My beach life in Asbury Park, NJ

Magda in Asbury Park NJ
Helmut Lang leather jacket, Supreme backpack, Moschino checkered sneaks and sunnies by Freeway. Frizzy hair by the Atlantic Ocean.

It has been over one year since I came to the realization that this clotheshorse needs to stop buying clothing and accessories. These purchases which used to do more for me than psychotherapy, simply don’t make my heart sing as they once did. I own too much shit, which at times overwhelms me. The more crap you own, the more hemmed in you feel. It does zero for my fengshui, is a waste of money, a scourge on this planet and then when you croak, all your shit becomes someone else’s shit. Is it time to Kondo as in Marie?

Don’t get me wrong… I will always love fashion, dissect it and talk about it. I just don’t need to own so much STUFF. This January, I made a resolution which I divulged to my closest friends, that I plan on halving my fashion-buying budget. They rolled their eyes in disbelief. That was then and this is now…5 months later in May and I haven’t bought a dang thing until this weekend. 

I needed a beach getaway in Asbury Park, NJ, a historic city on the beach in much maligned and rightfully so, NJ. Yes, I despise NJ, but Asbury in an anomaly. It is branded as Manhattan on the beach. There are great restaurants, a board walk, shops, beautiful homes and is very walkable. People are artsy and nice. It is my unofficial home away from home and less than two hours from where I reside. I usually stay at The Berkeley Ocean Hotel which is across the street from the boardwalk. My favorite thing about Asbury is the array of cultural events. At least 3 nights a week, one can find entertainment. A few days before I arrived last Friday, I researched all the music venues to find a band to see. I settled on…ok wait….this rules…ELVANA, a Elvis-fronted Nirvana cover band, playing at Wonder Bar. The tickets were only $15–a steal. 

Elvana in Asbury Park NJ
Lead singer of Elvana. I was completely mesmerized by his red checkered Vans. His outfit matches my fuchsia velvet turban.

Their high-energy set amazed me. The lead singer is hilarious, and enjoys torturing his bass guitarist by grinding his balls up against him, well, because bass players are introverts. I too enjoy torturing introverts.
What was very heart warming about that evening is how civil everyone was. People from NJ are not the nicest people. So I was shocked when everyone yielded so that I could get to the stage and rock out. 

Ok, let’s get back to the topic of shopping in Asbury. There are lots of great shops and vintage stores. Antique Emporium on Cookman Avenue is a fabulous repository of vintage goods that you won’t find elsewhere. There were about 10 different lamps I wanted. But of course, I love hats. I need another freaking hat like I need to eat fried dough with the hoi-poloi in Seaside Heights. Seaside has been a den of mockery ever since I was a kid. Anyway, I bumped into this fuschia pleated turban by DEBORAH EXCLUSIVE.  At $45, this hat was calling out to me and a steal. I immediately placed that vintage  beaut on my head and didn’t take her off the entire weekend. Having spent only $45 almost 5 months into 2019 is nothing short of a miracle. Well done, Pretty Cripple.

Is this a great turban or what? You must visit Antique Emporium.
Richard Nixon Now more than ever
My friend bought this print of President Richard Nixon (Tricky Dick) at the Emporium because why not? It cracked us up. Plus my friend’s name is DICK. Yup, every girl needs a dick in her life. Ouch! That was too easy to pass up.
The last guy I expected to see on the boardwalk was this magician, “Dork of Deception.” I loved his short act, so I had to give him a hug.

I recommend eating at Modine. The cocktails, atmosphere and food is scrumptious. I had the steak tartare, smoked fried chicken and “Davin 75” cocktail. (Gunpowder Gin, Prosecco, Simple and Angosturro Bitters).

Modine. The staff is wonderful as is the wheelchair accessibility.

I plan on going back to Asbury in July and then again in August for my birthday. The 80s punk band, Social Distortion, is playing at the Stone Pony. 
What are your plans this summer? I am always happiest at the beach. That salt air makes my skin so damn dewy and hair a wee bit frizzy. Yippee!


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1 Comment

  1. Great post!

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