Tuesday, May 26, 2009

carnivorous doings at Pat's







Cheez Whiz and Meat...Cheez Whiz and French Fries...more pics at Pat's.

When the tummy is a-growling a 2 A.M. a cheesesteak is in order!






Well it had to done. Sometimes you just have to give in and eat the ubiquitous cheesesteak. In an effort to quell my hunger pains Alana drove us to South Philly for a prescription of equal parts meat and cheese. Once there we had to make the choice that all Philadelphians and tourists alike must choose : Pat's or Geno's. We chose Pat's. (However, if truth be told Jim's on South Street is my favorite, and Rustica Pizza in Northern Liberties is Alana's favorite). Here are a few pics of gluttony exemplified.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy Live at The Trocadero!!






There are certain musicians one has to see before one dies. I have a small checklist of such artists. Most on the list have been checked, but the box beside Bonnie "Prince" Billy's name has remained empty. Until now. Alana saw BPB at the Trocadero in Chinatown Friday night. BPB delivered a fine, theatrical performance laced with a few older tunes, but mainly selections from his new album, Beware. The only performer I've seen that performs in a similar vein is Tom Waits. A wonderful evening to remember. Here are some pictures.

The Standard Tap






Alana and I headed over to the Northern Liberties neighborhood to meet up with our friends, Colin and Tina, at The Standard Tap. This place has to rank as one of my favorite bars/restaurants in the city. The space has a nice congenial vibe to it. A wonderful place to have drinks and dinner with friends. The food is always stellar. The fact that this place ranks as one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia, alongside more expensive fine dining establishments, is a testament to the food and atmosphere of this place. 
 

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Art Museum cont.






A few more pics of the Art Museum experience. This   Rousseau is one of Alana's personal favorites.  We also enjoyed the work of Mary Cassat.  We posted it here in honor of mothers.  We were thinking of our mothers, grandmothers and other friends and family members who are mothers.Who better to 
capture the experience between a young child and a mother than Mary Cassat?  Happy Mother's Day everyone!  

Philadelphia Art Museum






On Sunday, Alana and I visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Alana had been a few times before, but this was my first trip. Sunday is a good time to visit the museum, because the normal admission fee is waived and you can pay what you wish (our grand total was $2). The museum holds a nice, broad collection of art ranging from modern installation pieces to Picasso to medieval armor to photography. Here are some pieces that captured our eyes. I'm not sure about copyright infringement laws, so this posting, technically, might be illegal. 

Gaja Gaja






What is your favorite food? The answer to that question changed from day to day with us. However, we can now say with confidence that sushi is the unanimous winner. To cement our favorite food choice we visited a nice, little sushi joint in South Philly called Gaja Gaja that served us up some delicious rolls. Here are some pics of our feast. Notice Alana's soy sauce catastrophe. 

Monday, May 4, 2009

Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday--Madison Square Garden






Alana and I traveled to NYC this past Sunday to witness a little history in the making, Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday celebration bash. The show included over 40 musicians including the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Ani Difranco,Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, John Mellancamp, Richie Havens, Taj Mahal, Bela Fleck, Tim Robbins-the actor, Rufus Wainwright, and many, many more. The show was more than a birthday bash for Seeger, it was also a benefit for an environmental organzation called  Clearwater. The show was held at the world-renowned Madison Square Garden, a place I personally have always wanted to go to. Here are some pics of our little extravaganza.