There is a really nice running path next to the Schuylkill River. To get there, head west along Walnut Street until you get to the steps on the eastern side of the bridge over the Schuylkill River. Go down the steps and you're on the path. The path only goes about .25 miles south of this point. If you go north, you will get to the Art Museum. At this point, the path branches out to be on the east and west sides of the river (the cross walk here is a little dangerous, so be careful) and goes for about 4 miles to the Falls River Bridge. You can do a big, nine-mile loop if you feel so inclined.
This is a good website: http://www.walkjogrun.net/routes/route_list.cfm?lg=-75.18360614776611&lat=39.96485249194248&zmlevel=2
Saturday, April 11, 2009
MY FAVORITE HISTORIC SITES
Rob is putting together a walking guide for old city (you'll get that when you get here), so basic information on those sites will all be covered. These are my personal favorite sites.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary, 22nd and Fairmount in the Fairmount section of the city (http://www.easternstate.org/): This is the earliest penitentiary in the city and it by far my favorite historic site in the country. It is in a ruin state and creepy as all. Steve Buschemi narrates the audio tour. It is super.
2. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Parkway (http://www.philamuseum.org/): The building is gorgeous, the view from the front is beautiful, and the collection is pretty great. Definitely worth a visit.
3. Boathouse Row and the Waterworks, on the eastern banks of the Schuylkill River just north of the PMA (http://www.fairmountpark.org/Rowing.asp). This is part of the Fairmount Park system, which is the largest urban park in the world. The park has dozens of historic houses, hundreds of sculptures and public art, and several thousand acres. Boathouse Row and the Waterworks is arguably the most lovely section of the park. The Waterworks Museum is really interesting and admission is on a voluntary basis -- it is all about how we get our water. Here is a link to an interactive map of the park: http://citymaps.phila.gov/ParksAndRec/cmFairmountParkMap.aspx?ADDRESS=KELLY+DR+%26+LEMON+HILL+DR&PX=2686309.60588735&PY=242312.900673455
4. Rittenhouse Square on a Nice Day: If it is nice out, Rittenhouse Square is beautiful and it makes for some of the best people watching you can find.
5. Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Broad and Arch, just north of City Hall (http://www.pafa.org/Museum/Research-Archives/The-Buildings/Landmark-Building/63/): This is probably my favorite building in the city, designed by Frank Furness. It was restored to all of its Victorian-Hoo-Ha grandeur about 10 years ago and it is really beautiful. But, I'm sort of a building nerd.
6. The Basillica of Saints Peter and Paul, On the Parkway at 18th Street (just north of Logan Circle) (http://www.sspeterpaulcathedral.catholicweb.com/). If you want to go to mass on Sunday, this would be the place to do it. Gorgeous. Stunning.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary, 22nd and Fairmount in the Fairmount section of the city (http://www.easternstate.org/): This is the earliest penitentiary in the city and it by far my favorite historic site in the country. It is in a ruin state and creepy as all. Steve Buschemi narrates the audio tour. It is super.
2. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Parkway (http://www.philamuseum.org/): The building is gorgeous, the view from the front is beautiful, and the collection is pretty great. Definitely worth a visit.
3. Boathouse Row and the Waterworks, on the eastern banks of the Schuylkill River just north of the PMA (http://www.fairmountpark.org/Rowing.asp). This is part of the Fairmount Park system, which is the largest urban park in the world. The park has dozens of historic houses, hundreds of sculptures and public art, and several thousand acres. Boathouse Row and the Waterworks is arguably the most lovely section of the park. The Waterworks Museum is really interesting and admission is on a voluntary basis -- it is all about how we get our water. Here is a link to an interactive map of the park: http://citymaps.phila.gov/ParksAndRec/cmFairmountParkMap.aspx?ADDRESS=KELLY+DR+%26+LEMON+HILL+DR&PX=2686309.60588735&PY=242312.900673455
4. Rittenhouse Square on a Nice Day: If it is nice out, Rittenhouse Square is beautiful and it makes for some of the best people watching you can find.
5. Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Broad and Arch, just north of City Hall (http://www.pafa.org/Museum/Research-Archives/The-Buildings/Landmark-Building/63/): This is probably my favorite building in the city, designed by Frank Furness. It was restored to all of its Victorian-Hoo-Ha grandeur about 10 years ago and it is really beautiful. But, I'm sort of a building nerd.
6. The Basillica of Saints Peter and Paul, On the Parkway at 18th Street (just north of Logan Circle) (http://www.sspeterpaulcathedral.catholicweb.com/). If you want to go to mass on Sunday, this would be the place to do it. Gorgeous. Stunning.
Friday, April 10, 2009
DINNER / BAR RECOMMENDATIONS
This is just a select list based mostly on proximity to the hotels. You can always call me/us if you need more specific recommendations. This is only the Center City West/Rittenhouse Area, so there are plenty more options only slightly further a field.
Monk’s, 264 S 16th StPhiladelphia, PA: I love this place. Even though the attitude and service kind of sucks, they have an epic beer selection and make, what are, quite arguably, the best burgers and fries in town. Mussels and salads and sandwiches are actually all great. It gets super packed in the evenings, so you’ll have to wait for a table, but it is also good if you’re having a drinking lunch. Beer is pricey, but epic and delicious. Burgers run about $8 and you’ll want to order a side of pommes frites to go with.
Audrey Claire, 276 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA: Good little Mediterranean BYO. I remember entrees running in the $14-22 range, but it has been a while since I’ve been there.
Melangrano, 2012 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103: I love, love, love this Italian BYO and it was also the site of our proper first date. You know, for food. It’s code. They make fantastic pastas, but I am particularly fond of the papardelle with mushrooms, truffles and cheese. Pastas I think are in the $14-18 range, and meat entrees are in the low $20s.
The Good Dog Bar, 224 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102: I stand by the fact that the Good Dog Burger here is the best in town. That is, assuming, that you order it medium or medium rare---otherwise all the cheese melts out and it loses the magic. Also of note: the grilled cheese, the FRIES are superb, the cheese steak empanadas are truly magnificent. They also generally have a pretty good beer list with some good local beers. This is a little pricier, but more than you can reasonably eat – I think that the burger runs about $9.
Parc, 227 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA : I haven’t actually eaten here, but it has gotten pretty good reviews. It is right on Rittenhouse Square and it is a beautiful space. It is an expensive and good bistro with a full bar. It is owned by Steven Starr who is a semi-famous restaurateur in the world, and a well-known restaurateur in Philadelphia. Full bar.
Mama Palma’s, 2229 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA: This place makes super pizza, if you are into the wood-fired, gourmet variety of pizza. It is BYO for wine, but they serve beer (ask Johnny about the beer here). Delicious.
Black Sheep, 247 S 17th St, Philadelphia: Good Irish bar, pretty good food. Site of the Rehearsal dinner after party.
La Viola, 253 S 16th St # A, Philadelphia, PA: Good little Italian BYO and pretty reasonably priced. I remember being particularly enamored by the arugula salad.
Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA. Expensive and fancy Cuban food by Steve Starr. It is fun and they make mean cocktails.
Tequila’s, 1602 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA: Delicious but pricey Mexican in a beautiful setting. Dining room is one of the prettiest in the area. Full bar. Good margaritas.
Pumpkin, 1713 South St, Philadelphia: Great little seasonal BYO that focuses on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. We both really like it.
Tria, 123 S. 18th Street, Philadelphia or 1137 Spruce Street, Philadelphia: Two locations, one near Rittenhouse (19th and Sansom), one in the Gayborhood (Spruce and 11th). Rob proposed to me at the Spruce Street location. Awww. They have a great, reasonably priced list of wines by the glass, a super beer list, great sandwiches, salads and snacks. We love it here.
Porcini, 1137 Spruce Street, Philadelphia: Super teensy Italian BYO. I really like this place, but Rob hasn’t been, so blame me if you don’t like it.
Matyson, 37 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA. Delicious BYO. It is a little pricier than some of the other options, but delicious.
Continental, 28 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA. Hip place by Steven Starr that focuses on comfort food in sort of Jetson’s-ish setting. Great cocktails and is rumored to have a pretty good roof deck (the crowd here can get a little annoying though)
Nodding Head, 1516 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA: Microbrewery that is at least partly owned by the people at Monk’s. Good beer, great fries, and good food in general.
Shiroi Hana, 222 S 15th St Philadelphia, PA: Good sushi and they have a pretty good lunch special.
La Bistro Baia, 1700 Lombard St Philadelphia, PA. This is the BYO I went to almost weekly while in grad school. It is really good and the prices are totally reasonable. Get the gnocci.
The Fountain 1 Logan SquarePhiladelphia, PA: Rob recommended this. It is fancy and I’ve never been.
Le Bec Fin/Bar Lyonnais, 1523 Walnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA: I believe that Le Bec Fin is Philadelphia’s only 5-star restaurant. It is the site of the best meal of my life, although it is horrendously expensive. The bar is supposed to be good and much more reasonably priced, but I’ve never been. Totally worth checking out if you want bistro food.
Rouge, 205 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA. Super location (right on Rittenhouse Square), good wine list, good burgers. Expensive. But lovely.
Top 5 Places to Get a Great Cheesteak
1. Jon’s Roast Pork, 14 Snyder Ave., Philadelphia, PA: This is Rob’s favorite. Super easy to get to by car from Center City.
2. Jim’s Steaks, 400 South St, Philadelphia: Ian likes this best. Christine thinks that the meat/cheese ratio is all wrong here though. On the upside, you CAN walk here from Rittenhouse (and you’ll need to after eating a cheese steak.
3. Tony Luke’s, 39 E Oregon AvePhiladelphia, PA. Drivable, not-so walkable. Generally liked by one and all.
4. Delasandro’s, 600 Wendover St Philadelphia, PA. Christine’s favorite because they have the correct meat/cheese ratio. Kind of far – you could take a long bus ride or drive there.
5. Sonny’s Famous Steaks, 228 Market StPhiladelphia, PA
Monk’s, 264 S 16th StPhiladelphia, PA: I love this place. Even though the attitude and service kind of sucks, they have an epic beer selection and make, what are, quite arguably, the best burgers and fries in town. Mussels and salads and sandwiches are actually all great. It gets super packed in the evenings, so you’ll have to wait for a table, but it is also good if you’re having a drinking lunch. Beer is pricey, but epic and delicious. Burgers run about $8 and you’ll want to order a side of pommes frites to go with.
Audrey Claire, 276 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA: Good little Mediterranean BYO. I remember entrees running in the $14-22 range, but it has been a while since I’ve been there.
Melangrano, 2012 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103: I love, love, love this Italian BYO and it was also the site of our proper first date. You know, for food. It’s code. They make fantastic pastas, but I am particularly fond of the papardelle with mushrooms, truffles and cheese. Pastas I think are in the $14-18 range, and meat entrees are in the low $20s.
The Good Dog Bar, 224 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102: I stand by the fact that the Good Dog Burger here is the best in town. That is, assuming, that you order it medium or medium rare---otherwise all the cheese melts out and it loses the magic. Also of note: the grilled cheese, the FRIES are superb, the cheese steak empanadas are truly magnificent. They also generally have a pretty good beer list with some good local beers. This is a little pricier, but more than you can reasonably eat – I think that the burger runs about $9.
Parc, 227 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA : I haven’t actually eaten here, but it has gotten pretty good reviews. It is right on Rittenhouse Square and it is a beautiful space. It is an expensive and good bistro with a full bar. It is owned by Steven Starr who is a semi-famous restaurateur in the world, and a well-known restaurateur in Philadelphia. Full bar.
Mama Palma’s, 2229 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA: This place makes super pizza, if you are into the wood-fired, gourmet variety of pizza. It is BYO for wine, but they serve beer (ask Johnny about the beer here). Delicious.
Black Sheep, 247 S 17th St, Philadelphia: Good Irish bar, pretty good food. Site of the Rehearsal dinner after party.
La Viola, 253 S 16th St # A, Philadelphia, PA: Good little Italian BYO and pretty reasonably priced. I remember being particularly enamored by the arugula salad.
Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA. Expensive and fancy Cuban food by Steve Starr. It is fun and they make mean cocktails.
Tequila’s, 1602 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA: Delicious but pricey Mexican in a beautiful setting. Dining room is one of the prettiest in the area. Full bar. Good margaritas.
Pumpkin, 1713 South St, Philadelphia: Great little seasonal BYO that focuses on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. We both really like it.
Tria, 123 S. 18th Street, Philadelphia or 1137 Spruce Street, Philadelphia: Two locations, one near Rittenhouse (19th and Sansom), one in the Gayborhood (Spruce and 11th). Rob proposed to me at the Spruce Street location. Awww. They have a great, reasonably priced list of wines by the glass, a super beer list, great sandwiches, salads and snacks. We love it here.
Porcini, 1137 Spruce Street, Philadelphia: Super teensy Italian BYO. I really like this place, but Rob hasn’t been, so blame me if you don’t like it.
Matyson, 37 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA. Delicious BYO. It is a little pricier than some of the other options, but delicious.
Continental, 28 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA. Hip place by Steven Starr that focuses on comfort food in sort of Jetson’s-ish setting. Great cocktails and is rumored to have a pretty good roof deck (the crowd here can get a little annoying though)
Nodding Head, 1516 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA: Microbrewery that is at least partly owned by the people at Monk’s. Good beer, great fries, and good food in general.
Shiroi Hana, 222 S 15th St Philadelphia, PA: Good sushi and they have a pretty good lunch special.
La Bistro Baia, 1700 Lombard St Philadelphia, PA. This is the BYO I went to almost weekly while in grad school. It is really good and the prices are totally reasonable. Get the gnocci.
The Fountain 1 Logan SquarePhiladelphia, PA: Rob recommended this. It is fancy and I’ve never been.
Le Bec Fin/Bar Lyonnais, 1523 Walnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA: I believe that Le Bec Fin is Philadelphia’s only 5-star restaurant. It is the site of the best meal of my life, although it is horrendously expensive. The bar is supposed to be good and much more reasonably priced, but I’ve never been. Totally worth checking out if you want bistro food.
Rouge, 205 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA. Super location (right on Rittenhouse Square), good wine list, good burgers. Expensive. But lovely.
Top 5 Places to Get a Great Cheesteak
1. Jon’s Roast Pork, 14 Snyder Ave., Philadelphia, PA: This is Rob’s favorite. Super easy to get to by car from Center City.
2. Jim’s Steaks, 400 South St, Philadelphia: Ian likes this best. Christine thinks that the meat/cheese ratio is all wrong here though. On the upside, you CAN walk here from Rittenhouse (and you’ll need to after eating a cheese steak.
3. Tony Luke’s, 39 E Oregon AvePhiladelphia, PA. Drivable, not-so walkable. Generally liked by one and all.
4. Delasandro’s, 600 Wendover St Philadelphia, PA. Christine’s favorite because they have the correct meat/cheese ratio. Kind of far – you could take a long bus ride or drive there.
5. Sonny’s Famous Steaks, 228 Market StPhiladelphia, PA
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
CAFES / BREAKFASTS / LIGHT LUNCH RECOMMENDATIONS
In general, the Rittenhouse section of town really lacks for decent breakfast options. There’s one kind of crappy diner (Little Pete’s, but I wouldn’t recommend it), but mostly it is fancy brunch places on the weekends or cafes. If it is nice out, it is nice to picnic in Rittenhouse, if you’re into that.
La Colombe,
Le Bus Bakery,
DiBruno Brothers,
Café Loftus,
Honey’s Sit ‘n Eat,
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wedding Weekend Schedule
Hi Everyone! I hope that this post finds all of you well.
We wanted to give everyone an idea of the preliminary schedule for the weekend so you can better plan your trip.
On Thursday night, we were going to host a BBQ at our house (216 Myrtle Avenue, Havertown, PA 19083). We'll provide burgers, salad, and beer. And maybe a pie or Bitter Nana Squares, if you're lucky.
Friday will be pretty low-key with the planned events. The wedding party and nuclear families will go out for an early-ish rehearsal dinner and then we will meet up with everyone at a bar (TBD) somewhere around Rittenhouse Square.
Saturday is the wedding. The ceremony will begin at 5 pm sharp. After the wedding reception, we are planning on heading back to the bar at the Sofitel.
Sunday, we'll host a late morning brunch at our house -- just bagels, pastries, fruit and coffee on paper plates. Then we have to leave for the airport around 2 pm that afternoon to leave for Venice.
If anyone wants to come in to town earlier than Thursday, let us know and we'll plan dinner or something.
Next post: "Best Restaurants and Bars in the Rittenhouse Square Neighborhood."
We wanted to give everyone an idea of the preliminary schedule for the weekend so you can better plan your trip.
On Thursday night, we were going to host a BBQ at our house (216 Myrtle Avenue, Havertown, PA 19083). We'll provide burgers, salad, and beer. And maybe a pie or Bitter Nana Squares, if you're lucky.
Friday will be pretty low-key with the planned events. The wedding party and nuclear families will go out for an early-ish rehearsal dinner and then we will meet up with everyone at a bar (TBD) somewhere around Rittenhouse Square.
Saturday is the wedding. The ceremony will begin at 5 pm sharp. After the wedding reception, we are planning on heading back to the bar at the Sofitel.
Sunday, we'll host a late morning brunch at our house -- just bagels, pastries, fruit and coffee on paper plates. Then we have to leave for the airport around 2 pm that afternoon to leave for Venice.
If anyone wants to come in to town earlier than Thursday, let us know and we'll plan dinner or something.
Next post: "Best Restaurants and Bars in the Rittenhouse Square Neighborhood."
Monday, January 5, 2009
Hotel Information
HOTELS
We have been in the process of researching hotels for everyone to stay at for the wedding. Here's a starting point:
COURTYARD MARRIOTT
21 N Juniper Street
(2150 496-3200
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phldc-courtyard-
philadelphia-downtown/
This hotel is about .7 miles from the wedding site (easily walkable through a nice part of town), located just east of City Hall. We have reserved a block of rooms at this hotel under "Cruiess/Miller." We were quoted a rate of $129.00 for a double room. In order to get this rate you must call the hotel directly, and the rooms must be booked by March 15, 2009.
SOFITEL
120 South 17th Street
(215) 569-8300
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2741-sofitel
-philadelphia/index.shtml
We have a block of 10 rooms for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights here. Rob and I are planning on staying here and it is literally two blocks from the wedding location and it is a pretty nice hotel chain. The pricing I have reserved is quoted was $140/night for a room with one king-size bed, and $160/night for two double beds. The double-bed rooms are not technically part of the block, but are on an as-available basis. These rates are only valid through March 15.
CLUB QUARTERS
1628 Chestnut Street
(215) 282-5000
http://www.clubquarters.com/loc_philadelphia.aspx
This hotel is approximately 2.5 blocks from the wedding location. The problem is that you can't reserve a block of rooms unless you are a member. However, you can book rooms here through hotels.com, expedia.com or the like. The average rate per night was about $150.
We have been in the process of researching hotels for everyone to stay at for the wedding. Here's a starting point:
COURTYARD MARRIOTT
21 N Juniper Street
(2150 496-3200
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phldc-courtyard-
philadelphia-downtown/
This hotel is about .7 miles from the wedding site (easily walkable through a nice part of town), located just east of City Hall. We have reserved a block of rooms at this hotel under "Cruiess/Miller." We were quoted a rate of $129.00 for a double room. In order to get this rate you must call the hotel directly, and the rooms must be booked by March 15, 2009.
SOFITEL
120 South 17th Street
(215) 569-8300
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2741-sofitel
-philadelphia/index.shtml
We have a block of 10 rooms for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights here. Rob and I are planning on staying here and it is literally two blocks from the wedding location and it is a pretty nice hotel chain. The pricing I have reserved is quoted was $140/night for a room with one king-size bed, and $160/night for two double beds. The double-bed rooms are not technically part of the block, but are on an as-available basis. These rates are only valid through March 15.
CLUB QUARTERS
1628 Chestnut Street
(215) 282-5000
http://www.clubquarters.com/loc_philadelphia.aspx
This hotel is approximately 2.5 blocks from the wedding location. The problem is that you can't reserve a block of rooms unless you are a member. However, you can book rooms here through hotels.com, expedia.com or the like. The average rate per night was about $150.
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