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On the Map: A Trip to Eastern State Penitentiary and the Barnes Museum, Philadelphia
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr for the not-so-weary traveler.
We took the train to Philadelphia with our friends Beth and Doris for a day of sightseeing and lunch at the Barnes Foundation museum. First stop: Eastern State Penitentiary, which was open for over 140 years, from 1829 until 1971! It was started by the Quakers and revolutionized incarceration at the time. It was the first to confine every prisoner in a single cell – today known as solitary confinement and a huge contributor to mental illness among the incarcerated. Back then they thought it was a better way to rehabilitate prisoners. They were allowed nothing to read but the bible, and they spent 23 hours a day alone in their cells. This could be something the architects of Project 2025 may want to look into …
After touring Donald Trump’s future lifestyle, we walked over to the Barnes Foundation museum, where we saw an art collection that is among the most unique in the world. I have never imagined seeing so many Cezannes, Picassos, and other modern masters in one location. Dr. Albert Barnes was an astute collector, purchasing works by artists in their un-famous prime that would later be with tens of millions of dollars.
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On the Map: Stroudsburg Here We Come (Again)
Narration provided by Wondervox.
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting travel experiences and destinations of interest.
By Mark McNease
We just got back from one of our two-night ‘surprise trips,’ when one of us makes travel plans and the other doesn’t know what they are. We’ve been doing this for many years, and it was my turn to be surprised.
It was a return visit for us, to a town in the Poconos we enjoy spending a couple days in: Stroudsburg, PA. It’s not a fancy place, and it doesn’t have the kind of tourist vibe you’ll find in a lot of other locations in that area, but we like it.
We stayed at the local Hampton Inn, my favorite hotel chain. Maybe it’s the 24-hour coffee, or just the middle-brow feel of the place, but I like it there.
We had dinner one night at Marita’s Bar and Grill, a local Mexican favorite, and the next night at Garlic Restaurant and Bar, a slightly upscale eatery with superb (and expensive) food, much of which has – you guessed it – a garlic theme. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, where you can pick from a dizzying selection of candies, chocolates, and dime-store souvenirs.
The only mitigating factor? It was the beginning of the first heat wave of the summer, and it was hot! But whether it’s hot, cold, or somewhere in-between, I recommend a trip to Stroudsburg. And if you go to the Stroud Mall, make sure you get a spa pedi at Nail Trix. Ask for Annie. It was the best spa pedi I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of them.
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On the Map: Cruising on the Symphony of the Seas
On the map is a travel feature at LGBTSr offering experiences, recommendations, and interesting ports of call.
By Mark McNease
We just went on another cruise, with three booked for 2025. Needless to say, we love cruising as a vacation. No chores, no cat litter, no cooking or cleaning, and no appointments! Unless you consider dinner and a Broadway-caliber show an appointment.
We took this ship for the experience of being on one of the largest cruise ships currently sailing. It’s massive, and we soon discovered why there were so many children on board: water slides, a zip line, a miniature golf course, and a lot of activities designed for families with kids. There’s even a ‘Boardwalk’ section on the 6th floor that has a carousel and hot dog stand.
About the Cruise
If you’re looking for a cruise vacation that has it all, the Symphony of the Seas is your ticket. One of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship, the Symphony offers a floating city that can accommodate up to 6,680 guests and 2,200 crew members. It features 18 decks, 24 pools, 22 restaurants, 42 bars and lounges, a 10-story slide, a zip line, a surf simulator, a laser tag arena, a mini golf course, a carousel, a theater, an ice rink, a casino, a spa, a gym, a library, a nursery, a kids club, a teen club, and much more. Just telling you what’s on board is exhausting!
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On the Map: Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute Brings Science to Kids of All Ages
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting travel, exploration and destinations.
By Mark McNease
We made another two-night trip to Philly, one of our favorite getaways. This time we had a mission: to get out senior SEPTA passes that allow residents of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to travel free on any SEPTA trains, or public transportation throughout the city. We will now be able to take a train from a station not too far from our house and head in for day trips. But this time we wanted to spend two nights at our favorite hotel: the historic Morris House Hotel. This was our fourth stay there, and we love it a little more each time.
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On the Map: Cruising the Caribbean on the Anthem of the Seas (Includes Slideshow and Video)
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr offering travel reviews and experiences.
If you know us, you know we love to cruise, and we’ve been doing it for the 17 years we’ve been together. Now that we’re both retired from the 9-5 world (I prefer the word emancipated), we’re cruising even more. We went to Canada last October, with stops in Boston, Portland, Bar Harbor, Halifax and St. John. We’re heading on another cruise in May, but in the meantime … we just did an 11-nighter to the Caribbean, on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas.
Cruising is one of the most popular ways to travel and relax at the same time. Cruises offer a variety of benefits that make them appealing to people who like just chilling out at sea, and people who love visiting ports and taking excursions. You can get it all on a cruise, and it’s one of the most affordable getaways available. If you didn’t want to spend any extra money for food, you wouldn’t have to. It’s included! We like going to some of the specialty restaurants, and I enjoy eating locally for lunch, but there’s food available on the ship 24/7.
Five ports in five days!
I love sea days, when we have the entire day and night just to relax, do activities on the ship, encounter people we’ve made friends with on the cruise, and … nap! I’m a big napper. If I can’t get an hour’s sleep in the cabin, I’m happy to recline in a chaise on deck or by the pool, and settle in for a good read and a snooze.
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On the Map: Our Canadian Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas (with Slideshow)
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
We just got back from our third cruise to Canada, this time on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas. We were joined by our friend Michael, who often cruises with us in his own cabin.
I have a great aversion to flying, so we take ships that leave out of Bayonne (NJ) or New York. Someday we’ll want an itinerary that requires the added hassle of a plane flight, but not quite yet.
I love sailing to Canada. It should be called something else, since we stopped in Boston, Portland, and Bar Harbor first, then on to Halifax, and finally Saint John. It had a bit of a whirlwind feel to it, with the first four ports done in four days.
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On the Map: Return to Philly, the Morris House Hotel, and Eddie Izzard at the Miller Theater
Click to hear audio version.
By Mark McNeaseIt was a whirlwind two days, as Frank and I headed to Philadelphia for another two-night getaway in a favorite city. After having spent decades in New York prior to our permanent move to rural New Jersey, we now enjoy taking trips to Philly just an hour away. It’s an easy drive, an easy city to be in, and it offers everything you could want in a major metropolis: museums, restaurants, theater, walking (and more walking), lots of history, and our preferred place to stay: the historic Morris House Hotel, located within a short walking distance of everything we enjoy.
This trip was my gift to Frank for our 10th wedding anniversary, and I didn’t want to scrimp. Fine food? You got it! Hotel we love to stay in? You got it! Surprise show at the Kimmel Center? You got it! And while we remember all our trips, this was special. I got a foot massage within an hour of arriving, while Frank racked up his multi-thousand-step daily routine. We had dinner at Buca D’Oro with his niece Jessica, who just started attending Drexel for her graduate law degree. Day two saw us walking with Jess, hitting 25,000-plus steps on my own pedometer and seeing her school up close.
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On the Map: Provincetown Paradise with a Side Trip to Wellfleet
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr.com offering travelogues and recommendations. Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
As we come to the end of another annual trip to Provincetown, I’m reminded why we value our visits here. Frank has had a timeshare for 35 years or so, at a place called Eastwood at Provincetown. It’s like a sprawling motel complex on the far east side of town, and has been very lesbian-centric for years. Plenty of gay men, too, but a lot of women come here. This time I noticed several children with their opposite-sex parents, and I found myself hoping it’s not losing its edge. We’ll see.
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On the Map: Bethany Beach and Rehoboth, Dalaware
By Mark McNease
We’ve been making annual trips to visit our friends in Bethany Beach for quite a few years now. The pandemic cramped our style for a couple years, but we still managed to get there. And now it’s full-steam ahead, with strolling on the boardwalks in both towns, browsing in Browseabout Books, enjoying the ice cream at Bonkey’s, and having the regularly-scheduled time of our lives. Enjoy the pictures and some travel info about this wonderful part of the country.
A Top Ten Beach Vacation: Bethany Beach and Rehoboth, Delaware
If you’re searching for a destination that combines relaxation and fun, you’ll find it visiting the beautiful beaches of Delaware, including Bethany Beach and Rehoboth. These two destinations offer something for everyone, whether you’re a family looking for a quiet retreat, or a group of friends seeking a vibrant nightlife scene.
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On the Map: Still Life with Lunch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
By Mark McNease
We made another of our favorite getaway trips to Strasburg, PA, to visit friends. I’ve always told people we were going to Lancaster, but this was actually the first time we took a several-hour trip to that city just a short drive away. You can read about a previous trip HERE, complete with a slideshow, sites to see, and our recommendation for the wonderful Carriage House hotel. We always stay there, and it just seems to keep getting better. We book the large suite adjacent to the office, providing us a comfortable bedroom and a second room with a couch, second TV, and table perfect for my laptop.
This time we made sure to go to Lancaster proper, and I was nicely surprised. For some reason I’d always assumed it was a small-ish town like Strasburg, but it’s much bigger. It’s a historical city that has both a sense of history, and modernity, and an almost college-town vibe. I have to make special mention of the restaurant where we ate lunch, C’est La Vie. The food was outstanding, and our server, Ben, deserves stars of his own.
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On the Map: A Two-Day Getaway to Jim Thorpe (PA)
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting travel and events of interest to readers.
By Mark McNease
It’s not surprising that so many people don’t know Jim Thorpe is a place. Named after the legendary Native American athlete, the town changed its name from Mauch Chunk when Thorpe’s widow agreed to have him re-buried here in exchange for the town being named after him.
This is our second trip here. We’d visited a couple years ago during the pandemic, and I wanted to come back when the weather was warm and things were normal – although we’ve learned that the old normal will never really return.
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On the Map: Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market Reopens at Dvoor Farm
Mark McNease
After a week of rain, it was a delight to get out in the Sunday sun. Planting in our garden could wait a few hours – first we had to hit the farmers’ market at Dvoor Farm for opening day. Bread, pizza, fresh produce, soaps! We were welcomed by a dozen local artisans and merchants, offering salves for the rain-weary soul. More vendors will come on board as the weeks pass, making this farmers’ market the local treasure it’s been for years. Stop by, browse, say hello, and support the Hunterdon Land Trust while you do!
The Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market is officially reopened at Dvoor Farms in Raritan Township on Sunday, May 7. After a long winter of waiting, you’ll now be able to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers as well as homemade goods from talented artisans, thanks to the Hunterdon Land Trust. Whether you’re in search of a weekly grocery shop stop or just looking for an afternoon stroll with friends, this lively marketplace has it all. Reach out to your neighbors and get ready for an incredible day filled with unique wares and delicious food – the Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ market awaits!