Asbury Park: Fourth of July

Oh dear readers, I'm so "bloghind". We are having such a fun summer so hope you will indulge my lateness.

Our Fourth of July began with a red, bacon and blue breakfast at the Asbury Ocean Beach Inn.  Chip made me a special gluten free waffle with tons of berries. A horrible photo but a delicious meal once again.

Walking just a block away from the inn held a charming village of restaurants, vintage clothing shops, antique markets, affordable boutiques, a skate shop and a fabulous coffee shop that we frequented often. As we walked down Cookman Street a police car drove up and down the street with a "service announcement" blasting from the car reminding residents that their cars would be towed due to the parade. Just to hear a loud speaker coming from a cop car was so vintage I looked at E. and said, "Is it 1955?" We missed the parade but loved hearing the bagpipers practice and see the classic cars line up for the parade.

Foolish Ginger was one of my favorite finds. They had hand made jewelry, lovely origami and cute accessories. 

I found this darling blouse for $18 at Foolish Ginger on the Fourth.

We headed to the beach and sat right next to the area where a group of pyro-specialists were setting up the fireworks.

The beach was great, and crowed on the Fourth of July but died down the rest of our week in Asbury.

I loved having sand on my toes and all over our beach blanket.

Each afternoon we left the beach to clean up and grab a coffee at our favorite cafe in Asbury Park.

Cafe Volan had opened just one week before our arrival. The two owners had only met each other six months prior. Paul Cali had pulled "spro's" for years and their friends set him and Doug Parent "up" on a blind business date. Doug said, "EHarmony." Hilarious. 

After my detox I'm completely caffeine and milk free. The lattes at Cafe Volan were so tempting however. They designed the space, picked the china and coffee beans themselves. Vintage patterned wallpaper hung below a chair rail. Tattoo inspired Indian artwork hung like a gallery display above four small cafe tables. A reclaimed wood communal table hosted a lovely game board that boasted of chess, backgammon and a deck of cards. An inviting place that begged for one to sit and stay a while. The open space, light, and tall ceilings create a very non-coffee shop vibe.  The ceiling lights look exactly like our Natty Boh lamp at Stone Hill. There weren't shelves of merchandise to purchase and the sweet stand had simple syrup and natural sweeteners with nary a pink bag of fake sugar in sight.

E. knows the coffee language way better than I ever will. He spent a lot of time at this bar cussing and discussing all things La Colombe. 

I was admiring the surf boards and the stacked skate boards inside while sipping on my green tea most mornings and afternoons. We became regulars in our short five days and the owners greeted us by name every time we stopped in.

The owner of the Wood Shop, across the street, came in one day and was showing a client his new skate board artwork. I mean, how cool is it to have a resident skate artist all up in the coffee joint?

When I asked the origin of the name, Cafe Volan, Doug kindly explained to me that "volan" is an obscure surf reference having to do with fiberglass holding more resin, or something. I did a little surf dropping about my trip to Oahu and my one wave caught among the sea turtles in Haleiwa. So what if my surf coach pushed me into the wave...I still got it and it was "rad". Each day we saw surfers coming in or going out seeking swells. 

Four legged friends were welcome and shoes were NOT required.

Hat approvals all around too.

On our final day I asked Paul if I could shoot a few of his tats and he obliged. His body is a work of art...heehee. But seriously his tattoos were fabulous. I loved his Charlie tat, since I love my Charlie. (Eric's name is Charles Eric hence the nickname.) His is in honor of his grandfather.

Anything...anytime...and a lovely "most" on the back of the "anything" arm. Classic.

Check out their Tumblr page for more beautiful photos and to see what the fellas are up to. We truly miss you guys and, most importantly, your lovely welcoming space.

The beach cruiser was the best mode of transportation in Asbury Park. It is a very, very bike friendly town.

You could also see skate boarding folks often cruising down Bangs.

Paul recommended that we try Ivan and Andy's for dinner, right on Cookman Avenue and a stones throw from the cafe. We had dinner plans back at the Asbury Ocean Beach Inn but decided to have a cocktail first. E and I had a one martini ritual each night of vacation. He got a Woodford Reserve Manhattan and I had a Bombay or Blue Coat Gin Dirty martini. 

Ivan and Andy's had been open three days prior to our arrival. We were the ambassadors of the corner on Cookman Street and had to direct people to the front door of this restaurant it was so new. The owners had a connection to a Brooklyn butcher shop so we were the town criers hailing the fine cuts of meat they had inside...even though we didn't enjoy a meal there, we could tell from the cocktails it was awesome.

We met so many friendly people and pets in AP.

Check out the first video below (Blogger won't let me cut and paste it for some reason). These girls were hilarious and had their IPod blasting the Boss. So appropriate for Asbury Park don't you think?

I gave Bruce a little love on the way back to the Inn for the Fourth of July cookout.

It was only our second day in town but we felt right at home.

After the party at the Inn we walked back down to the boardwalk for the fireworks.  I loved seeing the cops out in their Asbury Park uniforms. Off in the distance is our pal Paul from the coffee shop.

The boardwalk was packed with people and it was fun feeling like a local running into friends. Doesn't the Casino look great in the background? 

Paul admitted he was pretty tired. They keep the shop open from early until 10pm I think.

They dimmed the boardwalk lights and we got to enjoy a very cool show. E said he had never been so close to the lighting (see the second video).

Asbury Park Boss Babes.



Fireworks launching.



Asbury Park Fireworks Finale.

Thanks again for being patient with my posts. We have had such a lovely few weeks after our vacation and realize that our time together is way more important than feeling obligated to post so often. We still have many fun Asbury Park memories that we hope to share over the summer. Paul and Doug, thank you so much for your hospitality, for remembering our wedding anniversary and for your delicious brews. It was great meeting you and I feel certain we will meet again soon. Best of luck to you both on this adventure in coffee. Come see us in Baltimore!

Asbury Park: Asbury Ocean Beach Inn

We drove just a quick hour and a half from Philadelphia to Asbury Park, New Jersey for our vacation. E. was on a flight about six years ago and read about the revitalization of Asbury Park. It stuck with him and when we were choosing where to go for our fourth wedding anniversary he sent me a link to Asbury Ocean Beach Inn. I had never, ever heard of Asbury Park. Not even through Bruce Springsteen. Shhh...I'm not that big of a fan. So I didn't know what to expect but was open to a new adventure. That is the best part of E and my relationship; he draws me out of my comfort zone and takes me to new places. If it were up to me we would have been at our cottage on Lake Michigan with my family. But we needed a romantic retreat and this was just the place for us.

The images on the website were beautiful and this B&B seemed like the perfect fit. We hadn't taken a week vacation away together since our honeymoon four years ago. 

We booked the spot only three weeks prior and were lucky to find that the Carriage House was available. We received a lovely letter in the mail from innkeepers Chip and Betsy confirming our deposit and stay. When we arrived Chip greeted us in the main house. I was immediately taken by the gorgeous stair and stain glassed windows. 

Chip gave us the lay of the land and showed us our table for breakfast. 

He helped us with our bags and showed us where to find bikes, towels, beach chairs and an umbrella. Free beach passes were also included in the stay.

There was an outdoor fridge stocked with water, iced tea, beer and wine. We had free reign to enjoy whatever our thirst desired.

We stayed at the very private Carriage House, separate from the main house and adjacent to this beautiful courtyard. 

I simply adore hydrangeas.

They were in full bloom and the light was stunning in the back gated garden when we arrived.

This fuchsia reminded me of Ireland where they grow wild.

The Carriage House was pristine with crisp white sofas and soft Berber carpeting. Eric settled in immediately and began to read through the many gems Chip left us in our welcome binder. There were maps and daily activities printed out for us based on our stay. The beach passes, bike waiver, keys and of course his daily menus were also included in the binder.

The bedroom was so cozy and had a hidden "closet" behind the curtain where we could store most of our luggage and hang all of our clothes for the week. The reading lights had three different settings, perfect for finishing my book club read for July. I immediately unpacked while E. drooled over the menus.

Everything about the Carriage House was perfect. The bathroom was tiny but had the most beautiful, brightly colored towels and shower curtain. I have no idea why I didn't snap a photo. The lighting was clearly important to Chip and Betsy. There were two fabulous Moroccan style lanterns hanging over our breakfast nook that you can see in this photo. The kitchen had a large sink, toaster, mini fridge and microwave oven. They even had a fabulous electric tea pot that also reminded me of Ireland. This was such a comfort knowing I could stay on my whole foods way of eating on vacation. After loosing 15 pounds and two inches from my entire self I didn't want to come back from vacation feeling unhealthy. We felt rested, energized and so loved while were were guests at this Inn.

We woke up early each morning to take a cruise on the boardwalk with the bikes. It helped us justify the incredibly large and generous portions back at the Inn for breakfast. E. fell in love with the homemade scones and jams. Before arriving I sent Chip a few of our allergies. He was so amazing and made sure we were both taken care of and that Eric would be jealous of my meal as well. 

The breakfast area was beautiful. The color therapy at this B&B worked magic on us both. You can tell one of the owners is an artist. 

I mentioned Eric's allergy to kitties and they assured us that the Carriage House was kitten free. Even though a few of the cats roamed the main house Eric couldn't tell at all. He is deathly allergic so they have done a great job to keep the main house allergen free. They even offered to deliver breakfast to the Carriage House if he had any issues.

It was fun seeing the kitties snuggled up in a few of the rooms.

Chip spoiled me rotten. One day he made fresh, gluten free English muffins with currants. His signature potatoes were delicious with tons of garlic. I had bacon almost every morning. I loved his gluten free waffles too.

My staple meal was Chip's perfectly cooked oatmeal with fresh fruit and raisins. Horrible photo but beautiful meal. My detox taught me that staying on a whole grain diet in the morning and at lunch really sustained my energy for the day. If I don't eat whole grain at these times I am now a complete bear and can not function after 2:00 p.m.

Eric had the seven grain French toast the first morning and nearly died and went to heaven it was so good. He had an omelet a few days with bacon and a spiced sausage.

Eric's favorite meal of the week were Chip's waffles. I mean, seriously? Doesn't that look delicious? He had seconds!!!

I loved seeing my Charlie so relaxed and happy.

The New York Times was always ready and waiting for us and we often enjoyed the paper on the porch after breakfast.

Chip and Betsy made us feel right at home. They worked beautifully as a team behind this ornate partition. The Carriage House was just through the kitchen past the courtyard and we often cut through the back of the house to get to our little cottage. I covet their work space so much. The colors really make it the most inviting home ever.

Every room was more colorful and tasteful than the next. The water closet off the dining room was no exception. Coral, white and black must find a place at Stone Hill.

I dream of moving to the beach and selling sea shells by the seashore!

The reading room welcomed you with a yellow, white and black decor with splashes of red. I die! The peace pillow is so perfect for this hippie-esque modern couple.

Each day we left our menu order on the marble coffee table for Chip before 8:00 p.m. They have a great library and allow guests to take books home that don't get completely read on vacation. They simply ask you to send them back when finished. I may send them all of my book club books that I will never read again. All of their magazines are up to date and current. I must have brought 20 new magazines for the beach and each one seemed to be in their rack!

We had so many fun conversations on the porch. It was so comfortable, cool and breezy.

The geraniums reminded us of The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

We have already booked our second trip to go back to Asbury Ocean Beach Inn.

Chip and Betsy made us feel so comfortable and completely spoiled. They were not only generous in their incredible care of us and our allergies, but genuinely wanted to listen to our stories and actively engaged with us. They are so proud of Asbury Park and how far it has come over the past years. 

I didn't know what to expect in Asbury Park but there were two websites that got us really excited to explore: In! Asbury Park New Jersey and Abury Park Boardwalk. The Carousel was fabulous and funky. The costume designer for the show moving in was also a guest at the Asbury Ocean Beach Inn. She was a child of the 80's and so happy to be working on Xanadu. I totally get that. I can't tell you how many roller skating themed birthday parties I had as a child. 

Some of the buildings were shells of their former selves but still had a charm for days. The restoration process is happening and I look forward to see what happens in the next years.

This entire wedding party burst into laughter when their photographer got down on his belly to take this photo. The light was incredible. What a cool, cool spot for a group wedding photo. 

We went back every day and I shot different photos of this way cool space.

You can see the Asbury Ocean Beach Inn just beyond the new construction sign in this photo. It was two blocks from the beach. A nice walk after many meals.

There are new condos popping up all over this area and I imagine the place will look very similar to Baltimore's Harbor East in the next five years.

Each afternoon we received a bountiful snack tray at tea time back at the Inn. One day they even packed it up for us so we could take it to the beach. There were gluten free snack chips that were the bomb!

On our anniversary afternoon they brought a beautifully wrapped present for us along with the snacks.

The gift included two fabulous Tillie towels from one of their friend's shop on Cookman Street. Tillie was the town "mascot" if you will. George Tilyou was the brain child behind the amusement park in Coney Island and this image became iconic in Asbury Park. We had to find the photo booth and capture the fun of this old school town. The Tillie towels were so awesome and I've been using them in my lunch box each day this week. It is such a darling reminder of our wonderful rest.

We loved coming back each afternoon to clean up gearing up for our date nights.  We explored up and down the New Jersey shore. It was a really great trip. The beaches aren't crowded and the people are so friendly. You won't see any "Snookie's" in this part of NJ thank heavens. There is a great mix of people and a funky vibe to the town. There wasn't a chain restaurant for miles. This sense of independent ownership translated into a way-cool vibe with unique gift shops, excellent restaurants and one very special coffee shop that I'll write about soon.

Thank you so much Chip and Betsy for the great visit and your gift of hospitality. Your home was the heart of Asbury Park for us. We had the best time and look forward to our next trip.