In the Beginning

I like to travel. I want to travel more. I want to tell you all about it.

A big part of traveling involves what I take with me when I go places. I have a huge bag addiction. I have spent a fortune on briefcases, tote bags, messenger bags, suitcases, purses and backpacks. I have found it difficult to find perfection because I hate not having what I need with me when I need it. But, I also don’t like being encumbered by too much stuff. So, like with clothing, layering is the key.

My absolute minimum list of must haves:

Cell phone - I have the large Apple iPhone 6s Plus because it’s beautiful. I take pictures and videos, read, watch movies, write, check-in on all of my social media platforms, listen to music and books, and map out my routes

Cash and cards - good food and drink costs

IDs - drivers’ license, passport, medical card, etc.

Small notebook and felt tip pen - sometimes I just need to go old school

Lip balm - it’s not likely, but I might kiss someone (it could happen, I’m not dead yet, you know and travelers are a friendly bunch, so it pays to be prepared)

Tissues - speaking of being prepared: for napkins at dives, wiping away tears of joy and potty breaks on the side of the road

Contact cards - I’ve got to promote, market and connect

Keys - the Silver Bullet gets me there and everywhere (it’s a pretentious name for a minivan, but I live large in my head.)

After much trial and error, I found this bag. Whether it’s going to the grocery store or a two week trip to Europe, this leather Passport Wallet holds all of the above. Light-weight, small, sturdy and convenient, it’s a perfect fit and low cost. It has a very long and strong cord that adjusts for tucking in a jacket for security. I’ve used it everyday for several months and decided it’s a keeper.

built like a brick house

Lancaster, PA, (pronounced LANK-aster with the middle part distinct yet said together by the locals) was originally called Hickory Town and is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. The center of town, a single block of mostly brick buildings, is formed by King Street, Queen Street, Orange Street and Prince Street. These names hearken back to a time when we were still The Colonies.

The corner of King Street and Queen Street forms the bottom left corner of The Box, a square circle with a monument in the middle.

There is parking on the edges of the streets but those spaces were quickly taken. I parked in one of the convenient parking lots in the middle of the block. The price for my short Sunday stay was $6.00 for less than two hours.

I parked, grabbed my Shunk backpack filled with my iPad and notebook along with my camera and phone and headed for King Street where I picked one of the many restaurants in the area to have brunch.

I immediately found Steinman Park, a hidden garden created by the surrounding buildings. It’s a brick courtyard with outdoor seating for eating called The Pressroom. A beautiful fountain formed the base end with a bar off to the side. The fountain end had raised bar tables, the area closest to the entrance had regular height tables.

 When I got there around eleven am, only one outdoor table was occupied. I took pictures, found a table right near the fountain and settled in. I ordered a virgin Bloody Mary and coffee and Scallops and CornedBeef with a Poached Egg to eat (they forgot the corned beef, but I didn’t notice until I wrote this.) They were playing 70’s and 80’s music at just the right sound level. My Bloody Mary tasted like a shrimp cocktail. Perfect amount of horseradish.

Kevin, my waiter/bartender, was friendly, efficient and attentive without hovering.

After dining, I walked around the block filled with quaint shops and plenty of eateries.

Lancaster is definitely worth a re-visit. 

Tomcatting in PA

If you ever find yourself in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, (near Reading) you have to have breakfast at The Tomcat Cafe'. This place will rock your socks off. All they do is breakfast. But man, oh, man, alive, what breakfasts they do.

It's in a small corner house and it is small. Be prepared to wait. But it's worth the wait. And I don't like to wait. You might need to sit outside for half an hour. There are benches and something bean bag toss games. Plus a busy street to watch. 

They will be renovating starting in the beginning of September, but not increasing in size. I figure they seat about 60 people in this little place.  

It's got a kitschy music vibe, but don't expect to hear any tunes. All you'll get is a loud human buzz.

Wall paintings in the ladies' bathroom.

The cooks and the waitresses in this place are some of the hardest working people I've ever seen. And very friendly. They run around like crazy and still manage to smile.

The menu is huge. It's eight pages of small print. Each item has a catchy sort of name and there are no substitutions along you can build your own omelette. The prices are very reasonable, too. We were five people and it cost $70 without tip. 

My daughter had a Brass Monkey: pancakes topped with caramelized bourbon bananas and walnuts. There are sweet offerings and savory tastes. I usually want three different things. It's so hard to choose. Check out the online MENU HERE.

This time (my second visit) I had a bread bowl: It Really Tied the Room Together: shrimp, lump crab, asparagus, tomatoes and scrambled eggs topped with a white wine tarragon dijon cream sauce.

Weekly Photo Prompt - Cement Graffiti

I went to Germany, Austria and Italy in June of this year. It was a fantastic trip. I took thousands of pictures with both my phone and camera. I'm still sorting through them so I can put them on memory sticks and give them to my travel mates (my brother, Jim, and sister-in-law, Karen [who upgraded us to first class flights those two amazing studs], Karen's sister, Tina [also known as American Eva], Eva [aka The Manager], and my cousin, Seppi [Austrian Larry.])

The Manager forced us to walk an average of 13,000 steps every day. It was torture. I was miserable and cranky. Everyone took my poutiness with much more grace than I showed while enduring it.

When I got home, I decided to continue walking. After being abused as I was in Europe, an hour each morning would be as nothing in comparison.

Except, it's REALLY boring walking in circles in my neighborhood. So, I entertain myself by by setting little photog tasks for myself. You can join me if you want.

This coming week, I'll be taking pictures of cement graffiti.

Humans putting their marks on walls is an ancient tradition: cave paintings in the Cave of Altamira, Santander, Spain, workers marking tombs in Giza, brothel messages from Pompeii, "Kilroy was here" during World War II, tagging in inner cities.

Graffiti is officially an art form.

* Let me know where you've posted your pictures (blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, what evs) I'll come look and comment.