Brit's Eye View
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
You are walking down the street and a blur flashes past. What was that? That’s a fast insect. Then you come to your senses.
This is Cape May
Field Trip
The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia
The life of Albert C. Barnes was once described as “an American dream and a Greek tragedy.” But not necessarily in that order. Born in 1872, Barnes was the gifted son of a destitute Civil War veteran. After a childhood in the Philadelphia slums, he became a chemist, and built […]
Featured Shop
O’Neill’s Estate Jewelry
Shakespeare once wrote “All that glitters is not gold,” and while he may have had a point, he obviously never shopped at O’Neill’s Estate Jewelry.
Nature
Dancing in the Dark
It has been a minute. Maybe you’ve been here the whole time. Perhaps you’re just getting back to Cape May after being away for the winter. Or maybe you’re reading this several months after it was published, as you cool off from the hot summer sun and rifle through the […]
Wish You Were Here
A “Sinful” Love of Cape May
February has a reputation for romance, so for this issue the following vintage postcards were selected to display that both people and places can be loved. Cape May has held a special place in the hearts of visitors for decades, and these mementos bear the imprint of their distinct and […]
Be Our Guest
The Buttonwood
One measure of hospitality is the guest who arrives as a stranger and leaves as a friend. That’s certainly true of the Buttonwood in West Cape May, where I enjoyed a brief but delightful stay in early January. The charming Colonial Revival inn operates on a self-service model. There’s no […]
Brit's Eye View
Northern Saw-Whet Owl
Balls of fluff, Saw-whets are one of the cutest birds around—or so you would think. Pound for pound they are possibly the most ferocious of predators, killing mostly mice but also other birds and insects. Saw-whets arrive in Cape May in October and sometimes go through in hundreds. If you […]
Brit's Eye View
Chuck-Will’s-Widow
It’s just getting dark when they start. A loud two-note whistled will’s-widow that on some nights goes on incessantly; I hope it’s not just outside your house! If it is, you will also get to hear the chuck that’s inaudible when it’s further away. It’s named after this song Chuck-will’s-widow, […]
Field Trip
North East, MD
Roadtripping adventure takes us to North East, Maryland, a town of such seeming obscurity that my GPS refused to recognize it.
Featured Shop
Sea Gear
Home to one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the country, Cape May is full of fishing culture. From whale watching excursions and charter fishing boats, to loads of fresh seafood and plenty of local fishers —both commercial and recreational—we’re a community of people whose livelihoods and hobbies often […]
Featured Shop
Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy
If you’re in the mood for some candy, there are plenty of places to go. Whether it’s a Snickers Bar, a pack of Starburst, or a bag of Sour Patch Kids, popular candy brands can be found at just about any supermarket, Wawa, or gas station. But if you want […]
Wish You Were Here
Long Live the Christian Admiral
The expression “nothing lasts forever” could dim the light in a room full of things that we wouldn’t want to live without. But it’s true; things decay, even the things we love. The people of Cape May seem to have had a quite personal attachment to the colossal Christian Admiral. […]
Wish You Were Here
To Mrs. L. S. Hall…
Among our collection of old postcards of Cape May, we came across four postcards addressed to the same woman for four consecutive years. We don’t know who the addressee is and there’s very little information on the cards to clue us in on the relationship between the senders and Mrs. […]
Field Trip
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Now may be the best time of year to visit Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Known as the Christmas City, the former steel town has special ties to the season. The city puts on its holiday best for visitors with beautifully lit and decorated streets and storefronts. As local lore has it, it […]
Nature
Fall Bird Migration
When’s the best time to visit Cape May to see bird migration?” This is the question I get asked most often by visitors who have just learned about how Cape May ranks as one of, if not the top, fall birding hotspots. The answer can only be given tongue-in-cheek: “Easy: […]
Field Trip
Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
In this edition of Roadtripping, we went off-road for an unexpected and meaningful adventure. Our original destination was Jersey City, an up-and-coming mini-metropolis called the sixth borough of New York. But I never saw the city proper, because other attractions beckoned. I rendezvoused with a friend at Liberty State Park […]
Wish You Were Here
Struck by Bad Luck
Post Cards from Cape May’s Past The experiences described in postcards from past visitors usually dance between eat, sun, swim, and sleep—normal vacation stuff. We’ve sifted through the stories from plenty of family vacations that sound downright delightful. The few exceptions we’ve come across include cases of the flu, missing […]
Wish You Were Here
Short Tales by August Visitors Long Ago
Each of these postcards features a picture of different historic Cape May structures. Of the four pictured, two are no longer standing on our beachfront. The Hotel Stockton was torn down only two years after this postcard was sent. The Admiral Hotel had a much longer journey until its demolition […]
Featured Shop
Collar & Bone
Photographs by Michelle Giorla and Kate Chadwick Collar & Bone 421WashingtonStreet They say that dog is man’s best friend—and there is quite a substantial amount of evidence to support this. From their four-legged devotion, comfortable companionship, and willingness to eat whatever crumbs drop to the floor, dogs seem to love […]
