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Archive for the ‘Ocean Grove lifestyles’ Category

Joy Adase in 2014 when she joined the garden tour. Paul Goldfinger photo ©

Since Christmas is such a happy holiday, we decided to re-post this article from August, 2018, in Ocean Grove.  Ultimately, for those of us who live here, the main focus becomes our homes and life-styles in this historic town.

Here is a story of a Heck Avenue family showing off the home of their dreams.–Paul  Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net  2018:

Four years ago (2014), Joy and Mike Adase found their OG home on Heck Avenue.  They sold their 5 bedroom house in Howell, downsized their stuff, and moved into a historic  (1885)  two-story, 2 bedroom,  1200 square foot Ocean Grove cottage at #97  What-the-Heck Avenue.

Here is a link to an article we posted about the Adases in 2014 when they were newcomers:

New Grover in town. What the Heck.

Since they have been here full time, they have been  “in love” with the town of Ocean Grove and with their unique home.

So this year, the Adases decided to join the house tour, sponsored by the Historical Society of OG, which was held on Friday, August 3, 2018.  During the tour, Mike and Joy got out of the way and visited one of their favorite spots:  New Hope, Pa.

Joy said that it was a lot of work to get her home just right for the tour, but she is happy to “share”  her  home with visitors;  the more, the merrier.  “I feel blessed to live in this beautiful town and in this home,” said Joy. Now that it’s over, she says, “I’m glad we did it.”

Docent Joanne greets visitors on the porch. Note the original metal awning. 8/3/18.  All photographs by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net.

There were 8 homes on the tour, and many visitors, mostly women in groups of 2-4, were happily making the rounds.

The house was on display with five docents providing a lively tour.  Joanne, a neighbor, was greeting visitors on the porch. She pointed out the original metal awning overhead, which is rare in the Grove. The original doorbell is rung by twisting a knob.

Docent Mike explains the front parlor. Blogfinger photos © 8/3/18

Inside was another neighbor Mike who says he loves to chat, so being a docent is right up his alley, and this is the third year he is doing it.  He used the joke-of-the-day with every visitor, pointing out the “one butt staircase” heading to the master bedroom.

Visiting the living room. Blogfinger is seen in the mirror photographing.

On the second floor was Colleen, another neighbor.  She repeated the butt joke.  (awright awready with the butt jokes!)

Docent Colleen at the top of the staircase (room enough for one tush at a time)

Having neighbors conduct the tour offered an extra dimension of enthusiasm  as Colleen allowed visitors to poke their heads into the bathroom.

Of course, the whole house was lovely and spotless.  We met some visitors from out of town including: Pennsylvania, Ramsey and Midland Park.  Visitors to the Grove are well familiar with the exteriors of our homes, but to tour the interiors is quite a special experience especially for house voyeurs.

Docent Marty in the Serenity Garden. Blogfinger photo 8/3/18 ©

Outside was Marty who was enjoying showing the Serenity Garden.  This is another of those OG gardens that are quite special in small spaces.  She pointed out the grape vines growing on the side fence and the popcorn plant along the edge of the house.  Pick a piece and smell it to experience the Jersey Shore popcorn aroma.

The next day Joy relaxed on her porch, sipping from her Christmas cup,  happily reviewing the tour with Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net. 8/4/18

MARIA MULDAUR:

 

 

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“Summer Portrait” by Bob Bowné. Ocean Grove Beach. August 28, 2015 © Special to Blogfinger.net.   Click to enlarge

Paul,

“…the girls got together and made a fabulous end-of-the-summer portrait!”

Bob  (Bowné )

 

AMY WINEHOUSE:

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Paul Goldfinger photo 2018.   Main Avenue looking east, near Firemen’s Park.

 

Retired:   And what about the drivers who don’t stop/slow down at the pedestrian walkways on Main Avenue?    They act like they don’t see you – although I know they hear the choice words I give them when they drive by.

 

Note two prior posts on this topic on Blogfinger:

Speeding in the Grove

 

Danger crossing Main 

 

Editor’s Note  (Paul Goldfinger@Blogfinger:)

This is a serious problem because of the marked increase in traffic volume now that we are in the midst of prime season. I have yelled and pointed at the sign to drivers speeding merrily along Main Avenue while I stand visibly waiting to cross.  A pedestrian can only stand in the crosswalk, easily seen, on the side, and hope that some driver will stop.  More than half will not, and many are exceeding the speed limit. So don’t assume anything.

The effort last year to set up a police unit to educate scofflaws did not work—very few learned anything from that effort.   But the danger is real.  The police should set up cameras and send summonses to those who do not stop for pedestrians–no more warnings.

Or else, station police along the way to stop and ticket cars that defy the law, and those signs should be placed at every corner where people cross.  As it is, there is inadequate or unequal enforcement of a variety of ordinances in Ocean Grove, but this one is not merely about a parking space.  This is about someone’s life. All we need is one pedestrian looking at his phone, and a disaster can occur.

TAYLOR SWIFT  “Fearless”   But don’t be fearless when crossing Main–be watchful and careful, and no dancing in the street!

“There’s somethin’ bout the way
The street looks when it’s just rained
There’s a glow off the pavement
Walk me to the car
And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there….”

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OG flea market. 2017.  This is the only way Led Zeppelin will get to OG. Paul Goldfinger photo.

Paul Goldfinger.   Editor at Blogfinger.net.  Updated  September  2023.

For many years, the Chester Lions Club ran a weekly flea market.  It was held in an out-of-the-way dirt lot and its size was modest.  It was a fund raiser by the Lions whose main interest was helping those with visual impairments.  It was a treasure for the community and it caused no parking or traffic problems or crowding in the Borough.

In Ocean Grove we have a Chamber of Commercials that will sponsor a “giant” flea market on September 09, 2023  which will have over 300 vendors and lure thousands of visitors. It has other such events in spring and fall.

A great deal of money will be generated for vendors, the Chamber and the land owner—OGCMA. The township also will be feeding at the trough with fees.  But how much  money will we-the-people make for our town’s needs in exchange for putting up with the mob with its carbon dioxide, babbling conversations, Covid viruses, blocked breezes,  $10.00 sandwiches, and an endless supply of crappy merchandise?

What does the Chamber do with the money it gets?  Why does the Chamber need to make money?    And why are we Grovers the hosts of their fund raising and tourist promotions? We are not a commercial town–we are primarily a residential town.

In Rhinebeck NY, a town much smaller than Neptune, they keep the town wonderful while having events such as flea markets at the Duchess County Fairgrounds about a mile out of town.

We have the East Freehold Showgrounds for such big events:  “This is an 81-acre showground for horse shows, dog shows, and special events each year.  East Freehold Showgrounds is also the home of the annual Monmouth County Fair. Upwards of 75,000 people enjoy the 5-day late July event. Check the Monmouth County Fair page for more information regarding the Fair.

Let’s free Ocean Grove from the tyranny  of excessive  tourism. Where are the Home Groaners on this topic? You can go to their web OGHOA.org but if you do, you will find essentially nothing. Go ahead..they are busy promoting reading material which we brought to your attention many years ago.

What do Giant Flea markets do  for the community?  The answer is nothing.  We  get crowding, tourists all over town,  and parking distress.

The Town-wide Yard Sale and Art on the Porches are much better events for small town America—which we are.

But looking at this topic in a broader sense, we ask the question:  How is this event a benefit for our town?  There are thousands of citizens who make Ocean Grove their home, and other than creating a spectacle, the event is totally unnecessary—a detriment from the point of view of OG’s citizens and “community.”

Define “community” as those who actually live here.

The Flea Mess  is one of many events held in the Grove that are popular because this is a beautiful town on the ocean, and if it weren’t for the care of our historic homes and the friendliness of our citizens, these events would be a lot less popular, or at least a lot more junkier.

Why can’t the Chamber and the CMA host their mega events elsewhere?

The answer is that they profit from the our Victorian architecture and gardens, along with our porch culture which is so inviting to tourists.  Who says that OG should be a commercial magnet when it is actually a small, residential shore town with a historic and a religious flavor?

Neptune Township should protect us from exploitation, but it doesn’t care–it is part of the  “Historic District” band wagon and feeding frenzy coupled with an ancient “one hand washes the other” relationship with the CMA.

The presence of the OGCMA is another related topic because of their many summer-long religious events creating crowds that no other Jersey Shore town has to deal with.   They may own the land, but they don’t own the town.

Some have told Blogfinger that anyone who doesn’t like what goes on here should not have moved here, but that assumes that  Chamber and CMA events are set in stone and must be continued into the future;  but most towns evolve in ways that satisfy the needs of their tax paying citizens. Witness what has happened and still happens in Bradley Beach where they no longer have mega-events.

The idea that OG is a historic place is belied by the presence of such happenings as giant flea markets.  Where is the dedication to OG as a recipient of historic designations?

 

KAREN ELSON WITH VINCE GIORDANO AND THE NIGHTHAWKS.   From Boardwalk Empire.  “Who’s Sorry Now.”

 

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Ocean Pathway, OG. Paul Goldfinger photo ©   c. Summer, 2015.  click to enlarge.

 

CHIFFONS:

 

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Porch people love to chat with passers by. August 27, 2016. Paul Goldfinger photo © Porch people love to chat with passersby. August 27, 2016. Paul Goldfinger photo.

 

BEVERLY KENNEY:   “If I Were a Bell” from Guys and Dolls

 

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Ocean Pathway, Ocean Grove. August, 2018. Dusk. Paul Goldfinger photograph. © click to enlarge.

 

MICHELE GARRUTI:   “Life is Beautiful” from the 1997 Italian movie of the same name.   From the album the Greatest Movie Soundtracks.  The film won three Academy Awards including Best Foreign Film, Best Original Score and Best Actor. (Roberto Benigni.)

 

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Ocean Grove porchmanship. February 11, 2016 By Paul Goldfinger ©.

Ocean Grove porchmanship. February 11, 2016 By Paul Goldfinger ©.

 

ALICIA KEYS  (live in Seattle)   Song usually credited to The Doors.

 

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Hi Mom!   Bamboozle attracted 80,000 people to A. Park.   HELD IN MAY, 2012.   Many crowded the rentals and parked free in OG.  So, is May free of OG glut?   Paul Goldfinger photo.   Blogfinger.net

 

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net.  Re-post from 2018. Ocean Grove, NJ

Did you ever hear certain Grovers belittle the parking complaints of residents in this way?   I have, and it is a cliché chosen to intimidate residents and trivialize the effects of parking distress on their quality of life.   Such talk often emanates from the mouths of realtors and speculators who want to build condos, sell houses, and rent residences and stores.

Here is a quote from a BF parking article last October, 2017.   “Jack Green said on Facebook that there are only about 18 days at peak season when there is trouble parking.” 

The truth is that there are many 3-day weekends and weekdays each summer and also on some spring and fall weekends where the number of cars exceeds the spaces in the Grove. The “season” actually extends from May through October.

When glut happens, there are  issues that  adversely affect those who live in town and ironically pay real estate taxes, one way or another.

Here is a link to our article regarding the “Parking Derangement Syndrome” first described at the Blogfinger Offshore School of Medicine in Ocean Grove:

Parking derangement syndrome

Did you happen to notice the syndrome during the Giant September Flea Market which just happened? The F bombs were flying around the Pathway and landing on the two Norms’ porches.

This problem is about more than parking.  Crazed drivers were circling our streets looking for a space.  They were frustrated, wild-eyed, hot, and angry.    They were lured by advertisements promising a good time. (Fake news and false advertising)   None of the organizers provided any parking assistance (such as shuttles.)    If a parking space were to appear, its life expectancy was averaging 15 seconds or less.

This is no way to live; I don’t care if it is “only” 50 days each year.

Consider the email we got today from Rosemary of Ocean Grove:

“Good Morning Paul:
I just learned that 20,000 attendees are expected for the 2018 inaugural Sea Hear Now Festival  (art, music and surfing) in neighboring Asbury Park on the weekend of September 29 and 30)  Much of the available parking near the boardwalk was acquired by the promoters from the city.  Not sure if this is to provide parking for attendees or to have space to stage.  AP will also receive $1 from each ticket sold.  
I assume we Grovers will be competing for spaces over here in Ocean Grove as the spillover would appear inevitable.  Just when we were beginning to enjoy the relative quiet of the post season.
Best,
Rosemary
Editor’s note:  Thanks Rosemary.   Not only is the Camp Meeting Association of Ocean Grove striving to have more tourist weekends year round, so is A. Park whose parkers will be inundating the Grove.  The AP crowd won’t be happy until every weekend  in their city is filled with tourist lures.
And, if the North End extravaganza eventually gets built here,  there will be yet another source of that sucking sound which draws cars, SUV’s and giant trucks into the Grove adding to air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and culture pollution which we already are experiencing.
My son’s dog Pooja can’t even find a place to poop lately.
The Zombies come by the thousands each October.    Last year a few lurched over to the Grove; this year it is OCTOBER 6.

2013 Zombies. A. Park. At least 20,000 will come this fall. Paul Goldfinger photo.  Click to enlarge the mob.

* Dictionary.com:

adjective Slang. cockamamie
  1. ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical: full of wild schemes and cockamamie ideas.

 

SEAN HAYES:

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July 4, 2014, on Main Avenue along the Ocean Grove parade route. Paul Goldfinger photograph ©

July 4, 2014, on Main Avenue along the Ocean Grove parade route. Paul Goldfinger photograph.   This is a re-post. Parental approval.

 

 

TANGLEWOOD FESTIVAL CHORUS:

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July 4 parade on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. Running the swan show is Proprietor Linda Occhipinti.. Paul Goldfinger photo. ©

July 4 parade on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. Running the swan show is proprietor Linda Occhipinti. Paul Goldfinger photo.  2017

 

From historian David H. Fox of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove:   7/2/23

“The use of Swan Boats on Wesley Lake has a surprisingly long history. The OGCMA authorized their use on 24 May 1889. They were presumably human powered as sail and steam boats were prohibited on the lake. I see there are a number of offerings in the current boats including swans, cranes, flamingoes, and even a dragon. Following the lead of Loch Ness, it seems every lake has to have some sort of monster.”

 

MEL TILLIS:

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Paul Goldfinger ©. Ocean Grove, N.J. Independence Day parade. 2015.  Click to enlarge.

 

WILBERT HARRISON:

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Firemen's Park. Ocean Grove. Blogfinger photo; ©

Firemen’s Park. Ocean Grove. Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Blogfinger photo; ©  Click to hear them snore. 

 

Tuesday nights in OG can be exhausting.

ART GARFUNKEL:

 

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