Over presidents day weekend Guy and I went into the city for the long weekend. A few museums and generally grazing our way through Manhattan. One of our favorite stops is Maloney & Porcelli's on 50th street, it is a traditional steak house with a great bar and big reasonably priced martinis. The bar is hosted by the very charming Gareth, from Ireland. Anyway while we were there we met a very nice young couple Martina & John, one thing leads to another and we are buying each other around of drinks and we are becoming fast friends.
Fast forward a few months we get an e-mail from Martina saying they were coming to Easton for an art gallery opening, the gallery is owned by John's cousin and his partner. Martina invited us to attend, and they were hoping for a little tour of Bethlehem because they were intrigued by it due to our description of our little city when we first met.
Guy picked them up at the bus station and we had a few hours to show them around before the gallery event. What to do with them? Would we still like them in the sober light of day? They are about 20 years younger then I am. What would we have in common? Well, it turns out they are quite charming, interesting, and fun to be around, we really like them. Fast friends and we will keep the friendship going.
But, what to show them of our fair city? Downtown of course. We parked at the house and walked downtown a quick walk around the area and set out for drinks and snacks at the Apollo (our hangout). All the while I am giving a history lesson of the Lehigh Valley with my usual dose of analysis on the economics, politics and culture of the area. They may have been bored (I know Guy had to be since he has been hearing it for over 25 years), if they were bored they were very gracious and did not seem to be bored as I pontificated on.
At the gallery we met some of John's family, which of course gave me another shot at being the town pride guide. After drinks at the River Grille I escorted our new friends to the Easton bus station and walked back to the bar. On my back to the bar some people asked if I was a local and if so, would I answer some questions they had about the area. The used to live here but moved many years ago. So I chatted with them for awhile regaling them with local history and updating them on the changes in the area since the moved away. Three times in one day I got to be local cheerleader and area historian. I was in heaven. If anyone out there would like the Normality tour of the greater Easton / Bethlehem area just let me know.
It turns out I really like living here and I like to tell people about it. Now, if I can make a living at life would be almost perfect. If anyone out there would like a tour
No comments:
Post a Comment