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East Coast Road Trip – Day 3

September 25, 2016 by Laurie Deppa 1 Comment

This morning we left Virginia Beach and headed to Charleston.  It was about 7 hours direct but we made two stops.  First we stopped at Fuller’s – a very popular barbecue buffet restaurant in Fayetteville, NC.  It was almost exactly half way through and perfectly timed for lunch!  I got the buffet (was a tough call with choice of either ordering a la carte or the buffet for only $8) – crazy deal.  I had a really nice mix of some local favorites like ribs, pulled pork and okra.  Despite being off of a buffet and for only 8 bucks, it was pretty good.   There are Fuller’s in other locations as well and it’s an easy stopping point off of 95 (beats any fast food and it was quite fast).

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Fuller’s Buffet

 

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Then my daughter and I proceeded to do the tacky tourist stop at South of the Border.  I know, really cheesy but I HAD TO.  We grabbed a quick yogurt shake and a bathroom break and got back on the road in no time.  Even with the stops we made it to Mount Pleasant (Charleston, SC) in less than 8 hours from the Norfolk area.  The speed limit is 70 some of the way and traffic was pretty good.

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South of the Border

We found an Airbnb in Point Pleasant and it turned out to be very centrally located.  It’s a nice little condo with our own room and bath – and a very nice and accomodating hostess.  There’s even a pool and tennis – not bad for $49 a night!

We unpacked and headed into the historic area of Charleston to enjoy a beautiful evening.  We took a pedicab for a nice ride around the waterfront area – I love them because you can really see the area at a nice leisurely pace.  We then walked along the waterfront and played at the playground (really nice area with tennis, basketball, baseball and playgrounds).  We swung on big porch swings and watched the sky turn dark.  My daughter splashed around in the fountain (YOU CAN SWIM IN THE FOUNTAINS – there is even a sign that says no lifeguard on duty -LOL!).

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Ellie splashing in fountains at Charleston Waterfront

Feeling famished we walked by Fleet Landing and managed to get a table out on the waterside deck.   I had a scrumptious low country boil (shrimp, potatoes, sausage, corn) for a good price and had great service.  The only was the mosquitos were enjoying my ankles for dinner.  (IF YOU GO, BRING A LITTLE BUG SPRAY in case).

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Low Country Boil

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Fleet Landing

We did one more spin of the town on the pedicab – cities like Charleston are so pretty at night!  Ellie’s down hard in our home away from home…night y’all.

Filed Under: Travel Tips, United States

East Coast Road Trip – Day 1

September 23, 2016 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Today my daughter (5) and I set off in our VW convertible for a road trip from Annapolis, Maryland to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  We have until October 5th to meander down the coast.  We have made no plans in advance and are taking the trip almost one day at a time.

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Off we go – Road Trip to FL

 

This morning I decided to spend the weekend in Virginia Beach.  It’s a great time to be there.  It’s only 4 hours from Annapolis and if you take Route 13 – it’s a beautiful ride most of the way.  We stopped on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to snap some photos and check in with the fishermen.  Ellie loves stopping there.  They have a cute little restaurant with great views of the Bay if you have time – we didn’t stay very long.

Ellie at Bay Bridge tunnel. Day one

Ellie at Bay Bridge tunnel. Day one

I know not everyone can do this – but we are retired military – so we were able to book a room at the Navy Lodge Little Creek/Fort Story, VA.  It’s 2 minutes off the bridge and has everything.  We checked in to a very nice room for $55 a night (all the hotels on beach were almost $200/night).  We drove down the street to the base beach.  It’s a nice beach with picnic tables and porta-pots and plenty of FREE parking.  We met several families and Ellie played for a couple of hours.

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For dinner, I decided to just drive and find shopping centers with restaurants.  I found a packed parking lot – sign of a good place.  We had stumbled upon New River Taphouse on Pleasure House Road and the menu looked VERY appetizing.  They have pizza, burgers and some really great entrees like “Dueling Filet Mignons for $20”. I decided upon a classic – shrimp and grits.  I worked in New Orleans for a while and this was the best I have ever had! WOW!   The restaurant also has a nice patio and my daughter was very content to play on the kids menu and order from the kid’s menu.

Shrimp at Grits at New River Taphouse

Shrimp at Grits at New River Taphouse

Quite a day! If you are looking for a nice weekend getaway, look no further than the Virginia Beach area.

Stay tuned for more adventures with Laurie & Ellie…

 

Filed Under: Travel Tips, United States

Alaska Airlines Sale

September 19, 2016 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Alaska Airlines is having a sale on new routes from the west coast to Newark, NJ (EWR) and NYC (JFK).  These nonstop flights allow you to travel during the day and still have time for fun.  Sample fare – Portland to Newark for $119 one-way, taxes included.

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Hurry because the sale ends today!

 

Filed Under: Travel Tips, United States

Annapolis, Maryland – A Great Place to be in Summer

May 18, 2016 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

I have lived in Annapolis, Maryland about 20 years and I think it’s one of the greatest places in the world.  It has something for everyone – especially in summer.  With Memorial Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to plan a trip to the Capital of Maryland.

Annapolis is geographically convenient for many modes of travel.  It is easily driveable and is within a day trip drive of several states.  You can fly into one of three airports – Baltimore-Washington International being the easiest and closest, followed by Reagan National and Dulles.  You could also arrive by boat as Naptown (as we locals refer to Annapolis) is perfectly surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay.

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Time with friends on the Bay

Anyway you get here – just get here.  The weather tends to be warm and sunny – prefect for a tour by water on Watermark Cruises or by pirate ship with Pirate Adventures of the Chesapeake.   If you’ve always wanted to learn to sail, look no further than Annapolis Sailing School or J World.  Or you can enjoy a free show of amazing color as jibs fly in the breeze during Wednesday night races.

Shaun and Alice Couchsurfers with Laurie at the Fleet Reserve Club

Showing guests our beautiful bay

The United States Naval Academy is a must-see.  The visitor center offers a free mini-film about the academy that is quite good.  You can walk around the Naval Academy “yard” as it is called as long as you have a valid ID.  There are some good tours but I also recommend taking a long stroll along the sea wall – great for exercise and enjoying a view of the Chesapeake Bay/Severn River.   There are also naval parades often which are open to the public.  Don’t forget to see the crypt of John Paul Jones – the ‘father of our navy’.

City dock has much to offer with free outdoor concerts, delectable restaurants of all kinds and some good shopping.  Don’t forget Maryland Avenue, an historic street with many places to enjoy.

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Party at one of our local beaches

In case you didn’t know, Annapolis was the Capital of the United States at one time and is where George Washington resigned his commission.  You can enter the Maryland State House free of charge, just don’t forget a valid ID.  It really is a beautiful building and in fact it is the oldest one in the country in continuous legislative use.

While you are there walk along the beautiful campus of St. John’s College – a tiny but beautiful institution founded in 1696 as King William’s School.

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Always fun at City Dock

If you’re looking for nightlife there is Ram’s Head (one of my favorite places with a great happy hour and lovely garden) with famous headliners and so many good local artists at bars and restaurants around town.   There are also outdoor concerts 5 days a week at beautiful venues like Quiet Waters Park and City Dock.  The Friday night series at Annapolis Towne Center is one of my favorites!

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Friday night concert at Annapolis Towne Center

Raphael and friend

Friday night concert at Annapolis Town Center

If you like festivals you’re in luck! Annapolis is jam-packed with festivals and events.  Just to name a few – First Sundays on West Street,  Irish Festival at the Fairgrounds, Eastport-a-Rockin, (A GREAT) Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks, Maryland Avenue Festivals and so much more!

Throw in one of the best malls in the state; lots of museums; great parks; beaches; great hotels, B&B’s and houses in which to stay – and a proximity to Baltimore and Washington, DC – WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR IN A DESTINATION?

 

 

Filed Under: Travel Tips, United States

My Review of Great Wolf Lodge, Scotrun, PA

May 9, 2016 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

This past week I had my first experience staying at a Great Wolf Lodge.  It’s been on my bucket list for a while and I thought with the recent non-stop rain that my four year old and I needed a pick me up.  I considered both the Williamsburg and Poconos locations but went with PA because of its proximity to my mother’s house – a stop on the way home.

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Great Wolf Lodge Scotrun, PA

The GPS said 3.5 hours and it turned out to be a good trip as we left Annapolis at 1pm and avoided any traffic.   I didn’t realize that it’s right next to Camelback Ski Resort – something good to know if we ever want to come in winter.  That could be a good combo – ski in the cold air then warm up in the waterpark!

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Family hot tub at Great Wolf

I had a little difficulty booking our stay.  I checked their site and they offer a heroes rate – for military, police, etc.  I tried to book a room for 4 nights but it gave me an error message.  I tried calling the 1-800 number and they said the same thing but that I should try calling the property directly as it was the same day I wanted to check in.  ALWAYS call the property directly because hotels will generally give you a better rate if there are unsold rooms.  I left three messages with the reservation manager and she never returned any of them.  I finally got a hold of SOMEBODY and they said just come to the front desk.  I also mentioned that I was considering a stay at the Kalahari down the street and they offered me a good rate.

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Goofing it up at Great Wolf

We arrived at Great Wolf, Scotrun after much anticipation.  I approached reception with some frustration and informed them of my unreturned calls.  The font desk manager was fantastic!  She apologized profusely and speedily checked us in at the “heroes rate” for 4 nights in a 5-person room.  We were happy to oblige.   She also threw in a “wolf pass” – a very cool package that combines all different activities such as MagicQuest (a cool game where you get a magic wand and run around solving riddles no finding “treasure”), bowling, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, free items in store, arcade money, etc.  IT’S REALLY a cool thing to get!  That really made our trip MUCH more fun.

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The kids bunk area

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Another bed in kids area

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Spacious room at great wolf

Our room was very spacious with a queen bed, pull-out sofa, a TV, gas fireplace, mini frig and balcony.  The “kids area” had bunk beds for 3 kids and a TV all set into a little cabin area – Ellie loved to hang out there.  It’s almost a reason to travel with more kids 😳.  The bed was very comfortable and there was plenty of room for me to do yoga.   I only had two complaints – the maid woke us up one day because she didn’t see the ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign and the phone didn’t work.  That was really frustrating as I tried to call the front desk several times for important things.  Every time I ended up having to walk down to the front desk and ask for help.  I was so frustrated once that I got on my cell phone and tried looking up the front desk number.  Only thing I could connect with was the 1-800 number and they would NOT give me the direct hotel phone number without my reservation number which I didn’t have.  Are the employees all in witness protection or something?

Other than all that stress I was quite impressed with the overall property.  The manager who checked me in personally emailed me to ensure that we were having fun and continually asked us as we walked by the desk.  They have activities like a dance party, story time by the fireplace and an animated show.

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One of the many waterslides

The waterpark is the largest in North America.  I’d like to visit the biggest in South America 😎.  They have: an area for small children with some “baby slides”, a wave pool that my daughter loved, 6 watersides I think, a hot tub for families, a hot tub for adults only, a lazy river, a complex of water guns and waterworks,  an obstacle course and a pool.  The hard part was always finding a chair as everyone plops down towels and never sits.

The food wasn’t bad.  I was very “smart” and brought a few things from home so we only really ate dinner ‘out’.  You’re not allowed to bring coolers into the waterpark but you can bring food in – so either bring stuff that doesn’t need to be in a cooler or run back to your room and eat.  Of course there are a couple of restaurants – casual cafes – in which you can eat at a FAIRLY reasonable price.  I had a salad that was pretty good and big enough to split over 2 lunches.  One night we went out into town to eat and the other three nights we ate at the buffet which was pretty good and totaled $28 for both of us for dinner.  It was all-you-can-eat and they are good about letting you take items out – each time I took an apple and an orange for the next morning and I asked for an iced tea to go.  There is also a Starbucks in the hotel lobby if you need a fix.

I worked out in the gym a couple of times – it’s a little sad with just two elliptical, two treadmills and one machine.  Since it was rainy it was a good way to get a little more exercise – beside the stairclimbing for the water slides!  They have a TV so my daughter occupied herself at least.

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Ellie and her friend Sammy the Squirrel

With her “wolf pass” she played mini-golf and bowled (duck pin).  I think her favorite was making a stuffed animal (Sammy the squirrel) then taking it around the hotel and interacting with the “clubhouse crew”.  At the end she got an email ‘from the animals’ with a photo –  a nice touch interacting with the kids.   She doesn’t go anywhere without that bushy squirrel now!

We played Magic Quest for hours (they say it can take 8 hours – if I had known that I would have started played it on day 1).  They give you an interactive wand and you run around the hotel following clues and answering riddles.  I thought the spa was a little overpriced (it always is at resorts) so we did not partake – maybe for her birthday.

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One of kids waterslides

I rode every water slide (some are really fast) and the lines were pretty fast – I don’t think I would want to go during a holiday due to the amount of people there on regular school days.  It was cold and rainy out but I wouldn’t mind coming in the summer when the outdoor part is open.  We met some nice people and Ellie made some friends (imagine that).  At the time of check-in I wasn’t sure if 4 nights would be too much.  In the end I think it wasn’t too much – it was great mother-daughter time.  When it was time to leave Ellie fussed that she never wanted to leave and she wanted to live there…😳

 

Filed Under: Travel Tips, United States

Sometimes a Great Weekend is just a Short Drive

November 9, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

First Friday in Gettysburg (Nov in short sleeves!)

First Friday in Gettysburg (Nov in short sleeves!)

Mr G's Best Ice Cream in Gettysburg

Mr G’s Best Ice Cream in Gettysburg

I have been thinking a lot lately about exploring more with weekend road trips.  The Baltimore – Washington area has so much to offer and so many great places to see.  This past weekend we decided on a weekend trip to Gettysburg, PA.

I have been to Gettysburg before but this weekend was different.  We were very fortunate that it was 78F on Friday and that it just happened to be “First Friday”.  That is a monthly event where the stores stay open late, they have free live music and some stores offer free refreshments.

It was a really great evening with crowds pouring off the sidewalks and sitting outside in November in short sleeves!  We had dinner at the The Pub – a local favorite.  They have it all –  good pub fare, good prices in a fun environment.

To top it off we went to Mr. G’s Ice Cream Shop.  They are the only homemade ice cream store in town and they have a cool gift shop in the rear.

Sometimes for the best adventures you don’t need a passport or plane ticket.

Filed Under: Travel Tips, Uncategorized, United States

“SURFIN” at the Beach

June 16, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Brian, Laurie & Ellie in Va Beach

Brian, Laurie & Ellie in Va Beach

 

I LOVE the beach.  About a month ago I decided to plan a trip to Virginia Beach – one of my favorites.  I did my “magic” – looking through my various sites and found a wonderful family on CouchSurfing.  I emailed Nancy and asked if we could come this past weekend and she agreed.  I was very excited for a family trip – yes my husband would be joining us!

We headed down Thursday to get a little extra time and avoid traffic.  It’s a really nice drive – we take 50 East then 13 South, that’s about it.  There was a little traffic on 50 but it really opened up after Easton.  Route 13 is just so easy, never any traffic and really nice drive through farm country and the Eastern Shore.  Lots of great places to stop for local seafood as well.  Last time we picked up some soft shell crabs and packed them in a cooler for a delicious dinner back home.

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Brian & Ellie swimming in our host’s pool

At the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, we stopped to enjoy the views and watch the people fishing and crabbing.  They have decent restrooms, a nice gift shop and a restaurant with water views.  It was nice to have a little break after a long drive.   We arrived at the house in the Great Neck area and were immediately greeted by a lovely woman (Nancy).  She has a very sweet dog and my daughter was immediately stricken by the four-legged creature.  They have a lovely, large home with an in-ground swimming pool on a beautiful golf course.  We had two bedrooms and a bathroom all to ourselves.

Ellie and Brian at 31st Street Va Beach

Ellie and Brian at 31st Street Va Beach

We quickly headed to the beach and parked in the Hilton garage on 31st.  There are nice bathrooms, a rinsing station and a fun restaurant right there.  Of course having driven 4+ hours with a 3- year old, we headed right for the playground in the sand.  There are several of them scattered up and down the beachfront and they even have an all access one called Grommet Island at 2nd and the beachfront.  It is a very family friendly beach.

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Laurie & Ellie on a bike stop at Grommet Island Playground Va Beach

There are several live music venues along the beachfront with live music every night.  There was even a classic rock festival that weekend.  We sat at Catch 31 one night and had a decent dinner around fire pits – one of my favorite places to eat.  We splurged on a meal since we can eat most of them at “our home”.

My other favorite thing to do is ride bikes along the beachfront 3-mile long bike path.  It’s a very safe and fun ride – you can stop anytime to play or grab a quick snack.  We stopped to check out the two museums along the path – the Old Coast Guard Station – a neat museum that preserves maritime history with interesting events and displays.  All the years I have been going to Va Beach I never gave it a thought.  You know how it is – for years you go by the same places but you never stop in.  Next time you do, try a new place.  There is also the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum – that one is free and they even have live carving demonstrations.

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum

Old Coast Guard Station

Old Coast Guard Station

We had great days on the beach – the water was perfect, the surf was pretty calm (BUT the sand was very hot – I REALLY recommend wearing some heavy socks – I had flip flops and still burnt my feet).  We made a friend who was staying at the Ocean Club and they invited us to join them in the pool.  Ellie had a blast in the 3 pools (one really cool “indoor” with lots of fountains) and I had a nice soak in the adult only area hot tub.

Brian & Ellie at Ocean Club

Brian & Ellie at Ocean Club

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One of Ocean Club Pools

We joined them again the next day and had a GREAT meal at Tortuga’s – the restaurant and bar on site.  They have poolside service and pretty good size menu, not terribly expensive.  The other days we packed the cooler and ate sandwiches and salads on the beach.   Our last night we were joined by Nancy’s husband and we had a really nice dinner together at their home.  I scrounged up some of our food and foraged through hers and made a nice meal for all.  We swam together in their outdoor pool and had great conversations about the military, travel and kids.  It really was like staying with old friends.

Laurie and Nancy (with Jade)

Ellie and Nancy (with Jade)

At Taste - A local favorite place for sandwiches and gelato

At Taste – A local favorite place for sandwiches and gelato

Another local place - Nini's for yogurt

Another local place – Nini’s for yogurt

 

 

Filed Under: Hospitality, United States

Ooh Rah

May 30, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

If someone tells me they are a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine, you know), I am going to host them.  My husband is a Marine and I have the utmost respect for them, and all military and veterans.  This young man wrote last minute on Couchsurfing and asked if he could spend a night with us.  He is a student at Bryant College and coming for a summer internship but his room isn’t ready yet.  Of course, I said yes.

Shaun arrived about dinner time Tuesday.  I was in the midst of a local pub crawl with my other guest Alice from France.  We were at the Fleet Reserve Club, enjoying a perfect summer evening on the deck with some friends that we happened to run into.  This is one of the greatest things about staying with a local.  Neither Alice nor Shaun would be allowed into this private club without me, a member.  We had a great time enjoying the priceless view of the harbor and roaring laughter with my friends – old and new.

Shaun and Alice Couchsurfers with Laurie at the Fleet Reserve Club

Couchsurfers Shaun and Alice with Laurie at the Fleet Reserve Club

Later we walked up to my favorite ice cream place downtown, Annapolis Ice Cream at 196 Main Street.  Eight consecutive years voted best ice cream in Annapolis – and they make all their own ice cream in house.  They both LOVED it.  As we were leaving I saw a group of Midshipmen walking down Main.  I asked them if our friends could follow them to the yard (USNA) so they could walk around a bit.  Shaun only had one night to see the tow and I had to leave with my daughter.

As my two guests returned home for the evening they informed me that one of the mids was a tour guide and offered them a private tour of the campus.  Fabulous!  My guests had an awesome and truly local, authentic evening.  When I awoke the next day, Shaun had made us some of his favorite tea that he brought along and even left me two beautiful tea cups as a gift.  Not sure if he knew that I love tea!

Filed Under: Hospitality, United States

Down the Shore II

May 25, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

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Jessenia and Laurie in Somer’s Point, NJ

We have made another local friend, Jessenia, through Couchsurfing.  She came over and sat on our deck watching the sunset with me.  We shared stories of Panama, (she was born and raised there and I just went for a long trip in Jan).  We also have a lot in common professionally (I used to own spas and she is a spa manager).  We had a lovely time and I even got to practice a little Spanish.  We might meet up at a local spot, the Tuckahoe Inn in Marmora, right down from her house.  I think we now have another friend around here.  Why did it take me twenty years to make friends, I made two in one weekend.

 

Filed Under: Hospitality, Uncategorized, United States

Down the Shore

May 24, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

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Ellie & Laurie relaxing outside Ocean City Coffee

If you are from NJ, NY, PA – you know how to say “at the beach” correctly (down the shore).  Where I grew up in PA most people choose to go to Jersey beaches, and my favorite is Ocean City, New Jersey, “America’s Greatest Family Resort”.  I would say it is definitely one of the greatest.  There are no bars in OC, almost all two lane streets with lots of bicyclists, a very large boardwalk and tons of activities for the whole family.  It is clean, there is very safe and has tons of great shopping.

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The infamous “flipflops” are a great photo op

If you really want adult fun there are lots of great bars a 5 minute drive in Somers Point, and Atlantic City is about a 25 minute drive (can’t speed, all lights are timed :-0).  I have been going for years but never really as a local.

I planned a trip to the Jersey Shore for a long Memorial weekend.  I already had a place to stay – my Dad’s in Somers Point, New Jersey, but I really don’t know many people even after coming over 20 some years.  It was just me and my three year old so I thought I would take my own advice and Couchsurf for friends in Ocean City, New Jersey.  I thought it would be nice to actually have a local friend.

I found a lady, slightly older than me and I emailed her a week or so ago.  I let her know that I was coming to the area and wanted to meet people.  We agreed to make contact when I arrived in town.  Thursday the weather was just awful so we agreed to meet for coffee Friday morning at the local hangout Ocean City Coffee Company on Asbury.  That’s my favorite – finding the local coffee shop (for tea of course).

Julie was fantastic, really.  We chatted for a bit then she offered to let us park at her house and go play at the nearby park.  She gave us some delicious fruit and we shared our stories of a love for travel.  She showed us her studio in the garage where she refinishes furniture into great shabby chic finds.  She even pulled out a box of kids books and gave them to Ellie.

Later we went by the thrift store Second Chance where Julie volunteers and happened upon some great finds.  She also recommended a great local bakery across the street – Wards Pastry on Asbury Street – for a quick afternoon treat.  She was right, it was packed with locals and I never knew about it.

It was really great finding a new friend in a place I have been visiting for years.  Ellie says she really likes Julie and I hope we get to come back and visit her again soon… or maybe she’ll come visit us in Annapolis.

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Ellie playing putt-putt at the Goofy Golf

 

 

Filed Under: Hospitality, Uncategorized, United States

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