Thank You

We truly enjoyed vacationing with you in 2011. We had a great season making vacations more relaxing and enjoyable at the Jersey Shore.

We look forward to working with you again in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Bobby Flay At The Jersey Shore

Our Florida relatives are in town this week to hang with our family.  Their itinerary had lots of fun things to do including visiting with our family in NJ, visiting my cousins husbands family in Long Island,  checking out the Christmas sights in NYC and a visit to our home at the Jersey Shore.

My cousins husband had one thing he really wanted to do in Jersey.  He wanted to check out Bobby Flay's Burger Palace in Eatontown.  After all the family time with his inlaws fam, he absolutely should get to do anything he wants!

I've been to a few of Bobby Flay's joints including the Burger Palace in Philly, Bobby Flay Steak in AC, the Mesa Grill in both Vegas and NYC, but I never considered this a destination for the northern Jersey Shore.   He's absolutely right though...  The location is at the Monmouth Mall which is about 10 minutes from Long Branch and close to Sea Bright, Deal, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, etc.   While the location isn't exactly beachy - it is Bobby Flay.    My suggestion is to check it out on a rainy day at the shore cause traffic is always a challenge around there on a beautiful summer day.

Trip report: Long Brach Island

We visited Long Beach Island for a linen delivery for New Years weekend.  We typically dont have time to hang out and enjoy the beach scenery on a work day but being the off season we enjoyed every minute of it.  

We started the trip by completing our delivery in Beach Haven Crest.  It was a beautiful rental right on the beach.

View of AC from Holgate

From there we decided to head to Beach Haven to find a restaurant for lunch.  With a few options open, we decided to hold out for a bit and enjoy checking out some sights.

We first headed down to Holgate to catch a glimpse of Brigantine and Atlantic City.  Its amazing to see how close we were.  During the summer, we often think it would be really convenient to be able to travel between Brigantine and LBI for deliveries.   While there we collected some sand for the collection.

Reminded me of Key West

We then decided to drive the whole island.  The island is 18 miles long so we embarked on our trek to the lighthouse.  We found the drive to be ideal since there was minimal traffic and most of the lights were just blinking being that it was the offseason.  

Barnegat Lighthouse

Upon arrival at the Barnegat Lighthouse we took several pictures.  The lighthouse was closed but we enjoyed the view from the ground.  We collected some sand for the collection and were on our way.

Our next stop of Viking Village to check out the fishing boats.  

Keeping warm at the Lighthouse

After this, we headed to  The Greenhouse Cafe for some New England Clam Chowder and a caeser salad.

We recommend checking out all these spots on your next visit to Long Beach Island.

Have fun!

New Years Eve Orders

New Years order in Beach Haven

We have been putting together orders for the New Years weekend for guests visiting the Jersey Shore.

We love a good holiday to make our orders more festive.  

For the Fourth of July we like to include mini flags with orders for a patriotic touch.  

For New Years, we are including miniature disco balls for a party feel. 

It's not to late to get your order in.  Make the New Year more relaxing by calling us today!

Long Branch/Deal Mansions Available For Rent

Long Branch Home
From Rent

We recently started providing our services to weekend vacationers staying in Long Branch and Deal area.  

Both homes are absolutely amazing.  They both have incredible ballrooms, large kitchens (kosher if needed), large living room and dining areas perfect for a wedding or large family gathering.   Each home has over 10+ beds, making these properties more similar to a bed & breakfast minus the breakfast.  Breakfast sound good?  The property manager would be happy to find you a personal chef to make you your favorite breakfast menu.    Interested in other resort-esque services?  The property manager would be happy to help. 

Deal Home
Available For Rent

The orders we assisted with were for families getting together for the holidays. We provided them with our Egyptian cotton linens, duvet covers, towels and bed making service complete with Godiva chocolates. 

What a perfect way to get everyone to stay together and not have to be at a hotel!  These homes are available nightly in the off season on HomeAway and VRBO.   

Interested?  Check our the property listing and let them know Relax Concierge sent you!

Trip Report:Back to NYC

Entrance to the
Lobby at the Plaza

We headed back into NYC yesterday with family to see the tree and store windows. Since we were giving the tour we made sure to check out a few hotel lobbies since we have a "thing" for them.

We checked out the Plaza again, Trump and the St. Regis. The Plaza was the best out of all of them.

Gift shop at the Plaza

Midtown reminded me of the Garden State Parkway on a Saturday morning in the middle of summer. Lots of people and traffic galore. It was a lot of fun though!

St. Regis

Holiday Visitors

Small Christmas tree (unlit in pic)
welcomed guests

We just love having overnight guests at our home.

In the spirit of Christmas we made sure to make our guest rooms festive for California and Florida relatives.

Our front room has to twin beds adorned with our Egyptian cotton linens, down comforters and throws. We added a small Christmas tree with lights to greet guests when entering the room. We also included solar power candles in the window. In the back room we added bay leaf garland around the bed and vanity. In both rooms we left candy canes for our guests.

Garland adorned bed along with
signed copy of Polar Express

In addition to the holiday items, we included our relax do not disturb signs and sparkling water. Our front room guests also had our concierge bell for use whenever needed.

Thankfully we were on vacation too and it wasn't put to use.

Jersey Shore Christmas Party Decorating and More...

Relax Concierge enhances Jersey Shore vacations with premium rental items and personal services. We were recently tasked with decorating the Jersey Shore house (for a preteen party) prior to the arrival of one of our vacationers. We had about an hour to decorate before their arrival. 


We also provided groceries, linens, towels and bed making service so the vacationers could start celebrating as soon as they arrived. 


Visit www.relaxconcierge.com to learn more about our services. Contact Mike at www.seaside-realty.com to book the Jersey Shore house.

Trip report: Polar Bears, Betsy Johnson & Trump ..Oh MY!

Betsy Johnson Tree at
The Plaza

I was in NYC for past few days to enjoy some time with friends. I attended the Glamour magazine Christmas party at the Electric Room in the Dream Hotel. The party was great. I met with many of the people that put together one of my favorite magazines for my summer beach bag. They are working on March now but the summer issues are just months away.

Front of Trump Tower

I was also in the city to meet with a friend from Haddonfield to attend The National concert at the Beacon. We spent the day shopping and on my Christmas highlight tour. It was her first time in NYC during the holidays so I had to do it up "elf style"... Well sort of... We saw the tree, Christmas village in central park, walked down Fifth, fell in love with the bergdorfs windows, etc.

As you may know I love hotel lobbies. I'm always thinking about what we should incorporate for Relax guests. Here are some cool Hotel photos from

Polar Bear Fun
at Dream Hotel Lobby

my trip.

Dream Hotel Lobby

I will be in the city at least 3 more times over the holidays so I except to visit a lot more hotels. Stay tuned for more posts...

New For Summer 2012

Following many requests in Summer 2011, we are excited to offer fans for next summer.

This is not just any ol' box fan, we will be offering Holmes Remote Control Tower Fans.   Whether it be to help you cool down or you just sleep better with a fan on,  visit www.relaxconcierge.com to reserve your fan for your vacation.

New Year's Getaway To The Jersey Shore

I've always thought about renting out a shore house to ring in the New Year.

When I was a younger  (maybe just a few years younger), most of my friends wanted to celebrate New Years dining and  dancing in the big City or skiing in Vermont or Aspen.   I've done NYC once and Philly several times but I've always been more of a house party gal.

What could be better than renting a beachfront at the Jersey Shore  and having a small gathering with your family and close friends?

I think this is a great way to ring in the New Year or to spend your whole Christmas week.  The Jersey Shore has many great places for whatever you want to do.  Wonderful stores and restaurants are open.   Vacation rentals are available at a discounted rate.  Most importantly, Relax Concierge is open to provide you with premium rental items to make your  vacation similar to a stay at a fine resort.

Holiday Gift Idea: Relax Concierge Gift Certificate

Our gift certificates are great way to help that special friend or family relax during their next Jersey Shore vacation. Perfect gift for the holidays!    Gift certificates can be used for all our rental items and services at the Jersey Shore.   Vacation rental address is not needed at time of purchase.  Personalized message can also  be included.  

Free shipping of gift certificate to billing address or to recipient address if provided.   Rental items and services are delivered to towns listed at www.relaxconcierge.com/locations.php.  Gift certificates are redeemable over phone or on www.relaxconcierge.com using provided coupon code. 

More info....

Weekend: Manasquan, Point Pleasant, Spring Lake & Asbury Park

This weekend was busy, busy, busy.  We were in Manasquan, Point Pleasant, Spring Lake and in Asbury Park.  Sometimes not once but multiple times.

We kicked off the weekend with a dinner at St. Stephen in Spring Lake.  St. Stephens is our go-to weekend spot.  My husband and I both had their Chicken Pot Pie.  We typically order the Irish Car Bomb Cheesecake but they were out of it so we tried something else that wasn't as delicious.

Photo by Jersey Shore Jen

On Saturday,  I spent some time with my mom and sister.  We visited the Restaurant Supply Store in Point Pleasant so my mom could get her mini bundt pans.  This place is perfect for the cook in your house.  It's open to the public so stop on by.  From here we went to Joe Leones for some lunch.  We ordered a Sausage & Pepper Sandwich and a few salads for the crew.

Saturday night included a Surprise 30th birthday at Manasquan Beach House (a.k.a. O'Neills) for Erin.  Erin helped Relax this summer in the Lavallette area.  After leaving at 10:30 - we grabbed a bar pie at Squan Tavern.

Sunday started off as it normally would after a Saturday night out at the bars.  By 9am we were surprised by a friend who volunteered to make everyone at the house omelettes!   What a nice surprise.  By noon, I had planned a get together with Jersey Shore Jen in Asbury Park.  After dining at Langosta Lounge, we took a walk on the boardwalk, checked out the lobby at the Empress and then checked out Porta.

Check out Jen's blog post here.

Linen Rental (and More) in Monmouth and Ocean County

Let Relax Concierge enhance your next Jersey Shore vacation by providing you with premium rental items and personal services.  We provide customized amenities typically only available at a hotel or resort.

Bed Linen Rental        

For the bedroom, Relax Concierge offers 100% Egyptian cotton sheet sets, duvets, down alternative comforters, mattress pads, pillows and more. \ More info...

Bath Towel and
Beach Towel Rental

For the bathroom, Relax Concierge offers luxurious bath towels, plush bathrobes, Chi hair dryers and L’OCCITANE toiletries.  More info...

Beach Gear Rental

For the beach, Relax Concierge offers resort quality umbrellas, beach towels, chairs, carts and outdoor games. Relax Concierge also offers indoor family fun options including video game console rentals – perfect for a rainy day.  More info...

In addition to rental items, Relax Concierge offers a variety of services including grocery delivery, personal shopping and bed making complete with chocolates on guest pillows. All rental orders are delivered to and picked up from the vacation rental home. All services are coordinated in advance to coincide with arrival time. 

Long Beach Island Linen Rental, Beach Gear Rental and More

Bed Linen Rental        

Let Relax Concierge enhance your next Jersey Shore vacation by providing you with premium rental items and personal services.  We provide customized amenities typically only available at a hotel or resort.

For the bedroom, Relax Concierge offers 100% Egyptian cotton sheet sets, duvets, down alternative comforters, mattress pads, pillows and more.  More info...

Bath Towel and
Beach Towel Rental

For the bathroom, Relax Concierge offers luxurious bath towels, plush bathrobes, Chi hair dryers and L’OCCITANE toiletries.  More info...

Beach Gear Rental

For the beach, Relax Concierge offers resort quality umbrellas, beach towels, chairs, carts and outdoor games. Relax Concierge also offers indoor family fun options including video game console rentals – perfect for a rainy day.  More info...

In addition to rental items, Relax Concierge offers a variety of services including grocery delivery, personal shopping and bed making complete with chocolates on guest pillows. All rental orders are delivered to and picked up from the vacation rental home. All services are coordinated in advance to coincide with arrival time. 

Relax Concierge provides services to all towns on Long Beach Island including Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Brant Beach, Brighton Beach, Haven Beach, High Bar Harbour, Holgate, Loveladies, North Beach, Peahala Park, Spray Beach, The Dunes, Ship Bottom, Surf City

Trip Report: Ocean City NJ

We spent some time today in Ocean City looking at retail space and visiting with friends and a few local businesses.

The retail space search has been exciting.  We hope to announce our new location in the next few weeks.  For now the search continues.  

From here, we stopped by Home Care Specialists/Bonded Babysitters to recap on Summer fun with Ed Sheppard.  From here we stopped at the new Keller Williams (formerly French Realty) to distribute our brochures and show them samples of our products.

We followed this up with a great lunch at Who's On First. We had a focaccia cheese sandwich and then had to get a cup of coffee and got some scones for breakfast tomorrow.

In the late afternoon, I met up with a realtor friend to help snap a photo for their holiday card. We stopped at the bottom of the new bridge at 9th street to take a photo with the new sign by the walking path.  This is a fun photo spot to take photos with your family and friends.   BYOSH - Bring Your Own Santa Hat.

We are looking forward to many other photo opps with the opening of the new walking/bike path over the bridge.  

Spring Lake Candlelight Inn Tour

There’s something magical about visiting a home that’s all lit up by candles. A warm welcoming glow takes over, curious shadows dance in hallways, and there’s an instant festive feel.

We are looking forward to attend the 2011 Spring Lake Christmas Inn Tour on Saturday December 3rd.

The festivities kick off with a complimentary tea party at the Breakers from 2:00-3:30.  From there, visit the christmas boutique at the Ocean House from 2:00-7:00.  The tour starts at 3:30 and wraps up at 7:00.


Tickets are $25 per person.  For tickets and information, call 732-449-0577 or 732-859-1465. 


Here are a list of the Historic Inns of Spring Lake.

Cyber Monday Deal for Your Jersey Shore Vacation

Thinking about your next summer vacation at the Jersey Shore? 

Happy Holidays!

Take $20 off online orders over $100 with coupon code CYBERMONDAY2011.  Visit www.relaxconcierge.com to place your order.  Offer applies to rental items only, cannot be combined with other coupons, excludes taxes and delivery.  Offer valid on 11/28/11.

Don't know your vacation rental address or the week you will be visiting the Jersey Shore?  

That's okay! For delivery address - enter  TBD for street address and enter city, state and zipcode. For week, select "Other".

Don't want to pay now? 

That's cool. Select "Reservation" at checkout.   Payment can be coordinated two weeks before your vacation.  

Happy Holidays! 

Small Business Saturday: Spring Lake

Here are a few of our favorite stores in Spring Lake for holiday shopping on Small Business Saturday.  

Juli Mei  1303 Third Avenue
(732) 449-0021
http://julimei.com/




Juli Mei is a wonderful place for jewelry!  We especially love their Chan Luu bracelets.  Here are a few of their holiday picks. 


Nest Home Garden & You
1317 3rd Ave
Spring Lake, NJ 07762
732-974-8900
http://www.facebook.com/nesthomegardenandyou?v=wall


Nest is a great spot for home items.  Nest was also recommended in the "Best of the Shore 2010" issue of Philadelphia Magazine.Waterlily
1203 3rd Avenue
(732) 449-0912 
http://www.waterlilyshop.com/ 



Perfect for teens and young adults.  We just love their Hudson jeans, Tom's shoes and Minnetonka boots.

Whimsicality 
1219 3rd Avenue
(732) 449-9337
http://www.facebook.com/pages/whimsicality/199717935629


Whimsicality has great home items.  We love their ornament selection especially the whale and walrus!


While shopping, stop by Cafe Artise for a cup of coffee.


Here's a link to all the shops in Spring Lake:
http://visitspringlake.com/pages/shopping

Small Business Saturday: Holiday Shopping Jersey Shore Style

For Small Business Saturday we look forward to telling our readers where the best stuff is at the Jersey Shore.  

The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses
on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

On November 26, millions of people will shop small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. 

Relax Concierge will focus the next few posts on the best boutiques to make your holiday purchases in the following towns:

• Long Branch
• Asbury Park
• Spring Lake
• Manasquan
• Point Pleasant
• LBI
• Ocean City
• Avalon
• Stone Harbor

While shopping, make sure to enjoy the ample parking, stop by one of your favorite local restaurants and while you are at it swing by the beach.  Shopping at the Jersey Shore sure beats any shopping mall! 

Hurricane Irene

Our trip to Vermont brought back memories of Hurricane Irene.

There was way more destruction than I imagined. When visiting Woodstock, the historian at the Woodstock Inn told us that 4feet of water came rushing through the ground floor doors similar to the scene in titanic. The inn was closed for over a month to repair the damage on the first floor and the golf course.

During a drive to Killington we saw what looked to be spots where covered bridges once were located. Temporary bridges have now been built next to spots that once had iconic Vermont covered bridges.

Businesses have been closed for months during one of their most busy seasons.

When thinking back to the Jersey Shore evacuations - I still remember the uncertain feeling of what was going to happen to our beaches. It was crazy to return to the beach to find very limited damage.

We had a really nice time in Vermont. I strongly recommend a winter visit to woodstock to enjoy all that the area has to offer.

Trip Report: Woodstock Inn Vermont

Mom and I in front of the lobby fire.

It's so nice to get away and check our new places. We will be meeting with Killington Group tomorrow to discus winter rentals so we decided to stay nearby in Woodstock.


The Woodstock Inn is just beautiful.  The Woodstock Inn is voted as one of the TOP 100 resorts in the U.S. by CONDE NAST readers.   From their website:



The Woodstock Inn & Resort, a Preferred Hotel, offers modern amenities and services within a quintessential Vermont setting. 142 Spacious rooms, plush bedding and breathtaking grounds create a cozy, welcoming escape any time of year. 


We especially love the amenities from the Egyptian cotton linens and towels to the in room Keurig coffee maker. We also love the personal touches like the towel fan and full size bottles of toiletries!

Trip Report: IHMRS Show In NYC

Yesterday we attended the International Hotel Motel & Restaurant Show (IHMRS) and Boutique Design New York (BDNY) at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC.    The IHMRS is considered the international showcase for the hospitality industry.  The Javits Center was set up with 700 exhibitors and 30,000 attendees each year.


It was the perfect day for the event and for walk around NYC.  We left Manasquan after a nice sunrise walk around 8:30 to get to the show by 10:30.  We took the ferry from Weehawken and walked over to the show.  


Once at the show we met with several of our current suppliers and met many prospective new suppliers.  Here are a few vendors we met with: Bed Bath & Beyond, T-Y Group, Frette, Lather, Tivoli, Marietta.

Following the show we visited the offices of Glamour Magazine and enjoyed a great lunch before returning back to the beach.


We strongly believe staying "in the know" with hotel innovation is important to providing vacationers with these amenities.  We look forward to incorporating some new rental items for 2012 following attending this event.  

http://www.ihmrs.com/

Bed Sizes Around The World

Here's an interesting wiki for all bed sizes in different countries:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_size

Linens and towels are not provided?!

This is a statement/question realtors and homeowners receive from many vacationers staying at the Jersey Shore.

While many vacation destinations include this service - it is not common at the Jersey Shore. In most cases, this is all figured out before the start of a vacation but sometimes it happens upon arrival at the destination.

Last night we were happy to help a homeowner and vacationing family with this service. Both the homeowner and vacationer were glad we were open and available for a drop off within a few hours.

Thanksgiving at the Jersey Shore

Most vacationers think the Jersey Shore is for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and maybe even Labor Day but some folks love the Shore so much they are vacationing there over Thanksgiving!

We love this idea.  If you are from the PA, NJ, NY area and you aren't planning a flight out of town - why not head to the Shore?!

We are looking forward to working with vacationers headed down to Ocean City for the week and long weekend.      Depending on whether this is a new tradition or just something different to do - the Jersey Shore has a lot to offer.  There are great restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinners or you can dine in the comfort of your very own rental.   There are also lots of great shopping specials for Black Friday and the casinos always have something fun to do.

There are great rentals available at discounted rates.  Please call us at 609-601-5077 if you are interested in making your Thanksgiving vacation more relaxing and enjoyable.

Ladies Weekend At The Beach

Ladies having a good time together.
We dont exactly know these women but
we love that they are all smiling!

We thought today's post should be about Ladies Weekends following two recent orders.  

One weekend was a late September stay in Avalon with a bunch of fun ladies looking to hang out and relax with ol' friends.    It was the perfect time of year for shopping, exploring restaurants, etc.  These women were siked they didn't have to pack linens and towels from home and then deal with all the laundry.

Our most recent weekend was planned by a HUSBAND.  This awesome guy planned for all his wife's friends to fly in and surprise her at work.  It wasn't her birthday or any major milestone.  It was just a celebration of his wife.

Following the surprise - the women were all whisked away to the Jersey Shore for a weekend at a beautiful beachfront.  While visiting, the ladies were sent from the shore to NYC to see the sights!  Why not - the beach is only 1-2 hours from the best city ever.    He even planned for us to provide their linens and towels so that they didn't have to deal with all the laundry!

It is very cool to hear all these stories cause you realize more and more that time with friends and family so important.    We are happy to be a small contributor to these good times.

Square Dancing

We are looking forward to providing linens and towels to the Blast Class Square Dancing weekend this Friday-Sunday. Blast Class is a series of classes designed to teach you how to square dance in a weekend.  

We will be traveling up from the Jersey Shore to Liebenzell Retreat Center in  Long Valley, NJ to drop off our rental items.  Unfortunately we wont be able to stay for all the fun!  

When researching the dance, we learned that square dancing is the official dance of NJ. Who knew?! 

Are you hosting a retreat weekend?  Relax Concierge  would be happy to provide you a quote for linens and towels for your stay.  During the winter months, we can deliver to most towns in NJ. 

What do the Beatles, Ocean City, Relax Concierge and Santa Have In Common?

This may sound like an odd combination since each are all so unique - or maybe not.  

Ocean City Magazine recreated the Beatles Abbey Road cover for their November/December issue at the cross walk  at 9th Street/Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, NJ..   

The cover includes our owner, Erin Visalli, as George Harrison outfitted in the daringly fashionable denim on denim combination.  To the right is Sir Paul McCartney or an employee from Collette.  Santa is filling in for Ringo and John Lennon is the owner of Accent Gallery. 

It was so much fun to be a part of the photoshoot.  Ocean City magazine is a great resource for everything Ocean City. We are happy to advertise with the magazine and also to include their magazines and books with orders for guests staying in Ocean City, Avalon and Stone Harbor.  To subscribe, visit http://ocnjmagazine.com/.

Dinner "In" Tip for Vacationers

We look forward to providing vacationers with tips for their vacations at the Jersey Shore. We hope our tips will make the vacation more relaxing and enjoyable.


Here's our first tip to vacationers in Southern Monmouth County and Northern Ocean County beaches:


Joe Leones
400 New Jersey 35
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 701-0001


Joe Leones is our favorite go-to spot for lunch and dinner take out. Everything is delicious. The experience at the store also is part of the fun.


The other night we purchased their Sunday Sauce. The sauce is enough for 10+ people. The sauce includes a few meatballs, sausage and Braciole. Some homemade pasta and the sauce is almost a necessity for a dinner in with minimal effort.

SNOWtober

SNOWtober in NJ

When looking back on the date of our last post, we can't help but think of sunscreen, beach chairs and days on the beach.   Today we are in the midst of SNOWtober across most of NJ, NY and PA.  Where did the warm, sunny days go?

Thank you to all of our Summer 2011 guests! We had an enjoyable time making vacations more relaxing and enjoyable for all our guests from Sea Bright to Stone Harbor.  

We truly appreciate all the feedback we received from our surveys.  We review all feedback and will consider all suggestions.  

With thoughts of next Summer already on our mind, RelaxConcierge.com has been updated to accept 2012 reservations.   

On this snowy day, why not start planning your next vacation at the Jersey Shore?  There are plenty of great vacation rentals available for the most popular weeks. After doing so, check out RelaxConcierge.com to reserve your vacation amenities!  A deposit is not required for advance reservations.