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84 Comments

  1. lisa peters
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:08 am

    Love your blog & I bring my rice cooker with me everywhere!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 10:18 am

      Right? You never know when you will need some fluffy and delicious rice.

      Reply

      • Janice S.
        August 21, 2013 @ 10:39 am

        You never can trust the Queen of the Seaside Resort to know proper rice fluffing technique.

        Reply

  2. Danielle McCann
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:11 am

    I love Cape May. My great aunt and uncle have a 2nd home there. Yeah I said it…second home! I, however, did not come from that part of the family. I visited them when I was in high school, it is a beautiful place.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 10:20 am

      I would have tried to transfer to that side of the family… I would happily abandon my own for a “better” one with a fancy front porch.

      Reply

  3. The Domestic Goddess
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:15 am

    I love Cape May SO HARD. We stayed at Congress hall once. It was amazing. I’m not going to miss the kidney I had to sell to stay there, I have another one!

    Reply

  4. John @ Our Home from Scratch
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:18 am

    We’re Cape May people too. Less so for the Victorian architecture than the plethora of Uncle Bill’s Pancake Houses, but you know, we all have our reasons. Great family town. Plus, it’s not dry like Ocean City, so you can buy booze. Win-win.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 10:24 am

      That’s an advertisement you should pitch to their tourism bureau. I think it’s solid.

      Reply

  5. Terri
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:21 am

    Would love to visit Cape May one day…. Have done much reading on the history of this gorgeous place and the amazing “ladies” that are so beautiful…… Looks like your “Vaca” was wonderful!!! thank you for sharing!!!!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 11:20 am

      It’s such a wonderful spot… especially if you’ve read about it, seeing it in person is pretty fantastic.

      Reply

  6. Jennifer Tait
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:21 am

    You forgot to mention that Cape May was the first town to fall victim to the string of shark attacks along the Jersey shore in 1916! (I live in Matwan, which was the last.) It is, however gorgeous, as is much of New Jersey (if you take away the denizens of that awful TV show which I will forever hate for smearing my home state).

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 11:22 am

      There was a great white sighting in Atlantic City earlier this summer!! I’d say my biggest fear is being eaten by a shark. No joke. I love the ocean, but am ALWAYS thinking about the statistical probability of imminent death.

      Reply

    • Marilyn
      August 22, 2013 @ 1:08 pm

      I agree, most people have no clue about the beautiful places in New Jersey…the mountains (well, compared to Michigan they are mountains, the bears, the little towns that look more like New England owns than New England towns do, and the amazing history of the place. I know I changed my view after visiting my brother-in-law and family a few times.

      Reply

  7. Rebeccah
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:26 am

    Okay, so you have single-handedly changed my thinking about New Jersey. Pat yourself on the back for that. Also, I see nothing wrong with taking a rice steamer with you – can you imagine trying to make rice in a regular pot?! The angels would weep. And those pics are beautiful – now I have another place I need to visit!

    Reply

  8. Sheila
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:33 am

    I’m jealous of your vacation already. It’s sounds as if you had such a blast…and those houses….WOW!! Too bad there are enough millions to go around for all of us to have one of those, right?

    I found your blog through the feature at Southern Hospitality. I can’t stop laughing about your adventure with the “12′ tall Craigslist mirror.” Mainly because I have been known to get my husband to go into dark alleyways with strange men to pick up some of my way too big, ‘must have’, treasures too.” That’s what they get for marrying girls like us now isn’t it? Yes, it is. Either way, I stopped by to say Rhoda was definitely right about you. I absolutely love your blog, your wit and the way you write too. You really should become a novelist, or perhaps a comedienne, that is if you all the sudden find yourself looking for a new day job. Hahaha. Looking forward to your next post, of course that’s after you catch up on all that post vacation laundry. Have a great one!!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 12:36 pm

      Dark alleyways with strange men is apparently where all the good stuff is!! Your comment made my day! xo!

      Reply

  9. Gabriella K.
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:38 am

    I lived in South Jersey until I graduated college, and I’m so glad you concur that not every Jersey shore point is full of greased up juicers with blowout hair cuts (save Wildwood, perhaps). I love love love Cape May and I miss being able to drive down for the day. I guess the Great Lakes will suffice for now.

    Reply

  10. GreenCanary
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:46 am

    My family used to summer at the Jersey Shore We’d fit 25 of us into a two-bedroom cottage in Lavallette

    Reply

    • GreenCanary
      August 21, 2013 @ 10:48 am

      HEY! My comment removed my super cool bracketed-actions. Insert a snootily upturned nose after “Shore” and remove said upturned nose after “Lavallette.”

      Reply

  11. Jen
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:48 am

    Wait, what? Elvis gets to go to the vacation beach house too? She doesn’t try to wander off the porch and go exploring? I love my boy to death, but he’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. I’d be afraid he’d wander off and I’d loose him. Elvis is obviously a smarter kitty.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 11:26 am

      No. Given the chance, Elvis would absolutely go for her own tour unchaperoned… but that porch she’s on is the upper deck, and she’s shown no suicidal impulses to leap off.

      The lower deck is screened in, so it’s really a good place for cats…

      Reply

    • tunie
      August 22, 2013 @ 5:07 pm

      I was impressed by someone who takes her cat on vacay also. But with the kitty friendly porches, why not! Also, loving your sense of humor, so so funny, thank you!

      Reply

  12. Laura
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:50 am

    OK – so I know Cape May and I’ve inquired about retiring there and you know what I hear? It’s way too boring. There is nothing there to do in the winter — except the normal out of the way fabulous places have to do – drink and fornicate (with anyone). So there you have it. Maybe that’s a good thing for some but I like a little more diversity …. hehe.

    Reply

  13. Helen Glenn C
    August 21, 2013 @ 10:51 am

    A subject line of Stone Harbor and Cape May is hard to beat. BUT. Sad ! No photo of the Chalfonte. How could you miss the Chalfonte? It’s been there since 1876. It’s charming, humongous, gracious, and white (except for the red tin roof). Of course I say that. My family has been staying there since 1918. How could you skip the Chalfonte? I am wounded. Mortally. The other shots are nice, though. Especially when viewed from 700 miles away in the mountains.

    Reply

    • Janie Bowe
      August 21, 2013 @ 11:20 am

      Glenn! You’re here! Imagine my surprise … What a hoot! And yes, I don’t see how ANYONE could go to Cape May and not mention the Chalefonte. And the spoonbread… Janie B

      Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 11:30 am

      Hanging my head in shame. It wasn’t until I remembered that I might actually want to share some photos that I got the camera out… and as you can see I happened to be in the B&B/center of town area.

      Also, it didn’t occur to me that anyone would be so familiar as to realize how I shortchanged you.

      Reply

      • Helen Glenn C
        August 21, 2013 @ 11:35 am

        Well …. given your exquisite taste and sober subdued outlook on life generally, we will consider forgiving you, as long as you continue to diligently put fingers to keyboard and keep us all informed on various and nefarious discoveries and adventures thither and hither….

        Reply

  14. Caryl
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:10 am

    Hey thanks for noticing! I feel fantastic too!

    haha

    I love Cape May too. I could spend eons just looking at the architecture and gardens. Oh the gardens! All captured beautifully in your photography 🙂

    Reply

  15. Gay Sullivan
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:10 am

    I love that you bring Elvis ! He just seems so relaxed. My cat,Mr. Big, would be heading north to VErmont on the GSP!! We ” go down the Shore” every summer but I have never been to Cape May. Next year I will go south of exit 63 !!

    Reply

  16. Brittany
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:13 am

    Dammit why can’t we all be millionaires from inheritance and live in homes like that? Second best thing – meet people who are and have those homes. Seriously, and it might even be better because you just get to visit and enjoy and not do all of the work. You get to be a little lazy.

    I’m glad you had such a wonderful vacation!

    Reply

  17. Jessica@CapeofDreams
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:15 am

    Beautiful town and lovely vacation. I am happy that you had a chance to relax this summer. I am also glad to see that I am not the only one that travels with her cat. People always think that it is ridiculous that we travel in a car with our cat, but how else is she going to get to see the world?

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 12:38 pm

      Laughing– “how else will she see the world?” But also peace of mind for me.

      Reply

      • Monika
        August 22, 2013 @ 12:25 pm

        Hey Victoria! How the heck do you travel with a cat? Doesn’t she run away when you let her out in a strange new home?

        PS I’m the other crazy woman who stalked hundreds of stores for that special faux marble tile- Also I think I live a few towns North of you in Burlington Twp- so I have to say “howdy neighbor”!

        Reply

        • Kim
          August 22, 2013 @ 10:18 pm

          Monika;
          I grew up in Burlington Twp, on Beverly Rd, graduated in ’75. I live in Daytona now – been in FL since ’79, but still get up there on occasion.

          Reply

          • Monika
            October 25, 2013 @ 8:23 pm

            Kim,
            Hi there! I just saw this, I live in Steeplechase off of Bustleton! We moved here 5 years ago from North NJ, still not used to driving down the road and seeing chickens and horses. ha! I love south NJ though.

            Reply

            • Kim
              October 25, 2013 @ 8:26 pm

              Monika;

              South Jersey is different for sure, but I’m glad you’re enjoying it 🙂

  18. Rita C
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:30 am

    Lucky me, I found you through Rhoda’s blog. Now that blog royalty has and will continuing scooping you up, you likely won’t need to practice cropping yourself into those pictures, but you may need to find an independent sponsor for those peignoirs you’ll be needing (which will, by the way, look waay better than those Tory caftans) for when you do have to go to the grocery and all those other mundane tasks that mundane people do. Of course, you could just hire the pool boy or weed puller to do those things for you. Oh never mind, some blog sponsor will likely take care of that for you! And did you be sure and select a realty sponsor while in Cape May? I suspect they’ll be calling you soon, too. 🙂 Love your blog, Victoria! Just the right amount of sass and spunk, and a whole lot of talent! 😉
    Rita C.

    Reply

  19. Barbara prestianne
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:35 am

    You will definitely be famous… and soon! I am pinning things from your blog and I have all of 19 followers. LOL
    Of course you really don’t need me! Now go out and find more projects for Paul.
    BTW I miss the garden, maybe next year I will have my own. For now I will have to settle for my prolific fig tree.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      August 21, 2013 @ 12:33 pm

      Hey!!! I thought of you when I saw figs at whole foods for approximately $1 each…

      Reply

      • Marilyn
        August 22, 2013 @ 1:15 pm

        They don’t call it Whole Paycheck for nuthin’!

        Reply

  20. Kiki
    August 21, 2013 @ 11:42 am

    I’m just so lucky to not have FB; laughed so much the last 10’ reading all the entries on FB that I nearly forgot to read about your hols…. Also thinking of cooking rice for supper just so that I can linger a bit longer in your life!
    Then I got t know this wonderful Victorian town Cape May (I’m a Swiss curly girl living in a post-Victorian stone house in France) and I just KNOW that this would be MY town in another life
    Thank you for the newish pleasure of reading you – it’s quite addictive 🙂

    Reply

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