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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Driving Around Hershey!

How fun do these ladies look??

We met up at “The Farmers Wife” outside of Lebanon, PA for a meet and greet and a lunch together!

I had met a couple of the ladies a few years ago when I was up here teaching in Middletown, PA –and it was so good to see them again!

One thing I can say about PA food….YUMMY!!

We talked and laughed and learned that these gals have a great thing going on – they have a retreat ONCE A MONTH!!  A full Friday-Saturday-Sunday a MONTH!  Oh, I could so get on with that.

After lunch we went our separate ways --- and Elaine  ((Shown above in purple)) took over as my chauffer. 

I’ve been to Hershey a few times….but never really got a chance to explore.  My time was limited to the Hershey Lodge and the Quilt Odyssey show. 

Those days in July are packed so full, that there is really no way and no time to get out and about unless you add designated days and time to the trip to do that. 

So when Elaine asked if I’d like a driving tour --- I jumped on it!

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After All, I had never been to Chocolate World! 

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One happy Chocolate-Seeking Girl!

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Hahahah! There we are on candid camera!

Elaine is a wealth of knowledge – she grew up here!  She knows all the ins and outs, not to mention all the back roads to get you around any amount of traffic that threatens to delay your schedule!

We wound up here:

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I’ve spent the last week hob-knobbing with this country’s greatest!  First spending time at the tomb of  Andrew Jackson – and now…Milton Hershey!

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This plot holds the esteemed resting places of Milton, his Wife Catharine, and his mother and father.

A short drive away is the vintage Hotel Hershey, sitting stately and proud on top of a beautiful knoll over looking the Hershey empire:

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The Hershey Hotel was built in 1933.

It’s quite a feat on the heels on the Depression of the 1930s, to have something this big and bold being built --- it just goes to show that no matter how bad the economy gets, we will still find a way to turn to CHOCOLATE!

After our tour time ended, we hightailed it over to set up for my evening lecture.  Once that was out of the way we could relax with the guild girls for a bit of dinner at a really neat place:

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The Blue Bird Inn, Circa 1859!

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The atmosphere was wonderful, and the food and company could not be beat!

Today I’ve got an Oklahoma Backroads workshop with the Colonial Quilters of Bethlehem, PA --- and the journey continues!

11 comments:

  1. I haven't been to Hershey in 25 years - I have a feeling it has changed a lot!

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  2. Have a wonderful time in PA Bonnie. I wish I were there too!

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  3. What a wonderful time!!!! Just how much chocolate did you "sneek" into you suitcase for the trip home?

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  4. Anonymous9:49 AM EDT

    PA = SUPER foods and great people, combine this all with their quilting heritage and you have the closest thing to Quilters Heaven here on Earth!

    GLORY theu have chocolate too. Have fun, hug alot and tell us what you picked up from that antique mall yesterday ... Please lol.

    Smilies
    JulieinTN

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  5. I love Hershey...love the street lights in the shape of Hershey kisses!

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  6. I have been there! Rode that ride and took pics in front of the sign outside too! FUN FUN!

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  7. Looks like you are really having a good time!! Get a couple of kisses for me. Haven't had any in a while :-)

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  8. I was in Hershey as a teenager when my dad took us on a road trip during one of our school Spring vacations. I remember that the entire town smelled like chocolate and the street lights were shaped like "Kisses". We went through the factory and had a great time. Now, after all these many years (about 50 of them), one of my friends here in Arizona is the niece of Milton Hershey. She grew up in Hershey and when she would go "home" to visit her mom and family, she always came back with candy!

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  9. I love Hershey! We use to go to the park on school trips! my cousin works for them and they get so many bags of candy a week as part of their perks. They all have bowls of candy on their desks!

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  10. Hershey is such a fun place. We took our kids many times since we are only 3 hours away. When my youngest son was old enough to go to the park alone I would take him and a group of friends with me on a very long day trip during Quilt odyssey . I would drop them off at the park and go to the show and pick them up afterwards. Fun day for all!

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  11. Bonnie I love going to Hershey, not so much for the chocolate, but more for the Hotel Hershey. I love what Milton did for the town and thanks for sharing your tour. We only live less than an hour away and try to get up there twice a year(once in summer and then in Feb for the Hotel Hershey Chocfest). Now we must go to the Hershey cemetery. Never thought to do that. Next time you're in Lebanon, I'll have to see if I can take a class with you - it's on the bucket list. Enjoy PA! Carmela

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