Photos and story by Collin Hall
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This week’s bartender of the week is Dre Minerva-Okamoto at Urie’s Waterfront Restaurant. This is Dre’s first year at Urie’s, but you wouldn’t know it – her confidence and charm spilled over during her interview with Do the Shore.
Dre spent many nostalgia-soaked childhood days in Wildwood, but this is her first time spending an entire summer here. “I think my mom and dad had kids just to make us lug beach chairs up and down that long stretch of sand,” she said on a breezy Friday afternoon.
Dre lives at a friend’s house in Wildwood this summer, but she is originally from Williamstown. Dre graduated from Temple University in 2016, but probably not from the Temple you expect.
“I graduated from Temple’s Tokyo Campus,” she said. She loves the ocean breeze in Wildwood, but misses the walkable cities and punctual, extensive public transit that the country is famous for.
During her time in Japan, she “acted in a few indie movies,” including Give me Beauty, a small-scale hit was just starting to pick up buzz just as the pandemic hit.
“The timing on that was really brutal – I think it would have done a whole lot better if, you know, the whole world didn’t shut down as we were starting to promote it,” she said. Dre also starred in an episode of the popular Youtube series “Uncle Rodger” by Youtuber mrnigelng.
Dre describes herself as a “well-rounded Geek” – she loves to design full-costume cosplay and has a great eye for minimalist fashion.
Dre whipped up a mean Peach Paradise for us at Urie’s outside bar. The Peach Paradise is a frozen drink that is flavorful – and sweet – enough to hide the alcohol. Dre makes the fruity orange drink with a pina colada blend topped off with peach flavored vodka. This drink is simple, delicious, and made for a nice after-work treat.
Come say hi to Dre at Urie’s Waterfront Restaurant, located just over the bridge in Wildwood. Tell her we sent you!