When you get a few more active brain cells you grow a style and the stuff gets more expensive, trouble is you now have to convince your parents its worth the coin and all the other "cool kids" have it.

College comes and substance starts to rear its ugly head and style takes on a new definition. You've become poor, thus Goodwill and Salvation Army take an active roll in your new "grunge" style on the cheap. 

But enough with all that silliness! I want to talk to you about adulthood and our need to get "nailed, screwed and glued"!  

I have always been a semi handy guy willing to take a shot at project or a "do it yourself" fix mainly because I can't afford to hire a real pro. But I digress. In the 90's I fell in love with Home Depot and all their rows and rows of tools, nails, hinges drill bits and literally anything you could ever need to fix fashion or build. The only problem is, which is true for every do it your-selfer, multiple trips to the Disney Land of Dowel Rods sucks up gas and waists huge amounts of time. Typically these big boys don't sit at the end of your driveway! Ugh....

Well have no fears to my friends in Etters, PA,  J & W Ace Hardware Store is here to save your Satur-day! I found this not so little hardware store somewhat by default. I was doing some work for a friend out yonder in Etters and needed a paint brush. I immediately got that "Oh boy" feeling in my gut. "I have to run all the way into Home Depot to get a stinking paint brush"! When to my delight the owner suggested J & W Hardware just down the road. Of course I thought to myself they probably have only have 2 to choose from, but off I went. 

Literally 2 minutes down the road was J & W Ace Hardware and wow do they have selections. A few things surprised me when I walked thru the door: #1 There were no less than 4 people with Ace shirts on looking to answer my questions. #2 There are 4 check out areas right at the front door fully equipped with competent friendly faces. #3 THEY HAD EVERYTHING! Well maybe not everything but I have been back to this little giant a number of times and have never left without what I need and even a few things I didn't need. 

My suggestion if you live near Etters Pa, go see the folks at J & W Ace Hardware you won't be disappointed. 

Last week I had the pleasure of dining at the Mount Hill Tavern in Colonial Park on Colonial Road. This historic property was a shear delight to experience, and I do say experience!

Weeks earlier I had an opportunity to visit Mount Hill Tavern for lunch with my friend and editor in order to scout out a proper venue for a workshop and dinner her company was hosting later in the month. Of course our main purpose was to speak to the owner, Doug Neidich, about hosting the event, but to our surprise we found this, not so little eatery, to be warm and very eclectic. Even though lunch was on, we were greeted by a well-prepared server and carefully arranged settings atop a freshly laundered “real” white tablecloth.

After planting our posteriors, which was to be our perch and delight for the next hour, I had the chance to glance around the main dining area to take special notice to the attention to detail. This period structure was accented with tasteful period wall hangings, which accented the bold “wavy glass” pained windows, and if I may say they were spotless. Its funny how the simplest detail can set a rooms mood and atmosphere and yet left unchecked, especially in an older structure, can give off a dirty, dark and uninviting mood. Not this little charmer!

Of course, as is the case every time I dine with a purpose, I had to take a stroll thru the rest of the place to see what I could see. To my surprise plopped right in the middle of the restaurant, was fully stocked wine bar. Being an amateur wine taster, I decided to break my life long cardinal rule: Have a glass of wine at lunch! Research?

“Ah yes Ill have the house merlot”! I think you can tell just how serious an owner is about his establishment from his choice of the house wine.

As I circled the rest of the restaurant back to my seat, I found a quaint little bar opposite the wine bar and a large open foyer leading up to the second floor private dining room enclosed in glass windows. I’m not sure but I don’t think I am important enough to go in there!? Chuckle!

All in all our experience was as delight and well worth a return trip for dinner, a glass of wine (the house Merlot of course! Yum!) under the stars on the private open-air patio.

I hope you will find some down time to visit Doug Neidich, his son AJ and his wonderful staff soon.

Tell him Terry sent you!

Mount Hill Tavern

2120 Colonial Rd.

Harrisburg, PA 17112

www.mounthilltavern.com

717-540-6840

This is my first blog posting for WITF Live Inspired, but In the upcoming weeks of summer and beyond, I will be taking my readers into many different areas of South Central Pennsylvania to explore, learn and share the many wonderful areas and activities it has to offer. Although I will be sharing useful and not so useful content, I also hope to stir your imagination, your thoughts and to ask questions for you to ponder and respond to with your own opinions and experiences.

My hope is that we will have an ongoing conversation of sorts, which will eventually build into crescendo of experiences, thoughts and ideas that will enlighten and serve as a useful resource to those readers with a desire to experience our great area.

Most likely you will see my writing as more me musing out loud, or in this case with words on your screen, about my thoughts on the places and things we share each time we meet here in Central Pa cyber space.

Hopefully you will be compelled to share your own experiences and thoughts for others to read and enjoy.

One of my greatest personal mentors, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said: “You will be the same 5 years from now as you are today with the exception of the people you meet and the books you read”. Perhaps together, we can meet many wonderful contributors to my blog and take time to sit back with a glass of your favorite merlot and read about my travels.

Terry Barr