Hazy, Hot and Humid in July

I think we are in the dog days of summer - except that usually describes August and July has just started! Like everyone else along the east coast we have been getting really hot weather. Tuesday the temp at the AC airport was 102 - wow!Some of the days were not bad - just hot. But when the humidity kicks in - why bother even going out. Guests that were at the beach said the sand has been almost unbearable to walk on. The water temp has been great - low to mid 70's - but once you get out of the water your poor feet get burned walking - or running - back to your chair. It makes you wonder what Mother Nature is thinking. I hope she is having a good laugh at our expense - I would hate to think she was being mean or vindictive! Mother Nature would never be mean or vindictive, but I guess she feels as though she needs to teach us a lesson sometimes :) We - or at least I - complained all through the cold, rainy spring and now they talk about drought conditions. (On a plus side, my basement has finally dried out! Having a basement in a flood zone is interesting......) I have a foreign student who is working for me this summer and his last job of the day is watering the flowers. Thank heavens for Farik - if it was left to me my poor sister would get a panic call asking her to come down and replace all the dead, dried out flowers! Yesterday was a pleasant day. I opened the awnings in the afternoon and there was a delightful breeze blowing through the porch. I am hoping for more of the same today! So please come to see us in Ocean City. Some days we do have nice ocean breezes to cool you off. And on the days that we do not, it is still better to be in Ocean City! Hope to see you soon!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Happy 4th!

The town is buzzing with people and excitement! The weather has just been fantastic this week - no humidity during the day and cool at night so good sleeping weather! Today is hot - but it should be since it is July3rd and the big weekend of the year is here! It is so much fun to be in the thick of things. One of the great things about Serendipity is that you can park your car when you get here and not move it until you are ready to leave! 1/2 block from the boardwalk, walking distance to loads of restaurants, walk to Asbury Ave to shop or shop the boardwalk.It really is a great location. I still think that the best seats in the house are on the porch. There is something so restful about sitting in a rocking chair on a porch and watching the world go by. You hear parts of conversation and get to make up your own beginning and end :) You see an assortment of people go by - all shapes, sizes and colors!One thing that you do not see very often is someone smoking. Thank heavens for that. I do not know if it is the health issues or the prices of cigarettes but I really think that people are not smoking as they used to, unless they are closet smokers! I know that there are very few guests at Serendipity who smoke and they are all very considerate of other people who are on the porch. And, of course you do not see anyone drinking! It is nice to live in a town where they do not allow drinking. Although I do enjoy a glass of white wine or my Smirnoff coolers (green apple is very good!), I think being a dry town is a good thing. It makes us unique from almost all of the shore towns with the exception of Ocean Grove, and keeps some of the rowdiness away. So all in all, Ocean City is a great town to live in and a great town to visit! Hope to see you soon!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Almost a full moon

I was looking at the moon last night and it certainly looked full. However, according to the calendar it will not be full until tonight. Went up to the boardwalk anyway. There is nothing that looks more beautiful than seeing the moon casting it's light on the ocean. The ocean was so calm and looked so nice with the moonlight. I could sit and stare at that for hours - even with the crowds on the boardwalk! While there were a fair number of people on the boardwalk I know that next weekend it will really be crazy! I had not been up to the boardwalk to wander around for awhile so missed the opening of a couple new places. Guiseppes is no more. In it's place is another eatery - looks very nice inside. I looked at the menu - they did not have any menus to take away - and prices are comparable to other nice restaurants. Guess I will have to make the effort to try out the new place. Sigh - the life of an innkeeper. always having to try out new restaurants so I can recommend (or not) to my guests :) Anyone want to try it out with me? There is also a new pizza place about a block down from Mack and Manco. They also have sausage sandwiches and cheese steaks so I may have to give that place a try also! Crazy Susan's Cookies also has a small place on the boardwalk between 9th & 10th - close to the new pizza place. If you have never tried Crazy Susan's cookies, you should give it a try. they are really delicious! If I go back up to the boardwalk tonight - prime moon watching time! - I'll see what other places may have opened and report back!
Stay cool - and if that is not possible - come to Ocean City for the cool breezes!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Restaurant Week In Ocean City!

Today is the start of Restaurant Week in Ocean city. Many of the restaurants are offering buy one get one free on their dinners or desserts or appetizers or other specials. It is a great way to try the different restaurants. It also makes your dining experience a bit less expensive :) Most of the restaurants in town appear to be participating so the most difficult part is deciding where you want to go! I have my own favorites - and when you come here I will be happy to share them with you. But I do not want to list them here. It really depends upon what type of food you want. You can really get a variety in Ocean City - from pizza, Italian, Greek, Chinese, Sushi, seafood, American, Jamaican, Vegetarian and lots of places in between. We do not have any Indian restaurants in town that I am aware of but you never know when one might pop up! So if your taste buds are watering for something other than Mack and Manco pizza or Johnson's popcorn, head on into Ocean City this week and try out a new restaurant!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

June - the Transitional Month!

June is a great month because you have a pre-season feel to it and a season feel to it. In the first couple weeks of June, during the week, there is a calm and lull. It almost seems as though it is April - except warmer :) Yes, there are a few more people and a few more cars, but not enough to make it very noticeable. Then come the weekends.....and hold on to your hat! Now you feel as though you are into summer - a lot of people walking up and down the sidewalk, cars all over the street, fantastic smells from all the restaurants and boardwalk places. Then comes Tuesday and life goes almost back to normal - a few more people than normal, a few more cars on the street, but it is still quiet. I have to admit, I am ready for the season to begin. I might not enjoy getting up at 5:30 am but it does give a certain structure to the day :) Once I get up I am going for a while. It sure does make the day go by fast! The best part is greeting friends (guests) as they return and catching up with them. Welcoming new guests to Serendipity and listening to their stories. So let the summer begin! I am well-rested and just waiting for you to arrive!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Only in Ocean City!

I was sitting reading the paper in the living room when I heard a number of birds making a lot of noise outside. I went out on the porch to see what was causing this noise. It appeared that someone may have put a pizza box on the top of their car with a couple of slices and unintentionally drove away. In the middle of 9th St was a pizza box with 3 slices scattered on the road. You know how the birds are about food on the boardwalk? Well, they are as greedy about pizza off the boardwalk also. So the larger brownish birds are trying to grab a slice and fly away but of course the slice is too big. Then a car comes around the corner and has to really go slow because the birds do not want to let go of the pizza! Other cars would come along and blow their horn to get the birds to move. And believe me, they were very reluctant to let go of that pizza! The funny part is when another bird tries to get close enough to steal the slice - what a riot! I watched for about 10 minutes until enough of the pizza had been eaten so the birds could either get the slice to the side of the road or fly away with it. Don't worry birds - summer will be here soon enough with unsuspecting people forgetting to cover their food!


Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Beach "Nourishment"

Hi!

What a perfectly gorgeous day today! Went on to the boardwalk to see the progress of the beach replenishment....only to pass a sign that now calls it "Beach Nourishment". OK, whatever - the result is still the same - there is more beach! (A rose by any other name would smell the same - and a beach being nourished is being replenished!) Look at the pictures to see the dramatic difference. One of the pics I took during one of our many, many storms - and posted it on my blog. Here is a view of the same area - nourished and replenished just to show you that there is life after a no'eastern:) The sand for the dunes has been replaced and the sand is being pumped onto the beach. When you look at where the beach is being worked on and then the area right next to it, it is just amazing. I wonder sometimes why we mess with Mother Nature but if we did not I guess I would no longer have Serendipity - or maybe I would now have oceanfront property! BTW - the boardwalk has been crowded for the past 5 days or so. You would think it was summer. A lot of people and many of the stores on the boardwalk open. The parking lots on 9th street have been filled to capacity. I think there are a lot of people with cabin fever! So come on down and experience Ocean City in the springtime. The new cushions are on the rocking chairs on the porch and just waiting for people to come and have a seat! Hope to see you soon!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com