Of Soldiers And Sailors ...

"Freedom is the last best hope of earth."

                               ~ Abraham Lincoln

                                                         ~ 1809-1865

                                ~ 16th President of the United States

                                                          ~ 1861-1865

Valor is celebrated as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument stands in 

the heart of downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania a few days before

Veteran's Day 2015. The statue of a rebel Confederate soldier (second from left) stands

beside a Union soldier with the phrase "One Flag, One Country" imprinted beneath them.

The rebel soldier was included on the monument as a gesture of reconciliation when

it was erected in 1899, only three decades after the Civil War, or the

War Between The States.  It is reportedly the only municipal monument in the North

honoring a Confederate soldier.

An inscription reads: "This column commemorates the valor and patriotism of the

Soldiers and Sailors of the County of Lehigh in the War of 1861-65." 

Raining Retro ...

"There's a certain nostalgia and romance in a place you left."
                                   ~ author David Guterson, born 1956

Diners ... a favorite of locals and weary travelers, sharing their
joys and sorrows over a steaming cup of coffee. Diners are
a comforting haven, a slice of nostalgia to go with that slice
of cherry pie, especially on a rainy evening.

Here, the Hamilton Family Restaurant (known as the "Ham Fam"),
a '50s era landmark in the West End of Allentown, Pennsylvania, beams
it's retro neon welcome during a rainy September twilight. 

Night At The Roxy ...

"The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts,
but is also the return of art to life."
                                                    ~ Oscar Wilde
                                                                ~ 1854-1900

The neon lights of the historically cool Roxy Theatre
light up a winter night on Main Street, Northampton, Pennsylvania.
The Roxy originally opened in 1921 as the Lyric. This theatre was renovated
in 1933 in the tremendously popular art deco style - and renamed
The Roxy after the famous New York City theatre and it's namesake
showman Samuel "Roxy" Rothapfel. Today, as the city's only commercial
theatre, "The Roxy continues to be the greatest show in town," presenting
both Hollywood favorites and live entertainment. It features a seven rank
Wurlitzer pipe organ. 

The Art Of Oktoberfest ...

A colorful and artistic view at this year's Oktoberfest
on Nineteenth Street in the quaint West End Theatre District,
Allentown, Pennsylvania.

A Fair Night ...

This little tyke in a stroller has the best seat in the house
to navigate the crowded midway one evening this week at 
the 162nd Great Allentown Fair, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

City Chat ...

It's almost summer in the city on Memorial Day weekend
on Nineteenth Street in the quaint West End Theatre District,
Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Hues On The Rue ...

 

"Painting is something that takes place among the colors ..."

                                            ~ Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)

A painterly view of Nineteenth Street in the West End Theatre District,Allentown, Pennsylvania yesterday. This block reminds me of a slice of Paris in Allentown. 

The Cool Corner

This colorful building is home to the iconic Jimmy's Doggie Stand on the corner of Union Square in historic Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Skyward