Think of it as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride with casinos, and instead of Toady, Ratty and Moley, you have intoxicated college kids, the lady who smells like a pack of cigarettes who just played slots for ten hours and the guy listening to his iPod…Read More

Think of it as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride with casinos, and instead of Toady, Ratty and Moley, you have intoxicated college kids, the lady who smells like a pack of cigarettes who just played slots for ten hours and the guy listening to his iPod rapping out loud. Although there are lots of sharp turns and the drivers like to pretend they are in Nascar and they don’t always obey traffic signals, it wasn’t half as death defying and thrilling as riding in a taxi through Panama City. Just be certain you have full control of your stomach when you board.

THE STOPS

The jitney stops can be located by looking for the special jitney signs at the curbs. They are very easy to spot as they say "jitney" right on them. In the marina area there are stops located outside of each of the three casinos (Harrah’s, Trump Marina and Borgata). At the boardwalk area there are stops located along the stretch of road that runs by the casinos. Some of the stops are located across the street from the casinos, which will require you to cross the busy road and perhaps take a little walk around the block to get to the casino’s entrance. Safety is not an issue during the day, but do be cautious at night as you may encounter some shady characters walking around. Individuals who like to ask for money seem to target the jitney stops knowing people will be there waiting for their bus.

There are four jitney routes. Bus #2 is the one you want to take if you are planning to travel from one casino to another.

FINANCIAL EXPECTATIONS

The jitney costs $2.25 per trip. The drivers appreciate it when you have exact change, but it isn’t necessary. It really is a good value. A taxi will cost you far more than $2.25. If you plan on driving from one casino to another, the parking fees will bleed your wallet dry.

THE BUS

The buses are what most people would call "short buses." They are aqua blue and stop frequently, so you usually never have to wait too long before another bus appears. That is a good thing, since the buses only hold eleven people and the drivers are pretty strict about not overcrowding the buses. The interiors are worn, with unidentifiable stains and holes in the seats. They have that seedy dirty kind of feel, without being gross (yet). There were definitely some interesting people riding the jitney. Talking on your cell phone seemed to be the cool thing to do, since that is pretty much what everyone was doing unless they were rapping out loud or giggling with drunkenness. The drivers are friendly and will be happy to help you out if you need any casino type guidance.

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ATLANTIC CITY is situated at New Jersey State in USA. It’s a most visited place In New Jersey. Main attraction of this city is gambling because gambling is legal at there. So mostly gambling lover visited there for our best play. They’re a best and…Read More

ATLANTIC CITY is situated at New Jersey State in USA. It’s a most visited place In New Jersey. Main attraction of this city is gambling because gambling is legal at there. So mostly gambling lover visited there for our best play. They’re a best and best gambling places located there with created huge of player at evening. But it’s a seaside city so exist more adventure like beaches adventure, boating, fishing at deep water and so on. I am interested gambling few. It was great opportunities to get both of us adventure there like gambling, beaches, and boardwalk to markets so went to Atlantic City with my friend, which are working with me. Really the Atlantic city is too beautiful and mind blowing. I was glad when arrived there. Freshness wind enters in my breath with sea. Reserved a hotels room at front beach of seaside. When we open windows then sun first light enter my rooms and views of sunset and morning were so awesome. Hotels had reserved by online by hotels true sites with offer more discount rates and facilities. we saved some money due to online sites because if you visited there and reserved hotels then you could not get cheap hotels and not best locations, also given very large price that hotels so if you visited any place then reserved your hotels at great location with more discount. Which hotels have included casino and spa also, in this city all We arrived at our hotels at 3 pm, so take a fresh steam bath and bites some light meals by order and take rest for few hours. About 7 o’clock, lets to ready to gambling at basement casino. It was so adventure and crowded there, every person want to win all money show his eye and face but I thinks if your luck Is in your favor then you win and my luck worked with me so I win some time but after few hours I would go loose then left gambling. My father always said that gambling nothing to anybody, It did not give to anything to anybody but get to everything. I appreciated my father word so I would do few in yearly. It was last time in Atlantic city and feeling to go at beach about 9 am. Ocean wind created more sound and falls fresh air for breath, My friend and me were walking there at some times then feel some eat. But when we left casino then visited to restuatant to street and packed dinner. Sit on sand and ate our dinner, Moon help to dinner because all night they were glow. it was fresh night and everywhere blow with beautiful light. At mid night we came to our hotels rooms at sleep to our king bed.
We woke up late so all body to created sound with pain, so take a spa at hotels. after spa, hire a taxi and went to surfing city. we watched water garden in piers at Caesars, one Atlantic ocean Atlantic city, nj 08401, Atlantic City Aquarium - Ocean Life Cente, Absecon Lighthouse, Lucy the Elephant, Monopoly Monument, Atlantic City Shows in between two days. Two days were so awesome and excited to visit that places.
Fourth days Harry and me went to early morning at beach, enjoyed with water, watching people and take sunbath. Afternoon hired a fishing boat and went to deep water for fishing with boating. I did not take lunch so decided caught fish and made our today lunch at boat; they’re a mini kitchen at boat. After one hour we caught a fish, it’s a big fish and roasted and take a great lunch at boat. I think it was great feeling that was a great adventure to catch fish and made a lunch then eat. So awesome!! I want did this ever and ever but did not long time to stay there. Last day we would go the boardwalk to his famous street market and purchase some budget shopping there and enjoyed his street with bite of delicious seafood. When we came to our home, I will show all photos there with adventure. It’s a remarkable journey to Atlantic City. I hope we will come to there more and more time in our whole life.
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What summer time would be complete without a trip to a gambling town? So we packed the car, grabbed whatever money we had and headed down to Atlantic City, New Jersey so a fun filled weekend. However, when we got there, there was some kind…Read More

What summer time would be complete without a trip to a gambling town? So we packed the car, grabbed whatever money we had and headed down to Atlantic City, New Jersey so a fun filled weekend. However, when we got there, there was some kind of conference and all of the hotels were booked. Luckily in Atlantic City there is a phone number you can call to see if there are any available hotel rooms. And the Tropicana and the Irish Pub Inn happened to have openings for the nights we were there.

We happened to be near the Irish Pub Inn, so we went to try it out. This place is beyond shady. The guy had two rooms available; a two-bedroom and a one-bedroom (next to his) for $10 a night, but the floors were unlevel and smelled bad. Plus, he had to let you into your rooms and kept the keys for insurance purposes. Since there were three of us, and no one wanted to sleep alone, we headed off to the Tropicana.

When we arrived at the Tropicana (www.tropicana.net), hoards of people happened to come across the same number and were vying for the same open rooms. Fortunately we were the first ones on the ever increasing line and got one of the last available rooms in the hotel. And this place was gorgeous. The room was spacious and one complete wall was nothing but windows overlooking the beautiful sight of the New Jersey coastline. After dropping off our clothes, we headed back down to the mayhem that is the casino. This place caters to cheap gamblers with its lower stakes tables. But they are good at keeping you at the tables because there are plenty of waitresses offering "free" drinks for you. The waitress is back every ten minutes or so, with a fresh glass and a full smile.

Before we checked into the room, we told our driver that there were no more rooms at the Tropicana (even though we just paid for one) to mess with him a bit, so we took him to Hooter’s for dinner to "try and decide" where we were going to stay. After we told him that we were messing with him about our hotel, we tried to figure out what to do for the evening. Our waitress had suggested going to a bar just off of the boardwalk that she and her friends were going to later on. It was supposed to be the locals’ hangout and a good place to party.

We decided that this would be a good introduction into Atlantic City, but we had some pre-gaming to do. So, after we left Hooter’s, we walked down the boardwalk towards some of the other hotels. To one thing that no one tells you about Atlantic City is that it is hot and muggy in the summer time. As we became drenched in our own sweat after ten minutes (while being passed by multiple pedicabs and patrolling police) we figured that it would be safer to walk through the connecting hotels, catch a drink and cool off. This turned out to be a heaven sent idea, allowing us to get a little drunk, lose a little money on the slots and stop our massive sweating.

When we finally reached our destination of the hole in the wall bar off of the boardwalk (I don’t remember the name, but it isn’t worth it) the place scared the crap out of us. The surrounding neighborhood was really different; filled with dilapidated buildings, drug dealers, and peddlers. What a scene, boy I tell you. Anyway, this bar was filled with prostitutes and drunks of the unfunny persuasion, but the drinks were cheap, so we stayed a little longer than probably advised. I wish that I could remember the name of the place to advise you away, but it wasn’t even good enough to be remembered.

The next morning, we peeled ourselves out of bed and went to explore the different delicacies the Tropicana had to offer. So we tried out PF Chang’s Chinese food restaurant. I had never been there before and it was great. I had the duck and have never had such a good fowl. We immediately headed back to the room, showered and got dressed for the day. Unfortunately the heat was so bad that when we were outside, we couldn’t handle it, and went back in. We immediately ran into a group of coeds who were heading to a place called Firewater’s, which was a sports bar with probably a good 100 different beers on tap. There was a sampler of the different styles of beers, which can be arranged by country, brand, type or even price. And each was great. I think each of us had three or four samplers and some of their famous hot wings. This was like a heaven for us; beer, girls, music, wings and sports, what else could we have needed?

With it being only 5pm and us being pretty drunk, we felt it was time to sweat some of the alcohol and maybe play some mini golf. We headed off to the boardwalk to play some mini golf and relax. If you have the opportunity to play mini golf while you are drunk, please do not. A simple 18-hole game which should have taken no more than an hour took us almost two hours because we were laughing so hard and messing around so much, pissing off the other patrons. But it worked in the fact that we started to sober up and drench our shirts. Then as a shower was desperately needed, we all ended up crashing in the hotel room. When we woke up an hour later, we headed down to Corky’s for some primo barbeque. The ribs were amazing but the mashed potatoes were lacking a bit, so try the fries or something else.

Then, that evening we went to this place called the Red Square that has an ice bar with drink cut outs on the bar, therefore keeping your drink cold while you hang out. The place is a bit pricy but the atmosphere is great. We then spent the rest of the evening up drinking in the casino’s because there are no clocks anywhere. When we left Trump and headed back to the Tropicana, we saw that the sun creeping up over the horizon and somehow the night had slipped away like a dissatisfied lover after a random hookup.

We then headed back, got our four hours of sleep, checked out and headed home. It's so funny because the city of Atlantic City has something like four roads going in and only one leaving. They want you in and don’t really want you to leave, unless they took everything already, then they will ship you out on the boat you came in on. If you have run out of money, but want to keep drinking, take $1 and put it in the slot machine, then hit return and get a print out. The waitresses will think that you have just won and keep bring free drinks over. It’s a great way to beat the system. So be wary about your wallet and WEAR A WATCH. Close

Watchung Reservation is an over 2000 acre park in Union County, NJ. The Watchung Mountains were formed millions of years ago when the area was the scene of volcanic activity. This is one of the reasons to hike the Reservation; the idea that you are…Read More

Watchung Reservation is an over 2000 acre park in Union County, NJ. The Watchung Mountains were formed millions of years ago when the area was the scene of volcanic activity. This is one of the reasons to hike the Reservation; the idea that you are walking along an extinct volcano is a little mind blowing while you watch cars loaded with families whiz by you along one of the roads serving the park. The mountains stretch across in all directions encompassing a good portion of Union, Morris, and Essex Counties. During the American Revolution when George Washington was camped at Morristown, he used the Watchungs as a natural barrier against attack from the British who were stationed just to the east of here near Springfield, NJ.

The park also contains the abandoned village of Feltsville which was a colony created by David Felt in the mid-1800's when he and a group tried to mine and mill the area. Later the village became a place for summer vacationers but eventually fell into disuse. In recent years some of the abandoned buildings have been refurbished and reoccupied by some caretakers as a measure of security against vandals. There are tours several times a year to explain the history of the village and its purposes. The geologic history of the area has left several sections of the park with some interesting formations. Near the abandoned village is the gorge, a rather steep section where it looks like the earth was ripped apart. Also, there is the ravine, a wide section of land near where the settlers tried to mine for copper. One of my favorite spots is the escarpment; a rock formation along Diamond Hill Road near Seeley's pond. From what I understand the rocks are what's left over after the lava from the volcano cooled and hardened. There is a nice stream and some rock scramble along the trail down the hill from the escarpment. Also you can see the remains of the attempts to set up mills and industry along the stream.

Lake Surprise, which is not far from the abandoned village is a man made "lake" created to feed water to the mills which were down stream. Though technically a lake-because light doesn't reach the bottom of it-Lake Surprise is more of a big pond filled with water plants and algae. There is an project underway to dredge out the sediments in the pond and attempt to return it to it's previous beauty and vitality. Because of the sediments, aquatic life has taken a beating. The plans are to clean up the site and stock it with fish so people can catch and release. As it is, Lake Surprise is a good place to bird watch. Within the park there are several places to eat lunch outside, and there is a playground near the Trailside Center so the kids can run around. The Trailside Center has nature exhibits, maps, and a gift shop. Just be mindful that Watchung Stables is not too far from here and it is best to watch your step as you make your way through the park. Overall Watchung Reservation is a nice local place to get outside and enjoy a variety of terrains and animal habitats.

Lakota Wolf Preserve is located in the mountains of the Delaware Water Gap. It is a chance of a lifetime to watch listen to packs of Tundra, Timber, and Artic wolves. This preserve offers the opportunity to photograph wolves without any obstructions. It might be a…Read More

Lakota Wolf Preserve is located in the mountains of the Delaware Water Gap. It is a chance of a lifetime to watch listen to packs of Tundra, Timber, and Artic wolves. This preserve offers the opportunity to photograph wolves without any obstructions. It might be a bit costly, but it is worth it. The proceeds go the cost of feeding and vet bills for the animals.

Upon arrival, you will meet up with Dan, one of the co-owners. He looks a bit like Santa and has a loving personality like him. He will take you in his SUV up a long winding road through the Taylor Campground which the preserve is located. The wolves are separated into packs. My first shoot was with the Timber’s and Tundra’s. As we approach the fence, the wolves come running to see Dan. Dan has a magnificent relationship with each wolf. You can tell in their eyes, the wolves are happy in their environment. Dan is very helpful when taking pictures. I am not a photographer, (most who do this are) so Dan pointed out the best shots to take. He will throw dog treats to the animals so you can take good shots. Fall and winter is one of the best times to take photographs of the wolves. They are growing a thick winter coat and in the fall the foliage on the ground is a great backdrop. It is a bit overwhelming when the wolves approach you. Even though a fence separates you, the wolves will come right up to you to smell you. You are not allowed to touch the animals; it is New Jersey State law. It is very temping but if you do, Dan warned me he would have to stop the shoot.

Next stop are the Artic wolves, my favorite. Last winter I was in a wild animal preserve in Camp Verde, AZ and fell in love with Anika, an artic wolf. I love the white or near white coat they have. King and Autumn were very photogenic. I even got a picture of one howling and growling. Dan told me the best shots are when you catch their eyes.
It is very difficult, because wolves cannot be trained like dogs to sit and stay.

While we were there, another caretaker was giving the wolves their heartworm medication. It is very interesting how she was able to give the heartworm medicine without the other wolves steeling it. The alpha male and female will try to take any food first before any of the lower ranking wolves has a chance. One of the great things about wolves in a preserve, their life expectancy doubles from 7 years to 14 years because the caretaker will make sure the lower ranking wolves receive the same amount of food. In the wild, lower ranking wolves will die first because of starvation.
I took over 400 pictures in an hour and a half session. I did run out of film and space on my digital. I have some great shots I framed in my family room and out of this I have great memories of having the opportunity to meet these magnificent animals and to know my proceeds will go to their care.

After the photo shoot, I signed up for the Wolf Watch. This is what most visitors will do. Jim the other co-owner will take you to the center of the observation area and give you an informative speech about the wolves. You will be able to take pictures but it will be through a fence. You will not be able to take any unobstructed pictures on the wolf watch. Close

The area north of Sandy Hook is one of the best places to catch striped bass throughout the year. But during the hottest fishing months, the high spot between the channels called Flynn’s Knoll looks like a parking lot. The party boats are anchored up,…Read More

The area north of Sandy Hook is one of the best places to catch striped bass throughout the year. But during the hottest fishing months, the high spot between the channels called Flynn’s Knoll looks like a parking lot. The party boats are anchored up, brave lunatics in 15-foot rentals are bouncing in the swells, and weekend warriors are catching everybody’s lines in their props as they weave between the boats to try to find a spot. But after Labor Day the crowds tend to thin, just in time for the fall run.

The structure brings the fish, and the fish bring everybody else. Flynn’s Knoll breaks the raging current that runs through the channels around it. Lazy predators like striped bass wait for bait emptying out of the bay to be dumped over the hump. There are a lot of mussel and clam beds in the area as well; another natural bass attractant.

According to Russ Allen, principal fisheries biologist for the NJ Marine Fisheries Bureau, the population is healthy and large as it’s been in recent memory. There are a lot of year classes of fish that have come up very strong from the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, and those year classes are adding enormous amounts of fish to the population.

Environmental conditions always make a big difference on anadromous fish (saltwater fish that spawn in rivers). "There used to be a pollution block in the Delaware River system, and that really put a damper on how these fish spawn," says Allen. "That’s been gone for the last ten to twelve years now, so those year classes are going to be really strong."

This water between Ambrose Channel and Sandy Hook has produced some seventy fish days for Captain Shawn Goode of Strike Zone Charters (Highlands, NJ) over the last few years. Many anglers attribute the rising catches to better common sense in the recreational fishery, better regulations, and better methods of releasing fish unharmed. Fishermen are a lot smarter about catch and release than they used to be.

The current in this area is very strong and can be extremely exhausting for bass being fought on light tackle. According to Goode, fishermen should use 25 to 35 pound test if they are planning on releasing the fish. "Everyone wants to use light tackle, since it’s more sporting," says Goode. "But if you want to release the bass, you can’t give them a beating on 12 pound test. Especially if you’re anchored and dragging them into the current. The Knoll just kills them. They don’t recover well."

Different water temperatures call for different tactics between the channels throughout the year. And fishermen will need to adapt and follow the fish to catch consistently. The fish tend to move into that area in the springtime as the migration moves north and the spawners move into the Hudson River. Also, migratory fish (immature females) come from the Delaware Bay into that area to hang out as long as the water temperature is comfortable. As the water warms, schools of bunker also enter the area and the predators follow the food. Historically, large numbers of bass stay in the area through May, June, and early July. Then they join up with the migratory stock and head north to Massachusetts. As water temperatures cool, the main run returns in September.

Early in the season, Goode likes to troll. The bass are sluggish and often won’t move to follow bait, so fishermen need to troll to cover more ground. While trolling Goode watches the fish finder, looking for lumps with the arches behind them. He uses Julian’s spoons because they have a single hook that swings on a swivel. Spoons that have fixed treble hooks can rip a fish’s mouth while trolling. If you take any pressure off you lose the fish.

"There’s a technique to trolling," says Goode "When you’ve got spoons you’ve got to let them work. Bigger spoons need to pump three times, go down, and come back up. They look like a crippled bunker. You’ve got to find the right speed." Goode admits that trolling isn’t for everyone. Some people hate it. Other people don’t have the right equipment to use wire line. A wire line set up consists of longer rods (minimum 7 feet) with hardened guides so the wire doesn’t cut right through them. The standard reel for wire line trolling is the Penn 113.

As the water warms up and the bass season gets into full swing, most boats switch to clams. Fresh shucked clams on fish finder rigs work best, first thing in the morning. Let your bait sink, set your reel on standby and hold on.

According to Goode, the key is to chum heavy. He likes to use frozen buckets of clam bellies, or bunker when they are around. The chum bucket is a five-gallon pail with weights to keep it on the bottom and one-inch holes drilled in it. The bucket has got to be on the bottom, which is why you need so much weight. This is especially true on Flynn’s Knoll where the current is really strong. Early in the spring, the water is colder so the bait doesn’t thaw out as fast. In June it thaws out quick, and with a strong current, it can be gone in a half-hour.

Don’t overfeed the fish, but also don’t let the bucket go empty, or else you might lose the fish to another slick "Try to find your own spot further out," Goode says. "If all these people are chumming, I’m going behind, down current where all the fish will get the first shot at my bait."

This time of year, most boats switch to sandworms. According to Goode, the fish know local worms and they will outfish the bait flown in from Maine. He recommends digging them up in Sandy Hook with a pitch fork. "At the lowest tide, you can get them out on the bay side, across from the Crows Nest."

The problem with counting on sandworms from local shops during the late summer season is availability. Two unrelated factors throw off the supply. First, the workers in Maine that dig sandworms are the same people that pick blueberries. When the blueberry harvest is underway in Maine, no one is digging worms. The second factor that affects supply is tropical storms and hurricanes, which often happen to coincide with this time of year. The giant surf resulting from these storms will push the diggers off of the flats.

Another late season favorite is eels. Nighttime is most productive for this bait. Goode uses a four foot leader with a 12 inch dropper off a three-way swivel. According to Goode, eels are the bass’s arch enemy and eat their eggs. That’s one of the reason’s they are such effective baits. A lot of people like to smack the heads of the eels against the boat before baiting the hook to keep them from fouling the line. Goode doesn’t understand why anyone would pay almost two dollars for a live eel and then immediately kill it though. He recommends smacking the body of the eel up against the boat and stunning it. This will cripple the eel to keep it from wrapping around the leader without actually killing it.

Eels are more productive later in the fall, when there aren’t as many chopper blues in the water. Bluefish will bite eels in half and won’t get hooked. This can get expensive. Goode recommends grabbing eels with a rag and hooking them through the right gill and out the right eye. This prevents them from twisting. If you hook them through both eyes the eels will wrap around the line.

Despite the migratory nature of striped bass, there are some fish that stay in the area. Because the population is so big and spread out, some residential fish stay all year. So what keeps a fish in an area? Food. Bass will hang out in an area where there are bunker all year or some other food source. They’re lazy and tend not to move too much. The big schools will move, but not all of them will go.

No matter what season it is, the area will continue to hold fish and fishermen as long as successful conservation efforts are maintained. But so many people are out there doing the same things. The most important keys to separating yourself from the pack are timing and boat position. Beat the fleet, get out before the other boats, or go out late. Also, find places just outside of the main cluster to set up where the current will take your bait to the fish first. But remember, there are plenty of fish in the area. Why else would everybody be there?

The 2003 Red Bank International Film Festival (RBIFF) was put on by the Freedom Film Society, a group generally in their mid-twenties that are involved with the arts community and have careers. More than a few live with their parents. It’s a testament to the…Read More

The 2003 Red Bank International Film Festival (RBIFF) was put on by the Freedom Film Society, a group generally in their mid-twenties that are involved with the arts community and have careers. More than a few live with their parents. It’s a testament to the cost of living in a waterfront community across the Raritan Bay from New York City.

Susie Sefcik is the marketing director for the festival. The RBIFF doesn’t make enough through ticket sales to pay for itself, so Sefcik brings in money from local businesses, grant money, and T-shirt sales.

This opening night, Sefcik was stretched as thin as she looked. Her hopped-up gestures and the way her cell phone hung out from the front pocket of her denim jacket gave her away as the go-to gal for the evening. She raced between answering questions from the lobby staff while orchestrating events in the VIP room. The venue, The Count Baise Theater, is larger inside than it appears from the street, and opening night it was crawling with people she needed to visit. After the initial wave of ticket holders had been ushered into the first feature of the evening ("City of God"), I pulled Sefcik aside to ask her why in the hell anyone would do this for free.

"Film is great for expressing specific cultural and social phenomenon. It removes you from your state of being in a way that other art forms are challenged by," said Sefcik. "Having the audience in that state allows the filmmaker to penetrate with the story or idea in ways that would be more difficult for other art forms."

Something came up in the lobby that needed Sefcik’s attention, so she pawned me off onto the evening’s forthcoming live entertainment, a band called Rotting Moldy Flesh. They didn’t want to talk to me until they’d secured some free beer. Unfortunately for everyone, the beer wasn’t free that night.

I found that the operator of the Rotting Moldy Flesh’s sound setup and its Moog synthesizer, Don Yarosz, was happy to talk and have his picture taken after a few gulps of regular, non-free beer. Yarosz’ role is to create the textures of the sounds, rather than the thematic music (melody is out of the question). He’s also sort of the technical sidekick, the man in the background keeping the wires together.

"We live in a society that is based in consumerism. So I think it’s important to support anything that will get people to think a little deeper, use their imagination, and get excited about art," he said.

That night, Rotting Moldy Flesh provided surround-sound accompaniment to the German silent horror film, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." The film was actually a re-mastered DVD video of the film, as were many of the screenings over the weekend; convenience of transport and setup is more important for a low-key, low-budget festival than getting actual celluloid at greater expense.

Throughout the performance, band members focused on the movie with a super-human concentration. It was like jazz, in a way—improvised, but at the same time obviously scripted at many points. The musicians matched the strange tones to the action on-screen.

The next day (Saturday, October 4th) featured a whole bunch of great stuff at two of the smaller venues (Phoenix Productions and Synapse Studios).

Of the films I saw on Saturday, one of the best was "Night Cap" by a young Jersey resident named Brandon Kahn. Kahn, who hails from Point Pleasant, NJ, attracted a crowd of well wishers after the showing let out, fiercely attached to his new renown. Did they smell the potential for another Jersey breakout director? Kahn even looked like a skinny version of the local film hero, Kevin Smith.

Kahn told us it took him two weeks to write the script, three days to shoot, and then two months of editing to produce the fifteen-minute film. He had produced the movie for a class at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

"I was kind of broke, so I used my parents money and mine. It was like a three-way," said Kahn. "It cost $3,500 dollars to make because I shot it on Super 16mm stock. Video would have been a lot cheaper."

Kahn plans to send "Night Cap" to as many film festivals as he can afford. The entry fee to be considered for an event like this can run from $50 on up into the hundreds.

"If you send the film out to an editing house or a producer, they’re probably going to shut it off in the first scene," Kahn said. According to him, a big studio’s attitude would run something along the lines of, "We’re making ‘The Hulk’, fuck you."

Kahn is not trying to be a production assistant. "I tried that and I’m not good at it at all. I don’t have the ‘gofer’ mentality. I worked on a film in New York as an intern and realized that it wasn’t going to work out. That’s grunt work. You could do that at a 7-11. You just happen to be on a movie set. You make contacts, but in the end it just wasn’t my deal.

"Film is like the Voltron of Art," Kahn continued. "Bringing together writing, photography, music, and all this crap."

Saturday night also featured some animated shorts, hand-picked by Bill Plympton, famous for his MTV work and some ads he did for GEICO insurance. He has a new feature film coming out soon called "Hair High."

I pulled Plympton aside for an interview during the Saturday night RBIFF after-party held at Red Bank’s Nirvana clothing store. He was extremely giving with his time, especially considering that he’d figured me out. Yes, I admitted, I was a hack, in it for the beer and the cartoons, but to Bill’s credit, he didn’t really seem to have a problem with that.

Plympton explained that there are good festivals and bad ones. The savvy filmmaker knows the difference—which ones have the best audiences, the best parties. He also explained that some of the major festivals don’t really appreciate animation.

Interestingly, all of the films that Plympton picked for his segment of the festival don’t use actual dialogue, but instead rely on visual storytelling and unique soundtracks.

"Independent filmmakers have a difficult time making a living, making their films," explained Plympton. "So to increase their value, they sell them overseas to France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Korea, wherever. That’s why I encourage young filmmakers to make films that don’t have a lot of dialogue."

"I have a lot of hints for young people to get into animation. Make it short. Make it inexpensively; you can do that with computers now. And make it funny. If you can answer those three requirements, your film will be successful. I think there are a lot of people out there who are looking for the next South Park or the next Simpsons."

I asked Plympton whether or not he’d considered crossing over into live-action, considering the success of live-action movies done by animators like Mike Judge (responsible for "Office Space").

"I tried two live-action films and they were complete bombs," he said, not even going so far as mention their names or anything about them. Other than, "They failed so badly," and, "It’s really expensive."

According to Plympton, "The problem with live-action is that you lose control. You can’t control the weather, the actors, or the movement. I’ll probably stick with animation."

More features played on Sunday, but I just waited for the after-party/awards ceremony held upstairs at Ashes, a cigar lounge and restaurant in Red Bank. I had been swept away by all this glamour, the convictions of the people volunteering, the Vegan hors d’oeuvres, the kegs of free Belgian beer. Yes, I had become an independent film buff, even if my attendance rate of the actual films was less impressive than my loyalty to the after-parties.

I vowed that night to stay in touch with these people and to send them copies of the magazine (I’d hinted at The New Yorker) that my story would most likely appear in. I also vowed to actually sit down and write this article to redeem my karma points for not paying a red cent all weekend. To that end, I volunteered to join the Freedom Film Society, offering my services as writer, consultant, and film aficionado. Not to mention, it would be the only way I could possibly get in for free next year.

This unassuming sounding little stop serves truly excellent food with a gourmet flair. The seafood is the freshest you will find on Jersey shore, but I must warn you: you will pay a little more for this ultimate experience in take-out seafood dining. Rated #1…Read More

This unassuming sounding little stop serves truly excellent food with a gourmet flair. The seafood is the freshest you will find on Jersey shore, but I must warn you: you will pay a little more for this ultimate experience in take-out seafood dining.


Rated #1 "Best Seafood to Go"(Shore Issue)by Philadelphia Magazine, it's quite popular by regulars of Seven Mile Island.

You might want to start with some Blue Claw Clab fingers, served with an unusual mustard sauce($8.95). Then, some steamed clams would be great for a group--you get 100 clams for $36.95. They also offer u-peel shrimp, clams casino, clams on half shell, marinated portabellas ,and mushroom stuffed with crab.

If you like soups (as I do), you will love their signature Seafood Cream Crab Bisque--rich creamy base, with lots and lots of crab, and finished with a touch of sherry. (I could live on this soup.) A quart goes for $16.95. They also offer homemade clam chowder (both types) at $9.95 a quart.

Order any type of broiled and/or fried seafood you can imagine: crabcake, shrimp, scallops, sea bass, orange roughy, flounder, oysters, softshells, yellow-fin tuna, swordfish, bluefish and lobster and they serve it up piping hot and crisp-fried. All priced between $12.95 to $22.95 (for stuffed lobster tail).

For a lighter menu, you can grab some; lobster tail stuffed with crab salad, homemade tuna salad (not from a can!), Chicken Salad Veronique, or Shrimp Salad.

Finish off with a fresh fruit pie, luscious Key Lime Pie, or a fresh fruit salad. Got the munchies? Try mango salsa, guacamole, or fresh baked breads. And of course they carry fresh Jersey corn and tomatoes (in season).

Call ahead, so your order is ready to pick up when you get there.
609/967-3909
29th and the Bay
Avalon,New Jersey

If you plan to spend a week or more in Atlantic City, hanging out in a time share resort, you may want to jot down some of this information which will help in making your stay more enjoyable. The very first thing I had sworn…Read More

If you plan to spend a week or more in Atlantic City, hanging out in a time share resort, you may want to jot down some of this information which will help in making your stay more enjoyable. The very first thing I had sworn to recommend to everyone is that you must, absolutely must have pizza from Papa John’s . They will deliver, should the weather be totally inclement as it was the day we enjoyed it. A large pizza will cost you $9.99, it will be piping hot when it arrives and so fresh, it’s impossible to resist emptying the box. Pacific Avenue is peppered with pizza places, but this is the one.

You will need to stock your refrigerator with all sorts of goodies, and as I mentioned, you have the pick of the litter as far as Asian grocers go. However, for your basic, all purpose needs, though a bit farther from the Sands Casino than other grocers, is Casel’s Supermarket . It’s on Ventnor Avenue, and spills over into the Margate City area; address is 8008 Ventnor and the phone# is 609- 823-2741. They were open when most others were closed. Starbucks is right across the street, should you need a caffeine fix.

Also, before you go, please check this page , where you can print discount coupons for entertainment, attractions, services, and lodging.

In the mood for lunch with a visit to the new Imax? During the week, Tropicana is luring you to chow down at one of their new restaurant offerings in the Quarter, coupled with either a show at the Imax, or one of their own revues. The cost for the deal is only $15.00!! This promotion will expire on 2/25/2006.

If the day or night calls for snuggling on the couch and going through a couple of movies, you will not be wanting for video stores. Take note that there is a healthy interest in porn in the area, and some stores cater to this taste exclusively. The one we found on Pacific Avenue had some good titles, but requested a $20 deposit for each DVD. Outrageous? Absolutely, but when push came to shove, we gave in. You do get your money back when you return them. For live, face-to-face, entertainment spend at least five to ten minutes on the boardwalk. You will find men and or women singing, decked out in season appropriate suiting. There are always live attractions on the boardwalk, along with sidewalk vendors; I especially enjoy ogling the displays of jewelry and other trinkets. There is more of this naturally, during the summer months.

Atlantic City has its own international airport, though I’ve never arrived by flying in. The Philadelphia airport is another option, if you don’t mind the drive. There are buses coming into Atlantic City from the entire tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT) as well as NJ’s Metro North Rail.

After 16 years of staying in Ocean City, I have to say I'm a pretty seasoned veteran. Sadly, this year the house my family has stayed in for many many years was sold. It was definitely the least attractive house on the street, so the…Read More

After 16 years of staying in Ocean City, I have to say I'm a pretty seasoned veteran. Sadly, this year the house my family has stayed in for many many years was sold. It was definitely the least attractive house on the street, so the other half will most likely be sold and the whole thing will be torn down, and a house will be built which will cost close to three times the amount to rent. So my hopes of ever getting to stay on the 900 block(closest to the beach), at a reasonable price are gone for now.Anyway, back to 2nd street, the best in town (in my opinion). Being on the north end of the boardwalk, you get the close to quiet, but still the easy access to the boardwalk. The beach is of course crowded as you'd expect, but it's one of the larger beaches, so there's still room for wiffle ball. There's also a nice Catholic church within walking distance.Breakfast, lunch, dinner? Brown's, famous especially for its donuts, is just one street away on the boardwalk. Also the spot for water ice breaks! Parking is usually provided by the house. My favorite house is on pylons, so there's plenty of room under the house for around four or five cars.

Well as you can tell, I'm a loyal fan to 2nd street, but who wouldn't be? Try it!Close