Newsletter Archive | August 2013

Each September Cape May celebrates Food & Wine in grand style.  We’re talking about a big celebration, with lots of interesting opportunities to do what most of us love the most … eat & drink.  This year’s celebration includes some terrific events, including: Chef’s Dine Around trolley tours, a Beer Tasting Dinner, a Gourmet Brunch Walk, a “Taste of Cape May” food show, a Clam Bake, a Bourbon Tasting Dinner, Wine Trail Trolley Tours, Self Guided Wine & Brewery tours and Winery Cellar Tour & Tastings, Food & Wine Lectures, Fisherman’s Wharf tours and much more!

This year’s event is actually a re-birth of sorts of the Cape May Food & Wine Festivals of the past.  As you can see, this week is jam packed with fun events. 

We still have limited availability for the grand finale weekend of this event (9/19-21), so call us today! 

Over the years Cape May has become a major Halloween destination.  With all of our old houses and our abundance of ghosts, the event has a taken on a life of its own.

Check out this list of scheduled activities:

Anna Marie and I are very excited about the 2nd Annual “Lessons of History” Lecture returning to Cape May this October 13th. This year MAC (Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities) is bringing the preeminent Lincoln Scholar and speaker in the country to Cape May to present a lecture entitled “Lessons from Lincoln:The Poetry and Prose of Freedom”.

Harold Holzer is the author of 43 books on Lincoln and the Civil War era, and the historical advisor for Steven Spielberg in the making of his recent film “Lincoln”. He will be examining how Lincoln balanced the prose and poetry of his Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation, as he recounts the year that Lincoln so deftly balanced the political, military, and historic to preserve government of, by, and for the people. This is sure to be a fascinating and entertaining lecture. It is being held at the Presbyterian church, right next door to The Queen Victoria. Immediately following the lecture we will be hosting an optional Meet the Speaker reception at The Queen Victoria.

Tickets are $25 before Sep. 2 and $30 after Sep. 2. The additional charge to attend the reception is $20..

Click here for more info & to purchase tickets

through October 31
This year’s Designer Show House has turned out to be wildly popular with everybody who has visited it.  It is a beautiful new home built in a Victorian fashion, but with all the modern conveniences you would expect in a high-end home. 

As always, a bevy (not sure how that word popped into my head) of designers have taken on the task of decorating the various rooms in the home to showcase their talents.  They all add their special flair, which is a big part of what makes a Designer Show house so interesting.

The 2013 Designer Show House is ideally located directly across the street from the Emlen Physick Estate.  Anna Marie and I are suggesting making an afternoon out of it by taking advantage of the luncheon package offered at the Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom on the Estate.  It is a great lunch, a great deal, and a great time overall.

This is a “must do” activity for your upcoming visit to Cape May.

Great Reasons to Return to The Queen Victoria

• Designer Show House through Oct 31
• Food & Wine Festival Sep 14-22
• Victorian Weekend Oct 11-14
• Lessons from Lincoln Lecture Oct 13
• Cape May Wine Festival Oct 12-13
• Halloween Happenings Oct 18-31
• Sherlock Holmes Murder Mystery Weekend Nov 1-3
• Exit Zero Jazz Festival Nov 8-9
• Channeling with Craig McManus Nov 16
• Christmas in Cape May Nov 22 – Jan 1
• Dickens Extravaganza Dec 8-10
• Channeling with Craig McManus Jan 11, 2014 
• Channeling with Craig McManus Feb 8, 2014
• Wine Lovers Weekend (blending party) Feb 22, 2014
• “Big Cheesy” Cheese Tasting Party Mar 8, 2014  

Ever since we started serving Harney teas in all of our pantries and at breakfast each morning, our Harney & sons Teas have been some of our most popular gift shop items.

Harney’s teas are simply wonderful, with flavor and body far surpassing any other tea we’ve ever served.  Each tin is filled with silk sachets of wonderful tea, insuring a perfect cup of your favorite tea.  We’re featuring some of our favorites in the gift shop, including: Pomegranate Oolong (love that name!), Peach, Black Currant, Peppermint Herbal, Darjeeling, English Breakfast, Hot Cinnamon Spice, Chamomile Herbal, Earl Grey Supreme and Paris (my new favorite).

If you love tea, you’re going to love Harney.  I know you’ll want to take some home with you!

Our Price: $ 8.00

This is one of the better guest photos I’ve received in quite a while.  It really captures the essence of Cape May’s beach at my favorite time of day.  Wouldn’t you love to be sitting on that life guard stand watching as the sun sets?

Cape May Stage’s latest production, which runs through September 13, is a hilarious revival comedy called Boeing Boeing. We love a good comedy, and this one is getting great reviews from all of our guests (we haven’t managed to see it yet).  

Here is how Cape May Stage describes it:  Bernard is engaged to Gloria. And to Gabriella. And to Gretchen. His supersonic lifestyle hits turbulence when all three invade his swanky bachelor pad in this high-flying farce from the swinging sixties. This 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Play, is an uproarious jet-propelled comedy that had audiences and critics cheering in London and on Broadway. Grab your boarding pass for a rollicking good time because “Boeing Boeing” is coming in for a landing this summer at Cape May Stage!

Lots of our guests are taking advantage of the several “Dinner and a Show” specials at many of our restaurants.  What a great way to see a show and save a few dollars!

I’m pleased to announce that the 2nd annual Exit Zero Jazz Festival is returning to Cape May this November 8. Last year’s first effort was successful despite the fact that it was held just one week after Hurricane Sandy visited the Jersey Shore. It was a great event with some terrific artists. But I have to say that I think this year’s event will be even better.

Pictured above is Dianne Reeves, the Friday night headliner and one of the premier vocalists in the world. She’ll be featuring her new album “When You Know”, which is a stunning array of performances of old and new standards along with an infectious, uplifting new original.

Other artists featured this year include Eddie Palmieri, a 9-time Grammy winner, Kenny Garrett, the Aaron Diehl Quartet, Lakecia Benjamin, Robin McKelle & the Flytones, Jaimeo Brown, and many others.

This is going to be an amazing event. The folks at Exit Zero Jazz have been working hard to make their Jazz Festival a world class event, and you can see the results. Now you have to book a visit to The Queen Victoria for November 8-9 so you can experience it yourself.

Check out their website

Anna Marie and I went to the Ebbitt Room for our anniversary this year and had a wonderful meal.  We’ve always enjoyed the Ebbitt Room, but this year it was exceptional.

First of all, the food was excellent.  We started things off with the calamari appetizer, which once again was the best I’ve ever had (I’ve had a LOT of calamari over the years).  Even though it was different this year, it is still the best.  We also had an order of the deviled eggs, which I know egg lovers will flip over.  I ordered an amazing swordfish dish for my entree, while Anna Marie had the grilled flounder.  Both were amazing.

The Ebbitt Room has lowered their prices this year on all their entrees, making it a little more affordable than in years past.  How can you not love that?

If you’re looking for a special fine dining experience for your next visit to The Queen Victoria, we definitely recommend the Ebbitt Room.

Cape May’s Premier Bed and Breakfast

Make your reservations today for a romantic getaway at The Queen Victoria Bed and Breakfast. We are looking forward to helping you plan your next visit!