Pennsylvania Holiday - Part II

What's a tour of central PA without food & fabric?  8-)
So many townships & burroughs have that wonderful look: very old homes with classic porches right up to the sidewalk. We had a meandering day to several nearby quilt shops, two quilt museums, with local food & an earthquake thrown in just for grins!

Walking in Mannheim

...notice the quilt shop just ahead!

No trip to Lancaster is complete without a trip to the Market: in operation since 1730--the oldest in the country in continuous operation. It's such a grand old building & regardless of the day of the week (we were there on a Tuesday...) it's a bustle of activity--and a great place to pick out your favorite lunch!

my picture doesn't let you appreciate the great old wooden ceiling

the Central Market from outside

It's just a brief stroll from the Market courtyard to the Quilt & Textile Museum.  It seems fairly 'normal' on the outside but stepping into the building is breathtaking.  

It's a grand restored building that was initially a bank. In an effort to make financial ends meet now, the museum rents out areas for events (weddings, etc.) in addition to the main focus of impressive quilt exhibits. Currently showcased: one of the largest collections of vintage Amish quilts, previously owned & collected by the CEO of Espirit clothiers. They nicely drew the parallel of how the simple, traditional patterns & colors influenced designers that looked at those quilts in their offices daily. Definitely worth the time to explore--I think even if you're not a quilter, right Julie? (...or maybe you were just being kind!)

Not far from Lancaster, is Intercourse, PA--the heart of Amish country. (Remember 'Witness"?--town scenes from there. Kinda fitting since we'd been in the Philly train station at the outset!) The Old Country Store is not only a sales location for new Amish quilts, they have a well-known, well-stocked fabric store, with a quilt museum upstairs. The exhibits change but it's always worth the time to see...