December Newsletter
Lots to catch up on, folks. We have pumpkins, pretty flowers, a Swede, witches, gnomes, beach trees, an ocean-to-ocean cyclist, a Pittsburgh saddle stitcher that'll make you Yellowstone fans chomp at the bit. Plus there's free money for you Cyber SneDay™ slackers. Also, Nikki gets fake married.
Note: all awesome photos herein are by Orangerie Greenbrook. The rest are by me.
Let's jump in and see all the cool ish that's been going on since summer, shall we?
Landscaping and Signage Award
Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded Scarborough Inn with their 2022 Award for Outstanding Landscaping and Signage.
I find myself an unlikely recipient of any landscaping-related recognition. Always an apartment dweller, I've never successfully managed to grow even a single basil plant. I was intimidated taking over an inn replete with hydrangeas, lilies, two very photogenic crape myrtles, and one semi-hidden fig tree.
Most of these were planted by long-time innkeepers, Gus and Carol Bruno. Since taking over, I've tried my best not to kill their hard work while adding new touches to adapt to how our guests have been using the inn.
Like most properties in the Residential Historic District, Scarborough Inn doesn't have much green space. We re-polished and repainted a long faded terrazzo shuffleboard court below our porch. We resurfaced the surrounding patio with cost-effective precast pavers. By using a random ashlar pattern and selecting pavers from four different colorways, we were able to create a warm and inviting environment.
Then we set about "softening the hardscape." As we host a variety of events, much of our "landscaping" is moveable. Monica Maxwell, our assistant innkeeper, landed on the excellent idea of repurposing old filing cabinets as rolling planter boxes. Dune grass and conifers create year-round privacy screens that can be moved as needed. We painted them hot pink to match our facade's new color scheme, itself a nod to Scarborough Inn's former pastel pink color scheme. Silkscreened with our logo, they add a splash of color and place-specific accent to any photo.
Hot pink flower boxes add accents to the façade. In summer we fill them with colorful zinnias. In autumn, they're loaded up with mums and pumpkins.
Maintained landscaping along with nostalgic music, lit candles, and cleared sidewalks serve as reminders to passersby that Scarborough Inn is attended to year-round by people that care for this place.
I still struggle growing basil though.
Halloween in OCNJ
Halloween in our coastal paradise was spooktacular, as always. OCNJ's community spirit comes alive stronger than ever this time of year. Us innkeepers and our beloved in-house guests watched the Halloween parade take over Asbury Avenue (correction: As-boo-ry Avenue). Nikki traded in the bridal gown for something witchier.
After the parade, we all headed back to Scarborough Inn's heated porch for autumnally spiced lemonade and tarot reading.
A Mother's Rest
Throughout the year, we provide weekend respites for moms of special-needs children. Many of the returning moms have become lifelong friends of ours.
We finally got some of the moms to appear on camera during last month's Winterfest here in Ocean City. I'd like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to Janet, Isabelle, and Tuli for opening up on camera to share their stories and perspective. They've made this our most special film to date.
I'd also like to thank Claudia and Scott, better known as Oct28 productions. Beyond their filming and production prowess, they have a unique talent for drawing out people's own personalities on camera.
Also featured in this film is Monica, our assistant innkeeper. She's the glue that holds these weekend respites together. She shows up way before and stays way past her normal shift to make sure the moms are taken care of.
And, of course, the lady that started this all. Andrea Faris Roberts founded A Mother's Rest. With the motto that "You can't pour from an empty cup" she knows firsthand that you can't be an effective caregiver without putting in some self-care time.
Mostly, I'd like to thank Andrea for introducing us to these special moms. Even though it's our job to take care of them for a weekend, they're always looking out for us, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I'd be lost this year without their friendship.
Enjoy the film. Have some Kleenex on hand.
Trust Us. Winter Is the Best Time to Go to the Jersey Shore.
These are The Philadelphia Inquirer's words. Not mine.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/jersey-shore-winter-beach-things-to-do-20221127.html
I, for one, happen to agree. Christmas trees on the beach, no lines at Manco and Manco's, City Hall looking crazy festive, free horse carriage rides, starfish Christmas gnomes, and Scarborough Inn all decked out.
The only thing that would make a winter weekend here even more Hallmark-y would be if you dumped your power-suit-wearing boyfriend for a small town flannel-clad craftsman with a cute artisanal shop on Asbury Ave. And I just walked by like 12 of them on the way to lunch today. So there's that.
Christmas Playlist
Stop torturing your family with over-produced, bubble gum Christmas songs that make us all think maybe Scrooge had a point.
Out of respect for Scarborough Inn's staff, I worked tirelessly to curate over 32 hours' worth of Christmas music that won't make them go postal. Think blues, big band, and "Wall of Sound" conspiring to make a Christmas playlist that won't trigger holiday retail PTSD.
Click here to listen to and follow Scarborough Christmas on Spotify: