Ocean Grove lifestyles series. Re-posted from August 2, 2015. 7 pm. Asbury Avenue. Paul Goldfinger photo © Blogfinger.net Click to enlarge
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.
The Ocean Grove porch culture often includes dinner on the porch. It is very common, and some people set up candles or have a chandelier. They entertain company this way. It is most charming and very historic. Before air-conditioning people would eat outdoors to catch the ocean breezes and they would even sleep on their porches. This practice also allows for conversations with passers-by. It’s a good way to make new friends.
These al fresco diners are from Germany although they are actually Dutch. The lady in blue is a neighbor. The young man is with the international contingent among these porch denizens; he is their son, but he also is an American citizen. The house belongs to these Europeans who used to live here, but now they come back in the summer for a dose of Americana and Victorian charm.
I didn’t ask them what they were eating, but, of course, there was a bottle of wine to make the meal complete. Come to think of it, I don’t know what they eat in the Netherlands. I asked their permission to do the photo. They heard of Blogfinger, so I didn’t have to explain why I wanted their picture. I didn’t ask their names because Blogfinger is a place where people comment without names and where the photographs usually speak for themselves.
I showed them the Netherlands gold coin that I wear from 1604. It brings me luck. That was the year that the Hundred Year war ended. Let’s all make a toast to the end of wars.
These porch people didn’t have any dinner music but they seemed perfectly happy without it, although I, on the contrary, have to have a soundtrack, so we will add some music for this photo. Let’s see…hmmmm. After dinner we can watch the stars over Wesley Lake:
JIMMY BUFFETT