January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part I !!!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

So what exactly is in Allentown??? DH always says that he wants to go to Allentown and when I ask why he says, to see what Billy Joel's song is about.

 

[Mickey's Other GF]

So what exactly is in Allentown??? DH always says that he wants to go to Allentown and when I ask why he says, to see what Billy Joel's song is about.

In the words of Wikipedia:
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 106,632.[6] It is the county seat of Lehigh County.[7]

Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey known as the Lehigh Valley, with the cities of Bethlehem and Easton nearby. Allentown is 60 miles (97 km) north of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the United States, and 90 miles (140 km) west of New York City, the largest city.



And on the Billy Joel song...
The song's theme is of the resolve of those coping with the demise of the American manufacturing industry in the latter part of the 20th century. More specifically, it depicts the depressed, blue-collar livelihood of Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's residents in the wake of Bethlehem Steel's decline and eventual closure. Joel witnessed this first-hand while performing at the Lehigh Valley's numerous music venues at the start of his career in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The introductory rhythm of the song is reminiscent of the sound of a rolling mill converting steel ingots into I-beams or other shapes. Such a sound was commonly heard throughout South Bethlehem when the Bethlehem Steel plant was in operation from 1857 through 2003.

In my words, it's an awesome little city with some shady areas and some lovely areas.

 

[peach3es]

For a small city Allentown's got a lot of culture. There are wonderful restaurants and fun places to hang. But there are some bad neighborhoods too...as with every city.

It's close enough to NYC to take a day trip, which is always a bonus to me!

 

[BellaSoleil]

As a Southern lady - who has never been any further north than Georgia- I would love to know if Philly Cheesesteak's are as wonderful as I imagine?!?!

I crave them!

Too much Food Network, I suppose.

 

[Mickey's Other GF]

As a Southern lady - who has never been any further north than Georgia- I would love to know if Philly Cheesesteak's are as wonderful as I imagine?!?!

I crave them!

Too much Food Network, I suppose.

OH, YEAH!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

As a Southern lady - who has never been any further north than Georgia- I would love to know if Philly Cheesesteak's are as wonderful as I imagine?!?!

I crave them!

Too much Food Network, I suppose.

Philly Cheesesteaks are great!! And I don't even live near Philly. They are great here in Pittsburgh! I think it's a PA thing. I got one at a food court in WDW and it was so nasty. I'm not sure what they did to it, but it was not a Philly Cheesesteak, as they claimed!

 

[BellaSoleil]

Oh- there are lots of not-so-great versions in the South.

Subway just started making them, for example.

That's the way I feel about trying Tex-Mex anywhere but here or Texas. It's just not the same.

 

[steffali]

We are booked for 1/18-25th. should I be worried that it is MLK weekend when I arrive ?????

 

[snykymom]

For a small city Allentown's got a lot of culture. There are wonderful restaurants and fun places to hang. But there are some bad neighborhoods too...as with every city.

Allentown's also been immortalized in two (2) Broadway/movie musicals! Does anyone (other than me) know which ones? (OK, it's not a Disney QOTD, but it is a QOTD! )

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We are booked for 1/18-25th. should I be worried that it is MLK weekend when I arrive ?????

to the Snowbirds!! Where will you be staying?

MLK crowds will probably only affect the first few days of your trip. Hopefully! We arrive on the 21st!

 

[Mickey's Other GF]

We are booked for 1/18-25th. should I be worried that it is MLK weekend when I arrive ?????

Do you happen to spend any time in Pennsylvania? lol

 

[peach3es]

As a Southern lady - who has never been any further north than Georgia- I would love to know if Philly Cheesesteak's are as wonderful as I imagine?!?!

Oh, yes!!! I can't wait to get a real Philly cheesesteak once we're stateside!

 

[nala87]

I don't know about philly cheesesteaks, but I do love me some Hoggie!!!!!!!

 

[peach3es]

I don't know about philly cheesesteaks, but I do love me some Hoggie!!!!!!!

What's hoggie?

 

[nala87]

It's like a sub. only i think they are better. I think they are a philly thing. I've had a few there and my dad is from philly and always talks of hoggies.

 

[sharadoc]

It's like a sub. only i think they are better. I think they are a philly thing. I've had a few there and my dad is from philly and always talks of hoggies.

Sorry to correct you, but it's HOAGIE! Here's a classic Italian Hoagie: Genoa Salami, Capicollo, Cooked Salami, Pepper Ham and Provolone Cheese on a Hoagie Roll with lettuce, tomato and onion and an oil/spice mixture on the bread (includes garlic and oregano, olive oil, maybe some vinegar). There are different variations depending on the meat. You can also put hot cherry peppers on it, or "hoagie spread" which is chopped hot cherry pickled peppers. Thing is - you can get all those ingredients anywhere, but if you don't get the hoagie roll, it's no good. It's an Italian roll and apparently only available in this part of the country.

Want to see a good menu of Philly Food, look at this website : www.franklinsclassic.com

They're in my neighborhood and the food is all really good. Cheesesteaks, hoagies plus lots of other stuff.

And yes, cheesesteaks are THAT GOOD!

 

[sarbah77]

Did you ever say where you live? I can't remember. I'm in Grand Haven.

I'm in no-man's land.

Actually, Pittsfield Township between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. So, I imagine, you drive RIGHT BY ME to head west!!!

Of course, the way my luck works (*in this sort of thing, very well), your family probably lives two blocks away. (In fact, both my neighbors work the same place we do. One of them works in both my department AND my husband's! The other is a doctor. We don't think much of her - and that's a comment on her, not doctors!!)

I loooooooooove Philly Cheesesteaks. One of the things my corner of Michigan is late to catching on to is hot sandwiches. I used to get an awesome cheesesteak when I lived in Boston. Imagine my shock when we moved to Michigan and there was NO WHERE in town that sold hot sandwiches. A lot has changed in that seven and a half years but I'm still waiting for a decent cheesesteak!

When I go back and visit my folks, we always try to get a cheesesteak and I try to get what I call Chinese (food) chicken fingers - another item not sold here but available EVERYWHERE at home.

Then there's the whole Vernor's and Drakes thing. It's so interesting how regional food is, really, in the same country!!

 

[Mickey's Other GF]

What's hoggie?

 

[distherapy]

And just to confuse things further, my favorite when I lived in Philly was...
the cheesesteak hoagie.

 

[Mickey's Other GF]

And just to confuse things further, my favorite when I lived in Philly was...
the cheesesteak hoagie.