Visiting the Amish Village was a little “touristy” I suppose,
but because it was open on Sunday and something new to explore, we signed up.
The tours are conducted every 15 minutes, so we took some time
to browse the gift shop filled with standard Amish goods like homemade soaps,
jams, jellies and gifts. When the guide called us, we were led to the front
room where we relaxed on benches and listened to a short history on the Amish.
After a question-and-answer session, we were led through the authentic 1840s
Amish farmhouse to the spacious kitchen, with the propane lamp/heater and
old-fashioned appliances. What caught my eye as a reporter, was the newspaper
placed on the kitchen table called “The
Budget,” where the Amish learn the news of the week from around the country.
The paper is longer in width than our standard newspaper and Amish from around
the country pen details on family life from the weather, to plantings, marriages,
births and deaths.
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Amish Kitchen
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After viewing the kitchen, we followed our guide upstairs to
get a glimpse of the bedrooms and learn more the various modes of dress. The last stop of the tour took us outside to the
back stairs and down to the “summer” kitchen situated beneath the farmhouse.
There we viewed a wooden butter churn and canning equipment for “putting up" the summer’s harvest. I thought about how great it would be to have such a
place to go to prepare my blue-ribbon bread-and-butter pickles at the end of
the summer.
After the tour, we walked the grounds and petted the goats,
horses and cows and gawked at the peacocks—yep, there were a few of those there
too. If you enjoy feeding animals, remember to bring along plenty of quarters
to operate the dispensing machines along the way. The baby goats were my
favorite and I successfully managed to keep the adults from getting almost all
the food.
Other stops along the way included a barn full of various
farm tools and an Amish school house where students of all ages learned
together. Another shop marked the end of the tour, where I purchased a copy of The Budget.
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Amish Classroom
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A young writer from the New
York Times paid a visit to the offices of The Budget back in 2009. To learn more about what she thought of
the enterprise, visit:
For those who want the full experience, an additional 90-minute
bus tour is also available. Busses depart on the hour and traverse the back
roads, stopping at Amish businesses along the way.
Visiting the Rainbow's
Comedy Playhouse
Just a few minutes’ drive from the Creekside Inn B&B is
Rainbow’s Comedy Playhouse. Operating since 1984, the Rainbow’s Comedy
Playhouse was founded by David and Cindy DiSavino, two working actors who lived
in New York City and decided to relocate to the area.
The playhouse first operated from the banquet room of the Strasburg
Inn before that business was sold and the couple was forced to move. They found
a new home at the historic Revere Tavern before relocating once again to
support their growing popularity—this time to a brand new facility at 3065
Lincoln Highway East, not far from the historic tavern.
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Rainbow's Comedy Theatre
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We enjoyed a Sunday matinee, along with a buffet dinner, which
included roast beef, stuffed shells and various side dishes, like mashed
potatoes, corn and green beans. We ordered wine at our table and although
standard desserts were free, we opted for a delicious crème brulee, which cost
just a little extra.
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Creme Brulee
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Waiter and waitresses, who provide drinks, appetizers,
salads and desserts tableside, can often be seen acting onstage after the
lights dim.
You can keep up to date with Rainbow's latest offerings by visiting their website here.