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.

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. 

Dos Segundos

We were a bit indecisive on determining where we wanted to eat for Sunday brunch. While driving around Northern Liberties we saw a sign that said "Brunch Everyday." We parked and took our chances. We are glad we did. We've seen this place many times but have never eaten here. It's located in a nice spot close to Rustica Pizza, North Bowl, The Standard Tap, and The Foodery. The place has a nice, airy feel to it. The food is amazing. Alana had a well-portioned  steak salad that included avocado, almonds, oranges, radishes, and carne asada, among other delicious ingredients. I had the huevos rancheros El Segundo-style. Instead of English muffins, the eggs were on a cornbread base. Alana had a mojito which she said was iced down, but good. Sticking to my ritual, I had a bloody mary. It was one of the better ones I've had so far in the city. A nice touch was the Old Bay seasoning on the rim. 

The Foodery

Philadelphia has some zany regulations when it comes to alcoholic consumption. One can not buy beer in supermarkets, service stations, etc. If you want beer you have to go to a wholesale store and buy a case. (Stone's is a great place for that option, they deliver!) No six packs, no half-case. A case or larger. But wait, through some weird loophole certain stores and delis are allowed to sell individual bottles and six packs at a significant price increase. I don't understand the arcane laws, but hey, what can you do? One place that sells individual bottles is the wonderful, Foodery. They have two locations, Center City and Northern Liberties. The pictures taken are at the NoLibs location. They have an amazing selection of craft beer both local and elsewhere. The place should satisfy any beer connoisseur's palate. The only downside is that it's expensive as hell.  

Even more New York...

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More NYC

After a long night of exuberance, we went back to our hotel, the bohemian icon Hotel Chelsea. Dylan wrote "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" here! Mark Twain, O.Henry, Sid Vicious, William S. Burroughs, and Leonard Cohen all stayed or livd here. I wouldn't stay there again. Some places are better left as nostalgia. After a good night's rest we went to The Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. If you remember nothing else, remember this: TRY THE CHICAGO DOG!!! It's the best hot dog on the planet. After the hot dog, we went to the best book store in the world, Strand's. They have every book imaginable from a table devoted to Murakami to a whole section of over-sized coffee table books. Truly a mecca for book lovers. Afterwards, we went to Max Brenner's chocolate shop to have a hot cocoa and other indulgences. Here are some pics.

 Alana's brother, Brent, introduced us to the quaint Tenth Street Pourhouse. This stellar eatery, located in Center City, has some of the best breakfast options in town. Plus, there is a fine bookstore across the street and that always helps matters. 

The Memphis Taproom

A relatively new place on the Philadelphia food scene is The Memphis Taproom. We've been here twice. Both times leaving our bellies happy and full of rejoice. The initial attraction to the place was the rumor that they carried Pliny The Elder, an obscure award-winning IPA beer. (I believe voted best beer in the world by Beer Advocate). So, on that tip with ventured over and on first visit no Pliny but amazing food, especially the low-fat deep-fried pickles! On second visit,the waiter said still, no Pliny. Then the owner walks over and with a punch in the shoulder, said I'll tap the keg for you guys, now!! Elated, we downed the much sought after Pliny. Good, but best in the world? Debatable. This is a beautiful place in a not so beautiful part of town. Highly recommended.