We skipped last week for technical-site reasons that are too boring to warrant an explanation, but this week we’re back and better than ever with a page from a family vacation album. Or 22 family vacation albums.
A recurring theme of these photo submissions seems to be “kids and families having fun in the sun,” and what else would you expect in Ocean City? There’s nothing we enjoy more than seeing friends and families enjoying all the beach, Boardwalk and amusements that this town has to offer.
If you don’t see the picture you submitted in this week’s lineup, don’t fret. Next week we’ll be back with a new theme and will be pulling newly submitted photos in addition to those that haven’t yet made the blog. You’ll still be in the running for whatever we’re giving away in the weeks to come, as long as you included your name and email address in your submission.
In the meantime, congratulations to Matt, whose double-headed mermaid photo was randomly selected and won him a $25 gift certificate to The Shrimp Boat!
The boys enjoying Alaska Stand ice cream on the fourth of July, 2017May 5, 2018, Bjs bayside on 72 street coasts highway, family and friendsJune 21, 2014 – Talbot Street Pier, waiting to take our first trip on the Duckaneer. In the photo are myself (Matt), my wife Rhiana, and our then-three-year-old daughter Mischa. We loved the boat ride, and my daughter still talks about it regularly.June 20, 2014 – Phillips Crab House for dinner. Mischa, three years old at the time, enjoys holding crab claws for the first time. She tried the meat, but said it was “too oceany.”June 23, 2014 – Boardwalk. IThree-year-old Mischa meets Captain Jack Sparrow on the boardwalk as her mom, Rhiana, looks on.3 generations outside of secrets restaurantJune 19, 2016 – 100th Street, Beach. Initially having fun with my then-five-year-old daughter Mischa, several random kids joined in on the fun!June 21, 2016 – English Towers, 100th St. Myself, my wife Rhiana, and our daughter Mischa prepared for a dinner out and a trip to the boardwalk!Stark Wedding day 110fh st 7-14-2017June 20, 2016 – 100th Street, Beach. My five-year-old daughter Mischa and 10-year-old niece Payton enjoying life as a two-headed mermaid.June 23, 2016 – Boardwalk. Beautiful view of a rainbow and the amusement park.June 21, 2006 – Boardwalk. An oldie but goodie. My wife, Rhiana, and I before marriage and kids.Getting a…headAmusements – June 25, 2008 – Our annuay family vacation with three generations continuing a long family tradition to spend the week in OC with grandmom. She bought the kids boardwalk tees and gave them tickets for the boardwalk rides in the evenings.Grandkids on the BoardwalkMy 3 girls at Fagers IslandTwins plus one at 111thHead in the sandOn the beach at 28 th street July 2017. My 2 sons and 3 cousins. We love oc!Casey and I enjoying the beach! #LoveFest18Grandson having great day on the beach.
Ocean Gallery is one of Ocean City’s original oddities, and it’s not just odd because it’s an art gallery — It’s odd because it’s Ocean Gallery.
It needs no introduction, but here is a brief one anyway. For the uninitiated, Ocean Gallery has many claims to fame, among them being 1.) It is the only recycled building in Ocean City. 2.) It is the only building with its own Batmobile, at least within a hundred-mile radius (and certainly the only Batmobile that’s decorated with a keyboard, a hairdryer and other household items), and 3.) It is the only building who’s tuxedo-clad owner built a Titanic car for $28 and promptly sank it to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
A look inside.
Part of Ocean Gallery’s oddness stems from these claims to fame, but it’s also odd because it’s an art gallery that’s survived on a beachside Boardwalk for over 50 years.
It’s odd because it’s one thing in town that almost everyone can agree on, a major accomplishment in itself. Aside from the errant out-of-towner clamoring “eyesore!,” Ocean Gallery is very much a beloved staple of the Ocean City Boardwalk, and has been for decades.
Kids who came to Ocean City with their families and had their picture taken in front of the Batmobile now bring their own families and recreate the picture 20 years later. And when the roar of its engine is heard from the other end of the Boardwalk, those in the know don’t wince at the Batmobile’s noise (at least, not all of the time) — they think about the crazy car and smile.
It’s an odd place, sure, but to write off Ocean Gallery as another strange staple of the Boardwalk, a crazy-but-lovable Uncle of the Boardwalk family, underscores the resiliency of the place, its employees and especially its owner, Joe KroArt. As KroArt said, the survival rate for new businesses isn’t high. In the art world, it’s microscopic. Ocean Gallery has weathered many storms, literally and figuratively, for half a century, and in 2018, it’s still standing loud, covered in neon paint and knick knacks, and proud.
Early years
Where’s Waldo: Seinfeld edition.
KroArt got his start in Ocean City as a busker of sorts. He came down when he was in college and sold his paintings on the Boardwalk, setting up shop in unrented stores and porches and paying the landlords around 20% of his sales. Ever the starving artist, KroArt survived by eating the flies in his basement, at least according to the gallery’s website (which admittedly might be a bit outdated since the “history” page claims the Clinton administration is considering a visit to the gallery. Anyway, they missed out if they didn’t take advantage of the opportunity).
He started off on Caroline St., then eventually set up a real shop in what was once known as the Colonial Hotel. Then tragedy struck. The Colonial Hotel burned down and nearly everything inside it was destroyed. KroArt and his team laid out paintings and their frames on the Boardwalk, cleaned them up and were able to salvage some of the inventory. That inventory was eventually taken to a new gallery, the current neon-painted collage of a building on 2nd Street that would take 17 years to build. And the building is no stranger to tragedy itself.
“We have gone through the ocean coming up in a storm, watching waves hitting the front of this building and washing down the side streets,” KroArt said. “I think of life as an adventure and a challenge, and there are things that happen all the time you can’t even imagine that we have gone through.”
Still, the gallery remains standing on 2nd Street.
It’s the art on the outside of the building, not just inside, that makes Ocean Gallery so iconic. KroArt salvaged much of the exterior from buildings that were being torn down in his Baltimore hometown, and from places all over the world. Over the span of 17 years, he himself created much of the art that’s displayed on the building’s exterior.
“I’d make pieces at my farm in Baltimore and bring them here, and on Friday morning, six in the morning, I’d put a ladder up and hammer something up. And if people liked it, I did more of it.”
The P.T. Barnum of Fine Art
Joe KroArt can often be found wearing his signature tuxedo and red bowtie.
That very concept — gauging the reaction of the crowd and giving them more of what they want — spawned comparisons of KroArt to famed American showman P.T. Barnum, founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. And their tendency toward crowd-pleasing isn’t the only thing they have in common.
“They kept calling me the P.T. Barnum of Fine Art,” KroArt said. “So I said, I gotta find out about [Barnum’s] life.”
KroArt did his research, and discovered that he and Barnum shared the same height (6’2), the same amount of children (three) and the same acreage of their farms (18). It’s a series of strange coincidences that one might even consider fate.
“Some things happen that are too much to be just a coincidence,” he said. “Things will come together in very interesting ways, and that has happened many, many times.”
He cites the gallery itself as one of these things. It might be pure luck that Ocean Gallery’s physical presence has remained in Ocean City for so long in spite of the fires and the floods — but it also might be fate.
The most important person to ever visit Ocean Gallery is you!
The inside of Ocean Gallery is, of course, filled to the brim with even more art than what’s on the outside. And while it boasts what is more art-per-square-inch than most, if not all, art galleries in the universe, KroArt is hesitant to use the word “gallery” to begin with.
A sign by the front cash register reads, “The most important person to ever visit Ocean Gallery is you!” That’s a lot to take in when you look around at pictures on the walls featuring celebrities who have visited the gallery, from Susan Sarandon to the guys from American Chopper. But Ocean Gallery is for the people, and even with the crowds it’s attracted, from movie stars to governors, it’s not an intimidating place to be.
“From the very beginning, I thought people should be comfortable with art,” KroArt said. “And that’s the whole message, that art should be fun. It’s a part of life.”
KroArt’s favorite part of the job is the people. If he’d opened a restaurant instead of a gallery, he said, he would have been retired by now. His passion is driven by the experiences visitors have in the gallery, and making connections with people through the intimacy that is art.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answered by none other than Joe KroArt, of course.
How has Ocean Gallery been able to survive for so long?Guts!
Where does all this art come from?All over the world. I started selling my own paintings and pretty soon I realized that to be able to survive, it’s going to need other artists… I went to Europe and made different contacts, but this is very complex and to my knowledge, there’s no other gallery in the world like this. People come in all the time and say they’ve been to galleries all over the world, but they’ve never seen anything like this.
An art gallery at the beach [spoken in an incredulous tone, of course]? Why? People need free time to make decisions, and fine art is really something that you want to talk about and be real relaxed and discuss and make a joint decision, and you need the time. In Ocean City, people have the time because they’re on vacation. They’re more relaxed. I think it’s the perfect spot.
And about that reality show…
It’s still up in the air, but there is talk of cutting up the building, sending it to Hollywood, and then maybe even sending it back to Ocean City afterward. For reality television, of course. It’s an ordeal that would cost about $6 million, and there’s certainly an audience for it, but no contracts have yet been signed.
For KroArt, it’s just another adventure. He likened it to the car that he and his team built from recycled materials and sent underwater to join Ocean City’s artificial reef. Different projects, but a similar concept: it’s weird, it’s never been done before and it’ll certainly draw a crowd. That’s what Ocean Gallery is all about.
Have you ever walked along the Ocean City beach on a cloudy day?
The fog deters more of the tourists (though it helps when it’s a Wednesday morning), and makes for a peaceful, if a little bit spooky, stroll.
Bonus: Your stroll will be all the more ambient if you walk along the pier against the Jolly Roger gate as Halloween-themed music emanates from the haunted house on the other side. Spooky indeed! You can hear it in the Facebook live below around the 1:30 mark.
Don’t drive to the beach if visibility is bad, but if there’s just a little fog and a light, salty mist in the air, you won’t regret taking a quiet walk through it.
The weather definitely gives Jolly Roger’s pier rides abandoned theme park-vibes.The seagulls don’t mind a little mist.After days and days of rain, Ocean City develops tide pools!Under the fishing pier.No lifeguards out this morning.It’s the perfect day for a shipwreck.Looking (or at least trying to look) toward Somerset Plaza.Arcade’s still open!But there’s no one around for a game of skee ball.Looking down a little alley toward more fog on the bayside.Flowers try to bloom near the Life Saving Station Museum.
We’re high-tailing it into peak season here in Ocean City, Maryland, and I’ve been sick at home with a nasty cold for more than two days now. Normally I’d be any combination of walking the Boardwalk/photographing the beach/writing in our Berlin office, but instead I’ve been laying on my couch wishing I was able to do any one of those things that I so enjoy.
Sometimes when I’m bored, as I have been the past couple of days, I read about Ocean City, even when I’m off the clock. I page through Bunk Mann’s book “Vanishing Ocean City” (an excellent Christmas gift by the way, courtesy of my mom), I peruse archaic cobweb-covered threads on our forum that date back as far as 2001, and I sift through locals-only Facebook groups, usually never posting myself because most of it’s just drama about who stole who’s lawn chairs and what business owners may have committed tax fraud. That is all to say, I try to keep my finger on the pulse of this town. And sometimes I come across things about Ocean City that are untrue but widely held to be true, or just frankly ridiculous.
On what’s hopefully my last sick day of the season, I’d like to spend a little time setting the record straight on a few things, once and for all.
10. Ocean City is really expensive, especially during high-season.
That’s only true if you have a penchant for really expensive things, and then that argument could be made for just about everywhere. It’s free to lay in the sand, and hermit crab stock is ever on the rise. If you need any more, here are 100 free things to do in Ocean City.
9. The Old Pro dinosaurs come to life at night and stampede Coastal Highway while you’re sleeping.
That is simply not true. This isn’t Night at the Museum, and they only stampede Coastal Highway one chosen night out of every Memorial Day Weekend. Remain alert.
8. Something about the Alamo Motel.
Whatever you heard, it probably just isn’t so. Also, it’s the first motel to be built in Worcester County, which is cool, and it’s currently undergoing renovations.
7. Horseshoe crabs are 400 million years old.
Those emptied brown shells you find on the beach belong to the elusive horseshoe crab, and they’re precisely old as dirt. They’re actually about 445 million years old, and that’s the entire species, not one particular crab — though I would not be surprised if you handed me a particular horseshoe crab and told me it lived through the mesozoic era.
6. The Shoreham Hotel is haunted.
That might be true, but it’s also possible you had too much Moose Juice and spied one of the kids from OC Screams walking the Boardwalk, as they are apt to do.
5. Fights are constantly breaking out in front of Ocean City’s oldest bar.
This might have once been true, but I have never seen a fight in or near the Harbor Inn, and the bar is working hard to build up its reputation as a safe and fun place to drink, which it is. It is true that the Whiplash is a delicious drink, and that there is a collection of Barbies above the bar’s TV.
4. Giant rats run wild underneath the Boardwalk.
There is only one giant rat in Ocean City, and he has lived inside Trimper’s Haunted House since the 1960s. The Haunted House is the only place in town where you’ll find giant rats, skeletal miners and hippopatami, I promise. With any luck, someday it’ll be the only place on the Boardwalk you’ll find creepy old men, too.
3. Part of Elvis’ hit movie “Blue Hawaii” was filmed on Ocean City’s beach.
That’s not even a rumor. I just made that up. But wouldn’t that have been cool? In reality, the only Elvis that’s ever set foot in OC has likely been an attendee of the Elvis Festival, or otherwise Norman Webb AKA Boardwalk Elvis. Close enough!
2. The beach/Boardwalk/everything is so dirty.
Even if that might be true at times, there are countless people who work hard to keep Ocean City clean, from public works employees to volunteers with Clean Beach OC and the like. You’re allowed to complain, but only if you acknowledge those who work hard to clean up the town, and even then only if you yourself have never left more than a footprint on the beach.
1. Ocean City is no longer a family resort!
In all seriousness, this is the biggest and most pervasive myth that surrounds Ocean City, Maryland today. Lawsuits and n’er-do-wells are par for the course, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a town that offers so many free and family-friendly activities to the public, in addition to all the private businesses that host family events and activities daily.
In this old thread from 2006, forum user OCGuy points out that most of the top complaints Ocean City receives were just as commonplace in 1966 as they were in 2006. And even if you disagree with that, well… Lighten up a little. There’s all kinds of fun to be had in Ocean City for kids, senior-weekers and senior citizens alike.
When asked if you’d like to try out a new spa experience, more than likely your answer will be “yes!” I tried my first floating experience at the new Ocean Elements Salt Cave and Float Center, which is the first of it’s kind to open here on Delmarva.
When I was told our appointment was at nine in the evening, I thought for sure that was incorrect because spas are not usually open that late. But sure enough, Monday through Saturday the spa is open until 10:30 p.m.
The Float Therapy Room
We were greeted by a very nice man who I found out later was one of the owners. He has a calm and peaceful demeanor to him that already puts you into a state of relaxation. He showed us to the two separate rooms with flotation pods. They’re pretty large bath-style rooms with an open shower for you to cleanse your skin before your floating experience. The shower is very clean with hair and soap products already in place for you. They also provide a little basket with ear plugs, a washcloth and a water spritzer to use while you are in the Flotation pod.
What is the Purpose of Float Therapy?
Float Therapy can play an major role in the pain management process. It is used primarily for chronic pain relief for those with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia and more. Float Therapy also helps relieve depression and anxiety by allowing your brain to calm down and de-stress from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It allows your body to rest and detox from the crazy night you just had in Ocean City!
Those of you who have trouble sleeping definitely need to try this out. I am not sure why “helping you sleep better” is not on the list of items that this therapy helps you with, but speaking from experience, you will sleep like a baby.
The Float Therapy Experience
The water is about a foot or so deep and at body temperature, like bath water but better. Once you get in you can set the lights to dim even more or have them go completely off. There is a music pod built in that plays very relaxing “spa music,” which you can also have on or off. I went for the full light and music vibe for the my first time just to get a feel for the full experience.
The top of the pod can be open, closed or up halfway, but the more it’s closed the warmer you stay in the pod. Once you lay back, find a comfortable position and just let go! You will not sink or feel like you have to hold your head up because the warm water based with Epsom salts will keep you afloat.
You are going to feel weightless, practically nonexistent and purely calm away from the world and all its noise. They have a neck float available for usage in case you want your head more above the water. I just used the newly packaged ear plugs they provided and my head stayed above water all on its own.
Other Services They Offer
If you’re here for a week or more and have had enough of the beach, the shopping, the drinking and just need more relaxation on your vacation, definitely check Ocean Elements Salt Spa out. If you are here with a group or even in town for a bacherlorette party, be sure to try out their communal salt cave filled with Himalayan Pink Salt and relaxing music.
If you don’t need to hear any more, they have a very simple Book Now platform for you to plan your visit while you are here or before you come down. For locals like me, they have a fabulous rewards program if you visit them monthly, which I highly recommend. Check it out for your own sanity.
Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, jet demonstration teams will take to the skies a little early this year with a special Air Show featurette performance by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Jet Demonstration Squadron.
The Snowbirds serve as an ambassador for the Canadian Air Force demonstrating the high skill level, professionalism, teamwork, discipline and dedication inherent in the men and women of the CAF and look to inspire the pursuit of excellence wherever they go in North America. They are the Canadian equivalent of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, but fly nine jets in their performance as opposed to the Thunderbirds’ six.
It’s that time of year again. The rumbling of Blue Angels and WWII bombers will be constant in Ocean City this weekend, but it’s a great price to pay to see fancy aerial feats over the beach. Heading into its 10th year, the OC Air Show will include the B-2 Spirit, a strategic bomber with stealth technology, U.S.
The eleven Snowbirds jets will arrive at the Ocean City Municipal Airport on Tuesday, May 22 with the main team of nine arriving at approximately 1:45 p.m. A special reception for the Snowbirds will take place at Shenanigan’s Irish Pub and Grille on 4th Street and the Boardwalk, Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. The reception is open for the public to meet the team, take photos and receive autographs.
The Snowbirds team are expected to begin their performance in Ocean City on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 23 beginning at approximately 2:30 p.m. The performance will last 40 to 50 minutes and is subject to weather conditions. The performance is centered on 3rd Street and the beach and will have optimal viewing between 1st Street and 5th Street with the audio system covering 300 linear feet at show center.
“The Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets flown by the Canadian Snowbirds are not as loud nor as fast as the American jet teams’ [aircraft];” said Special Events Director Frank Miller, “That makes for a different type of show experience as the aerobatics take on more of a graceful dance persona and stay in front of the crowd for longer durations.” In their 48th season, the Snowbirds will enamor the crowd with tight formations of up to nine aircraft with flowing smoke trails and large nose mounted flood lights all set to music.
For the full Air Show experience (sans the Canadian Snowbirds), you will need to make it into Ocean City for the OC Air Show, June 16-17 – more aircraft including the USAF Thunderbirds and Heritage Flight with the new F-35 stealth fighter.
For additional information on the Canadian Snowbirds featurette, call the Ocean City Recreation & Parks Department at 410-250-0125, toll-free at 1-800-626-2326.
In the past few years Ocean City has been experiencing an alarming increase in scammers related to summer vacationers. Currently, the internet seems to be the most popular “weapon of choice.”
How vacation rental scams work
With the use of social media and advertising sites on the rise, there is likewise a rise in individuals advertising properties they do not own. These unscrupulous people do their homework and often have accurate interior pictures of the property. These pictures are shown to prospective renters in an attempt to bring a level of comfort and encourage a rental agreement.
When the perpetrator explains he, as a solitary owner, does not accept credit cards, the unsuspecting renter willingly places a money order or certified check in the mail.
In some cases keys are actually mailed to the victim. However, when the renter shows up at the location, the building (or unit) does not exist, or the keys do not work and/or the unit is owned by another individual.
This situation leaves the tenant with the loss of their vacation money and without a place for their family to enjoy a summer getaway.
Unfortunately, there is little law enforcement can do when it comes to internet scams like these.
Property owners are not exempt.
Owners also suffer the effects of these scammers. A number of the owners/victims have found their property being advertised for rent, at a discounted price, with full pictures of the actual condo.
One owner arrived in town to find his locks were changed. Another owner found the water to his condo was turned on, even though he always left it off while he was away. Further, the interior showed signs of use. Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to see the break in, or at least none that took note or thought it was unusual for the unit to have occupants from time to time.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help avoid scammers.
For owners
Install Medeco Locks.
The keys cannot be duplicated.
Install radio-controlled thermostats.
These thermostats will notify you if the temperature is changed on the thermostat.
Check your electric bill.
The utility bill gives a graft of charges that includes the times and days of higher usage. It is fairly obvious if someone is using your unit by the spike in the invoice.
Arrange for your REALTOR or someone local to check your unit periodically.
www.oceancitybeachproperties.com
For renters
Compare online prices from local rental companies to see if the rates are in line.
Local real estate companies list prices on their sites.
The Chamber is an excellent source of information.
Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation provides information on information of property owners.
Learning the name and address of the owner of the property may make it easier to determine to whom you are speaking.
Check Ocean City’s Town Hall.
There is a requirement that all property owners that are renting their unit must apply for a rental permit through the city. As a result of that law, the city can confirm if that unit is registered as a rental property.
Perhaps the safest avenue you could take would be to contact a local (LICENSED) professional real estate agent. It takes only seconds to verify a licensed agents’ legitimacy. The Maryland Real Estate Commission has an online license query for your convenience.
With a little time and preparation, you can hopefully protect your property or vacation and avoid those internet bandits !
I hardly consider myself as an expert when it comes to choosing a wedding dress. However, I do have a few pieces of advice for brides-to-be like me who aren’t looking forward to spending hours in a bridal shop surrounded by measuring tape and enough beaded bodices to make your head spin. Sometimes, that’s par for the course — but ultimately, you just want to get married in something you love yourself in.
I chose the first dress I tried on at the first bridal boutique I visited, which is not something I particularly recommend, but that’s just how it happened for me. I only spent about an hour-and-a-half there, partly because I got lucky and partly because I already had an idea, almost exact, including pictures, of what I wanted.
Thankfully so, because the particular bridal shop I visited (which will remain anonymous) was fully equipped with no air-conditioning on an 80-degree day and an extremely overbearing shop owner who I can only describe with the anecdote that, upon my mentioning that certain scratchy materials made my skin red, proclaimed with all certainly that I must have lupus. Because that’s really what you want to hear when you’re sweating your eyeballs out on a boutique runway. Stuck with pins and the knowledge that this shop is most definitely going to upcharge you a couple hundred dollars from what you initially saw this dress priced at online, and you might have lupus, too.
But I’m not here to complain — just to relay my own dress shopping experience and do what I can to ensure that yours is much better! That being said, my first piece of advice is:
1. Read reviews of bridal boutiques before you visit one.
Better yet, get recommendations from friends and family members who have already gone through the whole dress-shopping process.
You don’t need to do what I did and visit only one boutique, but it is nice to know that the shop you’re walking into has an average of, say, 4.8 stars on Facebook and approximately 0 reviews that include the words “evil wench” and “fat-shaming.” The former is only a slight exaggeration. As for the latter, my sister showed me reviews of this boutique after our visit, and we found that this boutique owner has an unforgivable history of body-shaming her customers. I was lucky enough to not experience this, unless you count her weird and inappropriate comments about my having lupus, but I can only imagine how any further body-related jabs would ruin a bride’s day and, potentially, her dress shopping experience altogether. No one should have to deal with that, especially when they’re preparing for a major life event where so much emphasis is placed on how you look during said event. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look beautiful — Meghan Markle-esque, even — on your wedding day, and there’s everything wrong with telling a bride, “yeah, you won’t want to wear that one, you’ll look fat.”
Despite the overall experience, which was almost as hellacious as I imagined it might be, I really can’t complain too much because I did find the dress of my dreams, and my attendant — not the shop owner, but a very kind, young and genuinely helpful attendant — was incredible. She was sweet and nonjudgmental and seemed to really care about what I wanted, even if that meant trying on 200 dresses that afternoon and still walking away empty-handed. Luckily, that wasn’t my case.
“The average bride tries on five dresses and usually ends up picking the first one they tried on,” she said. I’d entered the boutique with a photo of a dress I saw online, from a line I knew this shop carried. They didn’t have the specific dress I wanted, but they did have a very similar one from the same line, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it’d be my dress — because I liked it even more than the one I initially fell in love with. It didn’t hurt that this one was within my price range. I know I mostly just got lucky, but the fact that I only had to try on one dress brings me to my second piece of advice.
2. Come prepared with pictures.
Even if the boutique doesn’t carry the specific dress you saw online that you fell head-over-heels for, bring in a picture and they might just pull out something even better.
That was my experience. The dress that I showed my attendant was an ivory-colored lace number, and the one she found in the shop for me was similarly ivory and lace, but with a slightly different top half that will soon be altered so it’s not quite as low-cut.
Even if you’ve shopped around online for a bit and haven’t found something you’re absolutely in love with, don’t get discouraged. That’s how I felt when I was just beginning the process: everything I saw was either too fancy, too modern, too Pinterest-y or just not me. I wanted something simple, but timeless and elegant, and it was a total fluke (or, I guess, a good marketing strategy) that I just happened to come across an Instagram ad for the bridal line of my dreams in the very moment that I was actively searching for a dress online (while intermittently scrolling through Instagram). By the way, that particular dress line is here. I wish I could post pictures of the specific dress I chose, but that’ll have to wait for the big day.
Just browse around for what you might like, pin dresses you’re even somewhat into on your Pinterest board or do it the old fashioned way, printing them out and sticking them in a wedding notebook, noting what it is specifically that you like about each dress. Maybe even write down a few words that would describe your dream dress — romantic, A-line, lightweight, vintage, trendy, etc., etc., etc. — then when visiting your first bridal boutique, show them everything you’ve dreamed up.
3. Stay open-minded.
I know that not everyone’s going to be like me and end up getting married in the first dress they try on. In fact, I wish I could say I tried on hundreds upon hundreds of dresses before actually saying yes to a dress, because “the more, the merrier” is much better advice than, “just go with the first one!” That is terrible advice, and absolutely not what I’m endorsing. I just got lucky.
Seriously, if you’re unsure, try on hundreds more dresses. If you really love a dress and can envision yourself standing at the altar with your partner while wearing it, then that’s probably “the one.” You don’t have to cry. You don’t have to shriek “this is it!” And you certainly don’t have to jump up and down next to a sign that says “I said yes to the dress” at the boutique owner’s request for a Boomerang that will then immediately go on the shop’s Instagram (again, I beg you to please follow tip #1). You just have to love it, and love yourself in it.
I know I found the right dress because I love it, I love myself in it, and whenever I show people pictures, their first response is usually “that’s so you!” And then I’m like, thank you — because if this dress that I love so much is so me, then style-wise, I must be doing something right.
Happy Photo Friday! This one is a particularly gray, wet and rainy Friday, but looking at these photos submitted over the week, we can at least pretend it’s as warm and sunny as the beach scenes depicted in them.
Scroll through the photos below to see lots of smiling faces, a puppy all dressed up for Howl-o-Ween, a Northside Park proposal — kind of, and our winner of the week: a girl with a tattoo of the coordinates of her grandmother’s Boardwalk memorial bench. So cool.
Photos of the Week
Grandchildren on the boardwalk June 2017.First trip to the beachStanding in the sand in front of palm treeBlondie riding her bikeSunset over the beachMy daughter sitting on her grandmothers memorial bench with her memorial tattoo with the coordinates of the bench that is placed at the inlet by Harrison’s.Best reunions happy in OCTaken @ the Beach @ 4th Street in Ocean City, MD – July 24, 2016 – My son, Kristian!Sleeping on the beach – September 4, 2007Mom/Son yearly pic by the Ocean – July 24, 2016Pics by the Inlet on the last day of our trip 🙁 – September 7, 2007Bike ride on the Boardwalk – July 24, 2016Fishtails July 2017 Stayed at Mariners Watch with the family.Looking back out over the water from the Fishing Pier. 5/5/18.This is a photo of my oldest son, Dawson and my niece, Shyla. These two love the beach and each other! Our family’s vacation together in Ocean City every other summer. This photo was taken in 2010 on the beach in Ocean City at 8th Street. This photo was just published in my son’s Senior Biography project. It’s a family favorite. We’ll be back at the beach this summer and can’t wait!1 year old, Quinn, reflects on her first summer vacation to Ocean City, Maryland (2016).Summer 2015: Double-fisting Dumsers, because one is never enough.Saturday sunset!Howl-O Ween pet parade 2 years ago on OCMD boardwalk in OctoberOcean city beach, August 2017, My daughter Ashlyn remembering how amazing the waves are.NorthsidePark Challenge complete! Proposing to your spouse all over again at the Northsie Park Pier! And she did say Yes again!Madison age 5 after swimming in the little River from the ocean you see behind her taken on May 3, 2018 at Ocean City, Md
May is skin cancer awareness month. Being in Ocean City, a beach-oriented summer vacation town, keeping our skin safe and protected from the sun should always be at the front of our minds. Here’s some vital information courtesy of Atlantic General Hospital on melanoma and skin cancer, how medicines can make skin extra sun-sensitive and the basics of sunscreen.
Melanoma and Skin Cancer
By Sara Moghaddam, MD, FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist, Atlantic General Dermatology
Melanoma is a potentially serious type of skin cancer, but if caught early, is highly treatable. May is melanoma awareness month. Here we break down some facts about melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers:
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer.
Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common types of skin cancer with melanoma being less common.
In 2018, about 91,270 people in the U.S. will get melanoma.
Rates of melanoma have been increasing for at least 30 years.
Before age 50, melanoma is more common in women than in men. But for men over the age 50, the risk is higher.
Melanoma accounts for about 1% of all skin cancers.
Melanoma may appear on the skin suddenly without warning but also can develop on an existing mole.
Melanoma is caused by exposure to ultraviolet light (UV) – this includes UV light from the sun as well as artificial UV light in tanning beds. Anyone may develop a melanoma, but there are some individuals who may be at higher risk. Risk factors include history of excessive sun exposure or indoor tanning, fair features including light colored hair, pale skin, or blue eyes, having greater than 50 moles, or family or personal history of melanoma.
When detected at an earlier stage, melanoma is very treatable. In my practice, most melanomas are treated with a simple in-office procedure with just local anesthesia to the skin. The average five-year survival rate of these individuals with early stage disease is extremely high and estimated at 99%.
The medicines you take could make you more vulnerable to sunburns and allergic reactions when you’re exposed to ultraviolet light.
Sunscreen, shade and a wide-brimmed hat; chances are you know the basics about guarding your skin on sunny days.
But you may need to apply extra caution if you’re taking certain medicines—such as antibiotics, birth control medicines and pain relievers. Some types of drugs can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Skin Cancer Foundation.
That means that even with brief sun exposure—seconds to minutes in some folks—these drugs can cause problems such as:
Exaggerated sunburn-like reactions.
Lesions.
Hives.
Abnormal reddening of the skin.
Eczema-like rashes with itching, swelling, blistering, oozing and scaling of the skin.
With long-term sun exposure, drugs that increase sun sensitivity can contribute to problems such as:
Premature skin aging.
Cataracts.
Skin cancer.
Drugs with photosensitizing ingredients can also worsen existing skin problems like psoriasis, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Such drugs can even aggravate autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.
Protect your skin from damage: Know which sunscreen to choose and how to use it.
Using sunscreen is one of the easiest things you can do to protect your appearance and your health.
The right sunscreen used properly can help protect your appearance by reducing your risk of sunburns, age spots and wrinkles. It can also protect your health by reducing your risk for skin cancer.
How sunscreen works
Sunscreen offers protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays in a few ways, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Among them:
Reflecting UV rays with ingredients such as zinc oxide, titanium oxide and photoreflective polymer spheres.
Absorbing UV rays with substances such as oxybenzone, avobenzone and UV-altering pigments.
Counteracting damage caused by UV rays that make it through to the skin with antioxidants such as extract of green tea or candlewood plants.
Different types
Oils, creams, lotions, pastes, ointments, sticks and sprays—those are just a few of the sunscreen formulations you can choose from.
Zinc oxide and titanium oxide formulations may work better for children and those with sensitive skin. Creams are a good choice for the face, notes the AAD, while stick sunscreen works well around the eyes, and gels are great for hairy areas like the scalp and men’s chests.
Ultimately, sunscreen will do no good if you don’t use it. So choose a formulation that you know you will pick up and apply again and again.
The first thing you should know about Bad Monkey is that they bake their bread in-house every morning. All their bread — breakfast rolls, sandwich rolls, baguettes — comes fresh right out of their downstairs kitchen and ends up on your plate at Bad Monkey, or Fager’s Island or the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, businesses that are all owned by the same guys. It’s all baked fresh at the Monkey.
The second thing you should know about Bad Monkey is that, while the restaurant only opened in 2014, it’s already a beloved Ocean City staple that seems as adored by tourists as it is by locals. 2014 was four years ago, but it usually takes decades for an Ocean City restaurant to earn the respect, much less the adoration, of us cranky, skeptical locals.
A look inside one of the most vibrantly-painted restaurants in Ocean City.
In the kitchen, there’s no monkeying around.
I stopped in one morning to get a video of Ray, the restaurant’s chief bread baker, in action. I took a Facebook live, and was surprised to see that the comments on the video were overwhelmingly positive. It was my first time at Bad Monkey, and while I’d heard only good things about the place, it’s not uncommon for me to post about a local business I think is good and receive a fair number of angry reacts and naysayers in the comments section. It’s something I’ve come to expect, but this was not the case for Bad Monkey.
The gist of these comments was “I love Bad Monkey!,” “Bad Monkey is the best” and, my personal favorite, “Our Bowling buddies Ray and Christine making delicious bread. Love the Bad Monkey.”
The first time’s the charm.
My birthday rolled around a few weeks later, and I still hadn’t eaten at Bad Monkey like I’d been meaning to. So on the fateful day of May 15, my 23rd birthday, my wonderful co-workers initiated me into the world of the Monkey.
I’d been meaning to embark on a Happy Hour Adventure of my own, a particularly cool feature of this site that was established by my predecessor Tony Russo a few years ago. I figured this was as good an opportunity as any. I don’t make it a habit to drink on the job, but it was my birthday for Pete’s sake, and now I might have to do this Happy Hour Adventure thing more often.
I got the Monkey Wrench, a Hoop Tea cocktail, and Traci ordered a mojito made with Dogfish Head gin.
We ordered an appetizer, the crab dip with fresh-baked baguette, and my life came full circle. It wasn’t the exact baguette I had seen being molded into shape several weeks ago (that wouldn’t be very fresh), but it was a baguette, and it was soft and delicious. Everything that bread should be, and that the holiness that is Maryland crab dip deserves to be served on, this baguette was.
So soft.
We had seated ourselves upstairs at an “outdoor” table, which feels like a balcony when the floor-to-ceiling windows are opened up on a nice day. It was nice enough on this day, warm but overcast and a little windy, two days before the official start of Cruisin’ Ocean City. Ann remarked that she’d been eating at almost that exact table during Cruisin’ OC last year, and from that spot, she’d been able to watch all the cool old cruisers zooming down below. It’s noisy during engine-revvin’ events like these, yes, but definitely not a bad location if you’re trying to see a parade, cruisers or even just vacationers walking the sidewalks below.
Would this be the best seat in the house for Cruisin’ OC? Or to gawk at the construction of the new median fence? Maybe.
Our food came — a sub called the Treehugger, a salad with blackened mahi, a pair of fish tacos and a pair of La Espanola tacos — and we spent a good 10 minutes photographing our plates as any self-respecting employees of a local tourism site would do. (It’s nice when I’m not the only one doing it and I can share the pain of having people look at me while obviously thinking, “ugh, another millennial having a photoshoot of her meal for Instagram!” Not that there’s anything wrong with that anyway, but I digress.)
Fish tacos, salad, a Treehugger sub and a shared plate of parmesan truffle fries pictured here.
The food was as good as it looks — really, really good.
We ate, paid our check and went downstairs to take a look at the Bad Monkey merch before heading out. Not only do they carry a plethora of t-shirts featuring our favorite cigar-smoking monkey in sunglasses, but they’ve also got mugs, pint glasses, socks and Bad Monkey hot sauce. Which I didn’t buy any of this time, but I do plan on coming back for breakfast sometime in the near future…
Monkey merch on sale.
In short, trust the monkey.
Whether you came to Ocean City for an event like Cruisin’ Ocean City or you’re just here to lounge on the beach for a few days, you can’t go wrong starting your day with a hearty breakfast or ending it with craft beer and cocktails at the Bad Monkey. Trust me, and the Monkey, and your Ocean City vacation will be made.
The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is holding an Open House in recognition of International Museum Day this Friday, May 18 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The free event will celebrate the theme of 2018 International Museum Day, Hyperconnected Museums: New approaches, new publics.
“Hyperconnectivity” is a term created in 2001 to describe the various means of communication we have today including face-to-face contact, text messaging, email, telephone and the internet. Every day the global network of communications becomes more complex, diverse and integrated, and in the hyperconnected world of today, museums join the trend.
It’s impossible to understand the role of museums without taking into account all the connections they make. They are an integral part of their local communities, their cultural landscape and their natural environment, and thanks to technology, museums can now reach way beyond their core audience and find new publics when approaching their collections in a different way.
“We want to encourage our visitors to take a picture of an exhibit or artifact that truly resonates with them, then share that picture on social media,” said Museum Director Sandy Hurley. “When visitors choose to post photos of the Museum on social media they are widening the Museum’s audience, and ultimately strengthening our mission.”
For more information, please call (410) 289-4991 or visit our website www.ocmuseum.org.
The postcard in the image above depicts Dunes Manor, just past the Ocean City Boardwalk on 28th street, in all its glory. It’s a simple souvenir, but it’s one that you’ll want to keep in a photo album or in a child’s memory box. There it’ll be safely tucked away, waiting for the day you feel nostalgic for OC, MD and all the memories you made there with your family — memories that are guaranteed to be bright ones when vacation days are spent at the Dunes.
In fact, Family Vacation Critic just named Dunes Manor #14 on their list of 16 Best Family Resorts That Don’t Charge Hidden Fees, which the Dunes’ Guest Services & Marketing Manager Tracy Rice attributes to, what else? The hotel’s abundance of family-friendly events throughout the year.
So take a seat on a rocking chair on the back porch, and let’s talk about all the ways you can make memories at the Dunes this summer…
A summer packed with things to do, for everyone
Some people like to spend their vacations lazing around, sleeping in and soaking up the sun wherever the wind has blown them. Others prefer more structure. Dunes Manor is an answer to those on either end of the spectrum, and everyone in between: their summer calendar is jam-packed with activities that families can simply drop in on or plan an entire vacation around. And this applies to every week of the summer, because jam-packed is not an understatement.
“Last year we added about five new activities,” Rice said. “This year we added about 27.”
For vacationers who want to keep a workout routing and don’t mind breaking a sweat, the Dunes is offering Tai chi classes, a gentle form of martial arts that any individual of any physical ability can take part in. There’s also an on-the-beach workout called Beach Body Fitness that’s new this year, in addition to Mind & Body Yoga now being offered twice a week. Work up an appetite, then hit the Barefoot Beach Bar to enjoy a frozen drink special offered daily within the first hour of opening.
Also down at the Barefoot Beach Bar? Madame Esmerelda. An employee of the Dunes set up a Tarot card reading station for just an hour last summer, and her readings were so wildly popular that she ended up staying for four.
“It was unbelievable,” Rice said. “She’s not a real gypsy fortuneteller, she works here, but the way she interprets [cards] is very whimsical and cool.”
There are piano sing-a-longs held in the lobby for all to enjoy Wednesday through Sunday, which will often be followed by the Sweet Dreams Cookie Cart — kids get cookies, milk and a bedtime story read to them in the lobby a few nights out of the week. Speaking of the kids…
Crafts, mermaids and more
Arts and crafts for kids of all ages that were once just offered one day a week will now be offered for four days. “They’re really quality crafts, not just silly little things you make and never even take home,” Rice said — kids have made crafts ranging from pinatas to sea bead jewelry to mermaid paper dolls.
And mermaids especially are a hit amongst the littler crowd: last year the hotel began offering Swim With a Live Mermaid once a week, which will now be offered for two. Women come dressed up in mermaid tails and all to play with the kids, do facepainting and give out favors. “People have been emailing me, ‘What day are you doing the mermaids, ‘cause those are the days we’re coming!'”
Saturday nights are fun for everyone with the Family Beach Scavenger Hunt, which Rice says has really taken off since it started in the winter. Families are sent all over Ocean City — for example, to the Boardwalk to get an arcade ticket or to a local surf shop to take a selfie. More beach fun can be found during the week at the Sandcastle Club (digging tools and buckets provided!), and Cornhole & Croquet is another activity for the competitively-spirited on Thursday nights.
That might seem like a lot going on — the hotel had to hire more employees this year just to keep up with all the events and activities happening this summer — but the ones listed above are really just the tip of the iceberg.
“I think that’s why we’re very unique,” Rice said. “A lot of hotels do activities, certainly, but I would say that we have the most. We’re really trying to be #1 in that area.”
If you’re coming back to the Dunes Manor for the first time this year, you’ll probably notice that it looks a little different. (By the way, here’s a hot tip for those who frequent the hotel: repeat guests can join the Dunes Circle Loyalty Program and get 15% off their stay. There’s more info on specials like this one here.)
Dunes Manor is known for exuding an old Victorian sort of charm, and that will always ring true. However, the hotel did receive a mild facelift over the winter, including new carpets throughout the entire building, new furniture in the lower lobby and reupholstered furniture elsewhere, new walk-in showers in the deluxe rooms and a fresh navy-and-gold look for the Victorian Room restaurant.
Even the employees of the Dunes are always having fun, and sometimes posing for pictures, as seen here in the remodeled Victorian Room restaurant.
So come spend at least a piece of your summer vacation at Dunes Manor. Admire the old Victorian charm and new upgrades around the hotel, take part in a few of their activities at your leisure, and send your own postcards to those friends and family members who weren’t lucky enough to vacation at the Dunes with you.
The median fence on Coastal Highway is slated for completion by May 23, and the new pay-by-plate meters in the municipal parking lot downtown have been in effect since April 1. Both of these new features are the talk of the town, and we’ve been receiving lots of questions about both of them.
Here’s a handy FAQ about the new pay-by-plate parking systems near the Inlet and the new midtown median fence.
If you have questions that aren’t included below, ask them in the comments section and we’ll do our best to answer them and add them to the list!
Pay-by-plate parking
How do I use the new pay-by-plate parking meters?
If you don’t have your plate number memorized and can’t read it from the meter, take a picture of it with your cell phone. Simply enter the numbers into the console, then toss in your coins for how much time you want or swipe your card and enter the amount of money you wish to put in. You can go paperless or ask the machine to print a receipt for you. Later, you can extend your time at the meters or with the Parkmobile app.
Do I need to download an app in order to park?
No, but you do have that option. The Parkmobile app can be used to pay for parking and extend your time (which comes in handy when you’re all the way on the other side of the Boardwalk and realize your time is almost up).
How much does parking cost now?
It’s still $3 an hour to park at the Inlet during peak season.
Can vehicles with handicap tags still park for free?
There is a 30-minute grace period for all vehicles, including those with handicap tags, in the Inlet lot. If a vehicle is parked in the Inlet lot for 31 minutes or more, the entire amount of time spent parked will have to be paid for.
As for street parking with the new meters and other municipal lots, there is a 60-minute grace period for vehicles with handicap tags.
Should I still place my receipt on my dashboard?
No, there is no need to place your ticket on your dashboard since you will have entered in your license plate number.
Coastal Highway median fence
Why was this fence built?
The median fence is five to seven feet tall, so it can’t easily be hopped over, and was constructed in order to prevent jaywalkers from unsafely crossing the street.
Will it obstruct my view of Coastal Highway?
While the fence is tall, and does obstruct your view of the other side of the highway when you’re looking at it head-on, the fence posts are angled so that you can see in between them while driving. It does not in any way obstruct your view from cars turning at intersections.
When will the project be finished?
Construction is currently on schedule to be completed by the Wednesday before Memorial Day (May 23).
How long does the fence run?
It runs from Convention Center Drive to 62nd street, and extends 2.7 miles.
I hate these new parking meters and/or this new median fence!
There has been a huge influx of messages like these popping into our Facebook messages, our community posts and the comments sections of our articles. We hear your concerns, and we understand them. However, we do not represent the Town of Ocean City or any town government officials who voted to put these new systems in place. As always, we love to hear your thoughts and opinions on everything that happens in Ocean City, but when it comes to matters like these ones, we can’t do much but send you to the Town’s inbox.
Happy Photo Friday everyone, and congratulations to our winner Kathy (who submitted the photo above of Baby’s First Dumser’s), who has won a pair of tickets to Jolly Roger Amusements. We received a great influx of submissions this week via both our submit page and on Facebook, where many photos were shared of sunsets, the occasional sunrise and lots of kids having fun during summers past and present.
Here’s a reminder that you are only eligible to win our weekly prize if you include a full name and email address in the caption of your submission! I won’t publish those details but I will use them to contact you and get you your amusement tickets/gift card/whatever fun thing we’re giving away that week.
Now without further ado, here’s your photos from the week.
SunsetHanging on the OC boardwalk My daughter Cassidy, Boardwalk,Bayside sunset @ fishtales last summer end of june 2018.Ninety year of father and son enjoying the beach on 125th Street. Kevin spent years coming with his father to Ocean City and he brought his dad back to enjoy the ocean once again in the July of 2017Worcester county. Brody on the Beach June 2017Father and son fishing on the pierKids enjoying the beach June 2017A beautiful inlet morningChecking out the ocean on 94th Street !Ride anyone.This is my daughter Ella enjoying her first Dumser’s Ice Cream cone on the boardwalk, July 2017! I grew up in Maryland but now live in Minnesota but come out every summer to visit my siblings and we always make a trip to OC!Abbey and Bella enjoying the kites! Ocean City MD, Kite festival April 28thBella enjoying the Carousel at Trimpers Customer appreciation Day! MAY 6th 2018BeachBeachAssateagueI was staying at the Quay on 107th Street in Ocean City Md in June 2017 and I woke up to take this beautiful picture of the sunrise!Raylynn 3 1/2 and Harper 4 had the best time on the Dunkaneer pirate ship in 2017 .Riding the ocean city rocket boat! With my family.
Let’s take a trip back to mid-century Ocean City. Because when you take a walk down Ocean City’s Motel Row — from around 15th to 33rd street — you can, to this day, feel like you just stepped out of a time machine.
Mid-Century Motel Mania
After World War II, motels took hold in the U.S. and offered travelers inexpensive lodging where they could pull their cars right up to the door and spend a night or two in an air-conditioned room. Sometimes they’d even come equipped with a color TV, or all the class and comfort of the Magic Fingers vibrating bed!
The motel industry peaked in 1964 with 61,000 motels operating throughout the country. As of 2012, however, there were only 16,000 motel properties still in commission. While motels aren’t nearly as in-demand as they once were, Ocean City, Maryland is a town lucky enough to still have beautifully retro, mid-century modern/Art-Deco style motels open and ready for your reservations.
The first properties to hit Ocean City’s Motel Row — the Sea Scape, the Surf and Sands, the Santa Maria and the Stowaway — were built in the mid-1950s and, unfortunately, have all since been replaced with newer accommodations. However, a number of motels built soon after those original four are still standing in south Ocean City today.
Some of the motels pictured below look like they came right out of a history book, but they’re ready for you to make your reservations now in 2018. Staying in a decades-old Ocean City motel isn’t a bad way to enjoy all the aesthetic draws of a mid-century building with all the conveniences of the 21st century.
A walk down “Motel Row”
Of course, a look at Ocean City’s most iconic accommodations can’t start without the Oceanic Motel at the Inlet, complete with the Oceanic Fishing Pier and the beach just a stone’s throw away. Now we’ll really head to Motel Row, just some blocks away…All the way down to 31st street. The famously pink Flamingo Motel marks the north end of Motel Row, where it’s been owned and operated by the same family since 1963. The Motel originally consisted of one 23-unit building, but now the second-generation business is made up of three oceanfront buildings which include rooms, efficiencies, kitchenettes and suites. The Flamingo throws it back to the ’60s with its inexpensive accommodations and retro look, while also being updated, clean and, of course, providing WiFi. Not too far from the Flamingo is the Seabonay, located at the very end of the Boardwalk (one block away, to be exact). Here, you can relax on a guarded beach, swim in the outdoor pool, or easily take a tram ride down the Boardwalk. Down on 19th street is the Empress, which was built in 1965 and still has its original neon peacock sign. The peacock is a symbol of royalty, which any Empress would appreciate. Behind the Empress is the Eden Roc motel on 20th street, with a sea of rental bikes in front of it. Eden Roc is a relic of the ’60s. The Ocean Mecca on 23rd street was built in 1958 by William and Kathleen Harman to provide a sort of oasis to travelers. The Arabian style of the motel’s sign and exterior pay homage to some of Kathleen Harman’s favorite movies, The Sheik and The Voyages of Sinbad. (Okay, Three Cheers on 30th street is technically a condo building, not a motel, but it still looks cool. It was built in 1972 and, as evidenced by this typeface, keeps an early ’70s aura about it.) Then there’s the Thunderbird Beach Motel on 31st street. And the Sahara Motel on 19th street. And finally, a bonus picture: The Safari gorilla guarding the beach and Boardwalk at 12th street.
They’re pretty large bath-style rooms with an open shower for you to cleanse your skin before your floating experience. The shower is very clean with hair and soap products already in place for you. They also provide a little basket with ear plugs, a washcloth and a water spritzer to use while you are in the Flotation pod. 
can set the lights to dim even more or have them go completely off. There is a music pod built in that plays very relaxing “spa music,” which you can also have on or off. I went for the full light and music vibe for the my first time just to get a feel for the full experience. 
