A Taste of Philadelphia

Yesterday was a day of fun on the sun, I mean...in the sun (it was quite the scorcher).  Anyway, my friend, Christina, and I decided to go to Philadelphia to experience Penn’s Landing for a “Taste of Philadelphia.”  After unsuccessfully waiting for Winston to use the wilderness as a restroom and putting him back in the house, we were on our way.  Oh, Winston is the dog my friend is currently dog-sitting (yes, people do get paid to live in someone’s house for a period of time and sit and watch their dog).  We took a few detours on the way including pulling into the Emergency Room of Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (completely unintentional) and made many U-turns due to one-way streets.  We ended up parking in the Dave & Buster’s parking garage for $11- not bad...could be worse.  

Getting to see the outfits and ensembles people put together was definitely worth the far walk to Penn’s Landing.  Some people were perfectly put together from matching handbags to flip-flops to shirts and shorts.  Color-coordinated and all.  Other people were not so put-together.  One woman didn’t seem to realize her dress was falling off of her body as she pushed a child in a stroller and 3 other littles ones held on to keep up and not get lost in the crowd.  It’s interesting to see people’s style choices, such as sneaker wedges, tie-dye (a personal pet peeve of mine), and even a lack of undergarments.  

Once we bought our tickets, we were free to get a taste of various foods from many restaurants of Philadelphia.  I chose to get sausage and peppers from Mama Maria’s, a pork quesadilla with mushrooms and not-so-mild mild sauce from Taquitos de la Puebla, and a refreshing water ice from Auntie Anne’s that turned my mouth a beautiful blue for the much of the night.  It was fulfilling to eat a couple of different things instead of one big dish of the same thing.  

After we ate, we sat on a cement ledge with some of Christina’s friends and listened to some music by “Morris Day and the Time.”  We people-watched and saw laughing, dancing, and even witnessed an awkward fight where the couple ended up standing 15 feet apart, most likely texting each other.  We also tried not to laugh as we continually saw some people trip over a cobblestone that stuck out of the walkway.  It was directly in front of where we were sitting so we couldn’t help but watch most people subconsciously lift up their foot as they walked past it and others walk directly into it and catching themselves, while trying to keep their cool.  As no one got seriously hurt, it was quite entertaining to watch.  It reminded my friend and me of that show, “What Would You Do?”  Should we have acted as an orange cone and stood there so people wouldn’t trip?  We’ll leave that question unanswered for now.

Before the fireworks began, a man from KYW came up to us and interviewed us asking about our experience.  As I tried to sound like a natural, I’m pretty sure people mistook me for a child talking about how I like all the colors and shapes of the fireworks.  Christina kicked herself after she said she thought the music was okay, but nothing you could dance to and then realized tons of people were dancing up a storm closer to the stage, which wasn’t in our line of sight.  The firework show was filled with what I said in the interview- great colors and shapes.  Although, I don't think it has anything on the show down at the art museum on the 4th of July.

We ended the night at a bar in Olde City called “National Mechanics.” (Pictured on the right).  It was different.  There were all sorts of people there and “decorations,” I guess you could say, including a head of a dog (not a real one) against the wall with a wig.  Weird.  The pineapple margaritas (with regular tequila, not the jalapeno tequila it suggested) we drank were quite salty, but still tasty.  Some of the wrist-slitting music I could’ve done without, but for the most part, it was pretty interesting and compelling.  

All in all, it was an enjoyable adventure, doing something different on a Saturday- and getting a “Taste of Philadelphia” in many different senses of the word.      

Change it Up

Ever find yourself doing the same thing over and over and over?  Something that you sometimes think- "this isn't too bad" and then you come to realize that it actually does get old and you can get sick of it?  Well, don't let that happen!

Everyday I try to change up my routine just to make it not so routine.  Instead of taking the same roads out of your neighborhood, make a left instead of a right (unless it takes you to a dead end of course).  Don't do the same exact things when you get home from work.  Go for a run or a skip even instead of going to the gym.  Eat dinner in the family room instead of the kitchen (as long as you don't ruin the furniture).  Stop at that cute little shop you've always been meaning to get to, but claimed you never had time.  Keep life interesting.

My boyfriend is a perfect example of how to change it up.  Instead of going to the same restaurants and doing the same things, he keeps things exciting.  Last night, for example, we were going out to eat and he wouldn't tell me where we were going, but he was reading directions so I knew he had something in mind. After driving for a half hour, passing things I've never seen before, and ending up in the wilderness, we found ourselves at the Tiki Bar.  It's a summertime restaurant at Spring Mountain where you cook your own food!  To the left is a picture of the alligator kabobs he ate (yum!).

We experienced some outdoor dining (and cooking) at the bottom of a mountain that I've only ever seen covered in snow, skiers, and snowboarders on their butts.  We also drank a delicious drink called a Hurricane in which they rang a bell every time someone ordered one.  It was quite entertaining and enjoyable.

Tonight, instead of sitting at the table and writing, I sat on the steps and typed away- in the dark.  Yep, some people might think it's weird, but it gave me a different outlook.  So whether it be a task at work, how you get to work, or even what you do in preparation for a night's sleep...think about changing it up.  It's time travel down that road you pass by every single day.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll find a nice garden that you'll enjoy going to from time to time.  Embrace spontaneity and try new things!

And when you think you're stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over, just think- some people don't even have the freedom of having a routine.  So change it up when you can and be thankful for the opportunities you have because it could be worse.