The Ocean Senior Scoop: News & Events for Local Seniors

Welcome to the Ocean Senior Scoop — your weekly dose of local news, fun events, and good things happening around the county.

🧪 Quest’s new AI lab tool
🚗 Local events & fun
🗞️ Prime Time News
✈️ Travel briefs & deals
🌳 Park picks
🐣 Easter dessert fun
📚 Library happenings
📺 What to watch

Up first…

🍀 Irish Dinner, Tea & Live Music at Mathis House
If you’re still in a St. Patrick’s mood, Mathis House in Toms River is serving up an Irish Dinner & Tea Party on Friday, March 20 at 4 p.m. Expect corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, soda bread, and St. Patty’s Day scones with clotted cream, plus coffee or Irish breakfast tea and live music from the Willie Lynch Band. $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
📍600 Main St., Toms River | Info: 732-818-7580

🎹 Sing Along at Laurita’s Dueling Pianos Night
Friday night gets loud in the best way at Laurita Winery in New Egypt, where Dueling Pianos takes over on March 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. Expect energetic sing-along favorites, audience participation, and a crowd that’s definitely not sitting quietly. $21 per person.
📍85 Archertown Rd., New Egypt | Tip: Arrive early for seating, wine, and food

🎭 A Haunting Irish Classic at the Grunin Center
Dancing at Lughnasa returns to the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts in Toms River this weekend, with performances including Friday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 21 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. Brian Friel’s beloved play blends memory, music, family drama, and Ireland in the 1930s.
📍College Drive, Toms River | Info: 732-255-0500

☘️ Celtic Angels Ireland Brings the Emerald Isle to Toms River
Music, dancing, soaring harmonies, and all the Irish spirit you could want arrive at the Grunin Center on Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. with Celtic Angels Ireland. Expect a lively mix of traditional and contemporary tunes, world-class dancers, and plenty of foot-stomping moments.
📍College Drive, Toms River | Info: 732-255-0500

🎸 Rockabilly Night at Mathis House
Break out the retro vibes for the 1950s Rockabilly Dinner Show on Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Mathis House. There’ll be dinner, classic hits, and plenty of nostalgia. $50 per person, with 10% off for seniors and military; tax and cash gratuity extra. It’s also BYOB.
📍600 Main St., Toms River | Info: 732-818-7580

🎻 Saturday Night at Albert Music Hall
For a dose of old-school Jersey charm, head to Albert Music Hall in Waretown on Saturday, March 21. Jam sessions start at 5:30 p.m., with live bluegrass, country, folk, Americana, and Pinelands music from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is just $6 for adults and $1 for kids under 12. Cash only.
📍131 Wells Mills Rd., Waretown

🇺🇸 History Comes Alive in Barnegat
History buffs can head to Cedar Bridge Tavern Historic Site on Sunday, March 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. for Scholar, Soldier and Washington’s Spy Master, a talk on Colonel John Taylor and George Washington’s intelligence network during the Revolution. $5 per person and registration is required.
📍200 Old Halfway Rd., Barnegat | Info: 732-929-4769

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

🧵 Quilts, Stitches and a Whole Lot of Talent
Stop by the Ocean County Library’s LBI Branch in Surf City on Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a live quilting demonstration by the Pieceful Shores Quilt Guild. In honor of Women’s History Month and National Quilting Day, visitors can watch the quilters at work, ask questions, and see finished quilts on display. No registration is needed.
📍217 S. Central Ave., Surf City | Info: 609-494-2480

🧶 Waretown Woolies Is Back
Bring your knitting, crochet, or other fiber projects to the Waretown Branch for Waretown Woolies Knitting & Crocheting Club. The group meets Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m. on March 16, March 23, April 6 and April 20. Yarn and needles will be available, or you can bring your own. Open to tweens, teens, adults and seniors at all skill levels. No registration required.
📍112 Main St., Waretown | Info: 609-693-5133

🥗 Healthy Aging Starts on Your Plate
The Long Beach Island Health Department will share tips for healthy aging and nutrition at the LBI Branch on Tuesday, March 24 at 2 p.m. Topics include reading nutrition labels and adding more calcium- and protein-rich foods to your diet. Guests are invited to bring a healthy recipe to share. Registration is required.
📍217 S. Central Ave., Surf City | Info: 609-494-2480

🌱 Got Garden Questions? Ask a Master Gardener
The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County will be at the Waretown Branch on Friday, March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help with everything from plant problems to soil questions. Bring photos or samples of insects, plants, shrubs, or trees for identification and advice. No registration required.
📍112 Main St., Waretown | Info: 609-693-5133

🚑 Hometown Heroes Comes to Lacey
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Lacey Branch will host Hometown Heroes: Women First Responders on Friday, March 27 at 10:30 a.m. Meet women from Lacey Township EMS and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, learn what they do, and check out the vehicles, tools, and patrol dogs they use on duty. This all-ages event requires registration, which opens March 13.
📍10 E. Lacey Rd., Forked River | Info: 609-693-8566

Trying to decode your bloodwork without falling into an internet rabbit hole? Quest Diagnostics has rolled out a new feature called Quest AI Companion, and it’s designed to help adults understand their lab results in plain English — right inside the company’s free, secure MyQuest app and patient portal.

Here’s the big draw: the tool can analyze up to five years of your Quest lab data to spot patterns, explain what terms mean, flag trends you may want to ask about, and even help you come up with questions for your doctor. In other words, it’s like having a translator for all those mysterious numbers and abbreviations.

Quest says the tool is built right into its HIPAA-compliant system, so patients don’t have to copy and paste private health info into a public AI chatbot. It’s powered by Google’s Gemini models, but Quest is making it very clear this is not a doctor replacement. It’s for education only, and users should still talk with their healthcare provider about symptoms, treatment, and what those results actually mean.

Bottom line: for anyone who’s ever stared at a lab report and thought, “Well… that can’t be good,” this could make those results a whole lot easier to understand.

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

Challenging Your Brain Helps Keep It Healthy. Here’s How to Do It: “Exercise your brain,” experts advise people hoping to stave off dementia. But how? Stretch your brain and your thinking. Associated Press, March 9.

Many Seniors Gain Physical, Mental Fitness As They Age, Study Finds: A new study suggests that seniors can – and often do – improve over time, with the right mindset. HealthDay News, March 9.

How to Protect Yourself from Financial Scams Targeting Older Adults: Americans over 60 are losing billions of dollars to fraud, a far bigger threat than physical crime. Wall Street Journal, March 11.

Traveling With Disabilities Is Often Hard. These Tools Can Help: Three apps and one website help travelers with a variety of disabilities identify potential obstacles, get audio descriptions in 185 languages and book custom trips. The New York Times, March 14.

If the Galápagos Islands have been living on your someday list, here’s your nudge: Celebrity Cruises just opened bookings for its 2028 Galápagos expeditions aboard the 100-passenger Celebrity Flora.

The all-inclusive trips range from seven to 16 nights and include the kind of wow-factor outings that make regular vacations look lazy — think sea lions, sea turtles, giant tortoises, volcanic coastlines, and expert-led island tours with Galápagos National Park naturalists.

Bonus: guests can also take part in Celebrity’s Rewilding Galápagos effort by planting native trees to help restore wildlife habitat. Info

Celebrity Cruises is diving into the river cruise world with a new lineup of destination experiences designed to help travelers connect more deeply with Europe’s cities and culture. The program — rolling out across Celebrity River Cruises sailings in 2027 and 2028 — features four different ways to explore each stop.

• Storyteller Series: Local residents, artists, and cultural insiders guide guests through their cities, sharing stories and hidden spots most visitors never see.
• Skillmaster Series: Hands-on experiences where guests cook, paint, and learn traditional crafts alongside local experts.
• Keys to the City: A tech-powered exploration tool that lets travelers follow customized routes for art, history, food, and architecture — with behind-the-scenes access along the way.
• Celebrity Takeover: Once-per-sailing bucket-list events that turn iconic locations into exclusive private experiences for cruise guests.

Travelers can also add multi-day pre- or post-cruise stays in Prague, Budapest, and Amsterdam, complete with small-group tours and concierge service.

📅 Sailings and experiences begin in 2027, with bookings opening soon.

🔗 Learn more: celebritycruises.com/river

Planning a Myrtle Beach getaway? A new “Make More Myrtle Moments” deal is giving travelers a little bonus time at the shore. At participating properties, you can get one free night when you book three or two free nights when you book five — not bad for a spring or summer escape.

The promotion is available for bookings throughout 2026 and covers more than 45 lodging properties across Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand, home to 60 miles of coastline and plenty of family-friendly fun. Travel is valid now through Dec. 31, 2026.

Beyond the beach, Myrtle is pitching the full package: golf, live entertainment, coastal Carolina food, festivals, art walks, and lots of free ways to fill a day without draining your wallet. Check participating hotels and deals here: VisitMyrtleBeach.com/deal

Walt Disney World is gearing up for a “Cool KIDS’ SUMMER” celebration running May 26 through Sept. 8, with new shows, refreshed attractions, character experiences and travel deals aimed at families planning summer trips.

Some of the highlights:
• Bluey’s Wild World arrives at Animal Kingdom on May 26, where kids can play games, dance and meet Bluey and Bingo.
• A new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! stage show also debuts May 26 at Hollywood Studios.
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin reopens April 8 at Magic Kingdom with new targets, effects and interactive gameplay.
• Soarin’ Across America returns to EPCOT on May 26 with updated scenes celebrating the U.S. ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.
• A new Mandalorian and Grogu mission is coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run starting May 22.

There’s also plenty of summer-only fun, including Toy Story–themed shows, dance parties, water park character meet-ups and nighttime splash events at Typhoon Lagoon.

Disney is pairing the entertainment with several travel deals, including a 4-Day, 4-Park ticket starting around $109 per day, hotel discounts of up to 30%, and a free dining plan offer for select vacation packages.

🔗 Explore summer deals and details:
disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/2026-summer-offers

Looking for a fun dessert that’ll make the grandkids say “whoa!” when it hits the table? These PEEPS Puff Pastry Baskets might do the trick.

The cute little treats are made with flaky puff pastry, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries — then topped with colorful PEEPS Marshmallow Chicks to create mini Easter basket desserts that look like they came straight from a bakery window.

Even better, the recipe is surprisingly simple, with about 25 minutes of prep, making it a fun Easter baking project for families (or anyone who enjoys playing with their food a little).

🥐 Get the full recipe here:
https://www.peepsbrand.com

Your couch has a busy week ahead. Cillian Murphy is back as Tommy Shelby in the new “Peaky Blinders” movie, The Immortal Man, hitting Netflix on Friday, March 20 — so yes, the flat cap can come back out. Also landing Friday: “Is This Thing On?” on Hulu, with Bradley Cooper directing a divorce-meets-stand-up story starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern, and “Wicked: For Good” on Peacock, for anyone ready to head back to Oz.

On the series side, Apple TV+ debuts “Imperfect Women” on Wednesday with Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara in a friendship-gone-sideways thriller. Prime Video brings back the awkward brilliance of “Jury Duty” with “Company Retreat,” where one unsuspecting employee is the only person not in on the joke. Over on BritBox, “The Lady” dramatizes the wild real-life story of Jane Andrews, the former dresser to Sarah Ferguson. And for the Hallmark crowd, “Hope Valley: 1874” arrives Saturday on Hallmark+ with a frontier romance setup that sounds very on-brand.

Then on Sunday, March 22, Lisa Kudrow returns as Valerie Cherish for the third and final season of “The Comeback” on HBO Max — this time in a Hollywood world where her new TV show is written by AI. Because apparently even fictional showbiz can’t escape it.

Bring the baskets and the little ones to St. Francis Community Center in Long Beach Township on Saturday, March 21 from noon to 2 p.m. for a cheerful afternoon with the Easter Bunny, plus free games, crafts, face painting, and more. Sweet, simple, and very photo-op friendly.
📍4700 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach Township

🍕 Jon Stewart — comedian, writer, activist, and longtime host of The Daily Show — stopped by Brooklyn Square Pizza’s new Shrewsbury location on Friday, and owner Peter Grippo told media outlets the guy was exactly what you’d hope: funny, patient, humble, and waited in line like everybody else.

And for anyone not already in the know, Brooklyn Square Pizza is a full-on Jersey favorite known for its upside-down square pies, sesame-seed-crust rounds, and very loyal fan base. The Shrewsbury shop is the brand’s newest location at 1026 Broad Street, joining spots in Jackson, Manalapan, Toms River, and Bradley Beach, with Marlboro next in line.

So shoutout to Stewart for popping in and giving a little extra love to a hometown pizza place that’s already got plenty of buzz. That’s Jersey supporting Jersey — with extra cheese!

First, a big 81st birthday shoutout to Teresa Barr of Toms River — hope your day is filled with cake, laughs, and maybe a little celebrating down by the water. 🎉

On the celebrity side, March 19 brings candles for Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters (80), legendary actress Glenn Close (79), and action star Bruce Willis (71). On March 20, actor Hal Linden hits an incredible 95, while filmmaker Spike Lee turns 69, Oscar-winner Holly Hunter celebrates 68, and supermodel-turned-entrepreneur Kathy Ireland marks 63. And on March 21, former James Bond Timothy Dalton reaches 80, acclaimed actor Gary Oldman turns 68, Matthew Broderick celebrates 64, and comedian-actor Rosie O’Donnell also hits 64.

⁉️Questions, comments or news to share? We’d love to hear from you! Just hit reply to this email!

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😎See you next week!

The Ocean Senior Scoop team

⚠️ Disclaimer: Events can change faster than the Jersey Shore weather forecast. Times shift, tickets sell out, rain dates happen, and occasionally the Easter Bunny runs late. So before you head out, it’s always a good idea to double-check the event website or social pages for the latest updates. And while we do our best to keep everything accurate, this newsletter is for informational and entertainment purposes only — not legal, medical, financial, or pizza-topping advice. Now go enjoy the week. And if you discover something fun we missed… tell us!