Lehigh Valley InSite

Monday night at Pig Pen

Since I'm gonna be out of town for most of the week, my buddies and I went out last night to Pig Pen Sports Bar to grab some grub, shoot pool and watch the Steelers destroy the Broncos.

This was my first time at Pig Pen but not because I didn't know about it ... Justin has blogged about going there several times and my cousin, who doesn't even live here 9 months out of the year, raves about the place. When my buddy Aaron suggested we go there because his buddy Tommy was one of the new managers at Pig Pen, I was all for it.

Be forewarned: Pig Pen is HUGE! We walked through three rooms (the lounge/bar, the arcade, the bowling alley), each big enough to hold a decent-sized prom or wedding in, on our way to our final destination, the Slaughterhouse Pub. The Pub is smaller than even half of the other "rooms" in Pig Pen, which appeals to me since I don't like large crowds, but that also meant there wasn't room for a pool table.

With a flat screen TV directly in front of me mounted behind the bar and one to my immediate left, I had no trouble watching the impressive performance by the Steelers while eating my large portion of chicken fingers and french fries (an affordable $7). Aaron and Brett took advantage of the $2 beer special while other Slaughterhouse patrons opted for the $3 SoCo and lime shots.

Slaughterhouse Pub is the only place inside Pig Pen where smoking is allowed. That fact coupled with its smallish size, touchscreen games, TVs and fair prices makes it very similar to other bars in the area. What makes it different, though, is its not filled with Philly or Pittsburgh fans like the majority of the other bars (which can be intimidating for the out-of-town-team fan) and unless one of the teams did something that truly warranted a reaction, the football fans weren't crazy - well, except for Brett and one other guy.

25 years in Lehigh Valley - then vs. now

Last night the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau celebrated 25 years in the tourism business, so I thought I would do a little compare and contrast of tourism events and attractions. Here's Lehigh Valley 1984 vs. Lehigh Valley 2009.

* Pro baseballin Lehigh Valley was in the middle of a very long drought in 1984. The last major league affiliated team, the Allentown Red Sox, left town in 1960 (interesting fact: the Allentown Red Sox played at Max Hess Stadium, which is where the Lehigh Valley Mall is now located). Now we have the hugely successful AAA Philadelphia Phillies associated Lehigh Valley IronPigs, which arrived in 2008, and play in Allentown's beautiful Coca Cola Park. (Check out some of the past Lehigh Valley InSite blog posts on the IronPigs here.) 

* Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. 1984 was a big year for Dorney Park. They were recovering from a fire that destroyed many buildings and rides the year before but also celebrating their 100th anniversary! Obviously, 25 years later Dorney celebrated another anniversary, their 125th, and is now a top notch amusement and water park. (Check out some of the past Lehigh Valley InSite blog posts on Dorney Park here.)

* Golf. Lehigh Valley used to be a tough place to get a tee time 25 years ago with only 7 public courses:
* Willow Brook Golf Course (9 holes at the time)
* Twin Lakes now Iron Lakes Country Club
* Green Pond Country Club
* Allentown Municipal Golf Course
* Bethlehem Golf Club
* Locust Valley Golf Club
* Wedgewood Golf Course.
25 years later, I'm happy to say we are a hacker’s paradise. Since 1987, Lehigh Valley has doubled in public golf courses. 
* 1986 Indian Creek Golf Course
* 1992 Center Valley Club
* 1993 Southmoore Golf Course
* 1993 Whitetail Golf Club
* 1995 Olde Homestead Golf Club
* 2004 The Club at Morgan Hill
* 2006 Riverview Country Club.

I think I'm going to continue this comparison next week. Not sure on who or what yet, but I will dig up some goodies though so stay tuned.

In the meantime, what changes have you noticed in Lehigh Valley over the past 25 years? 

Lehigh Valley: Ground Zero for the 2009 World Series

With the Phillies already in the World Series and the Yankees well on their way, we are sitting at Ground Zero for the World Series. Lehigh Valley is located just over an hour from Philly and about an hour and a half from NYC. (Of course those driving times are without traffic figured in; you could be 3 hours away from either of them depending on driving conditions.)

Lehigh Valley is where oil and vinegar mix because there is a very strong fan base for both teams here. In fact The Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club is the largest in the country. I have no allegiance to either of these teams - I'm a Mets fan (please take a few seconds to compose yourself after all the laughing you just did before continuing). I actually have a deep hatred for both the Phillies and the Yankees. But as a baseball fan in Lehigh Valley, you couldn't ask for a better World Series. If you had the time and money to do so, you could probably go to every game. Lehigh Valley also gets Philly and NYC local news coverage. It should be interesting to observe both sides.

I am planning on going out to a local sports bar (Rookies, Starters, PigPen's) during this series just to see how the fans behave. I've seen Eagles and Giants fans together and that isn’t a pretty sight. I'm thinking the interaction between the Phillies and Yankees fans could be better than the games themselves. 

Week 1 Wrap Up

The first week of football watching was fantastic.

Sunday was a beautiful day. I did not waste the entire day inside watching football. Casey and I went on a bike ride on the Lehigh Canal Tow Path in the morning; we started at Canal Park in Allentown and biked down to Sand Island in Bethlehem and back.

After the Tour de Canal, my buddy Chad and I headed over to PigPen’s for the 1 o’clock games. We didn’t even get in the place before we were greeted by some manager-type person - we were still crossing the street.

Once we got in there we had our pick of tables. There were plenty of good seats available and plenty of TVs. We sat right in the middle and could see all 10 games. There were giant projector screens on the walls and a screen that hung over the stage where bands play on the weekends. They must of stole that thing from the Carmike it was so huge.

We didn’t take advantage of the Coors Light beer special. In my mind, there is no advantage drinking Coors Light. So we instead went with Sam Adams Octoberfest, which is now locally brewed in Lehigh Valley. We did take advantage of the food specials though. We started off with the chili, which was delicious.

After the 1 o’clock games, we headed over to Pitchers to meet our friend Chris. (Chris couldn’t join us for the early games because he can’t act like a normal human being during Eagles games.) At first we were excited, plenty of TVs, good specials, and they had horse shoes and quoits. But they were missing a very important part of the football watching equation: they didn’t have the football package yet. One game on 20 TVs just doesn’t cut it for us, so we headed back over to PigPen’s and finished up watching the first week of football there.

I think we are going to give Pitchers another chance this week. Hopefully they get there package issue straightened out. I can’t imagine a better scenario than watching football while playing horseshoes. 

Goin' to the hillclimbs!

While driving to work one morning last week, I heard through the power of radio advertising that the Freemansburg Motorcycle Hillclimb was coming up. I vaguely remember going to one before and thought "What the heck, it's something different to do." So on Sunday, my friend Kate, her friend Devon, and I headed over to Freemansburg aka Steel City aka Bethlehem in Northampton County.

So you're probably asking, what's a motorcycle hillclimb? Essentially, you stand in a field, shielding your eyes from the sun, watching modified dirt bikes try to drive up a 500-foot hill which, at the top, is at a 60 degree angle. That's about it in a nutshell. But its a lot of fun to watch, because in more cases than not, the bikes don't make it to the top. Even cooler, these are pro riders (aka "adrenaline junkies) doing this - including the only female pro rider in the sport, Amanda Campbell.

We got there about an hour after the races began - oh yeah, not only do the riders have to actually make it up the hill, they have to do it fast...like 12 seconds fast - and there was a good-sized crowd already there. A lot of people rode motorcycles to the event, since it's also part bike-show, but these aren't Hell's Angels - these are really good people who just like to cheer on the riders and watch them bale on occasion.

The announcers kept us up-to-speed on the background of each rider and what their finishing times were. The food vendors, including the Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club, kept us fed with hot dogs, perogies and ice cold Cokes. And the sun sent us running for the air conditioning of our cars at intermission - it was just too hot for us.

The Freemansburg Hillclimb will be back in June 2010 - I'd highly suggest a visit, if only to try something different for the day :)

Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!!

Tonight the biggest sport in America gets underway when the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Tennessee Titans to kick off the NFL season.

Since this is the only nationally televised game being played tonight there's no reason to go out in Lehigh Valley to watch the game. But once Sunday comes, there'll be 15 reasons to go out.

My buddies and I don’t like to miss a thing once the NFL season rolls around, so we like to go out to a local sports-watching establishment and take in all the action.

For week one we usually like to try somewhere new. This year we are going to give PigPen’s a chance. I gave PigPen’s a chance as a night club once and I have not gone back - probably because of my aversion to cover bands - but this time we're going for the sports bar aspect.

The group of football fans that I go to watch games with only have two requirements.

1. That we are able to see every game from the seats we are sitting in.
2. Cheap food and beer. Specials are key.

If PigPen’s turns out to be a dud we have backup plans in place. First would be Pitchers, which is right down the street from PigPen. If Pitchers fails to meet our needs, then there's the Blue Monkey, which we know meets the two requirements.

Where will you watch the games?

E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles (in Lehigh Valley)

Every year, hoards of Philadelphia Eagles fans from throughout Lehigh Valley flock to Lehigh University for Eagles Training Camp. Even though I'm more of a college football fan (specifically Penn State football), I still enjoy watching the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl, so I went to check it out.

It was HOT. I haven't sweat that much since ... I don't know when. I can't see how these fans can stand it, sitting in the blazing sun with no shade in sight watching football players practice for hours at a time. I could understand if it was a real game, but this is just practice! I guess that's what makes them die-hard fans.

In terms of performance, I couldn't tell you if the Eagles looked good or not. Here, you decide:

I can tell you this is the closest I've ever been, and probably ever will be, to someone as famous as Donovan McNabb or Andy Reed without paying an insane amount of money (training camp is free for the public to attend). Thanks to my nifty zoom on my camera, I have photos that make it look like I was actually on the field instead of in the bleachers!

As I left training camp for the day, hoping I didn't smell too bad after baking in the sun for all those hours, I browsed the Eagles swag for sale in the merchandise tent, which you conveniently have to walk through to exit the practice facility. Instead of buying something, I decided that my autographs from Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb and Eagles mascot Swoop would have to serve as my reminder of my first experience at Eagles Training Camp.

Have you been to see the Eagles practice? They'll be there till next Tuesday.

'09 Bocce Tourney in Chad's backyard

Last Saturday my buddy Chad had his 8th Annual Bocce Ball tournament. This isn’t your run-of-the mill picnic and play Bocce in the backyard deal.

This year there was a field of 44 teams. People come from all over the place for this tourney: Two guys came from Missouri, there was a couple from NYC and another handful from Philly. 

We started the festivities with a selection show Thursday night. It's not quite on the same level as the March Madness Selection Show, but it's just as exciting for us to see where we end up on the bracket.

This is truly a national sporting and eating event here in Lehigh Valley.

Chad hired Sunshine Grill and had a pig roast this year. This was a new addition for '09. It was delicious, probably the best upgrade to the tournament since adding a Port-a-John by the horseshoe pits. Not only was the pig good, but so where all the dips, salads, and giant vat of perogies that were brought to the tourney by some very good cooks.

My partner Zig and I came into the tourney with high expectations; for the past three years, we've managed to finish in the top 4. We started out hot, winning our first 3 games. Then we went cold as fast as we got hot. We lost our next two and were eliminated. We were upset, but that didn’t last long because then I teamed up with Chad and tore through the horseshoe pits.

Congratulations to Frank and Chris on being the 2009 Bocce Ball Champions of The World.

Things to do in Lehigh Valley: 2009 Summer Edition

If you can believe the weatherman, it will actually feel like summer for the next 10 days here in Lehigh Valley, so it's time for my Top 5 Favorite Summer Activities in Lehigh Valley.

1. Dutch Springs - Although it's primarily known as a scuba diving facility (one of the largest fresh-water facilities in the country!), Dutch Springs has a fantastic Aqua Park. There's so much to talk about regarding Dutch Springs, I'm going to write an entire blog post on it, so stay tuned.

2. Fairs - There are lots of options (Musikfest, Kutztown Folk Festival, Schnecksville Fair), but the fair to end all fairs has to be The Great Allentown Fair. It literally has everything you'd ever want in a fair (except for tractor pulls, but that's what the Kempton Fair is for). Like Dutch Springs, I have a lot to say about the Allentown Fair, so you can expect to see a full post on it in the near future.

3. Rita's Water Ice - The Rita's locations throughout Lehigh Valley are only open during the summer, which means at least one trip to Rita's for one of their freshly made water ices is a necessity. New to Rita's? Try a gelati (water ice and vanilla custard) if you want to get hooked!

4. Rafting - I enjoy rafting because it's a great way to work on your tan, experience nature and get some exercise (especially if the other people in your boat think they're on a gondola ride with you as their driver). The Lehigh River has many rafting outfitters to choose from (Jim Thorpe River Adventures, Whitewater Challengers, Whitewater Rafting Adventures), but I recommend Pocono Whitewater Adventures - I had a GREAT time with them last summer.

5. Mini golf - Like fairs, there are lots of options (Putt U, Liber-Tee, Dorney Square), but my favorite is Bear Rock Junction. Why? Two fairly challenging courses with water hazards, Nathan's hot dogs, steam train rides (free on Fridays), and Leiby's ice cream. 

Lehigh LaxFest brings out the sports fan in me

I'm far from being a sports fan. All of my friends will tell you that. So they'd probably be surprised to find me watching a lacrosse tournament in my free time. But that is indeed where I will be tomorrow for the annual Lehigh LaxFest event at Lehigh University in Bethlehem.

Lehigh Valley hosts numerous sports tournaments each year, and since I'm more of an art museum/concert/theater kinda person, I can't honestly say that I get to many of them. But since my boyfriend's youngest son is a goalie for a summer lacrosse team called the River Dogs, I've been going to a lot more lately, many of which are all over the state.

What I like best about LaxFest is that it's close to home. In fact, it's right in my backyard. 

The playing fields at the Ulrich Sports Complex at Lehigh are top notch and since there are so many of them, it allows several games to be played simultaneously which really keeps the tournament moving throughout the day. 

There's also plenty of convenient parking which is worth more than you might think if you've never been to an event as large at this one with more than 150 teams participating. I consider it to be organized chaos!

The best part is the lacrosse parents: they arrive at the field early and stake their claim to a swath of grass where they set up a series of Easy-Up tents, forming a team village of grills, bag chairs and coolers. It's a community of lacrosse families that springs to life for a series of summer tournaments, and I really enjoy being a part of it.

So, which sports tournaments have you attended in Lehigh Valley? Which is your favorite?