Over on Salon.com...

Salon asked me to write something timed to the premiere season of that BS MTV show. I hesitated at first. What did I have to say that I hadn't already said.

But here it is.

New Owners for the Steel Pier

Great news. Great news: the Steel Pier has a new owner, and it does not involve Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, Trump Entertainment sold the Steel Pier to, as the Press of AC calls them, "the Catanoso Family and Partners."

If you've followed this blog from the beginning, you know that I spent my summers in Avalon Campground, right off Route 9. It was owned then and is owned now by the same family: the Catanosos. The Steel Pier Catanoso owners are their cousins.

Anthony Catanoso, who is leading the group of new owners, used to head the company that leased the Steel Pier space from Trump. Now, they own it, which also prevents the pier from going up for auction.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 88: New Beer Festival Coming to Atlantic City

The Golden Nugget (a.k.a. what was Trump Marina) is hosting a Craft Beer Festival on September 17 and 18.

September 17 is being billed the "All American Craft Beer Tasting," while September 18 will be Oktoberfest. The Saturday event is indoors; Sunday event is outside.

Sounds cool. The brewery lineup is pretty good, too: Flying Fish, Left Hand Brewing, Yards, Long Tail, Allagash, Hofbrau and Leinenkugel are just a few. Tickets are $49 a person.

I'd go if I were in the area - September 17 kicks off a week plus long vacation that is not in New Jersey. I love the shore, but I can't help but work when I'm there. So this will get around that, and I'll be visiting parts of the country I've never seen before. Should be a fun time.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 87: Miss America was in Atlantic City

So maybe it's not the greatest Fact of the Day, but I really just wanted to post that picture.

On July 28, current Miss America Teresa Scanlan toured the Trop's new Cielo Suites - the same one I stayed in for my birthday. I did not, however, have a pool table.

I'm writing an article about high roller suites and will get to tour a few more next week. I'm fascinated by this stuff - who gets to stay there? What's the value of them? And, as you know, I'm also oddly interested in the whole Miss America concept.

Hence why you get a picture of Miss America in a high roller suite on the blog. Voila.

I apologize for the lateness of this post today, too. I have a big piece coming out tomorrow on a major new outlet that I had 24 hours to write (they asked me). I'm wrapping it up this morning. It'll be a doozy.

Let's Talk about Races

I'm in my third week of marathon training. I don't know WHICH marathon at this point (I'm signed up for Philly but am being tempted away by the Bucks County Marathon, a first year race limited to 500 people), but it means I'm running. A lot.

And there are some shore races to compliment my training. Here's what's on my radar:

Captain Bill Gallagher 10 Mile Island Run. 41st running! I did this race in 2009 in misery (first race after shoulder surgery, wasn't trained, etc). I'll be down the shore this weekend and went back and forth about this one, especially considering the 5:45pm start time. Final decision is that I'm not going to run it. Instead, I'll be doing the No Shower Happy Hour at the OD. Because I'm an adult that way. I will, however, be running on the beach that morning.

The Wild Half, first year half marathon in Wildwood on August 28. Looks like a great course with lots of nice items thrown in (free weekend admission to the Moreys parks being a big one), but let's talk about the timing. August 28? With a 7:30am start time? Late August is a stretch for someone like me who hates summer running, but I've been getting out there on Saturday mornings. The thing is, I START my run by 6:30am. By 7:30am, I'd be cooking. I want to make the call about this depending on the weather, but they don't do day of sign ups. This is a maybe. Thing I DO like about this race: participants and their families can camp for free on the beach on August 26 and 27. That's a major cost reduction for anyone traveling to the race.

Ocean City Half Marathon on October 2. I'm signed up for this one. Boom.

LBI 18 Mile Run on October 9. I was JUST about to sign up for this one then decided to go to Vancouver for Travel Classics conference instead. Bummer. But hey - Vancouver!

Asbury Park Relay Marathon on October 16. I was signed up for this one, and had a great team of runners with the wonderful name of "Tramps Like Us." Then we got a wedding invitation. For a Sunday wedding. No "save the date" warning. Sigh. Tramps Like Us will still be running so cheer for them!

Atlantic City Marathon (and associated races) on the same day. I hear this event is getting better every year.

What shore races are on your radar?

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 86: Mack & Mancos Delivers to Philadelphia

Yes, really. It won't be cheap, but they have done it before. What would be a better surprise for your employees while working on a long, drawn out, and/or tense project than some #saucehose pizzas?

I've never done it, but when I worked with M&M to get pizzas on the NBC 10! show back in 2008, they told me they do this all the time.

You can also get a half backed pie to bring home and finish in your oven. I've done that too. Works like a charm.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 85: Right now, the ocean is very warm

When I was on my shore vacation two weeks ago, the ocean temperatures hovered in the 60s. One day, it was 60 - even though the heat index topped 100.

My my my how things have turned. According to Ocean City Patch, the ocean temperature has hit 80 degrees.

"That's the warmest of the year and a mark that Ocean City often goes years without seeing," wrote Douglas Bergen.

That's amazing. I can't remember an 80 degree ocean day. Is it too warm? I have spent a lot of time on the gulf coast in Florida and hated that bathwater temperature water, which it tended to be on our day trips out from college (University of Tampa to Clearwater trips were fairly common).

If you're down there, what are your thoughts? I'm headed down to Ocean City on Saturday and will let you know how it is, if that temperature holds. But knowing how up and down this summer's been, I wouldn't count on it.