Mortgage Monday: Labor Day Labor

While I don’t have work today the ironic thing about this Labor Day is that there is work being done at the house. It seems as though every minute of free time that my brother in law has had lately has been committed to this HVAC overhaul. For the past month (or more, I can’t recall when he started) he has joined us for the weekend forgoing time with his family and taking a break from his already long work week. There is no questioning that we are incredibly lucky to have him devote so much of his free time to not just getting this project done but getting it done right.

This is the part of Labor Day that tends to be overlooked. Many of the people whom we honor with this day are the same ones who would do anything to help their family. The same people that deserve to take a break tend to be the ones that can never stop working.

Thankfully, we are almost done with this phase of the work. A couple more weekends and everything should be complete and the way that we want it and the way that he wants it. There is already a huge difference in the house both with regard to the regulation of the temperature and the cleanliness of the system (the old one was, to put it nicely, nasty). Just a short time longer and we will all be able to enjoy the new system.

In future years we hope to have him at our house again during this particular holiday but this is, hopefully, the last time that we will ask him to do any work on the house. Actually, we hope to have the family join us in the future to relax not to work on the house and enjoy the work that was put into making our home as comfortable as possible. It shouldn’t take long before we start having family over again to enjoy the house.  

In the meantime, we are continuously cognizant of the sacrifices that our brother in law is making to help us out (and my sister and their kids) and we are doing our best to make him as comfortable as possible while he is here. We try to keep the beer fridge stocked, have good food on the table, and a bed made. We also have an open door so that the kid and my sister can come over and spend some time. But, the most important thing right now is that we try and do everything we can to give him back his weekends as soon as possible.

TMI Tuesday: Oh, Nuts!

We have a, most of the time, happy little boy who is, mostly, health so there isn’t really anything that we can complain about there. So far, 2016 has been pretty good to us but there have also been many challenges this year and while we have gotten some answers there are other questions that remain. The biggest of which relates to our son’s possible allergies.

We learned rather quickly in the spring that Penicillin, for all the good that it can do, is not something that agrees with our son. The hives, rash, and bloating made us acutely aware of his allergy to this widely prescribed medication. It was one of the scariest few days of parenthood thus far with multiple trips to the emergency room and countless appointments with the pediatrician. Not knowing what was going on during those first couple of days is a feeling that I hope to never experience again.  

I guess the good and bad things about the situation is that we already had an allergist lined up for our son as there have been some minor reactions to peanut butter that we were hoping to get figured out. The appointments started in January or February but, because of the chaos that ensued since then, we are still in a state of flux. We simply don’t know if this is another allergen to add to his list.

The latest attempt brought us some hope as it was the final of three steps of testing. He had already passed the skin test and the blood work also came back negative. The final exam was to conduct a food challenge to see if anything happened while consuming peanut butter. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, our son wouldn’t eat more than the initial taste (three are required) and we are once again in limbo until the winter.

While nuts have been a part of our regular diet before this year, we haven’t had any in the house since winter and have consumed little outside of the house as well (never around our son). It is a change and sometimes a challenge, especially given the stock pile kept in the office kitchen, but it is completely manageable. Yes, we have to alter some things here and there but, beyond the aforementioned allergy and potential allergy, our son is a happy and growing boy. And, having survived last year, 2016 is pretty easy in comparison.

TMI Tuesday: I Can’t Poop!

 

There are many different cries and screams that we have learned to decipher over the past year and a half. Granted, my wife is much better as interpreting them but there are a few that I have been able to pick up over time. One of them has a certain decibel and cadence that simply translates to “I can’t poop and I am not happy about it!” Unfortunately, we tend to know that this one is going to happen when he goes nearly an entire day without a red faced movement.

This is also one of those screams that can really happen at any time, day or night. And it doesn’t matter where we are at the time either as we have experienced his vocal cords piercing our ears while in bed, at the dinner table, in the playroom, while out to dinner, with family, and in the car. It is an equal opportunity scream that definitely gets your attention. Keep in mind that all of this is in despite of him regularly eating a healthy amount of movement inducing foods.

When we hear it we know that he is uncomfortable and, if at night, he is going to have trouble sleeping. And, given the backup that it represents, we try to keep his situation in mind when he doesn’t eat as much or doesn’t scurry around the house at the rate or regularity that he normally does. What’s worse, is that this particular siren becomes more pronounced when he doesn’t get the results he is looking for after the latest colonic pilates session.

During some of these more intense blockages, he even produces what can best be described as golf balls in between complete expulsions. Try sitting on a golf ball or small rock while at your desk and see how that feels. It is a sensation that doesn’t offer any relief. On the contrary, it makes him even grumpier and I can’t really blame him for the reaction.

However, when all is said and done and the increased fiber intake overtakes the barrier, the sense of relief that washes over his face is quite the site to see. Of course, there is a hint of fear in his eyes as well as he knows that the odds of a blowout are rather high in this situation. But, when all is said and done, it is nice to have our cheeky little baby boy back to his normal self. At least until the next time.

TMI Tuesday: Hungry Baby

The whole back and forth during meal time is something that we expected to encounter with our some but we were happily unaware of many of the factors that come into play during these parts of our daily routine. Our son can be fickle at times when it comes to what he wants to eat. Sometimes he doesn’t like the taste of something while other time he simply prefers having something else, something he knows he likes better than what is being offered. It is a back and forth at times but something that we remain cognizant of as we don’t want his pickiness to persist.

However, lately there has been a different issue that has arisen during meal times that has him turning his nose up at certain foods being offered. There actually three reasons that we have discovered for his disagreement actually. The first is that he has so many teeth coming in that there are some foods that do not agree with swollen gums and new oral protrusions. The texture has to be just right at times. The second sometimes relates to the first as he is now preferring larger pieces of food… too small and he will sometimes refuse to eat, too big and we are cleaning up more than pieces dropped on the floor. Too hot or cold will also result in the same kind of reaction. I guess you could call all of these things contributing factors to the Goldilocks conundrum.  

When all of these things are at play at the same time it can make for quite the difficult meal and usually ends with various pieces of edible confetti strewn about the kitchen floor. Other times everything goes as ‘planned’ or at least pretty close and he stuffs his face like he is late for a meeting or something. The latter is particularly funny when we give him a whole cereal bar and he proceeds to devour it just as fast if not faster than most adults.

Overall, we have learned to not get in the way of a hungry baby as there is a possibility that you might lose a finger in the process. Mmmmm, meaty! In fact, we try to give him his space once we put food on his tray as there are times when he won’t eat if someone is watching him. This works out for us as we can either get a few things done in the kitchen or, gasp, eat dinner at the same time. After all, that is the goal that we are working toward as we want this to be a time spent with family around the dinner table.

TMI Tuesday: More Presents!

Over the last couple of weeks my wife and I have been picking up supplies, coordinating food, and ordering a special cake (the product from the local Walmart was surprisingly good). It was all for a very special day and a memory that we wanted our son to carry with him in these early recollections of life. So, with the Mickey decorations strewn about the kitchen and lining the driveway, this past weekend we had a very small gathering at our home to celebrate our son’s birthday (even though we think the calendar is lying to us). It was a great, low key, get together which actually required less preparation and clean up than my wife and I were expecting.

While he is now playing shy around most people now, it was great seeing him play and watching his face light up when a present piqued his interest. After lunch and presents it was time for cake and while most kids would love to smash the heck out of the confection and get icing on their face, our son wanted nothing to do with this and was displeased when the blue icing founds its way to his face (with a little assistance… and no it wasn’t me). After that it was just about time to pass out for the afternoon and to recover from the mid-day activities.

In the few days since this gathering we did our best to continue making this a special time for our son. In addition to the plethora of presents that were brought or sent to the house, we have continued to celebrate his birth and giving him a little more leeway regarding play and television time… Mickey is just as entertaining the second, third, and forth times on the loop. However, with so much activity and simulation (plus some intense teething), his schedule is a little off and, when playing, he sometimes has trouble deciding what new toy to play with. While we originally put his other toys away before the party as a means of keeping things clean, it has actually served us well as there is now a whole new host of toys at his disposal.  

It has been a great couple of days celebrating our son’s birthday and I am glad that we spread the distraction over the entire weekend. Even though there have been moments of readjustment after so many days following an alternate routine, it has been well worth the effort and few hiccups along the way. I guess you could mark this down as another first experience of parenthood… the birthday party hangover.

TMI Tuesday: Your Dinner Looks Really Good Daddy!

My usual routine at the end of each day is that when I get home I make sure to spend time with our son, play with him, and put him to bed before my wife and I sit down to eat dinner. It may not be the best solution but at this point it is what works and it allows me to spend some time with our baby before having to prep and cook. However, there are times when I get home a little earlier than usual or dinner is particularly quick to pull together and we end up eating immediately after our son finishes his food.

As we are eating we can’t help but get the feeling that we are being stared at with every bite. Sure enough, when we look over we see our son watching the food as it travels from the plate to our mouth. This of course is accompanied by copious amounts of drool (more than what his teething usually produces) as well as a smacking of his lips about every other bit. This has been the same routine for months even back to when he couldn’t sit up on his own.

Lately, he has taken things to an entirely new level as he really wants to taste what we are eating. At least once during the course of our dinner he will give a little screech and babble something that we are supposed to understand given the expression on his face. Most likely it is probably something along the lines of “Your dinner looks really good Daddy. How about you give me a little taste of whatever it is that you are eating?” He will go on to repeat the babble which is usually concluded by a short burst of yelling when we don’t comply.

Thankfully, he is now able to feed himself some small puffs so we usually put some on his tray when we sit down at the table with our plates. This has been much more effective than the small rotation of toys that quickly lose their ability to calm him when food is present. We have also introduced tiny pieces of banana which the three of us are able to share… baby really like when we are all enjoying the same thing. At the same time, we are slowly introducing him to new foods and broadening his palate so that, one day, hopefully he will like what he tastes when mommy and daddy are able to give him a bite of their food.

Lessons Learned

We have now traveled with our son a few times with this past weekend being both the greatest distance that we have traveled from home and also for the longest duration. I can’t say that everything was perfect during these weekend adventures but we were able to get there and back in one piece each time so I would call them successful. However, there have been a few takeaways from our travels thus far and here are just a few of them:

• Rest Stops Are Your Friends – Always be cognizant of the rest stops during your drive. Know when you pass one and how long it is until the next one. You may not need to stop at that exact moment but things can change in a matter of minutes.
• Stick As Closely To His Schedule As Possible – The last thing you want is your son being in a different and unfamiliar place and have his schedule messed up. Keeping to a feeding schedule as much as possible and repeating the nighttime routine can make things a lot easier.
• Don’t Underestimate The Number Of Wipes You Need – this is both for the obvious reasons but also because you’ll have other uses for them as well. If you are like our family you will be out and about all day… use the wipes to clean your hands regularly. They are also convenient for the occasional road trip spill in the car.
• You Are Going To Forget Things – Begin with packing the things that you can’t readily replace. Everything else comes after. It is pretty much guaranteed that you are going to forget things so make sure that they are items that you can pick up on the road.

Of course, there are countless other lessons learned during our explorations but those seem to be the four that most readily come to mind. While those might be the things that didn’t go as smoothly as expected, there were also things that we were very thankful for as we drove down the highway. Most notably is the fact that we upgraded our cars over the past few months. While absolutely possible to travel in our former vehicles, having the Outback and the Cherokee have made things a heck of a lot easier.

So this is just the beginning. I am sure that we will make more mistakes and overlook things in the future but we are at least keeping things moving in the right direction. The true test will be next month as we significantly extend our vacation…. I even took time off from work for this one. While there is always going to be some trepidation, I am looking forward to rediscovering a place (and reconnecting with distant relatives) from my childhood and sharing that experience with my wife and my son. Of course, you can read all about that trip next month so stay tuned.

Chocolate, Flowers, And A Full Hotel

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, my wife and I took our son on a little getaway this past weekend. With everything that has happened, we wanted to do something special and get away from everything for just a night. We didn’t want to go too far and we wanted somewhere family friendly were we could walk around. After all, this was his first trip and night away from home so we wanted something a little easier on all of us. That list of simple criteria lead us to Hershey.

Even though I was a little late in scheduling the trip, I got lucky and found a room available at the Hershey Lodge for Saturday night. With the hotel booked, we headed out late Saturday morning amidst the mist enveloping the highway. Just over an hour later and we were checking in at the front desk as the cocoa aroma flowed through the lobby. After a quick lunch at the Bear’s Den (decent burgers but I suggest you have the salt ready) we walked out front, hopped on the free shuttle, and made our way to Hershey Gardens (free tickets included with our room).

Not the greatest view.

The gardens proved to be a nice little walk despite the overcast sky. However, having spent more time at much larger places (i.e. Longwood Gardens) we covered the entire grounds pretty quickly. While not as impressive as many other horticultural attractions it was still a nice walk with a decent variety of plants, paths, and views. Here are just some of the pictures that I took with my phone during our walk (also the one at the beginning of the post):

Now much later in the afternoon, we walked back to the shuttle and enjoyed a nice conversation with the driver as we made our way back to the lodge. After unpacking everything in our room and taking a little break, we spent some time outside with our very happy baby.

It was nice to have the quite time to enjoy the cool breeze and people watch as prom goers and military officers convened at the same time to attend their respective events (this is in addition to the countless little cheerleaders scurrying about the building).

When we walked over to the Hershey Grill afterward, we were nearly turned away by the hostess. Given the busy weekend there was limited seating and we were about to turn around when the manager escorted the three of us to the patio and sat us at a very nice table near the ducks playing in the water fountain. The meal that we had here was excellent… I suggest the mushroom bruschetta, the smoked trout lettuce wraps, and the eggplant parmigiana (a little different than what we were expecting but good nevertheless). Tired and full we slowly meandered back to the room so that we could put our feet up, and put out baby down, for the night. Thankfully, he slept through the night in the strange room.

Brought Together By The Gobble Gobble

I thought about posting something early this morning for the Thanksgiving holiday but after giving it some thought I decided to hold off until the evening. I made this decision because of the simple fact that the clichés surrounding this holiday have a strong foundation in truth. There were several things up in the air this year and you really never know what situations could have come up to give a little extra flavor to the festivities.

Our plan for the day was straightforward, we headed to my mother-in-law’s house to spend the day there and do our best to create another great memory for her. But first it was time to turn on the oven and create something to bring to the meal. As always, there was no recipe to be followed and once the Brussel sprouts were prepped I just looked around the kitchen for the things that I could add to make it taste somewhat edible. In the end, it turned out to be halfway decent.

We got to the house just after noon with food already out and the marathon of eating began almost immediately. With various football games echoing the background (with the occasional enthusiastic gesture highlighting the action) we all enjoyed the day and prepared the day long dinner. I guess we can be thankful for an uneventful day filled with food and family.

As we finished cleaning and began packing things up to head out the door, we decided to swing by and see the rest of my wife’s family. A slightly dangerous move as we would be walking into more food and an insistence to try at least a few things on delectable display. While we were, for the most part, able to stave off many of the treats that lay before us, we did manage to top off our stomachs.

While food always plays a big part in this holiday, it was a great time from beginning to end when we were able to see family. Both those that we had seen not long ago and those whom we have been unable to connect with for months. It was a warm and relaxing day full of food and family which is all anyone can really hope for. And with so many things to be thankful for, there couldn’t have been a better year for all of this to come together.

There is a heck of a lot to be thankful for this year. More so than in previous years (especially those of recent memory). There have been major changes and minor ones with plenty more on the way. Throughout it all we have had the support of family and friends and that is what I am most thankful for this year.

Time To Start Cooking Again

For some time, my wife and I had gotten away from cooking but we are starting to slowly get back into it. While there have been the quick meals thrown together on a number of nights I would really call it cooking. For many, they would consider what I do multiple times a week as making dinner, some would call it cooking, I just think of it as getting things done as quickly as possible while still making it taste pretty good.

I have always been a person who would throw things together without really following a recipe (the only exceptions being when I would be backing something). Directions just slow me down and I am a firm believer that as long as you know what flavors go together and the rough proportions needed to create flavors there is no need to go step by step. Everyone has their own method of doing this and, over time, you understand approximately how much your “pinch of salt” really is and what a “single” scoop is using a regular spoon.

I guess it is just something that I have picked up over the years watching my mom put things together when she got home from work. I have tried to show my wife this method and she has watched me many times but it is not something that is picked up quickly. However, my wife, regardless of what she says, knows what she is doing in the kitchen. It is a completely different way of doing things but it works for her.

The fact that we have completely different ways of going about things in the kitchen is a great situation. While many nights I can quickly throw something together, sometimes that can leave a limited selection of options given the usual time constraints. My wife, on the other hand, is rather methodical in her approach which while it takes her a little longer to make something it gives her greater flexibility in what she can make. Essentially, she has much more patience when it comes to cooking.

Now, everything that I have just written is something that you have heard me say before but I thought it was worth repeating. So, as we return to really cooking in the kitchen and making dinner on a more regular basis, I hope to record some of the successes, and some of the less successful, dishes that we make in the coming months. Maybe this would also help with my first resolution but we will have to see. Are there any dishes/meal, especially healthy ones, that you enjoy and that you would like to see us, read about our, attempt? Let me know in the comments below.

Not Good Enough For The Main Room

My wife and I decided to get out of the apartment today and just spend some time together which has been a rare occurrence as of late with work and other commitments. So we decided to revisit a place for breakfast which we hadn’t been to in a few years, Classic Diner. It’s a bit of a drive from our place but it is good to go back to places that you have fond memories of to either reinforce them or, as was the case today, quash them.

The parking situation and the wait have always been an issue with this popular eatery so that wasn’t anything that was any different from what we remembered. However, a big difference was noticed once our table was ready and we waded through the snootiness of the main dining room on our way to the back room where the vast majority of the tables were unoccupied. As the waitress walked back and forth trying to get our drink order right three times we noticed a pattern to the groups of people being ushered into the rear containment area… we were all dressed casually.

Maybe it was coincidence but based on the clientele on display in the front it didn’t seem like a likely scenario. From that moment on we had to wrangle the server if we wanted anything and even after watching her write down our food orders on her pad we still didn’t get everything we asked for. The only saving grace for the diner is the fact that what we did receive was excellent… just as we remembered it being. But great food is only part of the experience and we will not be returning any time soon.

After our breakfast experience we got in the car and began making our way back to the apartment. With no other plans for the day I brought up the idea of going for a drive and picking up a few things that we had been holding off on getting for some time now. Once my wife agreed I put a little twist on the trip by pointing the car in the direction of Cabela’s in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Cabela’s is one of the largest retail chains in the country for hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. The stores themselves are impressive both in size and design to the extent that when we pulled up we noticed that this location is larger than the Lowe’s and Wal-Mart across the street, combined. We were also allowed all over and not kept in the corner. It really is more of an afternoon trip rather than a quick stop and shop. That might explain why we didn’t leave until just after 5:00 PM mainly because of the Bargain Cave in the back and trying to get our bearings at times in order to locate a few specific items.

While I am certain that we will both not be going to Classic Diner again anytime soon, and my wife has no desire to return to Cabela’s in the near future, I am certain that I will make the trip up again to find additional items, especially ones on clearance, on a somewhat regular basis. Plus it is a really nice drive up into the mountains and you already know how I feel about going to the mountains. And I will be sure to take a few pictures next time I’m up there to give you a better idea of what I am talking about.

Until then, I suggest you find one near you and just go for a walk through the store. It is a completely different experience than what you usually find at a retailer (especially a chain with maybe Bass Pro Shop being the only exception). If you take the trip let me, and everyone else, know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Restaurant Routine

There are a few restaurants in the area that my wife and I frequent. We don’t go out to eat as often as we used to so when we do we usually go to the same places over and over again. We would much rather go somewhere that we know has good food and reasonable prices than somewhere that we know very little about.

We reserve the adventurous dining experiences for when we are on the road. As a result we have had some amazing meals (the pastrami salmon sandwich at Bar Louis in Milford) and some downright horrendous piles of food-like substances (the fish and chips at the Hilton Hotel in East Brunswick, New Jersey) during our travels this summer. Overall, we have been mostly lucky and even when we weren’t we didn’t get sick.

When we are at home and we are looking for something quick and inexpensive, we usually end up at Hummus Mediterranean Grill in Ardmore. While my wife usually rotates her selection between the chicken kabob and the vegetable platters I am pretty set in my ways and I get the combination platter every time. While this pales in comparison to the many delectable dishes we enjoyed in Jerusalem (particularly around the Mahane Yehuda Market), this may be the best Israeli style Middle Eastern food I have been able to find in the states. I recommend first timers go hungry and order the combination platter to get a little taste of everything. If that still isn’t enough, and I doubt that, get a side order of fried cauliflower to top off your bursting belly.

Hummus Mediterranean Grill

18 Greenfield Avenue, Ardmore, Pennsylvania 19003

http://www.hummusardmore.com/

Urban Spoon Rating: 100% (2 reviews)

Zagat Food Rating: 19/30

Dining room photo taken from the website.

Fellini Café in Newtown Square is our other usual dining spot which we were first introduced to by my parents a few years ago. What confuses some on the Main Line is the common name that this establishment shares with other restaurants in Ardmore, Berwyn, and Media. Do not be mistaken, these are completely separate eateries and the others can’t hold a candle to the one in Newtown Square which, simply put, has the best authentic Italian food on the Main Line. For this reason, reservations are recommended.

Each and every ingredient can be differentiated in their dishes which do not try to dazzle you with fancy twists or interpretations. This is best exemplified in their Eggplant Parmesan which I frequently order as my entrée (don’t be fooled when you see it listed as an appetizer). It has just the right bite and light breading smothered in a simple red sauce covered in a perfect blanket of creamy fresh mozzarella. So simple but addictively delicious; this is as good as it gets.  

Fellini Café

3541 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073

http://fellinicafenewtownsquare.com/

Urban Spoon Rating: 83% (43 reviews)

Zagat Food Rating: 24/30

Exterior photo taken from internet.

There is only one establishment that I visit on a regular basis which is Aldar Bistro right down the street in Bala Cynwyd. Each week I attend my Rotary meeting at this restaurant and I have never been disappointed even having ordered nearly half of the dishes over the past year. A regular special is the cocoanut crusted honey mustard salmon which is one of the best pieces of fish you can order in the area.

Even though it is described as a Mediterranean restaurant (in more of the Lebanese style) there is a wide variety of other options on the menu that compliment the more traditional food quiet well. However, equally exceptional is the service as Host and general manager Walid Assaf and the rest of the staff treat guest more like family than customers. While the food and service is exceptional no matter what time of day, it is especially nice for a casual business lunch. If so inclined, you can also join us for a Rotary meeting on Wednesdays at 12:15 PM.

Aldar Bistro

281 Montgomery Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004

http://www.aldarbistro.com/

Urban Spoon Rating: 84% (66 reviews)

Zagat Food Rating: 20/30

Exterior photo taken from website.

So those are my three regular spots where I go out to eat. Hopefully this gives you some additional options of where to eat in the Philadelphia suburbs. Whether you live in the area or you’re just visiting for a few days, set aside a meal or two and indulge yourself with some incredible food without having to sell your first born to afford it.

Episode VII: Another New Hope

This past weekend my wife and I changed our schedule up a little bit and headed out to New Hope, Pennsylvania on Friday instead of Saturday so that she could rest the day before her Color Me RAD 5K on Sunday. New Hope is much closer on the map than some other places we have visited but because of the roads that we had to take it was a considerably longer amount of time on the road (seems like a constant when it comes to places of interest in Bucks County). It’s a good thing we changed our schedule.

The weather was uncooperative all day but we managed to make the best of it by hoping in and out of the numerous antique and nostalgia stores that line Main Street in between our extended explorations of side streets while the sky was dry. Many of these stores were both a great respite from the weather and a severe threat to our bank account as Wizard of Oz merchandise was plentiful. I knew it was going to be a day full of temptation when that wide eyed look came across my wife’s face as soon as we walked in the first store. It's the kind of day that leaves you looking for a place to sit down and rest for a few minutes.

Our visit began by driving around from parking lot to parking lot trying to find a place where the rates were at least somewhat reasonable. Fortunately, the Logan Inn wasn’t too bad and we were able to start our exploration only a block off of Main Street. With the parking situation finally figured out, we then started looking for a place to grab linner (lunch + dinner = linner). Many menus later we settled on a small Mexican restaurant with a handful of patrons sitting outside.

The food and service at The Blue Tortilla was excellent (I recommend the Gaucamole and the Chicken Molé Enchiladas) and the outdoor and indoor dining areas were very nice as well. One thing that did catch me off guard was when we ventured over to the bathroom. It left me asking one question (and I’m sure I’m not the only one): So where would you like me to put it? In summary, the restaurant had excellent food, great staff, clean dining area, but a very questionable request.

After lunch it was time to walk on the bridge a little. Just a little as we didn’t want to venture onto the dark side (also known at Lambertville, New Jersey). Whenever possible, I always like walking over bridges simply because of the view that you get down river (the Delaware River in this instance). It’s a vantage point that always demonstrates both the beauty of the surroundings and the history of the town/city.

Once we paid visit to the New Hope wildlife (at least the ones with wings) we continued our tour of the town. It was at this point when we began to dodge raindrops by weaving in and out of the local establishments. Thankfully I had a tight grip on my wallet so we only came away with a few monetary scratches.   

Our last visit was to the train station. There is something enjoyable for me about seeing old trains at historic train stations. Sometimes just a glance at the antiquated engine can bring me back to a time before I was born.

As we made our way back to the parking lot I noticed the weird taste that the town left in my mouth. Not necessarily bad but not something that I would pick up at the grocery store. It’s a unique place. A very wealth and artsy little town, it seemed like, based on the stores, tourists, and locals, that if the town had a mascot it would be a gay Wiccan hippie dressed up as Glinda The Good Witch. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it just isn’t my thing. Honestly what did bother me though was the fact that it seemed like one of those towns where the people who worked in the stores are the same ones that can’t afford to live there.

In reality, it is a place that I’m glad we took the time to see but it is not a place I can’t wait to visit again. While a lot of people really enjoy it there and visit frequently, for me, I classify it as a “no, just visiting” town. Somewhere I would not want to live but, if I happen to be driving by, I would stop for a few minutes.