Weekend: UGLY TV STARS, PRETTY PINS
Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em: Catch Val Emmich at Jack’s in downtown Red Bank this evening at 6pm, where the actor (now on the new season of ABC’s UGLY BETTY) and singer makes a personal appearance in support of his recent CD release LITTLE DAGGERS. (Photo by Dave Sgalambro)
VAL PACK: Val Emmich at Jack’s Music Shoppe. One night after his debut in the recurring role of Jesse — America Ferrera’s new crush — on the new season of ABC’s Ugly Betty series, Val Emmich returns to Red Bank (among other local things, he toplined a Songwriters in the Park appearance this past summer) in an intimately scaled showcase; namely, the upstairs sheet-music loft at Jack’s Music Shoppe. The Manalapan-based actor/singer/whatzis has more than just a major-network primetime series to promote — he’s also got a new CD of original songs entitled Little Daggers, a discus that dropped just this past Tuesday, and from which he’ll be spotlighting new material at this quirky forum (next time you see him he’ll likely be surrounded by TMZ stringers and bodyguards, so don’t let us say We Told Ya’s So). The local music showcases continue next Saturday at Jack’s with — Sonic Engine?! Stay tuned…
HOUSES ON VAUNTED HILLS: Atlantic Highlands House Tour. With the onset of good walking weather comes the urge to return to the staggeringly steep sidestreets of Atlantic Highlands, home to some of the most breathtaking (and largely unknown to the highway-bound public) antique houses in all of Monmouth County. We’ve gone so far as to participate in the local Historical Society’s cornball annual Halloween Lantern Tours, just to get a better look at these storied abodes in and around the borough’s so-called Victorian Hill neighborhood. Today from 10am to 3pm, five of the most colorful and baroque examples of vintage seashore mega-cottages — representing styles from neo-Victorian to Carpenter Gothic to Cape Cod — open their doors for a guided tour of their credentialed crannies. At 30 bucks, it’s a ticket as steep as the Bayshore hillsides, but for house-hounds and lovers of mystery it’s an opportunity not easily passed up. Tour also includes the formidable Central Baptist Church and the eccentric Strauss Mansion Museum, headquarters of the Society and a place in which old H.P. Lovecraft would have felt at home. Proceeds dedicated to the ongoing restoration of the mansion.
Back to the future now, for more stuff to investigate indoors and out this Saturday and Sunday…
Pawns hop: A scene from last year’s human chess game at Convention Hall, sure to be repeated as the 2008 Asbury Park Chess Fest gets underway this morning.
YOUR MOVE: Chess Fest in Asbury Park. A game of chess, with human beings as the pawns? Didn’t we see that plot on an episode of Land of the Giants? Now in its ninth year, the annual Asbury Park Chess Fest serves up that singular sight and a lot more in its four early hours inside the “Grand Arcade” of Convention Hall — a venue that’s undertaken some masterful moves of its own over the course of the past year. Presented by the local nonprofit organization Prevention First, the kid-oriented event invites aspiring grandmasters ages 5 to 18 to learn from an authentic International Grandmaster — 2003 titlist and Chess for Success author Maurice Ashley — play against a blindfolded champion, and watch history in the making, as a group of experts endeavor to play 13,500 simultaneous chess games in an attempt to beat the world record set in 2006. It all takes place between 10am and 2pm; registration’s free, and the first 50 kids to enter receive a free chess set and an event souvenir shirt.
LITERARY GIANT: Mark Bavaro at River Road Books. In an interview posted to Red Bank oRBit just a few days ago, the great tight end of some classic NY Giants teams — known as a man of few words during his playing days — opened up about Rough and Tumble, his debut work as a novelist and a book that he hopes will be appreciated as storytelling rather than simply a unit of sports memorabilia. That said, the two-time Super Bowl veteran will be at Fair Haven’s proudly independent bookseller this afternoon at 1pm for a signing event that promises to bring a slew of Giants jerseys (and giant bellies) to the aisles. Call the store at 732-747-9455 or visit their site to reserve a signing copy for yourself.
Claytonic friends: Beth Anne Clayton (in blue top) and her band, pictured at their recent concert on Sandy Hook, are among the local talent on display at the annual Middletown Day celebration.
CROYDON JOY: 8th Annual Middletown Day in Leonardo. An event that was first presented in the days following 9-11, the township’s annual autumnal fair has coalesced into a real celebration of place in a burg that didn’t used to be known for its warm and fuzzy community feeling. Taking place on the stately grounds of the former Croydon Hall Academy (now home to the Parks and Recreation offices), the 11am-6pm affair brings together a display of classic autos, circus sideshow acts, a craft fair and live sounds from doowop diplomats Kenny Vance and the Planotones and M’town’s own blues-pop belter Beth Anne Clayton. Croydon Hall is set back from Leonardville Road (close to the Atlantic Highlands border in the township’s Leonardo sector); there’s shuttle parking available at a couple of nearby schools and athletic fields.
ART ON THE PROWL: Two days ago in oRBit, we told you about Francis: A Life in Painting, a new installation at Red Bank’s Asher Neiman Gallery that’s got a lot of observers excited, since it brings a 40-year veteran painter — Monmouth County’s own Francis Mesaros — his first-ever public showing of the knife-sculpted seascapes for which he’s already becoming highly buzzworthy. The exhibit opens tonight with a reception at the White Street artspace between 7 and 10pm. If Asher Neiman brings the sea to downtown Red Bank, then Red Bank neighbor Beacon Fine Arts brings their stuff to the edge of the sea; as the Monmouth Street gallery presents a special one-night Hooked on Art event inside the restored Fort Hancock Chapel building on the north end of Sandy Hook. The 7pm event showcases the work of painter Steve Alpert; it’s preceded in the morning with an 11am talk on “Adventures in the Art Business,” hosted by the artist. More info can be had by calling 732-708-9013.
Perhaps the strangest art event going on within spraying distance of the Atlantic comes courtesy of one of our favorite galleries, Crybaby of downtown Asbury Park. They’ll be teaming with the inimitable Asbury Lanes (Juicy Jenn is of course intimately involved with both local landmarks) for an encore of the bowling alley/arts center’s successful 2006 display of — surely you saw this coming — bowling pin art. With pin-up specialist Kirsten Easthope setting the pace, Bowlarama 2 brings together the tenpin permutations of some 100 artists from all over the stylistic map; the splendid splitters will be offered for sale to patrons, and will be introduced to the public with a free reception at the Lanes between the hours of 8 and 10pm Saturday.
The bikers descend on Highlands: An early-morning scene from last year’s Twin Lights Bike Ride, the 2008 edition of which takes to the waterfronts and farmlands of eastern Monmouth County this Sunday. (Photo by Gregory Cross)
SPOKES PERSONS: Twin Lights Bike Ride at Highlands. Another annual event that came together in the wake of 9-11, the yearly people-powered endurance rally through some of the more scenic panoramas of Monmouth County begins and ends at the historic hilltop beacons that once upon a time offered a clear-day view of Manhattan’s Twin Towers. A co-presentation of Bike New York and The Highlands Business Partnership, the Sunday morning event offers four distinct routes (30, 50, 75 and 100 miles), post-ride food plus live music, free t-shirts for entrants, maintenance seminars, rest areas and “full SAG support.” Along the way there’ll be scenery that ranges from the holly of the Hook and the panoramic vistas of the Oceanic, to the horsey-set scapes of Colts Neck and the manicured arbors of Holmdel Park (that Highlands-Sea Bright bridge is gonna be a bear this year, though). Veteran pedalers and aspiring Armstrongs can register at 7am in Huddy Park, Bay and Waterwitch Avenues in downtown Highlands. More info at 732-291-4713.
FINISH LINE: Closing Day at Monmouth Park. The final bugle blows at Oceanport this Sunday, as Monmouth Park marks the closing day of the 2008 racing season with a Fan Appreciation Day promo that offers half-price discounted clubhouse admission (and free entry to the grandstand). There’s live music on hand, plus clowns and pony rides for the kiddles and very nearly enough of a celebratory tone to compensate for the deep and all-encompassing melancholy that hangs over Shore off-season rituals like these. Gates open at 11:30am; first race at 12:50.
Dancing with the Tsars: Traditional Slavic folk dances are just one of the attractions at the 31st annual Slovak Heritage Festival at PNC Bank Arts Center — an event that draws thousands from around the NY metro area for a mix of music, food, crafts and culture. It all happens between 9am and 6pm Sunday, with a Mass presented at 11am and kids’ activities from noon to 4pm. (Photo by Eric Sunguryan/Slavs of New York)
TALK THE LINE: Twisted Covers tribute to Johnny Cash. Artist tribute CDs may have peaked several years back, but on the last Sunday of each month, Asbury Park’s Twisted Tree Cafe keeps the covers warm for all of us to whom a cover tune means something more than that guy in the corner of the bar doing the umpty-billionth hatchet job on “Brown Eyed Girl.” August’s edition of the Twisted Covers series looked at the legacy of Paul Westerberg and the Replacements; this Sunday at 5pm it’s the immortal Man in Black. Since no one has ever come close to staking out a corner of the turf that Johnny Cash continues to occupy in the history of popular music — not in terms of persona, nor of sound, nor of the sense of just what it meant to be a song sung by Cash — it’ll be interesting to hear how this as-yet-unannounced collection of local acoustic performers spins this one. Show starts at 5pm (following an early afternoon set by Eryn Shewell), and while you’re there, by all means order up a dose of Clark’s three-bean chili!
Monday in oRBit: It’s been acclaimed on several continents — but is it ART? We’re drawing a blank.
Posted
September 27, 2008
in
under
[...] See the rest here: Weekend: UGLY TV STARS, PRETTY PINS [ Red Bank Orbit ] [...]
May 25th, 2009 at 8:39 am[...] Weekend UGLY TV STARS PRETTY PINS Red Bank Orbit Posted by root 3 hours ago (http://www.redbankorbit.com) Sep 27 2008 a big all star cast of area actors reunites with tv stage comedy the yearly people powered endurance rally through some of the more scenic please considering registering with red bank orbit before you comment who has the conviction and thought Discuss | Bury | News | Weekend UGLY TV STARS PRETTY PINS Red Bank Orbit [...]
May 31st, 2009 at 9:00 pm