Last of Philadelphia Adventure.

Continuing on the great Philadelphia Adventure of 2008, Tim and I found my phone at the rental car place and navigated the SEPTA rail to get to the downtown area. It was like instant Boston nostalgia on the commuter rail. Hot, smelly, waiting impatiently, but yet, so miss-able! We found our hotel in the same building as the SEPTA stop, RIGHT downtown. So we went out to explore, randomly finding a free, outdoor, Boyz II Men concert before Independence Day fireworks. So we walked around some more, not needing to recreate the mid 90s boy band, but wanting to see the fireworks. Torrential downpour right before the show wasn't awesome, but we stayed planted at our on-ramp location, and saw lots of colorful explosions before walking back to the hotel for the night.

Sunday, we arose early to walk to the Franklin Institute and saw this sweet Pirate exhibit. We saw 400 year old rope that looked like it was made yesterday. We saw the leg bone of a 10 year old pirate boy. It was insane, and made me want to hunt for pirate ships! We went through the rest of the museum, and I was tuckered out by noon! We walked back to Reading Terminal Market, which I have come to describe as Faneuil Hall on crack. At least 50 stalls of food and produce and awesomeness. And I got the beloved cheese steak I have been dreaming about for over a year. Then we found this crazy side museum called the Mutter Museum, which is basically a museum of medical oddities. Its super small, and attached to a university, but its weird skeletons and cadavers and just creepy weird stuff. The first floor of room one alone is enough to make me NEVER want to be a doctor. After a stop at Trader Joe's (despite our hatred for it, we cant afford to eat out EVERY meal), we dropped the food off at the hotel and walked through Sketchyville to Edgar Allen Poe's residence and national site. I got a stamp in my book (see KC entry for explanation) and took a tour. The basement was RIDIC creepy. It POURED rain as we were leaving, but it was at least a 45 minute walk, so we tried taking the bus and ended up waiting half an hour for the wrong bus, getting mildly soaked under the bus stop. We had signed up for a haunted ghost tour that night, and while the driver was smart, it wasn't really scary. It was more just historic, but still not too shabby. I just like the scary stuff, and tour drivers named Anthraxicon. All in all, a good and LONG day.

Somehow we got up the next day by 8 to head to Independence Hall. Did the tour of the big touristy place, saw the Liberty Bell, and headed to the Constitution Center. Walking up the sidewalk, Tim completely randomly spotted my grandparents also going to the Center. We joined them in going through the Center, but then split ways so we could go to lunch at DiNardos. We love ourselves some yummy seafood. Christ Church was next, it was a walk in, walk out, and yet, in walking out, SURPRISE! pouring rain. We said screw it and just ran awning to awning until we made it back to the hotel. Since the rain never let it up, we decided to grab a bus to the King of Prussia mall. REALLY big mall, only we didn't know that it took an hour to get there until we were on the bus. Oh well. Did some shopping, ate some Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, shopped more, and got CPK to go, holding it on our laps the whole way home. After that, we called it a day.

Tuesday was awesome. We slept until 10, did shopping at Foster's (the coolest kitchen store ever), ate at Reading Market, and basically had a lazy morning. Took a bus and walked to the Eastern State Pennitentary. This place could have an entire entry to itself. It was different than I imagined. None of it has been touched since the closure of the penn in the early 70s. Paint is chipped, metal is rusted, cells are collapsed. It is destructive beauty. Everywhere you turn is another picture of despair colliding with nature and art. Undescribable.

I highly suggest it to everyone before it gets restored for safety reasons. It also had a high creepster level. Im not one to go all ghosts and ghoulies, but this place had a vibe that gave us the chills. Especially in certain areas. It was just a place that could be felt and not just seen. After we spent several hours there, we took the bus to the infamous Rittenhouse Square. Nothing too special. It was very Newbury Street. Nice shops and such. Dinner at Reading Terminal (in case you didn't notice, we liked it a lot). The evening was very chill. Watched Alien on my laptop, some trash tv, relaxation was the key of the night. We also had to decide about the next day. We had wanted to hit up the Philly Zoo, but it was just so hot, and we had a plane to catch, it just wasn't worth it. And somehow, we ended up watching Gang shows on CNBC until 2am. We're dorks.

Our final day was a partial day, we slept in again since we had nowhere to rush to. Checked out, and took the SEPTA to UPenn (*sigh public transportation). Our destination was the Archeology and Anthropology Museum. Tim liked it more than I did, but I have been spoiled in the past by European massive museums. We spent a little time there, not much though, and went back downtown for our last meal at our favorite place, the market. Back to the hotel for the shuttle to the airport. It was kinda sucky, Tim and I had the same flight from Philly to Minneapolis, but then we separated ways there and I flew in to Waterloo while he flew into Cedar Rapids. But we both got home before midnight!

And that is the end of my blathering on and on about anything Philadelphia. I promise :)

Philadelphia Family Reunion 2008

Most people don't enjoy their family reunions. Especially when they really don't know any of the people that will be there, remember their names, or even know how they are related to them. I, however, was giddy about this past 4th of July so I could fly out with my mom and brother (Tim joined the next day) to Pennsylvania to attend the Roskamp Family Reunion. My mom and I went to the one five years ago, and I have been enamored since. Something about the place (Thomas Mill Farms, a huge property with a wheel house, gardener house, bamboo forrest, EVERYTHING) and all the people around eating and drinking. Its like people watching heaven.

Despite my mother having boarding pass issues in Waterloo (the worst airport on the planet, everyone there has a MAJOR power trip), we arrived in time for the barbecue by the creek. It was rather awkward when people think that my brother is my husband. I know they haven't seen Chris since he was a baby, or met Tim ever, but still, creepy ew. The first night is always the weirdest because you have no idea who anyone is and being introduced to 50 people all at once leaves little chance to actually remember anyone's names let alone relation. Add about 10 glasses of wine and beer PER person, and you have a mental mesh of mayhem!

The next day (Happy Independence Day!), we picked up Tim in a nearby town that has an Amtrak. Wayne, PA is the cutest most perfect town. An array of unique restaurants. A quirky mix of shops down a neat and tidy main street. An old time movie theater. And more yoga studios than I have ever seen in a ten mile radius. Adorable. Back at the Mills, we got a private tour of the bamboo forrest in the backyard. It was so in the middle of nowhere and random, it was like you stepped into a story book, with a panda hanging out just around the corner. These things are a lot of chillin out, on one of the many porches and decks or dens that they have. That afternoon, Tim and I were doing such with my grandma when the lady of the house asked us to make a liquor store run for her. We figured out that we were the designated runners because everyone else in the house old enough to have a license, was too buzzed at 2pm to drive to the store to get the "largest bottles you can find" of Jack Daniels and Grey Goose. THESE are the people you want to party with. Remember, that 60% are over 70, and 90% are over 40. And of course, only hours later was cocktail hour by the pool before the Independence Day BBQ feast. Its ridiculous what these people have catered. 3 ten foot long tables full of food. Gourmet food. Plus an ice cream bar with at least 10 different kinds of toppings. Insane. But delightful! Then come the embarrassing family stories about how my great aunt was born due to a pastor recommending birth control. And how she was almost named Iowa. Top it all off with a private fire works show, with several nearly killing people by shooting off the wrong way, and you have a grand Fourth of July!

That last day that my mother and brother were in town, the four of us drove to Amish country. The Amish culture has fascinated me since I was very little. I dont know why really, I have absolutely no desire to live in that manner, but I just find it most intriguing. So anytime I have the chance to be around it, sign me up! We took the Straasburg Railroad, slightly disappointed that we didnt see more Amish countryside since it was so short. We headed through the Lancaster countryside, taking as many discrete pictures as we could, and hitting up the Amish shops at Intercourse, PA. *insert own joke here* (no pun intended). Back at the Mills, our final Reunion activity was to witness the Family Talent Show. Most acts involved the little kids doing gymnastics or singing. But the top two acts were several of the older women singing about Menopause. And my personal favorite, my straight laced grandfather and his brothers, dressed up like the Beatles, lip syncing "I wanna hold your hand." Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6F8fAXOGz8 We were all crying with laughter. And after that, we rushed my mom and brother off to the airport to say goodbye. And of course, on the shuttle between the car rental and airport, I cant find my cell phone. So we have a rapid good bye as Tim and I go in search for it and start our own Philadelphia Phenomenon!

Patriotic Day in a Patriotic Town!

I am a planner, I always have been. Ask to see my wedding planning binder. It was over 3 inches thick. I get a little obcessive. Which is why I am confused about the die down of excitement over my next trip.

My grandpa's brother is ridiculously wealthy and is hosting a family reunion this year on his property near Philadelphia over the 4th of July. My mom and I went to the last one almost a decade ago, and plan on going to this years. Then Tim would be in DC for a wedding that same weekend, and it boiled down to the idea that he would join us for the reunion after the rehearsal dinner and after the weekend of festivities, we would spend several days in Philadelphia by ourselves.



I got ridiculously excited and started researching everything there is to do in Philly. I bought a book and everything. I went crazy. There were several intineraries, time schedules, address spreadsheets, website spreadsheets. I went crazy with planning. Tim and I both are pretty into historical sites and things, so Philadelphia is a perfect mini trip for us. Plus, we both miss Boston something fierce, and being back in a real city again will feel a little bit more like being back. But as time grew closer, I got less and less into it, almost completely forgetting that we were going.

Those that know me, know that packing is one of my favorite things to do. Something about preparing for something exciting and new is just enjoyable to me, and I usually start the process at least a week in advance. I just finished my packing list for this trip about five minutes ago. We leave tomorrow, bright and early. It's a strange feeling for me, being unready to go.

But at least I have the plan all laid out for when we get there. That's got to count for something, right?



Things we plan on seeing/doing in Philadelphia:
Lancaster County (I love Amish almost more than planning!)
Franklin Science Museum
Mutter Museum (its a museum of medical marvels)
Edgar Allen Poe's House
Philadelphia Ghost Tour
Reading Terminal (this locale alone will add ten pounds to my belly)
Independence Hall/Consitution Center/Liberty Bell
Christ Church
US Mint
Philadelphia Zoo
King of Prussia Mall
Eastern State Penn

All of that in a matter of four days. But with my planning, we can do it! I have always been a proponent of vacations to places like this aren't for too much relaxation. If you want to relax, go to somewhere where there is nothing but nature and a lodge with a spa.

But Number One on the list of things to do in Philly...