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Christmas week was a terrific time to be at the Angel. Good weather and a whole slew of tours and activities around town helped fill the house and it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. This was the first time in 11 years I didn't go on vacation over the holidays, so I was able to take part in all of the festivities. Pat & Dick, Chris & Lonnie, Doug & Ruth and everyone else..it was a joy having you stay with us.
New Year's Eve was so much fun. The weather was mild and many people chose to walk to dinner. Rick, Mim and I hosted our New Year's party here at the Angel. Mini quiches, chicken quesadillas, various cheeses and dips, and of course, champagne were served starting at around 11:30 pm. (I ducked out around 10 of midnight to greet the New Year at home.) Rick and Mim stayed on to keep the bubbley flowing and clean up. (Thank you very much.)
I was going to do one of those "Year in review" type entries but I felt overwhelmed going back through all the highlights of last year. I will make another attempt later on after I sort out all the high points of 2007. Till then. |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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As promised here are couple of pictures from the Angel's annual staff Christmas party.
The party was held last night at the Island Grill. Of course, with a name like the Island Grill, the restaurant was decorated in a tropical motif, including.... a pink Christmas tree!! The food was terrific with entrées that included Macadamian Encrusted Chicken with a Coconut Curry Sauce and Jerked Grouper with Island Rice.
It was so much fun to interact without worrying about answering phones or cleaning rooms and a great way to get to know each other better in an informal non-work setting. The beer and wine also helped everyone loosen up a little and I am happy to report there was no lamp-shade wearing the entire night.
After dinner everyone got to exchange gifts as part of our Pollyanna. (Or Secret Santa, to those of you not from this area of the country.) Lorie was my secret Santa and she gave me a portable Mojito kit with a bottle of rum and my very, own muddler. For those of you who have heard about my Key West vacation last year, you know it was the perfect gift.
Kudos to Carol and everyone at the Grill who did a such terrific job. The service and hospitality was incredible. And of course, I want to thank Lorie whose generosity as a boss always amazes me.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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I can't believe Christmas is just a little over a week away! This past weekend was the final Candlelight Tour of the season. Luckily the weather held up and we didn't get any precipitation till very late Saturday night. Of course, there are still many other tours scheduled throughout the holidays right up until the 1st of January.
It was a great week here at the Angel. It was wonderful to meet old friends again...Charlotte, Carol, Barbara, Fran, Joe, Andrea and so many others. And it was nice to welcome some new visitors. The phones were a little crazy with so many people ordering last-minute gift certificates but I still had some time to sit and chat.
The Cape May Chamber of Commerce held its Holiday Social on Tuesday at Carney's. Lorei and I had a great time, even though, neither one of us had any luck with the raffle and 50/50. I want to thank Carney's for hosting the event. The food was delicious, especially the rosemary chicken.
Our staff party is tomorrow night at the Island Grill. I'm really looking forward to taking a night off from work and just enjoy everyone's company. I'll try to post some pictures later in the week. |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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The very first snow of the season began falling early yesterday afternoon and continued off and on throughout the day and night. ( I snapped this quick picture of the Angel, right before the batteries in my digital camera died.)
I always love how beautiful the city looks right after the snow, with a blanket of white covering all the many turrets, towers and gingerbread of our wonderful Victorian painted ladies. | |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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It has been a very busy couple weeks at the Angel and around town, so I haven't been posting as much as I would like.
We finally got started with painting the outside of the Angel. Unlike previous years, where our maintenance man would paint a section here and there when it was needed, this is going to be an entire repaint. Local company Brushworks has been contracted to do the job and, if the weather holds, it should be completed in the next month or two. And our guests have been wonderful, realizing a little bit of inconvenience will be worth it in the end.
And speaking of guests, it was wonderful to see so many old friends this past weekend. (And it was great making new friends, too.) With the Christmas tour season in full swing the entire inn was sold out. I had a blast sitting in the parlor catching up on all the news and, of course, regaling everyone with my "vacation from hell" tale. (But that's another story and another post.)
It was a quite cold on Saturday, and with the first of MAC's three Candlelight Tours and the West Cape May Christmas parade, town was absolutely packed. Ron and I bundled up and rode our bikes down to the mall, where we staked out a great location for viewing the parade. Unfortunately I started to really freeze about two hours in, so we headed home before Santa showed up. But I had a great time anyway.
On Sunday, I headed over to the Beach Theatre to see The Jane Austin Book Club. It was my first time there since the Beach Foundation took over, and I'll tell you, they have done an absolutely terrific job in getting the lobby and bathrooms renovated. I was told all the work was donated and I have to commend all those involved. Oh, and by the way, the movie was wonderful. Funny, romantic, exactly what one would expect from a movie about (and not about) Jane Austen. It made me want to re-read all her books again.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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The Beach Theatre reopened this past weekend with a combination of documentary, foreign language, art and classic films, including Casablanca in a rich remastered 35mm print. I wasn't able to get there this weekend due to prior commitments but I am looking forwarded to what will be an interesting schedule that includes opera broadcasts on the first Thursday of each month.
Currently the theater will be opened Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (as well as the first Thursday of each month) with operations being handled by the Beach Theatre Foundation which is currently leasing the theater from the Franks organization. For more information visit their website at www.beachtheatre.org I hope everyone will help support this effort to keep a movie theater in Cape May. | |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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First, I want to wish everyone a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving.
Right now, I'm taking a quick break from work to run home and post some of those additional pictures I promised. On the left is the mantelpiece in the parlor with some wonderful new reindeer that Lorie picked up this past year. Next to it is the (finally!) completed Christmas tree. (I'm still having a problem with my digital camera getting a good picture of the lights. If anyone has a suggestion, please feel free to e-mail me.) Below is a fabulous Victorian Santa. Not new, we had him last year in the hall outside of Room 24. This new location at the foot of the stairs in the Main House is probably a better location for him. Last year he kept surprising staff and guests at night. From where he stood on the the top of the landing, people kept thinking he was real person lurking in the shadows...
It has been a quite week at the Angel, getting the decorations up for the holiday. It was great seeing the Lahouts and Martins again and getting to meet some new guests. With it being Thanksgiving, I was thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for: Ron, good health, my cat, having a great piano teacher, my apartment in Cape May. I also have to add having this wonderful job. Not only do I get to work in a beautiful mansion, where I can look out at the ocean, but I get to meet so many interesting and wonderful people.
One of the things Chet and I love to do is pull out the reservations cards for the upcoming week and look at who's checking in. It's great to see previous guests coming back. I always love to take a few minutes at teatime to catch up on all that's been happening in their lives. Any new grandchildren? How was your daughter's wedding? How was the trip to Ireland?
Well, I better get back to the Angel. I left Chet cleaning the chandeliers in the dining room and I'm sure he's wondering where I've gotten to. I have some exciting news about the Beach Theatre in Cape May that I will try to post tomorrow. For now....
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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 The parlor is finally completed and all decked out for the holiday season. Lorie, Chet, Theresa, Debbie, Jane and Lia all should be complimented on a job well done. I will try to take some additional pictures today to give you some other views of the tree and the staircase in the main house. This past weekend I attended the lighting ceremony of the official Cape May Christmas tree at the Physick Estate. It was a mild night which really helped attendance. There must have been more than 500 people enjoying the activities which included free tours of the Physick House, a train display at the Carriage House, free cookies and punch and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus. The Cape Harmonaires provided the entertainment with a selection of Christmas Carols and their rendition of "On The Way To Cape May." And Mayor Jerry Inderwies read an official proclamation making Doctor Emlen Physick, who was celebrating his 162 birthday that night, the honorary Mayor of Cape May. |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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  Well, it's that time of year again. The tree came over from storage on Monday and Chet and Lia spent the afternoon fluffing it up and making sure the lights were all working. (Which they weren't, so that meant a trip to the store.) Then on Tuesday they started decorating individual rooms. The mantel also needed to be cleared and, of course, we needed to move some of the furniture out of the parlor. Yesterday, Lorie, Chet and Theresa started the decorating in the parlor. Lorie picked out a simple silver and gold color scheme for this year. The tree was first, followed by the mantel and finally the stairs. I. who have no decorating instincts, basically assisted by holding ladders, passing ornaments and trying to stay out of everyone's way. I was really amazed how everything came together. I was also amazed by the amount of glitter that ended up all over the floors, as well as all of us. We'll probably be still cleaning it up next August. This weekend will mark the start of the Christmas season in Cape May. The official Cape May Christmas tree will be lit Saturday night at the Emlen Physick estate. Prior to the lighting memeber of the Chamber will be carolling down Washington Street from the mall and various porches along the way will "Welcome Friends" to sit a while and partake of a goodie or two. I am working at trying to get as much Christmas info up on our website and hopefully will have it all posted before this weekend. Well, that's all for now. I'll have some more pics posted tomorrow. |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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As any of you may know from reading this blog, I am without a doubt one of the worst bloggers in history. I'm not talking about writing style. I'm talking about writing, or not writing, period.
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions and my intentions are always good. Each morning I'll put "Write in Blog" on my to do list and each night there it is...unchecked. There just always seems to be other more pressing things to do each day: order cleaning supplies, checking on wine and cheese, getting ads out to local publications, scheduling, and then when I get home, trying to learn the Adobe Creative Suite from a book (like that's gonna happen) and let's not forget practicing the piano. Whew, I exhuast myself just reading this.
Well, in order to save this blog from oblivion, Lorie is stepping up and adding herself as an additional author. (To be honest, I don't know where she'll get the time. I mean besides the Angel, she has two teenagers, a house undergoing renovations and she works out, too. Now thinking about all of that is really exhauting.)
Well, anyhow, let's welcome Lorie to the blog. I'm not sure what she'll be posting but whatever it is I'm sure it will be fun, entertaing and informative...and knowing Lorie, maybe a little out of left field. I can't wait to read her first post.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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After record-breaking warm temperatures in October, it looks like the weather has finally caught up with the calendar. The beach chairs and umbrellas have been put it storage, along with our air-conditioners, and Alex, our maintenance man, has spent the last week mulching our flower beds and getting the Angel ready for the upcoming winter.
The mall has been decorated for the Fall and most of the restaurants are starting their winter schedules. The "serious" Fall movies are playing at the Rio Grande Theatre and the fireplace has been blazing in our parlor.
With the focus on more "inside" activities we've expanded our game area with quite a few board games including Monopoly, Stratego and my favorite, Clue. And our library on the second floor is slowly expanding. Personally, I can't think of anything more relaxing than sitting in front of a blazing fire reading a good book.
And next week... well, next week we start the Christmas decorating. It's always so much fun each year to bring the boxes over from storage and go through them, picking out various items for each room. And of course, that means it's also time for the Christmas CDs. Nothing like listening to a few carols to get into the spirit of the season.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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  This past Saturday, historic Jackson Street was filled with the sounds of om-pah music and the aroma of funnel cake, when the Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Cape May Oktoberfest. With exceptionally mild temperatures, attendance was at a record high. Vendors displayed everything from original art and jewelry to antiques and Christmas items. An authentic beer garden was set up next to the Carroll Villa and food choices included traditional sauerbraten, German sausage and sauerkraut. It was great seeing so many people enjoying our town and I had the chance to stop by a couple of the booths and say "Hi" to some of Cape May's biggest supporters. Susan Babineau-Roberts from the Mission Inn was there to give visitors information on Historic Accommodations of Cape May. And the ubiquitous Bernie Haas was manning the Cape May Magazine and capemay.com booth. (Just this past Wednesday he was hosting the Cinetrivia Contest at Congress Hall to help raise fund for the Save the Beach Theatre Foundation.
Walking up the street to the Washington Street mall, I couldn't help but be impressed by the job the Chamber did in decorating for the fall.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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 Fall has arrived but it feels more like summer here in Cape May. With temperatures in the 70s and 80s (and water temps still around 72!) almost every day this past month has been a beach day. Lorie has decorated the outside of the Angel with gourds and pumpkins and it won't be long till the hot cider is steaming in the dining room, but for now, I'm still thinking shorts, sandals and sunscreen. September has always been one of my favorite months and it was great to see old friends like Dennis & Diane and Pat & Lenny. Chatting on the porch at teatime and catching up on what's happening in all our lives has to be my favorite part of the job. (Diane, thanks for the recommendation on The Devil in the White City.) With less cars around town biking is a breeze. One of my favorites rides to recommend to guests is the trip to the lighthouse. Round trip, it's about 8 miles. And if you have the energy once you're there, the trip up to the top of the lighthouse (all 199 steps) is well worth if for the spectacular view. Restaurants are still open around town, though some are now on their fall schedules. Check the Angel of the Sea website or call the front desk for updates.  |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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I can't believe it's already Labor Day weekend! I also can't believe how terrible I've been with this whole blogging thing. I thought it would be easy each day to sit down and write a little bit about the Angel and Cape May. Boy, was I mistaken! So, in order to remedy matters I thought I'd take the opportunity to review the highlights (and lowlights) of this past summer. First the weather. I can't remember a summer with such terrific weather. Kicking off with a beautiful Memorial Day, I believe we had more "beach days" this year than anytime in recent memory. Though, not every day was perfect. Cool breezy weather during the week put a dent in Independence Day activities and caused Congress Hall to cancel the annual fireworks display. And the next to last week in August is probably best forgotten. But most days were warm and, even though it took a while to warm up, the ocean temp was finally in the 70s by mid-July and has stayed there. I believe it got close to 80 a couple weeks ago and, for some reason, the jellyfish that usually appear when the ocean warms never materialized. I did go out to eat a few times this summer and, once again, I have to say Cape May has some of the best restaurants anywhere. I had wonderful dinners at both Cucina Rosa and Frescos, two of my favorite Italian restaurants in town. (The Veal Madeira at Frescos was a special menu addition the night I went and it was a perfect rendition of a classic dish.) The Mad Batter was also terrific, especially the pizza appetizer. Last week I finally got to the Copper Fish. Under new management and with a new executive chef, I was a little apprehensive. (It has been one of my favorite dining spots since it opened a few seasons back.) Well, I need not have worried. The menu has been expanded and the food was absolutely terrific. And I can't talk about restaurants without mentioning the Ocean View. This diner-style family restaurant has always been a favorite of mine and Ron's (my significant other and dining partner), as well as locals. They serve the largest omelets you'll find anywhere and the service is fast and friendly. For dinner I heartily recommend the hot turkey sandwich served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Talk about comfort food. This summer saw some very special events that are worth mentioning or mentioning again. First, kudos to the Chamber for sponsoring the brand-new-this-year "Movies on the Beach." Three movies were shown free of charge during July with about 600 people attending the final film "Grease." Plans are in the works to increase the number of films shown next year to 8. (One a week in July and August.) The Chamber also sponsored weekly Town Crier events during the summer, including strolling violinists on Tuesdays in August. Every Thursday in September they will hold a "Taste of Cape May" event on the mall with participating restaurants offering free samples throughout the evening.  For me one of the highlights of the summer was the exhibit of a selection of artwork by John Lennon on the mall July 20-22. Presented by Legacy Fine Art & Productions, in conjunction with Yoko Ono, the “Come Together” show featured about 100 hand signed pieces, as well as limited edition prints. A fundraiser for Cape May Stage the exhibit was so well attended that they kept the doors open an extra two hours each night. I had a great time and although I didn't have the money to invest in any of the pieces I did pick up a T-shirt. Well, that's about it for now. But look for more entries to appear soon. It's still warm and there's a whole lot happening in Cape May from now through December. |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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Last night Lorie and I attended the monthly Chamber of Commerce meeting. It was great to see so many businesses attend and the enthusiasm was definitely contagious.
We met the new owner of the Primrose Cottage, Cat Cronin. (Welcome to town!) It was also nice to see some old friends like Bernie Haas (capemay.com and Cape May Magazine), Jack Wright (Exit Zero), Susan Babineau-Roberts (The Mission Inn) and Laurie Johnson (Oma's Dollhouse.)
Some exciting things are in the works here in Cape May. Tonight is the first-ever "Movies on the Beach" sponsored by the Chamber. Tonight's feature is Steven Spielberg's "Hook", ... |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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Summer is in full swing here in Cape May. Beaches are crowded, shops are filled... and Cape May's finest are out in force writing tickets for those unfortunates who forget to get back in time to feed another quarter in the meter. And at $32 a pop (ouch!) Cape May starts to look a little unfriendly to the summertime traveler.
Now, just in time, the Chamber of Commerce has come up with a terrific volunteer program to assist the forgetful parker: Meter Angels. These volunteers are going around town and helping out by feeding expired meters before a ticket is issued.
We can't think of a better idea and the Angel has donated $200 to the Chamber to help the cause. Cape May is a terrific town and we want people to enjoy themselves when they visit. We hope other businesses in Cape May will also step up and make this program an overwhelming success! |
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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It's been great seeing so many of our returning guests this holiday week. Fireworks last night over the Bay and tonight on the Beach in front of Congress Hall. Our new cook, Dawn, will be whipping up some holiday inspired treats for afternoon tea. This is one of my favorite summer weeks in Cape May. I am always reminded how lucky it is to be an American.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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What an absolutely lovely day it was today. It was close to 80 down here in Cape May, and with the beach only half a block away, I seriously considered leaving early and camping out by the waves.
Chet was outside this afternoon, cleaning windows. But he can't fool me. I know what he was doing. Windows... darn, I wish I had thought of that! Hector, our maintenance man, has been working diligently on getting the Angel ready for the upcoming warmer weather. Painting some of the wicker, refurbishing the bicycles.
We did have the bikes out today and will probably putting them out daily from now on. (As long as it's not raining.) Cape May is such a great biking town. In the spring and summer, it's my second favorite thing to do, after going to the beach.
Lorie is in Myrtle Beach attending the PAII national conference this week. PAII stands for Professional Association of Independent Innkeepers. I'm sure she'll come back with all kinds of new ideas, new marketing tips, maybe some new recipes.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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In addition to the Boiler Room (see yesterday's post), look for other St. Patty's activities to be in full swing this weekend.
Carney's will be offering lunch and dinner specials tomorrow, Saturday, March 17th with non-stop live Irish entertainment from noon till closing. Menu selections include ham & cabbage, corned beef & cabbage, Irish stew, potato leek stew. Mmmmmmm. (With prices starting at $9.95.)
Ballyhoo's has parties going on today and tomorrow with a 5 hour open bar, hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour, a grand dining buffet and live music. All for $42 per person plus tax.
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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Lorie, the owner, was doing the cooking this morning at the Angel. What a fabulous breakfast she put together! There was a choice between an onion/cheddar frittata or a Challah bread french toast with Melba sauce. I wish I had my camera with me - I would have definitely posted some pictures.
Dropped some brochures over at the Welcome Center on Lafayette Street this afternoon and, of course, had to run upstairs and say "Hi" to everyone at the Chamber offices on the second floor. Another beautiful day, but it looks like we've got some dicey weather in store tomorrow. But since this is St. Patrick's Day weekend, who cares?!!!
Will try to get some info on this weekends activities posted tomorrow. I know the Boiler Room has Celtic Crossroads playing Saturday night at 8:00 pm. (doors open at 7:30.) Cover is $12. Sound like fun!
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| Posted by Sharon at | | | |
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