A special thank you to Tara's cousin, Jeremy Tankel for his research on all things Asbury and the Jersey Shore!

1) Porta in Asbury Park isn't just a restaurant; it's a place where a crucial part of Bruce Springsteen's musical journey unfolded. This restaurant occupies the space of the former Student Prince nightclub, where Springsteen first met Clarence Clemons. The Student Prince was a key venue in the early 70s Jersey Shore music scene. Later, it was also the site of the Xanadu nightclub, where Springsteen debuted "Dancing in the Dark" in 1984.

2) There really is an E Street. Bruce Springsteen’s “E Street Band” is derived from “E” Street in Belmar, where original keyboardist, David Sancious lived. "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" was also inspired by Belmar’s 10th Ave. Today there is an 8 foot guitar at that intersection in Belmar as a tribute to the Bruce and the Band.

3) Bruce Springsteen originally wrote "Hungry Heart" for The Ramones In 1979, Springsteen saw the Ramones play at the Fast Lane in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Joey Ramone asked Springsteen to write a song for them. Springsteen wrote “Hungry Heart” with that intention but kept the song for himself at the urging of his manager.

4) Bruce Springsteen caused a security scare at Elvis Presley's Graceland. After a 1976 concert in Memphis, Bruce went to Graceland at 3am, jumped the wall, and ran to the front door. Security grabbed him before he could make it to the door and sent him packing. Elvis was in Lake Tahoe at the time.

5) Bruce Springsteen turned Asbury Park's The Stone Pony into a tourist attraction. It's so closely associated with Springsteen that you might think he got his start there, but the club only opened in 1974, when Springsteen already had two albums out.

6) The fortune teller in Bruce Springsteen's "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" is real. “Madam Marie” Castello told fortunes on the Asbury Park boardwalk from 1932 until her death in 2008 at age 93. The fortune-telling booth is still there and is run by Madam Marie's family.

7) The Upstage Club was a hub for local musicians in the late 1960s and early 1970s, playing a crucial role in the development of the Asbury Park music scene. While sadly no longer in operation, the club’s sign is still visible on the corner of Cookman Ave and Bond St.

8) Southside Johnny Lyons’ nickname was given to him while he was in Bruce Springsteen's Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom band in 1971. His love for Chicago blues inspired the choice of "Southside," a reference to the clubs where that music thrived. Jon Bon Jovi has credited Southside Johnny as his "reason for singing".

9) Danny DeVito was raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey. He lived a few miles away from the original Jersey Mike's location and would eat there frequently, which would inspire him to become the sub shop's first celebrity spokesman.

10) Multiple episodes of “The Sopranos” were filmed on the Asbury Park Boardwalk most memorably the season #2 finale “Fun House”.

11) Spring Lake has the highest percent of Irish Americans in the U.S., and because of this it is often called the “Irish Riviera”.

12) Ocean Grove is a National Historic Landmark, recognized for its well-preserved Victorian architecture and its still active "Tent City," a collection of summer cottages built as tents in the late 19th century.

13) Photographer Danny Clinch’s Transparent Clinch Gallery is located at The Asbury Hotel featuring photography from his work capturing iconic musicians and cultural moments. Clinch is also the co-founder of the Sea. Hear. Now Festival.

14) Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito were both born in Neptune and their sisters had worked in the same hair salon but the two actors had never met before co-starring in “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”. DeVito hadn’t planned on saying anything to Nicholson but Michael Douglas spilled the beans to Nicholson. Said DeVito, “Jack came running around the corner: “Ahh! You’re from Asbury Park?””

15) Asbury Park was named after Francis Asbury, an important leader in the Methodist Church. Because a Methodist camp called Ocean Grove was nearby, Asbury Park was originally a "dry town” with no alcohol sold.