Visiting Pennsylvania Family & Friends and Eating

Between our trips to Boston and the Poconos we met up with friends and got to eat some of our favorite local foods (cheesesteaks, hoagies, soft pretzels, Rita's water ice, TastyKake Krimpets, and Wawa).

Al's favorite hoagie can be found at Angelo's in Southampton, Pennsylvania.  He gets the Italian hoagie and I love the ham and cheese hoagie.  

Over the years we've gotten to know the daughter of one of the owners, Nadia.  She's a waitress there and remembers our order every time she sees us.  Her father and one of the founders of the restaurant, Andre, passed away recently.  That's him in the photo behind us. 

Nadia, Nancy, and Al

We visited a friend of mine from my Prudential days, Marcie and her son, Alan.  Marcie has known me since I was 17 and before I graduated high school  I was working part-time at Prudential in the afternoons then.  After graduation, I went full-time.  Marcie mentored me as I was first learning Information Processing, a career that served me well.

Alan, Muffin, Marcie, and Nancy

Marcie and Alan have a sweet dog, Muffin.

Muffin

We visited with more friends from my Prudential days but I forgot to take photos.  It was great to catch up with Karin, Brian, and Sarah and Vicki and Bill.

A couple of weekends we went to my Dad & Barb's house in the Poconos in Towamensing Trails.  It's a cute house and just the right size for them to escape Schwenksville and enjoy the mountains.

Towamensing Lake

Al helping my Dad hang a cabinet in the bathroom in the mountain house.

Dad & Barb's cat, Lady Alaina, but often called Goobie.

I also got to spend time with my Dad on Father's Day this year which was a treat.

Dad, Barb, Nancy, & Al

One day Al and I took a drive to Jim Thorpe, PA.  The town is named for an Olympic Gold Medal Hero and I always assumed he was from the area but after reading the info boards near his grave site, I learned that is not true.  

After Thorpe's funeral was held at St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma, his body lay in state at Fairview Cemetery after citizens had paid to have it moved to Shawnee by train from California. The people began a fund-raising effort to erect a memorial for Thorpe at the town's athletic park. Local officials had asked state legislators for funding, but a bill that included $25,000 for their proposal was vetoed by Governor Johnston Murray. 

Meanwhile, Thorpe's third wife, unbeknownst to the rest of his family, took Thorpe's body and had it shipped to Pennsylvania when she heard that the small Pennsylvania towns of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were seeking to attract business. She made a deal with officials which, according to Thorpe's son Jack, was done by Patricia for monetary considerations. The towns bought Thorpe's remains, erected a monument to him, merged, and renamed the newly united town in his honor Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, even though Thorpe had never been there. The monument site contains his tomb, two statues of him in athletic poses, and historical markers describing his life story.

It was still a cute town to visit.

Jim Thorpe's grave site

We spent some time with my niece and nephew.  We visited Jackie down in the city where she attends the University of Pennsylvania working on her PhD.  We went to an Asian restaurant nearby with her and after dinner it was raining so hard that I forgot to get a photo of us.

Another day we met up with Zach and went to a restaurant to catch one of the 2019 FIFA Women's soccer games and catch up.

Nancy, Al, and Zach

Zach, Nancy, and Al

One day we met up with my cousin, Kate, for lunch before she went to work at the IRS in Philadelphia. Unfortunately her boyfriend, Steve, had to work and couldn't join us.

When Dad and Barb were back in Schwenksville, there were more projects for Al to help with.

Dad & Barb's house in Schwenksville

Another project for Al

Nancy and Dad (wearing glasses)

Nancy and Dad (not wearing glasses)

We met up with my brother, Jay, and his girlfriend, Mel for dinner one night in Skippack.  It was nice to see them both.

Al, Mel, Nancy, and Jay

Al trying to recreate Rashmi's delicious chutney

Dad & Lady Alaina

Al made these delicious skewers for dinner one night for all four of us

One day we drove down the shore to Strathmere, New Jersey to visit with my god-parents, Aunt Etta and Uncle Roy.  They took us to lunch at the Tuckahoe Inn.  We enjoyed our time seeing them.

Uncle Roy, Aunt Etta, and Nancy
Nancy's God-Parents

Another day we visited my Grandfather's nephew and his wife, Bob and Kathy.  We always enjoy catching up with them.  Bob had a list of questions for us after following our blog.

Nancy, Bob, and Kathy

And then it was off to visit my Grandparent's neighbors, Paulette and Richey.  They were such great neighbors to my grandparents when they were living and we've kept in touch with them over the years.  My grandmother died in November 2004 and my grandfather died in June 2007.

Paulette, Richey, Nancy, & Al
My Grandparents neighbors

We also had dinner with my friend and her husband, Karen and Pat.  Karen and I have been friends since first grade!  I found a cassette tape we made when we were kids and we all had a laugh listening to how weird we were as kids pretending to be disc jockeys.

Karen & Pat

Unfortunately, the month went by too quick and we didn't get to see everyone we planned to.  

Next we're back to Snow Canyon State Park to pick up our truck and trailer and hit the road. 

Trip to Boston

After our whirlwind trip to Washington, DC and New York City, we were back in Pennsylvania to recuperate.  We spent the next weekend up the Pocono Mountains with my Dad and Barb at their mountain house relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet and all white-tailed deer.

The next Friday we left for a weekend in the Boston, Massachusetts area.  On the way up, we stopped off in Newport, Rhode Island.  It was a rainy day but we made the best of it. 

We stumbled upon the International Tennis Hall of Fame.  The grounds were beautiful. 

Frederick J. Perry

After visiting the Visitor's Center, it was suggested that we drive over to Fort Adams State Park where we saw the Oliver Hazard Perry ship.

SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is the largest civilian Sailing School Vessel in the United States. Oliver Hazard Perry is the first ocean-going full-rigged ship built in the U.S. in over 100 years. Her accommodations hold 32 people overnight in addition to her 17 professional crew.

If you look more closely, you'll see these guys working high up on one of the masts.

The ship in full sail

View from Fort Adams State Park

Claiborne Pell/Newport Bridge

A different view on the Claiborne Pell/Newport Bridge

Back in Newport, RI, there are mansions that can be toured on Bellevue Avenue.  They were built during the late 1800's/early 1900's and used by the wealthy as their summer "cottages" during Newport's Gilded Age.  

The Breakers Home built for the Vanderbilts

The home was purchased by the Preservation Society from the youngest daughter in 1972.  It's one of about nine mansions that are available to tour.

We didn't tour any of the homes because the weather was not cooperating (it was pouring) but I would like to the next time we're in the area.  You can see more info on the homes owned by the Preservation Society at https://www.newportmansions.org/

The man at the visitor's center recommended this restaurant for some good New England clam chowder so we gave it a try.

Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant

Al waiting to dive in to that bowl of mussels.

We tried their New England clam chowder, mussels, and lobster roll.  We were not disappointed.

On Saturday morning, we made a stop off at a local home store to buy a fruit tree for our friends, Sushant and his wife, Rashmi.  They bought a house in Medford, MA earlier this year so the fruit tree was a house warming present for them.  

The fruit tree was a little too tall for our rental car.  

Allan, the newly planted Apple Tree

Back Porch and our welcome snacks

Al, Nancy, Rashmi, Sushant, and Coco

Rashmi is an excellent cook so we were treated with several meals of delicious Indian foods.

Roasted Chicken

Orange Lamb

Coconut milk-thai green curry

Breakfast Items

Idli, a savory rice cake

Idli with Chutney

Playing games

Sitting on their front stoop

Sushant and Rashmi recently added a dog to their family.  Coco is part Saint Bernard, and part Poodle called Saint Berdoodle.  Every where we went with Coco people stopped us and asked, "What kind of dog is that?" and "What's his name?" and "How old is he?"  We thought about hanging a sign around his neck answering these questions.

Coco eating a carrot with Al's help

Since Coco is only five months old, he is expected to get much bigger!  He knows lots of tricks and Sushant and Coco put on a demonstration for us.  Coco was a very well behaved dog and we enjoyed playing with him.

Coco has been trained to ring a bell at their back door when he wants to go outside and do his business and then ring another bell when he's ready to come back inside.  Pretty impressive training!

One day we went to the waterfront in Boston and walked around. 

Coco taking up most of the back seat

We stopped off and bought some delicious cupcakes while walking along Newbury Street.  

We took our cupcakes to go and ate them at the Boston Common park. 

George Washington statue

Sushant, Rasmi, and Coco
(Before the bridge incident!)

But part of being a puppy, Coco had to do his business right when we were on a walking bridge in the park with lots of people out enjoying the beautiful day.  Coco will never live that one down!

We stopped off at Quincy Market to walk around and get some lunch.  Inside Quincy Market are so many food stalls it was hard to make a choice. 

Quincy Market

Inside Quincy Market

Our lunch items from Quincy Market

Then we walked around the waterfront and enjoyed the views.  

We had a great time with Rashmi and Sushant and loved their new home.  Thanks guys for your hospitality! 

Rashmi has a side business of selling one of a kind beautiful Indian crafted purses and Taj Mahal marble coasters.  Check out her website - https://www.bombayganesha.com/

We left on Monday when Rashmi and Sushant had to go back to work and drove to Mystic, Connecticut.  Rashmi packed us lamb sandwiches so here we're eating them while we waited for the bridge to open. 

Al & Nancy eating our lamb sandwiches in front of

Mystic River Bascule Bridge

Oh wow, here comes a very large sailboat. 

The bridge rising for boats to pass.

The bridge going back down

Mystic Seaport Museum from afar

Someone enjoying a beautiful afternoon on the water.

After visiting Mystic, CT we drove back to my Dad's house in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania.  A fun weekend we had seeing the sights and visiting with dear friends. 

We still have some time in Pennsylvania to visit more family and friends and eat good PA foods.