Ode to the Jersey Shore.....

Having bought a small place on long Island eight years ago, I don't often get the chance to visit the Jersey Shore as often as I'd like.

This summer I had the rare opportunity of visiting three times, and what a treat that was!

love the color of the water and the calm waves......

Bathers soaking it up......

Rocks in background home to thousands of tiny small creatures....

Sunset somewhere at the Jersey shore.

As the picture reads: Point Pleasant in 2009.  

Yet, as the three-year anniversary of Sandy approaches, I call to mind the devastation we suffered in the Northeast at the hands of Sandy.  And while I realize that New Orleans and surrounding areas didn't have it at all easy with Katrina, we here in the Northeast, particularly in Staten Island and at the Jersey shore had our share of devastation with Sandy.  I'm sure most of you remember the pictures, the jokes, and all the comments on social media.

I had forgotten just how breathtaking our shores are.  How crystal-clear and green our waters can be.  How the good the grainy Jersey sand feels under our feet—no rocky sand here!  The contrasts to Long Island beaches are quiet obvious.  For one—the water is much warmer, as are the waves more tolerable.  And of course, the people are so friendly.  We can still get taffy at any beach, and there's always the amusement park at almost every beach.

Barnegat lighthouse on the northern tip of Long Beach Island towers magestically......

one of so many beaches along the Jersey shore.....

Point Pleasant sunset.....

What Sandy did to New Jersey and New York, particularly to the Jersey shore was inconceivable, as the pictures show.  But what a welcome change!  Sometimes God works in mysterious ways!  Take for example the town of Asbury Park.  I remember looking at houses there in the summer of 2007 when we were in the market for a second home; and passing the abandoned casino and the beach bereft of any human life.  And now it has taken a new life—modern buildings and restaurants, well-manicured green areas, and new updated parks sprouting about everywhere.  If you missed a trip this year, there's still time.  Now that most of the tourists have gone home and the beaches are freer may be one of the best times to visit.

Lastly, I would like to mention the Stella Marina Restaurant right on the beach and adjacent to the old casino, it is by far one of the better restaurants I've had the pleasure of dining at.  The food is fresh, delicious, and presented in a pleasing way.   The ambiance is chic and modern and there is a well-stocked bar and a wine list to rival any.  We hope that this place stays in business for many years to come.  I will certainly go back.

more interesting artwork at the old casino......

Gables Inn & Restaurant in Beach Haven. on LBI ....

there's nothing like the fresh ocean air to bring you invigorate one's soul....

the newly renovated  boardwalk....

Jersey native Bruce Springsteen gave a free concert here just a day before we arrived.  Other popular musicians like Jon Bon Jovi, Patti Scialfa, and Southside Johnny all started their careers here.

Depictions of Jayne Mansfield, reminicent of Andy Warhol's work, grace the outer walls of the old casino.

All pictures are courtesy of Google Pictures!