Ocean Grove, April 13, 2014. By Paul Goldfinger. Click image to enlarge. What’s going on?
ANTONIO BANDERAS “Beautiful Maria of My Soul” from the movie Mambo Kings.
Archive for the ‘Photograph by Paul Goldfinger’ Category
Jetty or not, here I come.
Posted in Blogfinger Presents, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery, Black and White, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, tagged Jetty in the Grove, John Denver Calypso on April 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »
West 40th Street. Post no bills
Posted in Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photography: New York City Street Series, tagged Blue York on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »
W. 40th St near the Javitz Center. © Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge (or pinch bigger on your iPhone)
BARBARA ROSENE with VINCE GIORDANO AND THE NIGHTHAWKS:
The Battle of Monmouth. 1778.
Posted in Jersey Shore gallery, Music from the movies, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery, Black and White, Photographic Gallery: New Jersey, Photography: Jersey Shore Gallery, tagged Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, Monmouth Battlefield State Park on April 16, 2026| 1 Comment »
Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Photograph atop Combs Hill. By Paul Goldfinger 2014. . Click once to enlarge.
Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net
The Battle of Monmouth took place in the vicinity of Monmouth Courthouse in Freehold.
On a blistering hot day on June 28, 1778 the land that is now Monmouth Battlefield State Park was the site of one of the longest battles of the American Revolutionary War.
From the “State Parks Information”: “Here at Monmouth, Washington restored a reputation battered by defeats in 1777. In the day-long battle in the hills, wood lots, farm fields and meadows, the main Continental Army, retrained at Valley Forge, repulsed attacks by the main British Army.
By the end, over 600 men were dead, dying or wounded and the Continental Army held the field.”
The vista above is from Combs Hill where the Continental Army had placed their artillery.
The park is a beautiful place where you can visit, picnic, ride horses or sleighs. The visitor center is near where I was standing to make this photograph. The address is 16 Rt 33 Business in Manalapan.
I enjoy photographing battlefields, although this is only my second. The first is Gettysburg which we have visited quite a few times. Battlefields are evocative of so many qualities of man including bravery, fighting for right and freedom, loyalty and sacrifice.
It seems as if you can time- travel back in such a place as this, and that is an emotional experience.
I tried to capture that mood in this photograph which is much better felt in black and white than with color. —
Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net
BAND OF HM ROYAL MARINES: “Main Theme from Saving Private Ryan” (2006) Written by John Williams.
Jersey Shore Gallery: Allenhurst Beach Club
Posted in Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: New Jersey, Photography: Jersey Shore Gallery, tagged Allenhurst New Jersey, Papa Bue's Viking Jazz Band on April 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Allenhurst Beach Club. Paul Goldfinger photo. As seen from Deal. 2014. Click once to enlarge. This facility is happily owned by the people of Allenhurst.
PAPA BUE’S VIKING JAZZ BAND
No lifeguards, no boardwalk, no badges, no cotton candy, no kidding: it’s a Florida beach in Naples.
Posted in Florida connection on Blogfinger, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photography from Florida, tagged Naples Florida beach on the Gulf of Mexico on April 14, 2026| 1 Comment »
Naples, southwest Florida. Choppy waters on the Gulf of Mexico. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge.
Naples is a fabulous international city in southwest Florida.
The downtown is elegant with beautiful shops and restaurants. Yet, despite attracting tourists, the beaches are open and uncrowded. That’s because there is plenty of parking and no mega events to force the residents into their homes such as happens in Ocean Grove and continues into September and beyond.
This photograph is from March, peak season for southern Florida.
MATT MONRO from the movie The Sand Pebbles.
A musical riddle on Blogfinger:
Posted in Blogfinger Music Department, Faces in the Grove, Photo news from Ocean Grove, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography: Ocean Grove portraits, tagged Ronald Naldi in Ocean Grove, Ronald Naldi Metropolitan opera on April 11, 2026| 1 Comment »
Ronald Naldi, tenor, in front of his Ocean Grove tent, a short walk to the Great Auditorium. Paul Goldfinger photo, Blogfinger.net. ©
Q: Where in the world can you meet a world famous opera singer, wearing a lavender sport jacket, emerging from his tent home, about to leave for his recital—one block away?
A. Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA. Only in America.
I was on my way by bike to Ronald Naldi’s Sunday afternoon recital, when I spotted the man himself, getting his wardrobe organized on his porch, having just emerged from his tent, i.e. his summer home in Ocean Grove.
I made a U turn and stopped in front of his abode. Ron, a lyric tenor, artist-in-residence each summer in the Grove, was almost ready. For those of you who don’t know of him, he is a major star with the Metropolitan Opera in NYC.
I reminded him of who I was, but he was well aware of our Ocean Grove blog. Actually I knew that from a prior telephone interview, but I wasn’t sure he would recognize me. He cheerfully and enthusiastically agreed when I asked to photograph him in front of his tent. His concert would start in about 15 minutes, so we didn’t chat much, but he did give me the Blogfinger quote of the year:
He said, “I love Blogfinger.…it is the best blog in the world.”
Holy mackerel! “Thank you,” I blurted out, “I promise a good review for your concert.” Goodness—-what a lame thing to say.
He laughed. I jumped on my bike pedaling off towards the Youth Temple—visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in my head.
The next time I saw him was when he strode on stage for what Shelley Brown of OG calls “The best concert of the year in Ocean Grove.”
Needless to say, the recital was superb.
—Paul Goldfinger, Editor @blogfinger
RONALD NALDI from his album of Neapolitan Songs. “Rondine al Nido”
Evening, Good Friday…
Posted in Ocean Grove photographs, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, tagged Deborah's Theme by Ennio Morricone on April 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Ocean Grove. April, 2015. Good Friday, By Paul Goldfinger.
ENNIO MORRICONE from the film Once Upon a Time in America. “Deborah’s Theme.”
The sad or happy carousel horse at Exit 82. Reflections after the summer season—2015
Posted in Jersey Shore gallery, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photography at The Jersey Shore, Photography in New Jersey, tagged Carousel in Seaside Heights on March 31, 2026| 2 Comments »
Seaside Heights. October 12, 2015. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click once to grab the brass ring and enlarge the photo.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger (Re-posted 2026 from October 2015)
This carousel horse, photographed after the season in Seaside Heights, reminds me of Broadway—sometimes happy and sometimes sad. I’m thinking of the show Carousel which proclaims, “June is busting out all over.”
The Fantasticks has a song called “Round and Round” which begins as a gorgeous fantasy—-“Life is a colorful carousel,” but later the song becomes dark, sad, and scary.
However, for the most part, Broadway brings us joy as in “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma.
I see this carousel, devoid of riders and seemingly sad because the season is over, and yet the scene, like a Broadway set, is bursting with vivid colors and, in a way, with memories of life itself.
So, in wondering about this photograph and how to see it, I decided that it is joyful and not sad, and if the horse could talk he would say, ” Please sir, I want more oats” (sorry for the Oliver joke, such as it is.) I wonder how a child would view it.
And certainly now, in 2021, with Broadway (and even the London stage) mostly dark for an indefinite period of time, we will have to wait to experience the joy of the musical stage.
Of course, we can still hear the music. We try to keep that music alive on Blogfinger. It’s easy to forget, but we won’t. (Thanks Mom!)
Here is MIMI HINES from a show called “The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd.” It is a happy song full of the sort of vivid optimism that we often find in Broadway musicals and, sometimes, in life.
Modern OG history—2016. The future of the great white whale: a murky turkey…
Posted in Asbury Park Connection Photo Gallery, BLOGFINGER BULLETIN, Blogfinger Presents, Blogfinger.net North End redevelopment coverage, Boardwalk restoration, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography at The Jersey Shore, Photography: Jersey Shore Gallery, Photography: Nocturnal Ocean Grove, tagged Ocean GRove North End on March 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »
2016. CASINO. North End, Ocean Grove. The Great White Whale is seen on the right. Much of the space between it and the Casino belongs to A. Park. Paul Goldfinger photo.
The North End saga: a long and winding road. THE BEETLES:
“All the Things You Are.” Portrait of Eileen…
Posted in Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photography: New York City Street Series, Portraits of Eileen, tagged A portrait of Eileen, Central Park Zoo on March 18, 2026| 1 Comment »
Central Park Zoo. Undated. By Paul Goldfinger.
KEN PEPLOWSKI and FRIENDS (live.) Ken is on clarinet. “All the Things You Are.” This song was written by Jerome Kern, melody; with Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics. It was for a 1939 Broadway show called Very Warm for May.
The great jazz sax player John Coltrane loved the lyrics of this song so much, he referred to it as the “angel glow” song. (“You are the angel glow that lights the star'”)
“You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song
“You are the angel glow that lights the star
The dearest things that I know are what you are
Someday my happy arms will hold you
And someday I’ll know that moment divine
When all the things you are, are mine”
Lost and found…
Posted in Blogfinger Presents, Ocean Grove beachfront, Ocean Grove boardwalk, Ocean Grove portraits, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger on March 9, 2026|
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.”
Spring will be a little late this year.
Posted in Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, tagged Spring in Ocean Grove on March 5, 2026|
ANITA O’DAY. Written by Frank Loesser. Vibraphone solo by Cal Tjader.