Lehigh Valley InSite

Becoming a better Lehigh Valleyian

Maggie, my GPS, has already helped me out of a few sticky situations since I got her for Christmas. I'm confident she'll help me with one of my New Year's resolutions: to see different places in Lehigh Valley that I haven't been to yet.

I know I'm not going to see all that I want to see in the Valley in a day but I thought it would be fun to see what I could pack into one day. I'll be dragging my fiance Robert along with me.

I'd like to start out by having Maggie take us to Bethlehem for breakfast at Billy's Downtown Diner. I hear they have the best breakfast around! When I looked up reviews, I saw someone raving about Paz's French Toast - French toast stacked with nutella, sliced strawberries and bananas in the middle. I'm sold!

While we're in Bethlehem, I'd like to check out the GlassWorks studio at the Banana Factory. I've seen the virtual tour of it online but always wanted to see it for myself.

Next I'd like to GPS-it over to the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth. I haven't been able to take the factory tour yet because it's only offered during the week. This time off will be perfect to check it out, and it's FREE!

We'll probably want to eat a late lunch so I think we'll leave it up to Maggie to search for a place for us to eat. But before the day is over, I'd like to stop at the America On Wheels Museum. (I was bummed when I missed the office field trip there.)

By that time, we'll probably be exhausted so I'll press Maggie's "home" button and call it a satisfying day.

Think I'll be able to visit all of these places in one day?

Things to do in Lehigh Valley: Top 5 for 2009

This is the final post in my 2009 New Year's resolution series, which revolves around experiencing more in Lehigh Valley. Previous installments include the Top 5 Plays for 2009 and the Top 5 Restaurants for 2009.

I've lived in this area for 28 years now (I just celebrated my birthday on Friday), and I'm amazed how many things there are to do in Lehigh Valley that I didn't know about. So my final resolution for 2009 is to experience five new things to do in Lehigh Valley.

1. Watch college football in 3D - On January 8, Rave Motion Pictures is broadcasting the FedEx BCS National Championship Game live in 3D! I'll be just like being at the game, but for a fraction of the cost.  

2. Make a glass flower - I'm not an artist, but the "Make Your Own" glass classes at the Banana Factory sound so easy, I thought it'd be worth a shot. It's only $30, and I'll get something pretty for my office.

3. Go to a AAA baseball game - I've been to Coca-Cola Park three times in 2008, but I've never seen the Lehigh Valley IronPigs play. With 72 home games scheduled for 2009, this is going to be the year I see them play.

4. Take a factory tour - I don't know how to play the guitar, but with a big name like Martin Guitar Co. in my backyard, how could I not go and see how they're made. Plus, tours are free!

5. Climb a wall - I enjoy climbing. I don't get to do it often because the place we go is so far away. But this year I discovered North Summit Climbing Gym, which is much closer to home. On belay!

So those are my resolutions for 2009. And since I put them out for all of you to see, I have to keep them. Stay tuned to Lehigh Valley InSite throughout the year as I share my experiences for each resolution.

Now, who's got the Korbel?

A Divine Ya-Ya Gathering

Over the weekend I met up with my Ya-Ya sisters for a little holiday cheer and to catch up on all the latest gossip. We usually gather at my house, but this year we decided to go out and live it up a little.

We chose to meet at Pistachio Bar & Grille in Allentown. I made reservations for 8:30 p.m. and we got right in, as the place was not busy at all for a Saturday night in Lehigh Valley!

We got a table away from the bar area because the acoustics in the restaurant are loud enough without being by a few dozen tipsy people. Acoustics aside, the building is very artsy in nature - it is almost like being in an art gallery with lots of brilliant colors. 

We had an excellent server, although she seemed a little agitated because all we really wanted were some appetizers and cocktails. All in all, our food and drinks were good and I would go back again. I recommend trying some of their pizzas and checking out the LONG martini list too. Do you have any Pistachio favorites that I should try next time?         

Best and Worst Christmas Gifts of All Time

So here it is, the day after Christmas. By now you've probably opened the majority of your gifts and are ready to evaluate which are your best and worst presents. With that in mind, I thought I would share my two personal picks, not from this year's bounty but from the last 35 years I've been on the planet.

Best gift:

As a little girl in the 1970s, the bright yellow Barbie camper (or RV, as my dad would correct me) was a gem. I remember my sister Gail carrying it down the stairs as I sat in front of the Christmas tree in our living room. (She'd been assembling its many pieces behind closed doors in her bedroom for weeks.) Pure exhilaration!

Worst gift:

My former mother-in-law bought me a hunter green turtleneck dickey. (Every time I think of a dickey, I picture Randy Quaid as Eddie in "Christmas Vacation.") Oh, and there were also little ankle socks to match. I was like 28 at the time and had not worn ankle socks since childhood.

No doubt it's partly because of the "worst" gifts that shops across Lehigh Valley are flooded with returns the day after Christmas. But today isn't just about returns. I'll be heading out to my three favorite places to shop - Lehigh Valley Mall, The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley and Downtown Bethlehem - today to take advantage of the deep post-Christmas discounts and spend gift cards.

So what were your best and worst gifts this year?

(P.S. - Happy birthday Jenny!)

Merry Christmas!

My gift to you is a bunch of my favorite Christmas videos.

As a kid, I liked going to see the world-famous Pip the Mouse save Christmas at Hess's.

Then there's Bruce and the E Street Band on Conan O'Brien. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY!

Might as well follow that with some more Bruce. Do YOU believe in Santa Claus?

This might be a bit on the obscure side of Christmas songs, but it's Pearl Jam ("Let Me Sleep, It's Christmas Time") and I like it.

This one is even further off the beaten path: The White Stripes' "Candy Cane Girl"

Merry Christmas!

Happy penguins at the Lehigh Valley Zoo

All this ice and snow lately has me thinking how happy the penguins must be at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. They arrived about a week ago now - just in time for the snow and ice storms we've been having.

I saw a video clip of the penguins at their new home, and it was adorable to see them head straight for the water and start swimming around - although if you ask me, it's weird to see penguins in a climate like ours!

I've never been to the Lehigh Valley Zoo. You would think that living in Lehigh Valley all my life and working at the CVB, I would have been there before! What the heck? Since the zoo is open all year round, I'm making it a point to go first thing in the new year to see the penguins, otters and red kangaroos!

Since it's Christmas Eve, and I've had penguins on my mind, I just have to ask: When did penguins become such a popular Christmas animal? They're on wrapping paper, turned in to inflatables on people's lawns and there always seems to be a stuffed penguin with a Christmas hat on at the checkout lines at Kohl's. What's up with that?

Lehigh Valley Eats: Top 5 Restaurants for 2009

This is the second in a series of three posts in which I detail my 2009 New Year's resolutions, which revolve around experiencing more in Lehigh Valley. Click here to view the first post in the series.

I can't cook a decent meal if my life depended on it, so my boyfriend and I go out to eat at least once a week. So my second New Year's resolution is to go to five Lehigh Valley restaurants that I've never been to before in 2009.

 1. blue grillhouse & wine bar in Bethlehem - Three words: Swiss Alps martini. Made with my all-time favorite spirit, Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka, and vanilla vodka, I will absolutely go to a restaurant just for a martini.

2. Glasbern in Fogelsville - What appeals to me about this restaurant is it takes "farm" food and makes it fancy. "Hendricks Farms" Artisan Cheese Plate, Potato-Gorgonzola Soup and Pan Roasted Day Boat Halibut all sound way better than cubed cheese, potato soup and fried fish.

3. King George Inn in Allentown - I've heard people talk about this restaurant for years. It earned a spot on my list when I found out that not only is it a national historic site, they have Cheese and Fresh Herb Ravioli (yummy!) on the menu. 

4. Stoned Crab in Macungie - I rarely eat "exotic" things, but when I saw Sesame Fried Steak Strips with wasabi sour cream on their menu, I thought it sounded like something worth trying. But it was the Dry Aged New York Strip Steak in a bourbon sauce that secured Stoned Crab a spot on my list.

5. Magnolia's in Orefield - The fact that this restaurant is only 15 minutes away from my home appealed to me enough to put it on my list. Well, that and dining on Hearty Beef Short Ribs with Smoked Maple Mashed Potatoes in a "moody, jazzy atmosphere."

Next week is the final installment in my resolution series ... you don't want to miss it.

The King is Golden

Last week my fiance, Michael, and I were on a mission to find dinner. We were planning to go to Wert's Cafe, but the line was way too long and he didn't have the patience to wait! So, we kept driving and he recommended Henry's Salt of the Sea(one of my all-time favorites) on 19th & Allen Street in Allentown. I told him there was NO way we were going to get in on a Friday night at 7:30 but he insisted.

The streets were jam packed because Civic Theatre's Christmas Carol was playing that night right around the corner. He pulled up in front of Henry's and ran in to see what the wait was going to be. He came out with a big smile on his face and, much to my surprise, said, "We're in!" I guess this is a sign of the economic times, but I was kind of thankful because I was starving.

If you haven't been to Henry's before, the outside looks like a dive and the inside isn't very fancy, but the food is great. It has a small dining room with rustic decor and the food is prepared behind a counter right in the dining room, so you get to watch them prepare your food.

We ordered a shrimp gratinee appetizer which was very good. For entrees, I ordered the sole almondine and Michael ordered King Henry the VIII. My dinner was excellent, however Michael's was to die for - a petite filet mignon served smothered in Bearnaise sauce and served with a side of jumbo lump crabmeat with browned butter. Who could ask for anything more?

If you've eaten there before, what's your favorite dish? If you haven't tried it yet, let me know what you think once you do!

Collecting Bethlehem's history

I don't consider myself a collector. I've never been one of those people who collects thimbles or miniature spoons from places they've visited as a souvenir of their travels. Nor do I collect dolls, concert t-shirts or anything else like that. But the one thing I do collect are the ceramic tiles sold at Moravian Book Shop.

Each holiday season, Starbuck Goldner Tile, located in South Side Bethlehem, designs a new collectible ceramic tile with an image of a historical Bethlehem building on it. This year's tile features the 1750/1761 Smithy, which was recently reconstructed by Historic Bethlehem Partnership. This building was where blacksmiths, locksmiths, and nailsmiths produced ironwork that was essential to everyday life in early America.

I started collecting the tiles when I lived in Bethlehem the first time. I came to love the city and was proud to live there. I liked buying the tiles since they were locally made and featured some of the city's important historical Moravian buildings on them. 

Since I started my collection late, I have all of the tiles in the series but two. And I still have to get to Moravian Book Shop this holiday season to purchase this year's tile before it sells out!

So what holiday-related items do you collect? Ornaments? Santa figurines? If you're local, do you have a collection of anything Lehigh Valley related?

Girls Night Out: Martinis and Manicures

Unfortunately the past couple weeks, I haven't had too many Lehigh Valley experiences to share on the blog. I've been busy watching Temple put a beat down on the formerly 8th-ranked Tennessee.

Lucky for me my girlfriend, Casey, has been picking up the slack for me. Last Wednesday, Casey and her girlfriends went to the Allentown BrewWorks for their “Martinis and Manicures” event.

They arrived at about 6 o’clock for this $10 event and were immediately directed to the second floor above the restaurant. Casey said the room was full of many women socializing with their friends and enjoying $5 martinis.  She also noticed all the small tables set up around the perimeter of the room, where the manicures were being done. 

Casey really enjoyed her manicure and left with “Ruby Red” nails. She also told me that there was such a great energy in the room that she definitely wants to go again for a future "Girls Night Out."