Blogfinger

OG Funeral Home undergoes demolition. Blogfinger.net.  Paul Goldfinger MD

Two Grovers purchased this property. After a delay, demolition has begun.  We have no specifics, but we suspect an impressive single family home will result.  They have a big lot. Or maybe a medical facility?

My former office was a funeral home in its past life.    Our practice could offer quick service.   Later we sold it to a law firm.   Chiropracters took over after that.

BOBBY DARIN

A beautiful summer so far: bikers and teens abound. Paul Goldfinger photo. Ocean Grove. Click once to enlarge.

Auditorium Square Park. Blogfinger@verizon.net

In our North End neighborhood there are so many renters, many from out of state.  They are finding vacation lifestyles and especially loving not only our beach, but our porch culture.  Despite the hazards of bike riding, cyclers are all over town including young parents with little kids in little bike seats.

The weather has been sunny and cher, and it seems that beach goers from our part of town are relishing walking the long distance east.   As always, parking is a challenge.  Other specifics that attract visitors include visits to Tent Village and exploration of Asbury Park including restaurants just across the bridges from the Grove.

Compared to when we came here,the CMA is not so obvious with their religious programming.  I wonder if the young renters are even aware of that historic factor in town. In addition the secular  programming in town fails to feature our history other than house tours

Last night I attended the Silver Screen concert which combined movies and movie music.  As usual, the Mid-Atlantic Philharmonic Orchestra was superb led by Maestro Jason Tramm,   The movie part was a bit disappointing. I was hoping for a big screen showing movie clips with segments of  original movie scenes.

I loved Ben Hur with music from the chariot race.  I think my ancestors were there, but if it were me, I would have bought a Lexus.

Anyhow, I surveyed the audience and found few young people.  And there were perhaps several hundred in the audience.  The CMA fails again to promote their special secular shows .  I continue to wish that they would invite high school music students kids to their concerts like this: it would be a win-win idea.

And as for girls in their summer clothes, the style this summer features short shorts with tuggable hems.    Also there are flowing long light dresses or kaftans, and long rayon or silk or linen pant suits–all quite beautiful matching up with long straight hair styles. Are these pants too tight? Well who’s to say–it’s the fashion.  For the boys it’s beards and baseball hats worn backwards. What will they do if a fly ball emerges from in the sun?   And tattoos for all.

And the eateries in town, some of which are new—send us a short review:   Blogfinger@verizon.net

LOVE THEME FROM BEN HUR

LOVE THEME FROM CINEMA PARADISO:

Ocean Grove youth movement at the beach. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA. July, 2026.  Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

Frank Sinatra in a duet with Charles Aznavour.  It his Frank’s “Duets” album :

Paul Goldfinger. The Great Auditorium. 2026.  Searching for a prince.  Click once to enlarge.   Ocean Grove, NJ. Blogfinger.net

ETTA JONES.   From The Best of Etta.

Paul Goldfinger, MD.   Editor Blogfinger.net

Eileen and I went to a Veterans Day tribute at Ocean Township Town Hall last month.  There were veterans, Ocean Twp officials, Boy Scouts, citizens and speakers, but there also were children.  I was wearing my Jewish War Veterans hat, and as we entered, some kids spotted my hat and  a small girl handed me a folded piece of paper.  I gave it to Eileen for safekeeping, and we forgot to open it.  Yesterday, Eileen found it and handed it to me.

It was cleverly  folded, like one of those paper constructions, and I  cautiously opened it, and here it is. (above).

Zeezee signed it  “love” and she called me a “hero.”   Of course, I never thought of myself that way, especially since I was based in Portsmouth, Virginia   (Naval Hospital) during Viet Nam. The only danger I experienced was when some docs and corpsmen played basketball at lunchtime in the medical base gym, and I was in danger of being fouled while shooting.

But ZeeZee reminded me of those heroes who never came back from our wars.   And they never got to enjoy another Christmas. But their families get to remember them during this holiday season.  And I’m sure Zeezee was also honoring all those who did come back.

Among those millions was Eileen’s Dad Bernard Harkavy of Brooklyn, NY and then later, of Dumont, NJ.  Of course, Bernie got to enjoy many Hanukkahs when he came home, although he was away when Eileen was born.   When I met her,  Bernie was around to make sure I was behaving.  And then in 1984, at his insistence, we all went to France to visit Normandy.  It was like a scene from Saving Private Ryan.  It was the 40th anniversary of D-Day.

Sgt. Bernard Harkavy. He was in Europe during WWII.

BAND OF HMS ROYAL MARINES:  Theme from “Saving  Private Ryan.”

Ocean Grove near Wesley Lake. Free parking is allowed for Asburians who leave their cars in front of Paul’s house. Blogfinger photo July 2018.  Click image to read the signs.

I like the part about “cleaning up after your dog.”   It is an oxymoron, and the idea of it, to clean yourself up once your dog is done, says something about the importance of dogs in Dog-town New Jersey—ie Ocean Grove.

Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net

DAVID CHRISTMAS AND BERNADETTE PETERS.   From the off-Broadway original  cast of Dames at Sea

Paul Goldfinger photo. 2022

Flower Drum Song: