Manual Labor Day Weekend

It’s funny to realize this, but apart from a staycation or two in Hong Kong over the past eighteen months, I haven’t had a proper getaway since I flew down to Thailand in February 2020. So, last week, when my sister Danii and I drove to Atlantic City for an amazing lead-in to Labor Day, it felt like a full-fledged holiday. Yes, it was an incredible return to a place where I spent a great deal of time as a child. And although gambling didn’t really play too big a part in our exploits, I still feel like a winner in the wake of this trip. As summer starts its inevitable fade into fall, I’d just like to take a moment to preserve some of my top memories of the mini-vacation, plus the days that followed when we’d returned back north as we savored one final glorious sunny stretch! 

I’ll never forget the moment I first walked into our top-floor oceanfront room at the Claridge Hotel on Thursday. It was dusk, and the lights were dimmed, so my eye was immediately drawn to the large picture window facing the sea. A storm was rolling in, the trees in Brighton Park swaying in the heavy gales and white-capped waves pounding the Jersey Shore. My jaw dropped and I’m pretty sure I let out an audible ‘wow’ on the spot. I could have stood there and just gazed over that vista for my entire trip, it was so dramatic and spectacular. Little memories like this can be so magical.

We hit the boardwalk a little while later, making a short trek to St. James Place and popping into the historic Irish Pub for dinner. Although I’ve heard a ton about the place, this was actually my first visit, and I loved the friendly staff, who took us around the whole building, telling tales of its illustrious history.

My corned beef special was off the charts, and a cold pint of Guinness has rarely been more fitting. All consumed in the atmospheric dining room, its walls lined with eye-catching bric-a-brace, it made for an incredible evening.

Back on the boardwalk, it felt like a category five hurricane was rolling in. Of course, it was actually the remnants of Ida, but the gusts were so strong that at several points, Danii and I felt like we were about to lift off the ground! In fact, although I was giggling and enjoying the phenomenon, my poor sister was actually frightened out of her wits. She insisted we immediately head indoors, so we popped up to Bally’s casino, where I lost a double sawbuck in the blink of an eye.

I consoled myself with a quick dip in the Claridge’s elegantly floodlit swimming pool, before we retired to our room, with the view as dramatic as ever. Before I finally climbed into bed, I sat in an armchair pointed out the window for what might have been hours, as I drank in the scene.

We took an early morning stroll on the boardwalk that next day, and one thing was clear: the storm had come and gone, leaving little but its memory in Atlantic City. Having heard terrible stories of the damage wrought further north, including the area where we live, I was scared southern New Jersey might have received similar damage. 

But as the dawn rays warmed the wood of that iconic promenade, there was no doubt this was going to be a glorious day.

When Danii first proposed this quick jaunt down to Atlantic City, the first thing I said was, “We have to go pay a visit to Lucy.” No, not some friend of mine who lives in the vicinity, but rather the famous seaside attraction Lucy the Elephant.

Built back in 1888 and standing six stories just off the beach in the neighboring town of Margate, Lucy is an icon of the Jersey Shore. And, perhaps shockingly, in all my previous visits to AC, I’d never gone to see it. When we caught a news story mentioning that the structure was badly in need or repair and would be closing towards the end of September for a ten-month restoration, I knew the timing of our trip couldn’t have been more perfect!

So after our boardwalk stroll that morning, we hopped in the car and drove the ten or so minutes down to Margate. It was lovely just cruising down the quiet streets outside of main heart of town, as urban gave way to suburban, with dozens of the cutest little beach houses you’ve ever seen lining each street.

But it was Lucy herself who made the morning so memorable. We paid the minimal fee to take a fully-guided tour of the structure, entering in one of her hind legs, spiraling up the staircase into her surprisingly cavernous interior, gazing out through her porthole-like eyes and venturing up to her rooftop, the nullah, for dreamy views of the sea.

To finally be standing there, and to know we were among Lucy’s final visitors before her temporary closure, all coupled with the peerless weather, made for a very memorable encounter with the peaceful pachyderm. And I have a feeling my first visit with dear old Lucy won’t be my last!

Back in Atlantic City, Danii and I popped down to Bally’s Beach Bar for some giant pouch cocktails, and I even snuck in a cheeky tequila marinated watermelon and pineapple platter, which doubled as both my late breakfast and my early lunch.

As the banner-towing planes glided across the sky, and all manner of beachgoers made their way to the sand, we whiled away a pleasant hour, before I returned to the Claridge (my phone was dangerously low) and Danii settled in on the beach to soak up some color.

After getting a little juice in the old iPhone, I headed up to the Claridge’s incredible rooftop space, VUE, which has an expansive outdoor patio overlooking Atlantic City in all its glory. Eventually—and by that I mean hours later—Danii came up and joined me, as we plotted plan for the evening. I had booked two spaces on a sunset cocktail cruise, and her friend Kristina planned to drive down and join us for dinner and drinks, so we had a lot of look forward to.

The cruise turned out to be wonderful. Run by an operation simply called Atlantic City Cruises, our captain sailed us in the backwaters behind Absecon Island, passed the ritzy homes and private docks of the citizens of Brigantine.

And as the sun dipped lower in the sky, the friendly bartender kept our delicious drinks re-filled, and we even spotted a group of dolphins frolicking in the calm waters. I made it my duty to sample as many of the cocktails off the ship’s menu as I could in the all-too-brief sixty-minute cruise time, and by the time we moored back at the pier, I was confident I had done well for myself!

Back at VUE, we ultimately linked up with trusty Kristina, but because she had gotten into town slightly later than we had originally expected, we opted to dine in our hotel’s signature Italian restaurant, Twenties, instead of journeying farther afield. I had an incredible tri-color Jersey tomato appetizer, followed by a sumptuous pasta dish, all washed down with a strong highball.

Like that, it was Friday of Labor Day Weekend. And I was up and at ‘em shockingly early, literally in time for the sunrise. I started watching the skies illuminate from the secluded grandeur of the room, but I realized the hulking towers slightly to the north would obscure the sun’s actual appearance over the Atlantic. So I rushed down to the sand and slowly made my way along the shore, as the morning spectacle reached dazzling heights.

At one point, I even called friends in Hong Kong because I wanted to show off the beauty of my home state. And, boy, oh boy, was it beautiful at that moment! I even had the opportunity to walk directly underneath Steel Pier, its sturdy pillars casting dramatic shadows on the sand.

I spent an enormous amount of time walking up and down the boardwalk afterwards, spotting as many of the Monopoly street signs as I could locate. My objective was to scope out what I felt was the best spot for breakfast, as I knew my late-rising sister and friend would be in touch soon, with empty morning stomachs. I thought Bungalow Beach took the prize for most inviting venue with its airy, plant-strewn patio immediately fronting the boardwalk. And, almost on cue, Danii sent me a message asking where I was.

What can I say? Paul can pick ‘em. It was a great spot for breakfast, and we made it even more memorable by hailing one of Atlantic City’s famous rolling chairs to shuttle us there from the Claridge. Seated on the sunny al fresco eatery’s sizeable terrace, I promptly ordered a mimosa and a stack of sumptuous Godiva pancakes, studded and drizzled with chocolate.

Our appetites taken care of, Danii and Kristina wanted a few more hours of summer sun on their skin, and I duly tagged along to the beach, even taking several dips in the perfect ocean. I was reminded that I rarely feel more alive than when I swim in the Atlantic. Yes, the dreamy seas of Southeast Asia are easy on the eyes, to be sure, but bathing there is similar to swimming in a pool or even a bathtub, with warm water and hardly any surf. You’ve really got to be on your toes in Atlantic City, with massive waves apt to knock you down every moment if you’re not properly prepared. And, well, I simply adore it.

As the afternoon wore on, I left the girls on the sand and headed to Steel Pier, because I had every intention of riding the giant Ferris wheel before leaving. I mean, are you really surprised? You can see the huge contraption from all over town, including from the hotel window, so I’d been enticed since our arrival. And I’m so glad I got to take a whirl on it.

Our last official duty in Atlantic City before driving back home was to stock up on salt water taffy, the original Jersey Shore treat, invented here back in the 1800s and a popular snack to this very day. Walking back to the car with our treasure, it was a quirky moment to spy the Claridge’s beautiful art deco architecture recreated on the box! I’m pretty sure I’ll keep this long after the sticky candy has disappeared, as a glorious memory of a quick-but-phenomenal vacation.

We still had the rest of what promised to be a glorious Labor Day Weekend ahead of us. And although Saturday mostly turned into a rest and recovery day, our energy had returned by Sunday. Danii and I had a delicious waterfront brunch on the dock of Jakeabob’s Bay, over in Union Beach. And we capped off the night at the Regal Cinemark in Hazlet, watching Jordan Peele’s new updating of Candyman.

My dad and I spent Labor Day itself in Perth Amboy, a little city about ten minutes’ drive north of our house. Perth Amboy has a quaint downtown, but for me, its real charmer is its picture-perfect marina, with myriad boats of all shapes and sizes plus dreamy views of Tottenville over on Staten Island.

Over the years, I’ve worked out the perfect Perth Amboy routine. On a sunny day, as this was, you have to stop for at least one drink at the waterfront Armory to soak up the perfection of the scene. 

But for the best eats in town, you have to sacrifice your panorama ever so slightly, and make a beeline for the Barge, a restaurant whose chefs know how to broil fresh seafood like you wouldn’t believe. So after a Mezcal mule, my dad and I were seated at a window table feasting on decadent scallops before sating our sweet tooths with rich, waitress-approved chocolate mousse.

Perhaps needless to say, when we passed a local ice creamery en route back to the car, I couldn’t resist the temptation to indulge. “Life is better with sprinkles,” a sign on the back wall proclaimed. You better believe it!

As summer’s last day merged into summer’s last night, I made myself a final cocktail of the season, which I sipped on our back deck, as the skies changed color and I kept my eyes pealed to spy the last of the lightning bugs. I feel so lucky I got to catch the tail end of such a special time of year back home, after being kept away for so long!

So, when my sister and her friend Phil announced they were headed to Sundae’s for a quick dessert and volunteered to take me along, I didn’t really have to think twice. In spite of the chocolate mousse and first ice cream of the day over in Perth Amboy, I hopped right in! And I savored every spoonful of those delectable scoops of Key lime pie as I reflected over the most precious of memories.

Cheers, summer 2021! Glad we got to know each other, and I look forward to the arrival of your colorful cousin, fall!