Our beautiful daughter Jennifer married Dustin Awiza at the Pocono Mountain Resort on the Sixth of March, 2010. The resort was shrouded in the powder of winter which had the lake perfectly suitable for ice skating. With guests traveling from across the country the resort offered a perfect respite from the trappings of everyday life and provided the perfect setting for a romantic and secluded ceremony. Guest cabins surrounded the lake and were equipped with fireplaces and were quite comfortably furnished.
The lodge is just a short trip from the cabins and is used exclusively for weddings and banquets so the staff realized every need and delivered remarkable service before, during and after the ceremony. Jennifer, Dustin and their friends decorated the lodge with an earthy theme. They placed plants and flowers on the tables and used polished rocks as place markers with names written on the rocks. The nuptials took place under an arched trellis that was adorned with a whimsical mix of greenery and branches. The Maid of Honor, Amber, and Best Man, Parker, performed flawlessly as neither dropped or forgot the wedding rings.
Jenn and Dustin wrote their own vows and were thoughtful enough to mention grandparents that were not able to travel to the wedding. They hired a wonderful guitarist to perform the wedding march and he played through the cocktail hour that followed the vows. Immediately following the ceremony the wait staff served an unending choice of raspberry champagne, Chardonnay or Merlot and brought out tray after tray of delicious Hors D'Oeurves while the bar was opened and remained that way throughout the evening. Trays of shrimp, quesadillas, deviled eggs with various toppings and aperitif glasses filled with a tomato cheese soup garnished with a mini wedge of toast were all fabulous. Following the cocktail hour a buffet dinner was served and it too was excellent. Vegetable stuffed ravioli, pulled pork, potato salad, spring mix salad with vinaigrette, carved beef, and several other dishes were marvelously prepared in the kitchen on-site.
Earlier in the afternoon Christine decorated the wedding cake with flowers Jennifer had picked out to complement her bouquet. The cake was beautiful and tasted as good as it looked. Following dinner the DJ took over and the dance floor was crowded the rest of the evening. The Bride and Groom drinks, the Berrylicious Martini and Thrillseeker, flowed like champagne and the party was alive with celebration. Jenn and Dustin gave all of the beautifully potted plants away so that friends and family would have a living memory of their special day. After the reception the party continued in the cabins and from several reports I can neither conform nor deny that it may have lasted until 6:00 the following morning for a few die-hard wedding fans.
The next day luggage was packed and cars headed back to the rat race but all are certain to have fond memories of the day Jenn married Dustin in the Poconos!
Christine, Corey and I did not have the opportunity to spend very much time with Dustin's family so we drove to Montoursville, PA and spent the afternoon with Rick and Kim Awiza. They own a charming watch and clock repair store, RA Time Capsule (www.ratime.com), in downtown Montoursville. We enjoyed a late lunch just down the street at Cellini's Submarine House and I thoroughly enjoyed my very first Italian Grinder along with some great conversation. Rick is a remarkably quiet and introverted guy, exactly what you might think of when you picture a person that rebuilds complex timepieces for a living.
Just kiding Rick. Don't shoot.
We really enjoyed our afternoon visiting with Dustin and his parents. But it was so difficult to get Rick to open up. Dustin grabbed the tab before we could, again. Thanks Dustin!
We eventually had to say goodbye to everyone then Christine, Corey and I headed back to our cabin at the lodge for one last night's stay. The next morning we headed out in search of The Big Apple. We drove through Eastern Pennsylvania across New Jersey and into Staten Island. After unloading our luggage at the hotel we drove 5 minutes to the Staten Island Ferry and crossed the Hudson, passing by the Statue of Liberty, and landed on the southern tip of Manhattan at Battery Park. We took to the streets and walked north stopping briefly at Wall Street then for a few minutes at ground zero. The area where the twin towers once stood seemed much larger on the television. It was still quite somber being there several years after the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
We then headed northeast to Chinatown and enjoyed fresh pastries to tide us over until dinner. Fortunately Little Italy was not far away.
Lombardi's is "America's First Pizzeria" and they still use the coal fired oven dating to 1905. We had Caesar salad that was made correctly (with a hint of anchovy) then Corey had a huge calzone and Christine and I shared a pizza. Their menu is quite simple with no choice of pizza type. They all start as a basic Margherita (tomato, mozzarella and basil) then you have a choice of a dozen or so toppings. Christine had roasted peppers on her half and I went with anchovies. It was a wonderful meal complemented with a couple glasses of wine but the best part was when Corey picked up the tab. Thanks Corey!
After a leisurely meal we walked a couple blocks down Mulberry Street to the Ferrar Bakery and Cafe. The pastries and coffee were very good and following desert we hopped on the subway headed to Times Square.
Times Square certainly did not disappoint. Neon light up the night sky and it felt a bit like being on the strip in Vegas. It was nice seeing the Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station and NYPD's finest guarding it at night.
Just a couple blocks from the square is Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
Following our whirlwind tour of Manhattan we jumped back on the subway then caught the ferry to Staten Island.
The next morning we headed to Baltimore to catch our return flight from BWI but had a very important lunch stop planned. About a year ago we had seen a show on the Food Network that highlighted Philly Cheesesteak. The main rivalry was between Pat's and Geno's, two restaurants across an intersection from each other. We had to stop and taste for ourselves. South Philly is NOT a destination I would recommend for any other reason than satisfying your cheeseteak craving. The intersection of 9th and Passyunk is at the epicenter of the cheesesteak battle and lies in a multi-ethnic neighborhood that is extremely rundown. Filthy and disgusting in every direction away from the intersection, the two steak kings manage, however, to keep the immediate area pleasing to the eye.
Geno's or Pat's, who makes the best cheesesteak? Christine and Corey went to Pat's and I bought a sandwich at Geno's then met up with them back across the street at Pat's. We got the classic cheesesteak, "whiz with", meaning a steak sandwich with cheese whiz and grilled onions. Although both were fantastic, Christine and I agree that we liked Geno's better. Geno's slices their rib eye and Pat's chops theirs. We thought the texture was better sliced and the bread was a bit better from Geno's too.
After lunch we made our way to the airport and arrived back in Phoenix late that evening. It was a wonderful trip. We gained a great son-in-law, enjoyed seeing Jennifer brimming with joy and had a fantastic time with Rick and Kim in Montoursville. We are now looking forward to visiting Jenn and Dustin in the Seattle area once they get settled and we have time to work off the pounds we gained from this trip.
