Published Sunday, December 1, 2002
By Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writer
When I dream of Christmas, I like to to think of fireplaces crackling, the smell of pine, cold faces pressed against warm windows displaying Christmas gifts and candy, the sound of bells and Christmas carols.
I never thought of New Jersey.
But after a visit to Cape May during their holiday preview weekend in November, I think my thoughts may turn seaward during the wintry season from now on.
An old historic seaside town, Cape May boasts dozens and dozens of victorian-style bed and breakfasts, and its center piece -- the Emlen Physick Estate -- an 1870's Victorian house museum, which also houses on its grounds the very English Twinings Tearoom. Old-fashioned trolleys and horse-drawn carriages take a leisurely circular route around the outdoor mall area which features bricked walking paths with unique places to shop and dine.
The cape town is about an eight hour drive from Mercer County, with the majority of the drive time used on the state turnpike system. After skirting Philly via Interstate 476 south to Interstate 95, Cape May is just a hop, skip and a dive. Once the Commodore Barry Bridge is crossed into New Jersey, the bridge road becomes Route 322 east. A right onto Route 55 South will lead you seaward once it turns into Route 47.
A lovely mixture of turn-of-the century seaside resort and tourist town sans the commercialism of nearby Wildwood, a visit to Cape May during the holiday season yields the added tang of salty ocean aroma to the scent of pine, as well as a nautical nature to the natal holiday.
A walk through the bricked streets of Cape May's Washington Street Mall is a special treat with large glass windows revealing tempting treats such as homemade fudge and saltwater taffy, Christmas ornaments and sea-themed gifts such as shell candles and lighthouse bric-a-brac.
An employee of the Fudge Kitchen standing in front of the store peddles bits of fudge for free as a siren-like lure inside the store. The special of the day, buy two pounds of fudge to get a free box of saltwater taffy, was revealed to be the same special offered when my 20-plus friend, who lives in area, was a child. That kind of continuity seems to just add to the old-time feel the town reflects.
A visit to the Whale's Tale reveals gifts and stationary items of a whimsical and unique nature such as a story of princess fairytales who don't need rescued by princes, jewelry created from abalone shells and Holiday cards influenced by themes titanic.
The architecture of the buildings in Cape May was the inspiration for a Family Treasure Hunt seek and find architecture tour replete with a map, a clue sheet and an answer sheet. The selection of bed and breakfast's in the town are overwhelming with each having a unique history and story of their own. One is a mirror-image home with each side of the house containing identical parlors, dining rooms and bedrooms, built as a mother-daughter residence years ago. Another has distinctive notching in the wooden doors and window frames that came from its original owner. Yet a third home was built by a seafaring captain who decided to retire in a town near his beloved ocean.
But a visit to Cape May's historical district would not be complete without stopping in for a spot of tea on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, with a residence designed by architect Frank Furness that contains 18 rooms, 15 of which are restored to their 1879 era. The Twinings Tearoom is housed in the Physick Estate Carriage House, along with the Gallery Museum Shop and offices for the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, a non-profit organization that sponsors and promotes cultural events and restoration in the seaside town.
Tour guides dressed in late 1800's garb describe events that occurred in Dr. Physick's day, while you walk through a home with amazingly ornate woodwork and beautiful antique furniture and tell interesting details of using bread dough to clean out soot from the ceiling that comes from the gas-lighted chandeliers.
Though walking through wintry woods on snowy moon-lit nights seems like the typical yule event, I found that I could get easily acclimated to a holiday walking on the beach by the ocean during the mild weather of a town that is south of the Mason-Dixon line.
I think next year I may be dreaming of a sand-colored Christmas.
For more information, check www.capemaymac.org