@Kswl - sincere apologies for the 91 degree temperature in Philadelphia today! This is definitely unusual for this time of year. I hope you have a wonderful day in the city.

I would never judge anyone's packing methods - whether sparse or abundant.

I confess to notorious over-packing and always return home with clothes that haven't been worn. While flying I easily manage with one checked bag and a carry-on. As long as there is room in the suitcase and I stay within the weight allowance I just keep adding 'just in case' items.

But when driving there are no rules other than trying to be somewhat reasonable. Shoes are not the issue since I only wear flats. I take advantage of the cargo space and take a suitcase, garment bag, large toiletry case and depending on where we are staying there may also be a bag with coffees, teas, snacks etc.

I was scheduled to leave today, too. Waaaahhhhh.

Sorry you are in the same boat, Indigo.

Count me in as disappointed also ... but I know all of you who can gather will have a wonderful time! I am sure Longwood Gardens will be spectacular this week and what fun to connect with our friends here on GW!

SueB and Indigo Rose hope you both recovery quickly!

Sue, I did not see that you had to cancel at the last minute as well! Such a bummer. Your credit card likely has automatic travel protection for last minute emergencies, hopefully they will reimburse you for the room charges.

Oh no, Indigo Rose! So disappointing! I hope you’re better soon

Dee, mine wasn’t quite last minute. I got a refund from one hotel and a credit/gift card for Whitewing, so I will have to visit sometime!

I appreciate all the weather forecasts and info from you locals. I’ll be packing this afternoon and I hope to get it all in a carryon plus a tote bag that counts as my ’personal item’. Fingers crossed it all fits.

We once were driving to Canada, but had to return home after a couple of hours, and fly the next morning. We had two little kids, and I had to completely repack. Packing for kids on a long car ride is quite different from packing for flight!

My tiara is safely packed. (It’s hard to find a tiara that doesn’t say Birthday Girl or Bride.)

Travel well everyone! Packing today and, like Outside, hoping it all fits into a carryon + tote. This will be tricky.

We will miss those not able to be there. Rest up and get better. There's always next time!

At the airport now. Serial under-packer checking in her largest suitcase and still has shoes in the carryon. Stupid feet issues + weather + peer pressure is all to blame😂

@rubyclaire, don't forget your MJ card; I have my set in the trunk.

Safe travels, all!

@rubyclaire, very tricky! I’m not counting on it but going to try. It’s always about the darn shoes…

No carry on for me - in my many years of travel I can count on one hand the number of times I've carried a bag on. Hoping it will all fit in my new Away bag but there is the shoe issue.

Welcome Tulipmaniacs. Safe travels to all.

This was in my in-box from Longwood Gardens today.

Maire wish so much you and the other dropouts would be there.

Glad I am driving! This weather is crazy. I openeda window to shoo a bee out and it felt like August out there. I am throwing everything in the trunk and hoping for the best.

Now I have to go to a funeral early on Tuesday morning in Newark, DE , which is a stone’s throw from Longwood. Its tempting to stay a couple extra nights to avoid driving bavk and forth. Will throw black clothes in the car, just in case.

I'm so excited to hear the updates about the visit! And greatly jealous that I'm not attending.

HAVE FUN!

Dedtired - you should treat yourself and stay if possible. And the drive should be lovely. How long does it usually take you to get there? No matter which route or bridge I pick it's usually a minimum of 75 minutes. I went for the Longwood Holiday display this past December and tried the Commodore Barry and that seems the best route but didn't save any time.

I'm trying very hard to avoid feeling sorry for myself. This would have been the best time to visit. Not knowing how long everyone planned to stay I originally booked 3 nights - Fri, Sat and Sunday with the option to add another. I wanted to wander Kennett Square since I haven't been there since my son was married at Loch Nairn 15 years ago. I hoped to stop in at Forage Bookstore which was opened by Tamlyn, DDIL's good friend and someone I have met many times. Maybe take the Mushoom Tour or visit Chanticleer. There are so many options. o

I had also contemplated visiting Wintertour or the Brandywine Museum and the newly restored NC Wyeth Mural at Jamie Wyeth's farm in DE- but you need advance tickets for that.

https://www.brandywine.org/museum/studio-tours/nc-wyeth-mural-experience

Hope you packed clothing suitable for temps from 92 to 52 - and that's daytime highs.

Takes me about an hour to get to Longwood, slightly more to the Airbnb.

Chanticleer is only 20 minutes away. I love that place. It has wonky hours ( wednesday thru Sunday)so I have to watch for that.

There is SO much to see and do in the Brandywine Valley. Not being able to drive at night is a problem. Oh well, may decide to add a day ànd top it off with a funeral. Its my niece’s husband’s father who I barely knew but would go to be there for niece and husband.

Safe travels everyone! I am driving and hoping to fit everything in my medium check-in size suitcase plus the personal bag used for flights. We shall see. I keep thinking of things to add, just in case. And now knowing Sunday will be significantly cooler, that has changed that plan too.

Is anyone bringing name tags? I prefer to not be called Sushi in real life.

Yes I have nametags for everyone with first name and screen name. I'll hand them out on Sat morning.

I'll be there Sunday, so save one for me!

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts. Sue, I had to take a gift card for the 2nd night, so daughter and I will visit another time, as well, but of course, it won't be the same. Daughter is going by herself tomorrow and will stay over at White Wing Friday night, leaving very early Saturday morning. She had been asked to help a school music group recently to prepare for a music event but was unable to attend the national jazz festival as we had already made plans. Since I'm sick, she'll be able to drive to Philadelphia and be there to help them. I keep reminding myself that at least one bright spot came out of this. (Plus she will stop at that Bucks county estate traders on the way to check out the dining chairs!) Maybe she will run into some of you when she grabs a bite to eat Friday night. I hope when we do go we can meet up with locals, dedtired, what a nice idea! I hope a mini-meet-up can be arranged - thank you!

@Indigo Rose I am so sad to hear this news. Take good care of yourself.

I am at Whitewing resting after my 3:30 am wakeup. Bedtime will be early. We ate a late lunch at The Pear (across from Ground Provisions). Highly recommend-everything was delicious. We are going to the museum and battlefield tomorrow. This area is just as beautiful as I remember it from my last visit almost 30! years ago. Looking forward to all of the festivities. Safe travels!

ETA I originally had five pairs of shoes and three jackets-ridiculous. I pared down, but still brought a ridiculous amount of stuff.

Texanjana, your day sounds lovely ... and I know you will enjoy tomorrow as well! Enjoy it all!

Everyone, enjoy it all!

Texanjana, raising my hand with six pairs of shoes. 😔

In my defense….. three of them were very squishy and hardly took up any room AND I have only one jacket.

Editing to add: I spent a lovely day, mostly in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, freezing from the AC inside then going out to the Rocky steps to warm up, overheating in the sun and scurrying back inside… rinse and repeat. I also wandered through University City, my BNB is basically on the Drexel campus near all the fraternity houses. Spring rush was in the air…. beer kegs on the porch, signs everywhere for bid day. The college students all look like children! I wanted to warn them… about what I couldn’t say exactly. Life, maybe? 🤷‍♀️

Well, we had our nerdy day, of visiting where they make handbells (learned so much!) and the Moravian tiles. They even had some Motawi tiles, I know she’s in Ann Arbor but hey, art tiles you can use. I think someone used them in their kitchen, from this forum? Maybe Kitchens?

And gee, is Pennsylvania lovely in the spring.

Little stroll and shopping in Doylestown and dinner thanks to Mtn’s sister’s suggestion of Genevieve’s Kitchen. Small, casual, delicious, charming.

Tomorrow, historical sites for DH, and then Malvern. I can tell you all how the Inn is before The Main Event.

Sipping on a paper cup of wine, a Wegman’s cookie, watching HGTV, hotel travel is my secret indulgence.

But, where can I get Asher’s chocolate covered pretzels? Yum!

bpath, Asher's are always in my local grocery stores. Tell me what you like and I'll bring you some (if I don't eat them first!)

Suitcase loaded and ready for last minute items after my 4am wake up. And I’m not a morning person…..

Oh my, rest well 3Katz.

Glad to hear of everyone's day. If you want to post pics of anything that strikes your fancy, See "Tulipmania Lookbook"

I had a long day and just got back from dinner with my sister (should have sent my sister to dine with Bpath and stayed home LOL.

@bpath, so glad you enjoyed the restaurant. And it's right across from that gorgeous old theatre where i saw Herbie the Love Bug as a little kid!

I’ll be in the corner wearing the same outfit everyday but fooling you because I have on a different scarf. 😂

Just boarded my 6am flight 😳. Ungodly hour. Looking forward to seeing y’all soon!!

Not knowing what we were facing as far as lines go, we got here 2 hours before our flight. Took maybe 45 SECONDS to get thru. Line at Starbucks was much longer!!

At the gate for 6:50 departure. I fly out of Augusta which has a delightfully small regional airport.

Shoe watching

Nice shoe show, makes my feet happy.

Yesterday was a lot of inside (air conditioning!), today is outside (cooler temperatures!) at Valley Forge and Jacobs Arboretum. Are the azaleas in bloom? They are one of the things I miss from Dallas.

I am trying to picture you taking photos of people’s feet in airports… I‘m not sure an impassioned defense mentioning gardenweb and field research for fashion curious internet friends will make a good case 😎

You never know. They could be avid followers! They might even be headed to Tulipmania! Keep an eye out for those shoes. 🙂

I was trying to be very circumspect. The shoes in the top photo look like a drab cousin of the Pumas Pal posted.

Oh gosh I repacked this am in light of the cooler temps for Saturday. I think I'm *finally* ready. Will be leaving shorty and looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Just seeing this~ here s the latest and greatest ( mostly latest) forecast from my phone. Fwiw, I am 10 ish miles from Longwood.

Jojo, ❤️ the dark chocolate pretzels. We looked in Giant and Wegmans (wow, that's a STORE!) but just didn't see them. The customer service rep at Wegmans said they don't have them!?!

LOL bb, I look at shoes in airports too.

I check out handbags - everywhere.

bpath - you can order online- how about a 2 pound bucket of dark chocolate pretzel pieces?

The grocerystore two blocks from me sells Ashers. Do you like dark chocolate or milk. ?

please dont anyone look at my shoes. I should have bought new.

The weather change today is astounding. Now it looks as though Saturday will be significantly cooler, so I switched my Friday and Saturday outfits… short sleeves today, long sleeves and a jacket tomorrow. Your weather in Pennsylvania is even more mercurial than Georgia’s!

Ded, almost all the shoes I brought are — no pun intended— rather pedestrian 🙄 As a famous Gardenwebber has said more than once, it’s good to have options!

bpath - If you're still in the Doylestown area, I called Whitman Pharmacy and they have the Asher dark chocolate pretzels - the minis and the big. 4950 York Road in Holicong.

The recent weather isfreakish. I was concerned about chilly April showers.

Oh, the azaleas are just starting to bloom. Some varieties are open.

I will say I’m a bit irritated with all the Uber drivers— all as in 100% so far— who do not speak enough English to answer a question about destinations, time, traffic or locations. It’s an unwelcome surprise when you have to put in Airport as your destination but want the rental car pick up area and try to explain that to a driver who shrugs helplessly and only knows the word car. I called the rental company’s 800 number and got a physical address, (which I would have done in advance had I known the driver would be unable to communicate), but I am still surprised that a person could be hired to drive tourists aroud not being able to talk. For me, in that respect taxis are still the better option.

I confess, there is one store at home that has Ashers, I just want to get them from their "birthplace" lol. But the dark chocolate pretzels are good. I bring them to small gatherings and they are loved, just trying to spread the word. (I want to look for their sugar-free, I hear it's so good that other chocolate companies use it for their own sugar-free candies)

Jenkins Arboretum is lovely, and the rubber paths so easy on the feet. On the way there, we passed an Islamic Center, a Chabad, and a Baptist Church, literally in hand-holding distance from one another. It's a wonderful world.