Update #2 on Summer To-do List

Posted on July 22, 2011 | 2 Comments

Ringing Rocks We went here on our day off last Friday, each of us with a hammer, even little Hailey. I was impressed by her ability to scramble across the boulder field with very little help and she had a blast making the rocks ring and hiking through the woods. Here’s a demo:

Easton Farmer’s Market

Hailey and I went last Saturday because the Crayola Factory was celebrating their 15th Birthday. Hailey is usually interested, at least briefly, with shopping at the farmer’s markets, but not so much when the Crayola Factory is having a block party! I managed to buy some soap that looks and smells like a creamsicle, wine, and farmer’s cheese. Over at the party Hailey insisted on climbing the rock wall.


Blueberry Festival

After getting back from Easton Hailey and I hopped on my bike (I have a trailer she rides in) and rode over to the blueberry festival. I was bummed not to come back with a blueberry pie this year, there was a fire that day at the bakery in Easton that supplies the festival.

Still left on the list, although I don’t see much action coming up this weekend with the heat wave. I will be found either in the AC or at the pool!

  1. Peddler’s Village - ran this past the family when we went to Ringing Rocks…they voted for New Hope instead…which was a lot of fun. We’ll still see if we can fit it in.
  2. Philadelphia Zoo - might fit this in on the staycation during Musikfest. We’ll see.
  3. The beach. Booked a place in Cape May right on the beach. My original choice, Margate, has no hotels and house rentals require a week. So we opted for Cape May instead and let me tell you getting a room there with only three weeks notice was not an easy task either. Most hotels and B&Bs require a minimum stay of 2-4 nights and we just didn’t want to eat up that much of our Musikfest staycation. Also, many of the B&Bs hate children under 8, or even 11. That’s right, they do not allow children under those ages to stay. Very frustrating.
  4. Baltimore Inner Harbor, MD. We’ll see. Not seeing a whole lot of opportunity to get this off the list, may have to move to next year’s list, but we shall see.
  5. Hawk Mountain still see this happening in September
  6. Lancaster County if not the summer we should be able to do this in the fall. I started following a furniture place on twitter and I love their tiger maple pieces. Would love to visit.
  7. Martin on Main barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be there.
  8. Lunch at Starter’s Clubhouse if it weren’t for the heat wave I could have snuck this one in this coming weekend. This should be doable over the staycation.
  9. Hershey Park not sure about this one either. Husband thinks there isn’t enough for Hailey to go on (I believe she’s still under 40 inches, maybe 39 inches). I haven’t been here since 6th grade so I don’t really remember what they have. I think she would enjoy the chocolate tour (chocolate is her favorite food). Admission is pretty steep so I don’t want to blow it if she’s too young to really enjoy it. Any comments?

Speaking of comments please share what you’ve been up to this summer or if you think my list is missing anything!

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Posted in Bethlehem, Bucks County, Easton, Events, Farmer's Markets, Kids, photography, Reviews, Stuff to do, Summertime

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Where Am I? Photo Quiz

Posted on July 9, 2011 | 3 Comments

Ok, back to Bethlehem this week. If you follow Bethlehem history this may be too easy….so no hints yet.

Here we go:

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 Update:

We have a winner! Karen Samuels (@KarenSamuels on Twitter) answered correctly with Hotel Bethlehem. It is on the corner of the building, facing the driveway. A small replica is in a window display facing Main St. before you get to the main hotel steps on Main St. Karen knows her Bethlehem history, she authors the blog “This week in Bethlehem History” and also co-authored two local history books. Karen also pointed out that an exact replica of Bethlehem’s first house can be found at the Bethlehem Rose Garden. This replica used to be located on 1st Avenue (before my time) and was moved to the Rose Garden to make way for the 378 Expressway in the 1960′s. More info can be found here.

 

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Summer To-do List Update

Posted on July 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Quick update on the Summer to-do list and two additions! With 5 days off over the holiday weekend I had a lot of time to cross off some of my to-do list:

  1. Knoebels we went the Friday before 4th of July for the second year in a row and it seems to be a great day to go, low crowds during the day, walk right onto kiddie rides and the big kid rides didn’t seem to have very long lines either. Later in the evening, right around the time we were getting tired anyway, it started to get more crowded. The same thing happened last year, probably the result of two things: 1) people leaving the pool/water park 2) cheaper evening all ride bracelets. Money saving tip: on weekdays you can buy ride bracelets, about $20 for little one’s like Hailey (under 48″ I believe) and then the ‘rents can use tickets to get on a few rides (we used $18 in tickets between the two of us). We didn’t make it over to the pool that day, next time. (On a sad note, there was a tragedy at the Crystal Pool on Wednesday, very sad).
  2. Lehigh Valley Zoo, Hailey and I visited on Sunday afternoon and I renewed our family membership while we were there. The otters were sleeping so we missed seeing them swimming around but the penguins were having a blast in their pool. Bad parenting move: I told Hailey to stand on the bench so she could reach the goats at the top of the fence and two goats almost knocked her off the bench…oops. And of course I snapped a picture first before catching her. She had a blast though!
  3. Kutztown Folk Festival Hailey, my mom and I went here on Tuesday, it still runs through July 10th. We had a good time, I spent too much money on who knows what, Hailey was just interested in the bouncy rides and the tractor train. The highlight of the trip was when my mom yelled at all the customers at the kite stand ” You realize they are all MADE IN CHINA…DON’T YOU?!?” It was pretty funny…I see where I get it from. She has a good point too. All of the other stands are pretty much handcrafted goods, then you have this huge sea of lawn flags and kites in the middle of it all, and everything is manufactured in China. It’s one thing if you go to a big box store, it is sadly expected, but at a craft show it is inappropriate, yet they are there every year. My best purchase was a (handmade in the USA) wooden spatula. I’ve been looking for a non-plastic, non-metal spatula for flipping eggs. This should work out well.

All this extra time on my hands over the weekend also gave me the chance to think of a couple of things I missed on my original list:

  1. Hershey Park, I haven’t been here since my 6th grade field trip. Someone just told me that it’s about $50 regular price to get in here so I’ll be looking for some good discount tickets. Hailey loves chocolate and I think she’ll not only enjoy some of the rides, but the chocolate tour.
  2. Ringing Rocks, Upper Black Eddy, Bucks County, this is a great free thing to check out. Bring a little hammer and you can bang on the rocks and they ring like bells. It’s a nice bonus to a day hike.

So that’s a total of 5 things off my list and 2 new things added…looks like it will be a busy summer.

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Posted in Berks County, Events, Kids, Lehigh Valley, photography, Reviews, Stuff to do, Summertime

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Summer To-do List….before it’s gone…

Posted on June 30, 2011 | 9 Comments

I can’t believe it’s already the last day of June! I’ve been meaning to throw together a list of things I’d like to get done this summer, not really a bucket list because, with two exceptions, these are things I’ve done before. It’s more like a summer “to-do” list. Some I do just about every year, some have become more recent traditions, others I haven’t done in many years and want to head back. Some I have actually already crossed off my list because…well…I did them before I got around to putting this post together. I’ll knock those out first. Some of these are in the Lehigh Valley, other’s are road trips. They are all family friendly and are either primarily outdoors or at a minimum have an outdoor component.

  1. Longwood Gardens, Kennette Square PA. I did this one Father’s Day weekend (Saturday) and we sprang for the fireworks tickets. When I ordered them I thought they were a bit pricey but they were soooo worth it! It was a 40 minute display with fireworks, fountains and music (check the schedule for the themes). I plan on doing a full write up one of these days, including some of the pictures I took, but for now I will say we loved it, it wasn’t overly crowded even though it was a Saturday and we had beautiful weather. Also, be sure to check the website for the calendar that tells you when fountains are running. If there is a drought the fountains may also not be running. Trust me, you really want to see the fountains.
  2. Iron Pigs I love Coca-Cola Park, and the Iron Pigs organization does a great job at keeping you entertained. Even if you aren’t a huge baseball fan, just get general admission tickets and enjoy the great food, entertainment, good beer, and even the playground for the kids. Tip: If you have a smart phone they have bypass lanes at this park, super helpful when the lines are long. I actually already crossed this one off my list already too…but who knows maybe I’ll be back yet this summer.
  3. Knoebels, Elysburg PA. I love this amusement park. It’s about a 2 hour drive away, short enough for a day trip, or you can camp there. I’m headed here for a day over the holiday weekend, there were no camp sites available (I wasn’t really expecting any, I called a week before 4th of July weekend). The best way I can describe Knoebel’s is that it reminds me of Dorney Park before Cedar Fair ruined it. No admission fee, pay for the rides you go on, good mix of kiddie and grown-up rides, food isn’t too expensive and there is a water park too. Oh and a bonus…very few hoochie mama’s at this park, and most kids, even teenagers, have parents close by.
  4. Lehigh Valley Zoo, I love this zoo because you can choose to spend an hour or a whole day here. No travel, no traffic, no lines, no crowds, no fuss. My favorites are the penguins and the river otters. There are lots of opportunities to get up close to the animals too. Last year I was attacked by a lorikeet, which of course my husband and daughter got a huge kick out of. I recommend buying a membership, your admission for a year is included and you get 1/2 admission to participating partner zoos (including the Philadelphia Zoo).
  5. Kutztown Folk Festival PA Dutch food, all sorts of crafts, demonstrations, petting zoo’s and entertainment for kids. I don’t recommend bothering with the bounce house area, it is way too hot. Even if you aren’t a quilt person, check out the quilt barn. It’s air-conditioned, trust me. Also, after last year’s fiasco, I will be leaving Chris at home this year. He thought he would like it, I told him he wouldn’t, I was right, he complained the entire time. The festival runs July 2-10 this year.
  6. Peddler’s Village, Lahaska PA (Bucks County, near New Hope) I haven’t been here in about 10 years. I’d like to go back but this trip will be more for me than for the family. Lots of shopping and quaintness.
  7. Philadelphia Zoo This place brings back lots of childhood memories for both me and my husband. It’s been two years since we brought Hailey here, so I think its time again. This zoo does however have all the driving, traffic, and crowds that the Lehigh Valley Zoo does not. I’m sure I’ll be bitchy and crabby by the end of the day, but it will be worth it. The trade-off is the size and diversity of animals. Don’t forget Lehigh Valley Zoo members get 1/2 admission, bring your membership cards!
  8. The beach. Probably the Jersey Shore again, last year we went to see Lucy at Margate on a weekday. It was super quiet and no Snooki sightings. I’d like to do something similar again this year, Hailey loved the beach.
  9. Baltimore Inner Harbor, MD. I mostly want to go to the Aquarium, but that is indoors, so I’m saying all of Inner Harbor so it meets the “outside component” requirement for this list. I haven’t been here in over 10 years and I think Hailey is old enough now to appreciate it.
  10. Blueberry Festival, Burnside Plantation, Bethlehem PA. You kind of have to like crafts, history, or blueberries to enjoy yourself here. Lucky me I like all three!
  11. Hawk Mountain, Kempton PA. I haven’t been here since I was in college. I’ll probably check this out closer to the end of summer in September. The chances of seeing a bald eagle are better then.
  12. Lancaster County. I’d like to check out some of the furniture stores, or at least go back to Shady Maple. I haven’t been there since college either.
  13. Martin on Main, Nazareth. This is only one of two on this list that I have never been too. I understand there are crafts, music, food and such. It coincides with the first Saturday of Musikfest and I’m usually pretty busy that day. This year though I’m going to try to make it.
  14. Easton Farmer’s Market. I love farmer’s markets, especially ones that are in city center’s and not on parking lots. This is one of my favorites, lots of urban charm here.
  15. Lunch at Starter’s Clubhouse. The pictures on the deck look so nice, I need to check this out, this is the only other one on this list that will be a first for me. Maybe I’ll play a round on the executive course too…I’ll have to dust off my clubs.

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Posted in Berks County, Bethlehem, Events, Kids, Lancaster, Southeast Pennsylvania, Stuff to do, Summertime

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Photo Quiz: Where am I?

Posted on June 26, 2011 | 8 Comments

Ok, this one is not in Bethlehem, but is close by. If you have never been there you probably won’t get this, but if you are like me and grew up going here you’ll know it IMMEDIATELY and this picture will bring backs lots of fun memories.

I’m being too generous with the hints…

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Update…Ok, I’ve already heard from a few people who are obviously very familiar with this clown. For those who aren’t, here is another shot…from about 35 years ago. Hey!? Who’s that kid in the pool? It’s not Hailey ;)

20110626-032325.jpgUpdate #2 Ok, I had a few people who absolutely new where I was when I took this photo but didn’t want to ruin the contest for everyone else. One, even worked there and emptied these garbage cans. One memory I always had about these was the amount of bees around them so of course my first question? “How many times did you get stung?” Response? “At least twice a summer”

I received a lot of guesses here and on twitter for Bushkill park. But finally Hillary Kwiatek correctly guessed (after many hints, I might add) “Hellertown Pool.”  But like I said, unless you have ever been there, this was not an easy one.

I tried doing a little research on the clown head and apparently they were not originally manufactured to be used as garbage can toppers, they were to be put on a pool and used as a throwing target in playgrounds or carnival games. If you would like one here’s an auction site that has one. They were manufactured in the mid-20th century and have been at the Hellertown Pool longer than I can remember. The pool opened in 1939 and the plaque on the garbage can toppers indicate they were donated by a drum and bugle corp.

There are also lion heads, as you can see in the pictures below, but clearly the clown is creepier.  Although I’m just noticing now that the lion has a Hitler-esque mustache…

And this one from back in the day…

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Posted in Contest, History, Lehigh Valley, photography

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Bucket List Update…I’m Slacking

Posted on June 23, 2011 | 8 Comments

Back in January, one of my first blog posts was a personal bucket list of local attractions that I have never been to and want to cross of my list in 2011. So how is it going? Of late….not so good. In the beginning I crossed off a few items rather quickly. I thought that June, mid-year, would be a good time to look back and review my progress and regain some momentum.

So here’s what I’ve done so far:

  1. America On Wheel’s Museum  - see my post
  2. Visit a local vineyard – see my post
  3. Souper Bowl at Banana Factory – see my post

Three things. I did three things, that’s it??? And all three of these were crossed off by mid-February!

So here’s what I didn’t do, along with my sorry excuses…

  1. Easton State Theatre - I originally wrote:
    “Everything I am interested in seeing is always sold out by the time I hear about it or the cost is not in-line with my level of interest.” Pretty much the same thing is happening. I either fail to check the schedule or I do find something I’m sort of interested in but the price is higher than my interest (for example, Bryan Adams).
  2. Any number of restaurants in Easton I have yet to get to. We aren’t big restaurant goers…my husband doesn’t care for crowds and we have a kid. Might have to turn this one into a birthday dinner.
  3. Godfrey Daniels - busy weekends…wanted to take Hailey to a storytelling event but was already over booked. Need to take another look at the schedule.
  4. Touchstone Theater - I’d like to get there sooner but if I don’t, I plan on seeing the Christmas Follies in December.
  5. Gio’s Italian Grill in Macungie - I jinxed myself. This was supposed to be a done deal…my reunion was supposed to be here but it got hijacked and turned into a picnic. I must admit the picnic was a lot of fun, not that Gio’s wouldn’t have been good, but it was great seeing everyone’s kids so it worked out for the best. Even if that means I have to make new plans to cross this off the list.
  6. Historic Bethlehem Cemetery Tours this is in October so I’m still ok…for now.
  7. Renninger’s Antiques and Collectors Extravaganza in Kutztown. I made plans to go to the June Extravaganza with a friend who also loves antiques. They are moving into a new house in July and she has sworn off buying more stuff that they will have to pack and move so we rescheduled for September’s Extravaganza.
  8. Glass blowing and/or photography classes at the Banana Factory. I found the class I want to take (a photography class where you make a book) but I forgot to sign up and I think it already started. I’ll have to check the next schedule.
  9. Martin Guitar Tour - I’m going to go to this when I’m on vacation for Musikfest in August.

To be honest, I’d be happy if I got through more than half of this list this year. I think the hardest one for me is going to be the State Theatre and maybe the Banana Factory class, depending on what is offered and when. 

I’m also making a summer to-do list. Not really a bucket list because many of the things I’ve already done previously, but just want to get there again. Hopefully I’ll get around to writing a post about it soon.

Did you make a bucket list for this year? How are you doing with it? Let me know in the comments! 


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Posted in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Events, Reviews, shopping, Southside

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Where am I? Photo quiz

Posted on June 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

New photo quiz today. Remember, the question is “Where Am I?” not “What is it?”

I can’t decide if this one is easy or hard. It’s really tucked away yet the building it stands in front of has a big presence. Ok, I’ve already said too much…

20110612-085919.jpgUpdate….

No one guessed in the comments but we did have some excellent guesses via twitter including:

Behind the Steelworkers memorial, in front of the Fahy Bridge. (right idea, wrong bridge)

And the closest guess: In front of the Sands casino.

It’s actually BEHIND the Sands casino in front of the MINSI TRAIL BRIDGE and Bethlehem Steel’s High House building. I found this when I was checking out the new Sands hotel on a run. It’s on the far end of the hotel parking lot, you can’t miss it if you just walk over toward the High House (the really tall building in front of the bridge). The High House is where they made really tall stuff for the wars, such as naval gun barrels, which is on display in this photo. Go check out some our city’s…and our country’s history.

 

 

 

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Posted in Bethlehem, History, photography, Southside

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