My Spring Vacation

I recently took a short trip to nearby Spring Lake, New Jersey. Even with a little bit of traffic out of New York, it took only about 2 1/2 hours and the drive was even a bit shorter coming back. I chose Spring Lake because my husband and I had really enjoyed a trip we took years ago to Cape May, and I heard this was closer and somewhat similar. I did notice differences. I'd still like to go back to Cape May one day, but Spring Lake, on the Jersey Shore, was very pretty, and I enjoyed the trip very much and would highly recommend it as a place to relax but also a place with a variety of things to do if you are so inclined.

While we were in Spring Lake, we toured some of the nearby towns. Most of them have small shopping villages and a beach front. Ocean Grove featured some of the Victorian homes like Spring Lake and a very nice area of antique and boutique shops. I found a unicorn statue for my daughter's bedroom at the Scarlett Unicorn which had an assortment of items (only a few unicorns) in both their upstairs and downstairs shop. We ate at an outdoor cafe, Yvonne's, in town which also had indoor seating. The weather throughout our 3-day trip was picture perfect, and I took almost 400 photos using my iPhone because there were so many lovely spots.

We stayed at the Hewitt Wellington, a condo hotel across from the lake and not far from the long strip of Ocean Avenue beaches. Our room was a very comfortable suite with a coffee maker, refrigerator, and couch in the sitting area and a separate bedroom and a bath with a shower. The hotel also has a wraparound porch with wicker furniture where you can sit and look across at the lake. It was very relaxing to do this. On the last day of our stay, some folks were operating remote-controlled sailboats that were pretty to watch.

While in Spring Lake, we saw a play at the Spring Lake Community House which also houses their library (which, of course, I had to check out - no pun intended). We saw the Secret Garden on Friday night and just missed a very quick rainstorm as we got to the theater. The performance was excellent and the small theater had a full audience.

Also on the trip, I visited Jenkinson's Pavilion in Mount Pleasant which features a small aquarium, carnival stands on the boardwalk where my husband and I won stuffed animals for our daughter by throwing darts to pop balloons, and restaurants and souvenir shops.

Three days wasn't enough to see all the attractions on the Jersey Shore, and I'm told the crowds are heavy in the summer, but it's a place you can enjoy year round. I was sad to leave and even stayed an extra night but had to get back to work on Monday. Vacations are never long enough.

Finding Your Special Place in SL

My real birthday is May 9 which falls on Mother's Day this year. In second Life, the day my avatar, Dulcie, was "born" or what residents refer to as a Rez Day is March 6. I like to celebrate both days, as many people do. I don't always do anything big, although I've had a few Rez day parties. For my real birthday, I also like to do something in SL. It's always nice to have an excuse for a party or celebration, and there are so many places to dance, explore, or just have a good time with friends.

When trying to plan a place to go, I wanted to try some place different than the old standby, the Jazz Cat on Info Island International, although I always enjoy going there, as do many of my fellow SL librarian colleagues and friends. I asked for some recommendations but, of course, just like asking for a book recommendation, everyone's taste is different. I also checked SL blogs and the Destination Guide. I didn't really know exactly what I was looking for, but I thought I'd know it when I saw it. The problem was that there were too many choices, and I really wanted to visit each one to see what they were like.

I saw a play advertised, Alice in WonderSland, and thought that might be fun to try, but it wasn't performed on the day that worked best for me. I also considered a SL cruise that one of my friends had tried aboard the SS Galaxy or even a more daring voyage on the HRS Titanic. But when I visited Foxxie's Ballroom and Jazz Club in Shadowfox, I felt that I'd found the place where I wanted to celebrate. In addition to a really breathtaking ballroom of gold, silver, and black, the grounds of the Shadowfox sim feature lovely gardens scattered with dance balls, a gazebo, and a pretty lake with swans. You can take a hot air balloon or horsedrawn carriage tour of the area, have a free photo taken, row a rowboat on the lake, and, of course, shop. As far as dancing, the Ballroom has a strict formal dress code, but it is a classy place and worth the effort. Besides most ladies love to take out their gowns from inventory every once in awhile or buy a new one for the occasion, and men can always find a tuxedo tucked away in their inventories.

So next year, I may celebrate my Rez Day or birthday by seeing a play or taking a Second Life cruise or maybe I'll find another nice place or even just stay home, but, this year, I will enjoy a special night at Foxxies. I am looking forward to it.