Over the last few years, the Jersey shore has really taken a beating from Mother Nature. As a result, David Ash, owner and president of David Ash Jr. Landscaping Contractors, is often asked, “What qualities make the best pool for the shore?” According to David, the installation process is key. On LBI and in the surrounding shore area, the water table is naturally high and the severe weather we sometimes experience can cause it to increase above normal levels. The force ground

A look inside a seaside home furnished by Oskar Huber A long-time furniture retailer on Long Beach Island, Oskar Huber Furniture & Design knows coastal interiors. Bobby Huber, Jr., the fourth generation of Hubers to own and operate the business, spent many summers enjoying the family beach house. “To us, a beach house is more than just a house,” says Bobby, “It’s really a home away from home, a gathering place for friends and family, and a backdrop for new memories.” Oskar Hu

|photos by Photos John Martinelli (www.johnmartinelliphotography.com) Planting a garden along the coast can be tricky, but don’t despair. There are ways to combine gardening with the salty, windy conditions we face at the seashor Seashore gardening is all about choosing the right plants, amending the soil, and providing a screen from the wind: Visiting gardens in your neighborhood will help you recognize what thrives in your particular area. Wind is a big concern; it can be

By Matt Burton The art landscape of LBI has changed a lot in recent years. What seems to have taken place overnight was actually the result of the hard work of many individuals to raise awareness of the arts and culture of LBI. As a young artist on LBI, I heard stories about the artists and dealers from the 1960s and 70s: Marvin Levitt, Sydney Rothman, and Jane Law to name a few. Even the great conceptual artist Robert Smithson visited LBI in 1969. These were artists, educato

By Teresa hagan What starts out sounding like a bad joke is actually the beginning of one of LBI’s most enduring environmental love stories. A handsome young stranger walks into…a local eatery and asks the pretty waitress, “What do you do around here on a rainy day?” Without missing a beat, the petite 32-year-old blonde replies, “You come back here at one o’clock and take me to lunch.” That lunch turned into a six-hour date that ended with the unlikely romantic question: “Do

By Angela Andersen, Sustainability Coordinator, Long Beach Township Like a meticulous chef that composes a dish with layers of flavors, textures, and colors, so too does Mother Nature when organically constructing a dune system. Indeed, a dune is a system, not merely a sand pile with plant plugs. (Consider making lasagna with a single layer of pasta, all sauce, and no cheese—it just doesn’t work that way!) The system contains layers of sand, grasses, roots, woody vegetation,

Located on the beach in the heart of Beach Haven, The Engleside Inn has one of the most extensive menus on LBI. What started as a coffee shop in the mid-1960s has evolved to offer guests the best in shore cuisine, from traditional dining favorites to a full-service sushi bar that serves LBI’s most decadent specialty rolls and appetizers. The continental menu features a variety of fresh seafood options prepared every way from blackened to Française, as well as chargrilled stea

This year is all about style and simplicity: everyday hacks for enjoying and maintaining a fit lifestyle. Girlhackz readers can be on the lookout for sweet and savory food trends, new tricks and tips for keeping food prep fun and simple, and the launch of NOSH by Christine Florio, which is making it easier than ever to bring style, sophistication, and fit living together. Christine’s creativity and innovation will reach new levels as she breaks boundaries with the concept of

Walk up 14 steps from street level and you’ll find Bistro 14 (bistro14lbi.com), a restaurant offering an extensive oyster and raw bar along with a classic mix of shore food and French cuisine. (No coincidence, the 14 steps were the inspiration for this Beach Haven eatery’s name.) From the west-side windows, patrons—who rave about the gorgeous sunsets—look out over the porch to Barnegat Bay, where some of Bistro 14’s products originate just blocks away. As chef-owner Rich Vaug

Serves 8 Take a break from baked goods with this yummy cool treat that’s easy to make ahead. This recipe is adapted from a Maida Heatter dessert cookbook, originally published in the 1960s, when using frozen syrup-infused berries was more the norm than using fresh. Here we’re suggesting fresh fruit mixed with sugar OR Maida’s way, if you prefer. Ingredients: 6 oz. strawberry gelatin (e.g., Jell-O® brand) 2 c. boiling water 1 c. sour cream 1 pint strawberry ice cream 1 Tbsp. l