home again home again

I went home to VA last week (albeit briefly) and forgot to have any sweet tea. Sacrilege, I know. But I did have Chesapeake Bay steamed crabs, and encountered beach traffic on I-95 both Friday and Saturday. So 2 out of 3 summer rituals in Virginia were successfully upheld. Thanks to my parents who are probably reading this with their new and exciting broadband.

We're about to get a grocery store right by my office. It's slated to open later this month (probably when all the students come back). My excitement can hardly be contained, because it means an end to the weekly Rite Aid trips. These usually culminate with bags of hot fries for me, pork rinds for my colleague, and too much chocolate and/or soda. This week, we had a taste testing of the new Sour Patch kids in fruit shapes. I'm hanging my head in shame as I write this. Once Fresh Grocer opens, there shall be healthier lunches and snacks around here. I will need to vacate my desk around September when the new AmeriCorps person comes in. Right now, the top middle drawer holds office supplies, the bottom right drawer contains files and important documents, and the top right drawer is home to my snack collection and extra plastic bags I keep meaning to recycle.

If you just read the above paragraph, you may realize that a new AmeriCorps person will be starting here in September, meaning that I am no longer in AmeriCorps. My term ended two weeks ago and it hasn't really hit me yet. I'm still doing the same basic things (teaching summer programs to middle schoolers, helping out with the home visiting paperwork, living in the same place, etc.). I'm waiting for it all to sink in: no more member meetings, no capacity building sessions to plan, no Dexter St. parties or cookouts, many fewer rides on the last bus home. Sigh.

Overheard in Philadelphia Potpourri

"You want some fries with that shake?" - 11 year old boys across the street from me up at Fern Rock station. I never thought I would actually hear these words uttered in any measure of seriousness.

"I just wanted to let you ladies know that you are smelling good and looking fine. Mmm yes." - Girard Ave., 9PM. My only scent that evening was Secret antiperspirant, so only part of this compliment could possibly apply to me.

"It's like when you go in your room. What do you do? You close the door." - 12-year-old in one of my classes describing the act of fertilization in an example his friend could understand. The sperm shutting the door to the egg so that no other sperm may enter, for those of you who were unclear.

"Oh, I love Harrisonburg!" - lead singer of Perkasie after I gushed about seeing them last summer at Blue Nile (they'll be playing there again soon). I got to see them on Sunday at the XPoNential Music Festival and am now even more in love with Peter Bjorn & John, among others.

The best Philly commerical I've seen yet, featuring the Phanatic and a Butterscotch Krimpet. Magical.

Then there's this less magical story about one of my favorite South Philly spots, the mermaid fountain. Way to go, Fumo.

running & walking

Philadelphia has inspired me to run again. Of course, I live in the hilliest part of the city, so this may not have been the best athletic decision on my part. It is happening nonetheless as I roughly follow the Couch-to-5K plan. I skipped ahead a little (the former track runner in me needed less walking and more sprinting) and I am running two miles straight on week 5. Perhaps I will end my triumphant completion of 3.1 miles by running up the art museum's steps, Rocky style. Probably not.

Several college friends have visited me here, each with varying degrees of touristy activities in our itinerary. I think Greg P's wins for walking distance, though:

We took the bus from my place to center city around 11AM, getting off at 19th and Chestnut, then walked to Rittenhouse to eat our Wawa breakfast (no food or drink on the bus). We then walked around City Hall and Love Park before heading to Chinatown (10th and Arch). We wanted dim sum and mistakenly believed the restaurant called 'Dim Sum Garden' would have what we were craving. Not so. We decided to order a duck entree (I have frequent duck cravings), and several small appetizers of dumplings and buns. We unknowingly ordered Xiao Long Bao, or Shanghai soup dumplings and managed to eat them successfully, which entails poking them with your chopstick and letting some of the soup drain out so that you don't scald your tongue when biting into them.

We had many leftovers and dropped them off at a friend's office refridgerator, only after a trip to CVS for blister pads. I wore the wrong shoes for city gallavanting, that's for sure. We then took a bus from Broad over to 22nd (only 8 blocks but I was in pain) to visit the Mutter Museum. Fetuses in jars, horns growing from heads, and a special exhibit on conjoined twins. After this, it was cocktail hour at Continental in Old City. They were premiering their new martini menu and I had a couple on the sweeter side. There was also partaking of the cheesesteak spring roll, a Philadelphia classic. Then we strolled down to South St., purchased a new pair of sandals for my aching feet, and met up with relatives at Gnocchi, a delightful cash-only Italian BYOB on Passyunk which has a killer recession special.

Total walking distance throughout the day was around 4 miles, give or take. I managed to cross the Mutter off of my 'Philly Bucket List', too. Not bad for a Monday. Pictures of other visitors and happenings (The Roots Picnic on my birthday weekend, happy hours galore, and more) to come.

Philadelphia tourism

Lacking a degree in marketing, I can only guess what runs through the minds of those that try to visually persuade visitors to this fair city. But a writeup in Budget Travel was only the start. I present to you:

Feel the Love, which will make you wonder if Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross ever did hook up. They had an open casting for this one (show up with a partner) and it obviously took over Love Park right before Valentine's Day.

With Love, Philadelphia, XOXO, the newest campaign from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Campaign (that's a mouthful). I've been in the habit of writing love letters to the city of Philadelphia, but certainly wasn't expecting any to come back my way.

36 Hours in Philadelphia, because even New York wants to give us props.

Coming soon: my own personal photographic ad campaign to get more visitors (that I know) to Philadelphia. Not being versed in Photoshop, it will solely involve me putting up more photos.

the sounds of Philadelphia

Em after giving some money to an amazing busker on Broad St. one Friday night












Of Montreal at the Trocadero, 4/22












And there was Drake at the Tritone, PFUNKT at the North Star Bar, jazz combos at my restaurant on Wednesdays, and now outdoor festivals in the parks. Plus Andrew Bird, Jenny Lewis, Metric, and the Roots Picnic all coming soon. My Woodstock-attending father would be so proud. I love living in a city that houses so many venues for music, art, and creativity. Even when it's the side of buildings, like the Mural Arts Program.

other reasons to love Philadelphia

So, Budget Travel (which I am not yet a regular reader of) published a story of their 25 Reasons to Love Philadelphia here. I've already covered some of their favorites (Halloween's "Terror Behind the Walls" at Eastern State Penitentiary, photos of Elfreth's Alley from my August tourist tour, the epic cheesesteak battle, my immense love for Rittenhouse Square at Christmas or in warm weather). But now is the time to conquer the rest, especially visiting Bartram's Garden, kayaking the Schuylkill, and art viewing at The Barnes Foundation. Fortunately, I have already purchased many a 1/4 lb. of cheese at DiBruno Brothers (the enormous Rittenhouse location is my food mecca even more than Whole Foods), eaten at a Jose Garces restaurant (Tinto, his Basque-inspired outpost), and stuffed myself with the many delightful flavors of Capogiro Gelato.

As for sports superstitions, the Flyers lost in the playoffs. Is it wrong that I'm now rooting for the Caps?

Coming up this weekend: Winterthur Point-to-Point, the Delawarean answer to the Kentucky Derby, Charlottesville's Foxfields Races, and Richmond's Strawberry Hill Races. All of which are partially an excuse to get dressed up, wear a big hat, and consume alcohol very early on in the day. Thank goodness this tradition is not limited to the South.