Farewell Philadelphia! Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Dearest among beloved American Cities,
Philadelphia, I love you! You are so pretty! I love your location between three rivers the river and the Delaware, Schuylkill, and the Wissahickon. You are so sparkly and central. You figure prominently in history. Yet, I suspect the BEST is YET to come! We can all learn a lot from a visit to you, Love. You are one of the oldest, yet active, and powerful of American cities. Yet you still have fresh stories to tell and your are as inviting as a young lady in her best attire.
I dig your art museums. I was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, not too long ago with Mr. Ron Schira, (the artist/art critic is attending Art Miami Basel 2012 with the Talkinggrid) and Mr. Goings. I am looking forward to visiting the Rodin Museum, once it emerges from the stupor of restoration. Also on my list of places to visit is The Institute of Contemporary Art, the ICA, which is a part of Penn State University and is said to be an “muy importante,” location. Because they showed Andy Warhol and Laurie Anderson’s work at pivotal junctions in their careers, among other notable art mega-stars.
Oh MY GOODNESS, Philadelphia, you are a seriously RICH BEE-ACH! So much innovation! So much history! You have the most amazing wealth of educational options for children and adults a like. Moreover, you open yourself up to exploration. You are easy to navigate. In nearly every corner of the city’s easy walking grid, there are trains, buses, taxis, boisterous yet self contained street seers, and mingling among other modes of cosmic and mundane public transportation, which might take one as easily from one fold in the universe to the next university. It is remarkable. The possibilities!
YOU have that fabulous sixty mile park of uninterrupted bike path, a wooded joy. The pace of the city can be almost as fast as that of my beloved Manhattan. Yet, being a little smaller and a little less crowded is a plus, in my book. Your citizens, take time to greet one another, polite in the minor interactions.
Philadelphia!
Thank you so much, I spent four days here, exploring just a little of your riches. I stayed at the Embassy Suites in the Center City. It was a great location. The staff was friendly and helpful. The room was vast by New York City or Los Angeles standards. They served a wonderfully greasy breakfast, which I was able to work off at their small but adequate gym! But the BEST was the open bar in the evenings, the “Manganger’s Reception,” which really made coming back to the hotel in the evenings a gemütlich experience. Philadelphia invites walking. Thus, I was able to walk and on my first night evening in town I walked all the way to Society Hill. They have a great art house movie theater, The Ritz, that is very inviting. (They were playing “Lincoln,” starring Daniel Day Lewis––an excellent actor I once or twice had the pleasure of meeting, while living with friends in Dublin Ireland’s famous Balls Bridge, area, by the way, the film tickets were sold out.) The selection of movies was great. It even included, a Landmark Theater’s exclusive, “A Royal Affair”, a costume romance drama. I love those films before Christmas!
I also found a perfect restaurant for a single (married) lady to enjoy a fine glass of deep RED wine and some delicious tapas; the Urban Entnoteca. The service was appropriate and the wine was meaty. When the bill came I felt I’d been treated fairly. I’d recommend this spot any day.
A Day later, I was a-washed in delight. Strolling down past Logan Circle. The Swann Memorial Its water spewing monumentally scaled river frogs, swans and gigantic personifications of the three rivers that distinguish the city, pulsating with joy. Water spraying invitation, over the printed words “NO SWIIMMING,” it is a Philadelphia tradition to take a dip in the fountain during the hot summer months and I promise myself to return and baptize myself in the water spray, soon!
I missed visiting LOVE Park, But I am sure to return to Philadelphia so that I can make a sketch of the famous public sculpture by Robert Indiana! Ah! (I have a digital video, companion piece to these musings, which I promise to post almost immediately, but first the piece requires a requires a light edit.)
The AUTUMN colors were out in FULL GLORY this year! The bright golden yellow leaves stood in high contrast to the burnt burgundy of the Japanese maples. My goodness, what beauty driving to the main-line suburbs on Saturday. The streets were packed as a mini-marathon was underway. People everywhere wearing smiles of anticipation. The festivities had real energy. I’d have love to join the runners and participate in the half marathon.
In general, I find the people a nice blend urbane kindness and proper conduct. These are people used to the real spread of possibility. They know that it takes all kinds of folks to make the world go round and they are actively pushing for it to spin at just the right speed. Here, in Philadelphia there is a feeling that American history is positively alive. Many streets are labeled with wonderful placards that give you a nutshell account of the historic import of the block you NOW walk on. Any kid, of any age, with a curious mind will feel at home in this wonderful and inviting town.
On Sunday afternoon, I walked to meet my ART pals, Ola Mañana and La Suzy of California, for a trip to the Barnes Foundation. (I will leave the controversy to be covered by the authoritative Ms. Mañana. She is working on providing solid coverage with the full scoop of truth we all crave.) They came in from Brooklyn and Manhattan to me ME! Frau Kolb!
After we HIT the Barnes Museum. We gals strolled over to the public library. Ms. Mañana wanted to check out the Dickens exhibit. So, we popped into the building and She was like a child getting an favorite treat. WE LOVE OLA’s enthusiasm for LIFE and Charles Dickens is her absolute favorite. Sweetheart, that SHE is!
Next we swaggered over to Whole Foods. Roasted Chicken, organic salad, prepared corn, and other goodies including the most wonderful selection of Big Dipper Beeswax travel candles which I depend on for creating just the right atmosphere in any location. We chose “Rapture,” and “Harmony.” I am writing with “Vitality,” lit as I do most early mornings (I get up before five am everyday (almost) to update the site). Later I will blow it out in favor of “Clarity,” for the briefest of edits before I post this little THANK YOU note to the city of Philadelphia for being so beautiful, inspiring, and ART RICH!
The climax and finale of the quick trip into Philadelphia’s many culinary offerings was a delicious raw OYSTER BLOW OUT at Parc, on Ritten Square. The briny medium to small delights were scarfed down with French Champagne, of course. Making my time in Philadelphia, just before the holidays, 2012, a perfect launch for the Holiday Season!
Darling ol’ girl YOU are my kind of town. I shall return!
Love,
Frau