Wednesday, December 7th, 2022
Wondering if Duran Duran was going to be on tour in 2023, checked and found their only US date for the foreseeable future was 12/30/2022 in Atlantic City.
Thursday, December 8th, 2022
Bought concert and airline tickets.
Monday, December 26th, 2022
Up at 1AM, check Southwest flight status before driving to airport- ON TIME, drive to airport, park, shuttle, check monitor for gate- CANCELED. No app notification, text nor e-mail. App wouldn't work to check for alternative flights. Figured out a roundabout way on app to find all Southwest flights for the next two days were UNAVAILABLE. Booked another flight for Wednesday.
Tuesday, December 27th, 2022
Up at 5AM, found the next day's flight was canceled with nothing available until the 1st. Left house at 9AM and started driving, arrived in Fredrick, Maryland at 10PM.
Before and after
3,070 miles
50 hours of driving
Wednesday, December 28th, 2022
Feels like I was just here...
And here.
March 30th, 1981
Embassy Row
Last time at National Cathedral was for President Reagan's funeral.
The northern cornerstone when DC was plotted in 1792.
Tastee Diner
1946
Silver Spring, Maryland
Always look for the elbow wear on counters.
During FDR's WPA there were three planned communities. Greenbelt, Maryland was one of them.
Lots of 101st airborne in this room (Band of Brothers), including Major Dick Winter's uniform and jacket.
Wolfe's Diner
1955
Dillsburg, Pennsylvania
Trying to hard to absorb the history of generations.
Absolutely outstanding Meatloaf.
Views while filling in the map in the southcentral part of PA.
Harrisonville. All of it.
Views are nicer in summer.....
When The Gateway opened during WWII, it was the only business in Breezewood. Now this town is all about services and The Gateway features restaurants, a grocery store, chaplain, billiards, arcade, TV room, showers, fitness and more.
Orbisonia
Thursday, December 29th, 2022
Diners never fail to provoke excitement.
Scrapple, a staple in Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland and Delaware, is leftover parts of the pig mushed together with cornmeal and spices then pan fried.
Photogenic West Chester.
1954
Oxford, PA
Just imagine what this diner has seen.
Another staple, only made a small dent in Chipped Beef from an aversion of getting fat or having instant clogged arteries.
Heading north crossing my own path from years' past.
Reading is old, active and not refined at all.
Candy's Home Made Ice Cream in Shoemakersville has unique flavors such as this Boston Cream.
Pottsville as the route continues NE.
Few hours of no civilization, then going through Tunkhannock.
America
Meshoppen must have been quite the town.
Again, nothing for an hour and then Montrose.
A touch of the old west in Honesdale.
Carbondale, over in the NE corner of PA.
Friday, December 30th, 2022
The Dining Car
1960, moved to this site north of Philadelphia in 1980.
Met Merle and Spencer in Ecuador, they live in downtown Philly.
Fourth time in Philadelphia.
Walking to....
Reading Terminal Market. Since a visit to Philly is not complete without a stop at this 1893 landmark. Been to every bakery here.
Had already been to every bakery in Chinatown.
It's always gnawed at me to have not visited the National Constitution Center.
The circular second floor did such a good job on the Constitution's creation and use through the generations I actually learned a lot.
Statuary Hall with all the Signers.
Since I'm six foot, George Washington must have been really tall.
Yep, another threepeat, but it is always absolutely mind boggling to imagine what happened at what was the State House for the Colony of Pennsylvania.
In what we now call Independence Hall, a nation was formed.
An assembly of the greatest men of any day signed the Declaration of Independence, then later debated the Constitution. George Washington sat at that very chair overseeing the Constitutional Convention from May 25th to September 17th 1787.
Next to it is Congress Hall. This building served as the United States Capitol from 1790 to 1800.
Here the House of Representatives met for the fledgling new nation.
Upstairs was the Senate. It was here George Washington (2nd term) and John Adams were inaugurated.
B. Franklin, printer.
Got an $8 scoop of Eggnog Ice Cream at The Franklin Fountain.
The Museum of the American Revolution.
Opened in 2017.
A most excellent job in using narrative and artifacts to teach about the reason for the Revolution, the battles and the outcome.
Spent 2 hours, but needed more time.
Franklin Court is where his townhomes were.
His grave is a few blocks away.
OK, will theirs be better than Geno's, Jim's or Tony Luke's?
Nope.
Philly, I will return.
Third time in Atlantic City.
Tony Baloney's is a bit off the main drag and has creative gourmet pizzas. It was so good I ate grains.
Time for the concert!
It was sold out.
Found co-worker Jess, who lives south of Philly, by looking for that hair.
Rio, their 2nd album that made them international stars, was released in 1982.
Simon and Nick.
John, Roger, Simon and Nick.
Great show!
Saturday, December 31st, 2022
Was supposed to fly back on the evening of the 2nd, but thanks to Southwest had to starting driving back today doing a zig zag through northern Pennsylvania to fill in the map.
A slice of Colonial in Newton.
A walkable downtown.
A most appetizing Spanish Omelet in an old home.
New Hope is very visitor friendly.
A photo moment everywhere.
Sidewalks lined with cafes and boutiques.
Doylestown is handsomely attired in brick and charm.
Over to Easton.
Which was a surprisingly larger town.
Got the Blueberry Cheesecake one.
Opened in 1931? Well. One must get something.
Dealing with fog heading west.
Filling in the map.
Though it's a (regional) chain, Brusters has excellent ice cream. Coffee Ripple is my 9th flavor and gets a 5 out of 5.
Town at a crossroads. All of it.
Northcentral PA.
Few hours of fog, rain and watching for deer. Saw three. Two were still alive
Sunday, January 1st, 2023
Erie sprawls along the lake of its name.
This Art Deco and French Renaissance theatre was built in 1931 and designed by Chicago architects Rapp and Rapp.
1948 Silk. It was closed. I wept openly.
First time in Chicago for 2023. 2022 saw 21 visits.
Down an alley in Fulton Market.
is Green Street Smoked Meats.
Pork Belly and Broccoli Salad.
