East Coast Here We Come

East Coast Here We Come! But in reality it was in August, not February!!!

We are now returning to our regular programming.

After a wonderful visit to Upstate New York, we were excited to be going back to our roots in the Philadelphia area. Steve and I look forward to Philly and Jersey Shore visits each summer. And this year we were thrilled to be spending a month in Hatfield PA and a couple of months at the shore.

We got to Hatfield on Monday, August 5 and by the weekend we knew we couldn’t wait a day longer to get to the shore. So we spent our first Sunday paying a visit to most of our favorite reasons for loving the Jersey Shore.

Our main focus was to meet our Grand Nephew Mav. He was almost 2 already, and we had not yet had the chance to get to know him. Since Mav takes a nap from noon to two, we had to occupy our time until after two. At the shore that’s quite easy to do.

We visited with Steve’s brother and his wife for a bit. Then we drove to see Lucy The Elephant and, before heading to Margate to see our niece Ashley, her husband Todd and their precious and precocious son Maverick (Mav), we drove past my grandparents summer home The Cambridge Villa.

I’ve told you about the fabulous Cambridge Villa in previous posts. My grandparents bought the home at 2 North Cambridge Avenue in Ventnor, before I was born. I took my first steps in that house. At about two and a half, I learned how to say come eat in Yiddish, so I could invite my Great Grandmother to eat lunch or dinner. I can still close my eyes and feel her arthritic hands holding my little face with so much love when I proudly uttered “Kim essen Bubba”.

But this year, I gasped as we paused in our car in front of 2 North Cambridge Avenue. It was as if someone had punched me in the gut! My beloved Cambridge Villa was gone. Razed to the ground  and up from the rubble rose a soulless 4 story monstrosity. How could anyone have done that? Thank G-d they can’t erase the beautiful memories my family created there!

My joy returned the second I laid eyes on Mav! He looks just like his Momma and has totally stolen my heart. We had so much fun getting to know him and visiting with his parents and Bubie Sheri.

By that time we were hungry. And you know that we couldn’t leave the shore without a visit to the White House Sub Shop. Before we took the long drive back to Hatfield, we devoured our cheesesteaks and ordered cold subs for the next day. Yes. They are that good!!!

We look forward to next summer when we can once again declare “East Coast Here We Come!”