Editorial

May Adventures

Deval (Reshma) PaRanjPe, mD, mBa, FaCs

fter what seems like an eternity, sunshine and good weather have returned to our area. You can A see the smiles and the energy returning to people’s faces. It’s as though a giant weight has been lifted. Half the patients I’ve seen this week have been dressed for August in the tropics, and so it’s been a glorious state of affairs in my windowless office. Linen, paradise prints, sandals, parrot earrings, sunglasses, and straw hats have all made appearances.

My heart is lighter too. Sunshine and warm weather means that I can feel better about seeing friends again since dining outdoors is now an easier option. Gardening season has started suddenly. I’ve put all my plants out on the deck where they will begin to thrive again after a long winter indoors. I can almost hear their sighs of relief as I water them and their leaves unfurl against the sunlight. I can almost see their anemic leaves getting greener. The immense satisfaction of seeing them bring forth bud, flower and fruit is only weeks away.

Moods are better, conversation brighter, and people more agreeable under blue skies, cool breezes and spring sunlight. Many of us haven’t been on a vacation in years, and this feels like one without leaving home. Put away the winter coats; bring on the lemonade and light lunches.

I remember the Ray Bradbury story “All Summer in a Day,” and that’s exactly what it feels like. I feel the urge to enjoy these few months of beautiful climes to their maximum, so that the memory may sustain me through another cold winter to come. So, I asked myself: how do we make the most of this?

The obvious answer is traveling and getting away from familiar surroundings. If you are (rightfully) worried about getting on a plane at this time and going to somewhere Covid-y, where can you go to enjoy yourself within driving distance? (By the way, that’s apparently become a new term---Covid-y. As in, “I don’t want to get in that crowded line; it’s too Covid-y,” or “An indoor unmasked party for 200 in the middle of this surge? Nah, I’ll pass; it just feels too Covid-y”, or “That guy? He’s a complete social butterfly, and he never wears a mask. I’d rather not sit next to him at dinner—he just seems Covid-y”).

Avast, pandemic! Here are some wonderful nearby outdoor places with plenty of social distance, ventilation, and fresh air in which to explore and make hay while the sun shines. Of course, the amenities at Nemacolin Resort and Omni Bedford Springs Resort are also lovely nearby options, but I wanted to take you a bit farther afield for this column.

1) Presque Isle State Park

About a two-hour drive from Pittsburgh, Presque Isle has 11 miles of clean sandy beaches and offers boating, fishing, birdwatching, swimming, hiking and general relaxation complete with concert areas, a picturesque lighthouse dating from 1873, lagoons and an environmental center. Camping available nearby. It feels like the seashore, though you’re not on the ocean, and it doesn’t feel crowded.

2) Erie Waterfront

Enjoy outdoor waterfront dining at restaurants like the Bayfront Grille (55 W Bay Road, in Sheraton Erie), Rum Runners (133 E Dobbins Landing), and the eccentrically named Sloppy Duck Saloon (726 W Bayfront Parkway), or Smuggler’s Wharf (3 State Street).

It’s a quick getaway, only about two hours from Pittsburgh, but well worth the feeling of being by the sea. A great day trip.

And check out the Lake Erie Tall Ships Festival, which returns to the Erie Waterfront this August 25-28. Explore beautiful working tall sailing ships of old for a small taste of history and a Pirates of the Caribbean feeling.

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3) Fallingwater (1491 Mill Run Rd, Mill Run, PA 15464)

If you haven’t been lately, it’s time you went back. Fallingwater is worth a visit in every season. If you’ve never been, you need to go see this Western Pennsylvania treasure. Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece in Fayette County is managed by the Western Pennsylvania conservancy and offers tours led by exceptionally wellversed docents. A day trip could include a complete Wright architectural tour, with visits to nearby Wright-designed houses at Polymath Park and Kentuck Knob.

4) The Lodge at Glendorn (1000 Glendorn Drive, Bradford, PA 16701)

Looking for a luxurious getaway to celebrate an anniversary or other special occasion? Consider the Lodge at Glendorn. Named the #1 Resort Hotel in the Continental US by Travel and Leisure magazine in 2016, Glendorn is sure to delight. Nestled in the midst of a forest, the journey is as tranquil and calming as the Lodge itself. A full-service spa as well as cooking classes and farm to table five star dining will inveigle indoors types. A wide range of outdoors activities and lessons including hiking, fly fishing, trap/skeet/clay shooting, swimming and more will delight outdoors enthusiasts. About three hours away.

5) Gateway Lodge Country Inn Resort (14870 Route 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217)

The Gateway Lodge, nestled in the heart of Cook Forest, is a more walletfriendly alternative to Glendorn under 3 hours from Pittsburgh. Offering rustic but well-appointed cabins, no cell service, 6 and an acclaimed wine list, it is the perfect place to unplug and relax. Enjoy the beauty of the forest in summer in privacy and peace.

6) Allenberry Resort and Lodging (1559 Boiling Springs Road, Boiling Springs, PA 17007)

One of only 3 Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing lodges in Pennsylvania, Allenberry is in the heart of the Cumberland Valley with Yellow Breeches Creek, a nationally known trout stream, running through the property. Offering guides and lessons for novices as well as seasoned flyfishers, this escape also offers a variety of other outdoor activities and great amenities including a spa, farm to table dining and famous sticky buns. Orviscertified guides and equipment available on site—you don’t need to own a rod to join in the fun. Offering 1- and 2-day fly-fishing classes.

7) Niagara Falls, NY

Old-school, but well worth doing if you or your children have yet to experience the glory of Niagara Falls. Perfect for an old-fashioned second honeymoon (or a first!), let the romance of the falls sweep you away. (Or at least, let the thunderous noise of the falls prevent you from hearing any griping or sniping whether from spouse or children.)

8) Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

Twenty miles from Horseshoe Falls in Canada lies the charming small town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Famous for wineries and the George Bernard Shaw festival, this town also offers charming outdoors activities, dining, special historical outdoor events, trails and paths, a historic fort and sites, and more. Itineraries and full information from bed and breakfasts to the Prince of Wales Hotel are available at www.niagaraonthelake.com

9) The Finger Lakes, NY

Wineries, boating, swimming, fishing, and beautiful views abound. Take a leisurely tour of the Seneca Wine Trail, either on your own or with a group. Watkins Glen Racetrack (www. theglen.com) offers world-class racing events and even regular Drive the Glen days where you can drive your own car on the legendary track. Watch everything from Ferraris and supercars to Nascar and historic cars. The Finger Lakes Wine Festival at Watkins Glen Racetrack is July 7-10, so that would be a busy weekend.

10) The Greenbrier (101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986)

A favorite of presidents (and home to the legendary secret Eisenhower Cold War nuclear fallout bunker that could shelter all 535 Members of Congress as well as the Executive Branch), the Greenbrier has always been a secret getaway. Offering world-class golf, fine farm to table dining, spa services, and a full range of indoor and outdoor activities, the Greenbrier is an elegant escape (note: it’s old school, with dress codes.)

Happy Adventuring!

The opinion expressed in this column is that of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board, the Bulletin, or the Allegheny County Medical Society.

Running for the State House in District 30

Arvind Venkat, MD, FACEP

“Why do you want to do this?

I have been asked this question by many of the residents in my community. My wife and I have lived in McCandless for 15 years. I had a pretty good idea we would be returning to Pittsburgh after our medical training since my wife grew up here. We all know Pittsburgh folks return home. It has been a great place to practice medicine and raise our three children. As an emergency physician, I have had the privilege of caring for my neighbors in their time of greatest need. But simultaneously, I have seen the challenges in our community – when a woman in her 50s lacking health insurance could not get cancer screening and presented with metastatic breast cancer. When an adolescent with serious mental illness could not get an inpatient psychiatric bed for days. When a man in his 40’s lost his job and could only receive care in the emergency department. And when a young woman died from an opioid overdose despite multiple attempts by her family and friends to get her help for her substance use disorder.

All of us have seen that the pandemic has only exacerbated these healthcare and social pathologies. When COVID hit, I was President of the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians and worked with policymakers to address the immediate needs of the emergency medicine community and our patients in a truly frightening situation of a novel infectious disease. I also began to speak on local media about where we were in the pandemic, answer questions about COVID, and give evidence-based guidance on how my community could stay safe and move forward. But I began to realize that the root cause of the challenges of the last two years was that we simply were unprepared for a crisis foretold and had run the services on which we all rely – health care, schools, police, EMS, and fire – at the ragged edge, with no excess capacity and significant underinvestment. I felt that I could extend my service to my community by running to represent them in the State House and advocate for policies that would ensure that these vital services would have the resources to be there for all of us in our time of need.

If elected, I would be the only physician in the General Assembly. I believe I can be an effective voice and leader not only for residents of the 30th House District but also for the healthcare community by advocating for common-sense policies such as bolstering the importance of physicianled teams in patient care, expanding telehealth access, and ending restrictive covenants.

I ask for your support and help. Please visit my website at www.VenkatforPA.com to learn more about my candidacy. I would like to invite all ACMS members to attend my June 5th fundraiser [https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ venkat220605event?refcode=ACMS.] with Lieutenant Governor Nominee and State Representative Austin Davis. Finally, if you are a resident of the 30th District (McCandless, Franklin Park, Ohio Township, Emsworth, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Kilbuck, and the Western part of Hampton) or have friends or family who live there, I would ask for your active support and, if eligible, vote to allow me to serve my community as their State Representative.