Atlantic City Archives - Page 4 of 10

Great Geek Gorge #1

Posted on April 24, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Geeks need their gratification. Just as the wise men brought baby Jesus gifts, and ancient peeps sacrificed stuff up to the Gods, in the case of geeks the world over, they also need to be indulged or they get a little cranky. Here’s a little rundown of stuff that has satisfied my voracious geek appetite. In this first installment you’ll read about things I’ve added to my collection lately, things I’d like to add to my collection, things I’ve recently received as gifts, food I’ve chowed down on, and events I’m planning to attend.

1. My 2nd favorite film of the Marvel franchise is Thor. My future mom-in-law got me this awesome Thor Pez dispenser! I have a small collection of Pez dispensers and this one fits in nicely beside Captain Jack Sparrow, Darth Vader, and The Incredible Hulk.

2. For my birthday my Dad got me the entire collection of The Muppet Show on DVD! Watching these shows is going to bring back so many memories!

3. Who doesn’t like stuffing their face once in a while? The absolute BEST place to do that in New Jersey is at Harrah’s Resort Waterfront buffet in Atlantic City. That is where you will find The Absolute Greatest Brownies of All Time (among other delicious offerings.)

4. This might fall into the “why the hell did you buy that” category, but I’ve actually been following the production of The Witches of Oz for a long time. I tried watching it and it really isn’t that good, but as a fan of Wizard of Oz and Return to Oz, I thought I might like this. Until the upcoming 3-D production of Dorothy of Oz comes out in a few years, I’ll take what I can get. Clearly it shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same paragraph as those previous films since it’s on the level of The Asylum productions, but alas, I took a chance on it anyway. If you’re thinking of checking this out, take into consideration that I saw Wicked on Broadway and didn’t enjoy that either.

5. The Batman Files. When this ultimate book of Batman first came out it was priced at upwards of $100 dollars at some book stores. I’ve splurged more cash on sillier things, but for some reason I was hesitant on picking this book up. It was wise to wait because, as always, there was a pretty hefty price drop on the book. I got the book at less than half price. If you’re interested – type it into Google shopping. Well worth it for hardcore Batman fans.

6. You know how people say “There’s no such thing as bad pizza?” Well, I feel the same way about Doritos. Even the lamest gimmick Doritos, like the mystery flavor a few years back, were fine by me. I can’t really get behind Doritos Jacked though. The whole idea behind them negates what Doritos are all about. They made these chips harder to create more of a crunch, but I’d rather not break my teeth, thank you. And even though they amped up the amount of Dorito dust on these suckers, the actual chip is twice the size of a normal Dorito chip. They are more like the size of a restaurant style Tortilla chip. You need to take a few bites of one chip rather than stuff a whole chip in your mouth. Bah. Whatever. If you’re going to try them, I suggest the Smoky Chipotle BBQ flavor if you’re into that type of thing.

7. Mighty Man and Yukk. One of my favorite cartoons of my childhood. The concept is completely insane. This dudes dog is so ugly that the dog has to wear a doghouse on his head and the the dude shrinks down to a super tiny size and becomes a superhero. Totally ridiculous, but I love it and have been looking for it literally forever. Found a collection of every episode on DVD taped off of Boomerang. I’ll take what I can get considering there hasn’t been an official release.

8. Finally my friends in one of my favorite bands The Dirty Pearls are celebrating the release of their debut full length album at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City on May 5th! The Dirty Pearls will be performing along with Star Killer and other special guests! If you don’t have plans for Cinco De Mayo or you are tired of the typically mobbed parties at the local Jose Tejas. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://thegramercytheatre.com/event/000048677B6062DE

Occupy Boardwalk!

Posted on March 21, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Occupy Boardwalk print by Dann Designs

available at Society 6

What were you up to on St. Patrick’s Day? Last Saturday was not only St. Patrick’s Day, but it also marked the 6-month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement. So, if you weren’t protesting in New York’s Zuccotti Park, perhaps you were sacrificing alcoholic beverages up to the patron saints of Ireland, or locked into one of those absurdly long games of Monopoly?

Dann Designs has mashed all that up into one neat graphic. I’m sure you’ve been in one or two Monopoly games that have caused extreme emotional stress and compelled you to organize a protest about the prices of rent when landing on Boardwalk and Park Place, so this one is for you! For those who aren’t board game gurus, the Monopoly board was designed using the street names of those in Atlantic City, NJ. Something tells me we won’t be seeing Occupy protesters on the A.C Boardwalk anytime soon.

Dann Matthews, the awesome graphic artist behind Dann Designs, is known for incorporating some of the coolest and most recognizable pop culture stuff into his incredible work. Check out his sites: http://www.danndesigns.com/ and at Society 6 http://society6.com/danndesigns

Giants, Devils, and Sexy Armpit Special Edition M&M’s

Posted on February 19, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Here’s the official Sexy Armpit mascot of M&M candy! I made this little guy at the M&Ms website where you can create your own character that can be put onto t-shirts and other swag. I wouldn’t normally go to M&M’s website, but not too long ago I walking down the Atlantic City boardwalk and took my typical stroll through the It’s Sugar candy store which prompted me to visit the M&M website. They have a dizzying array of various candy products as well as a humongous replica of the Jersey landmark, Lucy The Elephant. I definitely recommend paying them a visit next time you are in Atlantic City.

What I found really cool in the store was their color separated assortments of M&M’s. They even had M&M’s blended by colors that represent local sports teams. Below are two pictures I snapped and cut together to show off their New York Giants and New Jersey Devils M&M assortment. I’m sure if I go back I can make a special Sexy Armpit edition, but I’d prefer to wait until I can get the the limited dark chocolate edition!

Van Halen’s New Album and A.C Concert

Posted on February 8, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Yesterday Van Halen’s A Different Kind of Truth was released to the delight of their legions of fans. As a fan of Roth, I have been waiting patiently for the past couple of years to hear some concrete information on the new album with Diamond Dave. Most of the rumors and false starts were reported and frustrated the crap out of myself and many other fans. It’s been 15 years since VH created new music with David Lee Roth and I was curious to hear their next evolution.

The first single “Tattoo,” had all the right elements. It was perhaps not as hard rocking as I would’ve liked, but still evoked the light hearted old school VH antics. Pre-ordering on iTunes was a no-brainer for me. Finally, on February 7th, 2012 the brand new VH songs downloaded into my account.

My favorites after one thorough listen of the album this morning are “Stay Frosty,” the sequel to “Ice Cream Man,” which the L.A Times referred to as a “clunker” (they clearly aren’t fans of VH), and “Big River.” I’ve also gathered from reading various reviews that some of the tracks from the album were reworked from early demos of the band in order to grab that classic VH sound. There’s definitely a few tracks that are as succinct or as fleshed out as they could’ve been. Evidence is clear: there’s a song called “As Is.”

I’m not an audio expert, but I noticed that Roth’s vocals should’ve been more prominent in the mix on a couple of the tracks. Occasionally, his voice seemed drowned out compared to the literally MIGHTY rhythm section. Truth is definitely a heavier album in terms of the instrumental side of the music, but Dave sounds damn good.

Regardless of the minor gripes, I’m just happy to have a new VH album with Diamond Dave. Is it only a matter of time before they explode into ridiculous in-fighting amongst the band? Should I fear that the March 24th, 2012 VH concert at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City will be cancelled because of another Roth/Eddie blowout? I hope not!

Click here for more information on Van Halen’s March 24th 2012 concert in Atlantic City, NJ

Madonna, Atlantic City, and Armpits…

Posted on February 5, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Frequently I come out with some preposterous claims. One of these includes the theory that I may have invented the “screen shot” or “screen grab” as it’s commonly known. As soon as Desperately Seeking Susan was available on VHS, Momma Armpit brought me home a copy because she knew I wanted it. I watched it over and over marveling at the fact that I could keep rewinding my favorite scene and watch it over and over. Believe it or not, my favorite scene wasn’t seeing Rosanna Arquette’s boobs, nope, as nice as they are, I was more interested in a scene most of you probably quickly forgot about.

My favorite scene comes when Madonna is in the Port Authority bathroom looking super sexy in her hot pink mesh Atlantic City shirt. She walks over to the hand dryer and raises her arms to dry her armpit. Now, contrary to popular belief, I do not have an armpit fetish so get this out of your head right away. The name of the site might mislead you, but I just think it’s a funny scene. I wouldn’t doubt that Madonna actually came up with that herself because she’s really perverse.

Anyway, I took my 35MM Vivitar camera (that I still own!) and took a few snapshots of the TV screen while this scene was playing. My mom went to get the film developed and as she was going through the pics of the family gatherings and events there were also 2 or 3 shots of Madonna air drying her armpits. Classic.

AD JERSEUM 15: Gary’s Oasis

Posted on February 4, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Gary’s Oasis…

All Your Fantasies Can Come True…Now Buy a Jacuzzi you pricks! I need a new car stereo!

There’s no stipulation in AD JERSEUM saying that we can’t discuss fictional ads relating to Jersey, so the 15th installment of Ad Jerseum comes from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan.

During a sleepover when I was a kid, instead of hanging out and pretending we were on secret missions with toy guns and all the usual activities, I once made my best friend watch Desperately Seeking Susan. This was one of the rare times he actually trusted me and agreed to watch a film that I recommended. I was a little kid in love with the Material Girl, what can I say? Most of my friends would’ve told me in more juvenile terms that my sleepover agenda was out of whack, but not Frank, he was a trooper. He actually got into the movie and enjoyed it.

“In our New Jersey showroom we have hundreds of models of whirlpools and hot tubs at the lowest manufacturer-to-you prices…”

Speckled with New Jersey references, Desperately Seeking Susan was less about Madonna and more about Roberta Glass. Roberta desperately wanted to BE like Susan (Madonna). She was unlike the obnoxious women you see on the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Roberta lived in a beautiful home in Fort Lee, NJ and had everything she needed because her husband raked in a fortune selling spas and jacuzzis to rich assholes. Her husband, Gary (yes…Gary Glass – possibly the brother or cousin of George Glass, we’re still investigating that), was basically a self centered d-bag played to a tee by actor Mark Blum.

In the film, Glass has a party to view the airing of his latest commercial. The Gary’s Oasis TV spot has a similar production quality as a commercial you might see at 3 AM for a crappy local car dealership. But, it’s the blonde girls in bathing suits volleying the beach ball back and forth as they sit 2 feet away from each other that makes this one AD JERSEUM GOLD!!!

New Jersey’s Great Pop Culture Moments Vol.63: Night Shift

Posted on January 23, 2012 by sexyarmpit

Sure, the line “Take LIVE tuna fish and feed ’em mayonnaise!” may not be as iconic as “Nice f*ckin’ model,” and definitely not as imitated as “I’m Batman,” but it’s also from a film in the career of an actor who has personified a multitude of quirky and hilarious characters. Many roles Micheal Keaton has chosen are zany and often outlandish, but those are the ones that continue to make me laugh ’til this day.

One of the early films I wore out on VHS was 1983’s Mr. Mom. Jack Butler is still one of my favorite characters ever even though he’s a lot more laid back than Bill Blazejowski in his first major movie role in Night Shift the previous year. Night Shift is right up there with Keaton’s best work. It’s hard to beat the team-up of The Fonz and Michael Keaton as morgue attendants who become pimps and start a brothel.

Keaton’s Billy Blaze was always amped up, humming The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and chock full of so many ideas that he had to dictate them into his handheld tape recorder so he wouldn’t forget them. Sounds a lot like what I do with the notes app on my iPhone. I related to Blaze since I worked the night shift for a few years and it’s certainly a whole other culture.

To pass the time, Blaze was always yapping a mile a minute to his partner Chuck (Winkler). A couple of the stories he told involved his trips down to Atlantic City to gamble. I always love watching movies that were filmed in New York City in the ’80s and the proximity to A.C is what gives this film that extra coolness. As Blaze told his stories I could just imagine him driving across the river and hopping on the GSP all the way down to Atlantic City, humming Stones songs all the way. In the early ’80s A.C was the Northeast’s answer to Las Vegas, but according to Blaze “Vegas knows how to treat you right… cause they got broads…and Wayne Newton…”

BILL BLAZEJOWSKI GOES TO ATLANTIC CITY:

“Chuck, I’m really getting good at remembering these cards. (21 jeez!) Boy I’ll tell ya Chuck…this weekend is it. This weekend I go to Atlantic City and I do nothing but play blackjack straight through. I’m not even gonna get a room I’m just gonna get those wash’n dries…ya know? Did I tell you I thought of them first?”

“You know I’ve been working on my blackjack system, right? All right, so, I get down to Atlantic City this weekend and I’m sitting in the casino with my wash’n dries; Did I tell you I had the idea for them first? Anyway I’m sitting there and I’m playing blackjack right…they bar me, they bar me, I’m out, I’m barred, I can’t get in now, right. You know why? Being too good a player…”

The Beatles “Every Little Thing” Written in Atlantic City, NJ

Posted on January 17, 2012 by sexyarmpit

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWe543eWAR8?rel=0]

This cool piece of New Jersey rock and roll history comes from The Beatles Bible, a boundless online source of everything Beatles. While reading this amazing site, I discovered some trivia about the track “Every Little Thing,” from The Beatles For Sale album which was released at the end of 1964. Several months prior to the album’s release, The Beatles played Convention Hall in Atlantic City on August 30th, 1964.

After The Beatles played to 18,000 fans at Convention Hall in A.C, they stayed at the Marquis De Lafayette in Cape May. There was no pay per view porn back then so they did what all typical rockers did in their down time, they played cards, had a fiercely competitive game of Monopoly, chatted with Elvis on the phone, and oh yeah…wrote another song. It was “Every Little Thing,” a love song about how lucky this guy was to have such a great girl.

“John and I got this one written in Atlantic City during our last tour of the States. John does the guitar riff for this one, and George is on acoustic. Ringo bashes some timpani drums for the big noises you hear.” – Paul McCartney, The Beatles Off The Record Keith Badman

Take a look at a collection of ticket stubs from The Beatles A.C concert HERE

NJ T-Shirt Tuesday 89: Boardwalk Empire

Posted on November 30, 2011 by sexyarmpit

Steve Gelenter’s Boardwalk Empire/Monopoly parody T-shirt Design

The incomparable artist Tom Krohne aka @Monsterfink recently tweeted about how awesome the ShirtPunch.com site is. Until reading his tweet I had never heard of it so I typed it in and what I found was not just a typical ironic t-shirt store.

Shirt Punch offers a new t-shirt every day and once each shirt is sold out…they’re gone FOREVER! That’s a cool concept since it makes the shirts more rare and original rather than having the chance that every other person has the same t-shirt. Artists can sign up and submit their art and also make a commission off the sale. In today’s case, New Jersey artist and graphic designer Steve Gelenter of CoDdesigns came up with one of the coolest t-shirt designs ever in our NJ T-shirt column.

His Boardwalk Empire parody incorporates the Monopoly connection to Atlantic City. The Rich Uncle Pennybags is modeled after Nucky Thompson while underneath the graphic there’s a quote that reads “When the bankers weren’t looking the outlaws became kings!”

Steve changed the name of some of the properties including Atlantic City Boardwalk in place of simply Boardwalk, Capone’s Place instead of Park Place, Chalky’s Tax (named after Chalky White) instead of Luxury Tax, and it’s all accented by the crime scene outline of a dead body. Unfortunately his design sold out in no time so all we can do now is beg for him to sell it elsewhere!

Bam Bam vs. Bundy: The Battle For New Jersey!

Posted on November 16, 2011 by sexyarmpit

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyjgEJNePLA?rel=0]

It doesn’t get more JERSEY than this classic WWF match-up! Asbury Park vs. Atlantic City! The Beast from the East vs. The Walking Condominium! Listen for Jesse “The Body” Ventura on commentary talking about how both of these guys hail from New Jersey early on in the match. It’s amazing that The Garden State is responsible for two of the most popular big men the business has ever seen. I remember watching this on TV when I was a kid and thinking it should’ve been on a Pay Per View. Even then I was a critic! I remember being excited for Bam Bam stealing the win even though it might have been the fastest count ever. Thanks to YouTube user VinceThePinch for posting the match!