Out & About with Linda
Have you ever been to a place where EVERYONE is smiling? Recently?
Well, a few weeks ago I went to the Greater Philadelphia RV Show with my son Gabe, and granddaughter, Goldie…. EVERYONE was smiling. From the moment we entered the doors at the Oaks Center, to the moment we left, smiles abounded. And why not?!!
Imagine checking out these homes on wheels? Allen and I used to go every year. Traveling by R.V. was on his bucket list. Unfortunately, we just never fulfilled that wish. But our son, Gabe, and yes, even his wonderful wife, Deena, has the bug. So, we had to go see what the most current “homes” look like. Unbelievable!
The bathrooms have seen a notable upgrade in size and design. Even the smallest of “buses” and “attached” haulers offer larger bathrooms. Finishing touches have become even more “finished.” RV designers have found even more interior space for a family of four, five and maybe more.
There’s a proliferation of smaller cabin-like RVs, that have sleeping space and mini-kitchens. They are very retro looking and could be very appealing if you don’t want to pull a larger “wagon.” They were very attractive to me, and got me thinking how I could use something like this with my grandchildren. We would be tight in the cabin, but it could definitely be an adventure. My son thought this RV could easily accommodate an office-at-home space. And I agree. Don’t want the distractions of working inside your house? Place one of these smaller RVs in your backyard and have all the comforts of home, minus the noise and interference. AND, this mother, aka Bubbie, could use it as her separate sleeping quarters when she visits!!! Sounds good to me. LOL!
Gabe and his family went on an RV trip about a year and a half ago and had a wonderful time. They parked at one of these RV encampments, met some great people and the kids had an even better time being able to have a level of independence meeting kids parked in the parking spots near them. These campgrounds offer extensive onsite entertainment and services. They’re like mini cities unto themselves. This year, Gabe and his crew have plans to travel by a bigger RV this year and they will be joined by two other families. He showed me the RV he’s taking and I said I would just wave to every bus I saw on the road!!! It’s BIG!!! He’s definitely his father’s son!!!
We both noted that we don’t think there’s anything more uniquely “American” than traveling by RV. Good, clean entertainment where families stay together, see the world around them and get to know real people…. and you’ll smile. And feel good. Think about an RV trip when you next contemplate a family outing. You might be surprised by the benefits. There’s another area RV Expo in September in Hershey. You might mark your calendar and get your smile ready!
I finally got to check out the newest donut place to create a stir in our reading area: Curiosity Donuts on York Road in Furlong. They’ve been providing donuts to different outlets in our community, but have recently opened up a shop in what was an old-time diner, next door to Artefact, an architectural antique shop. (This is another favorite haunt.)
I had been counselled to come early as they’re quick to sell out in just a few hours. So, early I went, and yes, at about 8:45am there was already a line of people ahead and a line forming after me.
Their unique donuts are special. Using a multitude of different doughs, the owners have concocted a kind of donut that you might never have tasted. I left with a variety of donuts and brought them to our office for a mini-tasting. One such donut was “savory” tasting, a bit salty and less sugary. Delicious! Then we sampled one that was blueberry….. and you really got a sense of its “fruitiness” as it rolled around your mouth. We all loved the donut defined as a “babka”. Chocolate and sweet, we sliced it between us to enjoy with our coffee. I think it had a bit of a toffee taste.
I spoke to the person welcoming everyone… actually, she could provide some terrific descriptive about what was so “curious” about Curiosity Donuts. Apparently, the owner and head baker is extremely “curious” about almost everything in life and that is where the “curiosity” in Curiosity Donuts comes from. She offered a grand tour of the varieties to pick from, and talked about the fruit puree that goes into making the donuts taste their most fruitful. It was interesting. But to be honest, my eyes were too busy looking at the wonderful donuts behind the cases and my brain was trying to figure out what exactly I was going to select. It was challenging to say the least.
Curiosity Donuts is opened Thursday to Sunday. They’re open time right now is limited, but a visit is well worth it. Just be prepared to “share.” You AND yours will want to taste and sample ALL the donuts you bring home. Yum!!
The folks of the West Avenue Grill in Jenkintown opened a pizza place on York Road in Jenkintown, Pizza Wheel. I checked it out recently with friends, Diane and Roland. In the heart of Jenkintown, the restaurant is home to not only great brick oven pizza pie, but pasta entrees, sandwiches, salads and my favorite, DELICOUS fries! (Remember, I’m a French fry lady!!) As is our custom, we sampled a variety of offerings from the menu.
We all agreed, the fries were perfect. A must order when you go. The pizza was also very good. They have all different kinds and as we sat, tables around us filled up with pies covered with mushrooms, onions, the works….We ordered a Margherita pie with sauce and grated Locatelli cheese and were more than satisfied. However we all said next time around we’d order something a little more exciting! There were many options. We followed up with a Caesar Salad and shared.
Roland ordered the pappardelle with short rib meat and gravy. With plenty of braised meat, Roland enjoyed this entree. I liked the thick, wide pasta! I ordered something a little different for me: fusilli in a vodka sauce with fresh peas. It was good, and again, a bit different because of the fresh peas. It was a taste of opposites; the soft or al dente pasta with the somewhat firm peas. Diane ordered the malfadine with fresh lump crabmeat, cherry tomatoes and white saffron tomato sauce. Filled with crabmeat, she took half of it home for Roland’s lunch the next day. All the portions were substantial and could be shared, especially if ordering pizza and I don’t think you’d want to miss the pizza at Pizza Wheel!
Service was attentive and fast. We were surprised at how quick our food was delivered. Check with the restaurant for specials. I believe Sunday is Pasta Night. Very family friendly and a BYOB, Pizza Wheel is a great addition to some of the area’s better brick oven pizza establishments. Parking is in the back of the restaurant on West Avenue. So don’t be put off by its York Road location which is packed with stores. Remember, pizza and fries and you won’t go wrong!!!
That’s it for this month. Join me when I report on a trip I made to Feasterville’s Bowlero. I took my grandson Yosef for an outing there and got a REAL education on what this hot spot offers! Stay tuned!!!
RV Show
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
100 Station Avenue
Phoenixville, PA 19450
Curiosity Donuts
800 Edison Rd.
Furlong, PA 18925
Artefact Architectural Antiques
790 Edison Furlong Rd.
Furlong, PA 18925
Pizza Wheel by West Avenue Grill
314 York Rd.
Jenkintown, PA 19046
