The most important person in any professional kitchen is the dishwasher—without them chaos and disaster reign. The dishes pile up, prep doesn’t get done on time, and the dining room can’t get reset to feed more hungry guests. This is the downfall of most home cooks, as they don’t have […]
Word of Cape May’s cool breezes and sandy stretches was spreading north and south by the late 1800s, reaching the ears of visitors and attracting them to escape the city heat of the North and the summer sweltering to the South. And as people built homes, the story of the […]
And finally, we come to the end of our saga. As of the writing of this article, we have “finished” the gardens at 1069. Hallelujah! Well, as finished as any garden ever is. We all know that gardens, by definition, are a work in progress. After all, they are living […]
The sky-blue triangular building that houses Antiques Emporia is hard to miss when entering or leaving Cape May via Perry Street. Pam Patrick and her husband bought the building 48 years ago for his plumbing supply business. Various other businesses have occupied the expansive wood and stucco building, including a […]
Beyond where the promenade ends, at the corner of Trenton and Beach Avenues, resides an illustrious structure unlike any other in Cape May. South-facing, toward the Atlantic Ocean, the Peter Shields Inn and Restaurant sits prominently over the dunes and is set back from the street to feature a well-manicured […]
As one of the most photographed houses in Cape May, the John B. McCreary House—known far and wide as The Abbey—has been a stunning property since it was first constructed in 1869. The historic gem is unique not just for its longevity, but for its architecture and design; with a […]
Just for fun, I took a trip down memory lane by perusing my old recipe box looking specifically for beef recipes. I found everyday items like beef stew, meatloaf, one pot hamburger “helper,” and Salisbury steaks. Then there were the Sunday meals like pot roast and meatballs with sauce and […]
On a warm and breezy Friday, we arrived at ICONA Diamond Beach to dine at their on-site restaurant Coastal Blue Oceanside Bar and Grille. And yes, the hotel is on the beachfront, and the restaurant is just about there, located just next to the hotel’s pool. Beyond the pool and […]
From tee to green, Union League National Golf Club’s 27 scenic holes are a golfer’s paradise featuring challenging, risk-reward opportunities
In command of an afternoon train to Cape May in July 1883, locomotive engineer Joseph Wheaton was shocked to see an oncoming train on the same track.
The average life expectancy in 1900 was just 47 years. Is it any wonder Victorians were obsessed with the passage from life to death (or, on another topic entirely, with productivity)? Spiritualism—a religion that attempted to bridge the gap between the living and the dead—rose to prominence during the Victorian […]
“Enjoying the cool ocean breeze and salt water – has a definite relaxing effect” wrote Peggy in 1961. Every year people come to Cape May to cool off and they’ve been doing it for generations. The moniker “Cool Cape May” dates back over 100 years into the town’s history. It […]
As a tourist destination, Cape May is home to plenty of retail establishments, from gift and souvenir shops to apparel stores and beach supply venues. And while quite a few of them have some degree of specialization, very few are as categorically distinct as those under the Cape Island Foods […]
In this high-tech, post-pandemic age, many hotels have transitioned to digital check-in, electronic keys, and touchless everything. So imagine my surprise to arrive at the Inn of Cape May and 1.) be greeted by a doorman, 2.) assisted by a porter, and 3.) registered by a front desk clerk, who […]
To succeed in business, you need a good idea, a good plan, and, in the case of Jersey Shore Alpacas, a little divine intervention. In 2005, looking ahead to retirement, Tish and Jim Carpinelli were intrigued by alpaca farming, a cottage industry then at its height. Hoping to spend their […]
Acoustic duos demonstrate how simplicity can offer abundance. Coming up on 25 years of experience playing together, Marnie & Nate possess the talent and tools to entertain, endure, and expand. Between Marnie Lengle’s impressive vocals, Nate Kennedy’s guitar skills, and an overarching passion for music, Marnie & Nate give incredible […]
Originally from Ohio, Pastor Nicole Wilkinson arrived in Cape May when she came to lead the Presbyterian Church on Hughes Street in 2017. The most recent in a 125-year-long line of church leaders here, she holds a PhD in New Testament, has authored several books, and has lived in Turkey, […]
I don’t know how it was for you, but this summer seemed to creep up on me, with a cool start that favored spinach and lettuce plantings (which I totally missed because of previous experiences with hot-as-Hades springs of late), followed by the blast furnace of July into August. It […]
I have a problem remembering yesterday, yet I remember the first time coming to Cape May and America like it was yesterday and, yes, it was a long time ago. Bright, sunny, vibrant beaches and the sound of Laughing Gulls are the images that come up right away. There was […]
“I am a Jersey girl—born and bred,” says Gail Pfeifer, the face—and talented hands—behind Laughing Gull Pottery. She started life further north in the Garden State, but her present life in Stone Harbor is reflected in her hand-thrown pottery pieces, their soothing colors representative of the sand, sea, and sky. […]