Blogfinger

Sunday evening. 8/25/24

Arriving for the concert.

Listening outside.

Patriotism, quiet and respect in Tent Village as Felix’s symphony was carried outside the Great Auditorium by the breezes.

And here is a professional recording of Bach’s Arioso

Paul Goldfinger photo. 8/25/24. All the players. Click once to enlarge.

Click once to see Jason fiddling with the mic. Setting up. Some kids were there, but short on patience. But even a small dose of the greats may have an effect. Congrats to those who brought kids.

SACRED MASTERWORKS CONCERT.  ETERNAL SONGS OF PRAISE

MUSIC OF BACH AND MENDELSSOHN

The sample video above is from the 2024 Masterworks Concert in the Ocean Grove Auditorium, sponsored by the OG Camp Meeting Association.

The video above is from the first piece presented:  Bach’s Cantata “Wachet Auf, Rift ins die Stimme,” BWV 140

The second and final piece,  presented with a full orchestra, containing 11 rousing parts, was Mendlessohn’s magnificent Symphony No 2 “Hymn of Praise.”

This evening of masterworks music was so good, that we would need professional help to properly describe it. I was mesmerized by Dr. Jason Tramm’s  (Conductor) presentation including  all of these extraordinary participants:  Dr. Gordon Turk, Organist, Artist in Residence; Ronald Naldi, Tenor Soloist, Artist in Residence; Monica Ziglar, Soprano Soloist; Laura Zahn, Mezzo-Soprano Soloist; Justin Beck, Baritone Soloist; John Burke, Tenor Section Leader.

And the superb Great Auditorium Choir (I could hear Cindy Bell, but couldn’t actually find her—she’s a soprano). They were  all too good to be true.

And  lifting all of this high to the heavens was the MidAtlantic Philharmonic Orchestra. They were so good, but we must single out Susan Heerema , the  Concert Master sitting in that special seat for a special musician.

I was sitting in the back with Eileen in order to hear the full spectrum of sound, and the audience was rapt, and few left.  And adding to the experience were wonderful cool summer breezes coming in as if they were choreographed for this concert.

By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net.  Ocean Grove, NJ, USA. (We  do get many foreign visitors to our blog Blogfinger.net.)

Paul Goldfinger photo. Ocean Grove

Paul Anka. “Diana”

Seagrass Restaurant. 8/22.  Ocean Grove.  Lunch:  We love the lobster BLT with aioli sauce.  Paul Goldfinger photo.

SONGS FROM THE BRILL BUILDING.   Patrick Riguelle

Asbury Park.   Cookman Avenue.  6/24/23.  Pride.  Click once to enlarge the festivities. Paul Goldfinger action photos.

NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE:   “Sail Away.”

Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge. Memorial Drive, B. Beach. July, 2018.

2024 update.  If you travel south  on Memorial Drive from Rt. 33 you will see that that crummy industrialized area is being transformed with a few residential sites starting to be converted now.

Although it is adjacent to the railroad tracks, it is well situated close to the main thoroughfare in Bradley Beach.  This commercial laundry facility remains intriguing with its colored glass windows

Bradley Beach is a popular shore town to our south where real estate prices have gone up as in the Grove.

KELLY ROWLAND:

By Paul Goldfinger, MD,  Editor Blogfinger.net.  From the Department of Journalistic Mayhem and Gobbledygook  at the Blogfinger Off-Shore School of Medicine in Ocean Grove, NJ, USA.

The Coaster is famous for regurgitating whatever some source gives it.  Where is their journalistic integrity?  Where is their pursuit of truth?

As Welsh said to McCarthy in 1960, “At long last sir, have you no sense of decency?”  Can’t the Coaster put together  a coherent report on the subject of parking permits?

In today’s weekly Coaster is a front page article about the plan to “maybe” have a referendum on the subject.  To capture your attention is a front page photograph. It is picture of parked cars in the Grove.  Wow—how come we haven’t figured out that parking is what permit parking is all about?

Quotes from the Coastericans:

#1:  “But even if permit parking were to become a reality, it’s skeptical whether there would be enough parking spaces for everyone who wants one.”

Does the Coaster doubt that everyone would “want one?” And do they think that any coherent plan would propose that everyone get one?

#2 “Some details are still vague.”

Really?  Don’t you see that all details are still vague?

#3 “Parking is at a premium in Ocean Grove especially during the summer.”

Well, here’s breaking news!  Quick Ma, get the digitalis!

#4    As for getting an ordinance together for November, the Township Attorney Gene Anthony said,  “It will be tough.”

Mayor Brantley said, “This is difficult.”  He also said, “We need to decide if a referendum is good or not so it is still  up in the air about the referendum”

“Deputy Mayor Nick Williams said that there needs to be some specifics in the referendum question such as the cost of the permits and other information.”

Williams went on to say “Where do we go with this?  What do we do with it, and how do we work it out?   We need to iron things out before the referendum,” he said.”

“The attorney Anthony said that he agrees with Williams.”

#5  “But in the end, the governing body voted to have Anthony prepare a ballot question by the next meeting.  Whether it will move forward remains unclear.”

The Mayor followed with, “I think maybe we should take a shot at it and if it can’t be done, at least we gave it a try. Let’s see what we come up with,” Brantley said.

#6  Committeeman Carol Rizzo said, “Let’s see if it can be put on a referendum and let the people in town decide,” she said.

How many lawyers were in that room?  Were they all comatose, induced by the gobbledygook?

Let’s face it.  No referendum is needed. The HOA should demand that the Township stop the gobbledygook and hire a consultant and work out a plan for parking permits in Ocean Grove, in cooperation with the OGHOA Parking Committee  (fire the task force.)  Then maybe a coherent plan would be developed, with public hearings and details, and then the Township could consider adoption.

Maybe what we need up on that Neptuner Committee dais are 7 little girls. They at least know what they are doing.:

Paul Goldfinger. “Stretching.” 8/21/24.  Click once to enlarge.  Bright sunny contrasty days are a photographic challenge, especially with point and shoot cameras.

Paul Goldfinger photo. Ocean Grove.  9 am.  Mariachis.   8/21/24

“La Bruja.”

Le Ballet Jalisco

La Tapatia Restaurant.  Main Street , Asbury Park. Paul Goldfinger photo.  Click all photos once to enlarge.

It’s a bit dark, but I like the atmosphere. at Tapatia.   Asbury Park has more Mexican restaurants per square block except for Mexico City.   All photos by Paul Goldfinger . Click once to enlarge

Alejandra:  Tapatia manager.

Karen. Tapatia bartender. Photos by Paul Goldfinger. Click once to enlarge.

By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger, Editors, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove.  11/4/25

We had fajitas last night Nov. 4, 2025 at Tapatia Mexican Restaurant. in Asbury Park on Main Street.

Eileen had the shrimp variety. Stephen had chicken and I had steak.  The dinner included onions, peppers, rice, tortillas,  terrific corn chips, 2 varieties of salsa dip, superb guacamole and sangria.  It was all excellent except for the steak which was overcooked–I didn’t eat it.  The shrimp were undercooked.  The chicken was thinly cut and a bit well-done.

Tell the waitress how you like the protein for your order.   The sangria was good, but I ordered two  small drinks and got two giant goblets.  Our waitress did speak English.  I didn’t complain.

And the tip was included in the tab.

Very few customers were there on a Tuesday night at 6 pm.   The service was mostly  excellent–all female. Karen the bartender spoke no English, but that was no problem.  I do love the atmosphere at Tapatia; that’s why I brought my Leica Mono camera.

Tapatia food photo by Eileen Goldfinger.  Apple phone camera v.10. V 16 is better.

I seldom post critiques  of my photographs, but I did enjoy this review  by Stephen Goldfinger, Blogfinger staff:

“Great photos!–I particularly like the one of  the bartender with the ponytail–with the arches of mirrored light behind her; she almost looks like a holy figure often seen in Catholic religious iconography/paintings, with the rings of light rising in a parabola over head; it’s almost like  heavenly halos or some kind of otherworldly light encircling her–definitely a compelling photograph.”

Editor:  Thank you Stephen.  I am glad we sent you to the Tisch School of the Arts. (NYU). Dramatic Writing program where the tuition was also “otherworldly.”  We had students from there participate in our Ocean Grove Blogfinger Film Festivals  a few years ago.

MARIACHI JUAREZ:   “Volver, Volver.” Allow for the pauses in the music….It’s part of the Mexican rhythms.

Outside the OG bakery.  Paul Goldfinger  photo. 8/20/24. Ocean Grove, NJ,  USA

JOE WILLIAMS: