While my original intent for this blog was to journal day trips and mini vacations to small towns along the Catskill corridor –Route 17 East / West — there is also a 17 North and South. So when the temperatures decided to soar into the high 90s last week, Ronnie and I tossed our bags into the car and headed South on 17 headed for the Jersey Shore.
I gotta say, I can understand why Governor Chris Christie does NOT like the reality show that made Snookie famous or how it portrays this beautiful and family oriented area of New Jersey. The Jersey Shore is a fun place to lose yourself on those days…
♪♫•*¨*♥ *¨*♫♪When the sun beats down and brings the tar up on the Roof ♪♫•*¨*♥ •♫♪
When Ron and I arrived we checked into the Holiday Inn Express in Neptune City, NJ. — Someday we’ll take the Shasta down that way,
but we were facing intense heat and the Shasta does not have an air conditioner… YET. So we decided to opt for comfort.
What I like about the Holiday Inn Express is that you know what you’re getting for your money. There are many cute motels and hotels down along the shore, 
…but unless you get a personal recommendation you don’t really know what you may be getting into. — I hope to help with that in the future as I explore these surfside motels and post recommendations here. – – So if you want honest reviews about places to be and things to see, please click the *Follow* button. (Above left side of screen)
To some, the Holiday Inn Express may be considered a *generic* brand of housing, but there is an advantage to uniformity: no surprises good or BAD. All worked out well, and it was a very comfortable stay.
Upon arrival the first thing we did was head for the beach. (About 20 mins. from Holiday Inn Exp. Neptune)
The beach is the beach and there’s not much more to say about that. – – Sun, sand and surf. – – Oooh La La — We played in the waves while the temperatures soared to one hundred. We walked along the boardwalk and enjoyed frozen treats like Kohrs Italian Ices. I had cherry with a small side of Mango. Ron had lemon. Mine was better. — Hee hee.
We only stayed two nights and ate chicken wraps the first night. We are trying to keep a lower budget on our mini-vacations and eating in is sure to save us a fortune. Joyfully we enjoyed wine and cheese in the hotel room with air conditioning blasting , reading our books when we weren’t out on the beach enjoying the salty air and cooler temps near the water.
The second night we ate at a restaurant near Belmar called Simkos. I had the best pecan crusted salmon and Ron had his salmon blackened. We stuffed our faces and I have to say, that was the best balsamic vinegarette I ever had over Mozzarella and basil with vine fresh tomatoes.
All in all, I have to say, that life along the boardwalk on the first heat wave of 2012 in the Northeast was pretty cool!
EDGE OF SEVENTEEN 