Blue & Gray Bar & Grill, Gettysburg, PA

We asked our battlefield tour guide for a local restaurant recommendation and this is what we chose from his suggestions. We had seen it on our drive through the town square area and it looked pretty good.

It was.

We were greeted by a very friendly waitress, but for a family of six, there was really only three places to sit...either at the bar or one of the two tables that were already occupied. A couple of our kids were uncomfortable eating at the bar, so we waited for one of the tables to open up. 

There was a lot of variety to the menu. There are 12 different Battlefield Burger choices alone. Plus, for the Man vs. Food set, a Pickett's Charge Challenge that's free if you finish it. Dale's flag, shows that he stuck with the Union army and chose the General John Fulton Reynolds burger which came on a soft pretzel roll with a corn fritter and warm bacon dressing on top. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

His is the only photo we took, but Noah and Leah had hand-breaded chicken fingers that were yummy, while I had an Ahi Tuna wrap, but the Crab Cakes were very tempting. Abbey chose the Chicken Apple Salad sandwich and Rebekah opted for a Philly Cheesesteak with American cheese instead of Cheeze Whiz as indicated on the menu. A few of us chose waffle sweet potato fries instead of traditional and both blew away any Chick-fil-A competition without a doubt.

Overall, if I had to rate the food, hostess, cleanliness and atmosphere, I'd give this restaurant a solid A. Sadly, our server just wasn't that friendly. I always attempt to be chatty and pleasant because I know servers have a tough job. I can usually get someone to come around and perk up a little. My children have even accused me of being flirtatious when I feel that I'm just being nice. But after about 20 minutes or so with this guy, I gave up trying. This was a pretty pricey place for us, so it annoys me a little when the person we'll be tipping/paying for serving us can't even crack a smile. Oh well!

We still said our requisite pleases and thank yous and we still tipped well, like we always do because we know from personal experience that waiting on a family of six is tough...but it really took until almost the end of the meal before he ever even said, "You're welcome". I just kept telling myself he was probably having a bad day. I'd still only take the experience down to an A- though. If you're in the area, for the food alone, it's definitely worth a try.  

Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, PA

This historical town is a place I have wanted to visit my entire adult life. For me, this was the most exciting tourist attraction of our trip. 

My two favorite historical periods are The Civil War and World War 2. But The Civil War ranks first. I have watched Ken Burns' documentary at least a dozen times and have started it again since we arrived home. Driving and walking among these places I have learned so much about...the Wheat Field, the Peach Orchard, Little Round Top, Cemetery Ridge and of course the wide expanse of field where Pickett's Charge took place...truly was stepping on "hallowed ground" for me.

July 1-3 of this year is the 150th anniversary of the battle that began the ending of the Confederate army. Never again would the "rebels" cross over into the North to attack the Union. The tide changed here and even this many years later, thinking about the sacrifice that took place and the town of a little over 2000 that had to take care of ten times that many wounded (both Union and Confederate!) and had to bury over 50,000 bodies and live through the summer stench of 5000 dead horses, absolutely boggles my mind to try and grasp it.

There is a museum and movie on site where you can learn in detail about this famous battle. But for our family of six, it would have cost almost $70. Instead, I chose to schedule a two hour tour with a personal guide that rode in our car for $65 and taught us just as much as if Shelby Foote himself had been riding along. [That's a Ken Burns' Civil War reference right there!]

I don't know that you can request specific guides, but Larry Wallace was fantastic! He told us that we had perfect weather for the day and that with the sesquicentennial coming up, we had also chosen the perfect time. In about 2 hours, 15 minutes, he took us around to all of the major sites in Gettysburg. He said that during the big celebration, traffic would be so jammed up that he wouldn't be able to do half of what we were seeing. He also clued us in that during the months of late March through May, large school group activity deters from the battlefield guides showing you all of the sites too. What a blessing to have great weather and limited crowds.

The view from Little Round Top

For about a decade, I've decided that "some day" I'd like to take a Civil War vacation. I'd love to tour Manassas (aka Bull Run), Appomattox Station, Antietam, Chickamauga, and Andersonville Prison. If on that trip, or any other, I have the opportunity to visit Gettysburg again, I think I'd like to take a self-guided tour. I just want to wander around and look at all of the monuments first. They are amazing pieces of art and workmanship.

We didn't have a lot of time in Gettysburg. We had driven straight to the Historical Park from Philadelphia with just about an hour to spare before our tour. I think I could easily spend a few days there.

Statue of a contemporary tourist and Abraham Lincoln pointing
toward the room where Lincoln may have completed The Gettysburg Address.

 Inside the town there are little shops and different museums to see, including a free museum of General Robert E. Lee's command post that Mr. Wallace said is a great place to visit. The Lutheran seminary that was there when Gettysburg was attacked, still stands today. And you could easily spend an entire day wandering around the battlefield.

No matter how many times I hear it, The Gettysburg Address still chokes me up. And as we drove from Gettysburg to our hotel in Chambersburg, which Mr. Wallace taught us was the same path that Lee and the Confederates trod to come to Gettysburg...and retreat from it too, we drove over and around hills and mountains that were breathtaking vistas.

What I could not shake from my mind was that 150 years ago, thousands of men...with no paved roads or mechanical devices...pulled at minimum 150 cannons over those heights. Well, actually it took six horses per cannon, but the men marched for miles on end, through trees and shrubs, carrying excessively heavy loads and did not know what would happen when they reached there. For far too many, this hallowed ground was the last that they would see.

The Simple Way, Philadelphia PA

For a few days now, I've been mulling over what to write about this group of people that want to live "simply" but whose impact has such significance that it reaches around the globe and even right into my life.

The first time I ever read anything about The Simple Way, I think it was in Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. But I can't be certain now without skimming the entire book (which honestly, at this late hour I don't want to do). I know I once read an article about "New Monasticism" in Christianity Today and TSW was a central focus. Thanks to the internet, I even found the 2005 article available online.

The thought always intrigued me...what if we could live like the early church fathers (and mothers) taught us...collectively...taking care of each other, so that no one who called God "Abba" would go without food, clothing, water or shelter. This particularly hit close to home in 2009 when my husband lost his job. I remember frequently suggesting (half serious/half joking...but mostly serious), that the five or so families that were then unemployed in our church of about 75, should try to pool together with others to form a commune. [Yeah, that idea didn't go very far!]

When it was very real to me that in a few months time we may not have a place to live, I remember conversations with my "brothers and sisters" that often ended with one of them saying something like 'well, I don't think I could ever take someone into my home...but I could put them up in a hotel for awhile.' I do not speak of everyone I knew during that time, but this was a prevailing theme in conversation after conversation about poverty and what God may ask of any Christ follower.

Fast forward to a few months ago when I finally read Irresistible Revolution. I wasn't blogging much at the time, so I didn't review it. But right before we left for Philadelphia I wrote a post about the book and how it tied into some of the current sermon series our pastor had begun. Needless to say, the book impacted me enough that I wanted to "come and see" as the author puts it. And so I dreamed that some day we would...and this vacation was partly that: an opportunity to "come and see".

TSW asks that when you visit you be mindful of the delicate balance of the neighborhood and that they not become a place for "poverty tourism". I wanted to respect what they do and the people they serve, so we took no photos of the neighborhood or the different locations TSW now maintains in the Kensington section of North Philly. But you can take a virtual tour of the neighborhood online.

There are a few ways to connect with TSW that they open up to everyone...8 a.m. morning prayer and if there is a Thursday evening "Midrash", anyone is invited. I attended morning prayer twice. Dale, Noah and Leah went with me the second time. It was definitely different from anything I have ever experienced...and in a good way. As we were driving home, I was reminded that any Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., I know I can pray for them as they are praying with each other. That bedrock of prayer is obviously important to them.

Since I knew going into our visit that I might not get to see all that I wanted, I was looking forward to chatting with Coe from The Simple Way. He's the Office Manager, but also lives in and cares for The Hospitality House where we stayed. Coe was gracious and kind to have six people invade his space and I did enjoy the time we had to talk with him. Sometimes we feel like the oddball couple with a different set of priorities and resources than most people we know. To hear Coe speaking aloud some of the very same things our hearts have expressed was a beautiful gift of peace and grace that we are not alone.

One thing I really, really wanted to see was their new aquaponics green house. Dan kindly took some time out of his busy day to show us and it was pretty cool. Coe said the afterschool kids on Thursday of our trip had a chance to eat some of the produce growing there. The disconnect between nature and the inner city is huge...this is one small way to bridge the gap. That and the green spaces that TSW maintains in the neighborhood.

I left Philadelphia ready to return. It's not only a city with more venues and historical sites to see...but I know I could learn a lot from the people of The Simple Way. I've already been asking God, "How do we implement the principles of what I did see and I know they are living where you have us placed for now?" It looks easy when you're surrounded by intense poverty. I know it's not easy...but when you can see the needs everywhere, it seems you can just dig in and go. In the places where we are...home, church, work, neighborhood...how do we, The Barthauers, live out the Love we know He wants us to share?

I don't need to look to The Simple Way...I just need to start where they did...asking the question: How did Jesus do it...and what's stopping me from doing that now?

Amen!

Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia PA

Thanks to Abbey's insistence that we find it, Reading Terminal Market was a fantastic surprise right in the heart of downtown Philly. The produce stand pictured above is what greeted us when we walked through the doors.

The dozens and dozens of stands were overwhelming to take in, but we managed to gather our senses long enough for a sweet treat. Flying Monkey even sold vegan chocolate chip cookies and flourless cookies.

I attempted to take a photo of just one of the many aisles, but pictures can't convey the variety. From Pennsylvania Dutch, Cajun, Sushi, Irish Pub, salad bar, ice cream...

to amazing desserts...

gigantic jaw breakers...

and even chocolate Liberty Bells...

and yes, chocolate lungs...because "you take my breath away"...

you just may find whatever you want here...even for a Superhero Geek like me!

We found so many great options the first day, that we went back a few days later, and yes...I had the chicken shawerma!

Okay, even though I hyped it up a bit with my kids because of The Avengers, I didn't taste much difference from a gyro. It was good, but so filling that I could only eat half.

Noah had another Philly cheesesteak on the second visit.

And Rebekah opted for a yummy veggie foccacia. Dale and Leah both wanted crepes and Abbey chose a traditional gyro from another Mediterranean place, just across the aisle from where I bought the shawerma.

I saw a lot of large groups here, I'm certain because if you can't please everyone in a place like this...they aren't going to be pleased anywhere!

Christ Church Cemetery, Philadelphia PA

This will be a quick post, as there is not a lot to say. Ben Franklin was interned in this cemetery and his final place of rest can be seen through a section specifically cut out of the brick wall. In other words, we would not have had to pay to enter the cemetery if I had noticed this as we walked by it.

But, it only cost $8 ($9 with the map we purchased) for our whole family to enter and oddly enough, I enjoy visiting cemeteries. My dad used to take me as a kid to our town's and I loved to hear the stories of people he'd known through the years.

Looking around in a cemetery was one of the many things that was out of our kids' comfort zone (post coming soon), but I tried to explain repeatedly that "death is a part of life", all to no avail. Evidently, it's "creepy".

A few years ago, I determined to offer our children opportunities to become more comfortable with aging, death and dying. After all...it's the only thing we're guaranteed in this life. As I have become unafraid of death, God's Spirit has challenged me to teach our kids that because we have faith in Him, there is nothing to fear. So while I probably wouldn't hang out and have a party there...for its historical significance and a chance to push my kids a little outside of their safe bubbles...it was worth the $9 to see it.

Revolution House, Philadelphia PA

We found another great place to eat in Philadelphia called Revolution House. It's also located in the Old City area where we'd had lunch the same day. We had walked miles on that day of sightseeing and just wanted someplace to sit, cool off and eat. Sadly, because I answered that we'd like to eat inside in the air conditioning, we apparently missed a beautiful view on their deck. I found all of the photos in this post on their Facebook page.

The food was delicious but was a little high-priced for us. It was dinner, so I'm not certain what their lunch prices were. Abbey, Leah and I ordered their guacamole appetizer which is served with malanga (aka eddoe) chips, which was a nice twist from the usual tortilla chips. Dale ordered an "small plate" meal of Meatloaf bites for his main course. It was $9 for three large meatball sized pieces with no sides, but he said they were good. 

I ate the Caesar salad with parmesan tuile which was delicious and satisfied my need for a thirst-quenching meal. Abbey also had a salad wedge which was far bigger than any I've seen before. It was actually more than she could eat. The two youngest were able to share a "small plate" macaroni and cheese that was homemade, ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness. It was fairly small, but was so rich they were both full with only half. Noah was the big eater of the day. He ordered the 1/2 pound American Burger with fries. It was on what appeared to be a homemede bun that wasn't very thick. Because it wasn't mostly bun, he was almost able to finish the whole sandwich. Of course, we all had a sample of his yummy fries.

The food was good, it was a nice quiet place (at least while we were there), but for our family of six, the prices were a little higher than we would normally like to pay. All in all though, for a locally owned restaurant with delicious food, it was worth the extra walking to get there.

Liberty Bell Center, Philadelphia PA

A free place to visit in Philly that is easily accessible is the Liberty Bell Center. It's located just north of Independence Hall in the same Mall area as the Independence Hall Visitor's Center and the Constitution Center. A few times we saw a long line, but when we were there it was fairly short. It seems the only reason for the line was the security checkpoint.

Speaking of security...I learned from the misadventures of the non-U.S. guests in front of me that backpacks are not allowed in the Center. That probably goes for Independence Hall also, but I never saw a sign stating this anywhere. These guests had very, very large backpacks and were being told they had to have one of their party wait outside with their packs because they cannot be left unattended. The language barrier was causing some confusion and the frustration of the guests at not being admitted together was becoming apparent.

Back to the Center itself. It is beautiful (and can I mention again...free!) and if you wanted to read everything, you could easily spend an hour there. By the time we arrived around 2 p.m, we'd been walking for a few hours and the kids were ready to buzz right through everything and get to the main event...

The bell itself.

There is no queue up to the Liberty Bell, so it's sort of a free-for-all to wait and get your photo with it. In general, it was a fun place to visit and was Leah's highlight of Philadelphia. The next day was one she dreaded (heading out to New York City), so after seeing the Liberty Bell, she was ready to go home because it was really all she wanted to see.

But there was more to come...

Soho Pizza, Philadelphia PA

The smell of these is what drew us helplessly into the hole-in-the-wall, incredible lunch place we found in the Old City district of Philadelphia. Yes, those are New York Style slices baked in a brick oven and loaded with lots of different combinations that I'm certain are all delicious...even though I didn't taste any of them. My husband and two youngest daughters said they more than lived up to their appearance and aroma and that one piece each was enough to fill up the girls. Each slice was cheaper than a Happy Meal...so it's a win/win as far as I'm concerned.

In my ongoing effort to keep "Writing a Better Story", buying local and supporting local businesses is becoming more and more important to me. Of course, we had our fair share of fast food and Starbucks visits on this trip, but when we wanted a good meal...at least once daily...we intentionally chose a non-chain, non-corporate, local establishment. Soho Pizza was a great introduction into the delicious options found in Philly. And actually, the cost was about what we would have paid at a Chipotle or something comparable. I probably tipped a little more than I normally would in a place where I have to place my order at the bar...but the guy who took our order was very friendly and gave me a lot of grief for ordering "pop" instead of the East Coast "soda". 

Prior to my juice fast, I kept telling the kids I was definitely going to have a Philly Cheesesteak while in the city that gave it the name, but the further I got into my juice fast, I didn't think I wanted one. Once I walked into Soho Pizza and saw what they looked like, I couldn't resist sharing a sandwich with Noah. The sandwich on the plate is my half and the sandwich in the foreground is Abbey's Mama's Chicken sandwich of which she also could only eat half. They both were huge, could easily be split and were delicious. At about $8 per sandwich, when sharing...that means about the same price as the chain version of Subway...only infinitely better tasting!. 

So, I'd had my Philly Cheesesteak and had no more. As Mary Poppins once said, "Enough is as good as a feast!" If you're ever in Philly, I hope Soho Pizza is still there...try it and you'll be glad you did!

Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia PA

This was our bonus museum of the trip. The Betsy Ross house in Philadelphia, PA, is located in the historic district, just a few blocks from Independence Hall. Yesterday was Flag Day...so, of course since Betsy made our original flag...there were going to be lots of activities taking place in her home and the small park connected to it. Only, we were apparently there too early for the festivities so we went into the gift shop to find out about purchasing tickets. By the appearance of the outside of the house, we could tell it was very small and we opted against paying the $28 for our family to go inside. We were just going to have to be content with looking around the patio garden area and moving on.

Apparently, our hesitancy and obvious touristy appearance paid off...because the bonus of our trip is that a woman asked if we'd been inside yet and I replied that we had not. She then said something like, "Well come on!" I informed her that we had not purchased tickets to which she responded, "I don't care...come on in!"

So we did!

It is an extremely cute...and cozy...house. One of the informational plaques told how at one point, Betsy's widowed daughter moved into the house with her five children while expecting her sixth! I don't know where they put them in this two bedroom house. And I really should have taken a photo of one of the stairwells. I don't know how women in long, full-length skirts went up and down steep, spiral staircases that were maybe only two and a half feet long with a narrow side only about three inches deep. It was slow going, I'm sure.

We even found Betsy sewing in one of the basement rooms and she was pleasant, informative and humorous too. She showed Leah how to cut out a star with only two snips of the shears. It was definitely an interesting place to visit and we were thankful for the blessing of seeing it for free.

I have to add a side note that all throughout our trip, I kept expecting to encounter the "typical" rude East Coast people I've always heard about. The woman that let us into the Betsy Ross house is just one example of the exact opposite. In both Philly and NYC we were offered assistance repeatedly (one man in Philly went so far as to pull over to the side of the road when we were looking at one of the directional signs!), had polite dining staff everywhere we went and came away with a much better appreciation for the East Coast people we met. Of course, we met with rude ones as well...but no more than any other place we've been. In fact...I'm just beginning to think that may be a pre-requisite to work at McDonald's...whether it's in Times Square or the Florence Mall. [Exceptions of Gabby Adams and Sam Korn duly noted!]

Independence Hall, Philadelphia PA

No trip to Philadelphia would be complete without a visit to where our country officially began. As a National Park, Independence Hall is free to the public with tickets available at the Visitor's Center found across the street. But I highly recommend purchasing reserved tickets which can be obtained in advance for just $1.50 each through the internet. Otherwise, you may need to queue up for tickets early in the morning, just to get a spot for mid to late afternoon. Online information said, tickets can be gone by noon.

The Independence Hall Visitor's Center was a great place to start to stock up on pamphlets, maps, snacks and you can even schedule tours. I didn't check out the prices, but for a family of six...almost any tour is going to be costly. There is a free mini-museum of sorts in the Visitor's Center that gives you a brief background on various sites throughout the city. Even Rocky makes an appearance.

Some of my kids like history...some don't. And I confess that the Colonial or Revolutionary War period is not one that I know a lot about. But I found all of the sites we visited so fascinating, that I may brush up a little more on this era. The tour for Independence Hall only lasts about 30 minutes, so the guides are able to hold a child's attention fairly well. They also engage the children and are great at answering all sorts of questions. They are official Park Rangers and wear the usual National Park Ranger uniforms.

According to the Park Ranger, the chair where George Washington sat during all of the meetings and even the signing of the Declaration of Independence is the only authentic piece of furniture in the building. Regardless of the fact that the others are replicas...it was still amazing to stand in the place where so many gifted, intelligent men once gathered to iron out in just a few months a Constitution that is still going strong after over 230 years!

Of course, being the movie buffs that we are...we couldn't go without taking some photos of where one of our favorites...National Treasure...was filmed. Little did we know how often we would be recalling movie scenes the following day in New York City.