Ocean City magazine November 2018

Ocean City

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 The Premier Lifestyle Magazine for America’s Greatest Family Resort

Contents

November/December 2018

Perfect Setup

The sun sets on a fabulous bay and bridge scene. Photo by Peg Miller.

Features 46 Project Love Cards Robin M. gives back

5 Letter from the Editor 44 Activity of the Month

Shore Eats

In the Kitchen Battle Pie Famished Foodie Sunday Girl Eats Dining Guide

51 Tis the Season

6 8 10 14 16

54 Look & Sea

Local Ocean

48 Gift Guide

Stef G. selects tons of gift ideas Deb Worchel gets her calm on Steve F. gets snowed in

On the Cover What would Santa do at the beach? Sue Rau illustrates our answer. See Sue's work at the Fine Arts League, 711 Asbury.

18 Adorable Creature 18 Ocean City Workers 19 Ocean City Girl 20 The Interview 22 Snapshots 26 Nov/Dec Events 28 It’s History by Fred Miller 30 Matter of Art with Amy Mahon

Shopping OC 32 36 38 40 42

The Look Shop Guide Trends - Henry's Jewelers In the Biz - McMahon Ocean City Style

On The Beach 56 58 60 61

Book of the Month Ocean’s Eleven Quiz Word Search Activities Guide

Services 62 63 64 66

Pets for Adoption Services Guide Real Tour Last Shot

3

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From the Editor

Stick Shift The other day on social media, there was a post that said “the temperature went from 90 to 55 like it saw a state trooper.” Even writing this now makes me chuckle.

Then this morning, as we sat on the porch watching my son walk to the bus stop, my daughter said, "Mom, how does the weather know when Stef Godfrey and her daughter Snow to turn cold?" apple picking in early October Though it seems like Mother Nature is being kind these days... (Our warm beach days pop up into October – woohoo!) There is a defined weather shift that occurs in the month of pumpkin everything. That shift let's us know without fail – winter is coming. Today, I’m wearing my star sweatpants, wishing for a blanket and looking longingly at my closed window where just a few days ago, pink blossoms on the crepe myrtle were eye candy.

With this crisp air comes another shift… the shift toward snuggly nights inside by the fireplace, listening to the wood pop and crackle, cozying up next to your loved ones under a blanket. It's a shift towards a certain calm that replaces the hustle and bustle of summer.

When I travel throughout the island these days, there are less of you to smile and wave to, crossing the street is almost too easy, and the beaches are white with empty.

Instead of getting out my countdown to Memorial Day calendar just yet … I’m using this quieter time to enjoy and be grateful for where we get to live and play.

Ocean City is fabulous year-round. Arguably this family-focused island displays this best during November and December with events like “Earlier than the Bird,” the Christmas Parade, and “An Old-Fashioned Christmas." If you’ve never come here for these events, start this year. They are like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life.

In OC mag this month (our last of the year), you’ll find a spectacular gift guide, writer Deb Worchel seeks salve from the stresses of the season, and we spend a day with Potomac Bead Company. Sit down with the Famished Foodie as he takes on breakfast at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, go In the Kitchen with Soma Café, and chat with the folks behind those beautiful baubles at Henry’s Jewelers. There’s so much more eat, shop, stay and play inside these fun pages. I hope you enjoy reading with a hot cocoa under a warm snuggly blanket.

Til May my friends,

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Shore Eats

In the Kitchen

Soma Café Where the “good food, good mood” philosophy holds true - by Sam Florio

“I want to promote eating with the season.”

- Samantha Freda

W

ALKING into Soma Café on 8th and Asbury reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. It’s like entering an alternate reality from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. You open the doors and immediately feel transported, and automatically cooler than five minutes before when the wind whipped your hair into your lip gloss or your arms were so full of your wife’s shopping bags.

Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac played lightly in the background as I entered. Fitting, I thought, as I felt like a gypsy upon entering Soma. I

6 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

put my bags down at a table made from a reclaimed door. My Alice in Wonderland analogy suddenly formed. Each door in Alice in Wonderland leads to a different world, Queens of Hearts or animal tea parties, but in this instance it’s each table.

Each table, as you take a step towards the kitchen, is a completely different experience from the one before it. Sip a latte and read your book in the nook with cozy cushions. Eat your fall chicken salad with spiced sweet potato puree at the table with old license plates and Neil Young records. Sit at the large wooden spool turned glass table with a girlfriend for a quick bite of three bean chili. Hang at the door

table and work while scooping crispy pita into vibrant beet hummus.

The owner, Samantha Freda, a 28-year-old with her own Alice in Wonderland-esque life, opened Soma last year. She bounced from country to country in Europe for nine years, gaining experience, eating different foods, and being a vegetarian eater all over the world. She returned home to Ocean City to create a world made entirely of her 28 years of life inside Soma Café.

“People have said to me a lot that it looks European in here, which I didn’t even try to do. But I guess that just shows how much my experience so far has rubbed off on me without even realizing,” Samantha said as I sipped my cold brew and listened to her tell the tales of how each item in the café came to fruition.

The spool, picked up from a junk yard and repurposed, the ceiling tiles donated, the decal “Good Food, Good Mood,” made by a local 15-year old artist.

The usual similarity between cafés where you want to spend time and hang out is the food. We sip our coffees and read or work, and think for an hour about whether or not we should grab that double chocolate chip muffin because there is no other option. But at

Soma, everything is local, good for you, and homemade. Samantha stops our conversation to bring me a pumpkin spice latte with a shot of “golden goop.”

“So, here is the thing, I wanted to make a pumpkin spice latte without all of the sugar.

I wanted it to taste like pumpkin, but still be good for you. We make the almond milk, and the pumpkin spice mix with real, organic pumpkin.”

I’m not sure I had ever been in a kitchen, beside my own, where the almond milk was homemade, with no fillers or extra additives.

“Golden milk is also really popular, so we make our own spice mixture for that as well.

We call it 'golden goop.'”

The golden goop is made with spices, including turmeric, that are amazing for your body with anti-inflammatory properties.

This drink was frothy, perfect for fall, and so cozy. I could feel myself sinking a little deeper at my door table and feeling even more comfortable.

On our walk into the kitchen, my eye caught a large chalkboard hanging on the wall informing me that everything is local and homemade. Another trend I noticed was Samantha’s dedication to supporting her hometown. Not only was the “Good Food, Good Mood” decal created by a local artist, but the bottled teas, kombucha, water, produce, and even the honey are from local farms and businesses. Eating local helps small businesses, and it is the fuel of Soma.

“I get a lot of produce from a local farm.

I want to promote eating with the season.

So fan favorites aren’t always on the menu, because it is always changing. But I think to myself, 'if I had my family or friends over for dinner, what would I make them?' And that is how I create the menu.”

More than one customer ordered the fall chicken salad while Samantha and I were talking (I was eating) so it was a no brainer for her to make that on the windy, fall day I spent in the kitchen. Sam started by chopping grilled chicken, butternut squash and apples and tossing them with spinach leaves. She went to drizzle the lemon dressing, but stopped to grab a spoon. She handed it to me to taste. Not only did the acid from the lemon come through, but the dressing was so flavorful with shallots and ingredients that balanced it perfectly. I asked

her right away if anyone tried to recreate what they serve.

“My sister always does. And people always come in saying they tried to make a salad or a dressing.

Actually, in a few weeks we are going to be selling our homemade dressings out front.”

And I will happily be running to grab that lemon dressing and put it on every salad I make. Next, Samantha sprinkled pumpkin seeds that she tossed in other spices, and grabbed an bottle filled with orange colored sauce.

“You have to try this,” she said, as she drizzled the bright orange ingredient across the top of the salad. “It is spiced sweet potato puree. I know people can be afraid of the word ‘spicy,’ so it is not spicy. But I felt like this salad needed something else, and it’s so great with these ingredients.”

Maybe it’s Samantha’s excitement about the food, or the gorgeous blue bowl contrasting with the vibrant orange, spiced sweet potato puree, but in that moment it wasn’t just a table I was sitting at.

It was a door to Sam’s world, and you definitely have to enter.

7

Shore Eats

Battle Pie

A rich, sweet bite!

Tasted like autumn!

“They’re beyond analysis. They’re poetry.”

Don McLean may have been talking about his lyrics to American Pie when he said that, but he could just as easily been referring to a different pie. The Bennie’s caramel apple walnut pie to be specific.

Not only does this pie taste light and fresh, it looks delicious too. So good in fact, that if Jani Lane from Warrant had tried this pie, no doubt he would have sang, “She’s my caramel apple walnut pie… looks so good, bring a tear to your eye, sweet caramel apple walnut pie!”

This is no ordinary pie. It’s large and in charge, and the crispy,

If you’re going to do apple pie, you need to do it right.

I don’t mean to harsh on other pies – say, for instance, blueberry pie – but blueberry isn’t a classic. They don’t sing about “blueberry pie” in Chevrolet commercials do they? (Although Fats Domino found his thrill on Blueberry Hill, but that’s different). When you make apple pie, you’re conjuring the entire star-spangled essence of America!

The first thing I noticed as I bit into this lovely apple pie from Chester’s is the texture of the apples. Apple pies and their potential yumminess are dependent a large part

She Said flaky crust has spots where the filling caramelized on it, creating a rich, sweet bite that is enough to take your breath away. The inside of the pie is loaded with apples that aren’t mushy remnants of their former selves. These apple slices still had a bit of firmness, and were coated in the sweet syrupy sauce, making them the best kind of fruit.

The pie was so tasty and delicious that I found myself looking for excuse after excuse to walk into the kitchen after dinner.

Pretty soon I found myself singing…

Bye Bye Bennie’s Caramel Apple Walnut Pie.

Bennie's Italian Market 1159 Asbury, Ocean City

He Said on the texture of the apples and Chester’s got that just right – soft but firm to the teeth with an easy after-bite that is smooth and unhurried. I noticed a classic note of cinnamon (or perhaps all spice?). This spice gave the pie a deeper flavor and I enjoyed it. It tasted like autumn.

I didn’t ask what variety of apples they used but they were cut to nice size which was nice – nobody wants giant apples in their pie. Good crust, good apples, wellbaked… classic!

Chester's Pastry Pantry Bakery 506 New Road, Somers Point

>>>> Thank you for joining us for Food Wars! Next year the battles will continue...

8 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Barefoot Market Scones, Coffee, Muffins, Croissant Lunches To Go Artisan Bread & Cheese Salads, Baguette Sandwiches Call Ahead for Large Orders 214 West Avenue, OC 609-399-0221 • sconelady@yahoo.com

Hand Tossed Pizza Cheesesteaks Hoagies • Wings

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fresh dough made daily 44 Route 9, Marmora, NJ Kirkspizza.com • 609-390-1845

Uncle Bill’s Aunt Betty’s

PANCAKE HOUSE ICE CREAM SHACK

The Best Breakfast at the Jersey Shore

2112 Asbury Ave (609) 398-7393

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Open May-September noon-11pm in season 9

Shore Eats

Famished Foodie

UNCLE BILL'S

The Famished Foodie embraces this classic OC tradition with friends and family

T

HE Ocean City Fall Block Party has become an Ocean City tradition in our squad; a chance to catch up with people we may have missed over summer and to make new friends.

Together with the Indian Summer Weekend on the Boardwalk, early October is a magnificent time to be in the OC. So when it came to picking a breakfast spot to meet up with our extended crew, I chose Uncle Bill’s Pancake House at 21st and Asbury. Uncle Bill’s, like Block Party, is a tradition in America’s Greatest Family Resort. I chose UB’s because I know UB’s will deliver the proper OC vibe that sets the tone for the whole weekend and gets everybody in that six-oh-nine mindset.

We had a full crew; myself Tony Stark, genius billionaire philanthropist; Pepper Potts, the glue that holds it all together; Captain America Steve Rogers; Bruce

Banner (don’t make him angry), and Natasha Romanoff (aka Black Widow, Black Wid or B.Wid) PLUS we had two more superstars with us, Antman and The Wasp. So we fell out of our cars rolled into UBPH like a runaway locomotive.

“No worries,” said Uncle Bill’s (Figuratively. Or perhaps metaphorically).

“You’re not the first group of rambunctious superheroes in our place; table for seven right there.”

BAM, we were seated and our lovely server Ashley was bringing us water and making us comfortable.

I’ve got my out-of-town peeps with me and of course I want to show them the best side of OC. I always have good experiences at UB’s and, before we even ate, this episode

10 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

of the Famished Foodie was on track to deliver a rousing how-do-you-do.

I zeroed in on my go-to breakfast dish (it’s a weekend of tradition, not trying new stuff), Kelly’s Favorite; two poached eggs served over Hatfield ham on an English muffin topped with Uncle Bill’s hollandaise sauce, and served with home fries. The generic name is eggs benedict and UB does a nice job with it.

Pepper Potts ordered the Greek omelet with spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese. “I like how they make the omelets here,” she said.

Black Wid ordered the strawberry pancakes with strawberries folded inside three large pancakes with more strawberries and whipped cream on top. Cap ordered an All-American breakfast of two pancakes, two eggs, sausage, and toast. Hulk ordered up enough pancakes that they completely filled the plate when they arrived.

The strawberry pancakes were overflowing with strawberries and luckily the B.Wid

>>>>(Pan)cake Walk Uncle Bill's Pancake House serves up

consistently delicious food like the strawberry pancakes. Server Ashley brings over breakfast.

likes strawberries. It’s a hefty plate of food for sure. Cap and Hulk always eat well here which is good because they’re growing boys and all that chewing keeps everybody quiet (air high-five to all parents out there – you know what I’m saying).

“What a wonderful experience this is,” said The Wasp. “The staff is so accommodating and friendly and fast and the food turned out better than expected, both in taste and presentation. And there is a lot of food, too.”

And that is the Uncle Bill’s experience in a nutshell; good food, good staff, good vibe. Oh and consistent. That’s big.

“This omelet is awesome,” said Pepper. “It’s loaded with feta cheese which is so good. The tang of the feta pairs perfectly with the creaminess of the eggs and at Uncle Bill’s the omelet is so thin, you can’t believe everything doesn’t just pop out. It’s so good.”

Eggs benedict is my go-to dish and I’m always pleased with UB’s version; well-prepared eggs with a nice hollandaise and some nicelydone potatoes. It’s a classic and UB’s makes it that way. Nothing revolutionary about it. No extra ingredients, no extra flavors, no special benedict bread, just eggs benedict done simple and right.

Uncle Bill’s has been a Jersey Shore tradition for almost 60 years with the first location in Stone Harbor in 1962. Pat O’Hara Sr. and wife Cindy opened the first Ocean City location in 1990. Pat Jr. and sister Kelly now handle the day-to-day operations in Ocean City including the original at 21st and Asbury and a second location

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Server Samantha serves up meals while patrons take in bay views for days.

at 40th and West. Kelly was the driving force behind the two Aunt Betty’s Ice Cream Parlors – one at each location – and brother Christopher opened Nauti Donuts this summer across from the 21st Street store. On the day we were there Pat Jr. was working in the kitchen – he’s one of the owners and he’s working the line. This is a real family owned business and the whole family makes sure it runs smoothly.

“I’m really proud that we’ve become a tradition for families that vacation in Ocean City every year,” said Pat Jr. “I really enjoy seeing the same families returning year after year. I enjoy the off-season, too. A lot of locals

come out after the summer and I get to chat a lot more with the locals in the off-season.

It’s a nice balance and I really enjoying living around here.”

Uncle Bill’s uses the same pancake formula – one developed decades ago just as the business was starting – at all their locations and that recipe makes a mighty good pancake.

Restaurants are often a topic of discussion in my circles and almost everyone agrees that UB got some good pancakes. I know Cap, Hulk and Natasha always enjoy the UB’s experience.

From the crayons to the pancakes and the servers that usually engage with them, those three are usually in good form at UB’s (gimme

12 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

another air high five parents).

Breakfast was a truly enjoyable experience.

The food was delicious and served hot, the service was attentive, but not pushy, the coffee was hot and always full and our conversation flowed like a river. This is a good reason to choose UBPH’s – you can relax and enjoy your friends and family because UB has it covered.

We tumbled out of UB’s and made our way north to Block Party. We strolled, ate, bought stuff and then made new friends over on Waterway Road. When we made it home later that day we all agreed it was an epic day.

Thanks Uncle Bill’s for getting us off on the right foot.

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is To make th re o pie even mer ve delicious, s la ice il it with van fresh r cream o eam! whipped cr

by

Pumpkin-Shoofly Swirled Pie This pie tastes even better than it looks!

INGREDIENTS For the crust: 30-40 gingersnap cookies 6-8 tbsp melted butter For the pumpkin pie filling: 1 cup pure pumpkin puree 1 cup heavy cream 1 egg 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice For the shoofly swirl: 3/4 cup molasses 1/2 cup boiling water 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon flour

Preheat oven to 350º F. Pulse cookies in a food processor till you have semi-fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and add most of the melted butter. Stir to combine. Add more butter if necessary. Press into a 9 to 9.5 inch pie plate.

Bake at 350º F for 20-22 minutes.

While crust is baking, prepare pumpkin pie filling and shoofly mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree heavy cream, egg, sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice. In a small bowl combine molasses, baking soda, flour and boiling water. Let cool before adding the egg.

Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pie crust. Spoon or pour molasses mixture (you won’t need all of it) onto pumpkin pie filling. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350º F for 40-45 min until pie is set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy! Follow Sunday Girl on Instagram @ sundaygirleats and www.sundaygirleats.wordpress.com.

14 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

SUNDAY

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Overlooking the Scenic Greate Egg Harbor Bay 15

Shore Eats The Dining Guide BURGERS l FRIES l CHEESESTEAKS Del’s Oceanside Grill Menu is time-tested and sure to please adults and kiddies alike.

934 Boardwalk, 399-3931.

Flippers Grill Outside at Port-O-Call Hotel. Burgers, etc. 1510 Boardwalk, 399-8812.

Jilly’s Ice cream and fries... best day ever!

Ice cream, 1172 Boardwalk. Fries, 1034 Boardwalk.

BREAKFAST I LUNCH I SWEETS A La Mode Fresh, homemade ice cream made on the premises. 55th & West, 3982207.

Aunt Betty’s Ice Cream Shack Seriously fresh ice cream. Even treats for your doggies.

2100 Asbury; 40th & West. 398-4001; 3984005.

Barefoot Market Scones, bread, coffee, artisan lunches. 241 West, 399-0221.

Browns Restaurant Hot donuts daily, awesome breakfasts. 110 Boardwalk, 976-3825.

Christine's Italian Pastry Shoppe Custom cakes, delish pastry, gluten free options. 314 Tilton, 646-5666.

CJs Corner Grill Creative and tasty plates for breakfast and lunch. 701 Shore, Somers Point. 927-4701.

Positively Fourth Street Breakfast and lunch.

Dinner in season. Innovative dishes. 400 Atlantic, 814-1886.

Emily’s Ocean Room Cafe High tea all summer, breakfast and lunch year round. 11th & Boardwalk, 398-5700. Open year round.

Wards Pastry Butter cookies, sticky buns, scrapple pie. 730 Asbury, 399-1260. Open year round.

Hula Restaurant and Sauce Company Tasty Hawaiian cuisine. We love the Firecracker Shrimp. 940 Boardwalk, 399-2400.

Yoasis Try the Cookie Monster. 838 Asbury, 525-2100.

Ivy Pho Vietnamese cuisine by Chef Bryan.

403 E. 14th Street, 609-938-4292.

Yoasis Beach Bowls Fro yo, acai bowls, pitaya bowls, smoothies. 1242 Boardwalk, 938-0898.

Jay’s Crabshack 737 Asbury, 399-4022.

Open year round.

Starbucks 1061 Asbury, 938-6905.

Jon & Patty’s Healthy, creative bistro fare.

New second floor seating. 637 Asbury Avenue, 399-3377. Open year round.

Starfish Cafe Unprocessed, organic ingredients locally sourced when possible. 822 E. 9th Street, 609-432-2686.

Uncle Bill’s Pancake House Legendary breakfasts, lunches. 2112 Asbury, 40th & West, 398-7393. Open year round.

PIZZA I BREAD I ROLLS

Mildred's Strathmere Restaurant Italian specialties, seafood. 901 Ocean Drive, Strathmere 263-8203.

Ocean City Restaurant Association Member restaurants all over the island.

Eatinocnj.com.

6th Street Pizza Salads, apps, pizza, sandwiches. Credit cards accepted. 600 Boardwalk, next to Gillian's, 609-525-0022.

Oves Restaurant Fresh seafood dinners, homemade apple cider donuts. 4th & Boardwalk, 398-3172.

Bennie’s Bread and Italian Market Fresh bread, pastries, brick oven pizzas, sandwiches, and tomato pie. 1159 Asbury, 398-9450. New location at 4th & Ocean.

Red’s Jersey-Mex Superior Mexi/Southwest food. Gluten-free menu. 11th & Haven, 399-2272.

Kirk’s Pizza Amazing steak sandwiches. 44 Route 9, Marmora. 390-1845.

Spadafora's Restaurant & Clam Bar Famous dockside fresh local flavor. 843 Atlantic, 398-6154.

Johnny B Goode Waffles, ice cream, family entertainment. 14th & Asbury, 525-0646 & 34th & West, next to Hoy’s, 525-0648.

Manco & Manco Pizza Three locations on the Boards. 7th, 9th, and 12th Streets. 3992548.

Spadafora's Seafood Market Large, fresh selection of takeout fish and shellfish. 932 Haven, 398-6703.

Johnson’s Popcorn One whiff of this corn a cookin, and you'll be hooked. 1368 Boardwalk, (800) 842-2676. Open year round.

GLOBAL CUISINE I SEAFOOD

Tomatoes High-end fare and sushi. 9300 Amherst, Margate. 822-7535.

Mallon’s Sticky Buns Fresh, gooey buns.

1340 Bay Avenue, 399-5531, 410 55th Street, 399-7220.

Adelene Serving breakfast and lunch daily.

Gorgeous beachfront space. 1510 Boardwalk, 800-334-4546.

Ocean City Coffee Company The perfect cup of coffee. 9th & Boardwalk, & 1066 Boardwalk, 917 Asbury, 399-5533. Open year round.

Cousin’s Varied and sophisticated menu.

Outside dining, catering too. 104 Asbury, 399-9462.

16th Street Seafood Take out platters, fresh seafood market. 1555 Haven, 399-0016.

Crab Trap Seafood, prime rib, steak and pasta dishes. 2 Broadway, Somers Point, 927-7377.

16 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Tuckahoe Inn Back Bay Cafe with live music, Boat Bar. 1 Harbor Road & Route 9, Beesley’s Point, 390-3322. Open year round.

Voltaco’s Everything Italian. Sandwiches, dinners, sauces. 957 West, 399-0753.

Yianni's Cafe Hot Bagels and More Greekinspired dishes. Two locations. 841 Asbury & 1735 Simpson, 391-1113.

Fill your calendar with these events!

11TH ANNUAL

TURKEY TROT

Silver Paws Holiday Fur Ball

November 22 Thanksgiving morning... trot down the OC Boardwalk

stay ahead of the bird

5k Race at 7am Thanksgiving Day!

December 1 6-10pm at Flanders Hotel, OC with live music by Animal House, buffet dinner and auction. Tickets $70 a person or $135 a couple.

If you can’t attend our gala, please consider making a holiday donation for one of our shelter residents Shelter Road off of Tennessee Avenue • www.hsocnj.org • 609-398-9500 For any questions on events, email phil.bellucci@hsocnj.org Congrats to our VETERINARIAN OFFICE STAFF for being named BEST OF THE PRESS for 2018

Quality Products Since 1988 Send a little love from the jersey shore this holiday season

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Corporate Discounts Available!

Order Online mallonsbakery.com Stop in or

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14th & Bay Ocean City NJ 1-888-880-2867 Open Wed, Nov 21 • Open Friday, Saturday & Sunday Nov 23-Dec 16 Open Daily Dec 16-Dec 23 17

Local Ocean

ADORABLE CREATURE OF THE MONTH

Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. These regal birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their chocolate-brown body and wings. Look for them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Once endangered by hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have flourished under protection.

To find Bald Eagles, head for water, where the birds are likely to be looking for fish. Nationwide, Bald Eagles are most widespread during winter, where they can be found along coasts, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in many states. They winter in large numbers at some lakes and national wildlife refuges.

cute If you snap a t, o sh creature send to editor@ agazine.com jm cn o

- allaboutbirds.org

>>>>•<<<< OCEAN CITY EMPLOYEES Sam Florio interviews a few hard workers around town Cassie Quade, PLAAY

What is your favorite thing to do in OC on a rainy day? Hang out at Positively 4th Street Café.

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs. I have three. Murphy, Rocky and Finnegan.

They are a Chocolate Lab, Golden Retriever and Yorkie. I also have a hedgehog, Marceline. I call her Marcy.

So you love animals I am guessing? Yes! And I have always wanted a hedgehog. She is so cute.

Marcy is nocturnal so she runs on her little wheel at night.

Are you from OC? I grew up in Egg Harbor Township and I just graduated from Ocean City High. I am going to take a few classes at ACCC, but I plan on transferring to Portland.

What are you going to study? I am going to be an English major. I want to be a college professor, but I would also be a high school English teacher.

18 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

George K,

Sun Rose Words & Music Cats or Dogs?

Dogs. I love my dogs. Their names are Balki and Artie.

A Pomeranian and a Jack Russel.

What are you reading currently? Tucker Carlson, Ship of Fools. It’s brand new, and it is flying off the shelves. It’s definitely the most popular book right now because in terms of political books, both sides can appreciate his point of view.

Do you have a favorite book of the summer? The Gray Man. I’d say my go-to genre is action and adventure, and I like non-fiction.

What TV show are you binging? Oh Jersey Shore and Floribama Shore. I love them, but I also watch real shows – Castle Rock.

Any hobbies outside of work? Taking care of my house, playing with the dogs. But every year on my birthday I go big on something for myself.

Suzanne Grasso, Bowfish Kids

Cats or dogs? Cats!

I have one cat, Cooper. Love cats!

Favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

Any time anyone asks me this, I say go to Bowfish and get your makeup done. We can do mermaids and unicorns, pirates or sharks.

Which Bowfish makeover would you get? I had a unicorn braid last year so I would go with a mermaid. You can choose by color: pink, purple, or blue so I would choose a blue mermaid.

Best OC Snack? Bungalow Bowls. I get the acai original, it is so good.

What do you do outside of work? I actually do genealogy. I have done it for my family, and I do it for hire. It’s like people puzzles!

Are you binging any TV shows? I just finished Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. It was great, but now I need a new binge.

In the Know with Ocean City Girl Well OCNJ fans it's time once again for us to wrap up our sensational season with all the terrific topics of discussion as we prepare for the last issue and our fabulous fall and wonderful winter seasons. This year has been a great one with the lazy beach days, ocean waves and Boardwalk nights that went by way too fast for me!

However, I look forward to the calm, cool and festive holiday happenings our great city has to offer. I’ve got my hot apple cider, fuzzy slippers and sweats on as I head out on the front porch to watch the seagulls fly by while we see what our fans want to know. Do you have something you want to ask? Email your question to editor@ocnjmagazine.com.

Dear OC Girl, I am looking for someplace different and something new to do for New Year's Eve. Does OCNJ offer anything?

Yours Truly, Year End Celebration Dear Year End, What a perfect question to end our season with. Yes, OCNJ offers activities for New Year's Eve as well as New Year's Day. The day starts on December 31 at 3:45pm with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Once the ribbon is cut there is a myriad of activities for you to go and see and do all over town. The day's adventures start at 4pm and run all the way through to midnight. The first thing I recommend is to go to the web page set up specifically for it which is www.firstnightocnj.com. It will have where you can go so that you can plan for your entire day. My next suggestion is to purchase your First Night buttons.

Due to the increased popularity of our wonderful attractions, space is limited so either purchase your buttons through the link or contact City Hall to buy them. The best part is you won't have to try and navigate your way through town looking for parking to participate either. We offer jitneys for free to button holders and you can safely work your way to each of your planned destinations with it.

My final word of advice is to head to the Boardwalk around 11:30pm. Once it turns midnight, there will be fireworks at the 5th Street beach. There is seating at 6th Street next to Gillian's Wonderland Pier that might give you a perfect unobscured view of the action. That said, you can't forget to go Downtown the next morning along Asbury Avenue. Our First Day Shopping Extravaganza with fabulous sales and amazing bargain shopping is quite the experience.

Whether you are celebrating by shopping or taking it to the beach for your first dip in the water and toes in the sand day – there is no better way to kick off your new year right than by spending it in OCNJ. We are America’s Greatest Family Resort, year round!

Dear OC Girl, Our family has always spent summers in your town and loved every moment. This year, thanks to an OCNJ friend who lives there year round, we are going to spend Christmas there, too. What all is available to do around town for the holidays?

Sincerely, Seeking Santa Dear Seeking Santa, Thank you so much for this question. I am very excited as this will be a great holiday season for you.

Our town offers a lot of activities to celebrate the arrival of Santa and it all starts with Thanksgiving weekend. OCNJ kicks off what we call Our Miracle On Asbury to celebrate Christmas in Downtown for an old-fashioned holiday. We offer horse and carriage rides, Breakfast with Santa as well as pictures with the jolly elf too. Those three events happen every weekend in December until Christmas Eve. The horse and carriage rides depart from City Hall at 9th and Asbury from 12-3pm, the Photos with Santa are at the Music Pier on the Boardwalk from 12-3pm also and Breakfast with Santa is from 8-11am and is offered at a different local restaurant each weekend. They range from Arlene’s on Asbury, Yianni’s, Sunrise Cafe and Jon & Patty’s Coffee Bar & Bistro and are all located on Asbury Avenue. You can check the calendar of events on page 26. Of course what holiday wouldn’t be complete without trains? Our annual Train Show is at the Music Pier. It is the first weekend in December and runs from 10am-4pm. Finally, our Christmas Parade! This happens the second weekend in December and will be from 6th to 11th streets on Asbury. The parade starts at 6pm. Enjoy all the fa-la-la fun activities.

>>>> Have a question for Ocean City Girl? Email editor@ocnjmagazine.com

19

The Interview Jody Bourgeois, president at Mallon’s, has been satisfying Ocean City’s sweet tooth for 30 years the holiday season we are jamming, basically baking every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas for mail orders.

What have been the biggest successes of the year?

My children (Robin and Max) stepping up in the responsibility of working in the business. They’ve become a real part of the business. Max is a hands on person and works in the kitchen. Robin works the internet and mail order side of the business. They have basically grown up here, but they are taking a more active role in the bakery now that they are out of college.

What is your weakness? Do you have a sweet tooth?

The butter cake we have here, it’s just exceptional. We always have some stuff in the back to munch on – doughnuts or something, but I always go for the butter cake. It is my favorite thing to bake.

What are the challenges of running a sticky bun business?

Finding good help. I’ve been blessed with the greatest help of my kids.

Other than that, trying to figure out how much to bake on a day-to-day basis. We have no day old stuff – we make sure everything sells out by the end of the day.

G

ETTING up long before the sunrise seems a tough challenge, especially in the winter months when our beds are always so warm. Jody Bourgeois gets up excitedly, however, as she gets to spend each morning baking her famous sticky buns at Mallon’s. Her holiday season is just as busy as the summer, as the demand for sticky buns never stops. Reaching 30 years of successful business this season, she gets to work with her family day in and day out to produce a commodity people near and far from Ocean City marvel over.

How did Mallon’s Sticky Buns get started?

I went to school for accounting, and worked as an accountant and decided it wasn’t for me. I decided to open a restaurant, because I always liked the kitchen aspect. There was a niche for sticky buns around here, and so I went to Atlantic Cape Community College for baking. I got a recipe from an old bakery in Ocean City called Dana’s. I baked there, switching this ingredient and that one, and came up with the recipe we use today.

Mallon’s makes things the old fashioned way. What is the old fashioned way?

We do not use shortcuts. We use real butter, top grade cinnamon, and a lot of love and care into our product. You can take short cuts and get to the same result of a sticky bun, but it won’t be as successful as ours have been.

Why was Ocean City a perfect place to establish Mallon’s?

I grew up here! My family would come from Oreland, PA to Ocean City the day school let out and we would not go back until the day before school started again.

How many sticky buns does Mallon’s produce in a day during the season?

We have two ovens that hold 90 dozen at a time. [That’s over 2,000 sticky buns!] We run multiple ovens throughout the day in season. Our 14th Street store bakes for all of our locations, and we are always baking. Everything for the other stores is made daily and ships in a truck that leaves at 5am. During 20 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

What were some of the rewarding parts?

Customer satisfaction, that’s always the goal.

What is your favorite childhood memory of Ocean City?

The beach! I grew up on 37th Street beach. I was a surfer.

What is it like working with your family? How does it add to your relationship?

Some people may call it a challenge, but we all get along real well. I love getting to see my kids all day, and then we get to go home and have meals together.

Do you have a motto?

“Don’t just do it, do it right.” I have it posted in the bakery for the kids to see.

What are your hobbies?

Anything that involves the ocean. Paddle boarding, fishing, boating, just being outside.

What do you look forward to during the holidays?

I love that Mallon’s has become such a tradition to people. We have a product good enough that people want to incorporate into their traditions. It’s like they have invited us into their own homes.

Once the holiday baking is done, what is your Christmas like?

On Christmas Eve we are usually pretty tired. I cook a Christmas brunch, and then we head up to the Poconos for a week to ski and watch TV. Then it’s right back down here and back to work!

Do you ski or snowboard?

My husband and I ski. Robin and Max are snowboarders. - Text by Nick Matousch. Photo by Kerri Janto.

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Local Ocean Snapshot

Fall Block Party

Clockwise from top: Doug Tombari, Gary Miller, Jack Corscadden & Tom Martin; Alex, Julian & Christine Hartzler; Josh Shoemaker & Molly Salmonsen; Devon & Kendall Barnes; Jeremy, Lily, Landa & Lola Kinder; Stevie Wright & Shea Levins.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

22 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Half Marathon

Clockwise from top: Keifer Hotek crossing the finish line; Jonathan Rowe, Alex Scaffa, Erica Green; Carrie Sheetz & Justin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien; Katherine Mann & Elizabeth Mann; OC primary school water station; runners worked hard during the race.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

23

Local Ocean Snapshot

Around Town

Clockwise from top: Sara, Matthew, Nicholas & Mike Jamieson; Brigid Falese, Ava Caywood, Avery Dunbar, Sophia Tenebruso, Lily Davidson & Alexa Tenebruso; Emily & Josh Ginchereau; Meghan, Lincoln & Carson Murray & Arlene Stryker; Joe Hughes & Lori Conden; Kaitlyn Owens, Cathy Truncale, Caitlyn Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alessio, Sam Amitrano, Caroline Tuman.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

24 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Chili-Chowder Fest

Clockwise from top: Diane Millon, Sharen Heenan, Amanda Baldyga & Delaney Heenan; Lance & Ella Miller and Kevin, Myka & Flora Morris; David & Julia Newman; Luke, Kristie & AJ Linderman; Ryan Stamm, Dan Schallawitz, Robert Bender & Nick Foglio; Morgan Beckman & Olivia Kemenosh.

Photos by Kerri Janto.

25

Local Ocean November/December Events 17 & 18 FREE HORSE & CARRIAGE RIDES 12-3pm in front of City Hall, 9th & Asbury Avenue.

Christmas in the Downtown

november

2 & 3 CLUE ON STAGE Presented by The Ocean City Theatre Company. It's a dark and stormy night, and you've been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well... dead. So whodunit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up.

Clue features a cast of student performers in grades 6-12. Show time 7:30pm. Tickets: $12. Ocean City Music Pier, Moorlyn Terrace and Boardwalk. Call 609-399-6111 or visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.

3 TRAIL OF TWO CITIES Run/walk over the 9th Street Bridge from Ocean City to Somers Point. Registration 7am, run/walk 8am.

4 QUIET FESTIVAL A celebration of quiet things and a quieter time in Ocean City while putting the spotlight on the Ocean City Community Center.

12 VETERANS DAY PROGRAM 11am at the Ocean City Tabernacle, 550 Wesley Avenue.

17 EARLIER THAN THE BIRD DOWNTOWN SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA 8am-12pm. Get out earlier than the bird and jump start your holiday shopping the weekend before Thanksgiving. Shop in your pajamas, early bird shopping specials.

22 FAST AND FURRIEST TURKEY TROT 8-10am down the "beautiful" OC Boardwalk. Sponsored by the Humane Society of Ocean City. Call 609-398-9500 ext. 4 or visit www.hsocnj.org.

23 CHRISTMAS IN THE DOWNTOWN “Our Miracle on Asbury Avenue” 2-5pm.

Join the merchants and Chamber in kicking off an old-fashioned Downtown Christmas.

FREE HORSE & CARRIAGE RIDES 12-3pm in front of City Hall, 9th & Asbury Avenue.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA 12-3pm at the Music Pier.

1 & 2 TRAIN SHOW Music Pier, Moorlyn Terrace & Boardwalk, 10am-5pm Saturday and 10am-4pm Sunday. Admission is $3 adults and $1 children.

23, 24 & 25 FREE HORSE & CARRIAGE RIDES 12-3pm in front of City Hall, 9th & Asbury Avenue.

24 & 25 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 8-11am, Sunrise Cafe (24) and Arlene's (25).

24 JACKIE EVANCHO Platinum-selling, 18-year-old vocal sensation Jackie Evancho will return to the Ocean City Music Pier for a Christmas show at 7:30pm.

Jackie will join musicians from the Ocean City POPS Orchestra to celebrate the holiday season in America’s Greatest Family Resort. Tickets are $45 and $35 and can be purchased at oceancityvacation.com/box office, by calling 609-399-6111, at the Roy Gillian Welcome Center on the 9th Street causeway or City Hall’s Welcome Center at 861 Asbury Avenue.

30 CHRISTMAS PARADE 6pm on Asbury Avenue from 6th-11th streets. Registration information at www. ocnj.us/christmas-parade.

december

EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY UNTIL DECEMBER 23 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 8-11am December 1, 16, 22 - Jon & Patty's.

December 2 & 15 - Yianni's. December 8 & 23 - Arlene's. December 9 - Sunrise Cafe.

26 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Earlier than the Bird

8-9, 14-15 OCTC PRESENTS ANNIE The perfect Christmas production. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. December 8 at 7:30, December 9 at 2pm, December 14 at 7:30 and December 15 at 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets: Adults $20. Kids $18.

Ocean City Music Pier, Moorlyn Terrace and Boardwalk. Call 609-399-6111 or visit oceancityvacation.com/box office.

31 FIRST NIGHT NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION A complete schedule of entertainment leading up to fireworks at midnight.

All dates are subject to change or cancellation.

For more information call 1-800-BEACH-NJ or 609-399-1412.

Plan Ahead

January

January 1 Boardwalk Run January 1 First Day at the Beach

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER Ocean City Free Public Library November 2 & 9 The Fall 2018 Concert Series Free admission at the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall from 7-8:15pm.

November 14, 21, 28 After School Movies at 3pm. Free snacks.

November 15 Make your own holiday gift tag 10-11:30am. Registration required. To register, contact Julie Brown 609-399-2434 x5222.

Ocean City Historical Museum

Mrs. Claus' Market Come to the kick off for Mrs. Claus' Market at the OC Historical Museum on November 30. Also that day is a new Arts and Crafts Fair from 1-7pm. From December 4-8 the Gift Shop is open until 7pm. Call 609-399-1801 for more information.

Ocean City Arts Center

Annual Juried Art Show

Meet the Artists" Reception: Friday, November 9, 7-8:30pm. The reception is free and open to the public. Whether you are an artist or not, do not miss this wonderful show that is filled with variety and uniqueness. Photo below: last year's winner.

December 6 Young adult crafts 3pm. Grades 6-12 December 8 Cooking the Classy Way - 100 Calorie Snacks Get in touch with your inner chef and join Classy Chef Annmarie Chelius to learn new culinary tips and techniques using simple ingredients. All demos are 10am-Noon or 1-3pm. For info: jbrown@ oceancitylibrary.org.

Mrs.MARKET Claus’ NEW Arts & Crafts Fair November 30 - 1-7pm.

Museum Open House and kick off for Mrs. Claus’ Market!

From December 3-7 we’re open until 7pm.

Support OCHM & get a great gift!

1735 Simpson 399-1801 * www.ocnjmuseum.org 27

Local Ocean It’s History

Armistice Day November 11, 1918

By Fred Miller

Alfred R. Smith, a veteran of the World War, was the grand marshal of the parade on August 19, 1933 at the official opening of the World War Memorial Bridge.

New York Times front page on November 11, 1918 28 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

O

NE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, November 11, 1918 at 11am, the Allies signed a peace treaty with Germany and the guns finally fell silent on a war-ravaged Europe. The war lasted four years and cost 11 million lives including five from Ocean City: Wesley Cordery, Lawrence Russell Henry, Nicholas Impagliazzi, Abraham N. Morgan and Elmer E. Ranck. The 1915 poem written by John McCrae summed up the carnage: “In Flanders’ field the poppies blow between the crosses row on row that mark our place…” It was to have been the war to end all wars, but instead it was a prelude to World War II. The end of the war was reported in every newspaper in America: Ocean City Sentinel – “CITY CELEBRATES VICTORY OVER DESPICABLE HUN; Atlantic City Press – ARMISTICE SIGNED WAR ENDS; New York Times – END OF THE WAR. “News of Peace Was Signal for Noisy Demonstration and Parade” was the headline on the front page of the November 14, 1918 Ocean City Sentinel. The article reported church bells rung, whistles blew, police and fire sirens wailed and people were in the streets waving “Old Glory.” A parade was quickly organized and led by men from the U. S. Coast Guard stationed at Fourth Street and Atlantic Avenue. They were in the charge of Master-of-Arms Jack G. Jernee.

Left: The World War memorial monument was placed in front of City Hall in 1920.

Top right: The Flanders Hotel was named after Belgium’s Flanders Field where many World War soldiers were buried. This pen-and-ink drawing was used on the program of the hotel’s grand opening July 28, 1923.

Right: The World War Memorial Bridge is gone, but the pillars holding the commemorative plaques still stand on both sides of the new bridge.

Ocean City had many reasons to celebrate the war’s end. The population of the town in 1918 was only 2,450, and everyone knew someone who was in the armed forces.

One hundred years have passed, but signs of the first World War can still be found in Ocean City. The monument on Veterans Memorial Park lists the 153 men who were in uniform under this statement: “Erected under the auspices of the Young Men’s Progressive League, and financed by popular subscription by the citizens of Ocean City, N. J. in honor of its patriotic sons, who were called to the colors by the United States of America when it entered the World War.” The monument was placed on the lawn of City Hall and dedicated on July 4, 1920. The monument was moved to the park between 5th and 6th Street on Wesley Avenue in 1947.

In 1922, a group of Ocean City civil leaders met and formed the Ocean Front Hotel Corporation with the purpose of building a stately seaside hotel that would compete with the best hotels in America. The result of the meeting was the Flanders Hotel, named in honor of the allied troops who lost their lives in the Battle of Flanders in Belgium.

In 1999, James Dwyer, owner of the hotel, commissioned artist Tony Troy to paint a mural depicting Flanders Field. It is on display in the second floor lobby.

The World War Memorial Bridges were dedicated on August 19, 1933. Alfred R. Smith, World War veteran and captain of the Ocean City lifeguards, was the grand marshal of the parade. The following was inscribed on a plaque the bridge pillars: “World War Memorial Bridge, Erected 1933: In Commemoration of the Valor and Services of New Jersey Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens in the World War.” The 1933 bridges have been replaced, but the plaques remain on the pillars on both sides of the new bridge.

Congress voted to change the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in June 1954.

This picture of Flanders Field hangs in Flanders Hotel.

Above: On November 11, 1918, Coast Guard’s Jack G. Jernee led Ocean City’s parade celebrating the end of the World War. Left: On May 27, 1947, the World War monument moved to the park between 5th & 6th Street on Wesley Avenue.

29

Local Ocean

BEACH GIRL ACRYLICS

By Lauren Avellino Turton. Photos provided by Amy Mahon and Stef Godfrey.

A chilly nip in the ocean air, a few frosty flakes flying above, and the spirit of the holiday season is upon us. As we celebrate with our family and friends, we hold our memories of the 2018 summer season near and dear to our hearts. Vivid images dance in our minds of everything that makes our beloved Ocean City so magical – children splashing in the surf, friends soaking in the sun, Boardwalk-goers indulging in pizza pies and crispy fries, and miles of smiles up and down the coastline.

As our memories may fade with time, Ocean City artist Amy Mahon hopes we’ll relive our amazing experiences through her unique artwork. Amy appreciates a variety of media, but says she developed an affection for acrylics nearly two decades ago, when her “Beachgirl Acrylics” brand began to blossom.

Her journey in becoming a successful acrylic artist has taken many twists and turns through the years.

Amy was born and raised in Wildwood Crest, attended Wildwood High School, and moved onto Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania where she majored in Chemistry and French.

“I always loved math and science, and thought I wanted to work in a lab and delve into research,” she recalled. “Halfway through my sophomore year, I realized that wasn’t the direction for me at all.”

In the early 2000s, Amy was a fine art consultant at Ocean Galleries in Avalon and Stone Harbor. After a few years, she took a completely different direction, becoming a lead pharmacy technician at CVS. Amy went onto manage Bob’s Auto Body in Wildwood for more than five years, then transitioned into the financial industry. She’s currently the director of operations and marketing with Reich Asset Management, LLC in Marmora. Amy holds her Series 7 and

30 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Series 66 licenses.

When not in the office, though, you’ll find her painting her next masterpiece. Art, Amy said, has always been her passion.

“I always enjoyed arts and crafts, took art classes here and there like most kids do. They were nothing formal, but I knew I loved it,” she said.

With that in mind, Amy enrolled in elective classes in school, studying studio art, art history, and sculpture. After graduating from Easton, she moved back home to the Jersey Shore, and took a variety of classes.

“I studied at Scully Studios under Paul Scully,” she said.

“It was the first place I ever took art lessons. This was the starting point for my art, and where I really developed a deeper appreciation of it, and dedication to honing my talent.”

Amy said she also had the honor of studying with the renowned local mural artist, Nancy Palermo, who sadly passed away from cancer in 2016. Nancy, who called Ocean City home since the 1970s, was known for her murals, portraits, album covers, paintings, and sculpture, winning many awards in New Jersey.

“When I last spoke to her at an art show, I mentioned how I wanted to take lessons again. Nancy told me there was no need for me to do that. She said that I had found my style, and that lessons might take away from that,” she recalled.

“It was such a nice compliment coming from such a great artist.”

Inspired by her mentors, Amy became a regular exhibitor during paint nights on Asbury Avenue. That’s when she learned about the Ocean City Fine Arts League, and became a board member.

“My involvement with the League was one of the best decisions I ever made,” she said. “There are so many artists with all these years of experience. They’re all so wonderful to work with. As a community, everyone helps each other.

Even though we’re sort of competition for one another, they’re still happy to help out. The group has been very influential with my work. Seeing each artist’s work and different medium, they’ve given me direction.”

Amy painted for the Fine Arts League shows, and for the Ocean City Arts Center for a while. Then, she entered exhibits at Nashville North Studios in Linwood, a special spot where music and art are beautifully married.

Co-owner Judy Saylor explains that her studio showcases the most talented artists of South Jersey, including Amy. “Amy’s art captures an uncommon and unique perspective.

We are very proud of Amy and her sincere dedication to her achievements in the art world,” said Judy.

On the recommendation from Judy, Amy expanded on her aerial view paintings, which have since seen amazing success. Imagine you’re flying high above the Ocean City shoreline. You have a bird’s eye view of summer days at the beach and Boardwalk, farms and flower markets.

Amy’s palette is her signature.

“I had pieces of driftwood which I used,” she said. “It was my first time doing that type of work, and people really started to like them. Judy suggested I create other pieces with an aerial perspective, and it was such a great piece of advice.”

The seashore native says the beach and Boardwalk, with its iconic piers and amusements, are very pleasurable to paint. Each one, she said, takes about seven hours to complete.

Amy has expanded the subjects of her work, inspired by legendary artists such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, and Georgia O’Keefe.

She’s also received accolades from the local business community, receiving AC Weekly’s “Top 40 Under 40” award in 2012. In addition, Amy is making her mark on the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce as the second vice chair, and also as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee. Her involvement with the Chamber, she said, is “extremely important to me.”

“In my eyes, Cape May County is a wonderful place to live,” she said. “It’s filled with some of the most generous, caring, and talented people you will ever meet, and it should be showcased for all it has to offer. The chamber is the premier resource for businesses, and the great work the chamber does extends into the community.

My involvement is my way of giving back to the community, and helping it be one of the best places to live. It also helped me become a better leader, and develop professionally.”

Amy was recently recognized by the Chamber as the Volunteer of the Year 2018.

When not creating on canvas, Amy creates in the kitchen, and said she loves to bake. You can find her delicious “Sunday Girl Eats” recipes in this magazine each month.

See Amy’s artwork and recipes on her websites beachgirlacrylics.com and sundaygirleats.wordpress.com.

You can purchase her paintings online, at the Ocean City Fine Arts League at Art on Asbury, and at Nashville North.

31

THE LOOK

A season of fabulous clothes...

The Lare Family gets in the holiday spirit OCNJ style. Chris is wearing Alleycat Flannel by Captain Fin and Quiksilver Sequel Rinse pants.

Nina is wearing a sweater by prAna and dark blue jeans by Free People. Their looks can be purchased at 7th Street Surf Shop. Jack is wearing shirt and pants by Me + Henry. Opposite Page: Snow is wearing a dress and tights by RuffleButts. Snow and Jack's look can be found at Whimsy Way Children's Boutique in Marmora.

32 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

33

Ocean City MAY 2015

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lidays and a Happy H’ow Year! barkin New

Read the Dining Section in the Welcome to Ocean City Guidebook for details, photos, menu items and more about your favorite restaurant.

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34 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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35

Shopping OC Store Guide DOWNTOWN

Shop Ocean City! OC’s Downtown is ready for you! Shop. Dine. Relax. 6th-14th streets on Asbury Avenue.

APPAREL l SHOES Alyse’s Shoes 951 Asbury, 391-8859.

HOME GOODS l JEWELRY August Heart 715 Asbury, 399-1565.

Blind Express 916 Asbury, 399-9940.

Butterfly Boutique 1125 Asbury, 3910812.

B&B 827 Asbury, 391-0046.

Cricket Box Your favorite store at the shore. 810 Asbury, 391-0055.

Blue Lotus Eclectic, Gypsea-inspired finds for home and body. 813 Asbury, 391-5210.

Glazed Over 704 Asbury, 398-8880.

Bohemian Mama 741 Asbury, 938-6466.

P. Francis 846 Asbury, 399-5570.

Spotted Whale Gift, home, coastal living.

943 Asbury, 840-6667.

Bowfish Kids 956 Asbury, 938-1901.

Flying Carp Clothing Gallery 745 Asbury, 391-1546.

Could Be Yours 716 Asbury, 703-4457.

Colette 900 Asbury, 525-0911.

Donna Gay Dillon 725 Asbury, 399-0082.

Hearth & Sole 636 Asbury & 918 Asbury, 545-8562.

Pappagallo 744 Asbury, 398-4009.

Gatherings/Bag Room 700 Asbury, 9380691.

Sunseekers 751 Asbury, 399-1640.

Ta Dah Nine and Ten block of Asbury, 398-6771.

7th Street Surf Shop Clothing, sunglasses, surfboards. 720 Asbury, 398-7070.

Sea Oats 710 Asbury, 398-8399.

Seagrass Boutique Chic womens clothing.

752 Asbury, 938-2398 Stainton’s 810 Asbury, 545-8681.

ART GALLERIES Fine Arts League Local art available for purchase. 711 Asbury, 814-0308.

BEAUTY Lindsy James Salon 945 Asbury, 525-9900.

Artisan Body Products Handmade soaps, facial/body products. 920 Asbury, 3985661.

BOOKS l CDS l OFFICE Sun Rose Words & Music Books 756 Asbury, 399-9190.

FLORIST Spinning Wheel 858 Asbury, 398-1157.

PET SHOP Animal House Everything for your pet including Made-in-the-USA products. 705 Asbury, 398-3771.

SPORTS l ATHLETIC WEAR Harbor Outfitters 625 Asbury, 938-0175.

Sneaker Shop Janet and Maureen know their stuff. Sneakers and apparel. 704 Asbury, 391-5223.

SWEETS/GOURMET FOODS Rauhauser’s 721 Asbury, 399-1465.

The Beachin' Bakery 1046 Asbury.

VARIETY l BEACH ITEMS Hoy’s 5 & 10 Literally everything is here.

And we love it! 7th & Asbury, 398-Hoys.

Island Beach Gear Stop by on your way to the beach! 9th & Bay, 788-3836.

BOARDWALK APPAREL Jilly’s T-Shirt Factory Get your Phillies at Jilly’s and lots more. 762, 936 and 1048 Boardwalk, 385-1234.

Marty's Beach Wear Apparel, jewelry, home goods. Great prices. 1262 Boardwalk, www.MartysOC.com.

BEAUTY LEH Soap Handmade soaps and body products. 1312 Boardwalk. 937 Asbury, open year round.

HOME GOODS l JEWELRY Henry’s OCs Landmark Jeweler OC hook bracelet, Alex & Ani, more. 1236 Boardwalk, 800-214-4435.

36 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

RENTALS Surf Buggy 8th & 12th on the Boardwalk.

Cribs, strollers, TVs, coolers, bikes. 9765679.

SWEETS AND TREATS Fudge Kitchen Candy that melts in your mouth. 800 Boardwalk, 398-7457.

Jilly's Candy Factory 1040 Boardwalk, 385-1234.

Mallon's Sticky buns, donuts, and more!

1340 Bay, 399-5531.

Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy Taffy, fudge, candy. 9th and Boardwalk, 399-0100.

Shriver’s Gelato Only gelato on Boards.

9th and Boardwalk, 399-0100.

VARIETY/BEACH ITEMS Jilly’s $1 Store One dollar! 1044 Boardwalk, 399-1234.

BAY/WEST AVENUE & SIDE STREETS BIKES Tuckahoe Bike Shop Sales, service and rentals. 1214 West Avenue, 398-9700.

RENTALS Relax Concierge Rent linens, and more online and at 232 West, 601-5077.

HOME GOODS l JEWELRY Flying Carp Gift Gallery Jewelry, cards, gifts, home decor. 225 West, 741-7717.

ON THE WAY TO OC SPORTS TackleDirect The finest in fishing tackle and value. 6825 Tilton, EHT, 788-3819.

Tuckahoe Bike Shop Modern bikes, old-fashioned service. 2151 Route 50, Tuckahoe, 628-0101.

APPAREL Yes She Can Bras, swimsuits, workout clothing. Bra fittings too. 30 Tuckahoe Road, 478-3266.

HOME FURNISHINGS Coastal Designer Outlet In stock and custom order furniture more. 556 Sea Isle Blvd, Ocean View, www.coastaldesigner. com.

Asbury AVE. 6-14th • OVEr 100 shOps & cAfés

Downtown for the holiDays November 17 • 8am - noon

December 7 • 6pm

breakfast with santa

shop in your pJs.

Asbury Avenue 6th to 11th Streets

Every Saturday & Sunday-8am-11am

December 31

saturday, 11/24-suNrisE cAfé, 1200 Asbury sunday, 11/25-arlene’s on asbury, 624 asbury saturday, 12/1-Jon & patty’s coffee bar & bistro, 637 asbury sunday, 12/2-yiANNi’s cAfé, 841 Asbury saturday, 12/8-arlene’s on asbury, 624 asbury sunday, 12/9-suNrisE cAfé, 1200 Asbury saturday, 12/15- yiANNi’s cAfé, 841 Asbury sunday, 12/16- Jon & patty’s coffee bar & bistro, 637 asbury saturday, 12/22-Jon & patty’s coffee bar & bistro, 637 asbury sunday, 12/23-arlene’s on asbury, 624 asbury

EarliEr than thE bird Shopping specials and discounts! Free turkeys for the best dressed. Win gift certificates and prizes from downtown merchants and look for Santa!

Noon-3pm Free Horse & Carriage rides!

November 23 • 2-5pm

“Our MiraclE On asbury avEnuE”

Christmas in the Downtown november 24

christMas ParadE First night nEw yEars EvE cElEbratiOn

For details call 1-800-BeachNJ or visit firstnightocnj.com

January 1

First day shOPPing sMall businEss saturday Extravaganza Downtown Shopping Specials.

Shop local. Shop small.

Shopping specials all day downtown.

Free Horse & Carriage rides noon-3pm.

EvEry saturday & sunday starting nOv. 17 at city hall FrEE hOrsE & carriagE ridEs nOOn-3PM!

rewarD eVeryone on your “nice” list A Downtown Ocean City Card available at the city hall welcome center & route 52 welcome center.

DownloaD the new ocean city Vacation mobile app for special offers anD upDates!

Shopping OC

TRENDS

Henry’s Landmark Jeweler Oceanfront jewelers look for styles for the generations Text and photos by Bill Barlow

I

N 1972, Jeff Sherman and Sam Koperwas had already been friends for years, playing Little League together in their south Brooklyn neighborhood. Sam was on second base with Jeff playing center field and batting cleanup.

They later worked together at Jeff’s father’s business in Atlantic City, but eventually went their separate ways. Sam was recently married when his friend reached out.

“He said, 'I’m going to open my own business.' I always promised I’d lend him some money to get started,” said Sam. “I said, 'here’s the deal, let’s do it together. We’ll either lose it or we’ll make something out of it.'”

At the time, they were long-haired hippies. Well, according to Sam, Jeff had the long hair. Sam said he tried but his hair never quite cooperated.

Neither loved Atlantic City.

Jeff suggested Ocean City.

“I didn’t know the town. I was completely won over.”

Now a Boardwalk landmark known for fine jewelry, Henry’s beginnings were a little offbeat. Neither knew anything about the business. They figured they’d learn as they go and spend some time at the beach each summer.

“We sold American Indian jewelry. Our friends got us this wooden Indian, who’s name was Henry. So it was Henry’s Trading Post. It made perfect sense,” Sam said, sitting at his venerable wooden desk in the back room of the store at 1236 Boardwalk. They also sold T-shirts, sweatshirts and a variety of other items, in addition to the silver and turquoise jewelry.

“It was all hand-to-mouth. We struggled, of course, the first few years, learning our way,” said Sam. “The customers kept coming back. We kind of grew with them.”

As their regulars grew up, their tastes changed, and Henry’s changed with them, Sam said, moving from Puka shell necklaces to pearls and then to precious stones, silver and gold. He became a certified gemologist in the process and the store also hired a jeweler.

38 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

“His eyesight is better than mine at this point,” said Sam. He seems to relish talking about that transition, with the same customers coming in year after year, eventually bringing in their kids and grandkids, looking for a special piece and turning to people they trusted at Henry’s.

Sam tells a story about a man who came in regularly, a good customer who spent a lot on jewelry for his wife and daughters.

His mother-in-law came along but didn’t usually say much, until one day when she tells them she bought squash blossom necklaces from them when they first opened. The design is from the American southwest. Sam said it cost a couple of hundred dollars at the time.

“I said I don’t remember the piece, I don’t remember you. But I guarantee that I took that money and I ran to the bank to pay the electric bill or to pay the phone bill,” he said. In those early days, the store had to be closed on Sundays, but he said neither of them minded, happy to take a day to head over the bridge to grab a beer and a sandwich and watch a game at the bar.

If a fine jewelry shop seems like an anomaly on the Boardwalk, it’s not without precedent. Decades ago there were several highend shops in front of The Flanders and elsewhere. Sam and Jeff looked to the Connoisseur Shop for inspiration.

“You could go in that store and be lost. You could spend hours

>>>> PUT A RING ON IT Henry’s, which can be found at 1236 Boardwalk, is filled with a diverse collection of timeless pieces. Pop in!

in there looking at everything under the sun,” Sam said. That store’s founder, Jim Penland, was an Ocean City icon. He took Jeff and Sam under his wing with advice on marketing, running a business and more.

Both partners attend trade shows to look at the new collections. Both go in with the same criteria when buying for the store.

Sam said, “It’s got to be pretty, it’s got to be priced right and it has to hold up well.”

They see the same customers each year, he said.

“If something isn’t right, we have to stand behind it.”

Like any accessory or fashion choice, there are trends in the jewelry market, but Sam said Henry’s looks to the long term, looking for pieces that can be worn for decades and passed on to children.

They don’t want to carry something anyone will bring home after buying it on vacation and never wear.

“Everybody’s always looking for the next big thing.

We’re always looking for classic, clean jewelry that people can keep for generations. That’s what we really focus on,” he said. “If it’s a passing trend, if it’s hot for this season, that’s not really our niche. It’s not our customer.”

One long-term trend he’s seen is the slow and steady return of gold. About a decade ago, the price of gold skyrocketed, sending many customers looking for alternatives.

“So we have more silver than we used to have.”

The price of gold has not come down, but consumers are choosing it just the same.

“Now another generation realizes the same thing, that gold is popular for a reason,” he said. “It’s expensive, but it’s timeless.”

As their business changed, some of the regulars came to them for a very special piece of jewelry when they were ready to tie the knot. Henry’s now has a bridal section with wedding and engagement rings for men and women.

“At first, it was only the people that knew us.

They came to us because they trusted us,” Sam said. He described it as the really rewarding part of his business, telling people that this is the most significant piece of jewelry they will buy in their lives. There are other options available for customers, he said, buying on line or from one of the large-scale operations.

“If you want to buy a toaster oven, that’s great,” he said, but most people want the personal touch at that point. Henry’s carries a variety of bands in several materials, from white or yellow gold to men’s bands in steel. Some couples are opting for silicone bands, a far less expensive option which is safer for

those who work with their hands. Sam tells couples, “You guys love each other. That’s the really big decision. You could use a rubber band and you’d be fine because you love each other.”

Sam acknowledges that a fine jewelry store seems incongruous among the surf shops and pizza places along the Boardwalk. He said even some of the distributor representatives are surprised when they come in person and see the ocean view.

“For us, it works out perfectly,” he said. Both partners live in separate apartments above the store in the summer, when they are working for months on end. Both spend the winter in Florida, keeping the store open with their trusted employees, closing only for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The holiday season is good for the store and for the website, he said. Some winter days, when it looks like even the seagulls have packed up and left, they’ll get a call

from someone looking for something special and they’ll have a good day’s business over the phone.

“It’s amazing. We’ve become the jeweler by the sea for so many people,” he said.

39

Shopping OC

IN THE BIZ

MCMAHON INSURANCE AGENCY

From left: Patrick, Bill, Michael, Maura, and Brian McMahon.

B

ILL AND MAURA McMahon trade stories in his office at the McMahon Insurance Agency’s gleaming new headquarters at Ninth Street and Simpson

Avenue.

Completed in November of 2017 – the business moved in the week before Thanksgiving – the new building is the latest outward sign that the business has been growing since Bill McMahon bought it in 1981.

He started with two full-time employees and one part-time. Now McMahon Insurance has 40 employees in three locations, Ocean City, Marmora and Cape May. “For years, we were at 2131 Asbury Avenue. We just simply outgrew it,” said Bill.

“We tried really hard to stay there, to find a way to expand it a little bit,” added Maura.

A decade ago, they built a location in Upper Township to allow for some breathing room.

“Then we filled that building,” Bill said. “We had two buildings bursting at the seams – so what do we do now?”

“It was really important for us to stay in Ocean

City,” interjected Maura. “We’re thrilled with how it turned out, with where we are in town.”

Bill is Bill McMahon III. Their dad, Bill Jr., got his start as a young man in the mail room of a Philadelphia insurance firm. He found out that the firm would pay for him to go to night school.

“He realized he wanted to take advantage of that,” Maura said. “He worked his way up the ranks,” she said, then he started to work at an independent agency in the late 1960s into the early ‘70s.

“He and my mom always wanted to move down the shore. He saw an opportunity to work

40 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

for an insurance agency in Cape May and moved the whole family down here.”

Their parents, Bill and Sandy, had spent their summers at the beach growing up, he in Stone Harbor, she in Longport, and when they were dating, they came to Ocean City with their friends.

“They loved the shore and they wanted to make it happen,” Maura said.

Eventually, he bought the Chattin-Halliday insurance company in Ocean City from Albert Halliday.

“The agency was established in the 1920s, so it’s been an Ocean City business since then,” Maura said. She and Bill both got involved in the business right out of college, in the 1990s. Two sisters are not directly involved, with three more brothers working

The McMahon family business continues to grow!

Visit them at Ninth Street and Simpson Avenue.

in the business.

“It’s almost like we have a built-in succession plan, because we have these younger siblings who are learning the business and committed to it,” Maura said.

The younger siblings went other places and did different things, as Bill put it, before returning to Ocean City and joining the family business.

“We’re very fortunate because we do get along very well,” said Maura.

“It’s her and her brothers, so she’s stuck having to be…” said Bill before trailing off.

“I’m the mediator,” Maura finished.

Patrick handles new business, while Brian is the commercial lines account manager.

“Michael handles claims and he’s our flood expert,” Bill said.

The McMahon Agency handles property, auto, fire and more, including flood insurance, a complicated and rapidly changing specialty and one that’s vital along the coast.

Most flood insurance policies are through the National Flood Insurance Program, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The program has seen dramatic changes in recent years, with more expected, as the feds try to bring the subsidized rates of the NFIP up to the real market value.

“He (Michael) has to stay on top of it,” said Bill. “Like any government program, it doesn’t always make sense.”

Many in Ocean City got a crash course in flood insurance after Hurricane Sandy, which brought extensive flooding to the island and widespread property damage in October of 2012. In the wake of that superstorm, it was all-hands-on-deck for the crew at McMahon Insurance, with people calling in claims even as Sandy made landfall.

“My brother’s on the computer. He got an email from a guy who said, ‘my house is on Channel 6.’ So he’s filing that claim,” Bill said.

In the coming days and weeks, staff members spent all their time dispatching adjusters, filing claims and working with clients. They and the staff were in the Upper Township office taking claims before the power was restored, working with a generator. Some had yet to address the flood damage to their own homes.

“For the first two weeks, all we did was take claims. Toward the second part of the week, you’d see people sneak away. They would almost come back apologetic, saying, ‘oh, my gosh, I was working on my regular work,’” said Bill. “You’re taking all the claims, but people still renewed at the beginning of November.”

There was some minor flood damage to the Ocean City office. Bill said the adjuster was told that their office would be the last place he inspected for flood damage.

“Looking back, we’re really proud of how our staff handled things,” Maura said. “It was hard for us too, because our parents had their home flooded, and we couldn’t help them. They had other people helping them.”

Bill tells new customers and those renewing that as bad as things were in Ocean City, the southern end of the state did not experience a direct hit. The worst damage occurred north of where the eye of the storm made landfall.

Early projections put Sandy’s eye traveling up the Delaware Bay, which would have been far, far worse in South Jersey.

“We dodged a bullet,” he said.

In the decades since Bill and Maura started in family business, the insurance industry has changed, Bill said. For one thing, it’s more competitive. After Hurricane Andrew, which slammed Florida in 1992 and cost billions in cleanup, many insurers were reluctant to write policies on barrier islands.

“All the carriers just up and ran away from the coast,” Bill said. While Sandy

did extensive damage, that was primarily from flooding, which falls under the NFIP. “Andrew was wind.”

That meant the cost fell to homeowner policies. He said the insurance industry took it on the chin.

“Andrew really changed this industry and the building industry,” Bill said.

With tougher building codes, the big carriers are returning, bringing a renewed level of competition.

McMahon handles several municipalities and school districts, as well as a number of local businesses. In this area, that means many of their clients are building contractors and small mom-and-pop businesses on the Boardwalk and throughout the shore towns.

In addition to flood insurance, the local insurance market requires an expertise in insuring for duplexes and buildings with condominium ownership, which Maura said can bring numerous complications.

“Over the years, we’ve carved out a whole department just to handle those types of risk,” she said.

“I was the first full-time employee in the condo department. Now there’s seven full time employees,” Bill added.

Bill has served as president of Ocean City’s Chamber of Commerce, and Maura is the chairwoman of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a great organization to be a part of,” she said, adding that it is a great way to forge new connections throughout the area. Both have long been involved in community and philanthropic organizations. After the interview for this piece, all the siblings were set to gather for a video on preparation for the Cape May County Distinguished Citizen of the Year reception, benefiting the Garden State Council of the Boy Scouts of America, where the entire McMahon family was to be honored. - Text and photos by Bill Barlow

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Contact Stef today editor@ocnjmagazine.com 41

Shopping OC

OCEAN CITY STYLE

BRIANNA PERRICONE

NATASHA MILLER

HIKARI TERSHI

Sweater – Island Gypsy Jeans – American Eagle Sneakers – Steve Madden Alex & Ani Bracelet – Island Gypsy

Shirt – Madewell from Nordstrom Pants – Bella U Shoes – Target Watch – Francesca’s

Shirt & Pants – Japan Sneakers – Puma Necklace – Uncle Muffin Top

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THE The SNEAKER Sneaker Shop SHOP

Ocean City’s Running Specialty Store

Ocean City's Running Specialty Store

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Capt. Scraps Attic & Capt. Scraps Antiques Two locations just minutes apart.. over 40 dealers with vintage and new merchandise. Spend the day treasure hunting!

We’ll strive to find your perfect fit

Always buying gold, silver, & vintage items. We do estate sales!

*

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3071 Route 9, Seaville, NJ • 609-624-0111 602 Washington Avenue, Woodbine, NJ • 609-861-3800 www.captscrapsattic.com

42 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

704 Asbury Avenue, Suite 1 • 609-391-5223 thesneakershop.com

A True One-Stop Shop With Everything You Need For The Beach Lifestyle

Your Holiday Gift Headquarters

Everything for the Beach Cruise Wear • Active Wear • SPF Protection Apparel • Toys And MORE!

Corkcicles make great parent, teacher, coach, hostess, co-worker, you name ‘em gifts!

SM

Open Year-rOund clOsed On sundaYs

2 W. 9th St., Ocean City, NJ 08226 • 609.788.3836 • IslandBeachGear.com

Will she open it first... or save the best for last?

43

e looking

If you’rleash your

ACTIVITY OF THE MONTH

to un side (and creative make an s perhap as e Christm awesom e! c la p this gift), try

POTOMAC BEAD COMPANY Sam Florio takes a break from everyday life and steps into the magical world of beading

T

HERE is a trend in my articles this month. It's a feeling of entering other worlds that exist behind the doors of shops on Asbury Avenue. The creative minds of Ocean City business owners never cease to amaze me. And this month, along with Alice in Wonderland-esque cafes, I entered the Beading World. It’s a name I made up, yes, but I find it suitable for Potomac Bead Company on the 900 block of Asbury.

Inside the store hangs rows and rows of beads. Hundreds of different shapes, sizes, and colors in beautiful strands that glisten with the sunlight. It’s like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, but made of beads. The tables have cups of bright colors, blacks, matte beads and even cute frog beads or creepy skulls. There is a table of just crystal beads that sparkle like magic with each step.

Rows of every kind of bracelet or necklace

44 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

chain you can think of spin on spools attached to front wall. And in the middle of the beautiful beaded rainbow sits a few tables, and Lynda Marino, beading expert.

My hands were full of a box of salad leftovers. A big camera bag hung off one shoulder and my backpack off of another. I am the bull in this beading china-shop. But Lynda’s sweet, smiling face welcomed me to a table anyway as she told me to make myself at home. Her necklace, handmade by her, matched her outfit perfectly.

Lynda named “glass beads,” “healing gem stones,” and “seed beads” as we made our way around the shop. Seed beads are a very popular kind of bead that I always imagined simply stranded on string, but Lynda explained that the beads can be woven, sewn to create shapes and sparkling weaves.

“This is like a different world,” I yelled in the middle of her explanations. I knew my turn to make a bracelet was coming fast, and

it was getting overwhelming.

“It is.” Lynda laughed. “It’s kind of a beading world. It’s very different and unique and complicated. Everyone has their niche.

But don’t be overwhelmed. Just start.”

She grabbed me a beading board. A beading board is a felt board with measurements, like a jewelry ruler. She explained that, to make a bracelet, I have to fill the top straight line with beads. Okay, I thought, simple enough.

“Let me stop talking. You just start. I will leave you be, and you can take your time finding what you like,” Lynda said as she led me to thousands of beads.

I already decided that I wanted to make an easy, stretchy bracelet. I also explained to Lynda that I took a jewelry making class when I was 12 so essentially I was already on her level, but she just laughed and sent me on my way. The colors of the sea were calling me: greens, turquoise, matte whites and brown.

The line on my beading board was full. I

grabbed a chunky sky blue crystal looking bead for the center, asking Lynda along the way if it was okay.

She smiled and said, “Of course,” no matter how my bracelet looked. “This is a peaceful experience. We have tons of people who come in here all of the time and just sit and bead. They make their Christmas gifts for families. Actually, the woman who was checking out just now drove three hours from Long Island to come buy beads here. You don’t have to over think it!”

Lynda doesn’t know me aside from that girl who came darting into her store, but not over thinking is absolutely not a strong suit of mine. But I took her advice and I simplified. I put back tons of beads and stuck with my favorites: the crystal piece, and two tiny skulls that reminded me of Halloween and my boyfriend who loves all skull décor and accents.

And next, quite simply, I sat at my table and made my bracelet.

It was so quiet in there, so peaceful. My hands were so busy that I couldn’t check my phone or get distracted. My experience beading at Potomac was something I would love to try again, and I learned that the world of beading doesn’t have to be solitary. They offer ladies nights, kids parties, even charity events after hours. But I think some time making a bracelet under $20 for yourself, sitting peacefully at a table alone in the quiet, could do us all some good.

Lynda watched a young girl and employee, Lily Kern, set up for Fall Block Party. She was making a “solar system” bracelet.

Black beads studded one side, and, from small to large, followed the planets in bead form. Saturn was a stunning shade of coral and white with a golden ring around it. Jupiter a plump bead of brown swirls like gasses that make up the planets. I slipped my new funky turquoise bracelet onto my wrist and took photos in awe of Lily’s talent. It was beautiful, other-worldly, solidifying my thought that Asbury Avenue opens doors to beaded wonderlands and alternate realities.

45

Text by Nick Matousch. Photos by Stefanie Godfrey and provided by Robin McCauley.

Project Love Cards 46 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

C

HRISTMAS SEASON IS ALMOST UPON US, which means many families will start to worry about their Christmas cards. How many people are they going to send them to? The closest 30 of their friends and family?

Last year Robin McCauley sent 6,306 cards out, and she is looking to do more this year. And the best part? The people she is sending them to are total strangers, all whom are near and dear to her heart.

The cards that Robin sends out are for Project Love Cards, care packages for troops serving overseas. Thousands of soldiers serving far from home are unable to spend the holidays with the families.

Since they are unable to enjoy Christmas morning opening presents, these care packages contain little treats from the area, so the troops can enjoy a taste of home.

“I wanted soldiers to know people in the States were thinking about them during the holidays,” said Robin. “My brother in-law was serving overseas, and I wanted to do something for him. I was talking to my mom and sister, asking what to do for him, and it all just came together.”

That was ten years ago. Though her brother in law is done his tour and is now serving at home in the States, Robin still sends out Project Love Cards to thousands of troops that have no relation to her every year, hoping to wish them a happy holiday. The project has grown over the decade that it has spanned, sending on average 5,000 cards a year.

Each care kit that is distributed overseas has three cards in it, but Love Cards packages are more than a Christmas card sent to the troops. In addition to three cards that are in every bundle, the packages contain a sample of soaps from LEH Soap Company, a partyfavor-sized bag of Johnson’s Popcorn, as well as any small individual snacks (usually hard candy) that can fit in the bag. It is a little token of appreciation for such a big service.

The job starts for Robin long before the Christmas season. As new troops are always overseas, Robin continually has to search for new addresses to send Project Love Cards to. Facebook has been a powerful tool in finding people to send to, as well as the local stations in South Jersey.

“I contact the National Guard in Cape May Court House, and they provide me with the addresses of anyone local they know serving overseas,” said Robin. “I cannot just mail to a random post in Afghanistan. The packages need to have a name, their rank, and come from someone they know.”

Mid-October finds her sending out letters to local businesses asking for monetary donations. Businesses such as Johnson’s Popcorn and Surfside Construction will reply, helping Robin in any way they can, whether it be through money or supplies. The day after Halloween finds Robin scouring stores in Ocean City and beyond for half priced candy.

“For the first two years I did it out of my own pocket, but then it became too big for me to do that,” explained Robin. “When I buy candy, I usually buy over $500 worth. It’s a lot. The local schools help collect candy, and then I go around and pick everything up.”

After the candy is collected, Robin focuses on gathering cards. Every year the local elementary schools pitch in, with hundreds of kids writing letters thanking the recipients for their service.

Some are store bought, but many are homemade. But all the messages inside are individually written, filled with messages and

stories for the troops to read.

“Local church groups, students at school, volunteer fire companies around the area will all personally write cards. Even people from as far as Florida and Colorado have sent cards to me for the troops,” said Robin. “The elementary schoolers draw soldiers, write stories and appreciation to them. My daughter, who is five, helps write the cards too.”

Robin by no means embarks on this project alone – that would be a feat only Santa could accomplish. With all of the help from Cape May Court House, Upper Township and Ocean City businesses alike, it is a community effort all the way through. Although she does a large part of the collecting on her own, everyone in the community helps out to assemble and get Project Love Cards to where they belong. Once the time comes to put everything together, Robin and her family converge at her parents' house to get everything together.

“My mom, my uncle, a friend of mine and my daughter all come together to put together the packages,” said Robin. “It takes two and a half to three days. We start on a Friday at five and work until midnight.

Saturday we start at nine, and have meal breaks. After that, I make sure every package is labelled and has a customs form. I do this so when we get to the post office we can get everything checked in as quickly as possible.”

“Our house gets taken over for a bit, and it gets a little crazy but we sit in total comfort, total freedom,” said Robin’s mother Terri Lea. “Those guys are over there all year, not just Christmas. It is something we need to appreciate.”

Over the years the process of getting all the packages from Robin’s house to the post office has been greatly helped by other businesses willing to pitch in. Hilltop Landscaping provides the trailer to ship the packages, Marmora Volunteer Firefighters unload the packages, and just like that, everything is on its way.

The reward for all of this has been one of the biggest payoffs for Robin. She has received medals of honor and certificates of appreciation from the branches she has sent Project Love Cards, but the best things she has gotten are emails of appreciation and photos of the soldiers with the cards hung up in the barracks.

One faction of troops that she wants to reach are those who have no family at home. While many have people missing them at home, there are troops on the battlefield who have no family left or are not in contact with them. Robin is determined to make sure that no soldier is forgotten during the holidays.

“You become a family over there, but that’s not your family,” said Robin. “It gets lonely over there. There are big organizations that do stuff, but in the big picture of things there still are some soldiers that never receive something in the mail.”

“It is two months out of my life compared to what they give all year,” said Robin. “It’s worth the stress and a little bit of grey.”

As of this publication, Robin is still accepting cards for Project Love Cards for another month. If you'd like to wish a soldier a happy holiday, buy or make a card and drop it off to Robin at South Shore Chiropractic at 1217 U.S. 9, Ocean View, a five minute drive just south off the 34th Street bridge.

47

Gift Guide

Follow

Ocean City

magazine on social media for more gift ideas!

3 4 5 2

1 9

7 6

8

1. Set Match

2. Gray Matter

10 3. Charmed

Yes She Can, 30 Tuckahoe Road, Marmora

Yes She Can, 30 Tuckahoe Road, Marmora

Henry’s Landmark Jewelers, 1236 Boardwalk

6. Shimmer and Shine

7. Power Cuff Girls

8. Under Cover

Seagrass Boutique, 752 Asbury

Seagrass Boutique, 752 Asbury

48 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Sneaker Shop, 704 Asbury

4. Smooth Moves

5. Home Run

9. Tee'd Off

10. Brace Yourself

LEH Soap, 939 Asbury

Jilly’s T Shirt Factory, 936 Boardwalk

Sneaker Shop, 704 Asbury

Seagrass Boutique, 752 Asbury

3

1

4

2

5

6 7

8 9

1. Button Up

2. Brainiac

Island Beach Gear, 2 West 9th Street

Hoy’s 5 & 10, 34th & West

6. Rats Off to You!

7. Color Your World

Hoy’s 5 & 10, 34th & West

Hoy’s 5 & 10, 34th & West

10 3. Candy is Dandy Fudge Kitchen, 800 Boardwalk

8. Roped In

Artisan Body Products, 920 Asbury

4. Tough Case

5. Creation Station

9. Catch My Drift

10. By the Book

Capt. Scrap Attic, 3071 Route 9.

Ocean View

Flying Carp, 225 West

Ocean City Historical Museum, 1735 Simpson

Capt. Scrap Attic, 3071 Route 9.

Ocean View

49

3 2

1

4 5 6

7

9 10 8

1. Star of the Show

2. A Cut Above

6. Paint Sample

7. Sweater Weather

Island Beach Gear, 2 West 9th Street

Fine Arts League, 711 Asbury

Spotted Whale, 943 Asbury

Animal House, 705 Asbury

50 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

3. Snow Show

4. Bubble Boy

5. Hand it Over

Fine Arts League, 711 Asbury

LEH Soap, 939 Asbury

Ocean City Historical Museum, 1735 Simpson

8. Pawesome

9. Mapped Out

10. Animal Attraction

Animal House, 705 Asbury

Spotted Whale, 943 Asbury

Animal House, 705 Asbury

Tis the Season Text by Deb Worchel

I

N LATE AUGUST, I wandered along Asbury Avenue with my daughters, who are 15, 12, and 10 in search of back to school ensembles. If you are feeling stressed after just reading that sentence, imagine the mood compounded by the typical late August heat and humidity. We debated the merits of getting iced coffees versus frozen yogurts from Yoasis to beat the heat, when the strains of music interrupted: “…With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you to be of good cheer, It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

My oldest daughter laughed, “Mom, are you okay?”

“Yes, why?” I replied, looking around noting we were passing Mia’s Christmas Gallery, which used to be on the Boardwalk, so I am still surprised every time I pass it in the 700 block of Asbury Avenue.

“Your whole body just visibly tensed up, that’s why!” she replied, still laughing. “Don’t worry Mom,” she continued, patting my back. “It’s just the Christmas store. You still have about two months before the radio starts playing Christmas music and four months before it’s actually Christmas.”

We moved on, their minds no doubt focused on which color Vans would match most of their new clothes. My mind, however, got stuck in a loop, the refrain “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” echoing giddily in the background while in the foreground, I started mentally calculating timelines and making lists. While my girls tried shoes on in 7th Street Surf Shop, I made a silent resolution.

This year I will figure it out. I will make it through the entire holiday season without stressing out.

After all, the season is all about waiting, and waiting is hard for us in a modern world when things can be had with the push of a button. I knew if I was going to be able to enjoy the magic of the season, I would need to slow down and hit the pause button on occasion. Instead of always rushing to take care of everything for everyone, I would stop and do something for just me. My husband often reminds me that to be good parents, sometimes we need to be a little selfish. I resolved to embrace this idea by trying some of the many self-care options in Ocean City, so that I would be able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season when I jumped back into it.

One such option is Still Waters Stress Center at the corner of 8th and Wesley. I had driven by countless times, usually while transporting a child to or from some activity, and had even thought “Hmm, I always forget there is a spa right there!” When I arrived for the European Facial I had booked, I kicked myself for waiting so many years to even enter the place. First of all, it smelled amazing, which may sound odd as an initial observation, but that’s what I noticed!

My esthetician, Natalie, began by asking some questions about my normal skin care routine.

The sound of ocean waves with faint wind chimes in the back filtered out all other sounds and encouraged my mind to drift as a variety of treatments were applied to and removed from my face.

“You have small pores,” Natalie observed, “Which is good for your appearance, but can make it difficult for product to actually penetrate and do its job.”

She went on to explain the use of steam.

51

“It helps soften the surface of the skin to draw out buildup and bacteria from the pores which then allows the product we apply to get into the pores and the skin.”

The facial included an arm and hand massage, and my hands were placed in bags with heat.

Natalie must have noticed my initially anxiety about the sound involved in the “High Frequency” portion of the facial, as she was quick to put me at ease.

“It sounds a little alarming, but it is harmless and will help enhance the blood circulation and renew cells,” she explained.

Her final words of advice?

“Use lots of moisturizer because your skin really drinks up the product. I had to use more for you than I do for other clients.” As I stepped back out into the sunlight, I felt relaxed and refreshed and ready to tackle the next item on my to do list. My skin had a cleaner and softer feel that lingered for days. If you have a holiday party to attend, I highly recommend a European Facial a day or two before the party to help you relax and to give your skin an extra glow.

For many of us, the holiday season means eating things we otherwise would not. Though I have a general work out routine I follow, when I am stressed or overburdened, it is the first thing I cut to save time. I needed to find something different, so I headed over to PLAAY on Asbury Avenue.

Owner Liz Beasley gave me a tour and the lowdown on the PLAAY philosophy.

“We don’t have cardio or strength/resistance machines because here we use fitness modalities where your body becomes the ‘machine’.”

At PLAAY, you can take a class in Aerial Arts or Aerial Yoga, Ropes and Rock Climbing, Kickboxing, or Pole Fitness, in addition to some more conventional Yoga, Pilates, and Zumba offerings. After working out, you can get your nutrition plan back on track by taking advantage of the nutrition counseling services available. At the end of my visit, I spent a few minutes talking to Joseph Marino, the dietetic technician, who also happened to be manning the Organic Juice Bar. “During the holiday season,” he said. “People worry about getting sick so we suggest our Ginger Fireball juice or our Cold Fighter shot because both have some natural immune boosters in them.”

I couldn’t resist a smoothie, so Joseph suggested their bestselling “Green Goodness.” I walked out sipping my blend of spinach, kale, date, blueberry, banana and almond butter, which tasted too good (are there really veggies in there?!) and gave me energy to power through the list of gift shopping I had to do to stay on track with my “no stress” schedule.

52 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

After a few busy nights or weekends of holiday shopping, bag carrying, leaning over on the floor to wrap packages and delivering them all neatly packed to the post office to ship off to my geographically scattered family members, my back really starts to ache. And, as my daughter pointed out, I do tend to visibly tense up (I am a type A person after all!) and carry stress around in my clenched neck and shoulders. Though I have never had a massage, (I’ve never been convinced I had the time or the patience to stay still that long) a relatively new business on 8th Street, intrigued me enough to try it. Basalt Bodywork, owned and operated by Marci, a licensed massage therapist since 2007, keeps things simple, an aesthetic conducive to relaxation. Marci worked for years as an RN in a hospital, and she brings her medical knowledge to the massage table, keenly aware that in her massages, she seeks to heal and restore, not to potentially aggravate a pre-existing injury.

For a luxurious hour and a half, I put myself in her skilled and capable hands. The massage room is a mini oasis, with a Himalayan salt lamp, a quiet water feature, natural brick wall, and simple wood furnishings. The use of aromatherapy throughout the massage made it easier for me to relax. The massage table itself stands on a grounding mat and Marci gives massages in her bare feet. For those unfamiliar with grounding, it is rooted in the idea of putting the body in direct and uninterrupted contact with the earth, much the way we do when we walk barefoot on the beach. The earth has a mild negative charge to it and our bodies, as consequence of modern life, build up a positive charge. Contact with the earth helps to release that charge and return us to a neutral state. Marci’s bare feet allows

that neutral energy to transfer to the client she is working on. I left feeling relaxed and much less tense than I had upon my arrival.

Give yourself a gift this season and schedule a massage with Marci – chances are any seasonal stress you are carrying will be gone and you will leave feeling refreshed, at ease, and ready to tackle the next item on your list.

As the bustle of the holiday season reaches its conclusion, I start to focus on the dawning new year… resolutions to make, or mistakes or events from the past year that I just want to forget. One way to facilitate this new beginning in harmony with nature, is to attend and participate in a New Moon Cacao Ceremony at Golden Buddha Yoga Studio on Central Avenue as I did earlier this year.

Though initially skeptical, as a fan of all things chocolate, I was drawn by the opportunity to drink pure hand ground cacao direct from the source and blessed by a Shaman. Dani, the meditation leader, had made careful preparations to set the tone; the cacao mugs arranged on a blanket with flowers, the room lit with candles and soft music in the background. As we began the meditation portion of the ceremony, Dani invited us one at a time to be “cleansed” with a smudge stick.

“Before you drink the cacao,” she explained.

“You must first speak to it and ask any questions you are hoping to find answers for.” She demonstrated, cupping the mug in her hand, leaning over it and speaking softly to the drink. Once we drank, we were led through a guided process instructing us how to harness the power of the cacao to let go of everything negative from the month, to ask questions which we hoped would be answered in the month to come, and to invite positive energy to take shape within us and

lead us into the new month free of the concerns of the previous month. Like anything in life, the success of this meditation depends, in large part, on the willingness of the participant to be truly present in the experience and to attempt to let go of the stresses and the concerns that intrude on her thoughts.

Each of these experiences forced me to stop moving, to focus my thoughts only on the present moment, and to pause in my endless pursuit of checking things off a list. I hope that I have learned in the moments taken for oneself there is a stillness to be found in waiting that can carry over into life. Each time, I felt harried going in – wondering how I could possibly justify squeezing in this selfish pleasure when there was so much that needed to be done for others. Each time, I was surprised to find, rather than feeling I had fallen behind in giving myself an hour or 90 minutes, I felt ahead. So during this “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” make some time to slow down, do something that is just for you, and in the waiting of that moment, find the gift of peace.

53

oto our ph Think y e here? b should s of r photo u o y d to Sen ity, NJ C n a e. e Oc agazin jm n c o @ editor com

54

OCNJMAGAZINE.COM August 2014

Look & Sea SNOWED IN Photography by Steve Frates Photopagan.com

On the Beach

BOOK OF THE MONTH Unsheltered Barbara Kingsolver How could two hardworking people do everything right in life, a woman asks, and end up destitute? Willa Knox and her husband followed all the rules as responsible parents and professionals, and have nothing to show for it but debts and an inherited brick house that is falling apart. The magazine where Willa worked has folded; the college where her husband had tenure has closed. Their dubious shelter is also the only option for a disabled father-in-law and an exasperating, free-spirited daughter. When the family’s one success story, an Ivy-educated son, is uprooted by tragedy he seems likely to join them, with dark complications of his own.

In another time, a troubled husband and public servant asks, how can a man tell the truth, and be reviled for it? A science teacher with a passion for honest investigation, Thatcher Greenwood finds himself under siege: his employer forbids him to speak of the exciting work just published by Charles Darwin. His young bride and socialclimbing mother-in-law bristle at the risk of scandal, and dismiss his worries that their elegant house is unsound. In a village ostensibly founded as a benevolent Utopia, Thatcher wants only to honor his duties, but his friendships with a woman scientist and a renegade newspaper editor threaten to draw him into a vendetta with the town’s powerful men. Unsheltered is the compulsively readable story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum in Vineland, New Jersey, navigating what seems to be the end of the world as they know it.

-Amazon.com

On the 12th day of Christmas,

I found at my library 12 new best sellers 11 famous movies 10 children’s classics 9 handy workshops 8 book club meetings 7 music concerts

6 museum passes 5 DVDs 4 puppet shows 3 lectures

2 cooking classes

and a festival by the

Christmas tree.

Holiday Holiday FestIval

sun., DeC. 2, 1-4 pm

CheCk out our new mobile app

OCEAN CITY FREE PUBLIC

LIBRARY

OCEAN CITY

Visit our website & click “newsletter Sign up” to receive the latest news on our events & programs.

56 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

FREE PUBLIC

LIBRARY

Hours:

monday-Friday 9 am-9 pm Saturday 9 am-5 pm Sunday 11 am-5 pm

www.oceancitylibrary.org 1735 Simpson Ave. (609) 399-2434

57

On the Beach Oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11

Think You Know Ocean City?

Sit back, get comfy in your beach chair and see how many questions you can answer!

1 2 3 4

What year did OC get its US Lifesaving Station?

True or False: The building no longer exists?

What is in the center of the OCBP logo?

What year were the first lifeguards hired?

58 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

5 6 7 8

Who was the captain of the Sindia?

What company owned the ship?

When was the first Boardwalk built?

Who is credited for its construction?

9 10 11

True or False: A second Boardwalk was built several years later?

What is the name of the park at the corner of 9th and Asbury?

At the Christmas Parade, who comes in last?

Answers on page 61>

Are there signs your parents need help?

If you are seeing signs that your aging parents may need help to stay safe and healthy, talk to us. As a faith-based, non-profit senior living community, United Methodist Communities at The Shores has helped many families navigate the world of senior living. We offer numerous levels of care and sound guidance, all focused on providing an Abundant Life for Seniors.

Call Ryan at 609-399-8505 to get the conversation started.

2201 Bay Ave, Ocean City, NJ | 609-399-8505 UMCommunities.org/TheShores

OCEAN CITY FAMILY PRACTICE CENTER

OCEAN CITY DENTAL CENTER

GARY W. RAAB, DO

GERALD F. RAAB, DDS, PA

“We specialize in care for the entire family”

BOARD CERTIFIED IN FAMILY MEDICINE

EMERGENCIES ACCEPTED  DAILY, EVENING, & SATURDAY HOURS

BY APPOINTMENT Family Nurse Practitioners

B. Denise Hemby, RN, MSN, APN-C Teresa Byrd RN, MSN, APN-C

609-399-1862

6TH STREET & CENTRAL AVE. OCEAN CITY 500 6TH STREET ACROSS FROM OC TABERNACLE

General & Family Dentistry

DIANE G. STONE, HYGIENIST SCOTT H. RAAB, LAB TECH SAME DAY EMERGENCY CARE

› Laser Gum Treatment › Invisible Brace › Crowns, Bridges, Implants › Full Service Lab On Premises

1 HOUR WHITENING AVAILABLE

609-399-4542 6TH & WEST AVE. OCEAN CITY

Atlantic Coast Denistry for Children

Where we emphasize preventive care!

Mark R. Raab, D.M.D

609-601-9566 450 SHORE ROAD, SOMERS POINT 59

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>> WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR KRIS KRINGLE

DECORATIONS

WINTER SOLSTICE

HOLLY

UNDER THE TREE

SHORTEST DAY

MISTLETOE

GIVE

FIRST NIGHT

DREIDEL

TRAIN SHOW

FIRST DIP

HANUKKAH

SANTA ON THE ROOF

THANKSGIVING

ELF ON THE SHELF

SNOWY DAY

FRIENDSGIVING

DOWNTOWN CHRISTMAS

JACK FROST

EARLIER THAN THE BIRD

60 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Ocean City

Activities Guide

Atilis Gym OC's largest gym. 1214 West, 545-8830.

summer art camp. 1735 Simpson, 399-7628.

PLAAY Fitness & Yoga Rock wall, bouldering, aerial arts, yoga. 910 Asbury, 840-6671.

FLY OCNJ Safe, thrilling parasailing adventures. 314 Bay, 398-1000.

Ocean City Historical Museum Check out OC’s past through postcards, photos and exhibits. 1735 Asbury, 399-1801.

Gillian’s Wonderland Pier New rides! 6th and Boardwalk, 399-7082.

Ocean City Library Filled with DVDs, games, and books! 1735 Simpson, 399-2434.

Greate Bay Golf Club 901 Mays Landing Road, Somers Point, 927-5071.

OC Municipal Golf Course 12 hole, par 3.

26th and Bay, 399-5762.

Tuckahoe Bike Shop & Surf Buggy Center Rent bikes. Fun. 1214 West Avenue, OC, 398-9700.

Greate Bay Racquet and Fitness 90 Mays Landing Road, Somers Point, 925-9550.

Ocean City Parasail Safe and fun. 232 Bay, 399-3559.

Wet N Wild Waverunner Rentals 244 Bay, 399-6527.

Jilly’s Arcade Awesome arcade. Ten cent skeeball! 1172 Boardwalk, 385-1234.

OC Pops An Ocean City tradition. 5259248, oceancitypops.org.

Ocean’s 11 Answers

Leading Edge Kite School Beginner and advanced kite surfing lessons. 215-498-5788.

Ocean City Tabernacle Shows throughout the summer. 550 Wesley Avenue, 399-1915.

Local Gym and Fitness Ocean City's complete gym. 908 Asbury, 545-8732.

OC Theatre Company Broadway style shows. 1501 West, 525-9300, oceancitytheatrecompany.com.

OC Aquatic & Fitness Center Salt water pool. 1735 Simpson, 398-6900.

Pirate Voyages We’re going on a trip on our favorite pirate ship. 232 Bay, 398-7555.

Ocean City Arts Center Classes, shows,

Playland’s Castaway Cove Over 30 rides, two mini golf courses, and Go Karts. 1020 Boardwalk, 399-4751.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1871.

False. It’s a living history museum now.

A lifeboat.

1898.

Allan McKenzie.

One of John D. Rockefeller’s oil companies.

Between 1880 and 1887.

The Lake Brothers and the Ocean City Association.

9. True. It was built closer to the ocean.

10. Mark Soifer Park.

11. Santa Claus, of course!

11 th Street & The Boardwalk | Ocean Cit y, NJ 08226 | 609.399.1000

Holiday Events at The Flanders Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner

Thursday, November 22nd 12 noon - 3pm

36

$

.95

18.95

$

per person plus tax & gratuity children under 12

children under 2 - free!

Breakfast with Santa & A Holiday Show Sunday, December 16th 10am

Santa and his Elves will join us for a Breakfast Buffet, pictures with Santa, crafts and games, and singing and dancing to the songs of the season!

29

$

per person plus tax & gratuity (adults & children)

Holiday High Teas

sundays: November 25th & December 9th & 16th at 1pm

Tea includes a selection of Savories, Tea Sandwiches & Sweet Delights, Entertainment & a Holiday Gift

39

$

.95

per person plus tax & gratuity

New Year’s Eve Dinner 5pm - 9pm

&

New Year’s Day Breakfast Buffet January 1st • 9am - 11am

Reservations required for all events by calling 609.399.1000 • more information at www.theflandershotel.com 61

OC Services

Humane Society of Ocean City

PETS OF THE MONTH

“For the b est seat in the hou se, you will have to move the dog.”

>>>>•<<<<

Dusty - Intelligent gent!

Dusty is an intelligent and happy pooch, possessing a silly playfulness about him.

He tends to be a bit shy and timid at first, but responds well to affection and food!

He is still a bit sensitive to new things and will need proper socialization training.

Outgoing and well-mannered, Dusty is attentive and gentle.

Little Man - Shy guy!

Little Man is a brown and black striped domestic short haired cat with white feet and chest. He is about seven. Despite his shy personality, Little Man adjusted to the shelter within a week. He is quite a large cat but also overweight. He will need a restricted diet.

Olive - Loves people!

Sweet Olive is a 10-year-old Whippet mix who is looking for a furever family. This amazing dog loves people and would make a fantastic companion. Don't let her age fool you as she has great energy and loves to play fetch and run but also knows how to snuggle up in her blankets and get her cozy on.

Santa has a plan for his retirement lifestyle.

Do you?

Contact us to learn more about our

Enjoyable Retirement Solution!

110 Roosevelt Boulevard, Ste 2W • Marmora, NJ 08223 • 609.486.5073 • www.ReichAssetManagement.com Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Reich Asset Management, LLC is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS.

62 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

OC Services

Directory

PLACES TO STAY Atlantis Inn Luxury B&B Europeaninspired b&b, beach block location. 601 Atlantic Avenue, 399-9871.

Beach Club Hotel Ocean views, pool, sun terrace. 1280 Boardwalk, 399-8555.

Beach Club Suites Near Boardwalk, wellappointed, one-bedroom suites. 1217 Ocean Avenue, 399-4500.

Ebb Tide Suites One and two bedroom apartments with balconies steps from beach.

1001 Little Atlantic Avenue, 391-9614.

The Flanders Hotel Modern, luxurious accommodations on Boardwalk. 719 East 11th Street, 399-1000.

Harris House Motel Clean, comfy and quiet rooms and a heated pool. 1201 Ocean Avenue, 399-7800.

The Impala Island Inn Refrigerators, free Wi-Fi and cable. 1001 Ocean Avenue, 3997500.

Osborne’s Inn 50 yards from Boardwalk, free Wi-Fi, ocean view decks, parking and beach tags. 601 East 15th Street, 398-4319.

Port-O-Call Hotel Wi-Fi, meeting areas for gala receptions, small board meetings or large conferences. 1510 Boardwalk, 3998812.

Wild Dunes Inn Luxurious suites – spacious and furnished near Boardwalk. 801 10th Street, 399-2910.

ASSET MANAGEMENT Reich Asset Management 110 Roosevelt Boulevard, Marmora, 486-5073.

INSURANCE AGENCY McMahon Insurance Agency Multiple locations, 399-0060.

REALTORS Goldcoast Sotheby’s International Realty 200 34th Street, 399-2500.

Monihan Realty Multiple locations. 800255-0998.

Berger Realty Multiple locations. 888-3990076.

Patrick Halliday Berkshire Hathaway 754 Asbury, 957-6787.

Balsley Losco 1137 West, 399-1137.

Century 21 Alliance 909 West, 399-5711.

Long & Foster 14 E. 9th Street, 398-6762.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Ocean City Carpet & Tile 1360 Asbury, 398-7923.

Coastal Kitchen & Bath Custom cabinetry, free estimates, wide range of budgets. 708 West, 399-0900.

DESIGN Gone Native Ad design, brochures, rack cards, logos, more. 675-0867.

TANNING & MASSAGE Still Waters Stress Center Acupuncture, massage, skin care. Amazing facials. 801 Wesley, 525-2125.

Tan Boss Professional spray tanning. 409 E 8th Street, 816-2244.

ocnjmagazine.com/shop

MEDICAL Atlantic Coast Dentistry 450 Shore, Somers Point, 601-9566.

Ocean City magazine

Ocean City Family Practice Center 500 6th Street, 399-1862.

Editor Stefanie Godfreyeditor@ocnjmagazine.com

Ocean City Dental Center 6th & West, 399-4542.

AtlantiCare Primary care, clinical laboratories, and urgent care services. 888569-1000.

Cape Regional Urgent Care Quick, convenient, quality care. 8 Route 9 South, Marmora, 465-6364.

CONCIERGE SERVICES Relax Concierge Enhance your vacation with premium rental items. 232 West 6015077.

AUTO & BOAT DETAILING Executive 110 Woodland, Somers Point, 653-1658.

BOAT SALES & SERVICE Waterfront Marine 1 Goll, Somers Point, 926-1700.

PHOTOGRAPHY Terry Carrelli Photography 609-226-5702, www.terrycarrelliphotography.com.

Sales Director Bill Godfrey-localocean@comcast.net Graphic Design Kirsty Smith Contributors Nick Matousch, Deborah Worchel, Bill Barlow, Jennifer Wean, Sam Florio, Lauren Avellino Turton, Amy Mahon.

Photographers Kerri Janto Cover Artist Susan Rau ©Copyright 2018 by Gone Native Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine are property of Gone Native Communications, Inc. Reproduction of the materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the publisher, is prohibited by law. Published

by Gone Native Communications, Inc. Ocean City magazine is published six times a year. 5,000 copies are distributed all around Ocean City and its surrounding communities. To receive an annual subscription for $22 visit ocnjmagazine.com.

Pete Madden Berkshire Hathaway 5134781.

Daniel Maimone Remax 3301 Bay, 6709978.

63

OC Services

Real Tour

Georgetti duplex pe rf for invest ect ment or person al use!

tour this home Listed by Tom Melchionni Monihan Realty, 3201 Central, Ocean City, NJ 08226

609-399-0998 tm@monihan. com

2818 Asbury Avenue Ocean City New Construction Duplex!

By Georgetti. Five bedroom, three bath each unit with hardwood floors, custom kitchens, tile baths, high end appliances, raised ceilings, elevator for second floor, central air, gas heat and hot water, oversized garages, storage, enclosed beach showers, large porches, separate entrances. Oversized 45 x 100 lot. Fantastic location and walking distance to finest Ocean City beaches. A rare opportunity to find ten bedrooms, six baths in a brand new unique Ocean City duplex. Perfect for investment or personal use.

64 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

BERGER REALTY Leon K. Grisbaum

609-398-7923 1360 Asbury Avenue Ocean City, NJ 08226 SALES SERVICE & INSTALLATION FLOORS & MORE!

#1 in ocean city sales and summer rentals 3160 Asbury Avenue Ocean City, NJ (888) 399-0076

1670 Boardwalk Ocean City, NJ (888) 579-0095

109 E. 55th Street Ocean City, NJ (800) 399-3484

1330 Bay Avenue Ocean City, NJ (855) 399-1330

www.bergerrealty.com

Read Love Subscribe ocnjmagazine.com

We'll find your home for Christmas...

You can count on us!

65

Last Shot

Reigning Monarch

OC was filled with monarch butterflies in October.

Photo by Stef Godfrey.

66 OCEAN CITY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

If you want a subscription to Ocean City Magazine... raise your hands!

$22 for 6 issues www.ocnjmagazine.com/subscribe editor@ocnjmagazine.com

Ocean City

Live Where You Love to Play!

Play Where You Want to Live!

Call one of our expert sales associates or visit our website to help you find your dream home at the shore.

Visit LFVacations.com or call one of our professional vacation experts to book your next escape to the shore!

2 Locations to Serve You Ocean City Main Office 14 E 9th Street • 609.398.6762 Ocean City – Grisbaum Group 1225 West Avenue • 609.938.9954

LongandFosterOceanCity.com

OCNJVacationRental.com