Ladies - we've all experienced it - a long drive and a desperate need to find a bathroom - but you walk in and if you aren't overcome by the smell then you are grossed out by the mess - in, on and around the toilet.  Often times, it doesn't stop there - you go to wash your hands and there isn't any soap, the water doesn't get warm and it either drips out of the faucet or comes out with such force that it drenches your clothes!  Then there are no paper towels and if there is one of those dryers - the air never gets warm.  So you head back to your car in worse shape then you got out of it - and the only happy part of your body is your bladder. 

I'm shuddering just thinking about it.

Now - of course not every place is this bad but honestly - it is only the really bad places that stick in our minds!  But I'm about to replace one of those bad memories with a good one!

I was heading home from a work trip and had just crossed the Scudder Falls bridge from New Jersey into Pennsylvania on I95.  I had to use the bathroom but I knew that as soon as I crossed that bridge on the southbound side, there was a rest stop.  I had been there before and I knew it was pretty ok.  But this time was a real treat!

I walked (more like hurried) in and immediately noticed the floor - as you can see from the photo - it was CLEAN - and SHINY (if it wasn't tile I think I could have saw my reflection int i!). It was the cleanest public bathroom floor I had ever seen! 

The stalls were just as nice - everything was super clean and it didn't have that weird smell that is so prevalent in public rest rooms.

​I came out of the stall and the sinks! They were clean! And dry! And they worked properly! Even the mirrors were sparkling! And the hot air hand dryers were nice and toasty, too!

Now I know it might sound weird to some of you - all this clean bathroom talk, but a clean bathroom really makes a difference when you can't use your own at home.  

So when I was finished, I went looking for a staff person and actually found one - a very nice lady who was surprised at the compliments on her clean ladies room because - "those rest rooms are a mess - I'm about to go in there to clean". I was like - are you for real? THIS is DIRTY?  I was shocked (and I told her that); it was impressive.  I didn't catch her name - but should her bosses ever see this - I hope they do something special for her because that day - in a little no-where corner of Pennsylvania, she made a lot of ladies feel good about using a public rest room. 

As I said before - it isn't a fancy rest stop - bathrooms, a couple of vending machines and some picnic tables to eat outside and some ground to walk a dog or two.  I travel this road pretty frequently and I always see trucks there, so it isn't empty and scary.
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So if you are ever on this stretch of highway and need the facilities....you know where to go!

I'm ashamed to say the summer got away with me - between work and family, things have been moving and shaking! You can see the family stuff blogged over on the 'Musings of Max' page but this blog is going to be about some of the wonderful places where I have enjoyed meals this summer.  If you get a chance, please visit their websites or enjoy them in person!

Breakfast at Blue Colony Diner in Newtown, CT.

Lara was super happy that she could order a salad with her breakfast (she loves her salad).  I loved their coffee and brought some home for my honey!

We had a good dinner at Joe's American Grill which is onsite at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, MA. 

The dessert was very rich and delicious and Lara had coffee with espresso! (I had the tea).

We enjoyed delicious Thai food at Sawasdee in Danvers, MA

We stayed at the Double Tree in Danvers, MA and had some lovely  meals in the hotel restaurant - Tradewinds.  Breakfast was exceptionally good (think: waffle bar!!!).

This past Saturday, my honey and I decided to have diner (really, it was a buffet) at the restaurant in the Dutchway Supermarket in Myerstown, PA.  

Ok - so you know how I always say that the truckers always know the best places to eat?  Well, my co-worker (who also took the photos for this post) and I decided to forgo our early 'princess' breakfast before leaving the hotel and instead stop for a meal once we got on the road.  So I did what I always so and texted my Da and asked him for a recommendation. He has driven through Massachusetts often enough so I thought he would know best.  However, he passed this one off to he felt could better advise us - namely, My Uncle Ron (who just so happens to live in Worcester).  So I gave him a call and he pointed us in the direction of the Miss Worcester Diner.  He said it was a favorite of his & my Aunt Linda's, that it had good food and he eluded to the potential for 'interesting dishes'.  

He wasn't wrong. 

The Miss Worcester Diner is was pretty easy to find, not too far off the Mass Pike and as for interesting dishes - well - my mere words wouldn't do it justice. 

And really, what's not to like about a diner with THIS on the menu!

I'd like to visit them again and try a meal that isn't breakfast - I can only imagine how good it is!!  Oh - bring cash with you - this is a cash-only establishment, but if you forget - no worries, they have an ATM inside.

So next time you are in central Massachusetts and looking for a good meal, look for the Miss Worcester Diner - you won't be disappointed!  

All photos (except the one below) by:  Lara Del Bosco