Lehigh Valley InSite

The George Wolf Historical Society in Bath

We all know Lehigh Valley is steeped in history, what with the Moravians in Bethlehem and Nazareth (in no particular order) the Liberty Bell being stored in Allentown, and the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Easton but there is a lot more history all throughout the valley. Lucky for us dedicated volunteers spend countless hours to preserve the stories and buildings for future generations.

Case in point: The George Wolf Historical Society in Bath. I was aware they existed but hadn’t actually gone to any of their events until recently. As is often the case it was our friend, Al Rauber, who moved to the valley that suggested we attend a talk he was giving there on his investigations of the Lizzie Borden home.

I can't wait to do these again

Everything old is new again and the “same old, same old” is not humdrum. Sometimes attractions and events that happen each year are the most fun Lehigh Valley things that I want to do again this coming year.

April 4th, 2013 is Opening Day for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Last season, our ‘Pigs fell short of replicating their playoff run of 2011, but they were in the hunt until the very end. Meaningful baseball down the stretch starts with a good April and I’ll be there again to cheer them on.

You can't dodge the fun!

Tuesday happens to be my favorite day of the week. Why, you ask? Sure, there’s some good shows on TV, it’s not Monday anymore and it’s a bit closer to Friday… you get the point.  But the real reason I enjoy Tuesdays: dodgeball.

That’s right.  Dodgeball.  I’m sure you have two images in your mind right now:  third-grade gym class and a big-screen battle between Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn.  Put those two together and that’s what the ROC Social Club brings to Allentown on Tuesday nights.

Train Tracks in Bangor

Continuing with our recently announced Guestagram Series, Jared Kofsky has submitted photos that will be featured on our Lehigh Valley Instagram account.

In our Guestagram Series, a local photographer takes over our account for a few days to showcase their work and their take on the great area we live in.

North Pole Express Flight

Who wants to go to the North Pole?  Recently some very special children from Lehigh Valley had the opportunity to take this memorable flight.  These kids are a part of Dream Come True, an organization that benefits seriously, chronically and terminally ill children.

Back in December I had the opportunity to be involved in the North Pole Express Flight from Lehigh Valley International Airport.  This unique event was a true Lehigh Valley event supported by great partners including the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Just Born Candy, Nazareth Chamber of Commerce and many more.  The entire day was a rewarding experience for the volunteers, families and children.Previous

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cupcake bowl1

Sometimes things just roll the right way and you get lucky in life. That happened to me just last week as I was chosen to be one of the four official judges (there was also the “People’s Choice Awards”) to cast my vote on the “Best Frosting,” “Best Cake,” “Best Decoration,” and “Best Overall Combo” at the Inaugural ArtsQuest™ Cupcake Bowl. I do have a background in judging food competitions and competing in cake decorating contests, and I have a degree from the Culinary Institute of America which kind of gives me the chops to judge this event, but I have never done cupcakes before. I’m also a super huge fan of Cupcake Wars, well anything on the Food Network or Cooking Channel for that matter.

So, the morning of December 29, I prepped my stomach with a banana and water and headed to ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks along with 425 others, to this sold-out event. There were 15 Lehigh Valley bakeries that participated with some entering three selections. All-in-all there were 39 cupcakes to try! Ahhhh … bliss AND sugar high AND then crash AND burn.

Top 5 LV Zoo Animals

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is open year round. In fact, some of the animals there are more active in the winter. See, some animals get pretty lazy in the summer months, what with the copious amounts of warm sunlight going around. According to the Zoo, the animals are generally more active in the winter months and exhibit behaviors that are rarely seen during the spring and summer.

Besides, have you driven up to Lehigh Valley Zoo and the Trexler Game Preserve lately? The drive itself, through some of the more beautiful Lehigh Valley landscapes, is enough to warrant getting out and about during the winter.

Tilted Kilt

As we enter 2013, I decided to compile yet another list of things that are often overlooked in Lehigh Valley. Sure we have the Sands® Casino Resort Bethlehem, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom along with The Crayola Experience™ and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, but this blog is giving the proverbial “shout out” to the smaller players that make our area so unique. So without further ado here are 10 places that I’m making a point to visit over the course of the year.

10. Dutch Springs Aqua Park – A real treat for those warm summer days.

Bellissimo Ristorante in Allentown

After a week of holidays filled with family and home-cooked meals, it’s always nice to get out and let someone else do the cooking for a night.

So to escape the cold windy night, I stopped by Bellissimo Ristorante in Allentown for dinner last night.  They have so many great options on their menu, there’s surely something to please everyone.

Live Like a Local on Main St. in Bethlehem

The second installment of the “Live Like a Local with George” web series takes us to downtown Bethlehem, PA; specifically Main Street. While there are numerous shops, cafes and restaurants to visit, I was forced to pick just a few and it wasn’t an easy task. To be honest, I already have footage ready for the next time we hit Main Street, and it won’t be far in the future.

It was a chilly December day, but we had fun perusing through Moravian Book Shop and checking out all the rubber ducks at The Foo Foo Shoppe. We may or may not have bought a few Christmas presents at Artfully Elegant and we definitely stopped by Tapas on Main afterwards for a few post taping sangria. Donegal Square was warm and welcoming as always, The Attic gave us some winter fashion ideas and Ostara* was as magical as always.