Princeton University Art Museum. 2013. Photo by Paul Goldfinger. Xerxes I was King of Persia around 470 BC. He was admitted to Princeton because he ruled an empire, was nice to the Jews, had great SAT’s, an impressive essay, and he played bassoon in the band.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Blogfinger.net, Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
Ironically, Persian kings (Cyrus the Great and Xerxes) beat the Babylonians (around 490 BC) and thus freed the Jews from slavery, granted them freedom of religion, and allowed them to return to Jerusalem and their home land of Israel (Judah and Israel) around 490 BC.
There are those who today say that President Trump is the most important person for Jewish survival since Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire .
Over the years since King David (1000 BC) the Jewish people fought many wars, winning some and losing others. Their opponents were not initially Muslims since Islam was created in the 7th century CE, and there was a golden age when Jews and Muslims worked well together in Spain from the 10th to the 13th centuries.
The Jewish nation fought Phoenicians, Egyptians, Canaanites, Greeks, Romans and many others. The ups and downs of Jewish survival continue to now with the war with Hamas, occupiers of Gaza.
Undoubtedly the name Trump will take its place on the pantheon of Jewish history which has so far lasted for over 3,000 years.
SLOVENIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. “Xerxes, Act 1” The selection is Ombra mai fu George Frederic Handel.
Paul Goldfinger visiting the Pine Barrens, Chatsworth, NJ.
At the New Jersey Cranberry Festival, you would think that you were in Appalachia. On the porch of the Chatsworth General Store was a small combo playing bluegrass.
Farm stands were selling all things cranberry including the fresh picked berries themselves plus muffins, cakes, jellies, pies, breads and salsa. The locals call themselves Pineys and their web site is Pineypower.com. There were huge crowds, and not a Docksider or Prius in sight. A bandstand featured a fine southern rock band while the audience sat around eating fried food.
STONEY MOUNTAIN BOYS with some Appalachian Mountain bluegrass: “Home Across the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Residential project going up in Bradley Beach A similar building is behind this one. Paul Goldfinger photo. And there will be others. Bradley is coming alive, and living near the train station will be a big deal for commuters to New York. September 22, 2025. Click once to enlarge.
Bradley Beach is coming alive with residential construction along the tracks. Above is such a project on Memorial Drive at 9th Avenue. A similar building is under construction behind the one about. Paul Goldfinger photo:
LES PAUL AND MARY FORD. “The Moon of Manakoora” from the soundtrack of Silver Linings Playbook.
Selling boxes of cranberries at the Chatsworth festival. We bought 7 1/2 pounds. (one box as shown.) By Paul Goldfinger Oct 18, 2014.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
As always, huge crowds showed up early today to celebrate the 3rd largest cranberry harvest in America. The bogs are practically down the block from this south Jersey country town where the festival is held each year. Thousands of people were scarfing up foods made with the local berries including wine, muffins, breads, bagels, jellies, and jams. Country music was playing, and dogs and kids were all over the place. Parking was available in front yards, clubhouse lawns, and townies’ driveways. One guy was offering a free hot dog if you parked on his lawn. We paid $5.00, but as you got closer, the price went up to $10.00.
Friendly locals selling “award winning” hot dogs. We took the photo and passed on the dogs. Paul Goldfinger 2014
The most popular display was the big tent where free wine tastings were occurring. It seemed like every other display was for something to eat or drink, so everybody was munching on something.
We stopped for a bagel with a cream cheese schmeer and coffee by the Bagel Bums from Columbus, NJ. What attracted us to their stand were their bright pink bagels Oy vey! Although they were made from cranberries and were quite photogenic, we opted for sesame, and actually, they were quite good, and we are fairly critical bagel mavens. And surprisingly, this crowd, which seemed like they just got off the boat from the heart of Appalachia, actually were going for the bagels. Maryanne waited on us, and she gladly posed for a photo with her sous chef Ivan and one of their pink specialties. I promised to post her photo on Blogfinger, and she became the first person to get one of our new business cards.
We bought our annual 7 1/2 pound box of cranberries and had the farmers hold them for us till we were ready to leave. Then we trudged back to our car parked at the Pinewood Antler Club where the members, evidently all men, were directing traffic. No guns or deer in sight. Just a bunch of good old boys who couldn’t be more helpful and cheerful. They even complimented my car —the Blogmobile.
Here’s a link to my 2013 photo of the Pinewood Antlers Club. BF link
And we’re sending this song out to Maryanne and Ivan. It’s some genuine bagel eating music from the KLEZMER CONSERVATORY BAND who, I’m certain, have never performed in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. This song is called “Mazeltov Dances:”
AARON WEINSTEIN (violin) and JOHN PIZZARELLI (vocal and guitar). From the album “A Handful of Stars.” This song, “Let’s Get Lost,” was in a 1943 movie “Happy Go Lucky” and then in a 1988 Oscar nominated documentary about the jazz trumpet player/singer Chet Baker. John Pizzarelli sounds a lot like the late Chet Baker.
2023. This year the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival will by on October 21 and 22. 9 am -4 pm. If you like Americana in large numbers, in action, go there….early on Sunday morning.
On October, 19 and 20, the 36th annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival will be held in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Check the web site and mark your calendar. It’s fun! It runs on Saturday and Sunday, but we suggest Sunday morning before the crowds show up. It opens at 9 am.
As noted, this year 2023 it is Oct. 21 and 22.
There are a wide variety of edibles made with cranberries, but also arts and crafts, and plenty of local color. There is a huge section with stuff for dogs. And there is a food truck section with tables, bathrooms, and live country music accompanying the munching.
Spend an hour or two, buy some cranberries (to use with Eileen’s recipe) and then hit the road.
By Eileen @Blogfinger.net
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger Blogfinger.net
Set your gps to Chatsworth, and as you come into town, get near to the congested center and park in one of the lots, such as the Pinewood Antlers Club on the left. Then it’s a short walk to the Festival, and the exit is easy when you leave.
Recipe for homemade cranberry sauce by by Eileen Goldfinger, Food Editor @Blogfinger. She uses berries purchased at the festival and frozen until needed, as for Thanksgiving. Wegmans also carries fresh cranberries around Thanksgiving time. Eileen usually shares a 7 pound box with her sister Hope who comes every year for our annual visit to Appalachia in the Garden State.
1 cup of water
1 cup sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/8 cup Grand Marnier (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix sugar and water in a medium sauce pan.
Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar.
Add cranberries and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and gently boil for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature.
Add diced orange and zest and Grand Marnier.
Refrigerate.
Makes approx. 2 cups of cranberry sauce. In general, if used as a condiment, it will serve about 4 people.
The Tibet Exhibit at the Newark Museum. Photograph by Paul Goldfinger
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger. 2013.
The Newark Museum is a rich respite among the urban confusion of downtown Newark. You can drive past Penn Station, past the vibrant Ironbound District and past the city of large office buildings including the Prudential tower, Seton Hall Law School, glass office buildings and the magnificent New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
As you go down McCarter Highway, along the Passaic River towards Center Street, you pass old buildings, body shops, and one of my favorite restaurants— Don Pepe. You do a little zig zag near NJPAC and you arrive at the museum on Washington Street.
Wheel of Buddhist rules. Paul Goldfinger photo
The beautiful modern museum is the largest in New Jersey. It has been built around the John Ballentine mansion and has a variety of areas to explore. The Tibet collection is one of the best in the world, having been purchased from Christian missionaries in the early 20th century.
We went primarily for the George Tice exhibit. I may refer to him as George because I took a black and white printing workshop with him in 1995 in Maine. He is one of America’s best known photographers. He also is famous as a “master printer” having taught the darkroom craft for years at the Maine Photo Workshops, at the New School, and elsewhere. He is a wonderful teacher.
His photographs are sold and exhibited world wide, and this year, on his 75th birthday, there are special exhibits in multiple locations in the US and Europe. George is also known in Jersey because his family settled here in the 17th century. Perhaps you know of Ticetown or Tices Lane in East Brunswick. He is known for photographing historic buildings in the Paterson area. He said that he sees beyond the image–he thinks about subject matter which will someday disappear. His book Paterson is one of his most famous.
George Tice photographs using film and large format cameras–the kind where you stick your head under a cloth. His approach to photography is meticulous and thoughtful. He helped re-introduce the technique of platinum printing; a method that produces rich, high quality images. Some of his platinum work is shown at the show.
“Two Amish Boys” From George Tice’s book “Fields of Peace.”
The exhibit in Newark is small and somewhat unusual given its variety of themes, but I found it to be fascinating. It only has 26 works but there is a wide variation of subjects and artists. In addition to George’s own work, they are showing prints by a number of famous photographers including Edward Weston and Edward Steichen whose images were printed by Tice. In addition the museum is exhibiting some wonderful prints from the 150 photograph collection which George has donated to the museum over the years including images by Cole Weston, Paul Caponigro, Edward Curtis and even a rare albumin print of a kitchen table by the English inventor Edward Fox Talbot who was a pioneer in the development of photography in the mid 1800’s. (Editor’s note: When photography was first invented, they photographed apples and tables, etc. Next were naked ladies—aka nude models; the practice continues to this day.—PG)
“Buckstones, Scammonden Moor” From Tice’s book “Stone Walls–Grey Skies: A Vision of Yorkshire.”
George Tice is still working and teaching. The gift shop at the museum carries some of his books, but also a new video in which he revisits places where he captured his most famous shots and he discusses his work and philosophy. The Newark Museum is definitely worth a visit.
The garden at the Newark Museum. Paul Goldfinger photo 2013. Left click
THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: “Canon in D Major” By Johann Pachelbel
NJ Marathon. 4/28/19 Ocean Pathway, Ocean Grove. It was chilly and cloudy, but the rain held out.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net.
In high school the Rutherford H. S. cross country coach said to me, “Goldfinger, you’ve got a good stride. How about joining the cross country team?”
I hated long distance running. My muscle cells were more adapted to short spurts.
“Uh, no thanks Mr. Belding, but I’m playing soccer this fall.”
He was my social studies teacher, so I had to tread carefully, but I am sympathetic towards marathoners, because the Greek soldier who was the first to win a marathon, dropped dead at the finish line.
You can bet the farm that I would never, ever, ever attempt a marathon. These (mostly) young people running through the Grove today have to love this sport, because it is grueling. But you get free Gatorade or water and then you get to drop the cup on the ground or spill half of it on the guy who handed it to you.
The trip through the Grove for these runners consisted of coming through the Casino from A. Park and then heading south on Ocean Avenue. Upon arrival at the Pathway they made a right turn which was a bit hazardous (one runner nearly took a header.)
Then they ran west to Central Avenue and then back down the Pathway towards the ocean. Upon arrival again at Ocean Avenue, they turned right and ran where (?) only to return on Ocean Avenue and head north to make their second tour of the Casino. I’m exhausted just describing the OG journey. And by the time they came into the Grove, they had 8 more miles remaining.
It was a cold cloudy day, but the runners didn’t seem cold. Hardly any of them smiled, except for one woman who looked at me with my camera, smiled, and waved. I enjoyed the wave, but missed the shot.
GLEE CAST: “Don’t Rain On My Parade.” From the Broadway show Funny Girl
