Home Care In Mantoloking, NJ

BRICK — You wanna be where everybody knows your name?

Now you have a chance to sing the theme song to "Cheers," the sitcom that ran on NBC from 1982 to 1993, while welcoming one of the actors from the show at a local bar this week.

Kelsey Grammer, who played Dr. Frasier Crane on the series, and who went on to star in his own spinoff, “Frasier,” for 11 seasons on NBC from 1993 to 2004, will be returning to Mantoloking Road Alehouse in Brick on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

For about an hour and a half, Grammer will be pouring his own brand of Faith American beer for patrons, said Mark Zarrilli, who co-owns MRA with his brothers Rich and Anthony. The trio has deep roots in Brick Township and in the community.

Grammer will be debuting his new brew, “Calico Moonlight,” a double IPA, which has quickly grown in popularity, Zarrilli said. This Thursday will be MRA’s first chance to put Calico Moonlight IPA on tap.

“Calico Moonlight continues our salute to the strength and courage of the Calico Men. Men on the brink, freedom-minded men, who swore allegiance to a just cause as they rode into this singular, distinct page of American History,” said Grammer on his Faith American Brewing website.

However, MRA has been offering Grammer’s three other Faith American brews for the past two years. “They have become a staple at our place with a large local following,” Zarrilli said.

The three brews being served are Faith American Ale (a hearty brew), Calico Man IPA (hoppy), and Faith American Blue Hazy IPA (which has a blueberry tint and is MRA’s best-seller), Zarrilli added.

Faith American Brewing Co. was founded by Grammer in 2015 in Margaretville, New York. He always had a love for the Catskills where he spent many days as a boy.

“Kelsey Grammer is an American treasure. Here at the MRA, we appreciate his time and dedication to his brewery. We look forward to assisting Kelsey to grow his brand and introduce our customers to his outstanding Ale and craft beers,” Zarrilli said.

This is the second time Grammer has visited Mantoloking Road Alehouse in Brick. He appeared there on Sept. 10, 2022.

NJ 101.5’s news anchor, Jen Ursillo was in attendance. “Grammer poured me a couple of beers and we had a lovely conversation about “Cheers”, “Frasier,” radio, and life.”

Check out my story here.

If you missed Grammer the first time around, make sure you get to MRA in Brick this Thursday

Raise a pint of Faith American brew with friends, and get together in a place “where everybody knows your name.”

BRICK — If you remember the iconic TV sitcom, “Cheers,” whenever the character Norm played by George Wendt walked into the bar, everyone shouted, “NORM!!” and of course one of the most famous lines from the opening theme song was, “where everybody knows your name.”

Well, on Saturday, Sept. 10, when I walked into Mantoloking Road Alehouse in Brick, nobody shouted “JEN!!” and not everyone knew my name. But that was about to change.

I wrote a story not too long ago that actor Kelsey Grammer, who played Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and then reprised his comedic psychiatry role in the hit TV spinoff, “Frasier,” was going to pour beer at the popular Brick watering hole on Mantoloking Road on Sept.10.

Grammer founded Faith American Brewing in 2015, located in the NY Catskills, which has been a special place for him since his childhood.

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He has been touring different bars and pubs, promoting his Faith American ales. There is the original, the Calico Man India Pale Ale, and my favorite, Blue, which tastes like blueberries.

Grammer is no stranger to New Jersey, promoting his beers in Atlantic City, Asbury Park, Lavallette, Basking Ridge, and now Brick.

But it’s in AC where it all came together. The Zarrilli brothers (Mark, Anthony, and Rich) own Mantoloking Road Alehouse.

In May, Mark Zarrilli was in AC with his wife attending a concert. He was drinking Faith American beer at a bar, only to find out that Kelsey Grammer was in the house, Zarrilli said.

The two began talking and Zarrilli told the actor he wanted to serve his beer not only at his bar but also at Brick Summerfest since they are the signature bar at the events.Faith American was a huge hit at Summerfest, Zarrilli said. In June, Grammer came to check out the bar and a few weeks later, he called Zarrilli, saying he was available in September to do an event and pour beer for patrons.

Zarrilli said it happened so quickly but the brothers were thrilled. They were one of the many New Jersey businesses that suffered during the pandemic. So this was sure to be a big boost for business, not to mention that it coincided with the grand reopening of its outdoor seating area.

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Kelsey Grammer was set to pour beer from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The bar opened at 9 a.m. I was third online at 7:30 a.m., mainly because I didn’t know what to expect and how packed it would be. While waiting, I made some great new friends.

When the doors opened, the line was not bad at all. Each person paid $10 which got you a wristband, a commemorative cup (for Kelsey to sign), and a coupon for a free beer!

For three hours, I sat at the bar in front of the taps, drinking Faith American Blue, eating breakfast, and chatting with patrons, who all wanted to meet Grammer while swapping stories of their favorite “Cheers” and “Frasier” episodes.

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Great music was playing throughout the bar, including Wang Chung's, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight." This was perfect because "Cheers" fans will remember the episode when Grammer's character, Dr. Frasier Crane walks into the bar and talks about how he heard an iconic passage from a song on a rock-n-roll station that he felt compelled to pass on to his fellow bar flies. "Everybody have fun tonight. Everybody Wang Chung tonight."

One lifelong Brick resident, Joe Polizzi is a regular at the bar (who also made sure nobody took my seat during the event). He told me that not only is he a huge Grammer fan, but he also loved the fact that the actor supports local businesses, and represents a beer brand that is meaningful to his childhood. Polizzi’s favorite Grammer role is not only Dr. Frasier Crane but also Sideshow Bob from “The Simpson” and Captain Hook in “Finding Neverland” on Broadway.

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Brielle resident, Cameron Fitzgibbons, retired military, grew up in Boston, where the iconic show, “Cheers” took place, so of course, he’s a huge fan of the show, of Grammer, and of beer, he jokingly said.

Brick resident Danielle Ernst said she can recite almost every line from any “Frasier” episode so she was over the moon to meet the actor. She even brought her 4-month-old son Walker (who did not stay for the main event), her mom Amanda Conti of Brick, and friends Robert Autenrieth of Point Pleasant and Jess Everett of Howell.

At noon, the bar was packed. All of a sudden, the theme song from “Cheers” blared over the speakers. It was then that Grammer emerged from the kitchen, stunned and overwhelmed by the warm reception as everyone sang the lyrics from the top of their lungs. It truly was an unforgettable moment!

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Grammer stopped along the way, shook hands, smiled, signed memorabilia, and took pictures, all while being so incredibly kind and gracious to everyone in his path.

Then he made his way behind the bar. He spent an hour and a half pouring beers for as many people as possible, once again taking pictures, autographing cups and other souvenirs, laughing, joking, listening to people’s stories, and just having a blast.He was completely down to earth and just drank it all in.

I was one of the lucky ones who was invited to go behind the bar and snag some photos of him in action pouring some brews. Of course, Grammer was kind enough to take a picture with me, as well.

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I joked with him that he had a fake radio show on “Frasier” but that I was really on the radio. He laughed and told me we need to talk some more about radio (and we did).

Grammer poured me two beers during his time behind the bar and when I got the last of the Blue beer, he joked and told people that the radio girl got the last of the Blue. (Don’t worry. The keg was changed all was right with the world again).

He autographed my cup and was so kind and genuine. He even gave me a hug and a kiss.

Grammer is a true gentleman with a heart of gold, who truly adores his fans. He took his time going around the bar and pouring brews for as many people as possible. He came around to our side of the bar twice. He never rushed anything. He was so attentive to anyone who wanted to chat or asked for a picture of an autograph. I will always remember that.

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At 1:30 p.m., he left the bar and everyone “cheered” him out! It was nothing but good vibes all around from true locals and true fans. All in all, a perfect afternoon.

About 700 people came through the bar including Mayor John Ducey and some members of the town council, said bar co-owner, Anthony Zarrilli.

“The day went great. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, great crowd and Kelsey being so gracious to everyone taking pictures, giving autographs, and of course, serving beers,” Zarrilli said.

At the height of the event, there was a line that wrapped the parking lot and the street adjacent to the MRA, he said.

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“At some point due to time, I believe some people realized time was running out and we could only have so many people in the building that some left.

As it winded down, we let more people in, at least, see Kelsey but they were not able to have beer poured for them,” Zarrilli said.

But since they were not able to get in, Zarrilli handed out some of their signature Alehouse cups with a free beer ticket in them as a consolation. Many were very grateful.

So, that was my afternoon in a bar with Dr. Frasier Crane, aka, Kelsey Grammer. Not everyone can say they enjoyed a beer and some bar conversation with him, but I can.

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Hopefully, he’ll return soon, and maybe he’ll bring Niles and Lilith.

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Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial summer opening of the Jersey Shore.

The trip from North Jersey down the Garden State Parkway is a rite of passage for toddlers on family vacation, teenagers on prom weekend, and seniors on group tours.

On "The Parkway," exit numbers mean more than town names. Destination digits are often posted on SUV windows alongside visual descriptions of shore-bound families in proclamations of Jersey Pride.

Often, Jersey Shore towns were created specifically as bastions for bathing tourists. As a result, their founders preferred to play it safe in the name game.

There are obvious references to bays, capes, seas, beaches and fancy boats – yeah, you, Brigantine. Still, there are a few standout town names on the way to Exit 0 — Cape May if you don't know — that could use an explanation.

The story continues below the gallery.

New Jersey has an answer to the age-old question, “Deal or no deal?”

Deal is a Monmouth County town named for an English carpenter from Kent County, England, specifically the Deale section of Kent.

The carpenter, a man named Thomas Whyte, was among many English settlers from the 1660s. Whyte owned 500 acres near Shrewsbury that eventually grew to become the Borough of Deal. The name became official on March 7, 1898, when the state legislature approved the borough's split from Ocean Township.

Despite its optimistic name, getting a deal on a home in Deal is an unlikely prospect. Forbes magazine ranked Deal’s 07723 zip code the 268th most expensive in terms of home value last year with a median sale price of $1.63 million.

The zip ranked immediately behind 10036 in New York City, a six to eight-block wide strip that stretches from the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan and encompasses Times Square.

Mantoloking started as a strip of beach bought by Frederick Downer of the American Fire Insurance Company of New York and his lawyer partner Frank Hall around 1875. Two companies, the Seashore Land and Seashore Improvement companies, subsequently formed to develop the resort town.

Downer selected the community's enchanting moniker from Lenni Lenape terminology. Donald W. Becker in his book, "Indian Places in New Jersey," said Mantoloking translates to “frog ground,” with a secondary meaning of “sand place.”

Incorporated in 1911, the town is best known for the Mantoloking Yacht Club. The yacht club, built in 1900 on land donated by the Downers, has produced 10 Olympic sailors and in more recent years several other internationally-competitive sailors.

Home to only about 300 people, Mantoloking's north end was developed after World War II – after the railroad through town had been abandoned and removed. The most recent census bureau estimates pin the median price tag of a Mantoloking home at upwards of $2 million, tying Alpine in Bergen County as the highest in New Jersey.

Incorporated in 1850, Brick Township gets its name from Joseph Brick, the owner of the Bergen Iron Works. Originally known as Washington Furnace, the works on the Metedeconk River took advantage of a easily obtainable resource in bog iron.

Long after the area's bog iron boom, locals chose to hold on to that history by defeating a referendum to change the township name to Laurelton by a nearly 2 to 1 ration. The campaign's backers claimed Laurelton, a neighborhood in the township, had a better sound and standing in the state, reads a 1963 report in the Asbury Park Evening Press.

“Opponents argued that the present name has an old tradition, that businessmen and official bodies would face expensive stationery changes if the referendum passed, and that the local high school made the present name known throughout the state,” the report continued.

Brick, which now boasts about 75,000 residents, grew substantially in the 1950s after the development of the Garden State Parkway. Prior to that, residents unsuccessfully fought for the development of a local trolley system to bustling shore towns such as Point Pleasant.

An exactingly planned waterfront resort town covering about one square mile on the Barnegat Peninsula, Lavallette was named for Elie Augustus Frederick La Vallette.

La Vallette was one of the first rear admirals appointed to the U.S. Navy after President Abraham Lincoln created the rank in July 1862. The naval officer was also the father of Albert T. Lavallette, head of the land development company that planned the proposed community “Lavallette City, By the Sea" in 1878.

Nine years after the Barnegat Bay Land Improvement Company submitted the faithfully heeded development plans for the resort town, Lavalette was incorporated from portions of Dover, now Toms River, Township. Six years earlier, in 1881, the local railway extended into Lavallette – priming the waterfront community for the resort boom.

The town holds two miniature golf courses, a non-commercial boardwalk along its oceanfront, and about 1,800 residents – among them actor Joe Pesci. Pesci’s cream-colored bay house on Pershing Boulevard stands out as strikingly modern among a cluster of more classically-styled beach homes.

Known as the “Gateway to Long Beach Island,” the Borough of Ship Bottom gets its name from a shipwreck in March 1817. The accident left just one survivor, a young woman who was rescued from the hull of the overturned schooner by an ax-wielding boat captain.

Ship Bottom’s borders were officially set in May 1925, when Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington formed by mashing up parts of Bonnie Beach, Bonnet Beach and Edgewater Beach. The shortening of the name to Ship Bottom occurred in 1947.

The boundaries were unofficially established when Captain Wesley Truex built a home there to manage the lifesaving station that served as the town’s only business between 1872 and 1898.

Today, Ship Bottom town boasts a year-round population of 1,150 that swells to about 20,000 each summer. As its nickname and motto denote, the town hosts the Route 72 causeway that links greater New Jersey to Long Beach Boulevard.

Formerly known as part of Seven Mile Beach, Avalon Borough was incorporated in 1892, expanded in 1910 and contracted in 1941 when portions were annexed by Stone Harbor.

Unlike Avalon's very real history, its name is a mythical one. Avalon was the moniker given to the place where the sword Excalibur was forged in Arthurian legend. The name was re-purposed in the late 1880s by Seven Mile Beach Company secretary Charles Bond, a former master at the Freemason's lodge in Spring Lake Heights.

Avalon started as a cattle ranch. For about a century, it was owned and operated by the Leaming family, which purchased the island in 1722.

After Seven Mile Beach Company took over in 1887, Avalon's transformation began. The remaining juniper forests were clear cut and the dunes were flatted to allow for the infiltration of the railroad and the explosion of lodging and leisure.

BRICK – Developers hope that their plans to build a four-story, 82.2-foot tall banquet facility and restaurant at the foot of the Mantoloking Bridge will be approved by the Board of Adjustment.

The board must agree to a Use Variance, since a banquet hall is not permitted in the B-2 zone; and a Height Variance, since the area is zoned for buildings no higher than 38.5 feet.

The applicant, Vilamoura, LLC has also asked for a handful of minor variances and design waivers, such as smaller than required parking space dimensions, setback relief, and more, for the site that was formerly Winter’s Yacht Basin and Hinckley Marina.

But before the applicant could present the plan to the Board of Adjustment during their regularly-scheduled May 1 meeting, the Mantoloking Borough attorney Jean Cipriani asked to have the meeting adjourned for “procedural requirements” since municipal land use law requires that anyone living within a 200-foot radius of the property receive a formal notice of the meeting.

Cipriani said that some sections of Mantoloking might be within 200 feet of the proposed restaurant and banquet hall. Attorney for Vilamoura, John Jackson, said that Brick’s engineering department and tax assessor’s map prove that the border of Mantoloking is 747 feet from the site.

Jackson asked if Cipriani was attending the meeting on behalf of the Mantoloking Borough or on behalf of their mayor and council.

“The issue is the shortness of notice; the residents received not even 48 hours,” Cipriani said.

Jackson noted that the mayor of Mantoloking – who was in the audience – lives on the bay, and pressed to find out of Cipriani was there on the authorization of the Mantoloking Borough council or not.

“It is only fair to the applicant to know who is the objecting party,” Jackson said.

After disputing the issue for more than an hour, Cipriani said “it would not be incorrect” to say that she was representing the borough of Mantoloking.

Jackson called Cipriani’s objections a “ruse to try and delay things.”

Mantoloking Borough was not the only objecting party. Attorney Gerald Darling was also at the meeting to object on behalf of his client, Marion J. Lee, whose home on Beaton Road shares a property line with the Vilamoura property.

Board of Adjustment Chair Harvey Langer polled the Board of Adjustment members on whether the meeting should be adjourned. They voted unanimously to go forward with the application.

Vilamoura, LLC, which consists of brothers Barry and Joe Maurillo, and their lifelong friend and business partner, Vito Cucci, presented architectural plans for the structure, which has 42,011 square feet of indoor floor area, and 17,348 square feet of outdoor deck area.

The men operate three wedding venues in New Jersey, including the Park Savoy in Florham Park, the Nanina’s in the Park in Belleville, and the Park Chateau in East Brunswick.

Local architect Dan Governale of Barlo, Governale and Associates said he took cues from local architecture for the restaurant/banquet hall and for an additional 2,250 square foot footprint marine structure, which would house facilities for boaters.

Even though the site is about 19 acres, there were not many places that could accommodate the banquet facility, Governale said, since there are wetlands on the property, plus boat and marine storage.

The ground level would feature a casual oyster and shrimp bar for dock-and-dine customers, with patio tables and a bar, which would operate seasonally from April to October.

The ground floor with its 17,061 square-foot footprint would also contain a valet area with parking, restrooms, enclosed trash and storage rooms, and an elevator and stairway.

The first floor would have an elevation of 19.2 feet and would feature a year-round seafood and steak restaurant with seating for 200.

The floors above the restaurant would be dedicated for the banquet hall. The second floor would be a reception area for the cocktail hour, and the ballroom, with a 16-foot ceiling, would be on the third floor. The top of the structure would feature a glassed-in area for wedding ceremonies. All spaces could accommodate up to 350 wedding guests.

Weddings take place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, and average about 220 people, Joe Maurillo said. They typically start around 5 p.m. and run for five or six hours.

The application will be carried to July 10 Board of Adjustment meeting when the objecting attorneys will make their case.

Vilamoura LLC has hired a traffic engineer who will present his findings and address concerns about traffic jams on Mantoloking Road, especially in the summer since the county road is one lane in each direction.

As part of the application, a new traffic light is proposed for the intersection to the entrance of the complex, which would be aligned with the existing driveway associated with Traders Cove Park and Marina.

A plan to develop a parcel of land on Mantoloking Road with uses for offices and townhomes – already approved by Brick Township’s zoning board – would be modified under a new application scheduled to be heard by board members next week.

Lombardi Residential received approval in 2020 to construct a new building containing three, 2-story, 3-bedroom townhouse units. The existing contractor’s office and warehouse is to remain.

At the time, the application faced one objector – a resident of neighboring North Raleigh Road, who feared the development could lead to additional traffic and cars parking on the residential street. Ultimately, the owner of the property agreed to allow residents to use the commercial parking spaces during weekends and evening hours when the likelihood would be higher for guests to be present. He also agreed to erect “no parking” signs and lobby the township council to enforce such a measure by ordinance if necessary.

The new plan calls for changes to the traffic flow within the small development. The previous approval provided ingress and egress from North Raleigh Drive, along with an existing driveway on the east side of the property to Mantoloking Road. The amended application seeks the board’s permission to eliminate the exit driveway onto Mantoloking Road and use only the North Raleigh Drive ingress and egress. The property owners is also proposing to modify the approval, which would entail modifying the approved parking area.

The applicant previously received a use variance for the existing contractor’s office and warehouse facility, plus the proposed multifamily townhouse building as neither is permitted within the R-7.5 zone. The R7.5 zone allows for single-family homes on lots of 7,500 feet or more.

By ordinance, the minimum required number of parking spaces for commercial portion is 17 , whereas 15 spaces are proposed. Approval is also required to use the existing access on North Raleigh Street, which contains access easements for several residential homes north of the property and on North Raleigh Street itself.

The type of variance relief sought by the developer will likely be determined by the board and its professionals. The application calls for the reaffirmation of the entire project, with the revisions, and formally seeks use variance relief. A notice of the hearing, however, notes that Lombardi may seek only “bulk” variance relief depending on the determination of the board. A use variance requires a supermajority of board members voting in favor of an application while a bulk variance requires only a simple majority.

The hearing will be held Jan. 4, 2023, at 7 p.m., at the township municipal complex on Chambers Bridge Road.