Fay Wray and the Giant Octopus—a drama unfolding in the Asbury Connection aka the Casino. © By Paul Goldfinger. Click left for the full Monty.
The hollowed-out Casino has become a passageway — a two-way covered arcade — to connect the Grove with Asbury Park. People seek it out for photography, live music, somersaults, flirting, dancing, walking, running, traversing on wheels or on sneakers, marrying, hugging, eating ice cream, or seeking/making art. Tell us what you’ve seen there (comments below).
Here we have a glamorous photo shoot. This crew is enjoying the special light of the space, but they are not being careful, because there is a giant octopus whose sucker-laden tentacle will soon get tired of its current lascivious location and perhaps will slither over to grab young Fay Wray down there on the Casino floor.
SOUNDTRACK: I was thinking of the James Bond movie Casino Royal, when I found this piece called “Octopussy — All Time High.” ”Octopussy” is the name of the 13th Bond film, and this theme by the City of Prague Philharmonic opens the film. Although the music has nothing directly to do with our model, who is about to be devoured in the Casino connecting the Grove to Asbury Park, she is pretty as a picture, and, like her, the music is beautiful.
– Paul Goldfinger
The other/another great space in Asbury is Convention Hall atrium which also is a passageway. High ceilings, very nice details, wonderful “feel” . It is very peaceful and quiet early in the morning when shoppes are closed and no one is there.