SHORE LOCAL | Mainland | November 16, 2023

Free November 16, 2023

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY'S NEWSMAGAZINE

Events for Fall Fun Surfing Seven Seas in Seven Days Deep Fried Turkey Disaster New Business Brewing in Linwood

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OC business giving back in huge waves this holiday season

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he season of giving has begun, and one family-owned business is stepping up to help neighbors in need throughout our community.

On Tuesday, Nov. 14, Heritage Surf & Sport in Ocean City donated $1,500 to Waves of Caring, a non-profit charity formed in the 1980s. The organization aids local families in need of food and assistance.

Additionally, it assists in delivering toys to kids during the holiday season.

Over the last three years, Heritage has become involved in addressing food insecurity among children. Recent data from the New Jersey Department of Health reports that Cape May County is one of the most food insecure counties among children in the state.

Jim Hennessey is the owner of Ocean City’s Heritage location. “It’s always better to start in our own backyard,” Hennessey said.

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Established in 1962, Heritage Surf & Sport has been part of many causes, from assisting police officers and firefighters, to educational endeavors.

From now until Christmas, their Ocean City location will be collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s Southern Branch, helping to feed families in Atlantic and Cape May counties.

For additional information call 609-398-6390.

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November 16, 2023

3

When crisis hit, my team had my back From the Editor

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wo weeks ago, my whole world was shaken yet again when my father, Charles Christy passed away suddenly. The outpouring of love was nothing short of incredible. I am so thankful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from friends and loved ones near and far over the last two weeks. This past Saturday, we held a beautiful memorial service and celebration of his life.

As I found myself buried in grief and funeral planning, I was also humbled in gratitude for the incredible people that we can count on to call our team. Our Shore Local team is filled with dozens of helping hands, all of whom worked together to make sure our family-owned publication didn’t miss a beat.

Stories were submitted and edited on time, and our delivery team

stood on stand-by to fill newsstands throughout South Jersey. Our digital team worked hard, updating our website, and social media platforms.

To my relief, everything got done with the bare minimum needed on my part as I dealt with the loss of my father.

I remember a time when our team wasn’t quite as big, and a tragic family loss would require me to work relentlessly through my tears so we could keep our growing business alive. This

Issue 258

week, I was thankful to feel so confident in our incredibly reliable and talented crew that allowed me to be fully present with my family during this time. To sweeten the gratitude pot further, our non-profit organization, Heart of Surfing, also functioned flawlessly with the help of our all-volunteer staff who offer recreational activities for those with autism and developmental disabilities.

Life is full of unexpected moments that knock you on your back and leave

you scrambling to find your way back to your feet, but if you can find a bit of hope and a dose of gratitude along the way, sometimes it’s all you need to keep going.

Today, as I am still deeply saddened by the loss of my father, I am also thankful for so much, especially you! Your readership keeps us showing up week after week. Even through the thick of life, it gives us something to look forward to every Thursday.

As you flip through these pages, I encourage you to find a little something to be thankful for as well. Be sure to check out our advertisers on each page. These businesses are the cornerstones of our community and we are thankful for their support.

We are also thankful for the opportunity to tell and share the stories of our community. You inspire us every day to care more, be more and do more to support all that's local.

Next week, we will print one day early, on Wednesday, Nov. 22, in advance of Thanksgiving.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful week!

Peace & Love, Cindy

Established 2016

Celebrating Life at The Southern NJ Shore Publisher– Bob Fertsch (609) 334-1691 shorelocalads@gmail.com Executive Editor - Cindy Christy Fertsch (609) 705-5323 shorelocalcindy@gmail.com Copy Editors - James FitzPatrick, Holly Fertsch Web Designer - Holly Martin Contributors – Charles Eberson, Scott Cronick, Tammy Thornton, Rich Baehrle, Sarah Fertsch, Steffen Klenk, Donald B. Kravitz, Fred Miller, Krystle J. Bailey, Brian Cahill, Dave Weinberg, Doug Deutsch, Elisa Jo Eagan, David Setley, Heidi Clayton, Eric Reich, Whitney Ullman, Raymond Tyler, John Loreaux, Danielle Davies, Bill Quain, Gabriella Bancheri

Cover photo by John Loreaux

Mo re N e w s , F e at u r Podcasts at www.S es, Video an d horeLocalNews.com Now publishing every Thursday.

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November 16, 2023

Local man who surfed seven seas in seven days shares his journey

By Gabriella Bancheri

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hirty-four-year-old YouTuber, novelty wave surfer, and NJ local Ben Graeff, known more widely as Ben Gravy on social media, has just completed the first surf tour of its kind:

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he has surfed seven seas in seven days. That’s about 30,000 miles. In less than 170 hours. We can try to guess how many energy drinks he might have consumed to pull it off, but the world may never know. What we do know, though, is what he shared about his experience as a novelty wave surfer and content creator.

When I asked him to tell me a bit about his brand, I had two obvious questions: Why the pineapple, and where did the name ‘Gravy’ come from? Ben got his catchy and memorable alias from a high school friend, and it just so happened to stick. So, when Ben created his Instagram handle, he took advantage of the memorable nickname.

rent journey. He came up with the idea in 2020 and pitched it to Red Bull for an endorsement with the phrase “7 in 7.” They shot him down because, let’s face it, it sounds insane. But after asking again three years later, Ben received the green light and began planning.

Starting in Chiba, Japan and ending in Oslo, Norway, he slept

As for the iconic sunglasses-clad pineapple, which you have very likely seen if you frequent any of the beaches from Atlantic City to Longport, Ben surprised me (something he did more than once during our interview). He shared that the idea originally came from his desire to create a merch in the form of a surf wax candle, since he noticed a lack of candles in the surf space. He credits his wife, Jordan, for the design of the candle and the pineapple logo itself.

While it seems like everything seems to have just fallen into place from the catchy name to the iconic brand, it’s also important to add that Ben seems to have a knack for finding exactly what a space is missing and he doesn’t fail to open the door when opportunity knocks.

When you show the world an epic journey like this one, it’s inevitable that there will be a few questions, and I had plenty. First and foremost, I asked Ben what the catalyst for such a wild idea was. It almost seems impossible considering the logistics.

Just a few years ago, Ben managed to find a wave in all fifty states. Yes, even in Kansas, which he discovered through a Kansas City kayaking group online.

Ben told me that what he thought would be a “lifelong” excursion only took him three-and-a-half years to complete. After this, he started thinking big. Initially, he told me, he wanted to surf every country in the world (and after his accomplishments to date, it seems likely that he will), but that would definitely take a long time.

So, he narrowed the scope a bit and decided the seven seas was a better, more tangible fit for his cur-

mainly on planes and ran on sheer adrenaline. Along the way he surfed in Bells Beach and Sydney, Australia, Galveston, Texas, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he, of course, had plenty of supporters cheering him on before his last stop in Oslo.

Along the tour, he had two favorite spots: Bali and Oslo. Bali because the waves were great and the water was warm—a surfer’s dream—and Oslo because the state of the waves were a pleasant surprise (they exist). Aside from the waves, Ben’s favorite part of the journey was seeing completely

↘Continued on 8 November 16, 2023

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↘Continued from 6 opposite sides of the world in such a short span of time, giving him an extremely unique perspective.

There were some challenges and personal struggles that he shared with me as well. He said that while the surfing itself seemed to be “pretty casual,” it was the sheer “magnitude” of the journey that became daunting at times. Sure, if you jumped into a new body of water every day for a week, each destination thousands of miles apart, it could start feeling pretty surreal. Ben said that battling his own doubts was one of the most difficult parts of the journey. And maybe the fact that he slept on a plane most nights had a little something to do with it.

Aside from that, he shared that Galveston presented the most difficulties due to a combination of logistical difficulties and exhaustion. Because he wanted to include a novelty wave, he planned to go tanker surfing. But by the time his crew got there, the wind was rough and they were told they’d missed most of the tankers already.

At this stage, “the whole tour literally could’ve fallen apart,” as he said. But lo and behold, they pulled through

and he ended up riding several waves—and just two days later, mission accomplished.

When I asked Ben why he did it, he didn’t say for the views or to make money, or to be the first etc., etc. He said, “When I successfully pull [these plans] off, it’s more about

the journey and [doing] something that I’m proud of.” He says he’s “lucky enough to have a platform where [he’s able to] speak to a lot of people,” and ultimately hopes he can inspire kids to find a “spark” to go out and “do something for themselves.”

Still, being the first to successfully accomplish this is impressive, and when I asked how that felt, he wasn’t exactly interested in the status or

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prestige it gives him. Instead, he told me that, for him, it’s about “creating a story.” For him, it’s about entertaining just as much as it is about surfing.

He said, “Surfing is my vessel, but it’s really just about being a good human and challenging myself.”

I was curious, after all this success, what the turning point in his career was. Ben quit drinking in 2015 and, as a way to keep himself sober for the first year, he started a YouTube channel. He became interested in surfing novelty waves and documenting them, and he eventually surfed the Cape May Ferry (and if you’ve ever been on the Cape May Ferry, you probably understand the magnitude of that experience). It was his first video that went viral. After

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that he became the “novelty wave guy.”

When I asked said novelty wave guy if he had any plans for his next journey, his answer was as if he had recently circumnavigated the globe in a week: to relax. His immediate plans are to spend time with his family for the holidays, but rest assured, he’s got lots of plans for 2024, many of which include “staying on the path and entertaining people.”

After speaking with him, I’d say that Ben is just as much a creative as he is a surfer with a passion for creating narratives through his craft. And that passion is what not only drives his success but makes it so interesting to experience it along with him.

And after our interview, it’s safe to say I’ll be hopping on the Gravy train.

Gabriella is a Ventnor City resident and graduate of the University of London with an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Her writing is featured in a variety of digital publications ranging from food and beverage to literature to ecotourism.

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November 16, 2023

Linwood business scents: Welcoming the aroma of flowers and coffee

Business Buzz

By Rich Baehrle

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he former Fischer Flowers building at 2322 Shore Road has been rescued.

After months of potential prospects, finally the best candidate has come forward: Roula Hanna.

Hanna is not new to the building.

She was the floral designer for Fischer’s for more than five years. Now she is coming back as the owner of her own business, Hanna Flowers.

It is always fantastic to see an employee turn into an entrepreneur.

It’s one thing to work in a business, but now we will see a wonderful person blossom into an owner with full responsibility for every aspect of the business.

Roula has been recognized for

over 14 years for her outstanding master skills in both silk and fresh designs. She will share her passion to serve the community with her commitment to the fine art of the floral business. Seeing her work, I have all the confidence that she will succeed.

Roula will offer everything from simple daily flower specials for those who want to surprise their loved ones, to elaborate wedding, funeral and special event designs. Keep an eye on the target opening, which is expected to be on Dec. 1. You can reach Roula in the meantime at 609-892-6734.

Cornerstone Corporate Center 1201 New Road Linwood welcomes PJ’s Coffee. Owners Wayne and Jean Heaton are retired from the healthcare industry and live in Brigantine.

Wayne is an Army veteran.

During his corporate career he traveled, often finding himself in coffee shops prior to an appointment.

He always admired and appreciated their warm and inviting culture. It was his inspiration to open a coffee shop based on a friendly environment, where coffee meets community and friends.

PJ’s Coffee is a franchise headquartered in New Orleans. Founded

by Phyllis Jordan (PJ), the company’s mission is to create unique coffee blends in small batches. They still only roast small batches to ensure quality.

PJ’s is the originator of the Cold Brew, a brewing process that reduces acidity in the coffee. You will also be able to get something to eat while you are there. The local PJ’s will feature the beignet: a soft, pillowy French pastry with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and breakfast sandwiches and treats. It will include egg bites, ham/ egg/cheese sandwiches, and bacon/ egg/cheese sandwiches. Lunch menu

will include their specialty Cuban sandwich, club, and turkey/Swiss sandwiches.

The opening will be Nov. 20. In the meantime, you can learn more about PJ’s at PJScoffee.com or call 609569-4914.

Remember this holiday season to shop at your local small businesses!

Rich Baehrle, of Berkshire Hathaway Fox and Roach, can be reached at 609-266-6680 or 609-641-0011. Email richardbaehrle@gmail.com or see www.getrichinrealestateSJ.com

November 30, 2023

November 16, 2023

9

Charity League Christmas Mart celebrates 76th season

By Steffen Klenk

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f you’re looking for a unique gift for someone special in your life, you may find it this weekend at the annual Christmas Mart at Greate Bay Country Club in Somers Point. Hosted by the Charity League of Atlantic County, this event began in 1947 and has become a South Jersey tradition spanning generations.

Attendees can expect to find a wide array of handcrafted items, from beautifully made ornaments and decorations to table runners, tree skirts, gourmet cakes, pies, and delicious cookies made by a secret recipe.

The annual event is best known for its limited-edition pins, each one designed and created with a new Christmas theme. They have become

a staple of every Christmas Mart since 1948 and have become keepsakes. The design of each year’s pin is unveiled on the first day of the show.

Additionally, over 21 vendors will be in attendance, including MudGirls Studios, Ventnor 7311, Pine Barrens Post, and Talk of the Walk, among others. The two-day event will also include raffle prizes and a 50/50 drawing.

Judy Dale has been involved with the Charity League of Atlantic County for the past 10 years, having recently served as president of the organization.

Dale says its active members prepare for the Christmas Mart all throughout the year. “On Mondays, we meet and work on the Christmas ornaments in sequence, and Wednesdays we work on putting the pins together exclusively.”

Proceeds from the Christmas Mart will support local Atlantic County organizations in need, including the Atlantic County Day Nursery, The Donny Fund, Avanzar (formerly known as the Women’s Center), Covenant House of Atlantic City, and the Family Service Association.

Each year, the Charity League raises over $100,000 through the sale of its pins, handcrafted items, and special events.

The Charity League of Atlantic County was founded in 1932 by Clara Reeve Endicott as the Junior Committee of the Atlantic City Day Nurs-

ery and consisted of local women who donated their time to the nursery.

Three years later, the Charity League was incorporated, and volunteer efforts were increased throughout the area. The organization is comprised of 50 active and associate members, with active members volunteering over 200 hours per year.

Last year's Christmas pin on display The 76th Annual Christmas Mart will be held Friday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Greate Bay Country Club, 901 Somers Point-Mays Landing Road. For additional information, visit www.charityleague-ac. com or follow The Charity League of Atlantic County on Facebook.

Photos provided by Charity League of Atlantic County Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.

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November 16, 2023

Warm up your soul with a beautiful bowl of butternut squash soup 11/17/23 thru 11/23/23

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Let It Grow

By Tammy Thornton

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fter a cold day, soup simmering on the stove offers instant comfort. The anticipation of cozying up to that steamy bowl of goodness gives you hope that everything is going to be okay. When you drink in that warm liquid, you’ll feel like it’s reaching down to your toes and into your soul … and life is good.

In fall, it’s fun to lean into the season and choose foods that take advantage of the bounty of the harvest.

Butternut squash are easy to grow from seed and can yield five to six fruits per plant. They can be planted after the last spring frost in a sunny location with rich, well-drained soil.

But this is no crop for the impatient gardener. Depending on the variety, butternut squash can take 110 days to mature from seed. Once harvested, you can cure them for one to two weeks. If properly cured, butternut squash can be stored in a cool dark place for months. So if you are counting backwards, you had to be thinking about this warm bowl of soup back in May or June.

Winter squash have a thick skin, which helps preserve them when stored in a cool place. Unlike summer squash, which have a thinner skin and a shorter shelf life, winter squash are harvested and eaten after the seeds have fully matured and the skin is hard enough that it can’t be pierced with your fingernail. When harvesting, keep a few inches of stem on your butternut squash. This will help keep bacteria from entering your squash, which will preserve it longer.

Because of the thick rind of winter squash, they are difficult to cut and peel. If you didn’t grow your own squash, you may opt for a shortcut when making butternut squash soup.

Purchasing two containers of prepeeled, pre-cut butternut squash will make this soup come together in a breeze. I won’t tell if you don’t grow the squash yourself.

You can make this soup with chicken broth or use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian. A little heavy cream added at the end will add a nice soft creamy consistency to your soup,

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November 16, 2023

but don’t add too much. The beautiful color is part of its allure and too much cream will diminish its brightness. Alternatively, give each bowl an artistic swirl of cream. Use coconut milk for a vegan option.

This is a “loose” recipe. These are suggestions that are very adaptable.

This soup comes together easily and is fairly forgiving. Add or subtract ingredients to your liking. Use fresh herbs whenever possible but substitute dried as needed. Before you start, mix up a small bowl of poultry seasoning. Some of this will be added to your soup and the remainder will be a tasty garnishment. Combine approximately two teaspoons of fresh sage leaves and one teaspoon of rosemary, both finely cut (kitchen scissors make this much easier). Add one teaspoon each of thyme and marjoram. Next, add a half teaspoon of nutmeg and half a teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir everything together and set the mixture aside.

Time to make the soup: Melt four tablespoons of butter (or 2 tablespoons of vegan butter) with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add one small, sliced yellow onion, and cook for about one minute, add three 20-ounce containers of cubed butternut squash (or about two to three medium-sized butternut squash). Cook the squash and onions for about five minutes.

Add one to two cloves of minced

garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Don’t let your garlic burn. If the mixture is getting too dry, add a small amount of the broth. Stir in one tablespoon of your herb mixture, then add one 32-ounce box of vegetable or chicken broth, ½ to one teaspoon salt, and a ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper.

Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. Skim the foam that rises to the top as it cooks.

When squash is fork tender, remove soup from heat and allow to cool slightly. Working in batches, purée soup in a blender or use an immersion blender. Process until smooth. Return soup to pot and add one cup of heavy cream or coconut milk. Reheat as needed but don’t boil soup.

While your soup is cooking, add a few more ingredients to your herb mixture. This will now serve as your soup topper. Not only will it look pretty, but this will add a little bit of crunch and flavor to your soup. Add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley, and one tablespoon of pepita seeds to your remaining bowl of herbs. When you are ready to serve your soup, add a swirl of cream or coconut milk, then top with a teaspoon of your herb mixture, including the extra ingredients. Serve with a nice crusty slice of fresh bread. Sit back and enjoy this beautiful bowl of fall goodness.

We would love to hear from our readers. What’s your favorite fall soup? Send your questions and comments to: shorelocalgardener@gmail. com.

Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.

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November 16, 2023

13

Somers Point Mayor Jack Glasser honored at Veterans Day Service

By Steffen Klenk

O

“Jack Glasser has brought honor and pride to the community and to the citizens of the State of New Jersey and the United States of America,” the proclamation reads.

This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Larry Lemieux, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and longtime Somers Point resident. Lemieux opened his speech by honoring the mayor for his devotion to

n Veterans Day 2023, the Somers Point community gathered at Patriots Park to honor all past and present military personnel for their service to our nation. The ceremony was filled with songs and speeches from local community leaders. “For every veteran that is here today, thank you for your service to our great country,” says Somers Point Mayor Jack Glasser. “Of all the dignitaries that are here, you are the most important.”

This Veterans Day service was made particularly special to Mayor Glasser, who is set to retire from office at the end of the year. He served in the U.S. Air Force and retired as master sergeant of the New Jersey Air National Guard with 24 years of service. He also served 25 years as a Northfield police officer retiring as captain.

Today, Glasser runs security Mayor Glasser with students from Mainland Regional at Atlantic County Institute of High School Technology in Mays Landing and has led the Somers Point comservice, presenting Glasser with a munity for 16 years. plaque from American Legion Post At the beginning of the ceremony, 352, VFW Post 2159, AMVETS, and Atlantic County Clerk Joe Giralo prethe Legion Riders. “You have served sented the mayor with a proclamation your entire life to your community from Congressman Jeff Van Drew. and to your country. Well done sir.”

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To all of us here today that are veterans, thank you for your service.”

Dr. Lemieux notes that while less than one-half of 1% of the U.S. population have served in the Armed Forces, the needs of veterans are no different than ordinary citizens. “We need a roof over our heads and a place to call home. We need food on our table, and we need quality health care.”

Many veterans returning home often struggle in getMayor Jack Glasser receiving a special recognition ting the care and services from Tom Innocente, representing AMVETS they deserve. Lemieux says Members of the American Vetveterans should have the ability to erans (AMVETS) Post 911 were alseek employment, health insurance, so on-hand for a special presentaand housing. “We are 1% of the countion, enrolling the long time Mayor try’s population. We should all be as an Associate Member of their given the equivalent of 100% disabled submarine veterans’ organization. veterans benefits.”

Members of the American Legion “Jack, you’ve always been a veterans veteran,” says Tom Innocente.

Riders made an appearance at Sat“Anytime we’ve ever come to you urday’s service, along with the Atlanfor assistance, you’ve been there tic County Institute of Technology one hundred percent.” The group JROTC cadets. Renditions of the Nahas led efforts in building a U.S. tional Anthem and God Bless America Navy torpedo memorial adjacent were performed by Pat Moshetta. to Somers Point VFW, along with a Dignitaries in attendance included monument to Medal of Honor recipiAtlantic County Veterans Service ent Oscar Schmidt Jr. Officer Bob Frolow, Commissioner Mayor Glasser recognized this kind Maureen Kern, members of Somers gesture. “This is all for the veterans.

Point City Council, and Mayor-elect We all did our service to our country.

Dennis Tapp.

November 16, 2023

REAL BIG TRAINS! REAL BIG FUN! Join us….for the 28th season of the Seashore Lines SANTA EXPRESS!

Ride the Seashore Lines on a comfortable and fun train ride with Santa Claus, as Santa and his helpers visit with children (young and older!) on board The Santa Express!

The Santa Express will operate every weekend and select weekday evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Trains depart from conveniently located stations in Richland and Tuckahoe.

Come see why so many folks have made the Seashore Lines Santa Express trains part of their Christmas traditions....perhaps you'll start one of your own!

For information and to purchase tickets, visit:

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Charity League’s 76th Annual Christmas Mart

▶Fri. Nov. 17, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Sat. Nov. 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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Greate Bay Country Club Somers Point Hosted by the Charity League of Atlantic County. Get a first glimpse of their limited edition Christmas pin, visit and take photos with Santa, and pick up some wonderful gourmet food items made by their members. There will be a variety of shops with many wonderful gift ideas for the holiday season. Elevator available. The Park Room and Pub & Grill will be open. Additional details are available at http://charityleague-ac. com.

Cape Atlantic Model Railroad Display

▶Thu. Nov. 16 – Sun. Nov. 19, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

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▶Fri. Nov. 17 – Sun. Nov. 19, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

5075 Spruce Ave. Egg Harbor Township Stop at Reed’s Farm throughout the weekend for their market and pop-up. A full list of vendors can be found at www.reedsorganicfarm.org/ events.

Horse & Carriage Rides

▶Sat. Nov. 18 & Sun. Nov. 19, 12 – 3 p.m.

6th St. & Asbury Ave., Ocean City For more information, visit www. oceancityvacation.com.

Thursday, November 16 Open Mic at Ventnor Coffee

▶6:30 – 9 p.m.

108 N. Dorset Ave. Ventnor Ventnor Coffee hosts Open Mic every Thursday. Come early to sign up. Bring your songs, poetry, and jokes. Singer songwriter Pete Glaze will perform from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Somers Point Poetry Society

▶6 p.m.

Somers Point Senior Center 22 N. Ambler Rd. This is not just for poetry writers, but for anyone interested in poetry.

Open to the surrounding communities of Somers Point. For more information, go to visitsomerspoint.com and click on Events or contact Erin at haikuclubnj@yahoo.com to register.

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McNaughton’s 331 New Rd. Somers Point For more information, find Cape Atlantic Model Railroad on Facebook or email capeatlanticmodelrailroad@ gmail.com.

OCHS Drama Guild presents Robin Hood

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Saturday, November 18 Earlier than the Bird Downtown Shopping Extravaganza

▶8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Downtown Asbury Ave. Ocean City Get out earlier than the bird and jump start your holiday shopping the weekend before Thanksgiving. Shop in your pajamas for early bird shopping specials. For more information, visit www.oceancityvacation.com.

Brigantine’s Attitude of Gratitude Farmers Market

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Brigantine Community School Roosevelt and Sheridan Ave. Give thanks, buy goodies for your feast, and start your holiday shopping with the Brigantine Farmers Market.

Additional information is available at www.facebook.com/brigantinefarmersmarket.

Margate Community Fall Farmers Market

▶10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Steve and Cookie’s by the Bay 9700 Amherst Ave. Join dozens of vendors inside Steve and Cookie’s as the holiday shopping season gets underway.

Visit www.margatehasmore.com for additional information.

Photography Course

▶10 – 11:30 a.m.

Somers Point Senior Center 22 N. Ambler Rd.

Photo by Steffen The Somers Point Arts Commission is offering a Free 3-session Photography Course: “Think Like a Photographer.” Anyone 18 and over is welcome, regardless of level of skill or photographic equipment. Bring any camera make or cell phone camera.

Registration is required by e-mailing Dan Myers at danmyersphoto@gmail. com. Please include your name, age, e-mail and phone number.

The Little Mermen

▶2 p.m.

Stockton PAC 101 Vera King Ferris Drive. Galloway Get out your Disney costumes for a family fun afternoon. This band’s repertoire covers nearly a century of musical canon, including favorites from The Little Mermaid, Mary Pop-

pins, Frozen, and Encanto. Please visit www.stockton.edu/pac to reserve your seat.

Flanders Hotel Centennial Celebration

▶4 – 9 p.m.

719 E. 11th St. Ocean City Join Flanders Hotel for an extraordinary evening commemorating the 100th anniversary of this beloved establishment. As you arrive, be greeted by a mesmerizing sight of antique cars adorning 11th Street, accompanied by our impeccably dressed doormen stationed at the entrance. Our skilled butlers will serve delectable hors d’oeuvres, while carving stations present the

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juiciest cuts of meat. Treat yourself to an abundance of fresh seafood at the raw bar, perfectly complimented by a refreshing beverage. Immerse yourself in captivating entertainment by harpist Ms. Stephanie Sussmeier and prepare to be enthralled by the renowned Ocean City Pops. Tickets and information at www.theflandershotel.com/celebrate100.

Designer Bag Bingo

▶7 p.m.

GROOMING 7 DAYS A WEEK

719 E. 11th St. Ocean City Join Flanders Hotel for their final High Tea of the year, featuring a three-course menu with assortment of tea, sandwiches, and desserts, musical accompaniment, and special centennial keepsake. Reserve your seat by calling (609) 399-1000 x.7889 or visit www.flandershotel. com.

Tuesday, November 21 Tuesday Movie Night: Barbie

Somers Point VFW 500 Bethel Rd. The evening will include twelve games of bingo, special additional games, a raffle, and 50/50. Light refreshments available for purchase; outside food and beverages permitted. Proceeds benefit Somers Point Historical Society. For tickets, email somerspthistory@gmail.com or call (609) 467-3034. Must be 18 years of age to attend. All ticket sales are final.

▶6 – 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 19

1735 Simpson Ave. For children 6 – 11 years in the Children’s Activity Room. This Tuesday is Game Night: play fun games with friends.

Somers Point Dance Society

American Red Cross Blood Drive

▶8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Howard Stainton Senior Center 1735 Simpson Ave. Ocean City Please call (800) 733-2767 or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter “Ocean City” to schedule an appointment.

Flanders Centennial High Tea

▶2 – 4 p.m.

Longport Public Library 2305 Atlantic Ave. Sit back and enjoy a bag of popcorn while watching Barbie, a movie about a girl who goes from a life in plastic to living in the real world.

Please call (609) 487-7403 to register or learn more.

Family Night at Ocean City Library

▶6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

▶7:30 – 10:30 p.m.

Somers Point Fire Co. #1 447 Bethel Rd. Come out to Somers Point Fire Co. #1 every Tuesday for social dancing,

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line dances, dance mixers, and more.

Light snacks included in admission. $10 live musical duo each week. Call Rita Voli at (609) 408-3619 for information.

Wednesday, November 22 Somers Point Pinochle Club

▶6 – 8:30 p.m.

Somers Point Senior Center 22 N. Ambler Rd. All are welcome to attend. For more information, go to visitsomerspoint.com and click on Events.

Thursday, November 23 Annual Fast & Furriest 5k Turkey Trot

▶8:30 a.m.

Ocean City Music Pier Sponsored by the Humane Society of Ocean City. Online registration open through Nov. 19. In-person registration opens at 7 a.m. at the Music Pier. The 5k Run and Walk will start at 8:30, followed by the 1 Mile Kids Fun Run at the conclusion of the Run and Walk. For more information, call (609) 398-9500 ext. 4 or visit hsocnj. org.

Mainland 2nd Annual Turkey Trot

▶8:30 a.m.

Mainland Regional High School 1301 Oak Ave. Linwood Join the MRHS Education Foundation and After Prom Committee for a fun morning of competition among family, friends, and alumni. The 5k Run and Walk and 1 Mile Kid’s Fun Run will start at 8:30. New this year is a Best Costume Award. Prizes will be awarded to the best adult and best child costume. Race day registration and packet pick-up begins at 7:30 a.m. Pre-registration is open now at www.runsignup.com. Click on “Find a Race” and search for “Mainland.”

Friday, November 24 Christmas in the Downtown

▶2 – 5 p.m.

Downtown Asbury Ave., Ocean City Our Miracle on Asbury Avenue.

Join the merchants and Chamber in kicking off an old-fashioned Downtown Christmas. And at 5 p.m., gather at City Hall for the arrival of Santa and Tree Lighting. For more information, visit www.oceancityvacation.com.

Saturday, November 25 EHT Nature Reserve Turkey Trot

▶8:30 a.m.

317 Zion Rd. Join the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve for a unique event as you take in the beauty and challenge of sandy beaches and wooded trails while working off your turkey feast.

The 10th Annual Turkey Trot 5k Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk starts at 9 a.m.

Registration opens at 8 a.m. Advance

November 16, 2023

registration is open at runsignup.com or at the Events page at www.ehtgov. org. For more information, contact Jerry at (862) 432-3526 or js1334v@ gmail.com.

Margate’s Spectacular Shop Small Extravaganza

▶12 p.m.

Coolidge Ave. to Bocca 7805 Ventnor Ave. Join Margate’s business and restaurant districts in celebrating Small Business Saturday. Santa’s lifeguard boat will travel in a parade from Coolidge Ave. up the length of Ventnor Ave., escorted by the Margate City Police and Fire Departments, to Bocca on Essex Ave. The parade will be led by Miss New Jersey 2023, Northfield’s own Victoria Mozitis, and Leslie’s Dance Studio, who will perform in front of Bocca. Crafts, contests, and activities will follow in and outside of the restaurant. Visit www.margatehasmore.com for additional information.

Bus Trips

Holiday at Peddler’s Village

▶Sun. Dec. 3

EHT Recreation is traveling to Peddler’s Village in Bucks County, PA. $60 per person. The bus will depart from the EHT Community Center at 9 a.m., departing Peddler’s Village at 6 p.m. Register at www.ehtrec.com or in-person at the recreation office, 5045 English Creek Ave., between 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Trip to New York City

▶Sat. Dec. 9 & Sat. Dec. 16

EHT Recreation hosts a bus trip to New York City. Explore the city that never sleeps during the holiday season. Bus departs from the EHT Community Center at 8 a.m. and departs New York City at 7 p.m. Register at www.ehtrec.com or in-person at the

recreation office, 5045 English Creek Ave., between 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Health and Wellness Dementia Support Group

▶Wed. Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m.

6009 Paul and Thelma Lane, Mays Landing Held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1:30 – 3 p.m.

Call Diane Conover at (609) 4026966 for more information.

NAMI Connections and Family Support Groups

▶Mon. Dec. 11, 7 p.m.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 606 Shore Rd. Somers Point NAMI Connection is a recovery support group for adults with a mental health condition. Family Support Group is a support group for adult friends and family members of people with mental health conditions.

For more information and to register, please visit www.namiacm.org, or call (609) 741-5125. NAMI ACM is a non-profit 501C(3) corporation.

Meetings for Family Members of Individuals Affected by Mental Illness and/or Substance Use Disorder

▶Thu. Dec. 14, 10:30 a.m.

This is a workshop-style meeting among peers with a new topic each month. Meetings include a presentation segment and an open discussion component. Daytime meetings are 10:30 a.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, evening meetings are held the third Thursday at 7pm. Call (609) 517-8614 for more information on how to participate.

Do you have an upcoming event?

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November 16, 2023

19

Deep-fried turkey and other holiday disasters

By Julia Stacey

T

hanksgiving and Christmas will soon be here and we’re looking forward to our extended families getting together for traditional holiday festivities. I imagine the holiday table festooned with fancy china, silver, and glassware atop a holiday-patterned linen tablecloth. Serving dishes of steaming hot stuffing, yams, vegetable casseroles, and gravy crowd the center of the table. A hush befalls the family as a perfectly roasted turkey is placed on the table in front of the patriarch who applies his expert skills to carving and serving the bird.

This magical moment pictured in my mind lived many decades ago (or may never have happened at all). The next generation of holiday hosting has adopted buffet-style serving and throwaway dishes and utensils. We’ve gone so far as to bring our own wine glasses or give a set as a gift, just so we don’t have to drink fine wine out of plastic cups.

My mother-in-law regularly cooked for a family of seven with an occasional live-in grandparent, so she was well-acclimated to feeding a hungry horde. The fact that she’s

been roasting holiday turkeys for almost 70 years is a feat in itself.

When she moved to a smaller home, the Thanksgiving gathering moved to our brother-in-law’s house located nearby. For reasons unknown to the rational mind, it was decided that Mother-in-law would continue to cook the meal in her kitchen and, with help from offspring, transport it to Brother-in-law’s place.

We arrive by car from out of state at about lunchtime to find our 90-year-old caterer working in high gear. An oversized turkey is roasting in an under-sized pan, casserole dishes of vegetables line the countertop, and Sister-in-law has made a beautiful tray of deviled eggs. Years of experience in the kitchen have paid off and the chefs have truly outdone themselves. Not until it’s time to deliver the food that we begin to see the wrinkle in the plan.

Hot pots and pans overflowing with gooey sauces and gravy now need to be loaded into the cars for the trip to Brother-in-law’s house and no one has thought to bring bins or boxes. Mother-in-law tries to be helpful by retrieving a 30-year-old Macy’s shirt box from her bedroom.

I try to stay out of the fray and let

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the alphas duke it out, but I had to speak up when the 26-pound turkey, sitting in 2 inches of drippings in a 3-inch-deep pan is about to be loaded into the back of my SUV. Husband to the rescue locates some large boxes and plastic bags from the garage and readies the turkey for safe transport.

While the food couriers are distractedly fussing over the pots and pans in the kitchen, a helpful family member has taken a tray of deviled eggs out to the garage.

Realizing that the car is locked, and he doesn’t have a key, he places the tray on top of the sloped car trunk and returns to the kitchen completely unaware that he has set a food tragedy in motion. The tray slowly slides off the edge of the trunk and the deviled eggs fall to the cement floor like lemmings diving off a cliff. Seeing all those hand-crafted beauties lying broken and dirty on the garage floor is a holiday food nightmare come to life.

Having finished our task of transporting the food to Brother-in-law’s house, it’s time to relax with a glass of wine. California Brother-in-law has brought a special Napa wine from the Rutherford appellation for us to taste. A prestigious winemaker of Rutherford, Andre Tchelistcheff, coined the term “Rutherford dust” meaning certain characteristics of the terroir create specific aromas and flavors in the wine, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. We’re all excited to experience “Rutherford dust”

for ourselves. As we gather around the bar in the den, we find a variety of plastic cups readily available but no wine glasses. It seems a shame to drink this special and expensive wine that has traveled all the way from California in a plastic cup. More searching underneath the bar yields a few nice big-bowled red wine glasses.

As California Brother-in-law takes a glass and begins to pour, I notice

that the glass is very dusty, having not been used in a long while. Stop pouring! We need to rinse the glasses first! The small amount of wine mixed with dust is officially dubbed “Long Island dust”.

While Thanksgiving is hosted by our Long Island brother-in-law, featuring Mom’s turkey, our Westchester brother-in-law has his own ideas for the Christmas turkey. I’m not exactly sure how I first heard of such a thing as deep-fried turkey. It may have been from our family’s contingent of southern in-laws or maybe on a cooking show. Somehow, Westchester

↘Continued on 22 November 16, 2023

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↘Continued from 20 brother-in-law tasted it and became hooked. The very next time he hosted Christmas presented him with the opportunity to try to convert us to worshipers of deep-fried bird.

The first tool needed for making a deep-fried turkey is a fryer that’s large enough for a 25-pound turkey.

Armed with an ice-cold turkey and plenty of cooking oil, Brother-in-law heads outside to the patio where the fryer is set up for cooking. Place the turkey in the fryer, cover with oil, party with guests for three hours, and presto, deep-fried turkey. Or not.

If you have a bit of cooking experience, you’re probably wondering if I forgot to mention heating the oil to temperature before dropping in the bird. I didn’t, and he didn’t, and dinner was a few hours late. Deepfried turkey lesson number one: heat the cooking oil before placing the bird

in the fryer.

The following holiday, Brother-inlaw is reminded to heat the cooking oil before dropping the turkey in it.

The fryer is filled to the brim with oil, and as the turkey is placed into the hot oil, it begins overflowing the fryer. Deep-fried turkey lesson number two: account for displacement.

With two deep-fried turkey semi-disasters under his belt, Brother-in-law is confident that the third time will be a charm. The oil is measured for displacement and pre-heated, and while the turkey cooks on autopilot, the merriment begins. Many bottles of wine and many karaoke songs later, the neglected turkey has been fried into oblivion resulting in great gift ideas for Brother-in-law: a thermometer and a timer.

For turkey attempt number four, cooking oil was poured into the fryer for heating. An hour later, it was discovered that all the oil had leaked out because the stopper on the bottom had not been reset after the last cleaning. Being that it was a holiday and most of the stores were closed, my husband was the unlucky “volunteer” who had to go out to buy eight small bottles of oil at a convenience store. Deep-fried turkey lesson number four: check the stopper on the fryer.

By now you’re probably asking why Brother-in-law hasn’t given up on the deep-fried turkey idea, but the failures and mishaps have only strengthened his resolve. It was something in the man that responded to the challenge of cooking the

perfect turkey that was driving him to conquer, to achieve, and to win!

This Christmas Eve will be the year of the fried bird! Things were going fairly well for turkey number five until someone inadvertently kicked the power cord out of the fryer.

Each year after the holidays, Brother-in-law writes a few personal notes about the season’s events on a piece of paper that he stows away with the Christmas decorations. As he took out the paper to add a few notes for this year, he read what he had written last year…

Don’t cook a fried turkey.

22

November 16, 2023

Racing To Feed the hungry this Thanksgiving Celebrity Chef Andre Murphy, founder of Healing For The Soul, has kickstarted Racing To Feed, a campaign aimed at swiftly delivering meals to those in need over the Thanksgiving holiday.

This Thanksgiving week, Chef Murphy and his team plan to provide sustenance for over 1,000 individuals facing food insecurity. ● Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the Village at St. Peter’s Senior Housing in Pleasantville, where they aim to serve about 100 seniors a pre-Thanksgiving meal.

November 16, 2023

On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23, the team will be Racing To Feed 200 residents at The Community Center in Stanley Homes Village in Atlantic City, offering a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings from noon to 3 p.m. ● Nov. 26, by Racing To Feed over 300 residents at the Teacher’s Union Hall (Atlantic County Education Association) in Egg Harbor City.

Healing For The Soul, a nonprofit organization, has made a significant impact, having served over 21,000 ●

people in need since the onset of COVID. A substantial portion of their clients, 13,000 individuals, are se-

niors, with an additional 3,000 first responders also benefiting.

Chef Murphy, founder of Healing For The Soul in Atlantic City, and owner of Murphy’s Chicken N Potatoes, created Racing To Feed to focus on struggling areas dealing with food insecurity. He also introduced a new food distribution center in Pleasantville that can create ongoing feeding opportunities.

To support the cause and learn about other programs to help the needy, the public is encouraged to check out www.RacingToFeed.org/.

23

Local paramedic publishes book of pandemic-inspired portraits

By Julia Train

“At the start of COVID, there [were] a lot of people who were unsure of what was going on… and I wanted to give a bird's eye view of what it's like to be on the front line,” said Kate Bergen, a paramedic and artist.

Bergen always used art as a form of catharsis. She started creating at 3 years old and taught herself how to paint when she was 18.

During the pandemic, she was inspired to use her stress to create art with a deeper meaning. Her first painting was of herself. She drew inspiration from Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter” and James Montgomery Flagg’s “Uncle Sam.”

24

Bergen, a native of Absecon who now lives in Strafford Township, used some elements of the two famous symbols in her own art piece, which urged people to stay home.

When asked why she chose Rosie, she said, “I felt like we were at war.

I felt like I was getting up getting dressed for a war we knew nothing about every day… I felt like I needed a PSA for the public. Like we will do our job if you can stay home. I had seen that somewhere. And I really liked it and it sort of made me think of a call to action, which made me think of Rosie the Riveter.”

After starting this series, Bergen was surprised to learn that not everyone knows who Rosie the Riveter is.

During World War II, Rosie was a symbol for women in the workforce.

Women who worked to produce war material during this time called themselves "Rosies."

“Instead of a call to action like Rosie the Riveter was, it was a call for inaction,” Bergen said. From there, she shared the painting with others in the community, who had a positive reaction.

With two children under 3 years old and a husband working in the COVID ICU five days a week for 12 hours, and worrying about bringing the virus home, Bergen’s mental state deteriorated. She decided to begin talking to others about how she felt being on the frontlines during a pandemic, including a friend who’s an ER nurse.

Bergen’s friend, Kate Bergen who’s Asian, told her that she had patients who were more scared of her because of her race than the disease itself.

“I was upset for her because here she is on the front lines with us, trying to help people and that's how she was treated or how it was assumed. So I painted her,” Bergan said.

She went on to paint 50 women, who were all essential workers, and it turned into a series, which eventually turned into a book.

One of the subjects featured in her book was an actual riveter during the war who worked on planes. During the pandemic, she started making masks for the public for free.

Other women in her book include a funeral director, a teacher, a stay-athome mom, a therapist, an environmental services worker and a trucker.

Through the process, she learned that others in the same position felt similarly, but had different coping

mechanisms. While some people drank, others exercised or kept their focus on work.

“I didn't realize that anyone else was really struggling the way that I was struggling until I started speaking to these women.

So it really became a beautiful project,” Bergen said. “It really blossomed into something that I couldn't have predicted, but it just grew organically.

It's something that has just been really really special and continues to be special” She would have her subjects dress up in their equipment related to their profession, and she’d take a photo to reference while painting, which took around six hours for one portrait.

After three years of painting portraits for this series, Bergen published a book in September and continues to expand her subjects to other professions or origin stories.

“This book really turned into an enlightening project that showed me the lack of mental health resources that women in healthcare reach out for… People in healthcare, and especially women are used to shouldering so much more of the burden of our daily lives or just shouldering this burden and not seeking help,” she said.

November 16, 2023

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Atlantic City’s million dollar memories

By Bruce Klauber

A

tlantic City’s Million Dollar Pier is recalled for the many things it used to be. It used to be an amusement pier. It used to be the Ocean One Mall. It used to be The Pier Shops at Caesars. It used to be the Playground Pier and currently is ACXI Studios, a planned combination of retail space, educational space and film industry production space.

History shows that there has been something on the pier that fronts the Boardwalk at Arkansas Avenue, and once jutted out some 1,900 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, since it opened in July of 1906. Captain John Young, who built what is now known as Central Pier in 1891, partnered with a Philadelphia builder named Kennedy Crossan to build a new structure which Young described as “a new pier that would cost a million dollars.” And

so, Million Dollar Pier was born.

At one point it had a 4,000-seat theater, exhibit halls, roller rink, aquarium and a Greek temple. Two years later Young began living in a mansion he built at the end of the pier with the address of No. 1 Atlantic Ocean.

Despite hosting early Miss America Pageants, circuses, movies, vaudeville acts and big bands, the pier struggled, declaring bankruptcy in 1936. In that year George Hamid, who would buy the rival Steel Pier in 1945, came to the rescue.

Renamed Hamid’s Million Dollar Pier, Hamid streamlined and modernized it. The revamped attraction featured big bands of the day including those led by Mal Hallett, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and Jimmy Dorsey, just as he did at the Steel Pier. Hamid ran Million Dollar Pier until 1948. After that it was never the same.

Next a New York Company headed

by George Costello took over operations. He experimented with various admission policies ranging from a one price admission to per-ride payment, and in general, ran the place down until he was evicted. In 1949 a fire destroyed 300 feet at the end of the pier and that was the end of the

ballroom, the skating rink and the aquarium.

From 1950 on, Million Dollar Pier was basically an amusement pier. In 1960, Hurricane Donna destroyed another 50 feet of the pier and it limped along as a shadow of its former self until it was demolished in October of 1981 to make room for what would be known as the Kravco Company’s Ocean One Mall.

As sad as the story of Million Dollar Pier sounds, thousands of people, including me, have fond memories of the place when we were youngsters in the 1950s and 1960s. While Steel Pier also had its share of unique attractions, Million Dollar Pier, and the much smaller Steeplechase Pier, were the only true amusement piers

in Atlantic City.

The Orient Express, located just outside of what was named “The Italian Village,” was an innovative and popular “dark ride” for its time and featured rows and rows of vintage pinball machines.

It was a popular hangout and was always mobbed.

By 1970, Atlantic City was at its ebb economically and otherwise.

I spent the weekend of July 4 in Atlantic City that year, hoping to recapture old memories and maybe make some new ones. But the experience was depressing and the Million Dollar Pier was almost deserted, save for a hardy few who lined up for a sad carnival act called “The Gorilla Woman.” That’s the one where a beautiful woman in a cage is hypnotized, slowly turns into what is supposed to be a gorilla, then escapes the cage and runs out to scare the audience. The act still runs in traveling carnival sideshows.

Atlantic City, as we know very well by now, continues to reinvent itself.

The post-1981 history of what was once the Million Dollar Pier is indicative of that reinvention. The site became the Ocean One Mall and it was good, honky-tonk fun – but nothing more and nothing less.

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With around 125 stores, a theater, competitively-priced restaurants, mini golf and other attractions, it was a mecca for tourists that some say should have never been changed. But in 2006 an outfit called Gordon Group Holdings sold the city and Caesars on the idea of a mall devoted to upscale retailers and top-end restaurants. Eventually called The Pier Shops at Caesars, it proved to be an idea that was instituted at the wrong time and in the wrong place. A year after its opening, the property was sold, and in 2010 was sold again.

Still, many of those who visited during the time The Pier Shops were in operation thought it was a great mix of fine stores and fine dining, often giving restaurateur Stephen Starr’s Buddakan and The Continental restaurants high points and darned good reasons to visit.

Developer and entrepreneur Bart Blatstein continues to have high hopes for Atlantic City, with one of his goals being to make Atlantic City a year-round destination. He revitalized the Showboat as a non-casino hotel by hosting spectacular events, opening the Island Water Park and installing the Lucky Snake Arcade and Sports Bar. However, in 2015 his idea to trans-

Elisa Jo Eagan

form The Pier Shops at Caesars into something called The Playground might have been a concept ahead of its time. Blatstein bought The Pier Shops from Caesars for a reported $2.7 million – a mere pittance – and was said to have invested $52 million into renovations. Blatstein’s idea, which worked for a short while, was to open a number of clubs with live entertainment, upscale retail stores and gourmet restaurants.

By 2019, only 10 stores were still operating. A year later, he sold it back to Caesars. Those who have visited the pier over the last several years couldn’t help but notice that only a handful of stores were still operating.

Lack of parking and apparent public disinterest in what was operating were among the factors that killed it.

The story, however, is not over. As reported in the pages of Shore Local

Newsmagazine and elsewhere, on Sept. 14 of this year the pier reopened as ACX1 Studios, which will eventually be, according to its new owners, “a combination of retail, restaurants, entertainment, educational space and music and film industry production space.” By way of the motion picture and television production possibilities, ACX1 executives have their sights set on making Atlantic City the “Hollywood of the East.”

It sure sounds exciting, and no doubt, Captain John Young would be proud.

Bruce Klauber is the author of four books, an award-winning music journalist, concert and record producer and publicist, producer of the Warner Brothers and Hudson Music "Jazz Legends" film series, and a working jazz drummer and vocalist since childhood. He served as Technical Adviser on the Oscar-winning film, "Whiplash," and on the 2018 Mickey Rourke film, "Tiger." He has been honored by Combs College of Music and Drexel University for his "contributions to music journalism and jazz performance."

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27

Identify your baggage and unpack it!

By Bill Quain

W

elcome to week three of my “Change Your Odds, Imagine the Probabilities” series.

This week’s “Six Words on a Boardwalk Bench” will really help you change the odds in your life. Look, you’ll never even start the race if it is too hard to move. And you’ll never finish any journey if you are too bogged down with useless baggage.

We all pack our own baggage.

During our lifetime, people do hand us a lot to carry. Parents, friends, enemies, teachers – they all make simple, unintended remarks.

Sometimes the remarks are cruel, and sometimes they’re funny, but over time, they add up. If we’re not careful, pretty soon we’ve built a sizable freight load of uncomfortable memories to slow us down — and

maybe even stop us in our tracks.

The fact that we all “pack our own baggage” is both bad and good news.

It’s bad news because we are letting other people take us out of the race.

But it’s good news, because if we packed it, we can unpack it!

Two Big Pieces: Guilt and Fear Look at the woman in the drawing.

She’s carrying around two huge bags: guilt and fear. But that’s just the containers! Let’s look at what might be packed inside.

Guilt: I see my students carrying around this piece of baggage. It is crammed full of guilt trips like “privilege,” “inequality” and “favoritism.”

Those buzzwords are thrown around today to make successful people feel guilty about being successful, in my opinion. I think it takes away the feeling of satisfaction they get when they do something really extraordinary. In today’s victim vs. victimizer culture, no one is exempt from guilt except the people who lay it on others. I’ve seen really good people apologize for their accomplishments, and make statements like “Well, I know I’m privileged, but…” Imagine how hard it is to set and work towards goals when you’re afraid that someone will call you out on them. But guilt isn’t just

a modern piece of baggage. I was raised Irish Catholic. I still look behind me, even to this day, and see that big “guilt” bag.

Fear: Now here’s a bag that is stuffed full of interesting items that just drag you down and hold you back. It’s amazing what people are afraid of. Fear of rejection is common. Fear of public speaking is another common item in that bag. But there are also other fears, like fear of heights, strangers, darkness, etc. that come from almost evolutionary origins. Then there are the irrational fears that can paralyze us but are not real to anyone but us. For a great book on this topic, check out “Mommy There’s a Shark in the Pool!” by Anne Robson Dice and Lydia Anne Dice. It’s a great self-help guide for childhood anxiety.

People are always handing us baggage.

Many years ago, I was running a ten-mile race in New Orleans. I got off to a tremendous start and was catching up to other runners along the course. Just as I pulled up to two guys who beat me in most every race, it started to rain buckets. But I kept up with them until one said to the other, “You know what I hate about

SIX WORDS ON A BOARDWALK BENCH by Bill Quain running in the rain? My shoes get wet, and then it feels like ten-pound weights on each foot.” Well… once he made that statement, it was all I could think about. My great race was over.

I watched them pull away and never caught up with them again.

Folks, we sometimes let others put stuff into our baggage. We hold the bag wide open and watch as they throw items into it. Sometimes, it’s things we never thought of before.

Sometimes it’s an item of fear or guilt that we have forgotten about, but that someone close to us knows about. I don’t know how those two guys knew that I would be prone to their suggestions, but there I was, holding the bag open, and they threw in the one thing I couldn’t get away from.

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Step 1: Get a smaller bag.

Look, you’re never going to get rid of your capacity to carry around guilt and fear. So make your mind up that you are only going to pack a small amount of stuff, and mentally, imagine a smaller guilt and fear bag.

This allows you to put something in there, just so you won’t feel guilty about not feeling guilty, or be afraid that you forgot a fear, and that it will crash down on you just because you got so cocky! I mean… you gotta have something, right?

Step 2: Unpack just one item.

Don’t try to get rid of all those things all at once. Give yourself a break. Remember, you aren’t trying to change your odds completely. You are just increasing the probability that you will succeed. You’ve got a lifetime

of things in those bags. It will take a lifetime to get rid of all of them.

Step 3: Put some wheels on that baggage.

Relax, if you’ve read the first two articles in this series, you’ll know that we aren’t running marathon races, where the finish line is far away from the starting line. You’re going to run short races and get in the habit of winning. When you see just how easy it is to win, suddenly, those bags won’t seem so heavy. Winning puts wheels on your baggage. That’s a six-word story you can take to the bank!

We’re at this week’s finish line.

OK, that’s it for this week. Shoot me an email to bill@quain.com with your “baggage” stories. As I say each week, I’ll see ‘ya in the papers!

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Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.

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What's happening in Ocean City

T

Downtown ‘Earlier Than the Bird’ Celebration Set for Saturday

he early forecast calls for clear skies and mild temperatures on Saturday – ideal conditions to kick off the holiday season along downtown Asbury Avenue. In Ocean City, that means shopping in your pajamas for the Earlier Than the Bird celebration.

The annual downtown shopping extravaganza takes place 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 18 – the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Anybody (pajama-clad or not) can take advantage of early-bird shopping specials at stores on Asbury Avenue between Sixth Street and 14th Street. But free turkeys will be awarded to the best-dressed, and shoppers can text in to win gift certificates and prizes from downtown merchants. Free coffee will be available at Jon & Patty’s (637 Asbury Avenue) and Ocean City Coffee Company (917 Asbury Avenue). Downtown Asbury Avenue will be decorated for the season.

Free horse-and-carriage rides will be available later that day from noon to 3 p.m. The same free service will then be available noon to 3 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 25 through Dec. 23. It’s a chance to ride

downtown the old-fashioned way with boarding at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue.

“Festive Fridays” fun will start on Nov. 24 with Ocean City’s traditional Christmas in the Downtown – “Our Miracle on Asbury Avenue.” This Black Friday event includes shopping, horse-and-carriage rides, street entertainment, carolers, and visits with Santa. The event will culminate around 5 p.m. when Santa Claus will emerge on the rooftop of City Hall.

With the help of an Ocean City Fire Department ladder truck, Santa will descend and help light the Christmas Tree and illuminate City Hall.

Festive Fridays will continue on Dec. 1 with the annual Christmas Parade at 6 p.m. on Asbury Avenue from 6th Street to 11th Street. Festive Fridays will then continue on Dec. 8, 15 and 22 with shopping, carolers, and free horse-and-carriage rides from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Here is a list of other upcoming events: ● Annual Fast & Furriest 5K Turkey Trot (Nov. 23): Down the Boardwalk. Sponsored by the Humane Society of Ocean City. For more

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●

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●

information, call 609398-9500, ext. 4, or visit hsocnj.org.

Holidays with the Ocean City Pops (Nov. 25): Enjoy your favorite holiday songs with the Ocean City Pops. Led by conductor Vince Lee, the Pops will perform classic favorites and modern hits featuring soloist Sara Maimone of Ocean City. 6 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. For tickets, visit OceanCityVacation. com/BoxOffice.

Photos with Santa in Lifeguard Boat (Nov. 25-Dec. 23): Noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Ocean City Music Pier.

Visits with Santa in the Downtown (Nov. 25-Dec. 23): 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Mark Soifer Park, 9th Street and Asbury Avenue.

Train Show (Dec. 2-3): Free admission to model train show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

●

Holiday Festival (Dec. 3): The Ocean City Community Center (1735 Simpson Avenue) will host its annual Holiday Festival 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. The event takes place in the Ocean City Free Public Library’s atrium with holiday crafts, a balloon sculptor, live music, refreshments and a visit from Santa. Crafts and shopping will take place at the adjacent Ocean City Historical Museum.

Hand-made pottery, jewelry, paintings and other unique gifts will be for sale in the adjacent Ocean City Arts Center.

The Godfrey Funeral Homes T

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he holiday’s can be a difϐicult and challenging time if you have lost a loved one.

In an effort to help those who have lost loved one’s during the year we offer the “Thoughts for the Holiday’s” booklet.

Whether we had the privilege of serving your family or not; we would like to offer this booklet to you free of charge.

Stop by any one of our locations to pick up or call and we will send you your free copy.

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Remembering Mayor Joseph G. Champion

Longest mayoral term and prolific city builder

A Look Back

By Fred Miller

J

oseph G. Champion began his political career with a humiliating defeat in the March 1896 election when he received only 32 votes. But he ran again in 1901 and began an unparalleled 26 years as mayor of Ocean City.

Champion was mayor from 1902 to 1907, 1915 to 1931, and 1935 to 1939. He also served several terms as a county freeholder.

An architect and builder, he saw the need to improve the city’s infrastructure: streets and alleys were hard-surfaced; after the devastating fire of 1927, the boardwalk was rebuilt with a fireproof concrete base; and an airport was built.

Under his direction, the Music Pier, the Central Avenue School, and the high

school were built.

Mayor Champion died on Nov. 14, 1948, at the age of 85. Funeral services were held in the First Presbyterian Church, which he built in 1906. Rev. W. Elwell Lake spoke to the mourners saying, “There was really no need for a lengthy eulogy because his monument is all around us — the Boardwalk we walk upon, the Music Pier in which we sit, the excellent drainage of our streets, our fine paved highways and many other improvements.”

Today, we remember Joseph G. Champion as a legendary local of Ocean City.

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31

Veterans Day ceremony at Ocean City Tabernacle

Photos by Donald B Kravitz

O

cean City’s annual Veterans Day ceremony was held Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Ocean City Taberna-

cle. Many came to pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country. The ceremony included music, prayer and remarks from local veterans. This year’s keynote speaker was Connor Clark, an Ocean City High School senior planning to enlist in the U.S. Army after graduation.

He spoke about his decision to serve his country. Following the ceremony, attendees were invited to a luncheon held at American Legion Morvay - Miley - Cruice Post 524 in Ocean City.

Donald B. Kravitz is an Entertainment & Special Events photographer for national publications including Getty Images & Miss America

Join us for the Ocean City Free Public Library & Community Center

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 • 1-3:30 PM Join us for a free holiday celebration featuring: Event kickoff in the Atrium at 1pm Holiday crafts Balloon sculptor Live music Refreshments A visit from Santa (Feel free to bring your letters and lists!)

32

A visit with Mrs. Claus, a reading by local children’s author, crafts, and shopping at the Ocean City Historical Museum Hand-made pottery, jewelry, paintings and other unique gifts in the Ocean City Arts Center’s gallery and gift shop

The Place to be This Winter From best-selling books to workshops, and from online resources to children’s activities, the Ocean City Free Public Library has something for everyone, all season long.

Visit OceanCityLibrary.org for a complete list of events and resources.

LIBRARY HOURS IN-PERSON Mon.-Fri. 9am-9pm Sat. 9am-5pm • Sun. 11am-5pm CURBSIDE PICKUP Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm Sat. 9am-4pm • Sun. 11am-4pm

www.oceancitylibrary.org 1735 Simpson Ave. | (609) 399-2434

November 16, 2023

SHOP LOCAL - EXTENDED STORE HOURS!

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Summer of ’65, Episode 22

Lynda’s Dream

By Bill Kelly

W

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came out of the bathroom, said hello and introduced himself.

“I’m Joe and my band is playing at Tony Marts tonight, if you can come by and cheer us on.” Lynda just replied with a smile as she went into her room to get some things she needed to take to the beach.

Once she got down to the beach Lynda laid down on the blanket the nurses had set out earlier, next to her boyfriend “J.J.,” who was lying there sound asleep, a hard night at the Dunes, so the radio was off as Lynda began talking to the mayor’s daughters on the next blanket over, telling them she had just met their mother.

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hen Lynda VanDevanter finished her 3 a.m.

– 11 a.m. shift at the Emergency Room of Shore Memorial Hospital she broke routine and went home – back to her room at Mrs. Nick’s Rooming House on Wesley Avenue even though she had her bathing suit on under her uniform. She had to get her beach bag.

Running up the steps with the spindle railing, past the “no vacancy” sign she stopped on the porch where Mrs. Nicks was playing bridge with three other ladies, and introduced her to them.

“This is Mrs. Waldman, the mayor’s wife,” she said, “and this is Mrs. Rundgren and Mrs. Croce, who is your friend Jim’s aunt.

Mrs. Rudgren’s son plays guitar and I want him to meet my Stephene. Mrs. Rundgren spoke up, saying her son Todd was complaining about being hassled by the “Noise Police.”

Mrs. Walman said, “My husband was against that, and my daughter too, but the council overruled him.”

Lynda smiled and said hello to them all, and nodded when Mrs. Nicks told her that there were three young men in the room next to her, which made Lynda’s eyes roll as she continued on up the steps, knowing that three guys will be hogging the bathroom the occupants of four rooms shared. And sure enough, as she got to the top of the stairs a young man

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“Earlier than the Bird” Lynda said she has a few confessions to make. When things quieted down, Lynda acknowledged she was a virgin, and the other girls giggled.

Being a good Catholic girl, Lynda said she was proud of it, but was beginning to doubt her faith as she was in love with “J.J.” and the summer was winding to a fast close, and “J.J.” was being recalled by the Army early, so she was reconsidering.

That got the girls laughing softly, so as not to wake “J.J.,” and they only stopped when Lynda interrupted, saying, “And my final confession,” she

waited until everyone was silent, “I enlisted as an Army nurse and volunteered for service in Vietnam.”

“No!” said “J.J.” sitting up, shaking the towel off his face, as he was apparently awake and listening the whole time. “No, don’t go to Vietnam,” he said with visible horror showing on his face. Even though he spent one of his 21 years in Vietnam “J.J.” didn’t talk about it much, and when he asked only replied, “It sucked.”

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↘Continued from 35 Lynda then began reciting some of President Kennedy’s inaugural address, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty....."

But “J.J.” cut her off. “He’s dead.”

Then all went quiet on the 9th Street beach as Lynda put her head down on “J.J.’s stomach and put a beach towel over her eyes and fell fast asleep, exhausted from a long night at the Emergency Room.

When Lynda woke up on a blanket on the 9th Street beach a few hours after she fell asleep the other girls – two nurses and the mayor’s daughters were gone, and her boyfriend “J.J.” was still asleep. She looked around and most of the others on the beach were gone too, as it was late afternoon.

Lynda smiled as she thought about the most wonderful dream she just had. She was walking along a beach, holding hands with “J.J.,” the light surf washing up on their bare feet. It was night, and the sky was full of stars and just a sliver of a moon on the horizon. They stopped walking and kissed as their toes dug into the sand up to their ankles, and she remembers thinking in her sleep that she didn’t want the moment to end as the sound of the lifeguard’s

36

whistle startled her awake.

She looked at “J.J.” asleep beside her on the blanket as he started talking in his sleep, yelling something about “gooks,” and as she shook him he was covered in sweat, he opened his eyes and suddenly jumped on top of her, put one hand on her throat and drew back the other hand as if to smash her face. Then woke up and realized where he was, stopped cold and looked around scared; Lynda was terrified.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Don’t touch me now,” he said. “Just a bad dream.”

Then she thought of the time at the gas station, when the attendant didn’t have any high test gasoline for

his car, and “J.J.” as Lynda herself recalled, “got this wild look in his eyes and acted like he was going to kill the guy. He screamed obscenities, smacked his hand against the dashboard, and then floored the accelerator, leaving a patch of burning rubber and a perplexed pump jockey. He would sometimes come out of his depression with a bang and immediately begin partying like there was no tomorrow.

He could be a wild bronco – unruly, loud and full of fire.

But he was always gentle with me. I was sure I loved him, which was why, after I got the engagement ring, I told him that I was ready to make love with him.”

“J.J.” had been called back to Army duty early, and was leaving the next day for a domestic deployment he

didn’t know where, probably anti-riot duty in some big city where they anticipated trouble like Watts. It was also just before Labor Day, so the entire Jersey Shore was packed with tourists. As Lynda herself related, “As soon as J.J. got over the shock, we began the search for a nice place.

Unfortunately, trying to find an open room at the Jersey Shore a week before Labor Day is about as difficult as locating the Holy Grail. We started in Ocean City at seven o’clock. It was all the same all over – NO VACANCY. By midnight we had tried motels all the way down to Wildwood and the only thing we had to show for it was frustration.”

J.J. wanted to go back to Lynda’s room at Mrs. Nick’s rooming house, or do it under the boardwalk or in the car, but Lynda refused. As she later recalled the details: “We headed back to Anchorage to drown our frustrations in seven beers for a dollar. J.J. had such a sad expression on his face that he looked like a little boy who had just seen his puppy run over by a train. We sat in silence, both of us staring into our beers until around two in the morning. Suddenly, J.J. snapped out of his mood. He grabbed my arm, swung me around on the stool, kissed me and laughed.”

Then the guy next to J.J., who I recognized as being in the band at Bay Shores, interrupted us. “There’s an open room upstairs, ” he said.

“So we walked up the steps to what must have been the all-time sleaziest room in the world. It had boxes piled all around, a dirty mattress without any sheets, and a single exposed light bulb hanging directly over the bed.

Outside the window was a neon sign ‘The Anchorage’ that kept blinking on and off."

The next day, after breakfast at the Point Diner, J.J. left to rejoin his Army unit that was being domestically deployed for anti-riot duty, while Lynda went back to work at the Emergency Room at Shore Memorial Hospital, wearing her bathing suit under her uniform so she could immediately hit the beach after work.

[Author’s Note: Lynda Van Devanter’s recollections from her autobiography “Home Before Morning – The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam” (Beaufort Books, 1983) from the chapter 4 – Dunes ‘til Dawn) To comment on this story or series: Billkelly3@gmail.com

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Entertainment & Dining at the Shore

Whitney’s Weekly Picks The City Pulse with Whitney Ullman

T

here are some really fun happenings coming up so make sure to support your local venues and get your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out on any fun! Oh, and feel free to tag me in your photos and videos.

Who: Sebastian Maniscalco Where: Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, The Event Center

When: Multiple Shows Until Saturday, Nov. 18 Time: Check Website for Times Website: borgata.mgmresorts.com/ en/entertainment/event-center/ sebastian-maniscalco.html The Billboard “Comedian of the Year” Sebastian Maniscalco is back at Borgata for a series of performances which are sure to sell out. Don’t miss your chance to see him live and in person in Atlantic City.

Who: Chicago & Friends Where: Ocean Casino Resort, Ovation Hall When: Friday, Nov. 17 Time: 9 p.m.

Website: https://www.theoceanac. com/entertainment/headliners/chicago-friends-0 Ten-time Grammy-winning rock band Chicago will come to Ovation Hall with 17 special guests including Robin Thicke, Chris Daughtry, Steve Vai and more. Don’t miss out as they celebrate 55 years since their debut album, “Chicago Transit Authority” in Atlantic City.

Who: Old Lady + Ma’am Where: Anchor Rock Club When: Friday, Nov. 17 Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.anchorrockclub.com Experience a night with Old Lady, Ma’am, and Phil Spector’s Gun as they take the stage at Anchor Rock Club. Plus, shop various vendors and listen to Spliff Mountain DJs spinning throughout the evening.

Who: Comedy Night at VFW Post 2189 Where: 500 Bethel Road in Somers Point When: Friday, Nov. 17 Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.eventbrite.com Comedy Night features Brandon Ficara and friends plus comedians Brian Isley, Andrew Fox, Nichole Spain, Scott Friedman and Trayvon Fulton.

38

Doors open at 7 p.m. Show is at 8 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will go to Outta Bounds Mentorship Group. outtaboundz.org.

Who: Trey Kennedy: Grow Up Where: Tropicana Casino Resort When: Saturday, Nov. 18 Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.caesars.com/tropicana-ac/shows Comedian, social media star and podcast host Trey Kennedy brings his “Grow Up” comedy tour to the Tropicana Showroom.

What: The Wiseguyz Show - A Variety Show Where: Resorts Casino Hotel When: Saturday, Nov. 18 Time: 7 p.m.

Website: resortsac.com/entertainment/variety-show/ Come out and support The Wiseguyz of legendary comedy with Uncle

November 16, 2023

Time: 7 p.m. - midnight Website: www.eventbright.com Get ready to make a splash at the Thanksgiving Eve Foam Party at Island Waterpark, where the foamfilled fun will have you dancing all night.

Floyd, world renowned magic by Rocco Silano and a high energy performance by Louis Prima, Jr. and The Witness.

What: Renée x Sole Mates Fashion Show Where: Ocean Casino Resort When: Saturday, Nov. 18 Time: 4 - 6 p.m.

Website: www.theoceanac.com/ shopping/Renee.

Explore the newest and latest styles for the holiday season on the runway located at the Shops at the Row. What: Fall Farmers Market Where: Steve and Cookies by the Bay When: Sunday, Nov. 19 Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Website: SteveandCookies.com The Fall Farmers Market will be inside Steve and Cookies, with Anthony bartending in the Oyster Bar. It’s the perfect spot to get all of your Thanksgiving produce and goodies, plus snag a cocktail to get your Sunday Funday started right.

What: Thanksgiving Eve Where: Boogie Nights Tropicana Atlantic City When: Wednesday, Nov. 22 Time: 10 p.m.

Website: boogienightsusa.com

Come celebrate the biggest party night of the year at Boogie Nights while moving to the best hits from the '70s to the 2000s. Feast on festive drink specials and discounted VIP bottle packages until midnight.

What: Friendsgiving at the Vue Where: The Claridge Hotel - The Cue When: Wednesday, Nov. 22 Time: 10 p.m.

Website: www.claridge.com/special-events/ Bring your friends out to the VUE for a Friendsgiving celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Enjoy appetizers, live music and a seasonal celebration that everyone will enjoy.

What: Thanksgiving Eve Foam Party Where: Island Waterpark at Showboat When: Wednesday, Nov. 22

What: Legacy’s Annual Thanksgiving Eve Bash Where: Pitney Pub, Galloway When: Wednesday, Nov. 22 Time: 7 p.m.

Website: www.legacyband.com Join Legacy for their annual Thanksgiving Eve Bash at Pitney Pub on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Bring your friends and come party with Legacy.

From current radio chart toppers, to '90s favorites, motown throwbacks, to classic rock staples.

Who: Plaid Salmon Where: Josie Kelly’s Public House When: Wednesday, Nov. 22 Time: 8-11:30 p.m.

Website: https://josiekellys.com/ Plaid Salmon will bring the Thanksgiving Eve funk. Put on your boogie shoes and get your groove on. Dance the night away and you won't feel so bad when you eat that extra piece of pie. No cover.

Whitney Ullman, Stockton University graduate, and founder of gotowhitney.com is known as a “go to” resource, content creator, reporter, and influencer with established credibility in Atlantic City, The Jersey Shore, Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. With over 6 million views on her social platforms, she created TheCityPulse.com as a go-to lifeline for all things happening in the city!

What: Thanksgiving Eve: Garden State Radio with DJ Aiden Scott Where: The Wild Wild West Casino at Caesars When: Wednesday, Nov. 22 Time: 9 – 11 p.m.

Website:https://w w w.caesars. com/caesars-ac/things-to-do/wildwild-west Start your Thanksgiving celebration with a bang at Wild Wild West. Live performances by Garden State Radio and DJ Aiden Scott. Don't miss the open bar package for only $50.

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Beaujolais Nouveau and beyond

By David Setley

O

n Nov. 16, 2023, “le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!”

The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived! Since the 19th century, farmers of wine grapes

in France’s Beaujolais region have celebrated the vendange (the wine grape harvest) by quickly producing and releasing a wine from that year’s harvest. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Beaujolais winemakers and distributors officially named the wine “Beaujolais Nouveau” in 1951 and declared Nov. 15 as the release date.

Interest in the annual wine event grew significantly in the European market over the next two decades as distributors raced to be the first to deliver the wine to the market on release day. In 1985, the Beaujolais

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OVERLOOKING THE BAY

Nouveau release date was changed to the third Thursday in November to better align with the upcoming weekend. In the United States, we have only celebrated Beaujolais Nouveau Day since the 1980s when it was introduced to the U.S. market by entrepreneurial French winemaker Georges Duboeuf.

With Thanksgiving just one week later, the annual event has skyrocketed in popularity in America.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a wonderful celebration of the harvest; however, there is more to the region than the young wine. Gamay is the primary wine grape grown in Beaujolais, which is in the eastern region of France and the southernmost wine region of the Burgundy AOC. Gamay was initially grown throughout Burgundy until it was banished to the extreme south by the Duke of Burgundy to make as much room as possible for the growth of Pinot Noir grapes. Fortunately for Gamay grapes, the granite soil of the Beaujolais terroir was ideal for the varietal. Unfortunately, the Gamay grape and the Beaujolais region as a whole have a questionable reputation among wine connoisseurs, as most consumers associate both with the rapidly fermented, young wine of Beaujolais Nouveau Day. It’s time to give the region and the grape a second look.

My personal favorite Beaujolais Gamay is the En Brenay - Moulin-àVent. This complex, well-structured, medium garnet-colored wine has a lightly floral and red berry aroma with significant spiciness and earthiness. It is relatively full-bodied, with flavors of spice, red fruit, and soil. This wine will intrigue and satisfy the most discriminating wine enthusiast – give it a try!

Another very reasonably priced Gamay from Beaujolais is the L. Tramier & Fils Beaujolais-Villages. This light, smooth and dry Gamay wine features outstanding earthiness of mushrooms, truffles, and smoke highlighted with the light fruitiness of cherry, fig, and cranberry. The wine is unoaked as it is fermented and aged in stainless steel.

Yet another impressive representation of the Gamay grape is JeanPaul Brun – L’Ancien Beaujolais 2021.

This wine is 100% Gamay from vines planted on the south-facing slope of granitic soils. In what the winemaker considers to be classic Burgundian methods, sustainable farming is em-

ployed and the grapes are harvested by hand. The wine is fermented in concrete tanks with native yeasts and without sulfur. It is aged for 6-8 months and bottled with a light, non-sterile filtration and minimal sulfur. The result is a delicious, light to medium-bodied red wine with licorice, spice, plum, and black cherries as the aroma and on the palate.

The Beaujolais region produces other grapes as well. If white wine is your preference, the Jean-Paul Brun - Terres Dorées Chardonnay Beaujolais Blanc 2020 is a lovely option, made from 100% Chardonnay from the extreme southern area of Beaujolais – Charney. There, the soil has more limestone and the climate is warmer, providing a terroir well-suited for Chardonnay grapes. Jean-Paul Brun’s light gold-colored wine has a light citrus aroma with a hint of melted butter and tree fruit on the palate. It is a great demonstration of a Beaujolais Blanc.

So, in honor of Beaujolais Nouveau Day, consider trying a variety of wines from the Beaujolais region. You might even find a few options that would be a great compliment to your Thanksgiving dinner. Although white wines are often thought to be the most appropriate pairing with poultry, a light red wine, such as one of the Gamay wines mentioned above, would be equally perfect.

I hope you enjoyed learning more about the Beaujolais Nouveau wine holiday and the highly underrated Gamay grape. As always, if you have questions or would like to explore the wines of this region, stop into our store in Somers Point or contact me at dsetley@passionvines.com. Until next time, happy wining!

David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.

November 16, 2023

Atlantic City Headliners

Thursday, November 16 Sebastian Maniscalco 8 p.m.

Borgata Event Center

Friday, November 17

Chicago & Friends 9 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Sebastian Maniscalco 7 p.m. & 10

p.m.

Borgata Event Center Gary Owens 9 p.m.

Harrah’s Atlantic City

Saturday, November 18

Chicago & Friends 8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Sebastian Maniscalco 7 p.m. & 10

p.m.

Borgata Event Center I Pooh: Amici X Sempre USA Tour 8

p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena Trey Kennedy 8 p.m.

Tropicana Showroom

Wednesday, November 22 Rain – Still Raining Tour 2023 10

p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Friday, November 24

Anita Baker 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Ashanti 9 p.m.

Harrah’s Atlantic City Christmas in the Air 8 p.m.

Music Box at Borgata

Grand Funk Railroad & Foghat 8

p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock Il Divo 8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Michael Martocci 8 p.m.

Superstar Theatre at Resorts Holiday Dreams: A Spectacular Holiday Cirque 9 p.m.

Superstar Theatre at Resorts

Saturday, November 25

Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony 8 p.m.

Harrah’s Atlantic City Sharpe Family Singers 8 p.m.

Superstar Theatre at Resorts DaBaby, GloRilla, NLE Choppa 8 p.m.

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Tropicaliente w/ Hector Acosta & El Gran Combo 8 p.m.

Tropicana Showroom Christmas in the Air 5 & 8 p.m.

Music Box at Borgata

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Saturday, December 2

Diana Ross 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena The Temptations & the Four Tops 8

p.m.

Christmas in the Air 7 p.m.

Music Box at Borgata

Sound Waves at Hard Rock A Night of Love with Jeffrey Osborne and After 7 8 p.m.

Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars

Friday, December 1

Friday, December 8

Sunday, November 26

Smokey Robinson 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena Jerry Seinfeld 8 p.m.

Borgata Event Center Dave Attell 8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock Derek Hough – Symphony of Dance

9 p.m.

Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars

Earth, Wind & Fire 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena Matt Fraser: America’s Top Psychic Medium 8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Saturday, December 9 Earth, Wind & Fire 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Tom Segura Fri. Feb. 2, 8 p.m. & Sat. Feb 3, 7 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena On-Sale Fri. 10 a.m.

311 Fri. Feb. 16, 9 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean On-Sale Fri. 10 a.m.

Flogging Molly Sun. Feb. 18, 8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock On-Sale Fri. 10 a.m.

Dionne Warwick Fri. April 26, 8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock On-Sale Fri. 10 a.m.

A Bronx Tale starring Chazz Palminteri Sat. April 20, 8 p.m.

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November 16, 2023

41

Thanks For Giving Fest Pet Adoption Event at Anchor Sunday Good Fall to perform

Tune In, Turn On

By Doug Deutsch

T

hanks For Giving Fest: There’s only one thing that Tune In Turn On likes better than original live music and that’s a pet adoption event along with live music, which takes place this Sunday, Nov. 19 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City.

We’ll let TFGF promoter Emma Kristine describe it in her own words.

“I’m really excited to be able to combine my love for music and animals into one event,” says Kristine.

“Thanks for Giving Fest is an all-day event with vendors, raffles and live music featuring New Jersey area bands. There’s an adoption event

from 2 to 5 p.m. with adoptable dogs, cats and small animals while DJ Munsy plays Lofi Beats.

“Other acts include Mother Yilk, a solo artist from Pleasantville; Old Friends, an alternative rock band from Collingswood; Good Fall, a progressive rock band from Bordentown; In-DreamView is an instrumental progressive rock band from Northern New Jersey; Friend Hospital is South Jersey, alternative rock.”

Tickets are $15 online or at the door. One hundred percent of the money raised gets donated between three rescue organizations: Atlantic Critters Rescue, Kizzy’s Place and Tails Up Paws Down Rescue. Purchase tickets here: https://www.tixr. com/groups/anchorrockclub/events/ thanks-for-giving-fest-84279.

Must be 18 and over. Address is 247 S. New York Ave., Atlantic City.

Kelsey Coan Band at Firewaters Saloon: This teen singer brings her band to Firewaters Saloon at the

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Tropicana Casino Hotel this Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. (free).

“The band and I are very excited to be performing live at the Firewaters Saloon inside the Tropicana Casino this Friday night,” Coan told us. “Sing and dance along with us as we play your favorite rock and country songs and some of my originals, too. We are looking forward to many more performances down the Shore,” adds Coan, whose colorful background includes once being on the cover of

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Philadelphia Talent Magazine and a performance at the CMA Festival among others. She also penned a song for our veterans, “Something to Stand For,” and has addressed the issue of being bullied in school (Kelsey was), with original songs “Don’t Give Up,” “I Heart Me,” and “Look At Me Now,” all tackling bullying, being abused and those with special needs. www.kelseycoanmusic.com.

Tropicana Casino is at 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City; www. firewaterssaloon.com.

Albert Castiglia/Lizzie Rose Music Room: One of the true bluesrock guitar gunslingers whom I actually had the pleasure of working with when I was publicist for Gulf Coast Records a few years back, Castiglia has recently been touring as part of a high-energy guitar duo with fellow GCR artist (and label President) Mike Zito called The Blood Brothers. They have a new album, “Blood Brothers: Live In Canada,” due out this Friday on the label. Castiglia is a past Blues Music Award winner. This show is sold out. www.lizzierosemusic.com.

Old Lady, Ma’am, Phil Spector’s Gun: Cool triple-bill of indie rock at the Anchor Rock Club. Old Lady hail from New Jersey. Ma’am is from Central Pennsylvania and are touring behind their debut EP, “Rules To Ramblin’.” Spliff Mountain DJs will be spinnin’ tunes all night long. The show is Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Admission is $15. Address is 247 S. New York Ave. That’s all for this week. Get out there and support live music! Coming soon: My interview with guitarist Bryan Bassett of legendary classic rock group, Foghat, who performs with Grand Funk Railroad at Hard Rock Casino in AC on Dec. 9.

Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug also hàs experience writing for the one time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He also was a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail . com and www.facebook.com/ dougdeutschpublicity.

November 16, 2023

Decades Rock Live returns with star-studded tribute to Chicago

By Scott Cronick

F

ounding Chicago member Lee Loughnane, like most musicians, was urged by his parents – particularly his father – to give up the silly idea of becoming a professional musician and to get a “real job.”

Now, more than five decades later, Loughnane is not only one of

the three original members of Chicago remaining, but he’s part of an ensemble that has sold more than 100 million albums, won 10 Grammys, racked up 21 Billboard Top 10 hits at a time when that meant something, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“They wanted me to work 9 to 5 and remember everyone’s name and work your way up into the company, and all of that stuff,” said Loughnane,

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a tremendous horn player who wrote or co-wrote some of Chicago’s most memorable tunes, including “Call On Me,” “No Tell Lover” and “America.” “Who knew that it would go on this long and I would have this kind of success and outlive many, many, many different companies that were established and huge companies at the time?

And here we are still going, and we are not going to stop anytime soon that I can see. The thing that makes me the most happy is that I still get to do it today.”

Loughnane, who plays trumpet, flugel- Barry Summers horn, cornet, synth bass, keyboards, guitar and sings, said whatever it is, it’s immaterial. You he never even considered not being a make those decisions, and then you professional musician, but if you told lay in the bed you made and do what’him he would be a rock star, a rock s next in life. We chose the things that Hall of Famer and still be doing it in you are least likely to be successful his late 70s, he would have told you to succeed at, and here we are. This is beyond hard to believe. This is like that you were probably on something. the impossible dream, and here I am “I would say I was definitely on living it … which is pretty cool.” something, too,” Loughnane said with a laugh. “The two jobs I had that my What’s particularly cool is that Chicago & Friends will perform at father got for me – summertime work between school – didn’t excite me at Ocean Casino Resort’s Ovation Hall all. I would come home dog tired and 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, and 8 p.m. think, ‘I really don’t want to do this Saturday, Nov. 18, as Producer Barry for a living.' A lot of people probably Summers and his company FanTracks get discouraged by their parents or resurrects the Decades Rock Live whoever, and then when they go do Series in Atlantic City.

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November 16, 2023

What is Decades Rock Live?

For those not old enough to remember – or somehow missed what is likely the greatest concert series in Atlantic City history – Decades Rock Live features some of the greatest music artists of all time that are joined on stage by other stellar musicians to pay tribute to the headliners that inspired them along the way.

Past shows at the former Trump Taj Mahal featured The Doors’ Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek with The Cult’s Ian Astbury with special guests Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction and Macy Gray; Bonnie Raiit with guests Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Allison Krauss and Keb’ Mo; Cyndi Lauper with guests Pat Monahan of Train, Shaggy, Ani DiFranco, The Hooters and the late Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots; Heart with Alice in Chains, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Carrie Underwood, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Pantera’s Phil Anselmo; Elvis Costello with guests Death Cab for Cutie, Fiona Apple and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong; Lynyrd Skynyrd with 3 Doors Down, Bo Bice and Hank Williams, Jr.; and the last show in 2006, The Pretenders with Incubus, Iggy Pop, Kings of Leon and Garbage’s Shirley Manson.

This weekend, Chicago’s “Friends” will include Grammy nominee R&B

vocalist Robin Thicke, rock superstar Chris Daughtry, guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, a cappella quintet VoicePlay, Grammy-winning songstress Judith Hill and – on Friday only - Grammy-winning blues guitarist and vocalist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

“This is the eighth one, and all of those other shows bring back good memories,” Summers said of Decades Rock Live, which was born at the Taj and continues at Ocean Casino with entertainment guru Steve Gietka.

“The common denominator between

all seven special guests we will have is their love for Chicago.”

So, where has Decades Rock Live been for more than 25 years?

“The truth is it’s expensive to produce, Atlantic City has its own challenges, in general, and some other factors,” Summers said. “But in this post-pandemic world we knew this was a very successful series and thought it was the right opportunity and time to bring it back with the right band.”

In the past, Decades Rock Live was recorded for VH1 Classic, and while both nights will be recorded, Summers and FanTracks are raising the bar when it comes to what fans will see after the concerts are long over.

First, FanTracks, a global streaming platform, will have the exclusive premiere for a period that will be announced in December. The concerts will also air in the United States on PBS, and then they will be broadcast globally on AppleTV, Amazon Prime and other digital platforms.

If that wasn’t enough, FanTracks and Chicago are working on a live album – “The Best of Chicago Transit Authroity – Live at 55,” paying tribute the band’s first and arguably most popular album released 55 years ago

↘Continued on 46

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↘Continued from 45 that will be mixed and mastered by Loughnane in his home studio, and feature greatest hits, too. Finally, the concert – and albums – will be released on pretty much every format you can think of, from vinyl to Blu-Ray to DVD and available by mid-2024.

“Both nights will be filmed with more than 34 4K cameras that we will then produce and edit into a concert film,” Summers said. “So, all of the guests who attend the shows will be part of history in the making with Chicago, plus they will also be something fans will remember for years to come with all of the releases we will have that will feature Chicago hits, but also deep cuts, songs they haven’t performed in many years and unique collaborations never before performed live. This is the most aggressive we have been producing a Decades Rock Live show, by far. This setlist is curated specifically for the two days. You will not see this on a Chicago tour again. And the concert will feature 3D visuals built around the lyrics of more than 30 songs that we have been building for the last eight months and are just finishing up this week. It’s a full multimedia set that will blow everyone’s minds and put Chicago on the next level and introduce them to a whole new generation of fans.”

What to expect?

When Summers approached Chicago and Loughnane initially, the group was unsure if it would all come together. Now, nearly a year later, he’s happy to see it become a reality.

“When we had the second meeting, we started understanding this has a chance of becoming something,” said Loughnane, who will be joined by fellow original members Robert Lamm (vocals, keyboards, guitar) and James Pankow (trombone, keboards, vocals, percussion) along with the huge Chicago band.

“We were going to do three guest artists, and now that has grown to seven guest artists, and this is a band that doesn’t let anybody sit in historically. We usually have no one come up and ask if they can sit in with the band. We have had a few over the years, but nothing like this. So, this is unprecedented for us and the artists, and it will be a lot of fun.”

Summers said this is the most guest artists ever featured on a Decades Rock Live show – and when you add the sheer mass of Chicago’s ensemble, it will be quite a production.

“We never had that many guests before, and I think that speaks volumes on the large catalog of music that Chicago performs, and I think the guest connection with Chicago

and the songs they are performing makes it extra special because there are various components of vocals from high to soulful and deep,” Summers said. “Trying to use one voice to capture everything – or three – we felt we were running short, so we didn’t want to put a cap on it and let the creativity take precedent and connect the songs with the right guests and let it organically grow on its own instead of doing something contrived, and I think we were able to accomplish that.”

While neither Summers or Loughnane would elaborate on exactly what songs will be performed and by whom, you can get some idea by the format.

The first of four acts will feature the “Chicago Transit Authority” double album that has songs including “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”, “Beginnings,” “Questions 67 and 68” and “I’m a Man.” The second and fourth acts will feature hits, with the third act being an unplugged set mostly featuring VoicePlay.

“And then we will close with a bang,” said Loughnane, who said he is particularly looking forward to hearing Robin Thicke sing Chicago songs. “I think it’s going to be very good for us. I have been working with the artists one on one getting the arrangements to them, knowing what they will sing and having them become comfortable because we will only have two rehearsals for the show. We have to be prepared as much as we can and keep everyone in the loop before rehearsal, so by the time we hit rehearsals, we are hitting the ground running.”

That sounds like a lot of work.

“It IS a lot of work,” Loughnane added. “But that’s what I do for a living … it could be worse.”

Chicago & Friends will be performed 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at Ocean Casino Resort’s Ovation Hall. Tickets, starting at $99, can be purchased at TheOceanAC.com.

Scott Cronick is an awardwinning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades.

He hosts a daily radio show – "Off The Press with Scott Cronick" - 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com, and he also coowns Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in Atlantic City, while working on various projects, including charitable efforts, throughout the area. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.

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Live & Local Music Calendar

Thursday, November 16 Atlantic City Bar One at Resorts Karaoke Night w/ Joe Collins 1133 Boardwalk Council Oak Lounge Anj Granieri 5:30 – 9 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk Good Dog Bar DJ Khan 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

3426 Atlantic Ave. Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino DJ Neek 8 p.m.

500 Boardwalk Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Dane Anthony 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

600 Huron Ave. The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Daddy Pop 7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk Somers Point Caroline’s by the Bay Karaoke Hosted by Mike Dempsey 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

450 Bay Ave. Gregory’s Carlos Scott

6 p.m.

900 Shore Rd. Josie Kelly’s The Feel Good Music Band 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.

908 Shore Rd. Queen Jayne’s SKJ Duo 6 – 10 p.m.

908 Shore Rd. Ventnor Ventnor Coffee Open Mic w/ Pete Glaze 6:30 – 9 p.m.

108 N. Dorset Ave.

Friday, November 17

Atlantic City Anchor Rock Club Old Lady + Ma’am 8 p.m.

247 S. New York Ave. Bar One at Resorts Lisa Camp 5 – 8 p.m.

DJ Joe 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.

1133 Boardwalk Council Oak Lounge Sami Eldebs 5 – 8 p.m.

Minas Trio 8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk Hard Rock Café Dueling Pianos 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino The Rockets 7 p.m.

Gypsy Wisdom 11 p.m.

500 Boardwalk Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Ann Michal 6 – 10 p.m.

No Pressure 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

600 Huron Ave. The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Fat Mezz 5 – 8:30 p.m.

3AM Tokyo 9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk The Wave at Golden Nugget Flashback Fridays: B Street: Bruce Springsteen Tribute 9 – 10:30 p.m.

600 Huron Ave. The Yard at Bally’s DJ Freezie 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1900 Pacific Ave. Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino John McNutt Trio 6 p.m.

Fight Back Home 10 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

48

Egg Harbor Township The Roost Pub & Grill Brian McConnell 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

500 St. Andrews Dr. Margate Bocca Gina Cat 6:30 -9:30 p.m.

7805 Ventnor Ave. Marmora Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern Indelible Groove 7:30 p.m.

316 Roosevelt Blvd.

Somers Point Caroline’s by the Bay Big Foot Band 7 – 11 p.m.

450 Bay Ave. Josie Kelly’s The Usual Suspects 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Saturday, November 18 Atlantic City Anchor Rock Club Karaoke Night w/ DJ David Earl 7 p.m.

247 S. New York Ave. Bar One at Resorts Nancy Malcun 5 – 8 p.m.

DJ Gary 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk Council Oak Lounge Jersey Gina 5 – 8 p.m.

Sharon Sable Trio 8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk Hard Rock Café Dueling Pianos 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino Big Bang Baby 7 p.m.

Kicking Sunrise 11 p.m.

500 Boardwalk Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Tommy & The Hot Flashes 5 – 9 p.m.

Party Wave 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

600 Huron Ave. The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Se7en Band 5 – 8:30 p.m.

Aftershock 9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk The Yard at Bally’s DJ Philly Will 4 – 8 p.m.

Lost in Paris 9 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

1900 Pacific Ave.

November 16, 2023

Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino Black Car Gina Trio. 6 p.m.

Frisky. 10 p.m.

500 Boardwalk Margate Bocca CJ Sooy 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

7805 Ventnor Ave. Marmora Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern The Zone 7:30 p.m.

316 Roosevelt Blvd.

Northfield Taproom at Atlantic City Country Club Ralph Michaels 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

1 Leo Fraser Dr. Somers Point Caroline’s by the Bay Chris Yoder Band 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 Bay Ave. Gregory’s DJ. 9 p.m.

900 Shore Rd. Josie Kelly’s Ashcats 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Sunday, November 19 Atlantic City Council Oak Lounge Jeremy Raves 5:30 – 9 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk Kelsey’s Tony Day & Across the Globe 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

1545 Pacific Ave. Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino Dueling Pianos 8 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

November 16, 2023

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Night Anthem. 4 – 7:30 p.m.

Audio Riot. 8:30 – 11:30 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk Margate Bocca Bob Starner 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

7805 Ventnor Ave.

Monday, November 20 Atlantic City The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock The Way Outs 7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Tuesday, November 21 Atlantic City Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Patty & Bugzy 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

600 Huron Ave. The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Dane Anthony Band 7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk Brigantine The Pub at St. George Tuesday Karaoke w/ DJ Will 7 – 9 p.m.

4282 Harbor Beach Blvd.

Somers Point Josie Kelly’s DJ Special K 5 – 9 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Dirty Dance Band.

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk The Yard at Bally’s DJ Freezie. 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

3am Tokyo. 10 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.

1900 Pacific Ave. Egg Harbor Township The Roost Pub & Grill Chris Yoder Band 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

500 St. Andrews Dr. Margate Bocca The Bob Sterling Band 7 – 10 p.m.

7805 Ventnor Ave.

Marmora Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern Twisted Livin’. 8 p.m.

316 Roosevelt Blvd.

Somers Point Caroline’s by the Bay Music TBD 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 Bay Ave. Gregory’s Brandon Ireland 7 p.m.

900 Shore Rd. Josie Kelly’s Plaid Salmon 8 – 11:30 p.m.

908 Shore Rd. Events subject to change.

Wednesday, November 22

Atlantic City Anchor Rock Club Big Body Kito & Friends House Party 9 p.m.

247 S. New York Ave. Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Michael Stevens 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

600 Huron Ave.

49

Game(s) on as Harrah’s Resort opens an arcade

By Chuck Darrow

H

istorically speaking, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City hasn’t been particularly concerned with attracting the under-21 crowd and

as such, the oldest of the city’s three bayside casinos has hewed pretty rigidly to its mission of being an adult playpen.

But that was then and this is now.

And now, Harrah’s is the home of The ARCADE, a 5,300-square-foot rec room boasting 61 electronic games and the type of sensory-overload atmosphere that kids love, thanks to an excess of blinking neon and high –volume sound effects. It had a “soft” opening Nov. 1, with the official debut taking place nine days later.

The games themselves run the

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gamut from classic Boardwalk favorites like Skee-Ball, air hockey and ring toss to “Rabbids,” and other stations that utilize cutting-edge virtual-reality technology. Actually, even the ostensibly low-tech games (e.g. basketball and the above-named vintage activities) are digital in nature.

All the games are played using cashless, re-loadable players’ cards (credit cards and cash are accepted when buying credits). Instead of the traditional, old-school, raffle-style ducats awarded to those achieving various levels of success on the machines, points are accumulated on the magnetic cards—the same exact manner in which gamblers accumulate comp points on the casino floor.

According to Gregg Klein, the gaming hall’s senior vice-president and general manager, the property’s newfound focus on the family trade is a no-brainer, based on the kind of visitors it’s welcoming on an increasingly frequent basis.

Harrah’s, said Klein, “attracts a variety of guests, including families and dance, cheer, and athletic com-

petition teams,” said Klein. “We knew that we needed more amenities to do a better job servicing these guests and ensuring that they have a great experience for all ages. The opening of [The ARCADE] is the next step in our plan.

“Next year there will be several other new openings designed to appeal to all of our guests. We are very excited that guests of all ages will now be able to have a fun experience staying and playing at Harrah’s.”

Harrah’s is hardly the first local gambling den to take the kiddie-fun plunge. In 1987, Showboat (which, as a non-casino complex, today is completely geared to families with its enormous Lucky Snake Arcade and equally massive Island Waterpark) opened as Showboat Casino Hotel & Bowling Center, while the defunct Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino housed both a Warner Brothers merchandise store and the Rainforest Café, which is still doing business on the site.

The town’s boldest casino-era attempt to target families occurred in 1988 when the then-7-year-old Trop-

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By 1996, that experiment had failed and the complex once again became the adult-oriented Tropicana Atlantic City.

Yuletide revelry at Resorts It looks like Resorts Casino-Hotel is trying to rival the North Pole when it comes to holiday activity.

On Nov. 25, the nation’s oldest legal temple of chance outside Nevada kicks off a month of seasonal cheer with a performance by the Sharpe Family Singers, who have garnered a whopping four billion social-media views and who were featured on both “America’s Got Talent” and “American Idol.”

Their program is billed as a combination of Broadway hits and popular holiday tunes.

The Sharpes will be followed on Dec. 9 by “Michael Martocci Presents: Sinatra’s Birthday Bash,” which will celebrate what would have been Ol’ Blue Eyes’ 108th birthday as well as the holiday season.

The next night, a slew of locally based performers will stage an evening of comedy and song. The talent roster includes: Jim “The Singing Lifeguard” Craine; the Atlantic City All-Star Band; Besty Daily and the Tony Grant Stars of Tomorrow Alumni Dancers; singer Suzie Neustadter and TV host/singer Michele Dawn Mooney.

Admission is free to all who bring with them a new, unwrapped toy, which will be donated to the local Toys for Tots campaign.

Rounding out the schedule is the “The Modern Gentlemen Holiday

Show” on Dec. 16th, which will fill the Superstar Theater with seasonal traditional and more contemporary seasonal selections.

For tickets to all performances, go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Four Seasons of confusion?

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, the legendary North Jersey-hatched vocal group that was one of the few American acts to rival the 1960s popularity of The Beatles, last month launched what is called “The Last Encores” tour. That implies that the unit’s June 22, 2024 gig at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City will be the last chance to see them live here in town. But then again, maybe not.

Despite the road trip’s moniker, the 89-year-old Valli has been telling reporters that’s not necessarily the case. For instance in a recent interview published in the San Jose (Calif.)

Mercury-News, Valli had this to say about his act’s future plans: “Everybody is thinking that it is my last tour. And I don’t know when my last tour is, personally. If I can continue to do this, as long as I’m not feeling ill, I’ll do it.”

However, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-enshrined megastar did allow there will be some changes in his schedule: “After this year, we will slow down on the amount of things that we do,” he said. “Instead of 70 or 80 or 90 things a year, we will probably cut it down to like 30 or 35.”

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Five places to eat before the bird

By Danielle Davies

W

e’re just a week out from Thanksgiving, and all the gluttony that comes with it.

From turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes to stuffing and casseroles and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving — even when you veer away from the traditional turkey — has a certain flavor. And while we’re big fans of the Thanksgiving Day feast and subsequent days of leftovers, consider this your annual reminder that there are other — non-turkey related — foods in the world. Here are five places to indulge your taste buds before you’re overwhelmed with the flavors of Thanksgiving.

1. SeaPark For the freshest of the fresh, visit one of Ocean City’s newest eateries. SeaPark features an array of standard sushi including things like dragon and shrimp tempura rolls and specialty rolls like Asbury Roll (made with shrimp tempura, cream cheese, king crab, regular cranberry mayo, crunch, eel sauce, spicy mayo, fish egg and scallion); bowls and bento boxes from a salmon teriyaki bowl

to a shrimp bento box; a huge variety of lobster rolls; poke bowls and more. SeaPark is located at 803 Asbury Ave., Ocean City. See SeaParkUS. com.

Loads of burritos — pulled pork, Mahi Mahi, shrimp, steak and more — plus quesadillas as varied as pork shoulder and short rib to tofu chorizo and chicken and nacho plates like tuna and pulled pork nachos make up a significant portion of the menu as well. And, of course, there are tacos galore, including a selection of vegan options. Las Olas Taqueria is

2. Sack O’Subs Hungry? Consider an icon.

Head to one of several Sack O’Subs locations for some of the best subs and pizza

dinners. Sack O’Subs is located at 926 Asbury Ave., Ocean City. See SackOSubs.com.

around. From the Italian Hot Sausage Parmigiana Sub and Pepper and Egg Sub to the plain old cheesesteak, Sack O’Subs nails the hand-held sandwich.

But it’s also a great option for vegetarians (think vegetarian calzones made with ricotta, mozzarella and fresh veggies, and the portabella and roasted peppers sub) and those with a hankering for pasta and seafood

3. Ernest and Son Meat Market Sure, you could go to Ernest and Son for some excellent cuts of meat. But if you’d rather save the cooking for Thanksgiving Day, let Ernest and Son do the work and indulge in one or more of their sandwiches.

There are a bunch, including some clever ways to eat some leftover turkey, but we love the chicken cutlet sandwiches. From the “Pop Pop” chicken cutlet with roasted pepper, spinach and provolone to the “Talleyano” chicken cutlet with prosciutto, sharp provolone and long hots, these are sandwiches on another level.

Ernest and Son is located at 3305 Brigantine Ave., Brigantine. See ErnestAndSon.com.

4. Las Olas Taqueria If tacos are on the mind, head to Las Olas Taqueria, where tacos are really just the tip of the iceberg.

5. Ready’s Coffee Shop & Restaurant We’ve all done it — eaten leftover cold turkey for breakfast — but why not go for a traditionally delicious breakfast at one of Ocean City’s oldest breakfast shops? Head to Ready’s for omelets and eggs, pancakes and bacon, chocolate milk, and thick and delicious milkshakes, or skip breakfast and go straight for lunch. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

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November 16, 2023

Community grants available for artists, small businesses to participate in 2024 North To Shore Festival

N

orth to Shore Music Festival is not only bringing great entertainment to Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark, but the Festival is also recognizing talented small businesses, creators, artists, producers, and more in those cities with a grant.

North to Shore will award Community Arts Grants of up to $5,000 to artists, producers, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations based in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark to self-produce events during North to Shore’s festival week that will take place in their city. Grantees will be chosen by a committee of local arts and culture leaders from each city—your neighbors and peers! Between 15 and 20 grants will be awarded in each city.

Festival Dates ● Asbury Park: June 10 – 16 ● Atlantic City: June 17 – 23 ● Newark: June 24 – 30 For the first time, grants will also be offered to artists interested in performing on the North to Shore Festival Community Showcase Stages in the heart of each city.

Community Arts Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to artists, producers, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations based in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark to self-produce events or appear on a Community Showcase Stage during the North to Shore Festival.

Music, comedy, theater, dance, spoken word, visual arts, film, and more

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are to be included at large arenas and, in the clubs, galleries, theaters, and restaurants that make each city’s downtown a vibrant destination. Once again, the festival will offer locally based artists and organizations grants to produce one-of-a-kind events during the festival week in their city.

Apply now through November 21 at www.northtoshore.com.

The North to Shore Festival, launched in 2023, features all the talent, diversity and creativity that New Jersey has to offer, packed into three extraordinary weekends of performances, screenings, parties and conversations in three of the state’s most iconic cities. Hosted by Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and Newark, the North to Shore Festival brings together events at more than 100 venues for an overthe-top showcase of Jersey excellence, aligned with Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy’s vision of a celebration worthy of the Garden State’s long legacy of innovation in the arts, film and technology. For the latest updates and new concert listings, visit northtoshore.com.

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November 16, 2023

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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year in Atlantic City!

A

Atlantic City’s Tinseltown Holiday Experience Returns

tlantic City, voted one of the “25 Best Christmas Towns in the USA” by Travel + Leisure, is the ultimate destination this holiday season with the return of the spectacular Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience.

The citywide celebration, now in its second year, offers visitors an array of festive events throughout the resort during the month of December.

“We are thrilled to once again present this experiential holiday celebration to our visitors," said Karen Martin, Director of Communications & Marketing for the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). "From the exciting entertainment at our casinos to festive events throughout the resort for all ages, we welcome everyone to come and embrace the spirit of the holiday season.”

Following an assortment of holiday shows scheduled over Thanksgiving weekend, the grand kick off of the Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience takes place on Friday, De-

iday entertainment at the casinos, holiday-themed pop-up lounges, and a Tinseltown Holiday Cocktail and Mocktail Trail.

Listed below are some of the happenings taking place across Atlantic City. More events will be announced soon – including Atlantic City’s various New Year’s Eve celebrations – and will be included in the comprehensive holiday event listings at ACTinseltown.com.

cember 1, 2023, with a tree-lighting ceremony just off the world-famous Boardwalk at The Yard at Bally's Atlantic City Casino Resort, which will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland all month long.

Amidst the resort’s world-class dining, vibrant nightlife, and exciting attractions, throughout the month of December visitors can enjoy an array of joyful events and celebrations, including a spectacular lineup of hol-

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HOLIDAY EVENTS ● Deck the Hall - Festival of Trees (Boardwalk Hall, Dec. 1-31) ● Tinseltown Holiday Cocktail & Mocktail Trail (Throughout December) ● Noyes Holiday Market & Gingerbread Village (Noyes Arts Garage, Dec. 2 & 3; ongoing gingerbread display during December) ● Winter Wonderland Holiday Parade (with grand marshal Kelsey Grammer, Dec. 2, rain date Dec. 9) ● Luminary Light Festival (Dec. 9, Absecon Lighthouse) ● Steel Pier Holiday Wheel (Dec. 9, Steel Pier) ● Pastry Series with Chef Thaddeus: Holiday Edition (Dec. 9, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) ● Mistletoe Market (Dec. 16, Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall) LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Christmas in the Air (Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa, Nov. 24-Dec. 24) ● Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony (Ocean Casino Resort, Nov. 25) ● Atlantic City Ballet: It’s a Shore Holiday (Caesars Atlantic City, Nov. 25) ● The Sharpe Family Singers (Resorts Casino Hotel, Nov. 25) ● Doo Wop Christmas (Tropicana Resort & Casino, Nov. 30) ● Santa’s Christmas Wonderland (Harrah’s Atlantic City, Dec. 7-10) ● Il Divo: A New Holiday Tour (Ocean Casino Resort, Dec. 9) ● Holiday Dreams: A Spectacular Holiday Cirque (Golden Nugget Atlantic City, Dec. 9) ● A Dickens of a Murder: A Holiday Murder Mystery (Resorts Casino Hotel, Dec. 9) ● Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland (Tropicana Resort & Casino, Dec. 9 & 10) ● Swing into Christmas - Benefiting Toys for Toys (Resorts Casino Hotel, Dec. 10)

● ● ● ● ●

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Lindsey Stirling: Snow Waltz Tour (Caesars Atlantic City, Dec. 15) Engelbert Humperdinck (Hard Rock, Dec. 15) Atlantic City Ballet: The Nutcracker (Caesars Atlantic City, Dec. 16) Matteo Bocelli (Hard Rock, Dec. 16) The Modern Gentlemen: You Make It Feel Like Christmas (Resorts Casino Hotel, Dec. 16) My Big Gay Italian Christmas (Ocean Casino Resort, Dec. 16)

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AREA ATTRACTIONS Storybook Land: Just 10 miles outside of Atlantic City, this beloved family attraction transforms into a “Christmas Fantasy with Lights” through Friday, December 30. ● Historic Smithville transforms into a winter wonderland, including the return of its floating Holiday Light Show, Magical Talking Tree, and Christmas Train (Nov. 23-Jan. 5) and Dickens Festival (Nov. 26-27).

Additionally, now through Dec. 24, visitors have a chance to win an Atlantic City holiday getaway package, including overnight stays, food & beverage credits, spa treatments, and concert tickets. To enter the giveaway, visit AtlanticCityNJ.com. ●

November 16, 2023

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Veterans share stories to be preserved Buy $25 get 1 Range Token Buy $50 get an extra $5 Buy $100 get an extra $10 We Carry New & Used Clubs for Every Budget

Veterans from left to right: Richard Martin, Gerard Thompson, Barry Boehner, Thomas Ast, Albert Chamberlain, Kenneth Hankins, Brian O’Hara, Walter Bauer; VHP Team left to right: Mike O’Brien, Tom Born, Sheryl Collins, Rhonda Hood, Dana Shupp, Steve Jasiecki (Not pictured: Sadie Wasilauskas and Jane French)

T

he Veterans History Project, affiliated with the Atlantic County Historical Society, has been interviewing veterans since 2007, and has collected over 450 oral histories of local veterans. Their recorded stories are shared with the veterans, the historical society and preserved in the National Archives of the Library

of Congress in Washington DC. Each veteran interviewed is presented with a certificate of appreciation from ACHS and awarded a handmade quilt from the Quilts of Valor organization. This group received their quilt at the Four Seasons Veterans Club meeting in Smithville on Nov. 13, 2023.

Photo by Lynn Wood

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56

November 16, 2023

By Gabriella Bancheri

Disney on Ice from the perspective of a cast member

W

hether or not you’re an avid Disney fan, the talent on the ice during its recent run at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall was nothing short of showstopping.

From the twists, turns and jumps, to the acting and the dancing, the cast of Disney on Ice “Magic in the Stars” is full of young talent. And you certainly don’t need to be under the age of 18 to enjoy the show.

I recently had the opportunity to watch one seriously impressive practice and speak with Disney’s Charlotte “Lottie” La Bouff, or as her fellow cast members call her off the ice, Mia. Mia Saunders is a 20-year-old ice skater from Canada, and the spitting image of Disney’s princess Ariel. Mia took the time for a chat, giving me the scoop about Disney on Ice. What is it like being a member of the Disney on Ice cast?

It’s honestly so cool. I never saw myself doing this when I was younger, but now that I’m here I can’t picture

my life without it. Seeing all the kids’ reactions to our stories melts my heart every day. I love skating and getting to portray characters on the ice – it’s amazing.

When did you start skating?

I started skating when I was 6. I was a competitive skater for around 15 years and when my competitive career was done, I decided to go into shows.

And now I’m here – this is my second year and I’m loving it.

What made you want to get into shows after your competitive career was over?

An old friend reminded me that I love making kids happy. I really am a big, like, kid entertainer and my favorite princess was Ariel at the time [that I started doing shows]. [The casting director] said there was a spot for me and I got to portray my favorite character.

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

girls dancing with scarves.

Then there’s a beautiful pairing with Jasmine and Aladdin at the end that makes my heart melt and almost makes me cry.

What skill, whether show- or ice-related, has been most challenging for you?

So, my background is [as] an ice dancer, and trying to relearn how to jump is honestly the hardest thing in my life. I’m learning how to do a double Axel, and that’s honestly really challenging. Every now and then, it’s the silliest things that are hard, like spirals.

What do you like most about performing in Atlantic City?

The Boardwalk. I’m from Canada so we don’t have the ocean nearby.

By going to the Boardwalk and seeing the beautiful sunsets every day – it’s gorgeous. I see why people can stay here forever. After the show tonight I’m excited to walk up to the Boardwalk and just breathe in the air.

What’s your favorite scene or moment in the show?

This season [my favorite scene] is actually really surprising. I would never have picked it. It’s actually the Aladdin and Jasmine scene and the whole ‘Aladdin’ segment.

There’s this part where a million genies come out and you have [stunt skaters] flying, who knows how high.

Then you have these beautiful scarf

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57

A Senior’s Observations, Opinions and Rantings

School daze

By Charles P. Eberson

Senior Moments

I

t was September 1964, and I was going to be a freshman at the “old” Atlantic City High School, formerly located on Albany Avenue, one block from the beach. I attended grade schools at Troy Avenue in Ventnor, then in Margate at Granville Avenue, Union Avenue and finally Eugene A. Tighe schools. I was ready for my first day with bus tickets in hand and a few dollars in my pocket for a school lunch. Walking up the front steps and into a grand entrance, I was filled with anticipation, excitement and a little nervousness at the enormity of the school.

After a few days of orientation, schedules of classes were handed out. I was trying to find my way

58

around the school. Counting the basement, there were four floors and 450,000 square feet through which to navigate. The 750-seat auditorium was where I spent 2nd-period study hall.

The first week while in that study hall, the two students behind me put a string over my head and around my neck and started pulling. I spent the rest of that fifty-minute period fighting off that string trying not to draw any additional attention. Finally, the period was over and the students poured out the center doors into the main hallway. The two students from behind me gave me a shove. I was so frustrated with them that I shoved them onto the ground. Immediately, we were surrounded by students chanting, “Fight, fight, fight!”

Next thing I knew, a teacher had my arms above my head in a full nelson, and I was pulled along on my toes to the disciplinary office. Facing

me was Mr. Whims, an ex-military man with a high, tight haircut and a no-nonsense look on his face. I thought I was going to face a firing squad at sundown but ended up receiving five detentions.

When I got home late from school, my mother inquired as to the reason for my tardiness. When she heard it was for fighting my first few days in the school, she was inconsolable.

I learned quickly my place in the hierarchy. The year before in eighth grade, I was at the top of the food chain. As a high school freshman, I was just fodder for the upperclassmen. Walking around the cafeteria with a tray of food and searching for a place to sit was another exercise in acclimating. Tables with fraternities and sororities were off-limits. Students from other sending districts or ethnicities tended to stick together.

As days went into weeks and weeks into months, things tended to sort themselves out. I found that ACHS had tremendous school spirit.

During football season, there were pep rallies that filled the auditorium with the band, cheerleaders and, of course, a fight song that I still remember today. Even though this was the ‘60s, there was a dress code. No jeans, no shirts without a collar and no hair over the ears for males. Of course, these rules had to be tested from time to time and I was sent home for wearing jeans, a T-shirt and hair over my ears. Once again, I had to answer to my mum.

As for my teachers, some have stayed in my memory for all these years. One English teacher, who

forbade the crumbling of paper and whose patience I also had to test; another young attractive teacher who must have been in her early twenties at the time; and my biology teacher, Bob Sarner. Mr. Sarner had the distinction of having his classroom, the only classroom on that floor, right underneath the clock in the tower above the fourth floor. Sarner made surfboards under the name “Brigantine Boards”. If he wasn’t cool enough, on slow testing days, he brought in his twelve-string guitar and sang folk songs.

Years later, after I was married with children, I brought my daughter to a drawing class at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor and there was Sarner working for Game and Wildlife. The funny thing is that he didn’t seem that much older than me.

We caught up with each other about our lives and ACHS memories.

All in all, my four years at Atlantic City High School were invaluable on so many different levels and enabled me to move on successfully to higher education. It was a sad day to see the old high school demolished, but the memories remain. Now, if only I could lay my hands on a Sarner Brigantine Surfboard.

Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson. fineartamerica.com

November 16, 2023

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The value of a funeral, part 5

By Andrew Hoffman

I

n my last article, I wrote about the second of three points of view that come into play with funerals. We first looked at the mourner’s perspective, then from the perspective of the immediate family.

My final perspective on the value of a funeral comes from mine as a funeral director. Someone once said, “you can tell a lot about a society by how it treats its dead”. There is so much truth to that statement.

Every culture on the planet since the dawn of human society has had a form of funeral rite. Archeologist have found tools buried with ancient corpses. The pyramids are the world biggest funeral monuments, and the American Indians would build tall structures to get the deceased closer to the sky. Every culture still has

some form of burial or ceremony to honor the dead.

I don’t think that is just by happy accident. Up until recently with Generation Y, Gen Next and iGen, most people felt that it was important to hold some sort of service to honor the memory of the deceased.

As a funeral director working for the past 26 years, I have noticed a decline in evening viewings and a definite desire to “hold everything in one day”. There is also a growing attitude to just “get it over with” and try to rush things. I find this mindset getting worse as the younger generations get older and become decision-makers. Our society has become a fast-paced sprint in every aspect of our life. We want to get things faster and more efficiently.

Instead of going to the movie theater, we stream it. Instead of cooking or dining out, we pay someone to bring it to us. Instead of going to the grocery store lets have it delivered to us or even have someone shop for us. So, going to a funeral is such a pain!

I also believe that the younger generation does not see the value in funeral service because they do not connect with the past generation’s

version of what a funeral/memorial service really is. In my opinion, a growing segment of the younger generations don’t see the value because they can’t relate to having hymns sung or a minister speak due to a lack of conventional religious services. It would be hard to find value or comfort if you don’t believe.

Also, younger generations want to personalize the service as opposed to the cookie-cutter services of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

What do you mean I can’t play a heavy metal rock song at my father’s service? What do you mean I can’t have the memorial service at my mother’s home in her garden? What do you mean I have to have a minister? More of the young generations want to craft services and tributes that are meaningful to them, but it may ignore the traditions by the older generations. This is something as a funeral professional I know that I strive to provide for our clientele.

Many in my profession are very stuck in the mentality of “that is the way we have always done it” or “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. This is a very dangerous mindset because that does not allow for change or growth.

Personalized Service

It is through the willingness to change what a funeral service means or how it is conducted that funeral professionals will better serve their families and their community as a whole. Funeral directors should be accepting the challenge of personalizing the funeral service of their families and not say “we don’t do that or can’t do that”. So long as it is not illegal or immoral the answer should be “let’s see how we can make that happen”.

So, that is my perspective on the value of the funeral, for the mourner, the family and the funeral director. I hope you found this article informative and thought-provoking. If you have any subjects or topics that you would like me to write about, please just reach out at Jeffries and Keates Funeral Home at 609-646-3400. I hope all of you that are reading this are well and I will see you in the next article.

Andrew B. Hoffman is a funeral director at Jeffries and Keates and Keates-Plum Funeral Homes. He is a twenty-two year veteran of the funeral industry.

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61

Family Corner: Expressing daily gratitude together

By Krystle J Bailey

W

elcome to my new weekly series, “Family Corner,” where you will find recommendations, experiences, and conversation topics for the whole family.

When I first came to Shore Local in 2018, I began writing a women’s empowerment column inspired by my 2017 book, Nourish. From there, I wrote the Mom’s Vibe column for several years as I also began expanding into community happenings, the local arts scene, current events, and more. As my life has evolved, so have my contributions to this publication.

As we head into the holiday season, I look forward to bringing it back to the roots with a weekly column about my experiences as a parent in South Jersey. I am the mother of a thirteen-year-old girl and an eightyear-old boy, who keep me young

and inspired. Both my mother’s family and I were born and raised in the Atlantic County area, where I am now raising my children. I’ve seen this community grow in so many beautiful ways since my upbringing and couldn’t imagine a better place to raise a family.

As the holiday season approaches, I was already considering a column about ways to cultivate gratitude in our children as I was dropping my son off at choir practice when he said, “I can’t wait until Thanksgiving so I can say what I’m thankful for!”

Pump the breaks.

I’m a big fan of daily gratitude. I even keep a daily gratitude journal for myself and preach about it quite often on my personal social media pages. Now, I know I’ve talked to my kids about the importance of gratitude, and it’s a common theme in

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our home to make sure we are using manners and saying thank you to one another.

What I didn’t realize was that I hadn't been teaching them something that I use for my personal journey every day, which is expressing gratitude for the things often under-celebrated - like air.

Why are we waiting until Thanksgiving to say what we are thankful for out loud to each other?

Here are five ideas I had to inspire a deeper attitude of gratitude right now: 1. Lead by example. I tell my children often that I am thankful to be their mother, and I am usually met with an “I’m thankful to be your son” from the youngest and a pleasant shoulder shrug from the teenager, which I’ve come to understand means, “Me too.”

2. Give. I admit I got busy the last couple of holiday seasons and haven’t slowed down to do some of the things we used to do together, like sponsoring a family or donating food.

I’ve gotten too comfortable donating to online charities or sending money as a form of giving, not realizing that my children don’t see that part. This year, I am making an intentional effort to make time to remind them what it feels like to give back.

3. Bus stop gratitude. We are used to talking about things we are thankful for at dinner or on holidays, but what about at the bus stop? One of the things I do when I am journaling is fill a page in my notebook with things I am thankful for as quickly as I can. The bus stop walk is a perfect opportunity for a minute of gratitude out loud in this same fashion.

4. Dance it out. My kids and I get weird together, and our dance parties get weirder. In thinking of ways to instill gratitude, I wondered how I could tie it into something fun that we already do together, such as dancing. At the next dance party, we will be celebrating all the things we are thankful for in the moment.

5. Bless and release. The holidays are a season of giving, receiving, and releasing. The pre-holiday purge of all the toys that no longer get shown love and clothes that are grown out of is a perpetual chore that they don’t warn you about in the books for expectant parents. This season, instead of hastily tossing the used things in a bag, we will be releasing what we no longer need with a heart of gratitude for the time we had with those possessions.

Happy gratitude season, Shore Local families.

May we carry the spirit of the season with us year-round. From one parent to another, please remember they’ll never be this young again.

Enjoy every beautiful moment this holiday season. I look forward to connecting with you next week in the Family Corner.

Krystle J Bailey is a published author, multimedia journalist, copywriter, and content creator. She is a regular Shore Local columnist and digital contributor as well as the booking agent and co-host of the radio show Joe's Table for Two on WOND. Krystle can be reached at KrystleJBailey@ gmail.com

November 16, 2023

Think twice about letting your dogs eat human food this Thanksgiving

By Heidi Clayton

A

s the holiday season approaches, I thought I would revisit the dangers of your dog overindulging on a rich Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Every year, my social media floods with warnings and horror stories of dogs that ate too much turkey and rich foods. As a result, they were hospitalized with pancreatitis.

My late Kiki was a covert treat stealer. Kiki landed himself in the hospital a few times with acute cases of pancreatitis. He was lucky to survive each bout. Pancreatitis can be life-threatening to a dog and can result in death without quick treatment.

The pancreas produces enzymes and hormones that help break down

food. It also regulates appetite and blood sugar levels, as well as making insulin. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of that organ when the flow of enzymes is disrupted. Foods that are high in fat such as turkey that has been cooked coated in butter or brined, rich gravies, and even vegetables like green beans cooked in rich mushroom soup or sweet potatoes coated in brown sugar can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Even small quantities of these foods can result in dogs getting pancreatitis.

Symptoms usually surface two to three days after the consumption when your dog starts vomiting yellowish, thick bile. The condition is also painful, so your dog may hunch up when walking. Dogs with this illness can also seem lethargic.

If you suspect that your dog may have pancreatitis, try going to your regular vet if they are open. Unfortunately, however, most veterinary clinics are closed on Thanksgiving.

In that case, this is absolutely a trip to a veterinary ER. Don’t risk waiting for your regular vet to open their doors again if your dog becomes

sick after eating rich holiday foods.

Diagnosis will involve blood work, X-rays, and most likely an ultrasound. Most cases of pancreatitis will involve some sort of hospital stay as the only current treatment is supportive care such as IV fluids, pain medications, and fasting. However, there is a new drug that has been conditionally approved by the FDA called Panoquell that is being tested to aid in the recovery time of pancreatitis. Currently, the administration does not avoid a hospital stay but seems to aid in recovery time.

Taking preventative measures can save you the worry of your dog falling victim to pancreatitis. Take a few minutes to personally put away all food that is brought into the house. Safely store it out of reach from your dog by using baby gates to block off dining areas or countertops.

Be sure to let all of your guests know that the Thanksgiving menu is only available to humans and not to the dog. I typically find that hosting Thanksgiving dinners can

be hectic. For that reason, I like to give my dogs a nice marrow bone in the confines of their room or crates until dinner is over. This reduces the need to have your head on swivel to make sure the dog isn’t helping themselves.

The holidays are hectic enough without an unwanted visit to the ER. Make your life easier and your dog’s life safer by managing their access to tasty fatty foods. Four on the Floor wishes you all a very peaceful and happy Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.

Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, rewardbased dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@ fouronthefloordogtraining. net or learn more at https:// fouronthefloordogtraining.net

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November 16, 2023

Will the U.S. dollar be replaced by another currency?

By Eric Reich

T

here has been some talk lately, mostly by foreign countries who are talking about replacing the U.S. dollar. While this concerns many investors, the reality is that it is very unlikely that the dollar could be replaced as the world standard currency in the remote near future. There are many factors that contribute to this, but today, I wanted to tackle a few in order to put this movement into perspective.

The U.S. economy is the largest economy in the world at roughly 27,000 billion dollars. China is the next largest around 17,800 billion dollars. While these economies seem close, on a per capita basis, The U.S. is 80,000 per person vs.

China at 12,500. No other country is even close with Japan being the 3rd largest at 4,200 billion. The

sheer size of the U.S. economy alone makes a change unlikely. Other factors that would prohibit a change include.

1. Price Stability. The hallmark of any currency is its stability. This is why a Bitcoin or similar will not replace the U.S. dollar. A lack of price stability is a huge deterrent to changing to another currency. This is the primary reason why the dollar is the world currency in the first place.

Our dollar price has been extremely stable relative to other countries for a 100+ years.

2. The U.S. is the most geopolitically influential country. Our international influence and broad alliances strengthen the argument for the U.S. dollar to remain the world's reserve currency.

3. Political stability is certainly a big factor in making the dollar the reserve currency as well. While we probably all rolled are eyes in unison reading that based on the state of politics in the U.S. right now, the reality is that our system is very stable relative to other nations. We have functioned politically in the same general manner for several hundred years now.

4. Lack of an alternative. Many

people talk about China’s yuan as being a potential threat to the dollar’s reserve status, but the reality is that China is a communist country without a stable political system or even basic freedoms in many cases.

They have a long history of not allowing their currency to truly “free float” meaning a lack of government interference. They don’t hold free elections and suppress challenges to government authority. These factors add up to the rest of the world not being able to take replacing the dollar with the yuan seriously.

5. History. The mere fact that the world has built their financial systems and much of the global economy around the U.S. dollar would make a shift a difficult, expensive, and very long process.

It’s not to say that the U.S. dollar could never be replaced as the world’s reserve currency, but based on this list it would be hard to imagine that happening in the next 75-100 years unless something changed to completely alter the current system.

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Reich Asset Management, LLC is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual.

It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation. To view form CRS visit https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures.

Eric is President and founder of Reich Asset Management, LLC. He relies on his 25 years of experience to help clients have an enjoyable retirement. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Investment Management AnalystSM (CIMA®) and has earned his Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designations. A lifelong resident of Cape May County, Eric resides in Seaville, NJ with his wife Chrissy and their sons ,CJ and Cooper, and daughter Riley.

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November 16, 2023

Meet Jacklyn Romano: Philadelphia Magazine’s 2023 Health and Wellness Influencer of the Year

By Julia Train

J

acklyn Romano, widely known as jacklyn.fit on Instagram, has made a career through her passion for helping others, fitness and women empowerment.

Romano won Best of the Press multiple times, won SOJO 104.9’s Favorite Personal Trainer in South Jersey Contest and has been featured in magazines like Health.com, The Daily Dot, and most recently, Philadelphia Magazine.

Born and raised in Sea Isle City, the 26-year-old fitness influencer has been working on her personal brand since she was 19 when she became a certified personal trainer.

At that age she was a freshman at Jacklyn Romano Rowan University, majoring in business management, and decided to create a fitness account on Instagram.

In order to avoid her former high school classmates making fun of her, she decided to keep her page private until she started taking clients that year.

“I only had a couple of friends and my family on there and I would just post my workouts, snacks and tips,” Romano said.

One of Romano’s first clients was someone who had seen her in the gym at school. She wound up purchasing one of her online programs and lost 50 pounds.

“Her photos were so amazing. I

posted them and they were getting so many shares. I took my page off of private and… from that, it really really blew up,” she said.

In 2019, Romano graduated from Rowan. Up until then she had been working a full-time desk job, but as she became busier with clients, she couldn’t keep up.

So she decided to quit and focus on her blossoming business, which led to opening a fitness studio for personal training sessions.

In March 2020, she was set to open her gym, which is geared more toward women – although men do book sessions sometimes – with a primarily pink theme.

Instead of having her clients come in person, she would bring her laptop to the building and host workout classes over Zoom, which could be done at home without equipment.

“Every day or every night I would go over to my studio and I would do these workout classes on Zoom for those people because we were unable to meet out in the real world. So that’s kind of how the studio started and stayed afloat so I was still able to pay my rent.”

Three years later, Romano owns two businesses – a fitness studio and a bikini company – which allow her to fulfill her passions of women empowerment and helping others.

She’s grown her brand exponentially and has worked with Lululemon,

Get ready for Christmas!

Free People and Soul Cycle in Philadelphia.

On Aug. 17, Romano attended the magazine’s first Influencer Awards and won 2023 Health and Wellness Influencer of the Year. The awards show was livestreamed and allowed the influencers’ followers to vote.

About two weeks later, the winners got together for a photo shoot for Philadelphia Magazine’s November issue, which also featured 150 of

the Most Influential Philadelphians.

Romano enjoyed seeing professionals appreciate and notice influencers because they tend to receive unjust criticism, even though the platform can be used to spread positivity.

“The best part about my job is seeing people reach their goals and feel good. No matter who you are [or] what you look like, anyone can have the confidence to feel beautiful every day,” she said.

Celebrate the Holidays in the Wildwoods!

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DEC 8 & 9 Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park DEC 9 Family Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting Ceremony DEC 9 ‘Pinch the GrYnch’ Boardwalk 5K Run DEC 15 & 16 Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park DEC 16 Santa Paws - Treats & Photos DEC 18 Holiday Lights Walk DEC 23 Holiday Basketball Tournament Dec 26-31 Holiday Basketball Classic

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TURKEY GRAVY MASHEDPOTATO PUMPKINPIE WIPPEDCREAM

12-31-23

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SHORE FUNNY QUOTES “Thanksgiving is an emotional time. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they see only once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.” — Johnny Carson “Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare.

They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not a coincidence.”

— Erma Bombeck “Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants.” — Kevin James “A new survey found that 80 percent of men claim they help cook Thanksgiving dinner. Which makes sense when you hear them consider saying ‘that smells good’ to be helping.” — Jimmy Fallon

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November 16, 2023

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SUDOKU Solution on page 70

ACROSS 1. Slick grp.?

5. Mountain basin 8. Bygone bird of New Zealand 11. Relating to armpit 12. Pestilence pest 13. End a mission 15. Ancient Greece assembly site, pl.

16. What little kittens did with their mittens 17. *Thanksgiving Cranberry concoction 18. *Site of the "First Thanksgiving" 20. "Guilty," e.g.

21. Kiln, pl.

22. ____ Aviv 23. *Give what?

26. Strangling tool 30. Jul. follower 31. Pupil protector 34. Loads from lodes 35. Shows off 37. Part of human cage 38. Source of indigo dye, pl.

39. Laughing on the inside 40. Truly 42. Highest or lowest card 43. Nemo's home plant 45. *U.S. President's magnanimous gesture 47. Say "no" 48. Plural of carpus 50. Tom Jones's "____ a Lady" 52. *First settlers 55. ____ con Carne or ____ Verde 56. Fe 57. Off-color 59. Popular jeans brand 60. Attention-getting sound 61. Peter, Paul and Mary, e.g.

62. Elvis' "____ Now or Never" 63. ____ someone off 64. Do like goo

DOWN 1. Lout 2. Alka-Seltzer sound 3. James ____ Jones 4. Colored wax stick 5. VIP's influence 6. Compass point, pl.

7. The Count's favorite subject 8. Wry face 9. Black and white mammal 10. *What Thanksgiving celebrant did?

12. Excessively showy, slang 13. Turkish monetary unit 14. *Macy's parade flyer 19. "Haste ____ waste" 22. Little bit 23. ____ Periydica 24. Connected to Lake Michigan 25. September stone 26. Hurtful remark 27. Synonym to #61 Across 28. Telephone company 29. City in Germany 32. Marine eagle 33. Jack-in-the-box part 36. *First Thanksgiving parade (Philadelphia) sponsor 38. What Darwin says we do 40. "No room in the ____ for the travelers weary..."

41. Print from a smartphone 44. Desert mirage 46. ____ Bridge in Venice 48. The ____ of the Bambino 49. What phoenix did 50. Bolted 51. Hurries 52. Hearts and diamonds 53. Claudius' heir and successor 54. British slang for swindle 55. Computer-generated imagery, acr.

58. Anonymous John

See Solution on Page 70

November 16, 2023

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Planting roots: picking your location Real Estate Matters

By Elisa Jo Eagan

W

hile the number of bedrooms and the size of the backyard are both important when searching for a home, location should not be overlooked. In fact, it is often said in buying real estate and in choosing your place to call home, the most important factors are location, location, and location! Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you find the perfect location and property for you.

Neighborhood Whether it is peace and quiet surrounded by acres of land, being closer to the ocean, beach, or the water to enjoy fishing or boating, or the hustle and bustle of the city nightlife, scoping out what a neighborhood offers will make you happier in the long run. Unfortunately, neighbors are non-negotiable, unless you purchase your own remote private island.

Property Taxes Property taxes play a large role in a monthly budget. While you have little control over the mandated costs, it is best to take a look at the tax history before you take a look at a home.

School District Certainly, if you are looking for a location for your own children, this would most likely be your top priority. However,

even if you do not have school-age children, a school district may not seem like an important factor upon first glance. Regardless of your age, a highly rated school district can dramatically impact the value of your home, for better or for worse.

Crime Rates The safety of your neighborhood impacts everything from your happiness and security to your home's resale value.

If you are considering moving out of town or to another state, there are numerous online tools that shed light on crime rates.

Transportation If you move somewhere that your commute is over an hour, you are likely to get tired of the location fairly quickly. It may be more ideal if public transportation or highway access is nearby.

Geography The most obvious component of your home's physical location will have a huge impact on how you live. Think about factors like the climate, landscape, and environmental changes that will impact you down the line.

Only you can decide the best location for you! It may take quite a bit of research, time, and discernment – making any move for sure is truly a leap of faith.

With hugs, kisses and warm regards.

For real estate information and advice, contact Elisa Jo Eagan, the “Real Estate Godmother,” at 609-703-0432. Learn more at www.TheRealEstateGodmother.com.

For More Real Estate Questions, Information and Advice Contact Elisa Jo Eagan "The Real Estate Godmother" (609)703-0432 and Remember..."There's No Place Like Owning Your Own Home!"

Solutions to page 69 puzzles. Check yourself!

70

November 16, 2023

Deep cleaning provides a healthier house

By Liam Bass

C

leaning a house, whether it is seasonal cleaning or just regular biweekly/monthly cleaning, allows the occupants to live in a healthier space.

Whether you clean the house yourself (which is time-consuming) or hire a professional cleaning company, it is very important to have a clean domicile.

Bathrooms and kitchens are heavy-traffic areas. Mold and bacteria are living health enemies that can cause allergies and promote asthma.

Disinfecting and sanitizing bathrooms and kitchens where there is moisture will eliminate possible dangerous mold.

Mold is a serious health issue that is sometimes invisible to the eye.

When deep cleaning stoves (if permissible), pull them away from walls.

The same goes for refrigerators. It is not uncommon to discover rodent droppings or, even worse, a carcass. It can be eye-opening for an unsuspecting homeowner. If you do not deep clean, you are not aware of what lurks underneath seemingly immovable objects. It's common in many houses that furniture and appliances haven’t been moved in a long time.

Deep cleaning addresses every surface seen and unseen: baseboards, door hangs, baseboards, blinds, showers, underneath area rugs, ovens, kitchen cabinets, inside refrigerators where the mystery foods once lurked, et cetera. We all pay attention to our physical health. However, we may be neglecting to thoroughly clean where we sleep, eat, bathe, live and provide a safe environment for our family.

Even if a property is empty and has not been lived in, it is dirtier and unhealthier than you realize. Dust is

always present, and it eventually turns into dirt. As homeowners, we often believe that if things are in order, then the home is clean. However, that could be an illusion.

Deep cleaning is a good idea for many reasons besides the health factors. You will feel better physically and mentally knowing that your home is properly cleaned. Clutter has been found to cause people to have difficulty focusing on even the smallest tasks at hand.

A disorderly home can also possibly cause poor sleep. In one study, only 26 percent of the people who participated in the study and described themselves as messy were satisfied with their sleeping habits. Conversely, about twice the amount of people who described their environment as in order said their sleep was very restful. When your bedroom is clean, it can possibly help you get quality sleep. Clean your sleep chamber and change your sheets frequently to promote meaningful rest.

Let’s talk about COVID-19. Having your home cleaned and disinfected frequently will help combat COVID-19.

Changing out your air filters regularly also minimizes airborne transmission.

It is cost-saving to keep your house clean all the time instead of facing possible high medical expenses that have a long-term cost. A better health status for you and your family will add to the quality of your lives for years to come.

You will definitely realize a difference.

I personally have my house cleaned by professionals once a week, and it is a wonderful experience coming home to a sparkling environment.

Liam Bass is a regular contributor to Ocean City and Margate Clean and their other cleaning communities. Contact him at kel253@icloud.com.

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