OCEAN GROVE, N.J.

Ocean Grove is a little community on the Atlantic Ocean where Jamey had rented a tiny cottage for 2 weeks. We stayed here 3 nights. I think it's about 90 minutes from Manhattan. Kay and I flew into Newark and Jamey picked us up. Ocean Grove is SO quaint and charming and full of flowers and plants and window boxes etc...lovely landscaping at almost every single house.

Somebody tell Gene to build this for me for Christmas. This little village is very walkable and lots of fun to just randomly head out and cruise the neighborhood. Lots of folks walking dogs, biking and skateboarding.

This house is on the canal. It was for sale a few years back and Jamey told her boss to buy it...so he did! He doesn't own it any more. The canal is lined with big gorgeous houses like this.

Swan paddle boats! The canal separates Asbury Park from Ocean Grove so they kinda run together. There are bridges where you  walk across.

Jamey walkin' Rusty James. He's a great dog and very friendly and very spoiled. Strangers come up to meet him all the time. Seems like everywhere we traveled were big "dog places". On the left side of this picture (you can barely see it) is a church kind of place and on the other side you see tents. Yes...VERY cool tents and they encircle this church. There must be over 100 of them and Jamey said you can't rent or buy them. They're handed down from generation to generation as vacation places. Cool huh?

Jamey & Kay relaxing on the porch of her little cottage. The owners live next door to the left. Very nice & welcoming ladies! You can take a train from Manhattan to Ocean Grove/Asbury Park. It was very quiet...sat around listening to the church bells.

Kay & Jamey making a snack at the cottage. Jamey rented it for 2 weeks and had it last year for 1 week. All her various friends usually make it out there for a night or two...so she was busy entertaining most of her time there. The bedroom is behind the kitchen and there's a pull out couch in the living area.

The beach was about a 15 minute walk from the cottage. It wasn't too crowded because we were there during the week. The sea was chilly and delightful...especially after schlepping our beach chairs, umbrellas, tote bags etc. Those folks w/ the big canopy had a veritable living room set up under there.

The lifeguards had the green flag up...which means swimming is good and easy. The waves were just right for playing in...not too big and not too small. Alot of kids had their boogie boards out. There were little planes pulling advertisements, little kids burying each other in the sand, surfers etc. Lots of fun people watching.

Houses & hotels lining the street in front of the beach. There's a neat, loooong boardwalk. We guessed those boxes were rental storage thingies for folks who spend the whole summer and can leave all their beach stuff there. Great idea!

Kay & Jamey. I was sorry not get a picture of them jumping the waves....but I was scared to take my camera out in the water.

Haha....Jamey's place was so small...it's address is a "half".

These are the houses directly across from where we stayed. There are all kinds of places...big and small and ALL are so cute and pretty.