New music discovery

Just discovered Florence and the Machine, via the good folks at KCRW. She's obviously still in the primordial stage, but we'll definitely be hearing from her again for quite some time. Here she is out-Candi-ing Candi Staton in Brighton:

Catching up

Let's see if we can get this thing moving again.

The other moral majority

Intriguing piece in today's Wall Street Journal about the emergence of the "religious left". Mike Lindsey calls it a "seismic shift". Seems more like a natural progression - and it will be interesting to see the degree to which Dobson's opposition to cutting greenhouse gas emissions will further marginalize his group from mainstream evangelical politics.

Random sighting

Jemaine Clement, at the New York Public Library, yesterday. Perhaps doing some research for his next role?

36 Hours in Philly

Spur of the moment trip to Philadelphia last Thursday, as the Missus and I are wont to do. We decided to take advantage of the “Spontaneous Suite” deal at La Reserve, a converted 19th century mansion in Rittenhouse Square. If you go mid-week, within seven days of reserving, you get the high-end room for the low-end price. Good stuff. We stayed in the Saratoga suite, well appointed with old-style Philadelphia furniture like this writing desk:


…but also with plenty of modern amenities, including a built-in television and cabinet and modern kitchenette.

We spent most of Thursday afternoon at the National Constitution Center, where we took in their exhibit on the life of Napolean. Very well-done, and thankfully (at least when we were there) absent the unruly crowds that can mar a traveling exhibit such as this. The curators did quite a good job in detailing the Bonaparte family’s relationship to the United States (as a boy, Napolean was an ardent student of our revolution, and he later discussed the possibility of self-exile in the States after Waterloo. And who knew who his brother, the King of Spain, was once a Jersey Boy?). The artifacts, including the only surviving decorative wall crest from his 1802 coronation at Notre Dame, and several maps from his military campaigns, truly illuminated the mix of militarist and megalomaniac that was Napolean.

The Constitution Center itself was a new discovery for me, my never having gone there on the countless school field trips taken to Independence Mall over the years. It’s a great looking building, with a hell of a front lawn, as seen here:


We started our tour with a multimedia presentation on the history of the Constitution – going back to the Articles of Confederation and running right through the recent debates about immigration and gay marriage. The presentation was held in a mini-amphitheatre in the center of the Guggenheim-esque exhibit hall, where everything from original copies of the Constitution to Sandra Day O’Connor’s black robe bring the nation’s jurisculture (yes, it’s a word. ‘Cause I say so.) alive. We kind of breezed through, but I definitely want to return and take a slower walk through the exhibits on another day.

We headed back toward Center City with the intention of catching a free performance of the famous Wannamaker organ at Macy’s, but alas, that evening’s show was preempted by a fashion event of some sort. Deciding we’d return in the morning, we headed off to Reading Terminal Market, heaven for any culinary enthusiast. In another economy, we’d have loaded up on the fish, fruit, pasta, and pastries, but alas, we were relegated to window shopping. No matter.

Back at La Reserve, our hostess recommended Di Bruno Brothers on 18th and Chestnut for groceries. The Missus is very finicky when it comes to Italian vittles, but the brothers came through. We picked up some delicious fresh shrimp lightly seasoned in Old Bay, baby arugula, and some salad dressing to add to the pasta and tomato sauce we’d brought in from Jersey. For desert, we got a…I don’t even remember what it was called. Suffice to say it was a big ol’ block of chocolate, the finishing thereof would be left to yours truly.

That evening in the Saratoga, we made great use of the kitchenette and enjoyed a dinner of shrimp and pasta while being serenaded with the sounds of “The New Adventures of Old Christine” on the television in the background.

The next morning, we enjoyed a very satisfying breakfast of our choice (I went with the French Toast. The missus went with the potato pancake), which we enjoyed with another couple from California in town for their son’s graduation from Drexel. We were also joined by a French couple who have been living in Miami for several years. The guy dragged his very accommodating lady up to see Eddie Vedder at the Tower Theatre. In return, she got a few days of sightseeing in the nation’s birthplace. We got into a very interesting discussion about the difference between French and American personalities. The young lady herself, while admitting to missing her friends and family, said the first thing she noticed over here is how much friendlier Americans are. As loathe as I am to believe the stereotypes about foreign peoples, I admit to feeling a twinge of “Yay us” at that remark.

The couple from California raved about the Barnes Foundation mansion in Merion, just outside the city, and the French couple seemed intent on seeing it before they left. We didn’t have time, but it sounds like we’ll have to check it out on our next day trip.

After breakfast, we checked out of La Reserve and wandered through Rittenhouse Square, admiring the unique architecture. I snapped this shot of a very gothic-looking house at the corner of Delancey and 18th:


I’ve always loved Philly’s narrow streets and alleyways, including this one at Waverly and 18th:


And of course I had to take the obligatory sax-player-on-the-corner shot:


We got to Rittenhouse Square, where a production company had set up shop while filming what looked to be a story about college kids in love. Or something:


After taking advantage of the improving weather in the park, we continued onto Macy’s, where we did finally enjoy a free performance of the world’s largest pipe organ:


Well, I did. The Missus was more focused on finding herself a new pair of shoes.

Seriously, though, this is one of Philadelphia’s semi-hidden gems. The original Wannamaker’s Department Store, which Macy’s now occupies, was truly a temple for the worship of free enterprise. And right smack dab in the Center Court, surrounded by soaring Corinthian columns, John Wannamaker installed this pipe organ to entertain the masses (or at least give the husbands and boyfriends something to do while the ladies did their thing in Housewares.) It remains one of the truly “only-in-Philadelphia” experiences.






Afterward, we crossed the street to City Hall for another “only-in-Philadelphia” experience (and number 1 on Pop Culture Casualty’s list of 15 things to do in Philly before December 31st). For five dollars, you (along with three other people, at a time), can ride the elevator up to the top of the tower from which William Penn has lorded over his domain since 1901. Best five bucks I've ever spent. Having been to the top of the Sears, the Empire State, the CN, and the Hancock, I can say that Philly's City Hall has them all beat by a mile. Unlike the aforementioned, you can actually see the city from the observation deck. No little mouse taxis or ant busses crawling through the urban maze, nor panoply of air conditioners and water towers shrouded in the summer haze. Nope. This thing has a real live view! Here's a shot I took of Broad Street looking south:


And you get a much closer view of the imposing Mr. Penn as well:


He seems to be saying, "'Sup Phillies fans!"

With only four people allowed up at a time, you'll have to reserve a spot early and then occupy yourself for what may be a couple of hours. The upside, though, is that you pretty much have what feels like the top of the world all to yourself - at least for 15 minutes.

Back down on terra firma, we headed over to JFK Plaza, aka Love Park, where we got in line to take a shot in front of the famous Robert Indiana sculpture. While waiting, I snapped this shot of a very enthusiastic group of modeling students from one of the nearby schools doing their best J. Crew pose:


After we got our own shot taken in front of the sculpture, I decided to take the Missus (again, an expert on culinaria Italia) down to the famous 9th Street Italian Market about which I'd read so much for some lunch. I figured, "If she dug Reading Terminal, she'll love this place!" When will I learn?

Alas, despite the unique layout and great opportunities for people watching, the market left her unimpressed. Perhaps the Di Bruno Brothers, ironically founded on 9th and Christian, set the bar too high with their Rittenhouse locale. Oh well. It was an interesting walk through a real Philly neighborhood at least:


Getting hungrier by the minute, we zoomed back up Broad Street...


...then, in the madness that is the Center City parking spot search, somehow wound up on the Franklin Parkway...


...before finding one of those "you don't have to pay after 6" spots in front of the Troc. Having missed lunch, we were now in search of dinner and ambled through Center City before stumbling upon the ingeniously named Italian Bistro on Broad, near Walnut. It wasn't Lydia's, but for two hungry travelers with Lydia's taste but dressed for Burger King, it was a real find. I went with the lobster ravioli:


...while the Missus went with her favorite - homemade gnocchi:


"Delizioso!" on both fronts, and the bill left us enough to cover the tolls back north. So we bid adieu to the City of Brotherly Love - well-fed, well-traveled, and well-inspired for our next visit.

Twitter's growing pains

Excellent piece here on the Twitter phenomenon. I'm still skeptical. All of the information we had to sift through before just to separate the wheat from the chaff. Now this? I'll probably wait for the next generation.

Same story, different continent

Even if you are abstractly aware of the global ramifications of the economic crisis, Alex Hay's article for Reuters on the shrinking middle class in Spain does a good job of highlighting the degree to which we're all in this together. The anecdotes about soup kitchens and foreclosures, in particular, are depressingly familiar.