West Chester—More than just a Philly Burb

When I made my reservation I gave our arrival time as between 6-8pm. We arrived at about 6:15. I printed directions off Mapquest, and I have to say they got me right to the door. Pat, our hostess, was waiting for us. You can tell that she loves her home. She took us on a tour of the house and grounds by way of introduction. Faunbrook sits on two beautifully landscaped acres. If you have the time, wandering around the variety of trees will astound you. Isabel Darlington was a bit of a botanist, and added many species that are not indigenous to this area but thrive beautifully here .

Our room was on the second floor. Actually, I should say our suite. We had a large bedroom with a fireplace. We had a very tall queen-size bed, and a couch cover with comfy pillows. We also had a TV and VCR combination. There is WiFi, but you must get the password from Pat. We also have a sitting room with a love seat and chairs. This suite was the Darlington children's nursery when the Darlington’s owned the house. Faunbrook was built in 1861.

Our bathroom was large, and had a tub and shower. The vanity is an antique cabinet and everything is white and clean. There is also every possible amenity; from bath salts to sea salt scrub, shampoo and lotions, Q-tips, cotton balls and makeup removal pads, your every whim has been catered too. The butlers closet in the hall will supply anything else: like an iron and ironing board, hair dryer, or a forgotten tooth brush.

Breakfast can be served any time between 7 and 9am. Coffee is available from 6:30. There is wireless internet and a phone for local calls. You are encouraged to mingle. Pat asked us to please use any of the rooms that she had shown us. She also came up with us to our room to show where everything was and to point out which doors went where. We had a large closet, and I wrote this sitting on the comfortable rug on the bedroom floor. The floor in the bathroom is wood.

Our room is down several stairs. Being me, I popped into any door I found open and I really liked the room that was right across the door from our entrance. Feel free to ask Pat for restaurant suggestions, she told us about Alberto’s and it was a real gem. She even gave us detailed directions on how to get there.

For breakfast we could begin with juice, and there were containers of yogurt on the table. The cooked meal was a cheese omelet and bacon, very good I might add. It was served with a very delicious sticky bun coffee cake. Pat is a wonderful hostess and loves to share her home with her guests. If your lucky, you will get to see the album of the house's history.

Little did we realize that Wednesday is Lobster Night at Alberto’s . We obviously were the only people in the restaurant who didn’t know this. We saw many of the delightful crustaceans pass by our table on their way to their happy diners. You have a choice of whole Maine lobster, Alberto’s surf and turf, or Lobster Fra Diavalo. They are offered as three course meals with salad or lobster bisque, the entre, and tiramisu or homemade gelato for dessert. Prices range from $26-30.
We decided to go with what the name suggested, Italian food. I ordered a Caprese and Chicken Valdosta. Al ordered misto and Veal Marsala. While we were waiting for our salads, we were given bread and flavored oil for dipping. This was the only weak point of our whole evening. The roll just wasn’t as fresh as it should have been, too bad really because the olive oil infused with sun dried tomatoes was quite exceptional. This was our first exposure to Alberto’s and it left us wanting better. Luckily better was to come.

The Caprese was delicious, sliced tomatoes with basil, olive oil, and fresh mozzarella, a unique addition was the bean salad in the middle of the plate. Al’s salad was also good with lots of baby greens and a delicious house dressing.

Our main courses were amazing. The menu had given no idea as to what our sides would be and since we saw pasta as a side, listed at $5.50 and sauteed mushrooms were the same price, we assumed that maybe we would not get any sides. Our plates came with julienne vegetables and the best scalloped potatoes I have ever tasted. They were so creamy and rich that frankly I could have made a meal from a plate of potatoes. Not to imply that my chicken, liberally covered with mushrooms and sauce, wasn’t delicious, it was and Al’s veal was so tender, he didn’t even need to use his knife.

Alberto’s is a lovely restaurant. The interior is decorated in Tuscan style with the walls a sienna color. All the tables are covered with white linens and there are candles burning. The lighting was low, making for a romantic atmosphere and the tables are spaced well to allow a little bit of privacy. The floors have rugs on them which helped keep the noise level down. Service was flawless, we were seated with a drink in our hand within minutes. Our waiter, Adriano even, took Al's beer glass back to frost it when Al asked about it.
We didn’t have room for dessert, but if I did the Fruitti de Bosco would have tempted me, shortcake pastry with chantilly cream, fresh blueberries, raspberries and currants , blackberries, how good does that sound?

One real plus at Alberto’s is the valet parking. It is $3 and that frankly is a great deal when the local parking garage charges $5. If you are driving keep in mind that East Gay Street is one way heading west.

If you are looking for a 24-hour diner and are in the West Chester Area, this is your restaurant. We had just left QVC and we headed into Philly to meet up with guides kjlouden and Dave. We were looking for someplace not a chain. We picked an Irish pub and walked in. The smoke choked us before we even got to our seats. We turned around and walked out. Okay lets head back to the diner we had seen, at least there should be a nonsmoking section, and yes there defiantly was.

We were into a booth quickly with menus in our hand. They are well known for the quality and quantity of their salad bar, so I took a walk up to give it a look over. It was indeed quite impressive with two types of soup, salads, desserts, and some really good looking loaves of bread. Yep, I was having just the salad bar.

Al decided he would have the roast beef dinner, which he ordered with the salad bar. As his side dish he had stewed tomatoes.

The menu is in many ways very typical of diner food, with some modern additions. They offer a black forest burger with sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and ham, an oriental teriyaki wrap, a hot roast turkey wrap, and a roasted vegetable quesadilla. They have loads of seafood choices both broiled and fried, but the oysters were a particular surprise.

I began with a bowl of the clam chowder, it was really quite good—thick and creamy. The salad bar had all the usuals and some surprises. I loaded on the fresh mozzarella balls and some marinated mushrooms as well as the more common lettuce, cucumber, peppers, black olives and cheese.

The loaves of bread were really good, a challah bread was my favorite. There were several different loaves, some with seeds and one with raisins.

Al’s roast beef was a large plate of slices covered with a light beef gravy. It was a little more well done than he prefers, but tender and tasty none the less. He went and tried some of the puddings; chocolate and tapioca. I had some of the fresh fruit. It was a very good salad bar and just may be what they say on the menu "Best Salad bar in Town."

Now if you are anything like me, just the mention of West Chester, Pa, brings to mind QVC. Several years ago when we were visiting in Wilmington, Del, I came up to West Chester to take the guided tour. It is still offered for $10, and if you purchase the Philadelphia West Entertainment book there is a 2 for 1 coupon for the tour. I very much enjoyed it and had I had the time I would have liked to have taken it again. It gives a real behind the scenes look at the workings of this mega company.

Time was precious on this trip, so we just went there to shop at their retail store. As you come through the doors you are greeted by a huge QVC, no doubt about where you are. First stop is always the jewelry department. That is off to your right as you enter. There are two separate rooms and a small hallway that show off some of their more popular items. Gold is in the first room, as well as diamonique. The silver is in the inner room. I, however, didn’t buy any jewelry, but I did pick up my favorite Caribbean jewelry cleaner. I saved at least $5 by not having to pay the shipping charges.

Off to your left, as you enter, is the second part of the store. This is much larger and has everything from children’s toys to cookbooks. One thing that was new since my last visit was the amount of clothing that is for sale. Last time it was almost none, this time there was Denim and Company, Quacker Factory, Dialogue, City Knits, and more. A very nice selection if I have to say so myself.

I headed right over to the makeup section to pick up some of my favorite cosmetics and shampoo, while Al headed to the housewares section. Both of us were quite happy with the items we found. They had an extensive collection of Philosophy, Nick Chavez, Victoria Principal, Nicolas Perricone, and Joan Rivers. Al found a caulking set he assured me he needed, as well as an unusual flashlight. It must be a man thing, but he can never seem to have enough flashlights. If we hadn’t been on the first day of our 2-week vacation, I would have picked up some of the Kansas City steaks and the Junior’s cheesecake.

This is more the size of a specialty store than a department store, but if you know your brands and appreciate not having to pay shipping, a visit here can easily pay for itself. I think I am going to have to find an excuse to come here again soon.

This is a charming, small museum, which must be visited on a guided tour. Dorothea Parker was our guide, and though she is a volunteer it is obvious that she loves her job. Chester County is one of the original three counties founded by William Penn in 1682. Among the vast amount of items in their collection are genealogical resources, so if you have family that originates in Chester County this would be a good place to begin.

We began our tour in the newer part of the building. This was formerly the YMCA and in the gym, which is now an auditorium, we were shown four of the over 200 quilts that they have in their collection. One of them was particularly interesting, it was signed by the women who made it. Each square held a little piece of history. Fascinating stuff, especially if your ancestor was one of the women who signed. From here we went upstairs to begin our tour. The first room has a large variety of displays that combine written text and physical items. It covers the founding of Pennsylvania and has a portrait of William Penn as a young man. Among the items of interest are a display on Lincoln University, a college for blacks, founded by the Quakers. One of it’s famous alumni is Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Another exhibit highlights Chester County’s role as a stop on the Underground Railroad. There is an awfully lot of ground covered here, and frankly I can’t imagine why they just don’t let you wander around here on your own. Not that Dorothea rushed us, she didn’t but it’s hard to take the time to read everything when someone is with you. .

I am always attracted to displays on women, especially women who venture beyond their own sphere, and Rebecca Lukens was just such a woman. She was a female industrialist in the 1890s when Luken Steel was a major producer. Here is also an interesting display about Lucretia Mott and Frederick Douglas, who both spoke out in this area.

We walked across a bridge, which holds their collection of portraits, to another building. This older building was a former opera house. Jenny Lind sang here during her American tour. It was, however, originally the Agricultural Society, and in 1852 hosted the First Pennsylvania women’s Rights Convention. A very historical building indeed.

Housed in this building is a very fine collection of antique furniture covering the history of Chester County. Of special interest is their collection of tall clocks. There were 15 on display, and they were all made in this area.

After you finish in this area you visit the historical lab, were children are welcome to come and actually touch things. There are old games, an antique chair which they can construct, fossils, gems, and costumes to try on.

We finished on the first floor in an exhibit about time. Lots of photos of Chester County, from then and now.