No matter where you are in the state, you were dealing with some form of winter weather over the weekend, be it snow, rain (like me), or frigid temps. It was the kind of miserable weather that gets you thinking about a winter getaway. But hopping on a plane to visit someplace warm isn’t an option for everyone this time of year, between having kids in school, work commitments, and post-holiday finances.

A much more doable scenario is a weekend getaway right here in Pennsylvania. Upcoming holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day present opportunities for extended weekend trips, and winter is an affordable season for booking vacation travel in cold-weather states like ours.

If you’re in need of winter weekend getaway inspiration, our food and travel writer Kalena Thomhave looks at six spots in the eastern part of the state where you can embrace your inner winter weekend warrior, whether you want to experience the outdoors or you’re after something a little more luxe.

In just a few weeks, the members of the state Senate and House will begin a new legislative session. With all the emphasis that will be placed on the 2024 presidential election, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the decisions made by members of the state legislature in Harrisburg will have the largest impact on the day-to-day lives of Pennsylvanians. 

This brings us to our QOTW: What would you like to see the state Legislature accomplish in 2024? 

Establish a liveable minimum wage? Make significant progress toward legalizing marijuana for recreational use? Stronger gun safety legislation? Sort out the ongoing school funding issues (see story below)? Reply back with your answer and please let us know where you’re from.

L-R: Arthur Dantchik, Maggie Hardy, Michael Rubin, Thomas Tull, Victoria Mars, John Middleton, and Jeffrey Lurie. (Associated Press)

With every Snickers bar you buy, every Eagles or Steelers game you attend, and every home improvement project you shop for at 84 Lumber, Pennsylvania’s richest are getting a little richer, and further cementing their status among the wealthiest people in the United States.

Victoria Mars, owner of Mars, Incorporated; Jefrrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelpha Eagles; Thomas Tull, a businessman with a background in film who is a part owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Maggie Hardy, owner and CEO of 84 Lumber, are among the 10 Pennsylvania billionaires who made Forbes’ 2023 ranking of the 400 wealthiest people in the US.

Elon Musk topped the list with a net worth of $251 billion. Former president Donald Trump is nowhere to be found on the list. 

Click here to read our roundup of the extraordinarily wealthy Pennsylvanians who cracked the Forbes 400.

My Loup [Nicole Guglielmo]

For the last 16 years, the San Francisco lifestyle marketing consulting firm AF & Co. has published a popular food and hospitality trend report in conjunction with the brand and marketing firm Carbonate. Among the trends they’re predicting for 2024 (meal-flavored cocktails, anyone?) is that Philadelphia will be recognized nationally as the “Food City of the Year.”

Citing the James Beard Award semifinalist Heavy Metal Sausage Co., and New York Times favorites Her Place and Kalaya, the report said “Philadelphia is giving birth to new talent and creativity… becoming a hotspot for culinary creativity and unleashing unexpected restaurant concepts.”

As a Philadelphia resident and frequent patron of its diverse restaurant scene, I wholeheartedly endorse this prediction. Having said that, it’s already hard enough to get a table at Kalaya and My Loup. Maybe we can do without the additional attention.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery. The Keystone Newsroom is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us. Donate here.

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