Category Archives: Local Life

A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.

Local Life

The R-FH Area Weekend: Riverfest, Yard Sale, Farmers Market & Spy House Tour

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The weather is cooling down a bit for the weekend, and just in time for some waterfront and inland events in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

It all starts Friday night with the annual return of Riverfest at Marine Park in Red Bank.

The classic waterfront event starts at 5 p.m. and features the usual craft/artisan booths, food from a host of favorite restaurants, drink, river rides, live music, kiddie rides and more.

Friday’s Riverfest is scheduled to end at 10 p.m.

Then, on Saturday …

• There’s more Riverfest fun at Marine Park in Red Bank from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.;

• It’s time for Shrewsbury Borough’s town wide yard sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with maps available by clicking here.

And on Sunday …

• It’s that time again. Time to hit the Red Bank Farmers Market in the Galleria parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market features the usual locally-grown produce, crafters, baked goods, coffee, Cinnamon Snail vegan food truck and more;

• And if you want to spend some time by the water and take in a little history, there are tours of the historic Seabrook-Wilson House, otherwise known as The Spy House, over at Bayshore Waterfront Park in Middletown’s Port Monmouth section from 1 to 4 p.m.

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Good Neighbor Ray Miller

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Ray Miller, the owner of the former Fair Haven Esso/Exxon passed away recently.

So, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect is honoring him as the Retro Pic (Slideshow) of the Day honoring good neighbors.

While he was known for his iconic caring curmudgeon-like personality, when Ray Miller smiled, it was real and he meant it.

Continue reading Retro Good Neighbor Ray Miller →

Local Life

A Rumson Memorial Day

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It was a day of remembrance, honor and celebration — Memorial Day 2015 in Rumson.

The day began with a parade which ended in Victory Park. There, vets, friends, family and locals gathered to pay homage to those who died in service to their country.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into the day. Don’t forget to click the bottom right icon to enlarge. Enjoy!

Local Life

Block Party Happiness in Fair Haven

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Memorial Day weekend signals the start of summer and … block parties in Rumson-Fair Haven area towns.

Well, the folks on Parker Avenue in Fair Haven kicked off the season with some festive block partying on Saturday.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into some fun on a street full of oldies, second and third generation residents and newbies who say they moved there because of the longstanding appeal of the neighborhood where tradition is treasured.

Local Life

R-FH Area Memorial Day Events

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Monday is Memorial Day. It is not just a barbecue day, or the signal to the unofficial start of summer. It is a day of remembrance to those United States war veterans who have died in service to their country.

In the Rumson-Fair Haven area, many veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Viet Nam are still alive. They, community, family and friends gather annually on this day to pay homage to those whose lives were sacrificed in war.

Continue reading R-FH Area Memorial Day Events →

Local Life

A Retro Happy Birthday to Fair Haven’s Al Robbins

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Longtime Fair Havenite Al Robbins delivering fuel to Ray Miller's Esso station on River Road circa 1950s Photo/courtesy of Kathy Robbins
Longtime Fair Havenite Al Robbins delivering fuel to Ray Miller’s Esso station on River Road circa 1950s
Photo/courtesy of Kathy Robbins

Today would be former Fair Havenite and Fair Haven Fire Company member Al Robbins’ 96th birthday, so his daughter Kathy tells Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect.

So, to honor the longtime Fair Havenite and volunteer, we honor him in our Retro Pic of the Day.

According to his daughter, Kathy, the retro pic above is of Al delivering gas to Ray Miller’s Esso station on River Road back in the 1950s.

Al had a nickname: Baggie. Know why? Well, daughter Kathy says it’s because he was a kid, about 7 years old, when he started caddying at Rumson Country Club. Of course, he was tiny, so, she says, “all you could see when he caddied was the bag.”

This editor remembers Al from time with her family. The whole family was lots of fun. And, true to form in remembrance of Memorial Days past, a bunch of us, including the Robbins family, used to go camping every Memorial Day weekend in Pennsylvania Dutch Country at Oak Creek Camp.

Precious memories! Thanks for all you did for the community and this one child’s life memories. You were a good friend to all, Al Robbins! Oh, and Happy Birthday!

Local Life, News

Woody’s Win: Sea Bright Rising’s Chris Wood & His Telly Award

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Woody’s Ocean Grille owner and Sea Bright Rising creator Chris Wood has earned a place in documentary history.

The Fair Havenite and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School graduate won a Telly award for his part in a documentary on Sea Bright Rising and the non-profit’s partnership with the St. Bernard Project.

Wood, or Woody, as he is more widely recognized, thanked “Sean Moran, Viacom, MTV and VH1 for doing such a great job documenting Sea Bright Rising and our partnership with the St Bernard Project,” in a post on his Facebook wall about the award, which he said was a surprise to him on Thursday night.

Wood started Sea Bright Rising in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Surviving the storm better than most in Sea Bright, a small strip of a then near-flattened peninsula town, he and his head chef, Onofrio Moscato, started flipping burgers on a grill in the municipal lot next to the restaurant to feed whoever they could.

What started out as a bite to eat and a little comfort quickly turned into three meals a day, clothing, toiletries, incidentals, a U.S. Air Force tent under which cooking was done and then the National Guard rolled in on official duty to help. The effort grew to fundraising to fix Sandy-ravaged homes under the monicker of Sea Bright Rising.

To date, Sea Bright Rising has raised more than $1.3 million and distributed more than $1 million of it to 300 families and 18 businesses in Sea Bright, according to its website.

Congrats, Woody!

Local Life

Going Retro with 2015 Basie Award Winner Julia Mosby

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Julia Mosby and Ben Ley after “Miracle on 34th Street” performance at RFH. Photo/Barbara Mosby
Julia Mosby and Ben Ley after “Miracle on 34th Street” performance at RFH. Photo/Barbara Mosby

She won!

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School senior Julia Mosby on Wednesday night won as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama at the 10th Annual Basie Awards.

The awards celebrate the talent of Monmouth County high school students in various categories.

RFH was nominated for a total of 11 awards. Mosby was nominated for two: Outstanding Supporting Actress in both the Drama and Musical categories.

She won for her supporting role in the high school’s fall production of Miracle on 34th Street.

So, in our Retro Pic of the Day, we take you back to the closing day performance of that show with a photo of Mosby and friend Ben Ley, also an RFH grad, after the final performance.

Congrats, Julia!

Business Buzz, Local Life

Butler’s is Coming Back Soon

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Butler's Market is making a comeback soon Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Butler’s Market is making a comeback soon
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

No one knows quite when yet, but Rumson’s iconic Butler’s is coming back soon.

The signs are up and the word on the deli’s Facebook page is that it will be any day now when fans will be able to once again, sit and chat on the Adirondacks outside and have any one of the sandwiches, from breakfast to lunch, for which the place has earned its high foodie and social place in Rumson history.

Owner Paul Stout says on the Facebook page that the coffee is brewing and so are some all-time favorites over which townies are still singing songs of tribulation.

Yes, Stout said on the Facebook page, the famous corn chowder will return. So will the chicken salad. Of course, the yummy lobster salad was mentioned as well.

We, at Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect, have made Butler’s our standard stop since high school days back in the 1970s and through the years after.

It has never disappointed. Fabulous bread always, our favorite, in addition to that lobster salad, was always a roast beef sub with pepperoni and provolone. The works, please!

Can’t wait. We will be there!

Just a side note that Butler’s is now Butler’s Market, rather than Butler’s Deli. No mind, all will be there!

What’s your favorite Butler’s sandwich?

Arts & Entertainment, Local Life

Break a Leg at the Basie Awards, RFH’s Julia Mosby!

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By Elaine Van Develde

Curtain up! Light the lights! Tonight’s the night Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) senior Julia Mosby is set to hit the heights as she competes with the area’s high school talent for two Outstanding Supporting Actress wins at the Basie Awards.

With RFH up for a total of 11 awards at the annual ceremony, Mosby is the only RFH actress nominated, and in both the drama and musical branches of the Outstanding Supporting Actress category.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught up with Mosby recently at a Rumson gathering.

Headed to Princeton in the fall, she’s a lover of the old time Broadway greats, many of whom her generation doesn’t recall. She has a great deal of respect for her craft and those who embodied stage presence and originality in characterization back in the day and it is her goal to emulate that.

She’s not a fan of any typical sound in musical voice or cookie cutter acting method.

What part would she love to play? Reno Sweeny in Anything Goes.

Mosby, for her role in RFH’s Miracle on 34th Street, is competing for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama with: Emily Esposito, Matawan Regional High School, Cocktails with Mimi; Laura Diorio, Middletown High School South, A Diamond as Big as the Ritz; Emily Mitro, Shore Regional High School, Lend Me a Tenor; Amanda Spina, St. John Vianney High School, 3 One Acts.

In the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Mosby, who was Frau Blucher in RFH’s Young Frankenstein is competing with: Joelle Rosen, Long Branch High School, A Chorus Line; Rachel Calvosa, Freehold High School, The Addams Family; Julia Crean, Ocean Township High School, The Addams Family; Eliana Swartz, Red Bank Regional High School, Anything Goes; Alysa Finnegan, Mater Dei Prep, Curtains.

Break a leg, Julia and all the other competitors!