The Alternative Press

Atlantic County has announced two debris disposal locations where homeowners can take their tree debris on Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 9 AM to 5 PM. Designated sites are: Riverbend Park, Rt. 559, between Betsy Scull Road and Green Tree Golf Course, Egg Harbor Township and Estell Manor Park, north entrance off Rt. 50, Mays Landing.

The sites will only accept tree debris - no grass clippings, etc. Individuals must present proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill. Sites will be protected and secured. All illegal dumping will be prosecuted.
“We are providing this service to assist homeowners who are anxious to clear their properties and regain a sense of normalcy. Once we receive a federal disaster declaration we will work with our towns to further expand this service,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials arrived in Atlantic County on Thursday to begin assessing preliminary damages, the first step in the process of obtaining federal declaration status and subsequent assistance.
In the meantime residents should continue to report their damages to their local offices of emergency management or online at www.ReadyAtlantic.They are also reminded to separate household waste from storm debris to help expedite trash collection.

“We are hearing of residents whose trash was not collected because it was covered by debris and was not visible,” added Levinson. “Many residents were forced to dispose of food after several days without power. We certainly want to be sure that waste is collected as soon as possible so it does not remain outside in these hot and humid conditions creating a public health issu

An excessive heat warning has been issued for Saturday with temperatures nearing triple digits and a heat index of 110 degrees. This can be especially challenging for the several thousand residents who remain without power. The county will continue to distribute water and ice to residents on Saturday, 8 AM to 4 PM at the Canale Training Center, 5033 English Creek Avenue, Egg Harbor Township.          

The county’s 10 library branches will be open on Saturday during normal business hours to provide additional options for those seeking relief from this excessive heat. Locations and hours are available at www.atlanticlibrary.org.

Revel will get a taste of Italy this summer with the opening of Luke’s Kitchen and Marketplace today.   Featuring cuisine prepared by lauded chef Luke Palladino, Luke’s Kitchen and Marketplace is an 80-seat eatery serving up eclectic fare using fresh, seasonal ingredients.  The space is inspired by an Italian apothecary and combines rustic and modern design features including dark woods and the chef’s signature black-and-white theme. 

Luke’s Kitchen and Marketplace is a quick-service option for gastronomes who crave fresh food on the go from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m., seven days a week.  Menu highlights include new takes on American favorites such as hotdogs, fried chicken, barbecued ribs and cheeseburgers as well as classic Italian recipes such as Nonna’s Meatballs served with Palladino’s famous New Jersey tomato sauce or crispy thin-crust pizzas cooked at 820 degrees.  For those with a sweet tooth, Nutella-hazelnut éclair, ricotta zeppoles and rich cannolis are offered as dessert.

A specialty gourmet market will also offer salumi, a variety of specialty olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, artisan fruit spreads, house-made pasta and beer and wine by the bottle available for takeaway. 

Revel features more than a dozen restaurants from renowned chefs and restaurateurs who have a vested interest in Revel and bring their signature flair from their regional restaurants in New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. Strong entrepreneurial spirits and a tremendous talent to create gastronomic and lifestyle experiences are common threads among Revel’s partners.

Revel is a new destination for uncommon recreation.  The beachfront resort is smoke-free and provides a new kind of gaming experience. Spanning 130,000 square feet, Revel’s casino incorporates more than 2,000 slot machines, nearly 100 table games, electronic tables and a Poker Room.  The resort also includes more than 1,800 oceanfront hotel rooms, a dozen restaurants helmed by award-winning chefs and restaurateurs, a 32,000-square-foot spa, a well-curated collection of retail boutiques in The Row, and HQ Nightclub, a four-story nightclub which opens for a preview weekend on July 6-8, 2012.

In 1989, Luke Palladino was voted "most likely to succeed" by his classmates at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. This prediction turned out to be true and the prophesy continues as he adds Luke’s Kitchen and Marketplace to his list of accomplishments.

"I decided early on that it was important to specialize in a specific cuisine and because of my heritage I wanted that to be Italian," said Palladino, who remembers family holidays as a procession of food with each relative's signature dish on a table. To ensure that his heritage was properly honored, Palladino enrolled in the CIA and dedicated himself to becoming an expert in the art of Italian cuisine.  His training included four years of living and cooking in Italy.

From 1997 to mid-1998, Palladino was executive chef and partner at Venice's internationally celebrated Ristorante al Covo. "It was an incredibly intense experience because there were only three people in the kitchen — a dishwasher, a cook and me," he said. Prior to his time at al Covo, Palladino immersed himself in the culture of Italy's varied regions, spending time at restaurants in Rome, Piemonte, Puglia, Friuli, Sicily and Tuscany. Along the way, he struck up a friendship with Carlo Petrini, the president of Slow Food, an organization dedicated to combating the culture of fast food by preserving and passing down age-old culinary practices.

In the United States, Palladino has worked with some of the country's most respected chefs including Paul Bertolli, Jeremiah Towers, Emeril Lagasse and Todd English. He worked with English from October 1999 until May 2001, first as executive chef at Onda Ristorante at the Mirage in Las Vegas, where he crafted an innovative Italian menu that incorporated the lessons he'd learned in Italy, and then he opened the Aspen outpost of Olives as its chef de cuisine. In Aspen, Palladino was awarded "Best New Chef" by the Aspen Daily News.

Currently, Palladino operates a namesake 30-seat trattoria in Northfield, New Jersey  which is hailed as "one of the most special dining experiences in South Jersey, and one of the best Italian restaurants in the entire region. Period,” according to Craig LaBan’s three-bell review in The Philadelphia Inquirer.  He also owns and operates Luke Palladino Harrah’s in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The 20th Annual Co-Ed Ultimate Beach Frisbee Tournament returns to the Wildwoods on Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29. The tournament takes place on the award-winning beaches of the Wildwoods, between Poplar and Roberts Avenues.
The Frisbee Tournament consists of a 4-on-4 team competition for players of all levels, 18 years of age and older. Competitions will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with 100 playing fields of non-stop action. Admission is FREE to spectators.

Last year (2011) was the most successful year for the Wildwoods Beach Ultimate Tournament, which in turn led to a record-breaking year for charitable disbursements. W2BU, Inc., the parent company of the tournament, gave nearly $30,000 to worthy causes.

For additional information, call 856-696-9705 or visit www.WildwoodUltimate.com.

The world-renowned Bay-Atlantic Symphony returned to Avalon this past Fourth of July for a free festive celebration concert inside the Avalon Community Hall. Street and the beach.

After the concert, Avalon presented one of the largest fireworks displays along the New Jersey coastline.

“This Independence Day in Avalon was truly a celebration of America,” said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “We are honored to have the Bay-Atlantic Symphony call Avalon its summer home."

The Bay-Atlantic Symphony launched its sixth summer of Avalon performances with this 4th of July concert, “Quest and Delights of Freedom” conducted by Music Director Jed Gaylin.  Dr. Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr., President of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, served as guest conductor for a rendition of Stars and Stripes Forever.

Avalon will welcome the Bay-Atlantic Symphony for two additional concerts presented by the Avalon Free Public Library. On Saturday, July 17th, the symphony presents “Russian to the Finish!” featuring renowned violinist Ryo Goto as soloist. On Saturday, August 18th, the Symphony presents “Brahms and Friends” featuring noted pianist Alexandre Moutouzkine as guest soloist. These performances will be held inside the Avalon Elementary School, 235 32nd St., at 7 p.m. both evenings.

Now entering its 29th season of providing classical music concerts, the Bay-Atlantic Symphony performs concerts and educational programs in Cumberland, Atlantic, Gloucester, and Cape May counties.

For more information on the Bay-Atlantic Symphony, please call their office at (856) 451-1169, visit the Symphony’s website at www.bayatlanticsymphony.org, or visit them on Facebook. For additional details about the Avalon’s July 4th celebration activities, visit Avalon’s official website, www.avalonboro.org.

Goodie-gluttons, career-carnivores, and ravenous-rye-lovers rejoice, because Pickles deli at Bally’s Atlantic City has a sandwich so gigantic no conventional plate will suffice. This 3.8 pound monolith that can only go by one name, behold – The Monstrosity with Mustard.  And till Labor Day guests can take it on in an epic challenge.

While the name is quite a mouth full in-itself, nothing truly compares to this staggering sandwich tower.  Dreamt-up by Bally’s Executive Chef, David Utley of Bally’s, this titan is forged of one pound of Pastrami, one pound of Corn Beef, 4 Net Wt. Oz. of Dijon mustard, 4 Net Wt. Oz. of Red Onion, 12 slices of Tomato, 12 leaves of Lettuce, 24 thin slices of kosher Pickle, and three slices of Pullman Loaf Rye Bread. 

“The fact that the Monstrosity weighs in at 3.8 pounds says it all. It’s the biggest and baddest sandwich I’ve ever seen here at Bally’s in all my years,” said Jerry Beaver, Director of Food and Beverage for Bally’s Atlantic City.  “Pickles, Bally’s, possibly, the entire Atlantic City Boardwalk will never be the same.”

So are you one of the brave that wishes to take down the breaded breast?  Then prepare your stomach for the fight of its life, because the quest for infamy commences now.  From that point on Pickles will offer the sandwich to all that wish to stand mono y mono with the monster.  Challengers will be given 30 minutes to finish off The Monstrosity with Mustard, but be warned the plate must be licked clean.  If one displays the intestinal fortitude required to slay this demon of the deli than they will not only be praised with a photo on the Pickles Wall-of-Fame, but also receive a sandwich of their choosing from the Pickles menu everyday they walk into Pickles until Labor Day 2012.

Pickles combines all the staples of a traditional New York style deli, the plentiful menu boasts reasonable prices while featuring such Jewish deli staples as Matzo Ball Soup, Stuffed Cabbage with Gravy, and Potato Latkes Pickles.  Though it could be argued the real stars at Pickles are the over-sized and stuffed sandwiches; Corned Beef, Pastrami, Brisket, Tongue, Turkey, and Ruebens. Its hours of operation are from Noon to 8pm on Monday thru Thursday and Noon to 9pm Friday thru Sunday. Pickles features inside dining accommodations, as well as Boardwalk seating and alcohol options which include wines and beer.

Please be aware The Monstrosity with Mustard must be ordered 24 hours in advance, no exceptions.  For more information on this and Bally’s please visit www.ballysac.com.