Blue Sky Cafe

Blue Sky Cafe, located on 4th Street in South Bethlehem, has a reputation for being a great place to go for breakfast. I'm happy to say that they also serve a delicious lunch.

The restaurant isn't very big, but we didn't have any problem getting a table on a weekday, just before noon. I had been expecting to see the place filled with Lehigh University students, but there was a nice mix of patrons in the Blue Sky Cafe. I enjoyed the open kitchen, where it's possible to watch while the chef cooks the food. Next time I might even ask to sit at the bar.

Pictured: open kitchen area with bar
Because breakfast is served all day, I was able to order a panini sandwich and chips for lunch, while my best friend had the plate of pancakes she really wanted.

Pictured: grilled zucchini, roasted red pepper, onions and cheese on tomato foccacia bread
I've recently switched to a vegetarian diet. I was happy that the menu had a few meatless meals from which to choose. My sandwich was so delicious, I didn't even miss the meat. I'm glad I didn't ask if they still had sweet potato fries. It would have been way more than I could have eaten.

The restaurant's website isn't completely up to date, but the menu is close to what we were given by our waitress. Next time, I'm trying the pancakes!

Morris Arboretum

One place my husband and I always wanted to visit is Morris Arboretum in the Chestnut Hill part of Philadelphia. We finally had the opportunity to go to the arboretum on Jay's birthday, which was May 11. The sun was shining, the temperature was comfortable, and we were in the company of two very good friends. Things couldn't have been any more perfect.

Pictured: grounds of Morris Arboretum

Pictured: water feature

Pictured: pond inside the Fernery
We spent about two hours walking around in the morning. Some of the features we visited were the Dorrance H Hamilton Fernery, the only remaining free-standing Victorian fernery in North America; the Treehouse, where we saw some amazing views; and the Log Cabin, built in 1908 as a spot to entertain visitors of the owners of the property. After lunch, we wandered through the Japanese and English gardens, and watched swans, ducks and geese in the Swan Pond.

Pictured: fern inside the Fernery

Pictured: flower

Pictured: pine cone
The grounds were beautiful and very well maintained. Even though there were a lot of people visiting, many with small children, the arboretum still managed to give off a very serene vibe. It's easy to imagine John and Lydia Morris, the estate owners, enjoying the scenery surrounding their home at the turn of the 19th century. In fact, visitors can find statues of them in one of the gardens.

Morris Arboretum is a great place to visit. According to the official website, there are over 2,500 types of plants growing there. Just be sure to bring walking shoes so you can explore the 92 acres of the property in comfort.

Eating British/Irish Food in the Lehigh Valley

When it comes to the cuisine of Britain and Ireland, there are three restaurants in the Lehigh Valley that immediately spring to my mind: St James Gate at the Sands, Braveheart Highland Pub in Hellertown and McCarthy's Tea Room at Donegal Square.

St James Gate is a little more upscale with delicious food, but the limited hours of operation keep me from visiting more often. Braveheart is where I go when I'm in the mood for traditional pub atmosphere. McCarthy's is my go to place for a more quiet experience. All three are places I'd recommend. I've yet to develop a clear preference for one over the others.

The one I've been to most recently is McCarthy's Tea Room. I'd had dessert and coffee there before, but never a whole meal. I was hoping to try Welsh rarebit, but that's not available all the time. Instead, I opted for a traditional English breakfast. My husband ordered shepherd's pie from the lunch part of the menu. He also ate my white and black pudding and mushrooms. I'm a much less adventurous eater than he is.

Pictured: traditional English breakfast consisting of eggs, white and black pudding, banger, ham, mushrooms, grilled tomato and fried bread

Pictured: shepherd's pie, peas and bread
As much as I love getting dessert at McCarthy's, I had to pass because my meal was so filling. I did buy an assortment of scones to take home. Like everything else, they were very tasty.

It's been a while since I visited England, Wales and Scotland, but eating at any of these three places reminds me of one of the reasons I enjoyed visiting there so much. Food doesn't have to be fancy to be good, it just has to be prepared well.

Let's Talk Turkey

I didn't post at all in April. Mainly it was because I've been obsessing over reading and watching Game of Thrones, and creating a new look for my personal website. I love writing my own css files.

To get back into the habit of posting, here's a look at a recent visit I made with my husband to a new restaurant called Let's Talk Turkey. They don't have a website online, but they do have a Facebook page.

My husband took these pictures with a lower quality setting than I usually use, but they turned out well enough to give an idea of what the restaurant is like. It's got a very casual decor, giving the place more of a café feel. We were the only people there at the time, so it was a very relaxing lunch for us.

This was Jay's meal. He ordered a deep fried turkey wing with stuffing and mashed potatoes. He thought it would be more spicy than it was, but he said the sides were perfect.

My meal was a grilled smoked turkey sandwich with cheese and a serving of sweet potato fries. It was one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I ever had. The smoked turkey gave it a very rich flavor.

The staff at Let's Talk Turkey were nice and friendly. The total experience was a positive one and I'd love to go back to try a few more menu items (especially the pulled turkey sandwich).