The Gathering at Chaffee's 2014

The Gathering At Chaffee's 2014
Girard, Pennsylvania
July 26-27, 2014

As soon as I arrived, everything fell into place.  I hadn’t been able to make it until Saturday afternoon but as soon as I pulled through the gate I found a friend, set up my chair at a campfire and headed up to the stage.  Although I was bummed to miss a bunch of great bands, I was really into seeing Jimkata that weekend and their set was spot on.  To make it even better, I was dancing through the crowd and came upon one of the most beautiful souls I know, Zach the nomad I met at Chaffee a few years earlier, the guy I was so thrilled to run into at Tribal a few months before.  I just love those chance encounters, especially when it’s with someone I adore.  Anyway, I spent the night dancing to Jimkata and Spiritual Rez and spending time with a few of my most favorite people- a wonderful way to spend a festie day!  

Day Trips to See Orchids

Day Trips to See Orchids
Phipps Conservatory and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens
Winter 2014

We had a long, cold winter!  I enjoy winter activities so I usually make the most of a snowy season but even I was getting the winter time blues brought on by the bleak weather.  However, my friends and I came up with a way to get out of the freezing temperatures and escape to a tropical climate if only for a few hours.  The Cleveland Botanical Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio and Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA both hosted orchid displays during the winter months.

My friend Scooter (from Pennsylvania) and I decided to meet up at Phipps Conservatory ($15/pp- free parking along street) in Pittsburgh on a Friday evening to take in their Orchids & Bonsai Show.  Phipps has several large connected glasshouses with various themes like the Palm Court or the Tropical Room with many varieties of orchids placed along the walkways.  There was also a room displaying bonsai trees in various shapes and sizes.  Because we were there after dark, many of the greenhouses were dim, lighted with simple strings of white twinkle lights and illuminated paths and walkways.  The whole display was stunning.  The heat and humidity of the India Room was especially invigorating for me.  Scooter and I made our way along the garden walkway through all the rooms, pointing out our favorite orchids, plants and trees. 

We headed over to the Thunderbird Café next to see a band called Cello Fury.  The place was packed!  We ended up sharing a veggie quesadilla and talking the whole night.  Luckily we were stationed in front of a telecast of the stage so we could at least see the band on screen.

The next weekend Meg, Neil, Holly, Red and I headed to Cleveland Botanical Garden’s ($11/pp, $9 parking in deck) Orchid Mania show.  Cleveland’s glasshouse is smaller than Phipps but it seemed as if they packed just as many orchids into a smaller amount of space- there were orchids everywhere I looked.  So many different varieties and vibrant colors were displayed that I literally took 100+ pictures.  The warm mist and sunlight of the rainforest room felt energizing and the butterflies that filled the air were a delight.  What a lovely way to get out of the cold for an afternoon!

We headed to lunch at Melt in Cleveland Heights on our way home and enjoyed huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and hangover fries.  Both excursions were the perfect ways to get out of the frigid winter and recharge with friends for a few hours.  

Girls' Mini Weekend Trip- Pennsylvania

Girls' Mini Weekend Trip- Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Bedford and In Between
November 9-10, 2012

Our dad told us about Gravity Hill years ago and we’d been meaning to go ever since but it’s kind of out in the middle of Pennsylvania and we never quite managed to make it there.   But, pieced together with a band we LOVE and a few other attractions along the way and we had the makings of an excellent mini weekend excursion.

Di, Meg and I met at Meg’s house and we packed up her luxurious Lincoln ‘Pearl’ for the ride out to Pittsburgh.  We decided to follow Route 30 from Ohio, through West Virginia and into Pennsylvania.  We stopped in Lisbon, Ohio at the Steel Trolley Diner (STD) for a dinner of gourmet hot dogs with toppings like bleu cheese, horseradish and jalapeños or peanut butter, bacon and banana jam.   It was a great meal and by the time we left we were pretty giggly from the way the restaurant capitalized on their initials and various other conversations.  At one point Di described the short few minutes we spent driving through West Virginia as ‘In and out- just the tip!’  The rest of our drive into Pennsylvania was full of music and chatter.

We were pretty impressed with our room at the Holiday Inn Express Pittsburgh- Southside Hotel.  The décor had been recently updated and the hotel staff was friendly and fun.  We called for a car from Classy Cab and they sent the chillest taxi driver in existence- an awesome guy named Vinnie.  This dude was so low key.  He chatted with us about basketball, growing up in Pittsburgh and the music we were going out to see.  When he dropped us off he gave us his number and said to call him if we needed a ride home.  Later that night I called him up, said ‘hey Vinnie-it’s Heather- can you come get us?’ and he was like ‘Yeah, I’ll be there in 10!’ Vinnie is so awesome! 

The Stagecoach Robbery at the Thunderbird Café in the Lawrenceville area of Pittsburgh was crazy!  From the moment the band started playing the crowd was in a groove and dancing.  We boogied with so many people that night.  The energy was unbeatable- there was just the coolest vibe.  The way the Thunderbird is set up on three levels with the stage on the center tier and bars on the upper and lower floors make it quite a nice place to have a well-made drink and see a show.

The next morning we headed east along the Lincoln Highway/Route 30 toward Gravity Hill.  But our first stop was the Flight 93 National Memorial, the site where the hijacked plane crashed into a field on September 11, 2001.  The memorial park is sprawling with information about the flight, its passengers and the events of 9/11 at one end and the stone wall bearing the names of the passenger and crew at the other end of a long walkway that passes by the crash site.  There were plenty of visitors but it was a quiet and reverent place.

The drive along Route 30 was quite scenic, passing through small towns and farmland along the way- we happened to see a herd of bison running along the hillside. It was noteworthy.  But it was nothing compared to Gravity Hill!  Gravity Hill is a place where, either by optical illusion or some sort of physics phenomenon, cars roll uphill.  We followed the directions provided by the Bedford County Visitor’s Bureau- Meg drove down a little country road, up to a spray-painted marker that indicated ‘GH’, put the car in neutral, took her foot off the break and  WE STARTED ROLLING UPHILL!   No joke!  It was pretty wild and we were crazy impressed- we all let out a huge cheer as we slowly moved backwards up the hill.  A little further down the road is another gravity warp zone- we were just as enthused the 2^nd time.  I mean, how often do you get to defy gravity in a lifetime?  The only downside- there was no cell coverage and we weren’t able to call our dad and tell him that we’d just performed a marvelous feat!

So, gravity-beating is hard work and we were so hungry.  We passed a little place called the Fireside Tavern and stopped in for scrumptious sandwiches and dessert.  The place was empty in the mid-afternoon and the bar is in a separate area from the dining room so we had a dining experience with the place to ourselves. 

We really had only one last stop on our agenda- the cute little town of Bedford, Pennsylvania.  Although we’d been drawn in by the Holiday Open House, we were pleasantly surprised when we drove past a giant coffee pot.  Giant things that are supposed to be small things are just fun!  From there we continued to historic downtown Bedford to browse the shops a little.  The first place we stopped was Briar Valley Winery to do a little winetasting before heading into an antique store to make some last minute purchases before they closed for the night.

We followed Interstate 76 to Route 30 and toward home but this trip would not be complete without stopping at the World’s Largest Tea Pot on the way- obviously!  Two giant warm beverage vessels in one day- how lucky were we?!  It was another whirlwind trip where we jam-packed a whole lot of activity in a period of about 24 hours and we had a blast!

*The Stagecoach Robbery pic generously shared by Mr. Brendan Flynn- thanks man! 

The Gathering at Chaffee's

The Gathering at Chaffee's
Girard, Pennsylvania
July 27-29, 2012

I took these three pictures at The Gathering at Chaffee’s:

 

 

Draw your own conclusions.

Seriously, it is was a cool time watching bands (including my fave The Stagecoach Robbery), eating moonshine-soaked cherries, doing shots with a nomad, having FREE spaghetti dinner, dancing around, getting down and grooving. 
 

 

Girls’ Shopping Trip Weekend- Grove City PremiumOutlets

Girls’ Shopping Trip Weekend
Grove City Premium Outlets
Grove City, Pennsylvania
March 19-20, 2011

My sister Joanna is the last person you’d expect to suggest a shopping trip but when the gang was discussing our next adventure, it was Jo that recommended a weekend at the Grove City Premium Outlets in Pennsylvania. Being only an hour away and with no sales tax on clothing in PA, this getaway had the potential to bring a lot of bang for our buck.

As always, I researched like crazy to execute a shopping trip with optimum time efficiency and maximum savings. I made a list of every store I wanted to visit and plotted the location of each on a map of the shopping complex. I highlighted those stores I wanted to visit the most. I devised a shopping strategy that considered which stores had the best deals compared to the list I’d prepared detailing each item I hoped to find.
As luck would have it, the week of the trip I scored a 30% off Give & Get Coupon good at Banana Republic, the Gap and Old Navy which I passed on to the other girls. Inspired, I checked the Outlet’s website for more savings opportunities. By signing up for the VIP Club, I accessed many more coupons including 30% off at Calvin Klein and $25 off at Nike.

To have as much cargo room as possible, we decided to take the largest vehicles we had- a compact SUV and a pick-up truck. Janet, Jean, Joanna and Megan rode up in the truck. Di, Jan and I manned the SUV. After enjoying breakfast, we followed Interstate 76 East to I-80E to I-79S to Route 208 in Grove City.
At first sight, the complex was huge with a massive parking lot quickly filling with crazed shoppers such as ourselves. We were ready to go, giddy with excitement, thinking of the shopportunities that lay before us. We jumped out of the cars and into the fresh air. Damn- it was cold! I was thankful I’d worn a scarf and jacket. I was also glad I’d brought a large canvas shopping bag to keep all of my purchases- many people commented on the convenience.
I’m not going to lie- it was overwhelming at first. 130 stores doesn’t sound like too much, does it? Well, it looks like a whole lot! Even with my map and shopping strategy, it took a moment to get my bearings. When looking at stores to the left and stores to the right and stores up ahead, it was hard to decide which way to go first. We decided to head toward the food court which became our rendezvous spot for the weekend, a place of chaos and comfort.

From there we set off on our own. I started the day in Nike with Joanna and Jan but split from them when I headed to Bath & Body Works and they browsed the VF Outlet. I ran into Megan in Charlotte Russe- thank goodness! I needed input on a cardigan and I trust her completely. I provided my fashion opinion on a cute black top Megan found on clearance at White House/Black Market. We headed to Banana Republic Factory Store armed with my 30% off coupon, or so I thought. After finding the perfect white wrap top for 40% off I realized that I’d left the 30% coupon in the car. Technology to the rescue- I brought up the email on my Palm Pixi and the cashier scanned the coupon right from my cell phone for a huge discount. Okay, that’s pretty awesome!
We shopped our way back to the food court to meet up for lunch. A zillion other people had the same idea. It is hard to find a table for seven in a food court teeming with deal-thirsty shoppers, especially when in competition with those in twos and fours. I staked out a large table taken on either end by couples that appeared to be finishing their lunches. As they wrapped up, Megan and I planted ourselves in the middle establishing temporary ownership of the space. We then employed glares and snarls as a deterrent to anyone eyeing up the chairs we were saving for the other girls while they ordered.
After lunch I kicked it into high gear, using my 30% off coupon at Calvin Klein to get a new wallet, browsing BCBG for summer dresses and resisting a green dress just out of my range at Ralph Lauren. The disappointment of the day was when I found the perfect pair of leopard print pumps at Nine West only to hear that they did not have my size.
By mid-afternoon we needed a break and headed to the Hampton Inn for a little relaxation. The hotel was the perfect lodging for a girlfriends’ shopping trip- well located, well priced, with friendly service and nice details like granite counter tops and premium toiletries in the bathrooms, a fitness room and a pool with large hot tub. We enjoyed a few glasses of wine, sampled chocolates Megan had bought and then geared up for another round of shopping.

The difference between shopping at Grove City Premium during the day and night is like, well, night and day. During the day, the complex is crawling with thousands of people that came in as couples, in vans and on bus trips. We were amazed by the number of out of state and out of country license plates we saw in the parking lot- does Ontario, Canada not have any outlets? By the evening, most of the buses had cleared out and only those of us truly dedicated to the concept of ‘shop ‘til we drop’ remained. The absence of crowds made finding great deals very easy. I found excellent sales, great deals and put my coupons to good work- by the end of the evening I’d declared it the ‘Day of the Discount!’

In keeping with that theme, we headed to the Elephant & Castle Pub for a late dinner, prompted by the 15% off coupon the front desk gave us. We called ahead but still had to wait and were worn out by the time we were seated. However, our server had a dry sense of humor which instantly perked me up. After dinner we wrapped up our evening enjoying the pool and hot tub. We were each asleep within minutes of turning out the lights.

The next morning we enjoyed the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet and decided to spend a few more hours making some final purchases before heading home. Although I’d just about reached my spending limit, I still had a few gift cards I received for Christmas and was able to make a few last minutes purchases at the Gap and Old Navy. We had one last lunch in the food court and then headed home with the backs of our vehicles packed to the top with shopping bags!

The highlight of the weekend was chilling in our rooms at the end of the night, showing each other our fabulous finds which ranged from hiking boots to diamond earrings. I’d saved about $170 just by using coupons, not counting additional sale or clearance discounts which were in abundance. Going through my receipts and adding up my savings was a huge thrill. But the best part for me was spending another great getaway weekend with my fabulous group of friends!

Sisters' Daytrip- Falling Water and Ohiopyle

Falling Water and Ohiopyle
Saturday, May 16, 2009

Visiting Falling Water has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager and saw a picture of the home in an art book. Falling Water is the masterpiece design of famed US architect Frank Lloyd Wright. After seeing a documentary on the designs of Wright and learning that, located southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was within a driving distance I decided to someday travel to the home. However, I never quite made it. So, when it came up again, I decided I didn’t want to push it off to the side again and made plans with my little sister Megan to head out that upcoming Saturday.

Reservations are required to visit Falling Water but tickets can easily be purchased through the website. We orders ours the night before and had our choice of tours but during busier times, reservations should be made up to two weeks in advance. We left on Saturday morning. The 3-hour drive was easy and scenic. We took Interstate 76 East from Akron and into southeastern Pennsylvania to PA Route 31 to PA Route 381. This region of Pennsylvania is much hillier than Ohio and passing on the highway above we enjoyed seeing towns growing out of the valleys below. PA Route 381 is also known as the Laurel Highlands Scenic Byway and we passed many nice views on our way. The road was a mix of tourist attractions, shops offering wood objects, marine gear or country crafts, campgrounds and worn homes. It passed through small towns and over meandering hills in farm country. The ride alone was enjoyable.

We arrived at the entrance of Falling Water and passed through a dense wooded area before finding the gate. When we parked we were amazed by the number of out of state license plates. There were plates from Iowa, California, Texas and many other states from around the nation. We even saw plates from British Columbia and Ontario. We were struck by what an attraction the Wright-designed home really was.

We checked in at the Visitors Center and waited for our group to be announced. The Visitors Center is a large round pavilion that compliments its wooded setting. It offers restrooms, lockers, a cafe’ and a gift shop. When our tour group was announced, we made our way down a winding quarter-mile path lined with wild rhododendron, large rock formations, a babbling stream and a few small waterfalls. Suddenly the home came into view and we took in our first sight of it. Built to blend into the woods around it, it really does mimic the hillside and instead of disturbing the environment is built around it. We gathered on the bridge near the famous waterfall that the house was built around and waited for our tour to begin.

Our tour started with some history of the home, its owners the Kaufmanns (of Kaufmanns Department Store) and its designer Frank Lloyd Wright. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Falling Water on commission as the all-season vacation home of the wealthy Kaufmann family, who resided in Pittsburgh, PA. Wright, who made up the term ‘organic architect’ to explain his philosophy of design, designed Falling Water to look as if it was a part of the landscape. He paid special attention to the surroundings, using the rocks on the property as part of the foundation and the fireplace hearth and having the stream and waterfall pass right under the house. He built the home and guest house on several terraced levels to mimic the hillside where it was perched. The home and surrounding landscape existed in harmony.

We took the $20 general tour which included a tour of the main great room, the guest room, the master bedrooms, the son’s room, the guest house and many of the several terraces around the home. Indoor photography was not permitted on the general tour but we were encouraged to explore the exterior spaces and grounds and take photographs after the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and did a great job of talking to everyone in the group and making sure that all were able to hear. She was able to answer everyone’s questions and offered comparisons to other Wright designs. She was a very informative guide and I enjoyed her presentation.

I had looked forward to seeing the home for so long and, of course, the view of the exterior was amazing but I was very surprised to be most captivated by the extensive art collection in the interior. The aesthetic of minimalist furnishings and muted colors complimented by eclectic and colorful art is what I aspire to in my own home so I was quite inspired by the Japanese tapestries, centuries-old religious artwork from all regions, native-American pottery and modern sculptures. Everything in the home except for floor coverings is original and the art collection was one amassed by the frequent travel of the Kaufmanns, although Wright gave them some things from his own collection including Japanese wall hangings and a giant iron pot of his own design that was hung near the fireplace and used to serve soup or mulled wine out of during parties.

I was also very impressed with how the home was built around the natural setting. Instead of moving them, large stones on site were used to make up the hearth of the large fireplace in the great room and the home is cantilevered over the stream and waterfall. A natural stream fills the pool on the upper level. Wright even designed a gap to be left in the floor to let the spring waters trickle down a rock wall that was now part of the home’s interior.

It is said that Falling Water has a hundred steps and that is true. The most unique of the staircases is one that descends from the main great room down to the cool stream below. Another is set near the front door and leads down to a platform near the same stream. Yet another beside the front door leads up to a covered terrace. The terraces were also amazing, all set up with comfortable lounge furniture and simple sculptures. The highest terrace had a small culinary herb garden with thyme, sage, rosemary, chives, basil and all the other fresh herbs that I love to grow myself.

The tour ended with a video about conservation efforts and we took some time to wander the grounds and take some pictures of the home from different view points. We then made our way up the hill, browsed the gift shop and headed back to our vehicle. Megan and I were both blown away by the beauty of the home and grounds and with the tour.

After leaving Falling Water we headed a few miles further down PA Route 381 through Normalville toward Ohiopyle. The first thing we did when we arrived in town was change into hiking gear and have the picnic lunch that we brought with us. We sat on the rocks down by the river and enjoyed our homemade sandwiches and grapes while watching the rushing water.

The town of Ohiopyle is our kind of place- laidback and friendly. There were cute historic buildings in the area like the Visitors' Center in an old train station but many buildings are older and worn-looking. Everyone is friendly and everyone wants to be outdoors. Half the cars in any parking lot had kayaks on top of them, the other half had bike racks. The charm of the town is its ‘I’d rather be ...’ attitude. I wish I had more time to spend relaxing on the patio of the local restaurant or eating hand-dipped ice cream on the porch of the general store.

Next on our agenda was some good hiking. We stopped by the visitors' center and picked up a trail map but decided that instead of doing one long trail we’d rather explore many of the small trails that lead to the riverside. We stood on the bank above and watched kayakers make their way down fast and rough water. We climbed over large boulders and explored crevices. We lounged on large rocks on the edge of the river. We took in the scenery of an amazing place we’d never been. The hiking in the Ohiopyle State Park combines everything we love about individual trails in our parks system- the rapids and waterfalls of the Gorge, the boulder climbing of Virginia Kendall, the rugged terrain of Adams Run. We enjoyed every minute of hiking and really took the time to enjoy our surroundings. We also indulged in our newest obsession- trail running- and ran along some of the higher trails that weren’t close to the rocky riverbed.

After a few hours of hiking and trail running, we heard thunder in the distance and headed back. We jogged over the old train bridge and got into the car just as the storms were starting. We headed back into Normalville and stopped at the central gas station, Speedy Meedy’s. It should not go without saying that the staff of this gas station/deli are friendly and fun! We discussed a Pittsburgh Steelers clock on their wall, the fact that we’re Cleveland Browns fans and the rivalry between the teams. I always love to get the authentic local experience and as odd as it may be, the friendly folks at Speedy Meedy’s provided.

Meg and I headed home following the same route we came. Although there were storms and bad rain all the way home, it was still an easy and enjoyable drive. We discussed the day and our favorite parts. It is hard to identify the highlight of the trip. Visiting Falling Water is a dream come true but experiencing Ohiopyle left us wanting more and we hope to sometime soon bring our group of girlfriends to enjoy all the outdoor experiences available in this area. The excursion was the perfect one-tank trip and combined art and architecture with the ruggedness of the great outdoors. I can’t wait to return to enjoy more of what this region has to offer!

Great American Cities- Pittsburgh

As much as the former Clevelander in me hates to admit it, Pittsburgh is a great American city! I’ve visited Pittsburgh as a child and an adult and always have a blast.

Three Rivers Stadium Implosion- February 10-11, 2001

The very best trip I’ve ever taken to Pittsburgh was a spur of the moment trip that was conceived, executed and completed within 24 hours! I heard that Three Rivers Stadium was going to be imploded. I called my sisters and asked them if they wanted to go see that building fall down. They were down so we got our mates in on the plan and got to it. I called a hotel and reserved a room. We decided not to get exact directions to Pittsburgh and instead just headed east in the general direction. We knew we’d run into the area eventually. We found a highway with Pittsburgh signs and headed for a tunnel, which I hate! But, as we pulled through the tunnel and Pittsburgh appeared, a crowd favorite song started playing on the radio and we all cheered and got keyed up for an excited experience.

We parked our car and used public transport to explore the city. We took a train to Station Square and rode an incline up to Mount Washington. We ate dinner at a little restaurant that served comfort foods. We headed back to the hotel in downtown Pittsburgh and got to bed early.

The next morning we got up at 5:am so that we could find a premium position to overlook the stadium. We decided to head back to Mount Washington and found a great place to view the whole thing. The weather was freezing and we wrapped ourselves in the hotel blankets. The crowd around us consisted of Pittsburgh sports fans- Steelers and Pirates fans that enjoyed many games at Three Rivers- and a few Cleveland fans that enjoyed watching their rival team’s stadium fall. When you get diehard fans from rivaling teams drinking beer at 6:am, fights are bound to break out and they did. But the crowd finally commenced a count down and at the right time the stadium began to fallsection by section. When the entire thing had collapsed, the crowd cheered and then ran because a giant plume of dust and debris had risen into the air and was heading right for Mount Washington! The dust reached the crowd as we all scurried into shuttle buses that were headed to the train station. We were off the hill in no time and back at the hotel room by 9:00am. We packed our bags, checked out and headed home, this time taking US Route 30 all the way from PA, briefly passing through West Virginia and into Ohio. We were home before noon, less than 24 hours after we first decided to go and witness the implosion of Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Ohio. We all had a blast!

Weekend Getaway- April 12-14, 2002

My sisters and I decided to see a performance art exhibit which was being held in the East Liberty area of Pittsburgh. We asked our mates to make a weekend out of it. The six of us rented a van, reserved a hotel suite with a kitchen, packed coolers of food and left first thing in the morning. The drive to Pittsburgh is only about an hour and a half and we arrived in the late morning.

Our first stop was the Phipps Conservatory, which has been a family favorite since I was a girl. I’ve been to the Conservatory during each season to experience the gardens and exhibits. The spring weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the indoor and outdoor areas at Phipps. We had a picnic in a nearby park.

Our next stop was to the Andy Warhol Museum. We walked up all 7 flights of stairs and enjoyed exhibits that included his famous screen prints of consumer products and famous people, his collections of Fiestaware and Tiffany jewelry, and other unique and imaginative objects. After the museum, we drove around and took in the area before heading back to the hotel to make dinner and play games.


The next day we saw the performance of Graceful Light in Weightless Darkness at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre. The performance featured modern dancers that wore costumes made of fiber-optics and other light creations. Dancers of all body-types were included and the ideas were innovative and inspiring. We all enjoyed ourselves. We spent the night at the hotel and headed home the next morning.