👋Hey, Monmouth friends!

Summer isn’t slowing down just yet. Let’s make some plans!

👀In this week’s Scoop:

🎉 Weekend Plans: Clams, carnival rides and food trucks
📚 Beyond the Books: Bridge, blues, yoga, AI and some very good dogs
🚗 Day Trippin’: Sunflowers, butterflies, art bargains and the state fair
✈️ Wanderlust Weekly: Frozen movie worlds, Florida fireworks and gingerbread masterpieces
🎂 Celebrity Birthdays: A Keyport milestone and plenty of familiar faces

Up first…

🥡 Remember to ask for the extras. New Jersey’s “Skip the Stuff” law takes effect Aug. 1, which means restaurants, diners, coffee shops and delivery services will no longer automatically include disposable utensils, napkins or condiment packets. Ordering takeout? You’ll need to request the forks and ketchup yourself. Delivery apps will also default to no extras, so check the appropriate box before placing your order.

🌊 Meet Asbury Park’s newest oceanfront restaurant. Lili Oceanfront has taken over the multilevel boardwalk space formerly home to Stella Marina, serving coastal Mediterranean fare and fresh seafood alongside sweeping ocean views. The menu covers everything from grilled salmon kebabs and squid ink pasta to creative pizzas — we loved the spicy fig and prosciutto pie! Add it to your list of must-try Shore restaurants.

Monmouth County veterans and their families can connect with dozens of helpful programs and services at the County’s Veterans Resource Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Fort Athletic Club, 114 Saltzman Ave., Oceanport.

About 75 service providers are expected, offering information and assistance with education, legal services, housing, transportation, healthcare, support programs and Veteran ID cards. Refreshments will be provided.

Veterans may also preregister for limited-seating presentations on VA benefits and Vet Centers presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

📞 Advance registration is encouraged: 732-431-7450
🌐 Participating agencies: monmouthadvs.com

Veterans unable to attend may call the Division on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Services at 732-683-8675 for information about available resources.

Caring for a parent, spouse or other family member age 55 or older who needs a nursing home level of care? New Jersey’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, better known as PACE, may help them continue living safely at home.

PACE coordinates medical and social services in one program, including primary and dental care, prescriptions, home care, adult day services and transportation to appointments.

New Jersey is expanding PACE to all 21 counties. Some centers are accepting participants now, while others are expected to open during the next 18 to 24 months. Contact your local PACE provider to ask about eligibility and availability—because sometimes the best care plan comes with no packing boxes required. Learn more here.

🎡 Take one more spin around the midway. The Manasquan Fireman’s Fair rolls into Mallard Park from July 28-Aug. 1, 6-10 p.m. nightly, with carnival rides, festival food, games, live music, a beer garden and a $25,000 Super 50/50 raffle. Even better, it supports Manasquan Volunteer Engine Company No. 2.

🦪 Come out of your shell. The Highlands Clam Fest returns to Bay and Waterwitch avenues for its 31st year on July 31-Aug. 1. Expect food trucks, live entertainment and a beer, wine and sangria garden, followed by fireworks over Snug Harbor Beach at 10 p.m. Saturday. Admission and parking are free—and yes, the Lions Club’s legendary funnel cakes will be there too.

🚚 Follow the food trucks to the waterfront. The Atlantic Highlands Food Truck and Music Fest takes over the Marina Lawn on Aug. 2 from noon-9 p.m. Choose from 18 food trucks, grab something cold from the beer and sangria garden, browse the vendors and settle in for live music by the water.

🛍️ Shop, dine and dance downtown. Spring Lake Summer Nights returns July 29 from 5-8 p.m. with outdoor dining, late-night shopping, family activities and live music from Big John & Lil Maria.

🎷 Jazz up your Wednesday night. Coo Moe Jhee brings the tunes to Riley Park for Bradley Beach’s free Summer Jazz & Blues concert on July 29 from 7-9 p.m. Pack a chair or blanket.

🇺🇸 Picnic with The Black Ties. Belmar’s America 250 Summer Concert Series continues on the library lawn July 30 from 6-8 p.m.

🎶 Wake up, little Susie. An Everly Brothers tribute brings those unmistakable harmonies to the free Colts Neck Sounds of Summer Concert Series on July 30 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

🎸 Don’t stop believin’. Frontiers brings the Journey songbook—and several opportunities for singalongs—to Veterans Park in Hazlet on July 30 from 7-8:30 p.m. Admission is free.

🌊 Rock out by the sea. Long Branch’s free Thursdays by the Sea series returns to the Great Lawn Stage on July 30 from 7-8:30 p.m.

The latest news on aging from trusted media sources.

🏥 What Geriatric Emergency Departments Do Differently: These specialized units can help keep older patients out of the hospital, lower their health care costs and more. The New York Times, July 25.

🚭 Years After He Quit Smoking, a Lung Cancer Scan Saved His Life: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and older adults are at higher risk. But only about a quarter of patients eligible for screening are up-to-date. The New York Times, July 15.

💊 FDA Approves a First-Of-Its-Kind Pill to Cut Cholesterol in High-Risk Patients: The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-its-kind pill that can drastically reduce cholesterol in a way that’s previously only been available with expensive, injectable drugs. Associated Press, July 16.

🛡️ 5 Scams Targeting Retirees Now — and the Easiest Ways to Stay Safe: From phony family emergencies to fake investments, fraudsters know all the tricks and have modern technology up their sleeves. Here's how to stay safe from five common scams. Kiplinger, July 19.

Ready to deal a hand, strike a pose or learn what AI is doing behind the curtain? Monmouth County libraries have a little bit of everything on the calendar this week.

Here’s what’s going down:

♠️ Play your cards right. Beginners and intermediate bridge players can learn the game at the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury on July 30 from 9:30 a.m.-noon. Volunteer experts will help, but saving seats is strictly off the table.

🀄 Make Thursday game day. Pick your pleasure—Mahjongg or bridge—during casual, player-led games at the Holmdel Branch on July 30 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Experienced Mahjongg players can stick around for the weekly club from 1-4 p.m.

💃 Warm up those dancing shoes. Practice salsa, swing, tango, cha-cha, waltz and more at the Social Dance Club at Library Headquarters in Manalapan on July 30 from noon-1:30 p.m. No partner needed—they rotate, so everyone gets a turn.

🤖 Find out what AI is really thinking. Go behind the scenes of ChatGPT, image generators and neural networks during an interactive workshop at Library Headquarters on July 31 from 10-11 a.m. Bring a laptop if you’d like to try a little prompt engineering yourself.

💜 Pause for a powerful remembrance. Beginning July 31, the Eastern Branch will display 89 purple flags, one for every Monmouth County life lost to opioid misuse in 2025. The display, which runs through Sept. 7, also includes support and educational resources.

🎸 Get the blues—in a good way. Tal Naccarato celebrates National Blues Day with folk, Americana, rock, rare vintage instruments and plenty of bluesy swing at Library Headquarters on Aug. 1 from 2-3 p.m.

🐕 Meet the county’s top dogs. Monmouth County law-enforcement K-9 teams will show off their training, skills and impressive handler partnerships at the Eastern Branch on Aug. 3 from 10-11 a.m.

💜 Sew, stretch and exhale. Make a lavender eye pillow, then put it to work during a gentle restorative yoga class at the Hazlet Branch on Aug. 3 from 6-7:30 p.m. Registration is required, and comfy clothes are strongly encouraged.

🧘 Pick your favorite way to unwind. Try beginner yoga at Library Headquarters on Aug. 3 from 6:30-8 p.m., or chair yoga there on Aug. 4 from 10-10:45 a.m. Both are free, beginner-friendly and designed to send stress packing.

🤝 Get help closer to home. Monmouth ACTS representatives will offer assistance with SNAP, NJ FamilyCare, Medicaid, applications and referrals at the Allentown Branch on Aug. 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Services are first come, first served.

🔎 Dig into Monmouth County’s darker side. Historian Greg Caggiano uncovers four centuries of murders, mob hits, executions and missing-person cases at the Wall Township Branch on Aug. 4 from 6-7 p.m. Sleep tight!

🎶 Follow the blues across the Atlantic. Liverpool native John Paul Groom traces the blues from African American folk music through rock ’n’ roll and the British Invasion at Library Headquarters on Aug. 4 from 6-7:30 p.m.

🧩 Help put it all together. Drop into the Allentown Branch on Aug. 4 between 6 and 8:45 p.m. to work on the community puzzle. Finding that one missing piece earns unlimited bragging rights.

🎤 Tap your toes through four decades. The Angel Cats bring their harmonies and feel-good hits from the ’60s through the ’90s to the Ocean Township Branch on Aug. 5 from 2-3 p.m.

☘️ Take a journey from Ireland to Freehold. Author Glenn Cashion discusses My Irish Heart, his memoir about ancestry, faith, family, service, sobriety and enduring love, at Library Headquarters on Aug. 5 from 6-7 p.m.

Ready to venture beyond Monmouth County? This week’s road-trip lineup has farm animals, butterflies, bargain art and enough sunflowers to keep your camera roll busy until Labor Day.

🐴 Go big at the state fair. The New Jersey State Fair and Sussex County Farm and Horse Show takes over the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta from July 31-Aug. 8. Expect livestock, horse shows, carnival rides, live music, games and all the fair food your stomach can negotiate. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors 60+ and $4 for children ages 6-12.

🌻 Follow the sunflower trail. Wander through rows of blooms, pose at more than 20 photo spots and visit the farm animals at the New Jersey Sunflower Trail in Washington throughout August. Select weekends add food trucks, live music, crafters, axe throwing and a beer and wine garden. Tickets start at $14.99 on weekdays and $16.99 on weekends.

🎨 Score some artsy bargains. More than 30 local makers will offer ceramics, jewelry, paintings, prints and other treasures during the Arts Council of Princeton’s yART Sale on Aug. 1 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Many are seconds, misprints or discontinued designs sold at studio-cleanout prices. Admission is free.

🦋 Flutter over to Pennington. The Watershed Institute’s Butterfly Festival returns Aug. 1 from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. with an insect zoo, butterfly-house tours, a bug parade, live entertainment, crafts, food trucks and vendors. Admission is $10 per person or $30 per carload of up to six people.

🍷 Toast to everything Jersey Fresh. Terhune Orchards in Princeton celebrates Summer Fest on Aug. 1-2 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with live music, animal shows, bubble performances, crafts, food and a new vendor fair. Adults can cool off with wine flights and slushies—because farm life is demanding work. Advance admission is $16.50; day-of tickets are $19.50.

Holiday travel is heating up—or, in one case, cooling down to a brisk 9 degrees. Here’s what’s new and worth packing a parka for.

🧊 Step inside your favorite holiday movie. Marriott is expanding its hand-carved ICE! attraction to a record eight resorts this holiday season, including first-time locations in California and Arizona. New themes include Home Alone in Nashville, The Nightmare Before Christmas in Colorado and Harry Potter in Grapevine, Texas. Returning favorites include The Grinch near Washington, D.C., The Polar Express near Orlando and Rudolph in San Antonio, while the new locations will feature A Charlie Brown Christmas and Elf. Each walk-through experience uses more than 2 million pounds of ice, includes towering scenes and slides, and stays at a frosty 9 degrees. Blue parkas are provided—because hypothermia is not especially festive.

🎄 Trade the snow shovel for a swimsuit. The Orlando World Center Marriott, just 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World, will host its expanded Twelve Nights of Wonder from Dec. 20-31. The nightly Winter Wonderland Village adds a brand-new carousel this year, along with a train ride, children’s activities, holiday treats, specialty drinks, carolers and visits from Santa. Fireworks are scheduled for Dec. 26, 28, 30 and 31, with a Mermaid and Glow pool event on Dec. 26. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve buffets are also planned. Holiday magic, now with a lazy river.

🍪 See gingerbread taken very seriously. Asheville’s Omni Grove Park Inn will host the 34th National Gingerbread House Competition on Nov. 16, bringing together professional pastry chefs, amateur bakers, architects, artists and families. New judges this year include pastry and confectionery artist Sasha Aleksandra Nary and award-winning cookie artist Rabiha Sami. The finished gingerbread creations—ranging from tiny cottages to elaborate edible buildings—will go on public display Nov. 17-Jan. 3. More than 20,000 people visit annually, proving that sometimes it is perfectly acceptable to travel several hundred miles to admire cookies.

🍓 Start Friday on a fresh note. Atlantic Highlands Farmers Market brings local fruits, vegetables, artisan breads, jellies, body-care products, and handmade gifts to Veterans Park on July 31 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Bonus: Parking is free, so you can spend that money on something involving carbs.

🥕 Fill your basket in Allenhurst. Shop fresh local produce and more at the Allenhurst Farmers Market on July 31 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 201 Main St. Short, sweet and stocked with the good stuff.

🌽 Find Jersey Fresh in Freehold. Downtown Freehold’s Farmers Market sets up at Main and Court streets on July 31 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Expect sun-ripened produce, baked goods, flowers, honey and several things you didn’t know you needed until you smelled them.

🥧 Bring a big bag to Highlands. The Highlands Farmers Market fills Huddy Park on Aug. 1 from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. with fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, breads, pies, ravioli, cheeses, eggs, honey, fresh juice and more. Yes, you may need a second tote.

🌦️ Shop local, rain or shine. The Hazlet Farmers Market returns to the James J. Cullen Center on Aug. 1 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. If heavy rain or excessive heat crashes the party, the market simply moves indoors. Take that, Mother Nature.

🎨 Mix your tomatoes with a little treasure hunting. Asbury Fresh Farmers & Makers Market returns to Emory Street in Asbury Park on Aug. 2 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for its 13th year. Come for the farm-fresh finds; stay for the local makers and just one more lap around the booths.

🐕 Take your tote—and your pup—to Marlboro. The Marlboro Farmers Market opens for the season Aug. 2 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on the preserved former Stattel Farm. Expect local produce, family farmers and plenty of parking. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome, and bringing some cash is smart since not every vendor accepts cards.

🌳 Make it a market morning in the park. Howell Farmers Market takes over Echo Lake Park on Aug. 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with local farmers, food vendors and handmade makers. Shop produce, baked goods, specialty foods and gifts.

A very happy 70th birthday to Marjorie S. of Keyport, celebrating her milestone birthday on Aug. 1. Here’s to 70 years of great stories—and the good sense not to tell all of them!

A few other familiar faces celebrating this week include documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, “Project Runway” personality Tim Gunn and E Street Band singer Patti Scialfa, all turning 73 on July 29, while country star Martina McBride turns 60. On July 30, singer Paul Anka turns 85, Arnold Schwarzenegger is 79, “thirtysomething” actor Ken Olin is 72, Delta Burke is 70 and “Friends” favorite Lisa Kudrow is 63. Wrapping up the week, “The Bold and the Beautiful” star Susan Flannery turns 87, actor Wesley Snipes is 64, and “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is 61 on July 31. Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz turns 62 on Aug. 1.

That’s all for this week! Whether you’re headed to a food-truck festival, learning to play bridge or plotting a holiday escape, we hope you find something that makes the week a little more fun.

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See you next week!

😎 The Monmouth Senior Scoop team

A quick note: We do our best to keep every date, time and detail accurate, but plans can change faster than the weather at the Shore. Please confirm with the venue before heading out. This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not medical, legal or financial advice.