October 21, 2023
To celebrate my birth so long ago, we headed south to Pennsylvania’s Potter County for a stay in a cabin in the mountains. I chose this location for a few reasons. For one, it is very near to the dark sky park Cherry Springs State Park. In the unlikely event Read more…
July 22, 2023
I had to hit Monster Vegan while in town… a horror movie-themed all-vegan bar and eatery. I got the Pumpkinhead, Part II for a sweet drink… it was pumpkin puree, matcha, oat milk, ginger simple syrup and cinnamon garnished with toasted vegan marshmallow The drool-worthy General Tso’s hoagie… two fried Read more…
April 15, 2023
With the morning on fire, we hit the road to see some sights before heading back to Rochester. We came upon two spots in this rural area of Pennsylvania to return to when time and perhaps rubber boots are more plentiful. First, the ruins of the Austin Dam. Its story Read more…
April 14, 2023
It’s been several years since I visited the first place I ever shot the stars. Though that evening was clear, too many times my plans were thwarted by the mountain’s tempestuous clouds. But we would give it a shot anyway, staying in town to allow for an easy check on Read more…
January 15, 2023
In I go… The mushroom house in collapse Winter is a great time to explore. Vocational Center I visited the first time The characteristic Sleighton stonework Inside the Education Center Lovely murals Higher learning The “@” wall “What is Right Is Not Always Easy” At the Gym Trying to look Read more…
After some additional recon, I was finally back at the Sleighton Farm School in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. My first visit a couple years back was just a small taste of the decaying sprawl of the reform school for juvenile delinquent girls. We wanted badly to find the campus’s church, but Read more…
October 29, 2022
Rogue Taco has a great vegan taco option that hits all the notes. The El Ladron. It’s marinated tofu, black beans, sweet potato, their signature slaw, pickled onions, jalapeño topped with cilantro, scallions, pico, and chili churro and served with lime wedges. Yes, that description has all one would need in Read more…
What a fantastic surprise to see it was peak foliage time in the Poconos. To follow, my portraits of autumn’s color. Before winter pushing in.
Needing a little ‘me time,’ I looked forward to running away and getting in an abandoned site as my birthday extended into another weekend’s events. It was a mission that I was very excited for… finding another abandoned Poconos resort, the one with the champagne tub. I had a good Read more…
October 2, 2022
Because I had no luck finding my intended destination, I headed back to Summit Resort–another abandoned honeymoon resort I had visited back in February. I wanted to see if there were any structures besides the rooms… larger communal structures. But It seems that is what the huge pile of debris Read more…
The Poconos has several active and abandoned honeymoon resorts that continue to draw me in. Today, a roadside stop at a resort with a pretty colorful history, the abandoned Birchwood Resort. Once known as “the honeymoon capital of the world,” Pennsylvania’s Poconos region offered lovebirds expansive resorts to celebrate their Read more…
August 12, 2022
Often, an abandoned building tells a story. But I am not all too clear what this one is saying. There were personal belongings littering what looked like a storefront and perhaps upstairs dining and lodging. Or it’s just been a dumping ground… a rather large trash receptacle. Whatever it may Read more…
Though Cove Haven did have a vegan option for their fancy dinner service, I thought it a bit pricey for not knowing what they would throw together. I also wanted to try some of the surrounding area’s vegan options. There were a surprising amount of them around and I hope Read more…
August 10, 2022
There was a lot to do at Cove Haven. To follow, some images from my time on the grounds. Loved this heart-shaped bar On Lake Wallenpaupack Pedal-boatin’ Duckpin bowling… the impossible shot Sneaking pics Ridiculousness My breakfast was mostly fruit Back on the lake… now kayaking. Wacky ducks Call me Read more…
As may have been evident during my reporting on abandoned honeymoon resorts, my fascination with these resorts runs deep. They have got it all: vintage kitsch and aesthetic, bygone-ism, and the gloriously futile attempt to harness the impossible… love … and create its physical manifestation. Being a hopeless romantic, I’ve Read more…
February 12, 2022
The Poconos is a mountain region in Pennsylvania that used to be considered the Honeymoon Capitol of the World. Now, some of the popular honeymoon resorts from its swinging 1960’s hey day lay in decay, a testament to the endurance of love… or its manifestation in room decor. The Summit Read more…
October 20, 2021
Within the woods of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania is a ghost town–20 concrete duplex homes that have been chipping away by nature and man since abandonment in 1924. They were constructed in 1911 by by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to house employees of the Truesdale Colliery, a thriving coal mine Read more…
October 23, 2020
When I first went vegetarian at 15, I worked at Burger King. Next door was a Taco Bell… and that is where I would get my lunch. With early veg options (A 7-Layer Burrito with no cheese or sour cream was my go-to.), you’d think that options would have improved Read more…
With a full afternoon on my own at Yellow Dog Village, I shot three memory cards full of pictures. I greatly appreciated the means to explore on my own in safety. But there was a heavy heartache in what remained, in the remnants of life preserved in each room.
I spent the afternoon exploring the deserted homes within Yellow Dog Village, a town stricken by many hardships. Many of the families of Yellow Dog left their belongings. And as the current owner of attempts to bring it new life as a historical village, he allows photographers beyond the electric Read more…
October 22, 2020
The Allegheny Cemetery has a beautiful set of angel wings on its grounds–enormous feather-brushed bronze. The striking Porter Angel marks the resting place of Henry Kirke Porter, a congressman and businessman who died in 1921. She’s long been on my list of must-sees. And she was worth it. Pretty face, Read more…
The Homewood Cemetery has got what I like in a cemetery–it was founded in the late 1800’s, its grounds are Lawn Park style, and it’s full of gorgeous trees in peak foliage. And when you enter bright and early you can watch the bright streams of sun penetrate the morning Read more…
October 21, 2020
This vegan stops at all eateries that use musical band puns! And before I settled in after a long day of driving, eating and adventure, it was one more–a drive to Onion Maiden for a final meal. Knowing you only get one meal at a place makes decisions pretty tough. Read more…
Passing through Pennsylvania’s capital city, I had to check out the new mural from another favorite, Stephen Powers. I’ve gone on about his cleverness before, yes. But this time maybe I’ll go on about the intent of community building. It’s such a worthy cause and he does it with a Read more…
Autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons. A short stop before holiday hoopla, the glorious seasonal transition brings the goods–by way of my favorite tones in the trees and rustling at my feet, tights weather, sweater weather, pumpkins, my birthday, Libra sun, Halloween, giving thanks to all the Read more…
