One of the often forgotten benefits of living in the Northeast is that we have the pleasure of experiencing all four of the seasons.  While we take for granted that spring becomes summer, which becomes fall, which becomes winter, there are many Americans who do not know what this feels like.  Ask anybody from the Northeast and they will tell you that they definitely have a favorite season, along with a laundry list of reasons why.  As you may have guessed, I absolutely love fall.  Sure, the many days of summer without school, where the sun is bright and the nights are long, sound really appealing. However in my opinion, summer has nothing on all of the perks of fall:

• The weather: Not too hot, not too cold.  I like it when things are just right, (So, from now on, go ahead and call me Goldilocks).  I really don’t find the idea of either freezing my butt off or sweating like a pig to be all that appealing.
• New season = new wardrobe: When the weather starts to cool off, that means it’s time to switch out the clothes in my closet!  I can finally replace those flip flops, tank tops, and neon colors with sweaters, jeans, and earth colors.  Plus, I have always found that it’s easier to add a layer to stay warm!
• Football: Fall means that the NFL season is officially underway, and my apologies to baseball, but I consider football to be America’s pastime.
• Halloween: The fall means that it is socially acceptable to play dress up, decorate your home in creepy things, and scare little children (note: I don’t necessarily support this)!  And, it’s also an excuse to eat tons of delicious candy!
• Pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING: Pumpkin makes everything better, and with the fall approaching, more and more of your favorite foods, drinks, and anything else you can think of will have the wonderful addition of nature’s favorite gourd infused into it.
• Thanksgiving: The most special of holidays where we have the opportunity to give thanks for all of the positive aspects of our lives, watch various parades/football games, and eat until we fall asleep due to the high amounts of tryptophan (hey, you just learned something!)

And last, but certainly not least, may I have a drum roll please…the single greatest reason why fall is the best season…

It means that Christmas is right around the corner!

Have a happy fall, everybody!

Go ahead and tell me that this DOESN’T look incredible!

~Scott Eisenhart

My family and I have certain time-honored traditions when it comes to summer.  We always go to a ball game, the house always gets cleaned, and we always plan a vacation to the beach.  And as many of you know, in order to have the perfect beach vacation, you need to pick the right beach.  Although we have experimented and tried new places from time to time, this year we decided to stick with a classic; a place that always produces days filled with laughs, memories, and fun…Ocean City, New Jersey: America’s Greatest Family Resort!

My family and I have gone to OCNJ for almost all of my life, and I have also managed to convince my friends as well that this beach town is different from the rest.  As soon as we cross over the bridge and arrive on the island, it feels like I am returning to a place I love, and while Newark, DE is my home away from home, OCNJ is only just slightly behind.  This year, due to everyone’s hectic schedules, our vacation was not as long as it usually is.  But, our itinerary did not suffer, and we managed to check off all of the usual things that happen on an Eisenhart beach vacation:

Saturday:

We arrive in OCNJ and quickly drop off all of our belongings at the hotel.   Then, we change into our bathing suits, put on the SPF-gazillion sunscreen, and head on over to the beach.  The water is always cold upon first entering, but soon feels oh so relaxing.  My father and I toss the football around in the water, and I pretend I’m an NFL superstar every

Ocean City, New Jersey. For some it’s just a beach, but for me, it’s THE beach.

time I dive into the waves in pursuit of a pass. Then it’s sandcastle-making, boogie boarding, and just messing around in the water.  Soon enough, Mom is calling us in to go back to the hotel, shower and change, and go out to eat.  The place we always hit up is Manco and Manco Pizza, the best pizza in the world (New Yorkers, don’t even try to convince me otherwise).  It is heavenly, and just writing about it makes my taste buds cry out for more.  After dinner, the rest of the night is spent walking along the miles of boardwalk and checking out all of the T-shirt shops and various boutiques.  The night is officially over when we stop and order a favorite late-night snack: deep-fried Oreos.  Yes, I was once skeptical too; an Oreo is already perfect, why would somebody feel the need to fry it?  Well, it is actually really tasty, and even though your doctor may not like your decision, your stomach certainly will.

Sunday:

The family and I wake up early, pack up the car, and check out of our hotel.  Then it’s a hearty breakfast in town of homemade doughnuts and omelets (my personal favorite: ham, hash browns, cheese, and mushrooms).  We then take one last walk around the boardwalk, and stop by Congo Falls for a round of mini golf.  Despite my employment at a mini golf course, my game is mediocre at best, and once again, I fall short of beating Momma Eisenhart.  Sadly, we had to start our return trip home after mini golf, but as I said, we managed to do everything that we wanted to do in a short amount of time.

I had such a blast at OCNJ this year, and I am really glad that that my family and I were able to take some time off, albeit very briefly, to just enjoy each other’s company.  I am already eagerly looking forward to next year’s trip!