Nature Wildlife Preserve & Buffalo Bills Bar - Day 3 in Philly

The John Heinz National Wildlife Preserve in Philly itself was a gorgeous find.  We walked about 4 miles on beautiful trails spotting turtles, herons and a couple of bald eagles.  We even saw one eagle soar off to go fishing for some food.  The Wildlife preserve is nestled between the airport and refineries. It is almost impossible to believe that one could find such a pristine, natural locale in that area.   It is worth a visit next time you are in Philly or if you reside there but have never visited.

Today, the Buffalo Bills played the hated, by our family, New England Patriots. We went to the Bills Bar, Tavern on Broad, to watch the game with other die hard, long-suffering fans.  Check out the cost of Labatt Beer!  The wings were also a special and absolutely delicious.  They actually get the sauce for the wings from Buffalo's iconic Anchor Bar.  Unfortunately, that was the high point of  the game.  Hopes were high given our 16-0 victory over the New England Patriots in their first meeting, the second week of the season. Those hopes, however, were dashed within 20 minutes.  Don't ask and we won't tell the score.

Suffice it to say that our celebration periods at the bar, during the game, were few and far between.  In the pic below, family and friends will recognize Pat, Dan, Sophia and our family friend, Ben, celebrating during one of the game's rare happy moments. My apologies for including the strange celebrating gent on the left but you know how it goes during rare exciting moments.   May the rest of our season provide many happier moments!

Finally, my thanks to Dan and Sophia for putting up with us for 2 full days and nights and showing us a great time.  The happy couple, shown here at Townsend, a spectacular French restaurant that we patronized  in East Passyunk,  will need to guarantee us a Bills victory next time we are in town..  

Philly Visit

Food and Tattoos - First Day in Philly

Pat and I arrived in Philly close to lunchtime, dropped our bags off at our son Dan's workplace, and asked about a place to eat.  Dan suggested Dizengoff, the latest venture by the owners of Zahav. Upon entering the restaurant, one sees great colors and folks sitting at communal tables eating while listening to music. The restaurant is a hole in the wall with a tiny menu of hummus with great fillings that change every day. Everything about the locale is special especially the food.  So beloved is it that when we were eating there, there was a line out the door of the restaurant and extending half way down the block.

Pat went shopping at her favorite shoe store in Philly and boy was I glad I joined her.  I was struck by the appearance of one of the salesladies there and asked if I could take her photo.  She assented.  I love the whole look: hair, outfit, smile and tattoo.  Pat bought the shoes but I got the image!

The Mural Tour - Second Day In Philly

We went on a mural tour sponsored by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts .  Upon entering the museum, I was struck by the wall of the museum.  I loved the colors and pattern.  What a great convening spot for a mural tour.  Our mural tour was led by Nancy Chen, a young docent at the museum, who delighted us with knowledgeable banter about the city and the murals for two hours!

There were some amazing murals on this tour.  One that resonated with me was the mural of Edmund Bacon, Kevin Bacon's dad.  He was the beloved head of the Philly Planning Commission. This mural depicts him overlooking the work he has helped build in Philly.  Supposedly, Kevin once said that he hoped to be as famous and respected as his dad.

Ann Northrup's 2 murals.  This first one Pride and Progress located behind the William Way Community Center providing services to the LGBTQ community was a match made in heaven.  It is a wonderful large piece depicting the pride of the gay community in Philly and the progress that had been made.  

Marc Vetri a neighbor and owner/chef of Vetri's down the street, loved Ann's work so much that he asked her to design a mural for the outside wall of his restaurant.  The photo below, a part of a Taste of Summer, shows Vetri working in his garden and about to enter his restaurant through the back alley.  This mural, like many others, livens up a drab parking lot.