I had a chance to see Kalin & Jinger’s Real Magic at the Trump Marina Shell Showroom on Friday night (June 27) and it is a real treat. The husband and wife team of Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh are absolutely fabulous entertainers. They are so personable, and that likability certainly translates into their show.
In a chat before the show, both performers said that they love the innovative aspect of their magic but their hearts belong to the classic tricks they do. Jinger Leigh added that what she really loves is that, “Our show is very interactive. The audience is a big part of the show and you never know what’s going to happen.”
That “never knowing” aspect, a.k.a. the “audience wildcard” turned out to be so true. When two members of the audience were brought on stage to help saw Jinger in half, one of the gentlemen reached into the box and felt Jinger’s abdomen, to make sure she wasn’t injured. This led to several big laughs. Mark said, “That was unexpected,” and Jinger replied, “You have no idea!”
Kalin and Ginger did a lot of classic magic, some of the tricks hundreds of years old. Their levitation bit was spectacular. At one point they told us they were going to show us how a trick was done by turning their backs to the audience. Of course, while we saw one aspect of how magic tricks are accomplished, they also delighted the crowd by tricking us once again when we thought we would have the inside track on how they did what they did.
No fair guys, but we loved it anyway!
The show is presented now through Aug. 17, Wed.–Sat. 8pm, and Sun., 4pm. Tickets are $25, $19 for children. To order tickets, go here.

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The Borgata is on the cutting edge once again. The casino that set the standard for our region when it opened July 3, 2003, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the opening of its new signature hotel, The Water Club.
The 800-room, non-gaming hotel includes five pools, a two-story spa, six designer retail shops and food and beverage designed by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian (chef/owner of the Town and Country restaurants in New York).
The $400 million Water Club is the city’s first boutique-lifestyle hotel. A joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM Mirage, The Water Club completes Borgata’s $600 million master plan development, with a total investment in Atlantic City of $1.7 billion. Go here for more info on The Water Club.
Pictured at the ribbon cutting today (Fri., June 27) are (l to r) Bill Boyd, executive chairman of Boyd Gaming; Keith Smith, president/CEO of Boyd Gaming; Larry Mullin, president/CEO of Borgata; Jim Murren, president/CEO of MGM Mirage; Governor Jon Corzine and NJ Assembly speaker Joe Roberts.
(Photo by Lew Steiner)

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Come out to the Somers Point free beach concert tonight to hear some tearin'-it-up blues guitar playing courtesy of Scott Holt.
Holt, whose birthday was this past Thursday incidentally, was in Buddy Guy's band for a decade as a young man and has said that those years were like "10-year course in Bluesman 101."
Now Holt has several solo albums under his belt, is considered to be a guitar virtuoso and has dates booked across the country through the end of the year.
His latest CD, last summer's From Lettsworth to Legend: A Tribute to Buddy Guy was recorded in honor of Holt's mentor. The album includes songs that Holt played with Buddy including "First Time I Met the Blues."
According to Holt's Web site, the singer and guitarist has an eclectic taste in music. Some of the albums he's currently listening to include: The Time's Pandemonium , Robin Trower's Take What You Need, Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and the new Roots album Rising Down.
Should be a great show tonight on Bay Avenue at the William Morrow Beach. Starts at 7pm.

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Based out of Ventura, California, Army of Freshmen is fronted by Cape May native, Chris Jay, who is a graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School and whose parents are both teachers at the school’s music department. The six-piece group, known for their extremely energetic live performances, is one of the hardest working independent rock bands in the world. They’ve played over 1,000 shows in 10 countries and 42 states. They recently returned from a headlining tour of the U-K, which included an appearance at the world famous Download Festival alongside rock royalty like KISS. The band will be supporting their recently released 4th record, Above The Atmosphere, with a tour this fall in the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan.
“Every time Army of Freshmen is on tour in the East Coast area we always make it a point to stop in Cape May”, explains Jay. “The LCMR Music Department, besides the obvious impact on my life by employing my parents, played a very large role in my career. There’s no way I would have achieved success in the music business if the teachers and programs there didn’t exist. To come back and play a benefit concert is really an honor. Throw in the fact my dad’s band is opening and it should be very special night.”
Chris Jay’s father Ed, known by locals as “Mr. J”, is also the owner and operator of Mr. J’s Music Shop in north Cape May. “Mr. J” has played a pivotal role in the advancement of the music program at LCMR, which is known for having one of the premiere music departments in the state. Each year a concert is held to benefit the music department’s Scholarship Award. Past performers have included jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, Woodstock folk veteran, Arlo Guthrie and comedic pop punkers, Bowling For Soup.
LCMR High School’s 2008 Music Department Scholarship Concert takes place on Saturday, July 5th in the Lower Cape May Regional High School’s auditorium (687 Rt. 9, Erma, NJ). The doors open at 7 pm. For more information, call Mr. J’s Music Shop, 609-886-4646.
The all ages concert is a totally free event open to the public and will include a special performance by the LCMR all teacher band, Old School.

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Adam Santoro (left) and his brother Nicholas smile after their shopping spree at the Trump Taj Mahal Exchange. Adam will enjoy his new Sony Playstation and Nicholas is looking forward to with his new Sony TV. The youth were all appreciative of the generosity of Moses Tawil (right) and the Trump Taj Mahal who worked together to make this a great day for 15 local young patients of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Yesterday, Trump Taj Mahal was the site of a Shopping Spree for approximately fifteen Atlantic County teens, who are patients of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, ranging in ages from 12-18 yrs.
They had the opportunity to choose from Wii Game Systems, Play Stations, iPods, DVD Players, TV’s, digital cameras and more.
Trump customer, Moses Tawil, of Brooklyn, NY, generously donated a large amount of his comp dollars to the youth, which will be used to purchase popular electronics items that are for sale in the property’s Trump Exchange Store, located on the second level at Trump Taj Mahal.
After the shopping spree, the kids were treated to a lunch of burgers, fries, milkshakes and more in Burger.
Trump One Customers earn comp dollars by playing slots or table games, and can redeem their comp dollars in the Trump Exchange store, as well as for dining, entertainment and room accommodations at all three Trump properties.
(Photo by Lew Steiner)

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Since Atlantic City Weekly’s office is at Bayport One on the Black Horse Pike, we've had the opportunity to watch the Bayport on Lake’s Bay townhomes being constructed, from the early days when they were trucking in special soil, to the hard hats putting up the buildings.
This weekend a fully furnished townhome model will be unveiled on June 28–29. Bayport on Lake’s Bay will eventually consist of 131 townhomes located along the shores of Lake’s Bay in West Atlantic City.
The model home features direct views of Lake’s Bay and the wetlands while offering a 2,157 square-foot layout with two bedrooms, three baths and a variety of upscale finishes and appointments, according to The Matzel & Mumford Organization, which is developing Bayport on Lake’s Bay.
“We have had a tremendous response among homebuyers that are familiar with this area and eager to enjoy an outstanding Jersey Shore retreat, but for many it has been difficult without the benefit of a model providing something tangible to see and touch,” says Glenn Ward, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Matzel & Mumford.
“With the introduction of the fully-furnished Heron model, homebuyers now have the opportunity to tour one of the community’s townhome residences experiencing first hand the impressive architecture and spacious layout.”

Homebuyers can also take advantage of a select number of “quick move-in homes” which are available now.
Priced from $269,000 to more than $600,000, Bayport’s townhomes feature expansive living spaces with a large family room or third bedroom and full bath on the first floor, a gourmet island kitchen with a breakfast nook and dining and living areas on the second floor, and a generous master-bedroom suite and second bedroom on the third level.
“Residents will also enjoy the private clubhouse and outdoor swimming pool overlooking the bay which will be open to residents just in time for the July 4th holiday,” notes Ward.
For more information on Bayport and to schedule a “muddy shoe tour,” call 484-0096, or visit Matzel & Mumford’s website here.

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It was great not only to talk to Carol Burnett on the phone, which I did for my interview in the June 19 issue of ACW, but I attended her “Laughter & Reflections with Carol Burnett” presentation at Caesars on June 21. I took my mom, and it was a great evening for the many fans who remember her terrific variety show on CBS, which went off the air in 1978. Like the Q&A that ended her variety show, the evening was a chance to fans to ask questions, with a few clips from the show shown in between questions. The evening began on a sad note, as Carol was clearly emotional the first time facing the public since Harvey Korman passed away. She showed a hilarious clip of Tim Conway and Harvey. The rest of the evening followed suit with questions answered gracefully and with humor. One woman claimed that a public service announcement Carol did about alcoholism gave her the courage to walk away from an abusive alcoholic. Carol herself had alcoholic parents and was raised by her grandmother.
Carol noted that you couldn’t do a variety show like hers today; it would cost too much. She doesn’t sound thrilled that the networks love reality TV shows: “They only cost $1.98 plus car fare.”
After this “time together” with Carol, I was lucky enough to be on the list to go backstage and meet this wonderful entertainer. It was only 30 seconds, and I was crammed in with the high rollers, but it was an honor and I will treasure this picture of Carol, mom and me.

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With the price of gas rising to wallet-stretching limits, it’s no surprise that a restaurant would hope to pump up their business by offering free gas. The Trinity Irish Pub & Carvery is the clever company that came up with the headline you see above. And no, we are not talking about the gas that a nice bowl of bean soup would produce.
Every Fri. & Sun., 8-11pm, through Aug. 24, Trinity Irish Pub will be offering their cold 20oz. pints for the price of a gallon of regular unleaded fuel. This special will run through Sunday, Aug. 24. The promotion price will be based on the daily price at The Sunoco station, located at mile marker 3, on the A.C. Expressway. The pub will also be giving away a free tank of gasoline. Winners will be chosen Friday and Sunday nights at 10pm, and need not be present to win. The free tank of gasoline is based on a prepaid gas card valued at $50.
NJ still has the cheapest gas in the nation — and you don’t have to pump it yourself — so this is a steal of a deal.

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Looks like Boy George's planned gig at the House of Blues in Atlantic City in August — as well as the rest of his U.S. summer tour — is off. This after the 48 year old former Culture Club singer was denied a visa to enter the country, according to his Web site.

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The man who turned the “Seven words you can’t say on television,” into a hilarious, controversial and exponentially expanding routine, is gone. George Carlin, a comic who bridged the gap between Lenny Bruce and the comedy club explosion that began in the ’70s, died in Los Angeles Sunday. He was 71.
George Carlin was a comedian who was sensitive to the societal changes around him and leaped forward as a guide into that new world. He started off as a straight arrow stand-up with short hair and a bow tie doing his “hippy dippy weather man” on The Ed Sullivan Show and other talk show and variety outlets. However when the era of war protests, Haight-Ashbury, Kent State and Black Power arrived, he shed the bow tie, grew his hair long, and became the voice of reason in an insane world. He was a regular headliner in Atlantic City from the early days of the casino era. (He was scheduled to make his next Atlantic City appearance July 26 at the Borgata.)
I had a change to interview him years ago. Like many comedians, he was ultra serious when talking about his craft. He balked when I suggested his comedy was political. To him, “political” meant it had a short shelf life. He felt his social commentary was timeless; it was designed that way.
He was right. His comedy is timeless. He remained a relevant social commentator for more than 40 years, right up until the moment when we learned of his death.
George Carlin is dead — now that’s obscene.
Go here for the NY Times obit.

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Hundreds of casino dealers from Atlantic City and other states are "expected to attend a large rally" on Saturday in Atlantic City around the area of Pacific and Delaware avenues.
Dealers are unionized at four Atlantic City casinos — Caesars, Trump Plaza, Tropicana and Bally's — but, according to reports have "gotten nowhere in talks with the gambling halls on what would be the resort's first union contract for dealers."
If you're driving Saturday around the Showboat/House of Blues area, use caution.

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Cyd Charisse, who passed away this week at age 86, was an incredible dancer, beloved by such dancing partners as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. I wasn’t that big a fan of Charisse until the I saw the MGM tribute films That’s Entertainment and That’s Entertainment II. Both showcased some of her very best dance numbers.
Of course everybody knows her from the fantasy sequence in Singin’ in the Rain, but her best film was Silk Stockings, a delightful musical remake of Ninotchka, about several Russian comrades you fall in love with America. She was the tough officer who also finds herself falling for capitalism — and Fred Astaire. Their dance scenes together are pure magic.
Turner Classic Movies will be presenting three of her best movies, including Silk Stockings, next Friday, June 27.
8pm Singin’ in the Rain (1952) – starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor.
10pm The Band Wagon (1953) – starring Fred Astaire, Oscar Levant and Jack Buchanan.
Midnight Silk Stockings (1957) – starring Fred Astaire, Janis Paige and Peter Lorre.
Go here for the NY Times obit. Go here for a great tribute Website.

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The new spa that’s part of the Borgata’s Water Club is not the only new spa where you can be pampered. Over at Caesars, the Qua Baths & Spa has made its debut.
Modeled after the renowned Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the new spa features Roman Baths, an array of skin treatments and therapeutic massages, including the $5,000 Dieci Mani signature treatment featuring the healing touch of 10 hands at once, and a complete fitness center. A new seasonal outdoor rooftop pool is also located adjacent to the spa.
The new 16,000 square foot spa features 14 treatment rooms, including a Couples Studio, two wet rooms providing Vichy hydrotherapy, eight dry treatment rooms and three facial/multi-purpose rooms. Three Roman Baths in both the men’s and women’s areas draw guests in for soothing soaks, while a Cedar Wood Sauna and Herbal Steam Room, draped with a misty infusion of fresh aromatic herbs, also provide an oasis of relaxation.
The Fitness Center features cardiovascular equipment outfitted with cardio theater and plasma screens, as well as a strength area with a multi-functional workout station and free weights.
Italian for “here,” Qua connotes the myriad and inspirational benefits of “living in the moment,” while evoking “aqua,” or water, the focus of its Roman bathing experience and many of its therapeutic services.
Qua’s Tea Program features a Tea Sommelier pairing beverages, both hot and cold, with spa treatments to ensure palates will be pampered. Tea Lounges serve as relaxation areas in both the men’s' and women’s' areas and a Signature Qua tea blend delights the senses.
Visit here for more info.

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According to a report from the Associated Press, the Atlantic City Convention Center plans to install what it says would be the largest single-building solar energy project in the United States, providing more than a quarter of its daily electrical needs.
The project will generate about 2.36 megawatts of energy, or enough to power 280 homes each day for a year. That would make it the largest solar energy project in the country involving a single rooftop, says Monique Hanis, a spokeswoman for the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, says, "We have a great building to do this on, and we wanted to be the first kid on the block to get in on it."
Read the complete story here.

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Al Garrett has been waging his own private war against the Tropicana and Red Square. He has been trying to get the casino and the restaurant to remove the statue of Lenin at the restaurant entrance.
Garrett thinks having the statue of the Russian dictator is in really bad taste since so many American soldiers lost their lives fighting communism. You can see his point — how would you feel if a German-themed restaurant had a statue of Hitler as decoration?
Since his quest has been in vein, AP is reporting that Garrett has changed his tactic. He is now saying the statue is bad luck.
"Ever since they put that statue up, they've had nothing but bad luck," said Garrett, an Absecon resident who had seven brothers that served in the military, one of whom died in Korea. "To them it's just a cartoon, but it's like putting a statue of a serial killer in front of your restaurant.”
"It's part of the culture of Russia: Lenin, communism, vodka," said Red Square general manager Joe Masauri. "It is what it is. … We didn't do it to bother or offend anybody."
Go here to read the entire story.

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After last night's combined 3-0 shutout vs. the Phils — thanks to a Coco Crisp homer, not to mention some great pitching — the Red Sox will send Justin Masterson (3-1) to the mound against Kyle Kendrick (6-2) for today's afternoon rubber match.
We'll see who has bragging rights by the time this week's issue hits the presses.

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My editor Jeff is a Red Sox fan, originally from Boston, who attended the opening game of the Phillies-Red Sox series last night. I’d like to send a special thank you out to Ryan Howard. Thanks to his two homers, and a great game from Cole Hamels, I had bragging rights for round one as I asked Jeff how he enjoyed the 8-2 Phillies win.
Tonight the old man, Jamie Moyer, will try to baffle the Sox with his assortment of well-placed junk. Jamie has a 7-3 record with a 4.12 ERA. He’ll have to be especially careful when Manny Ramirez is at the plate; Manny has socked 10 homers against Moyer. Ryan, you better hit two homers again tonight. Chase Utley has been in a bit of a funk, so he could have a break-out game tonight. The Sox will send lefty Jonathan Lester to the mound (5-3; 3.43 ERA).

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The House of Blues has slipped in a major hip-hop event for the July 4 weekend. On July 3, 50-Cent heads a crew that includes Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, O'Neil McKnight & DJ Enuff. Tickets are $60, $70 and $80. Go here for tickets.

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One Atlantic, the proposed wedding chapel at the Pier Shops at Caesars, has been in constant flux since it was announced with a projected summer of 2006 opening, then known at the Atlantic Club. Go here for an AC Weekly story from May of 2006.
Now a new name and a new opening date has been released. To quote the press release:
“Atlantic City’s most spectacular non-casino event venue is underway at the end of Caesar’s Pier and will provide magnificent ocean views for weddings, social events and corporate galas with gourmet catering by Philadelphia’s exclusive Peachtree & Ward. One Atlantic is slated to open its doors in Spring 2009 as the premier social event space in Atlantic City.”
The press info goes on to say that the space, designed by Muse Architects, will feature 10,000 square feet of integrated event space and unparalleled views of the beach, boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean through floor to ceiling windows. It has been designed to offer flexible spaces ideal for a wide range of events including weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, charity events and corporate galas of every kind.
Forgive me if I take a wait-and-see attitude.
For further information, go here or email: info@oneatlanticevents.com
One Atlantic will start accepting reservations in the near future.

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Playboy July 2008 cover model Cindy Margolis will be making guys drool when she stops by Trump Taj Mahal’s Casbah on Saturday, June 21 at 10:30pm.
She will me promoting her newest Playboy magazine cover and 8-page pictorial in the July 2008 issue, now on newsstands. Fans can also register to win a date with Cindy to the Playboy Mansion by logging onto here. Admission for the ladies is free, and guys pay a $20 cover. For more info on the Casbah visit here.

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Last night, Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino General Manager, Jim Rigot cut the ribbon marking the opening of the new East Tower Poker Room . He was joined by excited casino executives and guests!

After the ribbon was cut, casino guests tried out the room's twelve PokerPro® tables.
According to Rigot, “The Poker Room at Trump Plaza will be the latest location for poker buffs to play in Atlantic City, just steps off the Boardwalk.
The GM added, "Our state-of-the-art poker room has competitive game offerings, flat screen televisions, a comfortable lounge, with convenient food and beverage offerings and low-limit blackjack tables. When you consider the increased hands per hour and a $3.00 rake, it becomes an obvious choice for even the most seasoned players.”
Poker is a new gaming addition at the Casino and Trump Plaza officials anticipate that the addition of PokerPro® is going to attract both the traditional poker players as well as those who have been curious about the game.
PokerPro® is the latest in casino games technology, featuring an automated poker game, where hands are dealt electronically to players seated at a traditional-style poker table that can accommodate ten. There is a clear view of the pot size and chip count during this interactive game.
PokerTek, Inc., the industry pioneer and worldwide leader in automated poker tables and related software, has signed a contract with Trump Plaza to offer PokerPro® for field trial.
“Trump Plaza has done an amazing job transforming this new room and crafting the perfect combination of amenities that are sure to make it a premier poker destination,” said Chris Halligan, PokerTek CEO. “We are proud to enter our New Jersey field trial with Trump Plaza, and look forward to introducing the speed, accuracy and cool new features of automated poker to the poker players of Atlantic City.”
Photos by Lew Steiner

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Rubber Jungle Records has just released Trey Anastasio (Phish) and the Undectet's live album titled Original Boardwalk Style.
The nine-song set, featuring the masterful guitarist Trey Anastasio and his 11-piece group, was recorded Dec. 30-31, 2006 at the House of Blues in Atlantic City.
Album sales will benefit Seven Below Arts Initiative, a program that Anastasio created "to foster artistic development and support arts education in the state of Vermont."
Anastasio will perform at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island on Aug. 2 and at the All Points West Festival in Jersey City on Aug. 10.
Here's a review of the album on All About Jazz.

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The Borgata has announced some more additions to their summer schedule. After announcing a $501 top ticket for the Eagles, and $500 for Van Morrison, get ready to put your home up as collateral to purchase two tickets for Rod Stewart Aug. 22-23 at the Event Center. (His top price is $350). They go on sale Sat. at 10am.
Chris Rock is coming back to the Borgata after appearing there last month, May 17. His tickets for two shows on Aug. 15 are only $140 for the top price. The comics really get jobbed compared to the rock icons. A second show at 11pm has been added for Chelsea Handler at the Borgata Music Box on July 5 (prices are $45, $35). Also added to the B-Box is a comedy double bill with Dom Irrera and Richard Belzer on July 18. Tickets go on sale Sat. ($55/$49.50). Finally, the Diceman cometh (aka Andrew Dice Clay) Aug. 22-23 in the Music Box. Tickets are $65. For more info go here.

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The new Wawa opened today (Friday, June 13) at Ocean Heights Ave. and Rt. 9 in Somers Point. It is one of the “super Wawa” facilities with a gas station (the gas pumps aren't open yet) and bathroom facilities.
If you’re going “so what” at this news, try to imagine a world without Wawa coffee, without a place to grab some lunch meat at 11pm for the beach the next day, not to mention ice for the cooler anytime. Do you really want to contemplate your quality of life without the occasional Wawa hot dog?
It is a regional success. If you’ve been outside of the Delaware Valley (the stores are in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, too), especially when you are driving, you would miss the Wawa. Those fresh made sandwiches beat the pre-packaged stuff they sell at 7-11. The prices are reasonable, and if you need money the ATMs are fully stocked and they don’t charge a fee. That’s huge in this nickel-and-dime-you-to-death world. When I go to the U-pick fruit farms in the summer, I’d be lost without the Wawa along the way for a much needed bathroom break.
All right, that might be more info than you need to know LOL.
Here, however, are some fun Wawa facts.
• Wawa headquarters is in Wawa, Pa., when George Wood started Wawa Dairy Farms in 1902.
• On April 16, 1964, Wawa Food Markets opened their first store in Folsom, Pa. under the guidance of Grahame Wood.
• The name Wawa comes from the Ojibwe word for the Canada goose (taken from "The Song of Hiawatha)
• A goose in flight is the Wawa corporate logo
• Wawa sells over 165 million cups of coffee a year
• Wawa ranked 55th on the Forbes Magazine list of the largest private companies
• Wawa currently has 16,000 employees, 570 stores (make that 571) and had total revenues of $8.2 billion dollars in 2006.
Go here for the Wawa Web site, where you can find out how many calories are in those ¼ pound all-beef hot dogs.

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In a report from the New Jersey State Casino Control Commission, Atlantic City casino revenues climbed for the first time in several quarters. According to the numbers released, the 11 casinos in AC reported a 1.6% increase in overall sales.
The glass-half-empty folks will note that May had five weekends, explaining the increase. The glass-half-full folks will call this a sign that summer business will pick up and that AC will be taking advantage of the summer season to rebound from the hit taken when the Philadelphia casinos opened.
"The calendar was on our side this month, and we sure will take it," said Larry Mullin, president of the Borgata. "We have had a number of months where sales have been down across the board. It's comforting to see business is back." Larry, of course is a glass-half-full guy.
The casino with the highest increase for the month was Trump Taj Mahal, where sales rose 11%, to nearly $45 million. Donald Trump will take that, extra weekend or not.

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The Eagles will be flying back to AC for a concert at the Borgata on Thursday, July 17. Tickets range from $196–$501. I believe the $501 is a record for the Borgata Event Center. I'm not sure any band is worth $501 for one night of entertainment. However, if it sounds like a deal to you, tickets are now on sale here.
Also added to the Borgata entertainment schedule is Van Morrison, scheduled for July 12. Ticket info has not yet been released for that gig, but I suspect it's a bit less than $501.

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Today is the final day that the Moving Wall, the portable version of the Vietnam War Memorial, will be in Somers Point. If you haven’t yet visited the Wall, on display at the Bethel Road baseball field in Somers Point, go today.
For many of us who came of age in the 1960s, the war in Vietnam shaped out lives. The nightly news was filled with stories of bravery and horror in the rice paddies of this Southeast Asian country. Many of us protested against the war; unfortunately, many of us also unleashed our wrath against the American soldiers who were fighting that war when we found out about incidents like the Mei Li massacre. We blamed the soldiers, which was not fair. They were the ones putting their lives on the line. And no matter how one felt about the war, and whether we were justified in being there, the soldiers were just doing their duty.
More than 58,258 American lives were lost during the Vietnam War from 1959–1975. There were 1,500 men and one woman who were killed from New Jersey, including 44 residents of Atlantic County. The total number of New Jersey residents who served in Vietnam is 212,000.
The closing ceremony for the Wall is today at 4pm. For more info on the Wall go here.

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Looks like the long-rumored HBO series based on the Nelson Johnson book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City is taking off.
Producers and writers from a couple of HBO's hit series (The Sopranos, Entourage) have been tapped for the project that Oscar winning film director Martin Scorsese will direct. Portions of Scorsese's 1986 movie The Color of Money were filmed in Atlantic City.

Posted by Ace E. Weekly at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last year the Phillies struggled early, so much so, they took one of their top starting pitchers, Brett Meyers, and made him their closer. They spent most of the season chasing the Mets and then, suddenly, the Mets did their finest imitation of the 1964 Phillies, and there was Brett Meyers on Sept. 30, 2007, getting the final out as the Phillies earned the National League East title for the first time since 1993. However, since the season was such a nail biter, and then the Colorado Rockies ended up smokin’ the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs, that surge of excitement was quickly squashed.
This year, right here, right now, the aura around the ball club is vintage 1993. Jimmy Rollins has the fire of Lenny Dykstra without the steroids. Ryan Howard is even bigger and much better than our favorite beer-league first baseman the Krukker. Chase Utley can match Darren Dalton in looks, and just at this moment in time (with apologies to Josh Hamilton) might be the best all-around player in baseball. A second baseman with 21 homers before the start of summer? How cool is that.
Pat Burell might not be as colorful as Pete Incaviglia, but he has been knocking in some key hits.

Want some more comparisons? Brad Lidge is Wild Thing without the agita-inducing wildness. The bench is delivering every night, just like the bench did in 1993. Remember how with that 1993 team, you never felt like you were out of a game, that somebody would deliver a key hit or a great defensive play? That vibe is enveloping this club more and more.
If you want a wild and crazy guy as the poster child for the team, how about Shane Victorino? He is playing great centerfield, and shares sparkplug duties with MVP Jimmy Rollins, a great one-two punch at the top of the lineup. Jason Werth has been shockingly good, and Greg Dobbs is only leading major league baseball in pinch-hit RBIs.
And no, I didn’t forget the pitching. Cole Hamels bounced back from two bad outings to deliver his second shutout this season against the Reds. The bullpen is — drum roll please — the best in the National League, led by Tom Gordon, JC Romero, Chad Durbin and Brad Lidge. Brett Meyers, after a shaky start, has his mojo back. In his last few outings Adam Eaton is actually earning his paycheck. Old man Jamie Moyer is pitching like he’s only 40 (he’s 45), and Kyle Kendrick is the pitcher who has benefited most from the recent offensive surge of the team.
It has been a decade since the Phillies had an 8-2 home stand; it has been 15 years since the Phillies were running out onto the diamond with this much swagger.
Like most frustrated Phillies’ fans, I had my say in this blog and elsewhere about the abilities of Charlie Manual as a manager. This season, he is making every right move, even sitting down MVP Jimmy Rollins after he didn’t run out a pop-up. His ability to get the most from his players has been particularly impressive when it comes to the extra players —Dobbs, Werth, Geoff Jenkins, Eric Bruntlett, etc., have all had key moments in Phillies’ victories.
Nowadays when it comes to watching the Phillies, you don’t need the Tums at the ready.
This is too much fun. Hopefully it continues during the tough nine game road trip against Atlanta, Florida and St, Louis, then back home against the Red Sox and L.A. Angels.

Posted by moviejunkie at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to the Web site BuffetWorld.com — "the Web's largest Jimmy Buffett resource" — Jimmy Buffett's planned Margaritaville won't open at the site of the Trump Marina in Atlantic City until next summer.
Hang on, Parrotheads!

Posted by Ace E. Weekly at 01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The rock band YES announced today that the group will unfortunately be canceling their 2008 40th Anniversary Tour. The 26-city tour was scheduled to kick off in Quebec next month and run through the summer. This tour included a stop July 25 at the Borgata.
Said Jon Anderson, “In the wake of my recent respiratory attack, doctors have advised me to spend the coming months resting and recovering. Unfortunately, this means I won't be able to tour with Yes this summer as originally planned. I'd like everyone know how deeply disappointed I am by this turn of events. I was looking forward to celebrating our music with the amazing family of Yes fans once again; but as we all know, health must come before anything else."

Posted by moviejunkie at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Ashlee Simpson Bittersweet Concert Tour has been canceled, including an appearance scheduled June 28 at the Oceanfront Arena at the Wildwood Convention Center.
Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. Refunds for purchased tickets are available at all Ticketmaster Outlets, WWW.Ticketmaster.com, Charge-By-Phone at 1-800-736-1420 and the Wildwoods Convention Center Box Office.
Her publicist said: "After careful consideration, Ashlee Simpson has decided to postpone her summer tour. She is committed to giving her fans the best show possible, and will be back better than ever and ready to rock in the future."
The announcement of her pregnancy is thought to be a major factor in the decision.

Posted by moviejunkie at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The June 3 Primary in Atlantic City gave Lorenzo Langford a very strong showing last night. The unofficial results show Langford with 60%, current Mayor Scott Evans with 33% and Assistant Business Administrator, Domenic Capella with 6.5%.
Absentee ballots will be counted today. Langford was very confident last night that he will be the Democratic nominee. He held the office of Mayor of Atlantic City from 2001 to 2005 and was defeated by Bob Levy in 2005.
In November, the Republican mayoral candidate will be, John McQueen, and Joseph Polillo will run as an independent.
The Democratic candidate usually wins the general election in Atlantic City since the majority of the resort city’s voters are Democrats.
The winner of the November Mayoral race will fill the unexpired term of former Mayor Bob Levy.
Another mayoral election will take place in 2009 for the next four year term.

Posted by Lew Steiner at 08:00 AM |