OK. It was a bad winter. The economy has seen better days. And there is a lot to worry about in the world.
But it's time to forget all that and get your Jersey Shore on. No, not that idiotic MTV show, but the real thing. You know, the warm beach with sand between your toes and salty wind in your hair. And saltwater taffy, junk food that's good for your soul.
So squeeze into your swimsuit and dust the cobwebs off the beach chair and let's get going! Now!
All your favorite haunts are waiting. But to really shake off the wintertime blues this year, maybe you should consider doing something you've never done at the Shore before: turn an evening stroll down the Ocean City boardwalk and its not-so-good-for-you treats into your dining for the night; challenge yourself to get on that big, scary roller-coaster in Wildwood and really let yourself go; forget the waves of the Atlantic Ocean for the day and allow the cooling waters of a snazzy Atlantic City spa to be your retreat; or make an overnight or two out of your usual day trip and sleep in one of the jazzy new hotels dotting the coastline.
And on this sentimental journey of indulgence, it isn't too soon to start thinking about a rest stop along the way. Just past Hammonton, where the upland landscape of the Pinelands starts to give way to the flat sweep of the coastal plain - ah, you can smell the sea air from here - is a good place for a pit stop.
Especially when your first taste of the fruit of that sandy coastal plain - blueberries - can be had in the form of a unique indulgence that's been an on-the-way-to or an on-the-way-back-from the Shore tradition for more than five decades. Generations of shoregoers have stopped at Royale Crown Custard at 1051 Route 30 in Hammonton since 1953 for a scoop or two of homemade blueberry ice cream.
Like all the super-creamy ice cream at Royale Crown - from the classic flavors like the deeply rich Crown chocolate to the heavily vanilla bean-studded Crown vanilla, or the giant Bing cherry-laced pistachio - the locally famous Crown blueberry is prepared by members of the Graziano family. But it's available only during blueberry season, which usually starts in mid-June and runs through August. The rest of the time the place is open, between late April and Labor Day, pick any other flavor and it'll be a winner. It opens at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Please note: The sign out front on this down-home place reads "Closed when we get tired."
