I love Majolica, but I do not think it is suited for small children. (Just my opinion). What about the outdoor deck at the Inn at Saint Peters? Closed right now, but will surely be reopening with nice weather - - plus it overlooks the rocks and water, and they sometimes have live entertainment out there.

Call or visit the "Kimberton Whole Foods" - they are NOT part of the WholeFoods chain, they are their own entity (founded in 1986). They absolutely have some of the products that you are looking for, and more. Go to their refrigerated section in the back right hand corner, and there are naturally fermented products - I just saw them there yesterday! http://www.kimbertonwholefoods.com/

We recently had a luncheon there for about 35 people. It was very nice, private room with fireplace. Our service was excellent, they were very attentive. Mixed green salad with house vinaigrette was excellent. The entrees all received great reviews from attendees. I had the salmon with penne, very very good. We are not in that area often, but we would go there again.

Going to be visiting Ricketts Glen this spring... any good recommendations for out that way?

Thanks!

We LOVE the pizza at Palermo's in Phoenixville (rt 23 & 113, next to Hollywood Video). The owner is from Naples, very nice guy. We have pizza from there about once a week for the last two years. Consistent, thin crust, and he uses good cheese. Whenever we have tried other places, we always end up saying - Palermo's is better! :)

I actually PREFER to bag my groceries myself, regardless of store. I want to be able to unpack them quickly, and I know what items are in which bags (frozen versus non, etc.). I do like that the checkout attendants tend to handle "fragile" items (like tomatoes) with care, versus other stores which tend to not notice. The niftiest thing that I like at the Plymouth store is the downgoing escalator that you wheel your cart onto to get into the lower level parking garage.

I don't know about those items - but we LOVE the following from Cramer's:
their petit fours, the eclairs, and the mini-cannoli. I have relatives that reside close to Cramer's, and they pick these items up for everything gathering. The petit fours and the eclairs are AMAZING, truly.

Hi David!
Glad to hear that it was an enjoyable time. I hope to get back there this winter/spring for a visit (and some spa-time), and I love their indoor pool with its original tiles, etc.

Extremely disappointed.
Ordered breads for Christmas Eve dinner - went to retrieve order, and was told, unapologetically, that they had nothing left, they did not know what happened to my order. There were two other patrons there that had apparently been told the same thing earlier in the day, and had come back to pick up their order... only to be made to wait again. Girls behind the counter were very unprofessional, were sticking their hands down into the cannoli piping bags. Needless to say, we had to run over to ACME to then get our bread for our special meal.

This location is new, so I would POSSIBLY give them a second chance in about a month. Hopefully they will pull things together.

I've been there twice, and enjoyed both visits. We are looking forward to going back again soon, so I hope that things stay on the positive.

Hi Laura,
Will check into Trattoria G. - do you know the address?

OK - I am replying to my post, as someone told me yesterday about a place in that area... the Newtown Grill on Rt 252, just south of Rt 3... have not been there, know nothing about it. Does anyone have any feedback regarding this place for a luncheon?

Hello all -
Looking for a recommendation for banquet luncheon for approx 25 people in the Newtown Square/Springfield area. Want something elegant and delicious, with a very nice private room.

Thanks!

bbitaly -
yes, sounds just as we had it as well, brings back many memories. I still occasionally make it myself, with my grandmother's recipe, although we do not incorporate any almonds.

Yum!

Hi David - -
I have stayed at Bedford Springs Resort twice, and look forward to going back again soon! :)

The food in the 1796 Room was amazing, the only thing I did not like about it was the lighting - - it just seemed a little glare-y to me. But again, the food selections that I tried were superb (they were pricey, as someone else mentioned, but what I had I was not at all "dull", it was one of the better duck dishes I have had). The chef comes out and chats with everyone, etc.

They also have the Crystal Room, which was good. I liked the atmosphere there better, particularly the seating around the edges of the room, at the opposite end from the buffet (too busy at that end). In their Fronteir Tavern, I liked their french onion soup and on-tap custom root beer.

Definitely worth the stop, particularly if you can stay the night.

Hope my message is not too late! Enjoy!

Definitely give Davinci's a try. The cranberry walnut salad is great, too, as is their tiramisu. We like sitting in the booths by the front windows in the bar area.

I don't shop at Wegmans... while they have have a dizzying amount of literally everything, that is actually the problem for me. It just is too much! I prefer to patronize some of the smaller stores that carry local produce (for example, Kimberton Whole Foods) - -that actually supports local industry.

Nonetheless, my husband and I stopped into the new store in Collegeville, and it was mayhem and madness. And the "pub", which did not have the appearance that either of us envisioned, had a 1.5 hour wait. We decided to go elsewhere - we went to DaVinci's down the street (I had AMAZING tilapia mediterranean, truly delicious and fresh). I did not want to sit in the pub, and watch people shuffle through the check out line with their prepared foods. Different strokes for different folks, but it is not my cup of tea.

-----
Kimberton Whole Foods
2140 Kimberton Rd, Kimberton, PA

I recently did a tasting at the J. Maki winery - it was very nice, relaxed, lovely place. I did purchase a few bottles, including a really good Viognier. http://www.jmakiwinery.com/

Burlap & Bean in Newtown Square. They always have a cool live music lineup - - http://www.burlapandbean.com/

Hi All -
We are getting our turkey from "Long Valley Farm" - - they are fabulous, their poultry is organic, and truly pastured. They get to run around, hunting and pecking, doing all the things that healthy chickens and turkeys do. I purchased their products during this summer's farmers market, and we are very excited to make our turkey! - very nice owners, I highly recommend them! longvalleyfarm@epix.net, 484-614-8056

Yesterday, we had a nice time at DaVinci's! I had a really good salad (fresh mozzarella! and perfectly dressed - I want more today), my husband had the house salad and chicken parm. The band was setting up to play, and it was a great time. Definitely worth the trip for a relaxed atmosphere - - and fun bar. We will definitely go again - next Friday's happy hour most likely. Live acoustic with some drinks and snacks.

Illuminaire http://www.illuminare2321.com/MenuD.asp

We spoke with a representative yesterday afternoon there during the Phoenixville pubcrawl. We are glad that they are relaunching, and plan to check it out. Here is their new menu as per their website :)
http://www.majolicarestaurant.com/men...

such a shame! I love that restaurant - - best of luck to the Deery's. Hopefully they open another venue again soon!

Hi obx_nancy -
We have been to the French Quarter a number of times over the past couple of years. We initially liked it, but each subsequent visit has been less appealing. We heard from the server that the chef had left, and someone else took over her spot. The server and the new chef are very nice, and they both work hard, no doubt, but it is just not to our taste anymore. Had the crabcake a few weeks ago, and it was really not good at all - crab hardly evident, and greasy. Two other people in our large party had the same, and agreed with me. I hope that things get a little more back on track there, at least their food offerings are unique in this area! :)

obx_nancy - -how IS the Coventry Cafe? I have never been there, but have seen it in passing. Is it worth the trip?

I have been to both for brunch. My preference between the two is the Fountain.
Lacroix was good, but the highlight for me there was meeting the Chef and taking a quick kitchen tour.

you are right! i hadn't had my coffee when I typed that! I will edit - (now that I am awake) :) Thanks!

Philadelphia is a great city! I love it, and I hope you do, too.

To maximize your time getting around, you may want to separate your two days into doing things west of Broad Street the one day, and east of Broad Street the next. Broad Street runs north/south through the city, and it's hub is City Hall, which is an amazing structure, has the statue of William Penn on top, and would be a good "starting point" both days. For my recommendations below, I will refer to them as east or west.

Good place for lunch (or dinner): Osteria (it is actually right on Broad!) http://www.osteriaphilly.com/. 2008 Winner of James Beard Award. They have some neat stuff, even things that would appeal to kids. Chef Marc Vetri - of Vetri fame. Vetri is the Best italian restaurant in the city. But Vetri is small, expensive, and reservations usually required well in advance.

While you are making your way around the city, you might want someting refreshing. There are two Capogiro gelato places (one east and one west)- you AND the kids would love this, I am sure. They only have one other location outside of PA (in NY) - so it is a "local" place. They have cream-based gelatos, as well as non-cream based (my favorite is the Campari & blood orange - tart but wonderful). Flavors change everyday, and they have those little spoons so you can try bunches of flavors before you order. http://www.capogirogelato.com/

The recommendation to stop at DiBruno Brothers store on Chestnut Street (west) is a good one, they have ready made foods, you can eat upstairs in the cafe, and they carry an interesting selection of gourmet products. My husband, who enormously dislikes shopping, actually LOVES going to this place. It is very vibrant and active, and their business has been a part of Philadelphia since the 1930's.

There is a neat piano bar at 20th & Arch (west): http://www.cascamorto.com/. I do not know if they are kid-friendly, so you will need to call them. The pianists are very talented, sometimes people sing-along, that sort of thing.

As a point of reference, Art Museum and Franklin Institute are both west.

Definitely make the Mummers Museum a stop (east)- this is, for sure, only found in Philadelphia. The Mummers Parade has been a tradition on New Years Day for decades. The string bands have always been my favorite part - they really play their own instruments, dress up in incredible regalia, and strut their stuff. You will be able to see their ornate costumes, they have an art class for kids 5-14 to make their own masks. http://www.mummersmuseum.com/home.html

Independence Hall. A must see. (east

Cuba Libre (east) has a cuban brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. This might be something neat to try. http://www.cubalibrerestaurant.com/philly_article.php?id=28. At night, they have a live band and salsa dancing. Lots of fun!

Another fun place could be Victor Cafe - they have real opera singers (who are also the waiters and waitresses) that sing songs while you eat. You can request songs as well. This has been around for years - my mom took me there 15 years ago, and I still remember how neat it was. Haven't heard any reviews about the food, but the experience is unique. http://www.victorcafe.com/ (east

Ralph's Restaurant has been in Philadelphia for four generations. This is a casual, tight-tabled place, which serves good italian food, it is always lively, has the white and red checkered table cloths, and the small black and white tile floor. This would be a good pick for the kids, too. Reasonable prices. http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ (east

OK! Well, that is my abbreviated list for you, askeenan. I hope it helps! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. Have a great trip! I hope you enjoy the city as much as I do! :)

I am a big fan of the cloth napkin...my husband, not so much. We use them with most meals. They are soft and absorbent, easy to care for, and always ready to go! I think that the more you use them, the more you like them.