📬 Ocean Senior Scoop: 🍂 Fall Festivals, Dino Adventures & TV Fun This Week!

Here’s your weekly dose of Ocean County fun, fresh finds, and all the ways to live your best senior life—welcome to the latest edition of the Ocean Senior Scoop!

👀What’s on tap today:

🏘️ Around Town – Tours, festivals, and foodie fun in our local towns 🍴🎉
📚 Beyond the Books – Library programs, music, crafting, and gardening 🌿🎶🧶
🌽 Ocean County Farm Markets – Fresh produce, local treats, and senior-friendly shopping 🍎🥕
🍳 What’s Cookin’? – Tasty recipes to try at home and spice up your week 🍔🔥
📺 TV Time – Streaming picks: Morning Show, Dancing with the Stars, Swiped & more ✨
💪 At Last – NJ veterans get their own cabinet-level department! 🎖️

Up first…

✨ Kitchens by the Sea Tour
Sat, Sept. 20 • 10 AM–3 PM | Bay Head
Take a self-guided stroll through stunning homes and kitchens designed by local builders, architects, and decorators. Along the way, enjoy small bites from top chefs, plus floral and table displays that are a feast for the eyes. Tickets: 2025 Kitchens By The Sea Tour

🍲 Comfort Food Festival
Sat, Sept. 20 • Downtown Toms River
It’s sweater-weather food season! Think hearty bites, handcrafters, live music, kids’ activities, and even a beer & wine garden (cheers to that 🍷). Free admission + free parking makes this the perfect day out. Info

🎉 Founder’s Day & San Gennaro Festival
Sat, Sept. 20 • 12–8 PM | Veterans Park, Bayville
Celebrate culture, food, and fun! Enjoy live music, classic festival eats, family-friendly activities, and a full day of entertainment hosted by Berkeley Township Recreation. Info

🎸 Elvis Tribute Dinner Show
Sat, Sept. 20 • 7 PM | Mathis House, Toms River
The King is back! Enjoy dinner catered by Joe Leone’s and a rocking Elvis Tribute Show starring Evan Mills. Dress in 50’s attire for a chance to win a FREE overnight stay. Tickets: $50/person, includes dinner & show. Overnight package: $249. Reserve: 732-818-7580 or Mathis House website.

See what’s happening for seniors at Ocean County libraries this week.

🎷 Speakeasy Nights: Roaring ’20s Hits
Sat, Sept. 20 • 2–3:10 PM | Upper Shores Branch
Toe-tapping Jazz Age favorites with Deb Lyons. Celebrate OCL’s 100th!

🎵 Fred Miller Sings: Happy Days Are Here Again
Sat, Sept. 20 • 2–3 PM | Manchester Branch
Step back to the 1920s with music, stories, and refreshments.

🌱 Ask a Master Gardener – Diagnostic Clinics
Mon, Sept. 22 • 10 AM–12 PM | Stafford Branch
Bring plant questions or photos for expert advice. Drop-in.

🀄 Mahjongg Mondays
Mon, Sept. 22 • 12–3 PM | Upper Shores Branch
Classic Mahjongg fun with friends!

🧶 Knitting & Crocheting at the Beach
Mon, Sept. 22 • 1–3 PM | Point Pleasant Beach Branch
Group crafting, tips, and friendly conversation.

🎸 Bayside Ukulele Club
Mon, Sept. 22 • 3:15–4:30 PM | Stafford Branch
Uke players of all levels welcome. Bring your own uke!

⚡ The Recharge – Caregiver Support
Tue, Sept. 23 • 11 AM–12:30 PM | Toms River Branch
Caregivers get support while loved ones enjoy activities.

🌿 Ask a Master Gardener
Tue, Sept. 23 • 1–3 PM | Brick Branch
Plant questions? Bring a sample or photo for expert tips.

❄️ Ernest Shackleton & Antarctic Exploration
Tue, Sept. 23 • 2–3:30 PM | Manchester Branch
History comes alive with Shackleton’s daring 1914 expedition.

🎟️ Free Museum Pass Tutorial
Tue, Sept. 23 • 6–7 PM | Lakewood Branch
Learn to get free or discounted museum passes with your library card.

🎶 Vinyl Record Nights
Tue, Sept. 23 • 6:30–8 PM | Toms River Branch
Relax under the stars with curated vinyl records.

🎵 Music Bingo
Tue, Sept. 23 • 6:30–8 PM | Stafford Branch
Bingo… but with songs! Registration required.

🛡️ Elder Fraud Awareness
Wed, Sept. 24 • 11 AM–12 PM | Jackson Branch
Spot scams and protect yourself from fraudsters.

☕ Victorian Tea Fundraiser
Wed, Sept. 24 • 12–2 PM | Upper Shores Branch
Tea, scones, sandwiches, desserts & champagne. Best hat contest! $50

💖 Support Group for Caregivers
Wed, Sept. 24 • 12–2 PM | Stafford Branch
Learn to balance caregiving with your life.

🍷 A Seat at Caesar’s Table – Roman Dining
Wed, Sept. 24 • 2–3 PM | LBI Branch
Explore ancient Roman food & dining etiquette.

🎸 The Custom Blend Band
Wed, Sept. 24 • 3–4:30 PM | Point Pleasant Beach Branch
Lively country, bluegrass, light rock, and folk tunes.

🌿 Sweet Bayou Lou’s Room Spray Workshop
Wed, Sept. 24 • 6–7 PM | Berkeley Branch
Make your own essential oil room spray: Lemon Lavender, Spice Is Nice, or Mint Eucalyptus.

Links to the latest news on aging from trusted media sources.

Your ticket to this week’s most tempting trips.

🚢 Lighthouse Lovers, This One’s for You! Set sail from New York City on Holland America Line’s 2027 Canada & New England cruises for a front-row seat to fall foliage, historic lighthouses, charming coastal towns, and mouthwatering regional cuisine. Highlights include a new 9-day “Lighthouses & Harbors” itinerary, visiting iconic beacons like Portland Head Light in Maine and Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse in Nova Scotia. Holland America

🎭 Broadway at Sea – Come From Away turns 10! Sing, cry, laugh…then sip a cocktail in the Caribbean. Cruise + Broadway = yes, please. Cunard.com

🏔️ Wild Luxe, Jackson Hole – Ski, fish, ride horses…or just soak in a tub by the fireplace. Adventure by day, cozy vibes by night. From $700. SnakeRiverSportingClub.com

🎃 Orlando Halloween HQ – 80+ days of spooks and sweets! Mickey, LEGOLAND, Universal Horror Nights, zombie crawls…Orlando does Halloween like nobody’s business. VisitOrlando.com

🌍 Bucket List, Leveled Up – Rainforest retreats, cliffside Ritz in Thailand, Galápagos cruises…Forbes Edge List 2025 = serious wanderlust fuel. ForbesTravelGuide.com

Fresh, local, and senior-friendly spots to shop, stroll, and savor.

🍎 Downtown Toms River Farmers Market
📅 Wed, Sept. 17 • 11 AM–4 PM
Fresh Jersey produce, baked goods, and flowers galore in the Town Hall Courtyard. Great spot to grab lunch.

🌽 Brick Farmers Market
📅 Sat, Sept. 20 • 8:30 AM–1:30 PM
Windward Beach Park turns into farm-fresh heaven. Veggies, honey, handmade treats—and kids can run around by the water after shopping.

🍅 Barnegat Farmers Market
📅 Thurs, Sept. 18 • 11 AM–4 PM
Held on Birdsall Street, this market mixes produce, crafts, and live music.

🥕 Lacey Farmers Market (Forked River)
📅 Fri, Sept. 19 • 11 AM–4 PM
A cozy market on Lacey Road with produce and local specialties. Easygoing vibe, perfect for picking up weekend goodies with the grandkids.

Nothing scores big on game day like beef sizzling on the grill! 🥩 Kick things off with this recipe for a gooey, cheesy Nacho Dip loaded with Ground Beef—the ultimate chip-dipper. Then bring the heat with Spicy Cheeseburger Sliders, stacked with chipotle-spiced beef, pepper jack cheese, and tangy BBQ sauce. And for the win? A Grilled Steak Flatbread, where juicy strip steak meets caramelized onions, peppery arugula, and creamy blue cheese. Hungry yet? Find more recipes at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. 🎉

Here’s what’s new on your favorite streaming services.

✨ The Morning Show – Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon are back for Season 4 Wednesday on Apple TV+. The duo play TV anchors at fictional UBN, tackling hot topics like AI, deepfakes, and media conspiracies. Fans will also see Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Karen Pittman, Nicole Beharie, plus new faces Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Aaron Pierre, and William Jackson Harper.

💃 Dancing with the Stars – The millionth…er, 34th season kicks off Tuesday on ABC and Disney+. Olympian Jordan Chiles, Hilaria Baldwin, Corey Feldman, Andy Richter, Robert Irwin, Baron Davis, and more hit the dance floor. Episodes stream next day on Hulu and Disney+.

📱 Swiped – Lily James stars as Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in this new biographical drama, streaming Friday, Sept. 19 on Hulu. Follow her journey from college to co-founding Tinder in 2012 and launching Bumble in 2014—making her the youngest self-made female billionaire. Dan Stevens and Industry’s Myha’la co-star.

❄️ Ice Road: Vengeance – Liam Neeson takes the wheel on Monday on Netflix in this over-the-top action flick. He’s an ice-road trucker trying to scatter his brother’s ashes on Everest…while fighting mercenaries. Critics hated it, but sometimes chaos is the point. 💥Plenty of mystery, drama, and nostalgia to keep your screens busy this week!

Freehold is about to light up—literally! LuminoCity’s Dino Safari Festival stomps back into town Sept. 19–Oct. 25 at Freehold Raceway Mall. Expect jaw-dropping light sculptures, more than 70 glowing dinosaurs (yes, life-sized!), a fossil dig for little explorers, and an expanded Bounce Zone that’ll have the kids jumping for joy. New this year: animatronics that move, a kiddie play area, and an LED dance floor where everyone can boogie Jurassic-style. Add food trucks, themed nights like “Dino-o-ween,” and souvenirs to take home, and you’ve got yourself a dino-mite outing. Oh—and parking’s free!

📍 Freehold Raceway Mall (near Dick’s Sporting Goods)
🎟️ Tickets: luminocityfestival.com

Hooray—it’s your special day! Wishing you a year packed with laughter, joy, and all the little things that make life sparkle. A few other notable people sharing your special day include LaMonte McLemore (90) from The Fifth Dimension, Elvira (74), the queen of spooky style, and Robert Herjavec (62) from Shark Tank. 🎂💐

Big news for our Garden State heroes: New Jersey is finally giving veterans their own seat at the table. Gov. Phil Murphy just signed a law creating a brand-new Department of Veterans Affairs—separate from military operations—so the focus is squarely on housing, health care, mental health, and benefits for vets and their families. 🎖️

Leading the charge? Vincent Solomeno, a U.S. Army vet and current deputy commissioner, who’s set to become the department’s first Commissioner in about 120 days. The goal: less red tape, more support, and a louder voice for NJ veterans! [Read more here]

⁉️Questions, comments, or news to share? Email: [email protected]

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😊See you next week!
— The Better With Age NJ Team