I love crabs. I’ve never been crabbing but I do purchase live crabs and steam them myself. When I saw that a new restaurant called Steamers had opened at the old location of Stumpo’s (and before that the Sailfish) in Margate, I had to check it out. The ad in Atlantic City Weekly said they had jumbo crabs. Newly opened on June 21, I checked out the place last Sunday with my Mom. I’ll be writing a full review later, but I wanted to let fellow blue claw crab fans to know they really did have jumbo crabs, reasonably priced at $6 each. After a filling appetizer, I ordered three and could only eat 1½. The reach on the crab pictured is 17”. I had the other 1½ the next night for dinner. The crabs were delicious, so sweet and perfectly cooked. I’ll give you the web address but the site isn’t up yet.

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While doing research on area fireworks for the holiday, I came across this delightful Web site that lets you put on your on fireworks show over Cape May. Check it out.

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It has become a lot harder to root for our hometown baseball team, the Atlantic City Surf, after the abrupt firings last Friday of public relations director Chuck Betson and assistant GM Jeff Ball. Betson was with the team since the beginning in 1998. Ball, with six years of service, managed the team for three years and has the best record of any Surf manager. Both deserved better.

No matter what turmoil was going on behind the scenes, Betson has never said a bad word about the organization, and always looked on the bright side when it came to the franchise’s chance of survival in this difficult market. Ball was a good soldier even after he was promised another year as manager and then was replaced as manager. Given a job in the front office, which he tackled with the same enthusiasm he brought as manager, Ball talked about his shock and disappoint about his dismissal this morning (Tuesday, June 26) with radio host Harry Hurley. Even with this chance to vent, Ball’s criticisms were mild. His biggest jab at owner Mark Shuster was that, “He’s never here.”
Chuck Betson, a long time friend and a columnist here at Atlantic City Weekly, has already been fielding job offers but as of the moment, plans to relax and enjoy his summer for the first time in a decade. It is the Surf team that will suffer from the loss of these dynamic and loyal baseball men.

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A memorial for an American WWII pilot in England on the Fourth of July? Read all about the story of Atlantic City native John Pershing Perrin, and the planned upcoming memorial. Very interesting stuff.

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A little late, New York magazine, but so what? Props to the mag for giving Atlantic City props in its current Weekend Travel Guide. Even AC Weekly gets some cred. This should be a busy summer season down here at the Jersey Shore with several new entertainment and dining venues, a Boardwalk that's getting tidied up, a stellar concert line-up for the season, and the beautiful beaches. A train connecting NYC with A.C. directly is still slated to debut later this year.

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With summer officially upon us, and inspired by the adorable surfing penguins in Surf’s Up, I’ve put together a quick list of my favorite surfing movies. They are:

Big Wednesday (1978)
Step Into Liquid (2003)
The Endless Summer (1966)

The Endless Summer is the Big Kahuna of surfing documentaries; in fact it created the genre. I can’t tell you how many times The Endless Summer was presented by area surf shops and other local surfing organizations over the decades. Basically a bunch of surfers are shown traveling from beach to beach in pursuit of the perfect wave. While the Beach Boys provided the music for the surfing generation, filmmaker Bruce Brown created the images that brought a mostly West Coast-centered culture around the globe.

Dana Brown, the son of Endless Summer director Bruce Brown, has followed those big footprints his dad left in the sand. Step Into Liquid is a movie that successfully captures the Tao of surfing for the new millennium with awesome images and surfing fanatics. Surfers express their passion for riding waves from the breathtaking heights of Cortez in the Pacific, to the wake of super tankers on the Texas gulf. It might be sacrilegious to say it, but Step Into Liquid is a more visually impressive flick and therefore tops Endless Summer as the most visually stunning surfing flick. Read my interview with Brown here.
Big Wednesday is, hands down, the best drama that ever captured the true soul of surfers. Set in the Vietnam area, this cult favorite directed by John Milius stars Jan Michael Vincent, William Katt, and Gary Busey. They are lifelong pals from California who dream of facing the perfect wave, and in later years must face growing up, the draft and trying to find their place in the world as adults, while retaining their passion for the big waves. The surfing footage is superb with real life surf legend Perry Lopez as a co-star.

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Fans of Legends in Concert, currently showing at Resorts Atlantic City, will be happy to know that the show is not leaving town after its final Resorts show June 30. The show is moving down the Boardwalk to Resorts’ sister casino, the Hilton, on Monday, July 2 through Wednesday, July 25. Tickets are available here. Pictured is Lewis Lipinsky, who did a killer impression of Jerry Lee Lewis last summer.

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After I gave Bruce Willis his props in a recent blog for acknowledging his South Jersey roots, I found out he is coming to perform in A.C. The Bruce Willis Blues Band is slated to open for Joe Walsh at the Borgata Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 4 at 8pm. Willis, of course will be packing a harmonica—not as gun—when he comes to town. Tickets are now on sale on the Borgata site

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You can’t beat a chance to have some good eats outdoors while Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes are playing some tasty licks. Thanks to the efforts of Tony Sbarra, the Atlantic City Seafood Festival continued under a new organizational umbrella this year. The venue moved from Gardner’s Basin to the parking area at Bernie Robbins Stadium. So, while the bayside ambiance was gone, the good food and good music continued.

The seafood moniker was a bit of a misnomer, since there were equal parts landlubber grub and seafood. The variety of seafood was not as abundant as earlier festivals; there were no raw bar items for example and no lobster. However, there was a big line-up to grab crab cake sandwiches from one of the new sponsors, Phillips Seafood, and Chickie & Pete’s famous crab fries were a new item. The prices were reasonable and there was plenty of seating under a large tent. I enjoy six delicious coconut shrimp for $6 and from Dave’s Famous Barbecue, three ribs and one side dish for just $5. That, plus the chance to see Southside Johnny singing with his distinctive rasp, was worth the long walk from the parking lot on the Skate Zone side of Bernie Robbins Stadium.

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Rascal Flatts, the top vocal group in country music at the moment, has announced a tour stop at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The boys are coming Thursday, Aug. 23. The show time, and when tickets go on sale has not yet been announced. Other recent additions to the AC concert schedule are Chris Issak Aug. 2 at the House of Blues and also at the Blues, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic on Sept. 20. Tickets for the latter go on sale this Wednesday, June 20.

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In the current issue of Entertainment Weekly, Die Hard was named the best action movie of all time. What caught my eye was Bruce Willis’ interview in which he gave props to growing up in South Jersey for his performance. Although born in Germany (he was an army brat), he grew up in Penns Grove, NJ in Salem County. Explained Willis,

“I’d only been in L.A. for a couple of years. I was still learning how to act, so most of what went into John McClane … was the South Jersey Bruce Willis — that attitude and disrespect for authority.”

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When the California to Atlantic City Race Across America bicycle race arrives in Atlantic City after 3,052 miles this Sunday, June 17, the defending corporate team champions should be the favorites to win it all. That team, Team Type 1, is a group of elite cyclists who all have a medical condition that can terrify any of us who have been given the diagnosis. They are type 1 diabetics. Instead of living with self-imposed restrictions, these talented athletes prove that living with diabetes doesn’t have to be a life lived in fear, whether you have type 1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes) or type 2 (adult onset) diabetes.
Riders in Team Type 1 have a collective total of 161 years managing Type 1 diabetes, and have taken more than one million finger sticks and hundreds of thousands of insulin shots. However, they haven’t let this stop them from achieving their goals.

This is important to know, especially for young people who have just found out they have the disease, or for the many diabetics who don’t test their blood sugar because they can’t be bothered. Testing your blood sugar and taking your insulin or pills can prevent the major complications of diabetes. Those complications, like amputations, kidney failure and blindness are not inevitable. You can do something. I was first diagnosed in January of 2003 after I went to my eye doctor because my eyesight had suddenly gone blurry. My fasting blood sugar was 500 (it should be 120 or under). I didn’t want to lose my eyes. It took me about a year to get my blood sugar under control, but I’ve kept it under control ever since.
The members of Team Type 1 are an inspiration to everyone living with diabetes Come on out to the Atlantic City Boardwalk this Sunday to cheer them and the rest of the riders of the Race Across America. Learn more here.

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As if you needed another reason to attend this weekend's Atlantic City Seafood Festival, right? Well, fans of the Jersey Shore sound will be coming from all over for Saturday night's performance by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. This is Southside Johnny's only A.C. show scheduled for 2007. It's just $5 to get into the fest - quite a good price to hear this legendary band. (Photo: Matt Hagy; southsidejohnny.com)

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After deciding to get weight loss surgery and finding a doctor, the first phase of preparing for the surgery has begun. In order to qualify with my insurance carrier, Aetna, I began my three-month diet/exercise/behavior program. First comes the visit with the dietician. Turns out the diet is the diabetic exchange program I used when I was first diagnosed as diabetic 4 years ago. I lost 40lbs back then, but hit a plateau. After three months of diet and exercise that didn’t get me past that plateau, I threw in the towel and gradually gained the weight back.
This time I know that there is surgery at the end of rainbow to help get me past that brick wall of frustration. I hope to lose at least 25lbs. before surgery in the fall.
So far so good, down four pounds this week.
Next up is a visit to evaluate my nutrition and behavior; they need to know I’m not depressed or crazy. This should be interesting. Hopefully the snail on my ticker below will be moving in the next two months.

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We knew she was coming to town, but the date has finally been announced for Beyonce’s appearance at the Trump Taj Mahal. She arrives Saturday, August 11 for a show in the Mark G. Etess Arena. Tickets range from $96.25 to $126.95. An internet pre-sale for fan club members begins this Friday, June 15 at noon with the sale to the general public scheduled for Saturday, June 16, beginning at 10am from Ticketmaster.

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The Phillies have been even more maddening than usual this season. They had that horrible 3-11 start, then won 21 out of 31 games after that. When they are good they are a tremendous offensive team. Their pitching has been a total rollercoaster except for Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and, until he was hurt, Brett Meyers.
As a fan it has got to drive you to drinkin’ when the Phils sweep the Braves in Atlanta then come home and lose 5 of 7. That’s why I decided a sweep of the Mets in New York was the only way I would keep watching. Of course they did that, then lost two of three against the lowly KC Royals. Then they come home and sweep the White Sox, including a start by Double A call-up Kyle Kendricks (pictured) and Cole Hamels’ ninth win.
With such up and down pitching, and the injuries to Freddy (The Stiff) Garcia, Tom Gordon and Brett Meyers, it is hard to fathom how this team can really get on a roll. However, with all the runs they score, maybe the offensive can compensate for the mixed bag starting pitching. The good news is that the bullpen has improved from bullbleep to decent lately. Thanks to the recent Mets swoon, the Phils are right in the mix for the division title, can you believe it.

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Here are the latest additions to the AC entertainment schedule.
Jersey’s own Joe Piscopo has been announced for 12 dates at Resorts in July beginning July 4–6. At the Borgata, comic Artie Lange performs at the Music Box on Friday, July 13. Chris Cornell arrives Friday, July 27; The Black Crowes perform Sunday, Aug. 12 at the Event Center (on sale 6/16), and the Saw Doctors headline that same day at the Music Box. Roseanne Barr will bring her occasionally blue rumor to the House of Blues Saturday, Oct. 6.
Pictured are the Black Crowes (© Def American Records // Photo credit: Mark Seliger)

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Here is a link to a whole bunch of pictures from the Alley Cat Allies Feline Frenzy that took place in our area last weekend. 49 feral cats and 19 strays and kittens were spayed and neutered. The kittens will be put up for adoption; the adult cats were returned to their colony at Buzby Village in Chelsea Heights.

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Sunday at 5am I was setting up traps in an Atlantic City apartment complex to catch feral cats so that they could be checked for diseases, vaccinated and spayed or neutered. It was all part of the Feline Frenzy TNR (trap neuter release) organized by the Alley Cat Allies organization of Maryland to help control the feral cat population in the city. As the sun rose, the cats came out while the seagulls checked out the action.
This was my first time volunteering for Alley Cat Allies, who have been doing a great job controlling the cat population along the Atlantic City Boardwalk for the past six years. Saturday afternoon I learned how to bait and set the traps, but our efforts in the afternoon were not as successful. It turns out that mad dogs and kitty cats don’t go out in the noonday sun. (Pictured is a cat who was spayed; her kittens will be found new homes.)

Volunteers Alex and Herb came all the way from Reading, Pa. to participate. Alex has her own rescue group in Reading and went down to New Orleans to help with animal rescues during the Katrina aftermath. She taught me a year’s worth of feral cat dos and don’ts Saturday afternoon. Lisa, from Raleigh, N.C., is from the Humane Society, and volunteered as part of her East Coast vacation. She was going to New York City next. Amanda is a volunteer who has helped trap the cats on the Boardwalk.
While we were trapping, the frenzy got in full swing at the Best Friends Animal Hospital at the Festival Mall in Mays Landing where close to 100 cats will be spayed or neutered by Dr. Suzanna Brown and her staff by the end of today, then returned to their colonies.
Some people prefer that feral cats are caught and euthanized but that isn’t necessary. By making sure the cats don’t reproduce, the cat population is stabilized.
An article in the Press yesterday (Sunday) brought up a current dispute about endangered birds and the feral cat population in Cape May. A member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was quoted as saying that “Cats are not native to North America.”
Yeah, pal, and the people that brought them over to America, namely our founding fathers, aren’t native to North America either. I hope that the U.S. Wildlife Service and the city of Cape May can find a solution that doesn’t involved killing the cats.
I want to thank Elena and Jessica and all the other hard-working members of Allied Cat Allies for allowing me to participate in this wonderful program. I’m going to put my newly learned cat trapping skills to further use by volunteering for the regular TNR Boardwalk program.

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In close proximity to the area of the Pine Barrens where last month's wildfire started — scorching over 17,000 acres of forest in Burlington and Ocean counties — opened Pitch Pine cones have been displaying brilliant flame-red colors. AC Weekly's very own Bill Beck snapped this shot a week ago just south of Warren Grove. More pics here.

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CBS has had so much E-mail support for their canceled series Jericho, it is no longer canceled. Jericho is coming back for seven new episodes, sometime mid-season. The fan protests also included sending 50,000 pounds of nuts to CBS' New York office. In the series when another town wanted Jericho to surrender, the reply was, "Nuts!"
In the meantime CBS will re-air the series this summer. Check this out and also visit the CBS site and my earlier Jericho blogs under television on this site.

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Please help my friend Sally. She has 12 cats and she needs to find homes for her latest litter of five. She has four male kittens 2 black, 2 grey and white tabbies, and one female grey and white tabby. They are all healthy and adorable, about 11 weeks old. Pictured are Spunky(left), Sawyer (black, below), Nosy (right) and wrestling, Kate and Sparky. And yes, I am a fan of Lost. You can contact Sally at 609-646-7545 weekdays after 4pm.

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The Pier Shops at Caesars will unveil two new stores this month, our area’s first Mulberry store and the Larimar-AVEDA Lifestyle Salon and Spa.
Mulberry, is a luxury leather goods company. Created by English craftsmen, Mulberry accessories are handmade of the finest leathers. At the new store, customers will be able to customize the color and leather of their bags, as well as have it engraved with their initials.
Located on the 1st level, Larimar- AVEDA Lifestyle Salon and Spa is a world-renowned spa that offers a wide range of premier beauty services. This is the first salon and spa to debut at The Pier Shops. For more info on The Pier Shops go here.

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Borgata has added more summer concerts including 311 on Saturday, Aug. 4 in the Event Center; ZZ Top on Monday, July 23 in the Event Center and Frankie Valli Friday, Aug. 24 to Sunday, Aug. 26 in the Music Box. Tickets go on sale on the Borgata Web site this Saturday, June 9. Pre-sale and VIP packages are available on the ZZ Top Web site this Thursday, June 7.

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My nephew Ryan looks a lot like Sean Rogan. I'm not the only one who thinks so. When the 40-Year-Old Virgin was first released, Ryan's friends and co-workers started calling him Cal, the character played by Rogan. Now that Rogan is starring as Ben in Knocked Up, I expect Ryan to have people start calling him Ben. The pictures (of Rogan, below, and Ryan, right) don't tell the entire story. Ryan talks a lot like the characters played by Rogan, has the same chunky build and has a similar goofy demeanor, not to mention that his love of Star Wars and video games also connects him to the characters played by Rogan.

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If you’re a fan of the big red comedy machine, a.k.a. Carrot Top, here’s good news. He will be coming to Atlantic City to perform Saturday, Aug. 11 at Trump Marina. Tickets are $34.70 and $46.10 plus tax and fee, and go on sale this Saturday, June 9, at noon via Ticketmaster.
At the Borgata, the WIP radio connection continues. Besides WIP sports radio hosts Howard Eskin and Anthony Cataldi doing live remotes from the casino, regular contributors Joe Conklin and overnight host Big Daddy Graham (pictured at right) have been booked into the Music Box. The show is titled “Two Funny Philly Guys” and takes place Sunday, July 1 at 9pm. Tickets are $20, on sale now on the Borgata Website.

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