I'm back from Penn! See Page two for photos!

[hypnoraygun]

Okay so I apologize already if some of this information is already out there, which I know some of it is. I am in the middle of booking/planning my own trip to Philadelphia. I am planning on renting a car and going to see some sites. I have a few questions if someone can help me out I would appreciate it.



First off. Beth Shalom Synagogue. Their website says something about 10 people for a tour. So if I only have 2 people, they won't give me a tour? Anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to just go in and look around without a tour? I will give them a call if no one knows.



Next. Where to stay close enough to Fallingwater so I can make it to the early tour, AND Not cost me an arm and a leg. I am already paying a fortune for a hotel in Philadelphia. I would like to stay somewhere so I can make the early tour then head over to Kentucky Knob.



I have read where people said where to stay, but I can't locate that topic. Sorry about that.



I guess that is it. Any other interesting sites between Philadelphia and Mill Run that I could stop at? I will only have about 2 and a half days for the stuff outside of Philly. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Roderick Grant]

I know nothing about Beth Shalom's schedule, although I suppose you could just attend a service. As for a place to stay near Fallingwater, avoid Nemacolin, which is pricey ... although they have very good eateries. Stay at Mount Summit Inn, which is just as handy to both houses. Mt. Summit is an early 20th Century structure which, when I stayed there in 1987, had a lobby full of craftsman furniture, some of it signed Stickley! The rooms are reasonable, and the rural location dead quiet at night.

[pharding]

I stayed at the Mount Summit Inn in June of this year. It has character, but it was somewhat overpriced for what you get. If cost is the most important factor, there is a Hampton Inn in Uniontown. Unfortunately it has no character. Uniontown is the closest large town.

[jim]

Suntop Houses are in the Main Line (western) suburb of Ardmore - and right on a street corner so easy to see the exterior. Many years ago I just rang the door bell of one of the four units and was happily invited in by the Wright-proud owner. They are quite magical.

[hypnoraygun]

Hey thanks for the great tips so far! Sometimes it is hard to visualize what is close to a location or not.



I'm not sure that I will be "ringing a doorbell" but I am planning on driving by the Suntop homes!



Thanks Jim, Phil and Roderick! now back to planning!



....

[hypnoraygun]

SORRY I meant PAUL! Not Phil! ha.. whoops.. Thanks!

[Wrightgeek]

I toured Beth Shalom about 18 months ago (it is spectacular!), and we were just a party of 2.



In Philadelphia, we stayed at the Peninsula Inn/Hotel, which was within walking distance of the "Old City". The prices were very reasonable, and the inn was very nice.



In addition to Beth Shalom and the Suntop homes, there are several Louis Kahn buildings in the Philadelphia area, as well as FLW homes in Wilmington , DE and Baltimore, neither of which are too far away by car.



There is also a display at the Allentown Museum of Art, just outside Philly, of the original library from the demolished Little residence in Minnesota.



Hope that helps in your trip planning, and have a great trip!

[David Lurkin]

Does anyone know of a supplier of Honduran Mahogany Plywood? I am also unclear if Brazilian Mahogany is the same. I realize both Phillipine and African are different wood, but I am not sure about brazilian. Thanks for any help.

[nycmeg]

You may already have made your plans, but if not...

I stayed last November at B&B called Country Seasons that is only about 20 minutes from Fallingwater. They serve breakfast early enough for you to easily make the early tour. It was clean and comfortable but not owner-occupied so it can feel deserted. There is a small and very inexpensive diner a block away. www.countryseasonsbnb.com Approx $100. It was short and beautiful drive to Fallingwater in the morning.



I looked at a couple rooms in the main building the interesting looking Historic Stone House Restaurant and Coutry Inn not far away but they were fully booked. Restaurant on premises was also fully booked. Same price range. www.stonehouseinn.com



For more places to stay, see www.laurelhighlands.org

Ohiopyle on the Yough River nearby has a few restauants; the Firefly was recommended.



I took the in-depth tours of both Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. Definitely worth it for Fallingwater. For Kentuck Knob, the in-depth tour adds the small basement, a workroom, and you have the time to gawk to your heart's content at the varied collections of the current owner and pictures of his family with royalty. It was nice in that there were only 3 of us on the tour but I would not recommend it unless you have a particular interest in structural details visible in the basement. On the other hand, I didn't take the regular tour so it is possible we had longer or more extensive access to the main rooms as well.

[hypnoraygun]

Thanks for everyone's help. I am going Oct 7-14. I called Beth Shalom. They said that they typically would not give a tour just for two people, but that someone should be there so we can see inside! And that is all I really want/need. I have the early in depth tour booked for Fallingwater, then a regular tour of Kentuck Knob. Thanks for all the tips, I am still trying to find a place around there to stay. I better hurry! Once again, thanks!



Craig.

[Wrightgeek]

Oops, I was just reminded by my signifigant other (who is almost always right) that when we toured Beth Shalom we were actually part of a group of 4, not 2 as I indicated earlier.



That said, if you are still looking for a place to stay near Fallingwater, you may want to take a look at the Inn at Watson's Choice, which is in Uniontown, Pa.



We stayed there several years ago, and It is one of the nicer B & B's we have stayed in. The property is very nice, the owners/hosts were quite friendly, the cost was not unreasonable at approx. $125.00 +/- per night and the breakfast was very good as well.



Uniontown is the largest town near Fallingwater, with quite a few dining options, and I believe it is only about 20 miles from Fallingwater, give or take.



Again, hope this helpful and enjoy your trip!

[hypnoraygun]

Thanks for everyone's help! I realized without ever thinking about it, Kentuck Knob, isn't KENTUCKY.. It's Kentuck.. I didn't ever see it (mentally) until I called and got reservations for a tour and the person on the other end said it..



I am going on the trip next weekend! I am staying in Donegal, Pa the night before Fallingwater. It seems the most feasible for me. I will post some pictures when I return!



Thanks again for all the help!

[Palli Davis Holubar]

Widening the horizon unto a different landscape of American architecture - I suggest anyone near Philadelphia visit the Wharton Escherick House in Paoli, a western suburb. It is now an Historic House Museum. Escherick was the father of American Art Furniture and his little hand-hone house is a elegant eclectic tour de force that has his individual expression of that same material integrity and design invention that FLW unleashed at the drafting table. I've never found any reason to think they met, but the influence both had on the American craft scene in the 40' & 50's was crucial.

Palli at the Weltzheimer- Johnson House in Oberlin, OH

[hypnoraygun]

Thanks for reminding me about this house. I saw it in a video I rented last week about Pennsylvania. It looks very cool. In the video is showed the desk where he kept his prints etc.. All wood. There were no metal pieces in it at all.. If I can squeeze it in, I will go! Thanks again! I'm off tomorrow!

[Palli Davis Holubar]

Once again I spelled his name wrong, read: Esherick

I had forgotten that the house was the design of Louis Kahn and Esherick built it for himself and designed the furniture. (distant memories from grad school that I better bone up on because connections make up the tone of a period) Palli



Address: horseshoe Trail PO Box 595 Paoli, PA or levins.com/esherick