Friday, May 18, 2012
Mild temperatures send anglers into action
There's no doubt I'm a bit late to the party this year. History holds that my boat is often one of the first in the marina and, almost always, the last boat to be hauled out. Jingle Bell Rock has played from the speakers mounted in my center console. But this year, my fishing season has yet to begin. I have a tentative appointment with my boat hauler in Barnegat to drop her in the water Monday, but that's after a spring where some busy work weeks here at Patch and marathon rounds of graduate school studying have pushed fishing to the back burner. Luckily, with formal graduation ceremonies at Monmouth University now complete, I'll continue a much more elusive educational endeavour: finding every last honey hole in Barnegat Bay! With the …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
It's what sells; can it work (partially) in Point Pleasant Beach?
Imagine riding a bike upside down ... with barely a strap to keep you from falling on the street. That's what the Loop-O-Plane felt like, a zippy ride that turned in ovals - and all that kept it running was an old motor with something that looked like a bicycle chain pulling through it. First it was in Point Pleasant Beach, the scariest of all the scary, stitched-together rides at the now defunct Herman's Amusements on the Boardwalk. When Herman's disappeared in 1987, I thought the ride would, too. When I worked at Herman's in the early 1980s, we kept this ride together with practically tape and glue. When it needed to be cleaned, the maintenance guy sounded the same alert: "Get the hose!" Back in the 1990s, while I was walking on the …
Friday, May 11, 2012
Island Beach State Park and Jenkinson's finished second and third, respectively
A late, improbable rally put Belmar beaches at the top of this week's Readers' Choice poll for favorite Jersey Shore "staycation" spots, with 113 votes. Belmar is known for it's wide, long boardwalk, and its attraction to college-age adults who enjoy the beach and the local night-life. Island Beach State Park, the only natural beach on the Jersey Shore other than Sandy Hook, led for much of the week but finished second with 82 votes. Jenkinson's Boardwalk, which includes an aquarium, rides, food and other seaside pleasures in Point Pleasant Beach, finished third with 77. Thank you for voting in this week's poll. Results are at the bottom of this article. Other choices in the poll included: Fantasy Island Family-fun amusement park in Beach …
Monday, May 7, 2012
Finding happiness again
As many of us have learned over the years - sometimes and unfortunately the hard way - we all acquire much wisdom and knowledge about life itself. For me, I know that the last four or so years of my life have been ones that I can honestly say I never could have predicted happening - if I used my past as any sort of guide to what my future would hold. And it is because of the major turmoil that I now have the outlook and understanding to be very, very grateful for happiness and peace. There are still some unresolved issues that cause a great deal of sadness. However, another lesson learned is that I cannot make another person understand circumstances in very difficult situations until they have gone through it themselves, and in their own …
Why travel when there are fun places nearby?
Summer comes and goes. But, at the Jersey Shore, the beach, the sand, the sea and some of the amusement attractions never leave. Patch would like you to pick your favorite Jersey Shore "staycation" spot - a place to bring the boyfriend or girlfriend, or the family and grandparents - when cash and time are too short for the plane trip to Florida or Mexico. Voting for your favorite places is easy. All you have to do is: The voting goes until 9 a.m. Friday with the winner being announced at noon so there is plenty of time to cast your vote. Jersey Shore "Staycation" Spots: Fantasy Island Family-fun amusement park in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island. Jenkinson's Boardwalk An aquarium, rides, food and other seaside pleasures in Point Pleasant …
Friday, May 4, 2012
New Jersey's prime sport fish species opens to anglers
Summer flounder season begins Saturday, and with the first minimum size limit below 18 inches in several years, anglers are gearing up for a lengthy season of fun fishing from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Fluke season needs no introduction. It's prime-time. It's a relatively easy fishery in which to participate - both bay and ocean anglers have wide access - and there are as many fun ways to catch these tasty flat fish as there are recipes to cook them for dinner. We'll begin with a rundown of the best spots (north to south) for early-season fluke, and end with a few quick reports: Manasquan River: There's no secret on this one. The Manasquan is arguably the best early season location statewide to catch keeper fluke on day one. The river …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Kids = Energy, Parents = Tired
My son woke me up on Saturday morning fully dressed in his soccer uniform, shin guards, socks, cleats and all. Mom, can you help me tie my cleats? What?! What time is it? I squinted at the clock. It was 6:30 a.m. His game was at 10 a.m. Hey, Buddy, you don’t need your cleats yet. We’ve got some time. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, to no avail. When I finally dragged myself out of bed and got my contacts in, I looked at my son. He was SO EXCITED. He had so much enthusiasm for his day ahead that he couldn’t bear to stay in bed one moment longer while all I wanted was to stay in bed one moment longer. When does this change? When do we go from full of enthusiasm, ready to take on the world, tons of energy to a sluggish, tired …
Monday, April 16, 2012
First Runner-Up: New York Bagel
Round Dough With a Hole won our bagel poll by a landslide, capturing 60 percent of the total vote with 347 votes. The first runner-up was New York Bagel with 155 votes or 27 percent of the total votes of 570. To see all the results, see the poll box below. Thanks to everyone who voted.
Friday, April 13, 2012
At Pasola's Barber Shop, time freezes and memories linger
Before my eyes was the man who always cut my hair, ready to chop away again, and give me the news about town that no newspaper ever could. Jack Pasola was still clipping away Wednesday morning, after decades of doing this, even if many of his customers are all gray now, including me. Or they just have a few strands left that Pasola, a former Point Beach mayor, nips off with the ends of his scissors and does the best he can to comb over their scalps. He'll spend the time he would have spent chopping off clumps of somebody's thick mop - the time he used to spend when everybody had long hair in the 1970s - reminiscing about the way things used to be. "I went to the Ocean Road School," said Pasola, who's now 68. "Then I went to the Beach high …
Modell's in Toms River places second in weekly poll
April 13 update: As the poll closes at 9 a.m., it's Dick's Sporting Goods in Brick that garnered the most votes, with 46. **** Whether you are suiting up the kids with a new glove for baseball or want to restring your tennis racket, you likely have a sporting goods store that is your favorite. The area's sporting goods stores is the topic of this week's poll and we want to know which one is your choice. For this week's poll of your favorite spot to buy sporting goods, we're looking a bit more regional than usual. If we left a local store off of our poll list, let us know in the comments or by email! Voting for your favorite places is easy. All you have to do is: The poll is open until 9 a.m. Friday and the winner will be announced at noon …
whatdontyouget
8:29 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
PPB has not but should be with all the partying going on. That is all the residents think and talk about is drinking and they are passing it down to their kids too. It is just one big partying town. Then they want to blame everyone else for all there drinking problems. more ›