The El 10/30/08

I don't get to share enough about all the funny, quirky things I see in the city. Many of these revolve around my trips to work on the "El" or subway. It's an ironic name because the part that I take is very much under ground and not elevated, but parts of it are, hence the name. Sometime, I'll give you some great back stories, but here's what I saw this morning, the hysterical and the heartbreaking. 

Guy in black velvet textured suit and red-sequined shirt with beat up black sneakers.

Homeless guy sleeping on the stairs. Pretty normal. Except for the small child, probably 6 or 7, sleeping carefully tucked under his legs.

In other news, I've moved, just down the street, and they were filming a movie on my street the other night.

Exploring Old City

This week, one of my best friends from college, Sharyn is visiting me. So far, we've had a blast exploring my neighborhood. As the weather has gotten nicer, I've found myself getting out more often and exploring all of the great things Old City has to offer. So in honor of the wonderful neighborhood I've come to love, I've decided to post my top ten favorite spots in Old City. In no particular order because that would involve WAY too much thought.

The Book Trader- This is possibly the most awesome used book shop ever. It has long been a Philly favorite for me. I recently discovered that the wonderful store down the street from me was previously located on South Street, where it was probably one of my favorite stores to visit in the city. I just rediscovered a classic. The Book Trader is filled to overwhelming with books making it both thrilling and frightening at times. Check it out for yourself in Lauren Graham's upcoming movie, The Dream of the Romans.

Franklin Fountain- This ice cream shop is my new favorite place to take friends and visitors. It's decked out like a classic soda fountain, right down to the working old style phone and cash register. Best of all, the ice cream is delicious and unique (yay for green tea!). They also have all the old classics like malts, egg creams, and phosphates. And they're open till midnight on the weekends. Everything the discerning urban ice cream eater could ever want.

Christ Church- Founded in 1695, this church is well...old. The current building was begun in 1744. I can see the steeple, which made Christ Church the tallest building in America for something like 60 years, from the windows in my apartment. Christ Church is like living history. See the pews of Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, or one of countless other historical figures who attended here. Touch the almost 600 year old baptismal font where William Penn was baptized which is still in use today. Or just attend a Sunday service to take in the beauty of the colonial architecture while listening to the majestic sounds of the organ and congregational singing. Every time I see this building, it makes my heart feel light.

Kabul Restaurant- Now that I've tried Afghan cuisine, I can't get enough! With an extensive menu, quiet dining room, and decent service, Kabul keeps me coming back for more. So far, I've eaten here 4 times and everything I've tried has been amazing. If you haven't tried Afghan food, go out and find some today!

Old City Cheese Shop- After walking by this place at least a 100 times, I finally stopped in today for lunch. To my utter delight, we entered down a strange indoor hallway only to arrive in the most lovely little courtyard in Old City. It's located behind the shop with its own street entrance so you have to keep your eyes out for it. But if you do, a treasure awaits you. The patio is completely shaded by a beautiful, tall tree. The courtyard is further enhanced by a softly trickling fountain and some potted plants. If that wasn't enough to convince, the food was fabulous. And they have something like 70 varieties of cheese for your post-lunch shopping pleasure. They also do brunch on the weekends, an all-you-can-eat pasta night, and late night movies in the courtyard.

The Ritz Theaters- Listing this as one is kind of cheating because there are actually 3 Ritz Theaters within 3 blocks of my apartment. But they are generally the same idea. Small theaters show indie and art films for significantly less then the nearby megaplex. Can't beat it. Another thing I've been meaning to do forever and finally did today. We saw In Brogues, which I highly recommend anyway. I think I'll definitely be making more frequent visits.

Scarlett Alley- Despite its pushy sales people, this quirky little shop is a must see. It's full of interesting home goods, accessories, kids stuff, clothing, jewelery, and toiletry items. I would be thrilled to own everything and anything from the store. My all time favorite items in the store are the Bamboo Dreams collection. You've got to feel it to believe it.

Tartes- A pink concrete box never held such delectable goodness. This bakery is probably one of the smallest structures in Old City but somehow still manages to whip out pastries that could make your knees quiver. Just step up to the window, reminiscent of an ice cream stand at the shore, and place your order. In no time, your mouth will be watering. There is no inside and no seating outside which is disappointing, but since it's only half a block away, I don't have far to go before I can dig into my dessert.

F.U.E.L. Collection- This gallery is the easiest place to find a hipster in the city of Philadelphia. It's my favorite gallery to visit during First Friday, the monthly Old City art gallery hop. Located in the historic Corn Exchange Bank building, which was also the site of the Philadelphia Real World house, this gallery is expansive. It hosts some of the hippest, cutting edge art produced by undergraduate students and is a mecca for cool people, hanging out and well...looking cool. It's a great place to soak up some awesome.

Lucy's Hat Shop- Despite many other options, Lucy's is probably my favorite place in Old City to grab a drink. Unassuming, unpretentious, and cheap. You can wear what you want and you'll fit in. With amazing always on special drinks and snacks, you really can't go wrong at Lucy's plus, it's huge so you can usually find a table or an uncrowded corner to stand in. And at only a block away, there's no need to worry about a designated driver.

So there you have it! My ultimate list of places to eat, drink, shop, and visit in Old City. I could easily do a top 20 list, but these are the places I find myself going back to and wanting to show to others. So visit one, visit all and fall in love with my wonderful neighborhood, Old City Philadelphia.

Long Overdue

I want to share with you a recent discovery (thanks Kim!) that I think some of you might enjoy. It's a great little (mostly) free Internet service called Daily Lit. Daily Lit is just that. Literature delivered to your e-mail inbox daily (or 5 days a week, or M-W-F, whatever you choose). At first I thought this was kind of odd. Why not just actually get the book? Well, most of the books on Daily Lit are free. It's true, they're generally older or classics. The new books cost a small fee ($3-$5 I think). This can be a good thing though. They probably have some books you never would read otherwise but are great for making yourself look more intelligent. Example. "So yesterday, while I was reading the Communist Manifesto..." Another perk is that it sends them in small, easily readable chunks. You don't have to look for a good place to stop if you only have 10 or 15 minutes to read. Daily Lit does it for you. And if you have more then 10 or 15 minutes, just click a link at the bottom of the e-mail to receive the next installment immediately. Or, if you prefer not to clutter up your inbox with one extra email a day, you can subscribe by RSS.

My favorite thing about Daily Lit, however, is the fact that I can read the installments at work. One of the few things that is not blocked on our computers is Gmail. This means I can always read my Daily Lit. And, even though the Daily Lit site is blocked, when I click to receive the next installment, it successfully sends (and gives me a, very reminiscent of Asbury College, Websense page. Oh the nostalgia. I haven't been Websensed in years.) Why not just bring a book you say? Well bringing a book says, "I'm here to not work tonight." To me it also says, "Another thing to leave at work and loose forever." Checking your e-mail, on the other hand, says, "I'm taking a small break to conduct some possibly important business through my e-mail account." Heck, one of my co-workers thought I was doing research. And therein lies the true beauty of Daily Lit. Subverting the system on multiple levels. Oh you rebel, you!

Jonas Who?

Do the Jonas Brothers remind anyone else of a slightly more angsty rocky Hanson? For all I know this comparison could have been made, but I'm watching their recent performance on Dancing With the Stars and all I can think is....this is just Hanson redone.

At Least We Got Something Right

We may have the highest car insurance rates and get jokes about being the armpit of the nation, but you're all going to be jealous when you here this! New Jersey has the cheapest gas in the nation! I filled up on my home tonight for $2.99 a gallon. What are you paying?

Barack and Bicycles

In what is perhaps the oddest Internet craze yet, we have bicycle sites. Political undertones, whimsical phrases. These are the basis of these so-called bicycle sites. It goes like this: (Candidate name or other well-known persons name) + (odd phrase) in large purple Helvetica font. It's a link and each time you click it, it generates a new odd sentence. Some examples from barakobamaisyournewbicycle: "Barack Obama parsed your error," "Barack Obama carried your bookbag," and "Barack Obama folded you an origami crane."

Barack's bicycle site is the original, created by writer Mathew Honan, who calls himself a "weird dude". I think I'll agree. Here's a list from BuzzFeed of every bicycle site they've found. Even though it seems strange and idiotic, I'm kind of addicted to it. The more you click, the sillier it all gets.

Thanks Ben for linking on your blog.

The Big Give: A Show I'd Love to Hate

I decided on a whim to record Oprah's new show, The Big Give. I watched the first episode and am just now watching the second. In some ways, I love this show. In other ways, I hate it. If I could compare it to something, it would be Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The stories are heart-warming and I cried for full fifteen minutes during the first episode. The show, however, encourages hoopla and showiness about the giving. In fact, the motto of the show is "give big or go home" and contestants on these two episodes have been rated on the "presentation" of their gift.

Some things I like about the show:
1) The show highlights the pure joy in giving. The contestants range in age and background and all of them have no idea there is any reward in it. These people are putting their lives on hold and run around the country, stress out, and give away money. The contestants are so honest about their feelings and their emotions.

2) You can really see how each of the contestants backgrounds and and experiences influence the way they give. Each one has a unique heart for different issues and the second episode does a really good job of highlighting them. It also shows just how easy it is to find a worthy cause to help and support.

3) It shows the diversity of need in our country from the single mom next door to orphaned children. You never know the situations people are living with. So many of these people could be any of our neighbors.

Some things I don't like about the show:
1) It offends my sensibilities to make a reality show/game out of helping others. It's a little showy for me and feels a bit like capitalizing on other's misfortunes. It feels a bit like gawking into people's very private lives and it makes me wonder if they would be willing to share these things on national television if they weren't getting the help they needed out of it. Do I loose my house or admit my vast personal problems to the country?

2) Real people could never give in the way the contestants do. They're given money, cars, laptops, and I'm pretty sure corporate connections. Not to mention the backing of "I'm on Oprah's new TV show, The Big Give." Whose going to say no to that and being featured on national television?

3) While the show does show some worthy charities and organizations, I'd much rather see a show about real people making difference in their communities. Oprah could easily have dumped all this money and corporate sponsorship into already existing organizations and highlighted how great it feels when real people give in ways great and small. Instead of contestants swooping in and dumping in thousands of dollars into who knows what charities and people, we could be supporting great community based grass-roots efforts that are sure to be transformed by a comparatively small investment.

While it has its share of negatives, I think one woman's reaction said it all, "Somebody actually thought that I mattered enough to help me out." That, my friends, is priceless.

If you're interested in watching, the third episode airs on ABC on Sunday at 9pm.

Cool as Kiva: Another Way to Save the World

Now that I have a steady income (whoot!) I've finally started using Kiva. I loaned money to two different people, both women in Africa. The first is Zainabu Malunda, a women from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She owns a clothing store and wants to expand her business. And I was privileged enough to get to help her! The second is the Kamuli A2 group in Kireka, Uganda. This is a group of 6 women who invest the money in their respective businesses and guarantee each other's loan. I thought that was a pretty cool concept so I decided to support them as well.

I was really impressed with Kiva's site. It was very easy to use and offered search criteria if you were interested in loaning to a specific type of person (I chose women in Africa for instance.) It also gives you a picture and description of the person the loan is going to, what they will do with it, and how it will help them (for example, sending their children to school, hiring other women in the village, etc.). It also gives you information on the agency the loan is going through. My favorite feature, by far, was the ability to see all the other Kiva users who have also loaned to that person. Again, for example, my Kamuli A2 group needed $2400. All together, 44 people loaned them that money, including me. I thought that was a very exciting thing to be involved in. Each user can make a profile which is amusing I guess, but doesn't seem to have any real point. The best thing of all is you can loan as a little, or as much as you want. And you can use PayPal to make your loan directly from your bank account if you choose. And Kiva develops a portfolio of all your loans so you can keep update on the progress. Overall, it was a very user-friendly, well designed site with a great purpose. Try it yourself today with as little as a $25 donation to change a life.

Introducing Tucker

Back on January 27th, I took the plunge and got myself a kitten. His name is Tucker and he's about 6 months old. I got him from the Humane Society of Atlantic County. It was a great experience and I'd recomend them to anyone in the area looking for a pet. Anyway, Tucker is great. He can be a bit of a nudge sometimes, but I love him! He's also freakin adorable. And fluffy. And loveable. And best of all he has not destroyed anything. Here's some pictures to prove the cuteness exisits.

Tucker

Demoralized by Facebook

I got an e-mail in my inbox tonight from an application on Facebook, iRead. Basically you can enter all the books you have read, are reading, want to read, or would never read and rate and review them. I love to read and I find the application very fun and it has some cool features. For example, if their is a book you want to read, it will tell if any of your friends own that book so that you can borrow it from them. It's an amusing diversion.

So anyway, I get this e-mail from the application. The subject line is "Are you still reading Vanity Fair?" Yes. Yes in fact I am. Dude, it's like 1,000 pages or something. Don't be so darn accusatory, iRead! I'm getting there. I work 40 hours a week! I have a life! Don't question my commitment here, people. Sheesh.

Grouchy

Apparently George Bush feels the need to go to Africa. And they've decided he should spend most of his time in Tanzania. I do not want that man in my favorite country. The US has decided that Tanzania is a "success story" for it's developmental gains despite being one of the poorest countries in the world. Makes perfect sense to me.

Give the Drugs Companies a Break

This is probably not the first time I will say it but, Congress is nuts! This morning I was enjoying my lunch break (mmm Trader Joe's bean and corn enchiladas) when I saw a Good Morning America spot (I think it was old as this was at 3:30 am) about the controversy surrounding a recent ad put out by Pfizer. It stars Dr. Jarvik, the "inventor of the artificial heart." Apparently, Congress has started a sub-committee to investigate celebrity endorsement in direct-to-consumer drug ads (think Sally Fields and Boniva as well). Way to waste tax-payer dollars.

I realize that the ad is persuasive and plays on Americans' emotions and feelings about heart disease and doctors. I realize Dr. Jarvik is not a medical doctor. I also realize that he didn't even "invent" the artificial heart per say (just his particular version of it). People are complaining that those pitching these ads are not qualified to give medical advice and drugs should be discussed with and prescribed by doctors. Well, last time I checked, they still are. It's not like people call a 1-800 number and order the drug themselves. With the increasing demands put on doctors, an informed consumer is an important thing. And people have a right to now what Pfizer claims (and can back up with research) that their product does.

They also say that people could often get a lower cost drug that would work just as well.
Isn't that the point of advertising? To use whatever means necessary short of out right lying to persuade us that we need this product? While I am in favor of drug reform and would love to see prices lowered and the markets opened up to more competition, especially from foreign drug companies, we currently live in a free market economy. It is the consumers responsibility and privilege to chose. Anyone can request a generic prescription or request a brand name prescription. Pfizer's ads are fine, Congress should not be permitted to step in. It is a doctor's responsibility to discuss side effects, safe dosages, and alternative medications with their patient before prescribing any medication. If that's not happening, it's not Pfizer's fault. We live in a time of tremendously informed medical consumers. If Pfizer wants to provide information, it is entitled to do it in a way that is appealing and persuasive to the consumer. That's the very essence of capitalism. As long as they are not out-right lying (which I don't believe anyone is saying they are), then Congress has no right to get involved. The American people have an obligation to educate themselves. Congress doesn't need to protect us. Adults need to realize you can't believe everything you see on TV. Stop dumbing us down and wasting our money while doing it.

Chavez - friend of the American poor

I recently saw this ad with Senator Joe Kennedy (of the lovely state of Massachusetts). In case you don't have time the watch it, it basically says that Citgo (the oil company owned the Venezuelan people) is providing free oil to those low-income families who qualify for it. My immediate reaction was diabolical laughter. While I'm not so sure about Chavez generally, I think that his aims to help the people of his own country (and now apparently ours) is admirable. The US has used South American countries in a terrible way and I can't blame Chavez for resenting our government for the pain and hardship that it has caused in his country and so many others around the world. We have a history of taking advantage of those too weak to defend themselves and, frankly, I'm glad someone is standing up to us. The ad is also quick to point out that our nation has done nothing to help these people. It's not a low blow. We deserve it. If we can't take care of our own people in one of the richest countries in the world, all our "socialist evil enemies" should step in and do it for us. A quick search revealed much negative buzz, calling the program the "unholy trinity." I say kudos to Joe Kennedy for teaming up with Chavez to get discounted oil in order to give it to those who need it most. Perhaps it's short-sighted of me, but I say screw the political motivations and just be happy that people who need heat have it, no matter how they got it.