Central Park Zoo. Undated. By Paul Goldfinger. Last post was 2015.
KEN PEPLOWSKI and FRIENDS (live.) Ken is on clarinet. “All the Things You Are.” This song was written by Jerome Kern, melody; with Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics. It was for a 1939 Broadway show called Very Warm for May.
The great jazz sax player John Coltrane loved the lyrics of this song so much, he referred to it as the “angel glow” song. (“You are the angel glow that lights the star'” —–Jerome Kern lyrics.
“You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song
“You are the angel glow that lights the star
The dearest things that I know are what you are
Someday my happy arms will hold you
And someday I’ll know that moment divine
When all the things you are, are mine”
Paul Goldfinger photo on the Casino bypass. It came in handy to go to and from the Zombies. Blogfinger.net. Asbury Park made this happen. 10/7/23. Click to enlarge.
Nocturnal Grover girls on the OG boards nearing the south entrance to the Casino. Night was always a popular time for coming and going via the Casino. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger. net 8/21
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net. (Ocean Grove, USA)
A Neptune lawyer, Thomas De Seno, Esq. has posted an exposé. (see link below) alleging that the people of Asbury Park have ben rendered impotent regarding the development of the City’s waterfront due to dominance by big money companies such as Madison Marquette, iStar, Capital Guidance, international private equity firms, and real estate/banking interests.
He alleges that the caring people of A. Park have been squeezed and intimidated by these moneyed interests so that those who should be designing their town’s future such as artists , musicians, Chamber of Commerce, boardwalk businesses, charities, Historical Society, local media, the LGBTQ+ community, and the City Council have no power.
In many cases he says that those AP “usuals” owe allegiance to the big bosses–relationships which inhibit those who love their city.
On Blogfinger we have recently been publishing our views of what is going on regarding the plight of the Casino, especially as it pertains to Ocean Grove which is located just to the south of the Casino and which is never mentioned by the Asburian talking heads.
And we also have described the Asburian noisemakers which of late have been rightly pushing for repair and rebuilding the Casino.
De Seno says that “Something new is happening as evidenced by a petition in A. Park signed by 7,500 people to ‘save the Casino.'”
He says that there will by an “informational” at the high school “where the redevelopment attorney will update the community on the Waterfront.” He says that the usual vocal citizens are muzzled, so others must speak up about “retain the Casino.”
He also says that “it won’t cost Asbury Park much money to sue to retake the Casino.”
To read his long dissertation go to desenolaw.com.
Eileen; age 4. Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Bernard Harkavy, Eileen’s Dad.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net.
I grew up in a household filled with music, especially Broadway show tunes. Since Broadway shows often were about stories, I listened carefully to lyrics.
When I was perhaps in 4th grade, I was friends with a little girl who lived up the block from my grandparents in Bayonne, NJ. I don’t recall her name, but when I listened carefully to the lyrics of this song from Annie Get Your Gun, I actually wondered if I would one day get married, and who would that girl be. And might it be that little girl from up the street?
I didn’t understand some of the lyrics, especially about “purring like a kitten.”
I thought that perhaps there was some girl out there whom I could really like a lot.
That song had always made me wonder.
Much later I met Eileen on a blind date. And then I knew…..
From Annie Get Your Gun: “The Girl That I Marry” Howard Keel singer; Irving Berlin composer.
Click on one photo and then follow the small arrows. (Very small)
This couple is about to step onto the New Jersey Ave. bridge to visit the Sunday market. All photos by Paul Goldfinger. Blogfinger.net 8/3/25
This is the view as I step onto the AP side. The Sunday Market is straight ahead.
This is Tomas. He sells small tomatoes. Jersey’s were not there.
Grovers Betsy and Paul show friends from Chicago around the event.
Many of the sellers were dealing with lines, especially the gourmet bread bakers
Farmer’s daughters. Pretty girls abound at this A. Parker Farmer’s Market.
A diverse crowd visits this market.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ. This is why we are the “Garden State.” Jersey tomatoes are now peaking. Try Matt’s in Belmar for those.
This market is on Sundays at Press Plaza. It is open from May through November.
When you walk across Wesley Lake via the New Jersey Avenue bridge from Ocean Grove, you will see this farmers market straight ahead.
It is a sophisticated market with a fascinating variety of items for sale. It was well attended, and lines formed at a number of stands, especially for breads.
It is a pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning. I saw about 6 Grovers besides a few who were heading back to the Grove as I walked over.
Paul Goldfinger, photo. 6/24. Ocean Twp, NJ. Blogfinger.net Click once to enlarge.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net.
FRANK SINATRA: From the movie soundtrack of What Women Want.
At the Town-Wide Yard sale last weekend, quite a few women came to our sale, so I took the opportunity to conduct a mini-survey. I asked , “Do you mind if I refer to you as ‘girls’ ? They all said that it’s fine.
Ocean Grove, a monochrome morning. Sunrise. By Paul Goldfinger Undated. Click to enlarge, but why bother?
Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
I am not fond of sunsets, photographically speaking of course. I mean, after all, we must have sunsets. But, admit it, they are very repetitive. That is unless there is context. If you are a spiritual person you could see something different every time.
100 years ago Alfred Stieglitz began photographing clouds. He called these images “Equivalents” and he saw something different in the abstraction of each photo.
With sunsets, for example, you could be at Key West, Florida, where everyone in town goes to watch the sunset. And there you might see a blond in a baseball hat turned backwards making pop corn, or you might spot a guy blowing fire (His girl friend calls him “Hot Lips”,) or you could be on the beach with a glass of wine, in which case the sunset takes on extra meaning. So sunsets can be seen as each one is different and that is why some viewers find them fascinating every time.
But I still like sunrises best. Maybe it’s because most of us get to see them so rarely. By the time you roll out of bed, the show’s over. But I think it’s more than that.
The lighting of a sunrise seems to have a magical quality. It is a symbol of rebirth; and no matter what has happened on earth: discovery of fire, Huns invade Europe, Jews invent matzah-ball soup, the Romans conquer everybody, and so many other amazing events, nevertheless, the sun always rises (or is it, “the sun also rises?)
So, Eileen loves to ask “why questions.” Like she’ll probably want to know why I was on the OG beach to make this photograph. But, to tell the truth, I have no recollection about this image. I have nothing to explain.
It’s sometimes interesting to hear a photographer discuss a photograph, but it’s also nice to just look at the image and get what you can from it. In the case of this sunrise, you can ask why or you can look at the picture and reflect on the view. That’s how Ansel Adams saw nature.
So for those of you who don’t often get to see a sunrise, here’s one from our very own beach in the Grove. —-Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net.
PHIL OCHS “Changes”
"Moments of magic will glow in the night
All fears of the forest are gone
But when the morning breaks they're swept away by
golden drops of dawn, of changes."
COMMENT FROM GROVER ARTIST/PHOTOGRAPHER CARL SWENSON:
“I like sunrises, too. Insomniacs see more than their fair share.”
Sunrise in Ocean Grove by Carl Swenson. (cardsbycarl.com)
BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “Chanson de matin; Op. #15” (Song of morning) by Edward Elgar, British composer.
