You know, for a lot of clouds and rain, the patient beach goer could get in three decent beach days this Fourth of July. Actually, it took more patience to be a Phillies fan this weekend. Seemed every afternoon yielded enough sun to make it worth your while, though the confluence of the sun peeking through on the beach at the same time as rain delayed Nadal-Federer presented some tough choices, the consequences of which are still being sorted through. (Even in London, among those who should know better, the delays led to some bad decisions.) And yesterday, the ocean even warmed up a bit to tolerable temperatures, probably in the mid 60s, though official estimates were still in the 50s. Was an eventful fourth, always good to bring in the far flung family to drag us locals to the beach every day. Here are some highlights, add your own if you please.
Stupidest police over reaction to shoobie invasion: Ventnor police were like circling Mento's water ice Saturday night, like the crowd waiting outside was going to burst into a riot. The only thing wrong with that crowd is nobody seems to get that you can just walk inside to order _ it's a second line, people _ and not wait on the outside line with the clueless. See? Now you know.
In any case, there was a car parked at the hydrant outside Mento's with an elderly woman in the passenger seat. A Ventnor police car drove up alongside, and sounded his siren, trying to get her attention. He flashed his police lights. No response. He then got out of his car, sized up the situation, and said into his radio, "Tow Truck."
Tow Truck?
When someone in the crowd (ok, me) pointed out that there was an elderly woman in the car, he said, "She was non responsive to my sirens." Then, doing some mental deductions, he made the tough call to wade through the water-ice eating crowd and actually locate the driver, who, naturally, was JUST GETTING ICE CREAM. He ordered her to move the car. Towed elderly mom incident avoided.
Best music: 50 Cent was pretty raucous on Thursday night at the House of Blues (see below for his birthday celebration), and the Beach Boys drew 50,000 people to the beach outside the Hilton, but for my money, it was the Neville Brothers on Friday night, also at the House of Blues who delivered the most memorable performance of the weekend. Gorgeous cover of Van Morrison's Crazy Love, instrumental Besame Mucho and a Heart Breaking "Change is Gonna Come" and just a great, memorable show.
Best barbecue decision: the box of oysters brought home, shucked, drizzled with olive oil, garlic and parsley and dropped on the grill for a mere five, not fiddy, minutes.
Here's a glimpse 50 Cent with his G Unit at the House of Blues, round midnight, as the third of July became the 4th. Happy B day Fiddy.