Cape May Getaway

Sometimes you just have to get away.  At least that's what the husband and I decided when we realized that we hadn't been on a trip, just the two of us, in almost a decade.  We didn't want to go too far away, and we didn't want to go anywhere new in case we didn't like it.  So the husband said,  "What about Cape May?"  Victorian houses, quaint shops, and seafood?  I was there.  I booked us a room at Congress Hall and marked it on our calendar.  

Yet this past Wednesday, when it was time to set off for New Jersey's southernmost point, I began to have second thoughts.  It was cold and rainy, more like March than May.  Still, I swapped out my packed clothes for warmer ones and ordered myself to have fun.  Usually, when I order myself to do stuff, it's dishes and jumping jacks, so my chances for success seemed pretty good.  

When we rolled onto Washington Street, it was raining even harder.  "What do you want to do?" the husband asked.  That, at least, was a no-brainer.  "Cape May Fish Market," I said.  In no time, we were devouring our go-to, butter-drenched seafood rolls: shrimp, lobster, and crab for me, and scallops for him.  It's one of the best things I've ever eaten.  

That lunch set the tone for the next two days.  Being on vacation in the middle of the week, during the off-season, while it rained off and on, seemed like a decadent adventure.   

For once I wore (mostly) comfy clothes, focusing on my favorite color, yellow.  I got a kick out of how I matched Congress Hall.  

We took nature walks, which is the husband's thing, but once upon a time, it was my thing too.  I make jokes about being indoorsy, but even now there's something exciting and fairy-tale-esque about discovering a path in the forest.  And we wouldn't have been able to enjoy it if it were warmer, what with UV rays and mosquitos.  

We climbed the lighthouse.  If I look grim, then it's probably because I got a little weirded out on the deck.  It was very windy, and I was grateful to be back on solid ground.  

We even found not one but two places to spread our photography wings:

And finally, we shopped and ate more seafood!  

My favorite shop was the West End Garage, a trove of vintage and handmade treasures.  I couldn't believe how cool it was, or that in all the times I'd been to Cape May, I'd never been there.  Stall after stall of unusual décor, furniture, clothes, jewelry, and anything else you could imagine wound before us, not unlike those forest paths.  Here's a stall featuring vintage toys.  

I almost went for the set of lemon and orange bobbleheads but instead got a gorgeous brooch made of ribbons and charms (more on that later).  The husband chose something from the same artisan, a bowtie made of red and tan feathers.

So all in all, we had a wonderful time, full of fun and relaxation.  Cape May, we give you two arms up!