Friday, April 22, 2011

Lemonade Stands

Lemonade stand in Brielle.
Lovin' the lid and straw.
Whenever I drive by a lemonade stand I have to stop.   I don't stop because I'm thirsy. Rather, I stop because I once was that kid with a homemade sign, powdered lemonade, a few cups and ice if our customers were lucky.

My lemonade stand was located outside my childhood residence at 120 Delacy Avenue in North Plainfield. Our business location had little driving or foot traffic but it was a great location close to a fully stocked kitchen.

The stand was staffed with my siblings and my best friend, Katie.  On our creative days, Katie and I would come up with new recipes for lemonade and "treat" our regular customers with our tart or sugary creations.    Sometimes our stand would carry additional items like iced tea or services like manicures for customers interested in a new nail color while they enjoyed our fine beverages.

Our customers were all known by name, sometimes referred to as "mom" and "dad".   We knew which cars would stop and who would tip a few extra cents.

Now that I have my own business, I often look back on the days of my lemonade stand. I knew I was onto something.  While I couldn't spell entrepreneurship at the time -  I knew someday I was meant to have my own business.

I encourage all kids to use their creativity to express an interest in business.  I admire kids that look for activities other than watching tv, browsing the internet and playing hours of video games.  

I am happy to support, and always heavily tip for lemonade. Just put up a sign and I'll be there.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Relax Concierge Recommends... (Long Beach Island, NJ)

L.B.I RECOMMENDATIONS

Many vacationers at the Jersey Shore already know Relax Concierge for their egyptian cotton linens rentals, luxurious towel rentals and beach item rentals. What you may not know is we provide free recommendations to area restaurants, stores and local area attractions.


Relax Concierge wants to provide you with the customer oriented assistance you would receive if staying at a fine hotel. Feel free to call us and ask for assistance. If we don't know we'd be happy to look it into your request in more detail.
The following are just a few recommendations on Long Beach Island (L.B.I.), NJ.

BARS, RESTAURANTS, FOOD
Chicken of the Egg (Chegg)207 North Bay Avenue, Beach Haven 
http://www.492fowl.com/ 
Great wings day or night! We stop in at least once a year. You can expect a wait on a weekend morning in the summer. Who cares! There are great stores in walking distance to check out.
Also recommended in the "Best of Jersey" issue by NJ Monthly 


Daddy O
4401 Long Beach Blvd, Brant Beach
http://www.daddyohotel.com/lbi/main.asp 
Great bar for a date or martinis with your friends. 
Also recommended in the "Best of Jersey" issue by NJ Monthly 

Mustache Bill’s Diner
West 8th Street at Broadway
609.494.0155
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mustache-Bills-Diner/51953267225?sk=wall 
Also recommended in the "Best of the Shore 2010" issue of Philadelphia Magazine. 


Plantation Restaurant

7908 Long Beach Blvd.Harvey Cedars
609.494.8191
http://www.plantationrestaurant.com/ 
We were there in the fall and had the best New England clam chowder. That's quite a statement and everyones tastes are different. Maybe it was the chilly day, hunger or whatever but we truly enjoyed it!


Sea Shell
10 S. Atlantic Ave. Beach Haven
http://www.seashelllbi.com/
I've never had food here but the happy hour is one of my all time favorites.Walk off the beach, bring a sweatshirt, grab a drink and hang out with friends and family while watching a great cover band.

Yellowfin
104 24th Street
609-494-7001
http://www.yellowfinlbi.com 
Also recommended in the "Best of the Shore 2010" issue of Philadelphia Magazine. 

SHOPS AND MORE... 
Tula
806 North Bay Avenue
609-492-2099
http://tulatheboutique.com/ 

Also recommended in the "Best of the Shore 2010" issue of Philadelphia Magazine. 



Wyndecrest Home
233 Second St Beach Haven
609.492.7030
http://wyndecresthome.com/
They can come over and decorate for us any time! We enjoy walking around while waiting for a table at CHEGG.



THINGS TO DO
Surflight Theater
201 Engleside Avenue Beach Haven
(609) 492-9477
http://www.surflight.org/
Received a great update from the owner at a recent Southern Ocean County Chamber Meeting. We are looking forward to great shows for Summer 2011.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Networking Fun

On one freezing cold evening in January, we ventured to Red Bank for the Jersey Shore Vacations

"New Year's Resolution Networking Party".

 After living in Red Bank for several years, we thought it would be fun to check it out with our Red Bank neighbor Jenn Woods. (Jenn is a wonderful supporter of Relax Concierge.)

The event was held at Taste in the Galleria and attracted a large crowd of networkers. We were fortunate to meet Chris (owner of Jersey Shore Vacations)  realtors, financial advisors, etc.

It just so happened we also met Kim G, from the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Kim was so kind to pose for a picture with us. This picture is now included in the Spring issue of Red Hot Magazine.

Kim- If your friends or your family vacation at the Jersey Shore, please have them contact us to make their stay more relaxing and enjoyable.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Grill Rentals

From time to time we get asked about whether we rent grills.  Our vacationers come to the beach to enjoy some fun in the sun and also to enjoy time with their families. A grill will more thank likely be listed in the amenities section of your rental contract, but in most cases, they are not available for renters.

Whether it be grilling burgers, steaks or hotdogs, we know how grilling is a part of a Jersey Shore vacation so we gave it some thought... We've researched rental providers in the area, considered insurance costs to carry and checked out costs to purchase.

All things considered, we actually recommend buying a grill for your week at the shore instead of renting one.  Costs are approximately the same to rent as they would be to buy.   Contact us for suggestions on where to purchase. Most local hardware stores, like Wallace Hardware in Ocean City, carry grills.   Alternatively,  you can purchase a basic model from Amazon.Click here.

If you know of a grill rental provider with great rates, please let us know!

Just remember to check your lease to make sure grills are allowed at your rental.

Monday, March 14, 2011

DMB Caravan- Take the Whole Week off and Stay At The Beach

With musicians starting to announce their Summer tours, we know that Summer is just around the corner.  We are looking forward to catching a few shows in AC, at the Garden State Art Center (yeah I know its not called that anymore) and at the Camden Waterfront.  We are particularly excited for the DMB Caravan at Bader Field in Atlantic City.

The Caravan is 3 fun filled days of music from many artists including:
Dave Matthews Band
David Gray
Ray Lamontagne
The Flaming Lips
O.A.R.
...
Thievery Corporation (Been listening since their DC only days)
Dr. Dog (A Philly Favorite)
Michael Franti and Spearhead (Yeah!)

The venue is a short distance to many shore towns including Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate and Ocean City.  We hope concert goers will extend their time in the area by taking the week off and vacationing at nearby shore towns.

In the spirit of the concert, we are happy to offer concert goers $10 off any rental orders with coupon code "DMBCARAVAN" ($100 minimum order).   We hope fans will check into a vacation rental for the week, kick back and relax instead of having to worry about bringing their linens, towels, beach gear, etc.     To make a reservation, visit www.relaxconcierge.com

For more information about the DMB caravan, visit:
http://www.dmbcaravan.com/

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Relax Concierge Featured on American Express Open Forum

We were recently  interviewed by Christina Hernandez with Open Forum, American Express spotlight on small businesses.   We were excited to speak with Christina, a Brigantine vacationer, about how we started, what we provide, the overall process, benefits, challenges and advice for other business owners.

Check out the article here:
http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/innovation/article/a-new-situation-on-the-jersey-shore-christina-hernandez

Visit Christina's website at:
http://christina-hernandez.com

Or on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/#!/tinahernandez

Relax Concierge Article on NJ.com

We are excited to have been included in Melissa Cloeter's Women in Business blog on NJ.com.  


We met Melissa last year at the Entrepreneur Exposé last fall.  This was a great event where we had an opportunity to meet with the press, retailers and pitch to investors.    Be on the look out for future events by visiting http://www.ownitventures.com.


Check out our article here:
http://blog.nj.com/new_jersey_women_in_business/2011/03/tired_of_the_cold_i_sure_am.html