T's Travels

The Chocolate Avenue Grill, Hershey

The holidays (remember them? seems like so long ago!) were particularly stressful for me this year. And so when we headed into January a few weeks ago and all the visits were finished, the decorations put away, the last of the cookies eaten, I decided I needed a breath of Civilization—lunch in a nice place where I didn’t have to dress up too much but the food was good and the atmosphere calm and friendly. I chose the Chocolate Avenue Grill in Hershey. Dining companion—who better than Mary the Photographer, who had first introduced me to the Grill?

 It was also Mary who suggested a drink before lunch. I certainly couldn’t let her drink alone. She ordered wine. After checking the cocktail menu (which is very creative) I decided on a pomegranate martini. This delicate pink gem came with a light sour-apple sugar crust around the rim and a little carafe for a second pour. For an appetizer to share Mary ordered the seafood springrolls: “A crab and shrimp blend, stuffed in crispy fried rice paper rolls, served with a black raspberry chipotle sauce” (see picture--we were halfway through by then!). In the time we were there, I saw at least three other tables get the same appetizer. Must be very popular!

For our entrees, I looked the menu over again and again. I really couldn’t decide. I have been to this restaurant a number of times but so far I have only had one thing: “Jess's Favorite Salad in the Whole World”: “Mixed greens, toasted almonds, fresh strawberries and coconut breaded chicken served with our almost world famous poppy seed dressing.” I swore I was going to get something different. I even picked out two things on the menu to choose from when the server came. But when she asked, I ordered the salad. Must be my favorite, too. I guess it’s that “almost world-famous” poppyseed dressing. There are so many other sandwiches and wraps I’d like to try—one of these times I’ll break away.

But I’m in good company as far as ordering something she’s had before because it was so good. Mary ordered the soup of the day (a seafood chowder) with a side of garlic bread: “Homemade garlic butter on ciabatta bread topped with melted Provolone and Parmesan cheeses with a side of marinara.” It’s like no other garlic bread I’ve ever had; I can see why she gets it often. 

Something else for another visit—dessert perhaps? I have not yet had the pleasure, but then the salad is big (and can be a little sweet  with the coconut and strawberries on it).

I see on their website that the Grill is considering adding breakfast or a bar. Breakfast got my vote but then I don’t live in Hershey. You can make your preference known by scrolling down the site’s main page and voting. And definitely stop by the Grill sometime for Jess's Salad. Or garlic bread. Or maybe even something else.

Photo (c) 2013 Mary Brenner

What to Do This Weekend (Holiday Edition #2)

Before I run off to do some Christmas festivities myself, here's a few ideas for your weekend!

December 7

Lancaster: Lancaster Museum of Arts Holiday Cheer Fine Art Auction & Gala. Exhibition Reception,5 - 8 pm

Meadville: Light-Up Night.This year the theme will be "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas!"

December 7 – 9

Bellefonte: 31st Annual Bellefonte Victorian Christmas. New this year, the Festival of Trees!

December 8

Strasburg: Home for the Holidays & Polar Express Parties at the Railroad Museum of PA.

December 8-9

Lancaster: Country Christmas Village: at Landis Valley Museum.

Tunkhannock: Christmas in Our Hometown. Street lamps all over town are decorated in holiday cheer!

 

Oh, Christmas tree!

We went down the mountain to Wine's Christmas Tree Farm to select and cut our  tree today. We’ve been very fortunate over the years to always live near a Christmas tree farm. And Husb is always happy to pick up a saw and go get one (or two, now that he hauls one into his office). 

For growing up so far apart in experiences (him on a farm, me in an industrial town) we had somewhat similar Christmas experiences. Both families didn’t put up a tree until Christmas Eve. In his case it was because that’s when they took time out from farming to go out and cut it down. In my case it was because trees were marked way down on Christmas Eve and my dad could get one for very little money. He never took any of the kids with him; I suspect that was because he could stop somewhere before or after for a little “Christmas spirit.”

My Husb takes me along if I care to go, but I have to understand that choosing a tree is serious business. It can’t be a “shrub” (branches too tight together) or things won’t hang. It can’t have a really bad side because we don’t put our tree in a corner. It shouldn’t be certain types of evergreen, which I can never remember the names of. In other words, Husb knows what he likes and that’s what we get. I’ll admit, some years we’ve had some gorgeous trees!  

This trip was pretty easy. Weather is chilly enough to be festive, not bitterly cold. Wine's had a fire going, pretty wreathes, hotdogs and drinks for sale, and plenty of hustling helpers. We chose a large (over 10 feet) tree for the house and a shorter one for his office. While we were waiting for the trees to be measured and wrapped (plastic netting to hold them in), I overheard a woman saying she had found Wine's on the Internet. She was reluctant to get a pre-cut tree this early for fear all the needles would be off by Christmas, but she didn't want to cut it herself either. She was as tickled with hers as I am with mine.

Although Husb and I both like decorating on Christmas Eve, that’s no longer possible for two reasons. The reason everyone understands: our schedules. The other reason is no one’s fault but our own. In both our first house and this one we have had high ceilings. That means we can have big trees—and we sometimes do. I think the maximum one year was 14 feet. The smallest might have been 8 feet (which wouldn’t even have fit into the houses we grew up in!). This year's size is on the upper end.

A large tree takes days to decorate. Hauling boxes out of the basement. Husb hanging the lights. Unwrapping ornaments while I wax sentimental—our honeymoon! Yellowstone! Ireland! Foggy (our first dog)! Husb rolling his eyes. And once all the ornaments are unpacked and up, and the boxes put away, comes the most time-consuming part: the tinsel.

We both like a tree that glitters. Tinsel (aka “icicles”) hung on the branches throws light in a way nothing else can. But this is where our traditions part ways. I come from a family that threw tinsel on (partly out of exhaustion, I’m sure). But Husb likes his tinsel laid across the ends of the branches, carefully and neatly. Until his latest job, tinsel-laying was his responsibility. Two years ago I ended up doing it (he didn’t have time and I missed having it). Last year I tried something new—red tinsel. Mistake! If you’re a fan of tinsel, don’t do red (or any color)! It’s too heavy and doesn’t flow like the silver stuff.

So we’ve cut the tree down today and we will put it up next weekend (my cousin is coming and will help decorate—shh! She doesn’t know it yet!). Maybe if she stays a few days I can make her the designated tinsel applier.  Just not in red.

What to Do This Weekend (Holiday Edition #1)

Seems there are more and more holiday-related activities every year. Music! Shows! Shopping! Food! How do you decide which to do and when? The Nutcracker is everywhere, of course. The American Music Theatre in Lancaster has a Rockefeller Center-style Christmas show. Hershey is a great one-stop experience. Koziar's Christmas Village in Bernville comes highly recommended.

But what if you'd rather have a smaller experience?I discovered it's hard to find what's going on if you don't know how to look for it. I searched "Pennsylvania Christmas events" to come up with some of the items below (and most turned out to be in central PA even though I didn't specify that). If you know what town you want to visit, I suggest checking that town's website for any special holiday events--although they're not always mentioned. And let me know if you have something you want listed--I'll be happy to mention it!

November 30-December 1

Ridgway: Holiday Cheer Tour (11/30) and Christmas Toy Exhibit and Open House, Center House Museum (11/30-12/1). Displays, goodies, Christmas movies!  (free) 

November 30-December 2

Lucinda: Clarion County Festival of Trees. Crafts, food, entertainment, bake sale, and raffles. ($1.00)

November 30-December 8

Lancaster County: Twelve Shops of Christmas Best-Kept Secrets Tour, “A Shopping/Food and Fun Adventure.” Buy the ticket book and follow the map to 12 shops in the Mount Joy, Elizabethtown, Maytown, Columbia, Rohrerstown and East Petersburg area. (Ticket book $7.00)

December 1

Mount Joy: Winterfest. Live music and activities on Main Street. 

Terre Hill: 16th Annual Open House and Christmas Party, Artist's Inn & Gallery. Food, drink, and discounts on purchases.

Tionesta: Tionesta Farmers Market Association Holiday Gift Bazaar, “a marketplace for holiday gifts.”

December 1-2

Adamstown: Christmas in the Grove (tree lighting, Santa, petting zoo, free hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies) 

Boiling Springs: Christmas Tree Lighting at Children’s Lake (Santa rows his boat across the lake to greet the children) 

December 1-2, 8-9

Lebanon: Christmas in the Park light display, visit with Santa, buy a Christmas tree

December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16

Brandywine Valley: Holiday Open House at Brandywine Valley Wine Trail. “Our wineries will be decorated in their holiday finery and offering special holiday pricing.” One for the grownups!

 

How long did it take to do this?

That was my question when I came across Listen to Our Lights on Facebook and watched his incredible "Gangnam Style" Christmas light show. You don't have to drive anywhere to see this one, folks! Just click the link. . . .

Holiday Happenings (#1)

(From now through the New Year I'm going to post pieces about holiday-themed events throughout Pennsylvania. Please feel free to let me know about special events in your area so I can add them!)

I love Christmas lights. When I was a child my dad would pile us all in the car and drive around so we could admire other people's efforts at decorating for Christmas. Anything more than a string of lights outlining the house was considered special. Some houses were monochromatic (I loved the blue-lit houses in the snow), others--like ours--multicolored. Very different from today's choreographed displays with the inflatables and musical accompaniment but every bit as beautiful to me.

So where do you go when you want to see a drive-through Christmas light extravaganza? (I'll cover walk-through ones in another post.) I have compiled a list but I'm sure it's not comprehensive (let me know what I've missed!). Please check the links for times; not all of these are open every day.

Allentown: Lights in the Parkway ($6 carload in advance/$10 at the gate)

Altoona: Holiday Lights on the Lake at Lakemont Park (fee)

Clinton: Christmas Lightup ($10/carload)

Greensburg: Overly's Country Christmas at Westmoreland Fairgrounds (fee—reduced rate on weekdays)

Hershey: Hershey Sweet Lights (fee—reduced rate on weekdays)

Indiana: Festival of Lights at Blue Spruce Park in Indiana County (fee—website has coupon)

Lehighton: Franklin Festival of Lights at Phifer Ice Dam Park (fee/donations)

Lititz: Gift of Lights at Elizabeth Farms (fee; reduced rate on weekdays)

Newcastle: Cascade of Lights at Cascade Park on E. Washington ($5/carload)

Nottingham: Herr's (free)

York: Rocky Ridge Christmas Magic, a Festival of Lights (fee)

FYI: Hartwood Acres is not having a light display this year but there are still holiday mansion tours.

Two sources for lists of good neighborhoods for light viewing (they're from last year but I would guess they still have some value): Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

Last but not least, and certainly the best: While compiling this list I found a website for a family's annual display. Check out the Lovelys' lights in Gilbertsville and support organ donation! (This picture is from 2011.)