Blog

[Pictured is the Copper Mug at Harrah's Chester, a no-sport-discriminating sports bar.]

We are in the thick of the most dramatic of sports seasons. With Red October right around the corner, the Phillies making it to the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, and football and hockey seasons starting up, many sports fans I know are stationing themselves in barstools and living-room Lay-Z-Boys to cheer on their autumnal heroes.

Unfortunately, I am not one of these people. Thanks to a youth full of embarrassing sports moments including always getting picked last for kick-ball on the playground and scoring a goal against my own soccer team, I have been permanently turned off to most team sports. Well honestly, if Jayson Werth were still with the Phillies, I’d be a more faithful fan. I have a thing for bearded men.

This autumn and winter, you may want to make it a point to discover another awesome sport that too many people in my generation have been missing out on. Best of all, you get to round up the gang and head down to the track for a great day of racing. “But why?” you ask. “Why should I leave my living room during a seven hour baseball game to go and enjoy some fresh air and interaction with real live people?” I’ll tell you why. TrackPackPA robot, BEGIN THE COUNTDOWN:

1.) You will always get fabulous seats
There’s always an open seat by the finish line, and you don’t need a ticket. Autumn is the perfect time to head down to the track with a group of your buddies, buy a round of pints, and sit outside to enjoy the cool air while betting on ponies. Along the Delaware River, outside Chester, Harrah’s stadium seating allows you to have a clear picture of the track as well as the picturesque river view just on the backside of the track. You’ll get to enjoy big, bold and beautiful horses racing each other while pulling their crazy drivers behind in teeny-tiny little carts. Neat, huh?

(SkyBox Sports Bar at Penn National)

2.) There’s the money to take home
Everybody loves winning. There’s something about it that caters to the five-year-old in all of us who more than anything just wanted to throw that ball into the bucket so that they could win a gold fish at the local fair. If you go to the track and place smart bets on the horses, you could win some money. Or just lucky bets. I mean, if I can win, anybody can. This will give you the chance to spend even more money at the bar and tip that really cute bartender you’ve been eyeing up all afternoon. (And as the song says, when one of us wins, we all win. When your horse comes in, you might wanna buy a round for your pals.)

(Chicki and Pete's at Parx)

3.) Ok, ok. You can still watch the game at the track
Don’t want to miss any of the action of your favorite Philly team while you’re at the track? Not a problem! The ractrack bars have plenty of TVs. And at Harrah’s, their sports bar features flat-screens a plenty; all the games you need to follow in beautiful high-def. And between innings – or fumbles, as the case may be – you can tear yourself away from the reality TV to the reality reality that’s going on outside. At the track, the sports bars have real sports just outside along the rail. You won’t miss a bet, or a Cliff Lee homerun.

4.) At the very least, it’s good bonding experience.
When you go to the races, not only do you have a chance to witness thundering steeds and win money, you also get to reconnect with your friends. There are plenty of outside tables that you guys can at sit at and enjoy some yummy food and brewskies. Just be sure not to Bogart that pitcher, dude.

Stephanie Weaver is a TrackPackPA field correspondent, and political leader for P.W.D.R.C.A.S (Philadelphians Who Don’t Really Care About Sports). Make sure to check out some of her past excursions to the track, they’re fun!

We enjoy food here at TrackPackPA. I'm sure you've picked up on that by now. So, in honor of "I love Food!" Day, we decided to put together a nice little slideshow of some of our favorite meals around Pennsylvania. Drinks count as meals, right?

Check it out, and look for any places near you:

The Derby has its Mint Julep. And down in Baltimore they pound back the Black Eyed Susan. But the Belmont Stakes is the longest stakes race in the game. So it's good to have a cocktail that can go a long way, too. And that, our friends, is the Belmont Breeze. Whomp up a shaker full and let us know how the race turned out for you, ok? 

Why not make every day Kentucky Derby Day with the great southern cocktail that makes wearing enormous hats ever more elegant? Best of all, you can make a lady very happy when you compliment her hat with a holy Mint Julep. Here's how to make it, and with any luck, you'll soon be in a position to ask her to, well...leave her hat on. 

See you at Pocono Downs on Derby Day for the coldest beer at the coolest price.

About a couple dozen beers are on tap at Bart & Urby’s in downtown Wilkes-Barre, from local hero Stegmaier (their Oktoberfest is awesome) to Victory Storm King Stout. A better-than-bar-food menu with the likes of sushi-grade seared tuna, homemade empanadas and hand-cut sweet potato fries is icing on the cake.

Roadtrip rule #4: Pull over whenever you see a pig statue, because, with any luck, it means local home-smoked pork.

At Hartman’s Butcher Shop, heading north on 309 in New Tripoli, the mouthwatering collection of tasty butchery treats is no baloney. Heck, they’re national champs for the beef jerky! But the real surprise is the party in our mouth they call the cheesy beef sticks. Sound advice: keep a cooler in the ragtop’s trunk.

Here's a plea for help from a couple of flatlanders who find themselves hungry before post time at Presque Isle Downs. We're roadfood addicts, so there's nothing like a highway diner to whet our whistle. But the only thing we can find in and around Erie is spelled weirdly with an "o" rather than an "e." Look at the signs: The Dinor, not The Diner. 

What gives? Can anyone give us the entymological answer? We're hungry for one...

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course has a huge selection of dining options. Whether you’re looking to get a quick bite or a sit down meal- Hollywood has got you covered! Let’s take a look at these fantastic on-site eateries!

Extras Coffee Bar

Extras is the place to go when you need the caffeine kick to help you through the final stretch! Open 24 hours – 7 days a week, Extras serves delicious bistro treats and a large variety of coffee and teas.

Epic Buffet

A buffet fit for Spartans! All You Can Eat for $14.99: Sunday- Thursday 11am-9pm. Friday & Saturday 11am – 4 pm. If you’re visiting on the weekend, you maybe interested in the Prime Rib and Seafood Buffet from 4pm – 12 am on Friday and Saturdays! Only $21.99! Epic, indeed! (Must be 21 or older to dine here. Sorry, Billy.)

Hollywood SkyBox Sports Bar

With a huge selection of spirits and beers, countless TV’s covering all the action, and brand new menu- there’s not much more you could ask for from a sports bar! This place is it!

Glitterati’s Pizza

Pizza is at the forefront of this delicious eatery that presents “a taste of Italy ‘Hollywood Style.’” It’s a great place to grab a quick bite or enjoy a full meal!

Celebrity Grill

What’s more American than the Celebrity? Contemporary American fare comprises the bulk of the menu at this lovely modern eatery.

MountainView Dining and Terrace Lounge

What’s better than watching high-stakes racing from a trackside table? High-stakes racing with a grilled steak and lobster in front of you, that’s what. Open on race days only, MountainView will have you feeling regally in no time.

Final Cut Steakhouse

Final Cut Steakhouse offers a truly unparalleled dining experience. Their hand selected Hereford Beef is served off of a wood fired grill. Other specialties include South African Lobster Tail, Duck Breast, Chilean Sea Bass and much, much more.

For hours of operation, specials, and downloadable menus - check out the Penn National at Hollywood Casino website!

"Where might we grab lunch there," we wonder. The railbirds respond in unison: "Chilidogs at Coney Island!"

But the agreement ends there. Up in Scranton, there are two Coney Island Lunches, each claiming connection to the Greek patriarch and legendary grill man, Steve Karampilas. Each has its own fan base. Some love the original 1923 Coney Island Texas Lunch, founded on Cedar Avenue by old man Karampilas. Its classic black-and-white tile and antique oak booths are straight out of The Untouchables. (And it's a survivor of a mysterious fire, started by an arsonist who remains unknown.)

Others swear by the wieners around the corner in the "newer" Coney Island Lunch. Pete and Bob, grandsons of the founder, run this joint. Legend has it that an estranged uncle (who they don't talk to, nor have nothing to do with) runs the "original". But Pete and Bob claim to have their grandpa's original recipes and his 1928 Hobart Buffalo Slicer, which chops onions in perfect chilidog formation. And that's what counts.

Both Coney Islands cook their wieners old-school. Slice a fat dog lengthwise and grill it right before your eyes. Slide it on a fresh bun and smother it with Düsseldorf mustard, chopped Spanish onions and homemade chili sauce. We stick our nose right into it and swoon over the perfect convergence of all the essential food groups. Then open wide and wish our stomach luck.

It's hard to beat the Edward Hopper ambiance of the truly original 1923 lunch counter. But the chili and onions are better – we think – at the newer "original" Coney Island. (Must be that Hobart slicer.) It's all a little confusing, which should require a second round of taste tests. (Urp.)

The real mystery is who set fire to the building that houses the original 1923 chili parlor. After months of rebuilding, they're back in business, and their website contains an offer of a $10,000 reward to anyone who helps finger the arsonist.

With that kind of folding money in our pockets, we could do real well with the trotters back at beautiful Pocono Downs.

The original founder, Steve Karampilas (pictured right), was a Greek immigrant who made his way from New York to Scranton with the secrets of Coney Island chili sauce.

You can get both sides of the Scranton chilidog rivalry here and here at their respective websites. But we recommend your own personal taste test before or after a day at the races.