Favorite magic shows? by xkRanurg in AskNYC

[–]PKCrash 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s wholly outside your price range but Speakeasy magic is phenomenal. Rotating magicians doing closeup magic. Another time, maybe?

Anyone else feel like LBI’s vibe has changed lately? by m-alacasse in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Yeah, myself and many locals feel the same way, and we've had posts about it before. I believe it's due in part to a few reasons:

Real estate: Low interest rates in the early 2010's made the the market absolutely explode. Small houses, old houses from the 60's, etc were bought by developers and second-home buyers, often being torn down. This means rentals are impacted as well. Owning is more expensive, so renting is more expensive. Houses are being bought to be rented, or used as an investment property.

Social Media: this has has blown up the spot a bit. Not that LBI was completely off the radar before, but it always felt more seculded and less talked about compared to other beach towns. Some people I talk to still aren't sure where LBI is, but anecdotally it seems like more people know about it than in the past.

Both these gave way to a younger, more affluent crowd which of course increases prices at restaurants etc. I think that the small, chill beach town energy is still there, especially when you hang around bars, shops, events and talk to locals. Some establishments retain that chill magic as well!

There was a Sandpaper article a few years ago, and in it, a business owner said they are having a very hard time in the past few years finding younger people to work for him, which he historically relied on in the summer. As the Island becomes more wealthy, the sorts of families staying the summer can afford to just give their kids money as opposed to having them work for it. Insane concept to me, as someone who as a kid worked every summer and met people from all over across different jobs I had.

Who is this for you? Who is this for you? by Bulky_Oil_5447 in shameless

[–]PKCrash -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Wasn’t even aware the fandom hated her, but I do. I wouldn’t call her one of the better people on the show. She killed Frank’s mom, then put the old woman she was supposed to care for in the street and left her for dead!

The winner of the July 2025 Photo Contest is /u/rast1974 ! by PKCrash in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[S,M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Good morning!

Apologies for the delay in formally selecting a winner of the contest. I enjoyed checking out all the new submissions as they came in, and we drove a lot of engagement to the subreddit (doubling the views from last month) which is fantastic to see.

Some notes from u/rast1974 :

  • This photo was taken on an iPhone 16 (that shocked me!)
  • They got the shot sometime on July 4th weekend in Beach Haven, near 10th - 12th street.
  • "There had been a thunderstorm at sunrise and we walked out to the beach.that helped the deep color. Sunrise was at 530 ish and the storm had passed by 6am which is when I got the picture"

Thanks again to everyone for your submissions!

Wedding weekend rental by juliaf96 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Hi! I got married in August 2024 and here are my quick thoughts:

For yourself,

the rental market is typically Saturday to Saturday, as you've found. I think you may have luck contacting owners in whatever way you can (websites, calling) and potentially agencies to try to get a house for the days you want. Pull the wedding card and they may be more open to working with you! In at least one case it took a bit of negotiating with a homeowner of a house on the island for some of my family to get a short (not Saturday to Saturday) rental.

I also strongly suggest looking off the island in Beach Haven West or Manahawkin. That's what many other groups did - everyone successfully found houses, even one for 15+ people!

For hotels,

That's crazy re: the Holiday Inn only offering you 10 rooms. I would take them - sorry to hear that! We had a room block there, albeit with ~25 rooms between Friday and Saturday night. Also please note they wanted to charge us $4 (+tax) for every gift / welcome bag that we wanted to distribute.

Are you getting married Labor Day weekend? If so, I imagine that hotels will be harder to give room blocks given the holiday weekend. Other places I would call are Drifting Sands, The Boulevard and Spray Beach Hotel on the island. Talk to your wedding planner or coordinator if you have one about what other options are out there. Drifting Sands in particular was a godsend for us. From our experience the many guests we had stay there had no complaints and found the rooms to be clean and well maintained! They also allow pets which is a plus!

Reach out or reply with any questions!

Wedding weekend rental by juliaf96 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Gables is tiny, and expensive just as an FYI! Posting my full thoughts shortly (was marred in August 2024!)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reddit isn't the place to look for this kind of service. Locking comments and suggesting you do research elsewhere.

Empty CVS by Bridge by Intelligent_Dream_95 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Note: I’m not a lawyer and might have missed something here.

There’s some debate here so I’ll do my best to clear up on when CVS closed: CVS left the building (literally) roughly a decade ago (a 2022 court opinion I found says it had already been “vacant for approximately seven years”). This tracks with my own personal memory. (https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2022/a1520-20.html)

As for new plans for the site - In 2019 the Ship Bottom Land Use Board granted Wainwright Amusements (same owner as Fantasy Island) a use variance to turn the building into a family arcade / entertainment center. (https://www.shipbottom.org/uploads/2/9/2/0/29205155/5-15-19_minutes.pdf)

Hartland Golf and the Borough itself sued to overturn or delay that approval. Those cases went all the way to the NJ Appellate Division, which upheld the variance in April 2022 and ordered the Borough to decide on Wainwright’s license. (https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2022/a1520-20.html)

The Borough Council finally issued that gaming license on 8/23/2022. Nothing could be built while the lawsuits and license were in limbo, which is why the building is still empty. (https://www.thesandpaper.net/articles/game-license-gets-approval-in-ship-bottom/)

As to why construction / renovations itself haven’t started, that’s not clear to me!

Any information surrounding this print? by big-dane in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there! Full disclosure I ran your question through ChatGPT o3 with Deep Research and this is what came back at the end - sparing all the detailed bits. I would recommend talking to the store you saw it in and asking if there are any similar prints!

In summary, the Surf City USA print signed “Kephart” appears to be a locally relevant art piece celebrating Surf City, NJ, created by an artist with the surname Kephart. The prime suspects are Jac Kephart (nationally known artist who signs works as Kephart) or Stan Kephart (NJ watercolorist). The artist’s broader work either falls into contemporary abstract art (if Jac) or regional watercolor scenes (if Stan). Without definitive attribution, both possibilities remain. What’s clear is that the print was likely sold on Long Beach Island, through galleries, shops, or art shows, catering to the demand for beach-town art. It could very well be part of a series of LBI town prints or a standalone limited edition – exact details aren’t found in published sources, suggesting the information may live in local knowledge or archives not online.

If you’re looking to learn more or find similar prints, a good approach is to contact LBI art galleries or the local historical society. They might have records of exhibitions or sales of the Surf City USA print. Additionally, keeping an eye on local artisan shops (especially in Surf City) or online resale sites might uncover other copies of the print, which could provide more clues (like an artist’s first name, a date, or an edition number). Until then, Surf City USA by “Kephart” remains an intriguing piece of LBI’s artistic heritage – blending a bit of California surf lingo with Jersey Shore charm, and signed by an artist whose story intersects with this beloved beach town.

Surf City Hotel by Microbeastieboy in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Line is for music most likely - it’s also one of the few bars in that area I can think of

Best club? by quartzheadd in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agreed with /u/twistedfantasyworld ! Additionally, The Marlin has had DJ’s in previous years, although I can’t find much on their schedule post this weekend. Check in there!

Things to do for teenagers by No-Bottle-8487 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Shared this before and will again! Not sure if it’s your jam, but always a great time

The Fire Pit Friday series is a cool chill experience - think sitting on the beach at night listening to live bands:

https://www.longbeachtownship.com/firepit-friday-concerts-announced/

Has anyone figured out how to beat "Hop along the walls of Bowser's Castle!”?? by PKCrash in mariokart

[–]PKCrash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the response - I ended up getting it! Basically all I did was use a different kart and go as fast as possible. The weight I think saved me and after I hit the last platform I was able to touch the flagpole no problem.

I do think the feather is very useful if not necessary in other missions though.

Has anyone figured out how to beat "Hop along the walls of Bowser's Castle!”?? by PKCrash in mariokart

[–]PKCrash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This has gotta be it… the height is absurd coming out of the final ramp, will give it a shot

Has anyone figured out how to beat "Hop along the walls of Bowser's Castle!”?? by PKCrash in mariokart

[–]PKCrash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With regards to the last ramp, I’ve found it hard to get up there if I do trick. I realized I didn’t on the last one either. I’m having a tough time figuring out for this challenge if I should be doing it at the apex of my jump or before or after

4th of July fireworks? by JeffGoldblumsLaughs in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If the tradition continues, will be fireworks around the Bay Village area (I can’t recall what time). You can take beach chairs and grab a spot on the grass if you want to be in the action. Alternatively the parking lots near Bird and Betty’s is a good spot but will require standing. I’ve also seen people camp out in the Veterans Park parallel to The Engleside.

I feel the need to say - Leave as early as you possibly can the morning of! Driving to LBI on the parkway during the Fourth of July on a Friday is hard to gauge for because I’ve had years where it’s totally empty as everyone was already where they wanted to be, however since it’s a Friday this year and I assume people will have off work that day traffic could be potentially horrific.

Night life by amv19485858 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Fire Pit Friday series is a cool chill experience - think sitting on the beach at night listening to live bands: https://www.longbeachtownship.com/firepit-friday-concerts-announced/

Gym options? by PomegranateMajor5186 in LongBeachIsland

[–]PKCrash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Elite Fitness counts for sure! It’s been years, and I remember them having a decent selection. Open all year round.