Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 13-15, 2014

By Greg Kelly

Friday, June 13

• Air Supply at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Fine Art & Craft Show at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Campfire on the Beach at Sandy Hook – MORE INFO

• Butler at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Oceanport Lions Club Strawberry Festival – MORE INFO

• NJ Seafood Festival (Belmar) – MORE INFO

• All My Sons at Center Playhouse (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Hit the Road, Jack at First Ave Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Third at Two River Theater (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Atlantic Highlands Farmer’s Market – MORE INFO

• Kids Night Out (Fair Haven) – MORE INFO

• Dr. George Sheehan 5k Classic (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Laugh 4 a Cause with Mike Marino (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Spring into Summer Book Sale (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• Ocean Grove Tent Revival Meeting – MORE INFO

• Nelson Riveros Trio (Matawan) – MORE INFO

• Online Travel Planning Class (Middletown) – MORE INFO

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Seastreak and NJDOT providing relief for Pulaski Skyway commuters

The northbound lanes of the Pulaski Skyway are closed for two years as the bridge is reconstructed.  The anticipated nightmare for commuters starts this morning.

file photo by Art Gallaghernightmare for commuters starts today.

Seastreak, LLC, and the New Jersey Department of Transportation have partnered to provide a pleasant alternative for Central Jersey commuters to get to Hoboken or Jersey City and home again daily.

Seastreak  has two morning departures, 5:45 and 7:45, from the Atlantic Highlands Marina with stops at Paulus Hook in Jersey City and Hoboken.  There are three returning departures originating in Hoboken at 3:15 pm, 5:15 pm and 7:15 PM.  The fare for a one-way trip to or from either Hudson County terminal and Atlantic Highlands is $12. $5 gets you a ride to or from Jersey City and Hoboken.

The subsidized fare is a bargain.  Seastreak’s one-way fare to Manhattan is $26.  The fare for a trip on a NJTransit train from Middletown to Hoboken is $14.25, and the train takes longer.

The complete schedule can be viewed here.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 27-29, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Courtesy of Teddy Bears by the Shore

Friday, December 27

• Hunger Games Meets the Olympics (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• A Wind in The Willows Christmas at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Open Skating (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• The Nutcracker Extra Performance (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Growing History for the Holidays (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• “A Day OFF from School is a Day ON at the MAC” (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Monmouth County Parks Weekend Things to Do – MORE INFO

• Library Lego Party (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• After-Holiday Sales at Jersey Shore Premium Outlets (Tinton Falls) – MORE INFO

• Open Swim (Middletown) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 20-22, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Friday, December 20

* Free Family A Cappella Holiday Concert (Highlands) MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Handel’s Messiah (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Wearable, Usable, Functional Art Show & Sale (Belmar) – MORE INFO

• Happy Holidays One-Act Plays at The Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Club MAC with Miss Maria & Friends (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Community Christmas Caroling (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Nicole Atkins at The Stone Pony (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• A Wind in The Willows Christmas at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Meet Kathy Wakile at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Wind in the Willows at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Yoga for Adults (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 13-15, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, December 14

• InfoAge Holiday Spectacular & Train Display (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• The Street Heat Sole & Style Expo (Manalapan) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge The Musical at Premier Theatre (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• Jungle Bell 5k Run/Walk (Lake Como) – MORE INFO

• The Nutcracker at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Santa Train (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Festive Flutes (Neptune) – MORE INFO

• Candlelight House Tour (Keyport) – MORE INFO

• CODA’s The Nutcracker at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Christmas Lantern Tours at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• McDermott’s Handy: A Celtic Christmas (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Open Shoot Archery (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, December 6-8, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, December 7

• Scrooge at Spring Lake Community Theatre – MORE INFO

• Holidays Shopping Boutique (Rumson) – MORE INFO

• NYC Radio City Christmas Spectacular via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• A Christmas Carol by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Christmas from the Emerald Isle (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Middlemen at NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• A Shop Around The Corner at First Ave. Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• AAUW Used Book Sale (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO

• Christmas Sing-a-Long (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

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Kids ride free on Seastreak

Children aged 12 or under cruise to New York on Seastreak for free when accompanied by a full fare paying adult, under a promotion that lasts through Memorial Day by the sponsor of our weekly Things to do in Monmouth County feature.

Seastreak is encouraging families to explore New York during the winter months. During these trips, Seastreak’s ferry service from Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey will be docking at Pier 11 and at East 35th Street in New York City, which will provide access to attractions such as Grand Central Station’s Train Show or Radio City Music Hall during the holidays.

The scenery on the cruise to New York from Sandy Hook Bay is itself a fabulous attraction.

Seastreak has 13 departure times from New Jersey to New York on weekdays and five departure times on weekends.  A complete schedule is available online at http://seastreak.com/nynjschedules.aspx.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County This Weekend

By Greg Kelly

Saturday, November 2

• New Jersey Women’s Expo (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Watching Stars & Meteors (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• Brighton Beach Memoirs by Monmouth Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO

• The Tricky Part at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Impolite Comedy at First Avenue Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Free Caregiver Retreat (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Woods Hollow Classic Mountain Bike Race (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• First Saturday in Asbury Park – MORE INFO

• Create a Decorative Thanksgiving Plate (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Beauty and the Beach 5-Mile (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• National Theatre of London: 50 Years on Stage (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Stocking Stuffer Sale at Allaire Village – MORE INFO

• Trinity Hall H.S. Open House (Leonardo) – MORE INFO

• Arsenic & Old Lace by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• “Vintage Hitchcock” by NINE Theatricals (Hazlet) – MORE INFO

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Chasing an Army Legend at West Point

By Greg Kelly

It was a perfect day for football. In fact, perfection was improved upon that day because I got a boat ride and talked to a US Army icon. Just recently I had the great pleasure of visiting the US Military Academy at West Point, New York to see a college football game.

Making the superb trip with me were my brother and sister and we got there thanks to first class service from Seastreak ferry. I highly recommend the excursion. It offers up an exciting and enlightening atmosphere for sports fans of all ages.

The day began with a sublime boat ride from the NJ bayshore to New York—a calm, cool, and colorful morning voyage. All the way north, the outdoor air was brisk and the banks of the Hudson River were awash in stunning Fall colors (with photo opportunities galore).

When we arrived at West Point with a full boat, it looked like the game at the 38,000-seat Michie Stadium was also very well attended. Most impressive to me was the section of cheering US Army cadets, looking sharp in their white hats and shirts, bathed in brilliant sunlight.

I had heard that during Army’s glory years, in the 1940s and 50s, college football ruled supreme as America’s leading fan sport. Back then it was common for national newspapers to run several full pages of news and photos on big college football teams like Army. Now I see why.

In Army’s 50-25 blasting of Eastern Michigan University on October 12, junior running back Terry Baggett rushed for a school record 304 yards and 4 touchdowns (including a 96-yarder). We saw history. It was the first 300-yard rushing game in Army’s 120+ years of football.

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Fall Cruises On The Hudson

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

Approaching or leaving lower Manhattan by water never gets old for me. If you start getting used to it, just look closer.

If you are ready to be really moved by an enormity of natural and human wonders, present and historical, stay on the Seastreak Ferry when departs from Pier 11 any Saturday or Sunday morning this month for a guided tour of the Hudson River.  Paul Rush provides the educational and humorous narrative to the cruise.

Seastreak, our sponsor of Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, departs from Highlands every Saturday and Sunday in October at 8:45am, stops at Pier 11 in lower Manhattan to pick up Rush and more passengers if there is room on the boat,  and heads up the Hudson to Bear Mountain  for Oktoberfest revelers and Cold Spring, NY for antiquers and strollers.

The leaves were just beginning to turn when Lori and I took the trip last Sunday.  We opted to pass on the mile uphill walk to Oktoberfest (and the downhill walk after 4.5 hours of drinking) to explore Cold Spring.  Whichever destination you choose, the best part of the trip is the journey.  All the more so now that the leaves are turning.

The return journey starts at 3:30 when the boat departs Cold Spring, picks up the wobbly revelers at Bear Mountain at 4, and culminates with sunset over the Raritan Bay before docking at Highlands at around 6:15.

It’s  not the destination that matters. It’s the change of scene. ~ Brian Eno

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