^TM

Sipping cranberry tea and nibbling homemade cookies on the verandah at Captain Mey's Bed and Breakfast Inn is a lovely way to pass an afternoon at Cape May, the Victorian village on the tip of the New Jersey peninsula. The casual parade of light traffic passing by includes bicycles built for two along with many walkers.

Walking is the best way to appreciate the streets lined with beautiful Victorian houses set amid old-fashioned gardens that have earned Cape May the designation of National Historic Landmark. Many of the ornate gingerbread homes are painted in traditional somber tones of the period, but more and more bright neo-Victorian colors are appearing, pinks and purples and yellows and greens, among other hues made popular by San Francisco's painted ladies.

Captain Mey's, as the inn's name and dark gray color suggest, clings to the traditional. It honors Captain Cornelius J. Mey, the Dutch explorer who followed Henry Hudson and discovered the cape in 1621. The land was so pleasant that it reminded the seaman of Holland so he gave it his own name. In the middle of the 17th century, however, when the English bested the Dutch in the Dutch-English Wars, New Amsterdam became New York and Cape Mey was Anglicized to Cape May.

In 1890, a Cape May native built the mansion that is now an inn. Dr. Walter L. Phillips, a homeopathic physician, had his office in his home. His patients passed through the vestibule whose seashell motif in the colorful stained glass windows and decorative tiles serve as a reminder that Cape May is one of the country's oldest seaside resorts.

In creating a welcoming atmosphere, innkeepers Kathy and George Blinn are guided by "Gezellig," the Dutch equivalent of hospitality. And the Dutch way of decorating also influences them. Persian rugs grace the tables, Delft blue china is collected, and European antiques are used throughout the house.

The Blinns have meticulously restored the house. The Eastlake chestnut paneling in the dining room gleams, and the fireplace with its intricately carved mantel is an inviting gathering place for guests who wish to chat over sherry when there's a nip in the air.

No doubt, Kathy's collection of antique clothing, which accessorizes the rooms, is certain to be among the topics of conversation. Lovely Victorian dresses and capes in the living room, a top hat, a cane, and gloves in the foyer set an elegant mood. But it's her collection of Victorian undergarments—corsets, bust enhancers, and pantaloons—that is sure to spark lively comments.

Instead of numbers, a charming satin-quilted, lace trimmed heartidentifies each bedroom and hints at the romantic appointments behind the door. The décor is definitely traditional, but the amenities are strictly up-to-date.

Captain Mey's has a website with pictures of all its rooms. Also, for more information about Cape May, log on to the Mid-Atlantic Center For the Arts.

Back to TravelLady Magazine