Eating at Nathan's

Today I stopped in for lunch at the new Nathan's Famous at 3rd and Market in Camden. I had a cheeseburger, onion rings, and lemonade. The food is made to order, not kept hot under a lamp, and the grills are right behind the counter where you can see them. I watched the burger cook on the grill, saw the onion rings go into the fryer. You know what is happening to your meal and who is preparing it. The burger was good, as you might expect being freshly made; the bun was lightly toasted. The onion rings were exceptional, light and crispy. The lemonade was just right.

There was a long line when I went in a little after noon. Things were just calming down when I left about 30 minutes later. There was ample seating for all those who wanted to eat in as opposed to take out.

The staff was courteous and well-organized considering it was only their third day in business.

I will definitely be going back.

Nathan's Famous Now Open

At 3rd & Market Streets in Camden, we have four great tastes in one place. You can find:

• Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
• Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips
• Kenny Rogers Roasters Express
• Breyers Ice Cream

Be sure to stop in and say hello.

Holiday Cheer at the Camden Post Office

A big shout out to the very pleasant, always smiling young woman who works at the downtown Camden post office. This must be a busy stressful time of year for postal employees but she stays sunny side up.

Recharging My PATCO Freedom Card

This morning I was able to successfully recharge my PATCO Freedom Card at one of the card machines. You select the add value option on the machine, tap your card to the spot on the machine, then select one of the amounts listed, and feed in your money. You tap your card again at the end. The turnstiles will flash the amount on your card each time you go through so you can keep track of your account balance (though that can be done at the card machine as well).

So far, so good.

Santa's All Wet!

From the Adventure Aquarium:

Before (and after) he delivers toys to girls and boys all over the world, Santa will SCUBA dive at Adventure Aquarium! During Fishmas, Santa will swim with the shark rays, Pearl and Opal, sea turtles, cownose rays, and thousands of fish in the Aquarium's 760,000-gallon Ocean Realm exhibit. Other Fishmas activities include a "Twelve Days of Fishmas" scavenger hunt with FREE prizes, weekend dance parties led by hippo mascots Bert and Belle (dressed for the season, of course), and interactive storytelling of "Twas the Night Before Fishmas." Kids and families can get their picture taken with an Aquarium Elf and an animal friend, or Scuba Santa. Could be a great family holiday portrait! And don't forget about the limited showing of The Polar Express^TM 4D Experience! All the activities are sure to put your family in the holiday spirit!

In other aquarium news:

Adventure Aquarium is pleased to announce that it has a brand new parent company - Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) - which recently purchased the Adventure Aquarium, along with its sister aquarium, the Newport Aquarium, in Newport, KY.

PATCO Freedom Cards

PATCO is switching over more stations to the new Freedom cards, and permanently phasing out the old magnetic tickets. You can still buy paper tickets if just one or two trips are needed. I've had my Freedom card for 2 weeks now and it was worked perfectly. Every time I go through a turnstile it tells me how much money I have left on the card. The next challenge will be recharging it.

Renovations in the Student Center

The cafeteria in the student center on campus has been gussied up. The sit down restaurant is gone. There are a number of food stations to chose from, deli, grille, pizza and pasta, a large salad bar, and so on. I've been in for breakfast and lunch. The corn muffins are especially filling. Someone I shared a table with highly recommends the pasta. The new decor is striking, complete with a curved stone wall and a fireplace. The fireplace will work though when I asked about toasting marshmallows for s'mores the answer was no.

It's definitely worth a look.

Riverwalking Notes

There are more and more people out walking along the river these days, undaunted by the heat and humidity. Two fishermen today, and a large tour group at the Battleship New Jersey. The aquarium was hosting a number of school groups, as it does on a daily basis.

Today, along my route, I noticed that the windows (and some doors) have been installed at the Coopers Grant Commons. The doors look quite a ways off the ground so a porch or stairs will have to be added. It is interesting to see the work progress.

Another nice touch at the Victor Building: a few tables on the sidewalk outside the Riviera Bistro and the Subway sandwich shop. If there is a breeze you can sit outside and enjoy it.

Camden Riversharks

I recently took my friends and their children (5 and 2) to a Camden Riversharks game and I will continue to enthusiastically report on my experiences at this ball park. I have gone there many times before, but this was the first time with children and as usual the experience was positive for adults and children.
The tickets are inexpensive and there is not a bad seat in the house, the concessions are reasonably priced. My friends who frequent minor league parks in the Boston area were astonished at the price of the ticket, the free program and the quickness of the concession lines. The ball park however continued to impress when the children took a free ride on the carousel, watched the Fireworks after the game and had the opportunity to run the bases. The children's zone looked like fun, but we arrived too late for the children to enter (they seem to close the children's zone about the same time they stop serving beer- top of the seventh, though this may only have been because of preparations for the fireworks).
Between inning entertainment is fun to watch and of course so is the baseball game! The view of Philly and the bridge during sunset is worth the price of admission alone.

And to make things even more appealing...the Riversharks are in the Atlantic League Playoffs, having clinched the Southern Division championship for the first half of the season. Check out their promotions and events and spend a summer day/night enjoying some baseball!

Restaurant Review: The Victor Pub

A few weeks ago I went with a group of friends to try out the Victor Pub in the Victor Building. The larger tables tend to be near the back of the room which is too near an air duct when trying to talk across a distance but it wasn't loud enough to be annoying. It was crowded so neighboring conversations also impacted the table talk.

Everyone liked the food. We had a combination of soups, sandwiches and salads. It is a little pricey for a frequent lunch spot ($10 for a burger and fries), at least for our budget, but makes a great place for a special outing.

Other people who have gone for lunch have liked the food and report that there is a good crowd when they've been there. Those who have gone for dinner have said the same.

The Victor Pub makes a nice addition to the restaurants in the city.

Harry Potter at the Adventure Aquarium

On Saturday, July 21st, Camden's Adventure Aquarium is celebrating the release of the 7th Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) by offering a special $7.00 admission price to any child 2-12 who dresses as their favorite witch or wizard. Some aquarium employees will also be in costume and the gift shop be decorated for the occasion and have special merchandise, wands and such, in stock.

Miscellaneous Updates

Miss G's grocery and convenience store in the Victor Building now sells fresh popcorn.

I've stopped in at La Riviera for pizza at lunch for a few days recently. It has all been good.

Update on Cooper Grant

The townhouses going up as part of Cooper Grant are progressing. The framing is done and most of the plywood has been put up.

New Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Rutgers University Board of Governors has a approved a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program to be offered jointly by Rutgers University and UMDNJ’s School of Health Related Professions, which is located in Stratford.

The DPT will upgrade significantly the existing master of physical therapy program currently offered in order to better prepare students for success in the discipline. Rutgers will begin enrolling DPT students in Fall 2008.

Summer Farmers Markets in Camden

Sometimes it is easy to forget that we live in the "Garden State", but during the summer it is impossible to resist the Jersey Fresh Produce that comes from our local farms and gardens. More and more farmers markets are appearing because of our demand for fresh local produce and I encourage everyone to support the local farmers and enjoy healthy, yummy produce!

Here is a listing of the Camden Farmers Markets:

Camden Farmers Markets

Camden Neighborhood Renaissance Book Drive

The Ferry Avenue Library is looking for book donations, new or gently used children's books (age 3 and up) and on up to adults.

The library is located at 426 Broadway in Camden.

Volunteers of America and Leavenhouse

Leavenhouse published it's final newspaper this month. For those unaware, for 26 years Leavenhouse has provided meals and transitional housing for Camden's homeless. Volunteers of America will assume the housing duties but the soup kitchen and breakfast program are closing. There are more options for meals in the city now that there were when Leavenhouse started. A bouquet of roses for all those who volunteered at Leavenhouse over the years, for all the good work they have done. Best wishes to the Volunteers of America as they take on this responsibility.

Ramona's

I've been walking by Ramona's (415 Cooper Street) for some time now, wondering when it would open and what kind of food it would be. I noticed a menu in the window and was excited to learn they would be serving "Authentic Hispanic Food".

I am now happily sitting in front of a generous portion of roasted pork, rice and beans with a fried plantain on top. YUM.

It looks like Ramona's hs relocated from Haddon Ave, according to a review from the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2002 that is hanging on the wall.

The menu includes soup of the day, house salad, empanadillas, platters (a selection of meats and fish served with beans and rice), sandwiches, a kids menu (standard kid fare; chicken tenders, hot dog, hamburger), side dishes (those yummy plaintains) and desserts.

Their hours are M-F 11:00-3:30. I stopped in and ordered take-out and my order was ready in about 15 minutes.

Aquarium Updates

There are a lot of things going on at Camden's Adventure Aquarium!

Starting Memorial Day weekend interactive attrations will be available.

On Saturday, May 19, $1 of every admission will go towards the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

Collingswood Farmer's Market Opens This Weekend

Starting this Saturday, through Thanksgiving, the Collingswood Farmer's Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon, between Collings and Irvin Avenues, along PATCO. In addition to fruits, vegetables, beef, lamb, and pork, you can also find flowers and other plantings. Cheese, breads, preserves and other ready to eat items are also available. Special events and performances are scheduled for some weekends. See www.collingswoodmarket.com for details.