Blairsville, PA. Madcap weekend trip to see the college daughter and the grandparents. Stayed at an amazing Victorian home of a friend-of-a-friend who has become like family. She has lived in Blairsville, PA for decades and has a hand in the community development of the area. I loved it there. Its a small town that is struggling but has so much going for it. We all fell in love with Market Street Bakery. The Riverfront Trail was especially beautiful on this cold and sunny October morning. There’s a pretty good thrift store on the way out of town to Pittsburgh, which is about 40 miles away. We weren’t there long but I love me a good small town and I hope Blairsville continues to grow.
Saw the collegiate Fiercely at U of Pittsburgh. The rest of the family had been to her dorm and campus when I was in Arizona. So I had the tour finally. Must mention the Harry Potter-esque building called the Cathedral of Learning. It has many “nationality rooms” devoted to individual countries with astonishing detail. Woodwork, tiles, pottery and art from the country fill the rooms, which are used as classrooms. We saw the rooms from the nations of Greece, France, Ukraine, Wales and Israel, and a few more. Impressive! Also in the campus area in the Oakland neighborhood but not part of campus the Carnegie library is a wondrous place. Vibrant library attached to a science museum- historic, gorgeous. We had brunch in the campus area at a colorful diner-style place I can’t remember the name of but it had board games all over the walls.
Three hours to the northwest, Ohio and my parents. We only spent one night but managed to see my two brothers, go to a few thrift stores, and have some of my mom’s excellent vegetable soup. We even saw a little snow! Then back to Pittsburgh and lunch with Fiercely. This time we went away from campus into the Southside neighborhood. Lunch at over the bar bicycle cafe, then a wonderful candy and ice cream store called Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop. Back to Philly from there. It was a lot of driving but good to see everyone. Of course I love seeing my kids all together, all 6 of us together. Ahhhhh.
Have to mention that the two weekends before this trip we also went out of town. Ithaca one weekend (last weekend of the semi annual book sale! Cookout on a campfire at the cabin!), and medieval reenactment event called River Wars in New Jersey where there were horse events and a lot of other things including a big feast. We camped out medieval style in our massive canvas tent. It was a crazy few weekends!
Tripping Fantastic 2 