Flea-ing Lambertville and Exploring New Hope

A little over a week ago, I believe I'd mentioned I was heading east to Philly to meet a couple of blogging friends. Claire and J.D. turned out to be as interesting, pleasant and funny as their on-screen personas--- not a surprise there, really, as I'd been "talking" with them online for some time now.

So, today, come with us as we experience a road-trip filled with history, intriguing architecture, delightful food and, especially, a day-trip to one of my old haunts-- the Lambertville/New Hope area along the Delaware River.

While our Saturday-about-town in Philadelphia involved much rain and puddle-jumping, there was still a lot of to appreciate-- including Philadelphia's series of elaborate murals, and its eye-catching architecture. I loved the way the top of the building showcased its shape against the hazy skyline...


The facades of many of the buildings were very ornate, though like many old cities, they're found in varying levels of repair depending on neighborhood... This building dates from "MDCDI"-- or 1901...


And here's the Ocean Harbor, a popular dim sum restaurant in Philly's Chinatown where we enjoyed our Saturday brunch. It actually looks a bit sunnier in the photo than it really was. My squishy shoes can attest to that! As Claire is from England, she was used to the rain, but the humidity-- well, it left us all a bit overwhelmed. No reason not to duck inside to the restaurant!...


The food was extremely fun and memorable, with the waitstaff continually popping up with carts offering new rounds of delicacies, which they wrote down in some mysterious-looking system of circles on the check...


The long, lean and leafy veggies there are Chinese broccoli. It had a great fresh flavor, and a texture more reminiscent of a leafy asparagus than what we know to be mainstream U.S. broccoli. You can see some half-demolished General Tso's chicken here, plus the lovely dim sum dumplings filled with things like pork, a sweet bean paste, and other goodies.

Sunday, courtesy of our kind host J.D., offered a day-trip to Lamberville, New Jersey and New Hope, Pennsylvania-- a quaint and quirky area that straddles the Delaware River. It flea markets, antiques and gift shops, and on-the-water dining.

Our first stop was the Golden Nugget Antique Market. This was particularly amusing for me, because my parents and I used to come here when I was a kid living in New Jersey...

The memories all came flooding back as I saw the rows of tables, bearing everything from Victoriana, to leather-bound books, to a gaggle of troll-dolls, to fine china...

I don't know who the lady is above, but at least she's smiling. I think she's happy with her bag of flea marketed produce there.

In one of the flea market's out-buildings I uncovered a couple of vintage cooking and homemaking books I believe I'll be sharing with you all later, as future posts. I liked in particular that the one is sponsored by Shop Rite, a grocery store chain I used to go to when I was growing up in New Jersey....


We were wondering why the "Household Hints" stopped at 1003, and not 1000 or 1001. Perhaps they got so jazzed about their hints, that they simply couldn't limit themselves to your standard number of tips.

I also got me some knobs (Claire, stop laughing...)... er, glass cabinet pulls, rather... to go on my computer desk and "Shabby Chic" it up a bit. You can see the original knob is on the right top, and the "new" old glass knob next to it.


Once we had scoured the Golden Nugget fleamarket, we got back in the car, and headed to New Hope, Pennsylvania, via Lambertville. With his Colonial and then Victorian-influenced architecture, it might remind you a bit of New Orleans, or Key West...


Here, we're headed over the Delaware River to New Hope. That's Claire's head there in silhouette on the right...


Homes, restaurants and a playhouse line this river. And as you can see, it was a perfect day-- very different, weather-wise, from just the day before!...


Here is New Hope Station, just one of the landmarks of the historic Pennsylvania town...


And we were just in-time to catch a shot of one of the local trains chugging through...


The shop below is unlike any I'd ever been in before... the TearDrop Memories "Post-Mortem Gallery." Not for the feint of heart but fascinating just the same, the shop's emphasis is on the darker side of Victoriana-- with Victorian hair jewelry (made of hair, not to go in hair), post-portem photosand paintings from the 1800s, 100-year-old preserved funerary wreaths, eerie portrait art, theatrical props, books, pottery, and Victorian birdcages.


The shop taps in to the Victorians' maudlin embrace of death as well as life. The amount of memories preserved and accumulated here can seem almost impossible to take in. This doll certainly seems to be startled by it all, anyway...


The area offers something pretty much for everyone, though. From hand-blown glass gifts and clothing from various parts of the world, to stained glass window and lamps, art galeries, kitchy bobbleheads and hologram art, and every conceivable hot sauce brand you can imagine...


The above was just one shelf in an entire hot sauce store.

We stopped for a Rita's Italian ice and strode the streets where people dined in outdoor cafes, and where motorcycle fans parked their rides and chatted with fellow officiandos.

We took in a new type of... um... lawn art that is either making a statement that simply eluded me, or is the next fad to replace plastic lawn flamingos...


And we took in the more subtle details of the town, like this quiet, shaded veranda overlooking a canal...


We imagined spending the day there with a lemonade and a laptop, just rocking on a white wicker chair and documenting the world going by... Well, we're bloggers, after all.

But what a place to blog!

Well, that pretty much wraps up our trip to Lambertville and New Hope...

• Missed last Treasure Box Wednesday, where we celebrate The Thrift Shop Romantic's second bloggiversary? Click here. It's impossible to believe it's been two years already!
  

• Or for a look at the funny side of this Philly roadtrip, click here to visit my humor blog-- Of Cabbages and Kings.

Otherwise, I hope to see you this coming Wednesday, for our next "Treasure Box" post. Thanks, my friends, for stopping by!

Field Trip!: Welcome to Amish Country-- Smicksburg, PA

Nestled between Indiana and Armstrong Counties, just over an hour from the great glass skyscrapers of Pittsburgh, you’ll find a more gentle existence.

Here Amish buggies have the right of way, candles are still hand-dipped, and the old-fashioned general store has trotted forward, undaunted by big box grocery competition.

Here, cheese is made and sold fresh, oak furniture is still crafted by hand, herbs and flowers dry in special sheds, and baking goods are sold in bulk.

When the worries of work and city life hang a little heavy, I find myself rejuvenated each time I get in the, er... mint green pottery car... and venture to this world where everything moves just a bit more slowly.

So if you’re in need of a happy mental respite from your stresses, I hope you’ll join me today, as we venture into Western Pennsylvania Amish country.
You’ll want to remember to be kind, proceed slowly, and share the road when you drive past the Amish horse and buggies-- And while it’s always perfect manners to return the friendly wave of the Amish driver and his family, please keep in mind that it’s not polite to take photographs of them-- it would be considered offensive. So to steal a phrase-- “When in Amish Country...”

But photography aside, for the Victorian, country, rustic or cottage decorator, it’s hard not to find something appropriate and memorable for the home. In addition to hand-dipped candles, painted metal pots for in- and outdoors, pottery and blown glass, you’ll find quilts in virtually any color, Heritage lace draperies and mantle scarves, and even some vintage and antique items. Knitters and crocheters may find themselves caught up in some intriguing new yarn, in a Smicksburg shop where the entire first floor is devoted to yarns and woven products.

“Downtown Smickburg Amish Country” is a large barn-shaped shop filled with sturdy Amish-built furniture. Most stores here-- like “The Coleman House” and “Daisy’s Fine Gift Shop”-- are located within formerly-residential houses, so visitors wind through rooms and corridors to see the businesses’ wares-- further reinforcing that relaxed, homey atmosphere to shopping.

Hungry? There are several places to eat, ranging from just a quick bite to a large sit-down meal. “Country Junction Restaurant” is usually where I go for some home-cooked nourishment. Consider it a cross between a diner and an ice cream parlor. It’s the kind of Western Pennsylvania eatery where the hot roast beef sandwiches are made with real potroast, and gravy on your French fries is always an option.

Other restaurants include the Amish House Restaurant, which has a buffet on weekends featuring various Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch style foods, and a soup and sandwich shop right on the main drag in Downtown Smicksburg.

Plus, there are any number of ways to take a bit of Smicksburg fare home with you.
Visit the “B&B Country Cheese Shoppe” or the “Smicksburg Country Store” for a wide array of fresh cheeses and meats. (Here you’ll see some locals I got directions from outside the Country Store. The guy on the left just kept going on and on... Fortunately, his directions were good.)

The “Windgate Winery” is a local vineyard that produces a number of different wines, including some festive spiced vintages right around the Christmas season. Feel like a kid again at the “Smicksburg Mercantile,” which indicates it has over 450 kinds of candy, including those old-timey candies you might just feel a bit of nostalgia for. Or step inside the “Smicksburg Chocolate Shoppe” and purchase anything you’d need for making your own homemade candy, or select from chocolates and hard candies pre-bagged in bulk, perfectly ready to enjoy.
I love going here to get spices, herbs and chicken stock seasonings in big bags-- it’s a bit less expensive than most city stores due to lack of branding and packaging, so I always enjoy stocking up.

Okay-- so now you say you’ve done all there is to do in Smicksburg. Well, back on past the giant Cow-on-a-Stick, and heading back to Apollo, PA, why not tack on some thrifting and antiquing?

“We Miss Back When” is a two floor antique mall, recently under new management who seems to really be working to keep the mall continually filled with new treasures. Or visit the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store, right across the street, and see what treasures await you there.

Lastly, on the road back to Pittsburgh you might stumble upon “Grandma’s Attic” a small one-floor antique mall with glassware, furniture and collectibles.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m bushed! It’s been a big day.

If you’re thinking of making your own real-life trip to Smicksburg, consider doing so on a Saturday, because on Sunday, many businesses will be closed. And if you’d like more information on Smicksburg, PA, I’ve stumbled on the following area websites so you can learn more right online:

--Smicksburg Tourism site: www.smicksburg.com

--Smicksburg-Dayton area site: www.smicksburg-dayton.com

And me? I’m going to get back in my little mint green pottery car and drive on back to those bright Pittsburgh city lights.

See you next week!