Embury Avenue block party. May, 2021. Ocean Grove. Blogfinger photo. Click once to make it larger.
Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net. Repost from 2021.
Does this look like Ocean Grove in 1869? Of course not. The CMA needs to recognize that this town has been changing for many years, and now we are being discovered by New Yorkers as well as North Jerseyites . —Change will continue. And there is no future in denying that.
Ocean Grove hasn’t developed a town-wide culture among residents, and there are reasons for that.
Mostly it is a town of neighborhoods, and more accurately, a town of blocks. Some block residents have become friends, but that may be a changing cast as there are second homers, people who move away, and renters, so it’s not like the old days when multiple generations stayed and cemented relationships.
Sometimes close neighbors form social connections and they may have regular house or porch parties,
And there are the block parties which are often connected to holidays, and they may recur for a few years, but ultimately they lose their way.
There are some OG families that have been here for one generation after another, and they form networks and seldom are friendly with newbies.
Which brings us to this particular block party on Embury where residents roped off an entire block today to celebrate the emergence of sunshine and each other’s company.
When I arrived they were having a good time eating, laughing and talking. I’m told that they often have such social events.
It seems that these Emburians enjoy each other, so block parties are not unusual for them. I stumbled upon this event as I rode my bike into the festivities. I got a warm welcome as I stopped to take a picture. One woman rushed over to me and asked, “Are you from the Coaster?” I’m thinking, “OMG do I look that dopey?”
Anyhow, I had some laughs with the cast of characters over there. I knew Donna Fox, the author of Jersey Girl and Dave Matteo from On-Site Computers. Some others I knew from carousing around town. Hank walks his dog by my house.
So the group insisted on a group shot; it was a bit like herding cats, but we got the shot. Somebody even took my picture, which was a switch.
It was time for me to say goodby and head home, which is not far from the party location. Maybe some more OG blocks should jump on the Groverican bandwagon. Change is in the air in this American small town.
DICK HYMAN from the Woody Allen movie “Everyone Says I Love You.”