Driving up the New Jersey coast was a lesson in the concept of "off season." The coastal towns, teeming with visitors in the summer months, were deserted. We felt as if we were driving through one ghost town after another. Until Memorial Day, hotels and restaurants in these hamlets are open only on the weekends—the few that are open at all. Many are closed completely off season.

  

Finding a Subway restaurant open in Wildwood, we stopped for lunch. Ordering was an interesting challenge because they were out of stock on so many items. Kate, the employee on duty, told us that the owner didn't want to order too many supplies because they were open only on weekends. But no dried oregano?  Not like it's going to spoil.

  

Kate, the ambitious immigrant

Since we were the only customers, we had the opportunity to chat with Kate while we ate. She emigrated to the U.S. from Russia a couple of years ago and is studying international law. When we commented on the fluency of her English, she told us she had begun studying English as a young child. By age 7, she was attending an English immersion school where she was speaking English five hours a day. Kate will be married this summer to a young guy she met last summer when they were both working seasonal jobs on the New Jersey shore.

As the day waned, we decided to stay in a city we thought we'd never return to—Atlantic City. We found a great price on a room in a non-casino hotel and are looking forward to seeing the Le Grand Cirque show at the Tropicana tomorrow evening for our wedding anniversary. Then we'll move on up the coast on Tuesday.