Hurricane Sandy Aftermath

On October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit Catalina Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, NY. With all of the devastation in NY & NJ, the damage to Catalina really hit home. The club has been part of my family since 1944 ... way before I was born.

My cousins Helaine & Andrea went there a few days after the storm to take some pix. They did a great job!

Despite the devastation depicted below, they started rebuilding soon after Sandy hit. They'll be opening on Memorial Day for the 2013 season, their 69th year.

The southwest corner of the pool deck collapsed ...

but Oceanview was unharmed.

   
From main office to ocean

   
Court 2 cabanas

Court 1 cabanas

Royal Pains

Royal Pains was back to film another episode at Catalina today. I got to watch them last year when they shot the pilot episode.

I missed some good shoots with great photographers this year .. Victoria Secret, Maxim & Allure.

The cafeteria

Cafeteria wall shot with iPhone 4 & processed in Photoshop Mobile.

They started building this set at 4am. It's supposed to be a fitness room at Ms. Newberg's oceanfront Hampton's mansion.

Sandy was on the phone giving orders while Larry & Wendy enjoy watching the big production shoot.

Dr Hank (Mark Feuerstein) told me he liked my camera as I was shooting this pic.

I was bummed this guy with the camera was blocking my shot of Dr Hank & then I realized it was The Fonz (Henry Winkler).

Members flanked the set on the beach to watch the filming.

Annual Family Beach Party

Over & under beach race.

The twins. Cal ...

... & Penny

Whoever didn't leave early got to be in the family photo at 5pm.

Dinner in the cafeteria ... Greek salad, fried calamari, rigatoni, fresh steamed veggies, corn-on-the-cob, chicken parmigiana, steak, shrimp & salmon.

Summer, summer, summertime ....

JAX-JFK-CBC

I took a 6am flight to JFK. The weather was beautiful so I went to Catalina with mom, Hank & Adam. I think I got the cabana boys in trouble when I asked Sandy where the flags were. She made a call & minutes later the flags were all up.

I never noticed this number carved in the door of one of the owner's cabanas. Shot with the iPhone 4 & processed in Photoshop Mobile.

Sandy hates that I amuse myself by shooting over 50 years of accumulated paint drips. I actually prefer peeling paint & rust but I'm trying to expand my horizons.

I'm not sure why I always like shooting these flags.

Beautiful NY Beach Day

It was a gorgeous day at Catalina ... supposedly the best beach day of the year.

Mostly everybody knows I love to shoot rust, peeling paint & old decrepit stuff. There are very few of the original concrete lattice walls remaining in Ocean View. Most have been replaced with wood replicas. I explained the importance of documenting this part of history to my protégé, the Duck.

I've never seen the pool so crowded.

I broke out my Lensbaby to shoot the flags today.

I taught mom & Hank how to "Bump" ... her iPhone with his iPod Touch. I think they liked it, they both had big smiles!

Entrance to the Ocean View section of Catalina.

Andrea posed with her new friend.

We had a fabulous surf & turf BBQ at Stephen's beach house ... halibut, skirt steak, salad, corn-on-the-cob, etc. Mom, Hank, Andrea, Helaine, Norm, Sandy, Larry, Stephen, the Duck & me ... quite the hungry crowd.

Annual Family Beach Party

Molly was awesome on the diving board at Catalina.

Cal has incredible eyes!

Ashley, Valerie & Molly ... where's Sandra?

Penny

Gabby & Bonnie

Cal was very interested in grandpa Larry's ear.

This year was the 2nd Annual Apache Relay. One of the events was a 3-legged race to the ocean, get wet & do the "chicken cutlet." I asked what that was ... it's a roll in the sand when you're wet. Ashley did the hula hoop while Molly had to run blindfolded.

For the final event, Molly & Eliza get covered in toilet paper.

Jamie, Lindsay & Dani

Hank & Mom

Adam

Miranda enjoys her chipwich.

The annual family photo.