AC Weekly is gearing up to present a very special edition of the paper coming out on Nov. 5, celebrating 35 years of service to the community as the region’s entertainment bible. We began as Whoot! The Entertainment Paper for Nite Owls back in 1974.  As a preview for our special edition, I’ll be presenting a series of blogs celebrating our 35 years beginning today with a story about the publisher, Lew Steiner. As you’ll soon find out, we’ve known each even longer than the 30 years we have worked together.

My collaborations with Lew Steiner began in the fourth grade at Ventnor Ave. School in Ventnor, NJ. We weren’t in the same class, but we both were minor players in Mrs. Cook’s fourth grade play about eating right, which involved a boy who was on trial for not eating healthy. Lew was a member of the court; I was “more milk.”

Later we went to Atlantic City High together. Eventually we attended college together at this brand new school that opened in the fall of 1971 on the Atlantic City Boardwalk at the Mayflower Hotel, Stockton State College. There we worked together on the college paper The Argo. I wrote movie reviews as the Moviejunkie and did sports. He helped get the paper out at a variety of jobs.

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Cliff Lee wins game 1.

Is Cliff Lee too cool for school or what? What an amazing start to the World Series for the Phillies phaithful.
Lee had ten strikeouts, including three of Alex Rodriguez. Lee did it all, masterful pitching and terrific fielding, including that “Is that all you’ve got” look on his face when he caught the Johnny Damon pop-up, plus the behind-the-back stop on the Cano rocket up the middle. The Yanks were lucky they were in the A.L. park so Lee didn’t get a chance to bat.

Chase Utley did bat. In my preview blog  yesterday I noted that, “Chase Utley has been quiet this post-season and needs to knock in a few more runs.” Mission accomplished.

C.C. Sabathia was good but Lee was better. The Phillies handled Sabathia in the division series last year when he was with Milwaukee. The key for the Phillies hitters was being patient. They made Sabathia work, didn’t swing at bad pitches. Cliff Lee did the rest, with the gravy provided by picking up four more runs against the Yankees bullpen. If they make Mariano Rivera a non-factor, the Phils should have continued success.

Do you like my pumpkin?

Charlie Manual is keeping his pitching rotation beyond tonight game three a secret, but my guess is he will not send Lee to the mound on three-days rest. He will keep Lee ready for game five.
The Yankees are as tough-minded as the defending champs. I expect them to hit the ball tonight. It might even be a slugfest, a round two heavyweight brawl.
I bet the New York Post is rethinking that silly “Frillies” cover with the Flying Hawaiian in a cheerleader’s outfit.
These might be the almighty Yankees but they are facing their Red October-tested doppleganger, a team as confident and tough-minded as they are.

Just ask a Mets’ fan.

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or my on-going battle to lose weight in our fast food world. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly

Fox Television is happy. They have the Yankees in the World Series, which means ratings will be up. The Phillies franchise and their fans are happy. They get to go head to head with the most storied and successful franchise in the history of the game.

There are so many storylines in this series. The last times the two teams met on this stage, in the 1950 World Series, the Phillies Whiz Kids with Whitey Ashburn and Robin Roberts were swept in four close games by a Joe DiMaggio-Yogi Berra-led Yankees team.

Ryan Howard

Once they were the Whiz Kids; this Phillies club features the Wallop Kids vs. the Bronx Bombers. We have two offensive juggernauts led by two RBI-producing machines, Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez. These teams led their respective leagues in home runs and runs scored, and they both play in cozy, hitter friendly parks, the new Yankee Stadium and Citizens Bank Park.

Still, pitching wins in the World Series, and tonight’s opening night showdown should be a low scoring game that will make Cleveland Indian fans tear their hair out in frustration. Cliff Lee for the Phillies, and C.C. Sabathia for the Yanks are both Cy Young Award winners and former members of the Indians.

Vegas has listed the Yankees as 2 to 1 favorites, a bit high considering the Phils are the defending champs. Between those Vegas odds and the Victorino-in-a-skirt picture on the cover of the New York Post, the Phils have plenty of blackboard material. Meanwhile the Yankees can ponder the confidence of Jimmy Rollins predicting the Phillies in five on The Jay Leno Show.
Here is how the series shapes up.

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Somebody forgot to tell Ocean City that fun activity at the seashore is supposed to end after Labor Day weekend. Numerous events are on tap in America’s Family Resort this week, including the rescheduled Walk for the Wounded, which will be held on Sat., Oct. 31.

The event raises funds through Operation First Response to assist wounded soldiers and their families. The walk starts 1:30pm with registration at noon at the O.C. Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Enjoy food, ceremonies, music and a three-mile stroll on the boardwalk. Raise $50 and get a free long-sleeve T-shirt. Tracey Davidson from NBC-TV 10 will emcee the event. Call Tricia at 399-0012 Ext. 1106 for more info.

Other activity includes O.C.’s 62nd annual Halloween Parade on Thursday, Oct. 29. It starts 7:15pm and goes from 6th to 11th streets on Asbury Ave. It is sponsored by the Ocean City Exchange Club and will include costumed characters, floats and bands. The Boy Scouts will collect your canned food donation for the Ocean City Food Cupboard. NBC-TV 40 meteorologist Dan Skeldon will serve as grand marshal. (more…)

The Mays Landing-based Wow! Bus Trips will be heading to the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show on Sunday, Dec. 6.
It’s big! It’s beautiful! It’s all indoors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, and one of the largest holidays shows in the country. Over 500 vendors will be selling a wide array of exclusive, unique gifts for family and friends. Items are priced anywhere from $2 to $700. See a life-sized recreation of “Olde Christmas Village,” decorated trees and mantles, 110-foot train display, cooking clinics, choral and musical groups and more. There’s also a 600-seat cafeteria and six snack bars.
Early bird tickets are $38 prior to Nov. 6, or $45 after Nov. 6. The bus departs at 8am from the Mays Landing Wal-Mart and returns approximately 7pm.
Call (609) 837-2121 or e-mail wowbustrips@comcast.net for tickets or more info. Ask for Trip # 1001.

Atlantic City Weekly and its parent company, Review Publishing, will be a Bronze Sponsor for the 51st Running of the Atlantic City Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15. As a Bronze Sponsor, Review Publishing will provide listings in the “online events calendars” section of the Atlantic City Weekly, Philadelphia Weekly, and South Jersey Review publications; provide blog postings on all three papers’ Web sites, and provide regular updates on the Atlantic City Central blog site. Additionally, AC Weekly will shoot, edit and run a four-minute video of the highlights of its Web site and on YouTube.com after the event.
Pick up a race application at the Milton and Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, 501 N. Jerome Ave. in Margate, or click here for an online registration form. All races start 8:30am Sunday, and include the Marathon (26.2 miles, and a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon), the Half Marathon (13.1 miles), the 10K (6.2 miles), the 5K (3.1 miles), the Maria Berenato Kugel Walk to benefit the Alcove Center for Grieving Children and The Fred Spano Kids Fun Run.

Our art director Kevin McCarty found this pretty cool Lenny Kravitz video tweet from his time at the Borgata in Atlantic City this past weekend. Check it out.

Fall is a prime season to sample some sensational, full-bodied beers, and the Magic Hat Brewery of South Burlington, Vermont, has made it possible to try four in economical fashion. It’s a hops ensemble billed as a “cabal of beers carefully selected to scare the howl out of autumn thirsts, and exorcise the season’s most frightening fluid cravings.”
Magic Hat’s “Night of the Living Dead Variety 12-Pak” will be on shelves for a few more weeks before making way in mid-November for it new pack called “Feast of Fools.”
The recession-busting, Night of the Living Dead sampler includes Roxy Rolles — a roasted, toasted amber ale complimented through sweet caramelized malt and spicy hops; Fall Odd Notion — a chocolate Belgian stout; Magic Hat #9 (pictured) — a light-to-medium bodied beer and perennial favorite; and Circus Boy — an unfiltered and unfettered hefeweizen (wheat beer). Pick up a pack while they last!

Kenny Barron's trio at Stockton's PAC Monday night.

The Richard Stockton College’s Performing Arts Center received a jolt of heat on a chilly autumn night courtesy of piano legend Kenny Barron perfomred with his trio. And what a hot trio it was, especially Philly drummer Jonathan Blake, who was a monster on the kit, sounding like a young Art Blakey. Barron performed a short but sweet set, including several originals. It seemed to go by too quickly but good things always do.

Keri Hilson

On Friday Keri Hilson performed to a rockin’ mur.mur crowd and on her way out hit a jackpot.
Below is from her official twitter: Felt lucky (& tipsy) so I played the slots on my way out the casino just now…and I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, Lenny Kravitz got lost in Borgata on the way to his performance at the Event Center on Saturday night. His friend was taping the whole thing with his camera phone and Lenny put it up on youtube and twitter. Check it out.

Just an aside, Lily Tomlin was on time that night at the Music Box.