center of town

975 feet of fun
On June 28th, 2007, Comcast Center became the tallest building Philadelphia, forever altering the skyline of the city. It now stands as a symbol of progress, city pride, and a high cable bill. While One Liberty Place is still my favorite building in the city, watching the 975 foot Comcast Center grow has been an obsession of mine. Its grand opening is scheduled for early June. A new era of Philadelphia begins now.

P.S. Rumors of much taller neighbor might just be in the works....here is a sneak peak
http://www.acctower.com

with gas prices today...

Don't call it a motorcycle
The vespa is very popular in Europe. I've also noticed their increased popularity in NYC as well. But in Philly I feel like there is a new one on the street every day. Are they cool? Well, at over 70 miles per gallon, I think they might be.

the door is always open on the parkway

12 years of Catholic school talking here...
Located on the parkway, the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul stands as the head church of Philadelphia's Roman Catholics. The Italian Renaissance style building, built in 1864, offers a beautiful facade along with a dramatic dome that demands attention. It is the largest church in Pennsylvania. Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass here when he visited the city in 1979. Not sure if he had a cheesesteak.

Happy Memorial Day!

how do you like them apples?

Don't forget to bring the booze.
If you know these apples, you know a great BYOB in the city. Audrey Claire on 20th street, near Rittenhouse Square, is one of my favorite BYOB's in the city. These days, BYOBs have taken over the restaurant scene in Philadelphia and it has been a welcome addition. The green apples of Audrey Claire have become its signature. Another signature of the restaurant....the pear and gorgonzola flat bread....awesome.

http://www.audreyclaire.com

the phillies in philly

Maybe, this is the year.
A great way to spend a day in Philadelphia is watching baseball down at Citizens Bank Park. A ballgame, beer and a dog is a pretty fine afternoon. Now the Phillies have lost over 10,000 games in their existence, but they are still OUR Phillies and we love them like family.

Pictured above is the statue of Steve "Lefty" Carlton, my childhood hero. True story...when I was a kid, I tried to train myself to become left handed after watching the Phillies ace over the years. Probably why I'm not much of a baseball player.

swann song

Philadelphia's Fountain
You can find the Swann Memorial at Logan Square Park on the Ben Franklin Parkway. This is Philadelphia's quintessential fountain, though one of many throughout the city. It was created in honor of Dr. Wilson Cary Swann, founder of the Philadelphia Fountain Society. The beauty of the fountain inspired one of the greatest restaurants in Philly, "The Fountain" at the Four Seasons (http://www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia/dining.html).

The city views at Logan Square are amazing...just like the fountain itself.

brotherly love in little china

Did somebody say pu pu platter?
The "Friendship Arch" marks the gateway to Chinatown in Philadelphia. It's located at 10th and Arch street and will also lead you to great dim sum (the Imperial Inn, a Philly favorite) and many other amazing restaurants. Try one of the best in the city at Vietnam (www.eatatvietnam.com), or test out your "Elvis Costello" at the hot karaoke/tapas space Yakitori Boy (yakitoriboy-japas.com).

Please keep in your thoughts those struggling from the recent earthquake disaster in China.

mother rittenhouse

Lady in the park
Happy mother's day to every baby's momma in the world. In honor, I selected another Rittenhouse Square park image. This image is of the beautiful statue that sits in the fountain pool and looks out over the square...making sure all is well. Just like a good mother does.

liberty's last stand

Big Brother
One Liberty Place (945 ft.) has stood as the tallest building in Philadelphia since 1987. The building was famous for being the first tower to break Philadelphia's gentleman's agreement to build under the height of the William Penn statue atop Philadelphia City Hall (548 ft). Since that time, the curse of Billy Penn went into effect preventing any major Philadelphia sports team to win a championship. On June 18th, 2007 the Comcast Center eclipsed One Liberty as the city's tallest at 975 ft. and will soon have its official grand opening (proposed for this month) - thus officially ending One Liberty's reign.

This is by far my favorite building in Philadelphia. And I'm a little sad it's no longer the biggest brother.

all about the benjamin

Big Ben - Philly's favorite son
The Franklin Memorial lives on the Parkway (also named after Ben) at The Franklin Institute. If you have never been there, the museum is a tribute to Ben and science. It is a great place for kids and adults looking for something different...and educational. One of the oldest and most famous attractions you'll find is an over sized model of the human heart that you can walk though. It has been there for years...and I still love it.

http://www2.fi.edu

all you need is love...

Love is all you need
Love park (or JFK Plaza) that is. Springtime is a great time to wonder through the city. The famous Love sculpture designed by Robert Indiana, was placed in the park in 1978 and has become an icon of Philadelphia. Not a bad place to take in the center city views.