Spring Break 2011
Some people went to the sunny beaches of Florida or Mexico but not us we road tripped it across Pennsylvania ending in our Nations Capital DC!
It was College Tour 2011 for the West family...started in Erie, PA and ended in Philadelphia, PA. Seven college campuses and four official tours....lots of walking and questions. Our heads are spinning, but we are well informed and our daughter is excited for the future. She liked all but one school. It's been many years since I've visited Pennsylvania.....we saw a lot of the state and loved it.
Pittsburg was one of my favorites and most surprising. It was not at all what I thought. While there we ate at a fun authentic German restaurant called Hofbrauhaus. It had great food,beer and music. The atmosphere was so authentic, you could close your eyes and you would think you were in Germany.
Philadelphia was a nice stop too but the city is grittier than I remembered. We had only a little time to see the city. Arriving at Independence Hall after it closed, so we saw the Liberty Bell through the window.
After Philly we headed to DC to see all the sights.....it was insanely crowded! I thought everyone went to Florida! We stayed in Alexandria Virginia outside Old Town. I loved walking and riding the trolley up King Street with the shops and restaurants.
DC was beautiful they are several weeks ahead of us in Spring. We missed the Cherry Blossoms but everything else was in full bloom.
There is so much to see and do, we just saw a tip of the iceberg of DC. I think several trips are in order to see and do it all. The weather started out good but changed quickly from 80 degrees one day to cold and raining the next.
Katelyn and I really wanted to go to Georgetown Cupcakes....do you ever watch that show DC Cupcakes on TLC? Omg......there was no way we were getting a cupcake that day or any day with lines like that. There was at least a 3 hour wait....for freaking cupcakes! No thanks!
I'm happy to be home, in my own bed. I missed my Sophie. Something to be said for
HOME SWEET HOME!
Happy Easter Monday!
Pictures both mine and Katelyns
30 comments:
As I get older I know that Home Sweet Home means more than when I was in my 20's.
Good Luck with the decision making process. You and your Husband are good parents.
I remember doing the college circuit tour with my oldest daughter. I think we visited 7 of them, and of course she chose the one farthest from home. But it's a necessity to make an informed decision. The last thing your daughter wants is to be there a while and decide she doesn't like it. Hopefully there will be some scholarship money involved.
I love DC....looks like you had a great time. And I would also say the NO to the wait for cupcakes. But then I'm the scrooge who thinks the whole cupcake phenomenon is the dumbest thing ever anyway!
Sounds like a great trip. I love DC. Welcome back.
Great pictures! thanks for taking us along on part of the tour. The Hofbrauhaus looks great, I would have enjoyed some sausages and beer there.
OMG a 3 hour wait for a cupcake? Are those people nuts?? Last Sept when my friend and I were in NYC we did manage a visit (and a cupcake) at Magnolia Cupcakes... somehow we waltzed right in... and were served immediately, it was well set up there.
Looking forward to Katelyn's next chapter. good luck to all!! xo
Amazing on the line for a cupcake. Don't you almost wonder how good could they be to wait 3 hours for?!
Sounds like you had a fab week. I bet Sophie was happy to see you. xo
Daughter1 has her first day on the job in DC today...it will be a fun city for her and she has lots of friends there. The cupcake shop is like that all the time!
Good luck with the selection process!
I hope Kate finds the college which she loves. Your pictures are all so beautiful, especially the one with the flowers!!!
Looks like they need to open another store location if the lines are that long. I would not have waited either. Glad you had such a wonderful time.
Those are great pictures! I'm a little jealous, I haven't been to PA or DC.
Great photos and an exciting trip. Let us know which one she picks. Hoffbrauhaus, lol. Didn't you get enough of Germany here? I would love to spend three to four days just doing the Smithsonian, Capitol, and White House.
i rememeber there was a line like this when the first krispy kreme opened up near seattle. apparently everyone who knew about kk was excited enough to wait for hours. actually longer than that - the hours long wait persisted for weeks.
i finally tried one and it was great but i wouldn't wait in line for it. and for a cupcake? i cannot imagine how good that cupcake must be if people are gonna wait hours.
hey, i found a dunkin donuts today in duesseldorf and guess what a donut cost me? 1,30 euro! it was good but not THAT good: ) how much are donuts in america nowadays? when i worked at dd, a dozen cost 3.50. that was the 80s though: )
♥Nice post.) Love your blog.))♥
My sister-in-law was in DC this past weekend and wanted to go to Georgetown Cupcakes too, I'm not sure if she made it, with lines like that! DC looks pretty though. I have never been there or Pittsburgh. Good luck with your daughters decision, I hope she picks whichever one is closer to you. ;)
Great trip... would love to hear what schools you visited (I live and breath college stuff)... my niece lives in Georgetown, will have to ask about the cupcake insanity!!!
YOU always have FAB adventures!!!
Sounds like a whirlwind tour! I hope she ends up not too far away :)
How exciting! Can you believe she'll be in college so soon?
Home is always nice, but it does sound pretty fabulous?
Did you see my sister out there? LOL, she and her family just did the exact same thing on a college roadtrip!
Sounds like a lovely Spring Break. How exciting to be looking at colleges. I have never been to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. I have always wanted to go. I do love D.C., though!
Happy Easter Tuesday.
:-)
Traci
Sounds like a busy but fun trip! Great pics! I've been to Philly but not DC. The cupcake line is crazy!! I adore cupcakes but I don't think I'd wait it out that long! :)
Pittsburgh here we come! looks like an awesome vacation you had. We prefer cities and sites opposed to beach too! Beach is good, but I want to move and groove and love exploring.
Wow, you sure did pack in the sights! That is a lot of ground you covered, and driving! Great pictures too! Have a nice week.
XOXO
Glad you had a great trip. Sounds like a lot of fun! Great shots too!
Seriously. What is with that line for cupcakes? Glad you had a nice trip. :)
I must say all the photos look lovely and everything looks so clean.
Yes..... even though its really good to travel and see the world..... there is nothing better than that lovely feeling of *home sweet home*.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
Now that my sons have chosen universities, I realize that part of the journey are trips like these. I do love getting away and stepping off the "hamster wheel"- but i also love returning home, especially to my dog who is happy to see me, even if I just take out the trash. I come home to happiness. My boys will love this next year when they come home during college breaks.
pve
what 3hrs wait, no way!!
looks like a lovely trip!
xo
Sounds like you had a blast! Thanks so much for sharing all of the photos. I miss the east coast, and it was so good to see some familiar sights. Hey...did you get to at least see the cupcake girls in their cute pink boots? I keep thinking I might have to get a pair of those. :)
I wish I could have met you when you were in Philly. It is a gritty city! And can you believe, the grittiness you saw is NOTHING compared to where I work. My section is called Strawberry Mansion. Doesn't that sound pretty? Trust me, it is deceitful!
I am so excited for your daughter. College is lots of fun! Sending you love! Becky
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