Satisfied with this brief sighting, we walked on and played some skee-ball and were about to shuffle out to the pier to check out all the rides when some other very, very tan people had the same idea. J-Woww and Snooki and an entourage of crew members and security guards came barreling through. You could barely see Snooki through the crowd, but once everyone in the immediate area figured out that the Princess of Poughkeepsie was at the nucleus of the scrum, a tidal wave of people followed them out onto the pier. They went on a couple rides – including the haunted house. (Not sure what’s more frightening – the costumed people who try to scare you inside, or Snickers’ outfit – who wears furry boots in late July?!?) Pictures after the jump.

Check it out:

Ladies waiting to get on the ride: note the trucker hat.

Crowd following closely behind and a security guard futilely trying to shoo everyone away.

Deep in conversation?

During their night out on the boards, the girls stopped to play Shoot the Guido and Snooki ironically shot paintballs at a plasticized version of herself. We also saw Rhode Island’s favorite son DJ Pauly D poking his blow out out the Shore Store on the north end to talk to a security guard. Tweens formed a long, long to get into the store to have their brush with reality royalty. While all this went on, MTV security guards and Seaside Heights special police officers tried to keep the crowds from gathering around the “reality” stars and crew and anyone with a camera got scolded. How my mother (yes, my mother) was able to get these shots, I’ll never know. I stayed back and attempted to hang my head in shame that were following the world’s most famous guidettes around.

B&B Lavallette ladies' location...aka the source of a solid third of my summer wardrobe.

B&B, beloved local department store chain, will quite literally roll out its wares this Wednesday for one of three summer sidewalk sales at its men’s and women’s Lavallette locations on Grand Central Avenue starting at 9 a.m.

Sidewalk sales usually require some digging so bring your patience, but it usually pays off. I’ve walked out of the B with tons of great finds. I can’t speak for the men’s department, but the junior’s section is rife with fun skirts and tops for going out, nice sundresses and great beach coverups at prices that don’t make your wallet wince. It’s like a Forever 21 by the sea, if you will. (Word of advice – last summer at the Ship Bottom store’s sidewalk sale, you had to purchase the clothes you wanted to try on with cash and could return whatever didn’t fit for a full refund.)

If you can’t make it this week, sidewalk sales return on July 28 and Aug. 11.

The greatest baked good known to humanity.

It’s our pleasure to announce that Colonial Bakery opened its doors at 6:30 this morning and plans to do so every single day from now until September. You may now commence eating Ninja Turtle cookies for breakfast lunch and dinner. That is all. (Big ups to @Suz8 for this awesome cookie shot from her blog. We wholeheartedly endorse her plan to serve these guys at her wedding instead of cake.)

You too can ride in this much style.

So it’s Saturday night and you need a responsible way to reach your favorite watering hole. You have a few options: 1. Recruit a designated driver. 2. Call a cab. 3. Take the train if you’re heading to Point Pleasant or north. 4. Walk. 5. Call a cab.

And yet all those choices seem so boring and tired. Well, we have the perfection solution – call George Hogan, chauffeur extraordinaire. Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen, you too can roll up to your nightlife destination of choice in a LIMO. Yes, a limo.

My dear friend Joe happened upon George on the Friday of MDW, which just happened to be his first night in business. When George picked us up for a night out that Saturday, he explained that to attract customers, he was dropping his prices on a weekend when all his non-limo-driving competitors were jacking their fares through the roof. (No joke – MDW09 we paid $60 to travel the 2.5 miles from Used to Be’s to my house. Thanks, New Mantoloking Taxi.)

George’s roomy limousine fits six or seven quite comfortably and has all the perks one desires when planning such swanky transportation – comfy leather seats, a sunroof, neon tube lighting around the ceiling. It’s like you’re going to the prom, except there’s no chaperones, you’re not clad in some goofy formal wear, you can drink legally and openly when you get there, and there’s only people you like. Win-win-win.

Let George drive you to drink. Call him at 732-551-9336 this weekend!

Adam Richman takes on a monster sandwich in MvF's first season.

If you’ve ever happened upon the Travel Channel on a Wednesday night, you’ve doubtlessly seen several episodes of Man vs. Food. If you haven’t, in short, host Adam Richman visits a city/region and hits up its notable eateries. He rounds out each episode by taking on a  food challenge. I’ve seen him take down 72 oz. steaks, somehow eat wings made with the spiciest peppers on Earth and eat gigantic ice cream sundaes. I had always thought our beloved Jersey Shore and its greasy gastronomic offerings would be perfect fodder for an episode. So, one day last week, the @ManvFood Twitter account tweeted a list of upcoming locales. And, what do you know, the Jerz was on their to-do list!

I intended to write a post about how they were coming here and name some places Adam could try out, but they actually beat me to it. On Thursday, my brother called to say he thought he saw them taping at Hoffman’s Ice Cream in Point Pleasant Beach. Curiosity obviously got the better of me, so Cait and I hopped in the car and headed up there.

The cast and crew were indeed there and Adam was in the back learning how Hoffman’s makes their ice cream. A herd of giggling girls perched inside and people streamed in and out all day. (Yours truly may or may not have been filmed eating a cotton candy cone with rainbow sprinkles for the show’s b-roll.) However, we got to chatting with the crew’s intern and he said they’re visiting Maruca’s on the Seaside boardwalk (a place we at LFJS know a thing or two about) on Friday, June 4 and Chicken or the Egg in Beach Haven on Saturday, June 5.

But, if you had the chance to choose which of our fair coast’s fine food institutions to give America a true Jersey Shore dining experience?

A Seaside Tony at Steaks Unlimited? (Cheese steak with cheeseballs inside. If you had to ask, go get yourself one pronto -  preferably after a night out.)

Something from Surf Taco? (I vote for the Aloha Wrap – pineapples, grilled chicken, veggies, teriyaki sauce and goodness.)

A bomber sandwich at Bayside Cafe? (Pretty sure that one has your choice of breakfast meat, egg, cheese and hashbrowns on a roll. Wouldn’t know though, I usually go for raspberry and chocolate chip pancakes and think you should too.)

A sausage sandwich at Midway?

The possibilities are endless. I just hope he has some Tums.

ole!

In 1862, the underdog Mexican army whooped the French army’s butt in the Battle of Puebla. In 2010, American corporations still use the holiday – now virtually meaningless in Mexico – as an excuse to promote overconsumption of beer and nachos. Such utter blatant manipulation of a military victory for commercial gain can be depressing, but it’s nothing a Corona can’t fix, right?

Fortunately, we have several options at the Shore for you to partake in the fiesta.

• Cinco de Taco: Surf Taco, the Shore’s favorite quasi-Mexican chain, will host a daylong celebration of all things taco that kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Jackson location – the only ST legally capable of selling tequila-enhanced margaritas. Billy Simmonds, GoodBie Amy, P-dub, Matt O’Ree, Stolen Rose and Flight Skool will play. Kids can enjoy some games and everyone can try out the mechanical surf board, which, for the record, we think is way cooler than a mechanical bull.
• Jenks’ Cinco de Mayo: Point Pleasant Beach’s massive boardwalk club Jenks will host New Jersey’s veteran cover band The Benjamins for their Saturday night party. Doors open at 9 and cover costs $5 after 10. Aluminum Bud Light bottles are on special for $3.
• Spicy’s Cantina: If you’re a stickler for technicalities, the fiesta at Spicy’s on the Seaside Heights will happen on the day itself, Wednesday the 5th. All sorts of festivities begin at 11 a.m. – a burrito eating contest, scavenger hunt, musical chairs, prize giveaways and a mariachi band will play from 6-9 p.m. Inexplicably, wings will be on special for 39 cents each.

If Dos Equis and tequila aren’t your bag, there’s lots more going on this weekend too:

The Surf Club reopens after its winter hiatus with the season’s inaugural Planet Surf on Friday night. Predator Dub Assassins, Hometown Roll and DJ Shaka will entertain the masses. Coronas, Corona Lights and tequila-based drinks will be $1 off. Thanks to our friends at Metromix, print out this coupon to get in for free.

On Sunday, Joey Harrison will welcome back the fist-pumping crowd for the 2010 debut of the Sunday Jam. Mind Control DJs Richie Santan and Peter Bailey and house DJs Liscious and Raphael will spin. The Coors Light Girls will be on hand to usher in the season and everyone will be treated to a free barbecue from 3-5 p.m. VIP cards for this year will be given out – no word about there being a special giveaway for Friday nights yet. We’ll look into it.

And now for something entirely different…

Vintage surfboards on display at Tuckerton Seaport

The Northeast’s first-ever surf museum will open its doors Saturday at Tuckerton Seaport. Some chick we know wrote about it for the Asbury Park Press, but, inexplicably, her story never went online so we can’t link to it. She swears the museum looks really cool. It displays surfboards of every shape, size and design and tells the history of surfing in New Jersey, from the days when “ironing boards” – primitive leash-less surfboards – were banned up and down the coast because some of the earliest Jersey Shore surfers couldn’t hang onto them in the water and they would smack the legs of unsuspecting waders. There are even artifacts from the day when surf behemoth Ron Jon sold more nautical furniture than surfboards.

Aside from the surf museum, the Seaport is a really cool spot to check out so if you make the trek down to Tuckerton, take a peak around.

Tuckerton Seaport is located at 120 W. Main St. Tuckerton. To get there from points north, take the Garden State Parkway to exit 58 and make a left off the ramp. Follow Route 539 to its intersection with Route 9 and make a right. The Seaport is on your left about half a mile south. Tickets cost $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for children older than 5. For more information, call 609-296-8868. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Finding parking at the Jersey Shore is a war zone.

Summer 2010 is rapidly approaching and New Jersey natives are counting down the days until Memorial Day weekend. This highly anticipated unofficial start of summer means you can break out your summer white (a rule I never quite followed), head to the beach, and much to my dismay drive up and down tiny one way blocks for an exorbitant amount of time in search of the holy grail of parking spots.

As someone who has to endure a 20 minute speed race down Route 18 in order to reach my favorite coast, I am often greeted with a battle royale against soccer moms, teens, locals, and the dreaded guidos for my primo spot.  I kid you not, last summer as my friend and I took a break
from melting in the sun at Pier Village and walked to the long line of
shops for lunch, we stopped in our tracks as we heard a loud altercation
brewing.

Before we knew it people were lining the boardwalk to watch a 20-something year old male duke it out with a middle aged dad. Profanity was exchanged, punches were thrown, and the cops were not too far behind…all over a parking spot!

From where I stood in the crowd it seemed as though the younger male was attempting to stand in the spot, reserving it for his friend, while the older male deemed that not to be a viable option. Mr. Dad decided to just inch his oversized SUV into the VIP spot. The rest is history.

Now my friends and I on the other hand have our own creative ways of getting around this ever so frustrating parking system, especially at Pier Village. There is a ridiculous amount of parking given solely to the lucky elite who get to live in these luxurious beach front apartments, the rest of the complex only allows for limited 2-hour parking for beach goers and shoppers alike. I don’t know about you but I find it rather annoying to get up when I’m soaking up some quality rays to move my Jeep from spot A to spot B.

At times I thought I was invincible and chose to live on the wild side, not moving my car, which has resulted in a hefty $50 ticket (thanks Mom for paying that) but since then I’ve utilized my devious frame of mind and have yet to get caught. I may or may not regret sharing this, but hey if I can help my fellow beach bums out, why not.

While doing some Sherlock Holmes-esque investigating I noticed that the Long Branch Police were driving around marking peoples tires with that annoying line of chalk to keep track of their time spent in the parking lot. It just so happened on this particular day I was able to bag a spot so close to the beach that it almost killed me to give it up. So what did I do you ask? That’s simple, got out my water bottle, had my friend be on the lookout, and pour my water over my tire and asphalt so that the chalk mark washed away. Some of you may laugh at this, but this is the closet I’ve been to messing with the law.

It may look suspicious to officers walking up and down the aisle to see a puddle of water strategically splattered next to just one tire so my friends and I have gone to such extremes of moving the car ever so slightly so that the tracks don’t match as well as giving all four of our tires a nice bath so that it’s not traceable.  I have yet to get caught, and I also probably just jinxed myself as I type this.

Other beaches that are just a downright disaster to park at are Belmar and Point Pleasant.  Don’t even bother driving toward 16^th Street in Belmar, not only will you be welcomed by throngs of high school kids in their itty bitty bikinis and UGG boots but you will also gain about 10 years on your life just looking for a spot near that infamous Dunkin’ Donuts. I’ve had many years of experience duking it out for spots and Belmar is a death trap.

Point Pleasant is another war zone when it comes to parking. I don’t normally go to Point Pleasant during the day; it has always been more of a boardwalk nighttime hotspot for me. Last summer my friends and I wanted to try out our newly 21-year-old lifestyle at Martell’s Tiki Bar for some daytime drinking. We shouldn’t have been surprised that the parking was horrendous.

One would think that my friend’s itsy bitsy Beetle (yes she drives one of those) would be an easy advantage to squeezing in tight spots but boy were we wrong. Driving up and down the extremely packed residential streets gets tiring and before you know it every passenger in the car is agitated and the driver is just about to jump through the roof.

There is a municipal parking lot at the very end of the boardwalk that is metered and a quarter buys you 20 minutes. There are also a few private pay lots that charge from $4.00 to $12.00 depending on the crowds and the time of year. Much to our dismay we coughed up the dough and threw up our hands for the private pay lot which had a very long line might I add.

Don’t let my parking nightmares deter you from heading to the beach this season, because I’m still going and discovering new ways to find faster, easier, and cheaper parking. We all might as well help each other out, because the last thing I want to do is get my precious time in the sun via sunroof as I drive aimlessly up and down Ocean Ave.  See you all behind the wheel!

There's no one here yet, but in a few weeks we'll be packed tighter than sardines and hopefully not getting on each other's nerves.

I was paging through old Live For Jersey Shore posts and came across this gem from last August on beach etiquette. With May just around the corner and summer inching ever closer after that, I thought it would be a good time to dust off the old ocean-side manners list that I had such a good time coming up with.

More beach behaviors I find unacceptable:

• Games of catch in inappropriate places: you don’t get to take up huge swaths of sand on the waterfront just because you want to throw a tennis ball around. Take that up to the top of the beach. Also, if you can’t catch and just end up having to chase the ball/Frisbee into crowds of people, it’s probably best to sit that game out.
• People who try to chat while you’re reading: If there’s a book in front of my face, I generally do not wish to be engaged in conversation. The absolute worst is when people ask “Oh, what are you reading?” The cover’s facing you – you tell me! This happened all the time when I checked beach badges. Just show me your badge and be on your way; this isn’t a book club.
• Awkward public displays of affection: Have you ever seen lovebirds canoodling/humping on a beach towel? It’s extremely uncomfortable to watch, particularly because this is the beach and everyone’s barely wearing any clothes. Get a room; no one wants to see any skin-on-skin action in public. (Or at least I don’t, but who knows? These ever-growing lists are really making me out to sound like a cranky old lady.)
• Discarded cigarette butts: I don’t smoke, so maybe I don’t understand, but what is so hard about taking the unsmokable tip of your cancer stick and dropping it in a trash can? My friend Meg, a fellow life-long beach baby, suggested this one and it makes me sad that it even needs to be said. Walking barefoot through sand that’s lousy with little nubs that smokers have sucked on for 20 minutes isn’t exactly the sexiest concept ever. Thereis some good news though: Clean Ocean Action, a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up New Jersey and New York’s coasts, announced that cigarette butts from No. 1 to No. 2 in their 2009 Dirty Dozen – items most frequently collected during beach clean ups. It’s somewhat akin to being named the second trashiest Real Housewife of New Jersey, but I’ll take it.
• Just because it comes in that size doesn’t mean it should be worn: Another spot-on etiquette suggestion from Meg. Before a recent trip to Punta Cana, I dieted and exercised for weeks to look my best in a cute new turquoise bikini I had bought. I couldn’t help but notice that several of my fellow female beachgoers did not do the same, and yet wore far skimpier suits than I could even fathom wearing. I wasn’t sure if I should salute these Rubenesque ladies for having the confidence to strut their stuff (god knows I could use a little confidence for strutting) or politely suggest that something with more coverage might be more comfortable. This rule also extends to leggings, other spandex and those unfortunate stretchy mesh shirts you see on the boardwalk.

MDW (Memorial Day Weekend, for the uninitiated – better than Christmas for beach kids) isn’t even upon yet so this list is sure to grow. Suggestions are, of course, encouraged. Perhaps we can all make the beaches even more enjoyable – one wayward Nerf ball and chomped-up cigarette butt at a time.

Hemingway’s Cafe, the only Seaside Heights nightlife giant to deny entry to Snooki & Co, will bestow VIP cards on all very important people who can make it Thursday night to their giveaway party. Since Hem’s is just a few years old, they haven’t really hit a rhythm yet with these annual giveaways. Last year’s was in June, the year before, July. This year, Big Baby Ernie – really awesome band whose originals are just as sick as their covers – will entertain the VIPs.

Hem’s own website cautions you to “get here early” but offers no specific time. Last year, cards weren’t given out until after midnight so be prepared to hang around. Be sure to figure out where the line is going to form and try to get in the front to make sure you’re not waiting too long. In years past, everyone gets a ticket for a free drink and servers pass complimentary hors d’oeuvres, making for a rather swanky time. The bar’s website touts Thursdays as Ladies’ Night with half-priced drinks for the fairer sex but no word yet that the promo will be in effect for the special event.

While Hemingway’s doesn’t charge cover on Friday, having this dandy little card will allow you to forgo the $10 charge to get in on Saturdays all summer long and to skip the line of would-be partiers that can sometimes wind around the corner.

Hemingway’s Cafe is located at 612 Boulevard, Seaside Heights. For more information, visit them online at www.hemingwaysnj.com or call 732-830-1255.

Yeah it feels like bathwater in the summer, but Barnegat Bay is a little chillier than we'd like. Photo courtesy of our dear friend, veteran lifeguard and dedicated Shore videographer Dave. Thanks!

 As we continue to get pummeled by the harshest winter at the Shore in recent memory, it’s hard to imagine a time when the snow will melt and we’ll shed our boots for flipflops, but fear not, Jerseyans – Memorial Day Weekend is 102 days away. (Photo We may not be out of the woods yet (thanks a whole lot, Phil), but we’re a whole lot closer than we were when that Dec. 19 storm dashed procrastinating shoppers dreams and ruined a certain someone’s birthday celebration (what? you say you think I’m still bitter over that? no way!).

 For more snow-tos, visit the APP’s reader galleryfrom the Feb. 6-7 and 9-10 storms. These snowy Shore shots range from beautifully artistic to downright zany – like the snow sculpture of a Camaro and a snapshot of three brave kids plopped into beach chairs wearing their bathing suits.

Before we know it, the sunlight will stretch later into the evening, our favorite seasonal businesses will reopen (anyone else been craving a Colonial Bakery jelly doughnut since October?) and the Barrier Island will reawaken with all the sights, smells and sounds that make summer at the Jersey Shore so sweet.

Until then, here’s a few fun events to keep you motivated as Old Man Winter plans to further assault our summer spirits:

• Mardi Gras Super Saturdayat Jenk’s on Feb. 20. Doors open at 9 p.m., $5 cover after 10. $1 drafts all night and $2 vodka specials from 9-11 p.m. The Nerds will play and the holder of the most beads at the end of the night wins an HDTV. What you must do for said beads was not specified.
• D’Jais Halfway to Summer Party at the Pool at Harrah’s in Atlantic City on Feb. 27. Billed as “the biggest pool party in the middle of winter,” we can’t figure out why this is neither at D’Jais nor at the actual halfway to summer mark, but if you’re into paying $35 to get in and trekking to AC, we’re not going to judge. Full disclosure: I’ve never been to D’Jais and think the Pool smells like, well, a pool.
• Seaside Heights Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for the N.J. Special Olympics on Feb. 27. Those pondering a run into the Atlantic Ocean in February can find some liquid courage and warm sustenance at the Sawmill Cafe with a $3 breakfast buffet and $2 mimosas, bloody Mary’s, screwdrivers and Miller Lite specials from 10-1. A post-plunge party starts at 2 p.m. with music from The VooDudes. If you’re not crazy enough to hop into the frigid sea but want to contribute to the cause, fret not because the Sawmill is donating proceeds to the Specials Olympics.