Spring 2014

If I had to pick a favorite time of year, it's definitely now - late spring and early summer. The temperatures are usually comfortable (ok, today is a bad example of that), and the days are nice and long. The only downside - bugs. Lots of them. Many people have their own strategies for dealing with outdoor pests.

After getting through a couple of muggy, rainy days this week, today was absolutely perfect, and this weekend is looking like it'll be more of the same. So what do you have planned for your weekend?

On an absolutely perfect spring afternoon, the crowds were out at the beaches and boardwalks, and were treated to a retro gem from a disco queen.

I had high hopes for one of the first big blockbusters of the season, "Godzilla". I figured that, after the iconic monster's 1998 outing, that inadvertently turned into a bit of a comedy, that the writers, producers and director would make a point to keep this one suspenseful and action packed, and not veer into cheesy territory. Man, was I wrong.

One thing that we struggle with every year here in Ocean County is the relationship with visitors. We love to have people come and see what we have to offer here at the shore, but we also expect visitors to treat our home as they would treat their own. As you can see in the photo above, that isn't always the case.

While it may be the unofficial start to summer here in Ocean County, there's one thing that there is no doubt of - it's the official start to shore traffic season.

As we count down the days to Memorial Day weekend, we all know that we're also counting down the days to traffic, tourists, and crowds. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's also not everyone's cup of tea. So, as Memorial Day Weekend approaches, there are two main strategies - stay here in Ocean County and enjoy, or get the heck out of town and relax.

It is definitely allergy season here in Ocean County. If your neighborhood is anything like mine, everything is covered in a light yellow dusting, and sneezing and nose blowing are the sounds of the season along with birds and other critters. Aside from prescriptions and over the counter pills, a lot of people have their own homespun remedies for allergy relief.

Yesterday was an absolutely picture perfect day to do something outdoors for Mother's Day. So my mom and I took a hike through the woods surrounding Rutgers Gardens in New Brunswick. For one of the most congested parts of the state, you'd be surprised at the beautiful, quiet, and serene nature literally steps off of Route 1. Check out some pictures in the gallery below:

You've probably stepped outside to the same scene in the last few days - a fine coating of yellow powder all over everything. Yes, allergy season is in full swing in Ocean County.