Laurel Highlands Adventure in Southwestern Pennsylvania

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          Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, recognized for its sheer beauty, inspires visitors to take the long way home, seek out the hidden path and wander in search of the endless possibilities the area offers. laurelhighlands.org 

Laurel Highlands was home to native tribes, most notably the Algonquin, Iroquois,Monongahelaand Lenape, for thousands of years prior to first European contact. It was their pathway across the Allegheny Mountains to the Ohio River Valley, Nemacolin’s Trail, named after a Delaware chief, that facilitated settlers’ western movement. This “National Road” became pivotal to westward expansion and colonial history. Following the newer 68-mile Laurel Highland’s Scenic Byway will lead you to the majority of the sites and venues from outdoor activities to unique historic sites. nationalroadpa.org

Fort Necessity National Battlefield is credited with being the site of the first battle of the French and Indian War. Washington’s first military engagement and only surrender occurred here. This wilderness fort is only 53-ft. around within a wooden stockade. The French demolished the fort in 1754. The visitor center provides a good overview. nps.gov/fone

Westmoreland County was established in 1773 and is home to the state’s steepest slope, 7 colleges and universities and the renowned Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Founded by Mary Marchand Woods, the collection consists of 3500 objects of fine and decorative art representing regional art spanning 400-years. The certified LEED silver structure was designated the “Best Designed Museum in PA”. thewestmoreland.org

Latrobe, the Steelers’ summer home, incorporated as a city in 1999 but was settled in the 1800s.  It is filled with singular sites and eateries and was home to golfer Arnold Palmer and comedian Jackie Mason during a 3-year period when he served as a rabbi. latrobelaurelvalley.org

In 1904 the banana split was created in Latrobe by pharmacist apprentice David Strickler at the Tassel Pharmacy. The popularity of the banana split prompted Strickler to have a special serving dish made and this iconic dish was depicted on a postage stamp in 2016. Visitors can order one built to the original specifications at the Valley Dairy Restaurant. Valleydairy.net

Dining in Latrobe is an experience at DiSalvo’s Station. The former train station is a National Register Landmark and was chosen one of 11 restaurants in the country “Most Worthy of a Destination Stop” by the Culinary Institute of America. The Italian cuisine is fresh and creative and the service exemplary. disalvosrestaurant.com

Saint Vincent Parish, the first Catholic Parish west of the Allegheny Mountains, was founded in 1790. The college was established in 1846. A highlight of a campus tour is (1891-1905) Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, the oldest Benedictine Monastery in the US and one of the world’s largest. The 230-ft. long floor is handhewn Carrera marble and the walls are filled with priceless sacred artworks. saintvincentarchabbey.org

             The Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College honors the fact that Latrobe was Mr. Rogers original neighborhood. The center’s archive holds more than 16,000 items and the “Life Before the Sweater” gallery recounts his early life and exhibits feature objects from his 895 shows. Special items include original puppets, his shoes and, of course, his iconic sweaters. He too is pictured on a postage stamp. Rogers is interred in the nearby Unity Cemetery but he lives on as a seated sculpture in James Rogers Park. Visitors can have a seat and a photo on the bench beside him. fredrogerscenter.org  

The Foster and  Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery, one floor below the center, is presenting an outstanding exhibit until January 11, 2019. “Blood Cotton: Legacies of Slavery and Exploitation in the Decorative Textile Industry”, explores cotton as a driving force in the American economy and the continuation of slavery. mccarlgallery.org

Frank Lloyd Wright’s most recognizable home is Fallingwater, a stunning blend of art and nature. The 1930’s structure, built over a waterfall, was constructed by area craftsmen using regional materials as a 1,500-acre weekend home for a Pittsburgh executive. The award-winning house is a National Historic Landmark and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Treasure. The on-site Fallingwater Café is Green Restaurant Certified. Tours are offered and reservations are highly recommended. Fallingwater.org

                  Seven-miles from Fallingwater is a second Wright home, Kentuck Knob. This Usonian masterpiece is also the location of a Sculpture Garden. Tours are available via the website. kentuckknob.com

                  

                 An epic journey deserves epic accommodations and Laurel Highlands spotlights the world-class Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Named after the Delaware chief who was instrumental in assisting in colonists navigation of early trails, so too does the resort offer 2,000-acres of region-related activities including the 36-hole Pete Dye Mystic Rock golf course, Shooting Academy, fly fishing, climbing wall, dueling ziplines and 20-mile Off-Road Driving Academy. 

The Wildlife Academy boasts an Equestrian Center, animal nursery and animal habitats. Should you bring your own favorite animal you can avail yourself of the Pet Resort & Spa. At a leisurely pace you can visit the Lady Luck Casino, Hardy Family Art Collection and numerous shops on property. 

Accommodations are appointed with designer amenities and luxurious linens. Dining selections include the fine dining ForbesFive-Star and AAA Five Diamond Lautrec as well as several more casual options. nemacolin.com

                  On September 11, 2001 forty passengers and crew foiled a terrorist strike, planned to hit the US Capitol, by attacking the cockpit. The Flight 93 Memorial honors those heroic individuals with a Memorial Plaza, Wall of Names, artifacts and a 93-ft. tower. The memorial is located at the site of the crash and the tour is self-guided. nps.gov/flni/index.htm

                  Laurel Highlands is a Pennsylvania gem hidden in plain sight. visitpa.com/regions/laurel-highlands

NOTE: Fallingwater has just been selected the most beautiful house in PA.

California Coast Town and Gown College Tour, Berkeley (Part Three)

Northern California was home to nearly 300,000 indigenous people prior to the arrival of Russian and Spanish Europeans in the 1700s with the major tribe being the Ohlone, also known as the Costanoan. European arrival, the establishment of missions and the Gold Rush in 1849 caused the native population to dwindle from approximately 300,000 to less than 25,000 and become marginalized in northern California. 

The Gold Rush ended in 1855 and 13-years later, on March 23, 1868, the first campus of the University of California was established at Berkeley. The campus was named in honor of George Berkeley an 18^th-century Irish philosopher. The land was originally purchased in 1866 by the private College of CA. It merged with the state’s Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College and became the University of California. Situated bayside the institution is regarded as a top public university in the country based on academic excellence, impressive faculty and reputation as a liberal bastion of free and innovative thinking. It boasts 22 Nobel Laureate Professors and 30 Nobel winning alumni and has won a greater number of Nobel Prizes than any other public university. Nobel prize winning faculty members are given a designated parking space. www.berkeley.edu

The most expeditious way to learn about the university and aspects of the region is to take a guided, free campus tour. Tours are offered daily and reservations are recommended. They leave from the Koret Visitor Center where displays and interactive exhibits provide an orientation. There are seven sites that you must see on the campus tour. www.Visitberkeley.co

Berkeley’s Campanile is the institution’s iconic symbol and the 3^rdhighest bell and clock tower worldwide. A 360-degree observation deck provides outstanding views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the surrounding area. Concerts are given daily.

The Neoclassical Doe Memorial Library connects two other campus libraries via tunnels. Inside the North and Morrison Reading Rooms are beautifully appointed student study spaces.

Free Speech Movement Café (FSM) honors Mario Savio and the Free Speech Movement through photographic displays on the walls and tables. Exterior bulletin boards showcase current copies of newspapers. The menu focuses on foods that aremade with sustainable, organic and local ingredients.

In 1901 The Hearst Museum of Anthropology was founded  to study international cultures. The 3.8-million object  permanent collection covers  2-million years and 6 continents. The collection includes 400,000 Native American artifacts inclusive of 12,000 Native American bones the ownership of which is currently steeped in controversy. www.Hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu

Valley Life Sciences Building’s 1^st floor dinosaur exhibit, though small, is worth a visit. The focal point of the displays of fossils is a  mounted Tyrannosaurus Rex.

People’s Park, the site of Bloody Thursday, is  one of the most famous campus locations. On May 15, 1969 Governor Reagan ordered the highway patrol and city officers to clear the park because the students and community members there were “communist sympathizers, protesters, and sex deviants”. This action led to a riot in which 239 people were injured.

In 1964 the Free Speech Movement (FSM) was born here as an outgrowth of the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War protests. Berkeley students protested the imposition of an on-campus protest ban and demanded free speech and academic freedom. The main protest site was Sproul Plaza and Mark Savio was an acknowledged leader. Students were suspended and arrested in efforts to stop the protesters.

Berkeley was incorporated in 1878 after having been known as Ocean View. The city, like the university, was always innovative. The first lie detector machine was used there in 1923 and it was the site of the first bike patrol. There are specialized tours that provide background information. A Berkeley Historical Tour App. Is available at www.telegraphtour. The self-guided Berkeley Pathways Tour leads you through 137 charming footpaths and the downtown Berkeley Poetry Walk displays 3-tons of poems inscribed in 128 cast-iron, 55-pound, poetry panels. Curbside panels are 2-ft. square. 

Check out what is playing at La Val’s Subterranean Theater, exactly the type of theatrical  venue one would expect in Berkeley. The ensemble, Theater Lunatico, is dedicated to fostering unique opportunities for women. The nontraditional casting is both thought-provoking and an impetus for experiencing classics in a new way. info@theatrelunatico.org

The first gourmet coffee shop in the nation was Peet’s Coffee, still a city staple . Alfred Peet opened Peet’s in 1966 as his response to the poor quality of American coffee. www.peets.com

The Free House Restaurant’s main dining room was a site of Mario Savio’s meetings in the 60s. The restaurant is decorated with pictures from the FSM, dark woods and a  central communal table conducive to conversation and debate.  Creative pub fare is served both inside and outdoors. www.berkeleyfreehouse.com

Skates on the Bay is located in the Berkeley Marina. The service is impeccable and the menu consists of the freshest seafood possible. As you dine you are treated to unmatched views of the sunset, San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. www.skatesonthebay.com

Situated in the 52-acre Berkeley Marina and  close to the university and downtown is the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. The 378 accommodations have all the deluxe amenities including Sweet Dreams by Doubletree bedding and the  Fitness Center outfitted with Precor cardio equipment. Rooms have views of the bay and the San Francisco skyline. A complimentary shuttle is available to take guests to nearby locations. Special offerings, information and booking details are available online. www.doubletree3.hilton.com

California Coast Town and Gown College Tour, San Luis Obispo (Part Two)

California dreaming on such a winter’s day.” 

Mammas & the Papas

California Polytechnic State University (1903) and Cuesta Community College (1965) are located at the heart of California’s Central Coast, surrounded by vineyards and farmland, in San Luis Obispo. SLO County averages 70°F, 80-miles of Pacific shoreline and areas conducive to sighting whales from onshore. As if 300 sunshine filled days were not enough, additional nearby lures include Montana de Oro’s sand dunes, wine country that has been designated one of the “Top 10 Wine Getaways in 2018”in the world, and Hearst Castle, the 165-room millionaire’s incomparable estate. www.slocal.com

                  

The first Spanish land expedition in 1769 was followed in 1773 by the construction of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa near Tixilini, an existing native village. The current mission, at its third location, is the focal point of the downtown area. Guided tours are available and include the mission interior, the garden and museum. Highlights of the church tour include the stations of the cross painted on linen, wall murals of flowers with no two alike and the artworks. The Mission Plaza footbridge connects the plaza to San Luis Creek walk where the mission accessed water. The mission remains an active church and the plaza is the site of community events. www.missionsanluisobispo.org

Near the plaza is the Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum and the History Center. The 3-story Children’s Museum has an exterior playscape and three interior interactive exhibits. www.slocm.org

                 

The Path of History features 22 historic structures and the History Center offers a free podcast download of the walk. Tours of the center begin with a 14-minute video, “Once Upon a Time in the West”. Themed galleries display artifacts and memorabilia that interpret regional history starting with pre-exploration and  the Native American presence and legacy. www.Historycenterslo.org

Downtown SLO is definitely a shopper’s dream and a diner’s paradise. The culinary choices cover the spectrum and the retail venue selections range from trendy boutiques to unique artisan offerings. Junk Girls is not just a store it is a destination. The owners sell found and vintage objects that stand alone or are incorporated into artworks. The building is one of the area’s oldest and retains several original architectural elements. www.facebook.com/junkgirls.

You must drop into Boo Boo Records. Rolling Stonehas called it one of the best record stores in the country. The collection of CDs and vinyl is stunning. Booboorecords.com

Bubblegum Alley has been featured on television and has the distinction of being designated one of the “World’s Strangest Streets”. Since the 1970s the 15-ft. high, 70-ft. long alley has filled with 2-million pieces of gum, placed

there by passers-by. The nearby SLO Sweet Shop sells gum if you forget to bring your own.              

The Thursday Night Farmers’ Market has taken place for 35-years in downtown SLO. Everyone is invited to eat, shop, listen to the entertainment and generally have a fiesta SLO-style.

                 

Old San Luis BBQ is a must. They serve Santa Maria style cuisine from home recipes including Cowboy corn pie and Tri-Tips, the bottom cut of sirloin that has lower fat and more flavor, grilled over red oak wood. There is a self-serve bar with 46 taps, 8 of them wine. Be prepared for long lines. Oldsanluisbbq.com

               

 Alberto and Jessica Russo’s Flour House is an affordable Italian adventure. All of the dishes are based on home recipes and menu items are gluten-free with the exception of the bread. Flour House is renowned for Pizza Napoletana, a heritage-style pizza so precious it is guarded by Italian law and has a UNESCO designation as a property of humanity. They use all authentic ingredients and it is baked in a hand-pressed brick Stefano Ferrara Oven with Italian soil as mortar. www.flourhouseslo.com

                  

Granada Hotel & Bistro was located next door to the Elmo Theater and was a favorite of the artists who performed there and those who wished to rent a room by the hour.  It underwent a multi-million dollar renovation and a new 17-room boutique hotel was born. The bistro’s menu is inspired by Spanish cuisine and changes often. www.granadahotelandbistro.com

SLO Provisions is perfectly suited to the city. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and features take-away boxed lunches, baked goods, picnic baskets as well as regional beers, wines and ciders. This is “SLO food made fast”. SLO Provisions is active in the community and supports events and programs. www.sloprovisions.com

Only singular accommodations will do and Petit Soleil Bed et Breakfast is a natural choice. Guests park free and enter a picturesque cobblestone patio and the ambience and architecture of Provence in France. Rooms include comfortable beds, deluxe linens and French farmhouse touches. A gourmet breakfast and evening appetizers paired with French wine are part of the experience. www.petitsoleilslo.com

As we begin our journey further north our final SLO destination is the fabled Madonna Inn & Copper Café. In 1954 Alex Madonna purchased 10-acres to build a hotel that today is Swiss chaletesque and has 110 themed guestrooms on 1,000-acres. Self-guided tours showcasing the Gold Rush steakhouse, Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge Copper Café, Bakery, Spa, Pool Bar, Boutique and Fitness Center are offered. Of special note are the lobby fireplace, made of Palos Verde flagstone with authentic imbedded dinosaur bones, the elaborately carved Coffee Bar and the hand-carved marble handrail. The most popular guestroom is the Caveman Room complete with rock features. Stop to dine and stay for the tour. www.madonnainn.com

When in doubt. Go SLO! www.SanLuisOBispoVacations.com