Empty. Lonely. Surprising. Words I can describe a Saturday afternoon in Harrisburg. I took a field day trip with a friend and wondered the ghostly city.
The day was beautiful with the weather being a slightly warmer. It was a good break from the recent snow storms to hit Pennsylvania. Both my friend and I had cabin fever and ventured outside to Harrisburg, a 40 minute drive from York, Pa.
For on Saturday afternoon we visited:
Broad Street Market
Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe
The Pennsylvania State Capitol
The Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick
Arepa City Latin Eatery
Broad Street Market
There are two separate buildings with 2 hour parking on each side. It was easily accessible and I had no problems finding it. However, upon entering, there was not many people around 2 p.m. You visually can see Mennonites working and selling meats and specialty goods.
Overall, my friend said, " I can really appreciate Central Market (markert house in York, Pa)" It was not what I expected from a farmer's market. It was cramped and did not appeal to my food scenes. It took 10 minutes to tour both buildings.
According to Wiki, the city completed a $2.5 million restoration project in 1996.
Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe
Across from the Broad Street Market is a used books store and cafe. For anyone who is a book lover, this would be your hipster spot. It's has an open atmosphere with different levels and rooms to visit.
The deeper you go into a room, the stronger the old wet book smell. Some people just don't like that smell, oddly enough, I like it.
According to Visit Hershey and Harrisburg website, the building is the nation's largest academic used bookstore. It has over 100,00 books with six levels.
The Pennsylvania State Capitol
It's a public venue where you can visit. It's free to walk-in the rotunda. Take the guided tour because that is also free and you will be able to see three rooms and walk up the stairs.
The place reminds me of the Capitol from the Hunger Games. The surrounding area is gray and empty. The inside is covered in gold leafing and architecture is inspired by a catholic cathedral.
My favorite part of the tour is to see paintings by a woman named Violet Oakley who was the first woman to receive a public mural commission. She created the Love and Wisdom painting found in the Supreme Court Chamber, which is my favorite.
The Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick
After the Capitol, we walked across towards the Susquehanna River and stopped in at the Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick. The scared place was quiet with beautifully stained glass windows. The afternoon light hit the windows and reflected an orange glow across the wall.
Arepa City Latin Eatery
It was a difficult location to find at first, but it was a walking distance from the the church. The little shop is hidden. A place you would never expect. It's practically a hole in a wall place close to the bars.
I tried the Arepa, a flat bread made from corn. It was crunchy and warm filled with anything you want. It's like a overflowed hot pocket.
Great service and found a coupon on yelp for $10 for $20 which they honored.
