Editor’s letter

After recently celebrating my 58th birthday, my wife and I were craving a little getaway. But this time, instead of heading to the crowded airport we decided to stay local, and luckily for us, local was just 45 minutes away in Lambertville, NJ.

After some research we knew the Lambertville House with its picturesque beauty was the place for us to try out our newfound vaccinated freedom. In Lambertville, we were able to visit many galleries at our leisure, restaurants, and stores galore. The drinks flowed easily at Lambertville House, and we were able to catch up with our friend, Cora, for some much-needed laughs at Lambertville Station.

Such a difference from a year and a half ago when we were all in lock down.

If you are in New Jersey, you are as lucky as me to have access to all that New Jersey has to offer, including Philadelphia, New York, and Delaware. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen the Liberty Bell since I was a child, so that is on my list of things to do. I’m sure it won’t be as amazing as it was when I was little, but seeing it post pandemic might bring back that loving feeling.

I also have plans to go to the Philadelphia Art Museum, Princeton University Art Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. There are so many museums in New Jersey and the tri-state area that are spectacular, and I hope to be able to get to them all this year.

Staying close to home we were able to support local businesses and feel good while doing it. Other than renting a hotel room, here are some ideas for staycations that will make you feel you got away without the hustle and bustle.

• Picnic at your local parks, but don’t just picnic. Pamper yourselves, bring all the goodies that made you happy. For me it’s champagne and chocolate, for my wife it’s scotch.
• Have a beach day, we are lucky to be in New Jersey with so many beaches to choose from, bring lunch and enjoy that ocean air.
• Go to a museum. There are many in New Jersey and the surrounding area. If you are ambitious, you can visit two in one day.
• Eat and drink at your local restaurants, most everyone is open, and they need our support, so tip generously.
• Visit your local botanical gardens. The New Jersey botanical gardens has 93 acres of gardens and 1000 acres of woodlands.
• Take you and your lover/wife/husband to a spa and get pampered righteously, after all, we need and deserve to be pampered.

Whatever you do, enjoy your life and your staycation. We never thought we would live through another pandemic. Here’s to life, and here’s to hoping we never have to do that again!