We’re in Pennsylvania this week visiting a special sister-in-law from Seattle. We decided driving to PA was a long day but not near as long as driving to Seattle. 🙂
Yesterday, she and I had an absolutely splendid day at Longwood Gardens. We saw gorgeous gardens, amazing flowers, the green wall, two fountain shows, and much more. I’ll share more of that next week.
But, today hubby and I were out doing a little shopping and looking for some good craft beer.
We ended up at Chatty Monks Brewing Company in West Reading. As a bonus, it had a cute yellow door, nice fall wreath, and some good-sized planters with Canna Lilies. Notice the windows don’t seem clear? The humidity is 96% because of the rain coming up from Florida.
We split a pulled pork sandwich and their
special hoppy french friars which are hand-cut potatoes tossed in house smoked malt, salt, and then finished with a dusting of flavorful hops.
I had the Crash Test Pumpkin beer which was good, but hubby didn’t really care for the Noble Truth Session IPA. Win some, lose some when you try new varieties of craft beer. 🍺
Thursday is back to normal now that Norm has returned from his tour of Italy with his lovely wife. Although in his absence, we had three other fearless leaders who did him proud.
Linked to Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors, October 11, 2018.
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Oooooh, I have to put BBQ on the list of things to eat in the near future – that sandwich looks very good. It’s a credit to your discipline that you managed to split that. I like the door, and the look of the restaurant/pub. I hope you get a break from the rain for some garden viewing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh — those fries make me hungry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely yellow door. I look forward to hearing more about your visit to Longwood Gardens. We visited there in 2012 and enjoyed it so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sandwich looks really good. The name “Chatty Monks” made me smile! Also, love the flower in this post. Maybe I don’t understand, I thought you lived in New England, but you’re talking about rain coming up from Florida?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s right, I do live in New England. This week I’m in Pennsylvania, and there has been a hurricane in Florida and it is moving north so we had high humidity and rain here in Pennsylvania all day.
LikeLike
Wow, I didn’t think it would move that far. Thanks for the explanation!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yellow doors make any place look inviting. Sounds like a wonderful place to visit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would love to try those fries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you would have liked them Lillian. 🙂
LikeLike
Ooh, I’m looking forward to your Longwood Gardens post. I’ve known about them for many years and will visit one day hopefully. Chatty Monks looks like a fun brewpub to visit. I like their motto – Chew, Chant, Chill. Sounds perfect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you are having such a great time. We went for a ride up through the NH mountains yesterday and saw some gorgeous scenery. Bet you saw some lovely foliage also.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When we left home, we only had spotty color but saw beautiful photos on the news of up north. Glad you got to see it. On the way down, we saw some pretty color in MA and CT, but PA is still pretty green.
LikeLike
Even split that sandwich is ginormous!! It looks absolutely delicious and so do the fries.
I love the pub’s name, Chatty Monks, but their motto is terrific…Chew, Chant, Chill. The yellow door decorated with the wreath looks so welcoming. And yeah, that’s a lot of humidity on those windows. Lol.
Have a great time. Safe trip home.
🔹 Ginger
LikeLike
As a non-beer loving person, I have to wonder why people are so into beer? I totally don’t get it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Welcome to Pennsylvania! Even though you were much more East!
Loved the yellow door!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Reading area is one busy place, but we’re having a good visit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know what to rhapsodize about more, the sandwich or the yellow door. OK, the sandwich. That is what a sandwich should be! No way could I bite into that without a serious reconnoiter; one needs to think seriously about where to start. I rarely meet a yellow I don’t like, and I find yellow on a door always holds an element of surprise. This looks like a great place to be to make life stop for a little while. I cringe at the humidity, though — that hurricane made itself felt all over the place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a good sandwich. 🙂 The humidity yesterday was oppressive. We got rain here on and off but nothing serious like the folks down south.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You sure have had more than your fair share of that humidity this year. This storm has really wiped its feet on the east. I do hope you get some sunshine soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That yellow door is so warm and inviting! I’m glad you enjoyed a chance to chew, chat, and chill!
We had the same high humidity last week. Now I know why!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that door is certainly inviting. Phew, that was a lot of food. Perfect for sharing. Humid in Maine, too. Lately, the temp has been in the high 70s. Is it really October in Maine?
LikeLiked by 1 person
33° when we got up this morning at home. I think out hostas are really done for now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My first house was in that block of West Reading, 1970. Miss the ambiance but not the weather.
Florida, my area, has been wonderful for the last 13 years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now, that’s an interesting coincidence. That whole area is a trendy shopping and restaurant area now. Parking was very hard to come by because there were so many folks taking advantage of the good eats.
LikeLike
Time spent in a brew pub is ALWAYS time well-spent. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that shade of yellow with the black and gray accents in the windows and trim. It looks elegant. That sandwich and fries look delicious! I’m so ready for lunch and it’s only 10 am here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have such good craft beers in New Hampshire so sometimes trying others can be disappointing when compared to those you know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This looks like a fun, quirky space–someone has a good sense of humor and design. I think I will makes my life’s motto “chew, chant, chill.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think someone may have been imbibing in a beer when they came up with that. 🙂
LikeLike
Great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for visiting, and I hope you are enjoying beautiful spring weather as we head towards winter. 🙂
LikeLike
Wow those hand cut potatoes look great. Paul said the first time he tried US style IPAs was when a waitress suggested them to him in Marim country near San Fran. She said “these are the beers my Dad likes” … Made him feel a little old, but he loved the beers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is such a wide range of beer choices today it is almost hard to comprehend. But, those of us who like beer keep doing our best to try as many as possible. Tell Paul to keep up his part of the job in your area, and we’ll do our best over here. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chatty Monks Chew Chant Chill – bit of a mouthfull!
LikeLiked by 1 person
For such a small, intimate spot, it sure is. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person