Old Meets New

1.  National Museum of American Jewish History and the Bourse Building

2. Colonial Buildings on Market St.  3. The Suit Corner, Market St.

4. The Arden Theater  5. Christ Church Philadelphia 

I know it's been a long time since my last post.  I've been so busy getting back into the swing of things in New York that I haven't had time to finish telling you about my day in Philadelphia.  Until now.  I spent that day in Old City Philadelphia, my favorite section of the city.  After my cheesesteak consumption, I wandered to Reward Project on North 2nd Street.  Through the understated entrance I found a treasure drove of great design.  I would call it a more upscale version of Urban Outfitters.  Vanessa Bruno Athé, Surface To Air Paris, Opening Ceremony, and Jeffrey Campbell are only some of the impressive brands Reward carries as well as other incredibly cool, little known brands.  They also carry vintage bags, Plush Tights, and prints by local artists.  Plus you can check out the surrounding small galleries and independent book and music shops before or after you get your clothing fix.  On the way there be sure to take a look at the unique city landmarks pictured above.  

It's Been a Long Time Comin'

1. Smak Parlour  2. Campo's Deli  3. & 4. Campo's Cheesesteak w/provolone & fried onions

5. Independence Hall

Another snowy day in the Northeast.  It's a good thing I went into Philly yesterday when it was a "warm and balmy" 40 degrees and partly cloudy.  My goal: eat a distinctly Philadelphian meal and purchase some clothes from a unique Philly establishment.  Today my goal is to pack for New York, which is why I am writing this now (goals cannot be accomplished without a good amount of procrastination.  Case-in-point: changing the fonts on the blog before finishing this post).  I made my way to Smak Parlour, a Old City, Market St. boutique I've been wanting to visit since I  read about it Teen Vogue eons ago.  When I arrived, I was greeted by one of the friendly owners and found a nicely edited selection of pieces from the in-house label as well as brands I had never heard of before.  The pink walls and vintage decor gave the shop a fun vibe.  I picked up a great tank-top by Ya Los Angeles with delicate, asymmetrical lace detailing at the hem.  Of course all that shopping made me hungry so I crossed the street to Campo's and ordered a hearty and delectable cheesesteak.  If you have never had the chance to have the real Philly Cheesesteak experience you can order one from their website have have it shipped to you, even if you live in Alaska!  In case you are a Philadelphian and you're wondering, when I'm in South Philly  my allegiance lies with Gino's.  I've never tried Pat's and I don't know if I ever will.  That's all for today.  Time to get back to packing.  

Eat Me, Drink Me

1 & 2.  The Regency Cafe Almond Iced Latte and Almond Cupcake with Cherry Frosting

3 & 4. El Rinconcito Veggie Burrito and Horchata 

Because I enjoy procrastinating, reminding myself how I need to stop eating incredibly delicious and fattening foods so I can fit into my new pants,  reminiscing, and because my Mac is finally free of technical difficulties (trying saying all of that in on breath) I am posting these photos of this week's culinary conquests.  Tuesday a friend and I visited my favorite cafe, the Regency, and I had the most delicious cupcake. The icing on these cupcakes is always so good and I often have to convince my self not to buy one of these since they are so big.  But, since I won't be back for a while I let myself get one.  And of course, the Regency makes the best lattes I've ever tasted and this one was no exception.  The next day one of my friends took me to her favorite Mexican restaurant, El Rinconcito, where we both had veggie burritos.  They were huge (just like my stomach).   For those of you who might not have been to sure about drink what was in the photo, I would never wash down my burrito with milk!  The horchata that I did have was very refreshing.  Well, I best be going back to work.  I hope I didn't make you too hungry! 

The View from Here

Center City, Philadelphia 8/14/10