The front of the Franklin Fountain at 116 Market Street
Sometimes you run across the perfect shop in looks and merchandise that just stands out. The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia is one of those places. I try to stop here when I am in Philly for their homemade ice cream and to admire the old fashioned deal of the place.
I love this section of Old Philadelphia where the city was created with its old fashioned buildings and creative signs. You can see how the city developed over time.
The front of the fountain area
All of the ice creams are homemade and are made in house. You can taste the richness in each bite of the dish of ice cream.
The menus and the specialty sundaes
The Franklin Fountain is not shop of the past but a creation of many shops to create this turn of the last century ice cream parlor in a tin ceiled building that gives it the 19th century look.
The flavors of ice creams and sundaes
They have a wonderful selection of sundaes and milkshakes to choose from and some great flavors of ice cream.
The Sundae specials
The syrups and toppings
I chose the Caramelized Banana and the Salted Caramel ice creams on both of my trips to The Franklin Fountain. I had to try them both for a second time remembering how good they were the first time.
The rich creaminess of the ice cream with the taste of the sugary caramel and the fresh bananas was a real delight as was the delicious taste of the caramel in the Salted Caramel.
The Caramelized Banana was on the top of the package
Yum!
I loved every bite of it. It can be a bit pricy but for that special indulgence, it can be a real treat.
The History of Franklin Fountain:
(From the Franklin Fountain website)
In January 2003 Eric Berley was finishing his philosophy studies at William & Mary College with no hard plans for the future. Ryan Berley, his brother, was continuing his work as an antiques trader and consultant to Freeman’s auction house, although he was feeling stagnant and ready to do something different.
Just over a year before, the Berley’s father and aunt had purchased a turn-of-the-century building in the heart of Old City in Philadelphia at 116 Market Street. It had (and has) wonderful decorative tin walls & ceilings and the original porcelain mosaic tile floor, that inspired Ryan to float the idea of building an authentic ice cream parlor and soda fountain.
The brothers have always attributed their early fondness for ice cream history to the interior design of their childhood home. Carole Berley, Ryan & Eric’s mother, began selling antiques out of their home in Media in 1976, just after Ryan was born, and decorated the dining room with a historical ice cream parlor motif.
In Summer 2003 Eric traveled to New York state to study under an ice cream chef and mentor. When he returned to Philadelphia he and Ryan wrote a business plan for what would be called “The Franklin Fountain.”
The brothers were inspired by a marble portrait of Benjamin Franklin they had seen at an exhibition of sculpture by Jean-Antoine Houdon that spring. Dr. Franklin, civic businessman, thinker and experimenter, began his adult life just steps away from 116 Market Street. Following a turn-of-the-century precedent for naming businesses after the great man, Franklin’s legacy proved a worthy namesake for the soda fountain.
Months of planning followed, as did road trips to the National Ice Cream Retailer’s Convention in New Orleans, and annual the Ice Screamers Convention (an ice cream antique and memorabilia convention). As they learned, the brothers began to make connections between the values of the early soda fountains and those that Franklin advocated: craftsmanship, social responsibility and experimentation to better serve the people.
By January of 2004, construction began, and with mountains of help from family and friends the final equipment was placed as September wound down. The Franklin Fountain quietly opened the last week of the Summer 2004. The Franklin Fountain aims to serve an experience steeped in ideals, drizzled with drollery, and sprinkled with the forgotten flavors of the American past.
When I am visiting Philadelphia, I am always in search of reasonable places to eat and find snacks after a long day of touring. I came across Asia Bakery at 115 North 10th Street last year when I came in for the Flower Shos and it has been one of my go to places ever since.
The inside of Asia Bakery and their selection of baked goods to choose from
Their buns and rolls are very reasonable and if you get there earlier in the day, there is also a nice selection of baked goods to choose from. On my first trip there, I stopped for a late afternoon snack and one of their Roast Pork buns and a Cream bun.
I loved the sweetness of the topping and the rich barbecue taste of the chopped pork inside the bun. It is part lunch and part dessert. They are one of my favorite Chinese buns.
The Roast Pork bun
The filling is so good
The Cream buns are wonderful too. Filled with a sweet vanilla cream, they make the perfect dessert after a meal in Chinatown.
On my recent trip, I stopped in to have some dessert after dinner eating elsewhere. There were so many choices but I decided on the Pineapple Cream bun. These sweet soft buns are topped with a sugary crust and filled with a sweet vanilla cream. The perfect pocket dessert.
The Pineapple Cream bun
The filling is delicious
Everything I have tried here is delicious and there are so many choices that it is hard to choose what you want to try. Don’t miss this small hole in the wall bakery in Philadelphia’s Chinatown for a meal on the go or just a quick snack.
After the holidays were over and I returned from my trip to Cape May for three days, exploring all the museums and historic sites that were open while enjoying the extension of the holidays, I got to visit a few of the local “Lightshows” on the last weekend they were open before the Epiphany. These are interactive exhibitions of lights and museum that should not be missed and are fun to walk through.
These started in Cape May and continued on through my last walk through Brooklyn on the last night of “Lightscapes” on one of the coldest nights of the New Year. Even with the weather turning bitterly cold, some of the nights there was not wind and made these nights out a true delight. You get caught up in the beauty of all the lights and music.
My adventure of lights began after Christmas with my annual trip to Cape May, NJ. Cape May is one of the most dazzling towns to celebrate Christmas. The only town to rival it is Rhinebeck, NY and they are neck in neck for the holiday season. The parks, hotels and the downtown Washington Street Mall are always decked out for the holidays.
The Park in downtown Cape May, NJ
Cape May Park in Downtown Cape May, NJ
I love this annual lightshow because it is free and part of the holiday magic that makes Cape May, NJ so special. This walk through the ‘Village Green’ of Cape May is part of what is so wonderful and shows the holiday spirit of Greater Cape May during the Christmas holidays.
The glittering tree in the park
The park glitters and shines
The Gazebo is always brilliant at the holidays
The Christmas tree is always amazing in Downtown Cape May
The decorated homes of Cape May, NJ near the beach
The houses in Cape May lit up for the holidays
Washington Mall in Downtown Cape May lit for the holidays
Washington Mall in Downtown Cape May
The Washington Mall during the later evening in Cape May
The beautiful Christmas lights and decorations continued at The Congress Hotel just off the downtown. The hotel is always so beautifully decorated like the town and is a wonderful place to stay at Christmas time (I stayed here in 2017 for Christmas and loved it). I ended up eating at the hotel for both breakfast at the Blue Pig and dinner at the Boiler Room (you can see these reviews in my Christmas blog from 2017 updated in 2024):
The inside of the hotel’s foyer always decorated to the hilt for the holidays
The Courtyard of the hotel decorated for the holidays
The beautiful Christmas tree in the courtyard is always a treat to look at every holiday
After I left the hotel, I just walked around Cape May and there is always a light show to see. So I walked around town, had dinner and just enjoyed the lights for two nights.
The light tree in one of the parks in Cape May
I ate at Viggiano’s at Sunset 109 Sunset Boulevard for dinner my last night in Cape May after touring around town
I started the meal with a delicious Italian Wedding Soup
This was followed by a delicious Spaghetti Carbonara
The food at the restaurant is very homey and delicious. The dinner was a perfect way to end my tour of Cape May’s downtown area and all the decorated homes. The two days I spend there always refresh me after the holidays.
When I arrived home from the Christmas holidays with my family, I had the week off before the college I work at resumed classes. I had not planned too many activities so I decided to update some of my older blogs by visiting places I had once visited during the holidays and planned to visit some of the popular light shows in the tri-state area.
The first thing I did when I returned home was visit the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. The crowds started to go down after the holidays and I got to visit it later in the evening so I could take better pictures. There is nothing like Rockefeller Center at Christmas time. It is in a league all its own.
Visiting Rockefeller Center at Christmas is always exciting
You have not experienced anything at the holidays until you have seen the tree at Rockefeller Center
Across the street, Saks Fifth Avenue was decked out for the holidays. The decorations and lights were beautiful and made up for their windows which were decorated with just clothes this year.
Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue at Christmas time
There were three light shows I wanted to visit on the last weekend of the holidays and it took some coordinating. On New Year’s Eve, I took the train down to Center City Philadelphia to see the lightshow at the old Wanamaker’s store which is now Macy’s (Thank God I did as they announced after the holidays that Macy’s will be closing this location in March 2025). This is always a treat. I had not seen it since 2016.
See my Blog on visiting Philadelphia at Christmas in 2016:
The front of the store made famous by the movie ‘Mannequin’
The trailer for “Mannequin”
The windows at Macy’s Center City
The opening of the movie “Mannequin”:
The inside of Macy’s Center City in the movie “Mannequin”
The beautiful decorations of Macy’s Philadelphia at Christmas
Preparing for the lightshow in the main Rotunda
The magnificent decorations on the first floor
The famous eagle on the first floor
I saw the Lightshow twice, once to take pictures and once to film it. It is the same show I have seen several times, narrated by Julie Andrew’s but I never get bored from it. It really is a holiday tradition.
The start of the show that takes place every two hours
The start of the show with the Introduction
The start of Part One of the show
The video of Part One:
The video of the start of the show with a scene from ‘The Nutcracker’
The second part of the show with the clocks
The Video of Part Two:
The video of the Clock Show and Snow falling
The Sleigh Ride and the Snow Falling
The visit from Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer
Video of Part Three:
Taking a Train trip to a Winter Wonderland
Welcoming Frosty the Snowman
Welcoming the Snowfall
Video of Part Four:
The Finale with the sounds of the organ is always a treat
The Finale
The Video of Part Five: The Finale
The Finale always gets an applause
After the Light-show was over, I walked around Macy’s. It is not the same store it was when it was Wanamaker’s when all the floors were open and they had all the magnificent restaurants. Wanamaker’s was top notch. Still I saw traces of the old store here and there. You can still see all the beautiful architecture and lighting.
The Rotunda after the Lightshow
Macy’s at Christmas
Macy’s at Christmas time
After I left Macy’s, I walked around Center City Philadelphia and walked around the City Hall complex. This was pretty much the last week of decorations and the holidays before they started to take this down.
City Hall in Center City
The lights continued with the Philadelphia Christmas tree downtown
On the other side of City Hall was the last day of the Christmas Mart
The outside Christmas Mart had its own gardens and Christmas lights
After I had toured both the store and the downtown area, I headed over to Reading Market for lunch. I love coming here for meals when I am in Philadelphia. There are so many places to choose from.
One of my favorite places to eat when it is open is the Dutch Eating Place inside the Reading Market. I love their breakfasts, their burgers but especially their Hot Turkey Platters. They are the best. Sitting at the counter, you can always have a nice conversation with someone.
The food at the Dutch Eating Place is always top notch and very homey. The Hot Turkey Sandwich was the Thanksgiving dinner that I did not have this year.
After my tour of the Reading Market, a short walk around downtown Center City and tour through Macy’s (with almost no merchandise on the shelves in certain departments, it was signaling to me that there was a problem in the store), it was time to head home. There were even more beautiful Christmas lights at Penn Station with their Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree at Penn Station in Philadelphia
After the holidays were over, Macy’s announced that the Center City store would be closing in March. So much for coming back or a ‘Mannequin’ remake.
Macy’s closing their downtown store in Philadelphia in March 2025
Over the weekend of the Epiphany, I arranged to see three more walking tours before they all closed for the season. One was the Holiday Lights tour at the Bronx Zoo, another was the Christmas Walking tour of the Armour-Stiner House in Irvington, NY and the last was one of my favorites, The Lightscape tour at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Each of these were more beautiful then the next with the only problem being is how cold it got those evenings.
The well lit welcome to the Bronx Zoo at the entrance by Astor Court
The fountains by Astor Court
Astor Court dazzling that evening
The wonderland of lights by Astor Court
The Christmas Tree light show just off Astor Court
The Light-show is captivating
This holiday light presentation was ongoing and beautiful. I just wished the music could have been louder. The main Christmas tree had so many unusual light displays.
The beautiful lights during the show
The main Christmas tree
I loved all the lights on the tree
I ended up watching the show three times for over a half hour and it still keep changing to something new
The tree display
The tree lights were captivating
After I left Astor Court, I just followed the pathways around the zoo and enjoyed the lights and displays. The show either seemed bigger than I remembered or I missed a lot on my last trip in 2019.
Walking along the pathways with all the displays
The pathways lit to create a Fantasyland
What I love about this show is the different themed sections of the show and how the zoo sets the show up. The Nautical displays were on the side of the Zoo that I entered and were the first set of lights I saw.
The nautical lights
The Nautical lights
Stingrays in the Nautical lights
The fish display
The Jellyfish display
The seals were one of the bigger displays in the zoo
One of the indoor displays was interactive
The multi lights and interactive puppets by the zoo sign
I liked the light structures
The giraffe sculptures
The reindeer lighting the way
The colorful flowers lining the paths
The light sculptures line the paths of the zoo
The puppet masters entertained us in the park
Then I headed down paths to visit all sorts of exotic animals and their colorful habitats lined the paths.
The flamingoes
The Turtles
The ant eater
The colorful parrots
The penguins
The Emu
The Alligator
The crowds are sparse at this time of the year and this is the best time to take pictures
It was the weekend of the Epiphany when I visited so the holiday decorations were still up
The park was so nicely decorated for the holidays
The beautiful snow flakes
I next went to the jungle themed part of the park and visited all the animals in the wild. This is where all the bigger displays were located and you got to see all the zoo related animals.
Where the wild animals were located
The friendly giraffes
The friendly faces of the giraffes
The playful monkeys
The elephants
The Rhinos
Lions and tigers
Walking down the well lit paths
The Rainbow tunnel
The Wild Wolves
The Green Tree by the Dancing Crane Cafe
I had to stop for a while to warm up and have something to eat. I tried to stop before I got to the zoo but there are only delis that surround the park. I had not eaten here years and the food had always been pretty good.
The Chicken Fingers here were excellent and the portion size was very fair
The fries were really good as well and had just come out of the fryer
I have to say that I was very impressed by the food and the service. Everyone could not have been nicer and it was a very pleasant and relaxing dinner.
As I resumed my walk down the paths of the zoo, I walked through the most amazing colorful tunnel, where everyone was taking pictures.
When you can walk through this alone it is really amazing
My part of the zoo I traveled through was the Magical Rain Forest with its colorful flowers and exotic animals.
The beautifully lit Totem pole
The colorful flowers lined the paths
The colorful butterfly’s
The colorful flowers in the Rain Forest
The beauty of the walkways
This was such a colorful frog
Another playful frog in the Rain Forest
I thought the frog with the toad was very clever
These colorful birds lined the path
The colors of the frogs in the Rain Forest were amazing
This beautiful Diamondback turtle was last animal I saw before I left the Rain Forest
The temperature really started to drop this evening and it was in the thirties when I left the Bronx Zoo. Still it was an amazing night. The show was so dazzling that night and dinner was surprisingly good that night that I did not mind.
The 125th sign all lit when I left the park that night
The Swan Gate as I was leaving
It got really cold at the end of the evening but it was such a great night. The displays were amazing and the musical light shows were a lot of fun. It is something everyone should see once. It is even better later in the season when there are no crowds and you can take great pictures.
The decorated Rhino was one of the last thing J saw when I left the park
On the Sunday of the last day of the Christmas season, I visited the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see their lightshow ‘Lightscape’ which I had seen a few years earlier. It was the last night to see it and it was crowded and really cold.
The problem was that the weather had turned really cold and it was in the low thirties even in the early evening. So I really had to bundle up for these visits. The show itself was well worth the trip.
The map would take us all over the gardens
The lit tree army the entrance of the gardens
Then I entered the ‘Canopy of Light’ with its magical lights and music
At the entrance of the show was the breathtaking ‘Canopy of Light’
The beautiful multi lights with music
The lights moved to ‘Let it Snow’
I continued down the path to the Japanese Garden and saw the most spectacular light and water show in the lake of the garden.
The colors and fountains swayed to the music
What gorgeous colors
The movements and music were wonderful
The amazing water show in the Japanese Garden
The end of the show was beautiful
I ended up seeing the water show twice because I knew they would not let me turnaround to see it again. The I turned down the path.
The lights in the trees were amazing
The field of white lit roses
A closer look at the white roses
I continued down the path to the next display
I next moved on to the main lawn where the sculpture ‘Singularity’ was displayed. You could not stare at it too long or it could hypnotize you.
The sculpture ‘Singularity’
The sculpture ‘Singularity’
I walked around the Water Lilly ponds whose flowers would bloom again in the summer but had sculptures of Butterflies floating around in them.
These were called ‘Butterfly Effect’
The ‘Butterfly Effect’
I love the way the sculptures swayed and moved in the pond to the music. The Yellow Magnolia, the Garden’s restaurant was open that evening and was packed with people eating dinner. There was no way of getting in so I moved on down the path.
The pathways were lit with all sorts of colors
The next sculpture was ‘One Small Thing’ and the sculpture ‘Halo’ that lit the way in the back of the Gardens.
‘One Small Thing’
The lights alone the path for ‘One Small Thing’
The came the sculptures for ‘Halo’
The next interactive and musical sculpture was ‘Alumine’ which looked like trees in a Dr. Seuss book. Colorful and fun!
Walking through the ‘Alumine’ sculptures
The experience of walking through ‘Alumine’ is like walking through ’Whoville’ in the winter
The lights here changed color every minute and were so amazing.
As I left ‘Alumine’, the next series of sculptures were light shows with dazzling colors and music. This is what made this show stand out more than the shows of the past.
The beautiful lights lit the path through dormant trees
The colors kept changing
As I walked down the path, I entered ‘Rainbow Road’ with it colorful disco lights and energetic soundtrack.
The outdoor lights and music makes you feel like you are in a discotheque
I stayed here the longest to listen to the 70’s soundtrack
The music was fantastic that night
I moved on to the area of the gardens between where the crocuses will grow in two months and near Daffodils Hill was another amazing display entitled ‘Anemonia’. These sculptures looked like futuristic lamps.
The ‘Anemonia’ sculptures
The ‘Anemonia’ lit beautifully
The next light display rivaled the ‘Happy Waters’ was ‘Interface’, a display of memorizing lights and music. I stayed for three shows as it was so dazzling.
The ‘Anemonia’ sign
The lights and sounds of ‘Interface’
The sights and sounds of ‘Interface’
The show ended with some of the spectacular lights
I then walked through the ‘Neon Network’ to get to where the Cherry Blossom Esplanade dazzled everyone in April with its beautiful, fluffy pink blossoms. It was other bright colors showcasing this part of the gardens.
The ‘Neon Network’ sign
Walking through the ‘Neon Network’
The ‘Neon Network’
Walking through the ‘Neon Network’
The ‘Neon Network’ led to the last spectacular displays of lights in the Cherry Blossom Esplanade, ‘Winter Reflection’, a celebration of lights, trees and snowflakes.
The colors of ‘Winter Reflections’
The colors of ‘Winter Reflections’The
Video on ‘Winter Reflections’:
The tree brightly lit in ‘Winter Reflections’
The dazzling colors of ‘Winter Reflections’
To really appreciate the shoe of ‘Winter Reflections’ you had to walk up the pathways overlooking the Esplanade.
The pathway through the Cherry Esplanade was spectacular
The lightshow for ‘Winter Reflections’ was most entertaining from the top of the hill
The video of the show from the top of the hill show it’s true beauty and entertainment:
One of the most memorable show off ‘Lightscapes’
After I saw the show twice before I headed out of the gardens. I walked through the ‘Winter Cathedral’ which had been the biggest part of the light show a couple of years ago. This is most impressive.
The ‘Winter Cathedral’ at the end of the tour
The lights are so spectacular in the evening
The last display before I left the park was the ‘Lantern Garden’ at the original area of the gardens entrance.
The sign for ‘The Lantern Garden’
The ‘Lantern Garden’ at the end of the garden
The ‘Lantern Garden’
I exited the gardens after almost two hours of walking around and it started to get cold outside. It was still really busy in the gardens as the later ticket holders will still coming in.
The exit of the show at the Eastern Parkway entrance
Before I returned to Manhattan, I had a quick dinner at Bahn Mi Sandwich on Washington Avenue. Their Vietnamese sandwiches are always wonderful.
After cold night in the gardens, I stopped to have a sandwich and eat inside the restaurant. It was so nice and warm and the sandwich was excellent. I ordered the Shredded Chicken Banh Mi and it was delicious. Lots of steamed chicken tucked inside a chewy bun with fresh vegetables. I really enjoy their sandwiches.
The sandwich was a perfect way to end the evening
Before I left Manhattan for the evening, I walked through Bryant Park on the way back to Port Authority. The Christmas tree was still up surprisingly and the most of the food vendors around the skating rink were still open.
The Skating Rink at Bryant Park at the end of the holidays
The food vendors were still open at the end of the season
The Christmas tree was still ablaze at the end of the 12 Days of Christmas
Bryant Park is so spectacular during the holidays
For anyone who says New York City or even Philly for that matter are boring during the holidays have not walked the parks and streets. There are so many beautiful and spectacular things to do and see.
You all have to experience them for yourself in eleven months!
Post Christmas visit during the Philadelphia Flower Show 2025:Macy’s Closing
What was sad though when I returned two months later for the Flower Show, it was announced that Macy’s was shutting down the downtown store as part of the store cuts as Macy’s was downsizing the company.
Macy’s Closing at the Wanamaker’s Building
Almost all the inner city stores like Brooklyn and Philadelphia were going to join stores like Pittsburgh and Minneapolis. It was a sad day for Philly.
Macy’s during my day of touring
Sad day in Philly
It reminded me of when B. Altman closed in New York City
The display windows said it all but had been very festive just two months earlier
The once elegant Men’s Department
The mannequins for sale
Me with the ‘Mannequins’ on the first floor
Me with the decorations that once adorned the first floor during Christmas
It’s so sad to see where John Wanamaker once walked and Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall once danced down the aisles has now been reduced to thisbargain sale
The empty cases were once filled with beautiful jewels and fancy perfumes
All the Christmas decorations from two months before were all sold
The beautiful atrium where I watched the light show a few months before
The Accessories Department
No one was near the Eagle that day
The back part of the Atrium
The sadness of the Clothing Department
The Cosmetics Department had nothing left
The beautiful embellishments around the Cosmetics Department of the Eastern States. This is of Massachutes
This is the New Jersey emblem
Where Kim Cattrell and Andrew McCarthy danced in the film
The lion guarding the stairs
The actors dancing in the film “Mannequin”
The front of the old Wanamakers store where the opening scene of ‘Mannequin’ was shot
Not what John Wanamaker envisioned for his store
It is a sad day as this was once one of the most beautiful and creative stores in the country now reduced to a bargain sale.
School has started, the leaves have started to change colors and it is getting dark at a depressing 7:00pm. Fall has started. With that, the farms go from peaches and tomatoes to pumpkins and apples. By Labor Day, the Halloween merchandise starts to hit the shelves and even more depressing, Christmas trees and ornaments with Santa’s singing have entered the stores. I am still hitting the beach and I have to look at reindeer?
As I was passing Rosie’s Farm on my way into Mullica Hill as I was driving to Wildwood for the Firemen’s Convention, I came across this festive sign for Halloween. We were worried about Halloween in the middle of September? Still it intrigued me and I thought this would be fun. I booked a room at the Salem River Inn for two weeks later and off I went yet again to South Jersey exploring all the back roads.
When I got off at Exit Two off the Jersey Turnpike, I was greeted with all these signs with this festive little ghost all over them. I would understand later that this was a big fundraiser for the Harrison Township Historical Society, a very nice little museum on the edge of Downtown Mullica Hill, NJ that I had blogged about in the past. So with the room and tour all booked, off I went exploring the area again until I could check into my hotel.
Since I had just toured the area two weeks earlier, I got most of my stock pictures in and had a list of places I wanted to visit again before they closed for the season. On that list was Hudock’s Ice Cream to see if I could get that heavenly peach ice cream again before they closed for the season, then visit a small museum in Bridgeton (which ended up being closed), the Cohanzick Zoo in the Bridgeton public parks and the Bridgeton Presbyterian Church cemetery for more pictures of sections of the historic cemetery that I missed. So I took all the local back roads through farm country to get to Bridgeton. The adventures took through farm country and all the great farms and farm stands that come with it. It is so much fun when I get lost.
The Mullica Hill Ghost Walk in Mullica Hill, NJ started the Halloween season
I was coming back from the Firemen’s Convention and was staying in Salem River when visiting museums for my blog and I saw the sign for the Mullica Hill Ghost Walk and back to South Jersey I went. I had to take my mind off the first month of school, so I took the weekend to get away.
As I made my way down to Bridgeton to start a series of visits to historical sites on my bucket list for my blog I took a local detour down local roads and came across Moods Farm with a very festive looking pumpkin looking at me and smiling. I had plenty of time for a detour and visit the farm. What a treat!
The farm was really active that morning with people going on hay rises through the fields, walking through the corn maze and enjoying apple cider and cider doughnuts. That last one I was planning on doing.
The very festive female pumpkin greets you at the gate
Moods Farm Market at was very busy that morning and was even busier when I left
The entrance to the market at 901 Bridgeton Pike, where they were selling tickets to hay rides and the maze
The farm created such a relaxing and enjoyable environment when welcoming you. I felt like I was taking a step back to the 1970’s when there was time to stop and take a breather and enjoy a sunny afternoon. I really like the farm stand with the multiple fruits and vegetables and homemade jams.
The fruits and vegetables from the farm
There were lots of things to choose from at the stand
I was in search of a good cider doughnut. I was bummed that they were selling them by the pack. That was until I stopped and talked with the girl at the counter and she said I could buy them individually. They were just coming out of the fryer and they were warm. There is nothing like a fresh cider doughnut with fresh apple cider.
The doughnuts were just out of the fryer and were so delicious
The Apple Cider was made from Honey Crisp apples
I took my cider doughnut and my apple cider and sat at the picnic tables over looking the farm. With all the rushing around in my life, it was to just stop and enjoy a sunny morning.
I was watching the rides through the fields
While I was at the picnic tables, I read the trivia questions in the large pumpkin while watching the tractors drive by.
The Pumpkin Trivia board
The questions and answers were really cute. I thought it was an interesting game.
The questions
The answer
It was just nice to watch people on the rides and having a good time. It is nice to see all this on a sunny early afternoon.
Looking over the farm in the early afternoon
Watching people have fun on the hay rides
The wooden pens of animals for kids to play with at all ages
After this relaxing detour at the farm, I continued my trip down the back roads to Bridgeton, passing other farms and fields of corn.
Then I passed Elmer, a small farming town just south of Mullica Hill. I had not heard from their historical society and when I saw the sign and time I took a chance to see if they were open and pulled down the country lane. I am glad I did.
The country road leading to Elmer, NJ
In Southern New Jersey you are reminded that we are still a rural state
When I visited Elmer, NJ, they were having their ‘Harvest Fest’ that afternoon when I finally got to see their historical society, which was open as they were sponsoring the event. Normally they are only open the second Sunday of the month and that is it.
The Tractor display at the Harvest Fest
The crowds at the Harvest Fest
The amazing crafts at the festival
The amazing crafters at the festival
While I walked around Downtown Elmer, I found that their historical society was open too. I finally got to tour that elusive museum too.
After I left Elmer, I made my way down to Bridgeton to the downtown to visit some of the historical sites in this former Colonial city. For such a depressed City, Bridgeton has a lot to offer and see. I am so surprised that the artists have not taken over this city as well. I am starting to see traces of it as there are now two art galleries in the downtown amongst the Mexican businesses and a few of the Victorian homes outside the downtown have been really fixed up.
The first museum that was located in the main library, the Woodruff Museum of Indian Artifacts was closed and no one could take me downstairs no matter how much I asked. I could not understand how a main library could run on just two people.
So I left there and decided to take pictures at the Presbyterian Church cemetery. There were a lot of pictures that I did not get the last time I visited and there were certain parts of the cemetery I wanted to revisit. Before I did that, I noticed a woman and her daughter had set up a taco stand just in front of the church across the street from the library.
The smells were amazing and I wanted to see what they were serving. She was cooking homemade soft tacos. tamales and quesadillas. I was starved and they looked so good. So I ended up getting two of them and she served them with a homemade hot sauce. They were out of the world.
What was nice is that they set up a table just outside their stall and I was able to enjoy lunch outside in the beautiful weather
The fresh Tacos being cooked across the street from the Bridgeton Library. The woman and her daughter were such good cooks
After lunch, I headed back up into downtown Bridgeton and visited the Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street. I had read an article online that this was one of the best bakeries in the State of New Jersey. It did live up to its reputation. The doughnuts were excellent.
I could not believe the selection of different flavors of doughnuts and cakes and it was hard to choose between them.
The selection of doughnuts to chose from
I wanted something different so I got a Vanilla Cream filled glazed doughnut. Talk about excellent. It was light and sweet and topped with a thick layer of glazed.
The Glazed Vanilla Cream Filled doughnut
Yum!
After lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon before I checked into my hotel at the Bridgeton Presbyterian Church in the cemetery taking pictures of the historic graveyard. It really is something out of a Hollywood horror film. The cemetery at Bridgeton Presbyterian Church contains some of the founding families of the region and many veterans of both the revolutionary and Civil Wars.
I headed to the church and toured the cemetery. On a sunny Fall afternoon with the leaves changes colors, the graveyard had a certain glow to it like the spirits knew I was there. I still think this graveyard has positive spirits at rest because I never feel creeped out by it. It seems like the spirits always appreciate visiting them and respecting their place here.
The graveyard has a creepy look about it even during the day
I toured the graveyard and looked over some of the more unusual tombstones. I liked the part of the graveyard that was older and closer to the church. The names of many of the original families of the area and a lot of Revolutionary War members were buried here so it’s not only historical but part of the fabric of the City of Bridgeton.
After I toured the graveyard I headed to another part of Bridgeton and headed to the Cohanzick Zoo in the Bridgeton Park.
The entrance to the Cohanzick Zoo in the early afternoon
I got to the zoo in the early afternoon and was able to walk around the zoo and tour the whole thing in an hour. This regional zoo had a lot of smaller animals that had been rescued or abused. The sad part was that the cages and pens were not that big so some of the animals looked bored.
The entrance of the Zoo
The sign that explains the zoo
The Raccoon House was my first stop
I searched for the raccoon and found him sleeping at the top of his house
The little guy looked so pooped
The zoo is one of the smaller more localized ones that I have visited so you can see the whole zoo in about an hour. Then you can walk leisurely around the paths and revisit the exhibitions again. Some of the animals like the peacock family, just wonder around the park and do their thing.
This gorilla sculpture that greets you in the back part of the zoo
Following the walkway to the back pens where a lot of the small animal and bird displays were located
The next exhibition that I visited was the Sand Hill Crane and I read that the poor little guy had been injured. He seemed a bit more optimistic when I passed the cage. I think that the animals just want some attention.
The Sand Hill Crane display
The Crane was watching all of us as we passed his cage
The next small animal that I visited was the Fennec fox and the two that I saw were fast asleep on this warm afternoon. They must have had a busy morning.
The Fennec fox cage
The foxes that I saw that day were fast asleep
While I was walking around the back part of the zoo, there was a peacock family walking around the cages. The father peacock had two small birds with him and they just meandered amongst the cages.
The male Peacock walking around the zoo with his children. They were allowed to walk around on their own without being locked up. They looked like they were having an adventure as a family.
The Ring Tailed Lemur display
I visited the Ring- Tailed Lemur pens and these little monkeys looked like they were plotting an escape. They stayed in a bunch the whole time I watched them and they just stared.
The lemurs just stared back at me as I watched them
The back part of the museum was beautiful in the early fall
The tiger sculpture along the path at first freaked me out that he had gotten out and just looked at us. He looked real.
The Totem Pole Garden
The river running through the gardens in the Fall 2024
The leopard looked bored in his cage. He justly walked aimless around their cages. They are not being given enough space to move around.
The serval cage
The Serval also looked bored. It just walked in circles around the cage. I was not sure if he was bored or just confused.
The zoo was such a nice place to relax and just collect my thoughts. The beginning of the semester had been rough for me and we were going into Midterms in a couple of weeks. Just walking through the zoo relaxed me. Between the gardens and the sounds of the animals it was nice to clear my head for an hour.
I headed over to the Salem River Inn in Salem, NJ and dropped my things off in my room before the tour. I just relaxed for a bit before I made the trip back to Mullica Hill to start the tour. The town was packed with people already starting their tours.
Downtown Mullica Hill the night of the walk
The downtown was dotted with scarecrows
The foliage was just starting to change but like Octobers in the past five years it has been warmer and greener further into the month.
The tee shirts of the event being sold at the start of the tour
Our tour guide at the start of the tour
The scarecrows on the tour
We walked many stops in the downtown that was steeped in history even before the Revolutionary War.
The Hanging Barn where a worker hung himself
The history of the 12th Infantry some buried in the town
The Haunted St. Stephen’s Church downtown
The inside of the church where angels were seen
The graveyard talk in the back of the church
The Haunted House where multiple ghosts have been seen
Another haunted house
The Mullica family home is haunted
Another haunted house in town
After the tour was over, I toured the Mullica Hill Historical Society after the tour to see the new ‘Taverns and Temperance’ exhibition on the local watering holes of the 18th and 19th centuries of which only two exist.
The Last Call exhibition at the Harrison Township Historical Society Museum at 62 Main Street
The ‘Last Call’ exhibition was a look on how taverns were such an important part of socialization at a time when there were no movies, internet, phones and newspapers were limited. Still there was a strong resistance to people drinking which still reflects to our Puritan past.
There was nothing wrong with having a drink but there was a sense of taking it too far. Still this attitude is reflected today. It is still interesting though how one or two of these taverns have carried over into the Twenty First century. They are still welcoming guests today and that proves the socialization of these establishments and how important they are in our lives.
After the tour was over and I had a nice visit with the museum, it was almost 9:00pm and I wanted to eat something. Two small tacos and two doughnuts are hardly a proper lunch for someone. By 9:00pm though, the whole town had rolled up its sleeves. Even the restaurant where the tour started was closing at 9:00pm. I was shocked as there were people inside still ordering. The host said the kitchen was closing and if I knew what I wanted I could sit down.
That was not much of an offer especially at their prices and I made my way down to Naples, the pizzeria and Italian restaurant where I had parked. They were open until a normal 11:00pm on a Friday night (I still do not understand restaurants that close at 9:00pm on a Friday or Saturday night. This part of the COVID scare is over and things are pretty much back to normal).
I went to the host stand and they seated me quickly. Tours were still going on and as I ate my dinner, the place really filled up when I finished because there was no place left to eat in town. (Not a good business decision). I really enjoyed Naples. Not only was it a lively environment with the games going on and a very active bar scene but the food was really good as well and very reasonable.
Naples Pizzeria 1 South Main Street in Mullica Hill
After the walk was over, I went back to the hotel and sunk into bed. I was exhausted from all the driving. The Salem River Inn is so quiet and relaxing the I slept so soundly that night.
My favorite room in the hotel, The Meadow Room with views of the old golf course and the lawns in the front of the hotel.
I had a bit of a rough night’s sleep, I figure to all the traveling and running around due to work. When I got up, I got to watch the sun rise over the field. That is worth getting up for in the morning.
The start of the sunrise
Continues
Continues
Continues
Continues as the Sun peeks out
Continues
Continues
The sunrise finished. This is why you have to book this room
I had a kind day ahead of me with a lot of running around visiting museums for my blog and exploring the areas of South Jersey that I had not yet covered. That meant running from Salem to Millville to Penns Grove to Pennsville to visit all three historical societies before everything closed at 4:00pm. It does not seem like much but it was a lot of ground to cover.
I started off with a good breakfast on the deck overlooking Delaware Bay that Yvonne prepared for me. It was an egg omelet with tomatoes with fruit, breads and hot tea. The perfect breakfast to start the day. The weather was spectacular and perfect for eating outside.
The views from the deck at breakfast the first week of October
The perfect breakfast outside on the terrace
The perfect omelet
Matched with the perfect view
I had to check out early as the Inn was preparing for a big wedding and I had a lot of ground to cover before I headed home. Don’t ask me how I did it but I got the job done.
I said my goodbyes to the owners but not before taking some more spectacular pictures of the grounds and the beach area. It was so beautiful in the morning.
The beach just outside the hotel
Looking the other direction down the shore line facing the Delaware Bay
After I packed up, I said my goodbyes to the owners and headed to my first stop, the Millville Historical Society in Millville, NJ the first of my three stop journey.
It took just under an hour to arrive in Millville which was past Bridgeton where I had been the other day. I was lucky there was no traffic on the road and I got to the museum fifteen minutes before it opened. It gave me time to take all my exterior pictures of the museum. It is a nice little museum with a great bunch of volunteers.
The Millville Historical Society at 200 East Main Street
The Baracha-Dunn House right next door to the Historical Society is open for touring.
History of the museum:
(from the museum’s website)
The Millville Historical Society has been preserving Millville, New Jersey’s past for over nine decades. Incorporated in 1927, the organization’s headquarters and archives depositary is located in the historic 1857 Millville Bank at 200 E. Main St., Millville.
The main gallery of the Millville Historical Society
The Society has been entrusted with the care of three of Millville’s most historic structures: the 1857 Bank building at 200 E. Main Street, the 1798 Baracha Dunn House, and the 1814 Mansion House. Admission to all buildings is free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
The main gallery of the Millville Historical Society from the front door
I recently visited the Millville Historical Society and got to tour the museum and the historical home next door. The main part of the museum is built inside a historic bank that the Society took over in the 1970’s. All the displays are showcased around the museum.
The original picture of the Millville National Bank during the turn of the last century
One of the first displays you will see is the original drawing of the bank. This beautiful historic building sits on the very edge of the downtown as you enter Millville. On the top of the display was a model of a sand separator that was in the creation of glass which the area was known for in the previous century.
The historic map of Downtown Millville, NJ
Another display has a model one of the major ferries that once ran in Millville.
The model of the Millville
After I toured the displays along the perimeter of the museum, I had a tour of the Baracha-Dunn House next door which was part of the historical society’s complex. These historic buildings were built in the late 1700’s and the addition in the early 1800’s. The tour takes you through both the main house and the later addition both upstairs and downstairs.
The Barack’s-Dunn house was open for a tour
The entrance the house from the street
The main room of the original house with the hearth in the main room for cooking and for heat in the house
The hearth is the center of the house
The Living Room of the main home
The Living Room of the home
The Living Room
The other side of the house which was the later addition to the home offered more rooms.
The Living Room from the main door
I left Millville after about an hour and a half and had to race across the southern part of the State of New Jersey down both Routes 45 and 47 to get to Penns Grove to visit the Penns Grove Historical Society which was on the other side of the Garden State Parkway. They closed at 3:00pm and that offered its challenges. Thank God I had already visited the Presbyterian Church cemetery and the Cohanzick Zoo the day before. Since I also updated the exhibition at the Historical Society at Mullica Hill and the town pictures of Millville, Salem, Mullica Hill and Penns Grove, pretty much my blogs were completed to the seasons. That took a lot of driving and a lot of racing around. Still I was extremely impressed the the Historical Society of Penns Grove, Carney’s Point and Oldmans.
While the Society is in a very depressed downtown area which pretty much does not exist anymore (all the stores surrounding the building are all boarded up), inside the museum was presented the exhibition “What We Wore Then”, an impressive look at the town’s former Downtown area up until the 1970’s when the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Malls and highways changed the way the town shopped. All the strip malls along the highway drew people away from the stores downtown.
The Penns Grove Historical Society at 48 West Main Street
This was when the museum was decorated for Christmas in 2023
The Penns Grove Historical Society sign that welcomes you to the museum
The mission of the Society is to collect, study and conserve such historical materials as they relate to the towns and their inhabitants, especially of the early settlement. It shall preserve relics and property of the past, both real and personal as may be given, bequeathed, purchased, loaned or otherwise acquired by the Society. It shall be the Society’s responsibility to use the collection for the education, enjoyment and benefit of the general public.
After almost two years of trying to visit this small historical society, the trips aligned and J was able to visit the Penns Grove Historical Society and delightful and very engaging exhibitions. What was sad was that people missed this wonderful well thought out museum when visiting the area. The museum has so much charm and such interesting exhibitions to walk through.
Entering the museum and the sign for the main exhibition ‘The Clothes we Wore’
There were three exhibitions showing when I came to visit. One was “On the Waterfront” on the Penns Grove waterfront. This describes the shipping and fishing industry that the town had before the building of the factories and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Each display case has different aspects of the industries.
The seafarer and shipping artifacts
This exhibit shows how much the Delaware Bay has changed over the last 100 years.
The pictures and description of the native coastline around the Delaware River
Pictures of the Fishing Industry that was once part of the fabric of the town
The next was the exhibition, “The Clothes We Wore” was an extensive look at the retail community of Downtown Penns Grove, NJ before the coming of the malls and changes of traffic patterns into town. It is also a look at the changes in the way we dress not just to go out but how we dress every day.
When you walk the exhibition you can see the array of stores from shoe stores to hats that people used to don until the mid 1960’s and the coming of ‘Flower Power’. Each store had its specialty and catered to a specific client. It is interesting how each stores had it own display of wares and its use in our wardrobes. It also shows a very vibrant downtown that is now part of its past.
Each store had its own display along with the advertising in a time when shopping was leisurely and we took time out to try things on. Pride in appearance was a big part of who we are as people.
Dresses and suits were once part of our everyday wardrobe
The Millinery shop where hats and gloves were part of the wardrobe
Shoes shined for work every day were part of the uniform
Accessories built the character of our wardrobe
More hats that showed the personality of the wearer
The different advertising for the various merchants that made up the downtown
A glimpse of the downtown in its heyday
The infant and children’s clothing was a bit more formal even at public school
We pampered babies even back then. Their wardrobes were always special
Poland’s Department Store downtown was the place to shops before malls took over
The last exhibition was entitled “It’s Elementary” on the town’s school system. The displays in the back of the museum discuss the modes of transportation before cars and highways became part of the fabric. The progression of the schools in Penns Grove were on display as well with class pictures, school trips, awards and pictures of the schools themselves before regionalization and building of new schools.
The history of the Penns Grove School system in the exhibition “It’s Elementary”
The history of early schools in Penns Grove
The corner stone of the Penns Grove School
A classic trip to Washington DC and Mount Vernon were part of the school traditions even in the 1920’s
After I finished touring the Penns Grove Historical Society, I made a mad dash across the highway followed by the Pennsville Historical Society President, who just happened to be visiting that afternoon, to tour the house before they started to put the Christmas decorations up. This was pretty much the last weekend before all the houses closed to start the holiday season. Most of the houses needed to be decorated before Thanksgiving and it took time.
I got to the Church Landing Farm in plenty of to tour the house and the grounds. What an interesting museum that is full of surprises. When they unlock the auxiliary buildings to show you the displays, they are a real wonder of fascinating artifacts each with its own theme.
The sign welcoming you to the Church Landing Farm-Pennsville Historical Society
The house was built by Daniel Garrison between 1840-1845 and was the home for five generations of the Garrison family up to 1973 when the last living relative, Anna Locuson died and did not leave an heir. In 1991, Atlantic City Electric worked with the Pennsville Township Historical Society to open this as a museum.
I started with a quick tour of the outer buildings which I had seen three years prior but did not have a camera to take the proper pictures. Since there is not much online, I was on major picture taking mission and started with the amusement shed of the old Riverview Amusement Park display.
The display of the original park
The Amusement Park display
The Amusement Park display
The Amusement Park display
Then I moved onto the Military and Farming buildings
The town history building
Then I moved onto the High School and Military displays and then I took a quick tour of the house before they closed at 4:00pm. Talk about visiting under the wire.
The Town and High School History building
The High School display
After the tour of the outer buildings, the president of the historical society took me on a quick tour inside so I could take pictures in the house before it was decorated for Christmas. It really is a beautiful old home with the most amazing views of Delaware Bay. No wonder it was in the family for so many years. We first toured the downstairs starting with the Living Room.
The Living Room during the late Fall
The Parlor during the rest of the year
Then we took a quick tour of the bedrooms before they were decorated again for Christmas.
Bedroom One
The Bedroom during the regular months
Bedroom Two
The Bedroom during the regular months
The new dollhouse that was donated
The bathroom during the year
I just had enough time to visit the rest of the house and then head off to lunch before my trip home. The house is so nicely decorated both in the regular months and for the Christmas holidays that it is fun to visit all times of the year. I just finished the tour when the museum closed for the day (Visit my blog site VisitingaMuseum.com for details on all of these historical museums and sites).
I stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Pennsville area, Orient Restaurant at 414 South Broadway, a small restaurant in a tiny strip mall that you would never notice. It may have a very non-descriptive front but the reviews online do not do the restaurant justice as the two times I have eaten here the food and service are excellent. I never quite understood why the restaurant is not busier.
Orient Chinese Restaurant at 414 South Broadway in Pennsville, NJ
Orient Chinese Restaurant is one of those old fashioned Cantonese places that still offers the fried noodles and sauces in the beginning and still serves hot tea, ice water and Fortune Cookies at the end of the meal. Don’t be fooled though, this is no Chow Mein palace. Everything I have tried here is delicious, the prices are fair and the portion sizes are just right for a full meal.
The Wonton Soup is excellent
I kept it traditional by ordering a combination platter with Wonton Soup and Sweet and Sour Pork with Pork Fried Rice.
The Sweet and Sour Pork with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll
The egg rolls here are delicious!
I have always been impressed by the meals at the restaurant and it was a nice way to end a very productive weekend. I got to visit, update and revisit so many cultural sites for my blogs plus I got to see Mullica Hill’s Haunted past. It was also such nice weather and I love waking up and looking at the views of the Delaware Bay at the Salem River Inn. Dinner was the cap off to a very busy Halloween season.
With four class though, I told myself that I am toning the whole Halloween season back a notch to limit the amount of events on the weekends. It got to be too much last year with work at the college and classes at NYU that I nearly lost my mind. So I promised myself that I would try not to revisit events of the past and pace myself each weekend of October. This year we did luck out and every weekend in October was beautiful with surprisingly warm weather. It would be 80 degrees on Halloween Night for the parade but for now, I enjoyed the long weekends and relished my time off when I had it. Until the next weekend.
The second weekend of October was my birthday and this time around I was planning things I had wanted to do and visit on my blogs and eat at some of the restaurants on my bucket list. Two of my major projects were done so on Friday I got all dressed up and started my birthday morning volunteering at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
I got in a little late but was able to catch up with everyone filling take away bags for the guests to go with their meals, then preparing 100 sandwiches for the weekend to take to sites where the homeless were sleeping so that they had a meal over the weekend and then we had to prepare for Sunday Supper that Sunday so all the place settings had to be prepared and bagged up for the dinner, which I had been to a couple of times over the Summer when I had more time. I always like to give back on my birthday and this was the perfect way to start my birthday day.
It was such a beautiful afternoon to walk around the City. This area of Chelsea has changed a lot in the last twenty years
I decided to take it easy this birthday and not do too much running around. I still had to get a haircut and get some other errands done. One of the meals that I planned today was having Afternoon Tea at the Lowell Hotel up on East 61st Street. I had passed the hotel years ago and when I was doing research on the hotel, they had mentioned the excellent Tea Service they had in the afternoon. Since I have been to the Plaza, Pierre and Waldorf (which is still closed for renovation) many times in the past, I had put it on my bucket list to try. At $150.00 for tea, and tiny cakes and sandwiches it was always hard to justify the price for ‘just going’, Since it was my birthday, I decided to splurge today and spend some of my hard earned money on something special. It was well worth it. What a nice afternoon.
The first thing to check out is the Lowell Hotel at 28 East 63rd Street at Madison Avenue. This elegant little hotel is one of the ‘Leading Hotel’s of the World’ and whose architecture is elegant and inviting. The potted plants and well appointed doorman really give it that European looking touch.
On my birthday in 2024, I finally broke down and went for Afternoon Tea in Majorelle, one of their signature restaurants. I went to try the new “Lilly of the Valley” Tea designed by Dior. It was pricey but this was a once in lifetime experience (unless someone takes me here again). The whole experience was amazing from the time I walked in to the time I left. It was first class all the way.
The floral arrangements along were magnificent. I could not believe the attention to detail the whole hotel paid to every corner of the hotel. Even in the bathrooms nothing was out of place.
The floral arrangements in the lobby were polished and elegant
Majorelle is a quiet corner of the hotel’s restaurants with an elegant and polished look to it. The restaurant was not busy that afternoon with only three other tables having diners. People were well dressed and subdued and the room was polished elegance.
Majorelle set for Afternoon Tea patrons
Nothing was out of place in Majorelle
The table set for one and ready to celebrate my birthday
Ordering from a menu fit for a King! I did not look at any prices this afternoon (it was my present to myself)
The start of the Afternoon Tea service
The Sweets and Sandwiches of the Lilly of the Valley Tea
The Curried Chicken, Lobster Salad and Cucumber Sandwiches
The pastries were so beautiful that I did not want to eat them. They looked as good as tasted!
I toasted my father on the Anniversary of his passing and to my birthday for a happy and safe year. This French Rose Champagne was excellent and a generous pour. Happy Birthday to me!
I had to justify spending the extra $35.00 on a glass of Champagne, I admitted to the waiter that it was my birthday and I should spend it in a special way. They came out later with two freshly made Madeline’s with a candle on the plate for my birthday. I will not tell you how much they sell Madeline’s for here but this was a generous gift that the waiters gave me. I told them I did not say it for something free (this is hardly an Olive Garden) but they could see it was a special gift to myself.
The Madeline’s presented to me with a candle on my birthday
Then came out the freshly baked scones which were still warm from the oven. Everything was made from scratch and made for me for this Tea. Even the Madeline’s were still warm from the oven.
These scones just came out of the oven for me and they were served with freshly made jelly
The additional sweets: freshly made iced cookies, Madeline’s, the Pink Dior Cake and a Chocolate Puffed Cake were presented to me after Tea was served
The Pink Dior Cake that served as a Birthday cake
The Pink Dior Cake was the perfect Birthday cake
Me on my birthday at the Lowell Hotel tea. This was the perfect birthday present to myself. I did make a wish that afternoon but I will not tell it
After I filled myself with sweets and good things to eat, I needed to walk this all off. Even then the sugar was starting to affect me and I needed a stretch or I would have spend out in the hotel’s lobby. I walked outside in the warm weather and walked down East 63rd Street and enjoyed the sunny day. That was some birthday!
After Tea was over, I took a trip to the Central Park Zoo to walk off some of the desserts and then I started to get phone calls from friends and family on my birthday, which was really nice of everyone. It was so beautiful and warm that I sat in the gardens near the Seal Tanks and talked with everyone for over an hour before my haircut appointment.
By the time the Zoo had closed, I had finished most of the my phone calls with my family and friends ( I was on the phone for over two hours), I went to get my haircut at York Barber at 981 Lexington Avenue. My barber of thirty years finally retired at 92 and I had to find a new barbershop. I had passed this place many times on my walks on the Upper East Side and finally decided to try it. I have had my last four haircuts here and I have been very happy.
York Barbershop at 981 Lexington Avenue has been around since 1926 and the interior looks like it
The barbers here are really nice and the haircuts are only $42.00 which I think is very fair for the quality of the cut and the fact that I look so nice when leave. They have also all been around for a long time so their clientele is pretty much established. This is also where a lot of celebrities get their haircuts but I never see anyone I know.
The inside of York Barbershop with the all well known people who get their haircuts here
After my haircut, it was off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a quick tour of the new exhibitions and just to walk around. I love just getting lost in the Met when I want to just get lost in myself. This was the perfect place to spend my birthday.
I love walking around this area looking at the luxury stores and walking around the Pierre and Plaza hotels, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately because of recent occurrences, the security at the hotels becomes a point of harassment where you can’t even walk around to look at the displays in public areas anymore.
Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street of Fifth Avenue
For my Birthday dinner in October 2024, I enjoyed my birthday dinner at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Perrine. The food and service were wonderful. The only problem was that the restaurant was so quiet during the Jewish holidays I felt alone sitting in the back of the restaurant (I had asked for a large table so that I could grade papers).
Perrine Restaurant inside the Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street
The dinner was the perfect way to end my day walking around the Upper East Side. I had been eyeing that Perrine Burger for so long and on a cool night it was the perfect comfort foods.
The inside of Perrine on my birthday
My table at Perrine
I did not even need a menu I had memorized it and I was having the Perrine Burger. It was one of the best burgers I have eaten in a long time. It was made of Prime Beef and Short ribs and you could taste the difference in the meat. It was gamey and rich
My birthday dinner
Nothing like a juicy burger and fries on your birthday
The Perrine Burger is indeed special
Yum!
For dessert instead of any cakes or traditional sweets (I had all of that at Tea in the afternoon), I order the Apple Galette topped with sweet apples and cinnamon. Another perfect comfort food on a cool October night.
My birthday dessert, the Apple Galette
Don’t miss the Apple Galette at Perrine is amazing!
I just relaxed on this birthday evening, spending my day visiting the things I had missed before and just relaxed and enjoyed them.
Me on the night of my birthday at Perrine (with my hair cut). It really was a special evening and a special day. It really cheered me up especially that wonderful dessert!
After my birthday dinner, I walked around Midtown and just enjoyed the views. It is so beautiful in this section of the City. Still before I left I had to take a quick tour of the Pierre Hotel. I forgot how elegant this hotel is to visit. I had worked at the hotel during Spring Break in 1984 and remembered it being one the best hotel’s in the world at that time. I still have that love of this hotel.
Exploring the Rotunda at the Pierre
Even the bathrooms are amazing
After I left the hotel, I just walked around Fifth Avenue and enjoyed the views. Fifth Avenue and East 59th Street is what people think the State of New York is when you say the words “New York” to anyone outside the City.
Midtown Manhattan by the Plaza Hotel at night
The amazing views of Fifth Avenue at night
I really enjoyed the day with wonderful food, excellent activities and giving back on my big day. I know the meals will set me back a bit but both hotels are well worth it. The quality of the food and service you just don’t see a lot of anymore. Happy Birthday to me!
I got back to work over the weekend and graded papers and worked on new projects for my students. With four classes the semester, these students keep me awfully busy. So I spent Saturday and Sunday in front of the computer.
On Sunday morning, we had the October meeting for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association. We are starting to get ready for the annual breakfast and the holiday party so there was a lot to discuss.
The NJ Jersey Firemen’s Home decorated for the Fall holidays
The home did a nice job making the grounds cheerful for both the residents and their families
The stage was set for a wonderful afternoon of entertainment
My blog on the event at the NJ State Firemen’s Home:
Singer Kelly Carpenter entertained the guests that afternoon
It was a productive meeting and we got a lot accomplished. We started the plans for the annual Christmas Party at the home and the breakfast meeting at the Wyckoff Fire Department. After the meeting was over, I drove around Downtown Boonton taking pictures of the foliage. It was going to be a long week at work and every weekend had something going on due to Halloween.
The next week after an extremely tiring week of classes and testing, I was finally able to sneak back up to Narrowsburg, NY (the upstate Brooklyn) for the weekend. I have been trying to do this for five years and I was finally heading back to the town.
Two days later, I was off again to try another restaurant, The Heron, in Narrowsburg, NY. I must be dedicated because only me could travel to two out of the ways spots just to try a restaurant. I had missed eating here in 2017 when I was passing through on my way to Bovina Center, NY (See Day Seventy-Seven on ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’):
To see the whole trip to Narrowsburg, I followed the same trip I made five years ago. This was a picture taking trip and it was just as enjoyable as it was the first time. Here is the link to the full trip both times:
I had gotten to Narrowsburg at 5:00pm that night and had to be in Bovina Center by 8:00pm so I just had about a half an hour to walk through the downtown and pass the restaurant. I vowed I would be back and it took three years to do it. Funny how life gets in the way when you are living it?
The goal is Downtown Narrowsburg, NY
My trip to Narrowsburg, NY was also a last minute trip that had been on my bucket list for the summer break from school. After such a wonderful day in Cape May, I wanted to take another drive to revisit the area in more detail plus there were a few museums that I wanted to visit that were also on the bucket list. So after work, I traveled up Route 23 into Sussex County and traveled up the highway to my first stop, The Franklin Mineral Museum (which I had passed years ago). It was a nice little museum on the site of the old Franklin Mine.
Before I got to the museum, I had to stop at the McDonald’s in Franklin, NJ, which has been my go to place for lunch before the long trip up to Narrowsburg. It is right around the corner from the Franklin Mineral Museum at 260 Route 23 in Franklin, NJ.
The limited edition Chicken Big Mac which is on the menu as a special
I had to try the new Chicken Big Mac that they were featuring as a special on the menu. It was two tempura chicken patties with the same sandwich set up as the beef counterpart with another type of secret sauce. I have to admit with a small Coke, it was more than enough to tide me over before dinner at 7:00pm. I did not need to order anything else. After lunch, I headed over to the Franklin Mineral Museum.
The entrance to the Franklin Museum 32 Evans Street in Franklin, NJ
The Franklin Museum 32 Evans Street in Franklin, NJ (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com) is dedicated to preserving the history of the mining industry, the types of minerals that were found on the property plus interesting displays on fossils from New Jersey and Native American artifacts.
The Franklin Mineral Museum on a sunny afternoon
Before you start to tour the museum, they give you an option to tour the quarry on your own and look for specimens of rocks. I looked over the quarry to find smaller pieces to take home and they had a black light to look over what you found. I found several pieces of calcite that glows orange under the light.
The Mineral Room before the lights go out
When touring the museum, leave yourself plenty of time to tour each of the galleries with two standing out, the Illuminated Rock Room and the simulated mine shafts, which take you into a copy of what a mine shaft and working in the mine would be like.
The Illumination Room is interesting once they shut the lights and close the door
The gallery illuminated
The other rooms are dedicated to minerals and rocks that are found all over the world. The only problem with the museum is that it is a little dated. Most of the signs are typed and the displays could have had more videos to explain what things were and how they were mined. Still the museum is an interesting stop along the highway.
The Franklin Museum Mineral Room
The Native American and Pre-Columbian Gallery
The Fossil Room
After my trip to the Franklin Museum, I continued the drive up Route 23 to downtown Sussex, the County seat. I have never been to such a depressed downtown before since visiting Asbury Park in 2002 (this shore town looks nothing like that today). In 2024, this is the same with Downtown Sussex with a very big theater and arts district. Now the sidewalks are being ripped up and bricked up. The buildings are getting a new life with new stores, restaurants and I can see galleries.
The changes going on now will change Downtown Sussex in 2024
Driving through it looks very nice from a distance but when I parked the car and walked around, almost all the storefronts were empty. All these beautiful historical buildings were just sitting around rotting. The historic hotel on the edge of downtown that looked over the rest of the city was falling apart. There was a theater that had been turned into an arts center but the rest of the downtown had not caught up yet. The artists have not found this place yet. Even the Chase branch closed recently so it is telling you about business. I got in my car and continued driving.
When I stopped in Downtown Sussex in 2024 for the first time in almost five years and all the predictions I thought that would happen to this downtown are coming true. The artists and the creative types have discovered the area. The beautiful Victorian homes that surround the downtown are being renovated, the sidewalks are being bricked up and the ‘new windows’ on old buildings are showing repurpose. It , like Asbury Park, are finding a new beginning.
The views as you start the drive into the mountains on Route 97
The views of the Delaware River in 2024
The trip up Route 23 continues into the mountains and to the highest point of New Jersey, High Point Mountain in High Point Park. Here you will see a lush forest and a great park to go hiking in. Maybe for the next time. I exited through the town of Port Jervis, NY before making the turn onto Route 19 which lead me into the mountains.
The Route 97 plaque
Route 19 past Port Jervis, NY hugs the Delaware River
Route 19 right now is one of the most beautiful drives into the mountains. The foliage was still green on my way up but in a few months the leaves will start to change colors and the views will be even more spectacular. Just driving slowly up the road the Delaware River Valley shows off its true beauty. My advice when you travel up to Narrowsburg, NY is to take your time and if there is a driver that wants to pass you, stop at one of the stops along the way and take the time to admire the view.
Route 19 views of the Delaware River
The view on its way to Narrowsburg, NY
I have to admit though that the drive can be a little scary being so close to the cliffs. I had not been this nervous about driving to close to an edge since my trip to Hana in Maui, Hawaii so please take your time, drive alert and drive during the day. During the late summer, just seeing the river glisten beside me and driving through the small towns on the way up the highway was picturesque and romantic.
The views from the top of Route 97
I got up to Narrowsburg in the late afternoon and the everything in the town was closing down for the night. I arrived at the Narrowsburg Inn by 3:00pm and needed to take time to relax. I met the owners who were preparing for a wedding that Saturday so I did not want to take up much of their time. What surprised me was when they told me that this was their last weekend in business and that Sunday would be their last day running the Inn. Also I was to be their only guest that evening and that they were leaving by 6:00pm for the evening.
All I could think about was the Overlook Hotel in the movie “The Shining” and the rumors that I read online that the Narrowsburg Inn was haunted. The owners assured me that there were no ghosts at the hotel, and I would be fine. They showed me to my room toward the back of the hotel with a view of the park and the river in the distance.
For $100, I thought it was very nice (See my review on TripAdvisor). It had a nice large bedroom with a small sitting area and bathroom with another small sitting area. The whole Inn had been renovated and made to look rustic to match the environment of the town.
The views of the Delaware River from the bridge in Narrowsburg
I had time to unpack and then explore the town while my hosts returned to their work. Downtown Narrowsburg is right around the corner from the Inn and is a nice walk down the road (The Narrowsburg Inn has since been renovated since I stayed there in 2019 and I have no pictures of it).
In 2024, the Narrowsburg Inn was full and I stayed at the new Darby Hotel just across the bridge in Pennsylvania.
The Darby Hotel is a new hotel to the area and is a five minute walk across the bridge from Downtown Narrowsburg. This little hotel which was once a nursing home has been transformed to a hipster hotel with game rooms, wonderful jazz music in the lobby and at breakfast and the most comfortable beds. They had a fire pit at night and a wonderful continental breakfast in the morning. I slept soundly that evening and enjoyed walking the grounds in the morning.
The Common area of the Darby Hotel
The firepit on the grounds at night
My bedroom and the dreamy bed
The Continental Breakfast in the morning which is part of the package
The grounds of the hotel
Narrowsburg had once been a sleepy little logging and fishing town that had become depressed with the economy of Upstate New York until the artists and restaurateurs discovered the town again and made it the ‘Brooklyn’ of the Catskills. The downtown is filled with innovative ‘farm to table’ restaurants, some very expensive galleries and shops (these do not cater to the locals) and some excellent views of the Delaware River.
I think Narrowsburg is going through its second transition as some of the more expensive stores have closed up and some newer ones look like they have been planned.
Downtown Narrowsburg, NY in the Fall of 2024
The small four block downtown is filled with clothing and food stores, small gift shops and galleries and some interesting restaurants. Most of the stores were closed by 5:00pm and would not be opening until 11:00am the next day so there was not much to do but window shop. I walked the whole downtown and passed the grain factory at the end of the block and wondered how long it would be operating with this wave of change. It was nice to see the old and new next to one another and how the town is remaking itself.
Downtown Narrowsburg, NY post office
Downtown Narrowsburg with the Heron Restaurant in the background
I had time to walk ahttps://welcometonarrowsburg.com/exploreround the river and the bridge that lead to Pennsylvania and don’t miss out on this breathtaking view. It is really something to look down the river and see woods and rock formations as well as see the view of the “Big Eddy”, the bend in the Delaware River in the middle of the downtown. The river bends to create a type of lake that naturally flows. At one time, this is where the logging industry used to move the logs downstream but now its used for fishing, boating and photography.
The Bridge over the Delaware River
The views of Delaware River in the Fall 2024
After the walk downtown and saw how busy The Heron Restaurant was that evening, I decided to walk a little further to work up my appetite and walked around the other blocks and look at the old homes and small farms that surrounded the downtown. Right down the road there was even a small historic cemetery and Fort Delaware were right down the road from the Inn.
The views of the ‘Big Eddy’ of the Delaware River from the Downtown Narrowsburg
Dinner at The Heron Restaurant was beyond my expectations (See review on TripAdvisor). The whole experience was excellent. From the warm greeting that I got at the host desk, to the view from my deck table (if the weather is nice it is highly recommended that you get a table on deck facing the river) which is amazing, to the friendly and welcoming service. It was one of the best meals I had eaten in a long time. What was nice was the restaurant was decorated for the Halloween holidays and it was pretty spectacular.
The artsy entrance to The Heron Restaurant at 40 Main Street
The inside of the restaurant during October of 2024 with Halloween decor
Choosing to sit on the outdoor terrace at sunset
The outdoor dining that overlooks the Delaware River
Enjoying a Bellini before dinner and toasting my father on the Tenth Anniversary of his passing
My toast to my father with much love!
What is nice about The Heron is that the prices are very fair for the portions you receive and everything I had was consistently delicious. I started off with a side salad of fresh greens with a homemade vinaigrette dressing, which was a small side dish that could have passed for an appetizer. It was more than enough. It was a combination of mixed greens, red onions, carrots and radish which was crunchy and delicious.
The Mixed Green Salad to start the meal
The salad was crisp and tossed with a light dressing
For my entree, I ordered the Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy with a side of mac & cheese that was made with three cheese, caramelized onions and baked bread crumbs . Trust me when I say that the sides of salad and mac & cheese are more than enough. The appetizer portions were much larger and would be too much with a full entree.
My Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato dinner (there were no sides of Mac & Cheese on the menu on this visit)
The Fried Chicken was excellent. When you have a free range organic chicken you can tell the difference in flavor with that and a frozen chicken from KFC. The chicken was moist, succulent and flavorful. The outside had been coated with a crunchy breading that was perfectly fried and crisp. The mashed potatoes were loaded with butter and the mushroom gravy had a rich flavor to it. The mac & cheese must have contained three cheeses and was sharp, gooey delight. The entree was delicious.
I highly recommend the Fried Chicken the Heron Restaurant
For dessert in 2019, I skipped the rich, heavier desserts (even though I really wanted one) and opted for the homemade grapefruit sorbet which was light and tart and the perfect ending to spectacular meal. In 2024, that dessert was no longer available and I wanted some comfort food to end the meal. I had the Lemon Ricotta Cake with a pot of Tea for my dessert. Talk about heavenly. The dense cake was served with a side of fresh whipped cream.
My dessert, the Lemon Ricotta Cake with Hot Tea on a cool October night
The dessert was perfect on a cool October night
The view was the deck was just as breathtaking! As I waited for dinner to arrive, the view changed from a sunny evening that gave way to a beautiful sunset over the “Big Eddy” and the mountains to a starry night where you could almost touch the constellations. I could see the ‘Big Dipper’ perfectly from my table. It was the perfect compliment to the wonderful food and excellent service.
The people dining on the patio The Heron Restaurant looking over the “Big Eddy”
I was the last one left on the terrace which had such beautiful views of the stars
After dinner was over, I walked around the quiet downtown and walked over to the small deck that is next to the stores down the road and looked at the stars. Up in the mountains you don’t have all the light pollution of the City and you can really see all the stars and admire the constellations. The walk was the end of a perfect evening.
The Skeleton inside the restaurant greeting you and watching you leave
The Mummy Lady outside the restaurant
When I got back to the Inn, it was quiet. There was one light on at the other side of the building over the kitchen. I guess one of the cooks stays there. Outside that, when I walked in I saw the empty kitchen and dining room. I walked up the creaky stairs to see the other empty rooms and arrived back in my own warmly lite room and got ready for bed.
Downtown Narrowsburg at night with a full moon by the bridge
If there is a ghost in this Inn, I did hear them. I sunk immediately into the soft, firm, comfortable bed and went fast asleep. When I mean its quiet up here it is silent. I did not hear a peep and slept soundly the whole night. Since the owners were not coming back until noon the next day, I could sleep in and had one of the best night’s sleep since the trip to Cape May. All that driving wore me out.
The owners had recommended Gerard’s Cafe at 119 Kirks Road the next morning for breakfast (See review on TripAdvisor). It had been an old gas station that had been turned into a restaurant (I think they still pumped gas there). It was a pleasant little cafe where all the local farmers ate and caught up on their gossip.
Gerard’s Cafe is now called “Proper to Go” and is a gourmet grocery store
I had a sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with a side of hashbrowns ($10.95) and a blueberry Danish that had been brought in from a local bakery ($2.00) and everything was simple and delicious. The hashbrowns could have been warmer but overall it was a nice meal. It was fun watching the staff interact with the local guys and some of them went in the back to kid with the staff and give the cooks a hard time. It is a very nice place to eat if you want to go where the locals eat.
The Sausage Egg and Cheese sandwich was excellent (the restaurant is no longer open)
Since none of the downtown stores open until 11:00am, I stopped at Fort Delaware down the road. Fort Delaware is a local historical site (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com) that is a recreation of an old fort that used to be on the Pennsylvania side of river.
The Historic sign
The fort was created in the 1950’s as a local tourist attraction by an area resident historian who later sold it the area Parks system. The fort was open for touring on my first visit and I got to see the grounds. In 2024, it was closed as they were preparing for a Haunted Halloween event.
The site has three homes that recreate life in the fort as well as a working blacksmith shop and areas for spinning cloth and cooking. There are actors walking around demonstrating their crafts and talking to the visitors. It is a nice place to take the family if they are interested in history. If you visit the fort, remember to take time to walk all around the upper decks of the fort to look inside.
The next day after a relaxing breakfast and a quick run through Downtown Narrowsburg, I headed home. I had to drive down the shore to visit both Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights to check out their Boardwalks to see how the towns were celebrating Halloween. So there was a lot of driving I had to do this entire weekend before I resumed classes on Monday. I dragged my class work with me on the trip and managed to grade all my papers over dinners both in Narrowsburg and Seaside Heights.
The Aquarium was packed with people going to the special programming. The lines were so long that I did not bother. I had been there over the summer and had a lot of fun inside. The aquarium is very interactive and I loved the feedings that I saw in the summer.
The seal feedings were a lot of fun. The seals they have at this aquarium were both disabled and needed to be in a controlled environment. One had a flipper amputated and had a tough time swimming and the other was blind. They both seemed so grateful that people were helping them and were both very aware of human contact.
The harbor seal was a little charmer
She was always looking around, watching everything we were doing
The little harbor seal could not have been friendlier to the crowd and more engaging. She just showed the crowd what she could do and proceeded to swim around, eat and enjoy herself. She was so used to being around humans she acted like one herself.
The blind seal was just as friendly
The larger seal seemed so at home and comfortable around humans she seemed so relaxed during the feeding. You can tell she was well taken care of by the handlers.
She was also very playful
After the feeding was over and most people left, I stayed to say goodbye to the little harbor seal and she gave me such an innocent look. I just wiggled my mustache at her as she stared back at me.
How can you resist that look?
I walked through the upstairs open pools before I headed downstairs and watched the turtles watching us. Both the Spotted Turtles and the Diamondback turtles just popped in and out and stared at us.
The Northern Diamondback Terrapin
The Northern Diamondback turtle was funny. He just bobbed his head around and looked at all of us looking at him. It is so interesting to watch wildlife observe us and form an opinion. It would be an eye opener if they could talk and form an observation on us watching them.
The Diamondback turtles staring at us
The Spotted Turtle
The Spotted Turtle kept looking at us as well
Both turtles must be so used to humans looking at them, I swear that they are forming their own observation of us. If they were born and raised in captivity, they must be used to us as well.
The one thing I can say about the aquarium from what I observed is that the mammals and aquatic like are very well taken care of and the tanks are very clean. The employees here really take good care of the marine life and of the aquarium itself. I found the staff engaging and knowledgeable on their assigned displays. They interacted with the public very engaged and that’s what made this trip here so enjoyable.
When I came back in October for the Halloween holidays, the aquarium was mobbed with people trying to get in for the Halloween special events inside. I did not even bother getting in line but just walked the Boardwalk to see the decorations. “Boo at the Boardwalk” was a big deal and people came out in droves.
Halloween in 2024 in Point Pleasant with “Boo at the Boardwalk”
Trust me, Halloween is a big deal at the Jenkinson Boardwalk. There were all sorts of activities. Considering that it was almost 72 degrees that day, the Boardwalk was mobbed with people that Sunday afternoon. Everyone was sweating on the Boardwalk and a lot of people were wearing shorts. So much for the Fall!
Classes got even tougher for me as we going into Midterms and all my students were getting their Team projects so there was a lot going on between Mondays and Thursdays. Then on the long weekends I kept running from one section of New Jersey to the Hudson River Valley and then trips down the shore. I really stretched myself trying to cram as much as I could get done before the day was over.
I could not wait for weekends in October. Classes were rough and having over a hundred and thirty students can be taxing but I still managed to get the job done. As I was getting my second round of research papers graded, on the third weekend of October I traveled back up to the Hudson River Valley for a Holiday Tea at the Mills Mansion Staatsburgh. It was the first Halloween Tea since the one I attended in 2019 and the program was very similar to the one we had then.
I have been a Friend of the Mills Mansion now for about four years finding that I was going to a lot of their events it just made it easier to join and get priority on their special events which are enjoyable. The ‘Halloween Tea’ was one of them the opened the holiday season.
The slide show as we were about to begin the lecture at the Staatsburg Mansion
The guests arriving for the Halloween Afternoon Tea
The friendly witches getting ready to greet guests
This event was a tea and lecture of how the Victorians recreated Halloween from a dark more countryside evening wrapped in mystery to an engaging urban event with costumes, specialty foods and traditional events like apple bobbing that guests then made their own. Local Historian Carol Kohan discussed how the event went from a dark rural event to fun and engaging holiday.
The celebration was spooky and fun
From the old traditions to new ones
The Victorian’s made everything elaborate and overdone and the Halloween celebrations were ‘taken up a notch’ with elaborate costumes, parties, bonfires and desserts and candies that were to be served. There were special invitations and cards that were to sent and rules of etiquette.
The Ghosts and Ghouls of the holidays
Following the Civil War and at a time when disease was not understood the way it is now, there was an interest in spiritualism and seances were in vague as people want to reach out to their loved ones. So having a medium at a party was part of the activity. The Victorians knew how to transform a holiday.
The Menu for the afternoon
Our tables numbers on the table
During the discussion, we enjoyed an afternoon tea of the specialty Staatsburg Tea blend, a variety of finger sandwiches, pumpkin and cranberry scones and many types of pastries including mini pumpkin cheesecakes, tiny devil’s food cupcakes and assorted sweet cookies. The caterer always does a nice job with the food and service here.
The food at these function are excellent and plentiful. These were the current and raison scones
The Assorted delicious Tea Sandwiches
Sweets and cakes Afternoon tea here is wonderful
The estate in the Fall of 2024
The estate during the Fall of 2024
After the tea was over, I took a tour of the mansion. After my afternoon at Staatsburgh, I went mansion hopping and took pictures of the foliage at Wilderstein by Rhinebeck and then at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park. I worked my way back down Route Nine to my last event of the evening, the ‘Ghost Tour’ at the Knox Headquarters site. It was a very unique event.
My first stop was Wilderstein just as the house was closing for the afternoon. The last of the guests were relaxing on the patio overlooking the Hudson River as the docents started to close up the house. The views of the Hudson River from the house are spectacular.
The Wilderstein Estate 330 Morton Road in Rhinebeck, NY in the height of the foliage
The most amazing views of the Hudson River in the Fall of 2024
The colorful fall foliage of the Hudson River at Wilderstein
The beauty of the Wilderstein estate
After I visited Wilderstein, I went to the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park, where the last of the tours for the day were completely sold out and the parking lot was really busy. People were touring the grounds and looking over the Hudson River. These old estates had some of the most prime space along the river.
The Vanderbilt mansion facing the Hudson River around the time of the setting of the sun
The views of the Hudson River from the Vanderbilt Mansion
The last home of Fredrick Vanderbilt
I could tell why Fredrick Vanderbilt loved this house so much
After I toured the grounds of both of these wonderful mansions, it was the trip down both Route 9’s past all the other historical sites that were closing for the afternoon. The whole Hudson Valley was busy that afternoon.
I attended the Halloween events at the Knox Headquarters when in the spirit of the 18th Century Gothic Literature, an author took us on a tour of treason and tides turning during New Windsor Cantonment and inside the Knox Headquarters. The ghosts of the past tried to find a traitor in the midst of the war.
Meeting the ghosts of the author and her characters on the site of the Knox family estate
The Knox House at 289 Old Forge Road is lit for the Halloween holidays had a eerie look to it that night
The Ghosts of the past trying to find a traitor during the war
Leaving the Continental Army camp after the performance was over that evening
We walked the estate and followed the storyline with the actors. There were people on both sides of the war who thought they were right. It was an interesting Halloween event. Then it was the quick trip home to relax.
The week before Halloween, the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association head it’s Forth Annual Halloween House & Merchant Decorating Contest, which was a huge success. The contest took place as I was giving my students their midterms and as I prepared for the Halloween Parade. It was the week from Hell as it was a series of late nights and taking my computer and all my paperwork with me. I never worked so hard. Last year, throw in Grad School and three massive projects and three research papers and you know why last year my Halloween blog was filled of nights of exhaustion. At here I did not have the three classes at NYU but this time I had the additional class with another thirty students so it was just hard.
It was a banner year in ‘Haunted Hasbrouck Heights’ as a record number of Hasbrouck Heights residents decorated their homes for what has now become the start of the Holiday season. ‘In our town of Halloween’ we searched for the best ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night to find the best house and merchant that best represents the spirit of the Halloween holidays. This is my forth year as the Chairman of the Hasbrouck Heights Halloween House Decorating Contest and I have never seen so much creativity in our town.
The Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Halloween House & Merchant Decorating Contest:
We found that our winners were two members of the community that had been winners in previous contests, who really stepped up their game and created displays that dazzled the judges unanimously, Heights Floral Shoppe for a third straight year and the Fiduccia family of 85 Woodside Avenue for a second year since winning two years ago. The judges were blown away by their creativity and ingenuity in creating such fantastic displays.
Our Merchant Division is starting to grow with more of our Downtown merchants decorating their windows for the Halloween season. We wish more would get involved but the clear winner is now a three time winner with not just the most amazing windows but interior as well.
The Heights Flower Shoppe dazzles during day and night
‘I love Halloween,” owner Ray Vorisek said. “We like to use our creativity in the windows. I am always adding on and looking for new things for the display. We have been so busy lately that we were not able to finish adding some of the newer pieces for the store.”
The witches, goblins and ghosts in the display at Heights Flower Shoppe
The windows were decorated with flying witches and beasts smiling on their journeys while a howling wicked witch of the west stood guard in the front of the store. The interior was a wonderland of Halloween decorations and candies perfect for any Halloween event and party.
The inside is decorated for a Halloween get together
The candy selection for you little goblins
The store both inside and out was decorated to the hilt with items for sale and the displays.
Three time winner Ray Vorisek with HHMA Halloween Chairman Justin Watrel
Winner and owner of Heights Flower Shoppe Ray Vorisek in front of his store.
Our runner up the year was Healing 4 the Soul, the gift shop and café that is one of the newer additions to our business district. The business is owned by residents Renee and Dawn Pikowski. The windows were simple and creative and elegant.
The enchanting windows of witches and pumpkins
The spiritual windows up close
“We love to decorate our windows,” said co-owner Nicole Pikowski “ we strive to be creative. You will always see different displays at each holiday.” The store was decorated with beautiful witches wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.
The inside of the Cafe for Healing 4 the Soul
The enchanting gifts at Healing 4 the Soul
There are a lot of lotions and potions and sweet treats to eat inside that are all handmade in house. The Halloween fragrances abound the store. More of our merchants got very creative this year and we are hoping to see more next year.
Chairman Justin Watrel presenting the Runner Up Merchant award to Co-Owner Renee Pikowski
In the House Decorating Division it was a difficult decision for judges who drove around many days both day and night to see the houses. Of all the wonderful houses we visited all over Hasbrouck Heights, one home was on the top of every list of each judge and that was 85 Woodside Avenue.
The Fiduccia family had been our winners in the Second Annual contest and stepped up their game by adding all sorts of new elements to the yard to be the winners again in 2024. The vote was unanimous amongst all five judges.
85 Woodside Avenue at night
These are some videos on the winning home’s video display that won the contest. These were amazing and so spooky:
Ghosts and ghouls lined the yard performing all sorts of interesting acts
Skeletons lined the yard awaiting the crowds of Trick or Treaters visiting on Halloween Night
The Fiduccia family in their family ‘skeleton’ costumes
The Fiduccia family with their second year win!
The display during the day was just as impressive as it is at night
Matt Fiduccia said that he really wanted to add new things to the display. “We found a lot of new items that became available and added them to the display. I created the arch for the ‘Ghostbuster-like video’. We added the projectors to the windows on the second level of the house as well. There are a lot of new decorations on the market now for Halloween.”
The house not only had sculptures and mannequins of all types but creatures, skeletons and ghouls that lines the yard. In the archway in the front yard was a running video of apparitions from movies like ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Poltergeist’. In the upstairs windows of the home were running videos of desperate souls and violent blows. Each part of the house had its own storyline. It was a well-deserved win.
The Fiduccia family together with their second win for the Halloween House Decorating Contest
The Judges Marc Mancuso, Chairman Justin Watrel and Vinnie DeCicco from the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association with winner Matt Fiduccia
With so many wonderful houses to choose from, the judges narrowed it down to three homes as the runners up. There were so many that we liked but each judge was asked to narrow it down to three and it was pretty much unanimous amongst the five of us. Just like the winner, the judges had a short list of the runners up and three homes captured our imagination.
The first two were previous runners up who upped their game and had extraordinary displays of creativity. One was at 36 Hamilton Avenue, the home of Alex, Laura and Scarlet Pena. The other was at 115 Ottawa Avenue the home of Dennis Hall. The displays were both intriguing and imaginative both during the day and night. Like the winners, everyone stepped up the decorations with lights and sound effects and added that special touch to their homes that made it stand out.
Our third was a house on the Hasbrouck Heights border in Lodi that captured the imagination of each judge at 236 Paterson Avenue. The house had a bevy of creatures displayed both in and out of the house. All the judges kept passing it at night so impressed by it we did not realize that it was on the border of Hasbrouck Heights in Lodi, NJ.
“My grandfather used to decorate his house and people used to travel to visit it, so I wanted to keep that tradition going,” said Runner up Jay Logan. “We keep dreaming up new ideas for the display and we keep adding to it.”
Jay and Ann Logan of Lodi were one of the three Runners up for the contest
“We didn’t even know that there was a contest going on,” said Anne Logan. “We live right on the border of Hasbrouck Heights and Lodi, so we feel like we are part of both communities.” The Logan’s turned their display on and lit up and roared. The Logan’s are active members of both communities and were surprised and very excited about their win.
236 Paterson Avenue at night
The ghost and ghouls in front of 236 Paterson Avenue
236 Paterson Avenue during the day
Chairman Justin Watrel awarding the Logan’s their award.
At 26 Hamilton Avenue, Alex and Lauren Pena and their daughter, Scarlett added at lot to their and their display had more horrors in each section of the yard and house. “We have a lot of fun decorating on Halloween and everyone is impressed by the front yard display,” Lauren explained.
26 Hamilton Avenue was Runner Up last year as well
36 Hamilton winners Lauren and Scarlet Pena in front of their home with Chairman Justin Watrel
The Skeleton surgery in front of 26 Hamilton Avenue
36 Hamilton during the day
The mother and daughter Runner Up winners Lauren and Scarlet Pena
The last house on the Runner Up list was 115 Ottawa Avenue which had an honorable mention last year in the contest and has been noted on the list since the first year of the contest. Owner Dennis Hall accepted the Runner Up award with much excitement. “I love decorating the house for Halloween. The kids really seem to love it when they come here Trick or Treating. We are a very popular house. I added the sound effects and have several new pieces that I did not have time to put out for next year. You will have to come back next Halloween.”
115 Ottawa Avenue
115 Ottawa Avenue by the doorway
Runner Up and previous Honorable mention winner Dennis Hall Second next to his ghoulish display that was lit for the night of the presentation
115 Ottawa Avenue drinking the day
We want to thank all the members of the Hasbrouck Heights community for their wonderful displays and with a little extra decoration here and sound effect there can make a big difference in the judging.
Before I headed into the city for an overnight stay the night of the parade, I went to the Halloween events at the Harlem Meer in the northern section of Central Park. For years I had wanted to see the Pumpkin Flotilla. This is when hundreds of lit carved pumpkins are paddled around the Harlem Meer at sunset. I have never seen this section of the park so crowded. Being 77 degrees that night, families crowded the park creating crafts and children in costume were having a ball playing with each other and enjoying the activities. It was when it turned dark, the eerie and exciting events of the water activities started.
The Harlem Meer in late October 2024 before sunset
Every year the park has all sorts of activities for families like pumpkin painting, costumes contests and refreshments. The conclusion of the sent they have the pumpkin parade.
The Harlem Meer and the Dana Center right before sunset and the activities begin
I had never seen the Harlem Meer so crowded before especially with lots of little kids. Families were enjoying the Halloween activities of pumpkin carving and painting, games and little treats that the kids got (I never saw anything as it was gone quickly). The festivities were just ending as I raced from class to get into the City before the Pumpkin Flotilla started at dusk. It was still light outside so I got to enjoy the exhibition inside the Dana Discovery Center, “The Gates”, on the history of the various gates people use to enter Central Park.
The Gates Exhibition at the Dana Exploratory Center
Then the fun began when the sun went down and the Halloween music started to play on the load speaker. Then two people canoeing started to paddle around the Harlem Meer Pond with lit Jack O’Lanterns following them. They started at dusk but when the sun finally went down, the real magic began.
For the next hour, one gentleman started paddling around the Meer then followed by another and they circled the pond for about an hour. Everyone was jockeying for space as we all tried to take the perfect pictures.
I stayed in the park taking pictures as the guys finished paddling around. The park had a almost spooky and mysterious look to it at sunset. I just wanted to get out of Central Park when it got dark. Too many bad memories of things happening. I headed over to the East Side
I stopped at the Bamboo House for a quick dinner before I left for home. The one nice aspect of this small take out place is that is has a nice place to sit down and eat. It isn’t the fanciest place but is a nice place to sit down and have a relaxing meal.
The inside of the dining area of Bamboo House is very nice for a takeout establishment.
I stopped by the restaurant for a late night dinner and had the General Tso’s Chicken with Pork Fried Rice and a pint of Hot and Sour Soup. It was perfect on a cool October night.
My dinner that night
The Hot & Sour Soup was perfect. The spiciness of the soup really opened me up. It had such a rich flavor to it. The General Tso’s Chicken had a nice tangy and spicy flavor to it to complimented by the Pork Fried Rice.
The Spicy Hot& Sour Soup
The General Tso’s Chicken was delicious
This small gem by the Lexington Houses is very good and I look forward to dining here in the future. They have a very nice selection of meals for a reasonable price. It was a wonderful dinner and a great way to end the evening. To work off dinner, I walked from East 98th Street back to Port Authority down Park and Madison Avenues, stopping on the side streets to look at the Halloween decorations. I took so many pictures of displays because I knew the second the Halloween Parade was over, everyone would take down their decorations by Saturday and the Christmas decorations would start to go up.
For some reason East 95th Street off Fifth Avenue especially between Park and Lexington Avenue, were decorated to hilt. The East 90’s were heavily decorated for Halloween as if there was a competition between the neighbors of these areas. Then when I got into the more commercial 80’s, it seemed to stop. More and more this year I saw more people decorate for the holidays.
Here are some of my favorites from my walk down through the Upper East Side:
There scary tales of the Upper East side
East 95th Street looked like it was in competition for the best decorations
Halloween at 1165 East 98th Street
East 95th Street decorations
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 91st Street
East 79th Street
East 79th Street
This was pretty twisted on East 79th Street
East 79th Street
East 78th Street
East 78th Street
East 78th Street
People on the Upper East Side really decided to decorated and they did. People were really creative and had a lot of fun this year. I saw this in my own community that people are embracing the fun part of Halloween. I think people really wanted to outdo each other.
The next day, I had class in the morning at the college and I could tell that the students were getting antsy that they wanted to get out and enjoy Halloween. I can tell a lot of my students had plans that day and wanted class to end. As soon as class was over, I was on the bus to the City. I found out earlier in the week that Mark, who I had been working with for years at the Performance Gate as a Marshall, was not going to be there and now I was in charge with another Marshall J.J. to run the gate. I had to admit I was nervous.
I really had nothing to worry about as I was well trained and there was a lot of help plus J.J. was a great guy and we got along really well. Our entire Team worked together and the evening went by without a hitch. I had never seen four and a half zoom by so fast.
The Cat Puppets practicing at the parade
The Cat puppets rehearsing at the beginning of the Halloween Parade
The Dragon Float at the end of the Halloween Parade
Last float in the Halloween Parade
Me Protecting the Gate at the Halloween Parade with my friend the Dragon
J.J. and I working together at the Halloween Parade
By 8:30pm, the last of the stragglers had come into the parade route. Anyone who arrived late were out of luck anyway as the the floats were long gone. Most of the parade goers were downtown anyway. When we closed the gate, J.J. and the other volunteers left and I stayed to watch what was left of the floats heading up town. By the time I got to the staging area, only two floats were left and the rest were people in costume marching up Sixth Avenue. The parade was winding down by 9:00pm and I walked up Sixth Avenue and followed the parade uptown. Even the Village was heavily decorated for Halloween.
Decorations on East 11th Street
Halloween on East 11th Street
Decorations on East 13th Street in the Village
The crowds were huge and still going strong when I left Da Umberto’s later that evening. One of the police officers said they were on duty until 11:00pm and I thought he was kidding. That really was when the crowds thinned out.
After the parade a group of us went to Da Umberto’s at 107 West 17th Street for dinner as we had in the past
I stayed and had dinner with some of the other volunteers at the parade at Da Umberto’s, an Italian restaurant at the end of the parade route. As I watched the remainder of the parade goers finish their march uptown and the volunteers packing up the puppets and floats, I stopped in for dinner and just relaxed. It was nice to talk to the other people who helped in the parade and exchange notes.
Dinner Buffet at Da Umberto’s
Dinner Buffet at Da Umberto’s of Roasted Potatoes and Brussel Spouts, Penne Vodka and Veal Risotto. The food is as good as it looks!
The food and the service at Da Umberto’s is excellent and we all had a nice time after the parade was over to relax and catch up with each other. The parade was the main topic and its success. It was such a beautiful night and the temperature was still a balmy 65 degrees when I left the restaurant. I had never seen such a warm Halloween but the economic impact of people eating outside, bars jammed with party goers and every restaurant below 23rd Street including the pizzerias and fast food restaurants jammed packed were helping the local economy. Owners may have been tired but looked extremely happy. It ended up being a very nice Halloween for everyone.
As I resumed classes and handed back Midterm exams, (I spent the night at the Residence Inn Downtown and locked myself in the room until 4:00pm the next day grading) there was once last event I attended before it closed for the season. It was the The Pumpkin Blaze up in Croton on the Hudson at the Van Courtland Manor.
I was able to get tickets the Friday night of the last weekend. It was a cool night when I drove up and since it was after Halloween as one of the volunteers at the site said to me, “We see a significant drop in people after Halloween”, the place was empty. There may have been about fifty people when I walked through which was perfect for picture taking. No one was in my way this time and I had plenty of time to walk through and admire the displays.
By the last weekend though, the amount of pumpkins was less and I could see they carved just enough to fill it in for the last weekend. Still I loved the creativity of everyone who contributed to the Blaze.
Arriving to the Pumpkin Blaze on the last weekend of the event. It was quiet on Friday night but was the best for picture taking and viewing all the wonderful displays
Van Cortlandt Manor Pumpkin Blaze in Croton on the Hudson:
I have been to the Blaze over the last ten years and each year displays do change but it is nice to see new things be created. These are some of my favorite displays of the Blaze. I hope you enjoy them.
The Entrance display
The entrance to the Pumpkin Blaze
The entrance path to the Blaze displays and all the Halloween Delights!
The entrance to the Pumpkin Parade
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance of the Blaze
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance of the Blaze
One of my favorite carved pumpkins
I loved this pumpkin
The main display has not changed much but it is still spectacular. It is an amazing site.
The Tappan Boo Bridge travelling to the ghostly display
The Van Cortlandt Family home decorated for Halloween
The decorations during the musical performance
The field of pumpkins along the way
The end of the Blaze
The Gift Shop on the last week of the Blaze. The Blaze would close that Sunday.
It really was a wonderful Halloween season. I may have cut back because of work but the things I had volunteered to do and events I participated in made it all worth it. It really was a great start to the holiday season.
Boo!
Places to Visit:
Old Town Hall Museum/Harrison Township Historical Society Inc.
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/ Monday-Saturday Closed/Museum is open from April-December/The Auxiliary buildings are closed when the museum is closed. The community is welcome on Sundays when the museum is open and for community events. Please check the museum website on this.
Fee: Combination Museum & Rock Collecting: Adults $15.00/Children 3-16 $10.00/Seniors (65+) & Veterans $12.00 Other packages for just the museum and rock collecting are available. Please check the website.
Hours: Open Thursday-Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm (the last tour is at 4:00pm)/Open Monday Holidays from April 19th to October 28th. The mansion then closes to prepare for the holiday season. Closed on Thanksgiving and Easter. There are special programs from January to April so please see the website.
Admission: $8.00 for adults/$6.00 for groups and Seniors/Children under 12 are free. Special events have separate fees and can run from $8.00 to $10.00 and above.
Fee: $10.00 donation at the Holidays/$16.00 Adults/$10.00 Seniors & Students/Children Under 12 free
Visit Wilderstein-With its exquisite Queen Anne mansion and Calvert Vaux designed landscape, this historic estate is widely regarded as the Hudson Valley’s most important example of Victorian architecture.
Shane Confectionery at 110 Market Street in Philadelphia
What can I say about this little chocolate/candy store in the heart of Old Town Philadelphia? It is so charming and welcoming and a step back into time when buying candy was a luxury treat. The store looks like a jewelry store for candies with a wide aisle, wrought iron glass cases and overhanging lights that gas jets once lit the store (now electric). Still the store looks like something from the turn of the last century.
The interior of Shane Confectionery has not change since the turn of the last century
They were preparing for the Halloween holidays when I visited in the early Fall but I was looking at all the interesting handmade candies, made inhouse. All the trays of chocolate…
On a recent trip to Philadelphia for the Cornell versus Penn Football Game (We won!), I had on my bucket list a series of small museums that I wanted to visit. One of them was the Museum of the American Revolution at 101 South 3rd Street in Old Town Philadelphia.
What was supposed to be a two-hour visit ended up being almost four hours of fascinating artifacts, paintings, murals, flags, ammunition and cold hard facts about the Revolutionary War and its beginnings, battles and finally peace.
My first stop in the museum was the exhibition “Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War” which showed the artists interpretations of the historical battles and occurrences that took…
I visited the Betsy Ross House Museum when touring the small museums of Old Town Philadelphia. What an interesting historical site. You felt like you were invited into Betsy Ross’s house by Betsy Ross herself.
The house and museum is broken up into different sections. When you walk into the museum complex, you will get to visit a very patriotic gift shop stocked with Revolutionary War memorabilia. Out side the gift shop is the formal gardens and the courtyard which is a nice place to relax and enjoy the weather.
When you enter the house, you will be able to visit all the rooms of the house and the kitchen area on the…
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