Paul Goldfinger photograph. 2021. Click to enlarge.
THE FABELMAN’S: From the original motion picture soundtrack by John Williams.
Paul Goldfinger photo on the OG boards. 9/22. Click to enlarge. Paul Goldfinger photo
OSCAR D’LEON. “Frenesi.”
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By Paul Goldfinger, Editor of Ocean Grove’s Blogfinger.net. 3/9/2026.
Jean Bredin 2019. The Casino
Casino. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net
A few years ago we reported on the loss of two historic hotels in A. Park. They should have been preserved, but the property was turned into condos. Here is a portion of that Blogfinger post:
“Evidently the idea of remodeling them into residences was not considered because AP has turned over that entire oceanfront area to trash-and -build-new developers without any worry about history. They don’t seem to care about AP’s history and they don’t mind turning much of their reclaimed property into condominiums.”
I recall when the beautiful old Metropolitan Hotel, a nostalgic place, which I visited before it’s death spiral, with much history, was allowed to rot and then be demolished.
However there is a huge difference between the two towns: Ocean Grove is on the National and State Historic Registers, so we have an obligation to try and save historic buildings and not mow them down like dead ducks. But turning old hotels into condos here is contrary to our Master Plan which has a vision that is totally different than Asbury’s, and we really shouldn’t allow more space-clogging condo conversions of old hotels to occur, especially in defiance of RSIS parking standards.
“Our old hotels need to be dealt with in ways that meet the special needs of our town, with the interests of the people and the history placed ahead of the developers and the politicians who want more money from the Cash-Cow-By-The-Sea. (Think of this comment when considering the 2024 discussion of the Albatross. and the North End)”
So in the latest Coaster is a piece entitled. “Asbury Park Group Seeks to Save Historic Structures.” As you know, the ire of some Parkers has been raised, and a group has appeared: “Save Our Structures–Asbury Park”. The Casino is part of that effort, and many local folks including Grovers are anxious to see that structure be saved. We at Blogfinger often went to that venue to see art, hear music, and photograph the lively people who enjoyed that link between the two towns.
The leaders of the save the Casino crowd say, “Asbury Park’s history must be preserved alongside its progress”–a wise sentiment.
As far as I know, the building has been called “The Casino” by most people who enjoyed that open air venue during warm weather in recent years..
But what’s in a name? The Coaster wants to refer to it by its historic name–“The Grand Concourse” so that the space can once again be a “vibrant public space. ” They don’t like recent attempts to call it a “breezeway.”
Personally, if that walk-through can be saved, how about leaving it as “The Casino”. That is a historic name for most of our current population of the two-towns who have enjoyed the space in recent years.
THE CADILLACS:
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Ocean Grove 03/06/2026. Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
The first one to name the brand, country of origin, model, year, engine, type of gas and closest mileage will win a signed black and white photo print by Paul Goldfinger.
The owner found this vehicle on the Internet. It was his dream car.
We will announce the winner and mail/or deliver his/her prize.
Submit your facts to Blogfinger@verizon.net. or use comment button below.
WE HAVE A WINNER: Peter Tallman-–see below
“Hey Doc! This email ended up in my spam folder for some reason (don’t worry, I would never personally mark you as processed meat). A long time ago I had a 1982 Mercedes 300 SD Turbo Diesel that looked just like that one (mine was a deep blue). That being said, car people can be strange folk, so perhaps this fellow longed for elegance with (slightly) better gas mileage? The diesel had a 5 cylinder engine but the s class was available with a 6 cylinder and an 8 cylinder gas engine as well. I’m going with the diesel and with an age of 1981-85. Is that cheating? Also, if it is indeed a diesel, I would not be surprised if it had as many as 300,000 miles on the odometer although I would guess closer to 150,000 judging by how clean it looks. As you know Doc, those Germans certainly design well made cars!”
Our owner identified this car as a 1981 300 SD Mercedes diesel with 133,000 miles. It has 5 cylinders
Peter. Excellent win: Send me an address and I will send you one of my black and white prints. I once had a 300D Mercedes. It was wonderful, but it had no pickup–like my wife. Oops Sorry Eileen –It’s a joke. When we sold it, a gentleman came to our house and offered us cash. He didn’t want to drive it. Why? He said he would ship it to Paraguay where, for $400.00 he could refurbish it; and then it would be a taxi. I bet it still is working. Paul
Here is a link to Peter Tallman’s family story which was posted on Blogfinger about 7 years ago.
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington:
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Paul Goldfinger. 06/09/24. Blogfinger.net. Click to enlarge.
THE PLATTERS:
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Downtown Ocean Grove in front of Nagle’s. Paul Golfinger photograph s Click all photos to enlarge. Blogfinger.net 2014. Enlarge our photographs with a single click.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD from Phantom of the Opera: “Music of the Night.”
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger, Editors @Blogfinger. c. 2014. Blogfinger.net
We were downtown last night, and there was a live show in front of Nagle’s. That may seem extraordinary, but for Main Avenue in the Grove, it’s business as usual. This is a very special place on a summer’s night.
A piano is placed in front of the restaurant/ice cream emporium , and tables and chairs are arranged in a rough circle around the “stage.” At the piano is a woman who has been performing her summer show for years. Her name is Alla Axelrod and she sits at the piano, talks to the crowd, makes music, and backs up a variety of vocalists who toss her a key and off they go.
Valerie belts out a few standards. Click on photo to make it bigger. Paul Goldfinger photos.
Alla does a fine job keeping up with the singers regardless of where the tune takes them. Even when the singer’s intonation heads south , north, or both, somehow the music still sounds good.
A sour note? No problem—the audience smiles and claps. It’s musical special sauce which is really about the power to enchant which music brings. Alla Axelrod is having a variety of singers perform with her this night. One is a teenager named Kaitlin, another is Valerie from Manhattan, and then there is Lucille of Ocean Grove.
A man walked up to Alla. He had a dog and a parrot. If he had wandered into a bar, we could have a good joke. He placed the parrot on her head. Then he placed the parrot on Valerie’s head. Then he, the dog and the parrot moved on. Everybody smiled and laughed. Special sauce again.
Last week we spotted a woman on the boardwalk with a parrot—a coincidence? Or magic? Or is it Hitchcock and the birds?
A lively audience had gathered around, and they enjoyed the show while eating ice cream. The Nagle’s ordering window was constantly in motion, and there were lots of small children with their parents and friends—happy to be outside at night.
Nagle’s pick-up window. It sure looks that way.
Heading west on Main Avenue, diners were still eating al fresco at Yvonne’s. At Day’s, the line for their ice cream was long, as usual.
Alfresco at Yvonne’s ©
Ocean Grove on a Saturday night is a unique and special experience. Besides the downtown scene, over at the Great Auditorium, The Beach Boys are singing a medley of their greatest hits, and you can hear them quite well from the lawn seats or even a couple of blocks away by some of the tents or in Evergreen Park at New York Avenue. A woman on a bench there is getting some good vibrations, singing with the boys. You could even hear the audience inside and out singing, “Help help me Rhonda…”
And of course, the special sauce requires a special ingredient which is always present. What? Yes, of course—-the ocean. Walk a few blocks and visit the ocean at night. Go on the beach, listen to the music of the night, put your toes in the water, or walk on our new boardwalk. The total effect is a sense of being in a magical place where everyone is enjoying themselves and everyone feels totally comfortable. The children add immeasurably to that sense, and it is all soothed by the music, the twinkling lights in the shops, the porch people, the tent people, the Great Auditorium inside and out, and by the warm ocean breezes.
It seems like everybody is outdoors. There is no honky tonk or irrational noisemaking. Nobody acts weird, and no kids are screaming at each other. Even the dogs don’t bark. Unlike the magical kingdoms of Disney, this feels real, because people actually live here. It is a hometown unlike many others, even those which are at the Jersey Shore. What other town is like this one? Not too many.
Bewitched and bewildered.
A little girl in a long red t -shirt is standing in front of Nagle’s clutching an ice cream. She seems a little bewildered by all the people, especially in a nighttime setting when she might normally be in bed; and then Mom leans over and scoops her up to safety. Another magical moment in Ocean Grove.
THE DRIFTERS WITH BEN E. KING:
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Ocean Grove, 2009. Paul Goldfinger photo. Ocean Grove, N.J.
MICHAEL PENN. “Good Girl Down.” from the HBO series Girls, Vol III. Last posted 2016.
“You can’t keep a good girl down
No you can’t keep a girl down
I’ve been lost and I’ve been found
You can’t keep a good girl down.”
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Paul Goldfinger portrait of a BMW Z-4 in Deal, New Jersey.
This is a BMW Z-4– 2009. It is one of the best looking sport cars on the road today. It wasn’t even broken in until it reached 30,000 miles. It has a high performance engine and is a stick shift. It was first introduced in 2009 when BMW redesigned the Z-4 for that model year. It has a retractable hard top. The interior is red.
Joni Mitchell (live): “In France They Kiss on Main Street.” Note that Joni sings about kissing in the back seat, but not in this car.
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VAN MORRISON AND THE CHIEFTAINS
“Irish Heartbeat.”
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March 13, 2016. Asbury Park. By Jean Bredin © Blogfinger staff.
St Patrick’s Day parade. By Jean Bredin , Blogfinger staff. Asbury Park 3/13/16 ©
THE DUBLINERS “Whiskey in the Jar:”
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Paul Goldfinger. Asbury Park 2018 Blogfinger.net. Click once to enlarge.
Paul Goldfinger. A. Park 2018 parade.
THE IRISH ROVERS: A tribute to our grandson Noah.
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Ocean Grove. Silver gelatin darkroom print. By Paul Goldfinger © 2016. This is the Fitzgerald Fountain before it was refurbished in 2019. Click to enlarge.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger Re-post from 2016.
The Story of Ocean Grove, 1869-1919 by Morris S Daniels. Published in 1919 by the Methodist Book Concern in New York City:
“In a little old dingy tent, one of ten erected on the sand drifts of what was later to be known in Ocean Grove as Thompson Park but now called Founders’ Park, there occurred on the night of July 31, 1869 an event of immense significance.
“What happened was not unusual of itself, and the surroundings were not such as to impress one that history was making within the confines of the poor little tent, illumined, as it was, by a few tallow candles; but ‘Great oaks from little acorns grow.'”
Morris Daniels tells us that about 12 people gathered in the tent which belonged to Mrs. Joseph Thornley. They all had arrived the day before and pitched their tents there. There were no chairs, so they all sat on rough pine boards.
Daniels says, “The night was dark, save for the stars which twinkled brightly from overhead, while the few candles within cast a weird shadow upon the scene.
“Some had come directly from their own tents while others had preferred to wander over the yielding sands to the edge of the dune overlooking the sea to watch the moon rise from her briny bed.
“But shortly after nine o’clock all had gathered in the little dimly lighted tent for Ocean Grove’s first religious service—–a prayer meeting.”
WARREN VACHE´ “Stardust”. (He performed in the Great Auditorium.)
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Paul Goldfinger. OG boardwalk. Click once
CAL TJADER. “The Night We Called It a Day”
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