Lehigh Valley InSite

Watching the Freddy's on TV

Last night was the 11th Annual Freddy Awards at the historic State Theatre in Easton. It’s one of the hottest tickets in town. I watched it, like most Lehigh Valley and now world-wide theatre fans, on television, although you could have streamed it online at WFMZ.com, too.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Freddy’s, they are the Tony’s of Lehigh Valley high school theatre. I, personally, both rue and lament the fact that I graduated high school, both not in Lehigh Valley and before the Freddy’s existed! Did I mention that it’s not just any plays that can get you a nomination? It has to be a musical! And every year we’re reminded that you don’t have to watch American Idol or the X-Factor for talent. Watch the Freddy’s and your TV will ooze talent.

Becky's Drive-In

We could write a book on all the daytime activities there are to do in Lehigh Valley. Well, we kinda did.

After all, riding the Talon roller coaster at Dorney Park wouldn’t be as much fun without the daylight allowing you to see for miles. Watching an IronPigs game without the lights on probably wouldn’t make for the best father/son bonding experience.

Carnegie Deli Pastrami

As lunch draws near, I decided to enlighten Lehigh Valley on one of America’s lunch time staples. No not pizza, burgers or fried chicken, but the deli sandwich. Yes, I’m here to tell you on my top five deli’s Lehigh Valley has to offer you.

When asked what we do here at Discover Lehigh Valley I often answer, “We sell fun”. That’s over simplification, but you get the idea. We want everyone to know all the cool things there are to see and do in our great region.

Others who are charged with sharing their knowledge of the area are the fine folks at our PennDot Keystone Welcome Centers. Last Thursday I had the pleasure of escorting Kathy and Abeda on a “mini-familiarization” tour and duplicated the tour on Friday for Anne, April, Johnnie and Chris.

Sette Luna in Easton, Pennsylvania

It’s that time of year when the flowers start the bloom, temperatures are warming up, and people are getting out of the house.  I know the last thing I want to be doing on a warm spring day is cooking dinner, so why not get out of the house and enjoy the weather?

Lehigh Valley has a ton of great restaurants where you can enjoy a seat outside, whether you’re stopping by for happy hour drinks or for a full meal.  Check out my list of personal favorites below!

Best Lehigh Valley Bathrooms

Bathrooms are a necessity of any restaurant, sports venue or entertainment location. And, while they can be an easy afterthought when it comes to decor choice or even design, there are a few restrooms in Lehigh Valley that raise the bar when it comes to, well, bathroom business. Our list of the Top 5 Bathrooms in Lehigh Valley takes into account a variety of factors including, but not limited to, cleanliness, creativity and decor.

Lehigh Valley Pet Peeves

All too often I hear way more negative things about Lehigh Valley then I’d like, especially for a guy who has a career in tourism. Sure, we have our fair share of issues, not unlike many regions and cities our size, but we have a lot of great attractions, restaurants, arts, and cultural events that make our geographic location, in my opinion, second to none.

So here are my top five pet peeves and my discouragement of them.

The "new" Crayola Experience is very hands on

The “new” Crayola Experience has the lines in place, all they have to do now is color them in. The fun and creative family destination in downtown Easton has been closed since mid February. However, they recently opened their doors and multiple floors to allow for a quick walk through and a peek at their progress and upcoming attractions.

list

My colleagues here at Discover Lehigh Valley love to post their “Top 5” or “Top 10” lists of favorite foods. Let’s see there’s Kaitie with her mac & cheese and Ryan’s pizza post. That one’s been done a couple times. Apparently there are some strong opinions on pizza around here. Burgers, wings, beers…you name it, we’ve listed it.

Elite Eight

We’re down to the Elite Eight,  there are plenty of top seeds left but only one underdog remains dancing in Lehigh Valley Lunacy, which began March 1st.

As we get down to the end of the tournament, voting for the rounds won’t last as long, so spread the word!