Warning: supersized post!!!
It's been almost two years since we paid a visit to the family beach house in Ocean City, NJ. The
last time we were here, it was mid-September when the weather was cooler, with little activity on the boardwalk. This time, we came in peak season!
We planned this trip just a little over two weeks in advance. The opportunity to visit Kaleb's paternal grandmother came up suddenly, so we made it happen. Airfare would be expensive by this time, but fortunately I had a $99 companion coupon from having the US Airways credit card (no longer available after the American Airlines merger). The deal: purchase a ticket costing $250 or more and get the second for $99. The flight had to be booked at least 14 days in advance. I had three days' leeway by the time I called US Airways reservations; the departure date was so close that the agent almost denied the coupon until she checked her calendar.
I had plenty of American Airlines miles in my account so I decided to splurge and upgrade both our tickets to first class. It cost 15k miles + $75 per person one-way. It wasn't the most efficient usage of miles but it's hard to find availability for an award ticket for 30k miles these days unless you plan a year in advance.
US Airways isn't known for a great domestic first class product, but at least we had a bit of space and some edible food.
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| some legroom |
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| snack on the short flight |
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| even less legroom on the longhaul |
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| nuts and beverages |
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| overly-heated pasta |
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| key lime cheesecake |
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Kaleb's dad picked us up from Philadelphia airport Friday evening and we headed to Ocean City, NJ to spend the weekend at Grandma's house. Kaleb's brother Jarrett and wife Kate, and sister Alicia and husband Randy had already arrived. The weather was more humid this time of year; thankfully we had a window air conditioner to offer some relief.
Saturday...time to hit the beach, just steps away from the house. Now this is what I expected the area to look like...colorful umbrellas clustered along the length of the coastline. The ocean temperature was comfortable. Every once in a while, the ice cream man would stroll nearby, ringing a bell beckoning beachgoers to cool off from the hot weather with a frosty treat.
That evening, Grandma hosted dinner at
Island Grill restaurant, less than 10 minutes' walk from the beach house.
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| caesar salad |
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| broiled scallops |
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| sampler |
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| Kaleb and Grandma |
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Afterwards, we walked to the boardwalk in search of dessert.
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| much more lively than in September |
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| frozen custard |
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Sunday morning, we braved the line to buy fresh donuts from
Brown's. Warm and gooey!
It was nice that everything was within walking distance of the beach house. We could also ride bicycles on the boardwalk, but only before noon.
The siblings and spouses got together for lunch at
Tony P's House of Pie on the boardwalk.
Before we all returned to Pennsylvania that evening, everyone got together for a photo, including Grandma and Aunt Nancy.
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| there are actually 10 in this photo :) |
Sunday night, I had my first experience with fireflies back at Kaleb's dad's house. (yes, I lived under a rock) There weren't too many in the yard at this time of year (most abundant in June) but it was still fun to see.
18-second clip catching a few fireflies lighting up: (click
here if you cannot see the preview below)
The rest of the week was full of activities in order to catch up with all of Kaleb's family and friends.
On Monday, we checked out the garden in the back of the house...it was thriving thanks to the efforts of his dad, Kate and Jarrett. There were also meticulously cultivated berry bushes, beautiful flowers and lush landscape. Things grow well out here due to the fertile soil and plentiful rain year-round.
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| would you like a blackberry? |
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| raspberries |
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| "Stonehenge" garden full of corn, tomatoes, squash |
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| not an optical illusion...hibiscuses as big as my head! |
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Kaleb's dad then took us to the Budget rental car office in town (inside a Sears auto shop) to pick up a vehicle. One-way rentals are usually expensive, but I found a great deal through Costco Travel.
For a late lunch, I had to try a
Sheetz sandwich since Kaleb likes them a lot.
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| electronic ordering |
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| interesting coffee additives |
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| sandwich packed full |
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Later that evening, we went over to Tony's house for pizza and hanging out with a bunch of other friends. We also went to a nearby schoolyard to throw a football around. The guys reported that they couldn't move like young men anymore.
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| late afternoon football |
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| been a while since I've been on a swing |
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Tuesday, we went to Brian and Emily's home in town. The four of us had Mexican take-out for dinner, followed by a fun night of conversation, liquor and watching favorite episodes of Parks and Recreation.
On Wednesday, Kaleb and I along with his friend Meade and fiancee Andrea headed over to
Hershey Park for the day, or so we had planned. It ended up being one of the hottest days of the year; we had only explored a quarter of the amusement park before we threw in the towel and headed back. We did get in a few rides, visited
Zoo America (included with park admission), and took a tour of the Hershey Chocolate Factory. Unfortunately the factory portion was all simulated, so I didn't get a chance to sample "fresh warm Hershey's kisses" like Kaleb did when he took the tour as a child.
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| where are we again? |
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| the cookie was yummy |
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| bald eagle exhibit at Zoo America |
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| the "factory" |
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| filled with merchandise |
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42-second vid of the "factory tour" on a slow-moving ride vehicle: (click
here if you cannot see the preview below)
No warm Hershey's kiss at the end but a mini Hershey's chocolate bar...
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| at least it tasted fresh |
We got dinner at
TJ Rockwell's in Elizabethtown. I forgot to take pictures, but it was the usual "bar and grill" offerings.
On Thursday, we visited
Longwood Gardens with Kaleb's mom, Jarrett and Kate. What a delightful place! It started to rain, but fortunately some of the exhibits were greenhouses. My favorites were the orchids and of course, the edibles.
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| walkways between greenhouses were stunning |
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| even the restrooms were beautiful |
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| interesting way to grow nectarines |
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| perfect bunches of grapes |
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| carnivorous section |
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| Venus fly traps |
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We had early dinner at
1906 restaurant...every dish was oh so good! I highly recommend eating here.
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| love the brioche |
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| eggplant amuse-bouche |
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| to-die-for mushroom soup |
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| watermelon salad special |
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| mushroom wellington |
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| striped bass |
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| salmon |
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| the best baby zucchini |
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| baby broccoli |
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| "flower pot" dessert (all edible) |
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| but some flowers don't taste good... |
By the time we were done with dinner, the rain stopped and we
enjoyed the outdoor areas.
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| monster lilypads |
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| topiaries |
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When the sun went down, the gardens turned
into a nighttime spectacular, with special lighting and mood music.
25-second clip of a nighttime display: (click
here if you cannot see the preview below)
The next day, we hung out at Andrea and Meade's, where I got to meet a couple more of Kaleb's friends, Andrew and Michelle and their son Jackson. I heard some good stories about Kaleb that evening! :)
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| the boys playing ball in the backyard |
Saturday was spent with Kaleb's mom and her husband at their riverside home along with a big group of people including Jarrett, Kate, Alicia, Randy, Kaleb's maternal grandmother and her husband. We had a BBQ lunch, then in the evening, boarded their pontoon boat to cruise along the Susquehanna river. Brian and Emily and their dog Rico also came along. The river was surprisingly warm. We enjoyed snacks and drinks as the sun set and the moon rose.
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| playing with Rico in the river |
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| gorgeous moonrise shot by Brian |
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Sunday was our last day in Pennsylvania...the week flew by! We drove to Philadelphia airport and returned the rental car with no issues. I had two guest passes to the
Admirals Club thanks again to the US Airways credit card so we were able to enjoy some snacks before our departure. The dinner offered in first class wasn't too bad. Having an ice cream sundae made to order at 30,000 feet is always a treat.
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| the bean soup was good |
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| fresh veggies |
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| the brownie bites were good |
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| the chicken was actually tender |
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| here comes the ice cream cart |
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| just strawberries and whipped cream for me |
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Where to next? A weekend trip with the girls to see Taylor Swift in concert...stay tuned!
***
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