News from Around the South Jersey Shore

Sea Isle's getting a trolley.

Speaking of Sea Isle, looks like the "Tri for our Veterans" is going to sell out this weekend. So sign up now if you want to participate.

Vintage bathing suits! I love this blog. I'm so tempted to take a gamble and buy this dress.

The Cape May County Zoo's turning 30! Such a fun place to visit...

The new people path is open at the Stone Harbor bird sanctuary.

Care to chime in on this Cape May dining discussion? (though not shore related, I thought the headline from this story on the same site was funny)

Here's a photo diary of an AC trip.

Who knew Cheryl Hines was such a big Borgata poker fan?

Things are not looking good -- at all -- for the Tropicana.

There's a plant swap at the Nature Center of Cape May on Saturday.

Here's a nice picture of the Cape May lighthouse.

Will the Pier survive?

Thumbs up for the Showboat. I like it, too (though it would be way cooler if it still had the bowling alley).

News from Around the South Jersey Shore

Speaking of birding, check out this poem about the Cape May warbler.

Speaking of birding (again), here's a great new guide for young birders.

More wackiness has been added to Ocean City's Doo Dah Parade, which I CAN'T WAIT TO ATTEND! April 26 people! Bring your cameras!

The Press of Atlantic City just got a boat load of awards. Congrats!

Here's some lovely pictures of Cape May.

I loved Amy S. Rosenberg's piece about the farmer's market battle in Margate from this Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer. It is the personification of small town politics, and written as such. Great job, Amy.

More on Cape May's new dog park. Can't wait to take Emily!

Thinking of buying or selling in Avalon or Stone Harbor? Then read this.

Yikes: murder at the Taj.

Another reason why the Marine Mammal Stranding Center should not be kicked out of Brigantine.

Maybe I'll see less strung out people on the Wildwood boardwalk on Sunday's morning: big drug bust in Cape May and Wildwood.

Bader Field's up for sale.

Teens throw "roving parties" in empty Sea Isle houses kids. Kids, you're not that far from being allowed into the OD's "No Shower Happy Hour." Can't you wait a few more years?

Here's a preview of the Cape May Jazz Festival that will take place on April 18-20.

If you're like me and listen to Sid Mark's Fridays with Frank and Sundays with Sinatra, you might be interested in this Rat Pack Tribute Show in Atlantic City.

The Nature Center of Cape May organizes some great events. Here's another one: Possum and Peepers.

The Anglesea Pub in North Wildwood's got new ownership: Steve Ransom from the C-View.

Stone Harbor's getting a 'crab shack' style restaurant -- another great tip from Rob Seitzinger's fab Cape Cuisine blog.

Well, congrats to you from me as well, Eric!

News from Around the Jersey Shore

Let's kick things off with Sea Isle City's Polar Bear plunge:



Here's what the Sea Isle City bloggers had to say:
Sea Isle City Real Estate News
Sea Isle City Real Estate
Tri for Our Veterans (this is a new blog I've added to the shore blog role)

Well, that's one way to get over a fear of heights: Good Morning America's Chris Cuomo jumped (while tethered) from the roof of the Trump Taj Mahal.

Feral cats get are all set to go in Cape May.

Speaking of Cape May, this town at the tip of the state apparently has quite a few rare plants.

Oh, those macho macho men...it Atlantic City (can you really sing that song in your head without making macho two words? I can't.)

Don't believe me when I say some South Jersey Shore residences are over the top? This Stone Harbor house was named "Estate of the Day." Not home of the day. Estate.

More fuel for the "ban smoking in casinos" fire.

Looking for an easier way to book your Wildwood vacation? Check this out.

What's hotter than a guy with a guitar? Um....nothing comes to mind. If you think like me, you'll want to check out this event.

Vote for the South Jersey Shore!

You know you love the South Jersey shore -- now let everyone else know it by clicking here to vote for your favorite shore town. You can name your top town in four different categories: family vacation, tourism, ectourism, and shore events.

Since this isn't the Oscars and I can say how I voted, here's which towns I picked for each category, and why:

Family Vacation, Ocean City: Ocean City is a dry town -- a completely dry town. You can't even BYO to restaurants. That's not to say people don't drink (Night in Venice anyone?) but this no alcohol thing puts families at ease, and rightfully so. The Boardwalk is one of the best in the country, too, and the town offers lots of things for the entire family to do.
Tourism, Cape May: What isn't there to do in Cape May? Aside from that whole Victorian thing, there's an alapca farm, a concrete ship, a diamond beach, birding, fab shopping and an entire inn dedicated to dogs.
Ecotourism, Stone Harbor: Stone Harbor has been going green since before Al Gore did or did not invent the internet. In 1947, the town created a bird sanctuary and heronry, which is still on the island today (111-117 St. and Second and Third Ave.) In 1970s, they ran a “Save the Point” beach preservation campaign, and the Wetlands Institute, which saves terrapin turtles from traffic (and even harvests eggs from victims in season) and educates about the ecosystems of the shore, opened in 1972. 1972!
Shore Events, Wildwood: You gotta give it to Wildwood -- they throw great parties. I went to Irish Festival in the fall and had a blast. There's more family friend events, too, including the Fabulous 50s weekend, International Kite Festival, a marbles tournament that celebrates its 85th year in 2008. Weekly fireworks put them over the top to get my vote.

Down the Shore with...Daphne Oz

Show of hands: How many people gained the dreaded freshman 15? I did, and I didn't lose them until after I'd gotten my master's degree.

Daphne Oz, a student at Princeton, came up with a plan to ward off that beer-and-pizza weight gain, and wrote all about it in The Dorm Room Diet: The 8-Step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan That Really Works. Aside from writing about the South Jersey shore, I also contribute articles to Men's Health,Oxygen and a slew of other fitness magazines, so I see a lot of these kinds of books. My conclusion: this one is sound, whether you live in a dorm or not.

Oz, like me, spent a lot of time on the Seven Mile Island as a kid, and shares my love of Green Cuisine restaurant in Stone Harbor which of cousre makes her perfect for a "Down the Shore with..." interview.

1. What do you consider 'your' shore town and why?
My shore town would definitely be Stone Harbor, since I grew up going down there during the summers to my grandparent's home on the beach. Although they sold that house when I was about 10, I've never forgotten how much I loved the place.

2. I grew up spending my summers in Avalon and Stone Harbor, too -- what do
you think has changed the most?
I think what's best is that, even though I only go down a few weekends a year, Stone Harbor always brings me back to my childhood precisely because so little has changed. It's still the perfect North East beach community.

3. A lot of people go down the shore just to eat -- what's your favorite
spot?
That's an easy question: I've driven the 3 hours from my home to Stone Harbor just to have a California Sandwhich--avocado, mushrooms, sprouts, sweet peppers, and dressing on a whole wheat pita--at the Green Cuisine. Oh, and vanilla fudge from the Fudge Shoppe on special occasions.

4. What gave you the idea for the The Dorm Room Diet?
When I got to college, I realized what a unique environment it was. I wanted to get the full college experience without packing on weight, so I developed the tips and tricks that became the Dorm Room Diet largely so that I could live the best, healthiest college life possible. They worked so well for me that I had to write a book and share my advice with the students and young adults around me who were struggling with trying to find this balance.

5. Have you gotten a lot of your friends at Princeton to try it?
The beauty of the Dorm Room Diet is that there are no strict rule or regimes. To "go on" the DRD is simply to appreciate the DRD motto of "substitution where you can, moderation where you can't," which means you can eat anything you want, so long as you make conscious decisions to eat healthily where possible (trade that store-bought brownie in for an apple) and eat in moderation when you feel like indulging (definitely have a slice of your friend's wedding cake, or your favorite homemade goodie, but don't go back for seconds). There's nothing wrong with enjoying small portions of all the foods you love, just make sure that you don't overindulge yourself too often. This is definitely a guiding principle many people at Princeton have found useful.

6. You're already a published author -- what do you plan to do after you graduate?
After I graduate I would love to enter news broadcasting. And continue writing, hopefully!

7. I found it very difficult to eat healthy while down the shore. Any tips that I can take with me for summer 2008?
My tips for summer 2008 are first and foremost to enjoy yourself! Have fun making incredible memories with family and friends, and don't let "off limits" foods bog you down with anxiety and paranoia. Instead, follow the DRD principle outlined above and make sure that every time you can make a healthy substitution, you're doing your health a huge favor. But don't miss out on those special treats that may actually help you by fueling your resolve to eat healthily the rest of the time.

Read more at www.dormroomdiet.com.

Down the Shore with...Scott Neumyer

Scott Neumyer is the guy behind the camera -- literally. I forget how I found out about the work of this photographer, who is based on Central Jersey (it's okay -- I don't judge...that much). In any case, Scott found this blog in the way that we find most blogs (by accident, I'm guessing). He wrote me about his very strong South Jersey shore ties, and I liked the recent beach wedding pictures he posted on his blog at www.scottshoots.com, so, viola! He's the latest interviewee of the "Down the Shore with..." series.

1. What do you consider your favorite shore town? Why?
Easily Stone Harbor. Of all the shore towns I've visited in my life (and that's probably just about all of them), Stone Harbor is just so quiet, clean, and peaceful. We spent a lot of time in Wildwood when I was a child and I always thought that was the shore town of choice. That was until I first visited Stone Harbor and was completely blown away by how relaxing it is. My wife and I spend at least a week there every summer. I proposed to her on the beach in front of the Windrift, and it's where we spent our honeymoon. Sure, it's not the hippest or most exciting of all the shore towns, but it's definitely where I'd choose to rest my head were I able to move there permanently.

2. A lot of people go to the shore just to eat. Any foodie memories?
Absolutely! I mean, where do you begin with foodie memories of the shore? Greasy pizza at Seaside and Point Pleasant, Kohr Bros. ice cream at just about any boardwalk. Salt water taffy in Cape May. They all share a little place in my memories, but my main memory is from Donna's Place in Stone Harbor. It's tiny and mostly non-descript, but the food is just fantastic. I'm not a huge seafood eater (go figure), but the first time I went to Donna's Place was with my girlfriend (now wife) on her recommendation. It's pretty much become "our place" and is the restaurant of choice for us every summer. I think we actually ate there at least once a day for the week we spent in Stone Harbor this last summer.

3. Do you have a favorite spot to photograph at the shore, or is everything a possible target?
Everything is probably the easy answer, but if I had to choose only one thing it's people. I'm a portrait and lifestyle photographer, for the most part, and I just love to people watch. Strolling through town (be it in Stone Harbor or Cape May, etc) or down the boardwalk, there are so many different types of people at the Jersey shore and they're all great subjects in one way or another. It's as easy as watching the people, having the guts to approach them and as to make their photo, and then creating something interesting and beautiful. If I could, I'd do that every single day for the rest of my life. People are far more willing to let you make their photo than you might expect, and you can come away with some really cool shots.

4. I see that you've photographed beach weddings before...do you change what you do because of the environmental factors of the beach?

Aside from making sure your gear is protected, the most important thing is probably knowing your surroundings well enough to adjust to whatever conditions may arise. If you know how the wind, the sand, the air, and the water will react (to a certain degree), you can still make great photos in bad situations. The last wedding I shot was in Point Pleasant in early November. It was absolutely freezing and the wind was blowing like crazy, but if you push through those small factors, you can get some really great images. I just kept reminding myself how great the clouds would look (because of the incoming storm) in the final photos and that kept me going through the freezing cold.

5. Aside from weddings, portraits and a whole host of other things, you photograph dogs. I have one -- a somewhat crazy Jack Russell Terrier mix. Any tips on how to get her to sit straight for pictures?
Wow. Yeah, I wish I did. Ha! It's tough to get animals and children to sit still for you, but you have to be persistent. Especially hyper dogs are even tougher. The only advice I could offer is to get down on their level. Play with them (this works for animals and children). Show them that you love them and then start picking up the camera. Take a ton of shots and eventually you'll get some that you love. With dogs, you end up throwing a lot away, but all that only makes you faster. The faster you are, the better chance of grabbing a great dog portrait. There are photographers I know that specialize in Dog Portraiture and they're some of the quickest and best photographers you'll ever find.