Day Tripping! 8.14.25

I took a day trip with my sister, niece and son to our favorite Jersey Shore destination - Ocean City, NJ. The visit started with a trip to Browns Restaurant for donuts of course!

After about an hour we heard thunder and had to get off the beach.

My niece captured this image of the back of the now closed Gillians Wonderland Pier. One lone Thomas The Train car … sad!

Waiting in the car for a break in the weather.

We played a round of golf at Haunted Golf - we’d won 3 free games last summer - happy my husband remembered to give us the tickets. My son had the lowest score of 41! We were so hungry we went to our favorite pizza place Manco & Manco before 5pm! Then shopped at Ocean Treasures and 7th Street Surf Shop. We were back in the car by 8pm.

Good thing we ate early because the line was super long after we shopping. We did bring two pizzas home for my husband who wasn’t able to join us.

OC is the BEST friends… no matter the weather. Til next time friends be well and I’ll see you over on Instagram.

Images: Christina Marks and Myself

Philadelphia Freedom

Hi friends… I enjoyed an overnight visit to Philadelphia with my sister and I’m sharing the deets! Our first stop was The Barnes Foundation - where we viewed so many wonderful pieces of art.

Our first stop lunch!

We enjoyed the exhibit From Paris to Provence: French Painting at the Barnes viewing four exceptional van Gogh pieces.

The Still Life

The Smoker

The Postman

Houses and Figure

The Barnes Foundation was founded in 1922 by Dr. Albert C. Barnes and owns the largest collection of Pierre-Auguste Renoir works in the world 181.

We were fortunate most of the frames listed the artists name; because unlike traditional museums The Barnes does not have placards next to the art.

Then we checked into the Kimpton Hotel Monaco. The location is amazing - across the street from Independence Hall and the Second National Bank and down the street from the Museum of the American Revolution.

We walked over to the Benjamin Franklin Museum. I love it there! It’s on the property where Franklin’s house stood and explores his life.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner with my nephew at Tuna Bar & then we indulged in yummy ice cream at The Franklin Fountain.

On day two we spent hours at the Museum of the American Revolution. So many interesting objects showcasing the history of America’s war for independence including George Washington’s Marquee Tent.

In the lobby of the Curtis Publishing Building we viewed the largest Tiffany glass mosaic in the world “The Dream Garden” we threw coins in the fountain underneath to remember our brother on what would have been his 67th birthday. Then alighted into P.J. Clarke’s for a leisurely lunch.

One last look at Independence Hall.

So wonderful -we viewed so much beauty, were surrounded by history and enjoyed family. Til next time be well and I’ll see you over on Instagram.

Welcome Summer 2025!

I gathered inspirational images for the summer I want to enjoy! I want to relish this time. It’s such a precious commodity.

Hoping this inspires you!

I’m excited to relax, read, have adventures, visit museums, travel, and work with clients.

We already started off with a graduation last week and our first of two birthday celebrations. Next it’ll be Fourth of July. Visits to the Frick Collection and The Metropolitan Museum of Art are on the calendar with at least one stop at Bemelmans Bar for a tipple! Trips to Baltimore, Philadelphia and Gettysburg are planned and we learned last summer a day trip to Ocean City, NJ is actually doable; so we’ll be heading down hopefully more than once. I recently took in a film with my sister at the Claridge Theater in Montclair, NJ and it was delightful. I plan on making this a regular thing. I love Montclair whether it’s shopping at Montclair Book Center or along Church Street, visiting the Montclair Art Museum, lunching at Raymond’s, dinner at Zeugma, or enjoying drinks at Alto Rooftop Bar with gorgeous views of NYC - it is truly as the townships tagline states: Where the suburb meets the city. We also have a full schedule of Hockey practices both on and off ice and this momma will be doing a lot of chauffeuring. Of course I hope to read/listen to a bunch of books and spend as much time as possible at the Swim Club!

Being invigorated, entertained, making memories and decompressing are all my goals this summer! Til next time I’ll see you over on Instagram.