Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 98: You can visit alpacas in West Cape May

I've written about this on the blog before, but since someone else just did a story about it, I'll make it today's fact of the day: alpacas! In West Cape May!

Bay Springs Farm is a working alpaca farm that you can visit on weekends. They're funny creatures, which makes for a fun visit. There's an attached farmhouse store, too, with plenty of alpaca wool goodies for sale.

You pass it right on you way to Higbee Beach, which I wrote about yesterday.

And with that, I'm off to a short trip to the Adirondacks in a place with no electricity and I'm told no cell phone service (HOORAY FOR A TECH BREAK!). I'll be back in the middle of next week. That means pre-written Facts of the Day. So if something big happens - the ghost of Frank Sintra shows up at the White House Sub Shop or something - and I'm not writing about it, that's why.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 97: AAA Can't Help You on the Atlantic City Expressway

It's true, and unfortunately I found this out myself yesterday.

I left for the shore bright and early at 6am yesterday to get to a breakfast meeting at 8:15 in Cape May. Windows slightly down, gorgeous day, lalalalalaaaaaaaaaaa!

And then my radio dies. And then all the meters in my car - speed, gas level, everything - hit zero. The car is still working just fine, but something was obviously wrong ESPECIALLY since I had to have my car jumped on Saturday for no apparent reason.

I make it to the Farley Service Plaza, park by the Sunoco, turn off the car. Try to turn it on. It's dead, of course. Then I called AAA.

Turns out AAA is not allowed to help their customers who are stuck on the Atlantic City Expressway (and I have been told that this is also the case with the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway). My only option was to be transferred to the people who run the Expressway and have them tow me to the nearest exit and THEN call AAA to tow me home.

I N S A N I T Y

Fortunately the AC Expressway service guy was great. He ended up jumping my car again with the hopes that I would have enough juice to drive to my garage in Bellmawr. If I died again and was still on the Expressway, he said he'd just jump my car again. So I avoided that tow. But still. Really? Also, if you do get stuck, you can call AAA and they will transfer you over to the Expressway folks who can help you.

I almost canned the entire trip, but it was such a nice day, and the people I was scheduled to meet with could move their appointments back, so my mom picked me up from the garage, took me to the PATCO High Speedline, which I took into Philly, onto the subway, and to where my boyfriend's car was. Then I headed BACK down the shore. In total, the trip took 6 hours and $500 (approximate cost to replace my alternator).

Thank goodness it was a gorgeous day. Unfortunately, the whole car thing meant my plans to both run and then sit on the beach after my appointments wasn't going to work. I only had time for one of those activities.

I think I chose wisely. This is Higbee Beach if you're wondering.

ALSO! Please be extra careful in driving in traffic that's moving slightly faster than stop and go. This was the case for parts of the AC Expressway on my second drive yesterday and I saw what looked like a four car pile up happen because someone rear ended one car, which caused a chain reaction. So be careful, folks.

ALSO AGAIN! I have another piece about running in the New York Times - ran today. Click here to read along. It involves a cow....and the Asbury Park Half Marathon and the Ocean Drive 10 miler.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 96: Two and a Half Weeks Left

Am I depressing you with this one? I really don't mean to, but it's true: we only have 2.5 weeks left of the 2011 summer shore season.

I tell you this now, and not next week or the week after that, because I want you to have ample warning that NOW IS THE TIME to get in any last must dos for the shore this year. Didn't get your cone from Kohrs, or your slice of Mack & Mancos, didn't see that sunset at Higbee Beach or that Big Night Out in Atlantic City? GET ON IT.

GET ON IT if you need to do this in, as the Beach Boys called it, the Warmth of the Sun. All of these things are available to you year around. But I know it's not the same if you're a summer fan. So. You've been warned. Get to work.

(I'm down the shore today, but last night, I spent a good chunk of time settling details of the slew of fall trips I'm taking, which include stops in the Outer Banks and Vancouver, among many many more - some for work, some not. As I was looking at those September and October dates, I realized I was automatically skipping over the next two and a half weeks. Writing for magazines will do that to you since our deadlines are so very far in advance. Hence the thought behind this fact of the day.)

News & Notes

Check out the August 15 issue of American Way Magazine for my article about Asbury Park. If you're flying American Airlines this month, you can see it in print by checking the seat pocket in front of you.

I've long written book reviews for American Way, and this is my first travel piece for them. My second should be published this fall.

And, if you happen to be house hunting, my mother's house is for sale. There may or may not be embarrassing pictures of me on the walls (EVERYONE had a bowl cut in the '80s). Maybe I'm partial, but it's a great place to grow up. Nice yard at the end of a court that's bordered by a convent. Huge old growth tress. I'm not going to lie: I cried when I saw the for sale sign on the lawn. It's a very special place.

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 95: The Atlantic City Airshow is tomorrow

It's almost Thunder Over the Boardwalk time!

The annual Atlantic City Airshow is tomorrow, and it will fill the skies over the Boardwalk and casino with planes from U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, U.S. Navy Super Hornet, and a lot more. Check out the details here.

My two tips:

1. If you can, go today. It's their practice day, and the crowds will be much smaller (estimates are that the Wednesday event draws 750,000 people). There's no schedule for practice because that depends on the weather, but if you're in town or thinking about sneaking down, this could be a reason why.

2. If you go tomorrow, do not plan on leaving right after the show. Atlantic City (and Ventnor, Margate and Longport for that matter) are paralyzed by traffic when the show is over. So make other plans (dinner anyone?) to avoid that crush.

And enjoy! I'll be in Cape May working tomorrow. Maybe I'll catch sight of a few planes on my way home.

More vintage Jersey Shore

This time in Sea Isle City. I want that jacket!

Jersey Shore Fact of the Day 94: Use vinegar for jellyfish stings

The weather Saturday was gorgeous - a perfect beach day.

The creatures living in and around the beach, though, were not. I already mentioned the incident with the seagulls. I finally left the beach when I was stung by a jellyfish.

For all my time down the shore, I don't think they'd ever gotten me before. I could tell right away - a pin point burning on my back. I got out of the water and immediately applied pressure with my towel. It wasn't TOO bad, but it hurt. After about five minutes, the pain and itch went away. I guess it just tapped me.

If you do get stung, go to a lifeguard. In Ocean City, they were spraying jellyfish stings with plain old vinegar which, according to the New York Times, deactivates the "venomous nematocysts that jellyfish release." I was in Strathmere, so no lifeguard to spray me. But my sting was so mild I didn't need it.

And no, urine doesn't work. That's gross.

Of course, not all jellyfish stings are alike. Read here for more information.

Thanks to reader John Tomlinson for giving a heads up as to what Ocean City lifeguards were doing on Saturday.