Harvest Festival and Norah Jones

I have been having such an awesome week off, I nearly didn't realize that it was over half over! I can hardly believe I will be going to a new school on Monday, with a whole new group of kids (second graders) and a new cooperating teacher (who I've heard is awesome, a classmate had her last year). I have been making the most of my week off for sure.

On Saturday, a friend came to visit and we went to Harvest Festival in Bethlehem. It is my favorite festival of the year, though this one was a hair lackluster due to the spitting rain the whole afternoon. However, we still had a lot of fun. Got to taste a lot of great beer, eat some tasty roasted corn, shop a few of the vendors, and catch up. We had lunner at Bethlehem Brew Works after, and I had a delicious burger while I made sure I was good to drive us home. We spent time with Katie that evening chatting the night away, and it was a great start to break.

On Sunday we did a couple really cool things. We went to The Colony Meadery to use a LivingSocial deal on a tasting and a tour. I had mead once, purchased from the Renn Faire and consumed in a single sitting after breaking up with a boyfriend the next day. Not amazing memories. But after trekking around in an area of Allentown I have never before been to (and see no reason to go to again unless returning to this meadery), we found the place in a little industrial complex.

The place is plain, and could use a little more decor to give it some warmth, but the mead is fabulous. The owners are both really knowledgeable, and it seems like mead is the new cider. And given how much I love hard cider, I am excited for this new trend. I particularly loved the Earl Grey, Kiwi Strawberry, and the Mint Lime. Real produce gives it all a super fresh flavor, and I got the Kiwi Strawberry (Pikwant Field is the official name) and Mint Lime (Do-Me-Doh) to take home. I can totally see going down to pick up even more pretty soon. There is a distillery and a brewery going into the same complex soon, so it will be a fun afternoon destination!

 Later Sunday evening, I checked a tic off my bucket list and fulfilled a longstanding dream to see Norah Jones perform. Luckily, Katie had sent me a link earlier in the week to Puss-N-Boots coming to Artsquest Cafe here in Bethlehem, a group Norah Jones is a part of. It is very country, but three women harmonizing is basically my favorite, and I went to see them having only ever heard one song and it was great. The opening act was horrific, and I think I might run if I ever see an overweight middle aged man wearing satin ever again, but Puss N Boots made up for it big time.

To see the video I took, click here to go to youtube.

And the next morning, my mom came to visit for a few days, and Elisabeth and I had an awesome pancake and bacon breakfast.

Now, I am spending the rest of my week resting, mentally preparing for the next 7 week stint, and working on a couple silly projects I have to do for school that I have put off for a long time. I still have a long weekend left to go, but I am happy to report that even if all my work doesn't get done, and my place doesn't get cleaned quite as much as I'd like, I really made the most of my break and will start the second half of student teaching recharged and refreshed mentally and physically.