Philly, NYC & Points East--May 2021

[MplsTodd]

Way back in May, when optimism still prevailed over rising vaccination rates and decreasing COVID-19 cases, I had a six-day trip out to NYC, with time also spent in Philadelphia, and Montclair, NJ (a place I lived in 30 years ago).

First a few photos from the drive out east: Had lunch in downtown Harrisburg, plus a chance to stretch our legs walking around their historic downtown:

State Street, Harrisburg, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Two Domes, Harrisburg, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Keystone inlay at Pennsylvania State Capitol, Harrisburg by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bicyclist memorial on State Capitol Steps, Harrisburg, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Home along State Street, Harrisburg, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The next stop was Lancaster, PA --

Stans Records, N Prince Street, Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Southern Market (Under Renovation), Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Soldier & Sailors Monument and Griest Building, Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Former Watt & Shand Department Store, downtown Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Soldiers and Sailors Monument, , Penn Square, downtown Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Penn Square, downtown Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Queen Street, downtown Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Storefronts along N Prince Street, Lancaster, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

While staying a few days with friends near Princeton, my older son & I headed into Philadelphia for a day. First stop was Doylestown:

The Doylestown Bookshop, Main Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Trash Culture, West Ashland Street, Doylestown, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

State Street Businesses, Doylestown, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lenape Hall, 1 South Main Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Intelligencer Building, 10 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

And on into Philadelphia: First stop--the essential Philly cheesesteak. Usually, I'll stop at Jim's on South Street, but I'm trying to widen my culinary horizons a bit!

Philly Cheesesteaks: Chubby's and Delessandro's, Henry Avenue, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

I had never before been to Manayunk and really enjoyed the character of this neighborhood. Unfortunately, the intense rain from Hurricane Ida led to significant flooding in this area this past week:

Manayunk Mural, Roxborough Avenue, Manayunk, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Main Street, Manayunk, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Main Street, Manayunk (Philadelphia) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Main Street Businesses, Manayunk, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Biking/Walking Path along the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia Skyline along the Schuylkill River by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Eastern State Penitentiary, Faitmount Avenue, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

City Hall from North Broad Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Packard Motor Car Company Building, 317-21 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Former Market Street National Bank Building (now Residence Inn), 1-21 Juniper Street, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

City Hall, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Outdoor Restaurant Booths along S 18th Street (due to COVID-19), Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Metropolitan Bakery, S 19th Street at Manning Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia Rowhomes, S 18th Street by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

1715 Rittenhouse Square Boutique Hotel, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

COVID-19-safe Outdoor Dining at Tequilas along Locust Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Blume Storefront, Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Bellevue. S Broad Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nuts To You, Walnut Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Chestnut Street, Looking East, Center City Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia from PSFS (Loew's Hotel) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Northward from Loew's Hotel (Former PSFS Tower), Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking East Along Market Street from Loew's Hotel, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Southeasterly from Loew's Hotel Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

City Hall Philadelphia from Loew's Hotel (Former PSFS Tower) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia Skyline from Loew's Hotel by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Former Lit Brothers Department Store, Market Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lit Brothers Department Store Facade, Market Street, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia Bourse, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Interior of Philadelphia Bourse, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Second Street, Looking South toward Society Hill Towers from Market Street, Old City, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Second & Arch Street, Old City, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Colonial-era buildings, Arch Street, Old City, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fashion District Philadelphia (Former Gallery at Market East), Center City Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rite Aid Pharmacy, Market Street at 10th Street, Center City Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Arts Bank, S Broad Street at South Street, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bambi 1-Hour Cleaners, S Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Philadelphia Skyline by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Downtown Philadelphia from Citizens Bank Park by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Phillies vs Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Washington Crossing State Park, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Washington Crossing Bridge, NJ/PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Southward along the Delaware River from Washington Crossing Bridge, NJ/PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lambertville, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Homes along Main Street, Lambertville, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lambertville Trading Co, Lambertville, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Union Street, Lambertville, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Church Street Looking to First Presbyterian Church, Lambertville, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Train Station, New Hope, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Free Library of New Hope, New Hope, Pennsylvania by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Main Street, New Hope, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Mechanic Street, New Hope, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

11-13 Mechanic Street, New Hope, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

George Washington Statue at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Pennsylvania by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Delaware River at Washington Crossing Historic Park, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

BONUS History Lesson!!

Diagram of Washington's Crossing and Battle of Trenton 1776 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bloomfield Avenue, downtown Montclair, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Park Street from Bloomfield Avenue, downtown Montclair, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Former US Post Office, Park Street, downtown Montclair, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Church Street, downtown Montclair, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Renovations Underway on Hampton House Building, Fullerton at Bloomfield Ave, downtown Montclair, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bloomfield Avenue, Looking West from Fullerton: downtown Montclair, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Upper Montclair: Valley Road at Bellevue Avenue, Montclair, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Watchung Plaza, Montclair, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking South Along the Hudson River to Hudson Yards and Downtown Manhattan, with Jersey City at Right Background, from Weehawken Dueling Grounds Overlook, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

NEXT UP: New York City!

[summersm343]

Great photos! Harrisburg, Lancaster, Center City Philadelphia, Manayunk, Doylestown, New Hope, Lambertville.... great stops! You really made the most out of your trip.

Never been to Montclair, NJ before, but looks like a nice town.

Looking forward to your NYC photos - thanks again for posting!

[MplsTodd]

Thanks Summersm!

For this trip to NYC, I was trying to visit places I had never been before. Although I had been along New Jersey's Hudson riverfront, I had never visited the Dueling Ground in Weehawken (where Hamilton and Burr had their infamous duel). Needless to say, the views from there are spectacular and I highly recommend stopping there if you get a chance.
On our second day in NYC, while my wife was taking a fitness class, my oldest son & I wandered around Manhattan, visiting Hudson Yards, the High Line, Meat Packing District, West Village, Soho, and Broadway in Greenwich Village. I had never been to the Meat Packing District (on 14th Street) and really enjoyed the lower key ambiance of that area. It felt less hectic and more European.


Midtown Manhattan Skyline from Weehawken, New Jersey by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking North Along The Hudson River, Weehawken, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Manhattan from Weehawken, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Empire State Building from Weehawken, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Weehawken Dueling Grounds Plaque, Weehawken, NJ by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Luxury Condo Towers along Billionaires Row (W 57th Street), NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nordstrom Department Store, W 57th Street, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Aro Apartment Tower, 242 W 53rd Street, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Clock Tower on 1501 Broadway (Paramount Building) from Eighth Avenue, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

New Yorker Hotel Sign & Empire State Building, West 34th Street, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Hall (Former US Post Office), New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Office Towers at Hudson Yards, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Shed, Hudson Yards by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Vessel, Hudson Yards, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Along the High Line, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

520W28: Luxury Condo building at 520 West 28th Street, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

View from The High Line, overlooking West 18th Street at 10th Avenue, Chelsea, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

10th Avenue from The High Line, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

New Park along Hudson River by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

West 14th & Hudson, Meat Packing District, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hudson Street, looking North--Meat Packing District, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Whitehorse Tavern, West Village, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Golden Rule Wine & Liquor Store, Hudson Street, West Village, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Morton Street, West Village, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Leroy Street Buildings at Seventh Avenue, West Village, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

University Village from Houston Street, Greenwich Village, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Cast Iron Facades, Soho, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

487 Broadway (formerly Silk Exchange Building) along Broome Street, Soho, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Mercer Street, Soho New York by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fanelli's Cafe, Mercer Street at Prince, Soho, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The New York Mercantile Exchange Building, Broadway, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

2C5EE076-892A-442E-B24B-5B10385B07B8 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Strand Bookstore Broadway at 12th Street, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[MplsTodd]

In addition to Greenwich Village, my favorite park of Manhattan is the Union Square/Flatiron District. Back when I lived in NJ in the late '80s-early '90s, this area was characterized by aging Class C quality office buildings and discount stores. Right before we moved, there started to be more independent restaurants in the area along with growing popularity of the Union Square Farmer's market. In the '90s and '00s, lots of the aging office buildings were renovated into residential uses, boutique hotels or upgraded offices.


14th Street, Union Square, New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Union Square, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Broadway at 17th Street, Union Square District, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Metropolitan Life Tower, Madison Square, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Madison Square, Looking North, Manhattan by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

COVID-19 era Dining in NYC--Personal Dining Areas along 5th Avenue, mid 20's by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Sidewalk Cafe, West 27th Street, Midtown Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Greeley Square, Midtown Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Sixth Avenue at Greeley Square, Midtown Manhattan by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Herald Square, Midtown Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

West 34th Street across from Macy's, Midtown Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

34th Street, Looking to Empire State Building, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

McGraw-Hill Building from 8th Avenue, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Times Square, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rockefeller Center, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Midtown East from Top of the Rock, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Downtown Brooklyn from the Top of The Rock (30 Rockefeller Plaza), NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking south to Brooklyn & Verrazano Narrows Bridge from Top of the Rock (30 Rock), NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Upper West Side, George Washington Bridge & Palisades from Top of the Rock (30 Rockefeller Plaza), NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

New Luxury Condo Towers along W 57th Street, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Northeast from Top of the Rock, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking southwest towards Hudson Yards from Top of the Rock (30 Rock), NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

American Dream Mall (Meadowlands, NJ) from Top of The Rock (30 Rock), NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking South from Top of the Rock: Showing One Vanderbilt (2020), Empire State Building (1931) and Bank of America Tower (2018) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking North across Central Park to Harlem and The Bronx (Yankee Stadium at center right) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

St. Patrick's Cathedral & Atlas (Bronze Statue), New York City by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fifth Avenue, Midtown Manhattan by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Macy's Herald Square, NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Site of First Showing of a Motion Picture, West 34th Street (Now Macy's), NYC by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[summersm343]

Great Manhattan photos!

[MplsTodd]

^ Thanks!

On our second full day in NYC, we took the subway over to Brooklyn, walked around Prospect Park, little bit of Park Slope, walked up Flatbush to downtown Brooklyn & stopped at the Manhattan Bridge vantage point that our son knew all about but I didn't. We then took a bus to Williamsburg and had a drink atop the William Vale Hotel, which offered great perspectives on Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island City. We then caught the East River ferry back to Manhattan. No museums, no stores, no plays--just a lot of walking around. A good way to explore a city during a pandemic.

Subway Platform, Sunday Morning, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Residences Along Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Union Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Brooklyn Brownstones, Union Street, Park Slope by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Flatbush Avenue, looking towards downtown Brooklyn by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

COVID-19 Testing Site, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Apple Store, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Brooklyn's first supertall under construction, Flatbush Avenue by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hamburgers Frankfurters, Fulton Mall, downtown Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Macy's Store, Fulton Mall, downtown Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Downtown Brooklyn: Fulton Mall at Smith by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lower Manhattan and The Brooklyn Bridge by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Along Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The William Vale Hotel, N Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Northeast over Queens from The William Vale, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

I think this next shot (of Long Island City) reminds me of photos of Downtown Los Angeles

Overlooking Long Island City from The William Vale Hotel, N Williamsburg, Brooklyn by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Midtown Manhattan and Long Island City from The William Vale Hotel by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking South along Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg from The William Vale Hotel by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking South from The William Vale to Williamsburg and downtown Brooklyn by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Wythe Avenue Cityscape, North Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

North Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Music Hall of Williamsburg, N 6th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking across East River to Manhattan from North 5th Street Pier, N Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Boarding the East River Ferry to Manhattan, N 5th Street Pier, N Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Departing N 5th Street Pier, N Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking south along East River to Brooklyn & Williamsburg Bridge by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Greenpoint, Brooklyn from East River by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Pepsi Cola Sign, Long Island City, Queens, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

American Copper Buildings at E 34th Ferry Terminal, Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

American Copper Buildings from E 35th Street, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Townhome along East 35th Street, Murray Hill, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Macy's Department Store, Herald Square, NYC, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking East along 34th Street to Macy's & Empire State Building, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Madison Square Garden, 8th Avenue at W 32nd Street, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nomad Hotel, 1170 Broadway, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

We stayed at The New Yorker on West 34th Street. Got a decent room for about $125 per night, which is an unbelievably low rate for NYC! The New Yorker has an interesting history and they had a nice history display in the lower level.


Vintage Ads for The New Yorker Hotel, History Display at New Yorker Hotel, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Muhammad Ali at The New Yorker Hotel 1971, as presented in The New Yorker History Display, New Yorker Hotel, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Concourses Below Penn Station, as displayed in History Display, New Yorker Hotel, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Bust of Nikola Tesla, who resided at The New Yorker Hotel 1933-1943, History Display at The New Yorker Hotel, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lobby of New Yorker Hotel, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rare Low-rise Building in Midtown, 8th Avenue at W 38th Street, Garment District, NY, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Former New York Times Building, 7th Avenue, Times Square, New York, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Empty Storefronts, Fifth Avenue, Manhattan by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Park Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, NY by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[Murphy de la Sucre]

What an eye opener to see two major U.S. metropolises in such decent presentation.

Good to be in NYC and Philly back in 2011, like ten years ago. How time flies.

[EastSideHBG]

Beautiful! Harrisburg vs Lancaster, what are your thoughts?

[JMKeynes]

Very nice.

NY is without a peer, but I like the coverage of Lancaster. It's a magnificent little city that gets no attention, but should. It's a little gem.

[MplsTodd]

Thanks for your thoughts!

I can't do a detailed city v city comparison on Harrisburg and Lancaster as I'd want more time to fully explore each city. But I really liked both cities. They both offer a great collection of well-maintained historic buildings in their downtowns. Both cities offer city markets, which I've always felt was a great ingredient for a vibrant central city. I was very impressed that Lancaster has two markets (Souther (under renovation) and Central, which wasn't open when we visited). In prior visits I've walked around the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg, but wasn't able to visit it. Generally, it felt like downtown Lancaster had more shops, galleries and restaurants. But one feature of Harrisburg is the broad Sussquahana River, which provides a feeling of nature and bike paths that I didn't sense in Lancaster.

En route back to Ohio, we stopped briefly in Easton, PA. Located just west of the Delaware River, Easton is another very historic small city. The downtown was a little sleepy, but it had a great collection of older buildings and benefits from being headquarters for Crayola Crayons. Here's a few photos:

Along Centre Square, downtown Easton, Pennsylvania by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Centre Square, Easton, Pennsylvania by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Corner Store Entrance, 3rd Street at Centre Square, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Businesses along North Third Street, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Historic Buildings along North Third Street, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Northampton Street, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Northampton Street, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Northampton National Bank Building, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Crayola Experience, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Centre Square, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lehn's Court, downtown Easton, PA by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[mrnyc]

this is a beyond the beyond epic thread.

so many favorite places.

and it even included our block!

[JMKeynes]

Easton is gorgeous too.

There are so many amazing little towns in the Northeast. Albany is fabulous in terms of architecture and geography.

[Crawford]

Wow, you got all around town. Nice shots.

I like the shots of Montclair, which I don't recall seeing much on SSP.

[dc_denizen]

New Hope, the home of Ween. great pics!

[MplsTodd]

Thanks for your comments!

mrnyc: Curious to know which neighborhood you're in!

JMKeynes: Completely agree about the appeal of the 18th century cities out east. As someone who's long been an Anglophile, the US cities in New England/Central Atlantic seaboard are the closest thing we have to that kind of ambiance.

Crawford: I definitely like to cover lots of ground. My wife and kids are not of that approach to travel, though so I have to bargain with them as to how many stops we make while on road trips. If it had just been me, I would have stopped at more places than Harrisburg and Lancaster on the way out. But, oh well!

dc denizen: I'm not that acquainted with ween. My Jersey bands tend to be more like The Db's and The feelies (from Hoboken), Fountains of Wayne or Carteret's own: The Smithereens. Plus Real Estate comes from Ridgewood, where I lived for a while.

[DetroitSky]

I love threads like this. Great stuff!

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by MplsTodd

Thanks for your comments!

mrnyc: Curious to know which neighborhood you're in!

we live in west village/meatpacking.

of probably more interest to you now i lived in several places in columbus in the very early 90s before we moved to nyc for good.

the continent was first right out of college for about 6 months. ask around about that place lol. it was the prototype lifestyle mall and used to be hopping, but its desolate these days.

then in a short north loft on high and warren over what i see is lox bagels now.

then a couple places in grandview, one of which was a 1940s deco apt bldg that had steam heat pipes running through the floors, which was an interesting way to heat it.

and the last place was by osu just off high st north of lane with like three floors and the garage of one of those massive craftsman houses around there.

we could have bought the last house, but came to nyc instead for work. speaking of, there is a little church in downtown westerville i came thisclose to buying, but backed off - that would have been interesting! i just streetviewed and i see the nice old folks who lived there eventually gave it to otterbien and it holds some of the college’s art collection.

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

we live in west village/meatpacking.

of probably more interest to you now i lived in several places in columbus in the very early 90s before we moved to nyc for good.

the continent was first right out of college for about 6 months. ask around about that place lol. it was the prototype lifestyle mall and used to be hopping, but its desolate these days.

then in a short north loft on high and warren over what i see is lox bagels now.

then a couple places in grandview, one of which was a 1940s deco apt bldg that had steam heat pipes running through the floors, which was an interesting way to heat it.

and the last place was by osu just off high st north of lane with like three floors and the garage of one of those massive craftsman houses around there.

we could have bought the last house, but came to nyc instead for work. speaking of, there is a little church in downtown westerville i came thisclose to buying, but backed off - that would have been interesting! i just streetviewed and i see the nice old folks who lived there eventually gave it to otterbien and it holds some of the college’s art collection.

I think you did well! Of all those places, I'd choose West Village/Meat Packing as a place to live too.
About a year ago I found an interesting video on Youtube about The Continent and, of course had to check it out. You're right, today it's pretty sad, but in its day, it sounded like a cool development.

The Continent, North Columbus, Ohio by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Continent, North Columbus, Ohio by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by MplsTodd

Thanks for your thoughts!

I can't do a detailed city v city comparison on Harrisburg and Lancaster as I'd want more time to fully explore each city. But I really liked both cities. They both offer a great collection of well-maintained historic buildings in their downtowns. Both cities offer city markets, which I've always felt was a great ingredient for a vibrant central city. I was very impressed that Lancaster has two markets (Souther (under renovation) and Central, which wasn't open when we visited). In prior visits I've walked around the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg, but wasn't able to visit it. Generally, it felt like downtown Lancaster had more shops, galleries and restaurants. But one feature of Harrisburg is the broad Sussquahana River, which provides a feeling of nature and bike paths that I didn't sense in Lancaster.

Great take! Lancaster has come so far in a relatively short amount of time and it's impressive. I have a love/hate relationship with Harrisburg but it's heading in the right direction and Midtown is coming along nicely. And agreed re: the river and when I lived in DT Harrisburg I lived right near it and the recreational aspect could not be beaten. It sucked a lot during flooding, though, which unfortunately is too frequently anymore.

[Quabbin]

__________________
Every City has something worth seeing!
-- Even New York

Since NY is so overdone, I found the Penna cities and the view from Weehawken more interesting. Great photos!