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Restaurant Round-Up: Chocolate Cafe, Raspberries & Carrabba’s
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 4:06PM
I can only go out to eat so much. Same with Dori. In my case, my waistline and my wallet would both be adversely affected if I went out any more than I do now. In Dori’s case, well, she’s got a young 'un.
With that in mind, we’d like to introduce a new weekly feature, the Spotoblog Restaurant Round-Up. The people who keep Spotobe running on all cylinders love to go out as much as Dori and I do, and we figured the more meaningful information we can put out there, the better. Hopefully this will be one more resource to check out before spending your hard-earned coin on a meal.
We’ll be putting each post under the new Restaurant Round-Up category, and we’ll also create a category for each Spotobeing who submits a review. That way, if you find you tend to like the same restaurants as one of us, you can see every place that person has written about. This week, Madeline weighs in on the Chocolate Café, Dave dishes about Raspberries and Katie gives us the scoop on Carrabba’s. Enjoy: Full Article » -
Free Food! For Some of You
Monday, August 25, 2008 9:26AM
I know this applies to a limited number of Spotobe users, but it’s a segment that’s near and dear to my heart. For today only, any of you who were born in the great year of 1983 can get free food at Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli. I’m not talking a free bag of chips with the purchase of a sandwich either, if you were born in 1983, you get a soup or salad, a sandwich, dessert and a drink on the house. Isaac’s is celebrating its 25th birthday, and they are graciously hooking up anyone who turns 25 in 2008. Dine in only. You wouldn’t walk into a party, take a 6-pack out of the fridge and leave, would you? (Wait, don’t answer that).
If you haven’t guessed, that applies to me. 1983 was a great year. Just think what the world would be missing without the birth class of ’83. In addition to my sparkling wit, you’d all be deprived of the devastating changeup of Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, the boozy stylings of Amy Winehouse, the carbon dioxide produced by Nicky Hilton, the poetry of Juelz Santana and the, um, short game of Natalie Gulbis
That would be quite the dinner party, no? Full Article » -
This Weekend: Brevity is the Soul of Wit
Friday, August 22, 2008 10:51AM
After yesterday’s treatise on the Perry County Fair, I’m going to keep this short. The fair actually continues through Saturday night, so if you’d like to go and check it out yourself, go for it.
Friday night, the Senator’s open their next-to-last home series of the season. That is absolutely unbelievable to me. Where has this summer gone? Before you know it we’ll all be turning in our red and black ball caps for oversize chocolate and white jerseys. Absolutely amazing. From a musical standpoint, Gullifty’s will be hosting August Assault Vol. 2, which should be an, er, raucous affair. Also, Farewell Flight, a local band that appears to be going places, is throwing an album release party at Champion Ship in support of their full-length debut “Sound. Color. Motion.” I’ll try to review it sometime soon.
Icelandic band Parachutes will be at der Maennerchor Friday night, as well. They sound a lot like Sigur Rós. I guess that’s a good thing (if you say you don’t like Sigur Rós, a group of mopey, sweater wearing enforcers from the department of indie music comes to your door and revokes your license to carry poorly concealed smugness), but I’m getting a bit worn down by this movement toward tonal, ethereal music. It’s about run its course. Full Article » -
Wednesday Night at the Perry County Fair
Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:11PM
At times, I am reluctant to step outside of my social comfort zone. I am an outgoing person who enjoys meeting new people, but when it comes to entertaining myself, I tend to fall into a routine. I guess that’s fine; everyone likes certain bars, restaurants, hangouts, etc., and there’s nothing wrong with that. Still, I know that if I’m going to really do a good job chronicling life in Central Pennsylvania, I’m going to have to do more than write reviews of indie concerts and restaurants in downtown Harrisburg.
That’s why I decided to go to the Perry County Fair.
Honestly, when my friend Evan and I hopped in my Volvo and started up 22/322, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The two Perry County experts in my office — one a current resident of the county and one an ex-pat — had given me the rundown on the event. Still, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to look like a moron. I am completely agriculturally ignorant. Beyond that, I didn’t want my picture-taking and question-asking — my complete and utter lack of knowledge about things that are important in rural Pennsylvania — to be mistaken for condescension. In the end, I don’t think it was, and a few surly sheep aside, I didn’t seem to offend anybody. Full Article » -
The Washington Post Gives Our Fair City Some Love
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 3:45PMYep, that's right, right now on www.washingtonpost.com you'll find a glowing review of the nightlife scene in Harrisburg. It has been forwarded to me by a few different people today, and it's really, really cool. It's always nice when an outsider has good things to say about the place you call home. Full Article »
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Bayou: A New Favorite
Monday, August 18, 2008 1:38PM
Going out to eat these days can be kind of scary. I love that the Internet gives customers a chance to provide instant feedback after a particularly good or particularly bad dining experience. At the same time, if you believed what people online say about most of the restaurants in Central Pennsylvania, you’d spend a lot of Saturday nights cooking for yourself.
Google a restaurant in the area that you’d like to try, and you’ll probably find a review from someone who assures you that they lived in New York/San Francisco/Paris so they know good restaurants and (blank) restaurant is deplorable. If said establishment is ethnic, you might also find a review from someone who tells you that they travel to China/India/Thailand/The South/France/Italy/The North Pole all the time, and that even the farm animals in those places wouldn’t eat the crap pushed by the restaurant you were thinking of going to.
Well, Saturday night, I didn’t feel like cooking, so took my girlfriend and a bottle of Chardonnay to Bayou on 2nd Street in Harrisburg. I’d seen mixed reviews of it online, but I love Cajun food and so I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did. My meal was absolutely spectacular. Honestly. It was brilliant. In fact, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Central Pennsylvania. Full Article » -
The Great Pizza Taste Test
Friday, August 15, 2008 2:12PM
Sometimes I sit and wonder how many pieces of pizza I’ve eaten over the course of my 24 years and change on this earth. Think about it. How many slices have you eaten? Frightening isn’t it?
Ever since I started working in Harrisburg I’ve been auditioning local pizzerias to be my spot of choice. Health nuts aside, everyone has to have a pizza place. In Boiling Springs, my pizza place is Aniles. In State College, it’s Goppers. In Philadelphia, it’s Big Cheese Pizza (terrible name, I know). Anyway, I haven’t found one in Harrisburg, so I asked some of my co-workers to help me decide who made the best takeout slice within walking distance of Spotobe headquarters.
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This Weekend: Musical Mishmash
Thursday, August 14, 2008 2:32PM
I think that Napster, which begat Kazaa, which begat Limewire, which eventually somehow got us to iTunes, has done great things for musical variety. My sense is that everyone who doesn’t live in New York City, Milwaukee or Austin occasionally gripes about their local music scene, but to me, this weekend is the perfect example of how far we’ve come in certain respects. This weekend there are a bunch of different bands playing original music all over the area in a bunch of different genres.
The easy availability of music has allowed people to explore different kinds of stuff that they would never have bothered with before. Today, we have tools like Pandora and iTunes that introduce us to new music all of the time, and as a result, we are more open to trying new things. With that in mind, this weekend is a great opportunity to try new things, because off the top of my head, I know you have the opportunity to listen to Roots Blues, Jam, Parisian String Jazz, Classical Bluegrass and Retro Brit-Pop live in Central Pennsylvania within the next few days. Full Article » -
The Official Spotoguide to Area High Schools and Fall Sports Schedules
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 1:46PM
One of the important functions of a site like Spotobe is to support local educators, students and the community at large. While we can't post every sporting, theatrical, fund-raising and miscellaneous other event at every area school, we thought it appropriate to continue our Official Spotoguide series with a handy dandy, one-stop spot for finding area high school websites, as well as Fall Varsity Sports Schedules. There's just nothing else like a good old-fashioned football rivalry under the Friday night lights.
Justin and I encourage you to comment on this post or contact us in the event that any links change or schools are missing (perish the thought!). It'd be great if you would also let us know about big events at your school that might warrant greater exposure on Spotobe. We are your humble servants...well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but we are indebted to your participation and consumption of Spotobe...and of course, your willingness to tell others about all of our hard work! Full Article » -
Chilly Willy on Life Support
Monday, August 11, 2008 2:57PM
In a turn of events that will make it mercifully more difficult for me to gain weight, Chilly Willy’s ice cream on 2nd St. is apparently dunzo. Employee Katie told me that within a few weeks, Willy's, which serves hand-dipped Hershey’s Ice Cream among other frozen confections, will be pushing coffee and donuts. I asked her what the place would be called, and she said she had, “no idea.” I also got a dish of ice cream. Of course.
Ron Kamionka was listed as the owner of Chilly Willy's on the City of Harrisburg press release that announced its opening on June 6, 2007. If he still owns it, the new venture will be his second in Harrisburg this month after he opened Sam Bucca’s Pizza Pub two weeks ago. The yet-to-be-named coffee shop may not be long for this world anyway if the proposed 210 North Second project moves forward. Full Article » -
Down Goes the Patriot! Down Goes the Patriot!
Friday, August 8, 2008 2:26PM
In an upset that will surely go down as one of the greatest of our time, Commerce Bank ended years of Patriot-News dominance with a stirring victory in the 2008 United Way Trike Drags. Hyperbole? Me? Never.
The members of Team Patriot, which apparently wins every year, should have known they were in trouble as soon as they saw their t-shirts. Commerce Bank’s shirts were bright, angry red. Standing next to them in the starting gate had to be like pulling up next to a cherry-colored corvette at a stoplight and hearing it gun the engine. The Patriot? Daisy yellow. Think a teenage girl driving a Jetta with zebra-print seat covers. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Dori’s Guide for “Staycationers”
Thursday, August 7, 2008 12:00PMThe first time I heard the term "staycation" in place of vacation, I grimaced and prayed that Merriam-Webster would not be declaring it an official English word anytime soon. However, it seems to be sticking, with astronomical gas prices and the sad lack of truly fuel-efficient vehicles. So let's go with it. If you are postponing faraway travels to stay close to home, good for you.
I decided to give Justin a little break from his normal weekend post, so here are some ideas—listed in random assorted genres—to help you find something that whets your whistle without draining your gas tank. Full Article » -
Gene Stilp’s Ginger Spice Protest
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 1:19PM
Spice-gate continues. For those of you who aren’t aware, Monday a server and a bartender at Spice were fired after being quoted in a story by reporter Daniel Victor that appeared in the Sunday edition of the Patriot-News. Molly Turner and John Burkholder were asked whether the downturn in the economy had affected the size of their tips, and both answered candidly. When they went to work on Monday, both were informed that their services were no longer required. Early Tuesday morning (12:01am actually, burning the midnight oil eh, Nancy?) the Patriot posted a follow-up story on pennlive.com quoting both about their ouster. Full Article » -
Ohhhhhhhh Islanderrrrrssss, Islanders, Islanders, City Islanderrrrrs
Monday, August 4, 2008 2:41PM
I’m not sure that song will ever leave my head. I know I can’t convey the tune in writing, but trust me, it’s catchy. I checked out my first City Islander’s game Saturday night, and thanks to some extremely awesome fans, when I fell asleep early Sunday morning, that chant was still bouncing around in my cranium. That night, the City Islanders beat the Bermuda Hogges 4-2 and also gained at least three new fans.
I went to the game with my girlfriend and her sister, and all three of us ended up having a really good time. Granted, all three of us have taken soccer fairly seriously in the past and continue to play soccer with varying degrees of intensity today, but all in all, the gameday experience way a positive one. Beyond that, the soccer was played at a very high level. Judging by the sold-out crowd of nearly 2,500, I’m a bit late in catching on. Full Article » -
My Harrisburg Open Journey Begins & Ends
Friday, August 1, 2008 2:34PM
So four weeks of training ended with me down $10 and a can of tennis balls, but without any regrets. Plus I got a t-shirt. All in all, that’s not too bad.
I have to admit, for one fleeting moment, I thought I could win. I went down 0-2 in the first set, but eventually got it back to 2-3 on serve with a 40-15 lead. And then I let it slip away. Yes, as expected, I did lose in the first round of the Harrisburg Open, but it was in no way an epic embarrassment. I actually had a blast.
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This Weekend: Is It Really August Already?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 1:41PM
It is absolutely amazing how quickly this summer is going. It feels like just last week I was cursing under my breath while I shuffled across the Walnut Street Bridge in sub-zero wind chills on my way to work. Now it’s August. Unbelievable.
If, like me, you feel like you’ve spent too much time in the air conditioning this summer, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to catch up on some summer stuff. With that in mind, the Live, Collective Soul and Blues Traveler concert will probably be a good time, but I really don’t understand why it’s inside. Seems like it might have been a good fit for the Star Pavilion or Stadium. It’s still a concert that is worth seeing without a doubt, but imagine how enormous it would have been in 1995 (local boys Live coming off of "Throwing Copper," Collective Soul coming off of “Collective Soul,” and Blues Traveler coming off of “Four”). Full Article » -
Experiencing The Dark Night in IMAX
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 3:52PM
When I saw that the Whitaker Center was going to have The Dark Night in IMAX, I was excited for about 3.7 seconds before realizing that my motion sickness would make it nearly impossible to make it through the movie without hurling. That's inconvenient, because The Dark Night has become one of the most hyped movies in memory, and I wanted to at least mention it in this space. Luckily, Winton, a friend of Spotobe, has a much stronger stomach, and graciously agreed to provide us all with a brief report. Here’s what he has to say:
“After one failed attempt at purchasing tickets to see The Dark Knight at the Whitaker Center, I finally scored a set of tickets last Sunday. My persistence was worth it, and I’m glad I held out to see the movie in IMAX. After seeing it, I can promise you that there are some scenes that just wouldn't have been as good without the fully immersed experience you get in an IMAX theater. Full Article » -
Arrivederci (Goodbye) Carmella’s
Monday, July 28, 2008 10:43AM
Less than a year after opening, Carmella’s Trattoria has served its last plate of spaghetti Bolognese. A new restaurant called Sambuca’s will now inhabit its piece of prime downtown real estate.
Carmella’s employee Kevin said that he isn’t completely “in the loop” on the situation, but gave me the vital details including the name change. The restaurant closed for business on Saturday night, and renovations began immediately. Inside, all of the Italian-themed art that covered the walls is sitting on the floor near the front entrance. Red curtains cover the windows and trash cans block the doors. Huge, sparkly stars hang from the ceiling. Full Article » -
Coming At You From All Angles
Friday, July 25, 2008 12:00PM
Remember what life was like before Social Networking? Yeah, me neither. Actually I’m writing this post to let you all know that effective immediately, I will be resigning from Spotobe to concentrate on my social networking full time. Well, no, actually I won’t, but still, sometimes it feels like keeping up with Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Plurk, LinkedIn, Flickr and whatever is going to be coming out tomorrow takes an unhealthy amount of time.
That’s beside the point though. As you may know, Spotobe is already on Twitter and has been posting photos on Flickr for a while. Now we’ve added Facebook and MySpace pages, both of which could be a resource to the Spotobe community. Please check us out on both and become our fan or friend, respectively. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Hershey Goes & Makes Things So Complicated
Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:30PM
Judging by the fact that Friday posts don’t get read as much as the rest, I’ve decided to bump up weekend posts to Thursday afternoon. That way you can peruse them whenever you happen to have time to kill on Friday.
First, a few events span the whole weekend and are worth checking out. Bikefest is in Carlisle this weekend, and if you have even the slightest interest in motorcycles, you’ll have a great time. Even if you don’t, it might be worth having a look. There are 10 local bands playing and traditionally Bikefest is a pretty wild event. Take the kids at your own risk. The Senators also have a three-game home set against Altoona that runs Friday through Sunday. Might be a more family-friendly event. Full Article » -
Golfers’ Glee
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 10:34AM
Hi, Dori here with a golf anecdote for you avid links lovers out there. I hardly qualify as a golfer, but I have tried my hand at the game. When I was growing up here, my parents belonged to Blue Mountain Golf Club, so that's where I used to make my feeble attempts at playing. If I were not so competitive about it and, in the words of my husband, could just enjoy playing badly, I might still be taking my swings. But this course is not really a learner's course. It's on the side of a mountain, with narrow, unforgiving fairways, and should you miss the fairway, roughs that are really, really rough. Like copperhead snake rough.
Last weekend, my sister was bringing her new beau home to meet the family. It was decided that the boys could bond over golf, so my dad started calling around for a tee time. (The parents now play more than ever and have long since decided they would rather play many courses than belong to one.) Anyway, the old standby Dauphin Highlands was booked for an event on Saturday, so Dad called Felicita (formerly Blue Mountain) and found that rates were discounted the later you started so he could get the foursome on for $39 each at 1:00pm. This, he decided, was an acceptable price to play this course, considering new boy might not be (a) good at golf or (b) worth the investment. What can I say? This is my dad. Full Article » -
A Potentially Epic Embarrassment
Monday, July 21, 2008 4:03PMI try to be as funny as possible in this space, after all, the internet is all about snark these days, right? Hopefully if you read my ramblings regularly, you’ve found them good for a ha, maybe even a haha. Well, if you’d like to see me raise the bar to an entirely different level, come watch my performance in the Harrisburg Open.
That’s tennis, folks. Full Article » -
This Weekend: I Strive To Be More Eventful & More Entertaining
Friday, July 18, 2008 2:23PM
Sometimes I feel like I’m the worst Events & Entertainment blogger ever. Right now, I don’t attend all that many events, and I’m afraid that as a result, my writing is not all that entertaining (see what I did there?). That should all be changing soon.
Ever since I started writing in this space, I have been living in Boiling Springs. In reality, my little town is not all that far from Harrisburg, but it is an inconvenient drive when I want to go out and do something. For instance, this weekend I’d love to come to Harrisburg, have dinner at Bayou and grab a few drinks somewhere. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like driving home, changing, rounding up company, driving back to Harrisburg and eventually driving home again. Luckily, in the next few weeks I’ll be moving into my sweet new loft apartment in Lemoyne, and then I’ll be a little bit more fun. Bear with me. Full Article » -
And The Winner Is…
Thursday, July 17, 2008 3:08PM
After counting and recounting the balls in that enormous container and going through all the submissions, we’ve determined the winner of the Spotoball Guessing Contest that took place at the Harrisburg Street Festival. Full Article » -
From Central PA to NoVa, SoFla, NYC, CT and back: Why It Pays To Live Here
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 1:18PM
I recently spotted an article listing the Harrisburg-Carlisle area as the third "most liveable" area among cities with "affordable housing" in America. Now, some people who live here might raise an eyebrow at this, not realizing just how great we have it here. I, for one, would not be among the naysayers. I grew up in the 'burbs of Harrisburg, went to Central Dauphin East H.S., left for college, and — admittedly — never thought I'd move back here in, oh I don't know, one million years (said in Austin Powerseque manner). So, how did I end up here again and why did it take me 20 years to figure it out? Full Article » -
A Saturday Full of Spotoballs
Monday, July 14, 2008 4:00PM
Now that the dust has settled from Spotobe’s first contest (contests, actually!), I’d like to take the time to thank everyone that visited us at the Harrisburg Street Festival and painted, guessed and had fun. In all honesty, Spotobe is all about getting out and enjoying Central Pennsylvania, and I hope everyone that stopped by on Saturday had a good time chilling with us. I know we enjoyed meeting all of you. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Feelin’ Good
Friday, July 11, 2008 1:52PM
I was just remarking to Dori the other day that I couldn’t remember the last time I had a tetanus shot. Funny I should bring it up, because I just walked the whole way from Bricco to Spotobe headquarters on Locust with one foot shoeless. I spend most of the summer barefoot, but not walking down the streets of Harrisburg. Ick.
I was walking down the street listening to Coconut Records on my iPod, when a woman waiting to cross the street backed up into me, stepping on my cheap flip-flops. Naturally, I pulled the thong part straight through the bottom when I tried to raise my foot. She didn’t even apologize, and now I have 67 diseases. Lovely.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because I can always buy more 99-cent sandals, and nothing is getting in the way of my optimism this weekend. Maybe it’s the weather, but right now, I’m feeling very festive. I wish I could go sit outside somewhere and have a beer (yeah, you all make fun of Sawyer's but isn't it nice to spend happy hour outside during the summer? Forget the astroturf and the ugly outside bar, doesn't that look like a place you could have fun?). Instead, we’ll go over the weekend. Full Article » -
Further Proof That We Love All of You
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 3:45PM
We’ve got a lot of Spotoballs. Seriously, when we stage our Friday afternoon battles here in the office, it is complete and utter chaos. That’s using one box. We’ve got a lot of boxes. Trust me, we’ve got plenty of Spotoballs. This weekend, if you can figure out how many, you could win four passes to Hersheypark. Simple enough right?
Spotobe’s pals at the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District have graciously offered us space at the Harrisburg Street Festival, which takes place this Saturday between noon and 6:00pm on the streets surrounding the intersection of 3rd and Walnut. We’ve responded by putting together two pretty fantastic and completely free community contests (and we’re modest too!). Full Article » -
Simply Turkey on Sabbatical
Monday, July 7, 2008 4:30PM
The Spotobe office is downtown, so we are fortunate to have a wide variety of lunch spots within a short jaunt. When we get a group together, we often go to Strawberry Square, where there is something to accommodate everyone, even my "I feel like a milkshake and Auntie Anne's pretzel bites" days. Many people here are fond of Taco Factory, plus you have the fast food options. Our other favorite has been Simply Turkey & More (bad name, but yummy soups, salads & sandwiches), which is on the lower level near the Market Street entrance. Full Article » -
Friday at American MusicFest
Friday, July 4, 2008 8:01PM
Checked out American MusicFest this afternoon with Meg, her brother and his girlfriend. The weather looked threatening the entire time, but it really didn’t do much other than drizzle. To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the crowd. I thought it would be a bit larger and a bit more enthusiastic. Maybe in the evening when the bar crowd started filtering over things picked up a little bit. I’m sure the weather didn’t help. Full Article » -
This Weekend: I looovvvvveeee Friday Holidays
Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:35PM
Really, there is nothing better than having Independence Day fall on a Friday. In fact, I propose that July Fourth should be a Friday every year from now on. Impossible? Nah. Next year, with the Fourth falling on a Saturday, we all get hosed. Bad times, right? Wouldn’t it just be better to flip the third and Fourth. Really, it would bother you that much if July next year went Wednesday the first, Thursday the second, Friday the Fourth, Saturday the third and Sunday the fifth? I didn’t think so.
With the Fourth on Friday, not only can you get after it on Thursday night if that’s your scene, but you also have three straight days of vegetation. I suppose when the fourth is on a Thursday, that gives you four straight days of vegetation with the slight inconvenience of one of those days taking place in the office, but whatever. Full Article » -
Fired Up?
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 5:10PM
I have mixed feelings about fireworks. That may seem a strange statement; who doesn’t like fireworks, right? Fireworks are all about being outside with friends and family and about warm summer nights. When you’re in middle school, they’re all about awkwardly making out on a scratchy blanket. Once you get older, they become the world’s easiest and cheapest date. You can even take her out for some ice cream after and you’re still under $10 unless you go to Cold Stone Creamery. Cha-ching.
Yeah, great. They also mean horrific traffic jams that usually last longer than the show itself and equally terrible neck cramps. Plus, when I was a kid, my parents would never buy me glow sticks or a neon necklace (maybe that's why I bought one last New Years in Florida. No lie). I was so deprived. Full Article » -
Central PA Outdoor Swimming Guide for Daytrippers
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 10:40AM
I don't know about you, but when it's hot and humid outside, I'm looking for water. Specifically, iced, cold drinking water by a nice, big swimming pool. Last year, we joined one of the community clubs, but with both my husband and me working, we hardly ever went. We decided not to fork over the cash for it this year. But, you see, my son is a fish out of water. He is never so happy as he is when he's wet (not the diaper-variety wet, but virtually any other kind of wet—hoses, sprinklers, baths, showers, pools, you name it).
So, last week, feeling like a bad mom for choosing to save $250 over his supreme happiness, I started conniving—whom I could impose upon who has a pool? My aunt and uncle—maybe. My friend three hours away in New Jersey—nah. The neighbor up the street who's friends with our friends—too desperate. Then it occurred to me that maybe some pools offer daily admission to non-members. I was on a mission. Lucky for you, I am generously sharing my findings below, and Justin has been kind enough to add all of these places as Spotobe locations.
We ended up checking out the pool at Little Buffalo last weekend and found it to be quite lovely with attentive lifeguards and very reasonable prices at the snack bar. This weekend...haven't decided yet. Have fun exploring your options! (Just in case you're wondering, I snapped this photo, so you won't find me in it, just the husband and my fish.) Full Article » -
A Picture Is Worth…
Monday, June 30, 2008 3:41PM
I struggled long and hard with whether or not I should post this picture. There’s really no reason not to. It’s a fairly innocuous shot of me on my vacation taken in Watkin’s Glen Gorge (wearing a Spotobe t-shirt!). I’m not smoking crystal meth in it or anything, but I still wasn’t sure whether this was an appropriate forum. Technically this blog isn’t mine. I think for it to be effective and enjoyable to you, it has to take on my personality to a certain point, but I’m not sure how much.
That’s really beyond the point, because the questions in my mind about posting this picture were more about the forum than about the actual act of posting it. Ever since former Gawker editor Emily Gould’s oversharing manifesto in New York Times Mag, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how our internet persona changes the way we live our daily lives. On my vacation, I realized that it has absolutely changed the way my generation takes photos. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Celebrate We Will
Thursday, June 26, 2008 7:26PMI’m going to try to keep this brief because I just finished a delicious rib eye and a glass of Fox Run Cabernet Franc Lemberger on the porch overlooking Seneca Lake. I’d take a picture for you, but the camera is upstairs and I could barely muster up the energy to get to the laptop. Anyway, I’ll be back in town on Saturday, and if I were so inclined, there would be plenty of stuff worth doing. As it stands, I’ll probably be too busy recovering from my week of relaxing. Nevertheless, on with the show… Full Article »
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Q&A: Café Fresco Owner Nick Laus
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:00PM
In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that Café Fresco is probably my favorite restaurant in Harrisburg. I haven’t managed to hit every place in the area since I moved back (I’m working on it, I’m working on it), but of those I have, Fresco stands out. I’m always impressed by the attention to detail shown in both its food and atmosphere. Not surprisingly, when I heard owner Nick Laus was opening Level 2, a new nightspot above Fresco’s downtown location, I was anxious to check it out.
I still haven’t been able to go at night when the place is in full swing, but Nick graciously allowed me to poke around inside one recent afternoon. The interior of the place is absolutely gorgeous, and the attention to detail I always appreciated at Fresco stands out in even greater relief inside Level 2. I sat down with Nick at Fresco during happy hour that evening to ask him about his new business and about his thoughts on the restaurant and nightlife biz downtown: Full Article » -
Surviving Summer Air Travel
Monday, June 23, 2008 3:46PMWith Justin sunning himself up at Lake Wobegon, I find myself tasked with the responsibility of updating the Spotoblog. Initially, I was excited to pinch-hit but when this morning I realized I had to produce, nary an idea came bubbling up to the surface of my consciousness. Fortunately, in my efforts to post more events and performers on Spotobe, I somehow (don't ask me how), stumbled upon the most remarkable site for air travelers: OneBag.com. If you are flying here for a visit or flying elsewhere for a vacation, I strongly recommend you give this site a thorough read. It's extremely detailed, but well-organized, highly lauded and chock full of surprises (like why not to use a wheeled bag!). Having a two-year-old, my husband and I have more or less sworn off air travel for a while, at least with the kid, but it's easy to remember how taxing those checked bags can be. Not to mention the current situation of paying for each checked bag, regardless of weight. While I'm on the topic of air travel, here are some other random tips: Full Article »
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This Weekend: I. Am. Out.
Friday, June 20, 2008 2:56PMDon’t get me wrong; I am thrilled to be going on vacation. About two hours from now (one hour, 59 minutes and 59 seconds, one hour 59 minutes and 58 seconds...), I’ll be sprinting out of here to head to a beautiful house that backs onto Seneca Lake near Watkins Glen New York. It will be super-relaxing, and while I love my job, it’s always good to get away (some of you might say that this is barely a job, I say shut up).
Still, I didn’t pick the best week to skip out. Being away, I will miss a lot of things that I would have otherwise wanted to do, like: see the Dave Matthews Band for the umpteenth time in Hershey, see Bayside (one of my favorite bands) open for the Alkaline Trio at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster and check out the Gettysburg Festival. Full Article » -
From Thailand to Japan in 22.5 Miles and $16 (I Feel Like Rachel Ray)
Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:09AM
As I’m sure you all know, getting anyone in a group of hungry people to actually come right out and pick a restaurant is nigh impossible. After the inevitable hemming and hawing at around 11:30 yesterday, we decided to skip the usual suspects (Keyser Soze!) and head to Bangkok 56 on Paxton Street. I’d never been there before, and I’m glad we went.
From the outside, the place looks underwhelming, but the super-tiny dining room is very pleasant. The tank of cichlids, which went far above and beyond your cliché Asian-restaurant fish tank, was a nice touch.
I wasn’t feeling all that adventurous. I have a decidedly sketchy stomach and I wasn’t even half way through the workday, so even though I love spicy food and was tempted by the curries, I went with a simple Kow Pad — fried rice with pork, chicken, tomatoes, onions and scallions. Nothing fancy, but it was really, really good and even with two meats it only coast $8.99. My co-workers/co-diners had a variety of dishes ranging from green curry to pineapple fried rice, and each was similarly impressed. Full Article » -
A Touch Of Class
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 2:54PM
The lovely people at the Hilton Harrisburg have made a new addition to their exterior. I give it a 10. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Something Different
Friday, June 13, 2008 4:31PM
We’ve been spoiled with lots of great community events lately, but this weekend there’s really not all that much going on. Nope, not joking. I suppose it’s on weekends like this that an events and entertainment website should really earn its keep, but honestly, it’s Friday afternoon and I just can’t see myself finding the energy.
Okay, I kid, I kid. In the words of Mario in Mario Tennis 64 "Here ve go!" You’ll have to trust me on some of these, we’re going outside the box… Full Article » -
Hit and Miss at Carmella’s
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 4:29PMBig boss Dori checks in again after lunch at Carmella’s Trattoria. She also gives her second bathroom review in as many posts. I’m beginning to feel as though becoming a parent makes you view restaurants as changing tables that happen to serve food. Frightening. Anyway, here’s what she had to say: Full Article »
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Passed Out…
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 2:29PM
I could write for days and not capture the current mood of Central Pennsylvania better than this poor squirrel has. I’m not one that is usually bothered by the heat, but I completely sympathize with this little guy. When I opened the window to try to take the picture, he looked at me with a mixture of annoyance and disdain (who knew squirrels could muster up disdain?). While you look at the picture, just imagine him letting out a little squirrel-sized sigh. Full Article » -
Spotobe Heat Index: 15:34
Monday, June 9, 2008 3:06PM
Spotobe Headquarters is air-conditioned. Kind of. It's still hot, and my co-workers are cranky. I decided to see how long it would take to melt two official Spotobe ice cubes on 2nd Street.
The results of this extremely scientific study inside...
Full Article » -
Foundry Day Photos
Saturday, June 7, 2008 1:26PMHot, hot, hot… That’s about all my sun-addled brain has to say. Full Article »
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This Weekend: Spotobe at Foundry Day
Friday, June 6, 2008 3:33PM
The main reason that Spotobe will be at Foundry Day in Boiling Springs this weekend is quite simple: It’s really close to my house. I’m in the process of looking for an apartment closer to Harrisburg, but since returning from Philadelphia, I’ve been living back where it all started for me. My current residence is nine holes of golf away from downtown Boiling Springs, and that makes traveling to said event quite convenient.
But if I’m going to be honest, I have to admit that even if I didn’t live in Boiling Springs, even if I still lived in Philadelphia and didn’t help run an events and entertainment website, I still would have come home for Foundry Day. Full Article » -
Q&A: Shakespeare in the Park Director J. Clark Nicholson
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:20PM
When I saw that the Gamut Theatre Group had chosen to put on Love’s Labour’s Lost as their annual Shakespeare in the Park show, I was, um… surprised. First of all, let’s get this out on the table, yes, I was an English major and I have read plenty of Shakespeare. Snicker, snicker. Let’s move on. Anyway, I was surprised by the selection because it’s not a show that most companies will put on, largely because it’s nearly incomprehensible.
That’s not to say that the story isn’t a good one and that the show isn’t funny — it is and it is. It’s just that almost any Shakespeare scholar will tell you that while Love’s Labour’s Lost is Shakespeare’s first work of true genius, it is also one of his most difficult reads. The play is about the King of Navarre and companions Berowne, Dumaine and Longaville who swear off women for three years in order to concentrate on study. At least they say they are going to until the Princess of France and some of her ladies pay a visit. Sexy right? Decidedly less sexy are the pages upon pages of highly-intellectual Latin puns. Even wikipedia calls the play “pedantic.”
But after reading in the Patriot-News that director J. Clark Nicholson had edited the play heavily and taken inspiration from the John Hughes comedies of the 80’s I was intrigued. I gave Nicholson a call and he assured me that he has nixed the archaic wordplay and left behind a pretty good story. He's got me convinced and I'd like to go see the show, which opens its two-week run tonight. Here’s what he had to say: Full Article » -
Did We Mention The Restroom…
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 9:41AMSpotobe big boss (well, bigger than me boss) Dori P. hit El Sol recently and filed this rather interesting report with the Spotoblog (if my title is “editor” I’m going to talk like one damn it).
I can assure you, this is not a subject with which I have any experience. In fact, just thinking about changing diapers period makes me break out into cold sweats, let alone thinking about doing it in public. Nevertheless, without further ado: Full Article » -
This Weekend: Carrie or Indy?
Friday, May 30, 2008 3:30PMFirst off, my apologies for slacking on the spotoblog/twitter front this week. Bad job by me. This blog will normally be updated more than once a week.
As for this weekend, there’s a lot happening beyond Sex and the City and Indiana Jones. On the music front, the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Festival runs all weekend long, and kicks off with some live performances at the Hilton’s Patio Grill Friday night. If that’s not your style (it’s not really mine, I try to like jazz, I really do, but…) Full Article » -
Sunday at Artsfest
Sunday, May 25, 2008 2:48PM
Yesterday I went to Artsfest to give stuff away, today I went and enjoyed myself. Once again, the weather was gorgeous and once again the food was pretty good. Given time to look more closely, I really enjoyed a lot of the art. Full Article »
About Spotoblog
We’re all about Central Pennsylvania at Spotobe, and we'll be updating you semi-regularly with our insight (or lack there of) on life in the Midstate. Between event recommendations, restaurant talk, and some local news and commentary; we hope that you enjoy yourself, interact with us and keep coming back for more.
Recent Comments
"Loved the list. I started a blog about parks http://www.gooutsidetoplay.blogspot.com that may interest you." — Natalie on "Central PA Outdoor Swimming Guide for Daytrippers"
"Seems like you live in Pennsylvania. I do as well. i love PA and the Gettysburg Festival is one of the best events in the state. Glad to hear you got to get out of town." — Gettysburg Pennsylvania on "This Weekend: I. Am. Out."
"Kudos for your courage to attend the Perry County Fair (and—especially—for being brave enough to drive a Volvo into the heart of darkness). Next year you should definitely check out the New Bloomfield Fireman's Carnival (which is a much larger event than the PC Fair), or the Juniata County Fair (only for the truly brave). I'll save Path Valley's dirt-track racing for a future comment ;)" — Scott C. Boggs on "Wednesday Night at the Perry County Fair"
"I also agree with you, this would ce essential to toursist who would be planning a labor day travel this September." — Michelle Kelar on "Surviving Summer Air Travel"
"Have to agree with you and internet revies, you are spot-on. We live in a critical culture where people feel like they are experts just because they can post a review. Bayou is great, try their brunch, and all of these fair weather bon vivant wannabes are just unable to be satisfied." — glenn p on "Bayou: A New Favorite"
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