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The Jersey Shore and More

 

The Jersey Shore

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Gotta Have an Ice Cream

Hi! Rylie here. Shhh. I’m hijacking Mom’s blog once again to share a brief Moment with you before she takes over. If your summer has been like mine, it’s flown by. Before the leaves start to turn orange, I decided I better visit a few of my friends in New Jersey before they all head off to work and grad school. Of course, no trip to Jersey is complete without going down to the shore.

Knowing firsthand the devastation our Long Island beaches suffered from Hurricane Sandy, I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the famous area. Boy was I surprised! There was so much beachfront at Asbury Park Beach, far more than any of our favorite beaches at home.

Asbury Park Beach, NJ
Asbury Park Beach, NJ

After lugging our beach paraphernalia and setting up for the day, my friends and I walked the boardwalk in search of lunch. There was a steady breeze, and the temperature hovered in the low 70’s despite a cloudless sky, so the beach was less crowded than expected.

The Boardwalk
The Boardwalk

Still, the thrumming of a heavy bass beat rippled from the bar/club, stores boasted touristy items with neon signs, and patrons at the multiple ocean-themed restaurants spilled onto the boardwalk at umbrella-covered tables. According to my friends, a majority of the boardwalk was rebuilt after Sandy.

DSCN0333The only damage I could pinpoint was on the weathered iron fixtures on the exterior of the Paramount Theater, although the worn building was a fascinating contrast to the shiny aluminum-walled ice cream and gift shops. We ended up buying French fries and large smoked chicken subs overflowing with crisp lettuce, honey mustard, and pickles. The food was great and reasonably priced. (You know how I love to eat!)

Tourists Abound!
Tourists Abound!

After lunch, my friends convinced me to go in the water, and even go out past the breaking waves. I’m a decent swimmer, but I panic pretty easily, so trying to stay above water and keep 1078364_10151588000943511_1002921687_nmy bathing suit from slipping off when we had to jump over the waves was an interesting experience. We dried off under the warm afternoon sun, hoping the lowered temperatures would mean a reprieve from sunburn. It didn’t. Even so, my first Jersey Shore adventure was a success. I can’t wait to go back next year, and maybe check out the shore further north or even visit Atlantic City.

Oh no! Here comes Mom. See you later…

Sunken Meadow State Park

I see that Rylie couldn’t resist telling you about her recent travels. I keep telling her she should start her own blog. It’s fun stuff. Anyway, here’s your Moment from my perspective, a few photos taken at a tranquil Long Island beach. Enjoy!

The Dunes
The Dunes

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A Lazy, Hazy Day
A Lazy, Hazy Day
Sunken Meadow's version of a boardwalk
Sunken Meadow’s version of a boardwalk

Which kind of beach experience do you prefer? Lively or laid-back? Or does it depend on your mood?

12 comments on “The Jersey Shore and More

  1. Rylie’s trip sounded like great fun but a laid back experience is more my cup of tea. In fact, a cup of tea is more my cup of tea, so set me down somewhere there’s tea bar ( or coffee if I must) and I’ll be happy.If there are a few gift shops or even a few shops holding sales and I have my companion, I’ll be in seventh heaven.
    xxx Huge Hugs xxx

    1. I adore tea, but usually unsweetened iced tea in the summer. There’s a little concession stand/gift shop at the Sunken Meadow beach with a surprising number of choices–including your favorite beverage. I think you’d like it.

      Hugs galore, David, and enjoy that grandson of yours!! 🙂

  2. I was so happy to see your smiling face, Rylie! I was hoping you’d do another post before school starts. What a great trip! I was relieved to see the restoration after Hurricane Sandy. They went through so much, it’s great to see the area thriving once again. The beach, sun, fun, friends and food, you covered it all, Rylie…great job and fantastic memories!

    Hi Jolyse! When I was Rylie’s age, I wanted the action packed beach. These days I prefer a quiet, more desolate beach. There are so many wonderful beaches here in North Carolina. One I’ve been dying to visit is Rodanthe.

    Thank you both for sharing all of the lovely pictures!

  3. I’m so glad to see the Jersey Shore has been pretty much restored after the damage it suffered. Thanks for sharing this Rylie. My husband spent a lot of time there as a kid. Is grandmother had a tiny hotel there and Hubs felt like a big kid having the freedom to hang out on the beach and make friends. I see the writing talent was passed to you from your Mom, too. Great job!
    Hi, Jolyse! Love the pics. A quieter beach is my style, too. Those serene LI beaches would give me the quiet to work on my novel. 🙂

    1. I’ve never been to the Jersey Shore, and Rylie’s photos make me realize it’s quite an interesting place. Busy, but interesting just the same, and with so much history– as you pointed out. I think I would like visiting there on a day like she did, when the weather was nice yet the crowd not overwhelming. I am a people-watcher at heart, too.

      Thanks for commenting, Marcia! I hope you find a quiet place to write your book. When you discover it, let me know. I have yet to find that elusive spot. 🙂

  4. I’m laid back. If I’m not laying soaking in the warmth, feeling the sea breeze and listening to the lullaby of the ocean waves, I’m walking the shoreline looking for shells and sea glass.

    1. My favorite part of Sunken Meadow is walking the boardwalk overlooking the Long Island Sound. So peaceful. Like you, when I’m at Smith’s Point on the Atlantic, I prefer to walk along the surf’s edge and discover little gifts from the sea.

      Have a wonderful end to your summer, Donna. Hope that hand is healing nicely so you’ll have full use of it soon! 🙂

  5. Love the articles Jolyse! The pix are very familiar as I’m a resident of Smithtown and grew up camping, picnicking and swimming in the sound. We’ve been splitting our time this summer between the ocean and our town beaches. Embarrassingly, I avoided the ocean beaches for a few days after Shark Week ended (tehe). We usually don’t hit Sunken Meadow until the season closes and the crowds go home. Thank you for the beautiful shots!

    1. Thanks, Gwen! Sounds like you’ve had a memorable summer. Our day at Sunken Meadow was quiet–until the camp busses arrived. LOL I’m happy you enjoyed the photos. Enjoy your week. 🙂

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