Travel Log: City of Brotherly Love

My boyfriend and I just came back from a great trip to Philadelphia. I bought him tickets to the Flyers game for his birthday since he has been a long time obsessed fan. We stayed at the Sheraton City Center right downtown. Neither one of us had ever been there, so we didn't really have any expectations of the city either way. The first night there was interesting. We got in late night, checked into the hotel and headed out in search for Mac's Tavern in Olde City, owned by Rob & Kaitlin McElhenney of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. We are huge fans of the show so we thought it would be interesting. It was a slow night, which was perfect for us, and the server was very friendly. The food was pretty good. It was a little more upscale for pub food, if you like that kind of thing. I wouldn't go quit gastro pub (according to my boyfriend, a chef) but it was delicious anyways. I suggest getting a side of the sweet potato fries. Crispy and seasoned with cinnamon and sugar on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Yum!

The next day we explored past City Hall to the Liberty Bell. It was a lot smaller then we had thought! I expected this huge bell and it really wasn't. A little bit of a let down, but non the less, a historic piece of history. Then we walked over to a little neighborhood called Society Hill. This is a very affluent area known for it's charming characteristics of cobblestone tree lined streets and brick row houses in Federal and Georgian architecture. Later on, we found an amazing gasto pub called Royal Tavern that had, hands down, some of the most amazing food I have ever eaten. I highly suggest trying this place out if your ever in the area. The atmosphere was very mellow, and felt very cozy. It was decorated in all darks and Christmas lights and played some great indie tunes all night long. Highly recommend.

After walking around some more, we stumbled upon South Street, made a left on 9th street, through the amazing scene of the Italian market and made our way to Genos Steaks. Chris got the cheese wiz and I got the provolone, and both lived up to the hype. On our way back to the hotel, we shopped through the Italian Market and found our selves in this amazing cheese shop called Di Bruno Brothers. They had the most amazing selections of aged cheeses from all over Italy;as well as everything else all Italian in the store. Since I'm always on the hunt to find the perfect cannoli, we were told by not one person, but by everyone we stopped to talk to, to go see the ladies at Isgro's Pasticceria on Christian Street. This place did not disappoint. It was like my grandmas baking all over again!! All the Italian pasties I grew up eating were staring at me from the glass showcase the second we walked in. I asked the lady if I could have a cannoli ( I actually got 3) and to my surprise, walked over to the counter and started filling an empty shell right in front of me. Amazing!! These little Italian ladies were working there asinos off, and they could not have been more sweet. I fell in love with this part of the city. All down 9th street you have vendors selling fresh seafood and fish, and veggies. There are butcher, pasta and pasty shops every where you look. Its tattered and looks run down, but that's the charm! Autentico!! If anything, that one neighborhood was worth the visit and I WILL be going back.

Finally, game time. We rode the Orange line down to the Wells Fargo Center and geared up in the souvenir shop before the game. It was amazing! hands down the best hockey game I have ever been to. The Flyers beat the Ottawa Senators 6-2. All in all the trip was a huge success and we both would love to go back!!

City Hall

Liberty Bell

Society Hill

Italian Market

The Anti-Social Network

It's time to bring up somewhat lingering issue I have been having about Facebook lately. I have been a member since 2005 and when I would like to say loyally, I won't. At least not as of late. I remember the days when communication was key. Remember those days when people shoved that down your throat? It seems like yesterday. Well, it's because it probably was. People are still preaching that yet, we now have this problem, I have this problem, with the website and not just Facebook, but social media and making it actually less of a social world.

If you think about the good old days, when you had a birthday or wanted to hang out with your friend, ask them how their recent vacation was you would just pick up the phone and call. Now you click on their face,scroll through their page,check their status and go through pictures and "like" comments they have made or pictures they was posted. If you want to get real friendly and social, you "poke" them. I have been trying to get used to the idea of never having a real conversation again on the phone with somebody, but I refuse to let that be reality. I'm trying to have faith in the human race, even though we seem to be turning into our own narcissistic nightmares and most are too caught up being a celebrity they have created in their own mind to understand yet. We spend hundreds of dollars on top of the line phones and we don't really use them anymore. But we will however buy it, practical or not, if it comes with a Facebook app. It doesn't make any sense to me.

Call me old fashion but I liked getting a happy birthday phone call on my birthday. I will even take a text message these days. At least that's more personal. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the 40 Happy Birthday messages on my page this year, but more then half of them are people I don't talk to and may have never spoke to, and surely do not hang out with. I would be more impressed to know that all 40 of these people actually knew my birthday and didn't need the website to remind them of that, but that is not reality is it.

Facebook is becoming an anti-social network in my opinion. While people may think it's this great entity, and at first it was, it's making people very lazy. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to call a friend to chit chat about what has been going on in their lives the last few months, and I get no answer. I decide to leave a message and cross my fingers I get a call back. Later on, noticing that about 20 minutes after my call to them, they post a comment on Facebook about having a "Sex & the City night with popcorn and wine, yum!" Better, when I call, and leave a message and I get a wall posting saying they were 'sorry they are out and they will call me later' 30 seconds after the fact. I feel like it's allowing people to become more narcissistic and it's easier for you to dodge people. I believe that's more anti social then social. Its becoming increasingly easier to never have to talk to anyone or even hang out with them. You can check their page and within 10 minutes of looking through mobile uploads and status message, you realized your best friend just got married, is pregnant and moving to Idaho to be a forest ranger with her new dog! Whoa! Where was the phone call?

When you become pregnant or engagement it's almost like you haven't told anyone yet till you post it on Facebook. I kind of love the days of being surprised by a birth announcement showing up in the mail or being at a family get together and the happy couple announcing their good news. Now it's all done through this one website. It's like a one stop shop to dump all your feelings, emotions, heartaches,and new purchases. Almost like therapy, but free. My other major problem is the over sharing of individuals who go on a public websites to talk about their marital problems, kidney stones and to my whore, a play by play of a miscarriage. (For the record, I deleted her). Is there anything left private anymore? Is it just me? Maybe I have become too sensitive. Or, maybe I have just outgrown Facebook.

While all of this may have sounded negative, what I have noticed is that while a lot of old friends taking to the new Facebook way as a new, less involved means of communication, I have found old friends who I grew up with and have been so happy to reconnect with and actually chat with them more then the old ones. Go figure. Now, that being said, I have found a positive in the situation but that does not excuse society as a whole, defining ourselves by status and updates. This may sound like I am against all social media, and I want to say I'm not. I am saying, that we need to be more responsible with it and keep the humility alive and not forget how to talk to people face to face, to call someone on their birthday, to tell your closest friends and family your great news before you announce it to your 1,200 closest friends on Facebook. Civility is a super important thing. Make sure you aren't reckless with it. Pay more attention to friends and family and give more face time is all I'm saying. Life is short, don't spend hours of your life away on Facebook, just call your friends.

I Miss Fleur

Happy New Year to all two of you that read this. I haven't written in awhile, mainly because I haven't really had much to say. Lately, I have been really missing working in a florist. Over the years, I have worked in some really crappy florists and some really amazing ones. The one I miss the most: Hoot & Heart Co. Here are some photos of the past. Sniff, sniff.