July = Dirty Jersey Part 2

Part 2 of Dirty Jersey begins back in Ocean City on Saturday, July 3^rd. Allison’s friend Andrew had been chattily texting her all morning and then came to find her on the beach. Rachel and I acted as chaperons while Andrew and Allison conversated by the surf (see picture). As part of the conversation Andrew invited Allison and by default, Rachel and I to Atlantic City on Saturday evening to experience the casinos. We were hoping we could get a ride with Andrew and company but even after hinting subtly, there was no offer. So we took our own car to Atlantic City and Allison told Andrew to find us in the casino…. Well needless to say, that never happened.

So Sunday, July 4^th came along and we went out to the beach in Ocean City to watch the fireworks. Afterwards we were invited to one of the frat brother’s parents’ house. Luckily we did not have to meet any parents during this adventure, but we did get to meet even more frat brothers. There was a Teach for America frat brother and another accountant frat brother. We had some more good conversations on the roof-top deck of the parents’ house. And then Ryan from Friday night called because he was on his way back to Ocean City from the ice cream shop. So we took two cars to a bar in Somers Point, NY called the Anchorage Tavern, and this time we got a ride. Ryan drove one car with us girls and Ryan and another frat brother drove another car of guys. Rachel interrogated Ryan on the flavors and mixes of ice cram at his shop and we giggled when he talked to his car radio to play songs.

Anchorage Bar: A Classy Location

We got to the bar and drank many more rum drinks which means that the rum count for the night was pretty high since we had began at happy hour time. At some point in the night I began talking to Ryan about politics and many other things so we kind of paired off. We left the bar at closing time and one car of boys went to the local diner. Our car decided we did not want diner food and I guess I suggested that we go to the beach. Everyone was feeling a little adventurous because there is a curfew on Ocean City beaches but we decided to drive down to the end (where is was said not to be enforced) and risk it anyways. So on the beach Allison and Andrew paired off, Ryan and I paired off and Rachel paired off with the neat sheet we had brought to sit on for the fireworks. (A neat sheet is a blanket intended to repel sand and water.) Everyone was enjoying their beach time until Rachel noticed a creepy looking man pacing behind her who was wearing gym shorts and a hooded sweat shirt with the hood up. Rachel was worried about her well-being but after a few minutes hoodie guy returned with a uniformed officer who asked her to leave the beach. She did so. Then the police went to Allison and Andrew, who subsequently ran away. Then the police came to shine a flash light in Ryan and my faces. We were asked to leave the beach as well.

Once we exited the beach we witnessed Allison, Andrew, and Rachel sitting on the curb. Allison and Andrew were being lectured on how it was bad to run away from the police and were being accused of drinking alcohol from one red solo cup (remember Ocean City is a dry town so even if you are of age this is quite an offense). We really hadn’t had a drop of alcohol since leaving the bar and Allison was only carrying a clutch so we wondering where the police might have thought this alcohol and cup situation was procured from. The real clincher came when the police asked us for our IDs and then verified by asking us orally what our ages were. This is how it went: Allison, “21”, Andrew, “23”, Ryan, “22”…… Rachel, “25”, Jennifer. “25”. At that point I think the officers realized that Rachel and I were actually professionals with real jobs and maybe they were amused so we were let off without a ticket or a fine or anything. And so we were driven back to our hotel at 4:30am with everyone feeling like 18 year olds again… especially us old ladies.

The very last event of this blog was as Rachel and I drove out of town of Monday, July 5th we stopped by Ryan’s ice cream shop to sample all of the different kinds of fruity water ices. The mango was our favorite! With that Rachel snapped a picture and we were on our way back to Boston and back to being old maids.

World Famous Wooder Ice

July = Dirty Jersey Part 1

So here comes the Jersey Shore blog in two installments because it was THAT good. I think this blog may have to change its mission from exploring venues in Boston to exploring venues around the country that are in beach towns because that is way more exciting. Rachel and I went down to the Jersey Shore for 4th of July weekend and picked up my sister on the way. We found a great place to stay in Ocean City, the only problem being, Ocean City is a dry town. So on our first night at the shore we decided to go out in Sea Isle City which is just one town away but serves adult beverages. We dressed up in our best “scraps of cotton” otherwise known to most people as short sun dresses. When we got to Sea Isle though we were worried that we were over-dressed so we drove around for a bit scouting out the scene. We did see girls in all ranges of outfits so we felt confident enough to find a parking spot. The street signs said we had to pay the meter until 11pm which left 30 minutes but we only had dimes. We ended up parking right in front of a store front apartment with a whole bunch of guys out on the steps. I got out to investigate the meter and was immediately chatted-up and offered quarters. I did end up needing two from the guys because I put the first quarter in the wrong meter as I was flustered by all of the attention. This seemed to be a good omen though as in Boston I have had to run around the city searching for an ATM and then a corner store in order to get change. Here in Sea Isle City it was being offered to me without me even having to ask!

With full confidence now in tow we walked to the venue for the evening called La Costa. Allison and I got past the bouncers with our Michigan IDs with no problem. Rachel on the other hand was interrogated, had her ID checked in “the book” and had to sign a paper saying if she had falsified her age she would have to go to jail, rehab, AA, and church for the rest of her life. Apparently Washington State is a foreign country to those Jersey Shore folks. Once inside the venue I was transported back to college. My shoes stuck to the floor, there was a grungy, LOUD cover band, and bad beer for cheap. In keeping with dirty jersey style the venue was a bar connected to a liquor store, and a hotel, all-in-one. If you were inside the bar you could see through the grate into the liquor store. If you were in the outside area of the bar you were actually in a court-yard of the hotel so there were literally tables right outside some people’s hotel rooms. We made a circle of the outside of the bar and then decided to sit at a plastic table. Well we must have caught some people’s eye because almost immediately two guys came over and asked if they could sit with us. One was 23 year old Andrew the medical student and the other was 22 year old Ryan the ice cream shop owner.

It looks like just a regular hotel from the outside but....

Outside "Deck Bar" at La Costa
(note the hotel room balcony)

Needless to say we had lots of interesting conversations about Andrews gynecological rotation and how Ryan came to own his own ice cream shop at the age of 22. Allison was the pick of the litter this time and began engaging with Andrew. They eventually swapped phone numbers (this info is relevant to part 2 of the blog). Rachel and I spoke with Ryan as our “mutual friend”. Ryan seemed to have a good sense of humor and joked with us about all of the Guidos walking by (they really did look straight out of Jersey Shore!). Eventually Ryan and Andrew called over their two other friends one who was an accountant and one who was a nurse. All four gentleman had gone to “The College of New Jersey” (I had never heard of it before) and were fraternity brothers. So we had more conversation with all of the friends. It was a fun night and fun to have good conversation with guys who weren’t to shy to just come over and sit down. We parted ways not thinking too much of the whole evening BUT there was more to come….