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.