Days Two and Three in Lancaster, PA

Once we figured out where we were setting up, it only took a couple of hours before we had it all done.
This is our first time at this show and our first time in Lancaster, pronounced “LANG-kiss-ter” – a Chamber of Commerce representative at the show who, by the way, was extremely helpful and courteous, explained it this way: “put a KISS in it.”
I thought that was so cute I had to share it!

Day Two
We set up at the AQS Quilt Show on Tuesday at Liberty Place.


After set up, we were pretty hungry and so went on the hunt for a local lunch spot.
We ended up at a very low-key place that looked to us like a great “local” hang out Niko’s Pizza & Grill.
Check out their menus here.
Roy ordered an Italian Grinder (toasted in the oven) and I had the Meatball sandwich.
Both were so delish, we were happy our choice ended up being a good one.
(Travel Tip #6: unless, of course, you’re really hungry as we were this day, try ordering a foot-long sandwich and share it. Since you now have water from the grocery store, bring a bottle or two with you and drink that instead of expensive and unhealthy soda.)

That night we stayed in our hotel room and just ate fruit and “snackies” for dinner.
(Travel Tip #7: fruit and healthy snacks that you have already picked up at the grocery store work great as after-meal snacks in your hotel room and sometimes even for dinner when you have an early morning and don’t want to overdo it.)
I had difficulties sleeping so I was up working on my computer until 4am.

Day Three
The next day came really early.
Roy dropped me off at the front door of the show to open the booth and he headed out to pick up our daily ration of... you guessed it: Starbucks!

Although the traffic coming through our venue today was extremely light (typical for the first day of any show), we experienced a good steady flow.
Since our Laga bags are not an item typical for quilt shows, attendees are usually pleasantly surprised when they find us.

When we tell them that they are not made of leather and that they are embroidered, they stop and take a second look.

Then, when we tell them the story about how this is an extension of our tsunami relief work in Indonesia, we are helping people in the area that was most severely affected by the tsunami, where they lost half their population, and we’re helping them with long-term sustainability and that all profits go back into the project, they are full of awe.

But it is when we explain that the women who do our beautiful intricate embroidery memorize all the patterns and then hand-guide those patterns free motion onto the fabric on non-electric treadle machines, they almost stop dead in their tracks.

We just love quilters for their appreciation of the work that goes into each Laga handbag, and that they truly do realize that each bag is a one-of-a-kind work of art.

We ordered lunch from The Neptune Diner the first day and, I must say, I had one of the juiciest and most flavorful hamburgers I’ve ever had.

We ate in our hotel room again that first night of the show.
Lots of computer work to do and, again, a very late night at that!