Guest Houses, Great Value for Cape May Rentals

With President Bush $170 billion economic stimulus package passed by Congress last week, it will be interesting to see how the US economy responds in the coming months. Economists generally agree that the economy should see a boost from the rebate checks, but appear equally divided on the chances of avoiding a recession.

One thing is for sure - the Cape May summer rental market is changing as more and more tourists look at the 'total cost' of their vacation...not just the what they're paying to rent a summer guesthouse, but the 'hidden extras.'

Parking, high-speed internet access, beach chairs, beach badges & box can add anywhere from $600 to $800 to the total cost of a one week summer guesthouse vacation, and family guesthouses that offer these added-value services as standard features are in high demand.

The high season 'summer rentals' remain strong as families appear reluctant to eliminate their summer vacation, but one area that offers exceptional value and opportunity is the 'shoulder season' (April & May / Sept & Oct).

Longfellow Guest House Now Offers Linen Service

Last summer we received many great ideas from our tenants on how we can make their Cape May vacation at the Longfellow Guest House even more enjoyable. Linen Service was something that came up repeatedly. And since many of the local alternatives are geared towards commercial clients (bad service, high prices, no delivery) we decided to create our own solution.

More Convenience, Better Vacation

So we're happy to announce that we now offer a linen service option for our tenants. It's been a big success so far and we will continue to offer it as an option for 2008. Our linen service is simple, competitively priced, and best of all super convenient — fresh linens are on each bed upon arrival. Perfect. To learn more about this service click here.

Vacation House Benefits: Our Wireless Internet Now Covers First Floor

A few years back, at the request of our guests, we added wireless internet access to the Longfellow Guest House.

We've Upgrade Our Wireless 

We're now happy to report that we've upgraded our router so our hi-speed wireless covers just about the entire first floor with the fastest 8011.n standard.  Our guests have responded with cheers and hoorays!!!  Many have told us they really like catching up with work by going online from the front porch in a rocking Chair, as the horse and buggies clip clop by.  We love that. And it sure beats having to schlepp your laptop somewhere and pay $7 for 15 minutes to go online. )

Monarch Butterflies Fly Into Cape May

Beautiful butterfly artwork created exclusively for the capemayX article by famed artist S. Dellworth. 

A few years back I ran a website called capemayX.com that explored and discovered neat things to do around Cape May with the family. It's was a ton of fun finding interesting details and stories that normally I might never have paid attention to(since I'm a local). Case in point: the Monarch Butterfly Migration. So this blog post is from that CapeMayx site — I hope you enjoy the article and video interview.

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(text picked up as it appeared from the original capemayX article)

A few weeks back, during an early morning coffee and rap session with Don Merwin in his photographic studio, I asked Don about a photo (in his store) of a strange looking tree with a bark texture I'd never seen before. Don told me to look closer and I saw the bark was in fact a mosaic of thousands of Monarch butterflies in a group huddle...

...The huddle helped them stay warm from the prior night's cold front that had just blown into town. It was an amazing moment-in-time-record of another one of mother nature's recurring miracles. Fortunately for Cape May residents and visitors alike, that miracle funnels directly through the beaches, shorelines and goldenrod beds of Cape May Point and surrounding areas. I tracked down more details online and decided it would make for an interesting capemayX.com story short.

My inquiries led me to world renown butterfly expert Louise Zemaitis who invited me to meet her at Cape My Point where she was tagging and weighing the latest group of Butterflies heading south for the winter. The fact that I met her at a specific street address because that's where the Monarchs knew dinner was served, only added to the natural wonders mystery of how these delicate but durable creatures navigate their multi-thousand mile journey each year with only their DNA roadmap to guide them.

This simple interview runs 10 minutes and presents interesting perspectives from an expert. Plus you get to see live how they tag the fluttery guys, and also what their little green chrysalis homes looks like (they're normally quite hard to spot). Share the video clip with your kids and if they take an interest, follow-up with a visit to the Bird Observatory or Nature Center. Because after all, the future of these little winged gliders, and all important environmental issues, depends on the awareness, commitment and activism of our next generation of people pupa as they embark on their own miracle journeys through this world. So get 'em plugged in now. Plus, this is just a great way to spend quality family time during your Cape May vacation. You're outdoors. You can learn a ton. And it's fun.

We hope to do a follow-up on the roosting, where the Monarchs cover Pine or Cedar trees. This happens when the next major cold front moves through Cape May and signals the last rallying cry before the critters make their next push southbound.

"Lord I'm Southbound, and I'm coming home to you."
~ Southbound from The Allman Brothers,
Official Monarch Butterflies theme song

^{Check our interview where I get Louise to smile}

Please note: you'll need a computer that's set up to run video, plus a high speed connection to watch this clip.

Chalfonte Cheese Nights (Video)

 Another Fun Cape May Hidden Gem video

Cape May is filled with unique, fun finds that can really add to your vacation. Case in point — The Chalfonte Hotel's cheese night that they host 3 nights a week during their in season. This is a wonderful find that truly lives up to being a capemayX.com hidden gem. The Chalfonte has teamed up with Philadelphia based DiBruno Brothers, pioneers in culinary taste, to present a complimentary cheese pairing each week where they introduce new cheese selections that are simply put, fantastically tasty.

Chalfonte Interview

In this capemayX video short we interview the Chalfonte's very own cheese connoisseur Debra Donahue as she explains how the idea came about and how it's grown very popular among locals, guest from around town, and Chalfonte guests alike. And yes, the cheese night is open to the general public. So if you're visiting, and your idea of a perfect way to start an evening involves hanging out with friends on the majestic porch of a classic old world hotel, and enjoying the tastiest cheese around while sipping wine and debating the issues of the world, then stop on over at the Chalfonte. And be sure to buy a few glasses of their delicious wines (good form) and enjoy some of the best cheese in town. This Cape May cheese special is available only during certain times, so be sure to contact the Chalfonte to find out the time and date details.

(The Chalfonte Hotel's Cheese Night Special is Open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, 5:00pm to 1:00am. For more information please see their website)

Lulu's Cape May Gallery Crab Cake Fund Raiser Night Out (video)

From A Cape May Photography Show A Few Years Back

The following post was from a fundraising exhibit I participated in with the then Lulu's Cafe with Michele Armstrong, to raise money for the animal shelter. I'm posting to the Longfellow Guest House blog, since the original post appeared in the CapeMayX website, which no longer is active.   

What a great night out

Many thanks to all the great people that attended the Lulu's Cafe Gallery event. We got a chance to present some of Michael Longfellow's latest Cape May photography, we raised money for the animal shelter that burned down, and Lulu's Cafe introduced the best new crab cakes in South Jersey (now serving at night).

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Left: Some of Michael Longfellow's gallery canvases on display. Right: beautiful and tasty crab cakes as only Lulu's can make them. 

And because it's worth repeating, the new Lulu's crabcakes are the best in South Jersey, if not some of the best on the whole eastern seaboard. Just as delicious as you would imagine how a perfect crab cake should taste, and we plan a follow-up story to get the details on what makes them so tasty good.

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We set up a super cool exhibit to present my photography on a chicken wire backdrop. I'm in the sport coat in the upper left and you can see my images behind me.

Canvas Prints

Wow, there was such a great reaction to my photography. I really appreciate that and I thank anyone and everyone who was kind enough to fire a compliment my way. It motivates me to get out there and capture more great shots that tell the ongoing stories of Cape May in unique, creative new ways. We were thrilled also, that people loved the canvas prints. They are of the highest quality and make for the perfect way bring unique photographic views of Cape May into your home or office.

For anyone interested in purchasing the featured canvas prints, we've set up a special gallery within our print partner's website. You can view and purchase those images by clicking here. And remember, our print partner delivers the finished product exactly the way you saw them presented the other night. Their world class service is backed up by a 30 money back guarantee, so you can feel secure when placing a order.

Ordering a canvas print is simple

Please note, if you have any questions about the ordering process, feel free to email Michael Longfellow directly. I've set up the gallery so if you select the link that says "Or, click here to buy it as the artist intended!", you'll get the same dimensions and canvas print that we showed at Lulu's.

Video short the Lulu's Gallery Event courtesy of Dennis Zaitsev of Zaitsev Studios.