http://www.gatewaytothegamelands.com/

Central Park Hotel, 976 Central Road, Benton, PA (2026)

09/08/2026

TUESDAY TRUTHS 🖤

We’re closed Tues & Wed every week, so let’s shake it up with Tues life chats ✨

This week is filled with doctors & an MRI for Aiden as we figure out what damage his Fri night football injury caused, & potentially make difficult decisions about his future.

As his mom, it’d be easy to live 6 months ahead.

What does this mean for football? What happens next? What if…?
But we don’t get to live 6 months from now.
We get today.

Ironically, that’s exactly what I’ve been learning myself.
For months, I’ve been trying to get my life — and this crazy old hotel - back on track. There were SO many things that needed fixed that I spent more time overwhelmed by the entire mountain than climbing it until the realization - I don’t have to fix everything at once.

I just have to make the next right decision. Then do it again.
Some decisions are big. Many incredibly small. But they add up. Things are getting handled. I’m showing up differently.
And I am starting to notice life again.

Three days, three hotel visitors. First, a dragonfly circled me. The next day, a monarch. Yesterday, a swallowtail.
Same spot. Different little visitor.

This photo is one I took years ago, before Central. I stopped for butterflies.

Then, life got louder. Fear got louder. The what-ifs got louder.
But lately, I’m noticing again.

Maybe they’re signs. Maybe they’re simply beautiful creatures crossing my path.
Either way, I keep hearing:
Keep going. Keep pushing. It’s going to be okay.

Maybe the biggest sign isn’t the butterflies at all. Maybe it’s that I’m finally getting back to the person who notices them.
And maybe Aiden & I aren’t going through such different things after all.

Deal with what we know. Make the next right decision.
Let the future sort itself out when we get there.
Because worrying about tomorrow doesn’t change tomorrow. It just steals today.

Hard seasons teach us. They change us. They show us what we’re made of if we let them.

So we keep showing up & doing the next right thing.
One day & one little step at a time.

Maybe moving forward looks a whole lot like finding your way back to yourself.

And sometimes it looks like stopping for butterflies again.🦋

09/07/2026

HAPPY LABOR DAY FROM ALL OF US WHO ARE… STILL LABORING. 😂🖤

But honestly, after yesterday? We’re not mad about it.

Our first official annual Customer Appreciation Day was such a good time. The hotel was full, the food was good, people were laughing, the music was perfect, and this old place felt exactly the way it’s supposed to feel.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out, supported us, loved on the staff, ate all the food, and reminded us why Central is worth fighting for.

And a huge thank you to Dan Hess for the tunes and keeping the vibes rolling all afternoon. 🎶🖤

TODAY WE’RE OPEN FOR LUNCH AT NOON.

Cody made all the pancakes, all the chicken salad, and all the chicken & biscuits yesterday that you guys absolutely crushed — and she’s back in the kitchen for lunch today.

Do we know what special she’s coming in with?

Nope. 😂

Do we know it’s gonna be good?

Absolutely.

Then at 4 PM — WING NIGHT. 🍗🔥

We’ll be closing at 8 PM tonight, so come out early, eat some wings, bring your favorite BYOB situation if you’d like, and don’t stay too late. 😜

We’re still BYOB for now, and this week there’s going to be a whole lot happening behind the scenes to keep getting us headed in the right direction.

But there’s also going to be a whole lot of planning for what comes next — because fall at Central is about to be GOOD. 🍂🌲

And don’t forget our upcoming Sound Bath with Amy on September 16th. ✨ Be sure to RSVP!

Mostly, though…

Thank you for making this old hotel feel like family again.

The community around here has been freaking incredible. And guess what?

That doesn’t need to change, no matter what life throws at us.

This is Central.

WE’RE BUILT DIFFERENT. 🖤🌲

Now happy Labor Day.

Somebody come make sure we’re actually laboring. 😂

09/06/2026

SUNDAY AT CENTRAL. 🖤

Good morning, friends.

We’re opening a little later today because we’ve got a BIG day ahead of us.

🥞 BRUNCH BUFFET | 11:30–2 | $15
Buffet only today.
Cody said something about pancakes… so apparently there are pancakes. 😂

Then we’re CLOSED 2–4 while we flip this high-class joint and get ready for something pretty special.

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION NIGHT | 4–7 PM

And when we say appreciation, we mean we’re feeding you.

Prime rib.
Shrimp.
Lemon Parmesan pasta.
And SO. MUCH. MORE.

🎶 LIVE MUSIC BY DAN HESS | 4–7

🍷 KULPMONT WINERY | 4–7

Yep, we’re still BYOB — but our friends from Kulpmont will be out back slingin’ wine by the tasting, the glass (okay… red Solo cup 😂) or the bottle.

If you love this place, come.

If you love the people who work here, come.

If you just love good food, live music, wine and a slightly questionable old hotel at the foot of the mountain… come.

I don’t have a ton of big words today.

I shed a few tears this morning, but as they have been more often than not lately, they were good ones.

Because somewhere in the middle of all of this, I’m realizing just how much I freaking love this place.

And how much I love all of you.

We got this.

Everything happens for a reason.

And somebody who knew this place long before I did left us with a pretty damn good reminder:

“Take care of your business and your business will take care of you.” — Doug O’Handley

So that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.

And as always…

You’re a stranger here but once. 🖤

See you at Central.

09/05/2026

WELL. HAPPY SATURDAY FROM THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. 💛😂

We’ve got a LOT going on at Central today, so buckle up.

First things first: TONIGHT IS PRIME RIB NIGHT. 🥩🔥

We’re serving Prime Rib with Frank’s mashed potatoes + roasted roots — fresh local red beets and carrots, and we may throw some local summer squash in there because that’s what we do round here!

And because red meat + red wine just makes sense, everybody gets a complimentary glass of red sangria — which I have absolutely not made yet. 😂🍷

We’re still BYOB, so bring along your favorite beer, wine or spirits. And Ol' Country Barn and Kulpmont Winery & Wine Favorsllc will be out back in the barn until 8 PM if you’d rather let them handle the wine decisions.

Prime Rib starts at 4 PM and is available while supplies last.

And after last night, when I say while supplies last, LISTEN TO ME. 😂

YOU GUYS SOLD US OUT OF RIBS.

We made as many as we possibly could, and I have since received some very reliable intel that they were some of the BEST ribs some of you have ever had.

Soooooo… we’re doing it again next week.

EVERY FRIDAY = RIB NIGHT. 🔥🐷
RIBS DONE RIGHT.
Frank is the man.

Now, about this photo. 😂💛 MG has abandoned us for the day to bartend a wedding and enjoy a very well-deserved vacation from our particular brand of chaos.

Have the BEST day, MG. You will be missed. 😂🖤

She did, however, leave us with some pretty damn fantastic $5 mocktails:

Prickly Bitch.
Spiced Pear Collins.
You Can’t Steal My Sunshine. ☀️🍹

Which brings me to the most entertaining development of the day…

I’M BEHIND THE BAR. ALL DAY. I have backup support - two of my favorite tiny humans that are not so tiny these days. 🤣

So, for all you locals who have been patiently waiting for an opportunity to come in and bust my ass about absolutely everything happening around here lately… THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. 😂

I’m developing thicker skin, my sense of humor is coming back, and apparently a bar shift. Might as well have some fun with it. 🖤

And because apparently this week still wasn’t interesting enough…

Remember those running shoes I bought that I told ya bout last week? I totally have not started running in them yet, but I did run 1/4 mile barefoot last night.

Aidenator needed a ride to the ER last night in the beginning of the game due to a shoulder injury that fortunately was just a dislocated shoulder and x-rays looked clear. HALLELUJAH. And because he is Aiden, we got him back to the game before it ended so he could stand on the sideline and support his teammates. 🖤

Now we rest that shoulder and hope for a speedy recovery.

I also discovered I can still run… .great news all around is how we are looking at this situation currently. Striving for the sunshine and rainbows spirit in me to get us through all the situations these days. 🙌

AND THEN THERE’S TOMORROW.

Sunday is a BIG day around here.

We’ve got our Brunch Buffet from 11 AM–2 PM, then we’re closing the doors at 2 so we can flip this old girl around and get ready for our Customer Appreciation Event beginning at 4 PM.

There’ll be live music from Dan Hess, Kulpmont Winery out back, and a buffet featuring Prime Rib and a whole bunch more.

If Central has ever been your watering hole, your dinner spot, your workplace, your family tradition, your place to celebrate, your place to hide out for a beer, or simply one of those weird old places that somehow became part of your life — come see us.

We want you here.

This weekend is about good food, good people, our staff, our community, and reminding ourselves what Central has always actually been about.

And judging by last night’s empty rib pans… you guys apparently got the memo. 🖤

One final PSA: RESERVATIONS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Give us a call at 570-925-6650 so we can save you a spot before we sell out again. 😂☎️

So, to recap:

Prime Rib. Red sangria. BYOB. Winery out back. MG’s mocktails. The yellow brick road. Me behind the bar accepting public ridicule.

What more could you possibly need on a Saturday at the foot of North Mountain? 😂🌲

Come hungry. Come bust my ass. Come hang out.

CENTRAL STRONG. 🖤

09/04/2026

FRIDAY NIGHT = RIB NIGHT. AND WE’RE DOING IT RIGHT. 🔥🐷

Kristal’s got Frank’s famous ribs prepped and ready — and the man himself will be coming in to throw ’em on the grill and finish them fresh, exactly the way you all know and love them.

And we’ve decided we’re making this a thing.

Starting TONIGHT, every Friday is RIB NIGHT at Central. 🙌

Frank’s ribs. Fresh off the grill. Every damn Friday.

Dinner starts at 4 PM, and while these two are handling the important business pictured here 😂, we’re out back putting the finishing touches on The Ol’ Country Barn because our brand-new tasting room opens TODAY. 🍷🌲

The crew from Kulpmont Winery will be out back from 4–8 PM tonight, with wine tastings, wine by the glass and bottles available for purchase. Central is BYOB inside, and our full temporary BYOB policies will be posted to the website shortly.

This weekend may look a little different around here.

But the ribs are still Frank’s.
The people are still ours.
The mountain is still out back.
And Central is still Central. 🖤

To every single person who has continued to show up, eat dinner, share our posts, encourage our staff and love on this weird little mountain hangout while we work with the appropriate agencies through the renewal of our liquor license — thank you.

Your support means more than you probably realize, especially to the incredible people who work here.

We’ve got a whole lot of new things happening.

But tonight? We’ve got ribs to eat and wine to drink.

Come hungry. 🍖🍷🔥

RIB NIGHT • FRIDAY • 4 PM
KULPMONT WINERY AT THE OL’ COUNTRY BARN • 4–8 PM

See y’all at the foot of North Mountain. 🖤

09/03/2026

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BAR. 🖤🍷

Welllllll… would you look at her.

As we head into our new TEMPORARY BYOB era, there was one very important question that needed answered:

What the hell is MG going to do behind the bar?! 🤣

Oh, don’t you worry.

She’s still right where she belongs.

For tonight’s Seafood & Sangria Night, MG has mixed up some of her signature sangria — and we’re offering one complimentary glass to each of you this evening. 🍷✨

And we’ve decided Thursdays are just going to get a little sweeter around here for a while.

Unless you prefer dry, of course. We got you. 😏

Because the woman behind the bar is still the same woman you all know and love. She’s still slinging those ridiculous desserts. She’s still serving up the life advice you didn’t ask for but probably needed. 😂 And she’ll still be standing behind that bar ready to see all the same faces she sees every Thursday.

So don’t be a stranger.

And starting tomorrow at 4 PM, MG is adding some signature mocktails to the lineup that sound freaking AMAZING — just in time for the first weekend of Ol Country Barn featuring Kulpmont Winery, LLC. out back. 🍷🖤

Our full temporary BYOB policies will be posted here shortly. We’re learning, adjusting, asking questions, and coming up with a frankly ridiculous number of fun ideas for what Central can do with this little plot twist.

Turns out there are a whole lot of things you can put behind a bar besides booze.

Desserts. Mocktails. Sangria. Life advice. And MG.

I think we’re gonna be just fine. 🖤

Come hungry tonight. Come thirsty. Bring your own if you’d like. And come see your girl behind the bar.

Same MG. Same Central.

New chapter, even if it’s very temporary. Let’s have some fun with it. 🍷🖤

09/03/2026

A VIEW FROM MY ROSE-TINTED GLASSES. 🌹✨

Okay, fine. It’s actually just out the window of the second floor of the hotel, where I have actually showered for the second day in a row. We are calling that self care round here! Watch out, world.

No less magical. 🤣🖤

But TODAY is the day, people.

Seafood Night is back, Fish Fry is happening, and Central is officially going BYOB. 🍤🐟🍷

Starting tonight, bring your favorite beer, wine or spirits along with you and come hang out with us.

And because we are apparently incapable of doing anything completely normal around here, tonight is also officially SEAFOOD & SANGRIA NIGHT — with one complimentary glass of sangria on us. 🍷✨

Yes, there are a few BYOB rules. Nothing wild: you must be 21+, bring valid ID, drink responsibly, and a small corkage/handling fee will apply while we figure out this new little chapter together.

Same Central. Just a little different for now.

And speaking of different…

See that barn sitting out back in this photo? 👀

Welllllll… we got the official certificate. 🍷✨

Starting tomorrow, the crew from Kulpmont Winery @ Ol Country Barn will be setting up out back in the barn with wine tastings, wine by the glass and bottles available for purchase.

FRIDAY • 4–8 PM
SATURDAY • 12–8 PM
SUNDAY • 4–7 PM — during our Customer Appreciation Event!

COME HUNGRY. 😏

Central will be handling the food, Kulpmont Winery & Wine Favorsllc @ Ol' Country Barn will be handling the wine, and that old country barn we’ve been staring at for years is finally getting a little action.

And this is only the beginning.

If you’re a winery, brewery or distillery interested in partnering with us out back while we work through our pending liquor-license renewal inside the hotel, shoot us a message. We’d love to fill you in on what we’re building and talk about how you might fit into it.

Because apparently when life hands Central a plot twist, we build another damn adventure.

Oh — and stay tuned for tomorrow’s announcement about Friday’s new look, because we are definitely not done yet.

Tonight:
Seafood.
Fish fry.
Sangria.
BYOB.
A weird old hotel at the foot of North Mountain doing what it does best.

Figuring it out and having one heck of a good time while we do. 🖤

09/01/2026

Afternoon Office Vibes. ☕️💻

Getting some work done while these two squeeze every last drop out of summer. 🖤

After such a wonderful night at Central last night, we are feeling especially grateful today. A packed bar, so many familiar faces, a whole lot of laughs and nothing but good vibes.

Thank you.

Reminder: we are CLOSED Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week!

I am incredibly thankful for the family, friends, staff and community who continue to offer their help, love and support while I navigate what may be one of the hardest chapters of my life thus far.

Even small gestures, like letting us come for a swim on a hot afternoon after school, truly mean more than you know.

Tonight, our staff gets together. We talk. We plan. We do what we do. After all, this is Central. 🖤

There are some changes happening around here, but there are also some pretty exciting things brewing. 😉

You all love this old bar so dang much.

And so do I. 🖤

Stay tuned. ✨

08/31/2026

WELL… MONDAY’S HERE. LET’S MAKE IT COUNT. 🍗🍹

Wing Night is ON tonight at Central — and we’ve got some pretty damn good food & drink specials to go with it.

💖 $5 BACKWOODS BARBIES
A little Sweet. A little country. And dangerously easy to drink. 🙃

🍗 WING NIGHT
Grab your favorite sauce, order something cold from the bar and settle in. If you haven’t tried Leanda’s secret recipe garlic parm, you really should.

While I have ya - We’re gearing up for some big changes around here this week — some temporary, some experimental, and some we probably haven’t even figured out yet. 😂

But that’s a problem for Future Central.

Today? We’ve got wings to fry and $5 Barbies to drink.

Come see us at the foot of North Mountain. 💃🖤✨

Central Park Hotel

09/08/2026

09/07/2026

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

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08/31/2026

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