Guster in Asbury Park

There's a reason I'm sleepy today.

Last night was the big Guster show at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Could I have gone to their show in Philadelphia? Of course. But it's the Stone Pony. It's Asbury Park. Worth the drive.

First, I met up with my friend and fellow writer Caren Chelser first to talk about writing, life and so I could see her six month old bambino. We strolled him right over from Ocean Grove to the Watermark on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Oh hai, summer me.

Watermark is close enough to the Stone Pony outdoor stage that you can hear the concerts from the deck. That's where I heard Jack's Mannequin, who is co-headlining this tour with Guster.

I left Caren and her baby/hubby behind to get a good spot near the front for Guster. What a great venue, and thank goodness we missed the rain.

I can't find the setlist online yet (yes I was too busy acting like a moron to write it down, though they did play "Two Points for Honesty." Yes, honestly.) But I did find this setlist for a 2002 show they did at the Paramount Theatre, also in Asbury Park in case you'd like to go into the way back machine.

At one point in the show, they brought out a disco helmet. This doesn't capture its detailed awesomeness, but it does show its effect.

Fun show, great venue, wonderful town. Thanks Guster.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 92: Ocean Grove allows BYOB

All this hullabaloo about some portions of Ocean City wanting to allow BYOB dining...I suggest someone turn northward and look at how Ocean Grove, which used to prohibit cars from being driven within its borders and *still* locks the gates between its town and Asbury Park at night, allowed BYOB. Because they do.

(Actually, I did suggest it to someone, and I think he's writing that story. I don't have time to do it - I'm working on 2012 shore features already - and I think it's best done by a news reporter than me. Anyway).

I was in Ocean Grove last night. I parked there for the Guster show at the Stone Pony in Asbury Parking. Parking in OG was free, and I met up with a friend of mine when I got into town who lives there. Together, we walked to the Watermark in Asbury Park for dinner.

That also meant I walked back to my car at about 10pm. No rowdy drunks carousing in the streets. No parties, etc. It was a very quiet, peaceful evening in a very quiet, peaceful town.

This BYOB this has been blown way out of proportion, and it's making Ocean City look like a town of petty buffoons. Do you think it looks good to visitors see the "Don't Change Ocean City" signs all over town? It didn't last weekend - and I'm sure it didn't to people who don't know much about the issue. You're taking yourselves WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. If this passes (which I don't think it will), it will not destroy the town. There's plenty of drinking in Ocean City, and it's visible too. Case in point: walking back from my Saturday morning Ocean City beach run, we passed a couple sitting a block from the boardwalk, on the sidewalk, drinking beers. At 10am.

A bit ranty, yes, but I'm tired. Got home around midnight from Guster, and was up at 5am to run this morning. And I resigned from my full time job this week, so sparks are flying everywhere. In regards to Ocean City/Ocean Grove, I'd be interested to see your thoughts in the comments below.

As always, tune into Ocean City Patch for the latest on the BYOB issue.

Half Marathon Weekend (without the half marathon)

If you're going to bail out of a half marathon because of heat and injury, there's no better place to do so than down the shore. Or up the shore. I'm not sure what I'm saying about getting to the Asbury Park/Ocean Grove area just yet. Because there was no "down" about the driving.

I stayed at my dad's place in Wayne, Pa. on Friday then drove across to the shore (maybe, though it sounds odd) and landed in Long Branch right at 8:30a.m. Place was jammed, and HOT. I'd driven to Long Branch in a sun dress and sweat shirt, but the sweat shirt came right off.

Even though I knew I wasn't going to run, I still picked up my race packet at the expo. I wanted to put my head down and cry when I picked up the actual packet and the volunteer wished me good luck. A muffin and coffee from Turning Point Cafe helped with that.

Then it was to Ocean Grove, where I stayed at the Majestic, a lovely hotel I booked through bedandbreakfast.com. My dad and step-mom had stayed there last year. I dug it then, and I dig it now. I was allowed to book just one night through bedandbreakfast.com, which was key since I only wanted to stay one night. Site - and hotel - highly recommended.

I spent most of the day on the beach. I know it was hot and muggy at home, but it was a PERFECT beach day. PERFECT. Plus, since it was pre-season, there weren't many tourists, you didn't need a beach tag, and people brought their dogs. It was lovely, even if the water was frigid. Spray on sun block is a single girl's best friend - no doubt. NO BURN! I did walk down to the Asbury Beach to see how crowded it was. The answer, of course, is plenty. I stopped at the Beach Bar, which overlooks the beach and had free music, for a beer. Perfect cap to a beach day.

Then that night, I headed to a fundraiser at the Watermark in Asbury that was timed with the Kentucky Derby. Hence the hat.

I deserve some props for this - I wore that hat the entire night. Why? Well, it was sort of fun, and I had awful hat hair underneath!

Then it was off to dinner at Trinity and the Pope, a brand new cajun creole restaurant in downtown Asbury Park. SO GOOD. Crazy busy (it was, after all, opening night), but very good. I highly recommend it.

Slept in on Sunday then hit the beach in Asbury Park for the rest of the day. It was colder because of a stiffer sea breeze, but still nice. Great crowd, too.

I was sad to come home. It was such a great trip in such a different place than where I usually go. Hearing the trains while you're on the beach, is such a different experience, as is that drive home to Pa. (had to pick up the dog) instead of up the Atlantic City Expressway.

Do I wish I could have run the half marathon? Of course I do. But if I had to do something else for the weekend, this was exactly what I needed.

Marathon weekend

Runners, on your mark! Get ready! It's New Jersey Marathon Weekend!

This is a bitter sweet post for me since I had to drop out of the marathon, and now it looks like I might not be able to do the Long Branch Marathon, either (the two events are held on the same course at the same time).

Why? Well, I've been having some health problems, which I don't want to go into here. I'm going to be fine, but it's made running more challenging.

I thought I'd be able to gut it through until I saw the weather forecast. It might have been chilly this morning, but the prediction for Long Branch is 87 degrees on Saturday and 81 degrees on Sunday.

Yikes. When you train in cold weather, jumping into summer heat isn't the best idea. Your body isn't used to it. I know mine's not - I'm not a hot weather runner, either.

So I might do it, I might not. Go ahead and call me a wuss. It's OK. I feel that way, too.

Whether I run or not, I'll be spending the weekend in the Ocean Grove/Asbury Park area, and I'm stoked. The more I visit, the more I want to go back, and the idea of spending two summery days there with no work agenda is borderline thrilling. You bet I've got my beach chair packed in the back of my car, ready to be planted on the beach on Saturday.

Anyone else running on Sunday? And what are you thoughts about the weather?

R.I.P. Manchester Inn

Sad news: big fire in Ocean Grove yesterday. It took down the Manchester Inn and three other buildings with it. If you know Ocean Grove, the Manchester, which was built in 1870, was near the Great Auditorium, right in the middle of town.

Two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, but no one was killed.

Thoughts with Ocean Grove today.

Recommended: Bedandbreakfast.com

On May 2, I'm running the New Jersey Marathon. Rather than driving to Long Branch the morning of the race, I decided to stay overnight so I can sleep in a little later and be refreshed.

Who am I kidding? I'm going to be a nervous wreck and probably stare at the ceiling most of the night.

Problem is, the obvious hotel options are sold out, and I didn't want to pay north of $250 a night with a two night minimum stay required.

I put Asbury Park into kayak.com, which scours other travel websites for best prices, and it popped up options via bedandbreakfast.com. I scored a night in a nice Ocean Grove B&B for $100, one night stay only (no, I'm not going to tell you where, stalker).

So if you're looking for a B&B stay, give this resource a shot. I did a search through Cape May via the site, and it was spot on with options, prices and details. It's a great resource.

Asbury Bike Ride

On Sunday, my dad and I hitched our bikes to the back of his car and drove to Asbury Park for a bike ride. I also strapped a camera to my waist in a belt bag -- NOT A FANNY PACK as my dad joked. Laugh all he wanted, but I got some good pictures. And it's really called a belt bag. Stop laughing.

From inside Convention Hall:



Candyteria on the boardwalk:



I wore my Garmin Forerunner 405, a running watch with GPS, on the ride, so here's a map of where we rode:



Bikes are allowed on the Asbury Park boardwalk until noon -- not 10 a.m. like I thought. Also, I love my road bike, but for boardwalk cruising? Not the best ride, but I managed.

After our ride, we headed down to Ocean Grove for brunch at Nagle's. Hi dad!



I love the old signs, too:





On a sad note, Kitch & Kaboodlein Ocean Grove is closing. I bought a great double boiler for $3 at the closing sale, but I always liked that store.

I brought my bathing suit, but it wasn't a great beach day -- windy and a bit cold, so we headed home. I ran 5 miles (at a 8:37 min/mile pace -- SUCK IT, SHOULDER SURGERY), then spent the rest of the day on the couch watching Law & Order marathons.

It's gloomy out today, and even though I can detect some lingering humidity, it feels like summer's on the way out. I'm hoping for a few more heaters, though, so I can bring Emily down the shore (No beach tags! And no one yelling about my dog!) I'm probably going up to Long Branch later this week to work on a story, so my shore season definitely isn't over. I'm realizing this year that it's never really over for me -- I'm always writing about it. It's just the season that changes.

If I could re-do the summer, I'd have spent more time on the beach. I might have scheduled my surgery for the fall or spring so wouldn't have lost a month of shore time, but at least it's out and gone.

What would you have re-done about the summer? Or, for a positive spin: what will you do different next year?

Stretching

On Friday night, I was hunkered down at the bar of Daddy-O in LBI, interviewing patrons about why they go there. Regular readers of this column know that LBI is generally north for me since the blog has traditionally focused on the South Jersey Shore. That's about to change.

This year, I was asked by several magazines and newspapers to write articles about the entire Jersey coast. Of course, I obliged. I'd explored much of the northern part of Jersey's Coast last spring, summer and fall, and I made trips back to check things out this winter. As much as I don't like some smarmier towns at the shore (you can fill in the blank there), I grew to love towns like Sandy Hook, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and, yes, LBI. It wasn't a prejudice against northern beaches that kept me away. My book was about the Southern part of the shore, and I write for Philadelphia markets, so that's where my focus stayed.

I'm not abandoning that southern bent, but I'm going to stretch, especially in weeks to come. I'll be up on northern shores this weekend, and roaming around the area for the same reason I was interviewing people in a bar in LBI on Friday night: work. It might not be as fun as it sounds talking to quasi drunks in a bar, but it's a living, and I'll take it. Stretching's good for you, right?

Oh, and my Daddy-O tip: Make sure both headlights are working properly when exiting the bar. I made it about three blocks before an officer pulled me over. I had this happen in Avalon, too. Shore cops are vigilant, and anything wrong with your car can be a red flag. He let me go without a ticket (as did the officer in Avalon -- I wasn't drinking, which they have to be looking for, and I have a clean driving record), but make sure you learn from my lesson and make sure your car's in tip top shape before heading down -- or up -- the shore.

Up in Asbury

Last week, I made a trip up to Asbury Park and Ocean Grove for an article I'm working on -- well, articles. I'm swamped in shore writing right now (yes, even as it snows -- magazine deadlines come early), and some articles are about the entire rather than just the South Jersey Shore. I spent a good deal of time north of Atlantic City over the summer, but wanted a refresher course while working on Summer 09 stories.

Here's a few photos:







I also snuck into the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel. The exterior:



The interior reminded me of The Chelsea in Atlantic City, but really retro instead of new retro:











It was a fun day but frigid -- not too cold for ice cream at Nagles in Ocean Grove, though. Still, a cup of coffee and a seat in the sun at Twisted Tree Cafe in Asbury Park was greatly appreciated.

I like Asbury -- a lot. I hope to come back again in the summer to hang out on the rooftop deck at the Watermark, which has the coolest liquor display I've seen at the shore (I snuck in there, too -- I'm really not that sneaky, but I sometimes walk into places where I might not belong). Their fireplace would be good right about now.

Here's me and Emily in the snow:



And, no, I have no idea why I look bald in that picture, but at least my head was warm!

Recommended: Bedandbreakfast.com

One item on my year-end to do list was find a place to stay the night before the New Jersey Marathon. Some of the prime spots have already sold out. I wasn't willing to pony up $260 per night (with a two-night stay required) or take my chances with what could be a roach motel.

What to do? First, I hit kayak.com, which is where I start most of my travel searches. That lead me to a few options on bedandbreakfast.com where I found a room in a very nice B&B in Ocean Grove for $100 -- and they're letting me stay one night instead of the two normally required (no, I'm not telling you which one, stalker).

Why a B&B? Besides the price and location, I don't want to worry about late night partiers keeping me up the night before the marathon (even though I have a feeling I won't be able to sleep much). Ocean Grove's a dry town, too, so there's even less chance of next-door debauchery.

One question I'm asked a lot is about places to stay, either in casinos or B&Bs in Cape May. I can give you my suggestions, of course, but you might also want to try bedandbreakfast.com to search a lot of B&Bs at once.