mod*betty

Yes, Specks is the broasted chicken place, You can't miss the place as it's at the meeting of Germantown and Ridge Pike. I like to go there when the fried chicken/ roadside food urge strikes, which is more often than I'd like to admit. I also dig the lighting fixtures and the orange and yellow vibe in general. I've got a photo of their sign on my flickr page: Mod Betty's Flickr - Speck's And pardon me if this is the wrong county to put it under, but can I please give a shout out to Zwahlen's Frozen Custard? I've got to stop going there, or buy more stretch pants! Zwahlen's Ice Cream & Chocolate Co. 670 Shannondell Blvd. Audubon, PA 19403 (Off Trooper Rd. behind the McDonald's) 610-635-0115 Not Open Sunday! Oh great, I just HAD to look at the flavor of the day...(changes into stretch pants, grabs keys...) ;-)

I am getting a couple of friends together to come along with me to the Secret Cinema Anniversary showing at Moore College of Art/Design this Friday the 14th. Last time we went to a SC event we had a beast of a time looking for a place to dine that was in walking distance and in our price range, so this time we've decided to approach it as a "happy hour" instead of a meal. Because of this "apps and drinks" approach I'm thinking we may try someplace a notch nicer, that we might not go to if we were getting entrees etc. While I'd LOVE for us to meet up at Chicks or Southwark (future plans for sure!) the last time I had to finagle parking spaces in the city twice in one night cost me in tickets and garages, so I want to park the car once and have our destination within a walking distance to 20th/Race. Choices so far look like the Fountain or the Swann at the Fountain at 4 Seasons, and Twenty-21, which seems to have some sort of happy hour offerings. Am I missing something? Opinions on either of the above? Thanks gang!

I was right! The Happening has turned "the Lodge" into The Filbert which was supposedly established in 1984. I knew those guys working in the rain weren't regular contractors! Now my stomach can rest easy, knowing my deep fried hash brown source has not been co-opted permanently! Nancy Drew, signing out.

or hey maybe M. Night is filming a movie and it will all go back to normal soon!

Anyone know the skinny on the G Lodge on 23 in Valley Forge? That is our go-to place for diner type breakfast, and over the past few days I've seen way too much activity around there turning it into someplace called the Filbert Restaurant. I would've stopped to snoop on the way home from work today, but the rain was too much. Crossing my fingers it isn't a change for the worse!

Hello fellow EG'ers- I have read most all of the Cape threads here and they seem to be concentrated on the mid/lower Cape. I will be heading home to Mass next week and spending some time with the folks in Falmouth, and was wondeirng if anyone had any great recommendations for that area? I've bookmarked the Roo Bar based on what I've read, and am more than happy to stay home and eat corn and tomatoes, steamers and bluefish (dad) of course but didn't want to miss out on anyplace of note in the immediate vicinity. We're always up for lobsters and "fried" of course, so any recommendations for those would be appreciated too. Any whole belly clams is better than no whole belly clams! yum. Can't wait! :-) M*B

I find it interesting that the Market Management claims that they believe Tony Lukes will be better for the Market in the long run but I have to disagree- previous to this incidend I did not feel the need to choose sides when buying a cheesesteak, but if TL's does come to the Market in place of Rick's then I will actively avoid buying a cheesesteak from there. In the long run they have lost my purchase, which had Rick's stayed there, would have gone to the Market.

Driving home from work today I noticed that the late breaking news bulletin on KYW regarding Rick's Steaks going to court about his impending eviction tomorrow came before the late breaking news bulletin regarding Supreme Court Justice Roberts' fall. I am glad they have their priorities straight! ;-)

Does anyone know if any of the Amish stalls in the RTM carry whoopie pies? I've been asked to bring some home when I return to Mass later in the week and hoped to swing by the Market en route to the airport. Also, I know I've read that the Amish close early, does anyone know when they start closing down? Thanks!

now that's MY kind of exercise! :-)

"But sometimes people choose the honorable over the profitable." I'd hope so. But if not, and I may be in the minority here, I will definitely not be getting anything at Tony Lukes at the market locale just on principle. Kinda like not shopping at WalMart- I may be just one person, but I'd like to think that if everyone thought that way it may add up to be a measurable difference. You may say I'm a dreamer....

oh indeed! and congrats! Cliff and I love both the frozen and hot chocs- truly decadent!

Meeting the Egulleteers and Katies drinks were the highlight of our Saturday night! Katie, you definitely have a following, just let us know where and we'll be there -to get our corpses revived, our pomeranians salted and our poms tini-ed!

While walking back home from the farmers market in Phoenixville today we noticed that the Black Lab Bistro on Bridge is now open for lunch on Saturdays from 11:30-2:30. This was a happy sight for 2 locals who can't get there during the week for lunch. We had a quick caesar salad and turkey club, both very tasty! Now if they'd just bring brunch back again, well we'd practically live there.

I may have convinced my sister (who will be visiting us that weekend with her husband and 2 kids) that this might be something we could do on Sunday. Anyone have any recommendations as far as parking or public transport? I am pretty sure they will have the stroller with them (kids are 4.5 and 1) Thanks!

Thanks for the suggestions! Hubby is a wing fan and we've been looking to get to Fergie's for a while, so those two are def on the short list. A flaming volcano? Is that like a scorpion bowl? If so that is right up our alley.

I can't believe I've never been to a show at the Trocadero, but there ya go. We're heading there next Wed and are hoping to meet up with some folks pre-show. Since I don't know the neighborhood for that type of thing (I see it's near the RTM, but that won't do) I was hoping to get some assistance from you kind folks. I may be the ringleader in this gathering (I usually am) and want to make a somewhat informed choice. Looking for something not too fancy, as we're heading to a "rock" show, but a casual place to gather and drink, app, before the show. Thanks!

By popular demand the Black Lab has re-opened for lunch, but alas not on the weekends when CH and I are able to get there. Too bad because we'd be there all of the time!

Kimberton is right near Phoenixville, which has the Epicurean, Black Lab Bistro and Majolica, off the top of my head.

My husband and I are headed to Atlantic City tomorrow night and I noticed on the website for the hotel that they mentioned to contact someone for a "Bottle Service Reservation". I googled the term and saw that this seems to be a term used to get VIP treatment at clubs and the like, but can anyone elaborate about what it actually means? I assumed it meant reserving a bottle of wine, but that was about all I could come up with. Thanks!

Just an observation from my trip today down 202- the strip between West Chester and Wilmington has turned into a Cheeseburger destination! Not even counting Jimmy John's, but you could if you wanted to, we've got: 5 Guys Jakes Cheeburger Cheeburger (just hiring now) and my fave The Charcoal Pit and those are just the burger-centric places not including fast food or restaurants that serve burgers. I sense a day of eating coming up!

Now don't go thinkin that I am really an Utz employee in disguise, but I totally dig their white corn tortilla chips- they are my hands down fave. Light and crispy with just the right amount of salt and crunch for me....mmmmm. Hubby actually bought a big bag on Sunday night and I had to bring them to work today to keep me from eating them all. Not like it stopped me, as I munched all through the day, but at least they are out of the house. CRACK I tellya! That is what Utz puts in their snacks...cheeseballs, puffin corn.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm love them Utzs!

Grandma Utz are good chips and are widely available. But the combination of potatoes, lard, and salt is best explored with some of the smaller brands. My wife likes Gibbles. As stated above, those Dieffenbachs are my artery clogging chip of choice. I believe PA to be the center of the lard chip universe. And for that I am grateful. ← "Pennsylvania, center of the lard chip universe" I sense a marketing opportunity here... I know my husband for one would wear a tee shirt on stage with that saying on it!

you don't know about this? it's pennsylvania tradition, yo. hie thee to a wawa and pick up a little bag of grandma utz's. they aren't the best lard-fried chips, but they'll give you the idea. next time i go upstate i'll score you some gibble's and maybe some red-bag good's, which are my families' favorites. ← Save your trip to wawa, as that is nothing but Herrs territory, you ain't gonna find an Utz at all...

IBeing "from away" I was very impressed with the variety of "indie" chips in this area. At home in MA I did tend to seek out the same ilk (Granite State, Boyds, State Line, Humpty Dumpty....) so when I moved to DE/PA I felt like I hit pay dirt. I do recall when I worked in Boston there was a little corner market (spa, we'd call them) near my shop, which was just on the edge of a questionable part of town, and they had some chips that I had never seen anywhere else- little 25 cent bags of Soul Food flavored chips etc. I am going back there in a few weeks I will see what I can dig up! Sinc the move I have always preferred Utz's over Herrs- they are just the perfect combo of salty and greasy, and I mean that in the best of ways. I tend to gravitate towards the Classic Kettle chip, am good pals with Grandma Utz, and absolutely devour the sweet potato chips they made/ still make? I try to limit my snacking so I rarely buy the large bags in the grocery store (lest I consume the entire thing) but I can tell you what convenience stores carry the snack sized bags of Utz (Royal Farms, 7-11) and which do not (Wawa). I also tend to pick up the little bags at the grocery store, at 25 cents a pop, I call that an affordable indulgence. Speaking of which, while in the market this week I spied Good's chips in the handy snack size so I picked up a bag. Pretty tasty, and, you guessed it, they were fried in that dirty secret of an ingredient, lard....insert Homer Simpson sound effects here!