My Favorite Local Restaurant: 19 Bella

If you haven't yet dined at 19 Bella in Skippack, you're missing out! Tucked back off of 73 (near the intersection at Bustard Rd) is this quaint, charming, and unique Mediterranean BYOB with an incredible menu. My favorites? Lobster Normandy, fried dates wrapped in bacon, and the caesar salad prepared table-side.

One of the very best parts about 19 Bella is their Tapas-inspired menu which allows you to sample four or five different dishes (without feeling guilty!). It's my favorite local place for a girls night or a date!

Fried dates wrapped in bacon

Bon Appetit!

Have You Ordered Your Turkey Yet??

If you haven't yet ordered your holiday bird, consider heading over to Harleysville's favorite supermarket, Henning's! They're offering great specials on Thanksgiving dinners and pies!

Harleysville: A Great Place To Grow Up!

I was born and raised on Park Avenue in Harleysville, just around the corner from the Wawa on Main Street and Indian Valley Middle School...so I have to admit that this post is a bit biased!

Alanna's Childhood Home in Harleysville

If you've ever been to Harleysville before, you probably know that it's a tight-knit community! Filled with parks, soccer fields, and "Mom and Pop" shops, Harleysville is a friendly town with a lot of small businesses and things for families to do.

Harleysville is also part of the award-winning Souderton Area School District. Most Harleysville residents will attend either Lower Salford, Oak Ridge or Salford Hills for elementary school, and Indian Valley for Middle School. High school students in the district attend state-of-the-art Souderton Area High School, built in 2009 (my alma mater!). An array of local private schools are also available, including Christopher Dock and Gwynedd Mercy Academy.

A Brief History of Harleysville

Settled by religious immigrants in the early 1700s, Harleysville sprang up as a popular village for travelers en route to and from Philadelphia using Sumneytown Pike (then called Maxatawney Rd). A popular tavern was built in the center of the village and eventually became owned by Samuel Harley, the man who would eventually give his name to the town.

Harleysville's population soared in the 1800s, with the first physician opening up a practice in 1829 and the post office opening in 1844. One of Harleysville's most prominent and historical restaurants, The Mainland Inn, opened its doors in 1890.

The early 1900s were another exciting time in Harleysville as two of the most well-known companies, The Harleysville Mutual Insurance Company, and Harleysville Savings Bank, were founded.

Harleysville continues to be a wonderful and tight-knit small town known as a great place to raise a family. The population is approximately 9300 and students attend Souderton Area School District.