The Charming Porches of Victorian Cape May, New Jersey are More Than Just a Great Architectural Element
(PRWEB) May 01, 2018 -- Call it what you like -- a porch, a veranda, a colonnade, a portico or a piazza. The names are many but in Cape May, they’re as much a part of the town’s architecture and appeal as gingerbread and gaslights.
Cape May’s eclectic buildings run the gamut from Stick Style to Queen Anne, American Bracketed to Second Empire, Gothic Revival to Victorian Provincial Shingle Style. And, the resort is awash in porches in a variety of styles, for a variety of purposes - to sit a spell, relax a bit, chat with friends, maybe enjoy a meal or nod off for 40 winks.
Just look around. Stockton Row Cottages along Gurney Street a block from the beach have porches - ornate porches. Leith Hall and other bed and breakfast inns on Ocean Street have inviting, usually awning-shaded, porches cooled throughout the summer with sea breezes. Along Columbia Avenue most of the beautiful homes have porches of some description, colorful and inviting.
The Inn of Cape May is overflowing in ornate details but none more popular than the wrap around veranda facing the ocean where guests, relaxing in those purple rocking chairs under a purple awning, can enjoy a glass of wine before dinner, lulled by the rhythm of the waves rolling onto the beach just steps away.
You don’t have to be a guest at Congress Hall to enjoy the afternoon sun along the hotel’s oceanfront colonnade that stretches the length of the historic Summer White House of years ago. Sip an iced coffee from Tommy’s Folly or grab a sandwich, head outside and relax in a comfortable rocking chair with nothing but ocean in front of you.
On the porch at the Chalfonte Hotel throughout the summer, the East Lynne Theater Company hosts Tales of the Victorians, a tea-tradition that feeds the palate and the soul…who knew a porch could provide such sustenance?
But, without a doubt, one of the most popular porches in this resort is at the Mad Batter. There are many reasons - food, music, art - but unlike other charming porches around town, the Batter is open year round, serving breakfast lunch and dinner on the porch.
It wasn’t always that way. When Harry Kulkowitz bought the Carroll Villa back in the 1970s he envisioned the sprawling, European-style porch as a great place for friends to gather and enjoy amazing food and spirited conversation. And, for decades, that porch lived up to his expectations – and then some.
But the porch, a favorite with just about everyone in town, was less than inviting on rainy, chilly days and was closed during the colder months.
A few years ago Mark Kulkowitz, Harry’s son, who now owns the Carroll Villa and Mad Batter with his wife Pam Huber, decided to celebrate the restaurant’s 40th anniversary by turning the seasonal space into a comfortable, year-round, modern porch with all the charm of before, but with added amenities.
A summer shower or a downright rainy day? Not a problem. Plexiglas panels can be closed for protection against the elements without obstructing the fun of people watching along Historic Jackson Street. A chilly evening even in mid summer? Again - it’s OK. Those cool breezes won’t interfere with a lovely dinner. Vibrant, colorful upholstery complements white wainscoting and a pale blue ceiling, all adding to a fun, relaxing, laid back vibe.
“We love the fact that the Batter has become a place where people can look across the bar and talk to everyone. Every night is fun and upbeat with great music, food and people,” Kulkowitz said.
More good news. Although the porch has been updated, the amazing Mad Batter menu is unchanged, just as great as it’s always been at this historic building with a great porch.
Some people say porches are making a comeback - but in Victorian Cape May everyone knows they never left.
Deborah Bass, Write Impressions Communications and Me, +1 (609) 425-0303, [email protected]
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