Weekend in Cape May, NJ

Friday afternoon, some gal pals and I loaded up the car and headed north to Cape May, New Jersey for the weekend. Our husbands and boyfriends all take an annual guys trip to see the Redskins play an out-of-town game (Phoenix, this year) so we decided it was high time we did something, too! I've never been to Cape May before and it was absolutely lovely. It is such an adorable little town and we had a wonderful weekend of eating great food, drinking wine, and shopping. It was so nice to get away with the girls and the weekend was just the relaxing weekend I needed. Girls trips should happen every month!

Everyone got in at different times on Friday so we posted up on the couch with wine and pretty much talked and laughed the entire night. We are all in different stages in our relationships with these boys of ours (newly dating but serious, dating and living together for years, newly married, married for ten years, etc.) so there was much to be discussed and I really got to know some of these ladies better than I did before. Nothing like pizza and red wine to bring chicks together! 

We stayed at a house about mile from the beach. Since it's off-season and we knew we wouldn't be laying out on the beach, it was perfectly priced for the location. It also lent itself to being girls weekend friendly-- huge sectional couch and big plush chair so we all fit comfortably during our gabfests! The house sleeps 10 people and there is a huge backyard with a table and chairs, chaise lounges, and a grill, making it great for families as well. There are also Adirondack chairs on the porch that I would definitely take advantage of in the summer!  Here is the link to the house we rented if you are interested in heading to Cape May!

Saturday morning we were up bright and early for breakfast at The Mad Batter. This place is so cute and the food was amazing. I had a Belgian waffle with a side of hash browns. I am making a bold statement here, but I have to say that these hash browns may have been the best I have ever had. Cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned!

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't so nice on Saturday but that didn't stop us from hitting the local shops and doing our part to support the Cape May economy. Among a few things I picked up: the softest mittens I've ever had on my hands (perfect for freezing cold Redskins games to come), a Cape May Christmas tree ornament, a beautiful dark green plaid scarf for only $20, and a print of two Schnauzers drinking red wine (I could not resist). After all that shopping, we were hungry and hit up The Ugly Mug for some beers and appetizers to tide us over before dinner. 

After our day out, we headed back to the house to get ready for our dinner reservations at The Pier House that night. 

Self-timer for the win! Wearing J.Crew Swing Sweater  (currently sold out) and 7 For All Mankind The Skinny Jean (a part of the Friends & Family sale using code Family25).  Not pictured but wearing the J.Crew Factory Sylvia Wedges in Bronzed Clay.

Dinner at The Pier House was nothing short of amazing. I had the lamb shank with asparagus and lemon and oregano potatoes. While dinner was very delicious, the desserts were out of this world. We shared 4 desserts: triple chocolate mousse, creme brulee pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and a peanut butter and chocolate ice cream pie. It was like the scene with Meg Ryan out of When Harry Met Sally, there were so many "oh my Gods" uttered at the table, people were beginning to stare but the desserts really were that good! We headed back home and ended the night with a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity. That game is always so hysterical.

Sunday morning we woke up to the sun shining! We decided to take the opportunity to get some exercise and walk to breakfast. A few of us were feeling the effects of the night before so we decided to hit up Uncle Bill's Pancake House, which was fine but I wouldn't recommend it. The food was okay but definitely not what we were going for. A couple of the girls had to leave after breakfast so they headed back to the house and the rest of us went back to the shops to pick up some items we missed the day before. I stopped to snap a few pictures of the beautiful Congress Hall. I am definitely going to try to get my husband to bring me here to stay for a long weekend soon! 





On our way home, we took the scenic route home and it was lovely. Cape May in October really is gorgeous. The temperature was perfect - not too hot, not too cold!







The rest of the day was spent hanging out and enjoying each other's company. Those of us that stayed had dinner at Lucky Bones on Sunday night and ended the night with a viewing of The Devil Wears Prada. I forgot how much I like that movie! Lucky Bones was very good, we all ordered pizza and I shamelessly ate my entire pie! It was the perfect atmosphere to end a girls weekend - laid back and we could sport jeans and tee-shirts. 
Monday morning before heading back home, we had breakfast at Bella Vida in West Cape May. Maybe I don't go to breakfast often enough but again this place was so, so good. I had french toast with a side of bacon and the french toast was some of the best I've ever had! It definitely has a laid back vibe and the service is not fast-paced like some other places you might go to for breakfast. Personally, slow service doesn't bother me at all and sometimes, like in this case, I rather enjoy the opportunity to linger over coffee and conversation. 
All in all, it was a great weekend spent with great friends and it was hard to get back to the daily grind yesterday. I would definitely recommend Cape May if you are looking for a girls weekend destination! Thankfully, I have a 3 day week this week so I think I can make it!