hat a wonderful find is Cape May. Also such a great escape destination from Florida, situated on the southern-most tip of New Jersey, two hours on Spirit Airlines from Tampa to Atlantic City. With a short drive you’re in a different world.

On May 11th 1976 Cape May was designated a National Historic Landmark district. The town’s 600 Victorian era houses and hotels comprise one of the largest existing collections of late 19th Century frame buildings in the country.

Cape May Victoriana

Built like an English Victorian enclave I felt right at home there. The elaborate and charming houses, now mostly converted to B&B’s or restaurants, were encrusted with multiple layers of Acroterion to Barge to Verge boarding and must take much TLC to maintain. City pride abounds and justifiably so. What a ‘warm’ and picturesque place to visit. Alongside a plethora of tiny boutiques of all kinds there were many antique stores, cafes and restaurants. Near by there were bird sanctuaries, wetlands, lighthouses, beaches and open spaces for taking long walks. Golfing, tennis and fishing were all available too. This was also a great biking town, being quite flat, and a pursuit we enjoyed very much. Getting to know the neighbourhood by bike is the best and friendliest way.

We had started our stay in Wildwood (details to follow) and now were on the second leg of our visit, settling into our gorgeous B&B, The Primrose Inn, on Lafayette Street. Lovely innkeepers Bart and Sally Denithorne were immediately on hand, greeted us warmly and gave us the royal tour of their much loved and cared for property. Very close to town this place was a tranquil haven that we very much enjoyed and recommend highly. Our luxurious suite was on the third floor and sumptuous with soft sofas and beds in which to sink, all decoraed in fresh blues and whites.

Dating from 1850, and with renovations started by previous owners in 1991, Bart and Sally took over in 1996, to continue this process, to upgrade and improve. In 2001 they added 800 square feet, including a guest suite and new dining area. They offer “old style living with modern conveniences.” The Inn is also open all year, what a magical place to come for the Fall colours or a cosy, Christmas.

The Inn has six sun-filled, warmly decorated rooms, each appointed with period furnishings. They also include heat and air conditioning, ceiling fans, en suite bathrooms, jacuzzis and television ...on request. We liked that, not missing TV at all, during our stay.

We discovered that a Twining’s Tea Museum was situated and open five minutes walk from The Primrose Inn, on the Physick Estate. I just had to see this place (much to Neal’s dismay at first. He’d seen enough teapots and drank enough tea on English visits he thought!).

We then discovered, after talking to staff that Mr. Samuel H.G.Twining O.B.E. himself, (yes there is still a Twining family that are very hands-on running a huge business), was in town and giving talks and signing his new book, My Cup of Tea. Well, this put a whole new light on things, after all I am English and here was Taste Dining&Travel covering the area for a travel article. I was on a mission, watch-out! What a great find; Mr. Twining at his museum, we had to meet him and have an interview. So, after much begging and pleading with the kind P.R.manager, Jenn Heinhold who knew his whereabouts and kindliness towards promoting this lovely place, we were set up to meet and have tea with the famous man himself.

What a charming, genteel and kind gentleman he was too. I was thrilled to spend time with this ninth generation Twining. Not only did we enjoy a cream tea with him but he spent time showing us his 100-strong travelling teapot exhibit, called ‘Traditions in Elegance.’

Mr. Twining is deeply involved in the business which has made his family name famous since Thomas Twining bought Master Tom’s Coffee House in 1706. Only after serving in the Royal Marine Forces and much travelling, did Mr. Twining, at age 23, decide to follow the family tradition and join the company.

He is now the Company Corporate Relations Director, that covers 90 countries world-wide! Mr. Twining also supervised the establishment of the new Twining’s Museum and Shop in London which dates back to the eighteenth century.

As well as being president on many boards and his extensive travels he found time to set up the Twining Teapot Gallery in the Castle Museum, Norwich, England and the world touring teapot exhibition. He chose Cape May for the site of the tea museum due to the very Victorian architecture. The gift shop is wonderful too, and I spent much more money than planned on all the lovely gifts available there. Sam Twining was awarded the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by the Queen in 1977, for his extensive work in the export trade.

After some cycling and walking to work off the tea, and to talk over the unexpectedly good time we had just shared, we were headed back to nearby Wildwood for an evening at Restaurant Maureen. Yes, Maureen Horn of Longboat Key. Maureen had helped us organise this trip and put us in touch with The Primrose Inn and a few other places we were to enjoy.

Martini au-go-go at Restaurant Maureen with great shakers Ron, Maureen&Liz

It was a fun contrast to enter Maureen’s, the place was jumping after a very successful Bid-for-a-Bachelor fund raiser, (over $6,000 raised for CAROT (Coalition Against Rape&Abuse) that night, fantastic). We enjoyed an entertaining evening as well as our meal, but were disappointed not to see anyone dancing on the bar as we’d been forewarned to possibly expect!

This vibrantly decorated restaurant, darker than our Longboat version, stands above the rest in Wildwood hands down! It’s always great to see familiar faces when travelling and it was good to see Maureen and Steve doing their, obviously very successful, ‘thang’ up in Wildwood too. 25 years and still loving it!”

Steve creates dishes to appeal to all palates, global American cuisine with French bistro, regional Italian and pan-Asian influences. Obviously a successful recipe if their loyal as well as new customer crowds are to go by. Maureen and the great fun, yet professional staff handle the front of house and Tim, Ron and Liz do the best shaking around, well martinis that is, over 22 of them or your favourite concoction!

After settling down to our dining we began with tastes of the delicious Tuna Napoleon, seared tuna layered with crispy wontons, avocado, cucumber, and green onions in wasabi vinaigrette and pickled ginger and the divine Roasted Mushroom Bowl , a warm melange of assorted mushrooms, sweet onions, kalamata olives and roasted tomatoes topped with herbed cheese and a hint of chile oil with toasted bread. We loved this so much I concocted my own version at home!

Our next courses were the Grilled Jumbo Sea Scallops, with wasabi ginger cream sauce, sweet soy, warmed wakame (Japanese edible seaweed) salad and citrus couscous and the Bistecca Tuscany, a 12 oz. sirloin strip, marinated in olive oil and black pepper, grilled and served over warmed mustard dressing with arugula, gorgonzola and mashed potatoes. Deciding to forego the potatoes we were able to have some very fresh haricot verts. All excellent. These Horn’s know their business and we’ve always had a good time and good food in their restaurants.

I think! we had some dessert martinis later, quite the thing, such as the truly delicious Mochachino, chocolate mousse martini. You can always rely on Maureen’s for some innovative and stimulating martinis north or south of the border!

We had a lovely peaceful night back in our beautiful suite at The Primrose Inn.

Aromas of coffee and fresh baking tempted us downstairs the following morning and we passed a leisurely breakfast sharing stories and lifetimes with our kind and friendly hosts, Sally and Bart, as we had them to ourselves that one day. Sally’s yummy (low-cal ha! ha!) treats included a wonderful yogurt, fruit and granola sundae and her own muffins.

Then we were off to discover more of charming Cape May, on our loaned bicycles from the Inn. The weather was great, not too hot or cold and very conducive to sight-seeing. We shopped and walked and biked and explored. We found a very nice cafe, A Ca Mia on the excellent pedestrian street, the mall. With Euro-style Northern Italian and contemporary American cuisine using fresh local seafood and pasta and well run by pleasant owner Barbara Franklin, it really hit the spot.

After spending some down time reading and relaxing in our comfortable suite, we made ready to dine at the well-known, Pelican Club. Found on the 6th floor of the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel, the view was great, overlooking the town roof tops and the beach.

The restaurant was very welcoming clothed in warm tones of pale golds and woods, while the pianist added to the atmosphere. A very nicely appointed wine room was a central feature, with 2000 wines. (The sister restaurant, the Washington Inn has a 10,000 bottle wine cellar!) Our server Ann Marie and manager Lexy were great and took good care of us.

We liked the menu a lot, comprising many wines by the glass as well as bottle, and a ‘smaller’ as well as ‘larger’ plate menu. The ‘amuse bouche’ sent by Chef was a delicate local seared scallop with a delicious yellow Jersey tomato salsa, which we tasted with a delicious white Burgundy, Volnay, Premier Cru 1998.

My appetiser was the Pancetta wrapped, stuffed Figs, with Maytag blue cheese and baby lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette. This was another so delicious plate that we again had to try it at home! Neal chose a very good small plate of Feta and Walnut Ravioli, with toasted walnuts, lemon beurre blanc and the fresh lifting flavours of gremolata.

We then chose the generously cut Grilled Yellowfin Tuna with black beans, mango-jalapeno salsa, chilled lemon grass-coconut sauce, which worked so well and the excellent Grilled Cuban Rubbed Pork Chop served with whipped sweet potatoes, plantain chip, and red wine infused jus.

Executive Chef Walter Jurusz, CIA trained, has been with the Pelican Club since its renovation 1994. The dessert menu looked great too, topped off with a choice of cookies and milk, all by Pastry Chef Kathleen Cressman. We really liked this place for its food and atmosphere as well as its service.

We had our own plans for dessert and enjoyed a short inter-course walk to the well touted Ebbitt Room. This very smart restaurant was nestled in The Virginia, an equally smart small luxury hotel on famous and beautifully kept Jackson Street.

The Ebbitt Room had received “Best of the Best” awards and “Best Hotel Restaurant” by readers of the New Jersey Monthly as well as a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence.” We plan to return for a meal, but we had a nice time people watching and choosing from the 12 strong cheese board and 10 gorgeous desserts as well as the terrific choices of malts, cognacs, brandies, armagnacs, ports and eau de vie digestifs! A definite must.

Our next morning was slow paced and had us enjoying more of Sally’s kitchen produce. This time fresh waffles with fruit. After sharing travel tales with other guests and saying fond farewells to Sally and Bart we drove northward to the airport and onto Florida with firm commitment to return to this very nice place that is Cape May.

...and now for something completely different!

Resorts International in Atlantic City

After a late arrival in Atlantic City we opted to spend the night at the Resorts International Hotel and head south to Wildwood in the morning. This was a huge hotel with a casino catering mainly to the New York and Jersey vacation crowds. Our room was large and very comfortable, modern and tastefully decorated. This was the first resort built in the area 25 years ago was an obvious choice for conventions and getaways with or without the family. I was amazed to read that Atlantic City ranks in the top five most visited cities in the United States, with over 30 million visitors a year looking for recreation and entertainment with some of the top names, such as Paul McCartney, still on stage here. Another big draw is the autumn, for the colours, world-class golf courses, still mild weather as well as entertainment and casinos galore.

The fine fare at their Capriccio

We had reservations at their upscale restaurant Capriccio and we made our way straight there after checking-in.

This restaurant was very elegant, decorated in the formal Italianate style. The ceilings were high and the walls of pale, soft ochres and whites, the high arches, crystal chandeliers and mirrors gave the whole place a light and airy feeling. Our table was by the huge windows overlooking the, now quiet, boardwalk, and the everlasting high rolling waves were constant entertainment! The real silverware and very nice glassware was a treat, so often a disappointment, even in high-end restaurants.

The menu was very complete and well presented and the wait staff were equally expert with our knowledgeable and attentive waiter, Bob, also speaking Italian. They told us that due to Americans staying closer to home since the previous year’s atrocities of September 11th they had been busier than usual.

Our dining experience began with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms layered with spinach, served with jumbo lump crabmeat, and chopped tomatoes in a roasted garlic cream sauce, which was excellent, as was the special, the Carpaccio of Ahi Tuna, with Dijon mayonnaise and sun-dried tomato and cucumber mint.

For the main courses we tasted from the Ossobuco alla Milanese, on a bed of Saffron risotto and the fresh Seafood with Arborio rice. The orange zest finished the Ossobuco beautifully and cut the richness. The scallops, shrimp, calamari, clams and mussels were also given a different and refreshing base with the rice having a white wine basil sauce.

The dessert comprised eight very nice choices and we opted for the Seasonal Fresh Fruit served in a pastry shell with a strawberry drizzle, which was very good. Alongside was a nice selection of ports, dessert wines, grappa, Scotch and cognacs. We very much enjoyed a quiet evening in this unexpectedly elegant Capriccio.

Neal’s notes: Having grown up in New Jersey and visited the Jersey Shore over the years, it was interesting for me to return to Atlantic City, where our family spent many a summer vacation in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I had not visited since well before the casinos and gambling came, therefore I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What I noticed mostly is that it hasn’t change much. Yes, there are new casinos, but years ago there was the Traymore and other hotels that were as grand as these in their time.

The Boardwalk has seen better days. I can remember when everyone dressed up at night to “walk the boards.” Nowadays the crowd isn’t as refined (as are many resort areas) and many of the shops have lost their luster, although I did see the Planter peanut man tucked away in a corner window. Ah, memories.

As it was years ago, a few blocks away from the Casinos and Boardwalk action, Atlantic City shows its seedy side. Consequently the visitors seem to not stray too far from the resorts. Visiting A.C. today opened up a flood of memories for me and those are the ones I will cherish.

.... WILDWOOD

Wildwood is about three-quarters of an hour drive south of Atlantic City. This area an obvious mecca for families with children of all ages with it’s infamous and nostalgic boardwalk, beachfront amusement parks and rides.

Our next night was to be spent at the Eden Roc Motel, a good example of the retro scene starting to thrive again in Wildwood. This was a small hotel, 30 rooms, well run by Mari Gluzinski. The rooms were basic but clean, and provided all the usual modern conveniences as well as a good size pool.

They had an extensive list of guest services to help and advise guests. The motel, as well as Wildwood, were gearing up for the annual Fireman’s Convention 2002 to be held there the coming weekend. Last year’s was obviously cancelled, so this year’s convention was bound to be one of mixed feelings, but some sorely needed fun for these brave guys I am sure.

The cool Doo Wop Museum

After checking-in at the Eden Roc and checking-in with Maureen, we were scheduled to meet up with Joanne Galloway, Communications Director for Morey’s Piers. Who better to give us a tour of the place. We went to the Doo Wop Museum, now open to the public. A real throw back in time, (I’m told!), to the 1950’s and a chance to relive Wildwood in its heyday. The Doo Wop Preservation League has worked hard on this project and offers a large library of reference books, vintage architectural elements, neon art and presentations of the architectural studies of the Universities of Pennsylvania, Kent State and Yale. At this headquarters location on Pine and Pacific Avenues in Wildwood you will also find the studios of signage and neon artists.

The mission of the league is to “foster an awareness, appreciation and education of the popular culture and imagery of the 1950s and ‘60s and to promote the largest collection of mid-century resort architecture found in the United States. ”Being a product of the post WWII auto vacation boom, these structures sprang up in volume and variety, accommodating middle class families who now had enough income and leisure time to indulge in their personal pursuit of the ‘good life.’

Starluxe Motel in Wildwood

There is a trolley tour that drives you through the streets showing such landmarks as the newly renovated Starluxe Hotel. Its chrome plated, pastel neon, space age fins and the plastic palm trees set the scene! A wonderful description of Wildwood is that it can be best described as the “Jetsons-gone-Hawaiian.” Many of the motels are named after outer space (The Satellite) or of some exotic island resorts, like the Tahiti, theTropicana, the Aztec or the Jolly Roger. Visit the Jersey Shore and you can almost leave the country (or even the planet if you wish). Very unique to say the least.

Our next appointment was for dinner at Mangia! Mangia! in nearby west Cape May. This family-friendly casual Italian restaurant was very busy on a Tuesday night. The extended cottage-type restaurant is all about good food, fun and atmosphere and it wasn’t difficult to see why they had garnered so many local press reader awards. Owner partners Jim and Tim were equally fun, and our cheerful and efficient server Betsy was great.

Owner Jim Linnington and hard working Mom

I ordered the Lobster Bisque with shrimp special, which was very good, and Neal had the fresh local mussels. You can choose red or white sauce for which they are much acclaimed. Our next course comprised two of the house specialities, the Lobster and Crab Stuffed Ravioli, with a Sherry cream sauce and the Chicken Florentine, both of which were great. We also had some ‘room temperature’ salads, hurrah for them! So much more enjoyable than the freezing offerings we so often get in Florida.

Instead of dessert we went for a walk and coffee, but had really enjoyed Mangia! Mangia! and would visit again on our next trip there.

After our goodbyes at the Eden Roc the next morning, we looked for a breakfast place and found a good spot with a great view of the huge beach expanse, the Adventurer Grille on Cresse. Greek owned, the staff were great and were happy to please with a very nice first meal of the day.

We then followed the now familiar road back to Cape May to the lovely Primrose Inn where I began this article.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions on the places we visit, we are happy to try to answer them, give us a call. Thanks too for all your positive comments and support of our travel articles over the years.

By Vanessa Shaw-Finelli

Contacts

Resorts International Hotel&Carpriccio 1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City NJ 08401 1 800 336 6378 www.atlanticcity.com/resorts.htm
The Primrose Inn 1102, Layfayette Street, Cape May, NJ 08204 1 800 606 8288 www.theprimroseinn.com
Eden Roc Motel 5201, Atlantic Ave., Wildwood-by-the-Sea, NJ 08260 1 888 373 1930 www.edenrocmotel.com
Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts/Twinings Tea Museum 1048, Washington St.,Cape May NJ 08204 1 800 275 44278 www.capemaymac.org
Restaurant Maureen Atlantic and Schellenger Ave., Wildwood NJ 1 609 522 7747 or Longboat Key 1 941 383 7774 www.restaurantmaureen.com
Mangia! Mangia! 110 North Broadway, West Cape May 1 609 884 2429
The Pelican Club 501, Beach Ave., Cape May, NJ 08204 1 609 884 3995 www.restaurantmaureen.com
The Virginia/Ebbitt Room 25, Jackson Street, Cape May NJ 08204 1 800 732 4236 www.virginiahotel.com
Doo Wop Museum 3201 Pacific Ave., Wildwood NJ 08260 1 6099 729 4000 www.doowopusa.org