ran into Magovern, whose imposing physical presence — he was a Navy veteran — and deep voice belied his kind personality.

"He was a gentle giant," recalled Jimmy Vivino, guitarist for the Max Weinberg Seven and for the Fab Faux, among many other projects. "He always had the time to help me out and be a friend. He was a confidant. He always had a twinkle in his eye, like he had inside information, but he couldn't tell you."

After the death of his fiancee, Joan Dancy, in 2005, Magovern became an advocate for people suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Dancy died of ALS, and she had asked Magovern to create a support group that would help others in her situation. Magovern founded Joan Dancy and PALS, based at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.

Magovern's work with PALS continued until his death. On July 1, he was featured in a story in the Asbury Park Press about $183,000 raised for PALS by Shop-Rite and its customers.

It is not yet known who will serve as Magovern's successor in PALS.

Magovern also was involved with other local charities, including Holiday Express, which brings live music and gifts to needy or isolated people every December, and Light of Day, which supports research into Parkinson's Disease.

Magovern also was involved with Apple Jack Canine Kennels in Maryland, which trained bomb-sniffing dogs for the military. He also developed a program to train dogs for use as companions and protectors of women who have been victims of domestic violence.

Magovern grew up in Belmar, where he attended St. Rose High School.

He was a four-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, completing Special Warfare Training. He specialized in underwater demolition work before being assigned to work with the Mercury space program and the original seven Mercury astronauts.

He is survived by his daughter, Laurie Guinan, and son-in-law, Michael Guinan, both of Eatontown; his son, Sean Magovern, and daughter-in-law, Andrea Magovern, both of Avon; five grandchildren, Michael and Matthew Guinan and Michael, Kyle and Maggie Magovern; and eight siblings, Dennis, Richard, Robert, James, Brian, Mary and Patrick Magovern, and Lee Boydman.

He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Rosalie Magovern.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church of Red Bank, 247 Broad St. Arrangements are by Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank.

Memorial donations can be made to the Joan Dancy & PALS Support Group, Riverview Medical Center, 1 Riverview Plaza, Red Bank, NJ, 07701.






Monday, July 30, 2007

Blogs Belmar's latest weapon in battle with rowdy renters

Blogs Belmar's latest weapon in battle with rowdy renters
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/30/07
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELMAR — Belmar Benny sat down at his computer and tapped out his prediction of what the summer of 2007 would be like at the group rental he shares with his buddies by recalling last year.

"Partying 'till daylight, banging pots and pans together, tossing the kitchen table on the roof, hanging the furniture upside down from the ceiling, waking up the neighborhood with a contraption called The Horn On A Board, smashing glassware over each other's heads," he wrote.

But Belmar officials were reading his blog as well, promising to counter "Horn On A Board" with their own favorite: "Cop On Your Porch."

Monitoring blogs is the newest tactic in Belmar's long-running effort to keep its notoriously rowdy group rentals under control in one of the Jersey shore's last true party towns.

The borough's efforts are led by a bike-riding mayor who patrols the street looking for trouble, and backed by stiff fines that can easily reach into the thousands of dollars. Police officers hand-deliver lists of do's and don't to renters, and a Web site in which troublesome rentals are plotted on a map and marked with icons showing the face of Police Chief Wiggum from "The Simpsons."

"It's all about peaceful coexistence," said Mayor Ken Pringle. "We're not trying to make Belmar into a sleepy town. We just want it to be able to sleep."

But that's easier said than done in certain neighborhoods here, where large groups of young adults drink, party and generally raise a ruckus with little regard for the fact that not everyone on the block likes or wants to hear the Beastie Boys fight for their right to party at 4 a.m.

It's a battle that Belmar has been winning over the past two decades. Located five miles south of Asbury Park, Belmar has 7,000 year-round residents, but its population swells to 60,000 in the summer.

In 1990, there were over 1,200 summer rental units here; now there are just over 300. Lots that once held ramshackle party huts now boast $800,000 homes whose residents are not shy about calling the police to complain about noise.

"This past weekend it was nice weather, and you want to sleep with your windows open, except for all the people yelling and screaming," said Esther Spivak, who has lived for 21 years on a street with some of the worst group rentals. "I said "forget it' and put the air conditioning on. And even then, when the bars let out, I still got woken up with all the people yelling outside, and the taxis pulling up and slamming doors. I woke up exhausted the next day."

This summer, Pringle started writing a weekly online newsletter that was also printed and distributed to summer renters. Besides information on city ordinances and services (garbage pickup and recycling dates, among others), the newsletter also smacks violators with a different type of trash talk from the mayor.

One particular cluster of renters received their fifth summons of the summer less than a month after moving in. Pringle wrote that they give "new meaning to the term "

slow learners.' Or maybe they're just extremely wealthy. Whatever they're thinking (or more likely, not thinking), we'll be more than happy to keep taking their money at the violations window in Borough Hall."

The newsletter also points out many of the tough measures Belmar has taken in recent years, including hiring off-duty sheriff's officers to stand directly outside the rowdiest houses — at $1,000 per weekend, billed against the landlord's security bond. There are 78 Category 1 "Animal Houses" in Belmar, the scenes of repeated quality of life convictions.

Not everyone appreciates the humor. Kevin Fay, who owns two rental properties, said Pringle's tone is insulting and is scaring away tourists.

"Instead of saying, "Welcome to Belmar, please obey our laws and regulations,' he hits them over the head with a sledgehammer and says, "Leave your money at the curb and leave town,' " Fay said.

Pringle said the real estate market has made it more profitable for landowners to knock down party shacks and build year-round houses, a trend that is sweeping Belmar. Conversely, rowdy rentals can bring down the property values of an entire block or even a whole street, he said.

To prevent that from happening, Belmar can be quick to slap a summons on someone who violates one of its many rules, including not having a summer rental do's and don'ts poster hanging on an inside wall, playing "beer pong" or having an inflatable swimming pool on the front lawn, putting trash or recyclables out too soon, or in the wrong type of container, or without a borough-supplied orange tag affixed. Fines run from $250 to $2,000.

Any house that was the subject of a noise complaint gets a dawn visit the next morning by a code inspector. And Belmar assesses higher fines for noise violations as the hour gets later — a borrowed idea from a local bar that raises drink prices with each passing hour on "Beat The Clock Night." So, a shouted curse that costs $350 at 11 p.m. would cost $750 by 2 a.m.

Despite the blizzard of summonses falling down on his neighbors, 23-year-old Josh Seery of Robbinsville and his housemates are having a blast this summer, mainly by following one simple rule.

"Just don't be stupid," he said. "Have fun, but be respectful. We know not to have too many people over, especially people we don't even know. That's when things get out of hand."

Belmar Benny realizes borough police are serious about locking up troublemakers.

"A friend of mine once got arrested and spent the night in a municipal court cell," Benny wrote on his blog. "He said it was the quietest night of sleep he ever got in Belmar!"







Sunday, July 29, 2007

Benny (slang)

Benny (slang)
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Benny is a derogatory term used by residents of Jersey Shore towns for tourists that visit each summer.

In England, the term is used as a pejorative slang term to describe anyone of apparent mental slowness, especially by children (derived from the character of the same name, played by Paul Henry in the soap opera Crossroads). In parts of England it is also used to describe a person in a fit of rage or having a tantrum as in "He's having a benny".

Usually only North Jersey shore residents will use the term, "Benny", as South Jersey shore people tend to use the term "Shoobie" because day-trippers would bring their lunches to the beach in shoeboxes.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Stereotypical Behavior
3 Areas of Use
4 Sources



[edit] History
Locals say that the term stands for the names of the cities that these seasonal visitors hail from: Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York, although this may be a backronym.

A further theory to the origin of this word comes from an earlier time. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s many of the resort areas around New York City were restricted. Jews (as well as other ethnic groups) were not allowed in these resort areas. Many Jewish families would vacation at the Jersey Shore. The town of Lakewood became a popular resort destination. The local population referred to these visitors as “Bennies” from the very common Jewish name of Benjamin. In later years the term has been used to describe anyone that visits the Jersey Shore.

Shoe Bee's origin also from out of town vacationers who wore their "shoes on the beach."


[edit] Stereotypical Behavior
Asking for directions back to the Parkway
Asking for directions to the beach
Driving carelessly or recklessly, with little regard for local traffic regulations
Boorish, loud conduct in public areas (such as speaking loudly on cell phones and playing loud music)
Going through the exact change lane at the toll bridges - without possessing exact change
Wearing sneakers or socks with sandals on the beach
Wearing no shirt in local restaurants and stores
Quickly acquiring a full-body sunburn
Blocking the driveways of houses on the beach
Littering on the beach
Crowding the stores and restaurants and generally making life difficult for year-round residents.
Asking for change for a dollar in quarters and dimes for use on the parkway tolls.
Having a "farmer's tan" or "t-shirt tan"
Getting in the way of surfers or body boarders in the ocean.
Getting into arguments and sometimes even fights with locals
Talking with a strong/forced New York or North(east) Jersey accent
Walking their dog(s) without a leash
Calling the beach "the shore"
Degrading area shops & restaurants as not being like the ones "back home", yet returning every summer/weekend.
All though looked down upon, they typically tip better than the locals.
Are known to say, "I own this town."
Arriving on Memorial Day and leaving on Labor Day.
Driving 50 MPH in the left lane on the Parkway
Driving 80 MPH in the right lane on the Parkway
Renting Jet ski's or boats at local rental facilities
There are a number of anti-Benny phrases around the shore, with the most popular one being "Benny Go Home!"[1]

There are two songs describing a stereotypical Benny one is titled "I'm A Benny" by Mike Mullane.[2] the other is "Seaside Tony" by 7minds [3]


[edit] Areas of Use
Asbury Park
Avon
Barnegat
Barnegat Light
Bayhead
Bayville
Beach Haven
Beachwood
Belmar
Berkley Township
Brick
Bricktown
Brielle
Chadwick Beach
Chadwick Island
Forked River
Harvey Cedars
Lacey Township
Lavallette
Long Branch
Manahawkin
Manasquan
Mantoloking
Monmouth Beach
Monterey Beach
Normandy Beach
Normandy Shores
North Lavallette
Ocean Beach 1
Ocean Beach 2
Ocean Beach 3
Oceanport
Ortley Beach
Pelican Island
Pine Beach
Point Pleasant Beach
Point Pleasant Borough
Sandy Hook
Sea Bright
Sea Girt
Seaside Heights
Seaside Park
Ship Bottom
Shrewsbury
Silver Beach
South Seaside Park
South Toms River
Spring Lake
Surf City
Toms River
Tuckerton
Waretown
West Long Branch
West Point Island

[edit] Sources






Monday is Lobster Night at Matisee

WE'RE TALKING REAL HARD SHELL MAINE LOBSTERS, HERE! DON'T BE FOOLED BY LOW QUALITY IMITATORS!)

I love this dish an authentic New England Lobster roll


visit Matisse on the beach in Belmar open 7 nights a week 5:30pm - till 10pm






next weekend is The Haskell at Monmouth Park

here is how the kids party at The Preakness







Belmar: 1:45pm it looks like night time

 
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1:30 PM Sunday its dark out big storm coming

and the lifeguards have to beg the people to leave the beach !

 
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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Ocean City goes wireless, no more fake beach badges or lost kids

Back in the day ( when color copiers were only at Kinkos) a few guys made fake beach badges for Belmar , now its a little tougher but im sure they are still out there, here is how Ocean City NJ is solving it


Ocean City, NJ geeks up the beachPosted Jul 26th 2007 2:17AM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Visitors to the Jersey shore will soon have more to look forward to than just big hair and Bon Jovi -- Ocean City, in south Jersey, is currently accepting bids for a planned beach network that will encompass everything from tracking parking spots to monitoring garbage can levels. The $3M system, which will feature a mix of WiFi and RFID devices, is expected to cut the costs of running the beach dramatically -- trimming almost half of the $282,000 budget for access badge checkers, for example. Other planned features include the ability to link access wristbands together, so that parents can be alerted via SMS if one of their kids ventures beyond the boundaries of the boardwalk, and RFID payment services for food and souvenir shops. Now all they need is some of those Segway beach cops and the future will have finally arrived.



This is why We call them bennys, pool stolen in North Jersey

Pool stolen from Paterson yard
Thursday, July 26, 2007

By CATHERINE MARTINEZ
HERALD NEWS



LESLIE BARBARO / HERALD NEWS
Daisy Valdivia, of Paterson, is trying to figure out how thieves managed to steal the family's backyard inflatable pool and the 1,000 gallons of water in it during the night Wednesday.

PATERSON -- Someone stole 1,000 gallons of water from Daisy Valdivia's backyard. And they didn't spill a drop.

Valdivia woke Wednesday morning to find that her family's inflatable pool, hip high and 10 feet in diameter and filled with water, was stolen from her backyard in the middle of the night. There is no evidence that the water was poured out, pumped out, evaporated or drunk.

"I've never heard of a pool being stolen, let alone one with water in it," Valdivia said.

According to Valdivia, the theft must have occurred between 1 a.m., the time her husband went to bed, and 5 a.m., the time she woke to put out the recycling.

"For them to do something that fast, that's what amazes me," she said.







Good luck Manasquan, or if Youtube had been around Belmar back in the day

This video could have been filmed at many a shore house in Belmar back in the day,with this video We crown Manasquan NJ "King of all summer rentals 2007" enjoy the title, and please we dont want it back so, keep doing what your doing in Squan and take the last few Belmar rat trap landlords with you








Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Drowning in Bradley Beach


UPDATE: Lifeguards formed human chain in vain attempt to rescue boy from rip current
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/25/07
BY MICHELLE SAHN

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BRADLEY BEACH — Lifeguards, who had just finished competing in a tournament less than 200 yards away, rushed to the ocean to try to rescue an 8-year-old borough boy who got caught in a rip current off the Newark Avenue beach.

They found Trevon Taylor about 30 or 40 yards out in the ocean after forming a human chain of about 40 lifeguards that began at the shoreline and stretched into the water, said John McCahill, a Bradley Beach lifeguard.

Rescue workers immediately attempted to clear the water from his lungs, but the little boy was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday about 40 minutes after he was pulled from the water, police said.

Police said Trevon was in waist-high water, playing near a jetty with other children at the Newark Avenue beach when he got caught in a rip current.

"It's a tragedy,'' said Police Chief Leonard A. Guida. "It's truly a tragedy.''

Trevon would have started third grade in September.

Wayne Turner, the superintendent of schools in Bradley Beach, described Trevon as a bright, energetic boy who was liked by everyone.

"It's just so tragic,'' he said. "We're all devastated here.''

Turner said the district is offering counseling for anyone who feels they can benefit from it. Counseling will be offered at the elementary school at 515 Brinley Ave. from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. through Friday.





Speeding cars that dont yield to pedistrians on Ocean ave.



It's high time that Belmar stops the speeding bennys who think that Ocean Ave. is a bypass to the lights on Main Street in Belmar.These clowns, do not even stop for you in the assigned crossing areas and when you tell them they are in the wrong they flip you off.

Belmar it's time to make some revenue from these inconsiderate drivers who do 40 mph in the early evening rushing to wherever they are going and disregard the few yield signs on Ocean ave. that have not been run over this summer

Most drivers do not even stop when families are standing in the road trying to cross to the beach on weeknights, on the weekends the traffic is slow enough that more drivers stop,but during the week its a free for all in Belmar as the specials walk the boardwalk.

read about another towns efforts here


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Belmar is home to the first and oldest first-aid squad in the United States


Monday, July 23, 2007

Survivor: Shore Dining

Survivor: Shore Dining
On the ever-shifting sands of the Jersey Shore culinary scene, there's solid cooking at some new summer palaces and nifty niches.
By Craig LaBan
Inquirer Restaurant Critic

AKIRA SUWA / Inquirer Staff Photographer
Nick Weinstein (left), owner of Margate's Dune, and chef Jason Hanin are serving what is easily some of the most sophisticated food down the Shore.
» More images
Opening a new restaurant down the Jersey Shore is like building a sand castle. Surviving for several seasons, though, seems to be more akin to becoming a hermit crab.
Your dream place, at first, is limited only by the sand tools of your resources and culinary vision. But you don't have long to build it up, to pat it strong and make it striking. Because whether you create a sculpted bayside beauty with martini-bar decks, or just a simple little bistro box, the summer's waves ultimately wash the hungry hordes in with the same thrilling rush, then sweep them away at season's end with the inevitable suddenness of a tidal surge.

It can be hard to sustain from year to year, as even some of my favorite Shore spots can attest. Ocean City's charmingly funky Fourth Street Cafe, for example, plans to pack up its butterscotch scones and Hawaiian short ribs for good at the end of this, its 12th vibrant summer. The lease is up. The owners' California roots are calling.

Still, valuable lessons have obviously been learned from the hermit crab for some survivors who still want to cook down the Shore, even if their big, splashy castles from last season are no more. There's always another shell to make their happy home. And sometimes smaller is better.

Just look at this year's most lively restaurant zone, from Somers Point north to Ventnor, where I found a whole range of seaside dining ambitions: from elaborate new palaces of varying success, to the humble but satisfying new venues for two veteran chefs, and one simple little bistro that served up my best Shore meal this year so far.

If restaurants were judged on size and speed of creation alone, the barely one-month-old Inlet would already be vying for Best on Beach. The massive marina restaurant space in Somers Point, previously occupied by Sails, fell into restaurateur Marty Grims' lap in April (thanks to a hot tip at his wife's hair salon!). But Grims, who owns the Moshulu, the Plantation and Daddy O (the latter two on Long Beach Island), within weeks had totally revamped the rooms, menu and staff, and had executive chef Adam DeLosso cranking out high-concept meals - for 5,300 guests on Memorial Day weekend alone.

The restaurant has obvious mass appeal, with 685 seats (including 120 on a double-tiered deck) facing the Great Egg Harbor Bay, and Grims has toned down Sails' upscale mood, warming the previously stark white decor with richer burgundy and gold-striped fabrics. The Inlet is also a less-expensive, more versatile dining proposition, with a menu of stylish small plates and some big-ticket entrees, as well as a genuine welcome to kids.

It's a handsome space full of year-round potential, but it still felt like a raw new restaurant in June. The servers were friendly, but confused; the menu had some high-point flavors (drawn from other Grims restaurants), but was lacking some crispness of execution.

We liked the trio of mini-crabcakes, each posed over lemon aioli, caper remoulade, or chipotle-smoked cocktail sauce. A nice slice of mahimahi came over a gingery Thai curry and jasmine rice with coconut and macadamias. Seared scallops posed for a smart "surf-and-turf" over a bed of tender, braised short ribs - the same sweet shreds of meat that were mounded (with a little goat cheese) over brioche toasts as appetizer "sliders." It all could have been hotter, but it was tasty.

We had less luck with the skimpy lobster rolls, as well as lobster bisque that tasted of too much raw tomato paste and whiskey. The misleadingly named oysters Rockefeller were also overfried.

The kitchen at Margate's Dune, meanwhile, is already in the groove. After three years in this simple BYOB space beside the Dairy Bar, owner Nick Weinstein and chef Jason Hanin are serving what is easily some of the most sophisticated food down the Shore, with the inventive touch and quality of ingredients I'd expect at some of Center City's best BYOBs.

The narrow, 70-seat room is clad in casual beach chic: distressed wainscoting, old-time Shore photos, votives flickering from sand-filled mason jars. But it's the sharp contemporary cooking that caught my eye. Dune bills itself as a seafood restaurant, and has rightfully earned a following for solid bistro efforts like mussels steamed with Champagne-chervil butter. A grilled bluefin tuna steak, over white bean salad beneath a crisped blade of lavender-braised pork belly, was as good as tuna gets.

But Hanin's nonfish efforts were equally impressive. The cracked wheat salad was an exquisite composition of textures - with candied pecans, juicy black grapes, and the various snaps of asparagus and cucumber. Duck breast streaked with currant sauce was given earthy depth with white polenta and sauteed wild mushrooms. And a rack of lamb was spectacular, the miso- and chile-marinated meat playing off the sweet corn sauce essence, hearty braised kale, and an adorable little Japanese fingerling sweet potato.

Dune may now be one of my ideal Shore-side BYOBs. But there are a couple of other new bistros nearby from veteran chefs that someday could join that list.

And one of them, Manna, has the arrival of the Inlet to thank. It wasn't until mid-January that Sails' former executive chef, John Merlino, learned that he would be looking for work. The 20-seat Ventnor space (the original Cafe LoBiondo) that he and wife Victoria chose is like a tiny rowboat compared to the mega-dining-room cruise ship he helmed at Sails, even with 12 more seats on the sidewalk. But Merlino, 30, relishes the opportunity to own his own place, focus on a handful of customers, and concentrate on a menu tailored to his own tastes.

The tidy black-and-white space is tight, and the folksy service still needs polish. But the food is satisfyingly personal and straightforward, with good ingredients spun into flavorful dishes. Some are updated Euro-classics, like the silky lobster bisque filled with jewels of crustacean, or the hearty signature paella, which cooks in a shallow pan that Merlino brings still lidded to the table, then unveils, releasing plumes of steam from saffron rice laden with seafood, chorizo and chicken. It's slightly soupy, but delicious nonetheless. I also loved the flavors of his crab risotto, even if the rice was still crunchy.

Other dishes broadened the menu's range, like the big, wasabi pea-crusted shrimp seared hot over cold chopped salad, or a surprisingly legitimate rack of ribs, which exuded their three hours of mesquite smoke. And when you taste a dessert like the tender mini-pecan pie baked by Merlino's mom, Chris Philippou, it's clear these flavors are coming from a genuine place, that this little cafe is cooking with big heart.

Lisa Savage is another chef who can relate to the virtues of downsizing. She built a devoted clientele for her Savaradio in cozy Ventnor storefronts for 13 years before taking the leap last year to a gargantuan, high-end space on the mainland. It was shaped like a circus tent and seated 250. The expensive run-on menu rambled from pizza to sushi with inconsistent results, and the restaurant was closed within a year. (It's soon to become a Bookbinder's.)

But Savage has returned to her Ventnor roots at Sage, a 75-seater done up in earth-toned chic that replaced last year's Joe Pesce. Many of the signature items that anchored her Savaradio menus are here, from the addictive fried artichoke hearts to the spring roll-wrappered giant shrimp, and those succulent seared scallops over bacony corn with basil aioli. It still isn't cheap, with entrees drifting into the high $20s and above. But the menu is now more focused, and the Italo-centric cooking considerably more crisp.

We loved the appetizer of thinly sliced, pan-fried eggplant that came rolled like a sturdy crepe around a center of oozing mozzarella beneath a saute of sweet marsala mushrooms. A thick steak of seared butterfish (escolar) came atop an Iberian stew of chorizo, clams and chickpeas, the lemony rich fish dabbed with a vibrant green almond-parsley pesto. The orecchiette were overcooked, but that didn't spoil the simple red sauce filled with broccoli rabe and springy crumbles of homemade Italian sausage.

That sausage bodes well for the Italian prepared-foods market Savage is working to open directly next door to Sage, where she'll sell homemade pastas, bread and imported cheese. (Avoid the doughy toasted gnocchi.) But hopefully, she'll also offer some of the restaurant's desserts, which were the highlight of our meal - a classic but decadent flourless chocolate torte, and a tall wedge of banana whipped-cream pie that was like eating a cool slice of summer.

"I'm thrilled to be back," Savage said of her return to Ventnor, where a dining room full of old regulars during our visit was already fawning over her with praise.

Sometimes, it would seem, it is better to be the humble but happy hermit crab than queen of an empty castle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If You Go
The Inlet, 998 Bay Ave., Somers Point, 609-926-9611; www.inletrestaurantnj.com.

Dune, 9510 Ventnor Ave., Margate, 609-487-7450; www.dunerestaurant.com, BYOB.

Manna, 7309 Ventnor Ave., Ventnor, 609-822-7722. www.mannaventnor.com, BYOB.

Sage, 5206 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor, 609-823-2110, Cash only, BYOB.





Sunday, July 15, 2007

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Live from atlantic city

Live from Belmar Beach NJ

Reggie and Pat from Bar A , Belmar Five mile run

 
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Belmar five mile run 2007

 
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Pictures from the Belmar Five mile run 2007

 
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Belmar Pro surfing returns in September




Verizon Belmar Pro
Presented by Oakley

Belmar, New Jersey
6 - 9 Septemeber 2007

The Verizon Belmar Pro moving full speed ahead

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 12 July, 2007 : - - The Verizon Belmar Pro is moving ahead full speed towards the September 6-9 contest date. Having acquired top Sponsors like Verizon, Oakley, Fosters, and O'Neill the event promises to be the best NJ contest ever.

The Verizon Belmar Pro closely follows the EC Championships in Virginia Beach and precedes the Unsound Pro and the Brave New World Pro , and with it's $5000.00 first place prize and over $15,000 purse will surely attract many top pros.

Entries have already begun to arrive from as far away as California and Hawaii. No doubt the field of 128 will fill quickly. The Longboard Pro features a $3000 purse and a very small field. For further info or to register for the contest online, go to belmarpro.com

www.belmarpro.com





Friday, July 13, 2007

Wonderful fireworks in Belmar tonight, great job Belmar

 
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A fun night at the Belmar Five kids races

 
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Belmar 5 race 31st Anniversary Belmar Five Mile Run

Runner’s Information Sheet
Thank you for entering the 31st Anniversary Belmar Five Mile Run. Race will be held Rain or Shine.
Packet Pickup / Registration – Race week Packet Pick-up New Schedule:
Wednesday July 11 Taylor Pavilion 6–8 pm
Thursday July 12 Goodwill Fire Co 6–8 pm 610 7th Avenue, Belmar Note New Location
Friday July 13 Taylor Pavilion 6–8 pm PLUS A Movie and Fireworks
Saturday (Race Day) Pick-up and/or register at Taylor Pavilion starting at 7:00 a.m.
T-Shirts and Goodie Bags - are to be picked up at the times listed above. Important - You must have your
bib number to pick up your race packet and T-shirt. All packets and T-shirts must be picked up by 10:30 am
Race Day, after which shirts will be given to Volunteer groups. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO MAILINGS.
Mug & Tote Bag - Pre-race pickup will be available, during the hours and locations above. Race Day –
pick up your mug and tote bag in Silver Lake Park, across from Taylor Pavilion. Commemorative mugs to
all participants. Tote bags are guaranteed to the first 2,000 pre-registered runners.
Fitness Walk and Kid’s Races - Events will be held Rain or Shine. On Friday Evening, registration and
packet pickup for these events will be in Silver Lake Park, across from Taylor Pavilion, beginning at 6:00
pm. The Kids’ Races start at 6:30, Fitness Walk starts at approx 7:00, followed by a movie and fireworks!
Race Numbers - Pin the enclosed bib number to the front of your shirt. Do not put pins through the bottom
tear-off section of your number. Do not remove or alter any portion of your race number until directed to do
so by a race official. Race numbers are not transferable.
Information / Problems - Check in at the “Trouble” desk, in the Taylor Pavilion
Directions - From the Garden State Parkway: Take Exit 98, Route 195/138 East. Take Route 35 North to
16th Avenue. Turn right onto 16th Avenue, heading east. Turn left onto Ocean Avenue, and head north to
Taylor Pavilion at 5th Avenue.
Parking - Allow extra time as available parking may be few blocks from the start/finish. There will be no
parking on Ocean Avenue between 6th Avenue and the BeImar-Avon Bridge. The bridge will be raised and
the roadway closed at 7 am on race day. Parking rules and metered parking will be enforced. There is
ample parking on side roads. Please be courteous and do not block driveways. Again this year, you may
park at the Bar A lot on 16th Avenue adjacent to the R.R. and the Bar Anticipation courtesy Shuttles will run
back and forth to Taylor Pavilion before and after the race.
Restrooms – All boardwalk restrooms will be open at 7 a.m. Port-o-johns are located in the park on
Ocean Avenue between 1st & 2nd Avenues, just north of the starting line, and in Silver Lake Park across
from Taylor Pavilion.
Water - It is important for runners to drink plenty of water prior to, during and after the race. Water is
available before the race, in the park on Ocean Avenue between 1st & 2nd Avenues, just north of the
starting line. Water is available during the race -There are 4 water stops along the course.
The Start - The start is located on Ocean Avenues between 2nd & 3rd Avenues. Please move to the
starting area at 8:15. Line up in accordance with your projected finishing place- Swiftest at the front, please.
Safety - For the safety and enjoyment of all Belmar 5 runners, the course is restricted to registered runners,
wheelchair division athletes and official race personal. Dogs, skateboards, in-line skates, roller skates,
bicycles, and baby joggers/strollers are prohibited. We also strongly discourage the use of radio/recorder
head phones.
P.O. Box 21
Belmar, NJ 07719
732 571 2162
www.belmar5.com
Belmar Five
Johnny Cobb Memorial Run
Saturday, July 14, 2007 8:30 am
Presented by Goodwill Hose Fire Company
with Jersey Shore Running Club
First Aid - Belmar First Aid will be set up at the Finish Line. Your safety is our first concern- please run
safely and run smart. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded - STOP. Look for one of the course marshals.
Photographer – Island Photography is the official photographer of the race and will be present on the race
course and in the finish area. Your runner’s photos can be found on their website, www.islandphoto.com.
Timing / Finish / Results - Clocks are located at every mile. Only registered runners are allowed into the
finishing chutes. Please remove headphones before crossing the finish line. Preliminary results will be
posted on race day, at Taylor Pavilion at the conclusion of the awards ceremony. A link for Online results
can be found www.belmar5.com or www.jsrc.org
Race Day Refreshments - Complimentary refreshments for all registrants are available in Silver Lake Park.
Please be considerate of the other runners. Refreshments are for runners only!
Awards Ceremony - will take place at the gazebo in Silver Lake Park, beginning at
10:15 a.m. Belmar Five is part of the SBLI Jersey Shore Golden Grand Prix, featuring
Open and Age Group Prize Money. Details at www.SBLIgrandprix.com.
Note: Team Awards will take place at Bar Anticipation on 16th Avenue at 1:00 p.m.
Sponsors – It’s our sponsors who make this event possible. Please support them.
Principal Sponsor:
Silver Sponsor:
Pre Race Activities –
Thursday, Packet Pickup and Pre- Race Party at Goodwill Fire Co. 6-8 pm
Friday, Join us for the Fitness Walk and Kid’s Races. NEW After the Walk hang around for a movie in the
Park and Fireworks on the Beach. The fun begins at 6:30 pm.
Post Race Activities –
Enjoy a complimentary massage by AMTA Sports Team and stop by the sponsor and merchant tables in
Silver Lake Park, for sampling and giveaways.
Team awards, Free Concert and Beach party, thanks to Miller Lite after the race at Bar Anticipation.
Bring your Belmar Five Mug – mug discounts all day after the Race!
Bar Anticipation - 703 16th Avenue, Lake Como (formerly South Belmar)
Thanks again, see you next year for the 32nd annual Belmar Five Johnny Cobb Run – July 12, 2008.
Philip Hinck, Race Director
belmarfive@yahoo.com
Course Map



Belmar Johnny Cobb Memorial Five Mile Run
Event Date(s): Saturday, July 14, 2007 @ 8:00 AM
Address: Race begins at 1st Avenue on Ocean Avenue





Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Appellate court rules Belmar can't take Freedman's Bakery for redevelopment

BREAKING NEWS: Appellate court rules Belmar can't take Freedman's Bakery for redevelopment
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/11/07
BY ERIK LARSEN
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU

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BELMAR — Freedman's Bakery is not "blighted'' and cannot be forced to participate in the borough's planned downtown redevelopment project, putting at risk a $500 million proposal to virtually remake the downtown, a state appellate court has ruled.

"Freedman's Bakery is not a blighted area even if its design is not optimal for its
commercial purposes,'' the court ruled in a 10-page unanimous decision issued by Judges Ariel Rodriguez, Donald G. Collester Jr. and Thomas N. Lyons.

The decision was distributed to attorneys Tuesday and made public today. Freedman's had argued that the borough, "performed no analysis that the internal operation of Freedman's Bakery was a detriment to the public health safety and welfare.'' The court agreed, saying the borough had made insufficient showing that the criteria had been met.

The borough has pinned its future economic hopes on the downtown redevelopment plan, where an increasing number of vacant storefronts have become an all-too-familiar sight along Main Street. Freedman's is located at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Main Street.

Paul Fernicola, an attorney for Bowe and Fernicola in Red Bank, represented Freedman's in the case and said the Belmar Planning Board had made up its own definition of blighted in order to execute its redevelopment agreement with Gale Co. of Florham Park, the borough's master developer.

"What was the public detriment? When you really focus on what they said, their argument was that the internal production facilities weren't up to modern design standards,'' Fernicola said. "Modern design standards? Because the plant isn't producing 150 doughnuts per second? Seriously, the Borough of Belmar is going to tell the Freedman family how to do conduct their business?''

Mayor Kenneth E. Pringle said he is not surprised about the Appellate Court decision in light of the recent Paulsboro decision, but said he would not comment in detail until he had a chance to read the decision.

Indeed, the Paulsboro was cited in the court's decision Wednesday. Last month, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled that property not being "fully productive'' does not alone satisfy the criteria to condemn it as "blighted'' and take it under eminent domain power delineated in the state's 1992 redevelopment law.

The court ruled against Paulsboro, which had deemed 63 acres alongside a creek was not used to full economic potential and condemned the land so a builder could buy it to use one small corner as part of Paulsboro's larger redevelopment plan. New Jersey's constitution "does not permit government redevelopment of private property solely because the property is not used in an optimal manner,'' the state's high court ruled.

State Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen noted in a friend of the Paulsboro court brief that Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion, qualifies for redevelopment under the broad interpretation of not fully productive that Paulsboro - and Long Branch - have been using. The justices agreed, saying that "blight,'' according to the constitution, is "deterioration or stagnation that negatively affects surrounding areas.''

Pringle said the borough's attorney believed the borough could set a standard that would meet the legal threshold to meet the blighted criteria, but he acknowledged that the Paulsboro case had made the borough's argument more difficult.

When asked if this decision would adversely impact the borough's overall redevelopment plans, Pringle answered: "I don't think so.''

Belmar downtown redevelopment project, known as the Belmar seaport village plan, is an ambitious proposal, which involves razing and rebuilding much of Belmar's downtown from 10th Avenue along Main Street and the Shark River.

Fernicola said his client is not opposed to Belmar's redevelopment plans and wants to be a willing partner, but that in negotiations with the Gale Co., the master developer always behaved as if they had the upper hand.

Fernicola said there is no doubt in his mind that Belmar would have used eminent domain to take his client's property if the courts had permitted the borough's definition of blight to stand.

"We were coming to the table with Gale, but when they sat down with us, they presented appraisal reports with this attitude, "we have the redevelopment designation, we have the redevelopment agreement with the borough,'‚'' Fernicola said.

"They just don't have the ability to condemn property .‚.‚. Now, the playing field is
level,'' Fernicola said.





Sunday, July 08, 2007

D'JAIS & Bruce Springsteen

over the years i have heard a few stories about Bruce hanging out in the bar, in the early 70's this is a story i have never heard

D'JAIS

so I'm out and about- hearing stories from my dad about this band the Muffins that used to play at this local bar around here in 1966 - 6 days a week! my dad was a bartender at another bar close by here at the shore- and the owner decided to get the one day the Muffins werent playing and book them at his bar up the road. this band drew at least 100 people a night during the summer (and where are crowds like that now?)... my dad mentioned the lead singer of this band was a bit of a nutcase- but excellent at what he did.... the bar where my dad worked- called D'Jais, also had a bouncer named Terry McGovern that worked there. Terry knew this kid who was 16 or 17, not of legal age and just wanted to watch the band play-- and Terry asked D Jai (my dads boss) if it was ok if this kid could come in. D Jai said yeah- as long as he just sits there and doesnt walk around the bar.... So this kid used to come in every Monday night and watch this lead singer of the muffins. My dad described him as this skinny kid with crazy hair and pimples... turns out it was Bruce springsteen. Terry later - and still now- works for Bruce. My dad swears Bruce stole his whole thing and image from that lead singer of the Muffins, who he said later disappeared and probably went crazy someplace. LOL!!! Dad also told me later on Bruce auditioned to get a gig at D'Jais and they said no to him... I love my dad's stories- I definitely need him to write them down and make a book out of them one day... anyhow-- all the while while i'm hanging out with azalea and my dad- I'm gone from the washer- I go home and go right to the washer to see the washed out mandala....
NEAR TRAGEDY...




Live from Belmar Beach NJ

Busiest day of the year at Belmar Beach

 
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Saturday, July 07, 2007

Belmar Junior Lifeguard Tournament - July 26, 2007

Belmar Junior Lifeguard Tournament - July 26, 2007 - 9 AM - 6th Avenue Beach
Event Date(s): Thursday, July 26, 2007 @ 9:00 AM
Location: 6th Avenue Beach
Address: 6th and Ocean Avenue, Belmar, NJ 07719



 
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sailboats in Belmar

 
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The Jersey Shore, there is nothing like it

Belmar Beach NJ

 
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1pm Belmar Saturday 7-7-07

 
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11am Belmar is starting to get crowded

 
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Belmar 9am

 
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