Escape to Cape May

I have a real love-hate relationship with modern technology. I'm not into texting, or tweeting or fancy phones with an internet connection. Nothing irks me more than getting clotheslined by someone on the street because they're too distracted by the conversation they're having with their thumbs.

I may not get techy in public, but I more than make up for it in private and admittedly log way too many hours on the computer. Sometimes I sit like a zombie in front of it without remembering what I logged on for or spend a good two hours pinning pictures of red velvet bon-bons and pretty outfit ideas on Pinterest. It's a problem. Just ask my corneas. You can ask Vin's corneas too. He's even more addicted than me. We have five computers in our two-room apartment. Ain't nothing normal about that.

That's why we  place an importance on stepping away from all our little gadgets and who-whatsits every once in a while. Over the weekend, we booked a quick little impromptu trip to Cape May, New Jersey, about three hours outside of the city.

It's a town full of charming mom-and-pop shops,

beautiful victorian homes...

sandy beaches, 

And tons of charming inns. We stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast called The John Wesley Inn and Carriage House. Our host Bonnie was warm, attentive and presses a homemade belgian waffle like nobody's business.  Running a bed and breakfast is truly a labor of love, and you can tell that she and her husband truly love what they do.

This was our suite; there were two flat screens in the room and we didn't turn either on once. We didn't bring computers either. Weird, right? Instead we asked each other questions and indulged in things that we often get too caught up in our daily lives to do.

Like tickle the ivories.

Catch up on our regular reading material.

And visit with one another in the parlour. 

Our sitting parlour at home is currently non-existent undergoing renovation.

We both found the little trip restful and restorative, so much so that we 

didn't even miss all the technology we've both grown so fond of.

And then I came home and blogged, tweeted and Facebooked about it. I told you. I have problems.

The Bed and Breakfast: When Two Favorites Combine

When I was 15, my family stayed at a bed and breakfast in Colorado. At the time I remember thinking, "Ugh, I want to stay at a Hilton with vending machines and a pool, not some prissy Victorian house with doily curtains and floral wallpaper." I wasn't keen on the idea of sharing a house with a bunch of people I didn't know, and certainly didn't want to eat breakfast in front of a group of strangers. What if I still had Clearasil on my chin from the night before?

Once we got there, I was pleasantly surprised. There were freshly baked cookies and teas laid out for us after a day of skiing. The house was really lovely with lots of skylights and plants--much prettier than any hotel room I'd seen. And turns out, talking to strangers from other parts of the country wasn't even all that bad. Over breakfast I met an artist who was trying to collect enough underwear to string across the Grand Canyon, and in the evening I met a super-cute 17-year-old pianist from New Orleans. We made out. Don't tell my dad. 

Since then, I've had a very positive association with bed and breakfasts and have made an effort to stay in them when possible. On our trip to Amish Country, we stayed in a fantastic B&B called the Amethyst Inn, which is part of the Adamstown Inns and Cottages.

Unfortunately, it was still a little too cold to spend time out on the patio, but it was super cozy and overlooked a quiet residential street.

This was our room. Ahhhhhhhh. No doily curtains. No floral wallpaper. Just quiet, cozy peacefulness. Loved it.

And a whirlpool tub! I'm still dreaming of this guy. The room had a massage shower too. And a massage chair. I was pretty blissed out by the time we left. 

I read Southern Living and Travel & Leisure while soaking in the tub by the fireplace. Not an entirely bad way to spend a Friday night. A very nice way to digest an Amish schmorgasboard.

I chose to omit the photo of vin with his bathrobe worn over his clothes like Hefner. Aren't I such a considerate girlfriend? Just nod yes.

In the morning we were treated to fresh breakfast and coffee by a cozy fire. 

Sure beats the usual (aka, english muffin with peanut butter eaten over a pile of work at my desk).

But it's the little touches that makes bed and breakfasts so special. On Saturday night, our hostess left a gift bag on our bed with a sweet little plant inside to take home. 

And sent us with a little goodie box of treats for our drive home. Seriously, how cute is that?

If you're interested in finding a great weekend getaway, check out the inns on bedandbreakfast.com. That's where I have found several fantastic, warm, hospitable places. Have you stayed in a great B&B? Taking recommendations!