Cape May is beloved by a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons: a great dining and bar scene, amazing architecture, lovely, unique lodging, a lively entertainment scene, and the occasional ghost or two. Somehow, Elaine’s manages to encapsulate all of these elements under one beautiful, centrally-located roof. You probably know it as Elaine’s Famous Dinner Theater – and that’s not just you, as it was rated one of the Top 5 dinner theaters in the nation by the Food Network – thanks to their spooktacular Haunted Restaurant and hilarious theater productions. Or maybe you’re familiar with their popular Ghost Tours, departing nightly on a stroll through town highlighting some of Cape May’s more supernatural spots. But now Elaine’s has expanded their offerings, and have opened their porch and the oh-so-cozy pub to the public. You can now enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or some cool cocktails on their gracious, Southern-style porch all season long – with live steel drums, or acoustic music on most days. Their happy hours are rapidly becoming must-do events, with local musicians playing on the lawn. And of course, their hilarious dinner theater offerings are always an excellent, one-stop way to spend an evening. Oh, and theme weekends packages in their boutique hotel accommodations are always a hit, like the Murder Mystery and Ghost Investigations weekends. If you like those, you’ll lover the grape-stomping weekend they’ll be adding this fall. Follow them on Facebook and keep your eyes open for that one – like everything else at Elaine’s, it’s sure to be a hit.

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If there’s a downside to hanging on the beach in Cape May all day, it’s that one can get hot and thirsty – parched, even. Thank goodness there’s a Rita’s Water Ice conveniently located right on Beach Avenue. Rita’s, as you probably know, has been in the business of refreshing hot, thirsty customers in delicious fashion for nearly three decades, and the Beach Avenue Rita’s has been keeping Cape May cool for five years now. You probably already have a favorite Rita’s treat, whether it’s Italian ice, frozen custard, or their gelati – a blend of the two – or maybe a Misto, the same thing, but blended into a beverage. But if you haven’t been there lately, you’ll want to visit now, as there are plenty of sweet new temptations on tap – including sundaes with unlimited toppings…

Maybe you’re a purist – a strict cherry or chocolate water ice fan. That’s fine, but with approximately 18 different Italian ice flavors made fresh every day – that’s eighteen – maybe you’ll venture into Margarita, Peanut Butter & Jelly, or even Swedish Fish territory. There are even sugar-free options like Chocolate Mint and Raspberry Tea. Craving something richer and smoother? Perhaps Cream Ice is more your speed, with flavors like Oreo Cookies and Cream and Root Beer Float. And speaking of drinks, please – try their new Frozen Lemonade – fresh lemon ice mixed with another flavor of your choice (we recommend Mango), blended with just enough water so you can drink it through a straw. Perfect for those really hot beach days when lifting a spoon to your mouth is just too much work – Rita’s to the rescue. Oh, and about that – Rita’s of Cape May also caters. Full-service or drop-off, give them a call and Rita’s will give you an affordable way to make your next event plenty cool.

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The first Social Media Day was such a hit, they’re doing it again today over at Convention Hall. Co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Cape May, and Constant Contact, “Social Media Day 2: Restore the Shore” is a free all-day seminar designed to get you up to speed on implementing social media in your small business. Today’s conference focuses specifically on the aftermath of Sandy, with discussions on both getting back to work after a disaster and making sure you and your small business are prepared for the next one. The event runs until 4:30 and is free.

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The lighting of Cape May’s Christmas tree in the bandstand at Rotary Park marks the official start of the holiday season, a time when Cape May becomes downright magical. Here are some great pictures to prove it!

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If you haven’t yet experienced a West Christmas Parade, we’ll assume you have a good excuse – perhaps 47 years’ worth of excuses, as that’s how long this annual event has been delighting kids of all ages and from all over. A small and fiercely dedicated army of volunteers assists Parade Lady Charlotte Daily in pulling together this unforgettable holiday must-do. Always held on the first Saturday in December, the parade kicks off tonight at 5pm sharp from the West Cape May Firehall on Broadway and winds its magical way through town, heading east on Perry and winding down on Carpenter Lane. It’s really tough to find a bad vantage point any where along the route, although having a friend with a big front porch on Perry Street helps….floats, firetrucks and marching bands from all over make the West Cape May Christmas Parade a true event. Think Macy’s parade on a smaller scale, but with a much bigger heart. Don’t miss it – we’ll see you there.

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A cold, crisp fall evening practically begs to be spent sitting around with friends telling stories. That could be you this evening, if you get over to Lucky Bones for the Winter Shore Slam. Sponsored by the Center for Community Arts, this is the first in their series of winter slams, leading up to the Grand Slam in the spring. A panel of judges will decide who tells the best story in 5 minutes or less (or recites the best poem in 3), based on the evening’s theme – tonight’s is “blissful.” And the “Bull Slam” immediately follows – if you feel like you’ve got the gift of BS, step up to the mic and see if you can pull one over on the audience. Whether you’ve got a story to tell, or you’re more of a listener, this event is always entertaining. The Slam gets underway at 7pm in the back room at Lucky Bones; if you’d like to register as a participant, get there a little early. Have a seat and be entertained, or order dinner and drinks and make an evening of it. Admission is $5, and if you’d like more information, call the Center For Community Arts at 609-884-7525.

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It’s been a long-standing tradition for Cape May to have a jazz festival, so when the previous incarnation went through a bit of a kerfuffle and it became clear it’d be no more, it was a great to see the Exit 0 International Jazz Festival step up to fill the void… and then some. Our photographer was on hand to snap some great photos at Carney’s Other Room for vocalist Sachal Vasandani‘s performance.

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Before you expend all of your energy collecting and eating your trick-or-treat candy tonight (yes, Cape May’s Halloween in tonight, for all you out-of-towners), make sure you have a good dinner. The Pilot House is once again sponsoring the Annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser for the Christmas Parade, so get some spaghetti and meatballs for a good cause. Join your hosts Frank and Deidre Hinline between 4-7:30 tonight. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the door. All proceeds benefit the annual Christmas Parade.

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