Christmas City -- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

My husband and I went to "Christmas City" in Bethlehem this weekend with friends.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is a city of 75,000 people in the Lehigh Valley in the eastern portion of the state. On Christmas Eve in 1741, David Nitschmann and Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf, leading a small group of Moravians, founded the mission community of Bethlehem along the banks of the Monocacy Creek by the Lehigh River in the colony of Pennsylvania. They named the settlement after the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of Jesus.

Until the 1850s, only members of the Moravian Church were permitted to lease land plots in Bethlehem. The historic Brethren's House, Sisters' House, Widows' House, and Gemeinhaus (Congregation House) with the Old Chapel are remnants of this period of communal living. The Moravians also ministered to regional Lenape Native Americans through their mission in the area.

Bethlehem became a center of heavy industry and trade during the industrial revolution. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation (1857–2003), founded and based in Bethlehem, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel.  The now-closed steel mills area is slowly being redeveloped with an arts center and a Sands Casino Resort.

The town was declared "Christmas City" in 1937, and during this season all of the historic Main Street is decorated festively. There are many scheduled holiday events and activities, as well as a German-inspired outdoor Christmas Village market that offers traditional German Food, crafts, and music.

While my friend and I window shop on Main Street, our husbands did what most husbands seem to do when they don't particularly enjoy shopping -- they sat on a bench and chatted.

The Hotel Bethlehem was built in 1922 on the site of the first building in Bethlehem – a two-room log house – where on Christmas Eve 1741, the original settlers conducted their evening worship. The hotel is beautifully restored to its past roaring twenties grandeur and was also adorned with many historical holiday decorations.

The Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem is a holiday marketplace that was established in 1993 and has welcomed more than 950,000 people through its doors over the past 19 years! The market has more than 200 different vendors during its six-week run, with artisans coming from 20 different states to sell their wares.  It also offers delicious German and Austrian food for sale, such as bratwurst, German roasted almonds, and strudel.

There was a large array of handcrafted items and decorations for sale in the Christkindlmarkt, including Germany’s Käthe Wohlfarht, with its amazing collection of handmade ornaments, nutcrackers, and collectibles.

Musicians from Moravian College played Christmas music and hymns for the diners and shoppers in the market.

There were also glass blowing and ice sculpture demonstrations, as well as photo opportunities for the children with St. Nicholas.

We really had a nice time visiting Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and enjoying a little bit of German holiday flair in the US!

A Quick Trip to the Philly Italian Market

A friend recently wanted to visit her brother in a suburban Philadelphia hospital and asked if I would come along for the ride to keep her company.  She told me we'd stop at the famous Philadelphia 9th Street Italian Market for a quick lunch before heading home, so I was excited for a chance to see what that market was all about. I love visiting ethnic markets and in the past I've blogged about many different ethnic markets in Brooklyn, NY and also the Bronx's Arthur Ave Italian Market, so I was curious to see if the Philly Market would measure up to my expectations.

(All photos will enlarge for easier view of details if clicked on once, and then again when they re-open. After viewing use you back function to return to the post)

It certainly did! I learned Philadelphia’s Italian market was the oldest and largest working outdoor market in the United States.  Located in the heart of this historic Pennsylvania city for over one hundred years, the Italian Market is located on 9th Street and runs from Wharton Street to Fitzwater Street.  The market features bright colorful metal awnings which cover the sidewalks where vendors of fruit, vegetables, fish, and housewares, both inside and outside on wooden tables, and conduct business year round. Ground floor shops in traditional Philadelphia row houses line the street. Many owners still live above their shops.  The broad awnings across the sidewalks shield outside market shoppers from sun, rain and snow.

There is definitely a wonderful old world patina appearance to the storefronts and streets. The area continues to attract new immigrants, as there are now a number of Asian and Mexican run businesses which have joined the traditional Italian shops in the market. The market hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 9AM to 2 PM.

We stopped at Paesano's, located at 1017 South 9th Street, for what they describe as a "Philly style sandwich with Italian inspiration." Click on the highlighted words to look at their unique sandwich menu!

Paesano's may be a small, casual counter service establishment, but they are famous for their home made lamb sausage and Sicilian style chick-pea pancakes. They have won numerous awards for being the Philly's best sandwich shop and for having the best "hoagie" in Philadelphia.  My friend and I both ordered their "Zawzeech" sandwich, which was made with a crusty Liscio bakery sesame seed bread, sweet Italian sausage, caramelized peppers and onions, sharp Provolone and pepperocinos.  It was a delicious and hearty meal!

We wanted to beat rush hour traffic back to New York, so we did not have too much time to shop in the market, but one place I had to see was the legendary Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop, located at 1006 South 9th Street.  It has been in the Italian Market since 1906, and is one of the United State's oldest and most distinguished resources for cook wares.  Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Jacques Pepin, Lydia Bastianich, and Guy Fieri are among the famous chefs who have shopped here.

It was jam packed with a full selection of cookware, cutlery and many thousands more quality products and kitchen utensils for both professional chefs and home cooks. I went into sensory overload just looking at every imaginable gadget, pasta maker, serving dish, bottle, baking pan, appliance, rolling pins, etc. I was so overwhelmed that I wanted to spend hours just looking around, and I couldn't decide on what to buy! I'm making a list so the next time I visit I will be prepared.  Fante's has an online catalog of just a small portion of their goods, but I think you will agree that if you can't find what you are looking for at Fante's, you can't find it anywhere else!

The Philadelphia Italian Market is definitely worth a visit as it is a fun shopping and dining experience!

I'm linking this post to "Outdoor Wednesday" on Susan's Blog A Southern Daydreamer

"Rednesday" on Sue's blog It's A Very Cherry World 

Foodie Friday on Michael's blog Designs by Gollum

Many thanks to all the hosts!