On The Road Again

We just got home last night from Pennsylvania.  First we went to the TCA Train Show in York, PA where we spent 3 days walking around a gazillion buildings at the York Fair Grounds . . . don't think my feet have ever hurt so bad . . . that walking all day on concrete is a killer!  It was a shopping trip for the hubs . . . for himself and his shop at the Tri-Cities Flea Market.  The back of the Yukon is nearly full.

Love this part of Pennsylvania . . .the Amish . . . beautiful farm country.   The weather couldn't have been better!

We took some time one morning to go to Shady Maple Smorgasbord in East Earl, PA for brunch . . . it's in the middle of nowhere.   This place is amazing!!  Not only is the food delicious . . . there's a  HUGE selection!

 

The Lobby is grand!  The dining room goes on forever!










There's an enormous gift shop downstairs from the enormous main dining room.  We just didn't have the hours it would have taken to see it all!  (See me taking the picture in the security camera?)





In another building there is a full grocery store and across the street, a dry goods store and a furniture store. 

 

We then drove to Allentown/Bethlehem, PA where the hubs had some work to do for an IT consulting job he's currently working on.   After dropping him off at work each day, I explored the area.

Bethlehem is a quaint historic little town founded by the Moravians in 1741.  It has a number of cute shops and restaurants . . . spent a little time and money there.
 

Drove to Reading one day to visit Stitch N Stuff, a well stocked cross-stitch shop and enjoyed meeting the owner Deborah.  They now have four of my designs!  Thanks Deborah!!

It was as good as stopping at a Visitors Center!  Deborah gave me brochures and directions to a number of other stops I might want to make.

After having a delicious lunch of pumpkin/apple soup and cornbread in Kutztown at Pop's Malt Shoppe, I only had time to visit Wooden Bridge Drygoods (fabrics, notions and quilting supplies!).  It's on a Mennonite family dairy farm and it was interesting hearing the woman talk on the phone in a mix of English and German.  Got some great fat quarters and pre-cut squares here! 

 Did a little shopping at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley one day.  Isn't it interesting that they are building "outdoor" malls now that look like small towns . . . why not just revive the small towns?


The next day I drove to Palmerton (just nothing but cute small towns in PA) to meet a "pen pal" who found me in "blogland".   I've been corresponding with Holly for quite some time about starting up a cross-stitch business sharing what I've learned so far.  She has progressed rapidly and her designs are available from Hoffman Distributing as well as her website! 

You'll have to go see all of her released designs (I got to see some upcoming ones too). . . here's a tease with two are my favorties:

                                                                                   

        Check out her website:   http://www.mistyhillstudio.com/

Holly is a delight (as I knew she would be from our correspondence) and we talked a "blue streak" over a 3 hour lunch!  It's so great meeting another kindred spirit.

My last day, I drove to Lederach to finally meet Carolyn of Just Cross Stitch (she had ordered my designs finding me on Facebook through a mutual friend).  Lederach is not in my GPS so this was a little tricky.  Lederach is a very small town . . . just a bend in the road with a General Store. . . just darling!  (Love all the stone buildings in PA)  Carolyn was another delight . . . isn't it just that way with stitching friends?  She's got a small shop next to the Lederach Post Office . . . careful, don't miss this booming business district . . . I think there was hair salon there as well. 

Our last night we drove to Easton for dinner.  Yep . . . another cute town!  Easton is where Crayola Crayons are made.  We drove around and up and down the hills of this town looking for an intriguing place to eat.

This looked intriguing . . . it turned out to be a bar on the first floor and an Italian eatery upstairs.  Good lasagna!  Big "small antipasti" salad!

It was a long week and a half and it was so good sleeping in my own bed last night!  There's no place like home!!!

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