On a somewhat chilly and rainy late Saturday afternoon in early June, my dining companion AnneMarie sauntered into Harry’s Ocean Bar and Grille and joined me at a four-top table in the main seating section of the restaurant. There were other options of course—covered seating next to the bar (and […]
Summer often reminds us of carefree days with fun houses, boardwalk games, prizes, and carnivals. Long ago, a fanciful novelty in luminescent glass became the coveted prize at these venues. When Carnival Glass is held up to the light and rotated, a wave of colors and distortions appear like a […]
Walk around Cape May any time of year and you’ll see people admiring and photographing the unique streetscapes. Their experience is like stepping back into another era when people lived differently than we do today but whose homes, like ours today, reflected the style and manner of their times. In […]
Like most trends, things in the interior design world tend to be cyclical. From paint colors and building materials, things fall in—and out—of favor only to come back around a few decades later. And while wallpaper itself isn’t anything new, the way we use it, the way we make it, […]
It’s a story heard time and time again: boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, get married, and honeymoon in Cape May, where they fall in love with the city. Over time, the city’s irresistible pull connects the couple and the island together until the deal is sealed […]
As a meat eater, I never realized how difficult it used to be for a vegetarian to enjoy a delicious meal in a restaurant until I began to socialize with one. Most of the time, the only entrée available was a plate of bland steamed vegetables. So, my friend would […]
Beginning on Decoration Day and ending on Labor Day, everyone in Victorian America in the late 1800s held picnics. It was summertime, and getting outside, spreading a cloth or blanket, and enjoying the fresh air, fresh food, and sunshine was good for the mind and body. Family and group picnics […]
We denizens of the South Jersey Shore know that all seasons here offer a cornucopia of adventures and delights. While sun and surf are typically chief among these, surely next is our region’s abundance of establishments for rest and refreshment! In this column we highlight the numerous wineries, breweries, and […]
In a small community, it’s not unusual to see family-run businesses. After all, it’s how communities were built, long before big box stores entered our collective consciousness. From pet stores and restaurants to gift shops and ice cream parlors, Cape May Magazine is no stranger to featuring locally owned, often […]
It took a little arm-twisting to get Philadelphian Dave Ripoli to Cape May. But once he came, he never wanted to leave. Many times over the years a childhood friend urged Ripoli to visit the island, saying, “’Cape May, Cape May, Cape May, it’s the best.’ But I didn’t go.” […]
Exploring Cape May’s open seas is always an exquisite sight, from broad daylight to sunset to midnight, as illustrated on the following cards. Many floating vessels have cruised across Cape May’s waters, by methods like luxurious yachting, a humble pleasure boat hobby, shipping, fishing, and more. Regardless of the objective, […]
Historic Smithville, in this case, refers not to the quaint shopping village in Atlantic County, but a bygone industrial town in Burlington County, named for New England business magnate and inventor Hezekiah Bradley “H.B.” Smith. In the post-Civil War era, Hezekiah bought the former textile town of Shreveville, New Jersey, […]
Nature dictates the menu at Beach Plum Farm, in a farm-to-table dinner series that changes with the harvest
When we think of perennials, we most often picture lovely flowers, even though they may only bloom for a few weeks each year. Rarely are they grown primarily for their foliage—except for hostas. Loved by many, they are consistently voted a gardener’s favorite perennial. Hostas have come a long way […]
Roz Johnson welcomed me into her home with an excitement reserved for a best friend’s long-awaited return. This was not someone who had agreed to an interview to tell her story, but someone who had agreed to an interview to share her passion for life with others. Freshly baked orange […]
“Shy is the oyster, fervent is the clam, peaceful is the ocean floor rocked by the sands of time.” —Bradley Chicho For creatures that spend nearly the entirety of their lives mired in the muck of river and ocean bottoms, clams and oysters have inspired many poets, writers, and artists… […]
When most people go to buy a home, they look for a general area, a nice house, often somewhat near work, and where amenities are good for their life. For me, it is a Google Earth pick. Where is the best place for birds and migration? Then I look for […]
With demand high and supply low, our family decided to throw our hat into the rental ring and invest in a camper that we would live in from June through August. We had a site in West Cape May where we could put it, only a few blocks from our […]
In a resort town like Cape May, souvenirs are ubiquitous, running from sweatshirts and tees to saltwater taffy and mugs. But a Molly Bernstein mug looks less like something you’d pick up at a souvenir shop and more like something you’d find in a gallery. The West Cape May native […]
Looking Up at the Lighthouse II16” x 12”Acrylic on canvas “This is my favorite view of the lighthouse, from the little side parking lot as you enter the grounds. I like the texture details in this piece, the solid brickwork surrounded by a cloudy sky and soft trees below.”