Wednesday, October 12, 2011
World Trade Center - October 2011
They're making some real progress on World Trade Center construction. I happened to visit the area today.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
History: Home Delivery (1915)
John Klein, a butcher in Holmdel, ran up a lot of bills and went out of business, according to the 1 Jul 1915 edition of The Matawan Journal. Seems he tried making his deliveries with a brand new automobile instead of the more traditional horse and wagon. As the newspaper put it: "Villagers lay his trouble to 'too much automobile.'"
History: Pollution in the Matawan Journal (1923, 1924)
According to the 8 Jun 1923 edition of The Matawan Journal, the Matawan Township Board of Health heard a complaint from the public that a chemical plant in Morganville was polluting the stream that ran through Magnolia Farm. The chemicals in the water were thought to be a danger both to cattle and human beings. The clerk was instructed to notify the Marlboro Board of Health so that the issue could be addressed at once.
Magnolia Farm is the property of the famous poet Philip Freneau. That area of the Township was eventually named Freneau in the poet's honor and was annexed by Matawan Borough. The stream is very likely Gravelly Brook. See the History of Freneau's House in Matawan for details.
Joseph S Frelinghuysen, Sr, former US Senator (R-NJ, 1917-1923), approached his former colleagues to advocate for the Anti-Oil Pollution League, according to page 8 of the 18 Jan 1924 edition of The Matawan Journal. The league wanted legislation to protect the shore from oil pollution from refineries and oil refuse from ships. Frelinghuysen was born in Raritan.
State Senator William A Stevens of Monmouth County brought up the same problem in an interview found in the 5 Sep 1924 edition of The Matawan Journal. Doesn't sound much different from today.
Year after year the whole North Jersey Coast is daily polluted with refuse oil and and garbage; year after year we have appealed with righteous indignation to our representatives at Washington for a drastic remedial act, a law with teeth in it, and a governmental policy inaugurated that will put an end to a nuisance that is a menace to the health, happiness and prosperity of all. Organizations have been formed; hearings at Washington and elsewhere conducted; an inoffensive act has been passed, and seemingly, the shipping interests go on defiantly dumping the refuse oil into the Atlantic Ocean to be in turn rolled up on our beaches.
Magnolia Farm is the property of the famous poet Philip Freneau. That area of the Township was eventually named Freneau in the poet's honor and was annexed by Matawan Borough. The stream is very likely Gravelly Brook. See the History of Freneau's House in Matawan for details.
Joseph S Frelinghuysen, Sr, former US Senator (R-NJ, 1917-1923), approached his former colleagues to advocate for the Anti-Oil Pollution League, according to page 8 of the 18 Jan 1924 edition of The Matawan Journal. The league wanted legislation to protect the shore from oil pollution from refineries and oil refuse from ships. Frelinghuysen was born in Raritan.
State Senator William A Stevens of Monmouth County brought up the same problem in an interview found in the 5 Sep 1924 edition of The Matawan Journal. Doesn't sound much different from today.
Year after year the whole North Jersey Coast is daily polluted with refuse oil and and garbage; year after year we have appealed with righteous indignation to our representatives at Washington for a drastic remedial act, a law with teeth in it, and a governmental policy inaugurated that will put an end to a nuisance that is a menace to the health, happiness and prosperity of all. Organizations have been formed; hearings at Washington and elsewhere conducted; an inoffensive act has been passed, and seemingly, the shipping interests go on defiantly dumping the refuse oil into the Atlantic Ocean to be in turn rolled up on our beaches.
Invoking Blamelessness
Rather than simply bless the proceedings, Father Nicholas took the opportunity to make sure the audience held the Catholic church blameless for the centuries-long suffering of African slaves. Rather than a brief prayer, he delivered a speech that sought to convince his audience that the church had held the moral high ground for centuries on the slavery issue but was utterly powerless to sway the actions of mighty nation states. The church took what steps it could, he assured us. A rich Catholic woman from Philadelphia, for example, opened a school for blacks in New Orleans.
I thought Father Nicholas made a poor choice of venues for delivering this mainly political speech. I doubt the organizers knew he planned to front-load his blessing with a message meant to sway and convince. I don't think it was well received.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Whodunnits - TV in October 2011
I've been enjoying a new one called Prime Suspect, with Maria Bello. Her character reminds me a bit of Kojak. Maybe it's the hat? To be sure, she's also got the attitude. Watch for Maria Bello to garner a nomination for her portrayal of a female NYPD detective struggling to solve crimes in a man's world.
I've also been watching Unforgettable, a new show with Poppy Montgomery, who used to be on Without A Trace. I've always had a bit of a crush, so I've been hopeful that her new series would succeed, but the jury is still out. I suspect the story line is too complex and gimmicky to last.
14th Annual Keyport Country Jamboree and Chili Fest
Keyport is having its 14th annual chili fest today. Local food outlets will be offering samples from noon to 5 pm, all hoping to be voted Best Chili. You'll need to buy a sampling kit for $5. There will also be a cake, pie and jam contest on Sunday from noon to 4 pm.
The weekend is a country jamboree, so there will be plenty of bands. Local stores will have their wares on display. Activities will be centered on West Front Street and will run 11 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday 8 - 9 October 2011.
UPDATE: My wife and daughter and I spent a few hours touring the chili fest vendors. We sampled lots of chili, watching people and listening to music all along the way.
We went down the right side of West Front Street from Espresso Joe's to Lenora's and then McDonagh's. My wife and daughter both fancied Espresso Joe's chili, while I favored Lenora's. None of us liked McDonagh's chili. A woman leaving McDonagh's commented on the nice plate that the chili came on and the accompanying crouton, telling her husband knowingly, "Presentation is everything!" but we thought their chili tasted like cigarettes. It won the chili competition. Argh.
Outside of McDonagh's was a cowboy playing guitar on a portable stage and a cowgirl dressed in black doing rope tricks with a lasso.
We went up Broad Street to Seaport Diner. They offered their chili with a little triangle made of corn meal. They put a pico de gallo on top. I noticed that an Italian restaurant is due to open where Drew's Bayshore Bistro used to be. Trinity Restaurant didn't participate in this year's chili fest for some reason.
Next we went down East Front Street to Drew's new location. Drew offered a black bean chili as well as a sweet potato bisque. The chili came with shredded cheddar and the bisque was topped with Craisens and chopped nuts. Oh my God! Mmmmm! There were also chili brownies to try. Drew's came in 3rd place? How could that be? Especially given the supposed winners?!
We continued down East Front Street towards Church Street. Along the way I saw the Spanish-American Club and an interesting old building with a small belfry. Across the intersection, we visited Papa Ganache. They had a vegan chili that was quite yummy. They had row upon row of cookies and cupcakes on display, some on top of the counter and others inside a glass case. I just had to have a chocolate chip cookie, so my wife and daughter also indulged. I heartily recommend their desserts.
We left Papa Ganache and walked towards the shore, then down 1st Street. There was lots of excitement in a park area along the water. An announcer was conducting organized competitions with kids on skateboards and scooters. Looked like fun. We ran into a guy from the Constitution Party encouraging us to vote their line this November. They sounded like a tax revolt group with links to the Tea Party. Check them out if you're interested. I'm not.
We got to Broad Street, where we visited the Bayshore Bar and Grill. The chili was a bit too sweet, like they'd added honey or maple syrup. Uptown Bar and Grill, like last year, wasn't all that into the festival. They told us they were out of chili. Again. I'm not sure why they bother.
We walked up the hill back to West Front Street, then over to Main Street to visit Jersey Shore Subs and Soups. They had loud speakers out front and an unpalatable chili mixture that -- I'm sorry to say -- I actually had to spit back out into my sample cup. We all agreed it was the worst chili of the day, without a doubt. Somehow it came in 2nd place in the voting.
We ended our tour by hitting the food court chili entrants -- Bahr's and Chilango's. Bahr's had a seafood chili that was interesting but more like a soup than a chili. It probably needed a thickener of some sort. Chilango's was a Mexican dish -- ok.
The voting didn't reflect the relative quality of the chili choices today. I'm not sure what happened. Whatever. Here's some photos of what I saw today. Congratulations to all who participated. Tomorrow should be fun, too.
The weekend is a country jamboree, so there will be plenty of bands. Local stores will have their wares on display. Activities will be centered on West Front Street and will run 11 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday 8 - 9 October 2011.
UPDATE: My wife and daughter and I spent a few hours touring the chili fest vendors. We sampled lots of chili, watching people and listening to music all along the way.
We went down the right side of West Front Street from Espresso Joe's to Lenora's and then McDonagh's. My wife and daughter both fancied Espresso Joe's chili, while I favored Lenora's. None of us liked McDonagh's chili. A woman leaving McDonagh's commented on the nice plate that the chili came on and the accompanying crouton, telling her husband knowingly, "Presentation is everything!" but we thought their chili tasted like cigarettes. It won the chili competition. Argh.
Outside of McDonagh's was a cowboy playing guitar on a portable stage and a cowgirl dressed in black doing rope tricks with a lasso.
We went up Broad Street to Seaport Diner. They offered their chili with a little triangle made of corn meal. They put a pico de gallo on top. I noticed that an Italian restaurant is due to open where Drew's Bayshore Bistro used to be. Trinity Restaurant didn't participate in this year's chili fest for some reason.
Next we went down East Front Street to Drew's new location. Drew offered a black bean chili as well as a sweet potato bisque. The chili came with shredded cheddar and the bisque was topped with Craisens and chopped nuts. Oh my God! Mmmmm! There were also chili brownies to try. Drew's came in 3rd place? How could that be? Especially given the supposed winners?!
We continued down East Front Street towards Church Street. Along the way I saw the Spanish-American Club and an interesting old building with a small belfry. Across the intersection, we visited Papa Ganache. They had a vegan chili that was quite yummy. They had row upon row of cookies and cupcakes on display, some on top of the counter and others inside a glass case. I just had to have a chocolate chip cookie, so my wife and daughter also indulged. I heartily recommend their desserts.
We left Papa Ganache and walked towards the shore, then down 1st Street. There was lots of excitement in a park area along the water. An announcer was conducting organized competitions with kids on skateboards and scooters. Looked like fun. We ran into a guy from the Constitution Party encouraging us to vote their line this November. They sounded like a tax revolt group with links to the Tea Party. Check them out if you're interested. I'm not.
We got to Broad Street, where we visited the Bayshore Bar and Grill. The chili was a bit too sweet, like they'd added honey or maple syrup. Uptown Bar and Grill, like last year, wasn't all that into the festival. They told us they were out of chili. Again. I'm not sure why they bother.
We walked up the hill back to West Front Street, then over to Main Street to visit Jersey Shore Subs and Soups. They had loud speakers out front and an unpalatable chili mixture that -- I'm sorry to say -- I actually had to spit back out into my sample cup. We all agreed it was the worst chili of the day, without a doubt. Somehow it came in 2nd place in the voting.
We ended our tour by hitting the food court chili entrants -- Bahr's and Chilango's. Bahr's had a seafood chili that was interesting but more like a soup than a chili. It probably needed a thickener of some sort. Chilango's was a Mexican dish -- ok.
The voting didn't reflect the relative quality of the chili choices today. I'm not sure what happened. Whatever. Here's some photos of what I saw today. Congratulations to all who participated. Tomorrow should be fun, too.
Cleanup Set for Cliffwood Beach Park - 22 October 2011
Aberdeen Township is sponsoring a beach cleanup at Cliffwood Beach Park on 22 October 2011 from 9 am to noon, according to a township press release.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Gives A Summons Without Observing It Is Appalling
When a citizen's daughter parked at the Aberdeen-Matawan train station recently, her father somehow ended up with a ticket for littering. According to the 6 Sep 2011 Council minutes, Dad told the Council that his daughter paid the daily fee at the parking machine, but the parking machine allegedly dumped her parking receipt on the ground instead of giving it to her. Ever efficient, the local authorities found the stub on the pavement, figured out which car this "litter" belonged to, and issued a summons to Dad. "I'm no litterer," Dad told the Township Council at their September meeting. He complained that he'd have to take a day off work to defend the ticket, which didn't seem fair. A Council member agreed to look into the matter.
By the way, I've taken the liberty of interpreting this story from the minutes for you. In my opinion, this portion of the minutes, reproduced below as they appeared, is barely literate. Feel free to leave your comments on whether the minutes provide an adequate version of this story.
Jay Mandel
3 Rockwell Circle
Mr. Mandel stated he received a summons on littering at the Train Station. He is against littering. This summons he has to appear in Court, he has to take a day off to go. Summons was on Ordinance 4-15.2 . They are saying the receipt from the machine was not taken. My daughter has paid and no receipt comes out. Code Enforcement sees something on the floor and gives a summons without observing it is appalling. Especially in these economic times. I just want to bring it to your attention, some people cannot take the time off from work. Dan McCarthy thanked Mr. Mandel and stated we will check into it.
By the way, I've taken the liberty of interpreting this story from the minutes for you. In my opinion, this portion of the minutes, reproduced below as they appeared, is barely literate. Feel free to leave your comments on whether the minutes provide an adequate version of this story.
Jay Mandel
3 Rockwell Circle
Mr. Mandel stated he received a summons on littering at the Train Station. He is against littering. This summons he has to appear in Court, he has to take a day off to go. Summons was on Ordinance 4-15.2 . They are saying the receipt from the machine was not taken. My daughter has paid and no receipt comes out. Code Enforcement sees something on the floor and gives a summons without observing it is appalling. Especially in these economic times. I just want to bring it to your attention, some people cannot take the time off from work. Dan McCarthy thanked Mr. Mandel and stated we will check into it.
Monticello at Red Bank
We indulged in two of their specials: I had sole stuffed with lobster and my wife had a New York strip steak with Portobello mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. Each meal came with mashed potatoes with julienne carrots. My yummy half house salad had grapes, cranberries, nuts and other stuff on it. My wife had a half Caesar salad.
We brought our own bottle of red wine, a Domaine Fabrice Gasnier Cuvee Vielles Vignes 2009, which we sampled and bought from the Wine Academy in Hazlet and has become our favorite.
The dining room is about a dozen tables deep with plenty of room for comfortable conversation. The walls are decorated with large classic paintings of the Raphael genre. The soft lighting made dinner cozy. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and service was excellent -- prompt and friendly.
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