Allentown, Part 1

On Saturday, we left Amsterdam to go to the US for home leave. Luckily, there were no hitches getting to the airport or checking in. We did leave three hours before our flight, just in case. Our flights back to the US went pretty well. We were grateful that both Schiphol and O'Hare had good play areas. The one in Chicago is sponsored by the Chicago Children's Museum and kept Liliane occupied for a while. Conveniently located nearby were family bathrooms and a Starbuck's. When we landed in Philadelphia, Dan's dad met us at the curb and loaded us in. After an hour, we rolled into the driveway in Allentown. We got in at about 9PM EST and got some pizza for dinner. We stayed up late and I caught up on some American television (hgtv).

It's always nice to go to Dan's hometown and see his family. In the morning, Dan's dad generally makes a large thermos of coffee that I can drink in an unlimited amount. Dan's mom is very thoughtful and generous. She always has everything prepared ahead of time so we never have to bring much. This time was no exception and Liliane and Amelie were thrilled to discover the backyard ("playground") stocked with plenty of fun toys. Dan's fun brother Joe was also in town, so it was great to see him.

On Sunday, Dan's relatives came over for a large get together and his Aunt Sharon made an incredibly moist and delicious chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. We all enjoyed the lovely weather in the backyard and the girls enjoyed all the attention showered on them. There was a large spread of burgers, hot dogs, chips, deviled eggs, and the very Pennsylvanian beers Yeungling, and Lord Chesterfield Ale.

On Monday, I went to Target. Although my shopping wasn't that successful, I enjoyed being inside the store. They simply have everything one needs there. Later that evening, Dan's Uncle Ron and Aunt Mary treated us, along with Dan's dad and grandfather, to box seats at the local AAA-baseball team, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. It was Johnny Cash night, which was great because they played his music between innings. The stadium is brand new and was really well organized. The seats were easy to get to and there was a pretty good turnout. The Pigs played a really good game and ended up winning 4 to 3.

Iron Pig Mascot jumping through a ring of fire, like the Cash song

On Tuesday, we met up at Panera with one of Dan's friends from high school named Jen. Dan hadn't seen her in a while, so it was great to meet up. She was doing really well and is looking forward to her wedding.

Afterwards, we went to one of my favorite grocery stores - Wegman's. They have an amazing selection, high quality products, and good prices. We stocked up on ingredients for chocolate chip cookies and ran into a family friend.

Wednesday night we drove into Philly to meet our dear friend Edward. He brought us to an Indian fusion restaurant called Bindi. We feasted on lamb kofta, curried halibut, chicken tikka masala, and a thali tray that included a delicious lemon paste. Afterwards, we went to a place where I could very well have dined as well. It's one of my favorite places for desserts and it's called the Naked Chocolate Cafe. They make artisanal chocolate and serve fondue. They make four different kinds of drinking chocolate as well. Last time the three of us went there, Edward and Dan ordered the large size of the drinking chocolate which was too much for them. This time we decided to take a more conservative approach and so the three of us split a small Aztec chocolate, which was sufficient. We also sampled a green-tea-and-orange chocolate and a chili chocolate, which really gave it a kick. I would recommend this place to anyone who visits Philadelphia. Click here for a virtual tour.

Thursday morning, we brought the girls to the Lehigh Valley Zoo, which is set in a forest preserve. The zoo was not very big, but the Liliane was able to feed nectar to Lorikeets, see a zebra, and hoo at the owls.

In the late afternoon, we headed to the Allentown Farmer's Market located at the Allentown Fairgrounds. I had never been there, but it seems to be a hidden gem. It's open three days per week had all sorts of stalls inside selling all sorts of specialty foods. They had Southern cuisine, Middle Eastern food, all sorts of specialty meats and cheeses, a candy store, a branch of Mary Ann donuts (imports bagels from New York daily), a store with spices and mustards, small rides for children, and, in a throwback, there was even a barber shop. We went out to dinner that night with Dan's parents to the Olive Garden and Liliane enjoyed eating one of her faves - spaghetti.

Southern Cuisine & Kiffles at the farmer's market