Tony Soprano on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ. c. 2000. All photos by Paul Goldfinger taken from the TV. Click once to enlarge.
Sopranos (L to R) Paulie, Hesh, Big Pussy, Patsy, Christafuh, and Silvio on the Asbury Park Boards.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net. from our series on the Sopranos at the Jersey Shore.
Late in the second season of the Sopranos, Tony is having nightmares. He is under the care of Dr. Jennifer Melfi, his shrink. The scenes on the Asbury Boardwalk portrayed a dream sequence with a talking fish over by Convention Hall.
The weather that day in June was a rare spring snow storm.
David Chase created the series which had six seasons and 86 episodes, and it ended in 2007. There were over 500 New Jersey locations during the Soprano years. Steven Van Zandt (Silvio) is an actor and musician from New Jersey and is a member of Springsteen’s E Street Band. Despite his name, he is Italian and he grew up in Middletown after the age of 7. Perhaps he had something to do with the Asbury location.
James Gandolfini portrayed Tony Soprano. He was from Westwood, NJ, and he died in 2013 of a heart attack. Re-post from 2016.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net. Re-posted periodically on BF.
Tsai is a woman who works at Wegman’s. Despite her Chinese heritage, she was assigned to the kosher department. She knew nothing about Jewish food but she quickly learned about lox, matzoh balls, knishes, latkes, chopped liver and many other items.
She was fascinated with Passover rituals where special foods have traditional meanings. Tsai found out about seders (Passover meals where the history of the Jewish people is recounted) and about kosher food regulations. She learned why they have separate dishes and a special kosher kitchen at Wegmans.
Although most of the foods were initially strange to her, one thing that she knew about was liver. “The only customers at Wegmans who like liver are the Jews and the Chinese,” she told me in an exclusive Blogfinger interview.
“At Wegmans we make large vats of chopped liver for Passover, so I learned what the Jewish version is supposed to taste like,” she said. “When we prepare foods at Wegman’s, somebody in the kitchen has to taste each item, so I was the kosher chopped liver lady.”
By the time Tsai was transferred to another part of the store, she knew more about Jewish cuisine than some Jews. Last year the kitchen had prepared chopped liver for Passover, but no one in the kitchen knew what it was supposed to taste like. Tsai offered to help them. She tasted it and said, “It’s no good—it’s sour.”
But the staff didn’t believe her, so they sought a second opinion and found a man who worked in the store who was half Jewish. They had him taste it. “It’s terrible,” he said. So they dumped the whole batch and did it again. After that, they trusted Tsai’s chopped liver assessment.
Passover is the most popular Jewish holiday. It is happy and is about tradition, freedom, family, and history. It is also importantly about food, some of which has great symbolic relevance. No one will allow Eileen to skip any of the special foods. For example, the charosis consists of chopped apples, cinnamon, walnuts, raisins and wine. The recipe varies quite a bit. It symbolizes the mortar that the Jewish slaves used to build the pyramids for Pharaoh about 3,500 years ago.
There is not much written history about this, but I think that Pharaoh was building a theme park along the Nile. If I were there with my ancestors, I would have hired a contractor.
Some people who are not Jewish enjoy Passover customs and they like to eat matzohs (unleavened bread.) Many even enjoy going to seders.
We sometimes find non-Jews at our seder table. I don’t know how they got there, but they do love the rituals, the family jokes, the story telling and the food. I had a patient in the hospital (Mt. Sinai in New York) years ago who was a classic little old Italian mama with a gold tooth in front and a bun in the back. She was eating some matzoh. I asked her what that was, and she said , “Matz.”
Some people wonder how Jews can eat unusual and worrisome looking foods like gefilte fish and chopped liver. Sometimes ethnic foods can seem gross to outsiders, and it takes courage for a non-Jew to try gefilte fish.
It is because chopped liver is often rejected when offered that the expression “What am I? Chopped liver?” came about. I like that expression–it’s like so many that people use without knowing the actual meaning.
There are many recipes for chopped liver, but mostly it is chicken livers sautéed in onions, with salt and pepper, schmaltz (chicken fat) and oftentimes with hard boiled eggs, all chopped together. You take a piece of matzoh and scoop up some of it (it’s like the corn chips and guacamole among the Mexicans.). It is served as an appetizer, and our family loves it.
Passover is a complicated holiday and widely open to interpretation. A little book called the Haggadah is used during the seder to guide the ceremony, but there are over 3,000 versions from all over the world.
You can get chicken soup with kreplach all year round—-just go to a Chinese restaurant and ask for won ton soup.
2023 : The Wegman kosher department is now gone, but many kosher items are prepackaged and available, including chopped liver.
Tsai and her two sisters still work at Wegmans, and they and Eileen are truly “Wegwomen.”
PASSOVER SONG “Eliyahu Hanavi” by Deborah Katchko-Gray. It is about Elijah the Prophet who visits every Jewish home on Passover. The orthodox believe that Elijah comes to make sure all the males are circumcised. We skip that part at our seder.
Thanks to the work of some volunteers from American Fence in Pennsylvania, the fishing pier is now over the water. Well, it’s shallow water, but it is H20. The pier is now about 250 feet long—half of its original length, but a lot longer than we expected after Sandy.
Ready for a Seder in Ocean Grove. Eileen’s table design includes the Seder plate (L) with symbols of the Passover story.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA. Every day we have visitors to this blog from all over the world. Since the founding in 2009, we have nearly 5 million hits.
In the last 7 days. (2026) we have had 2,500 hits; 464 on 3/28 and 506 on 3/29; and visitors from 32 foreign countries. (Data from WordPress)
Passover begins in 2026 at sundown Wednesday April 1 and continues for 7 days, ending at sundown on April 8. The holiday is about an event, described in the Old Testament, which occurred over 3,000 years ago when the Jewish people, enslaved by the Egyptians, achieved freedom and returned to their homeland. They were led by a charismatic leader named Moses, and along the way they received the Ten Commandments.
The story is retold each year throughout the world during Passover, and 70% of American Jews attend Seders, which are events where families and friends gather to discuss the meaning of those ancient stories. It is a happy optimistic holiday that is accompanied by traditional foods, music and symbolic rituals. A book is read during the Seder; it is called the Haggadah and it has existed as a stand-alone document since the 15th century.
Over the years there have been many different Haggadah designs with many variations on the theme, but the core elements of the Passover saga have not changed over the millennia, and that is pretty impressive. In fact, Dr. Shoshana Silberman, formerly of Ocean Grove, has written and published two Haggadahs including the marvelous Jewish World Family Haggadah with black and white photos by Zion Ozeri.
Some people say that the Passover story is fiction. The exact truth regarding what happened back then is unknown—a matter of faith. But there is archeological evidence that confirms much of the story’s framework.
There probably weren’t any seders in the Grove back in Rev. Stoke’s time, but who knows? There is a Jewish community in Ocean Grove now, and Seders are certainly part of the fabric of life here in 2011 and now 2016. Eileen gets creative this time of year with her table design and homemade traditional foods.
MUSIC : traditional Passover song “Dayenu” (in Hebrew)–by the “Klezmers”
Seaside Heights. October 12, 2015. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click once to grab the brass ring and enlarge the photo.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger (Re-posted 2026 from October 2015)
This carousel horse, photographed after the season in Seaside Heights, reminds me of Broadway—sometimes happy and sometimes sad. I’m thinking of the show Carousel whichproclaims, “June is busting out all over.”
The Fantasticks has a song called “Round and Round” which begins as a gorgeous fantasy—-“Life is a colorful carousel,” but later the song becomes dark, sad, and scary.
However, for the most part, Broadway brings us joy as in “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma.
I see this carousel, devoid of riders and seemingly sad because the season is over, and yet the scene, like a Broadway set, is bursting with vivid colors and, in a way, with memories of life itself.
So, in wondering about this photograph and how to see it, I decided that it is joyful and not sad, and if the horse could talk he would say, ” Please sir, I want more oats” (sorry for the Oliver joke, such as it is.) I wonder how a child would view it.
And certainly now, in 2021, with Broadway (and even the London stage) mostly dark for an indefinite period of time, we will have to wait to experience the joy of the musical stage.
Of course, we can still hear the music. We try to keep that music alive on Blogfinger. It’s easy to forget, but we won’t. (Thanks Mom!)
Here is MIMI HINES from a show called “The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd.” It is a happy song full of the sort of vivid optimism that we often find in Broadway musicals and, sometimes, in life.
Marilyn Monroe, no longer in the dark. Photographer George Barris made Marilyn smile. I always imagined that she was smiling at me.
By Paul Goldfinger, M.D. Editor @Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortenson in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926. She tragically died at the age of 36. She was the pin-up girl for most of the guys from my generation. Marilyn was not only a movie star, but she also was a singer. Remember “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
Many years ago I found this photo (above) of MM in a shop on Thompson Street in Greenwich Village where they sold photographs of Hollywood stars. I loved her smile, her hair, and her towel. The picture was provocative even though it is rated P.G. (my initials)
Marilyn has been on the wall of my dark room for many years, so she was always smiling at me, keeping me company, while I was engaged in that solitary activity. Now, as I take down that old technology, the photo of Marilyn will remain, as the dark room takes on new digital form.
There were many photographers who were known for their images of her—tens of thousands of photos of Marilyn exist.
Those who were privileged to photograph her included many great names such as Avedon, Bachrach, Eisenstadt and Newman.
We recently wrote a post about the photographers on the movie set of The Misfits, where MM was photographed with Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Arthur Miller, and Eli Wallach.:
Here is link about Marilyn and her friend photographer Eve Arnold:
She was a passionate and vulnerable person who, like a beautiful butterfly, flitted from one to another without landing happily. Here is a quote from Marilyn herself, “I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else.”
–From the Unfinished Biography of Marilyn Monroe
Her singing was wispy and sexy. Recently Barry Manilow decided to make an album of “Dream Duets” using technology to bring him together in song with his departed musical heroes. One of the songs was with Marilyn.
Chef Justin Skribner greeted us when we strolled into “Little Gem.” Eileen’s so hungry she grabbed a menu and sat right down, forgetting to take off her coat. . This is an inviting place. In the back is brother Steve and Grace the server. Click once to enlarge. Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger, Editors, Blogfinger.net from Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA.
Steve and Justin Skribner grew up in Avon-By-the Sea, a Jersey Shore town with more hyphens than anywhere else. They love the town, and as the years passed, they had a dream that someday they could open a restaurant in A-B-T-S.
Justin the younger brother became a chef, and he worked for 15 years in some high-end restaurants in New York City.
In recent years they formulated a plan, and they kept their eyes open for a site. The location they chose was superb at 300 Main Street at the corner with Lincoln, It is a bright and cheerful space with sunshine pouring inside.
The mural in the back was created by a local artist, Urté from Asbury Park. It depicts a lemon tree, and some cardinals can be seen. Ask them to explain the symbolism in the tree.
The Skribner brothers hope to draw on their roots in Avon and have a restaurant that will be a local gathering place. At the same time they hope to have some amazing gourmet dishes to delight diners.
We walked in by chance today (March 25, 2026); it was their 3rd day open, and there was excitement in the air as diners and friends began to stop by.
Justin’s 15 month old daughter was happily running around, and when Eileen smiled and waved to her, she waved back. “Hey, what about me?” asked Uncle Steve who was trying to receive one of her smiles.
We also met Grace, the waitress whose parents live in Ocean Grove. Little Gem is open Wednesday to Sunday from 8-4 for breakfast to lunch; for now.
This is Grace who seemed happy to be part of the joyful opening.
But with the leadership of chef Justin, the team at “Little Gem” is aiming high to create an imaginative and delicious cuisine. The brothers said that their restaurant will have a French-European style and their culinary variety will be evident even more when their dinner menu begins in 4-6 weeks. For breakfast they have imaginative French style omelettes; steak and eggs; fried potato skins, chorizo hash, and poached eggs with cheese sauce.
They also have a yogurt ball with berry compote and housemade granola.
And there is French toast with rhubarb jam , banana and vanilla. Breakfast also features Maypink’s pancakes with berry compote and whipped cream. The menu has more innovative treats. WOW!
This is our fried chicken sandwich lunch which we split, and it was wonderful. You could just look at and know that it would be delicious. The photo shows Eileen’s half of the sandwich. And there are fresh flowers which we loved. Blogfinger photo. The coffee is from the Asbury Roastery.
For lunch we shared the fried chicken sandwich with pepper relish, cole slaw, arugula and lemon aioli, It was served in a triple decker design on a toasted roll with excellent French fries and perfectly prepared chicken—and it was terrific There also was a super- duper grilled cheese sandwich on the lunch menu called “McNorwood Smash” made with an English muffin, American cheese, onion ring, and Russian dressing.
The Skribner brothers are gradually building up their menu.
There is an air of happiness, optimism, and success at “Little Gem,”
We will go back and visit “Hyphen Village.”
PETER, PAUL AND MARY:
FRANK SINATRA: (See today’s comment–click below 3/30/26)
Bradley Beach downtown. A park for the citizens and housing for most. Paul Goldfinger photo. 1/26/25. Click once to enlarge.
Paul Goldfinger MD, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ. USA
Where is the affordable housing in the Grove? How can young people, OG “Underground,” find a place to live in the Grove? How much will the new North End condos cost?
Who is looking out for the young families, workers, students, artists, singles, seniors, disabled and others who would like to live in our town?
The OG Community Association say that they are about quality of life for our “community” but how do they define “community,” and don’t expect the Neptuners to care.
It’s nearly impossible to find affordable efficiencies or one bedroom apartments in the Grove either for rent or to buy. And the small cottages are no longer affordable either.
But Bradley Beach has thought about affordable housing (see above) and they have a good supply. And keep an eye on the transformation of Memorial Drive. They place their citizens first, and tourism last.
Ocean Grove is a prime location with an ocean, a unique history, special architecture, nearness to 2 big cities and A. Park, but there is no diversity, and a large number of folks are over 60. There are no other towns like ours, and who will monitor our need for more affordable housing?
UPDATE: From the Asbury Park Press 2/6/25:
“Some 40% of Monmouth and Ocean County towns are pushing back against New Jersey’s newly calculated affordable housing obligations, a review by the Asbury Park Press has found, offering to build far fewer units than the state has assigned them or simply removing themselves from the program altogether.”
A Blogfinger review of this article reveals that Neptune Township is negotiating with the State over this issue, and Ocean Grove is not mentioned in the charts.
Affordable housing mandated for Neptune probably won’t pay attention to the Grove. But the “Association” formerly known as the “OGHOA” has removed all references to “homes” on their new and vaguely titled “Ocean Grove Community Association.”
At least their prior name made reference to a specific interest, but now they need to define what they mean by “community.”
So which OG entity will concern itself with our shortage of affordable housing?
And by the way, who is monitoring the demographics in our town besides the census? Such data is critical for planning the Grove’s future life styles.
Sopranos (L to R) Paulie, Hesh, Big Pussy, Patsy, Christafuh, and Silvio on the Asbury Park Boards.
James Gandolfini portrayed Tony Soprano. He was from Westwood, NJ, and he died in 2013 of a heart attack. Re-post from 2016.
