Emlen Physick Estate . The 18-room house has been lovingly restored and is administered by the Mid- Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities . The estate ’ s 1876 carriage house is now a small gallery , museum gift shop , and tearoom . Here I sat and enjoyed that lovely cup of tea in a vintage china cup , with a scone . It was delightful .
I headed back to town , for shopping at the Washington Street Mall , a pedestrian-only street in the historic district lined with charming shops , inviting restaurants , and a nostalgic 5-and-10-cent store . Ice cream , fudge , seashells , and beach toys are for sale … all the things you ’ d imagine in a beach town . But Cape May is also home to elegant art galleries and fine clothing and jewelry stores as well . I stopped in an amazing boutique called the West End Garage , a former auto garage turned into a vendor mall filled with antiques , artwork , and unique finds . It was a wonderful stop for quality goods and delightful surprises .
Cape May was recently named one of the “ Top 25 Small Towns for Food in America .” One can dine on fresh seafood with fine white linens or grab a hot dog and fries along the beachside promenade . As I walked the promenade , observing several weddings on the beach , I passed a lovely old hotel , The Inn of Cape May . Painted bright white with purple trim , the inn has a large welcoming wraparound porch that was filled with rocking chairs . Here , I took my place and rocked the afternoon away sipping white wine , eating shrimp cocktail , and chatting with hotel guests from around the United States .
Earlier in the day , a volunteer at the Cape May Welcome Center encouraged me to stop at “ Sunset Beach ” to look for Cape May “ diamonds ” ( quartz pebbles ) and watch the sun go down . There , I joined hundreds of others patiently watching the patriotic lowering of Old Glory at a WWII memorial and lookout tower located on the beach . Then , swiftly the sun sunk into the blue horizon , creating orange and pink tones in the sky , followed by cheers of appreciation from the crowd . Such a simple pleasure !
From the sun setting , I went quickly to the moon rising . Just a short drive from Sunset Beach was the Cape May Lighthouse dating to 1859 . The lighthouse is 157 feet tall with 199 spiraling steps to reach the top . That night a special “ Full Moon Night Climb ” was offered to view the rare full September Harvest Moon . I climbed the steps with excitement to arrive at the top breathless and greeted by heavy clouds . Not dismayed , I waited , taking in the view of the ocean and bay below and enjoying the breeze . Eventually the clouds lifted , revealing the anticipated shining moon at eye level . My patience was truly a virtue as the experience was energizing and magical .
Cape May , N . J ., had certainly given me a day to remember . It was a day I knew I could look back on when feeling depleted and replenish my energy . The arms of those lovely “ Painted Ladies ” had wrapped themselves around me like a welcoming friend , and the town and its charming hospitality had restored my soul in a most unassuming way . Thank you , Cape May ! n
WINTER 2017 INSPIRING LIVES 61