Get Away to Ocean City, NJ

Friends our favorite beach destination is Ocean City, NJ. For years we spent a week there with family enjoying the beach and boardwalk. 2022 was the last year we did - we had other places to visit and the cost of rent has skyrocketed since 2020. We rented a property that went up $2,000.00 in a single season. In 2024 and 2025 we Day Tripped which are fun but OC is far more than 2 hours and depending on Garden State Parkway traffic it can be 3! So last week we stayed overnight. Our last hurrah before school started today.

I grab a pic of these houses every time I visit. Our first stop Browns Restaurant for yummy donuts - they celebrate 50yrs this year. My favorite are powder.

I always want a capture of the beach in front of Browns at St. Charles Place.

We made our way to our hotel the Port O Call and got onto the beach!

I couldn’t get over the depth of beach from the hotel. They have been working on sand replenishment in OC this summer and you can tell.

There were several games of horse shoes before my sister and brother in law arrived in the afternoon. My son boogie boarded for hours.

A view from above… my husband snapped this from our 9th floor balcony and I can pick us all out in the image.

Our balcony view was really amazing of the coastline. I don’t like heights but, I braved a few minutes to grab images.

For dinner there was only one choice - Manco & Manco! They celebrate 70 years this year and have three locations on the boardwalk. Our favorite is 9th.

Then onto Mini Golf… at Seaport Village Where the five of us clocked twenty-seven holes in one!

The view from our balcony was incredible. Look at the lights in the distance.

We woke to hazy skies and rain in the forecast. But, this view!!!

After another breakfast at Browns - where our party grew by one with the arrival of our nephew - we made our way to Congo Falls Mini Golf and chose the Lost City course which is inside and air conditioned :). Not as many holes in one as last night at Seaport Village but a ton of fun as always!

By the afternoon the stormy weather moved in… I just missed capturing a lighting strike in this image.

Being in a place we love with people we love was terrific and far too short. I hope you all had wonderful get-aways this summer friends. Til next time be well I’ll see you over on the Gram.

Get Away to Gettysburg, PA

We spent a few days in Gettysburg, PA during reenactment weekend and it was fun and humbling to learn about this pivotal 3-day battle and walk the hallowed ground where soldiers fought and died.

Here we are with the Hotel Gettysburg in the background - where we stayed.

The view looking out front of the hotel.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Dobbin House Tavern.

I remembered dining here as teenager with my parents and sitting upstairs in a bedroom in a “canopy bed” so I requested the same. Here we are with my sister and brother in law who joined us for the visit.

We spent time at the Museum & Visitor Center where we watched a film, took in the spectacular Gettysburg Cyclorama Painting: The Battle of Gettysburg by French artist Paul Philippoteaux depicting Pickett's Charge, the climactic Confederate attack on the Union forces during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. (a cyclorama is a panoramic image on the inside of a cylindrical platform, designed for a 360° view) and toured the museum.

We met up with John Torkos (a friend of my brother in law) and his son Tommy who were in Gettysburg for a living history weekend as reenactors. After lunch at Gettysburg Eddie’s we walked Gettysburg National Cemetery. We saw where President Lincoln gave the The Gettysburg Address. It was wonderful to have a personal tour guide.

The only image of all of us… Steven, Liam, Bob, myself and Noreen.

We visited the Mary Thompson House which was General Robert E. Lee’s headquarters during the battle.

The Eternal Light Peace Memorial was dedicated on July 3rd 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the 75th anniversary of the battle.

Here are my brother in law Bob, Tommy, John and my husband Steven. We stopped at the Appalachian Brewing Co. and more history lessons from John.

This vintage Thunderbird was parked in front of our hotel when we got back.

John and Tommy slept outside Friday evening at Spanglers Spring.

The New Jersey Regiment went through their paces and shot their guns. It was really something to see.

Next we headed to the The State of Pennsylvania Monument. The largest monument in Gettysburg. It was dedicated in 1910. The monument has plaques surrounding the base and inside the first level with 34,530 names of Pennsylvania soldiers who served at the Battle of Gettysburg including my husbands Great Great Grandfather Solomon King who enlisted at age 42.

Here we are pointing to Solomon King.

My husband, son and sister at the top.

Next we went to Little Round Top. The view was incredible.

The view looking up from the valley.

We enjoyed a marvelous and yet surprising dinner at Sign of the Buck inside the Union Hotel.

On our last morning we headed over to The Eisenhower Farm.

The house is frozen at 1967 the year President Eisenhower signed the house and grounds over to the the National Park Service.

Gettysburg is known around the world for it’s monumental role in the Civil War. July 1, 2, 3 1863 marked a turning point for the Union Army and were bloodiest battles of the entire war. Gettysburg though - is more than battlefields and a cemetery; it’s a sweet town with shops and dining.

Til next time friends be well and I’ll see you over on Instagram.

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