The Fourth in Philly

I'll admit—I let my last blog get away from me and started plunking away about journalism techniques. But I realize those could be very valuable tools for any blogger, no matter what the topic of interest. My apologies, readers. Maybe my future will unfold with a blog about writing, too.

Since my Bici Reunion with a mass of new cyclists in Chattanooga, J and I spent the long holiday weekend in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. It was my second trip to Philly, and this time the weather was perfect—a few cool mornings, clear days with blue skies and a few puffy clouds.

After skipping out of work and a four-day week, J and I drove to Atlanta and stayed with his family there. The next morning we drove to the Georgia Aqarium early to park the car and take MARTA to the airport—my first MARTA experience! I always doubted the ability for Atlanta residents to get around without a car, especially if they were reliant on the bus system. But the train was effective and efficient, save for a five minute delay on the tracks.

We made it to the always busy Hartfield-Jackson Airport just in time to board our tiny plane to Philly. The ride was quick and painless, and, of course, it was sunny when we landed. J and I spent the afternoon lounging around and ate some of his mama's heavenly quiche—she had been on a Julia Child kick. Flakey crust, fluffy filling, perfect cheese. Another inspirational dish.

C had made reservations (read: reserved some dough!) for the whole gang to eat at Tacconelli's, a pizza joint in northeast that is known for its brick oven and tomato pies. Apparently it's best to call ahead to reserve your dough. After complying with the BYOB rule (my fave!) and our own salad, we devoured four heavenly pies—the spinach and garlic was my favorite. Nothing beats seeing customers walk in with their own cooler. I was impressed. Tacconelli's also had been recommended to J and I by our friend in Chattanooga, a former Philly resident.

The next day we ventured to New Brunswick on the train. For a mere $35 roundtrip, J and I left from 30th Street Station and made it to our destination in less than 2 hours. We had one quick transfer to NJ transit in Trenton but otherwise had a smooth, seamless and relaxing trip. I really dig trains, of course, and this was my first experience on regional rail in the Northeast. With about four or five tracks, the electric-powered (right?) trains are quite speedy. Nothing like the Acela trains that flew by us at about 50 mph through the station, of course, but still timely, convenient and (to me!) FUN!

After grilling weenies in the backyard, my aunt drove J and I past Johnson & Johnson and we spotted signs of Rutgers—and a Robert Wood Johnson facility, shoutout to work. The town was cute, flat and had ample public parks. We drove through the little town of Dunnellen where my mom was raised and had a delish iced coffee before heading back to the station.



Upon our arrival at 30th Street, J and I, feeling adventurous, hopped on the subway in search of a recommended coffee shop. Needless to say it took us a few blocks to find the place, but we were rewarded with a local brewery, Dock St., next door and a tasty shot of espresso. It was fun to explore without our hosts, for once, to parts of town we had never experienced. Later they picked us up and we headed to Standard Tap for more delicious brews and dinner on the patio.

For the 4th, we sleepily laid around the house, and Craig took me on a drive in his super cool old Jag! BBQ and brews followed that afternoon, and I fell asleep on the couch watching Dark Knight with J. Monday we gallavanted around town—Manayunk, where all the shops were closed for the holiday, and downtown, where we had cocktails at Rouge and people watched on Rittenhouse Square. J bought me a hardback copy of Lolita, and we headed for the airport.

Can't wait for more trains and big city adventures! In the mean time, I'll be cruising around the Chattanooga. Cheers!