InfoAge

  

    Saturday, March 20, 2021: Wow! This place was worth the wait to visit. I wrote about my impressions of a virtual visit to this museum in a recent issue of DOTTY’S DIMENSIONS: THE COLUMN, and that sounded interesting enough, but visiting in person was so much better. Because I’m a fan of space exploration, I made a beeline to the Space Exploration Center of this attraction: InfoAge Science & History Museums, 2201 Marconi Road, Wall, NJ (732-280-3000 or info@infoage.org). (The Space Center is up the street a bit from the main campus of the InfoAge Museums at 2300 Marconi Road.) Although the Space Center didn’t have all kinds of flashy exhibits compared to some of the bigger air & space museums, this was the home of radio astronomy. While here, I bounced my voice off of the moon, watched a staff member track a pulsar, and saw a back-up of the Vanguard Satellite, as well as noticed a replica of the Tristar Satellite, looked at items that went to the moon and back, and glanced at other exhibits. Some of these exhibits showed texts, pictures, and items about the Space Race and afterward. Outside, however, I observed the TIROS Satellite Dish rotate as the staff inside directed it toward the moon. After this, I headed to the main museum campus where I saw videos at the Visitors Center about these museums and about Guglielmo Marconi. This place was vast, so I headed to my favorite sections first: Radio Technology and Vintage Computers. In both sections, very enthusiastic guides gave me better lessons than I ever had in school about those two subjects. Meanwhile, the Radio Technology and Vintage Computer sections showed exhibits, texts, and pictures covering their histories. Other areas presented rooms of display exhibits that I glimpsed at: military items and miniature dioramas about World War I and WWII, model trains, and about 9/11/2001, as well as shipwrecks, black history, and other subjects. Overall, if you see nothing else in Monmouth County, see the InfoAge Science & History Museums.           

Thomas Edison Center, Edison, NJ

     Saturday, March 6, 2021:  In one of last year’s issues of Dotty’s Dimensions: The Column, I wrote about a virtual visit to this place: Thomas Edison Center, 37 Christie Street, Edison, New Jersey (732-549-3299). On the date above, I finally took my first in-person visit to an attraction in over a year when I visited the place listed above! Anyway, upon arriving I noticed the large tower in the picture, dedicated in 1938, on the spot where Thomas Edison’s lab stood from 1876 to 1882. I had to book in advance for my tour in this two-room museum, but our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide explained and pointed out the different texts, pictures, and exhibit items that covered Edison’s life and his inventions. Two of his most famous inventions here were the first practical light bulb and the phonograph. Nevertheless, the greatest invention of Edison’s was starting the first organized research and development laboratory. Our guide also demonstrated some of the exhibit items here, especially the old phonographs. Then, I glanced at a model of the first laboratory that the model maker made with pieces from the original building. Finally, our guide took us outside to the tower and let us look inside on the ground floor at an eternal light that stayed lit all the time using the latest technology; on the date above, it would be an LED light. Afterward, we walked around the grounds and looked at the memorial to Edison (1847-1931), dedicated in 1947, the 100th anniversary of his birth.  

 

BRISTOL AMISH MARKET, BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA

     Saturday, August 3, 2019: Once again, I learned that I didn’t have to go to Lancaster County, PA, or Philly’s Reading Terminal Market to eat and buy Pennsylvania “Dutch” foods because just north of Philadelphia has been the location of the Bristol Amish Market, 498 Green Lane, Bristol, PA (215-826-9971). As soon as I entered, I ordered lunch from the counter of a luncheonette that served hot and cold sandwiches. After this, I picked up my order, sat at one of the many tables near the front window, and ate my lunch. Later, I browsed and sometimes bought different food items from close to a dozen food vendors. Those merchants sold many kinds of foods: deli, kettle corn, bbq meats, as well as baked goods, produce, ice cream & pretzels, meats, donuts, seafood, bulk foods, fudge, etc.—all with that special PA “Dutch” touch to them! (Yes, most of the people working here are Amish.) Another part of the building sold furniture. Finally, outside, a vendor sold sheds. (At last, a house I can afford. HA! HA!) Anyway, between the browsing and some buying, it made for a relaxing few hours. If you don’t find something you like here, you didn’t browse very well.

SHADY BROOK FARM, YARDLEY, PENNSYLVANIA

 

     Sunday, June 30, 2019: A farm was a farm, was a farm, unless it was Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Brook Road, Yardley, PA (215-968-1670 or www.shadybrookfarm.com)! This Bucks County farm market and garden center sold a variety of foods in its main building: produce, baked goods, and deli foods, as well as cheeses, snack foods, and especially food in jars—many of them grown and preserved by Shady Brook. They also carried locally made Rose Bank Wine. At the deli, one could buy sandwiches for either take-away or to eat at the upper level dining room. After this, Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream, offered many flavors of their home-made ice cream in cup or cones. When I finished my lunch, I browsed (and sometimes bought) different foods on display as this building contained rows and rows of food. (I’m glad that I ate first before browsing here.) Adjoining this market was a tavern called “The Stone’s Throw.” Once, outside, I also browsed at the many bright-colored flowers at the garden center, and I saw more flowers, plants, and garden decorations in their green house. Other areas outside sold garden equipment, lawn furniture, tool sheds, etc. In addition, they offered a pick-your-own produce from their surrounding fields. Throughout the year, Shady Brook Farm played host to different seasonal events, holidays, and concerts—some of them especially for families. Nevertheless, no matter what time you visit, you will spend a fun time here.    

DDTC2019P

2019

Issue #15

Trailside at Union Co.

Liberty Hall

Issue #16

Cannonball House, Springfield, NJ

Osborn-Cannonball House, Scotch Plains, NJ DOTTY'S DIMENSIONS:THE COLUMN END OF SERIES

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NEWTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET, NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

       Saturday, June 15, 2019: You didn’t have to go to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, in or near Lancaster County, PA, or to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia to try PA Dutch food. If you have been visiting the sights of Bucks County, PA, then visiting the Newtown Farmers’ Market, 2150 South Eagle Road, Newtown (www.newtownfarmersmarket.com) would be worth a detour for a meal, food shopping, or both. Located in a modern-looking strip mall, this market rented one whole wing of this complex. Among the 16 vendors, about a dozen sold PA Dutch foods, and the rest included seafood, the cuisines of the Middle East, Japan, and Mexico. My favorite was Zook’s BBQ Barn (215-504-9292). Here, I enjoyed a bbq pork sandwich. (They also sold other sandwiches and dinners, both bbq and others.) After lunch, I browsed and sometimes bought foods from the many merchants: fresh meats, deli meats, and fresh produce, as well as baked goods, dairy, preserved foods, etc. Of course, I had to buy some shoo-fly pie! Therefore, whether you want to have something to eat, do some food shopping, or both while in Bucks County, PA, then going to Newtown Farmers’ Market is a good way to spend an hour or two, or maybe more. Because everything is inside, weather is not an issue here, and nearby is the colorful downtown with its many shops.