Category: Life at the Shore

  • Island Living

    Although I’ve heard the phrase “Manhattan Island”,  I wouldn’t think there are similarities between New York City and our seven mile island.  Until I remember that they faced evacuation orders for Hurricane Irene, too.

    My sister and I talked about this yesterday on a day trip to the city.  And, here we thought it was a monumental task to evacuate all of Cape May County!

    The main purpose of the day was to see “How to Succeed in Business” staring Darren Criss (from Glee).  The audience was FILLED with teenage girls and their mothers (and aunts!).  As a bonus,  Beau Bridges is the other lead in the show- plenty of adorable charm for all generations ;)  The show was great!

    Prior to the show, we walked through the 9/11 Memorial.  My first thought- do the families of the victims see this as a grave?  That’s how I interpreted the pools as they run deep into the ground.  A co-worker (her cousin died in one of the towers) said she viewed the rushing water as a symbol of the towers collapsing. 

    And of course, you see the names. We used the kiosk to look up a Wildwood Catholic High School alum, Andrew Alameno.  My sisters and I went to school with his siblings.  He was a “beach kid” who grew up to work for Cantor Fitzgerald…and was just 37 years old.

    I noticed several women’s names followed by “and her unborn child”.  Heartbreaking.  And as you walk through the park, you look up at the construction of the mega high rise next door, and feel sick as you imagine that day.

    New York City deserves credit for protecting this space.  The memorial shows respect for both the victims and the event.  I was impressed.

  • What’s Open?

    Always a BIG question this time of year. 

    For breakfast:  Maggie’s, Brian’s, and Uncle Bill’s in Avalon (the Stone Harbor Uncle Bill’s is closed until spring). 

    Lunch:  same as above, plus Circle Tavern in Avalon and Fred’s in Stone Harbor.  Also Nemo’s in Stone Harbor, Stone Harbor Pizza, Circle Pizza, and Tonio’s in Avalon. For take-out (lunch/dinner) Grand Moon Chinese and 7 Mile Island Deli in Avalon.

    Dinner: Circle Tavern, Fred’s (yes, serving real dinners, along with typical bar sandwiches), and the Sea Grill.  Nemo’s, Stone Harbor Pizza, and Tonio’s all offer simple Italian dinners in addition to pizza/sandwiches.  On weekends, add Avalon Rose (on 8th Street) and Via Mare.  Harbor Pub has bar snacks, too.

    OR:  there’s always Wawa 😉

  • In Denial

    It hasn’t really felt like January yet…and I’m okay with that.  This was the view from the beach last night.  I posted a few more pictures on Twitter- including one with 3 surfers!

    Damp and a bit colder today.  We may even see some snow over night ??

    Realistically, I know we have at least 2 tough months ahead.  An occasional break of sunshine and mild temperatures will help. Oh, and the ocean views 😉

    Afternoon Update- light snow flurries on the island as of 2pm.   Over cast and very “raw”.  Okay- THIS feels like January!

  • Beachwalker’s Report

    During the winter months, I often walk closer to the dune line for warmth.

    With the recent stretch of mild days, I have ventured back to the water’s edge.

    An observation based on recent walks in both Avalon and Stone Harbor: there is fresh sand on our island beaches.  This is not scientific- I’m basing my statement on the fact that the “hard sand” by the water is actually quite soft.  I believe that the waves are depositing sand on the shores and it will become packed down over time.

    The dunes and the beaches are all in great shape.  Avalon will shore up the section between 18th and 24th Street this winter (see previous post: https://anndelaney.com/2011/12/20/borrowing-sand/ ).  Otherwise, I am happy to report that our 7 miles of beach are stable, and in some areas, even wider than before.

    By the way, 4:32pm moonrise later today.  Should be impressive!

  • January?

    A sunny 50 degrees at the shore!  The top picture was taken last evening- a scenic view from the bridge into the south end of Stone Harbor.  The bottom picture was taken this morning- hundreds of birds hanging out on the beach enjoying the warm temperatures, too.

    Have a great weekend!

  • Snow!

     Well, that was a nice surprise.  An especially pleasant walk on the beach this morning!

  • Back to Work

    My time off for the Christmas holiday included a quick trip to southwest Florida.

    Enjoyed beautiful weather and an up close view of 3 manatees in a lagoon.  Not as “cute” as dolphins…but entertaining to watch!  My first wildlife sighting for 2012 😉

  • Skunks in the News

    Avalon is in the news today regarding the removal and/or relocation of skunks.  Decided to look back on my blog, and found 6 posts where I mention the nuisance of skunks:

    https://anndelaney.com/2011/11/07/monday-sun/

    https://anndelaney.com/2009/10/28/96th-street-stone-harbor/

    https://anndelaney.com/2009/08/08/ac-versus-noise/

    https://anndelaney.com/2009/06/09/caution-animals-of-the-night/

    https://anndelaney.com/2008/11/03/skunkseeewww/

    https://anndelaney.com/2008/10/04/is-that-a-squirrel/

    As far as I know, skunks are not “native” to the island (I grew up by the high dunes and not far from the 74th Street sanctuary- never saw one when I was young). 

    The situation reminds me of the ferral cat debate- animal lovers versus those who classify them as rodents.

  • Ready for the Beach!

    We received 2 special holiday edition beach tags as a Christmas present.

    Before long, they will be pinned on my beach bag…and I will be ready for summer of 2012.

    Thanks Mom 🙂

  • The Real Seashore Santa

    Santa– the life size painted, cut out version- has been an important part of Christmas for as long as I can remember.

    Santa began his life of service in the early 1960’s at my parents’ first house in Avalon.  He was surrounded by big, multi-colored bulbs on the newly planted shrubs.  Inside that modest Golden Home rancher, 4 little girls hung their stockings on a cardboard fireplace with a plug in red bulb that magically turned the metal wheel to create “fire” .

    In the 1970’s, Santa moved with our family 5 blocks south in Avalon to a larger, 2 story home with a real wood fireplace.  The colorful exterior lights were eventually replaced with more subtle white bulbs, but the spot light literally remained on Santa.

    In the off season, Santa hung proudly on the garage wall- watching us all come and go.  Those little girls grew up and moved out, bringing back grandchildren for days on the beach.  In the 1980’s, my young sons were fascinated by Santa, and maybe a bit intimidated based on our attempts to use him for improved behavior!

    When my parents downsized to a townhouse in the early 1990’s, my father asked if I wanted Santa for our home.  Of course, I was thrilled- and Santa didn’t complain as he was forced to leave Avalon and move “off shore”.

    Santa loyally followed us on each move- knowing that he would be given a prominent position (with a flood light) at Christmas.   Several years ago, he gratefully moved back to the island to become a Stone Harbor resident!

    Now approaching 50 years old, Santa is showing some signs of wear (aren’t we all).  I thought about asking an artist to do a “touch up”, but it just doesn’t seem right.   It’s good to remember that so much time has passed- it helps us to celebrate the journey.

    Merry Christmas!

    This entry was originally posted Christmas 2008. I think it deserves an annual repeat.