One of my favorite places in Lancaster County is Central Market which is located downtown, in the heart of Lancaster.  Some of the oldest memories from my childhood are of getting up early to go to market with my grandmother on a Tuesday or Friday morning.  She would always buy my little brother and I a bag of dewey buns – delicious powdered sugar covered long doughnut-type goodness.

Two things I must always pick up when going downtown to Lancaster Central Market are fresh flowers, and some fudge from the PA Fudge Company.  I always bring a market basket to carry my purchases in, it is what I grew up doing. 

Central Market is a great representation of the variety of cultures and ethnic groups that reside and do business in Lancaster County.  Much more diverse than people who are not local might think.  Did you know that this is Farmers’ Market Week in Pennsylvania?  It runs from August 3-7.  Yay for farmers’ markets!

How fun does this look?!  My adorable cousins had a gorgeous evening for their hot air balloon ride over Lancaster County, PA.  They were celebrating their 11th wedding anniversary.

Look at these views of beautiful Lancaster County, PA.  My cousins’ ride was done with the U.S. Hot Air Balloon Team.  They provide hot air balloon rides throughout Southeast PA and the Philadelphia countryside.

This is just breathtaking!  Lancaster County looks so peaceful and traffic-free from up above.  I have wanted to do this for years – hint, hint Dave.  Have any of you ever taken a hot air balloon ride?  Would you?

The Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation has announced the lineup for their 48th annual FREE! Summer Music Series.  Long’s Park is in Lancaster, PA located minutes from downtown Lancaster and is adjacent to the Park City Mall.  The concerts are free thanks to the support of local sponsors and with the help of proceeds from the Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival.

Performances are held at the Long’s Park amphitheater. They are every Sunday night from June 6 through August 29, 2010 and begin at 7:30 p.m., rain or shine, with the exception of dangerously inclement weather.  This is a fun way to spend a Sunday evening outside with the family, enjoying great music.  We bring our folding chairs and snacks.  You can also buy food such as our favorite, funnel cakes, from the vendors in the park.

This year’s Long’s Park Summer Music Series offers everything from zydeco to Celtic rock, from patriotic band music to blues.  One of the most exciting performers will be Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.  They are a blues-based rock band that have been heard on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy as well as in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.  A full listing for the 2010 Long’s Park Summer Concert Series can be found at longspark.org.

If you are from Lancaster County, PA or somewhere nearby, you will know that today is a holiday - a yummy one!  Today we celebrate Fasnacht Day also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday.  It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the Lenten season for Christians.  Lent is the period of 40 days leading up to the Holy Week in the Christian churches... a time of reflection and preperation for Easter.

What do you do on Fasnacht Day and what the heck is a fasnacht, you may ask?!  The tradition of the fasnacht came as a way to clear the cupboards of butter, sugar, and fat which might be fasted during Lent.  A fasnacht is a delicious doughnut made only for Fasnacht Day.  They come in plain, sugared, and my personal favorite, powdered sugar.  These are not your everyday doughnuts as they do not have holes in the center and they are just a little bit spicy.

So, Happy Fasnacht Day and excuse me while I go change my shirt.  It has powdered sugar all over it!

What do a Beatle, a Blowfish, and Bryan Adams have in common?  This reminds me of one of my daughter’s made up jokes.  Well, it is no joke.  All of these people will be performing at the American Music Theatre.  The schedule for 2010 offers something for everyone and looks like alot of fun.

The American Music Theatre is located here in Lancaster County, PA at 2425 Lincoln Highway East... also known as Route 30.  It is right across the road from Cracker Barrel which is very convenient.  My kids love it there.  Last year Mimi and Grampy took all of the grandkids to see Riders in the Sky at the AMT and then to Cracker Barrel for dinner.  They had a fabulous time.

Most appealing to me on the American Music Theatre’s 2010 schedule are definitely Bryan Adams and Chicago.  Dave and I love Bryan Adams.  Some of his songs really bring back memories for us. We are actually looking to buy a print of Matthew Heller’s Homage to Music series of ‘Heaven’(by Bryan Adams).  And Chicago just really takes me back to the 80’s... in a good way.  So many great acts to choose from and right here in Lancaster County.

AKA, What Will They Drop Where?

Thought that I would enlighten everyone with a New Year’s Eve listing of ‘What They Drop (or in some cases Raise) Where’ in Lancaster County and the surrounding Susquehanna Valley.  I do this for my amusement... and yours too!  Just wondering from people who live other places, do they do this in your town too?  Is this an USA thing?  Here we go:

Lancaster:  a red rose
York:  a white rose
Harrisburg:  a strawberry
Elizabethtown:  an M&M
Manheim:  an orb or ball
Hershey:  a Hershey kiss
Akron:  a shoe
Mechanicsburg:  a wrench
Dillsburg:  a pickle
Lebanon:  a giant bologna

My favorite on the list has to be the giant Lebanon bologna that they string up in Lebanon.  I wonder what happens to it after New Year’s Eve.  If anyone knows, please share!

Can you believe that another year has gone by already?  Dave and I are spending a quiet New Year’s Eve at home... have a couple of sick kids and we are exhausted.  We had a great year and are looking forward to all of the possibilities of 2010.  Hope you have a fun night and wishing a very Happy New Year to all!