90th in Philly

Once I was able to board my Amtrak train to Philly (after a 90 minute delay), things moved quickly. If you’ve never been on an Amtrak train, here’s a tip: don’t dawdle. The trains rarely wait more than a few minutes at each stop before departing. There were very few stops between New York and Philly and it seemed like barely any time had passed before I was seeing the city of Brotherly Love in the Golden Hour. Once I got to my Mom’s retirement community, I was greeted by the giant inflatable decoration that was in front for Halloween. Bryan - does this quality for a cat?



On the one day that I took some time for myself to go for a run (and breathe fresh air!), I was so happy to be able to experience Fall. This is the one season I miss from the East Coast.



Granted, the leaves had already turned and were falling off most of the trees, but I was still able to see some of those magical reds and golds.







Note: some of these photos were taken on my iPhone, so they aren’t necessarily up to snuff. However, when you are able to escape family and go for a run, you have to make do with what you have! The gas prices were almost as exhilarating as the leaves; at the time I left California, they were hovering around $7/gallon. The East Coast was almost $3 cheaper. Yowza.



For my Mom’s 90th birthday, I selected the General Warren Inne, which is also where we dined for her 70th. With the pandemic, you never know what you might get when you return to an old favorite.



I am happy to report that the Inne was the perfect venue (again) for Mom’s big celebration.



Established in 1745, it has seen a lot of history over the years, especially during the Revolutionary War.



My oldest brother and his wife were able to make it as well.



 A champagne toast to Mom was a great way to start off the evening. 



For dinner, I chose the Beef Wellington. It was delicious and melted in my mouth.



For Mom’s dessert, the firecracker candle lit up the room!





The service at the Inne was fantastic; our waitress gave the right level of attention and did everything she could to make it a special evening for Mom. All of us were pleased with the experience. Thanks, General Warren; see you in another 20 years? Actually, I hope to go back much sooner. Apparently they have a few rooms that they rent, and that’s something for my bucket list next time I return to the area.

For years, Mom had talked about how much she enjoyed lunch at Neiman Marcus in the King of Prussia Mall. I got tired of hearing about it and told her she better take me next time I’m in town, and she did!



I’m not much of a mall person anymore, so being inside this place really took me back in time.



The Neiman Marcus Cafe lived up to the hype.



One of my teachers from junior high (who also happens to be a very good friend of my Mom’s) joined us for lunch, too. The large popovers on our plate are a signature of NM’s lunches. I know I enjoyed mine!



Outside of the restroom, I enjoyed looking at the vintage ads hanging on the wall:



And that pretty much wraps up my East Coast trip. If it appears that all I did was eat, well…that’s just about what occurred. When the family gets together, you’re planning the next meal before you’ve finished eating the one in front of you. This is why I run!
 
See more Main Line photos at my main website.

Historic Sugartown

My mom will often bait me with things we can do to get me to come visit her out in Pennsylvania; historic Sugartown was one of those things that she had been dangling in front of me for years. I finally told her we needed to go see it. Unfortunately, it is only open a few days per week and the rainy day we visited was not one of those.

What’s Sugartown? I’m so glad you asked! It’s a 19th-century village where early residents established a school, general store, businesses, and meeting places for the surrounding farming community. The village was originally named Shugart’s Town, after tavern keeper Eli Shugart, serving as a stop for weary travelers hauling wagonloads of goods to the markets of Philadelphia and other parts of the county. Seems like Shugart got the shaft as the tavern is no longer in biz and the name of the town obviously changed.



Even though the shops were closed, I still managed to make my way around to take a few shots.





One through the windows:



The weather and the buildings made me feel like I was inside an Andrew Wyeth painting.









Of course, Mom promised that next time I visit she’d check the schedule ahead of time so that we could tour the historic buildings. Should I believe her? Or is this just another dangled carrot? I’ll give her a second chance; it looks pretty cool!

See more historic Sugartown photos at my main website.

In my own backyard

Growing up in the burbs of Philly, my neighborhood was surrounded by trees as opposed to the somewhat barren and rocky landscapes one encounters in Southern California. Whenever I go back east, it's a gentle reminder of the differences between the two coasts. Just down the street from the house I grew up in is Sharp's Woods Preserve, a 27-acre "island of nature" surrounded by a suburban development in Easttown Township.



Typically, I visit Philly in November when fall has already had its effect on the trees and lawns of the burbs. Changing things up this time, I was rewarded with a lush green landscape and perfect temperatures. The headwaters of the Darby Creek run through the woods, and the surrounding banks were a bit marshy. I was able to see deer tracks (missed photographing the deer by a few seconds!) and (sadly) bicycle tire tracks.



Spring blooms were still out in abundance, just slightly past their peak.



It was wonderful to experience this preserve again and know that there are still at least a few places left where nature (and animals) can thrive in an environment that is undeveloped.



See more Daveland Philadelphia photos at my main website.

Trip to Philadelphia, Pt. 1

My annual trip home to Philadelphia began with (drum roll please)...dinner. Instead of fighting rush hour traffic, we took a detour to Society Hill and ate at Bistro Romano, a little gem of an Italian Restaurant that I discovered a few years back.

This painting of a sea nymph by William de Leftwich Dodge of New York hangs over the restaurant's staircase; it is a favorite of mine and I admire it each time I visit. It once graced the luxury liner City of Detroit III – a side wheel passenger steamer that was built in 1912 and operated by the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company. The ship was dismantled in 1957, but fortunately the painting survived.



The dining area down below is extremely warm and cozy.



Mom, her hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal.



I'd show you a picture of the White Truffle Gnocchi I had (which melted in my mouth), but the photo just didn't do it justice. My photo of the Sicilian Cannoli fared a bit better. Boy was it delicious!



One of the things I miss the most about living on the west coast is fall. The colors of the leaves as they turn is just magnificent. I was too late to catch my favorite season this visit, but as I was doing my morning run, this tree with its radiant red foliage screamed out to me. I returned that afternoon with my camera.



It truly looked as if there was a spotlight on it.



I was also able to enjoy the beauty of sunset as it lit the barren trees from behind.





Later in the evening, the moon was gorgeous as it illuminated the surrounding clouds.



Another tasty dinner was experienced at Yangming in Bryn Mawr. I had heard my mom talk about this upscale Chinese restaurant for years and finally got to experience it for myself.



The dining room was well spaced and tastefully decorated.



The General Tso's Spicy Chicken was fresh, flavorful, and had just the right amount of spice to it.



The green tea ice cream was a refreshing way to end the evening.



By this point, I really needed to go for a run! Time to get the elastic pants out. Tune in tomorrow for a trip to Brandywine.
See more Daveland Philadelphia photos on my Philadelphia web pages.