ARTISTS’ TRAIL: ROUTE 45

As the youngest of four girls, I certainly appreciate the connection that sisters can have. For our Artists’ Trail: Route 45 show, we were lucky to have the Garbers, a wonderful group of sisters from Philadelphia! The Garbers are also a close-knit family of four girls, however, one of the sisters was ready to have a baby so sadly we weren’t able to meet all four. But we’ve been assured by Amy, Lisa, and Kristy that they’d all share the adventure and laughs along the way…and boy, there was a lot to share! They were a hoot!

For my part of the adventure, I enjoyed a little bit of art and a little bit of terror! For the art side, I met a wonderful artist, Ziggy Coyle. Ziggy’s unique works of art which celebrate Rubenesque women in all sorts of scenarios, adorn her beautiful home. And as we learned, the homes of many notable people including Sir Elton John! In addition to the honor of watching Ziggy create works, I also learned that she is grandmother to the drummer of the band, The Killers!

And then I was in for a little bit of terror…at Camp Woodward! The camp is the place to go to learn all extreme sports including BMX biking, skateboarding, inline skating, and snowboarding plus other competitive sports like gymnastics and cheerleading. It’s an amazing place that has such a great energy and you wouldn’t believe the stunts that these talented athletes perform! Of course, I couldn’t visit a place like Woodward without getting a little adrenaline rush of my own. So I took a leap off the half-pipe and took the longest slide ride of my life – it was certainly thrilling and I could not for a minute imagine doing it on a bike…those guys are nuts…and very brave! I have a new found respect for all extreme sportsters – they take it to the limit to give audiences an amazing show!

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE POCONO MOUNTAINS (PT 2)

So, you wanted to find out more about my Pocono Outdoor Adventure, yay! Well, since it was a show that celebrated the great outdoors, it seemed only fitting for me to “Take a hike!” And so, I did.

For the hike, I headed for the Pocono Environmental Education Center, better knows as PEEC. The Center is a wonderful place to spend the weekend hiking along some of the quarter million acres in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, kayaking and fishing, and spending the night in a curious looking cabin known as a Yurt. If you’re an outdoorsy type, or just want to give nature a try for the first time, PEEC is certainly a wonderful place to start.



But what would an outdoor adventure be without a trail ride atop a horse? So it was that I hit the trails at Mountain Creek Riding Stables. The slow-paced ride through the beautiful trails is enjoyable for all levels of riders and I highly recommend a stop along your travels in the area. The guides and horse handlers are very experienced and make you feel comfortable every step, or gallop, along the way!

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE POCONO MOUNTAINS (PT 1)

Explore PA is all about finding adventure and excitement in your own backyard…luckily for me, we have wonderful travelers who are willing to jump right in and enjoy it. After all, doing too much activity isn’t good to keep a camera-ready face and hairdo on yours truly!

For our Outdoor Adventure: Pocono Mountain episode, we had perhaps the most energetic couple in Explore PA history. In fact, our travelers Jen and Tony took on so much big adventure, we had to make it two episodes!

The show features a new popular activity–the Adventure Race. It incorporates physical and mental challenges. While shooting at the MTEC Race just outside of Chambersburg, it was great fun to watch all the teams gearing up for a day of competition, which included hiking, biking, rowing and puzzles!

Of course, I enjoyed a little adventure of my own…check out Part Two of my blog to find out more!

Fairs and Festivals: Schuylkill County

Ah, there’s nothing that feels more like “Americana” than a homecoming parade! In fact, the annual homecoming parade in Ashland, PA feels like it belongs in a Norman Rockwell painting. And perhaps what made the day even more special, was our wonderful travelers, the Leidigh family from Carlisle, PA. The Leidighs, especially their lovely daughters, were full of energy and made the homecoming parade so enjoyable! We danced away with a group Mummers, wore their crazy hats, and threw out candy to the hundreds of families who lined the streets for the annual event. We even got to meet Elvis! All in all, it was a wonderful day in Ashland!

But of course there’s even more to do in this area! Including a trip to Knoebel’s – Pennsylvania’s largest free amusement park. Or you can take a trip into the Pioneer Tunnel coalmine… be sure to bring a sweater, it’s chilly in there! And of course, a trip to where they have beer brewing beer since 1829, America’s oldest brewery – Yuengling.

In fact, what could be better? A trip to free amusement park, a ride through a chilly coalmine and a final stop for cold freshly brewed beer… sounds like a great day in PA!

ARTISTS’ TRAIL ROUTE 30 (LANCASTER/YORK)

What I love most about my Explore PA travels is the fact that I am often introduced to long-held traditions that are brand new to me…which can be both scary and exhilarating!

During our trip along the Artists’ Trail Route 30 we made a stop at Lancaster Central Market – a traditional farmer’s market that was bustling with activity! Of course, when in Rome, you do as the Romans do…so it was only fair that I try some of the local culinary traditions, which to my chagrin included Souse. For those of you who don’t know what Souse is – it’s pickled pig’s feet! But luckily it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds – Souse is actually the consistency of sauerkraut and wasn’t too bad at all. At the market, I was also encouraged to try a homemade horseradish that had quite a kick! In fact, a dollop of the horseradish was placed on a piece of chocolate, which somehow has the ability to heighten the taste of the horseradish. And boy did it ever!!! My nose was on fire! But once again, it was a great (and funny) experience I won’t soon forget.

While in the area, I was also honored to meet and work with a superbly talented artist and master printmaker, Robert Patierno. Robert was so kind to open his studio to Explore PA and even created a special print for Explore PA that I was able to help with. In addition to working with Robert, I was also able to receive two of his prints that are framed and hang beautifully in my home – a piece of Explore PA that reminds me of what a fun day I had with such a talented artist.

Finally, I want to share that the Lancaster Arts Hotel is stunning! The boutique hotel feels like it was plucked right out of New York City or London and placed in Lancaster. The hotel is filled with amazing works of art from local artists – it’s like a museum within a hotel and I highly recommend a night’s stay if you are in the area.

All in all, another wonderfully artistic trip that has opened my eyes to the joys of exploring PA!

Explore PA gets buggy and more in Philly!

As you may know, I have lived just outside Philly for around 13 years now. And as is the purpose of Explore PA, we like to bring people to new places they may not have seen in the state…and I am almost embarrassed to say, that despite my proximity, much of my Philadelphia experience was brand new to me!

Yes, it’s true. Until the day of our shoot, I had never made it to the Liberty Bell! But I am happy to report that I have remedied the situation with a visit to the Liberty Bell Visitor’s Center where I was able to talk with the friendly and knowledgeable guides about the history of the most famous bell in the land. Although as you may have learned last season on Explore PA, there is a full size replica of the Liberty Bell at the Valley Forge Memorial Chapel known as the Justice Bell. And I see that bell nearly every day as I drive through Valley Forge Park!

Another place I had the pleasure of visiting was the Philadelphia Insectarium…yup, a bug museum! I have to admit I was a wee bit wary of entering a place where the bugs have free reign, but after seeing that each insect was nicely housed in a protective home, I was a bit more relaxed…and strangely interested! In fact, I even mustered the courage to hold a Scorpion!

But perhaps the biggest highlight of this episode was my trip to the Reading Terminal Market to meet the Queen of Macaroni and Cheese – Ms. Delilah Winder. What an absolute delight and honor it was to meet Delilah. She became an instant celebrity when Oprah Winfrey declared hers to be the country’s best Mac & Cheese. And oh was Oprah right! The mac & cheese, not to mention the rest of her Soul Food menu will have you contemplating…” Should I get some more of this to bring home? I know I’ll be craving it later.” And indeed, you’ll be right!
Another very special part of this Explore PA adventure was the fact that my 12 year-old niece, Ryan was able to tag along for the day. It was such a pleasure to have Ryan along and it will always make this show extra special for me!

Explore PA hits the ‘Burgh!

Of all my travels on Explore PA, I was most excited to finally visit the city of Pittsburgh. Since moving to the Chester County area over 13 years ago (yikes!), I have made many friends who originally hailed from Pittsburgh. And when these friends talked about home, I always sensed a great sense of pride for Pittsburgh. Of course, much of that pride surrounds their beloved sports teams, but even as a die-hard Philadelphia fan I can respect what it feels like to love your city.

What I really loved about Pittsburgh was the neighborhoods – in fact, it reminds me a lot of my original hometown of Boston. From the Downtown Cultural District to Little Italy in Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods give it a small-town feel in the middle of a metropolis.

A few of the places I enjoyed were the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and PPG Aquarium – both were really impressive. But what I enjoyed the most was a behind-the-scenes opportunity to feed Zebra sharks at the PPG Aquarium! It was such a cool experience and likely a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pet and hold a live shark!

Of course, the theme of this particular Explore PA episode was a Pennsylvania Homecoming reunion in Pittsburgh. Specifically, we highlighted the 50th high school reunion of St. Benedict’s Academy. And what a delightful group of ladies and Pittsburghers we were able to meet. The ladies were all graduates of St. Benedicts who had returned to the area for the 50th reunion. I only hope I am as energetic and excited for my 50th high school reunion!
After visiting I can now understand first-hand why someone would be proud to be from Pittsburgh – it has a lot to offer in a nicely packaged city.