Feature
A Century of Service
Cape May Kiwanis Club has spent 100 years helping local children and families
Early Summer 2024
Inside the issue: Cape May Kiwanis marks a major milestone. Roy Steinberg reflects on 15 years with Cape May Stage. The Planter Hotel Legacy: Robert Smalls and his Cape May connection. Unearthing treasures beneath the sand. Architect Frank Furness, PAFA, and the Physick Estate. And more!
Feature
So You Want To Be A Metal Detectorist
Using a metal detector can be a great pastime—and is bound to pique many a passerby’s interest. My granddaughter and I took my cheapo metal detector to the beach, unearthing beer bottle caps and tinfoil. An elderly gentleman studying us asked what type of treasures we had discovered in the […]
Field Trip
Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
When wild animals are hurt or orphaned, they have little hope of survival without a bit of help from their (human) friends. For many years, New Jersey wild things had a true friend in school teacher Betty Woodford, whose influence lives on at the sanctuary that bears her name. In […]
Interior Motives
Why Open Floor Plans Still Reign Supreme at the Shore
We all know the look. You walk into a new home and instead of multiple closed-off spaces, we see a communal living space, often consisting of a kitchen, dining area, and living room, with plenty of openness. For years, the concept was hailed as the epitome of modern living, fostering […]
Feature
From the Director’s Chair
Roy Steinberg looks back at 15 years with Cape May Stage during its 35-year anniversary
Architectural Observations
The Inn of Cape May
Something claiming to be the anything of anywhere must be sure to live up to the title—which is certainly the case for the Inn of Cape May. The property at 7 Ocean Street is an exemplary sample of both the Victorian architecture and hotel design in Cape May during the […]
Design in Bloom
1069 Michigan Avenue: The Saga Continues…
A lot has happened and unfortunately not happened since we wrote about the renovation of 1069 Michigan Avenue in the fall of 2022. I can’t believe I purchased this property more than five years ago and it still has issues. Last spring I talked about problems with drainage, the pool, […]
Feature
Breaking with Tradition, Inspired by Industry
Frank Furness’s 1876 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts building
and the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate
Artisans Corner
Laurie Milligan of Sweetest Song Pottery
When Laurie Milligan was a child, she didn’t have visions of being an artist when she grew up. “I wanted to be Snow White,” she told us. “I had black hair, and I wanted a prince to kiss me. Joe eventually did.” That Joe is her husband, fellow creative and […]
Antiquing Around Town
The Craftsman Style
There’s a Craftsman library table waiting for you at Treehouse Antiques in Lower Township. It’s constructed of quarter-sawn oak with cutout detailing and square drawer knobs. Although not a Gustave Stickley piece, it contains many of the same elements. Oak wood, machine carved detail, wooden drawer dowels instead of machine-made […]
Brit's Eye View
Summer Marshes Along the Bay
Most of Cape May County is bordered by marshes both on the bay and the ocean. They are such beautiful places. Really high tides just before sunset on the coastal marshes is one of my favorite experiences in the area. The sun reflecting off glass-like water and dark green marshes […]
Artist in Residence
Paula Pagliughi
Looking Up 14” x 24” Acrylic “I’m usually gazing at the horizon and enjoying the beauty of the ocean as I walk along the beach. This late summer day, the clouds above the dunes caught my attention, and I then noticed the houses nestled behind the dunes and grasses. Looking up: an […]
Nature
Little Known Jawns Part 2: Villas Haunts
I don’t even know how to write about this place. This little-known jawn is so local, I don’t even know how to tell you where to go. I mean, if you look on a map, it’s the green spot bordered by Fulling Mill Road to the north, the Villas to […]
The Islander
Harry Bellangy
I had hoped to meet Cape May historian Harry Bellangy over coffee or to sit on a park bench. Instead, Harry insisted on meeting at the home of the Greater Cape May Historical Society. It’s the building commonly known as Colonial House and was built in 1730 to operate as […]
Featured Shop
Cape May Bird Observatory Northwood Center
If you’re not one of the 45 million Americans estimated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to be active birders, you may not realize how much avian activity there is in Cape May County. In fact, birding has increased nationwide, spurred on by an uptick in outdoor activities during […]
Wish You Were Here
Beach Babes
Victorian beach garb is a historic element that can easily date a photograph like the ones presented on these postcards. The distinctive summertime attire from the early 1900s prioritized preserving modesty, contrasting with today’s less conservative standards. What were the ladies to do at the beach if they were not […]
Grape & Grain
Cold Spring Brewery: Drinking in History
While in college a long time ago my favorite subject was history. So, I majored in it. Also, while in college a long time ago, my favorite beverage was beer. You could say I kind of majored in that too. Now, neither of these two loves are particularly unique, I […]
Try This at Home
Every Ingredient Tells a Story
The story is the cornerstone of entertainment and of civilization. The story can convey and explain our origins, dreams, and fears. The food we eat has a story to tell that nourishes our mind and soul as well as our physical bodies. Finding those stories connects us to our ancestral […]
Sound Waves
Hannah Stone
The presence of music was always there for Hannah Stone, and she has continuously made it more her own. From growing up singing with her church for years to attending the Los Angeles School of Music and touring with original songs, she harnessed the courage and ambition to carve her […]
Dining Out
Harpoons on the Bay
You may have been around Cape May long enough to remember the changeovers and transitions that this North Cape May bayfront restaurant has undergone—perhaps you recall the Whaler’s Cove or Harpoon Henry’s. The location now operates under the name Harpoons on the Bay and preserves the maritime theme that its […]
Be Our Guest
Marquis de Lafayette Hotel
Spanning a full block overlooking the ocean, the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel has matchless views of sand, surf, and much of the city. From the uppermost level, visitors have a bird’s-eye view of the beach, the water, and a horizon that seems to stretch on forever. In the other direction, […]
Victorian Vignette
Victorian Slang & Other Flummadiddle
Whether it’s 1870 or 2024, the English language evolves. Words and phrases come into popular use and stay a while, living their lives in conversation on the streets, in houses and theaters, written in books and newspapers, shared on Instagram or TikTok. Others disappear along with their usefulness. Some expressions […]
Bartender's Best
Cherry Bourbon Sour
Lemon juice cuts the sweetness of this bourbon-based cocktail, while the muddled Luxardo cherries at the bottom of the glass make for a delicious finish. Find these Italian-made cherries in specialty stores or online. They aren’t your typical maraschinos; we wouldn’t recommend substituting the bright red variety. For a true […]