The Jersey Shore Blog

For those of you who follow Drop Dead Sexy and their lively band, Labor Day Weekend will give you a double dose. Saturday night can be enjoyed by all at the Springfield Inn, located at 43rd Street and the beach in Sea Isle City. If you miss that, or want to catch them back to back nights, The Princeton Inn, located at 2008 Dune Drive in Avalon will host them on Sunday evening. Come out for a great time and a great band.

Although we are in our last full week of summer before Labor Day at the Jersey shore, September can be the best month for residents and tourist alike. Once the summer sizzle has calmed down, many enjoy the fun and sun at the Jersey shore without the crowds. September weather is still very warm and the water temperature stays comfortable almost to mid October. So come to the Jersey Shore for a September you will remember forever.

This Saturday is July 7, 2007. Just another ordinary day? Not to millions who have been waiting for this day because of the three 7’s that is located in the date. Atlantic City NJ expects a huge increase in the number of tourists that will visit it’s City on this date because of the luck that is suppose to be within the 7’s. That and the fact that this date falls on a Saturday in the middle of the summer season, Atlantic City is the place to be.

If you have that lucky feeling, you know where to go. To the Boardwalk of Atlantic City with all of it’s glitz and glamour of the many casino’s. GOOD LUCK!!!

For those of you who visit the Southern Jersey shore during the summer, make a point to visit the Princeton in Avalon. The owners have totally renovated the property and now has an outdoor eating area along with an open air bar. But the City of Avalon has given the owners a hard time about serving alcohol at the outdoor area. After the owners spend mega bucks on giving the Princeton a new look and more upscale design, why would the City of Avalon have a problem with the serving of alcohol in a designated, sit down, eating area??? It makes you wonder who is behind this and what agenda they must have.

My wife and I were driving down Route 9 towards Wildwood and we could not decide where to eat lunch. I remembered that in the Center of Town in Cape May Court House a new restaurant had opened recently. J-Ottons, located at 16 S. Main Street opened in December of 2006.

As we entered, the restaurant that holds around 40 persons in the winter, but also offers outside dining in the summer,we noticed it was almost filled to capacity. We were pleased to see this because that usually means the food is good. The lunch menu had a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches that were reasonably priced. I tried the soup of the day which was a buffalo chicken soup. I had never seen buffalo chicken as a soup option, but it was spicy and tasty as I had hoped. For my entree I had the Prime Rib sandwich which came with Potato Chips and Cole Slaw. I was given a horseradish sauce and Au Ju for dipping. The prime rib came on a grilled Cibatta roll, and the taste was very good. The size of the sandwich was more than enough and chips were piled high on the plate.

My wife chose the Tropical Delight Salad, which consisted of a mixed green salad, vegetables, a blend of seasonal fruits. toasted coconut, candied cashews, and a citrus Rasberry Vinaigrette. She also opted for the grilled chicken on top. Her salad, which was enough for two was wonderful. She enjoyed the combination of fruits and vegetables. The fruit was fresh and had great taste, and the rasberry vinaigrette blended well with everything. She ate half of the salad and brought half home.
J-Ottons in Cape May Courthouse received two thumbs up from us. We will be eating there again in the near future.

J-Ottons
16 S. Main Street
Cape May Court House, NJ
609-465-3200

Damp, Cold, Cloudy, and Windy. These are four words that best describe an average March Day at the Jersey Shore. Although we get some great days, the chances are you will have most of the words above to describe the Ocean Drive Marathon, which takes place at the end of March.

This annual event which brings out hundreds of participants and as many spectators who cheer for the athletes, starts in Cape May and ends in Sea Isle City. Participants can run the full marathon, which is 26 miles, 385 yards, or choose one of the smaller courses. For those who can’t put themselves through 26 miles, there is a 10-mile run, which starts in Cape May and ends in Wildwood, a 5K run in Sea Isle City, or a 1.5-mile run/walk, which takes place on the Promenade in Sea Isle.

I gathered at the finishing line with the many participants and spectators and I could feel the energy and enthusiasm as everyone cheered the runners on. Although I was there for a reason, I enjoyed the camaraderie of those who participated and those who waited for loved ones to finish. The finishing time of the first, second, and third place entries in this marathon is usually between 2 hours 45 minutes and 3 hours, which is where they finished.

The Ocean Drive Marathon has many sponsors and donors who contribute to local charities in Cape May County. Among the beneficiaries of the event are the Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May County, The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, The Marine Mammal Stranding Center of Brigantine, and the High Schools in Cape May County.

If you are an athlete, or a person who likes to run, walk, or participate in a sporting event, the Ocean Drive Marathon is a great way to feel good about several causes. This annual event is one that will be enjoyed by all.

If you are planning a trip to the Southern Jersey Shore in the spring, you may want to consider Cap May with its Spring Festival. This week long event offers activities from Friday April 27th to Sunday May 6th.

Cape May in the Spring offers guided tours of Gardens in bloom, Victorian Houses, Historic Haunted Tours, and many can be accessed by walking, Trolley, or Horse and Carriage. If you are in for the walk, you can stroll around town and see the beautiful flowers in bloom, the Victorian Architecture that takes you back to the turn of the 20th Century, and visit many of the fine shops and dining establishments.

There is a Chocolate Fantasy Buffet being offered on April 28th. You can indulge in this decadence of a completely chocolate buffet. The Executive Pastry Chef of the Washington Inn will bring you this wonderful display of lights and dark chocolates.

A vintage Dance weekend is another of the many planned activities you will find during this festival. You can receive instruction in Vintage dance, followed by a costume ball and tea dance. This event occurs Saturday April 28th and Sunday April 29th.

One of the biggest delights of this week is the Spring Festival Chef’s Dine-Around, which happens only one night on Thursday May 3rd, and reservations are limited to only 34 people. This is a five-course meal and each course is served in one of Cape May’s premier restaurants. A trolley shuttle between restaurants is provided.

There are many other events during this festival including a Murder Mystery Dinner, Cape May Wine School, and a Gourmet Brunch Trolley. For information on all of the events listed above and others available, you can go to the Mid-Atlantic Center of the Arts Website at www.capemaymac.org.

The annual St. Patricks Day parade will come to Sea Isle City on Saturday March 10th. This annual event will start at 93rd and Landis Avenue and end at 63rd and Landis. The parade starts at 3:30 PM and afterwards join all your Irish friends at Kix McNutleys for the annual Irish Party. If Kix is not in your plans, you may want to head over to O’Donnell’s Poor House Irish Pub for some great food and entertainment.

Come to Sea Isle for the weekend and help celebrate the IRISH.

The second annual Atlantic City Beer Festival will be held in Atlantic City on March 10th & 11th. For an admission fee of $25.00, you can taste many beers in which there will be over 200 varieties. There are three sessions being held. Two on Saturday March 10th: Session 1 from 12:00-4:30, Session 2 6:00PM-10:30PM. There will also be one session on Sunday March 11th: Session 3 from 1:00-5:30.

With over 200 beers, vendors, and entertainment, this festival is expected to bring in around 10,000 people. For you beer lovers or those who appreciate the brewing of beers, come to the Atlantic City Beer Festival.

I recently encountered a sub shop located in Ocean City, Ventnor, Brigantine, and Absecon called Sak O Subs. A friend told me that the subs were very good, so I thought I would give it a try. My wife and I drove to Ocean City one evening during the cold front and decided to try their hot subs, so we decided to eat at the location at 926 Asbury Avenue.

I ordered the super cheese steak sub, and my wife ordered the chicken cheese steak. With a price of $6.50 and $5.50, I thought the prices were fair for the Jersey shore. I was very pleased with my sub, as was my wife. Usually, when I order a sub, the meat does not cover the roll and you feel like you are eating mostly bread. This sub was advertised as having over ½ pound of meat. It filled the roll and I tasted steak in every bite. The price of $6.50 was well worth the sub I had. I only ate about three quarters of it and took part of it home. The steak was not fatty and the fried onions and other condiments were plenty.

My wife’s chicken cheese steak was very tasteful and she also brought a piece home with her. The portions were very satisfying, and I would recommend Sak O Subs to all who come to visit the South Jersey Shore.