Spring Lake March 2024

Spring Lake

Also Serving Sea Girt

ST. PADDY’S DAY

CELEBRATE AT A LOCAL IRISH PUB A LIFE IN FILM

DIANE RAVER

PASSIONATE ABOUT PIES

GARY CILIBERTO

A Slice of Ireland

Moya and Aidan Rush of the Irish Centre

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Stories of Spring

As March arrives, bringing with it the promise of warmer days and the first signs of spring, I find myself looking forward to the warmth and making plans to get out in the mild temperatures as much as possible.

First and foremost, be sure to make your way to Belmar on March 3 for the 51st annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Parade Day is always filled with merriment, old friends and neighbors, and seeing local organizations walk the parade route, celebrating (almost) everyone’s Irish roots!

In this issue, we meet Moya and Aiden Rush from the Irish Centre gift shop in Spring Lake and check in with Gary Ciliberto to hear about his unlikely path to pastry chef! Other stories invite you to take a walk in nature to look for fairies and visit some of our oldest local Irish pubs to learn how they brought welcoming Irish vibes to our towns.

Thanks for sharing your story ideas, and please keep them coming! Email me at Brynn.Coleman@springlakemagazine.com.

Easter is early this year; I am sending warm wishes for lovely family time and hopefully some extra sunshine. I’ll be using some time this month to plan out my garden and plant some spring bulbs! I hope you have a wonderful March.

PHOTOGRAPH

MICHELLE WOLFE

Brynn Coleman Publisher

A Passion for Pies

Spring Lake resident Gary Ciliberto shares his lifelong love of baking by providing desserts for Spring Lake Seafood.

BY VINCENT DICKS

Gary Ciliberto has had a long career in information technology and after all these years he never envisioned himself baking for a restaurant. Ciliberto and his wife, Jennifer Naughton, enjoy entertaining frequently and like serving dessert. His adult children challenge him to make recipes from cookbooks and magazines for their birthdays. Ciliberto has become quite good at preparing sweet specialties.

When the Spring Lake Seafood (SLS) restaurant opened on Third Avenue in 2021, Ciliberto attended the ribboncutting ceremony with the mayor to celebrate the new business. A few

nights later, they visited the restaurant for dinner.

Owners Bradley and Lula Rodriguez were serving desserts they had sourced from others. Ciliberto enjoyed his dinner, but he thought the couple could do better with the dessert menu. He whipped up a few of his favorites in his kitchen and brought them to the restaurant.

“These are great, where did you get them?” Chef Bradley asked. “I made them,” Ciliberto replied. One thing led to another, and Ciliberto found himself looking for commercial kitchen space. He now bakes out of a kitchen in Asbury Park owned by Interfaith Neighbors.

Making People Happy

“It’s a hobby,” says Ciliberto. “I’m not even sure why I do it, but it makes people happy, and I really like the Rodriguez family. As long as it’s still fun I’ll keep doing it.” SLS is the only restaurant Ciliberto plans to supply with desserts. He has learned to cook in volume without sacrificing quality and presentation in a restaurant environment.

“I don’t bake every day,” says Ciliberto. “Sugar is a natural preservative. If you wrap and store the cakes properly, they always taste fresh.” His desserts don’t sit around. The restaurant enjoys an unusually high percentage of dessert orders.

Ciliberto is modest, but his skills have been nurtured over many years. “I learned how to bake from my mother, a schoolteacher,” he says. “She liked to serve dessert after dinner. We all sat down to

a traditional family meal and you had to finish your dinner if you wanted dessert.”

A Simple Start

“As I got older, I got home from school before my mom,” says Ciliberto.”So she would ask me to make the dessert. I started with simple things like cake mixes.”

Ciliberto’s father worked 30 years for S.B. Thomas, the English muffin company. “Dad would sometimes bring home product samples from their lab kitchen on Saturdays,” says Ciliberto. “We tasted and talked about their various products, and Dad took notes.”

During college, Ciliberto worked at Drakes Cakes in Wayne, cleaning the ovens on the overnight shift. To hear him describe the intricate process of Yodels being manufactured is to listen to someone fascinated with baking. “Baking is a

science,” he says. “You have to follow the recipes.”

Tres leche cake, carrot cake, key lime pie and seasonal fruit pies are a few of Ciliberto’s specialties that have captured the attention of food critics and patrons. He develops new desserts and tests them with the SLS staff until they love them. It’s a fun end to the meal and the only place the public can sample Ciliberto’s treats.

“My mother-in-law just turned 91,” he says. “I asked her what she wanted me to make her for her birthday. She picked something I make all the time. She said ‘I want your key-lime pie. It’s so good.’”

Gary Ciliberto bakes pies and cakes for Spring Lake Seafood, which enjoys an unusually high percentage of dessert orders. “It makes people happy,” he says of his dessertmaking hobby, “and I really like the Rodriguez family. As long as it’s still fun I’ll keep doing it.”

Vinnie Dicks is a local author, photographer and historian. He is the author of several books including “Forsaken Kings, Emma Spreckels The Surfer of Asbury Park.” Find out more at www.vincentdicks.com.

The Magic of Fairies

In Spring Lake and Sea Girt, keep an eye out and you just might come across a whimsical fairy home—and maybe be inspired to create one yourself.

BY VINCENT DICKS

Fairy gardens and secret gardens

have a long history that goes back to Irish countryside folklore. Unsurprisingly, they have also found a foothold here on the Irish Riviera, where people tend to stumble upon them when they’re not looking.

For those with a good eye, fairy gardens can be seen in some of our public spaces, most often along Wreck Pond in Spring Lake Heights or Crescent Park in Sea Girt. Some are hidden in the reeds along Lake Como’s shores and near the birdhouses along Stockton Lake in Manasquan.

Gnomes, elves, brownies and pixies sometimes join the fairies. There are many garden shops and online businesses that carry fairy supplies, furniture, animals, doors and little houses. Many local fairy scenes mix in natural shells, seeds and household items. Some of the more elaborate setups are lit with solar lights or hang from trees inside glass ornaments. They all tell a little story with their positioning of objects in a natural setting.

Transformational Tales

Fae or fairy stories have been an important part of children’s fantasy for hundreds of years. They typically bridge a world

between natural and magical and are often transformational tales with a moral.

The stories are often frightening (fairies are not always harmless), but, traditionally, most find a way for the protagonist to overcome the evil of the dragon, witch or angry fairies. Albert Einstein believed fairy tales were important to develop children’s intelligence. “If you want your children to be intelligent,” he said, “read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Fairy Superstitious

The Irish had many rules to follow if they wanted the fairies to look favorably upon their homes. If you meet a fairy, the general rules include being polite but never saying thank you. Gratitude is an insult to the Fae. Never accept food, wine or an invitation to dance with the fairies. Those who do often have such a good time that they can never again be fully satisfied by regular food or dance. Fairies were often blamed for life’s tragedies. A changeling was a baby who had been changed for the worse by the fairies. A sick farm animal or bad crop might have been because the family had angered the Fae.

Country houses in Ireland are not extended on the west side. Why? Because that is where fairies pass by a house, so it was wise to make an easy pathway for them to move on. Fairies are intensely loyal. To anger one fairy is to bring the wrath of all the fairies upon your house.

In our local environment, today’s displays are fun and whimsical. Winter storms often damage the delicate scenes. If they are a bit tossed around when you see them, the fairies have likely been partying too hard. Leave them in peace to avoid any negative energy from the fairies. If the owners of the fairy garden return, they will be grateful no one has made off with their little chairs, houses and decorations. To attack a fairy home is a great crime, so never disturb the displays.

Fairy gardening is also a great project for grandparents and young children. The scale is naturally small, inexpensive and can work inside the house or outside in a small part of any yard. Children learn about plant care and create an imaginative scene that will change over time as plants grow and the elements move the scene around.

Visit the fairies in our public spaces and be grateful for their nearby human support.

Vincent Dicks is a Sea Girt author who specializes in writing about the history of the Jersey Shore. Find more information at www.vincentdicks.com.

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Moya Rush welcomes visitors to the Irish Centre in Spring Lake, which she owns together with her husband, Aidan Rush.

A Slice of Ireland

The Irish Centre stocks the best of the Emerald Isle, transporting shoppers there while they browse.

In March, the Irish spirit spreads over Spring Lake like a field of shamrocks. After all, the town is affectionately known as the Irish Riviera. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day becomes a monthlong affair. Parades, music, dancing, wearing of the green, corned beef and cabbage, bagpipers and shillelaghs fill the air for this month of celebrating Irish heritage. Residents and visitors alike gather to enjoy the traditions of the Emerald Isle.

Moya and Aidan Rush, proprietors

BY JUDITH JONES-AMBROSINI

of the Irish Centre at 1120 Third Ave., do their part to help with the festivities. Moya is involved with the Chamber of Commerce and BID (Business Improvement District). The couple also serve as co-chairs for the annual June Spring Lake Irish Festival. Although Moya and Aidan are busy keeping things fresh and vibrant at the shop, they feel strongly about giving back to their beloved community.

“We try to help as many local charities

and Irish events as possible and strive to keep Irish traditions alive at the Jersey Shore,” says Aidan.

Moya and Aidan traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from Galway, Ireland, to Spring Lake. Here at the Jersey Shore, they found their home away from home. They immediately felt a strong bond between their native country and their adopted home. They settled in Wall Township to raise their children, Ciara and Liam, now 22 and 19, respectively.

A Legacy Continued

A distant relative from Galway, Mary Reilly, and her husband, Jim, owned a small shop in Spring Lake called the Irish Centre. Moya went to work at the shop in 1995. In 2014 when Mary retired, the Rushes bought the business to continue the store’s legacy.

The Irish Centre has been serving many generations of families with warmth and tradition since it first opened its doors in 1978. Many customers say that stepping inside is like stepping back into Ireland. Besides shopping for a soft wool fisherman’s sweater or hand-knit baby blanket, there is always friendly conversation between shop owners and patrons. It’s the Irish way.

A visit to this small, jam-packed shop is dazzling. Customers can find fine jewelry, artisan ceramics, traditional Waterford and Simon Pearce glassware, soft wool fashion knitwear, home décor, religious articles, traditional Irish breakfast foods or a green sweatshirt to wear to one of the many local St. Patrick’s Day parades. Moya travels to Ireland several times each year on the lookout for the best that Ireland has to offer. Ninety percent of the merchandise in the shop is imported from the Emerald Isle. The other 10 percent comes from local artists and crafters.

As Moya says, “Although we are a small local business, people come from as far as Bergen and Bucks counties and New York City. They say that stepping into the store evokes memories of their ancestry and love of Ireland.”

Says Aidan, “We are blessed to be here in this wonderful community of Spring Lake and appreciative of the support we’ve received from the town

and from so many loyal customers. We are thankful for the generations of families and customers that have graced our store and our lives.”

That local support is a prime example of what it means to be a family business in a small community. “We are truly grateful to our loyal customers who have never wavered,” says Moya. “Both young and old continue to cherish the deep tradition

and Irish heritage that the store represents.” Aidan adds, “As we stride into our 46th year, we hope to continue to serve the needs of our Irish community for many years to come.”

Judith Jones-Ambrosini is a Sea Girt resident and author of “The Sisterhood of Diabetes: Facing Challenges & Living Dreams.” She is an active volunteer in town.

A Life in FILM

The Garden State Film Festival’s founder, Diane Raver, grew up in Sea Girt and is thrilled to be back.

BY JUDITH JONES-AMBROSINI

Diane Raver sat sipping a café au lait and savoring a warm buttery croissant at a café in Cannes, France.

As you probably know, Cannes is home to a world-famous international film festival. Coming from a film background, Raver remembered that New Jersey is where American filmmaking began. After all, it was in his laboratories in Menlo Park that Thomas Edison invented the film camera and projector. So, Raver thought, why not a New Jersey film festival?

It All Started in Sea Girt

It’s 1999, and Raver is back home in Sea Girt. While in the middle of the hot dog aisle at the Sea Girt Avenue Foodtown, Raver bumped into veteran actor and Sea Girt resident Bob Pastorelli, and they started to chat.

That serendipitous meeting became the launching pad that ignited the

founding of the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF). After three busy years of hard work, these two co-founders premiered the first GSFF in 2003 in Asbury Park.

A Nod to Independent Filmmakers

The idea of the festival is to celebrate local and other independent filmmakers from around the globe. It is also a tribute to New Jersey’s legacy as the birthplace of American filmmaking.

At the first festival, 3,000 film buffs showed up at Asbury Park’s cultural mecca, the Paramount Theatre, where 50 independent films were screened. The event was a smashing success.

This year, more than 300 local and worldwide independent films from 21 countries will be exhibited in the largest film event in our state. It is anticipated that more than 20,000 will attend to support the festival’s 22nd anniversary

March 21-24 at seven venues in Asbury Park. An American Disabilities Actcompliant jitney is available to take festival goers to all venues. This perk eases the stress of getting around the various festival sites. Go to www.gsff.org for complete information and tickets.

Spreading a Love of Film

In addition to this annual event, extensive year-round outreach programs take place throughout the state. Students, seniors, civic groups and thousands of film lovers are given the opportunity to view independent films. Raver is the proud broadcaster of a “film club” on the largest military radio show in the country, “Frontlines of Freedom.” This show provides links to films and educational discussions for service troops and veterans around the world. (Learn more online at www.frontlinesoffreedom.com.)

Top: Clarence Clemons and Diane Raver at the 2012 GSFF awards banquet.

Bottom: Diane Raver with Jaya Harper, Ellery Harper, Laura Dern and Diane Ladd at the 2013 GSFF awards banquet. Photos by Andrei Jackamets.

Very few people in town can claim to be a fourth-generation Sea Girt-er. Raver is one of them. She grew up on Boston Boulevard, where her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother called a 1925 house, which still stands, home. Raver holds fond memories of growing up in that house.

A Serendipitous Request

After studying art in college, she took a textile designing job in New York City. Although happy with her work, one day a friend asked her a favor: Would she mind answering phones for three days at a commercial film studio? It was here that Raver found a new interest that called her to change direction. She became a full-time employee with Eye View Films. It was around this time that Raver met Carroll Raver, an awardwinning TV commercial director/ cameraman. He later went on to become a feature film cinematographer. The two married and had three children.

Raver soon became a producer and founded the Madison Group production company and went on to become the first woman president of the commercial film production company. Although it was an exciting time in her life and career, the Jersey Shore beckoned her to come home to Sea Girt. The family moved back to a home on Boston Boulevard.

The next chapter of Raver’s life commenced with the birth of the GSFFl after that 1999 chance encounter in Foodtown. As if organizing and producing films and staging GSFF was not enough of an artistic challenge, Raver also tried her hand at directing.

Ten years ago she directed her first film. This year you can see her documentary “The Troger Heat.” The subject of the film is the highly competitive longboard surfers contest at the Manasquan Inlet. The Troger Heat is named after former Sea Girt resident and surf legend, Joe Troger.

One of the local Sea Girt participants highlighted in the film is Sea Girt surfer Alex Branch.

During her career, Raver has been awarded the Alice Guy-Blaché Award, the New Jersey Moviemakers Network Award of Excellence, the Mount Ida College Distinguished Alumni Award, and an honorary degree from Brookdale Community College for her commitment to the arts community.

When Raver thinks back on her years growing up in Sea Girt, she remembers all the fun of being part of the junior Holly Club, known as Hollyberries. Her grandmother and aunt had been past presidents of the club. Today, Raver carries on the family tradition serving as current president of the Holly Club of Sea Girt.

“Boston Boulevard was the center of the universe for me growing up,” says Raver. “It took 26 years and three million miles to get back, and I’m so happy to be here!”

Judith Jones-Ambrosini is a Sea Girt resident and author of “The Sisterhood of Diabetes: Facing Challenges & Living Dreams.” She is an active volunteer with the Sea Girt Library and the Holly Club of Sea Girt.

From left: James Gandolfini, Diane Raver, Michael Attardi and Paul Carafotes at the 2007 GSFF. Photo by Fran Attardi.

Luck of the Irish

With loads of Irish Americans in our community and plenty of classic Irish pubs to choose from, it’s easy to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day close to home.

BY MARIA O’DONNELL

While New Jersey might not be the first place you think of when you hear “Riviera,” for Spring Lake and Sea Girt, the nickname Irish Riviera is well deserved. Spring Lake has the highest percentage of Irish Americans out of any municipality in the United States. A walk through either town is an homage to all that is Irish. And nothing says that more than the historic Irish pubs that surround us, making it easy to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day close to home.

St. Stephen’s Green Publick House in Spring Lake gets its name from Ireland’s storied St. Stephen’s Green, which has been home to a park, a battleground and universities. On entering the pub, you can’t miss the massive wood-carved bar with inlaid mirrors. The wooden tables and chairs were all imported from Ireland, acquired when the bar changed hands and Eggimann’s became St. Stephen’s back in 2007.

MICHELLE WOLFE

St. Stephen’s Green Publick House in Spring Lake (photos this spread) boasts a massive wood-carved bar, hearty menu and welcoming atmosphere.

Toe-Tapping Music

The bar faces a small wooden stage where many local musicians have played for the patrons of this pub. On Irish night every Tuesday, corned beef and cabbage is served and Irish folk music is performed. Push aside some of the tables, and you’ve got a makeshift dance floor that feels like a little piece of Ireland at the shore when the bands are in full swing and feet are moving to the beat. It’s a place where locals congregate, and chances are you will run into someone you know. The spirit is cozy, warm and entertaining.

The food at St. Stephen’s does not disappoint. My test of a true pub is the fish and chips, and St. Stephen’s does not disappoint! The beer batter for its fish and chips keeps the coating super crispy and the fish inside deliciously moist. The Celtic burger won best burger on the Jersey Shore a few years back. Come by on St. Patrick’s Day, and you may run into the bagpipers that swing by after the local parade for a few more notes to celebrate the day.

At Harrigan’s Pub in Sea Girt (all photos this spread), you’ll find a distinctive copper bar, 16 beers on tap (including a “perfect pour” of Guinness) and a warm welcome.

A Sea Girt Landmark

A short drive down the street in the Sea Girt area you’ll find yourself at another gem, Harrigan’s Pub, a landmark founded in 1981 that sets a high bar for atmosphere, architecture and great food and drinks. Walk into this pub and you are transported to Ireland. A copper bar and wood carvings surround you, the vibe is exactly how it should be and the menu includes a special local favorite for over more than 40 years—

Harrigan’s famous sizzling steak sandwich. It’s served in a cast iron mini skillet that is so hot and sizzling that you can hear it come out of the kitchen. Everybody’s eyes follow it, hoping it will land in front of them. The sliced steak is perfectly fanned out above toasted bread topped with melted cheese and hot garlic butter. Wash it down with the “perfect pour” of Guinness, something the restaurant prides itself on, and you’ve got a true Irish meal.

The restaurant is also known for its fresh fish entrées, prime steaks, juicy burgers and generously sized sandwiches. It offers craft cocktails and 16 beers on tap, constantly rotated with a great selection of craft beers. The Harrigan’s vibe is welcoming, a place where neighbors and friends have met at the bar for more than 40 years.

With places like these dotting the coastline, you can find a bit of St. Patrick’s Day spirit every day on the Irish Riviera.

Maria O’Donnell is a food writer who lives with her husband and two children in Spring Lake. She can be found on Instagram @foodwritergirl and on Facebook @cookingwithmaria.

Spring Reads for Kids

When the changeable spring weather keeps you and your children indoors, try these favorite books to enrich your time together.

BY KATE CZYZEWSKI

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.”

– Charles Dickens in “Great Expectations”

Whether we start to see warm weather soon or it stays cold longer, here at Thunder Road Books we’re already thinking SPRING! We’d like to recommend these familyfriendly stories to you.

“A FLOWER IS A FRIEND”

By Frieda Wishinsky

In the garden ecosystem, a flower means many things to each bird, insect and creature. We have so many nature enthusiasts, both young and old, visit us at Thunder Road. We can’t recommend this book enough! What is beautiful and engaging about the structure of this read-

aloud is its poetic verse paired with questions—for example, “Why would a morning glory be happy to see a dragonfly?”— that are answered in a factual index included in the back of the book.

“KOZO THE SPARROW”

By Allen Say

This book was a 2023 New York Times best-selling children’s book, though it may have missed your radar. In one of the most beautiful children’s books this year, author Allen Say shares the autobiographical tale of an 8-year-old boy who saves a sparrow from being captured by bullies at his school. To save the sparrow, he negotiates a trade with the bullies—all his prized possessions for the bird. He nurses the bird back to health and, in turn, shows readers that letting go can be difficult but it also can be the most selfless act of love.

“EYES THAT WEAVE THE WORLD’S WONDERS”

By Joanna Ho and Liz Kleinrock

My goodness, this book is breathtaking. As a bookseller and retired teacher, I have been asked about books with blended families and adoptions. I can’t think of a better book to share with families than this one. In the story, a young child notices her eyes look different from her parents. Though she may look different, the deep love she and her family share bonds them. She asks questions and reflects, and in doing so, “weaves the world’s wonders” and the magic of her upbringing. This book is a story time favorite here at Thunder Road and one that is not to be missed by all families.

“THE VELVETEEN RABBIT”

Based on the book by Margery Williams “The Velveteen Rabbit” is updated and illustrated in this pocket-sized board book edition. I get so much joy from the family experiences shared here at Thunder Road Books; however, I’m always particularly drawn to the experience of grandparents who read with their grandchildren. My best memories are reading books like this with my grandma. Being able to share a very young reader edition/board book truly sparks warmth for us this spring!

“TOGETHER WITH YOU”

By Patricia Toht

I’m a sucker for a children’s read-aloud that may be seasonal but can be read all year long. Families are budgeting expenses, and a read-aloud like this one is one of those “keeper” books, as we call them. The story starts with a young boy who embraces the changing of seasons—from jumping in rain puddles to flying his favorite kite. Winter, spring, summer or fall—what’s the best part of seasons changing? Experiencing life’s smallest moments with each other.

“BEAR FINDS EGGS”

By Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Another fantastic release has arrived from the creators of the internationally best-selling series, “The Bear Books.” This series and its iconic characters are among our favorites! Bear takes on yet another adventure in the woods, this time finding eggs and trying to figure out which animal they belong to. He goes from animal friend to animal friend, gathering clues in his journey. The best part of the Bear books is that his adventures always include his very kind friends.

Kate Czyzewski is the general manager of Thunder Road Books. Thunder Road offers family-friendly story time every Wednesday at 10 a.m. and Friday at 4 p.m.

The Joy of an Emmy

Spring Lake Heights resident Whit Conway, moments after receiving his Emmy. Conway is a producer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which won for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series. Right: Conway’s children, Jude and Clark, find out how heavy an Emmy is! Photos by Mary Conway.