Inspiring Lives Magazine Winter 2017: Issue 3 | Page 58

Passport to

Inspiration

CAPE MAY , NEW JERSEY

By Kim Adley • Photography by Kim Adley
I love to sip a cup of tea from a vintage china tea cup . There is something so soothing about the ritual of having tea this way . I even enjoy the simple process of boiling the water in the kettle , steeping the tea bag , and gently stirring in the milk and sugar . It ’ s such a doable simple pleasure !
As a busy entrepreneur , I find those simple pleasures occur less frequently , and my tea kettle sometimes doesn ’ t get poured but , instead , sits on the hot burner filled with boiling water and on the constant verge of a whistle . The longer it boils like this , the less water there is , until eventually all the water is gone . How I hate when that happens ! The distractions of work and life take over , and then I have no other choice … it ’ s time to take the kettle off the heat and refill it with cool water and start the process again .
Sometimes I feel like the kettle left on the burner depleting myself . During those times , I ’ ve learned that I need to remove myself from the daily demands briefly to replenish and restore . This past summer I found myself “ running on empty ,” and I decided to regenerate with a long weekend escape to find refuge by the sea and comfort in the sand . The ocean has always been the water that refills my inner “ kettle .” My journey to Cape May , N . J ., did not disappoint .
Cape May has a long history of replenishing guests by the sea . This sweet spot of land nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay was discovered in 1621 by Sea Captain Cornelius Mey . He promptly laid claim and named the town after himself ( spelling has been changed over the years ).
But it wasn ’ t until the mid-1700s when roads were built from Philadelphia and Baltimore that people started escaping to Cape May from the big cities during the summer . It was during this time the town earned the title of the “ First Seashore Resort .” The 1800s attracted more guests , and hotels and boarding houses grew in number . After the lighthouse and railroad were completed , plots of land sold quickly to wealthy buyers who built summer homes in Gothic , Victorian , Queen Anne , and American bracketed styles . Through the decades , many of the homes were destroyed by fire and storm , torn down for progress , or left in disrepair . But the resurgence of the bed and breakfast industry in the 70s and 80s helped bring back life to many of these old homes , and at one point , the town had over 60 B & Bs . In 1976 , Cape May was officially designated a National Historic Landmark City , one of only five in the nation , and the largest collection of authentic Victorian structures in the United States .
I started exploring the town ’ s picturesque historic district by trolley tour . Charming narration pointed out many of the unique Victorian homes and referred to them as “ The Painted Ladies ” of Cape May . These wood frame houses embellished with gingerbread , porches , and awnings are painted in a rainbow of colors . Some are private homes while others offer overnight stays in antique decorated rooms . The treelined streets were a feast to the eyes with one “ painted lady ” after another beckoning to passersby . I opted for the combination ticket on the tour that included a stop at the only Victorian mansion in town , the
58 INSPIRING LIVES WINTER 2017