Fred “Waterseller” Ohleth at the August 22, 2015 postcard and antique show. Auditorium Pavilion. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @ Blogfinger.net
Fred Ohleth, a retired 6’4″ NYC police officer, lives in a tent each summer with his wife Linda. His family goes back in the Grove, so he keeps up the tradition. In the off- season Fred and Linda (no, not Fred and Ginger) have a condo in the Grove.
Fred is the Commander -in-Chief of a small band of water, hot dog and treats sellers who cover a number of events in town, but they are best known for their supply side activities in the shadows of the Great Auditorium on Saturday nights—-tonight it’s the Beach Boys (as if we don’t already have a few of those around.)
Fred and Linda travel to the wilds of Pennsylvania for those dogs. You must try one! These volunteers work hard and party hard when the show is over.
Stop by and say hello to Fred, Linda, Shirley, Barbara, Mike, Ted and all the others who make sure that no one is hungry or thirsty at the GA (right across the street from the bathrooms. ) And yes, you can take bottled water into the GA.
Ocean Grove Pier. By Bob Bowné. October 29, 2013. Sandy hits the Grove, and Bob is there. Special to Blogfinger.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger. Reposted from 2013.
On October 29, 2012, when Super Storm Sandy hit Ocean Grove, Bob Bowné climbed to the top of the Windamer Hotel and went out on a small balcony at the left side. The wind was ferocious, but he managed to remain there while he gathered his photo gear. Bob is a professional photographer, so when he saw the furor of the ocean and the beginning of flooding, he knew that he had to document this huge event.
It was about 4:00 p.m., and the peak of the storm had not yet hit, but the sight of that tumultous ocean was awesome. That is when he obtained the photograph that would become an iconic image of the storm. He said that he preferred making the image while the pier was intact, so that it would document what was, rather than what would be after.
The full strength of Sandy came to bear at about 9:00 pm. after the winds shifted and roared in from the south. Bob was the only person in his building and he watched as the devastation evolved including the loss of most of the fishing pier and the boardwalk. He went downstairs to check his apartment which was in the basement and he came face to face with a large piece of the Hotel’s roof. Water was pouring in over the boardwalk area and onto Ocean Avenue, heading west.
Bob Bowné is a life long Grover and he currently works as a carpenter. In the past he was a commercial photographer who specialized in product imagery. He also was a surfer for many years and he used to photograph for surfing publications.
In preparation for a major exhibit about the storm at the Museum of the City of New York, 10,000 photographs were evaluated. Bob’s spectacular shot of the ocean boiling over the OG pier was judged one of the most dramatic images.
The pier picture is the only one of his in the exhibit, but he has allowed us to publish a few more from that storm day. These gorgeous images are now exhibited publicly for the first time. Bob said that the light was unusual and transient, enabling him to obtain the photographs that we are now showing, without any software manipulation.
Opening of “Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy.” Bob used a fish-eye lens for this shot.
The exhibit opened on October 29, 2013. Bob was there, and people asked for him to sign his photo. The exhibit is called “Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy”
Did you ever dream of traveling around the country in a van with a rock band? Well, Daniel Hickman of Tennessee, currently of Ocean Grove, did just that for five years when he was in his twenties. But he wasn’t a musician. He was a technician who made sure that the group’s guitars were fit as a fiddle. Daniel loved the experience; is there any doubt? ——– especially if you read Keith Richards biography.
Daniel has trained for years working on guitars—-repairing them and building them. He continued studying his craft with experts along the way as he traveled all over America with the Latin Rock group “de Sol.” He calls himself a “luthier” (definition: “a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars.”)
Daniel comes from an artistic family and he probably inhaled guitar music living near Nashville. His career as a luthier has been progressing since 2005. After that rock gig, he moved to New Jersey and found himself with a very special business opportunity at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove (66 South Main Street in Neptune) where he has had a workshop/studio since 2015 called “Don’t Fret Music.”
Daniel is grateful to the late Herb Herbst and the staff at the JSAC for providing him with a rare situation. He not only builds and repairs guitars and other stringed instruments,, but he has begun a program to provide lessons in guitar, piano, and uke. Dan has recruited a talented young teacher to work with students of all ages, and the lessons are given in a separate space off Dan’s workshop. He also repairs amps and he is moving into “retail.” Daniel plans to develop a “full service guitar shop and music store.” His shop is downstairs off the parking lot, with a private entrance to the left.
At the age of 32, Daniel is ambitious and enthused. “We are in the infancy of Don’t Fret Music.”
Daniel’s workshop/studio is a fascinating place, and to watch him work, you get the impression that he is highly competent. He worked on my guitar–he is an exacting craftsman.
Daniel is excited about the future of the Jersey Shore Arts Center. “There is a lot going on here,” he says; “The venue is full of talented artists in residence ,some of whom paint, do screen printing, social media, and photography.” There also is an acting ensemble “La Strada.” He wants to be supportive of his artist colleagues at JSAC.
One of his ambitions is to see a variety of new music performances in the JSAC theater. He hopes for bluegrass and jazz among the choices. This ambition seems very real given the recent downsizing of the secular programming in the Great Auditorium and the real need for some musical variety to satisfy OG’s diverse demographics and to balance against the music scene in Asbury Park.
Blogfinger will help promote new music and arts programs in Ocean Grove. It sounds like the JSAC may be on the threshold of something more than yoga and children’s ballet. Currently there is an arts show going on. Call them for details.
Daniel’s shop is open Tuesday through Saturday 3 pm -7 pm except Saturday which is 11 am to 5 pm. Call 732 361 5060 or DontFretNJ@gmail.com or the web site: DontFretNJ.com.
And, for the record, Daniel lives in Ocean Grove and he “loves the town.” It makes him happy because he knows his neighbors, people say hello, and the town is charming. Daniel knows most of the business people in the Grove and he feels at home here.
de Sol “Blanco y Negro.”
Here is a link to a 2018 piece about “Don’t Fret.”
Town wide yard sale on Heck Avenue west. May, 2015. Paul Goldfinger photo.
On Blogfinger we have a number of themes, but one of them is to portray the lifestyles in our town. The demographics and life forces in Ocean Grove keep evolving, like the dunes at the beach. We want to dispel false impressions, and we often do that via photography.
If you have any lifestyle images, please share them with us. Send to Blogfinger@verizon.net. Publication is not guaranteed.
Lately we have been delighted with our “around town with Jean Bredin” posts. She is buzzing around the Grove like a hummingbird.
David Bates in Ocean Grove. Retired New York actor. By Paul Goldfinger. Now departed since 2018.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net.
We knew David Bates of Ocean Grove. He was often seen riding his bike around town, and he also had a residence in Greenwich Village. He did not have a car.
One time he pedaled by our house and he stopped to chat. It was the summer of 2012. I took his picture and posted it on Blogfinger. Recently. (2018) he biked by my house again, waving as he went.
In recent days I noticed quite a few “hits”on that 2012 post, especially yesterday and today, totaling over 100 visits. A Google search revealed nothing, but a comment today indicates that he has passed.
We do not do obits on Blogfinger, but re-posted portrait falls under the “by popular demand” category. Read the comments.
THE FANTASTICKS ran for years at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, New York City. Here is “Try to Remember” by Jerry Orbach.
Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo about to step onto the stage of the Great Auditorium. He called the GA “A spiritual, renewal place” and he said that “having love is most important….” Photo by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net . 8/16/15. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
