A PERFECT FIT Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault
Shore was quiet
George Anastasia’s
MOB SCENE
Volume 10 • Number 3
$3.95
Scenes from Atlantic City during the pandemic shutdown. P.40
INSIDE: THE JERSEY SHORE IS NOT CANCELED CURLEY’S FRIES OF WILDWOOD SPORTS RADIO HOST IKE REESE
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PUBLISHER
FROM JerseyMan Magazine THE VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 3 ____________________________________________________________________________________ BY KEN DUNEK
Ken Dunek Publisher ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ashley Dunek EDITOR George Brinkerhoff ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, Michael Bradley, George Brinkerhoff, Sam Carchidi, Alexandra Dunek, Mark Eckel, Robert Kennedy, Sam Kraft, Dei Lynam, Anthony Mongeluzo, Mike Sielski, Kurt Smith Administrative Assistant Alexandra Dunek Event Coordinator Jamie Dunek Editorial 856-813-1153 Advertising 856-912-4007 Printing Alcom Printing, Harleysville, Pa. Controller Rose M. Balcavage Sales Associates Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Terri Dunek, Allison Farcus, JP Lutz JerseyMan/PhillyMan Advisory Board Peter Cordua (Chairman). . . HBK CPAs & Consultants Joseph Devine (Emeritus). . . . . . . . . Jefferson Health Jerry Flanagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J Dog Brands Ted Flocco (Emeritus). . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernst & Young Bob Hoey. . . . . . . . . . . . . Janney Montgomery Scott Kristi Howell. . Burlington Co. Chamber of Commerce Ed Hutchinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hutchinson Robert Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . The Kennedy Companies Julie LaVan. . . . . . . . . Advanced Mediation Solutions Michael MacFarland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TD Bank
Photo Jamie Dunek
Doug MacGray . . . . . . . . . Stonecrop Wealth Advisors Anthony Mongeluzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCS Charlie Muracco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLM Advisors Mike Regina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Sky Enterprises Scott Tanker . . . . . . . . . . . Tanker Business Solutions Joe Tredinnick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Republic Bank Les Vail. . . . . . . . . . . . . GreenCrown Energy and Wate
“ No one person is born hating another because of the color of his skin, his background, or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they learn to hate they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela
Jim Wujcik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Santander Bank
“Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.” – Mario Fernandez JerseyMan Magazine/PhillyMan Magazine, products of a partnership between Ken Dunek, Anthony Mongeluzo, and Alcom Printing Group, are published by New Opportunity Publishing, LLC, with offices at 7025 Central Highway, Pennsauken, NJ, 08109. Copyright 2020.
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INSIDE
“Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.”
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BILLY CUNNINGHAM
by DEI LYNAM
Confessions of a Law & Order addict
32 CURLEY’S OF WILDWOOD
The indomitable boardwalk fry
36 WEATHERING THE STORM
The Jersey Shore is NOT canceled
Philly’s live music venues face an uncertain future
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50 ALAIN VIGNEAULT
The Flyers first year head coach has molded the Flyers into serious Stanley Cup contenders
58 IKE REESE
Former Eagle and popular 94WIP sports talk radio host Photo Jamie Dunek
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44 FACING THE MUSIC
26 “CLUNG CLUNG”
JerseyMan Magazine VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 3
COVER FEATURE Summer got off to a quiet start in Atlantic City
COLUMNS Cover photograph by Jamie Dunek
Photo Philadelphia Flyers
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– Van Morrison
1 2 J O T T I N G S • 2 0 G E O R G E A N A S T A S I A ’ S M O B S C E N E • 24 GET FIT 68 THE CIGAR GUY • 76 TECH TIME • 78 THE WINE MAN
jerseymanmagazine.com
JOTTINGS
“The summer night is like a
______________________________________________________________________________ perfection of thought.” – Wallace Stevens
BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF
Our Unfinished Work
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our score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. —Abraham Lincoln
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Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was offered upon the occasion of the dedication of the Soldier’s National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pa. on November 19, 1863, memorializing the battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the Civil War for the Union, which had been fought only four and a half months previously on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863. In his modestly brilliant but brief remarks, President Lincoln recounted the founding of our nation in 1776 and the binding principle that all men are created equal affirmed in the Declaration of Independence, our founding document drafted and put forth in July of that year. This July, our 244th as a nation in these United States, is as good a time as any to remind ourselves once again of these battles, of the brave fellow Americans who fought in them, and why they fought and died to advance the founding principles of liberty and equality uniting us. Today, we still have “the great task remaining before us.” Just as Lincoln so inspiringly advocated in his day, we have yet another opportunity to “take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion,” and once again resolve “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Our “unfinished work.”
Keep a cool head
It’s summer,
Photos tenthstreethats.com
and with the new pandemic related outdoor dining arrangements, you’ll be out in the sun, and you’ll need a lightweight hat. What should you do? Well, Tenth Street Hats say they have the largest selection of Ecuadorian Panama hats on the internet. (Yes, Panama hats originated in Ecuador.) Woven from the straw of the toquilla palm, they provide lightweight, stylish comfortable sun protection for all of your outdoor activities, beach days, or just waiting in line outside of your favorite outdoor dining facility. Tenth Street Hats has a large selection of stylish hats for both men and women, and are American made using some of their antique hat making equipment. What more could you ask for? tenthstreethats.com
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The most popular Asian beer brand in America Sapporo. The name, perhaps, conjures
up exotic imagery of a bustling urban center, the fifth largest city in Japan. And if you’re old enough, the name just might bring back memories of the winter Olympics held there in 1972. It also happens to be the name of the oldest beer brand in Japan. Founded in 1876, the brewery employed Japan’s first German trained brewmaster, Seibei Nakagawa.
sapporobeer.com
At 16 years of age, Nakagawa was working as a servant in a German trading house in Japan. Risking possible execution by Japanese authorities if caught, Nakagawa smuggled himself from Japan, with its strict isolationist policies at the time, and made his way to England and later Germany, where he learned the art of brewing beer in the German tradition. Eventually in 1876 he returned to Japan and became the first brewmaster of the company that became Sapporo.
Today, Sapporo is the most popular Asian beer brand in America, and the adventurous spirit of their first brewmaster is celebrated to this day in their promotional advertising. Sapporo still brews Sapporo Premium, known as “the original,” a crisp, refreshing lager. The brewery also sells Sapporo Premium Black Beer, a dark lager, Sapporo Premium Light Beer and Sapporo Reserve Beer. And beer connoisseurs the world over recognize the iconic 22 ounce silver can with its gold star, representing the North star. 14
What We Read Polar Opposites The Impossible First By Colin O’ Brady
Endurance
(Available on Amazon UK)
By Louis Rudd
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HESE TWO NEW VOLUMES may be just the thing to help you keep your cool in more ways than one during this summer’s social distancing pandemic days. Two studies of what keeps people going while under extreme duress. Both of these men decided, independently of each other, to try to cross Antarctica, solo and unsupported, and in late 2018 and early 2019 they went at it, achieving a feat which had never before been accomplished in human history. Colin O’Brady, an American endurance athlete at 33 years of age at the time, and Louis Rudd, 49, a British military man, could not have been more (excuse the pun) polar opposites of each other. Yet they both ended up on the same vast, icy continent at the same time and, like it or not, competed head to head constantly aware of each other while crossing the icy tundra on a very similar route to be the first person to accomplish this heretofore unobtainable feat.
Both men describe the challenges of loneliness and how each faced his demons in his own way, while accomplishing their daily tasks under constant pressure from the solitude, the athletic challenges and the brutal weather conditions. Rudd’s book traces his life’s work from military man to polar explorer and assumes the quiet humility of English Antarctic explorers of old, while American O’ Brady’s New York Times bestseller, strikes a confident tone as the man who first completed the “impossible” journey. @colinobrady
@louisrudd 15
Moonlight for Melinda Scholarship presentation – Washington Township, NJ
Tavi Time Foundation check presentation to RMH and Cathedral Kitchen – Camden, NJ
Tavi Time Foundation Mike Regina, Ken Dunek, Frank Troy, Mike Pallozzi, Les Vail, Ken Bode, Vince Ceroli, Blair Lane, Frank Plum, Barb Capelli, Drew Whipple, John Venderslice, Kevin Falkenstein, Rick DeMichele, Dave Roberts, Gary Shickora, Chris Fifis, Lisa Joswick awarding donations to Ronald McDonald House of SJ and The Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, NJ.
#HonorMelinda, was the motto for the evening on June 17, 2020 to honor the life and legacy of Melinda Walters. A scholarship, Moonlight for Melinda, was created and awarded to three Washington Township High School Seniors. Family and friends surprised McKenna Watson, Koryn Leyland and Christina Currieri via car parade. They were selected based upon their ability to best carry on the life philosophy of Melinda Walters, daughter of Rob and Lisa Milideo.
McKenna Watson (right) presented scholarship check by Brianna Milideo
Hope Food Pantry – Collingswood, NJ
Koryn Leyland (far right) poses with her family and Rob (left) and Lisa Milideo (holding check).
Hope Food Pantry located in Collingswood, NJ helping families in need of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured; Debbie Kontaxes-Shain, Ginny Jackson & Deborah Barnett. 16
Christina Curreirri (holding check) and family are joined by Lisa and Rob Milideo (middle)
DON’T MISS A THING
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MOB SCENE
_______________________________________________________________________________ BY GEORGE ANASTASIA
Dracula Meets The Sons of Anarchy
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HEY BURIED THE BODY in the cemetery, dumping it in a crypt that belonged to someone who had died decades earlier. And it might not have been the first time. That’s just one of the macabre twists in the ongoing murder investigation of Keith Palumbo whose remains were found in a crypt in the historic Mount Mariah Cemetery in Southwest Philadelphia back in April. Palumbo, an artist and musician, had been shot in the head. Authorities believe his murder is linked to a dispute with some members of the Warlocks, a notorious local motorcycle gang active in Philadelphia and Chester and Delaware Counties. What’s more, it appears the biker gang has been using the cemetery, which dates back to the 1850s and has been closed to the public since 2011, as a dumping ground. The body of an alleged Warlock associate who had been killed earlier was also found in the crypt where Palumbo had been dumped. Authorities are now wondering whether the remains of other victims have been scattered around the sprawling 200-acre cemetery located off Kingsessing Avenue and Cobbs Creek Parkway. Dracula meets the Sons of Anarchy Palumbo, 36, was described as a gifted musician and artist. He worked in a tattoo parlor, played in a heavy metal band (guitar, drums and vocals) and rode a motorcycle. He was not, family members insist, a Warlocks member or recruit, but knew many members of the biker club, including Michael DeLuca., a Warlocks leader now accused of killing him. “He didn’t deserve this,” said a family member shortly after Palumbo’s body was discovered by police. “He never hurt anyone.” The shooting may be related to a dispute over an ongoing drug investigation and allegations that Palumbo was cooperating with authorities. Family members say that Palumbo was not cooperating, but that others whom he knew might have been. He was last seen on February 6 and was reported missing four days later. One fam20
ily member said Palumbo told friends and relatives that if anything ever happened, they should look for him in Mount Mariah. His family hired a private investigator and their dogged determination led to the police investigation and the recovery of his body. DeLuca
DeLuca, whose shaved head and neck are covered in tattoos, was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a day before Palumbo’s body was discovered on April 3. He was driving a black Cadillac with an expired registration when police pulled him over. They discovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat of the car. DeLuca, who had served nearly seven years for shooting his girlfriend in the head in 2013, was charged with possession of a weapon by a felon. That charge is pending in Laramie County, WY, where he is being held. Philadelphia authorities have charged him with murder, conspiracy and abuse of a corpse and have filed extradition papers that will eventually bring him back to this area. Two others have been charged with conspiracy and abuse of a corpse, including Donna Morelli, whose late husband was once a leader of the Warlocks and whose home in the 6400 block of Trinity Street is adjacent to the cemetery. OLICE BELIEVE Palumbo was lured to a meeting with DeLuca where he was killed. Based on what appears to be information supplied by at least one, and possibly two, cooperators authorities said Palumbo went to an apartment in the 7000 block of Woodland Avenue to meet with DeLuca. The two-story apartment building, according to real estate records, is owned by the motorcycle club. DeLuca was living in the firstfloor unit and it was there, police allege, that he shot Palumbo in the face. The apartment is about ten blocks from the cemetery. Morelli is said to have supplied the pickup truck that DeLuca and another Warlock associate, William Gibson, 47, used transport Palumbo’s body to Mount Mariah. Gibson, like Morelli, has been charged with conspiracy and abuse of a corpse. How DeLuca and Gibson were able to open and then close the crypt—its entrance is a thick stone slab that weighs several hundred pounds—remains one of the many unan-
P Neighbors told police they heard DeLuca hollering after the shot was fired, “Get up. You know I love you.” Three individuals have been arrested in the murder investigation, including DeLuca, 38, the reputed president of the Chester County chapter of the Warlocks and a boyhood friend of Palumbo’s. “They grew up together,” said a Palumbo family member. “They’ve known each other since grammar school.” Both men were from Drexel Hill.
swered questions in the investigation. The second body found with Palumbo’s would seem to indicate that the crypt had been opened and closed at least one other time. This has sparked speculation that other burial sites—crypts and tombs that house the remains of Civil War veterans, medal of honor recipients and city dignitaries and celebrities—have been used to dispose of Warlock victims in the past. HILE THE WARLOCKS don’t have the national reputation and underworld cache of bigger clubs like the Hells Angels, Outlaws, Bandidos and Pagans, the organization has always been as notorious and violent as those better-known clubs. Retired Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood told the Philadelphia Inquirer back in May that the Warlocks were “violent predators.” One of the more infamous was the late Robert “Mudman” Simon who killed a Franklin Township police sergeant in Franklinville, NJ, in 1995. Simon, originally from Darby and believed to be one of the founders of the Warlocks, had been released from prison after serving more than 12 years for the shooting murder of his young girlfriend after she refused his order to have sex with several members of the club. Simon had been
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paroled for just 11 weeks when he shot Franklin Township Police Sergeant Ippolito “Lee” Gonzalez who was investigating a burglary that Simon had taken part in. Simon was sentenced to die for that murder but never made it to the gas chamber. He was stomped to death by another death row inmate. DeLuca, it would appear, is following in Mudman’s footsteps. Like Simon, he had been jailed for shooting his young girlfriend. This occurred back in 2013 in an apartment they shared in Upper Darby. According to media reports, DeLuca claimed it was an accident, that he and his girlfriend were smoking pot when his gun accidentally went off. He said they were sharing a bowl of marijuana at the time and that he was trying to come down from a high after snorting some meth. Police, however, listed the shooting as an attempted murder tied to a domestic dispute. Authorities said neighbors reported hearing an argument in the apartment before the shooting. They also told police they heard DeLuca hollering after the shot was fired, “Get up. You know I love you.” DeLuca eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to seven years in prison. His girlfriend, unlike Simon’s,
survived. The shootings are a reflection of the biker underworld in which both Warlocks operated; a world of violence, drugs and misogyny. Keith Palumbo, like Lee Gonzalez, got caught in the middle of that maelstrom. Little has changed in 25 years. That fact is underscored by the large black initials tattooed across the front of DeLuca’s neck—SSDD. Same S--t, Different Day. n
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DEI LYNAM
_______________________________________________________________________________ ___
When the Sixers Swept the Lakers Billy Cunningham looks back at the ‘82-’83 Champions
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HEN THE NBA RESTARTS its season mid-July in the “Orlando bubble”, the Sixers have as strong a chance as any of the 22 teams in the field to win what would be their first championship in nearly four decades. This past May 31 marked the 37th anniversary of the Philadelphia 76ers sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. That team took a commanding 3-0 series lead winning game three 111-94 on the road. Billy Cunningham’s squad possessed four future Hall of Famers, and yet Cunningham, then in his fifth full season as head coach, had trepidation heading into game four. “I had no confidence at all that [a win] was going to happen,” Cunningham said in a recent phone conversation. “We had been to the Finals a couple of other times and learned that any little thing that happened could throw the whole thing out of kilter. Cunningham with Julius Erving
“About an hour and a half after game three I was in my room watching film and Harold Katz [team owner] came by and said let’s go have a good time, it’s all over. I said Harold, you go have a good time. I have a lot of work to do. Fast forward to the next day when we have a shootaround. Al Domenico [team trainer] came over and said, ‘We got an issue. Moses [Malone] cannot exhale. He got hit in the back, and it’s affecting his lungs.’ “I went over to Moses and said, ‘How are you feeling?’ because we were going to take him to the hospital. He looked at me and said, ‘Don’t worry, coach, Kareem doesn’t want to see me anymore.’” In game four, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished with 28 points and seven rebounds; numbers that paled in comparison to Malone’s 24 points and 23 rebounds, eight of which were on the offensive glass. Bad back and all, Malone played 45 minutes in the 115-108 victory. “He was an amazing athlete,” Cunningham said of the Finals MVP. “He had an amazing mentality in that he believed that by the fourth, he would have worn you out, and now he was going to take advantage of you. He did it so often, especially offensive rebounding. There has never been a better offensive rebounder than Moses Malone in the history of the game.” H H H H H H H H H H H H H
“I think I was most ecstatic for Julius Erving. That put a stamp of greatness on his career.” H
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Photo Dick Raphael/NBAE
ALONE CONTINUES to be the NBA’s all-time leading offensive rebounder with 6,731 o-boards, 2,133 more than his nearest competitor. Still, imagine Malone coming into the Sixers fold in the fall of 1982 via a trade for three teammates who helped the Sixers advance to the NBA Finals one season earlier? “We were truly built as a defensive ball club with our quickness,” Cunningham said. “It went back to the day Moses signed with us. I was sitting with him in New York City, and he is about to sign this huge contract, and I was explaining what we would want him to do, and that was to dominate the defensive boards, get it out, and let us run as much as we could. If we get into the set offense, we will look to get the ball into you. He said, ‘Coach, that’s what I expect to do for this team.’ “Darryl Dawkins, Caldwell Jones, and Steve Mix left us that year,” Cunningham reminded. “Many players on the team were not happy about that because we lost in the Finals the previous year and had a real chance. But after three days of training camp, they understood
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what he [Malone] was going to bring to this team. He could do something those three could not: be a physical presence that we lacked in that time. He truly produced, as well as anyone could, in one season.” If today’s Sixers’ roster could learn one thing from the ’83 Championship team, it would be to understand the climb to be the last team standing is arduous. “We hear of the great quickness and athleticism today, but if you look at Bobby Jones, Julius Erving, Cheeks, Andrew Toney, and Moses, that is an awfully quick team,” Cunningham said. “I can’t imagine two better forwards or quicker forwards running a fast break than Bobby Jones and Julius Erving in today’s basketball. We relied on that, and the players embraced it; they got great joy and satisfaction out of playing that style. To do that is a great deal of sacrifice, and each of them was willing to sacrifice a little for the team.” And for Cunningham, studying that film immediately after game three paid off. And the emotions that followed for him after clinching the championship were not unique. “I hear this from every coach that’s won at any sport; first, it is a relief, and then you are ecstatic,” Cunningham said. “I think I was most ecstatic for Julius Erving. That put a stamp of greatness on his career. He had won a couple in the ABA and then wins a World Championship in the NBA after coming so close several times. In that game four, it truly showed his greatness. He struggled offensively in that game until the last three or four minutes. I still remember the jump shot he hit from the foul line extended and, boom, that put us over the hump. It was history from that point on.” Maybe late this summer, there will be such a shot that stands out as pivotal for this Sixers team’s success; a shot that years from now will vividly be remembered along with the many society-changing events that impacted not just sports, but humanity as a whole in 2020. n
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GET FIT
______________________________________________________________________________________________ BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK
It’s a movement.
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OR THE PAST SIX YEARS, I’ve been fortunate to have this platform where my health advice has the potential to reach thousands of people. Besides gym and nutrition tips, most of my work has spotlighted people in our diverse community who have achieved extraordinary athletic accomplishments. I’ve worked with a Ninja Warrior, bodybuilders and other professional athletes in sports such as football, soccer, boxing and surfing. They’ve collectively shown me the beauty in sports and how it has the power to unify all of us. This article is going to be a little different. I’m choosing to lend my voice to focus on the Black Lives Matter movement that is changing history as we know it. Here are some of the local blackowned fitness and wellness companies that you should consider supporting.
Trainers and Gyms ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
KUWK
Philadelphia With 11 years of personal training experience, Kenny Jackson, the face behind Keeping up with Kenny offers several ways for you to transform your body and improve your lifestyle even if you can’t meet the demands of in-person coaching. Website: www.keepingupwithkenny.com Instagram: @kennyjacktr + @_keepingupwithkenny_
Fit Moms of Philly
6036 Colgate Street, Philadelphia A unique resource created for women postpartum. Fit Moms of Philly, owned by Delisa Roman, brings you personal training, live online workouts and weekly boot camps. They also branch out and provide fertility, pregnancy and birth services. Website: www.fitmomsofphilly.com Instagram: @fitmomsofphilly
Fit Academy
1363 N. 31st Street, Philadelphia Owned and co-founded by former pro athlete, Osayi Osunde, who was also voted 4x Best of Philly Trainer. Fit Academy offers personal training, group training and live boot camp workouts. Sign up for a 30 minute consultation to align your goals or book a class that fits your schedule by visiting their website. Website: www.fitphl.com Instagram: @fitacademyphl 24
Sports & Recreation ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Scoring Factory
196 NJ-70, Medford, NJ (St. Mary’s of Lakes School) If you are a young athlete looking to improve on your basketball development skills, The Scoring Factory is the place for you. Jason and Ryan Thompson, brothers and current international pros combine their years of knowledge and expertise to refine the skills of aspiring players. Website: www.thescoringfactorynj.com Instagram: @TheScoringFactoryNJ
Launch
1500 Almonesson Rd., Deptford, NJ Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, Jason Avant, brought the nationwide franchise to Deptford and it’s way more than just a trampoline park. Kids can play dodgeball, try rock-climbing and join laser tag along with the arcade and other amenities. They even have programs available for different age groups. Website: www.launchtrampolinepark.com/deptford/ Instagram: @launchdepford
Food & Drinks ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
MacroBites
For more guidance, follow Alexandra, NASM Certified Personal Trainer on Instagram at @TipsfromAFitChick
Neptune Township, NJ Offering ready to eat meals, MacroBites is a convenient way to stay on track with your diet and health. They deliver to all of NJ and have customizable options. Website: www.macrobites.com
Alanna Gardner, MFT
100 S. Broad St Suite 622, Philadelphia
Instagram: @macrobites
Alanna Gardner is a fitness instructor at SLT, a 50 minute total body workout studio. She is also an individual and relationship therapist.
Stripp’d Juice
Website: www.philadelphiamft.com/alanna-gardner or www.sltnyc.com
263 N. 3rd St, Philadelphia
Instagram: @_alannagardner_ or @sltnyc
A Center City favorite. Beat the summer heat by picking up their popular Acai bowl or a cold-pressed juice.
Ase Yoga & Tea Room
Website: www.strippdjuice.com Instagram: @strippdjuice
4054 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia Learn yoga and meditatation with Dr. Robbin Alston. Follow up with a visit to their tea room for some exotic tea, sandwiches and dessert. Website: www.aseyogastudiotearoom.com
Health and Wellness
Instagram: @aseyoga
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Holistic Health Suite & Cafe 6802 Old York Rd., Philadelphia
For all things holistic, choose to join seminars or try services such as, massage therapy, acupuncture and reiki in addition to a vegan and vegetarian cafe menu. Website: www.holistichealthcafe.com Instagram: @holistichealthcafe
This list only briefly touches on the many black-owned businesses in Philadelphia and New Jersey. For more options check out @whenwherewhatphilly on Instagram, a great resource shared with me by a friend. n Due to COVID-19, some businesses may still be closed or have special hours at the time of this article. Please check the company website provided for more information.
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“CLUNG CLUNG” Confessions of an L&O addict
ERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE, and probably did, to help get yourself through these stressful and sometimes-agonizing months of coronavirus quarantine: You might have plowed through a new show or two on Netflix. You might have held a few Zoom happy hours with your friends. OK, more than a few. You might have dived into a few new books. Or re-read some of your old favorites. Or discovered books exist. You might have gone for walks. Everyone went for walks.
BY MIKE SIELSKI
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Me, I found my own routine. A couple of nights each week, I looked at a screen and reconnected with several old friends. We never worked together, lived together, or hung out together. But I feel a closeness to them, a connection that developed despite our differences, the biggest one being that I’m real and they’re not. I hadn’t seen Max, Donnie, Ben, and Paul in a long time, for instance, and it was good to reminisce about the old days. Claire and Jamie… I always had crushes on them, and they never knew, and they’ll never know. And Lennie— gosh, Lennie still looks the same after all these years. Dresses the same. Talks the same. Like he’s frozen in time forever. He still doesn’t drink. In fact, I’ve never so much as had a beer with anyone in the group over all the years I’ve known them, though one of them, Jack, was often sipping a tumbler of Scotch as we said goodnight. You might know my friends, too, and feel the same way about them, especially if you’ve watched any prime-time television on NBC since 1990 or surfed through syndication-heavy cable channels. My friends are characters on Law & Order, and before you start wondering whether I’ve been passing my pandemic nights talking to my television or tweeting under the handle @DetMikeLogan4Ever, rest easy. I’m not crazy. What I am is a person whose entertainment preferences just happened to align with this strange and difficult moment in our culture and history.
Don’t get me wrong: I was a Law & Order junkie before the coronavirus infiltrated and upended everyone’s daily life. Back in the mid-1990s, when there was a such a thing as “appointment television,” when (unless you remembered to set your VCR) you had to watch your favorite show in its assigned time slot, my parents were Law & Order fans, and I discovered it through them. I didn’t make a point to tune in when it was on each week—I was in college at the time; there was coursework and socializing to be done—but every once in a while, I happened to catch it. I became a full-blown L&O addict, though, once I entered the full-time workforce. By that time, the show had entered syndication, and as a sportswriter who worked at night, I had downtime during the late morning and early afternoon. Sally Jessy? Judge Judy? Maury? Sorry, guys. Not interested. A&E or TNT or
USA would blast out a couple of Law & Order episodes each day, and once the narrator finished the famous monologue that began each one (“…the police who investigate crimes, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenses. These are their stories.”), the hour or two flew by.
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HY WAS I DRAWN TO THE SHOW? Plenty of reasons. Its tagline through its first several seasons was RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES, and as a crime drama set in New York in the early 1990s, Law & Order had an abundance of ready-made storylines at its writers’ disposal, both from the city and from the nation writ large. There was a Bernie Goetz-based episode (with Cynthia Nixon, later of Sex and the City fame, as the trigger-happy vigilante). There was a Tonya
But Law & Order, at its core, wasn’t a character-driven show. It was great because it was a plot-driven show, and at its peak, those plots were at once formulaic and surprising, realistic and gripping.
Harding/Nancy Kerrigan-based episode (with tennis pros, not figure skaters). There were two Ted Kaczynski-based episodes (the Unabomber and his 35,000-word manifesto provided plenty of source material). The show’s recurring characters were threedimensional, each with his or her own intrinsic traits and histories, and viewers learned just enough to know that none of them was a white knight. Det. Mike Logan was a hothead who could go too far in interrogating a suspect. Lennie Briscoe was an avuncular smart aleck and—as played by Jerry Orbach, with that slick and severe hair part and shortsleeved button shirts—the archetype of the New York City detective. You could practically smell the mingling scents of Old Spice and Vitalis on him. But he was also a philanderer and a recovering alcoholic. Lt. Anita Van Buren was tough and smart and carried a chip on her shoulder over those who doubted whether a black woman could lead a police precinct. District Attorney Adam Schiff was wise and savvy…and quick to take the path of least resistance on a hard case. (“Make the deal.”) Assistant DA Jack McCoy tended to go rogue, and his wild-card approach to prosecuting criminals was intensified, I always thought, by Sam Waterston’s tendency to delivers his lines as if he’d been throwing down belts of brown
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liquor, just like Jack often did at the end of a rough workday, between takes. Plus, the jail-cell-door-shutting sound effect was cool. CLUNGCLUNG. But Law & Order, at its core, wasn’t a character-driven show. It was great because it was a plot-driven show, and at its peak, those plots were at once formulaic and surprising, realistic and gripping. (Note: Though Law & Order ran on NBC for 20 years, from 1990-2010, I define its “peak” as 1990-1999. Once New York’s and the country’s violent-crime rate started to plummet, once there were fewer stories to rip from the headlines, the series became more contrived and lost its mojo. And don’t give me those watered-down spinoffs: SVU and Criminal Intent. I want the original, and I want it neat.) More to the point—and here’s why I’ve appreciated it even more over these last few months—it was a plot-driven show that resolved itself, that tied up its loose ends, within an hour. You watched an episode. You enjoyed it. And you didn’t necessarily have to remember every detail of it, or of the episode that had aired before it, to enjoy the next one. Half the fun of watching Law & Order over time, in fact, was noticing certain actors and actresses who got consistent work from reappearing on the show as different one-off characters. Hey, the guy who played the excop who protected his son from a murder conviction also played the judge in the pit bullattack episode! Look, I think Breaking Bad is the best TV show I’ve ever seen. I marveled at The Wire through its first four seasons (until David Simon started airing his personal and professional grudges in the fifth season). And I can appreciate that, in our age of streaming and binge-watching, a show can tease out its primary narrative thread over an entire season or several seasons and people are happy to follow it. Except I wasn’t interested in making so significant a mental and emotional investment in my escapism. I’ve had enough on my mind lately: home-schooling my kids, keeping my parents and my wife’s parents virus-free, worrying about our health, worrying about our jobs and the economy, wondering when it will be appropriate to be within six feet of our friends and loved ones again. We all have had enough on our minds lately. And so, as the quarantine went on and on, I grew accustomed to settling into my favorite chair, flipping on WETV, and letting Dick Wolf take me to a familiar, reassuring place: a street corner or vacant lot in Manhattan, where a dead body lies and the 27th Precinct has just been called. You have your virtual getaways. I have mine. CLUNG CLUNG. n 28
The Indomitable Boardwalk Fry As the nation and the state wake up again, Curley’s Fries continues to serve its iconic, crinkle-cut fries, from its two locations on the Wildwood boardwalk. It’s a sorely needed sign of Jersey Shore life beginning again. BY KURT SMITH
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t takes considerable strength
of will, even for hardened Jersey folks, to find positives in a harsh weather day at the shore. May 22 of this year, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, was one such day. The thick clouds effectively obscured any potential hint of sunshine. The rain, at times, both spitting and heavy, became debilitating when mixed in with the stiff ocean breeze. Despite the lack of seasonal cooperation, a hardy few were determined to get some steps on the Wildwood boards, most likely for the first time in 2020. It’s a need we natives have, especially this year, if only to have some normalcy again in what has been a monumentally difficult spring. With an ongoing pandemic to go alongside miserable weather, there were precious few shops open on the boards, and little to help visitors feel like summer again. Mercifully, there was one saving grace in it all…a ubiquitous French fry stand. In this trying atmosphere, Curley’s Fries… on the otherwise uninhabited Morey’s Surfside Pier…opened its windows, as their employees showed up to serve their iconic fried potatoes 32
to walkup patrons for takeout. Or “takeaway”, as they called it, as if to suggest that things aren’t fully normal yet. While the number of Wildwood visitors this day was very small, many of them…arguably most of them…still made their way to the longestablished fry counter. Inside the window, save for the employees wearing masks, nothing was different. One person took orders. Another dropped baskets of chopped potatoes into a fryer and then dumped the finished ones into a tray. Another generously salted them and then scooped
piles of fries into buckets for hungry patrons. Unremarkable and repetitive skills all, probably, but it’s an admirable bit of teamwork. Most gratefully, even as Morey’s has temporarily laid off 80% of their staff, there has been no decline in the quality of the fries. They’re still piping hot when served, enough that some will tolerate the seared mouth flesh rather than spend an agonizing few minutes waiting to indulge. The fries have just enough of a crispy crunch on the outside and almost mashed potato level softness on the inside. They’re thick and crinkle-cut, with the skin still attached as required by unwritten boardwalk rules. All with just enough sea salt for distinctive flavor, and available with multiple rotating dipping sauces, from Horseradish Cream to Old
Photos Kurt Smith
Bay Mayo among others. Along with the old constants of cheese sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and ketchup. And anytime some annoying health nut gives you grief about your love for deep-fried potato perfection, you can inform them that Curley’s fries are vegan and gluten-free. That’ll shut ‘em up. ________________________________________
If you’re waiting with a friend at Curley’s for a bucket or the larger “barrel” of fries, you can have them hold your place in line and go read the story behind the most iconic fry stand on the Jersey Shore. It’s featured on a sign on the side of the building, but here’s a summed up version: Yes, there was a Curley, so nicknamed for his curly hair. His full name was Joe “Curley” Marchiano, and he was both an army veteran
and a linebacker at Miami University. Curley grew up spending his summers in Coney Island, where his father worked at the Surf Avenue Nathan’s. Indeed, Curley’s fries are similar to Nathan’s in size and structure. After some years as a concessions manager in other resort towns, in 1978 Marchiano joined up with fried chicken vendor Dick Marchant at Morey’s Surfside Pier. Curley’s part of the deal was fried dough, lemonade shake-ups, and his own brand of French fries. (Incidentally, Curley’s lemonade is no slouch either.) Almost immediately, it became clear that patrons came for the fries, and the stand was soon renamed for Curley, in a rare recognition of genius. As the board telling the story notes, there isn’t any real secret to the greatness of Curley’s fries…it reveals right there that Curley used potato cutters from Germany, and cooked
them in peanut oil. Maybe the potato cutters are really difficult to find or something, but there’s no more to it than that. Marchiano passed in 2000; twenty years later, his recipe of fried potato greatness lives on…even on a windy and wet day on the Wildwood boards, in the midst of a pandemic and a crippled economy. Sometimes success is simple. Get a German potato cutter, find a peanut oil supplier, and fry and sell sliced spuds at the beach. ________________________________________
How much of a foodie staple is Curley’s? All you need to know is the reaction to a gag the Morey’s folks pulled a year ago. Most people well know that on April 1, they should have their antenna up for pranks. But Curley’s fans were taking no chances. On March 31, 2019, Morey’s released a 33
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trademark...Huge mistake.” Even Curley’s subsequent “April Fools!” reveal on Facebook provoked an agitated response: “Glad to hear that it was all a joke BUT...that was not nice to do, especially the day before April Fool’s day!” “Threatening to take away my Curley’s Fries is no laughing matter!!” “Not funny at all.” You can still find the original “Greenery’s” press release on Morey’s website, (www.moreyspiers. com). Its politically correct tone is priceless. Here’s this writer’s favorite pull-quote: “For the last fifty years Morey’s Piers has been growing and reinventing itself to keep up with an ever-changing marketplace.” Most businesses take themselves too seriously. Thankfully Morey’s isn’t one of them. But yes, that was a tense moment. Forsaking Curley’s Fries for kale chips probably would have caused a justifiable outrage.
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Much has been said and written about heroes on the front lines in recent months. First responders, doctors and nurses in hospitals, nursing home attendants…even supermarket employees, who had suddenly found themselves in a high-risk occupation. All of the accolades and appreciation, and accompanying hazard pay, is well-deserved. Yet when a flu virus not only causes double the death count as a typical flu season, but also devastates an economy, sometimes what we need more than anything else is to see something normal again. As ruffled as South Jersey became at a mere joke suggesting Curley’s fries would be replaced in 2019, in 2020 we’re grateful for anything we love sticking around. When there isn’t even any baseball, things can seem especially bleak. Suddenly, the availability of world-class French fries at the beach is appreciably more meaningful. The celebrated Jersey Shore fixture that is Curley’s is still alive. The two-story fry-shaped signs still standing on the boardwalk, an iconic food stand remaining open on the most miserable of May days, is one anchor of hope that on the other side of all of this, our favorite institutions will still be here. Curley’s 1, Covid 0. n
Photo Kurt Smith
press statement announcing the retirement of Curley’s two locations, to be replaced by vegan stands called “Greenery’s.” Greenery’s would be offering kale chips, roasted chickpeas, and other healthy greens that no one actually likes. In an age where every institution from baseball to politics seems to care only about targeting “millennials,” it was actually a well-crafted April Fool’s joke. The reaction was swift and severe. NJ.com, which had listed Curley’s fries among their “64 Most Iconic Jersey Foods” just two weeks earlier, reported that the accompanying Facebook post had 4,000 comments the next day: “I go to the boardwalk just to eat Kale chips!! Said no one ever….” “Kale chips? Who the F$&k wants kale chips? The one thing U looked forward to is now gone! New Jersey becoming the East Coast California!” “I legit cried. Stupidest decision ever. This place is a Wildwood
WEATHERING THE STORM The Jersey Shore Is Not Canceled
BY JAN L. APPLE
“When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark.” There couldn’t be a more apropos line from the timeless Rodgers and Hammerstein song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to describe the determination of many Jersey shore business owners during this turbulent period. Yes, it’s July—the height of the summer season. But the year is 2020 and the scene at the shore—a beloved, sacred tradition for generations of area residents—is unlike any we’ve seen in our lifetime. Shore goers are out and about but life looks different: some restaurants are shuttered, others are limited to takeout and most recently, outdoor dining with social distancing measures. There are rules on boardwalk traffic; masks are required inside retail establishments; and hand sanitizing, disinfecting and hygiene are in super high gear.
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A number of businesses have shifted their services to accommodate life during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Here’s a look at how four business owners are weathering this storm, each with a resolve to emerge even stronger.
La Mer Beachfront Resort in Cape May This popular seaside resort celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and introduced the addition of 21 new guest rooms bringing its total to 174. They also rent condos and a beach house. Typically, their busy season kicks off Memorial Day weekend, but the ongoing health crisis prevented that from happening. La Mer opened its doors on June 5.
“We are so honored to be the keepers of this amazing property for five decades,” said George Andy, 32, whose parents, Gus and Fotini Andy, emigrated from Greece to America after World War II. They transformed a rundown motor lodge into a sought-after resort that has hosted a steady clientele over the years, mostly guests traveling from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “My father saw it as a diamond in the rough,” recalled Maria Tettamanti (George Andy’s sister), who handles marketing and social media for the resort from her Miami home and spends summers at La Mer. Their onsite restaurant, The Pier House, can accommodate about 30 guests in its outdoor dining area. The family is fortunate,
“We feel we can weather any storm.” – Maria Tettamanti
noted Tettamanti, to have this space during New Jersey’s Phase Two reopening while indoor dining remains prohibited. Tettamanti, 43, who grew up in Cape May and worked in just about every aspect of the business—from front desk reception to cleaning guest rooms—explained that the resort has long been known for being super clean and meticulous. “We’ve kicked that up a notch,” she said. Besides the extra sanitizing and
Pat Fasano and The Orange Loop Pat Fasano’s vision for Atlantic City hasn’t changed because of the pandemic. His plans to revitalize the city with a focus on open-air venues and the natural wonder of the beaches have stayed on course as he views his creations through a long-lasting lens. The 64-year-old self-made real estate developer is known for his work in the renaissance
of Asbury Park. His energies have most recently been channeled on Atlantic City. A couple of years ago, Fasano purchased 20 contiguous properties, predominantly along New York Avenue, stretching to St. James Place and up to the boardwalk. Named The Orange Loop, after streets on the Monopoly board game, three beach blocks will include unique restaurants, refurbished apartments, coffee shops, bars, music, yoga and more. Fasano’s efforts will roll out in phases. Last summer, he introduced two restaurants: New York Avenue’s Bourré, featuring Cajun-style and BBQ cuisine with an outdoor patio and bar and the boardwalk’s Loteria, Mexican fare. Both have socially distanced picnic tables. Takeout service at Loteria, ongoing throughout the pandemic, continues. Bourré offers takeout and delivery options. This summer, he’ll open a beach volleyball court, concessions, a medical marijuana dispensary and Hayday Coffee. Future plans for entertainment encompass indoor and outdoor stages to feature live bands as well as comedy nights. The New Brunswick, NJ native is particularly proud to be repurposing steel shipping containers to fashion many of his spaces, including a 40-foot bar and 18,000 square foot
“We’ve been knocked down before at the Jersey Shore and we always come back stronger.” – Pat Fasano
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Photos courtesy Le Mer Beachfront Resort
Maria Tettamanti
disinfecting measures, guests are required to wear face masks inside and staff offers hand sanitizer at check-in. The aim is for everyone to feel safe and secure. Although reservations aren’t nearly what they’ve been in past summers—typically they sell out—Tettamanti is cautiously optimistic. “People are tired of staring at the same four walls; people need fresh air.” And since most people aren’t traveling far this summer and plan on staying in the United States, Tettamanti is hopeful that guests—most drive to La Mer—will return. “As a Greek family (referring to her parents) that immigrated to the United States with literally zero dollars in their pocket, this is just another storm,” she said. “We feel we can weather any storm.”
us,” said Fasano, who aspires to return the city to the way it once was with a fresh take. “Each year, it will be bigger and better with more to do that is non-gaming,” he said. “Atlantic City was a huge success before the casinos. People want to be outdoors.” That idea, he added, couldn’t be more timely as health experts report that the coronavirus is much less contagious when people are outside. “We’ve been knocked down before at the Jersey Shore and we always come back stronger,” he said. “This is the beginning of the renaissance of Atlantic City.”
Photo courtesy Bourré
Jim Barnabei’s North End American Grill and Concord Café outdoor entertainment venue that will soon open at Bourré. “Industrial is trending now,” he explained. In fact, when Fasano witnessed an entire hotel in Costa Rica built with these eco-friendly steel containers, he decided to try the concept in Atlantic City. A resident of Asbury Park and Atlantic City, Fasano gears his spaces toward families and people of all ages, but, he underscored, the late-night bars and entertainment spots will
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clearly draw millennials. He relies on his daughter, Anna Fasano (an art therapist), for her creativity and artistic talent. Father and daughter worked together in much of the design in Asbury Park and they’ve continued this collaboration in Atlantic City. His son, Patrick, a real estate broker, is also immersed in the family business and manages many of Fasano’s properties. “We’re not going to let this [pandemic] stop
Jim Barnabei of North Wildwood has seen a lot in his 30-plus years as a restaurateur. His family-owned and operated restaurants, North End American Grill in North Wildwood and Concord Café in Avalon, survived Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Both remained strong since that comeback while catering to a steady clientele. Admittedly, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been like no other storm. But Barnabei, 69, remains optimistic. “My hope is that people will start coming down during July.” In recent days, Barnabei and his wife, Nancy,
have taken a step back from day-to-day operations, while passing the reins to their children. Their son, Justin, 41, a professionally trained chef, oversees the kitchen staff and manages the Concord Café; son Jeffrey, 40, and daughter Jamie DelMonte, 42, manage the North End. The North Wildwood 300-person capacity, casual dining establishment with a full-service bar, entertainment and outdoor seating, was forced to close its doors in mid-March. It reopened for outdoor dining on June 15. “The city allowed us to put tables on the sidewalk,” explained Barnabei. The family added 16 tables and can seat 64 while adhering to social distancing measures. The outdoor bar has also reopened with limited seating and live music. Concord Café stayed opened throughout the pandemic, with curbside takeout. The 100seat restaurant has been providing takeout for 30 years, so it wasn’t a stretch, said Barnabei, to continue that operation. Beer, wine and select items were added to the menu as a convenience to customers. “We have been through difficult times before and have always been able to overcome the challenges we’ve faced,” said Barnabei. “This time will be no different.”
Gino Iovino of Atlantic City’s Girasole Gino Iovino, owner of Girasole in Atlantic City, has witnessed many ups and downs in the 35 years he has called this city home. “I take the good with the bad,” said Iovino, who was raised in Naples, Italy and immigrated to Philadelphia at age 20. He established several restaurants since coming to America including the former Girasole at 13th and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, as well as Amare Ristorante in
Photos courtesy Gino Iovino/Girasole
Photo courtesy North End American Grill
their doors to dining in mid-March, Iovino used the time as an opportunity to enhance the establishment. Although he typically offered takeaway, that ceased during the shutdown. Iovino refreshed a bit of the inside but concentrated on expanding the small outdoor seating area to what he now describes as an amazing 20-foot wide sidewalk for 60 customers. Besides outdoor dining, Girasole has resumed takeaway service so patrons can again pick up orders to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. “We’re not going anywhere,” said Iovino who maintains a positive outlook and refers to the community and longtime customers as one big family. “This is my home. We have to come back.” n
Miami Beach. Atlantic City’s Girasole, known for its homestyle, high quality, cooked to order Italian cuisine, has been a fixture on Pacific Avenue for 28 years. “We’ve built an incredible clientele over the years,” said Iovino. During nonpandemic times, the 65-year-old proprietor has about 30 employees; 15 of those are family members. This includes sisters, a brother, brother-in-law and many nieces and nephews. When restaurants were ordered to close
“We’re not going anywhere. This is my home. We have to come back.” – Gino Iovino
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Shore was quiet
S
ummer at the Jersey shore has always been a time
bursting with unbridled energy, with shore towns like Atlantic City becoming the very definition of a hopping, hustling and bustling destination. From the drive down to your arrival at your beach house to the city streets, restaurants, casinos and the boardwalk, it was non-stop activity. And even if storm clouds dared to darken your day, there were always plenty of boardwalk diversions to pass the time, always something else to do. When the sun went down the party kept on rolling–Atlantic City with its restaurants, nightclubs and casinos has always known how to bring the fun and entertainment at night. So when our photographic journalist, Jamie Dunek, decided to check out what kind of effect the pandemic shutdown hasd had on Atlantic City, the results were breathtaking and jarring. Her hauntingly serene images captured the eerie, uncomfortable quietness of a city in waiting. Through Jamie’s lens, she documented firsthand the deserted, almost post-apocalyptical moments of the shutdown of once thriving now nearly empty spaces, while its residents, business owners and employees waited drearily behind closed doors, not knowing when or even if they could once again put out the welcome mat. After more than a hundred years of being the popular Jersey shore destination city, the desolate scenes are gut wrenching. The shore was quiet. And the silence was deafening. – G.B. Photographs by Jamie Dunek
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Photos Jamie Dunek
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Photos Jamie Dunek
Photos Jamie Dunek
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Facing the Music BY MICHAEL BRADLEY
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Hal Real is aptly named, especially since he operates a music venue at a time when people don’t want to gather gathering in large, close-contact crowds and enjoy a concert. To him, anybody who is expecting to stage a show anytime soon in a room full of people is, well, unrealistic. Real, whose World Café Live has been dark and empty since mid-March—along with every other music spot in the area—isn’t wishing or hoping. He is working hard to exist until the moment when society is ready to reengage with live shows and spend a couple of hours in close proximity to others without worrying that a throat clear can lead to big trouble. “We are hunkering down for the long haul,” Real says. “We think that before life can resume with anything close to normalcy there has to be a vaccine, and people have to be comfortable going out again. “The idea of operating at 25-to-50-percent capacity is bizarre. Even at 100 percent, we operate on small margins.” 44
An empty World Café Live stage awaits the return of live music.
Photo courtesy World Café Live
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Photo Moonloop Photography
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on stage at City Winery
‘‘
YOU CAN’T MIMIC THE ABILITY TO ATTEND SHOWS IN PERSON. THERE’S NO REPLACEMENT FOR THAT.” Because WCL became a non-profit concern last December 1, it has been able to use federal funding, grant money and contributions from donors to survive the past few months. But the inability to stage, or even reliably schedule, shows has put it in a difficult position, one which is shared by other venues in the region. At first, they merely postponed artist appearances, figuring that the fall would be a safer time to hold shows. Now, they can’t even book artists for the beginning of 2021, thanks to the uncertainty that prevails about largescale gatherings. Even clubs that hold a few 46
hundred people can’t put together a slate, because many of them are standing-only rooms, which lead to especially tight gatherings. The result is a resounding quiet throughout the Philadelphia music scene, which over the past several years has blossomed to include a variety of new venues, many of them independent and therefore not able to rely on corporate reserves or foreign investment to survive. Most have become as creative as possible to produce some revenue and keep alive a future of live performances. However, another year of this could prove deadly to their businesses. “It has been really tough,” says James Reed, co-owner of Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown. “We have two full-time people who do nothing but book shows. They’re working as hard as ever rescheduling and rescheduling shows. They’re doing triage and just trying to help us survive.” That survival depends largely on a set of circumstances no one can predict, and thanks to government mandates, are largely out of the venues’ control. Though things are much different than they were in March and April, when the quarantine was at its peak, and the idea of speaking with someone not in your own family—even at a distance—was con-
sidered dangerous, trying to imagine a large group of people in a confined space remains difficult. So, venue operators have used federal loan programs and even GoFundMe pages to provide some compensation for employees and are getting as creative as possible to provide some music to patrons.
H O
ne of the problems with live music is that it is best experienced, well, live. Watching streams, listening to recordings and viewing archival footage provide just a portion of the true effect. Real likens the experience of virtual concerts to “looking at pictures of food.” The music loses its impact, yes, but so much of a performance is the ability for people to experience it as a community. “You can’t mimic the ability to attend shows in person,” says Christianna LaBuz, programming director at City Winery at 10th and Filbert Streets in Philadelphia. “You hear the music live, but you also feel it and see it with your own eyes. You experience food and maybe discover a new beer.
H E
ven though the Ardmore Music Hall website still lists some concerts that had been scheduled for 2020, co-owner Chris Perella is not naïve. He would love to see the venue, which has a capacity of 600, filled with fans, but he understands his situation clearly. While the Main Line spot has been offering livestreams and archived recordings and planning for some pay-per-view events, nothing short of a full return will be able to generate the revenues necessary to keep AMH, along with its smaller (200 capacity) sister venue in Wayne, 118 North, open and alive. Since the prospects of full tours and packed rooms seem limited for the rest of 2020, Perella is looking to the future. He believes we won’t see full-fledged national, or even regional, tours for quite a while and that the return of live music in the area will be limited to bands who are within reasonable drives of venues. “We need to plan as if 2021 will be normal,” Perella says. “We need that. The music industry is full of scrappy and hustling people.” Perella and his fellow operators are battling uncertainty, but they are also doing what they can to explore various protocols for whatever shape their eventual re-openings take. For instance, LaBuz reports that City Winery will not stage concerts with a room (capacity 312) that is 25 percent full. “Does that make sense?” she asks. “It doesn’t.” But 50 percent is another story. Since City Winery’s space is completely reserved, accommodations can be made for distancing patrons. Each ticketholder could have a specific time when he or she is to enter. The venue could require people to wear masks and to agree to have their temperatures taken. Food orders could be placed ahead of time. There might be timed bathroom breaks, which could be challenging if someone’s bladder decides it’s really time to go. If someone doesn’t want to comply, City Winery would
Photo Joe del Tufo
“There’s no replacement for that.” LaBuz and others have done plenty to keep at least some revenue trickling in. City Winery is filling wine orders, offering live-stream shows and arranged for artists to provide Mother’s Day and Father’s Day greetings to fans for modest fees. Johnny Brenda’s has made some money with takeout food and beer, and Ardmore Music Hall, on the Main Line, has opened its library of video and audio recordings for patrons to access. “You have to get creative,” LaBuz says. “Fortunately, that’s our business, to come up with these options.”
Delta Spirit plays to a packed house at World Café Live
have to offer refunds. “We don’t have a choice in this,” she says. “We will likely be in the middle of the pack in terms of when we open. We’re not in any rush.” Predicting the future is difficult during normal times, but trying to define how the music world will look after the pandemic recedes is practically impossible. James Herman of Kung Fu Necktie in Fishtown predicts that “the scene is going to suffer for at least two years”
and expects to see “smaller, intimate shows” for normal headliners and that in the short run, venues will have fewer live shows and more DJ events. Although Kung Fu Necktie’s website lists several shows for the summer— some of which are already postponed—it’s unlikely any of them will take place, and Herman reports that the site is booking acts for October but not “doing any crazy guarantees.” In other words, nothing is certain. Reed reports
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that Johnny Brenda’s has “handshake agreements” with bands for future shows but has nothing in cement. There is even tremendous uncertainty among the big boys. Live Nation and AEG, the sworn enemies of small music spots because of their efforts to control the marketplace, have lost considerable money because of an abandoned summer shed concert series and further cancellations at smaller sites they control, like The Fillmore and Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia. In an effort to stanch the bleeding, Live Nation sold a 5.7% stake to Saudi Arabia in April, which provided a necessary infusion of $500 million in cash. There isn’t much doubt the concert giants will rebound, once the big acts hit the road again. A bigger issue is what happens down the food chain. Perella has spent much of the shutdown trying to let his creative energy flow without driving his fellow teammates crazy. He has been part of many conversations with his production team about how to improve AMH’s future offerings, and while that hasn’t led to a complete reset, it has produced some good ideas. “We may stage two shows in one night or have artist residencies or multiple bookings,” Perella says. The quarantine has also produced a greater sense of camaraderie among those in the music business. Yes, they will compete to attract bands, but they also realize their situations are tenuous and that they have a lot of common. That goes for those who stage the shows and those who play them. “There is a great sense of empathy and cooperation,” Perella says. “We have been having a dialogue with other people in the industry.” One concrete way that has manifested itself is through the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), which began in February and has about 1,600 members in all 50 states who are working to promote and save smaller concert halls. Real is a founding member and is passionate about making sure people understand the value live performances provide for the economy and the public at large. In late April, NIVA sent a letter to Congress lobbying for more federal aid. The advocacy helps, but in many ways, there is nothing to do but wait for a time when people will feel safe watching live music together again. “We’re going to have to be fluid,” Perella says. “We’re used to working four-to-eight months out. It’s going to be a different world. If our entire business proposition is going to be based on a government mandate that can be changed in a week’s time, we’re going to have to live week-to-week.” And keep things very Real. n 48
Photo Philadelphia Flyers
PROFILE
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FLYERS HEAD COACH
ALAIN VIGNEAULT
PERFECT I T BY SAM CARCHIDI
AT NEWS CONFERENCES,
Alain Vigneault, who is in his first year as the Flyers’ head coach, can sometimes come across as Dean Martin or Jimmy Fallon. He is engaging, funny, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. That said, he DID become a serious candidate for the Jack Adams Award, given to the NHL’s coach of the year. His credentials are solid: Vigneault directed the Flyers to a 41-21-7 record in the pandemicshortened regular season and to a secondplace finish (one point behind Washington) in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers were on pace for 106 points, 24 more than last season. They made the biggest improvement of any NHL team. “I think his experience is most important in tie games, close games,” right winger Jake Voracek said late in the regular season. “When it goes down to the wire, he doesn’t lose his cool. He’s always real calm and I think that
comes from past coaching. It’s been a fun change, and I think you can tell by the way we play” [that the calmness translates to the players.] “I think we’re playing better hockey than ever.” Vigneault, 59, who had a brief NHL career as a defenseman with the St. Louis Blues, is always at ease with the media. He can be analytical and thought-provoking, but he can also be downright amusing. After a hard-fought 3-2 win over powerful Washington on Jan. 8 at the Wells Fargo Center, for instance, Vigneault was asked about the team’s home-road disparity this season. He smiled. “You know, at this time right now, I’m going home and I’m going to have a martini and enjoy the win,” he said, “and I’m going to get back to you on that.” Beyond the affable personality is a brilliant hockey mind of someone who has the 10th most wins (689) in NHL history. And while 51
“Teams have to improve during the season, and I believe that’s what we were doing in all aspects of our game.” general manager Chuck Fletcher’s shrewd offseason moves have contributed greatly to the Flyers’ success, Vigneault has been the biggest reason for the turnaround. Right from the start, he held players accountable, something that wasn’t always done by Dave Hakstol, who coached the team from 2015-16 until partway through the 2018-19 season.
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Vigneault’s coaching style has endeared him to Philly fans. Whether you are a star-making $8 million a year or a fourth-line forward, Vigneault treats everyone the same. Produce and you will get lots of playing time. Falter and you will be demoted to a lower line or be benched. “Obviously he’s a demanding coach,” said Voracek, who was briefly demoted to the fourth line earlier this season but was on the top unit when the regular season was suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak and later declared finished, “and if you don’t play the right way, you’ll find your ice time is a little bit cut short. But the next day is a new day and he’s going to focus on the next game.” “You know where you stand with him,” said center Kevin Hayes, who played under Vigneault for four seasons when he coached the Rangers. Having Vigneault in Philadelphia, Hayes said, was one of the main reasons he signed with the Flyers. Vigneault is a great communicator, say his players, and he’s “very detail-oriented,” left winger James van Riemsdyk said. “I actually haven’t played for a coach like that since I played with the U.S. program, where you know the drills before the practice, which is really nice because then there’s no reason to screw things up out there.”
n VIGNEAULT, known as “AV,” has been around the block. This is his 17th season as an NHL head coach, and he had stints in Montreal, Vancouver, and New York (Rangers) before being hired by the Flyers after last season, becoming the 21st bench boss in franchise history. “One thing I’ve really liked about him is how smart he is and how progressive he is about knowing when to push us a little bit in practice and when to give us those days off,” van Riemsdyk said. Before the season was paused, van Riemsdyk said that physically and mentally, “this is the freshest I’ve felt and I think that has a lot to do with how he does things.” The Flyers’ regular-season success didn’t surprise Vigneault. Before the season, he said he liked the team’s size and skill. “I feel good about this group,” he said. “I like the skill set. I like the youth that’s pushing up.” The Flyers, he said, remind him of the 200607 team he took over in Vancouver—one led by the young Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik—and helped the Canucks make a 13-point improvement in his first season and play two playoff rounds.
Photo Zach Hill
L to R: Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault and two of his assistants, Ian Laperriere and Michel Therrien, stand in front of the Rocky statue.
one else. We’ll have the exact amount of time” to get ready. During their nine-game winning streak, which, as it turned out, came toward the end of the regular season, the Flyers led the league in scoring (4.33 goals per game) and allowed the second-fewest goals per game (1.89). “Our team was in a good place and it’s going to be all our jobs—from coaches to management to players—to get back to that good spot we were in,” said Vigneault, a Quebec City native. “Teams have to improve during the season, and I believe that’s what we were doing in all aspects of our game. We were getting better individually and as a team.” The players deserve a bulk of the credit, but Vigneault has pushed all the right buttons. Being away from the game the previous year—he had been fired by Rangers—seemed to agree with him. During his year away from the sport, Vigneault watched some hockey but didn’t go overboard. Instead, he spent more quality time with his two grown daughters, reconnected with close friends, and basically enjoyed himself and his freedom. “I made the most out of my time away from the game,” he said in his charming FrenchCanadian accent. “I spent some time with my
“It was a young team on the uprise; they were making changes. They brought in [Roberto] Luongo in goal, and it was a team that sort of needed direction in building,” he said. “It took me five years before bringing it to the Stanley Cup [Finals], but we built it and we came one win shy from winning it all. This has a lot of the same components.”
n WHEN THE PLAYOFFS are expected to begin in August, the Flyers will be aiming for their first Stanley Cup since 1975. Vigneault has been to the Finals twice but has never won the Cup. The Flyers had won nine of their last ten games before the season was paused, climbing into second place and establishing themselves as Cup contenders. Will they be able to regain their momentum? “That is going to be our challenge,” Vigneault said. “We were playing our best hockey of the season at that time. I don’t think we can go into this showing any signs of emotional frustration. The world has been put on pause and with what people are going through right now, when we come back, we can help them by doing the best job we can as far as playing on the ice. We’ll be exactly like every53
family. I bought a place in Florida and played a lot of golf and tennis and lost 10 pounds. I watched hockey, but I was watching more as a fan than anything else. “I rejuvenated myself, mentally and physically,” he added.
THIS SEASON, Vigneault got another extended break. Assuming the NHL’s 2019-20 tournament starts in August, it will be close to five months since teams were playing games. During the latest break, Vigneault went to his home in South Florida for a while, then traveled to Gatineau, Quebec, and spent time with his girlfriend, Monica Cotton, who is an emergency nurse in Ottawa. She has been “on the forefront” of the coronavirus, Vigneault said. Vigneault has kept in touch with his coaching staff during the break and plotted ways to help his team regain its mojo. He also spent time getting involved in the Flyers’ Phone-Linemates program, one in which weekly calls are made to people living at the Abramson Senior Care Center in North Wales, Pa., Montgomery County. “It’s just a small little thing we can do,” he said. “My parents are 84 and 86 and they’re
Vigneault (L) with Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher
both in their senior residence. They’ve both been isolated since day one (of the coronavirus outbreak). My mom has had a little more challenging time, mentally, in the past few months, but my dad is still as sharp as he can be. “There’s no doubt that with him going through this by himself, he’s very lonely. So when the Flyers brought this program to my attention, there were a couple in my group that talked about it. It’s something we felt that if we can help in any minuscule way, we wanted to.” Now his attention is on hockey and trying to direct the Flyers, who haven’t won a playoff series since 2012, to their first overall title in
45 years. Vigneault coached the Rangers and Vancouver to the Finals but has never won the Stanley Cup. “I felt coming in that we were going to get into the playoffs and have an opportunity to challenge for the Cup,” he said before the long break in the season. “I haven’t changed my mind.” In his office at the Flyers’ practice facility in Voorhees, Vigneault keeps a miniature-sized Stanley Cup on his office desk to “remind myself that’s why we’re in this job.” It’s a job he loves. A job, he said, that won’t feel complete until get gets to hoist the Stanley Cup one of these years. n
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Photo Zach Hill/Philadelphia Flyers
n
O SPORTS GUYS
Two Dream Jobs
Over the years former professional athletes have come and gone on local sports talk radio shows.
Ike Reese came and stayed. BY MARK ECKEL
Reese arrived in Philadelphia as part of a really good 1998 Eagles draft that also featured left tackle Tra Thomas, middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, return man Allen Rossum, and defensive lineman Brandon Whiting. Now some 22 years later Reese, a Pro Bowl special teams player, hosts the No. 1 drive time sports talk radio show on 94 WIP with co-host Jon Marks. Ask most sports talk listeners who their favorite or most popular media personality is today, and the answer will be “Ike”. “There are former football players on the radio, and then there are radio hosts who used to play football,” WIP Program Director Spike Eskin said. “Ike is the latter. He’s become such a great host, teammate, and someone who people in Philadelphia genuinely love. He’s put himself in position to become one of the all-time greats at 94WIP, and he’s just starting.” 58
Photo courtesy Ike Reese
Reese, a Philadelphia Eagle from 1998 to 2004, was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2004 as the NFC’s special teamer.
Photo Philadelphia Eagles
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‘‘
SPORTS TALK RADIO REALLY FIT MY PERSONALITY. I’VE BEEN ARGUING WHO’S THE BEST AT THIS OR WHO’S THE BEST AT THAT SINCE I WAS A KID WITH MY BROTHERS.”
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Photo Philadelphia Eagles
REESE STARTED AT WIP as a part-time fill-in host and went full-time in 2008, two years after his two-year hiatus from Philadelphia as a member of the Atlanta Falcons ended. His show, which he dubbed “Ike at Night”, earned him a promotion to share the drive time slot with Howard Eskin (Spike’s father) in 2009. That led to the midday show, “Mike and Ike”, which he co-hosted with Michael Barkann from 2012-16 and finally to the drive time slot in 2017. “Aw, heck, no,” Reese said with his wellheard laugh when asked if he saw himself still being here 22 years after the Eagles drafted him. “I was just hoping I made the team in 1998. I never envisioned being here 20-plus years later.” Eagles players, or former Eagles players,
just as their hockey counterparts the Flyers do, seem to make Philadelphia, or South Jersey, home after their careers end. Reese could have opted to return home to Cincinnati, could have returned to Michigan where he was a star at Michigan State, or even stayed in Atlanta. As someone once said, “On the whole, he would rather be in Philadelphia.” “Atlanta was a very good city, great metro area. My wife wouldn’t have minded staying there,” Reese said. “But by then, at that point of my life, I already knew this is where I was going to be in my post-NFL career no matter what I did. I had already started the groundwork on what I wanted to do after football and it was going to be here.” And what makes Philadelphia so attractive to former athletes is what has also made Reese so attractive to the sports radio crowd. “First of all it’s a great area to live for those of us who aren’t from here,” Reese said. “Living in this area you’re surrounded by so much. Whatever your flavor is, you have New York,
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you have A.C., you have D.C., Baltimore, you got whatever you want as far as I’m concerned. And as it pertains to the athletes who stick around here a lot of it is about the relationships you developed while you played here. With this city being as entrenched in professional sports as it is, we come here and find out what’s it like. It’s addictive. For an athlete what better place to be than where you played? If you connected with this fan base, you’ll be treated like a hero for the rest of your life. Players feel that gratification from the fan base for years, and probably more so after your career. That adulation, adoration is something we like, especially after your career is over. It can still be exhilarating for you.”
REESE WAS AS POPULAR as a backup linebacker/special teams ace could be as a player. He always had a good rapport with the media, whether it was the daily beat writers who he engaged in sports talk in the back corner of the NovaCare Complex locker room where his stall was, or the radio and television guys who came around every so often. “I identified with the city,” Reese said. “Fans have to know the players care, because they care so much. They have to know that when we don’t meet expectations and they’re hurting for weeks and months and years, they have to know that you as an athlete care too. You have to care that it bothers them.” While some players swear they don’t read what is written about them, or listen to, or watch, what is said, Reese not only read, listened and watched, he practiced for what would be his future. “I loved it,” he said of his sports debates with writers and teammates in the locker room. “I always knew I wanted to get into some form of broadcasting when I finished playing. Probably initially I thought it might be from a TV standpoint as a studio analyst or something. But when I started to understand what sports talk radio was about from a fan and listener to the host I thought that really fit my personality more than anything. I’ve been arguing who’s the best at this or who’s the best at that since I was a kid with my brothers. That carried on through my college days, debating with teammates things like (Michael) Jordan vs. Magic [Johnson] back then. Even onto the pro ranks, there were some of us who were sports fans and followed other sports. Those debates would be in the lunchroom, the locker room, the training room, that was just natural for me.” Reese lived in deep South Jersey during his playing days so his drive to work wasn’t as short, or easy, as it was for most of his teammates. To kill time in the car, he tuned into what was then 610 WIP. 62
“I would listen to Angelo [Cataldi] on the way to work around 6:30,” Reese said. “And he would tick me off because he would be ripping the Eagles, or Andy [Reid], for something. But other days he just amused me. On the way home, around 5 or 6, I would listen to Howard and he would be ripping Allen [Iverson]. I’m stuck in traffic on [Route] 42 and I’m thinking to myself this is crazy. I became such a fan I stopped listening to music.” Now it’s Reese who fans and players, although they likely wouldn’t admit it, tune into on their drive home. You don’t get to be No. 1 in the market without a lot of listeners. The ratings have become Reese’s new scoreboard and he’s winning a lot more than he’s losing. “It’s huge,” he said of being No. 1. “In this business, which I’ve come to learn, it’s about ratings. The bosses are happy when you’re at the top and not so happy when you’re in the middle of the pack or lower.” What’s helped Reese go from backup player to top radio host is the homework—he already knew sports—to learn the Philadelphia sports team’s history, and also the passion of the Philadelphia sports fans. The Eagles he knew. He had to learn about Joe Carter and Mitch Williams; the Flyers goaltending issues over the
years; and all those bad Sixers years. “What was most crucial for me was listening to the station all the time, all day, before I would go on the air,” he said. “That helped me learn the history whether it be from the host or the callers. I soaked it all in. In Philly, you can’t be fake, you can’t be phony, you can’t be a fraud. Fans will read right through that and you’ll lose all credibility.” Reese had instant credibility as a player so much so that both Reid, with Kansas City and John Harbaugh, with Baltimore, wanted him on their coaching staffs. It wasn’t an easy decision, but he decided to stay with the radio headphones over the coaching ones. “I thought about it for sure,” he said. “It wasn’t easy saying no to those guys. I would normally do anything they asked me to do. I followed my heart. There were times I wondered if I made the right decision. But I made it through those times and I know now I made the right choice. I can’t see myself doing anything else. “I’ve had two dream jobs and I don’t feel like I’ve worked a day in my life.” n
THE CIGAR GUY ______________________________________________________________________________________________ BY SAM KRAFT
Sponsored by The
Smoking Dog
Four Kicks Mule Kick 2018
T
HE FOUR KICKS MULE KICK was released at the end of 2012 and was a variation of the original Four Kicks. The story goes that some of the wrappers were too dark to sell with the original batch, so they sold them separately under their own label. Their initial release was met with praise. Mule Kick wasn’t released again until 2017 when it was reintroduced into the market. This time it had purpose and demand behind it. The 2018 version of the Mule Kick by Crowned Heads, just like its predecessors and successors, is a limited edition, made in small batches. For the first time, the 2018 cigar features a dark Connecticut Habano Wrapper. Unlike its flagship line of Four Kicks cigars, the Mule Kick is designed to be slightly stronger and bolder. Once lit, the cigar begins bitter and oily. The wrapper is dark with a reddish tint, and the construction is firm. The bitterness is accompanied by a slight vanilla and macadamia nut taste. There are also some sour sensations on the pallet. Once the cigar picks up into its first third, there emerges an undeniable oaty taste. It’s absolutely reminiscent of Cheerios. Further down the shaft, the Mule Kick takes its first soiree into spicy territory. Cinnamon and cardamom dance along the palate with little bursts of sweetness. This is when the cigar’s dominant flavors of oat
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Wrapper: Connecticut Habano • Size: Toro
and barley change into that of freshly baked pizza dough. It is savory and satisfying. Its final puffs are occupied by toasted barley, with a bitter finish. Four Kicks continues to release limited quantities every year under the Mule Kick label. It’s one of Crowned Head’s most delicious and nuanced offerings. This year advertises a Nicaraguan Jalapa wrapper, sure to be a fan favorite. Their release is planned for July. Don’t miss out on these savory gems!e! n
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6TH ANNUAL
6TH ANNUAL
MAN & WOMAN OF THE YEAR HONOREES JerseyMan and PhillyMan Magazines are proud to recognize those in our area who demonstrate the rare combination of business excellence and dedication to community service. These Man & Woman of the Year candidates will be honored at our 6th annual Unmasking the Legacy event, held this November, where a portion of ticket proceeds will go to the winner’s designated charities.
Albert Fox For many years Albert has made giving back a central part of his life. Beginning in 1997, his service on the National Kidney Foundation following his Father’s battle with end stage renal disease kick started a life dedicated to giving back. During Al’s service he successfully raised over five-hundred thousand dollars for kidney research through ten consecutive Ivan Fox memorial golf tournaments, sponsored by the NKF. In addition, Al held the position of chairman of the board from 2003-2007. Albert has served as a member of the Development Committee for Moorestown Friends School, where all of his children attend, for twelve consecutive years beginning in 2008. As a graduate of Rutgers University he serves as a part of the Dean’s Leadership Council as of 2018. Most recently, Albert’s community ties continue as he serves on the board of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA, one of the nation’s leading nonprofits in strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. In his day to day life, Albert is a co-managing partner of Fox, Penberthy & Dehn. As a result of his efforts inside of the office, Albert has been recognized by Forbes magazine on the inaugural Forbes List of “Top Financial Advisors in New Jersey” where he has been a top-ranked advisor for three consecutive years. He lives with his wife, Nikki, and their children, twins Zachary and Jackson and daughter Alissa, in Moorestown, NJ. Albert is representing Greater Philadelphia YMCA for JerseyMan/PhillyMan’s 6th annual Umasking the Legacy celebration event. CRC 3127811 6/2020
Julie Strohlein Marilyn is a single mom of a college-aged son and a huge Philly sports fan (she LOVES to tailgate), as well as Julie Strohlein, CPA has over 20 years of experience in both public and private accounting. She received her B.S. in Accounting from Rutgers University. Julie has been a member of the Alloy Silverstein Accountants and Advisors team from 1988 to 1991 and again since 2006. An Associate Partner at the firm, Julie serves on the firm’s tax and technology committees and is instrumental to the firm’s hiring and training programs. She represents varied clientele including the medical, legal, and real estate industries and trusts. She is also a frequent presenter for Alloy Silverstein, including the firm’s recurring Alloy Academy workshop series. An active member of the community, Julie is a member of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s Burlington–Camden Local Board of Directors, a Board Member for the Doctors Advisory Alliance, is Treasurer for Impact 100 South Jersey, and is involved with many of Alloy Silverstein’s charitable and volunteer initiatives. Julie was recognized by South Jersey Biz as a 2020 “Woman to Watch” and received the 2019 Ovation Award from the NJCPA in the impact category, which recognized exceptional CPAs for giving back to the community, sharing expertise, and advancing the accounting profession. Julie is a self-proclaimed soccer mom and resides in Delran, NJ with her husband and three sons. Off the soccer field sidelines, she loves cooking for her family and friends. Julie is representing Impact Fund of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey for JerseyMan/PhillyMan’s 6th annual Umasking the Legacy celebration event.
Save THE Date
11.5.20
A MasqueradeThemed Celebration Event 6-10 p.m. Ballroom at the Ben • Philadelphia
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Dunek at ken@jerseymanmagazine.com or Ashley Dunek at adunek@jerseymanmagazine.com
jerseymanmagazine.com
@PCS_AnthonyM
TECH TIME
_______________________________________________________________________________ BY ANTHONY MONGELUZO
A Scare Tactic That Requires Your Attention It’s the privacy and cybersecurity bad news/ good news warning. The bad news? Jupiter Research expects more than half of all data breaches globally, will occur in the United States by 2023—a scant four years from now. The cybercriminal impact is so serious that the FBI now has a “most wanted” list. Take a peek to see if they’re your neighbor. And finally, you’re the perfect target—small business—because this sector is among the top four targets that hackers attack most frequently. (The other three are energy, education and health care.) It’s digitally ugly out there and it will get uglier.
• • • You might wonder about the “fear tactic” in this article’s lede. It’s not an accident. In decades of my running an IT business, I’ve seen (almost) all of it, and I’m continually appalled by the failure of small businesses to implement even the most basic IT protection safeguards. And accountants are among those with the most to lose because you’re not necessarily the real target. Digital vampires want to suck the data from your client list because that’s what they feast upon. There are also personal privacy issues. How much of your privacy are you willing to share or surrender? We know, for example, that some game developers and cellphone apps extract personal information, sharing it with advertisers and online tracking companies. The good news is that the cost of protecting yourself and your business is modest when coupled with common sense. This includes: • Create a security plan. This doesn’t have to be a grand plan; it might be a few pages. However, you must designate someone to both implement and review the plan annually. You have three choices: 1) delegate it to your IT person; 2) do it yourself: 3) turn to an outside vendor who has security IT experience. • Run a penetration test. Can you stand up to a hacker? This is the only way to run a test that will uncover any vulnerabilities. Everything else is a “maybe” or theory. Imagine playing tackle football but not making any contact. Not quite the same, is it? • Build a virtual private network. It provides you with an “encrypt-
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ed” tunnel for all your online activities. You’ll have an anonymous IP address while protecting your location. • Backup. Old advice? Yes, because some businesses are still lax about this one. Do it frequently, but nothing is better than a twofold backup. One that is automatic and in the cloud, and another, hardcopy, off-site from your place of business. You’ll need this if you get hacked or become a victim of ransomware. • Cover the camera on your computer. A slip of paper works. Hackers can enter via the camera and follow your keystrokes, for example. Goodbye passwords. • Protect against viruses, spyware and other malicious intruders. Install anti-virus software and anti-spyware, and you’ll get regular updates automatically. Costs are modest, and software vendors provide patches and updates to fix security issues while improving functionality. Most important, updates provide fresh protection as new viruses enter the digital realm. • Safe browsing. Ensure that all your browsers are up-to-date. This adds security and improves performance. • Review your social media settings. Ensure that you’re sharing what you wish. Facebook and Google let you opt-out of certain options that affect personalization and tracking. Change default issues if you want more privacy. • Secure your networks. Use firewalls and encryption. If you’re using a Wi-Fi network, keep it secure, hidden and set up a service set provider (SSID) to prevent identifying your network name. Password protect the router. • Safeguard your internet connection with a firewall and encrypting information. If you have a Wi-Fi network, make sure it’s secure and hidden. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it doesn’t broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Password protect access to the router. If you detect a sense of urgency and intensity in this article regarding security and privacy, I’ve succeeded. My goal is to protect my client’s IT security and yours, too. n
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THE WINE MAN _______________________________________________________________________________ BY ROBERT KENNEDY
To Decant or Not to Decant?
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ERRIAM-WEBSTER DEFINES the word decant as “to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers.” It goes on to add “to pour (a liquid, such as wine) from one vessel into another.” Indeed, decanting older vintages that are suspected of having sediment housed in the basement of a bottle is the primary reason for straining the grit, solids and tiny particles such as grape skins and yeast from one vessel to another. However, that isn’t the only reason for pouring such fine wines into decanters or through aerating devices. Everyone who has enjoyed the art of drinking wonderful wines can easily and quickly raise hands in answering the second part of that question: What is the other reason for decanting? Oxidation and aeration, of course! Bringing out the best flavors and aromas at the most opportune time of that awesome bottle of full-bodied red is the answer. Ok, that was easy. Give me something more difficult, you say? What about taking a stab at answering if the process of decanting is truly that effective? Or is it just a cool thing to do among friends? To answer this, we’ll need to explore both sides. Wine lovers have a tendency to humanize the whole decanting experience. We use terms such as allowing wine to ‘breathe.’ But does it afford this nectar to express its flavors more forcefully and more quickly? By permitting wine to oxidize, air unleashes the power of wine’s very essence and its very soul in the form of flavors and aromas. But what truly is the effect of oxidation from forcing certain wines to lay in wait, from several minutes to perhaps hours, in sometimes strange-looking vessels, before imbibing? Will aerating make that much of a difference? It depends, say some skeptics. And, some of those skeptics are wine professionals, including some master somms. Some critics take the position that aerating certain wines could cause spoil, and may actually de-flavor wines rather than bring out the florals
By permitting wine to oxidize, air unleashes the power of wine’s very essence and its very soul in the form of flavors and aromas.
and bouquets that are expected to suddenly explode with the oxidation process. Some of these same cynics will further add that, in fact, a wine’s complex chemical composition will change with time and air, but can cause a wine to go flat over a very short duration through the early stages of the wine’s aeration development. The escape of two important but volatile compounds—hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2)— can have a profound impact on how wine is weathered after opening. CO2 can make red wines tannic, but the presence of H2S can actually reduce some aromas quickly while being exposed to air. Knowing which wines, vintages and appellations are best to decant, and when, will provide the ultimate experience possible, say these critics. E MAY KNOW that some wine exposed to certain oxygen levels lead to specific chemical reactions, both pleasant and unpleasant. These changes take place over several minutes to hours following their opening. Wine will initially “open up”, if a high amount of acidity and tannins exist. Sulfur-based compounds in wine react quickly with oxidation. However, these are compounds we sometimes shouldn’t lose, such as those that are found in Sauvignon Blanc. The citric, tropical flavors and aromas can be easily lost when exposed to oxidation too long. Thus, this is the reason why many whites are not aerated when uncorked or should be drunk early and often in their lives. Old wines can certainly go directly from the bottle right to the stemware, bypassing the decanter, unless sediment exists. Most of the tannins in older vintages such as in Barolo, Rioja, Bordeaux and Syrah wines are so supple that no decanting is necessary. Many of these will begin losing florals, aromas and deep flavors quickly if left in a decanter too long. So, not all wines, particularly older reds, and most whites need to be decanted and exposed to the elements. These types of wines will not gain an advantage simply as a result of decanting. On the opposing side, younger reds with structure and more complexity, which tend to hold acidity and truly need to open up, would benefit tremendously from oxidation. Chemical reactions happen in all wines when exposed to aeration just after opening, and sometimes well into many hours of exposure. What ensues makes a real difference to the delightful flavors that change so dramatically given time in a decanter, providing completely different characteristics and yielding some vast changes in tastes that otherwise would have been lost without decanting. To argue that wines can’t benefit from this is a fallacy. The critical component is knowing the difference between what wines would be best left to breathe, and for when and how long. It is the point of argument made by those not always in favor of decanting. Some wines will lose their advantage if left to decant, and some will gain one. So, before making that choice to pull one of those decanters sitting idly on your wine cellar shelf, be certain to review wine labels, winery, vintage and appellation. The choice to decant is a personal one, but could make the difference between enjoying a wonderful wine experience, or putting up with an average one, at best. n
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For comments, questions, suggestions and/or feedback, contact Robert Kennedy at rkj@Kennedy-companies.com. 78