July 2011 Color Issue

EXIT ZERO JULY 2011 « $4.95

Washington Inn

the wine bar

Contemporary Dining Classic Cocktails early dining $24 three course menu

Vote New Jersey Monthly 2011 Best Wine Bar Enjoy Dinner and Small Plates at the Bar from $10 Over 15 Flights of Wine from our cellar $1 Oysters in the Wine Bar until 7pm

801 Washington Street, Cape May (609) 884-5697 • www.washingtoninn.com

Washington Inn & the wine bar... two distinct experiences, one address • • • • • •

Serving Lunch, Dinner, & Late Night Delicious Sunday Breakfast/Brunch Extensive Gluten Free Menu Best Burgers Best Thin Crust Pizza Coldest Draught Beer in Town

LUCKY BONES BACKWATER GRILLE 1200 Route 109 south, Cape May (609) 884-BONE (2663) www.luckybonesgrille.com Where Friends Meet

contents

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45

FEATURES

50

your ultimate summer guide 7 Forty-three fun events to get the season started

remembering the shire 16 Interview with the legendary bar’s owner Wayne Piersanti

the cape may food guide 27 Five pages of ridiculously comprehensive charts

the politics of food 38

60 REGULARS

Preview of the Cape May Forum in September

my perfect day roy steinberg 88 cindy huf 130 bob jackson 143

three degrees of separation 45 The Understudy brings serious laughs to Cape May Stage

sweat and bubbles 50

a chat with judy buck 43

The very hot, very hard life of a Cape May dishwasher

cape may at war 60

arts coverage sean taylor 69 gail pierson gallery 91 east lynne theater 93

How the military kept this fair town alive and kicking

gone but not forgotten 74 Meet Scot Henry, Cape May’s hottest new psychic medium

you + birds + cape may = fun 97

27 questions for... jimmy burton 136

74

Pete Dunne’s guide to enjoying the natural world

puzzle time cape may crossword 144

jewel of ocean street 107 The story of the majestic Queen Victoria

create the perfect vacation! 117 It’s easy... just add a little exercise to your relaxation

cover painting by victor grasso

97

about us editor & publisher Jack Wright jack@exitzero.us

®

advertising manager Jason Black jason@exitzero.us project manager Dan Mathers dan@exitzero.us staff writer Kate Chadwick kate@exitzero.us

Visiting CAPE MAY and leaving us off your itinerary would be like visiting PARIS... and skipping the EIFFEL TOWER!

assistant editor Jon Roth jon@exitzero.us creative consultant Victor Grasso historical editor Ben Miller ben@exitzero.us photographers Aleksey Moryakov, Sandy Maloney, Danielle O’Neal graphic artist Doree Bardes contributing writers David Gray, Terry O’Brien, Diane Stopyra distribution team Richard Hemenway, Amy Wingate labeler Mary Smith exit zero color magazine is published five times a year.

Annual subscription is $25.

To subscribe call (609) 770-8479 or visit www.exitzero.us Makes a wonderful gift!

Published by Exit Zero Publishing, Inc. 109 Sunset Boulevard Suite D, Cape May, NJ 08204 Telephone: (609) 770-8479 Fax: (609) 770-8481 E-mail: info@exitzero.us Website: www.exitzero.us

The Lobster House Fisherman’s Wharf, Cape May (609) 884-8296 www.thelobsterhouse.com

president Jack Wright vice-president Jason Black tennis ball supervisor April Wright fluffy toy supervisor Friday Wright mouse supervisors EZ Wright, Pascal Wright

Unchanging. Quintessential. Classic.

The BEST Live Entertainment in Town!

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and My Space to see who is playing tonight!

426 WASHINGTON STREET MALL, CAPE MAY • « (609) 884-3459

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I

AM ONCE again equal parts excited and proud to present another fabulously glossy version of Exit Zero, with another world-class piece of artwork on the cover. And it truly is world-class.

One day, someone who knows a lot more about great art than I will properly discover Victor Grasso, and he will no longer be able to paint covers for us. But until that time... I just love having his genius in our magazine.

Look again at the cover... look at the incredible detail, the remarkable brush skills. This painting (it’s actually a selfportrait) will be one of the highlights of Victor’s show, at SOMA NewArt Gallery in August. I cannot wait. A Grasso show is always a cultural highlight in Cape May. There is plenty of other burgeoning young (and young-ish) talent in the issue. One of the greatest pleasures of editing Exit Zero over the last eight years has been the regularity with which we have “discovered” impressive writing talent when we least expected it. I put discovered in quotation marks because it was really these guys who found us, not vice-versa.

For example, Kate Chadwick came to see us a few years back, with a yen for writing – and a resumé filled with administrative positions. There was something about her, though. I’ve been editing for a long time, and I’m usually pretty good at telling the difference between people who think they can write (they usually can’t) and those who say they want to write, and who convey a steely determination that makes me believe they will do whatever it takes to get the job done. This was Kate – and has she got the job done! She started writing the Answer Lady columns and graduated to a full-time Staff Writer position three months ago.

Kate conducted two interviews for this issue, and you’re going to love both of them. The first is with Wayne Piersanti, former owner of the late, lamented Shire, the most talked-about bar in the history of Cape May, it’s probably fair to say. Kate also chatted with psychic medium Scot Henry, who impressed the hell out of her a few months back at a group reading.

editor’s letter

Having read her story, I believe Scot is the real deal... just like Kate.

Which brings me to Diane Stopyra, who told me she wanted to write for Exit Zero while serving me halibut at The Ebbitt Room 18 months ago. It took a while, and one of those little flukes that often happen in life, for Diane to start contributing to our magazine, but I’m so glad she’s here. Diane has simply aced every job I’ve given her, and there have exit zero

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ON OUR COVER A pencil and charcoal version of artist Victor Grasso’s amazing cover shot. The work will be part of Grasso’s show at the SOMA NewArt Gallery in August.

2011

been some tough ones. She has two stories in this issue – in one, she writes about her time spent dishwashing at three Cape May restaurants; in the other, she demonstrates great research and storytelling skills to advise you on the healthy way to enjoy your vacation in America’s Original Seaside Resort.

Diane, you’re a star.

Enjoy the issue, dear reader. I did...

Jack Wright Editor/Publisher

Fabulous Food. Great Reviews. Exotic Settings.

410 Bank Street

“One of America’s top restaurants” — Zagat 2011

Frescos seafood trattoria Voted Best Italian Restaurant in South Jersey

410 Bank Street Restaurant - 609.884.2127 | Frescos (at 412 Bank Street) - 609.884.0366

I

Summer’s heating up

F YOU thought June was a great month to spend in Cool Cape May, just wait until July hits.

When summer reaches its peak our town takes on a whole new character: the promenade is buzzing with activity, the stores on the Washington Street Mall roll out the hottest merchandise, and when the temperatures rise the Atlantic has never felt so refreshing. When you’ve had your fill of promenading, shopping and sunbathing, try some of the following events to vary your vacation. From parades to pancakes to the paranormal, there’s something that will entice you no matter what your interests.

June 25 and 26 QUILT & FIBER FEST AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE A quilt show and celebration of the fiber arts featuring vendors, demonstrations and workshops at Cape May’s living history museum, a short drive from town.

Visit www.hcsv.org for more information.

Yankee Doodle Dandy Playing fife and drum, a contingent of Colonial-inspired musicians march down Beach Avenue during the annual Independence Day Parade.

Aleksey Moryakov

June 26 DELAWARE BAY LIGHTHOUSE ADVENTURE Cruise up the Delaware Bay aboard the Cape May Whale Watcher’s Spirit of Cape May for a full day of lighthouse viewing.

The cruise includes a continental breakfast and complimentary luncheon buffet. Ship departs at 10am. Admission is $99. Co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC) and the Cape May Whale Watcher. Call 609-884-5404.

day those pesky Brits were told to leave this land (though it took a few more years before that actually happened).

Starts at 1pm by the convention hall site.

July 2 KIWANIS PANCAKE DAY Enjoy a fine breakfast and help out a great cause – the Kiwanis Club do a fantastic job of offering scholarships to local kids. From 7am-12:30pm near the convention hall site.

July 3 GUARDIANS OF THE CAPE TROLLEY TOUR Take a narrated tour of Cape May’s Eastern beachfront, seeing some of the most magnificent structures ever put up in Cape May, and hearing about beach erosion, life saving and the area’s military history. Then enjoy a unique experience at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. Event culminates with a Sunset Parade by the entire of recruits (a free

July 2 INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE Celebrate the glorious Fourth with this colorful annual parade celebrating the exit zero

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July 2 and 3 INDEPENDENCE DAY AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE Patriotic programs both days, including The Story of Old Glory and live music, all held at this living history museum on 22 beautiful wooded acres, just north of downtown Cape May. Visit www.hcsv.org.

“BEST AMERICAN” and “TOP 25 RESTAURANTS IN THE STATE” New Jersey Monthly, 2008

Open Seven Days Serving Dinner

from

5:30

pm

oceanfront porch dining available

Beach Avenue & Howard Street at the

H o t e l M a c o mb e r

609 884 8811 www.unionparkdiningroom.com

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July 6 TEDDY BEAR TEA PARTY Teddy Bear Tea Parties at the Carriage House Tearoom & Café feature kidfriendly menus and teddy bear music.

Miss Jeanne and a special guest from The Cape May Teddy Bear Co. will be presenting stories and activities for the Teddy Bear Tea attendees as well as providing a goody bag. Teas held at 11am and 1:30pm. Admission is $18 for adults and $10 for children. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). To make reservations, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278.

event that’s only offered four times a year). Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For details, call 609-884-5404.

July 4 FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA Every year, those good folks at Congress Hall put on a five-star fireworks show for thousands who gather on the hotel’s great lawn, on the boardwalk, and in surrounding streets. Starts at 9pm.

July 5 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse on Bank and Lafayette streets. There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, plus silly music and fun for the kids! Event begins at 10am. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children. Co-sponsored by Cape May Stage and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 6 KIDS DAY AT THE EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE Learn what life was like more than 100 years ago from the parlor to the play-

House Calls Children will have the chance to meet the esteemed Dr Emlen Physick during Kids Day at the Physick Estate.

Aleksey Moryakov

room on a tour of the Estate. Tromp around the grounds and enjoy fun activities like dress-up, singing, storytelling, face painting, Victorian games, Teddy Bear Tea Parties at the Carriage House Tearoom & Café and more. Event runs from 10am to 3pm. Admission is $5 for children, free for adults. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 7 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse on Bank and Lafayette streets. Get in on the act with the show “Cape May Kids!” inspired by the novella Down the Shore by Gwynne Spencer. There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, plus silly music and fun for the kids! Event starts at 10am. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children (ages 3-12). Co-sponsored

by Cape May Stage and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER Reservations Accepted • Cash Only Free Parking • Catering Available GREAT SELECTION OF FINE WINES, SPIRITS, AND BEER Across the street from the beach Open 10am - 10pm Conveniently Located adjacent to Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille Beach Drive at Madison Avenue 609-884-6114

northern italian & contemporary american cuisine

LUNCH and DINNER EVERY DAY Prix fixe menu - $22.95 3 courses ~ 5-6:30pm Sidewalk Café and Children’s Menu

311 Mansion Street • 884-0200

on the mall, cape may | 609-884-6661 | acamiacapemay.com

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July 8 to 10 47TH PROMENADE ART SHOW Here’s a great combination – one promenade, one great view of the Atlantic Ocean, and dozens and dozens of tents set up by local artists, displaying cool and quirky goodies for you to browse and hopefully buy. That whole starving artist thing is so 19th century. 10 to 5pm.

July 9 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse on Bank and Lafayette streets. Get in on the act with the show “Cape May Kids!” There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, plus silly music and fun for the kids! Event begins at 10am. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children. Cosponsored by Cape May Stage and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 9 JERSEY CAPE ANTIQUE AUTO SHOW This is pure eye candy! From 10am to 2pm, see some stunning old cars in Rotary Park.

July 11 BEACH PATROL SUPERATHALON Watch South Jersey’s top lifeguards compete in a running, rowing and sprinting triathalon along Beach Avenue. You’ll feel even safer the next time you head out in the water once you’ve seen this show of athletic prowess. Call 609-884-9520.

July 9 and 10 ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE Annual show featuring country and Victorian furniture, collectibles, primitives, ephemera, toys and books. Held outdoors in tents at this unmissable living history museum, set on 22 wooded acres, a couple minutes north of Cape May. Visit www.hcsv.org for details.

July 12 BEARCAT BOOTLEGGERS ABOARD THE CAPE MAY-LEWES FERRY Board the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for an 85-minute cruise with the Actors Offstage, presenting their production of “Bearcat Bootleggers.” It’s 1925 and the time for notorious speakeasies. If you can get past Johnny the bouncer, you’ll be treated to the best bathtub gin in town. It’s against the law of course, but everybody’s doing it, so how bad can

castles in the sand Some artists paint, some draw, and some create mammoth sand sculptures. Don’t miss you chance to see it on August 5.

Aleksey Moryakov

it be? The Ferry departs from the Cape May terminal at 1 pm and the Lewes terminal at 2:45pm. Co-sponsored by the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and the MidAtlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information contact the Cape May-Lewes Ferry at 800-643-3779.

July 12 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse on Bank and Lafayette streets. Get in on the act with the show “Cape May Kids!” inspired by the novella Down the Shore by Gwynne Spencer. There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, plus lots of fun for the kids! Event starts at 10am. Admis-

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sion is $10 for adults, $7 for children. Call 609-884-5404.

July 13 to 17 THE VIKING-OCEAN SHOWDOWN The War Offshore, now in its 22nd year, pits owners of two of the finest sportfishing boat manufacturers against one another in head-to-head competition.

Open to owners of Ocean and Viking sportfishing yachts. Hosted by Canyon Club Resort Marina. For more information, call South Jersey Marina at 609-884-2400.

July 14 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse. Get in on the

plus silly music and fun for the kids!

Event begins at 10am. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children. Co-sponsored

by Cape May Stage and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 16 and 17 HANDS-ON AND HOMESPUN AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE Enjoy family-oriented activities including music, face painting, papermaking, 19th-century dress-up clothes and more. Kids can get their ‘Pastport’ stamped at each historic building they visit to redeem for a treat in the Country Store! Located just a short drive from the heart of town on 22 beautiful wooded acres.Visit www.hcsv.org for more information.

act with the show “Cape May Kids!”

There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, plus silly music and fun for the kids! Event begins at 10am. $10 for adults, $7 for children. Co-sponsored by Cape May Stage and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 15 FULL MOON GHOST HUNT WITH GHOST-ONE Ghost-One, a paranormal research team based in Pennsylvania, has done extensive investigations at the Physick Estate and is now hosting a full moon ghost hunt at 7:30pm at Cape May’s original haunted house, the Physick Estate. Try your hand at some of their investigating tools as you explore different rooms inside the home. Then return to the Carriage House Tearoom & Café at the Physick Estate for dessert and discuss your findings. Tickets are $30 and limited to 50 people. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 15 LIGHTHOUSE FULL-MOON CLIMB Take advantage of the light of the full moon and let it guide you up the 199 stairs to the starry top of the Cape May Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is located in Cape May Point State Park. Tower admission is $7 for adults, $3 for chil-

dren. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For details, call 609-884-5404.

July 16 CABANAS BEACH BASH VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Cabanas on Beach Avenue hosts this event, which pits athletes in different divisions against one another for a chance at glory, prizes and commemorative T-shirts. The games are on the beach, but there’ll be drink and food specials at Cabanas. Call 609-884-4800.

FUN THE OLD SCHOOL WAY Historic Cold Spring Village offers wonderful family activities.

Don’t miss their Hands-On Homespun event on July 16 and 17.

Aleksey Moryakov

July 16 FAMILY FUN DAY AT THE CAPE MAY LIGHTHOUSE The 1859 Cape May Lighthouse located in Cape May Point State Park becomes a beacon of fun. Enjoy kid-friendly activities, performers and unique craft vendors at the base of the lighthouse. Event runs from 9am-2pm. Free admission.

Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 16 CAPE MAY KIDS PLAYHOUSE Silliness ensues during Cape May Kids Playhouse at Cape May Stage’s Robert Shackleton Playhouse, Bank and Lafayette streets. Get in on the act with the show “Cape May Kids!” There will be plenty of nostalgia for the grownups, exit zero

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July 17 TEDDY BEAR TEA PARTY Teddy Bear Tea Parties at the Carriage House Tearoom & Café feature kidfriendly menus and teddy bear music.

Miss Jeanne and a special guest from The Cape May Teddy Bear Co. will be presenting stories, activities and goody bags. Event starts at 12pm. Admission is $18 for adults; $10 for children. Located on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington Street.

Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC).

Call 609-884-5404.

July 19 BEARCAT BOOTLEGGERS ABOARD THE CAPE MAY-LEWES FERRY Board the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for an 85-minute cruise with the Actors Offstage, presenting their production “Bearcat Bootleggers.” It’s 1925 and the time for notorious speakeasies. If you know the password, you’ll be treated to the best bathtub gin in town. It’s against the law of course, but everybody’s doing it so how bad can it be? The Ferry departs from the Cape May terminal at 1pm and the Lewes terminal at 2:45pm.

Co-sponsored by the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For details contact the Cape May-Lewes Ferry at 800-643-3779.

July 20 to 23 MID-ATLANTIC TUNA TOURNAMENT If you’re serious about catching tuna and winning a lot of money in the process, then you already know about the Mid-Atlantic Tuna Tournament, held

at Cape May’s South Jersey Marina. The stream of tuna coming to the scales has made it one of the most popular spectator sports in Cape May. The marina is situated at the entrance to Cape May, just past the Lobster House and across from Lucky Bones. For more information, call South Jersey Marina at 609-884-2400.

July 23 GARDENING BY THE SEA Learn about the landscape techniques necessary for creating a successful coastal garden. Includes visits to local gardens and emphasizes the use of native and drought-tolerant plants.

Participants take home plans, plant lists and resources. This program is for all who appreciate the natural beauty of the coast and the gorgeous gardens that can be found along our shores. Begins at 10:30am, cost is $15. For more information, contact the Nature Center at 609-898-8848.

Worth The Climb The Cape May Lighthouse has stood for 152 years now, and you still can’t beat the view (not that we had reporters on hand back then to verify this).

Frank Scott

try to solve the mystery as you enjoy a three-course dinner. Admission is $45.

Event begins at 7pm. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404.

July 24 SANDCASTLES FOR SARCOMA AWARENESS Join sandcastle architects from all over in this event, dedicated to raising awareness and funding for sarcoma research.

There will be awards for best castles and an award for best junior castle-builder.

Event runs from 9am-1pm at the Cove beach. Call 609-425-8504.

July 23 and 24 PARANORMAL PURSUITS AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE Experience the spiritual side of the 19th century. Includes various mediums such as clairvoyancy, psychics, phrenology, magic and much more! Located a short drive from town on 22 beautiful wooded acres. For more information, visit www.hcsv.org.

July 24 MURDER MYSTERY DINNER The Impromptu Players invade the dining room at the Inn of Cape May at 7 Ocean Street, where they set the scene for a new mystery, “One Tough Cookie.”

Will it be a piece of cake for you to solve?

Interact with the cast of suspects and

July 30 DELAWARE BAY LIGHTHOUSE ADVENTURE

FISH & FANCY

SEAFOOD TAKE-OUT “The Local’s Favorite”

2406 Bayshore Road, Villas (next to Robinson & Son’s Produce)

(609) 886-8760 • www.fishandfancy.com

FRESH WEEKLY SPECIALS • FRESH HOMEMADE SALADS OUTDOOR PATIO SEATING • PARTY TRAYS Have it your way... fried, broiled, grilled, blackened or sautéed! exit zero

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hcsv.org for more information.

July 31 CAPTAIN KIDD TREASURE HUNT The kids love this popular annual event.

Follow the captain as he hunts for treasure he buried centuries ago on Cape May’s beach! Starts at 1pm, on the beach by the convention hall site.

July 31 TEDDY BEAR TEA PARTY Teddy Bear Tea Parties at the Carriage House Tearoom & Café feature kidfriendly menus and teddy bear music.

Miss Jeanne and a special guest from The Cape May Teddy Bear Co. will be presenting stories and activities for the attendees. Tea begins at 12pm. Admission is $18 for adults; $10 for children. The Carriage House is at 1048 Washington Street. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

July 31 MURDER MYSTERY DINNER The Impromptu Players invade the Inn of Cape May at 7 Ocean Street, and present a new mystery, “One Tough Cookie.”

Interact with the cast of suspects and solve the mystery as you enjoy a threecourse dinner. Admission is $45. Begins at 7pm. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-884-5404.

August 2 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT Terrific family entertainment is guaranteed at this annual event, which features music by DJ Tony along with lots of attractions for the kids. From 6-9pm outside Cape May Elementary School.

Enjoy a cruise up the Delaware Bay aboard the Cape May Whale Watcher’s Spirit of Cape May for a full day of lighthouse viewing. The cruise includes a continental breakfast and luncheon buffet. A cash bar is available. Limited to 175 guests. Ship departs at 10am and admission is $99. Co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC) and the Cape May Whale Watcher. Call 609-884-5404.

July 30 FAMILY FUN DAY AT THE CAPE MAY LIGHTHOUSE The 1859 Cape May Lighthouse located in Cape May Point State Park becomes

a beacon of fun. Enjoy kid-friendly activities, performers, entertainment and unique craft vendors at the base of the lighthouse. Event runs from 9am to 2pm. Admission is free. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). Call 609-8845404 or 800-275-4278.

Slip ‘n’ Slide On National Night Out, kids and parents alike will enjoy all kinds of attractions. Not all of them will leave you sopping wet.

Aleksey Moryakov

July 30 and 31 RAILROAD DAYS AT HISTORIC COLD SPRING VILLAGE Demonstrations by garden railroad groups, working scale-model railroads, displays of railroad ephemera and train memorabilia available for purchase at Historic Cold Spring Village. Visit www. exit zero

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August 3 79TH QUEEN MAYSEA CORONATION Who will be crowned the new queen of Cape May? The show begins at 7pm at Cape May Elementary School. Call 609884-9565.

August 4 to 6 US LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Last year’s competition was held in California, but luckily this year’s championships are closer to home. Come see the top lifeguards in the country competing at what they do best (besides saving lives) – running, swimming and rowing. Call 609-884-9520.

Experience the new Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant

Treat yourself to the very best in dining,

accommodations and service. You’re sure to be delighted.

1301 Beach Avenue • Cape May, NJ 08204 • 609.884.9090 • petershieldsinn.com

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remembering the shire Once upon a time, there was a little village by the sea. The villagers worked hard, and the villagers played hard. Fortunately, there was a haven for the villagers, a place they could gather to eat, drink and be merry, and where live music played every night of the week. This haven was known as The Shire. And unless you’re relatively new to Cape May, you probably remember The Shire.

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Shire regular, the late Lonnie Bell, with an unknown nurse and, right, Shire owner Wayne Piersanti at a Halloween party in 1989 or 1990. exit zero

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HERE are good bars, there are great bars, and there are legendary bars, and The Shire, a Cape May mainstay at 315 Washington Street from May 1982 until owner Wayne Piersanti sold the liquor license to Congress Hall in March 1997, was a legendary bar. This is not to downplay the fact that it was also a successful restaurant, mind you, but if you ask most people who frequented the place in its hey-day, odds are you’ll hear “I LOVED that bar!” (At least that’s what we heard every single time we mentioned we were writing a story about The Shire, anyway.)

We recently sat down with Wayne, whose personal story is as fascinating as the bar’s. In his pre-Shire days, he was a Philadelphia police officer, and his current occupations include realtor, commercial developer, property manager, and teacher. This is a man who, as he so aptly puts it, doesn’t like to be pigeon-holed. His open, friendly demeanor, quick wit, and shrewd business acumen lent themselves perfectly to the business he called home for nearly 16 years, but, like all good things, it eventually came to an end. Here are some highlights from our conversation about the man, the place, the legend that was The Shire.

What made you get out of the business?

There were a couple of reasons. I feel it’s important to try to do a wide variety of things before

OFFICER IN TRAINING Wayne Piersant at Philadelphia Police Academy, where he graduated in 1973. Note the peace sign belt buckle. Opposite: Wayne pictured recently at the old Shire location.

the hearse comes to pick you up. I felt like that was one of the things I wanted to do with my life, but it had become somewhat repetitious after 16 years or so. It’s like Muhammad Ali – always hanging on for one more fight, one more fight,

except it was one more season, one more season. If you hang on too long, though, you might lose what you had, and in a sense diminish yourself, because you’re not putting your whole heart into it anymore. Another issue was that it was starting to not make sense from a balance sheet standpoint – it was transitioning more and more to a restaurant, less liquor in relation to the amount of food sold, and fewer and fewer places were featuring live music. Live music is expensive, by the time you pay the band and the bouncers, etc. The liquor being sold wasn’t supporting that expense anymore. It just wasn’t going to be cost-efficient in a room of that size – that many bar stools couldn’t support the music anymore, what with liability insurance, taxes going up, and so on. Plus, at my age and with a family, it was just getting to be too much.

So you went into it with the idea of a bar with live music that sold food, as opposed to the restaurant being the priority? Well, yes. And we could have just gone with that transitioning I mentioned, and focused on the restaurant aspect of it, but then we would have become just another Cape May mall restaurant with $12 hamburgers, and that wasn’t really what I wanted to do. The music is what made it The Shire.

So you had live music seven nights a week?

Unfortunately, yes [laughs]. In all the years we had the place, there were only probably a handful of nights in all those years that we had private

The trouble with eating Italian food

...is that five or six days later you’re hungry again. — George Miller

Cucina Rosa

898-9800 | 301 Washington Street Mall & Perry Street www.cucinarosa.com

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e p a C

! n r e v a T t s ie

l d n e i r F & st

e d l O s ’ y a M

C-View Inn Texas Avenue & Washington Street Cape May • (609) 884-4712

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parties or for some other reason didn’t have live music.

There really isn’t anyplace around here that offers live entertainment seven nights a week anymore, is there? I’m just realizing this now as I’m talking to you. Well, Walmart has entertainment every night – you just go there and hang out – it’s a funny gig, I do it all the time.

Seriously, and not to sound self-serving, but even if there are bars like that out there now, I doubt the owner knows everybody in the place.

That was my living room, you were my guest, and we were going to have fun tonight – that was the way it worked. Don’t be an ass, don’t start fights, don’t break anything, don’t stand on the chairs, and we’ll all get along just fine.

You probably had to break up a couple of fights and talk a couple of people down from chairs once or twice, I’ll wager. Actually – we had a really eclectic mix of people, but everybody got along pretty well. In fact, one of the best things about the place was the eclectic mix of people. You had every type of person in there, yuppies, locals, just all types, and the music was the bonding thing. Most other places at the time were offering top-40 cover bands. I figured all I had to do was find 125 people in the entire county who were not looking for that, and I’d be packed every night.

You had several types of music, if I recall (and I admit my recollections are somewhat

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER Becky and Mark Chamberlain at the party marking the last night of The Shire in 1997. Right: Mike Dempsey worked as a busboy and filled in on drums for Steve Green and the Elevators.

fuzzy). Yes, we started out with a predominantly jazz format – the first band we had there on a regular basis was actually a swing band, a holdover from the previous owners.

So it was already a bar when you bought it?

Yes, it was a bar called The Old Shire Tavern.

Since I didn’t have the money or the ideas for a sign, I just got rid of “old” and “tavern” and called it The Shire. And that worked for me, because

that’s where all the little hobbits hid.

That’s very cool – so back to the music. Yes – we started with a jazz format, but to be perfectly honest, jazz enthusiasts are notoriously cheap.

And with live music, you have to get them on their feet and off their seat to make any money, so we changed it up a little. We did blues on Monday and Tuesday; what I’d call Third World – reggae, salsa or Latin-inspired, or sometimes

A Cape May tradition for over 30 years!

LITTLE ITALY II RISTORANTE

Home-cooked food that satisfies your family and your wallet!

19 Jackson Street, Cape May (609) 884-5970 www.madbatter.com

JAPANESE • SUSHI • CHINESE • THAI

898-0088

3704 Bayshore Road, North Cape May (Cape Plaza Shopping Center) • (609) 889-6610

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315 Ocean Street, Washington Commons Mall (inside Acme Market Mall) Cape May www.capeorient.com

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Freshest Ingredients Fantastic Specials Friendly Atmosphere Reservations Recommended 600 Park Boulevard, West Cape May • (609) 884-7660 • www.backstreetcapemaynj.com

Cape May

Inside, outside, all around the vines Touring, tasting, sampling all of our fine wines Enjoy the deck, the patio, and our great tasting room Come by to buy a bottle or two; we hope to see you soon!

Winery & Vineyard

Merlot • Syrah • Blush • Chardonnay • Port Blush • Pinot Noir • Apple • Red Reserve Gift Certificates and Gift Baskets

Tasting Room - Open Daily

Tours Daily at 3 pm Call for details!

(609) 884-1169 • 711 Townbank Road, North Cape May • www.capemaywinery.com exit zero

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CHARACTERS FROM THE SHIRE Left: Chris Day played several times at The Shire. Left to right: Jenn Carpenter, middle Mike Kelly and right is Tracey Tinkler. “Good people, good times and good friends to this day,” says Wayne.

even country-and-western, on Wednesday and Thursday, and then Friday, Saturday, and sometimes on Sunday, we’d go with a mix of jazzoriented acts – something that would have a really good funk, an R&B beat, something to get you moving. Sometimes on Sunday we’d bring in some original rock and roll. It was a real mix, and we had a rolodex of probably over 200 bands. We were looking mostly for original music, which meant that people would play relatively cheaply just to be heard. I would say to a band – the audience is your judge. If they’re still here at the end of the second act, you’re good. If they’re gone, you suck and we probably won’t be seeing you again.

How often were you there? Were you there just overseeing things, or did you actually work

there? Are you serious? It was a 9-to-5 job, as in 9:00 am to 5:00 am! A couple of one-hour breaks, twice a day, eating in my car in the parking lot so no one could bother me, and then going home to shower and be back by 9:00 pm.

What was your best night there? And your worst? Huh – I honestly never really thought about that…..

We can come back to that. Yeah, let’s come back to that – I’ve got to think for a minute.

Do people approach you all the time to lament the passing of The Shire? Yes! That’s why I don’t go out during the daytime. I go into town really, really early and I’m out by noon.

I even get accosted on the ferry. It’s difficult – even happened today, at Avalon Carpet and Tile!

I find it remarkable that people remember it so fondly, but the town was different then.

Different as in better? Wow – hard question. Let’s say Cape May was a very bohemian, artsy community then, and it attracted a really interesting group of people. We’d probably get arrested today for half the stuff we did back then.

Have you thought about best night?

Probably the last night our bartender, Sue Doran, worked full-time. It somehow became this crazy water pistol, water balloon, soda gun, hosefrom-the-kitchen, knock-down, drag-out water fight. People still tell me that was the best party ever. It was just such a wild, wild party – and no one would leave! I honestly just don’t know how it evolved. The rugs in the place just squished for weeks after that. Another time, we had this wonderful waiter, Rob, who unfortunately has since passed away. He had an awesome sense of humor. Well, some sort of event was being held on the lawn at Congress Hall, so he just walked down the mall in his uniform with a tray,

Philadelphia Magazine and South Jersey Magazine

Since 2005

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20ReasonsCMYK/Ez

5/4/11

6:05 PM

Page 1

Great food, great drinks and great music...

REASONS TO VISIT 20 GREAT Rio Station 20 Fresh, local seafood everyday 19 Early Birds...all night long on weekdays 18 Acres of free parking 17 Best Prime Rib in the Universe 16 Tami’s Homemade Carrot Cake 15 Friday Night Terry-Oke! 14 Rio Happy Birthday Club 13 Cozy atmosphere 12 World Famous Crab Cakes 11 Everything is made from scratch 10 Full menu til 11 p.m.

9 Our Black & White Chocolate Martini 8 Best crispy hot wings in South Jersey 7 An ice cold beer would taste great 6 Wine Spectator Wine List Award 5 You just don’t feel like cooking 4 Great kids menu 3 No sticker shock on your check 2 Killer Chicken Parm

And the #1 Reason to Visit Rio Station...

...are always guaranteed.

Serving amazing food for 25 years!

106 Decatur Street @ Columbia Avenue Cape May (609) 884-8363

Grande Center Shopping Mall • Rio Grande, New Jersey

www.merioninn.com

609-889-2000

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lifted a bunch of hors d’oeuvres, walked back and started serving them to our customers on the patio. I couldn’t believe my eyes, but then I always encouraged individuality and a sense of fun. I hope Curtis [Bashaw] doesn’t get too upset if he reads this!

And how about a not-so-great night? Well, I guess I can remember a night or two with a bad band, and that can really kill a good night.

If there’s a line forming to get OUT of the place, you know you’ve got a bad band.

Where do you like to go when you go out now? I don’t really go out much – I get to bed pretty early these days. I mostly go out with my wife, because I won’t drink and drive. I like Mayer’s. I can walk there and crawl home if I have to. I also like the Harborview. And The Brown Room, for sure.

Do you do the real estate thing full-time now? No, I gave up full-time about three or four years ago. I’ve taught real estate courses at ACCC, I manage the property where The Shire was, which I still own, along with a couple of other properties. Managing them is about a 30-hour-per week job in and of itself.

Do you ever regret closing The Shire? Well, actually, here’s what I do. Whenever I want to revisit that era, I invite 200 people over to the house, tell them they’re going to party their asses off while I slave over a 400-degree stove in the back and poke my head out every once in a while

LAST NIGHT AT THE SHIRE “Frankie Flowers” from Wildwood, Jim Penn, Jimmy Sheeran, Wayne Piersanti, Tracey Tinkler, Jenn Carpenter, and Mike Kelly. The Shire closed for good in March of 1997.

they get drunk, and pee or throw up wherever the hell they happen to be standing. And then when we’re done and I’m trying to clean up, a cop can come over and tell me I’m playing the music one minute after hours, and then I can hang out in City Hall till 5:00 in the morning, waiting around for my summons so I can be in court a couple of days later. Of course I’m kidding, but that’s what I think about when I miss the place.

Any lessons learned from your experiences at The Shire? Well, I’ll tell you probably the most

Harbor View RESTAURANT, BAR & MARINA

important one. Sometimes I used to worry that, having gone from being a police officer, wanting to make the world a better place, to running this crazy bar – well, it just wasn’t important enough, you know? And one night I was sitting lamenting to the late, great Mrs. Carney, and she said to me “Wayne, there is absolutely nothing wrong with people having a good time, and that’s all there is to it.” And that stuck with me, because she was right.

Waterfront Bar, Restaurant and Marina, and an Outside Bar that’s Classic Key West!

Enjoy Sushi on our Deck!

954 OCEAN DRIVE, CAPE MAY • (609) 884-5444 • HARBORVIEWCAPEMAY.COM exit zero

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2011

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

on Broadway

Eat In Take Out

TALK TO US ABOUT PLANNING YOUR NEXT CATERED EVENT!

ADULT CONTEMPORARY CUISINE

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK OR CALL 609-884-8030 FOR OUR DAILY SPECIALS! Featuring The Depot’s popular homemade soups, salad selections, house roasted meats and local seafood specials

Serving Dinner Nightly from 5PM Bill Caterini live Friday & Saturday

416 S. Broadway, West Cape May Call for Reservations 609-898-1555 On site parking

409 Elmira Street, Cape May (Next to the Train Station) • 609-884-8030

Patio Dining

Seafood, Steaks & Cocktails Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily!

Kids Menu

See Our Full Menu Online at: pilothousecapemay.com

CAPE MAY’S HAPPIEST

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Join Us for

OPEN MIC NIGHT!

HAPPY HOUR

Sunday thru Friday, 4pm-6pm.

Discounted drink specials and our Chef’s famous complimentary munchies!

Every Friday Night The talent has been awesome!

OPEN ALL DAY EVERY DAY • 884-3449 • WASHINGTON STREET MALL • WWW.PILOTHOUSECAPEMAY.COM

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3911 Bayshore Road Cape May, NJ 08204 609-884-5591

www.turdovineyards.com

T U R I S

Turdo Vineyard and Winery

Down-home cooking... with a terrific view!

Beach Avenue & Grant Street, Cape May • 884-3772

A classic copper bar, a great martini list, and modern American cuisine.

What more could you want?

Oyster Bay

615 LAFAYETTE STREET CAPE MAY (609) 884-2111

STEAKS & SEAFOOD

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The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe A CA MIA 524 Washington Street Mall (609) 884-6661 www.acamia.com

A lovely little spot on Cape May’s quaint Washington Street Mall. Fine food of the northern Italian variety, excellent service and world-class people-watching!

ALEATHEA’S 7 Ocean Street, (609) 884-5555, Ext. 226 www.innofcapemay.com

Offers superb food in a graceful setting at the glorious old Inn of Cape May, plus a cozy-but-elegant bar with access to the oceanfront patio. Check out the antiquefilled lobby first.

AVALON COFFEE 7 Gurney Street (609) 898-8088 www.avaloncoffeecompany.com

Superior coffee that’s always fresh, and healthy food that’s perfect for breakfast and lunch.

First-class wraps, sandwiches and bagels, along with a good range of juices and cold drinks.

They have a North Cape May store too!

AXELSSON’S BLUE CLAW 991 Ocean Drive, (609) 884-5878 www.blueclawrestaurant.com

Enjoy fine dining near the harbor – just go over the quaint old drawbridge. There is an elegant dining room, a cozy fireplace, and the classic Clipper Ship Pub.

BACKSTREET 600 Park Boulevard (609) 884-7660 www.backstreetcapemaynj.com

Downhome cooking, a laidback vibe and superior desserts in this gem of a place, a few minutes from Cape May. They have plenty of free parking and delicious nightly specials.

BELLA VIDA CAFÉ 406 N. Broadway, (609) 884-6322 www.bellavidacafe.com

“The local café with a wholesome aroma” is what they call it... and that’s how we describe it. You can tell that everything is home cooked here. Always fresh, always delicious.

BEN AND JERRY’S 414 Washington Street Mall Cape May (609) 884-3040 www.benjerry.com

There’s ice cream, and then there’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Centrally-located on the mall, it’s a great spot to take a break from shopping. So get a double-dip of your favorite and people-watch for a spell.

BIG WAVE BURRITOS 1400 Texas Avenue, Cape May (609) 898-To Go

An awesome burrito eatery with a beachy, oh-so-casual vibe and excellent food - great smoothies, too!

THE BLACK DUCK 1 Sunset Boulevard, (609) 898-0100 www.blackduckonsunset.com

A chic interior and stylish Modern American cuisine from acclaimed chef (and owner) Chris Hubert, but the ambience is anything but pretentious. There’s a nice laidback vibe.

BLUE MOON ICE CREAM 102 Sunset Boulevard West Cape May (609) 898-1413

You can’t have a proper shore town without plenty of ice cream, and Blue Moon is the latest addition to the Cape May ice cream scene. Blue Moon also has milkshakes, water ice, fruit shakes, pretzels and more!

BLUE MOON PIZZA Perry Street & Beach Avenue Cape May (609) 884-3033

If your stomach is grumbling as you lie on the beach, if you need a late-night snack after a fun night at the bars... it’s all here!

SYMBOLS KEY

u

Onsite parking

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

Other details

L, D

$10-$30 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

u H

B, L, D

$15-$45 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

FULL BAR

YES

YES

ub HU

B, L

$3-$8 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

N/A

NO

YES

b H

D

$24-$30 Cards: V, MC, D

FULL BAR

YES

YES

ub H

B, D

$13-$29 Cards: V, MC, AE

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

B, L, D

$5-$25 Cards: V, MC, D

BYOB

NO

YES

u H

Ice Cream

$3-$7 Cards: V, MC, D

N/A

NO

YES

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H u b

L, D

$2-$8

BYOB

NO

YES

H

D

$15-$28 Cards: V, MC

BYOB

YES

NO

ub H

Ice Cream

$3-$7 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

N/A

NO

YES

ub H

L, D

$7-$13 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

Handicap accessible

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u b

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2011

bH BYOB

NO

Takeout available

YES

BLUE MOON

ITALIANO

PIZZA

PIZZA HOAGIES SALADS WRAPS

884-1170 • PERRY STREET & BEACH AVENUE

DINE IN • TAKE OUT • DELIVERY

10% OFF ion Just Ment This Ad!

Mention This Ad for 10% off at Blue Moon Pizza & Blue Moon Ice Cream!

Open Daily Year Round 10:30-11:30

n o o eM

Blu CR EA M

ICE

Fast Free Delivery

(609) 898-2200

Now Open!!

We’re so “Sweet” We Deliver!

Milkshakes • Water Ice • Fruit Shakes Hand-Dipped Ice Cream • Pretzels & Much More!

Visit us on Facebook: Bluemoon capemay icecream sunset 102 SUNSET BOULEVARD, WEST CAPE MAY

609-898-1413

600 Park Blvd. West Cape May

Jo Jo

MEDITERRANEAN

Restaurant

ITALIAN • GREEK • MEDITERRANEAN STEAKS • RIBS • FALAFEL PASTA • SEAFOOD QUESADILLAS • SALADS APPETIZERS • DESSERTS

Visit us on Facebook: JoJo capemay mediterranean 102 SUNSET BOULEVARD, WEST CAPE MAY

609-884-0182 • 609-898-1313

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The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

Other details

B, L, D

$12-$36 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

FULL BAR

YES

YES

ub H

THE BLUE PIG TAVERN 251 Beach Avenue, (609) 884-8422 www.congresshall.com

Congress Hall’s restaurant is better than ever, as evidenced by its usually-filled dining rooms. The Pig serves classic tavern food with quite a a twist or two along the way.

THE BOILER ROOM 251 Beach Avenue, (609) 884-8422 www.congresshall.com

Congress Hall’s chic basement nightclub – all bare metal and brickwork – has an assortment of great music on the weekends and a cool vibe. Say hello to Shane the bartender!

Cocktails

Cards: V, MC, AE, D

FULL BAR

NO

NO

THE BROWN ROOM 251 Beach Avenue, (609) 884-8422 www.congresshall.com

Congress Hall’s lovely lounge is called Cape May’s Living Room for a reason. The decor is elegant but casual, the drinks are great, the staff are cool, and every inch of the place just says classy, without ever being stuffy.

Bar Menu & Cocktails

Cards: V, MC, AE, D

FULL BAR

NO

NO

CABANAS 429 Beach Avenue, (609) 884-4800 www.cabanasonthebeach.com

It’s always warm and friendly in this lively beachfront bar that features some of the best live bands around. A great spot to enjoy Happy Hour, with the sun pouring in the open doors.

L, D

$8-$25 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

b H

CAPE MAY WINERY 711 Townbank Road, (609) 884-1169 capemaywinery.com

This beautiful winery is open daily. Make a reservation to take an informative tour the winery... call for more information and their current tour hours.

Winery

$5-$27 V, MC, AE, D

WINERY

N/A

NO

ub H

CAPE ORIENT 315 Ocean Street, (609) 898-0088 www.capeorient.com

It’s not often that one restaurant can do excellent Chinese, Thai AND sushi, but trust us, Cape Orient does. The service, led by owner Glendy, is superb, too.

L, D

$12-$19 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE 1048 Washington Street At the Emlen Physick Estate (609) 884-5111

The Carriage House offers everything from hearty wraps, salads, quiche and paninis to classic teas. Best of all maybe is the location – the gorgeous Emlen Physick Estate.

L

$12-$19 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

u b

COPPER FISH 416 Broadway West Cape May (609) 898-1555

Chef Geoff Johnson’s popular Copper Fish is under new management, at a beautiful new site – Broadway and Sunset. As usual, Geoff’s concoctions are fun and creative.

D

$24-$32 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

CUCINA ROSA 301 Washington Street Mall (609) 898-9800 www.cucinarosa.com

Nicely located at the beginning of the mall, on the Congress Hall side, this Italian restaurant is a must-visit. Simply superb food in classy-but-casual surroundings.

D

$12-$29 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

b H

C-VIEW INN Texas Avenue & Washington Ave. Cape May (609) 884-4712

A locals’ favorite, the oldest and friendliest tavern in town with great wings, excellent pub fare and cold beer. And these days they accept credit cards, too!

L, D

$4-$18 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

NO

YES

u H

DEPOT MARKET CAFÉ 409 Elmira Street Cape May (609) 884-8030

New owners Chris and Lisa Shriver are keeping the old favorites at this much-loved café AND adding new specials. Cape May’s movers and shakers often eat lunch here.

B, L, D

$6-$14 Cash Only

BYOB

NO

YES

ub H

SYMBOLS KEY

u Onsite parking

Handicap accessible

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Takeout available

u

u

Seaside Cheese Co. over 100 imported cheeses gourmet olives dipping oils... and lots more!

600 PARK BOULEVARD WEST CAPE MAY • 884-8700

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The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe

THE EBBITT ROOM 25 Jackson Street, (609) 884-5700 www.virginiahotel.com

With the remarkable cooking of chef Lucas Manteca, there’s even more reason than usual to visit. Sublime concoctions, a romantic setting, great wine list, and a beautiful porch!

ELLA’S 326 Carpenter’s Lane, Cape May (609) 884-3350

To-go food without the guilt. Smoothies, parfaits, the freshest fruit and green salads, and outstanding sandwiches.

ELLIE’S BAKERY 301 North Broadway, West Cape May (609) 884-4007

A from-scratch, small-batch bakery that uses only real, fresh ingredients in all their decadent baked goods.

FISH AND FANCY 2406 Bayshore Road, Villas (609) 886-8760 www.fishandfancy.com

Superb seafood however you like it – fried, broiled, grilled, blackened or sautéed. That’s choice for you. Also great salads. Eat in (there’s an outdoor patio) or take away.

410 BANK STREET 410 Bank Street (609) 884-2127 www.410bankstreet.com

After 25 years, it’s still one of Cape May’s finest restaurants. Serving food that’s as brilliant and creative as ever – Chef Sing’s menu is a culinary work of art. A must-visit.

FRESCOS 412 Bank Street (609) 884-0366 www.frescoscapemay.com

From the same owners of 410 Bank Street, this restaurant wins awards for its Italian food every year for a reason. This is authentic cuisine served in a beautiful location.

GECKO’S Carpenter’s Square Mall Cape May (609) 898-7750

On a balmy summer night there’s nothing quite like Gecko’s in Cape May. Serving superb southwestern food, including great vegeterian fodder, on a tropical-vibed patio.

GODMOTHER’S Broadway & Sunset (609) 884-4543 www.godmothersrestaurant.com

Excellent downhome Italian food, just like your mama, or your grandma, or your aunt would make. Reasonably priced and great for a family dinner.

HARBOR VIEW 954 Ocean Drive (609) 884-5444 www.harborviewcapemay.com

Eat inside with a great harbor view, or even better outside, right AT the harbor! There’s a Key West vibe, good food and regular entertainment. Spend the day – or night.

HARPOON HENRY’S Beach Drive and Browning (609) 886-5529 www.harpoonhenrys.net

It’s become famous for its sunsets. There is no better place to sip on a cold beer or a funky iced cocktail, listening to fun live music, and watching a beautiful day slip away.

HARRY’S Madison & Beach Avenue (609) 884-6113 www.harryscapemay.com

The Hirsch family relaunched their restaurant at the Montreal Inn. It successfully mixes a friendly, family feel with a stylish oceanfront vibe. And there is an indoor AND outdoor bar.

SYMBOLS KEY

u Onsite parking

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

D

$26-$33 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

NO

B, L

$4-$7

N/A

NO

YES

Bakery

$1-$30 Cards: V, MC

N/A

NO

YES

L, D

$5-$19 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

D

$25-$37 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

D

$18-$29 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

u H

L, D

$8-$24 Cards: V, MC

BYOB

YES

YES

b H

D

$12-$28 Cards: V, MC

BYOB

YES

YES

u H

B, L, D

$6-$30 Cards: V, MC

BAR

NO

YES

ub H

L, D

$10-$21 Cards: V, MC, D

BAR

NO

YES

ub H

B, L, D

$8-$24 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub H

Handicap accessible

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Other details

H

u H

Takeout available

ub H u

A V A L O N Open Daily!

C O F F E E

®

Get your wrap on... ...and have some great coffee, too. #7 GURNEY & THE BEACH, CAPE MAY 898-8088 ~ WWW.AVALONCOFFEECOMPANY.COM

“Exquisite cuisine served in a charming 19th century setting makes LaVerandah one of Cape May’s finest restaurants. Elegant dining is offered on the outdoor verandah or in a high-ceiling room cooled by sea breezes flowing through French doors opening to the porch... remarkable cuisine... and sophistication...”

— Philadelphia Inquirer, John V.R. Bull

jjj AWARD

— Press of Atlantic City, 2005

(609) 884-5868 107-113 Grant Street, Cape May NJ 08204 www.hotelalcott.com

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Available for weddings & banquets

The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe HAWK HAVEN VINEYARD 600 S. Railroad Avenue Rio Grande (609) 846-7347 www.hawkhavenvineyard.com

Paradise for wine lovers, a short drive north of town. Daily wine bar from 11am-7pm, plus Sangria Sunday from 12-7pm, with live music, Island Grill lunch and early dinner menu.

HEMINGWAY’S 1045 Beach Avenue (609) 884-5611 www.hemingwayscapemay.com

A relaxed yet elegant island ambiance, featuring hand-cut USDA Prime Steaks, classic seafood creations and an outstanding wine selection. At the beachfront Grand Hotel.

HOTDOG TOMMY’S Jackson Street @ Beach (609) 884-8388 www.hotdogtommys.com

If there are better dogs at the Shore, we’ve yet to hear. Tommy and Mary Snyder are hot dog jedi warriors. Their menu is creative and as healthy as hot dogs get!

ISLAND GRILL 311 Mansion Street Cape May (609) 884-0200

The interior design and menu concoctions are similar – Caribbean-influenced and very, very colorful. The sauces and combinations are creative and delectable.

ITALIANO’S 600 Park Boulevard, West Cape May (609) 898-2200

Sometimes, only pizza will do. And Italiano are masters. They also have hoagies, salads and wraps, and offer FREE delivery.

JO JO 102 Sunset Boulevard West Cape May (609) 884-0182

Jo-Jo is a welcome addition to the Cape May culinary scene, featuring all your favorite Mediterranean foods with a focus on “fresh.”

Salads, gyros, dinners, and more – eating in, take out, or call for fast free delivery.

KRAZY SNACK HUT 12345 Sixty Seven Street West Cape May (609) 609-6099

Are you NOT feeling hungry but want something to eat? Then this is the place! We serve upscale, top of the line snacks like deep fried octopus tentacle suction cups and sea gull jerky. Try our jellyfish and peanut buuter pie!

LA VERANDAH 107-113 Grant Street Cape May (609) 884-5868 www.hotelalcott.com

The ambience at this restaurant in the Hotel Alcott may be High Victorian, but the fare is delicious, contemporary American. A superb, three-star restaurant with an attentive staff.

THE LOBSTER HOUSE Fisherman’s Wharf, (609) 884-8296 www.thelobsterhouse.com

Take-out, fish market, restaurant, raw bar, breakfast diner... The Lobster House has it all. Drinks on the Schooner American before dinner is a lovely experience.

LUCKY BONES 1200 Route 109, (609) 884-BONE (2663) www.luckybonesgrill.com

This harborfront restaurant is a huge hit for a reason. There is excellent food (including wonderful thin-crust pizza), a great bar vibe, and superb service. Gets it right every time.

MAD BATTER 19 Jackson Street (609) 884-5970 www.madbatter.com

The original fine dining restaurant in Cape May and still one of the best. The food is always creative and the breakfasts and brunches are very hard to beat – hence the lines.

SYMBOLS KEY

u Onsite parking

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

Other details

Winery

N/A

Winery

NO

NO

u H

B, L, D

$15-$38 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub H

L, D

$1.40-$4 Cash Only

N/A

NO

YES

b H

L, D

$13-$26 Cash Only

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

L, D

$5-$12 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

N/A

YES

L, D

$7-$15

BYOB

NO

YES

Snacks

$99-$111

BYOF (Bring your own fork)

Book what?

Kids with teeth, YES

D

$19-$32

BYOB

YES

YES

B, L, D

$5-$25 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

NO

YES

ub HU

L, D

$6-$22 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

For tables of eight or more

YES

ub H

B, L, D

$19-$30 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

b H

Handicap accessible

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Takeout available

ub H ub H ub H

b

Paradise found...

Good Food Friendly Atmosphere Waterfront Dining Awesome Sunsets!

Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily Live Music Nightly Free Parking

Modern American cuisine with a cool and casual vibe...

1 Sunset Boulevard, Cape May (609) 898-0100 • www.blackduckonsunset.com

A family place A first-date place A dinner-and-a-movie place A perfect place for any occasion.

91 Beach Drive, North Cape May

GODMOTHER’S

(609) 886-5529 www.harpoonhenrys.net exit zero

broadway & west perry street cape may (609) 884-4543 .godmothersrestaurant.com

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The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe MAGNOLIA ROOM 301 Howard Street, Cape May (609) 884-8409 www.chalfonte.com

This is as old school as it gets. The Chalfonte Hotel’s restaurant has had the same chefs for more than 60 years. These ladies know how to cook great Southern-influenced food!

MARIE NICOLE’S 9510 Pacific, Wildwood Crest (609) 522-5425 www.marienicoles.com

This classy-but-casual restaurant serves modern American cuisine with a European ambiance in a relaxed atmosphere, just a short drive from Cape May, in Wildwood Crest.

MARQ’S PUB & RESTUARANT 501 Beach Avenue, Cape May (609) 884-3500 www.marquiscapemay.com

The new spot on the first floor of the Marquis de Lafayette hotel. A good old-fashioned pub atmosphere.

MARTINI BEACH 429 Beach Avenue Cape May (609) 884-1925

A lively nightspot with a friendly vibe, great Mediterranean dishes, and a panoramic oceanfront view. It’s also the place that brough tapas to Cape May – go ahead and share!

MERION INN 106 Decatur Street, (609) 884-8363 www.merion inn.com

The dim, amber lighting, dark wooden bar, period fittings and classy staff give this place a special ambience. Great food, great cocktails, and great piano from George Mesterhazy.

OCEAN VIEW Beach & Grant Avenues (609) 884-3772 www.oceanviewrestaurant.com

A large and very reliable menu at this oceanfront staple. Classic diner food, and very reasonably priced. A locals’ favorite, and you know that is always a good sign.

OLD GRANGE 723 Seashore Road, Cape May (609) 884-0114

Renowned Philadelphia chef Tony Clark has taken over the kitchen, making this an exciting addition to the restaurant scene.

OYSTER BAY 615 Lafayette Street (609) 884-2111 www.oysterbayrestaurantnj.com

Lovely, airy dining rooms, a beautiful coppertop bar and classic, generous dishes are what you’ll find here. This is the kind of place where people keep returning.

PETER SHIELDS 1301 Beach Avenue, (609) 884-9090 www.petershieldsinn.com

The Georgian revival mansion, on Cape May’s beachfront, is magnificent and the creative modern American menu matches it all the way. This is one classy eating experience.

THE PILOT HOUSE 142 Decatur Street (609) 884-3449 www.pilothousecapemay.com

A classic pub and restaurant offering great burgers, excellent comfort good and an authentic ambience. The burgers are big favorites among locals.

RIO STATION 3505 Route 9 South Rio Grande (609) 889-2000

While all around it has changed, the Rio Station is still serving excellent food with old-style, friendly service. Their chicken wings are particularly good.

SYMBOLS KEY

u Onsite parking

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

B, D

$10-$34 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

D

$19-$44 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

NO

u b

B, D

$4-$22 Cards: V, MC, AE

BAR

NO

YES

b

D

$15-$30 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

D

$18/Mrkt Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub HU

B, L, D

$9-$30 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

NO

YES

ub H

D

Please call for details.

BYOB

YES

YES

u b

D

$12-$29 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub H

D

$22-$39 Cards: V, MC, D

BYOB

NO

NO

L, D

$15-$25 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

L, D

$13-$29 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

Handicap accessible

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Takeout available

Other details

b

H

H

ub H

Open Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Serving fine food since 1988 322 WASHINGTON STREET MALL CAPE MAY (609) 884-9119

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The Ultimate Cape May Food & Drink Chart What you need to know about the food and the vibe

Meals served

Price range of entrées

Bar or BYOB?

Should I book?

Food for kids?

Other details

B, L, D

$10-$19 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub H

L, D

$4-$12 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

N/A

N/A

YES

ub H

B, L, D

$18-$35 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

N/A

NO

YES

ub H

RUSTY NAIL Beach Avenue between Jackson and Perry (609) 884-0017

The local legend is back and it’s better than ever. The relaunched Nail, now part of the Congress Hall group, is beachfront dining at its best. Eat with your toes in the sand!

SEASIDE CHEESE COMPANY 600 Park Boulevard (609) 884-8700 www.seasidecheesecapemay.com

A huge plus for the area when it opened, and this place, a short walk from downtown Cape May, continues to delight with gourmet treats. Private tasting room is available to reserve.

TISHA’S FINE DINING 322 Washington Street Mall Cape May (609) 884-9119

In case you’re wondering why they’re not at Convention Hall – they moved to the mall, where they are still serving up irresistible concoctions, PLUS breakfast and lunch!

TOMMY’S FOLLY COFFEE 251 Beach Avenue (609) 884-6522 www.congresshall.com

Situated in the lobby of Congress Hall, this shop has great coffee and some lovely to-go breakfast goodies, as well as healthy and tasty lunch wraps, plus soups, shakes and more.

B, Café

$2-$5 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

TURDO VINEYARDS 3911 Bayshore Road North Cape May (609) 884-5591 www.turdovineyards.com

Turdo Vineyards is off the beaten track but worth finding. Family owned and operated, they carry award-winning wines, and they’re also the only winery in southern New Jersey to run entirely on solar energy.

Winery

?

N/A

NO

NO

ub H

THE UGLY MUG 426 Washington Street Mall Cape May (609) 884-3459

A Cape May legend, and even better now that they’ve put those wonderful booths in there. Such a treat. It has a classic pub vibe, and always a warm, friendly atmosphere.

L, D

$12-$25 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

NO

YES

b H

UNCLE BILL’S PANCAKES Beach Avenue & Perry Street Cape May (609) 884-7199

Reliably excellent food – there is a reason why people wait a while to eat here... excellent breakfasts and brunches at this circular restaurant that overlooks the Atlantic.

B, L

$4-$9 Cash Only

BYOB

NO

YES

ub H

UNION PARK Beach Avenue & Howard (609) 884-8811 www.unionparkdiningroom.com

Elegant dining in a classic old hotel, and the food is magnificent and inventive. Voted one of the best restaurants in the state by New Jersey Monthly magazine.

D

$18-$35 Cards: V, MC, AE

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

VINCENZO’S LITTLE ITALY II 3704 Bayshore Road North Cape May (609) 889-6610

If you want to bring the family for a fine and fun Italian meal, look no further than here!

The kids will love it. Excellent pasta dishes, and they’re also proud of their prime rib.

L, D

$8-$20 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BYOB

YES

YES

ub H

WASHINGTON INN 801 Washington Avenue (609) 84-569 www.washingtoninn.com

Superb gourmet food, and a great little cocktail bar to get your night off on the right foot. Amazing wine list and an all-new wine bar has opened, with small plates available.

D

$18-$34 Cards: V, MC, AE, D

BAR

YES

YES

ub H

ZOE’S 715 Beach Avenue, Cape May (609) 884-1233

Zoe’s has large portions at affordable prices.

Plus one of the best vegetarian selections in town. And they have a great patio if the weather is nice... bring Fido!

B, L

$4-$12 Cash Only

BYOB

NO

YES

b HU

SYMBOLS KEY

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Takeout available

b

Exploring the politics of food at Cape May Forum

CELEBRITY CHEF Aaron McCargo Jr., who hosts the TV show Big Daddy’s House, will be one of the guest speakers at the Cape May Forum in September.

W

ORLD hunger.

Slow food.

Fast food.

The business of food. The politics of nutrition.

Sustainable farming and fishing. Urban farming. Dining out in America. The new Food Media and the Celebrity Chef. Food on TV – all the time. “You are what you eat…” Are you really?

Something to talk about! Cape May Forum is calling all foodies to come to Cape May to learn, talk, get inspired, and be challenged to explore a critical issue of our times.

After their successful first Chautauqua at the Shore outing in fall 2010, the Cape May Forum will once again transform the city of Cape May into a campus exit zero

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of activities and events all geared to explore one theme. This year’s 10-day event is titled Guess What’s Coming for Dinner? – The Politics of Food in the 21st Century, and runs September 15-25.

A program on the politics of food could not find a better setting. Cape May, at the southern tip of the Jersey Shore, is comfortably adjacent to rich farmland, and its residents and visitors shop the many farm stands and farmers’ markets in the area for homegrown. The port of Cape May, as of 2009, was ranked the fourth largest and most productive fishing port in the nation, second on the east coast. The Cape May County Slow Food movement is thriving. And the restaurants... well, there is something for everyone, and Cape May enjoys some of the

FROM OUR ARCHIVES THE TRIUMPHANT EXIT ZEROES SOFTBALL TEAM

«

The Exit Zeroes softball team were challenged to a charity game by the Cape May County Herald on July 17, 2008, and duly trounced them, thanks primarily to MVPs Dan Mathers and Terry O’Brien.

Back row: Jason Black, Dan Mathers, Aleksey Moryakov, Will Knapp, Mike DeMusz.

Front row: Jack Wright, Bill Godfrey, Mark Chamberlain, Terry O’Brien, Victor Grasso.

free parking and did we mention exceptional food served in a picture-perfect setting?

• hearty cafe faré • elegant tea luncheon or afternoon tea OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 AM • RESERVATIONS SUGGESTED

Call 609-884-5111 for information & reservations 1048 WASHINGTON ST., CAPE MAY

Available for intimate private gatherings

Operated by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC)

and a deal, too 10% OFF exit zero

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IF YOU MENTION THIS AD

east coast’s best! The Cape May Food & Wine Festival, in its 14th year and sponsored by the Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC), anchors September 18-26, concurrent to the Cape May Forum event.

During the week of September 15-25, running weekend to weekend, you will join the Cape May community for a series of lectures, workshops, and a host of arts and cultural offerings coordinated around the politics of food, and all produced by the Cape May Forum and its city-wide partners and volunteers. The Cape May Forum packs your weekends with meaty and entertaining events. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the 10-day event will feature a key-note speaker, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations, and book discussions.

All week long and all over town, the city’s arts and cultural organizations hosting events and workshops include, the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC), Cape May Stage, Cape May Film Festival, Nature Center of Cape May, the Center for Community Arts, the New Jersey Audubon Society, Cape May Bird Observatory, Historic Cold Spring Village, Slow Food South Jersey, and the Naval Air Station. If you wonder what birding, military aircraft, filmmaking, and theater have to do with food, you will be pleasantly surprised by both the expertise and inventiveness of these groups. Participating universities and colleges include Rutgers University, Atlantic Cape Community College, and The Lloyd D. Levinson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT) at Richard Stockton College.

The program’s whole purpose this

STAR LINEUP Speakers at the Cape May Forum event in September include Amy Cotler, culinary expert and author of The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Foods, and Joel Salatin, an author, environmentalist, and full-time farmer.

year is to entertain, educate and awaken participants to the many facets of the politics of food. Speakers will discuss the social challenges we face today – such as health issues, energy use, loss of farmland, animal rights, soil depletion, and how these connect with “what’s for dinner?” The real goal is to inspire audiences with the innovative and creative solutions that are underway slow food, fair trade, artificial reefs and green chemistry, to name just a few.

You can enjoy tours of the 2nd largest commercial fishing port on the Eastern seaboard, hands on cooking demonstrations, savoring a slow food feast, discussions of “must read” books with their authors, and much more.

Speaker highlights for this year show the program’s diversity. Amy Cotler, culinary expert and author of The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Foods (2009), is an advocate of seasonal cooking and local eating.

Polyface Farms proprietor, Joel Salatin, is an author, environmentalist, capitalist and a full-time farmer, and is well-positioned to discuss his cuttingedge practices for ecologically beneficial and economically sustainable farming.

Author of You Can Farm and The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer (2010), Salatin’s Polyface Farm is also featured prominently in Michael Pollan’s book, Omnivore’s Dilemma. Aaron McCargo Jr.

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took home the prize for The Next Food Network Star, and shares his “passion for big, bold flavors and fun, family cooking” on his own weekly TV series, Big Daddy’s House. Nationally-known top chef Brooke Vosika, hails all the way from Boston, where he is executive chef for the Four Seasons Hotel. Christina Pirello is one of America’s preeminent authorities on natural and whole foods, an author of five books, and the Emmy Award winning host of the television series Christina Cooks! airing weekly on public television and internationally on Discovery Health.

The Cape May Forum – Chautauqua at the Shore, is a non-profit organization founded in 2009, as a consortium of organizations and individuals. CMF provides an annual forum where creative and inspiring artists, speakers, events and courses are presented, to further enhance the Cape May experience for residents and visitors alike. CMF aims to attract more visitors to Cape May, and to extend the visiting season, by integrating and showcasing the existing cultural, artistic, educational and recreational aspects of the community.

The program is modeled after the well-known Chautauqua Institute in New York, which offers a variety of arts, music, cultural and other educational programs in an integrated campus environment. 2011 will be the second annual program.

For more information, reservations and tickets, call (609) 770-2626 or visit capemayforum.org.



Quite simply,

 

the BEST.



Get in line!

 



Don’t miss out on a seriously good read...

Offering Great Dining Options in Traditional Pub Style ... 

  

Get the remaining 4 big color issues of EXIT ZERO this year for only $20!



   

Good Size Portions at Reasonable Prices.

Bring the Whole Family!

and

Call (609) 770-8479 to subscribe

CLIPPER SHIP PUB

SERVING DINNER FROM 5PM EARLY DINNER SPECIALS 5-6pm • $21.95 1/2 PRICE RAW BAR ITEMS 5-6pm in the Pub Only Sports TV in The Clipper Ship Pub Affordable Pub Menu George Karavan at the Baby Grand on Saturday Nights

Reservations: 609-884-5878 991 Ocean Drive, Cape May www.blueclawrestaurant.com

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jackson street at beach avenue (609) 884-8388

www.hotdogtommys.com

Aleathea’s Restaurant

Uncle Bill’s

AT 7 OCEAN

Casually Elegant Victorian Dining Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily Full course first seating daily 5 to 6

& FAMILY RESTAURANT

Enjoy cocktails on our oceanfront porch or porch bar HAPPY HOUR Monday to Friday from 3 to 6

Enjoy breakfast or lunch on our new outside patio!

SUNDAY FUNDAY Sundays from 2 to 6 Live Entertainment Food & Drink Specials Pet Friendly Menu Available on Porch 7 Ocean Street at the Inn of Cape May 609-884-5555 innofcapemay.com

The ONLY place for Southwestern cuisine.

At the heart of the Historic District.

BEACH AVENUE & PERRY STREET, CAPE MAY (609) 884-7199 “At the Beach” 715 Beach Avenue, Cape May (609) 884-1233 www.zoescapemay.com

Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner!

OPEN EVERYDAY

BEACHFRONT EATERY

Full Breakfast Menu Served All Day HÄAGEN-DAZS ICE CREAM

Full Breakfast Menu - Homemade Muffins, Pancakes & Omelettes Lunch - Our Own Roasted Turkey & Roast Beef Cape May’s Largest Cheese Steaks & Hoagies Vegetarians, Enjoy Our Homemade Veggie Burgers Entire Menu Available for Take-Out Patio Dining/Pet Friendly... BYOD

CARPENTER’S SQUARE MALL CAPE MAY • (609) 898-7750

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} QUICK CHAT

C

Judy Buck of Celebrate Cape May

ELEBRATE CAPE MAY is a busy place, and proprietor Judy Buck is a woman on the move.

Besides running the shop, she is also a Realtor at Century 21 Gilmartin. We caught up with her for a quick chat at her shop.

Are you a Cape May native? Almost!

I was born in Philly and moved here with my parents and brother when I was in third grade. My parents had a discount grocery store here in the 70’s in the Villas called “Jerry’s Place.” It was a success, so they opened another in Rio Grande.

So you were raised on retail? Yes, I really got my retail sense from them. Back then kids had to help their families - I began working for them at age nine. I used to get upset on Saturdays - I couldn’t sleep in and watch cartoons like my friends - I had to go to work with mom and dad! I hated it then, but I learned how to talk to people, and was very fortunate to have that kind of experience going into college.

PHILLIES FAN “When I turn everything off and have a few hours, you can be sure I’m somewhere watching the Phillies - my favorite player is Chooch!” Judy Buck, owner of Celebrate Cape May. Aleksey Moryakov

Did you ever do anything but retail?

I majored in Communications and Business at Cabrini, with two internships at WYSP in Philly. I ran the college radio station, and my first career was in radio.

A public relations job in Bala Cynwyd, PA, led to the old “Rock 104” in Atlantic City, and I soon moved on to records. I started at Capitol Records, then PolyGram, Atco/ EastWest and Elektra. I began by merchandising in record stores - remember them? Eventually I moved on to marketing all over the mid-Atlantic region.

Everything I learned working for my parents got me ready for the music business.

When did you start Celebrate Cape May? I came back to Cape May in the late 90’s to start Celebrate Cape May, and also to raise my son, Conor, who is now 14.

So you are very familiar with the challenges facing the single “working mom”? Yes! The good thing about running my own business in Cape May was that I could be flexible taking care of my son. Being my own boss means if I need

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to be somewhere for my son, I can do it.

I was also able to spend quality time with my parents, who helped with my son.

Celebrate Cape May is coming up on how many years? Celebrate Cape May is going on 13 this year! The last couple have been somewhat challenging, between the economy and gas prices, but we’ve been able to build our own little niche.

So the best and worst parts of your job would be….? You work your tail off nine or ten months a year! The best part is my employees, who make my business happen, and without them I’d be insane!

I’m very blessed - they are like family to me.

What does this busy working mom do to relax? I enjoy biking, running - I try my best to stay in shape. And when I have a few hours, you can be sure I’m watching the Phillies - or on the best of days, I’m at Citizen’s Park watching them in person.

My favorite player is Chooch!

Interview by Kate Chadwick

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ARTS CAPE MAY STAGE UNVEILS ANOTHER FIRST-CLASS PRODUCTION

Three degrees of separation

C

OMEDY comes to Cape May this summer, when Cape May Stage presents The Understudy by Theresa Rebeck. In a hilarious work that mocks theater and theater people in an affectionate way, Rebeck gives audiences a look at what happens behind the scenes, before the curtain rises. Audiences in Cape May, who have long demonstrated their affection for the actors of Cape May Stage, are in for a comic delight.

The Understudy examines the rehearsal for the show no one wants to see – the performance with the understudy. A major movie star is headlining the Broad-

Story by Cathy Pagliuca Photograph by Vinh Luong

COMIC DELIGHT Luke Darnell, Kristen Calgaro and G.R. Johnson star in Cape May Stage’s uproarious production of The Understudy.

way production of a recently discovered play by Franz Kafka. Should the unseen star fall ill, his co-star, Jake (Luke Darnell), will fill his shoes, and Harry (G.R. Johnson) will step into Jake’s role. Roxanne (Kristen Calgaro) is the frantic stage manager who has to draw performances out of the rival actors and ensure that the show goes on. Jake is a Hollywood action star seeking credibility in the theater, and Harry, Roxanne’s runaway fiancee, is the bitter, underemployed actor who resents being the understudy to Jake. The playwright combines comedy and Kafka with style, creates an affectionate picture of a dysfunctional stage family, and says a lot about the cruelty and kindness we show to each other in any kind of family.

Playwright Rebeck presents a loving, cutting look at the theater world in this witty comedy. Rebeck, a Pulitzer Prize

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nominee, is one of the most successful contemporary American playwrights (Bad Dates, Mauritius). She has also written novels (Three Girls and their Brother). movies (Harriet the Spy). and television (NYPD Blue). Rebeck’s theater-themed pilot Smash, a one-hour musical, recently picked up by NBC, offers a different view of the backstage world.

In the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon world of theater connections, actors are bound to run into old rivals and old lovers. Rebeck’s handling of these run-ins is hilarious. Jake is oblivious to how spoiled he has become – he sends Roxanne in search of a prop that she finds amidst his dirty laundry. Roxanne, once an actor herself, is aware of her tension, but has trouble seeing her way through; and Harry, in a grasp for self-awareness, announces that he is a “little” bitter in

G

Prime Steak | Sensational Seafood

As a premier vacation destination, the City of Cape May deserves a gourmet steakhouse and being a shore town, providing high quality seafood is a must. Hemingway’s in The Grand Hotel delivers on both fronts, in a comfortable, Key West themed atmosphere. From their USDA prime steaks to their sensational seafood, both locally caught and exotic, any dish you order is sure to keep you coming back.

“Hemingway’s crab cake would make a Marylander proud” Jeanee Donohue (At the Shore Magazine)

“Best Steak in Cape May” West Palm Beach, Florida

“[Thursday Night] Seafood buffet was wonderful!”

Delaware

“Ballyhoo’s will probably never be forgotten, but Hemingway’s makeover raised it to higher ground.”

Taylor Yarborough (Press of Atlantic City)

Oceanfront at 1045 Beach Ave • 609.884.5611 • HemingwaysCapeMay.com exit zero

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a tone that equates it to being a little pregnant.

Offstage, Laura, the heard-but-not-seen stage technician, adds to the frenzy by sliding the wrong scenery in and out and generally behaving as if the rehearsal is an inconvenience.

Cape May Stage Artistic Director Roy B. Steinberg – who has a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” score of two – has used his own theater connections, cultivated while directing plays, television and film throughout the country, to draw talented actors to Cape May Stage. Cape May Stage, an Equity theatre company, provides professional theatre in an intimate setting. For The Understudy, Steinberg brings actors Kristen Calgaro, Lucas Darnell and G.R. Johnson to town. These performers share some serious acting chops, earned at regional theaters across the country, on Broadway, and in film and television.

They also share a score in the Kevin Bacon game – three – and a healthy sense of humor about themselves and their careers.

Johnson was drawn to the play by its “instant conflict. There’s no down time. That’s what gets my blood going.“ Calgaro was drawn by the opportunity to work with Steinberg. Darnell looks forward to the intimacy of the Robert Shackleton playhouse, “Especially for a play like this. I love being closer to the audience.”

Although The Understudy mocks the movie star who seeks cachet on Broadway, it also demonstrates the connections all actors share. Johnson believes most actors are drawn to “return to

Johnson was drawn to the play by its “instant conflict. There’s no down time. That’s what gets my blood going.“ Calgaro was drawn by the opportunity to work with Roy Steinberg. Darnell looks forward to the intimacy of the Robert Shackleton playhouse, “Especially for a play like this. I love being closer to the audience.” the theater because their hearts are in the theater.” The distinctions among actors are more likely to be made by members of the general public, who pose the question, ”What have I seen you in?” expecting to hear about film or television projects, rather than stage work. Non-actors may fail to appreciate that, as Calgaro says, “My smaller [stage] projects may be my most fulfilling, most satisfying work.”

Of course, sometimes actors do make distinctions, and these distinctions are the source of the play’s insider comedy. Darnell’s favorite line is the play is a joke about the relative value of an Equity (stage actors’ union) card compared to a SAG (film and television actors’ union) card. It’s probably no coincidence that Darnell’s brother, actor/stuntman Matt Anderson, focuses on movies. Nor is it likely to be a coincidence that

the actors think the unseen Laura is the character who would be fun to hang out with. “I don’t see her as hostile,” Darnell says “Maybe she has her iPod on and is napping.”

These talented actors seem to enjoy a level of mental health their characters would envy. For example, Roxanne could clearly use some relaxation; actress Kristen Calgaro, who portrays the high-strung stage manager, says the character is “overwhelmed by everything all the time.” By contrast, Calgaro spent time before coming to Cape May at the Insight Meditation Center – a seven-day silent retreat, without music, books, internet or talking. The goal is to “eliminate distractions and be alone with my own mind,” Calgaro says, joking that “this can be a scary thing.”

G.R. Johnson has a healthy attitude toward his career that Harry lacks, but then, G.R. jokes that just being an actor can be a sign of poor mental health. “Acting is an addiction,” Johnson says, to laughter from Calgaro. “If there was something else I loved to do, I’d go and do that.”

Johnson spends time with the Naked Angels, a group of actors and playwrights who gather to read their new works, and he describes being in a roomful of actors as something akin to an AA meeting.

Luke Darnell, who plays Jake, agrees. “If there was anything else that I loved, I’d do it.“ But Darnell was born into the addiction – performing has been his family business for four generations.

His maternal grandfather, Coley Worth, toured

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the vaudeville circuit as one of the brothers in Gracie Worth and her Worthless Brothers. Worth met his wife on tour, and together they performed as “Coley Worth and Marcia.” Many of Darnell’s relatives have performed on Broadway, many, many times. Darnell is “really proud of that heritage” although it is “daunting to live up to.” Darnell, who is also a stuntman, got his start as an actor at Worth-Tyrrell Studios, in Morristown, New Jersey. His mother, studio director Caroline WorthTyrrell, encouraged her sons to join in.

“It was always hard to get boys,” Darnell explains, and with her sons on hand, she “didn’t have to get a babysitter.” Darnell describes himself as a shy child, who might not have found acting if it hadn’t been in the family. Darnell thinks acting classes are great training, even for non-actors. In an an inadvertent plug for the theater camp and acting classes hosted by Cape May Stage, he points to business people who study acting for the poise it brings. “I have a lot of respect for somebody who has the nerve to jump in to acting,” he says.

G.R. Johnson made the jump into acting as a freshman in high school, joining all the musicals and drama club. He studied theater and literature at Oberlin College, but it wasn’t until after he graduated that acting moved from hobby to profession, and Johnson earned an MFA through the Professional Training Program in Theater at Temple University in Philadelphia. After a summer at the Williamstown Theater Festival, it was

on to theater work in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.

Kristen Calgaro began as a dancer, following in the footsteps of her mother, a professional ballet dancer. “As a girl, I always thought I’d do that,“ Calgaro says. In college at the University of Virginia, where she majored in Religious Studies and Spanish, Calgaro began to take acting seriously, and discovered “the acting world is healthier.” Calgaro had the chance to return to her first love in her recent performance in And the Curtain Rises at the Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia. Dancing on pointe “for the first time in twelve years,” was a “wonderful surprise and a gift,” although Calgaro claims it destroyed her feet - “nobody look when I’m at the beach!” Calgaro finds it “entertaining that I’m going from being a tutu- wearing ballerina to a t-shirt-wearing stage manager... the joys of being an actor!”

The actors share a practical view about the business of acting in the theater. Clearly happy with the life – and career – she is building, Calgaro cheerfully assures me that she is “making a living.” Johnson describes a conversation with an older actor who sat him down and gave him a realistic picture of the modest living such work provides. He cautioned Johnson to consider what he’d be giving up and ask himself, “Is this the type of life I want to lead?” For Johnson, the answer was a resounding, “Yes.” Darnell agrees, even as he notes the drastic difference in pay between film work and theater.

In addition to their talents and their Kevin Bacon scores, the actors share movie-star beauty, which they modestly downplay. And though their hearts are in the theater, they also take pride in their other work. One film Calgaro is particularly proud of is Kumare, which won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival. Johnson’s most recent film is the independent Over the GW, which was an Official Selection of the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival, and at press time, Darnell was filming the short film My Butterfly on New York’s Long Island.

Spending a summer in America’s Original Seaside Resort has perks outside the theater, of course. Calgaro, who is a yoga teacher as well as a practitioner, is looking forward to practicing on the beach. Johnson, a competitive volleyball player since 2002 (“another addiction,” he jokes) may find some good games. Darnell is “psyched to spend the summer in Cape May.” He spent some time at a friend’s home in town about ten years ago and “loved it. It was beautiful.”

Johnson, who may encounter some other Temple alumni while in town, says, “All I hear is that it’s a beautiful beach community, and I look forward to taking advantage of all that.” Armed with the requisite advice to try HotDog Tommy’s, the actors have been told, “You’re going to love Cape May.” I predict the feeling will be mutual.

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sweat and b GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY WITH THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE CAPE MAY RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

Story by Diane Stopyra Photographs by Aleksey Moryakov

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HEN I told them I’d like to wash dishes so that I might write about the experience, the chefs and managers of various Cape May restaurants wanted to know who I’d upset to receive such a grueling assignment. But the truth is, the idea for this article was all my own; I wanted to roll up my sleeves and brave the trenches of a commercial kitchen. In order to get a true behind-thescenes look at life in the dish pit, I did one shift in each of three local restaurants: Cabanas, The Pilot House, and Lucky Bones.

Three nights of steam and grease, four zits, and seven what-was-I-thinking moments later, I realized that working in the pit really is, well, the pits. The job is backbreaking, and while the ick-factor for these workers is high, the pay is most definitely not. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean wage of a New Jersey dishwasher is only $18,940 a year. And this figure is a thousand dollars higher than the national average.

After spending some time in my own apron and pair of latex gloves, I know that being king of cutlery or goddess of glassware takes a special kind of person – strong (in both body and stomach), hum-

CABANAS Diane joins the kitchen crew on Beach Avenue – from left, Jose Lopez, Danny Amado and Lou McAtee. And, right, she gets her Brillo pad on.

ble, optimistic, and really well-hydrated.

Up to my elbows in industrial-strength suds, I came up with three rules for those looking to succeed in the pit. These, in my amateur opinion, are what it takes to endure as a dishwasher, the unsung hero of the Cape May restaurant industry. exit zero

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Shift One: Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill Rule One: Remember to dance.

I thought the hardest thing about washing dishes at Cabanas would be, oddly enough, washing the dishes. But when I showed up for my Saturday night shift, it wasn’t the stack of thirteen slimy pots, all of them covered in dried fish bits, that intimidated me. Nor was it the heavy trashcans (which the dishwasher is responsible for lugging outside), or the soggy clumps of minced meat on the floor (which the dishwasher is responsible for sweeping). What did intimidate me was the thought of spending an entire night under the painfully fluorescent bulbs of this kitchen. Because there’s not a single window in the room, harsh artificial light bounces off of every stainless steel surface.

Looking for a Brillow scouring pad with which I might start scrubbing those thirteen pots, I started thinking about all of the medical conditions that overexposure to artificial lighting is known to aggravate – migraines, anxiety, hypertension, even cardiovascular disease. I wondered if the crew of Cabanas’ kitchen, guys for whom an eleven-hour day is not out of the norm, ever find themselves missing the sun. When I asked, they simply laughed.

“The lighting,” Danny Amado told me,

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“is the least difficult part.”

Danny, a portly guy with a friendly smile and a Flyer’s baseball cap, is Cabana’s twenty-six year old dish manager. He is the kitchen conductor, responsible for overseeing dishwashers and line cooks alike. Danny, like everyone else in the kitchen this night, got his start cleaning dishware. And this, he and his cooks agreed, is a job so physically grueling, a little fluorescent lighting is the least of a dishwasher’s worries.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever met,” Danny told me, in between fielding questions from his line cooks about which soup to serve and where to get more tortilla chips, “who’s showed up wanting to wash dishes.” Adjusting the brim of his baseball cap, he explained to me that this is a hot job, and not in the Paris Hilton sense. Cabana’s kitchen can reach a sweltering 125 degrees.

“It’s hard to breathe,” Danny told me. “Sometimes, you’ll see guys walking around with damp rags around their necks.”

Lou McAtee, a former dishwasher who now cooks behind Cabana’s line, let me watch as he plated one of the restaurant’s jump lump crab burgers. As he worked, he shifted his weight from one foot to the next, explaining that he needs

PILOT HOUSE Fory Santiago, Bert Santiago, Tom Reilly and our girl Diane.

to take one Advil every four hours.

“I can’t put any weight on my feet,” he said, “for the first half hour that I’m out of bed in the morning.” But that’s the problem, he told me, with working a job that doesn’t allow for sitting down.

I’d soon find out it’s a job that doesn’t allow for staying dry, either.

By this point, I’d finished scrubbing the pots in the kitchen’s three-part sink, and I had to drain the water that was now more like oil than H2O. I cringed as I fished around, up to my elbow in liquid fat, for the greasy rag that serves as a drain-stopper.

“I have no sympathy for you,” Danny laughed, noticing my disgusted expression. Then he escorted me to the kitchen’s spray-nozzle station. Here, it is the dishwasher’s job to rinse leftover barbeque sauce and dried butter from dirty plates and bowls before sending them through the washing machine. Rodolpho Huerta, the other dishwasher on duty this night, tried not to laugh as I sprayed splotches of artichoke dip from a bowl, soaking my shirt with water and pieces of artichoke.

“Tomorrow,” Rodolpho told me, “you’ll wear an apron.”

Rudy, as his coworkers affectionately call him, is a petite Mexican man with shoulders that slope and hunch severely. exit zero

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As he spoke, he tugged on the knee-length apron, stained with smears of sour cream and mango dipping sauce, that cinched around his bony hips. I nodded a thank you and he smiled, revealing the single canine tooth on the upper row of his mouth.

Rudy is not embarrassed of this gummy grin. As I continued working, spraying the remnants of jicama slaw and mashed fajita crust off of dinner plates and onto my jeans, Rudy smiled.

He smiled as he hosed down the rubber mats on the kitchen floor, he smiled as he unloaded rack after rack from the dishwashing machine (he’ll send well over a thousand plates through that machine on a given night), and he smiled as he carried stacks of these plates, painfully hot to touch, to the line cooks who quickly filled them up with food all over again.

Finally, Rudy smiled as he explained to me, in broken English, that he left one brother and four nieces and nephews at home in Mexico so that he could work in America and have money to send them.

Every day, he rides his bike from his Wildwood apartment to Cabanas (“I can make it in one hour,” he told me), and he’s hoping to find a second job in another kitchen soon, too. If this happens, Rudy will be spending fifteen hours a day under fluo-

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rescent bulbs. And though he’d rather be working in construction, he assured me that he’s happy.

In fact, everyone who works in Cabanas’ kitchen seems happy. When I asked if anyone ever gets jealous of folks who work in an office with air conditioning, a place to sit, and lighting that doesn’t cause hypertension, the response was a resounding “No.” Even Danny, who often has nightmares about the stressful things that have happened to him as both cook and dishwasher, told me he wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Remembering the time a delivery truck hooked the cable from a nearby telephone pole, knocking out electricity in the middle of service on a busy summer night, he simply shook his head and smiled.

So how, I wondered, when transformers go down in 125 degree heat after an eleven hour shift under fluorescent bulbs, do these guys stay so positive, so happy, so smiley? Before I could even ask, Lou raised one hand and one of the tired, cramped feet he’d been telling me about.

“Random dancing!” he yelled from behind the line. The entire kitchen staff suddenly dropped what they were doing and started grooving to the Spanish pop music coming from a little clock radio by the meat station. Even the head server, a woman named Donna who’d come into the kitchen to check on an order, raised her hands and wiggled her hips to the music. After a minute or so, everyone – dishwasher, cooks, managers – stopped dancing and got back to work.

“Random dancing,” Danny reiterated, shrugging his shoulders as though this was the most natural thing in the world. Rudy flashed me his toothless grin and continued stacking plates.

Over the course of the night, Lou called “random dancing” three times. All three times, the same thing happened. By the last time, I couldn’t help but let go of my spray nozzle, forget about the artichoke dip under my nails, and join in the fun.

“Music,” Danny said, smiling when he saw me, “is what gets us through the night.”

Shift Two: The Pilot House Rule Two: Work like a girl.

Twenty-nine year old Christine Gomez moved to America four years ago. For the last ten months, she’s been washing dishes at the Pilot House, doing the same job that her male co-workers rate a nine-out-of-ten on the backbreaking scale.

And, with her pretty hoop earrings and bouncy ponytail, she manages to look good doing it.

At first, Christine didn’t want to talk with me.

When I asked her questions, she looked away, continuing to shape burger patties out of raw meat on the stainless steel prep table of the Pilot House kitchen. This kind of food preparation, I learned, is just as much a part of Christine’s job as carrying, every fifteen minutes, heavy milk crates full of greasy pots and pans from stove to sink.

As she worked, I could tell, Christine hoped that I would just go away and let her do her job in peace.

“She’s shy,” her fellow dishwashers explained.

It wasn’t until I asked about Christine’s family that she opened up, telling me how terribly she misses her ten-year old son and five-year old daughter. She hasn’t seen her kids, who still live in Mexico with her husband, since last year when she was able to return home for a visit. When I asked if it’s difficult to be so far away, she wiped her hands on her apron and sighed. “Everything in this life,” she told me in Spanish, “is hard.”

Everything except, I was surprised to find out, being a woman in a male-dominated field. Both Christine and seventeen-year-old Delilah Martinez, the other of the Pilot House’s two female dishwashers, find having to touch freshly sanitized, scorching hot plates far more difficult than working in the testosterone-heavy environment of the kitchen. The reason?

“Mucho respect,” Bert Santiago told me, “Mucho respect.” Thirty-two year old Bert, who started out washing dishes at the Pilot House when he moved to America from Mexico sixteen years ago, is now proud to cook behind the restaurant’s line. And mucho respect, he told me, is the mantra of this kitchen. So no matter where one’s actual family is, he explained, when you work here, you become part of the family.

“We have each other’s backs,” Mark Stillwagon agreed. “I’ll do anything for my crew, because they’d do anything for me.” Mark, an imposing guy of six-foot-three, is the restaurant’s executive chef. In this business, the executive chef is king of his culinary domain and, according to Mark, “it’s

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tough to be king.” But it’s even tougher to be a father. In this makeshift restaurant family, that’s exactly what Mark is.

“I’ve got everybody’s personal problems on my shoulders,” he said. (Just like a proud papa, Mark also has their photos on his fridge. Tacked onto the door of the Pilot House walk-in are pictures of the staff that have been clipped from old issues of Exit Zero.) “This,” Mark said, motioning to his crew, “is my extended family.”

For this reason, if any of Mark’s dishwashers have an actual family member at home in Mexico who’s in need of a job, the chef is more than willing to offer one up.

In fact, Bert’s brother Froy has come to join Mark’s crew, and when fellow dishwasher Alex Martinez started working at the Pilot House, he sent for his sister, Delilah.

Like any good father figure, Mark looks out for this crew. When the boys told me how much they enjoy looking for senioritas at Carney’s, Mark jokingly said that he’ll be limiting Carney’s nights for his staff this summer. Then, in all seriousness, he explained that a hangover is not a healthy thing to have in a kitchen that gets to be 140 degrees.

Even with this support system, built of actual family members and those who might as well be, Christine, Bert, Froy, and Alex are anxious to get back to Mexico. They have aspirations of becoming, respectively, a business owner, rancher, HVAC expert, and corn farmer. And though they love Cape May (“Everyone loves the beach,” Bert told me), they’re only able to enjoy all that the town has to offer (including its beautiful senioritas, according to Bert) in the off-season months.

But for now, the dishwashers explained, this job is a source of pride.

This is especially true for Christine, who hopes that working so hard will mean her daughter never has to. “Si,” she told me, wiping down her sink in preparation for another busy night. “I’m very happy.”

Shift Three: Lucky Bones Rule Three: Keep calm and carry on.

Because I’d gone into Cabanas and the Pilot House on slower nights, I was illprepared for my shift at Lucky Bones. I figured this experience would be much like the others; I’d chat with the staff about their hobbies, I’d wash a few dishes, I’d learn the difference between chemical and high-temperature dishwashing machines, and then I’d eat the fish-tacos that I’d convince a line cook to make for me. I was so wrong.

When I walked into his kitchen, executive chef Shaun McCullough gave me a hurried welcome and tossed a black base-

ball cap my way. “Lucky Bones regulations,” he explained.

Then he showed me to the claustrophobic space, about six-feet by three-feet, where I’d be spending the rest of my night.

Here, onto a stainless steel counter, servers and busboys dump plates upon plates upon plates of half-eaten food and dirty silverware. The dishwasher spends the night scraping the leftover food from this never-ending stream of dishes into the nearby trashcan, or into the slop bucket that’s positioned underneath a cutout hole in the counter.

A mess of macaroni, cold seafood bisque, ketchup, hamburger buns, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, mushroom cream sauce, clam juice, melted pepper jack cheese, and half-chewed rib bones is made even soggier by the upside down glasses dripping unwanted sips of water and wine from their position on the rack above. The dishwasher picks through this mess, sorting out the non-edible items – lipstick-stained napkins, crumpled tissues, lemon peels that folks have sucked the juice out of, chicken bones, and straws – from the actual food, which goes to feed the pigs and livestock of local farms.

“I don’t know that much about dishwashing,” Logan the busboy told me as he came to drop off yet another stack of plates in need of scraping, “except that it’s nasty. It’s real nasty.”

On the other side of this counter, another dishwasher works on rinsing the dishware, loading it into racks, and then feeding these racks onto the conveyor belt of the sanitizing machine. This man’s greatest tool is a mini squeegee brush, which he needs to clear the puddles of gook from his work space every ten minutes or so.

This night, the dishwasher stationed here was a man named Mario, who is nearly as wide as the space in which he needs to operate. But Mario is more graceful than he looks. And he has to be.

“It’s organized chaos back there,” Shaun told me. “It’s like a dance. You have to get in the groove and just go.”

Finally, a third dishwasher works on sorting the dishware as it comes out the other side of the machine, through the flaps that make it look like a mini carwash. This person stacks the dishes into like piles before delivering these piles to their correct place in the restaurant. I was stationed here for the majority of my shift.

Unable to keep up with the plates Mario fed onto the conveyer belt, I felt like Lucille Ball on her first night in the chocolate factory. Through the machine came round plates, square plates, oval plates, exit zero

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LUCKY BONES Diane with Chano Roque Chiroz, who says, “I’m all the time happy.”

2011

big plates, small plates, plain plates, and fancy plates. Unfortunately, unlike Lucy’s chocolate morsels, plates aren’t edible.

Eventually, cooks had to come out from behind the line to retrieve the dishware I hadn’t been able to deliver myself.

Part of the problem was that the dishes coming through the machine were so hot.

“Yea,” Shaun would tell me later, “dishwashers need hands of steel.” Within an hour, I could feel the tips of my fingers blistering.

Fortunately, a dishwasher by the name of Chano Roque Quiroz came to my aid.

Chano, a twenty-three year old man from Mexico who washes dishes at Congress Hall in the mornings and Lucky Bones at night, brought me a plastic pint container full of water, probably because he could see the sweat gathering underneath the brim of my regulation baseball cap. When I asked him how he keeps his calm, he laughed and said, “That’s the hard part.”

Yet, Chano didn’t appear fazed at all by the stacks of dishes piling up around us.

“I’m all the time happy,” he told me, picking up another hot dish without flinching.

“That’s funny,” I said. “If I had to do this job, I would be all the time panicking.”

Around nine o’clock, I couldn’t keep my own cool anymore, and I called it quits.

Looking forward to a good night’s sleep, I glanced back at Mario and Chano and all the others, still very much in the groove of their dish pit dance.

“Dishwashers,” Sean told me as I headed toward the door, “are highly underestimated.” I handed him my apron, feeling grateful that, unlike Chano, I wouldn’t have to put it on again first thing in the morning. “These guys,” Shaun said, “are the backbone of the restaurant.”

When I got home, I thought about what Shaun and the other chefs gracious enough to let me into their kitchens had said – most restaurant patrons, they told me, never give a second thought to the men and women washing their dishes.

And I’m bothered to admit that I never had, either. Plenty of folks pay their compliments to the chef, but rarely do we think to compliment the dishwasher.

So here it is – the last rule I came up with during my time as an insider. Only, this one isn’t for the aspiring dishwasher, but for the grateful Cape May guest wanting to show his appreciation to these unsung heroes. Before sitting down to a meal at your favorite Cape May restaurant, stop off at Collier’s and pick up a sixpack of something special – preferably Corona – for the guys in the pit.

Trust me, they deserve it.

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cape may HOW AMERICA’S ORIGINAL SEASIDE RESORT BECAME A MILITARY TOWN DURING BOTH WORLD WARS Story by Ben Miller

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E

VER been to Norfolk, VA or Jacksonville, NC? If you have, then you definitely understand the meaning of a “military town”. For those who’ve never been to either city, no matter where you direct your eyes around town you can see sailors and marines along with businesses marketed towards sailors and marines. It’s hard to picture it, but they’re both larger, modern versions of what Cape May was like during World War I and II. The boardwalk and mercantile district on Washington Street were crowded with sailors, as was the beach and many of the homes around town.

Try to picture today’s upscale B&Bs like the Fairthorne, Queen Victoria and Saltwood House teaming with rowdy sailors. It happened. The Fairthorne was rented by the US Navy to house sailors, as was the Saltwood House. Dr. Franklin Hughes, former owner of the Queen Victoria, leased the home to the navy from 1913 to 1918 for use as a community recreational building.

Cape May’s military presence over the years has not been limited to the

war is in the air Above: The Fun Factory before the fire, converted for use as a Navy Section Base. The dance floor was used as a temporary dormitory and the old Barrel of Fun was used as a brig.

Don Pocher Opposite: A soldier at the Hotel Cape May (later Christian Admiral), which was transformed into a military hospital during World War I; a brochure for the training camp at Wissahickon, now the coast guard base.

Cape May County Museum

navy, or the US Coast Guard, which currently occupies the base on the eastern side of the island. The US Army and US Marine Corps have also played a significant role in the local community over the years. As a matter of fact, contrary to what you may have heard, the army was the first to occupy the land.

The seeds of Cape May’s military heritage began in the Revolutionary War. On September 21, 1775, citizens from Cape May County assembled in the county seat and formed a battalion of light infantry soldiers to fight in the revolution. They held an election to determine officers and created an armada of local sea captains who were ordered to protect the waters off Cape May’s coast.

A draft was instituted for all citizens of Cape May County between the ages of 15 and 50, with the exception of ‘conscientious objectors’, whose religious beliefs forbade any type of fighting.

The majority of the Cape May battalion fought the British on Pennsylvania battlefields, while the sea captains fought to deter the British from entering the Delaware Bay and following the river

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to the colonists’ makeshift capitol in Philadelphia.

Following the Revolutionary War, local citizens on what was then called Cape Island had a brief respite from the fighting. The War of 1812 saw a new Cape May battalion activated and stationed directly on Cape Island. There was no formal military base to house the soldiers, as they were residents of the island and they were led by local Captain Humphrey Hughes.

The militia used fishing vessels to thwart a British attempt to block the Delaware Bay from cargo vessels in 1814 and later that same year, they went toe to toe with the crew of the HMS Ponticiers. The British gun boat was anchored just off the island, with each of its guns aimed at the heart of Cape Island. Captain Hughes and his militia watched as a small dinghy from the British vessel approached the island.

The crew onboard the smaller boat tried to negotiate with Captain Hughes for fresh water and following his refusal, they resorted to a strong threat. Either Hughes allow them to fill their water tanks and return to the HMS Ponticiers,

or the ship would open fire on Cape Island.

In a decision that later came to haunt him, Hughes ordered his men to stand down as the British sailors secured their water and returned to the ship. Captain Hughes was later arrested for his decision and charged with aiding and abetting the enemy, a crime punishable by execution. Luckily for Hughes, the war came to an end, the Cape Island battalion was deactivated and the charges were dropped.

The next military incursion of the Cape came in 1859, when the Army Corps of Engineers set up camp and began building the current lighthouse.

The group was much more skilled than its predecessors who built the previous two, so much so that their handiwork is still standing and functional today. The officer in charge was a man who would go on to become an American hero during the Civil War, General George Meade.

Ten years later, in July of 1869, the Army again returned to Cape May in the form of the famous Civil War Gray Reserves, who built a temporary encampment along what is now Sunset Boulevard in West Cape May. They named their base Camp Upton (not to be confused with the former army camp in New York) in honor of Major General E. Upton.

Major General Upton was invited to visit the base at the same time President Grant planned to visit, but he received the invitation too late. In a reply to Colonel Latta, who had extended the invitation, Upton noted, “Commendations of the appearance and discipline of the Gray Reserves, while at Cape May, have reached me from various sources…”

The soldiers at Camp Upton left the Cape following the summer of 1869 and it wasn’t until the summer of 1907 that any military forces would return in an official capacity. That year, Congress passed a bill that authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to return to Cape May and install two long rock jetties at the entrance to Cold Springs Inlet. Along with the jetties, Congress approved dredging of the inlet to a depth of about thirty-five feet, which would allow larger ships to enter the new Cape May harbor, which was in exit zero

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the process of being established by the Cape May Real Estate Company.

To celebrate the completion of the Cape May harbor in 1913, the US Navy sent two destroyers for the grandopening ceremony on July 4 of that year.

Two years later, the navy sent an entire battle group to the Cape May harbor for a brief stop on its way to the Philadelphia Naval Yard, which sparked rumors that the navy was considering a base in Cape May. Local citizens believed strongly in the idea and in November of 1915, met to form a committee in hopes of petitioning the government to build a Cape May base. The Cape May Chamber of Commerce, led by Luther Ogden, President of the Cape May Board of Trade, attempted to convince the federal government to build a base at Cape May Point. Their concern was not the new harbor, but protecting the Delaware Bay and opening to the Delaware River.

They feared the growing hostilities overseas at the beginning of World War I would make their way to the US and strategic locations along the Delaware could be in danger or sabotage. Those fears were solidified after two covert attacks on American munitions facilities in Northern NJ near the end of 1916.

By early 1917, the Navy had officially commissioned Navy Section Base No. 9 on the site of a defunct amusement park in East Cape May that fronted on the Cape May Harbor. Previously known as the Fun Factory, the abandoned park was renovated to fit the navy’s needs.

The navy also built a reserve base just north of Schellenger’s Landing, across the harbor from the Navy Section Base. The $1.5 million base was named Wissahickon Naval Training Center and had accommodations for up to 3,000 reservists at once. Along with 30 barracks buildings, the Naval camp had numerous instructional facilities including recruit training and large ship-mounted guns that were installed on land for training.

Across the bay, sailors were hard at work renovating the old Fun Factory.

The skating rink was partitioned and transformed into a barracks on one side and a dining hall on the other. The stage was walled off and turned into a kitchen while the Barrel of Fun became the brig, which is navy-speak for jail. Navy ships

COMRADES IN ARMS Above: A soldier from the Delaware Chapter of the Army Corps is introduced to another serviceman stationed at the army hospital Cape May County Museum Opposite, top: The early days of the US Coast Guard air station.

US Coast Guard A US Coast Guard seaplane is used to capture rum runners during the days of Prohibition.

Don Pocher

were docked along the pier that previously hosted regal yachts and catamarans from Cape May’s elite.

It was an interesting setup, but it only lasted one year before a fire reduced the property to smoldering pits of ashes. While most of the sailors home-ported at the section base were marching in a July 4 parade in Cape May, fire tore through the buildings unchecked. The decision was made to rebuild immediately, though the new base was located further in the harbor, closer to the city of Cape May. In January of 1918, the War Department made an agreement to lease the vacant Hotel Cape May from Nelson Graves, for use as a military hospital.

The grand hotel had not quite worked out as developers as planned, so the navy’s request to lease it for $99,000 a year was considered a godsend to Graves, who had been forced to declare bankruptcy years earlier.

The War Department renamed it US Army General Hospital #11 and the 600-room hotel was modified into both a treatment and training hospital. Ballrooms were transformed into hospital wards, first floor storage rooms were used for operations and the expansive marble lobby was partitioned off for additional sick bays. The makeshift hospital was only used for two years before being handed back over to Graves.

In the months following the fire, the

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navy completed work on the new section base, building facilities for multiple ships, 12 sea planes and a blimp.

The blimp, or dirigible hanger was one of the largest in the world at 250’ by 133’. It had been specially constructed to house the SSZ-23 non-rigid airship.

Local legend has said it was actually for the ZR-2, another British dirigible that had been purchased by the US, but was lost in an explosion prior to delivery.

This rumor can be laid to rest with the knowledge that at the time the hanger was completed in early 1920, the ZR-2 was still afloat and remained in service for well over a year afterwards.

Part of the confusion lies in the fact that the ZR-2 really was meant for use by the US Navy and sadly, a Cape May Naval officer was killed in the crash on August 24, 1921. Lt. Charles Little and sixteen other sailors had been sent to England to take possession of the airship and were aboard when it was lost in a test flight. Lt. Little had been sent to join the others in England due to the limited number of US sailors experienced in dirigible use.

The SSZ-23 was delivered to the Cape May base in 1919 and remained in service until June of 1920, when it was stricken from the navy’s registry of active vessels. The SSZ-23’s massive hanger became little more than a storage shed. By 1924, the navy had transferred their sailors and equipment to other duty stations in the mid-Atlantic

and left the base to the coast guard. The coast guard crew was working round the clock with US Customs officials, actively engaged in the epic battle of the time – Prohibition.

The local coast guard force was tasked with the job of preventing alcohol smugglers from bringing their contraband onto the island, through the Delaware Bay or up the Atlantic coast.

To accomplish their goal, coast guard ships known as cutters were used in conjunction with small seaplanes.

Their planes patrolled the skies in search of rum runners and when a potential smuggler’s boat was spotted, its coordinates were passed along to a cutter who would then intercept and inspect the boat. It was a tried and true method that was later adapted by the navy to track submarines.

Following the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment repealing prohibition in December of 1933, the coast guard shut down all of their Cape May operations with the exception of one unit that remained to assist with sea rescues.

Things on the eastern side of the island remained quiet until World War II, when the both the navy and coast guard returned in force. The base was greatly enlarged and a new airstrip was built to facilitate the training of navy fighter pilots. With its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the runway was used to simulate landing on an aircraft carrier.

The local coast guard force was tasked with the job of preventing alcohol smugglers from bringing their contraband onto the island, through the Delaware Bay or up the Atlantic coast. To accomplish their goal, coast guard ships known as cutters were used in conjunction with small seaplanes.

The navy also brought a strong contingent of ships and submarines to Cape May, judging it to be a strategic location to defend US shipping in the Atlantic against the threat of German U-Boats. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard was assigned the task of Coastal Defense, working in conjunction with

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the army who had also returned to the island.

Along with the army’s reopening of its hospital in the abandoned Hotel Cape May, 1942 marked the establishment of the Cape May Military Reservation near the lighthouse in Cape May Point. There were a number of separate

army units working on the military installation including those of Battery 223, the now-abandoned concrete bunker that sits silently along the shoreline.

When it was completed in 1944 after a year and a half of construction, Battery 223 was located 900 feet inland and covered with sod to camouflage it from the air and sea. Unofficially known as Battery Dunn, the bunker was straddled by two 155mm panama gun mounts that had been placed three years earlier. To ensure the communication between Battery 223 and a sister facility in Delaware would be private, top-secret phone lines were run underground across the bottom of the bay Working in conjunction with the battery was a series of 15 Fire Control Towers, two of which were placed in

PARADE ON WASHINGTON Above: Sailors from Camp Wissahickon march through the streets of Cape May in 1918; and, opposite, sailors stroll the boardwalk during the 1940s.

Don Pocher Below: US Coast Guard recruits at Sewell’s Point; radar equipment at the Cape May Point bunker; and Cape May Military Reservation near the lighthouse.

Cape May. The south tower or Tower 23 is still standing near Sunset Beach and has recently been restored and opened to the public. The north tower is also standing, though it is mostly hidden by the large Grand Hotel that was built around it. Each of the towers contained equipment that would help pinpoint the coordinates of enemy ships and communications facilities to pass them along to Battery 223.

Also on the Cape May Military Reservation was a smaller gun station known as Anti Motor Torpedo Boat Battery 7, which operated between 1943 and 1946 with two 90mm guns. A nearby convent, St. Mary’s By the Sea was taken over by the Army and used to house soldiers stationed on the Reservation.

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Each of the branches worked together like a well-oiled machine. As the coast guard patrolled the beaches on horseback and used working dogs to secure the ports from sabotage, the army defended Cape May from a sea attack and secured the Delaware Bay from any enemy infiltrations. Scores of marines were also stationed in Cape May and assigned the duty to protect vital assets like communication facilities, the fresh water supply and most of the Navy vessels.

The military had all but taken over Cape May by the end of World War II, so after the army, navy and marines pulled out and left in 1946, the island was a veritable ghost town. The military reservation was abandoned with the exception of the lighthouse, which

was maintained by the coast guard and a highly classified igloo-shaped facility that was built by the Navy in 1955 on top of Battery 223.

Until the early 1990s, the navy’s purpose was closely guarded and the popular opinion was that it was some sort of radar facility. Declassified documents show that the facility was actually filled with electronics used to track Soviet submarines during the Cold War. It was called a SOSUS Sound Surveillance Station and the igloo building was filled with equipment that would listen for submarines far up and down the coast.

As technologically advanced and well-protected as it was, the Top Secret listening station was unable to withstand the Nor’Easter of 1962 and the

building was destroyed. The navy chose not to rebuild and it moved the facility to another undisclosed location.

The eastern side of the island remained active, after the navy officially transferred the base to the coast guard in 1946. Sea and air rescue operations remained in Cape May and a decision was made to use the land for training.

In 1948, the Recruit Receiving Station in Cape May assumed control of recruit training for the eastern half of the country. By 1982, the coast guard had consolidated their training programs and moved all recruit training to the Cape.

Today’s modern coast guard base is a far cry from the original Navy Section Base and considerably larger than the base the navy signed over after WWII. Additional training units have

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THE FIRST RESORT For more information on the war in Cape May, and for more remarkable stories and photographs, don’t miss The First Resort, our bestselling history of America’s Original Seaside Resort. It is available at the Exit Zero Store and Gallery for $34.95, or online at exitzero.us.

2011

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been moved to Cape May, along with new cutters and auxiliary commands that have helped turn the base into a self-contained city with it’s own police force, fire department, hospital and movie theatre.

Cape May was spared the same fate as Norfolk, VA and Jacksonville, NC by the decision of the army, navy and marines not to return. The former Cape May Military Reservation property is now a state park and the few remaining buildings left standing have been renovated for park use. Most notable to visitors is an old barracks building that now serves as a small nautical museum. Camp Wissahickon has been dismantled and subdivided, though a few abandoned buildings are still standing across the street from Lucky Bones restaurant.

THE FIRST RESORT IMAGES AND STORIES FROM CAPE MAY’S HISTORY

«

THE Republic was the largest of all the steamships that serviced Cape May, capable of bringing 3,000 new visitors to the island in one voyage. It began offering round-trip travel in 1878, dropping passengers off at either the Delaware Bay landing in the vicinity of where the SS Atlantus is today or Denizot’s Pier at the foot of Decatur Street. Aside from the extra passenger space, the Republic was also noted for its amenities. Passengers had their choice of three decks, each with bench seats and chairs, a dining room with fourcourse meals, and a band that played throughout the voyage.

Words: Ben Miller Photo: Don Pocher

The history of Cape May is presented in a beautifully-illustrated 300-page coffee table book The First Resort – available at The Exit Zero Store & Gallery and other fine stores

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ARTS SEAN TAYLOR TURNS AN ARTFUL EYE ON OUR SHARED PAST

Finding new points of view

I

T WAS a stormy day in Cape May, and in the hangar at Naval Air Station Wildwood you could hear rain pelting on the roof.

NASW operates as a museum as well as an airport, and the main building is crammed with aircraft from various American wars, the walls bedecked with old Life covers from the ’40s and photographs of the Enola Gay. Artist Sean Taylor has a studio in the back of the hanger, just past the “No Entrance” sign that keeps visitors from wandering from the exhibits.

After traveling from England to America to Argentina and then back to the States, Taylor has made his home in South Jersey, where he creates historically charged paintings perfectly attuned to the

watchful Eyes Taylor pauses from work on a new piece to explain the ethos behind his latest show, “ViewMaster”.

Aleksey Moryakov

atmosphere of the air station. His work, rendered in pastel colors on wood panels, reproduces and deconstructs archival photographs and found objects from the past 60 years. Taylor’s previous shows, with titles like USA, Inc. and Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness create a critical dialogue with what may be our greatest (and most ephemeral) export – the American Dream.

This is no surprise to those who know Taylor. He holds degrees in sociology, history and teaching in addition to his certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts, giving him the acumen to make subtle yet pointed statements with his brush. When Exit Zero caught up with the artist he was working

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on pieces for his latest show, View-Master, which opened June 25 at SOMA NewArt Gallery in Carpenters Square Mall. Here are his thoughts on the upcoming show, the direction of his work, and what we can learn from those old plastic View-Finders.

How long have you had your studio at the airport? About three years. Before that I was out at my house on Grassy Sound, near North Wildwood on the inland waterways. The house is at the end of these long boardwalks. I was using that as a studio, and it’s great to have that wide open space, but it’s hard to carry the big paintings back and forth. The wind can get bad, a few times I was about to take off with some of the bigger pieces, so this is a lot better. My wife and I share the studio.

It’s really a cool spot with all the history, and it plays into the themes of my work.

Do you ever work outside the studio, and where do you like to do that? I’ve been painting in Cape May. Here’s a painting of the water tower down at Cape May Point, and here’s the lifeguard station and the harbor. There’s some beach shots over here too. There’ll also be some amusement park rides from Morey’s Pier. It’s shaping up to have quite a variety.

Speaking of your show, tell me a bit about what you’re putting together. Well, we’re calling the show “View-Master.”

Don’t ask me why.

Now I have to. Well, the View-Master: the all-knowing, all-seeing. [Pulls out a beige View-Master and checks the cartridge.] Yeah, this is a good one, The Lone Ranger. I stumbled upon this going through some old stuff. They had a whole series of old TV shows, movies, I’ve got some cartoons. We also have Niagara Falls. Take a look.

How old is this? I think that one may be from the early ’60s. It was their main model, the Model G. They had a whole line over the years, and they kept changing them. I just stumbled on this thing

in some old boxes of stuff I acquired. I’m always looking for old stuff.

So how is this View-Master a starting point for your show? I chose the title because it has several different interpretations, starting with the toy and the nature of the toy itself, which was in one sense very cool, and in one sense… Well, nobody was that thrilled with this particular toy. It was sold, and everybody seemed to get one at some point back then. Then there’s the view, the panorama, the vista.

‘The Master’... I like the reference to control, maybe making sure you only see what you’re supposed to. That could be a metaphor for society.

This thing is still in progress, so it’s hard for me to talk about it. It’s coming from the same body of work, the same way that I work, the idea of the toys, recent American history and popular culture of the past 50 years or so, the autobiographical nature of it, I try to drag that in wherever I can and sort of set a stage. So, to answer your question, View-Master is about seeing the truth, seeing the world through new eyes.

I understand you travelled a lot as a kid: from London, to Swarthmore, PA, to

“I came from England at a very young age and the bulk of my childhood was in Swarthmore, so I had an idyllic youth there.

It wasn’t until I was a teenager that we moved to Argentina, and that was the weird part.”

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Buenos Aires. What was it like? I came from England at a very young age and the bulk of my childhood was in Swarthmore, so I really had an idyllic youth there. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that we moved to Argentina, and that was the weird part. I was so used to that suburban situation that it was disorienting when we moved.

I’m curious about the political tensions in Argentina while you were there during the Falklands War. The UK and Argentina had a dispute over territory, right? Right, and that was strange for me, being born in England. On my papers, your nationality was literally where you were born, so it said: “English.” It didn’t stop me from running around and being a teenager, but speaking English was an issue. Imagine being an Iraqi living here a few years back. It wasn’t that bad, because America carries a lot of prominence, but people gave you the cold shoulder.

When you’re working on military themes, do you draw more from the Cold War and your experience in Argentina, or do you also bring in more current political conflicts overseas? I don’t really care to use images from the wars that are going

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on in the moment. I am doing that below the surface. I pull from these recent conflicts, Korea, Vietnam, as a symbolic way to address what’s going on now. Those periods, the decisions made in the ’50s and ’60s, have gotten us into some of our current situations. So I’m talking about the bigger picture. When the war was going on in Iraq I was having a personal conflict with it, and I wanted to use that as subject matter, but I didn’t want to have it that direct. I was too emotional about it, so I decided to come around from the back side.

And using that perspective can make a more powerful statement on what’s happening today? I’d hope so, yeah. It automatically sort of puts me in a timeline, rather than a blip of what’s going on now. I want to be at a spot in history.

What is it about the Cold War and the Atomic Age that you’re so drawn to? It’s the irony of it. The fact that they could say “Our friend, the atom!” back then and everyone’s like “Oh yeah, this is gonna be great! We’ll boil water with nuclear energy!” Well, they never said that, that would just seem ridiculous, but that’s what we’ve been doing all along, at

“I don’t really care to use images from the wars that are going on in the moment. I am doing that below the surface.

I pull from recent conflicts, Korea, Vietnam, as a symbolic way to address what’s going on now.”

such high risk: boiling water with nuclear energy to make electricity. It’s the irony of how we had this candy-coated view of the future then, and yet we were setting up real problems for ourselves. I’m not trying to focus on the negativity as much as the absurd nature of it; I’m trying to keep it light. I like to set up challenges for myself, and that’s one of them: to try to find some standpoint where I can still smile.

Often the titles of your work add a bit of sardonic edge. I’m thinking of the

group of soldiers you entitled ‘USA, Inc.’ or the mini-golf course on Beach Avenue you called ‘The Game of Life.’ How do you name your pieces? I think I’m a repressed writer – there’s a lot of words that come into my work. This is my sort of brain wall over here. I put up ideas and work them out. This is how I come up with the titles.

It’s just wordplay a lot of the time, sometimes old punch lines from funny jokes. I’ll write these when I’m not in the studio. I carry around a piece of folded-

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up paper invariably. Like “One-Man Wolfpack,” “Mexican Wrestling Mask… or Match,” so yeah, it’s to remind me to, you know, get back to that. Your best ideas always seem to come when you’re working on something else. You feel like you’re allowed to have free thought while you’re doing the dishes.

And your wife, Perianne, she’s an artist as well. How did you meet, and what’s it like being in a marriage with two creative types? We met in Cape May. She

Artist At Work Using cardboard stencils and spray paint, Taylor renders the ViewMaster at arm’s length. Opposite: The “brain wall” where the artist keeps quotes that inspire his work.

Aleksey Moryakov

moved here in the early ’90s and she had a shop called Cool Cats, which was in Carpenters Square Mall, in the same room where this show will take place. So that’s where I met her in 2004. She’s a great cook and feeds me well. In return I give her a cappuccino in bed every morning.

It’s good, we have a great life.

Do you bounce a lot of ideas off of each other? That’s one way of putting it.

[Laughs.] No, we definitely help it each other out. I’m actually CEO of Off The Wall Art by Peri, which is her business of children’s artwork. She’s got a whole line of pieces to decorate kids’ rooms. She sells them right across from SOMA Gallery.

She’s been doing this for years, so she’s got the soft, happy colorful side, and I have the, well, I don’t know what. My work is getting a lot more colorful as a result, I’ll tell you that, and I don’t think her stuff is getting any darker. She’s amazing.

Where do your materials come from, and why do you prefer wood over canvas? I get a lot of stuff from the hardware store and I like to paint on old doors and discarded stuff. Lately I’ve been building panels from scratch. I like the fact that a piece can take a beating once I start really

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working it. Also using panels gives the work presence. I want the paintings to feel constructed as well as painted.

You have a degree in history, as well as sociology and teaching. What did you find at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts that you couldn’t find anywhere else? I didn’t realize that I wanted to paint until after I had tried teaching and it wasn’t for me. So I made a concerted decision to become a painter. I had never studied art before I went to the Academy, and it was like all the sudden, everything clicked. It made sense what I was supposed to be doing. It’s been up and down since then, but it’s basically gone up.

Anything else you want to let us know about View-Master? I’m dedicating the show to my mother, Jehane Taylor. She was a great inspiration to me and taught me a thing or two about perseverance and humility. She was a scholar, and a poet, and she would have turned 75 while the show is running.

Sean’s solo exhibition, View-Master, will be on display at SOMA NewArt Gallery in Carpenters Square Mall at 31 Perry Street. The show runs from June 25 to July 31. For more information, contact the gallery at (609) 898-7488.

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gone but not forgotten SCOT HENRY IS A MEDIUM WHO COMMUNES WITH THE VOICES OF YOUR PAST. Interview by Kate Chadwick

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COT Henry sees dead people.

Well, not sees them, technically, so much as hears them, loud and clear. Scot is a psychic medium, which means that he communes with those who have passed on from this life. An extraordinary thing, to be sure, and yet when you meet Scot, you’re looking at a completely unassuming, pleasant looking, ordinary guy.

The 35-year-old, who lives in North Cape May, sat down with us recently to discuss lottery numbers, demystifying psychic phenomena, cocktail party chatter, and his remarkable way of making a living.

So is being a psychic medium your actual, for real, full-time occupation? Yes, it has been for about two years now. I do three or four readings a week, and sometimes up to seven or eight. These include one-on-one and group readings of various sizes, and I can also do them via Skype.

You seem to have made quite the splash here in Cape May. To what do you attribute that? Well, it’s an old place, with a lot of history and old architecture, and I think people who are drawn to a place like this are generally pretty relaxed and accepting of the concepts of things like

ghosts and spirits from the other side. I think it’s a little more matter-of-fact here as opposed to out of the ordinary.

Did you always know that this is what you would do when you grew up? No – not at all! I actually wanted to be a writer, believe it or not. And for several years prior to doing this full-time, I worked as a graphic designer. I started giving private readings here and there in 1999, and have been doing that full-time, like I said, for the past couple of years now.

Why the circuitous route? It seems like it took a while for you to warm up to the idea. Well, I was a little afraid to do it full-time for quite a while.

What were you afraid of, exactly? Persecution, to be perfectly honest. Let’s face it, some people can get their head around this stuff, and some people just can’t. I could have this great, friendly relationship with a particular coworker, for instance, and then they’d find out that I have psychic abilities and they would suddenly and literally stop talking to me, and then start actively avoiding me! I mean, who needs that? In a way, I feel like coming to grips with this whole thing must be kind of comparable to the experience of coming

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“I believe it’s something you’re born with, and I think most people have it, at least to a certain degree.

With me, it really started manifesting itself in the form of nightmares when I was 13 years old, which was pretty unpleasant.”

2011

out of the closet. It’s a decision you have to make, a big step that you have to take, and then you have to be armed with the knowledge that you’ll be facing prejudice on a daily basis.

So how did this come about? Did you get struck by lightning, or fall down and hit your head and wake up with this ability one day, or is it something you’ve always had and were always aware of?

Well, I believe it’s something you’re born with, and I think most people have it, at least to a certain degree. With me, it really started manifesting itself in the form of nightmares when I was 13 years old, which was pretty unpleasant. As I got older, I started meditating, and exploring New Age books and meditation groups, all in an effort to understand and develop my abilities. Once I started educating myself on the subject as much as I could, it helped enormously. There was a lot of trial and error along the way. After all, it’s not as if there’s a psychic medium guidebook out there!

Maybe you could write that guidebook. Do you think psychic abilities run in families? Absolutely. As a matter of fact, all of my male cousins have some

degree of psychic ability. Some of them are comfortable with it, some are not, some utilize their abilities to a degree, and some do not. It just depends upon the person and their comfort level with it.

Do people torture you in social situations? Say, if you’re at a cocktail party or a bar, making small talk – do you tell a stranger that you’re a medium and then desperately hope they don’t pester you for a reading on the spot, or what? [Laughs] It really depends upon the person. I can usually tell if someone is receptive to the whole thing or not, and respond accordingly. If you think about it, no other occupation really invites criticism quite like this one. Try to imagine that you’re at a party, chatting with a stranger, and you tell them you’re a kindergarten teacher, for instance. Then try to imagine that the person gets really belligerent, and starts saying something along the lines of “Hey, get a load of this guy! He thinks he’s a kindergarten teacher! Well, buddy, I don’t believe in kindergarten teachers! Go ahead – say something kindergarten to me!” I mean, it sounds ridiculous, but it happens all the time. So I try to have fun with it when I can, and in those instances when I can’t, I

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just say I’m a graphic designer.

Which is true anyway, right? Yes, it is! And it’s gotten me out of some uncomfortable situations.

Do visions or conversations come to you unbidden, or do you have to sort of conjure everything up? They’re not really visions – I can’t usually see someone like I’m seeing you, definitely more like conversations. It used to come to me unbidden a lot more than it does now. But I think it’s because I’ve found that the longer I do this, the more control I have over it, and the more I can focus it. It’s like anything, I guess – practice makes perfect. I often joke around that I should walk down the street dressed like the old Johnny Carson character, Carnac The Magnificent, and just randomly run up and read people – sort of like Dr. Phil in a cape.

Having been present for a couple of your readings, I can confirm that it can be an extremely emotional experience. I don’t know quite what I was expecting, perhaps a list of winning lottery numbers, or suggestions for my best-selling novel, but I didn’t expect you to channel my deceased parents. Considering you knew nothing about me except my first

“There was a woman at a group reading I did recently, and I just kept coming back to her with information; once in a while I get fixated on one particular person in a group and I can’t move past them until I say everything that’s being channeled to me.”

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name, it was pretty amazing, and a little disconcerting. Have you had people completely freak out during a reading? Well, yes – often there is some crying – and sometimes it’s me doing it and I’m not even aware of it! There was a woman at a group reading I did recently, and I just kept coming back to her with information; once in a while I get fixated on one particular person in a group and I can’t move past them until I say everything that’s being channeled to me. Anyway, she was so overwhelmed by what I was conveying to her through the spirits that she eventually had to get up and leave the room. As far as knowing what to expect, I always give a little preamble to my readings, where I explain and outline how it works – this way people hopefully aren’t quite so overwhelmed by the whole thing. I also provide quite a bit of material on my website, both informational and biographical, so if people book a reading that way, they can get a little information ahead of time and perhaps not be taken quite so off-guard during the reading.

And what is the experience like for you? How do you prepare? It’s almost like I’m not really there. I mean, it’s not as if

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THE FIRST RESORT IMAGES AND STORIES FROM CAPE MAY’S HISTORY

«

THIS picture of a famous old Cape May hotel is a rare view. It’s the Mount Vernon as seen from the ocean during the summer season of 1856. Nearly every other picture of the Mount Vernon hotel shows it from the back and people often mistake that to be the ocean side. In reality, the hotel was shaped similar to St. Mary’s by the Sea in Cape May Point. Three sides formed a U-shape with a central courtyard facing the sea. Within the courtyard was a fountain, statues and greenery.

You may also notice from the picture that the steps led directly onto the beach – there was no Beach Avenue in the mid 1850s.

Words: Ben Miller Photo: Lynn Zettlemoyer

The history of Cape May is presented in a beautifully-illustrated 300-page coffee table book The First Resort – available at The Exit Zero Store & Gallery and other fine stores

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I’m in a total trance, but I’m really removed – I lose track of time, I don’t remember something I may have said only moments before. As for preparation, once I have everyone assembled, I explain what’s going to happen, then meditate for a few minutes to put myself in the proper state of mind, where I can be open to the people and messages I’ll be receiving. The best way to explain it is that I surround myself with this white light, with a positive energy.

The flow of the room where the reading takes place is really important too, by the way – it shouldn’t be too big and wide open, with too many points of egress. I’ve found that the smaller and more intimate a space, the better the results of the reading. Then I just start channeling messages, and it can go on for a two to three hours.

I was present at a reading where you stressed several times to a gentleman that he should make sure his brother got a check-up.

This isn’t necessarily “bad news” per se, but it would certainly give someone pause. Do you find that people ask you not to give them bad news? Yes, they do, but I don’t really receive a lot of “bad news.” The white light that I spoke about earlier – it sounds kind of hokey, but that positive energy seems to keep bad stuff from getting though. With the guy and his brother - it’s not necessarily gloom and doom – more of a message about something that needs to be addressed. Once in a very great while I’ll get a negative message, and I can almost feel it coming because my stomach drops. It doesn’t happen much, though. I find that most of the messages I get are meant to guide your actions, in a positive way, not necessarily influence them, if that makes sense. Sometimes if a person is given too much information, like – “you’re going to be moving in the next couple of years,” they either consciously or unconsciously start behaving in such a way that it may end up changing the circumstances of their life and thereby the gist of the message.

What do you say to skeptics? For instance, there’s kind of a running joke

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“Once in a very great while I’ll get a negative message, and I can almost feel it coming because my stomach drops. It doesn’t happen much, though.” that if psychics were the real deal, they’d all know the winning lottery numbers.

[Laughs] I feel like that’s kind of an egocentric way to look at a gift.

In other words, what’s in it for me, right? I work from a completely spiritual point of view – I believe that my abilities are channeled from a higher power, and I believe there are more important things at stake for the people I read for than winning lottery numbers. As to getting winning numbers for myself, well… if I won the lottery, I’d probably just sit around on my private island all day, doing nothing. In other words, getting lottery numbers wouldn’t be God’s work or the work of a higher power, then, it would be Scot’s work, do you know what I mean? And frankly, that’s not why I’m here. I think I’m only shown what’s meant to be shown to me, and at the end of the day, there are some things that just aren’t meant to be known.

What about palm-readers and the like? Well, that goes back to what I said before about degrees of ability. It’s like degrees of anything – you can say that a person is ‘creative,’ for instance. But some people are creative in an artistic sense, they can paint pictures or draw, and some people are creative writers, and still others are creative musically. Certainly there are people claiming to be psychic who are practicing trickery and deceit out there, without question. Then again, there probably aren’t any professions that don’t have some bad elements. So, yeah - I think there are people out there reading palms who have some degree of psychic ability – reading palms just happens to be the way they channel it.

Would you consider this your calling? Without question – I know this is what I’m supposed to be

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musthaves

from the shops of cape may

Good Scents

CAFÉ TUSCANY

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The Flying Fish Studio

1218 Bayshore Road, Villas (609) 886-7767 villastattoo.com

130 Park Avenue, Cape May (609) 884-2760 theflyingfishstudio.com

327 Carpenter’s Lane, Cape May (609) 884-0014 sensia.com

We challenge you not to smile in this sunny little spot. Bright, brilliant colors make the handmade, imported pottery special. Pottery from spots like Portugal, Spain and Italy let you set your table with some sunshine. Pick up a rooster, too – a good luck symbol in Portugal.

Cafe Tuscany has plenty of them.

Tattoo in haste, repent at leisure. Still sporting the initials of a long-ago love?

Visit the pros at Cohwen’s to make it right. Cohwen Allen has 17 years in the business, and he and his staff will help you with the perfect tattoo or piercing, or with tattoo correction and/or removal. Check out their online gallery.

If you want original, funky, and off-beat in your high-quality apparel, look no further than the creative minds over at Flying Fish. T-shirts, skirts, dresses, yoga gear and hoodies, not to mention jewelry and great hats can be found here. And check out these beach bags and original boat totes - $15 and $16.

Celebrating their 25th year, Good Scents is a favorite of locals and visitors alike, unmatched in their selection of well... good scents. It’s not just incense, candles, body lotions and oils – they have other cool stuff like these great t-shirts from Peace Love Mom. $40 for the shirt, and you get the gift back-pack too.

484 Perry Street, Cape May (609) 770-8261 allirishimports.com

Henry’s Fine Jewelry

Italian Garden

Kate’s Flowers

Madame’s Port

407 Washington Street, Cape May (609) 884-0334

510 Carpenter’s Lane, Cape May (609) 884-2300

600 Park Boulevard, Cape May (609) 884-6181 katesflowershop.com

311 Washington Street, Cape May (609) 898-0227 madamesportcapemay.com

Yellow diamonds are rare and special, but you’ll still find a selection of them at Henry’s Fine Jewelry for that rare and special someone. Check out these showstoppers, including the jaw-dropping centerpiece of the pink, yellow and white diamond bracelet. Retail is $38,000, get it at Henry’s for just under $27,000.

When you think garden, you think botanicals, right? Outside of Europe, Italian Garden has the largest selection of L’erboria, a line of lush botanicals. Their newest additions are precious Argon Oil concoctions, shampoo, hand creams and other delightful luxuries. They have samples available – prices range from $20-60.

Truly a home-town store, the staff at Kate’s takes a personal interest in their customers, some they’ve known since prom, through weddings and baby showers. The flowers are always excellent quality, and run the gamut from an entire wedding to a simple pick-meup bouquet. Open year-round.

Here’s a cool spot that’s hard to categorize. A blend of funky furnishings, jewelry and a cool selection of wind chimes, Madame’s Port is sure to have something to catch your eye. New this season, they’re carrying fresh flowers pick up a bouquet to go with new-found treasures for your home. Prices vary.

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musthaves

from the shops of cape may

Mary Ann’s Jewelry

Pat Jackson Jewelers 414 Bank Street, Cape May (609) 884-0323 patjacksonjewelers.com

1325 Emerson Avenue, North Cape May (609) 886-4863 particiaraineystudios.com

484 Perry Street, West End Garage, West Cape May thewestendgarage.com

Smallest store on the mall, biggest bang for your buck. Check out this stunning turquoise, diamond and 14k white gold vintage necklace from MaryAnn’s Estate Jewelry. The cost is $6,000. Ask about their “laid-back layaway.” No interest, no finance charge, no set payment, no set time frame!

Gorgeous, locally-designed jewelry, inspired by nature, Pat Jackson Jewelers has been a fixture in Cape May for over 30 years, mixing small-town attention to detail and customer service with big-time results. They are the exclusive dealer of the Cape May charm, and our personal favorite, the Exit Zero charm.

Prolific Patricia Rainey has captured not only the natural beauty of Cape May and its environs in her original oils and watercolors, but some of its most iconic and historic buildings and landmarks as well. Findher work in the studio, on note cards, mouse pads, prints, or every day, in one of her beautiful calendars.

The only local establishment where you can get your hands on Real and True, splendid sweaters that are relaxed and timeless, as well as accessories for the lady about town. AND they’re the only place locally to get these handbags by Harvey’s – made of seatbelts, of all things – genius! $118-200.

511 Washington Street, Cape May (609) 898-8786

Sea Star Boutique

Patricia Rainey

Swain’s Hardware

SHEA’S CLOSET

484 Perry Street, West End Garage, West Cape May thewestendgarage.com

305 Jackson Street, Cape May (609) 884-8578 swainsacehardware.com

405 West Perry Street, Cape May (609) 898-4832 teaincapemay.com

TEA BY THE SEA

TOY SHOP OF CAPE MAY

Cool clothing and accessories for the modern woman are what they offer here. And we ask you - where else in town are you going to find hand-crafted cowgirl boots? The clutches pictured are a perfect example of the unique wares you’ll find at Sea Star Boutique, made by Art Bags. Prices vary, about $100.

It’s summer, and that means barbecue.

Among the many must-haves you’ll find at Swain’s is this huge Weber kettle barbecue grill, big enough to cook for an army. (If you need plates, cutlery, cocktail glasses, blender, cleaning supplies, or anything else barbecue related, they’ve got that, too.) As shown, $1099.

Elevate your afternoon spot of tea from ‘after-thought’ to ‘event’ with this tea set from Tea By The Sea. This bright poppy design set by Peppertree Tabletops will give you just the lift you need. The threepiece pot, creamer and sugar set is $69.95 and the equally cheery cup and saucer goes for $18.95.

The only thing worse than a rainy vacation with kids is a rainy vacation with kids and no board games. Toy Shop to the rescue, with all your old favorites and some new ones, too. Monopoly, Scrabble, Parcheesi, Yahtzee – they’re all here. Happy kids + sane parents = great vacation fun. $19.99-39.99.

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510 Washington Street, Cape May (609) 884-0442

S E A N TAY LO R “ V I E W- M A S T E R ”

N E W PA I N T I N G S A N D D R AW I N G S O F “ T H E WO R L D AT YO U R F I N G E RT I P S ”

“ V I E W- M A S T E R : M O D E L G ” 2 0 1 1 AC RY L I C A N D E N A M E L PA I N T O N PA N E L 9 ” x 9 ”

J U N E 2 5 T O J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 1

S O M A N e w A r t G A L L E RY G A L L E RY O P E N DA I LY 1 0 A M - 1 0 P M 3 1 P E R RY S T R E E T, C A R P E N T E R S S Q UA R E M A L L , C A P E M AY 609.898.7488 S O M AG A L L E RY. N E T FAC E B O O K : S O M A - N E WA RT- G A L L E RY

my perfect day ROY STEINBERG, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CAPE MAY STAGE

A town straight out of a Disney film

M

Y PERFECT day begins with the sound of a wind chime mixed with waves outside my window as I roll over to find Marlena still sleeping. I’d get dressed and hop on the bike that Victor Keen and Jeanne Ruddy gave me and ride to the ferry during the monarch butterfly season, which makes Cape May look like an animated Disney film. I’d return to take a shower and convince Marlena to come with me to Bella Vida Café for cappuccino and some crazy omelet, even though I know I should have oatmeal.

After breakfast, we’d visit Bay Springs Farm Alpacas to see Warren and Barb Nuessle. They love Cape May Stage and tell me exactly what they think, which I appreci-

ate. Then we would take off for West End Garage and browse the stalls to find some treasure for my daughter or friends. We would drool at Victoria Clayton’s pottery stand and the magic Mary Stewart creates with needle and thread – art that doubles as bags! I’d head down to SOMA gallery to see what their current show before stopping in my office upstairs, where I would learn that Cape May Stage is sold out for the week!

I love walking down Jackson Street, past the Victorian B&Bs and stopping at the Mad Batter for pear salad. If I’m lucky Mark would be there to tell me tales of his father in Normandy or show off his Mets memorabilia. Then I’d stare at the ocean and hope to see some dolphins leaping out of the water and celebrate being in Cape May. I would head up the beach towards Harry’s at the exit zero

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the thrill of the theatre “There is nothing like the sound of rapt silence interrupted by laughter that one can only experience at first-rate theatre,” says Roy Steinberg of Cape May Stage.

Aleksey Moryakov

2011

Montreal Inn, where they have an incredible collection of craft beers. After that, a drive over to Cape May Winery, even though I shouldn’t mix the grape with the grain.

Later, I would meet friends at Cucina Rosa or 410 Bank Street before going over to deliver my curtain speech at Cape May Stage. There is nothing like the sound of rapt silence interrupted by laughter that one can only experience at first-rate theatre. That still gives me a thrill.

After the play at Cape May Stage I always have new energy and need to go out with friends. The Washington Inn has a great wine bar where our Broadway Series headliners go after performances. My perfect night ends with laughter and my wife still finding me attractive after all these years.

Special Savings

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FUN MonDAY Mystery Madness

A special so mad, we can’t even tell you yet.

Check MoreysPiers.com, Facebook and Twitter on each Saturday at midnight for the next Monday Mystery Madness special of the week to be revealed.

Mondays from 12:30pm until 6pm. Adventure Pier opens at 4pm. July 4 is not included.

TuesDAY Special - $22 Our best deal on All-You-Can-Ride wristbands!

Loop, spin and swing until you can’t take it anymore on ALL three piers.

Tuesdays from 12:30pm until 6pm. Waterpark admission is not included in this package.

Adventure Pier opens at 4pm.

XTREME Ride WednesDAY - $32 Receive an All-You-Can-Ride wristband PLUS two Xtreme rides of your choice. Valid until 6pm.

Go Wild on all six coasters and AtmosFEAR! Wednesdays from 12:30pm until 6pm. Waterpark admission is not included in this package. Adventure Pier opens at 4pm, but Xtreme rides and the Great White open at 12:30pm. Xtreme rides include: SkyCoaster(s) on Surfside and Adventure Pier; SpringShot on Adventure Pier; and SkyScraper on the Boardwalk at Poplar Avenue.

Double-the-Fun ThursDAY Double your pleasure as the MOR-EZ ticket card goes twice as far on our amusement rides. Ride for only half the tickets until 6pm. Also, look for great Double-the-Fun offers at many of our games and food outlets.

Thursdays from 12:30pm until 6pm. Xtreme rides not included. Adventure Pier opens at 4pm.

FriDAY Splashtacular - $35 Get wet at our beachfront waterparks, Raging Waters or Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club and go wild on ALL three Piers.

Available beginning July 15. Fridays from 9:30am until 6pm. Adventure Pier opens at 4pm.

Fired Up FriDAY NIGHTS - $20 Light up your night by riding the rides underneath Coca-Cola’s weekly fantastic fireworks display!

Fridays from10:30pm until midnight. Fireworks begin on July 1st.

waterparks

Morning Special - $24

Swim and slide from park opening until 12:30pm.

After 3pm Special - $25 Sold after 3pm. Valid until park closes.

After 5pm Special - $18 Sold after 5pm. Valid until park closes.

Not available on Saturdays.

All specials are subject to operating hours.

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CELEBRATE CAPE MAY HERMIT CRAB Headquarters!

Unique eye candy for you and your home.

FREE CRAB with any cage purchase!

Our Boutique is home to the eco-friendly Jelly Fish & Wave Lamps!

Made from fossilized cocoa leaves, these beautiful lamps can be ordered in solid colors as well.

Brand New Cape May Merchandise Arriving Daily

We carry a variety of home décor and personal accessories Check out our custom nautical chart jewelry of Cape May and West Cape May... or create your own custom location!

Visit us at seastarboutique.com Newly designed website coming soon!

OCEAN AVE. & WASHINGTON ST. behind the Horse & Carriage!

(609) 884-9032 • www.celebratecapemay.com

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484 Perry Street

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609-770-8261

ARTS THE GAIL PIERSON GALLERY OFFERS A PACKED CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Celebrating the art of the Cape

T

HE GAIL Pierson Gallery is pleased to present a month-long exhibition of the surprising colors and textures captured by the latest paintings and photographs of artist Judith Anderson in the exhibit Trains!

The exhibit includes a number of paintings, all oil on panel, as well as an array of limited-edition photographs. The photographs, all close ups of the colors and textures of the old trains, are amazingly abstract. The process of mounting the prints on mason and coating with acrylic, brings the colors and textures to life. The new show will run from for the month of July, 2011.

Many of us share an enduring fascination with trains. At one time railroads were the center of America’s commerce and transportation, and the railroad station was at the center of town.

broadsided Artist Judith Anderson was struck by the geometry of old, abandoned traincars, and focused her painting on the shapes they create, particularly when looking on from the sides of the cars.

There was, and still is, excitement, glamour and romance centered on the railroads. Trains have marked the comings and goings in a town. A train whistle can still signal someone we don’t know or some important cargo just passing through. We are still a bit awed by the power of an arriving locomotive. Years ago, it was the railroads that pushed us forward into business and prosperity.

Now, so many trains, box cars, stations and tracks stand abandoned, or if lucky, reconstituted to serve some other purpose. Cape May has such a station in its center, now also serving efficiently as a Welcome Center and a bus station. But the fascination remains. It is wonderful to see the old trains revisited, and in a new light, in this exhibit by Judith Anderson.

And in the artist’s words, “The train series began with a small plein air (open air) painting in June of 2008 and has taken

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on a life of its own. I was attracted to two things: the abstract geometric qualities of the old train cars viewed broadside, and the extraordinary textures and layers of the cars’ peeling and the rusted surfaces. The former seemed best expressed in paint, the latter in photographs. As you can see, the fascination with texture bleeds over into the most recent paintings.”

For several years Anderson’s oil paintings have followed two strains: those painted on site from life, and those based from vintage photographs, the latter having been the subject of this gallery’s inaugural show in July 2009. The Gail Pierson Gallery has shown both the Album Series and the Avalon Series. More recently, Anderson has become very interested in painting trains – their surfaces, their geometry, their color. The result is the 2010 and 2011 series of paintings and photographs also featured in the Gallery.

Every Woman Deserves a

The color of decay Anderson focuses on the vividness of the peeling, rusting train cars.

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The evolution of Anderson’s work over these few years has been extraordinary.

Judith Anderson has been a high school English teacher, a television journalist (even a news anchor), and an attorney. Her first love has always been art. In 2001 she retired from law to devote time to painting.

Anderson is almost entirely selftaught, although in the past twenty years she has taken numerous courses at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia and has spent numerous summer weeks studying and painting at Nimrod Hall Art Camp in Bath County, Virginia.

In Richmond, Virginia, where she has lived since 1984, she was an active member of Artspace, an artist-run gallery, from 1992 until 2006.

Anderson was president from 1996 to 1998 and chaired the Exhibition

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Committee for several years after that, inaugurating in 2005 the first annual radius250 show. She remains a supporting member.

The Gail Pierson Gallery celebrates the start of a third season in the heart of Cape May’s historic district. This fine art gallery is a fresh take – providing high-quality exhibitions for artists of varying styles in a charming, downtown setting.

Open all year, the gallery introduces new artists and art lovers from all over to Cape May. Art education and online learning are a key focus.

Each month the Gallery hosts the Cape May County Art League, for Prickly Pear Week. The Gallery participates in Second Sundays Gallery Walk, also held each month.

The Gail Pierson Gallery is located at 658 Washington Street and is open daily from 10am to 9pm and closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

ARTS ELTC BRINGS LIFE TO CLASSICS AND LESSER-KNOWN WORKS ALIKE

East Lynne features three brilliant women

T

HE East Lynne Theater Company is proud to present the works of three remarkable women from mid-June through the beginning of September at The First Presbyterian Church of Cape May at 500 Hughes Street.

First up is Rachel Crother’s 1920 Broadway comedy/drama He and She, running from June 15 through July 23, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30pm, with a special ASL performance on Friday July 15. When ELTC first produced this provocative play in 1997, The Newark Star-Ledger awarded it “Best Play of the New Jersey Season.”

When He and She begins, Tom is entering a competition for a $100,000 prize for the best work of art. Ann, his wife, has been thinking about entering, and after a few choice comments made by family and colleagues about men’s work being better than women’s, she decides to go after the prize. Tom’s assistant, Keith, is in love with Ruth,

who works for a magazine, but is not sure he can be married to a “working” woman. Tom’s sister, Daisy, is the Herford’s secretary and appears to be determinedly independent, but is she? Suddenly, Tom and Ann’s 16-year-old daughter wants to get married. Who wins the prize and who walks down the aisle is all revealed by the end of the play.

At the time this magazine went to press, three roles of this seven-character play were cast: Two ELTC favorites: Tom Byrn (Tom Hereford) and John Cameron Weber (Dr Remington, Ann’s father), and new to ELTC, Grace Wright (Millicent, Tom’s daughter). The director is ELTC’s artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth.

Tom Byrn portrayed the wisecracking telegraph operator and John Cameron Weber was the scheming American Ambassador in last season’s hilarious The Dictator, praised in The Philadelphia Inquirer for its terrific ensemble acting. Tom was also in ELTC’s The Ransom of Red Chief and recently performed in The Tempest in Ambler, PA. He played Michael Husted in CBS’s “As the World Turns,” and has worked at Cortland Rep in New York and Arrow Rock in Missouri. Grace Wright is from Cape May County and calls Ocean View her home. She had leading roles in local productions of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Twelfth Night.

Rachel Crothers was not only a well-respected playwright, producer, and director, creating Broadway hits yearly from 1906 to 1936, but she was also a philanthropist. In 1917, seven women in the theatrical profession, including Rachel Crothers, formed the Stage Women’s War Relief to aid the Allies in World War I. Before World War II, the name was changed to The American Theatre Wing, creating not only The Stage Door Canteen, but organizing the selling of War Bonds.

Next up is The World of Dorothy Parker, running Wednesdays through Saturdays from July 27 to September 3. This world premiere based on the writings of the famous Algonquin Round Table personality is adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. The four-character ensemble potpourri includes “A Telephone Call,” “Here We Are,” “The Lovely Leave,” and other tales by the woman who quipped about “women who wear glasses.”

The East Lynne Theater Company wishes to thank the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for authorizing this use of Dorothy Parker’s work.

There is an after-show opening night party on July 27 at Lucky Bones, and an after-show discussion with the cast and crew on Friday, August 5. A special ASL performance is on Friday, August 26.

“A Telephone Call” involves a woman who

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waits anxiously for a man to call. She counts to 500 by fives, she seeks God’s help, she paces across the room, wishing the man was dead only to change her mind. “After all,” she says, “it’s silly to go wishing people were dead just because they don’t call you up the minute they said they would.

Maybe the clock’s fast.”

In “Here We Are,” newlyweds are on a train headed for New York City for their honeymoon.

Awkwardness prevails, and the young man only makes it worse when he says to his new bride, “Listen. I want to tell you something. When I was standing up there in that old church waiting for you to come up, and I saw those two bridesmaids, I thought to myself, I thought, ‘Well, I never knew Louise could look like that!’ Why, she’d have knocked anybody’s eye out.”

Dorothy Parker’s career began in 1915, when her poem “Any Porch” was published by Vanity Fair. Quickly perceived as a sharp wit in all of her writing whether the medium was short stories, poetry, or play or book reviews, she held nothing back. Parker was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Screenplay. The first edition of The Portable Dorothy Parker appeared in 1944. The work for this anthology was selected by Alexander Woollcott as the fourth in a series of volumes intended for soldiers overseas. It has never been out of print.

Another book that has never been out of print is Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. There are 85 adaptations of this coming-of-age classic at

Battle of the sexes The season features performances of He and She, Little Women, and work by Dorothy Parker. ELTC

the New York Public Library, and artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth decided to use the Elizabeth Lincoln Gould version from 1900. On Tuesday, July 5 at 8pm, patrons may attend this anticipated Student Workshop production, admission-free.

Come early to get a seat!

Louisa May Alcott was constantly driven to take care of her family since her philosopher father, brilliant though he was, was not a good financial provider. Aside from writing two dozen books and numerous short stories, she worked as a nurse during the Civil War, taught school, edited a magazine, and took up an array of causes, including suffrage.

Tickets for the mainstage production season are $30 for general admission; $25 for seniors and those with disabilities; $15 for students; and anyone under 12 is free. To make reservations, call 609-884-5898 or go online at www.eastlynnetheater.org. ELTC is partnering with the following restaurants for dinner and theater ticket savings: Aleathea’s, 410 Bank Street, Fresco’s, The Merion Inn and The Washington Inn. Call the restaurants for reservations and mention the ELTC-DinnerAnd-A-Show Package.

East Lynne’s Tales of the Victorians continue every Thursday at 4pm at different venues throughout the summer. Come sip tea and taste treats, while listening to an American short story by the likes of O. Henry, read by a member of the company. Ticket price is $10 and anyone ages 12 and under is free. Contact the theater for locations.

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The Italian Garden ALL ITALIA, ALL IMPORTS Featuring L’erbolario Herbal Beauty Secrets, Murano Glass Jewelry, Designer Handbags (609) 884-2300 • 510 Carpenter’s Lane, Cape May

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Gallery D’May Fine Art

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copyright All rights reserved 2011

Birds + you + Cape May = fun Story by Pete Dunne

T

HIS will be the most engaging, exciting, grounding, satisfying, and lifechanging experience you will ever have (this side of falling in love). But, right now you’re on vacation, so let’s just concentrate on having fun. Unless you are a local and you just want to act like you are on vacation, because then you have 365 days to enjoy Cape May. What do you have to do?

Just show up on a morning bird walk offered by New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory. Two hours later you will about want to kill yourself for never having tried bird watching before.

And you think I’m kidding. I assure you I am not, and I have lots of company on my side of the isle. Bird watching happens to be North America’s fastest growing and second most popular outdoor activity (second only to gardening).

the fastest growing pastime Birding is quickly becoming one of America’s favorite activities, and its participants are second in number only to gardeners when comparing outdoor recreation.

Cape May Bird Observatory

Cape May is the most celebrated birding location in North America.

Thousands of people come here from all over the world to be wowed by the Cape’s great wealth and spectacle of migrating birds.

“But,” you say, “It’s summer, not autumn or spring.”

Here’s your first lesson in bird think: to humans it’s summer, but to birds, fall migration has already started. If you are here, now, you are standing at precisely the right place, at the right time, to see one of the greatest shows on earth.

Bird Watching?

Uh huh. You’ve heard the expression “slow down and smell the roses.” Try slow down and savor the planet’s most exquisite creations. For thousands of years birds have intrigued us. They are in our literature. Their images are emblazoned on flags, national seals and currency. They are woven into our favorite stories, myths and religions.

Have you ever wondered why there

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are so many references to birds in the Bible? Consider that the Holy Land lies right at the junction of three continents.

Migratory birds that want to get from Eastern Europe or Asia to Africa have to pass through this narrow land bridge Cape May is equally blessed (maybe more). When you look at Cape May you are looking at a great, big land funnel.

Birds flying south across New Jersey get trapped in the funnel and are guided to... where you are right now.

How many birds? At the very least, tens of millions over the course of a year.

There have been single-day flights that probably numbered ten million plus birds in Cape May. Yes, I said “single day” – as in one day only.

One bird watcher called days like this “Days of Madness.”

But you’re just starting out. Let’s tackle the challenge one bird at a time.

Step One: Turn up for a morning walk. You will be in the hands of skilled leaders who love to show visitors (and

interested locals) what’s so great about Cape May. You will be in the company of people just like you. People who kind of sort of are interested in birds but really don’t know anything about finding them (much less identifying them).

Relax. That’s what leaders are for.

Your job is just to enjoy the birds: big showy birds like Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night-Herons. Snowy Egrets are active, nimble hunters that typically spear small fish on the run. Great Egrets are stately stalkers.

Black-crowned Night-Herons haunt the edges, waiting for prey (and despite the name are active during the day).

But wait till you see their eyes! Red on red. They sure look like they’ve been up all night.

Early in the summer, egrets will still be in their nuptial finery; the billowing plumes that made them targets for the garment industry more than a century ago. Hunted almost to extinction, the birds were once extirpated from New Jersey. Now they are back by the thousands.

A treat for visitors and a mind blowing spectacle when seen through binoculars and spotting scopes, bird watching’s tools of the trade.

You don’t have binoculars or a spotting scope? Relax. We’ll get to that. Right

spot the difference Don’t worry if you can’t tell a heron from an egret (above).

That’s what your trip leader is for.

However, if you can’t tell them apart from the Indigo Bunting (bottom), then you might need to get out more!

Cape May Bird Observatory

now, lets talk more about the birds you are going to see.

Ever seen a Piping Plover? They are an endangered species but they are fairly common in Cape May... if you have somebody skilled enough in your midst to find a sand colored bird crouched motionless on sand. Someone like the person leading your bird walk.

Piping Plovers are winsomely cute and specialized to thrive where most birds would starve – an open, sandy beach. You’ll probably also see other beach nesting birds like Least Tern, a feisty, yellow-billed gem about half the

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size of other terns, and Black Skimmer, a bird whose specialized bill gives it the ability to cut through the water and snap shut at the touch of fish.

If your morning walk goes into a woodland habitat, the birds will be very different, and may will be very colorful.

At Higbee Beach you will see (and hear) Indigo Bunting, a bird so blue it puts the summer sky to shame. The song has notes that glitter, too. It sounds as if the bird is exhorting: What, what. Where, where. Here, here. See it. See it.

If you go to the Beanery (Rea Farm), which is private property leased by New

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Jersey Audubon for birding, you may get a mind-searing look at a Prothonotary Warbler, a big, burly, swamp-loving songbird the color of honey set ablaze.

If you go to Villas Wildlife Management Area, Red-headed Woodpecker is your target bird (that and Eastern Bluebird and Pine Warbler). Many people think that they’ve seen Red-headed Woodpeckers, but haven’t. They are confusing this stunning tri-colored (black, white, and red) with the common and widespread Red-bellied Woodpecker (which is pale brown but does have a reddish crown). A Red-headed Woodpecker is big and flashy. They sally out and snap insects out of the air. You can spend years trying to find one yourself or... show up on a CMBO field trip to Villas WMA. Why wait.

Here’s the best part: So far, all the birds I’ve mentioned are not even migrants. These are the breeding birds of Cape May. Starting in late June, arctic breeding shorebirds start packing into Cape May’s wetlands. Birds like Dowitchers, Yellowlegs, Whimbrel, assorted sandpipers…all fresh from the tundra, all heading south.

day and night Don’t be fooled by the name. The Black-crowned Night Heron is an active hunter both sunup and sundown.

Cape May Bird Observatory

Yes, they have funny sounding names, but they are fabulous flying machines.

One species, the Red Knot, flies from the high arctic to Tierra del Fuego. That’s an 18,000 mile annual commute. And yes, Red Knot is a fairly-common to verycommon migrant in Cape May in spring and fall. Field trips to the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in Wildwood Crest are probably your best bet to see this celebrated long-distance migrant.

By July hundreds of thousands of

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swallows are packing into Cape May airspace. In nearby Cumberland County there is an evening roost of over 50,000 Purple Martins.

Stop by the Cape May Bird Observatory on East Lake Drive, Cape May Point.

We’ll tell you how to get there. It’s easy.

By late July some of the small, songbird migrants are also heading south (Yellow Warbler migration peaks during the first week in August), and by the end of August every passing cold front deposits a surfeit of orioles, vireos, warblers, tanagers, cuckoos and other species in woods and fields.

If you are heading to Higbee Beach or Hidden Valley, get there early. The parking lots fill by sunrise.

Oh, right. You don’t know where these places are. Once again, stop by Cape May Bird Observatory. Pick up a free map to local birding spots. Stop in and ask for help. And, while you are there, check out the best selection of birding books and birding optics in the state. First you’ll have to get past all the Cape May t-shirts, jackets and gifts bearing the brand of the greatest bird watching location in North America.

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So... This Is Just A Sales Pitch?

That’s right. I’m trying to sell you on a life-changing hobby. One that you will enjoy for the rest of your life. One that can sweep you all over the planet in search of birds and bring more pleasure and excitement than you ever imagined could be drawn from your own back yard. The down payment for a lifetime of adventure is cheap. All you need is binoculars and a field guide to the birds.

Cost? As little as $100.

Really? Really. For less than the cost of dinner for two you can buy binoculars that are specialized for bird watching and a book that will help you pin names to the birds you see. Most binoculars are not designed for bird watching. They don’t focus quickly or close enough (under ten feet). They have too small a field of view or a clumsy focus system, or don’t offer a sharp image, or are too large for small hands or too small to be held steadily.

You didn’t know there was so much to buying binoculars did you? Yes, there is. Happily, the only kinds of binoculars CMBO sells are binoculars that excel in the bird watching arena. You don’t have to buy a binocular just to go on a bird

A Flock of SHOREBIRDS This is a common sight – no surprise, given the quality of Cape May’s climate, and the handiness of its location for migratory birds.

Cape May Bird Observatory

walk. There are a limited number of loaner instruments in the hands of field trip leaders. Come early and ask for one.

Anything else?

Yes. Two things: First, the worst thing you could possibly do is not go on a bird walk because you are afraid you won’t know as much as anyone else. Actually, the only thing better than being an experienced birder is being a beginning birder. Everything you see will be new.

Every new bird a “life bird” in the birding vernacular. Collect all 10,000 bird species on the planet and you win!

Second, the only difference between a new birder and an experienced birder is that thus far a new birder has misidentified very few birds. Experienced birders have misidentified thousands.

So come out, show up. Discover what the excitement is about. Did I mention that it’s fun? Yes. I thought I might have.

Head over to the Cape May Bird Observatory at 701 East Lake Drive overlooking lovely Lake Lily, in Cape May Point – the information spot for anything to do with nature. The center is open from 9:30am to 4:30pm every day except Tuesday. Ask any of our staff – they are always

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glad to help with anything you need, even things you didn’t know you needed. Then pick up the schedule of daily walks, a free birding map and checklist.

CMBO offers naturalist-led trips throughout the year, every day in spring and fall, sometimes twice a day. Don’t forget the newest books on and about birding and nature. Pick up a bargain from the used and vintage book selection, or some of the wonderful Charley Harper merchandise. Need a gift for a nature enthusiast friend or loved one but are clueless what they want or need? Pick up a gift card, redeemable at any of our New Jersey Audubon Centers throughout the state. If you aren’t fortunate enough to be in the area, visit BirdCapeMay.org.

New Jersey’s native son, Pete Dunne, is the Director of the Cape May Bird Observatory and Chief Communications Officer for New Jersey Audubon. Pete uses his talents and energy to make the natural world real for others. Author of several books on and about nature (available at CMBO) he weaves information, insight and even fantasy into a net that captures minds and hearts. He has written for virtually every birding publication and for The New York Times.

An Early American Open-Air Living History Museum

Stroll the shaded lane of the Village and visit 26 restored, historic buildings on a 22-acre site. Here you will find a variety of interpreters in period clothing who demonstrate the trades, crafts and lifestyles of a rural 1800s community, including blacksmithing, basketweaving, farming, spinning, woodworking, open-hearth cooking, and more!

Special events are held every weekend from late May through mid-September.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from June 21 June 22 -- September September2,5, 10am-4:30pm.

Special Weekday family activities!

Welcome Center, Old Grange Restaurant, Country Store, Ice Cream Parlor, Bakery Historic Cold Spring Village received funding through a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

720 Route 9 • Cape May, NJ 08204 www.hcsv.org • 609-898-2300 exit zero

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The jewel on Ocean Street

T

HE Columbia House is ablaze!� shouted a Cape May fire marshal around 2pm on November 9, 1878.

It was a crushing blow to the city, as firefighters from Camden teamed with citizens to save the town from a tornado of flames that had already eaten through the heart of the city. The Camden fire engine was engaged a block away on Jackson Street and by the time they got water lines to the Columbia House, it was already gone. It took only 10 minutes to level the four-story hotel.

The Columbia House property spanned the course of two city blocks from Beach Drive to Hughes Street, between Decatur and Ocean Streets. The hotel sat on the northern half of the property, between Columbia Street and Hughes, while the southern half was covered by an expansive front lawn and bath houses.

a grand old dame Above: The Queen Victoria building, at 102 Ocean Street, when it was still a private home in the late 19th century.

Right: The building today, which benefited from a thorough restoration in the 1980s and has been beautifully maintained since then.

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Shaped like an L, the hotel’s southern wing ended exactly where the Queen Victoria B&B sits today.

Following the fire, the Columbia House’s owner, John Bullitt, decided not to rebuild. Instead, he subdivided the property into smaller residential lots and a few commercial spaces. The Queen Vic-

toria building, like so many other Cape May B&Bs, started life as a single-family home. City records show the first land transaction for the Queen Victoria tract was a sale from Bullitt to a Philadelphia merchant, William Potts.

A few years after the sale, Bullitt made national headlines when President Grover

a different time In a previous life, The Queen Victoria was The Beverly Guest House.

Queen Victoria

Cleveland offered him the cabinet position of United States Attorney General, but he turned it down. Instead, he elected to become President of the Cape May Golf Club.

Potts chose not to develop the land and sold it to a Delaware River steamboat pilot named Douglas Gregory. In 1881, Gregory had the home built for $4,000. Few details remain of Gregory’s time in the building short of some brief society page mentions in the Philadelphia newspapers.

Gregory ended up moving his family out and selling the building eight years later, in 1889. It seems that a portion of the proceeds went towards the construction of a new boat that the retired Gregory leased to another captain. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on August 21, 1891: “At the shipyard of R.S. Leaming, at Dennisville, there was yesterday launched the largest schooner ever built in Cape May County. She was christened the Douglas Gregory…”

Following the Gregory family was a woman by the name of Elizabeth Baker, who died four years later. The home changed hands yet again, this time to Elizabeth’s daughter, Catherine Bruce, who

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inherited it in 1893. She moved in with her family and spent the next 13 years living in the sizeable house on 102 Ocean Street.

In January of 1906, the Bruce family left town, and a man named James Taylor moved in with his family. Little is known about his years in the home, other than the fact that it fell into a terrible disrepair. The home on had become nearly inhabitable.

It was eventually foreclosed upon by the city and was sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1913.

Things took a turn for the better when well-known Cape May physician, Dr. Franklin Hughes, bought the property at the sheriff’s sale for $6,750, less than Douglas Gregory paid for the land and home. Although he got a great deal, Dr. Hughes had to make extensive repairs to make the cottage livable again.

Rather than following the lead of previous owners, Dr. Hughes chose to lease the house to the US Navy after repairs were completed. From 1913 until 1918, the stately old home was used as a community service facility for sailors, before the new US Navy base was built on the eastern tip of the island.

After the navy left in 1918, Dr. Hughes decided to move his family into the house.

A year later, the family parlor (now the Queen Victoria room) was divided in two, with half turned into a waiting room and the other used for examinations. Dr. Hughes operated his medical practice out of the home until 1927, when he and his

family moved into the cottage across the street.

According to the building’s current owner, Doug McMain, a member of the Hughes family contacted him recently.

Among other details from the home’s past, the gentleman passed on one piece of history that surprised Doug: “He told me he was born in the house!”

Once Dr. Hughes and his family moved across the street, the building was leased to a handful of different people and it was renovated into a boarding house for visitors. It continued this way for the next 16 years and at one point in 1929 it was used as an annex for the Ocean View Inn, now the Morning Star. Though the Morning star now sits about 15 blocks away, it was originally built right down the street and later moved on the back of flat-bed trucks following a Nor’easter in the 1960s.

In 1943, Gus and Jane Sailing purchased the house installed efficiency apartments. The third floor held four separate quarters, there were six on the second floor and both first-floor parlors were turned into apartments, as was the dining room. The Sailings named their new guest house The Beverly and operated it for 27 years, until they sold it to Fay and Pete Devito in 1970.

Sharon Schegel, a journalist and longtime visitor at The Beverly, wrote about her love for the building in a May 1977 column in the Trenton Evening Times: exit zero

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getting down to details Previous owner of The Queen Victoria, Dane Wells, works in the main parlor during the painstaking restoration, which turned a rundown guest house into one of America’s most acclaimed B&Bs. Queen Victoria

2011

“The Beverly is a place where people stop and say good morning, where they sit on the front porch in those same, omnipresent painted green rockers and make what once was known as small talk.

“There is a certain ambiance at The Beverly that I find nowhere else. Perhaps it is because of Fay, the stunning-still former Rockette who owns the place… How many nights we’ve rocked in that porch in the stillness, talking about nothing and everything with people we met an hour before who are leaving the next day, sipping Fay’s freshly-made espresso and eating her freshly-baked anisette cookies.”

The Devitos made numerous improvements on the guest house but were forced to sell it in 1979 after some unexpected health concerns. The Beverly was purchased by John and Margaret Hennelly, who ran the business only one year, selling it in 1980.

Dane and Joan Wells decided to purchase the property and it was under their ownership that The Queen Victoria Bed and Breakfast was born. They changed the name almost immediately and renovated the building to remove the apartments. They did such a good job restoring the home to its original state that there are very few signs that it was ever changed.

Eagle-eyed visitors to The Queen Victoria may notice little round circles in the parlor floor and a few floorboards in the corner that don’t quite match the others in the room. Those circles are wooden plugs that filled the holes where the apartment’s bathtub was installed and the newer floorboards show where the toilet was located.

The Wells family also painted the building its signature red and green. Contrary to what you might think, the colors you see on the building now are pretty close to its original color scheme. The paint company, Sherwin Williams, used advanced scanning equipment to determine the original colors from samples taken from the building. There were able to cut through many different coats of paint applied over the years to find the shade that was used when the home was first built.

As a promotional tool, Sherwin Williams also provided the supplies to repaint the structure. They figured it would take about 25 gallons and in return for their paint, they were given the right to use the Queen Victoria in their Centuries of Color book. When all was said and done, the

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48’ Ocean (1997) $249,000

48’ Jersey Cape (2008) $699,000

45’ Bertram (2003) $495,000

42’ Henriques (2006) $549,000

28’ Carolina Classic (2002) $94,995

45’ Jersey Cape (2009) $799,000

31’ Jersey Cape (2006) $99,000

45’ Viking (1998) $175,000

25’ Parker (2002) $36,000

31’ Cape Horn (2008) $99,000

23’ Regulator (2002) $32,500

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Romance, undiluted.

Our overall ambiance, casual elegance and attention to detail will charm both the seasoned and first-time inn-goer.

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building’s new coat of paint actually took 90 gallons and the picture looked beautiful on the front cover of the book.

Sharon Schlegel commented on the changes in another Trenton Evening Times article on June 13, 1982: “And at 102 Ocean St, where we set up summer housekeeping for 12 years under the roof of the DeVito family (who served up homemade breads and cakes along with incredible hospitality), new landlords Dane and June [misprint in the newspaper] Wells have created a bed and breakfast inn, which they describe as ‘a home, not a hotel.’

“A hundred years old this summer, their Queen Victoria has been redone complete with antiques, lace curtains, a new, Victorian-colorkeyed paint job, brass and iron bedsteads and a library replete with books on Victoriana. (The details of this restoration are less surprising when one learns that Joan Wells is the former director of the Victorian Society in America.)”

The Wells family spent considerable time and money restoring the interior of the home. In addition to removing the apartments, elaborate wall coverings and Victorian antiques were added. One of the most prominent patterns used on the walls was a signature design that encompassed Queen Victoria’s official Royal Cypher.

The Queen’s Royal Cypher, or seal, was a stylized crown above the letters, ‘VRI.’ The letters stood for Victoria Regina Imperatrix, the title Queen Victoria was given upon being crowned, Empress of India.

The crown design was later trademarked by Dane and Joan, along with a separate trademark for the Queen Victoria name.

After nearly 25 years of running the place, Dane and Joan decided it was time for a change. Throughout their stewardship, they not only restored Douglas Gregory’s home to pristine condition, they also purchased and restored three additional Victorian homes that were incorporated into the B&B. The Wells family sold all four properties in 2004, to its 12th and current owners, Doug and Anna Marie McMain.

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One of the first people to welcome the McMain family to the block, was previous owner of The Beverly, Fay Devito. Right after they purchased the inn, Faye came to visit and share what she knew about the property’s history, along with a plate of her special chocolate chip and mint cookies.

They McMains have also assumed control of The Queen Victoria trademark, and when Cunard Cruise Lines built the brand-new Queen Victoria luxury liner, they were required to seek permission from the McMains to use the name.

“I received a call from a friend, who told me that Cunard had inquired about the rights to use the trademark,” said Doug. “They must have figured we were some older couple who didn’t know much about these things and would jump at whatever they offered.”

As it turned out, Doug and Anna Marie did know about trademarks and they employed the help of another friend who is an attorney. In the end, Cunard and the McMains came to an agreement that benefited them both.

Now the Queen Victoria offers nine guest rooms, including one that was built in the front parlor where Dr. Hughes examined his patients.

Visitors can take in ocean breezes from the same porches that Sharon Schlegel so lovingly described, where Douglas Gregory and his family rested back in the late 1800s.

The dining room has been restored to its former glory, allowing guests of the inn to enjoy a sumptuous gourmet breakfast in the same room that once served the Gregory, Baker and Hughes families. In the inn’s parlor, guests snack on sweat and savory tea time treats in front of the same fireplace that has warmed the room for over 125 years.

One hundred and thirty years after the home was built, the Queen Victoria is a shining example of what brings so many people back to Cape May, year after year – restored Victorian architecture, a long and storied history and the blending of modern amenities with old-world charm.

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the perfect cape ADD A LITTLE FUN EXERCISE TO YOUR CAPE ISLAND GETAWAY AND WATCH HOW YOUR VACATION GOES TO THE NEXT LEVEL... TRUST US! Story by Diane Stopyra

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may vacation

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M

AYBE the idea of exercising on vacation is the last thing on your mind. But consider this... endorphins produced during strenuous exercise reduce anxiety, and increase feelings of wellbeing. Because a well-deserved vacation on a beautiful Cape May beach can create similar feelings of euphoria, we at Exit Zero started wondering just how much happiness we’d be in for if we combined a little summer training with a little summer playing. With the help of George Rohana, personal trainer, boot-camp instructor, and owner of Cape Fitness gym, we’ve put together a list of ways to stay fit in cool Cape May this summer. Turns out, happy hour isn’t just for the bar. So grab your best workout threads and get going; your endorphins are waiting…

1. Run, and we don’t mean after the ice cream truck For a runner, the beaches of Cool Cape May aren’t just a place to bronze; they’re a place to sweat. According to Runner’s World magazine, jogging on sand strengthens ankles, feet, and all below-the-knee muscles more than running on concrete or asphalt. It’s also burns 1.6 times more calories per mile. However, the slope of a natural surface can put a runner off-center, straining the Achilles tendons and calves. In order to avoid injury, it’s best to run at low tide, on the soft but tightly packed sand near the water’s edge.

But if the tide isn’t in your favor by the time you’re through lacing up your sneakers, try running the length of the Cape May promenade, which stretches the 1.4 miles from 3rd Avenue

to Madison Avenue. Just remember to hop onto the street for the short stretch in front of Convention Hall, which is still under construction.

And if neither of these options speaks to the inner runner in you, try planning your own route. A website called MapMyRun.com allows you to plug into a map of Cape May various starting and ending points of your choosing, before calculating the mileage.

But wherever you decide to pound the pavement, remember to heed the advice of the American Podiatric Medical Association and replace your running shoes every five hundred miles, at least. Casale’s Shoes on the Washington Street Mall sells a variety, including the new Vibram FiveFingers, or “barefoot” running shoes, that are supposed to allow for a greater connection with the earth.

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summer of training to tackle a competitive race, sign up for the 28th annual Beachfront Run taking place on September 28. There is a two-mile and a five-mile course option. To register, log onto capemayrecreation.org, or call 884-9565 for more info.

2. Volleyball: The sport that makes diving into the sand okay for adults You don’t have to be Gabrielle Reece to get a good workout playing volleyball; the average player will jump an average of 300 times over the course of a match. On July 16, the city of Cape May, along with Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill, will host a Beach Bash Volleyball tournament on Steger Beach, and anyone looking to play is able to do so; there are no try-outs.

Teams (which will be men only, women only, and co-ed, depending on interest), will

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consist of two-players each. In order to accommodate all skill levels, the tournament will host a B division for beginners, an A division for experienced players, and a pro division.

Log onto greatamericanvolleyball.com or capemayrecreation.org for more info. Because, what could be more fun than running and diving in the sun with the ocean just fifty feet away?

3. Bike, because it’s good for the heart AND the wallet In 1935, a twenty-five year man old named Fred Birchmore wore out seven sets of tires by pedaling his bike 25,000 miles through Europe, Asia, and the United States. But you won’t need to go nearly as far in order to work off those C-View wings. According to George Rohana, riding around Cape May at a leisurely pace, while scoping out the beautiful gardens and Victorian architecture, will burn approximately 300 calories per hour.

In fact, when he’s not in the gym, biking is Rohana’s favorite way to stay fit. The sport is non-impact, meaning there’s “no banging on the joints.” And, as an added bonus, there’s no banging on the bank account, either.

According to Terry Shields, owner of Shields Bike Rental on Gurney Street, many people avoid paying high gas prices by relying entirely on a bike or a surrey (which seats up to six) for the entirety of a vacation. If you’d like to get peddling, call Shields at 609-884-BIKE.

IF you don’t want to ruN Walking is an acceptable substitute Rachel Hulin

Shields opens his doors at seven in the morning in case you want to be riding along the promenade early – a good idea, since bikes are only allowed here between sunrise and 10am.

But if you’re looking for a place to ride after ten, he suggests biking from Broadway to West Perry to Sunset Boulevard, which will take you around scenic Lake Lily and out to the Cape

The BEST way to spoil yourself.

May lighthouse, a three-and-a-half mile trip.

Otherwise, you might try biking New Jersey Avenue (which has a designated bike lane) out to the Nature Center of Cape May. And while you’re there, ask about the Nature Center’s bike tour, Cycling the Southern Cape. According to Kim Hannum, senior naturalist, the leisurely twelve-mile ride will begin every Wednesday at 9:30 (please arrive by 9:20), between June 29 and August 24. The tour, led by Nature Center naturalists, will lead you through the most beautiful natural areas of Cape Island. Children under three ride free!

Pre-registration is recommended. Call the Nature Center at (609)898-8848.

Other places to rent a bike in town include Cape Island Bike and Beach Rentals (609-8848011) located at the Hotel Macomber and at Congress Hall; and The Village Bicycle Shop (609-884-8500) located on Lafayette Street.

The latter also does bike repairs, in the case of a flat tire or broken chain. All three shops charge just five dollars per hour for a standard rental with daily and weekly rates available as well.

For more information on where to ride in Cape May, stop by the Chamber of Commerce for a copy of HomeStead Real Estate’s guide to biking on the island.

4. Play, if you can handle it The Weight Watcher’s organization refers to the ocean as a liquid treadmill, and rightfully so.

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GET ON YOUR BIKE There is simply no better way to explore Cape May. First of all, you don’t get stuck in the traffic; secondly, it’s great exercise; and thirdly, it’s such good fun to ride around this beautiful island, exploring nooks and crannies such as St Peter’s by the Sea in Cape May Point.

Rachel Hulin

For a 150-pound person, snorkeling burns 340 calories an hour, while playing in the waves can burn up to 410. But for those who’d rather not brave the surf, playing on the shore can be just as much of a workout. Building a sandcastle burns up to 315 calories an hour, and playing Frisbee works off 200.

But if you’re planning to forego the gym for a round of paddle ball or a game of bocce, remember that it’s sustaining the activity that’s going to make it count. According to Rohana, a burst of horseshoe-playing or hole-digging before plopping back onto your towel isn’t going to cut it. In order to achieve the physiological benefits of an elevated heart rate, we need to sustain a beach activity for at least twenty to thirty minutes.

Perhaps the most unlikely exercise-related of beach activities is kite-flying. Phil Broder, editor of Kiting magazine, knows that this sport isn’t always a day on the beach. For a decent workout, he recommends purchasing a dualline sport kite from the Cape May Beach and Kite shop. Such a kite requires constant arm movements and a great deal of walking (especially in the beginning, when you should expect to crash quite a bit!).

And while we’re on the topic of play, don’t forget about the Junior Clamshell Pitching tournament taking place on September 2 on Windsor Beach. The contest is open to all kids aged 18 and under.

5. Rollerblade, because there’s a little ’80s in all of us The first pair of roller skates was worn by a Belgian named Merlin in 1760. The wheels were made of metal and he wore them while playing a violin to impress his friends at a party.

Skating’s heyday has since come and gone but, according to Rohana, the sport is making a comeback. Rollerblading, which fell out of fashion in the early ’90s, now has over 74,000 fans on the social networking site, Facebook.

“What’s neat about it,” Rohana says, “is that it’s one of the few activities that works the hard-to-train areas of the legs, the inner and outer portions.” And according to Dr. Carl Foster, coordinator of sports science and medicine for the US Speed Skating Team, inline skating is as beneficial an exercise as both running and cycling.

The Cape May County Park, located a mile north of Cape May Court House and open daily from nine until dusk, is encircled by a paved track ideal for rollerblading. But wherever you

blade, remember this – New Jersey state law requires that, while on wheels, you roll with traffic, not against!

6. Whether it’s a moonwalk, a speedwalk, or a walk of shame According to Rohana, it’s best to take each workout “one step at a time;” after a while, all these steps add up. In a lifetime, the average person walks approximately 65,000 miles, enough to circle the globe three times. Fortunately for Cape May-goers, all this walking can be enjoyable and, sometimes, even educational.

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approximately a mile and a half long, which provide the opportunity to learn from trained naturalists about the birds, insects, plants, and butterflies of Cape May. In order to find the walk that suits you best, Director Pete Dunne recommends checking out the Observatory’s event calendar at www.birdcapemay.org.

But if it’s bigger animals that will get you moving, why not check out the lions, tigers, and bears of the Cape May County Zoo. Michael Laffey, park director, estimates that walking through the entire zoo, including a boardwalk through the facility’s 57-acre African Savanna, is a two-mile endeavor.

The park area, with approximately two

miles of trails, both wooded and paved, is also conducive to walking. According to Laffey, there are four organized races held in this park throughout the year, all of them with a walking option. Next up is the Animal House 5k, held every August to raise money for the Middle Township High School Cross County team.

For more info, contact race coordinator Chuck Gehman at chuckgehman@sicbp.com.

And to really amp up your walking routine, try climbing the 199 steps to the top of the lighthouse in Cape May Point. According to a study conducted by the University of Birmingham, climbing stairs for just seven minutes every day could reduce the risk of developing heart disease by 60 percent

7. Surf’s up!

In 1872, while on assignment in Hawaii for a Sacramento newspaper, Mark Twain attempted to surf. A “particularly prodigious billow” knocked him out, leading the writer to conclude that “none but natives ever master the art of surf-bathing thoroughly.” In 1907, Jack London had a bit more success, actually riding one of the “great smoking combers” of Waikiki before wiping out.

Twain and London obviously never took a lesson from the Summer Sun Surf Shop, located on the Washington Street Mall. According to Danny DeCamillo, Summer Sun owner, a lesson will help a grommet (that’s surf slang for

DON’T BE AFRAID of the surf It might seem intimidating, but Cape May offers lessons for every skill level. Maciej Nabrdalik

beginner) figure out the basics, like which waves to paddle into and how to pop-up on a board, as well as the etiquette of an ocean lineup. To schedule a lesson with Summer Sun, contact (609) 884-3422 But if you’d like to give surfing a go on your own, Danny warns, “Be wary of beach-break conditions.” If the lip of a wave is turning up

sand, this is a spot for an experienced surfer only.

Also, make sure you head to a designated surfing beach (Poverty or the Cove) only. Otherwise, you’ll have to paddle out before the lifeguards come on duty (at 10am), or after they call it a day (at 5:30pm).

Surfers have a reputation for being the laid-

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back, dred-locked stoners of the beach but, according to Rohana, this is a sport that requires cardiovascular endurance and strength. So if you’d like to tone up while you tan, go ahead and get gnarly.

For more information, stop by Summer Sun or one of Cape Island’s other surf shops. These include The Southend Surf Shop on Beach Avenue (which offers lessons as well), and Pete Smith’s Surf Shop in the Washington Commons. Contact them at 609-898-0988, and 609-884-1010, respectively.

8. And when you’re sick of using your arms to paddle, rent a kayak According to Rohana, kayaking is an excellent upper-body workout and one that, pleasantly, can happen “off the beaten-path.” To explore the Cape May harbor and surrounding salt marshes, while conditioning your arms and abdominals, stop by Delaware Avenue for a quick look in Aqua Trails. Here, you can sign up for a two-and-a-half hour eco tour, a full-moon tour or, if you want to infuse some romance into your workout, a sunset tour in a kayak built for two. Feel free to bring your own boat or rent one from the shop; no experience is necessary.

And as far as ocean kayaking goes, remember to launch before the lifeguards arrive at 10:00. Otherwise launch your boat only from Mount Vernon, at the southernmost end of the beach. Call Aqua Trails at (609)8845600 for more details.

9. For wearing out the little rascals According to Ed Zebrowski, a Cape May lifeguard of thirteen years, the CMBP Junior Life-

SPLASHING GOOD FUN Aqua Trails offer guided or solo kayak tours of the wetlands and the ocean and recently added paddleboarding. Aleksey Moryakov

guard Program is one important way to instill an appreciation for fitness into any kid, aged nine to fifteen. After he or she signs up at lifeguard headquarters, each Junior Guard, or JG, will receive a uniform and a whole lot of knowledge about ocean skills and safety, as well as lifeguard competition techniques. For two hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the JGs meet with veteran guards, most of whom are former JGs or in the education field. This year is especially exciting for the program, as the Regional Junior Lifeguarding Championships will be hosted by Cape May between August 3 and 6.

Approximately seven hundred JGs from around the country will compete in paddle, swim, run, and rescue events. For more information, contact the Cape May Beach Patrol at 609-8849520 For children between the ages of four and eighteen, Cape May’s summer swim clinic is also an option. Through the clinic, kids are able to take lessons or compete. Practices are held at the United States Coast Guard base, Cape May City Elementary School, and Special Services in the Crest Haven Complex. Also sponsored by the city is Camp Cape May, which allows for plenty of basketball, Wiffle Ball, and soccer playing, as well as swimming. For more information on either of these programs, contact Cape May recreation at (609) 884-9565.

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Way’s Born Learning Trail coming this summer to the Cape May County Park. The trail, an asphalt pathway surrounding the park’s playground area, captures ten games on engaging signs that will have children and caregivers interacting with one another. While the games are meant to promote physical activity for the entire family, they’re a great way to boost literacy skills as well.

Finally, for the tennis player of the family, check out the One Love clinic hosted at the William J. Moore Tennis Center throughout the summer. Tennis pro Matt Gilbert, named by the Atlantic City Press as coach of the year in 2010, will work with pee-wees (ages four to six), and juniors (ages seven to sixteen) on agility, coordination, and actual game play.

10. Play a little tennis, just for the love of it Pete Sampras, or Pistol Pete as he’s known in the tennis world, earned an outrageous $41,994,440 as a professional tennis player between the years of 1988 and 2001. To start playing like a forty-one million dollar pro, consider taking a lesson (either private or group) from the William J. Moore Tennis Center located on Washington Street in Cape May. The facility houses fourteen clay and two hard-surface courts, all of them open to the public.

But before you start to volley, remember to dress appropriately. According to Rohana, it’s best to wear breathable clothing while playing tennis and, as with any outdoor sport, to drink plenty of water – before, during, and after. For information on everything from becoming a

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club member to this summer’s tournament schedule, call (609)884-8986.

plant two feet on the earth, and breathe.

Karen, who considers herself a “gypsy yogini,” teaches yoga dance, gentle yoga for seniors, and a combo class called spin yoga at various venues, including Lower Township Recreation department. But, Karen says, she waits all year to get back outside. In the summer, she teaches all-levels yoga on the beach at the Cape May Point State Park, and at the David Douglas Memorial Park in North Cape May. Check out yogacapemay.com for the schedule Balance Pilates and Yoga in West Cape May offers yoga on the beach as well, in addition to Pilates, pre-natal yoga, and Thai yoga massage. Balance, the island’s only mind/body studio, also offers private group and individual sessions. For more information on nourishing your inner yogi at Balance, call (609) 884-3001.

Finally, Sharon Fruchtman offers Ashtanga yoga classes on the lawn at Congress Hall, and on the beach as well, depending on the interest of the group. Classes are open to the public and geared to all skill levels, and mats are provided by the hotel at no additional charge. For more information, call Sharon at (609) 408-0009.

Wherever you find your Zen this summer, don’t be surprised if you spot a dolphin or two during downward-facing dog.

11. Pump some iron In the summer, lots of folks will be asking “Which Way to the Beach?” If you spend a few sessions at Cape Fitness on Park Boulevard, you’ll be proud to show off your biceps as you point toward Beach Avenue. To help you shapeup or slim down for the season, Cape Fitness offers a variety of classes, including boot camp, spin, body blast, fitness fusion, and combo classes. All of these are free to members or firsttimers looking to test the waters. And if you’re worried about keeping up, don’t be. According to Rohana, Cape Fitness takes pride in tailoring its classes to the individuals taking them, and not the other way around. For more information, call (609) 898-1515. But be warned! “Just because we’re air conditioned,” Rohana said, “doesn’t mean you’re not going to sweat.”

Alternatively, check out North Beach Gym, just a few minutes away in North Cape May, where owner Mark Chamberlain has cultivated what’s known as the “Friendly, Feelgood Gym”.

Call (609) 886-4842 for more information.

12. Om shanti shanti With so much to do in Cape May, the days can get a bit hectic. According to Karen Manette Bosna, who’s been teaching yoga in Cape May for fifteen years, yoga is one way to slow down,

take your partner Ballroom champion Tom Cupp offers lessons in Congress Hall ballroom. Aleksey Moryakov

13. Boogie down to slim down Most of the time, our workout threads include ratty old T-shirts and an old pair of sweats.

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But according to Larina Kase, PsyD, president of Performance and Success Coaching LLC in Philadelphia, dressing in a more flattering outfit will motivate people to get moving, and will lead to longer, more effective workouts.

For a chance to really glam up while you exercise, try a ballroom dancing or tango Argentine class in the Congress Hall ballroom.

In both private and group lessons, instructor Tom Cupp will accommodate dancers of all skill levels.

Or, for something a little less formal, keep your eyes peeled for the Zumba classes, which combine international music and Latin dance moves, also happening on the Congress Hall lawn this summer. For more information on dancing at Congress Hall, as well as the hotel’s other fitness offerings (including personal training and circuit-training classes), contact the front desk at 609-884-8421.

And if you still haven’t had your fill of cutting the rug, head to your favorite beach-front bar. After all, after a day of toning up and working hard, you deserve to reward yourself with a cold beer, or several. Just remember to keep on dancing while you indulge.

“Depending on the speed of the music and how spastic you dance,” Rohana says, “you’ll burn around 400 calories an hour.” Factor in two light beers in an hour, which is 220 calories, and you’ll still come out 180 ahead. Now that’s a reason to boogie.

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We have SO many ways you can get your feet wet.

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MAC TROLLEY TOURS

during your journey. Once you reach your destination you’ll feel the presence of the spirits at the Light. Do you have what it takes to climb 199 spirited stairs to the top?

Guided trolley tours offer an excellent way to see Cape May. All tickets can be purchased at the Information Booth at the end of the Washington Street Mall. For times and prices call (609) 884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Historic District Trolley Tours Get acquainted with Cape May on a trolley tour as knowledgeable guides present entertaining and educational stories about the nation’s oldest seashore resort.

Mansions by the Sea Trolley Tour This tour features a century of beachfront development, from Victorian cottages of the 1870s through the most up-to-date of today’s housing. It includes some of the most magnificent structures ever erected in Cape May.

Best of the West Trolley Tour A narrated trolley tour through West Cape May highlighting its history, farms, shops, vintage cottages and African American heritage.

Cape May in Blue & Gray New for 2011! Travel back to 1863, when the allegiances of Cape May’s residents were divided between Union and Confederate causes, to witness first-hand the war’s affect on a local family.

Cape May Unzipped Trolley Ride The story of America’s first seaside resort may seem to be a tale of stately hotels, visiting dignitaries and noble rebirth from the ashes of fires and neglect. But underneath Cape May’s thin veneer of Victorian gentility, behind the gingerbread and lace curtains, there beats a less civilized heart.

Children’s Trolley Ride Board MAC’s jolly red trolley for a guided tour of Cape May’s Historic District, geared specially children.

Combination Trolley/Physick Estate Tours Enjoy a guided trolley tour of Cape May’ Historic District, followed by a guided tour of Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, with the new house tour theme for 2011, “Victorian Health and Fitness.”

Deadliest Cape Trolley Ride New for 2011! Treacherous shoals, tidal rip currents, Nor’easters, heavy ship traffic, rogue waves… you’ll encounter them all in the waters

that surround Cape May. And that’s why these waters are rightly called The Graveyard of the Atlantic. On this trolley ride, you’ll have your own encounter with the dangers that lurk offshore. You’ll glimpse the hazardous world of the professional mariner and hear the frightening, heart wrenching stories of the ones who set sail and never came back.

Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour Board a MAC trolley tour for a 45-minute evening ride through the haunted streets of Cape May. The paranormal findings of ghost writer Craig McManus come alive as your guide translates McManus’ spooky stories. Ride past the flickering gas street lamps, the haunted properties of Cape May and experience the spine-tingling tales exposed by McManus and told by an Actor Offstage.

Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour Take an evening tour down the ghostly path that leads to the Cape May Lighthouse. You’ll hear and experience Craig McManus’ paranormal findings related by an Actor Offstage

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Rum Runners & Bootleggers Trolley Ride New for 2011! Prohibition turned ordinary citizens into criminals and ordinary criminals into kings. While Nucky Johnson built his Boardwalk Empire and Al Capone ruled Chicago, Cape May happily supplied the illegal hooch that made the roaring ’20s roar. Your “host” on this trolley ride into the bygone days of basement stills, moonshine and racketeers will be a genuine gun-toting gangster or a real bob-haired flapper. They’ll tell you firsthand what it was like in not so genteel Cape May when the Volstead act was the law of the land.

Tales of Terror Trolley Ride Remember the really scary stories you heard as a kid… the ones that kept you awake at night? They’ll seem like harmless fairy tales compared to the macabre yarns spun by your spectral host on this trolley ride through the darkest corners of the imagination. You’ll close your eyes and cringe at stories of imaginary playmates from beyond the grave.

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Let our crackerjack staff take care of life’s boring necessities!

Moonlight Trolley Ride Take this romantic trolley ride through the moonlit streets of Cape May as a guide tells tales of Victorian romance. Tours begin and tickets are available at Washington Street Mall Information Booth.

Call Us Today or Check Us Out Online!

609.770.8357 • professionalpropertyservice.com Barry Bruno — Owner 609.602.4339 Licensed, Insured, and Bonded In NJ

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my perfect day CINDY HUF, OWNER OF GOOD SCENTS

A blissful, breezy day in Cape May

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T’S a beautiful breezy dawn when I drop my car off in town and get a ride out to the lighthouse. The sun is just rising as I walk along the Cove beach from the Point towards Cape May, and though it’s a little cold, I don’t mind taking off my shoes. It’s getting warmer as I reach the pavement of Beach Drive, so I pick up a coffee and find a spot on a sunny promenade bench with a good beach read.

As the day warms and it gets too bright to read, I head to the Lobster House Coffee Shop for breakfast. Every seat is usually taken, so I sit at the windowsill with my book to wait. There’s nothing fancy about the menu; the only remotely adventurous

choice is a salt mackerel breakfast added long ago for the early fisherman (which I tried once, and after 25 years the memory remains clear). I’m happy with two eggs, rye toast, tea, and their fresh orange juice that I think is still squeezed by their Chryslersized vintage orange juice machine.

After breakfast, I walk into the damp, cool air of the fish market. I pull a number more out of habit than necessity, because today I’m the only one without an apron and an expectant look. A handful of guys wait for me to order a couple of pounds of jumbo shrimp, some monkfish and a pint of conch chowder for my husband. These go into a freezer bag, because on the way home I’ll stop at West End Garage to see exit zero

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An early Start “The sun is just rising as I walk along the Cove beach from the Point towards Cape May, and though it’s a little cold, I don’t mind taking off my shoes,” says Cindy Huf, owner of Good Scents, about the start of her perfect day.

2011

what’s new. I may run into someone I know, which means a side trip to a comfy chair at Higher Grounds for coffee and a visit.

I head home, cut up veggies for mango salsa, make a black bean salad, then pop it all in the fridge. It’s a little cool, so I settle in by the pool with a blanket, a book, and Ted Hawkins music on the outside speakers. Around 5, the grill goes on for shrimp and it’s time for minty mojitos and dinner on the patio with friends. Clean-up is easy, so there is time for an after-dinner drink at The Brown Room, or maybe it’s just early to bed. As it gets darker, the spring peepers are loud outside my open window, so a heavier quilt goes on the bed, and it’s the end of another beautiful day in Cape May.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES THE LOWER TOWNSHIP COUGARS, 2008

«

Members of the Lower Township Cougars, comprised of first and second graders from the area. They graced the cover of our football issue on September 4, 2008.

Aleksey Moryakov

Buying, Selling or Renting call “Becky at the Beach” and live the dream!

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Becky Chamberlain SRES, SFR Circle of Excellence Sales Award Winner 2008-2010

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609.408.0415 info@alekseyphotography.com www.alekseyphotography.com

1400 Texas Avenue, Cape May • (609) 884-5005

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Huge Stars In The Second Stage Series!

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HE Understudy continues to delight patrons at Cape May Stage with a hilarious look at the dynamic of stars working with “regular actors” on Broadway stages. On Monday nights, Cape May Stage brings stars to our own stage for a special look at that dynamic!

Audiences have been rolling in the aisles at Pulitzer Prize nominee, Theresa Rebeck’s play The Understudy with a cast of all New York Equity actors. In an article in The New York Times Theresa Rebeck says her plays are about, “betrayal and treason and poor behavior. A lot of poor behavior.” In this play, the title character certainly has exhibited poor behavior towards the female stage manager. There is also a good deal of love, too, which makes for an uplifting evening of theatre!

July launches our special Broadway Series with Liz Callaway on July 18. Ms. Callaway made her Broadway debut in Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along and continued her association with Sondheim in Lincoln Center’s concert version of Follies. She has been nominated for a Tony Award for both Baby and Miss Saigon. Other major theatrical triumphs were in Evita, Cats and Sunday in the Park with George. Liz Callaway is the singing voice for female characters in the animated films Anastasia, Swan Princess, and The Lion King II. She is a musical performer of the highest rank.

The following Monday, legendary singer Maureen McGovern will come to Cape May Stage in a workshop preview performance of dangling conversations, which will open in New York in November. Be among the first to see this celebration of song by iconic songwriters like Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Burt Bacharach, and Pete Seeger. The title comes from Paul Simon’s:

Tovah Feldshuh will bring her considerable talents to Cape May Stage on August 8 Like shells upon the shore, You can hear the ocean roar, In the dangling conversations, And the superficial sighs, The borders of our lives.

Tovah Feldshuh will try out her new show called Aging Is Optional on Monday, August 8. Among her numerous awards are Tony nominations for Golda’s Balcony, Sarava and Lend Me A Tenor, Emmy nominations for Law And Order and Holocaust, and she was a Drama Desk Award nominee for Yentl.

Ms. Feldshuh started her career at the famed Guthrie Theatre under the direction of Michael Langham and has the distinction of playing in the longest running one-woman show on Broadway. That show was William Gibson’s Golda’s Balcony. She made her Broadway debut in the musical Cyrano, which starred Christopher Plummer in the title role.

Tickets are $75 for these featured artists with a special price of $195 for all three!

Call (609) 884-1341 or order tickets online at capemaystage.com!

Liz Callaway performs Andrew Lloyd Webber

HERE’S WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE SECOND STAGE SERIES An Evening with Broadway’s Liz Callaway Monday, July 18 at 8pm Tickets $75

Maureen McGovern in “dangling conversations” Monday, July 25 at 8pm Tickets $75

«Call (609) 884-1341

Tovah Feldshuh in “Aging Is Optional” Monday, August 8 at 8pm Tickets $75

This column is made possible through the generosity of Second Stage Series sponsors CHRIS and DAVE CLEMANS as part of their support of the arts in Cape May

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES RUDY GIULIANI AT CONGRESS HALL, 2007

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Rudy Giuliani visited Congress Hall on October 1, 2007, back when he was a presidential contender.

Aleksey Moryakov

NJ State Lic. 13VH03026600

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Serving Cape May & Beyond Since 1973 (609) 884-2545 • www.desatnicks.com

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The book that was a publishing phenomenon in Cape May last year is back... and even better than before!

THE UPDATED SECOND EDITION OF THE FIRST RESORT IS NOW ON SALE AT THE EXIT ZERO STORE & GALLERY AND OTHER FINE LOCAL STORES... GET YOUR COPY! Also available online at www.exitzero.us

Named by The Philadelphia Inquirer as ONE OF THE BEST COFFEE TABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR “As complete a look at the ups and downs of the Jersey Shore’s proto-resort as you are likely to see.”

– frank wilson the philadelphia inquirer

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the natural

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HE GREW UP IN A LEGENDARY COOKING FAMILY... NO WONDER JIMMY BURTON IS ONE OF CAPE MAY’S MOST RESPECTED CHEFS. Interview Kate Chadwick

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Gilmartin & Company

1382 Lafayette Street, Cape May, NJ 08204 (609) 884-1800 800-648-5558 www.CapeMayVacations.com Our Agents are always ready to Help you Buy, Sell or Rent, Whether it is in Cape May, Cape May Point, West Cape May, Lower Township, Middle Township or the Wildwoods.

Call Today to Schedule an Appointment to Discuss Your options!

Each office independently owned and operated

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27 Questions for... Jimmy Burton THE BEST EDUCATION Jimmy Burton (circled) grew up in the kitchen of the Chalfonte Hotel, taught by his grandmother, the legendary Helen Dickerson.

Mead family collection

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AMES Burton is quite the catch – just ask his wife, Sandra. Or check with Lucas Manteca, vice-president of food and beverage operations at Cape Resorts Group, who landed Jimmy to run the kitchen at the iconic Rusty Nail last year. “When we started interviewing for this position and asking around town,” Manteca told us, “Jimmy’s name kept coming up. I kept hearing about this Mr. Burton, this great local chef from a couple of generations of local chefs. People said he really knows his seafood, and that he was ‘Mr. Crab Cake Man’ – which he is, I soon found out!

He’s an adorable bear of a man, who happens to cook like a god. I think it was love at first sight between him and the Nail, and that connection is what puts the magic on the plates.”

Raised at his grandmother Helen’s knee in the kitchen at the historic Chalfonte Hotel, Jimmy has cooking in his blood. With an affable smile at the ready, and a kind, straightforward demeanor, he is a pleasure to talk with, and we sat down with him recently at the Rusty Nail to discuss life as a happy chef in a restaurant-happy town.

You are married with a grown son, correct?

Yes, my wife Sandra, and my son, James Jr. Where does your family live? Sandra and I live in Erma, but my son lives out in Iowa these days with his family.

How did you and Sandra meet? We met in culinary school, at Johnson and Wales, where we were both students. After I was done with classes, I actually taught there for a couple of

years. But then when I was ready to make my way in the world, I moved back here and I brought her with me.

Does Sandra work in the culinary field too?

No, actually, she works for ARC. She really loves it, and they love her, so it all worked out.

So she went off to school, and found a good man who cooks for her – mission accomplished!

Do you do the cooking in your house? I do, mostly. Of course, she is a very good cook, and she does do it sometimes, but it’s mostly me.

Your grandmother is a local legend, having put the Chalfonte’s Magnolia Room on the culinary map. I understand she was responsible for your early kitchen training? Yes, I started going to the Chalfonte’s kitchen with my grandmother when I was five years old. I remember making soups and sauces with her – everything fresh from scratch. I can recall being very little and helping her to push vegetables through a big strainer for vegetable soup. No food processors back then, and she would say that pushing them through that strainer would bring out the flavors.

And she was right – it did!

So do you think you learned more at culinary school or at your grandmother’s knee? That’s a really tough question. I learned all the practical applications I needed to make a career from Johnson and Wales – how to determine food costs, how much to order, all the math that’s involved, all the science, certifications for safety and so forth. But as far as learning the absolute basics of cooking, and more importantly, the basics of taste and of freshness, learning sauces exit zero

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and soups – that came from my grandmother.

Are any of your siblings in the game? No – just me. My son was for a short spell, and my brother tends bar, but that’s it. I mean, they can all cook, thanks to my mom and my grandmother, but I’m the only one who does it professionally.

Have you ever worked front of the house, or has it always been kitchen duty for you? I have waited tables, and bussed, back in the day at the Chalfonte and also in culinary school. I think it’s served me well, because I think it’s important for the wait staff and the kitchen to get along, or to respect each other at the very least. I’ve seen quite a bit of squabbling in my day between the front and the back of the house, and I think it’s silly. I think of the folks working out in the front of the house as the front line, and the wait staff has the important job of dealing directly with the most important person in the place, which is the customer. I always stress to the kitchen staff to respect the wait staff – if the waiter or waitress says there’s something wrong, then there’s something wrong – end of story. It’s our job to make it right, not our job to argue about it.

Tell us a little about your background here in the Cape May restaurant scene. I opened Godmother’s – that was my first real cooking job here. It was owned by several Italian sisters and their husbands, so that was an experience – I had ten bosses! I was hired as a sauté cook, and I loved it. I still love to sauté – it’s probably my favorite job in the kitchen to this day. I also worked at Rio Station for quite a few years, the Lobster Loft in Sea Isle, and before I started with Cape Resorts at the Rusty Nail last year, I opened and ran the kitchen at the Fish Market. I had my own little place too, here in town, right after I left the Lobster Loft. I still had so many catering jobs lined up that I needed a kitchen to work out of – as soon as the lease was up, though, I sold it.

Do you like catering? I LOVE catering.

There’s something so nice about planning everything out, knowing your menu ahead of time.

Let’s face it – on any given night in any given restaurant, you don’t know what the heck is going to happen!

So you’ve worked for other people and for yourself – do you have a preference? I’d rather work for someone else, only because it’s less of

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“It’s fun to be your own boss, but I’d rather not have the headaches. Besides, no matter where I am, I always run my kitchen like I own the place – I feel really, really strongly about that.”

Artfully uniting extraordinary properties with extraordinary lives. a headache. You don’t have to worry about all the insurance and other issues and responsibilities that come with ownership. It’s fun to be your own boss, but I’d rather not have the headaches. Besides, no matter where I am, I always run my kitchen like I own the place – I feel really, really strongly about that.

You made quite a splash at the Nail last year, with a reworked menu, and you had a great season.

What’s your favorite thing on the menu here? The fish tacos, and I guess the customers must agree.

They were our best-selling item last year, and they are SO good.

Cape May is renowned for its restaurant scene. Do you feel that there is any culinary category here that is not represented? Cape May talks about attracting families here for their vacations – I think that more restaurants should cater to them, both from a menu standpoint and price-wise. I’m proud that the Nail is like that – families are comfortable here, you get a great meal for your money, and the kids sure love getting their food on a Frisbee!

Where do you like to go when you go out to eat? I love Asian cuisine. Point me to the nearest Chinese restaurant and I am good to go.

Your perfect dinner – what would be the appetizer? Calamari – I love it.

And the main course? Salmon and broccoli rabe.

And for dessert? Warm peach cobbler a la mode. [Reporter’s note: Mr. Burton gave a great deal of thoughtful consideration to each of these selections, except for the cobbler – that response was almost instantaneous.]

Do you eat breakfast every day?

Absolutely. My favorite is corned beef hash and poached eggs.

Do you ever just sit down to a nice peanut butter and jelly sandwich? I certainly do, with a big

glass of cold milk! In fact, one of my favorite snacks is Ritz crackers with peanut butter and jelly on them.

And I also like to snack on French fries.

What was your worst experience in a kitchen? That was some time ago – up at the Rhode Island Inn, when I first got out of school. I was carrying a big pot of hot cream of broccoli soup, when I slipped.

The soup sloshed up over the top and went all over my forearm. I ended up getting rushed to the hospital with third-degree burns. That was no fun.

And what about your best night? The best nights are always the ones when you do a lot of dinners without a hitch. I remember one night at the Lobster Loft when we did over a thousand dinners. It was just a nice crew and a really smooth night.

What do you do in your down time? I am very active in my church. Not just going to services, but preaching and teaching and learning about the Bible. We have conferences too, and sometimes I travel to those, which can be a couple of days long.

Are you a beach guy at all? Well, I’m big on fishing – I LOVE to fish, and I like to go down to the Carolinas to fish too, when I can get away.

Can you tell us the secret to your absurdly delicious macaroni and cheese? Well, sure – it’s Cooper Sharp cheese. It melts smoothly like American, but it’s got a little bit more of a bite to it.

If you weren’t cooking for a living, what would you be doing? I have no idea. I can’t even imagine any other life, or doing anything else – it’s in my blood.

Didn’t you even want to be a fireman or an astronaut when you were little? Nope. And I was a volunteer fireman for about ten years.

I really enjoyed it, but cooking is the life for me. exit zero

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my perfect day BOB JACKSON, FISHERMAN AND FORMER MAYOR

Early to bed, early to rise...

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Y PERFECT day starts very early in the morning. My wife Susan and I would get up around 5am with our dog, Checkers, and head over to the Cove beach. I’d fish, my favorite thing – I love casting into the surf as Susan and Checkers comb the beach. We’d continue toward the lighthouse, taking in the unique beauty of south Cape May beach, casting as we go. We’d head home around 7:30 to wash up, then off to The Mad Batter for a great breakfast of coffee, juice, fruit and omelets.

We usually work breakfast off with a good bike ride. Our favorite route is down along the promenade and out to Cape May Point. Once there, we may walk up the lighthouse to take in the amazing view,

then head over to Sunset Beach to search for Cape May diamonds (even though Sue insists that we have enough of them).

We’ve also been on a long quest to find an arrowhead, which has eluded both of us, even though we’ve both lived here all our lives. On the way back to Cape May, we’d stop at Emilie’s Treasures on Sunset Boulevard in West Cape May. You never know what you’ll find there – we’ve found treasures in the form of mirrors, paintings and flower pots. After working up an appetite from browsing, it’s lunch at Bella Vida – great wraps and chicken cheese steaks, and we especially love their iced tea.

After lunch and maybe a short nap, we would pick up our grandson, Dante, and take him to the beach for a couple of hours, followed by a round of miniature golf at Ocean Putt. We’d top off his afterexit zero

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on a mission “We’ve been on a long quest to find an arrowhead, which has eluded both of us, even though we’ve both lived here all our lives,” says inveterate beach-goer and fisherman Bob Jackson.

Aleksey Moryakov

2011

noon with ice cream on the mall.

After returning Dante to mom and dad, we’d take Checkers for his afternoon romp. And then it’s time for dinner, and for us, which means Louisa’s. It’s a good thing Susan always remembers we need a reservation! There are so many great restaurants in Cape May, and some you can just walk in, but Louisa’s isn’t one of them.

It’s so small and quaint and the food is to die for – we just love it. We usually get seafood – the crab cakes and fresh fish are the best, and the desserts. Well, just see for yourself! The perfect end to a perfect day would be a carriage ride through town. It’s not only fun and relaxing, it’s educational, because the drivers are so well-versed in Cape May’s history. Then it’s home to Checkers for one last walk, and so ends another perfect day in Cape May.

The Cape May Crossword SO YOU love crosswords and you love Cape May? Great. Sit down, get a cup (or glass) of your favorite beverage, relax and enjoy this puzzle. The answers can either be found in these pages or are related to Cape May and summer in general. The solution can be found on our website, www.exitzero.us. Puzzle compiled by Dan Mathers.

ACROSS 1. Besides being a realtor, she is the owner of Celebrate Cape May, the shop in Washington Commons offering everything Cape May. 2. Try this restaurant’s “Nationally acclaimed southern-style fare” and al fresco dining. Hint: the restaurant is in an historic hotel.

5. Wayne Piersanti was the owner of this bar on the Washington Street Mall that remains a legend to this day.

7. This realty company is offering a home at 706 New England Road in Cold Spring for $549,000.

12. Give this psychic a call, and he will come do a reading for you. Find out more in the Q&A in this issue.

13. After lunch and maybe a short nap on his perfect day, he would pick up his grandson Dante and head to the beach for a couple hours.

16. On his perfect Cape May day, he would meet friends at Cucina Rosa or 410 Bank Street before delivering his curtain speech at Cape May Stage.

17. She would head on over to the Lobster House Coffee Shop for breakfast on her Perfect Day. 18. This is the business location in West End Garage that is selling Beach Sand Snowflakes.

19. Opening June 25 at SOMA NewArt Gallery,

this is the name of Sean Taylor’s new exhibit.

20. He would tell you that step one in becoming a birder is to show up for a morning walk at Cape May Bird Observatory.

21. This restaurant is one of few places to serve a variety of Asian cuisine - Japanese, Chinese and even Thai.

22. Morey’s Piers have two water parks to satisfy your need for slides and tubes – Ocean Oasis and this.

23. If you find yourself stuck in the midst of a rainy vacation with the kids, you must have board games from this store.

DOWN 1. He was offered the post of US Attorney General by President Grover Cleveland, but instead became president of Cape May Gold Club.

2. She is the Exit Zero team’s dedicated labeler, and a phenomenal baker to boot.

3. This is the second restaurant in which our intrepid correspondent Diane Stopyra set off to wash dishes for her feature story.

Don’t miss her play... see 8 Down

4. This is reason number 12 that you should exit zero

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make a trip out to dine at Rio Station in Rio Grande.

6. This art gallery is showing a monthlong exhibit of oil paintings by artist Judith Anderson.

8. This theatre company is proud to present the works of Rachel Crothers, Dorothy Parker and Louisa May Alcott this summer.

9. This restaurant in West Cape May serves “Modern American cuisine with a cool and casual vibe...”

10. It will be Kids Day, with face painting, storytelling and games, at this historic Cape May building on July 6.

11. We pestered this man with 27 questions, and he was kind enough to answer every one.

14. “Never has history been so irresistible.

Whiskers is now located with us!” claims this shop’s advertisement.

15. Captain Humphrey Hughes was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the enemy when he let the crew of this British ship get drinking water in Cape May.

Plans for independent contractors, families, individuals and groups at competitive rates.

610-222-9400 www.millennium-tpa.com

exit zero iii july

2011

exit zero iv july

2011