31st Anniversary
October 19, 2025
State of New Jersey
City of Highlands
Navesink Twin Lights
Day One
What a surprise to get to the airport Thursday night and learn that Eric had purchased First Class seats for our overnight flight! We settled in, had dinner, and slept comfortably. . . a rare jewel for Julie. Arriving in Newark, New Jersey early Friday morning, we zoomed off in an Audi Q3 to a park in Grovers Mill where all the “action” of War of the Worlds took place. On the way, we listened to a History Hit podcast of the impact of that 1938 radio drama on the culture at the time.
Once we started driving, we immediately noticed some differences between New Jersey and our roads back in Washington. First, there are no left turn lanes. From all size roads, for left turns, traffic exits to the right right and loops around to a traffic light in order to proceed straight across the intersection, in effect making a left turn from the original direction of travel. This was confusing at first but keeps the flow moving in a way we had not seen. That plus the proliferation of roads, with overpasses/underpasses, lots and lots of lanes and wild NJ drivers, made us quickly realize that having to pay so much attention to traffic and crazy roads, we would not be able to focus on a Poirot mystery this trip. Even the NJ Turnpike required too much focus to try to discern the relevant details of a mystery, so no Agatha Christie this year.
Our next stop was where George Washington crossed the Delaware River on December 25, 1776 to begin the "10 crucial days" of fighting that changed the fortunes of the Continental Army in its fight for independence from England. The Washington Crossing State Park visitor’s center in New Jersey side was closed for refurbishing, but the Washington Crossing Historic Park visitor's center on the Pennsylvania side was open and very well done. The most fun was crossing the Delaware on a VERY narrow two-lane bridge and holding our breath while squeezing past cars going the other direction. Then we moved on to Trenton, the next battle during the "10 crucial days" in Washington’s push against the British. We peeked through the fence of the Old Barracks Museum where the Hessians were stationed for ultimate defeat. It was also closed for remodeling. Eric next stopped for a quick look at the Trenton Battle Monument towering over the city. Trenton, now the state capitol of New Jersey, was more rundown than we anticipated and did not have an obvious big state capital complex like a lot of states. This goes along with the wiki statement, "The New Jersey State House deviates from the architectural trend of most U.S. capitol buildings, which are reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol, and is integrated into an urban setting instead of a park-like campus." It took us a while to to even spot it. Lunch was at the Blue Danube Restaurant in Trenton where we enjoyed old-world European comfort food. It was in a working class residential neighborhood but was full of homecooked Eastern European food that was delicious. Eric ate a giant schnitzel with spaetzle and gravy, and Julie had potato and cheese perogies with onions. Yum.
Very full, we followed the Continental Army soldiers and drove on to the Princeton Battlefield where Washington finally defeated the British at the Battle of Princeton after a 10-day push, causing the turn of the American Revolutionary War. We then stopped at nearby Princeton University and gawked at the stately campus, ivy-covered buildings, Oxford-like courtyards, and engravings that inspire true and humble learning. We lamented that the school seems to have departed from its educational roots (especially Princeton Theological Seminary) even as the buildings stand with beauty and strength. The Princeton University Chapel, the interior of which we wanted to see, was closed to visitors due to a memorial service, so we missed that opportunity as well.
Thomas Edison invented and tested the light bulb in New Jersey, so we stopped at the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park where his labs used to be. A quirky little museum, which we did not enter, sat near a larger monument that housed a lightbulb that has been on since 1879.
We checked in to our Home to Suites Hotel across from the Newark Airport and changed clothes for our evening. We dined at Fork in Rahway, NJ. Italian pasta dishes delighted us both, and the staff were especially educated, generous, and attentive about the food, the wine, and the area. Over a bottle of wine, we reflected on the past year and looked ahead at what the Lord might be preparing us for in the coming year. We are so glad to be doing all of life together. What a blessing! The American Repertory Ballet company was presenting several selections at the Union County Performing Arts Center. We both enjoyed their performance of Swan Lake Act II and other more modern pieces. It was not well attended but provided a solid production quality, and there was a strange, enormous moon hanging from the ceiling in the theater because of the local “Festival of the Moon”. Quirky. We stopped by Wholly Cow for gelato after the ballet and chatted more. . . a long, enjoyable day.
Day Two
Eric admirably got up to ride the Peloton at the hotel while Julie slept in. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel and drove north to Liberty Park. It was a stunning morning of warm sunshine and crisp air with great views of the Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, west side of Ellis Island, and the backside of the Statue of Liberty. Strolling the long pathway along the river, we enjoyed the expansive, open park on the Jersey shore. At the southern end we paused and read about the Black Tom Explosion of 1916. History is endlessly fascinating. We enjoyed a wonderfully slow morning walk taking our time soaking in the sights and sun! We hopped in the car and drove a little further north to Jersey City and sipped coffee as we enjoyed the waterfront views of NYC. Some points of interest were the intense Katyń Memorial (another story not to be missed) and the giant Colgate Clock.
As long-time fans of Frank Sinatra, we journeyed to Hoboken to stand by the building where he was born. No, we didn’t sing. We were tempted; well, Julie was tempted. Hoboken is also the home of the Birth of Baseball Monument commemorating the official first baseball game recorded on June 19, 1846, and the main intersection is painted as a baseball diamond. It was also decorated beautifully for fall. That section of the neighborhood was reminiscent of Europe with its many quaint restaurants with outdoor seating, families walking, and people gathering. Community life was active and sweet. It broke our assumed stereotype in a great way.
Moving on to the Weehawken Dueling Grounds which is up on a bluff, we stopped at the marker noting the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. We could picture them rowing across the river from New York City to fight it out in New Jersey. In Hamilton Park there was a bust of Alexander Hamilton as well as the rock Hamilton laid his head on as he was dying. The homes around this area were quite large and well-cared for with spectacular views across the river.
Aiming for Eric to have schnitzel for lunch near Eric’s dad’s childhood home, we were surprised upon arriving at Schnitzel+ to learn that it was closed for the Jewish Sabbath. Many Teaneck locals were out walking, and most of the businesses were closed. No schnitzel lunch for us. So, we stopped by the childhood address of Eric’s dad, Charles Frederick Letsche. While it had certainly been updated, it was nice to see a piece of his family history. A few blocks away was Teaneck High School, known as the Castle on the Hill, where Eric’s dad graduated in 1940. Julie struggled with school-building envy and wished we still built them like this!
Now very hungry, we found a PF Chang’s for lunch on our way back towards our hotel. Eric and Jennifer, his sister, had a few great texts of shared memories of their dad during lunch. It was joyful.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart took 55 years to build, and we were hoping to see the inside. Thwarted again, this time by a wedding, we walked around the outside admiring the architecture but did not get to see anything else besides the white Rolls Royce and various limos waiting for the wedding party to depart.
After a quick refresh at the hotel, we began the hour-drive to dinner, listening to a History Extra podcast on the history of coffee. At dinner we experienced the best hospitality ever, compliments of Sebastian’s Schnitzel House in Wrightstown, NJ. It was packed with reservations required. Family-like welcomes, extra samples of food, and conversation about our trip were all jovially and naturally offered like in the friendliest home with the jolliest family and the best German cook. They don’t take themselves too seriously as the décor is packed with Hummels, beer steins, and dolls lining the walls. We very much enjoyed our veal schnitzel and more! Unbelievably delicious! There were many smiles, jokes, and an anniversary song, sung as ‘happy birthday’ from the entire restaurant. We were sent away with hugs from the owner and a huge bag of leftovers to try to eat before leaving the state. It may have been in the middle of nowhere New Jersey, but it was the most memorable and our most highly recommended spot.
Day Three
Finding no reasonably close, theologically sound church to worship with, we set out from the hotel towards the Jersey Shore. We spent time in prayer together along the way. We witnessed the beauty of New Jersey reveal itself as we left the major turnpike and drove along the scenic routes to the east. Quaint towns and rich, tree-lined fields proved a marked difference to the industrialized refineries and concrete sprawl of the Newark area. We headed out to Sandy Hook and stopped at the Navesink Twin Lights set upon a hill above the shoreline. We climbed one of the towers, enjoyed the view, and appreciated that it was the weekend of the Lighthouse Challenge where locals can climb to the tops of the lighthouses all along the New Jersey coast as an annual event. Many families were climbing together. We renewed our marriage vows there, overlooking Sandy Hook and the New York skyline to the north. It is always such an encouraging blessing and a sobering reminder of what we are called to as husband and wife. Marriage is a wonder! And it is wonderful!
We drove along through the Sandy Hook National Recreation Area where we really see how the summer fun would be rich and packed with people having fun in the sand. It was extremely windy, so we just drove rather than strolled. We saw many old batteries along the shore from WWII that we were thankful were not much needed. Continuing south, we drove the coastline and encountered beach town after beach town along the Jersey Shore. Beautiful. Easy to see many families wanting to spend the summer vacations there. After a quick stop at the Stephen Crane House (he is the author of school staple, The Red Badge of Courage) and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, we lunched at Asbury Alehouse and grabbed some pralines at River Street Sweets before turning back for the airport. The day was sunny and warm – a great last stop of relaxation before returning home.
October 19, 2025
State of New Jersey
City of Highlands
Navesink Twin Lights
Day One
What a surprise to get to the airport Thursday night and learn that Eric had purchased First Class seats for our overnight flight! We settled in, had dinner, and slept comfortably. . . a rare jewel for Julie. Arriving in Newark, New Jersey early Friday morning, we zoomed off in an Audi Q3 to a park in Grovers Mill where all the “action” of War of the Worlds took place. On the way, we listened to a History Hit podcast of the impact of that 1938 radio drama on the culture at the time.
Once we started driving, we immediately noticed some differences between New Jersey and our roads back in Washington. First, there are no left turn lanes. From all size roads, for left turns, traffic exits to the right right and loops around to a traffic light in order to proceed straight across the intersection, in effect making a left turn from the original direction of travel. This was confusing at first but keeps the flow moving in a way we had not seen. That plus the proliferation of roads, with overpasses/underpasses, lots and lots of lanes and wild NJ drivers, made us quickly realize that having to pay so much attention to traffic and crazy roads, we would not be able to focus on a Poirot mystery this trip. Even the NJ Turnpike required too much focus to try to discern the relevant details of a mystery, so no Agatha Christie this year.
Our next stop was where George Washington crossed the Delaware River on December 25, 1776 to begin the "10 crucial days" of fighting that changed the fortunes of the Continental Army in its fight for independence from England. The Washington Crossing State Park visitor’s center in New Jersey side was closed for refurbishing, but the Washington Crossing Historic Park visitor's center on the Pennsylvania side was open and very well done. The most fun was crossing the Delaware on a VERY narrow two-lane bridge and holding our breath while squeezing past cars going the other direction. Then we moved on to Trenton, the next battle during the "10 crucial days" in Washington’s push against the British. We peeked through the fence of the Old Barracks Museum where the Hessians were stationed for ultimate defeat. It was also closed for remodeling. Eric next stopped for a quick look at the Trenton Battle Monument towering over the city. Trenton, now the state capitol of New Jersey, was more rundown than we anticipated and did not have an obvious big state capital complex like a lot of states. This goes along with the wiki statement, "The New Jersey State House deviates from the architectural trend of most U.S. capitol buildings, which are reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol, and is integrated into an urban setting instead of a park-like campus." It took us a while to to even spot it. Lunch was at the Blue Danube Restaurant in Trenton where we enjoyed old-world European comfort food. It was in a working class residential neighborhood but was full of homecooked Eastern European food that was delicious. Eric ate a giant schnitzel with spaetzle and gravy, and Julie had potato and cheese perogies with onions. Yum.
Very full, we followed the Continental Army soldiers and drove on to the Princeton Battlefield where Washington finally defeated the British at the Battle of Princeton after a 10-day push, causing the turn of the American Revolutionary War. We then stopped at nearby Princeton University and gawked at the stately campus, ivy-covered buildings, Oxford-like courtyards, and engravings that inspire true and humble learning. We lamented that the school seems to have departed from its educational roots (especially Princeton Theological Seminary) even as the buildings stand with beauty and strength. The Princeton University Chapel, the interior of which we wanted to see, was closed to visitors due to a memorial service, so we missed that opportunity as well.
Thomas Edison invented and tested the light bulb in New Jersey, so we stopped at the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park where his labs used to be. A quirky little museum, which we did not enter, sat near a larger monument that housed a lightbulb that has been on since 1879.
We checked in to our Home to Suites Hotel across from the Newark Airport and changed clothes for our evening. We dined at Fork in Rahway, NJ. Italian pasta dishes delighted us both, and the staff were especially educated, generous, and attentive about the food, the wine, and the area. Over a bottle of wine, we reflected on the past year and looked ahead at what the Lord might be preparing us for in the coming year. We are so glad to be doing all of life together. What a blessing! The American Repertory Ballet company was presenting several selections at the Union County Performing Arts Center. We both enjoyed their performance of Swan Lake Act II and other more modern pieces. It was not well attended but provided a solid production quality, and there was a strange, enormous moon hanging from the ceiling in the theater because of the local “Festival of the Moon”. Quirky. We stopped by Wholly Cow for gelato after the ballet and chatted more. . . a long, enjoyable day.
Day Two
Eric admirably got up to ride the Peloton at the hotel while Julie slept in. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel and drove north to Liberty Park. It was a stunning morning of warm sunshine and crisp air with great views of the Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, west side of Ellis Island, and the backside of the Statue of Liberty. Strolling the long pathway along the river, we enjoyed the expansive, open park on the Jersey shore. At the southern end we paused and read about the Black Tom Explosion of 1916. History is endlessly fascinating. We enjoyed a wonderfully slow morning walk taking our time soaking in the sights and sun! We hopped in the car and drove a little further north to Jersey City and sipped coffee as we enjoyed the waterfront views of NYC. Some points of interest were the intense Katyń Memorial (another story not to be missed) and the giant Colgate Clock.
As long-time fans of Frank Sinatra, we journeyed to Hoboken to stand by the building where he was born. No, we didn’t sing. We were tempted; well, Julie was tempted. Hoboken is also the home of the Birth of Baseball Monument commemorating the official first baseball game recorded on June 19, 1846, and the main intersection is painted as a baseball diamond. It was also decorated beautifully for fall. That section of the neighborhood was reminiscent of Europe with its many quaint restaurants with outdoor seating, families walking, and people gathering. Community life was active and sweet. It broke our assumed stereotype in a great way.
Moving on to the Weehawken Dueling Grounds which is up on a bluff, we stopped at the marker noting the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. We could picture them rowing across the river from New York City to fight it out in New Jersey. In Hamilton Park there was a bust of Alexander Hamilton as well as the rock Hamilton laid his head on as he was dying. The homes around this area were quite large and well-cared for with spectacular views across the river.
Aiming for Eric to have schnitzel for lunch near Eric’s dad’s childhood home, we were surprised upon arriving at Schnitzel+ to learn that it was closed for the Jewish Sabbath. Many Teaneck locals were out walking, and most of the businesses were closed. No schnitzel lunch for us. So, we stopped by the childhood address of Eric’s dad, Charles Frederick Letsche. While it had certainly been updated, it was nice to see a piece of his family history. A few blocks away was Teaneck High School, known as the Castle on the Hill, where Eric’s dad graduated in 1940. Julie struggled with school-building envy and wished we still built them like this!
Now very hungry, we found a PF Chang’s for lunch on our way back towards our hotel. Eric and Jennifer, his sister, had a few great texts of shared memories of their dad during lunch. It was joyful.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart took 55 years to build, and we were hoping to see the inside. Thwarted again, this time by a wedding, we walked around the outside admiring the architecture but did not get to see anything else besides the white Rolls Royce and various limos waiting for the wedding party to depart.
After a quick refresh at the hotel, we began the hour-drive to dinner, listening to a History Extra podcast on the history of coffee. At dinner we experienced the best hospitality ever, compliments of Sebastian’s Schnitzel House in Wrightstown, NJ. It was packed with reservations required. Family-like welcomes, extra samples of food, and conversation about our trip were all jovially and naturally offered like in the friendliest home with the jolliest family and the best German cook. They don’t take themselves too seriously as the décor is packed with Hummels, beer steins, and dolls lining the walls. We very much enjoyed our veal schnitzel and more! Unbelievably delicious! There were many smiles, jokes, and an anniversary song, sung as ‘happy birthday’ from the entire restaurant. We were sent away with hugs from the owner and a huge bag of leftovers to try to eat before leaving the state. It may have been in the middle of nowhere New Jersey, but it was the most memorable and our most highly recommended spot.
Day Three
Finding no reasonably close, theologically sound church to worship with, we set out from the hotel towards the Jersey Shore. We spent time in prayer together along the way. We witnessed the beauty of New Jersey reveal itself as we left the major turnpike and drove along the scenic routes to the east. Quaint towns and rich, tree-lined fields proved a marked difference to the industrialized refineries and concrete sprawl of the Newark area. We headed out to Sandy Hook and stopped at the Navesink Twin Lights set upon a hill above the shoreline. We climbed one of the towers, enjoyed the view, and appreciated that it was the weekend of the Lighthouse Challenge where locals can climb to the tops of the lighthouses all along the New Jersey coast as an annual event. Many families were climbing together. We renewed our marriage vows there, overlooking Sandy Hook and the New York skyline to the north. It is always such an encouraging blessing and a sobering reminder of what we are called to as husband and wife. Marriage is a wonder! And it is wonderful!
We drove along through the Sandy Hook National Recreation Area where we really see how the summer fun would be rich and packed with people having fun in the sand. It was extremely windy, so we just drove rather than strolled. We saw many old batteries along the shore from WWII that we were thankful were not much needed. Continuing south, we drove the coastline and encountered beach town after beach town along the Jersey Shore. Beautiful. Easy to see many families wanting to spend the summer vacations there. After a quick stop at the Stephen Crane House (he is the author of school staple, The Red Badge of Courage) and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, we lunched at Asbury Alehouse and grabbed some pralines at River Street Sweets before turning back for the airport. The day was sunny and warm – a great last stop of relaxation before returning home.