“SWEETHEART OF THE JERSEY SHORE” - May 6, 7, 8 - 2008.

     The Historic Inns of Spring Lake and Leigh Cort invite you to….
     Experience the History, Culture, Ecology, Dining and Lore of ‘The Irish Riviera’

Tuesday evening – May 6:

5:30p: Opening Welcome Reception at the Ocean House with Nancy & Dennis Kaloostian. A ‘taste’ of luxury and the famous majestic staircase
6:45: Lake Como Trolley pick up at Ocean House and ride to St. Stephen’s Green Publick House
7:00: Dinner at St. Stephen’s Green Publick House. A savory dinner created with an Irish heart and more than 120 years of history. Of course the menu wouldn’t be complete without homemade Potato Leek Soup, Fried Reuben Dumplings or Sheppard’s Pie! We’ll get to know each other over Food, Entertainment and Fun
9:15: The Trolley returns everyone to the Ocean House. The Lake Como Trolley has been restored to its shining glory by expert craftsmen ~ truly a work of art

Wednesday – May 7:

8:30: Breakfast at your Inn – Meet your Innkeeper
10:00: Drive to Historical Society Museum. Rosemary Rizzi presents: “The Century Dawns on Spring Lake”…from Martin Maloney’s Ballingary (one of the great homes of the Eastern Seaboard circa 1901) to Spring Lake Today. The Society’s collection of historic photographs, memorabilia, amazing postcards and artifacts will transport you through Spring Lake’s fascinating history- from Indian times - through the grand Victorian era - to the present day. The museum building itself (circa 1897) was the town’s first public school. Remember the movie ‘Ragtime’? Memorabilia abounds.
11:00: St. Catharine Church – Join Mary Lou Oliva, church archivist, for a stirring glimpse into its history & lore. In 1897, Martin Maloney built his grand estate, Ballingarry, as a summer retreat for his wife and three daughters. His 17 year old daughter Catharine died from tuberculosis three years later; thus he was inspired to build the Church in her honor.
12:00: Trolley pick up at St. Catharine Church and ride to Susan Murphy Old Time Ice Cream. The Jersey Shore and homemade old-fashioned ice cream…definitely a match made in heaven! Order anything you like with Ray Taggart…and read his menu carefully. My favorite is a Coffee Chip Hot Fudge Sundae atop a warm chocolate brownie! The Lake Como Trolley rides around the picturesque Lake and returns writers to Historical Society
1:00 to 5:00: Spend the Afternoon on your own! Visit Juli Mei Boutique & Spa which is offering express facials and complimentary mineral makeovers. Indulge in the 3rd Avenue collection of Shops and Cafes, Galleries, Markets, Confectioners – Walk the famous 2-mile boardwalk or read up on the “Top 11 Things To Do when Visiting Spring Lake”
5:00: With a commitment to culinary perfection, the Black Trumpet is a jewel of fine dining. Owner/Chef Mark Mikolajczak is going to seduce us with a 6-course Jersey Shore themed seafood dinner. From jumbo prawns and pan-seared blue fish to a trio of lump crab cakes, it’s a meal that has his guests ‘reeling’
8:00:  The Evening belongs to you ~

Thursday – May 8:

8:30: Breakfast Dine Around (Leigh has scheduled each journalist to have breakfast at another member of the Historic Inns of Spring Lake. It’s a great way to start the day)
10:00-noon:  Enjoy a morning break on your own
12:00:  Meet for Lunch at the legendary oceanfront Breakers Hotel. Re-live the true Grand Era of Spring Lake the moment you arrive. The Scardino Family welcomes you to the Seashell Dining Room for a taste of their signature dishes from decades past ~ Bring your appetite for Eggplant Rollatini and Veal Scaloppini!
1:45: Hop aboard the Trolley at the Breakers Hotel for an afternoon at the Spring Lake Memorial Community House and Spring Lake Theatre.
2:00-4:00: Pat Barry, trustee member and Producer/Artistic Director of Spring Lake Theatre (celebrating its 30th anniversary) has an enchanting story to tell as the Spring Lake Memorial Community House celebrates its 85th anniversary. Experience the magical aura of the 350 seat theatre, the children’s theatre workshop & dance school…ending with a memorable afternoon tea.
Dedicated July 4, 1923 by Oliver Brown, Spring Lake’s Mayor and NJ State Senator, it was built out of one man’s love for his town and its residents. He wished “…the premises to be used and occupied by and for the people of the Borough of Spring Lake…for the moral, social, literary, religious, educational and charitable purposes and community betterment”. Renowned performers such as Helen Hayes and Paul Newman have graced its stage and today it is a cultural center where creative ideas and aspirations of the community are converted into action for the benefit of all generations
4:00-5:00:  Hop aboard the Trolley to the Sea Girt Lighthouse – Be prepared for a rich tale ~ It was the last live-in lighthouse built in the United States
5:00:  Our Trolley returns to the Breakers Hotel where the day’s adventures began
7:30:  Dinner at ‘Vivere Ristorante’ in the Grand Victorian Inn. Chef Claudette Herring promises “A tavola non si invecchia mal”~ “At the table, one never grows old”. Relax with Chef’s Mediterranean/Northern Italian country cuisine. And perhaps she’ll share her recipe for homemade biscotti! Tonight’s surprise at dinner is meeting Mary Reilly, owner of The Irish Centre, celebrating its 30th anniversary. Paying tribute to the changes in Spring Lake, US and Ireland, she was a pioneer in this industry that now boasts 250 Irish stores in the US. Her stories are legends.

Friday - May 9:

8:30:  Breakfast at Your Inn – and a Fond Farewell

        We hope you’ve had a wonderful Time~
        Historic Inns of Spring Lake and Leigh Cort

WEBSITES For your convenience:

• HISTORIC INNS OF SPRING LAKE             www.historicinnsofspringlake.com
• ST. STEPHENS GREEN Publick House      www.ststephensgreenpub.com
• BLACK TRUMPET Restaurant                       www.theblacktrumpet.com
• THE BREAKERS – Seashell Dining Room      www.breakershotel.com
• VIVERE – At the Grand Victorian @ Spring Lake   www.grandvictorianspringlake.com
• SUSAN MURPHY Old Time Ice Cream       www.icecreamhomemade.com
• SEA GIRT Lighthouse                                     www.lonekeep.com/seagirtlighthouse
• SPRING LAKE Memorial Community House    www.springlaketheatre.com
• SPRING LAKE Community Theatre             www.springlaketheatre.com
• LAKE COMO Trolley                                         www.lakecomotrolley.com
• THE IRISH CENTRE                                        www.irishcentre.net
• JULI MEI’S Purity Beauty Lounge & Boutique  www.shopjulimei.com
• SPRING LAKE Historical Society                  www.springlake.org/historical
• ST. CATHARINE Church                                www.stcatharine-stmargaret.com
• SPRING LAKE Chamber of Commerce      www.springlake.org
• LEIGH CORT Publicity                                    www.leighcortpublicity.com