Philadelphia « Kenny Smith | A remarkable thing happens …

Philadelphia

cycling / food / friends / Monday / Philadelphia / photo — Comments Off
18
Nov 24

We tried Malaysian, that was delicious

This weekend I improved my bike hipster cred with this new-to-me vintage belt buckle. I’d prefer that it was blue or orange or red, but the green will, I’m sure, grow on me.

I haven’t spent a lot of time looking, but I hadn’t run across a buckle like that before, rear derailleur looking all abstract, looking ready to climb. And when you know, you know, you know? So I bought it, and now it’s daily wear.

I have three daily wear belt buckles, which means I’m dangerously close to starting a collection. If I add three or four more I’d have a complete biographical collection. But I probably shouldn’t do that.

We went over the river on Friday night. A friend of almost 20 years from back home was in town. He used to live up here, too. And he was back for a conference, and heading up to New York to see his family. So we ventured over to pick him up for dinner.

And before we got there, we saw this sign.

Hmmmm …

We drove right beneath city hall. Built using brick, white marble and limestone, it is the world’s largest free-standing masonry building and was the world’s tallest habitable building when it opened in 1894.

Designed to be the world’s tallest building, it was surpassed during the phase of construction by the Washington Monument, the Eiffel Tower, and Turin, Italy’s Mole Antonelliana. The Mole Antonelliana, a few feet taller, suffered a spire collapse in a storm, and so this building stands a bit taller.

I’m sure we’ll discover more about it at some point in the future.

Our friend, Andre, suggested we try a Malaysian restaurant, Kampar, which has been shortlisted for a James Beard Award. While we waited the hostess gave me a new way to ask restaurant staff about their favorite dishes. She said the rendang daging was the reason she worked there. So we ordered that, and several other family-style dishes. And I’d work there for the rendang daging, too. It was a sweet, tender, slow-cooked meat. It offset the pickled vegetables well. Then, opposite that was a fried chicken done in a style that, by rights, I should not have enjoyed as much as I did. (But I want some more, even now, just thinking about it.)

So everything was great. We had about three bites before my lovely bride and I looked at each other and said, almost simultaneously, that my mother would like to try this place. So we’ll bring her when she comes up.

The weather is holding up. I got in 65 miles of riding this weekend, all of it just around the familiar neighborhoods. I’m trying to squeeze in every mile possible. You know the feeling, I’m sure, chasing the thing to forestall the thing.

That made sense right about here.

Now if this mild weather will just last until spring …

Monday / Philadelphia / photo / video — Comments Off
28
Oct 24

Across the cold, watery expanse

We were supposed to go over the river three times this weekend. But I only went two times. And it was still a lovely weekend, despite my coming up short.

On Friday we went over to watch a field hockey game. The team we were cheering on won, 1-0 or 2-0, it was difficult to see the tabletop scoreboard from across the field. They are on the verge of going undefeated for the season, and I finally got to see them ply their trade across a bumpy, lumpy field on a beautifully warm and sunny fall afternoon.

Our favorite player was a defender and that is most certainly a big part of why they pitched a shutout today.

On the way back over, I managed to get this shot on the bridge.

And in the driveway, I could hear the geese before I could see them. I’m not sure if I really saw them, even as I was trying to take a photo. They can make for a beautiful photo, in better light.

There’s a slew from the river back that way. Maybe that’s where they were headed.

I’d been fighting a sore throat and woke up feeling like I was losing the battle on Saturday morning, so I did not make the second trip over the river. There was a 5K that my lovely bride ran, and she was kind enough to tell me to stay in bed. I still got my t-shirt, though.

I went outside that morning to do outside chore and was rewarded with a few minutes of beautiful light.

You could probably write a poem or two about scenes like that. They might come off maudlin, or Irish, or both. That would not make them bad.

Some of the bushes are still doing some amazing work, here at the end of October. They have to be confused. Cool yesterday, outrageously warm tomorrow.

I found this tree on a Sunday afternoon walk at just the right time. What a lovely tie dye moment. If you’re going to go maple, go maple with flair.

Another shot from that walk.

And then we went back across the river again, meaning we went over the bridge, which gave me this shot.

We went to the Flyers game. Hockey! People sliding on frozen stuff. And, at times, the ice was a part of the display. Makes for a nice canvas, really.

The Flyers have an impressive graphics package. The LED ribbons are everywhere in the venue, and they make an impression. Then they shoot pyrotechnics out of the screens that are raised and lowered around the central scoring display. There’s a lot to see, and it’s not all on the ice.

On the ice, the good guys got off to a bad start, and then it got worse. Starting the third period it was 4-1. The home team battled back, putting two pucks in the net in the last two minutes, but the clock ran out, and so they have started the season 2-6-1. They’ll get it figured out soon. I’m sure we’ll be back to see it happen.

adventures / Friday / memories / music / Philadelphia / photo / video — Comments Off
23
Aug 24

Still not over it

Last night, we went over the river.

We went for a poke bowl. This was when I learned something about poke bowls. The fish is raw — which is not my thing. Eat it fast and in big chunks, then.

And, next time, order the ramen bowl, like you initially planned to do.

Anyway, it was a lovely night for dining outside. We were the only people at the place, so we timed it right. And the food was good, except for, you know.

The purpose of that trip was to go see a rock ‘n’ roll show. I am, of course, going to get two posts out of this.

Opening the show was Melissa Etheridge. I bought her first albums as cassette tapes. They were loud and a little rowdy and a lot intense. Or, as she said last night … (Excuse the video quality, we were roughly a quarter of a mile away.)

That’s a good summation, the raw lyrics, the talented guitar work, it all worked very well.

For me, it was all about those first three albums — even though I was playing catch up. Someone played me a song as a teen and that 12-string guitar got my attention and her sound kept it. Superstardom was obviously on the way, the drama was there, and she was belting things out as fast as she could churn them out, and she’s been prolific for decades. Sixteen studio albums, five of them platinum, two golds. She’s supported them with 43 singles, including 11 that charted and six landing in the Top 40. She’s moved more than 25 million units, not counting whatever her digital sales are. But, again, for me, it was the first three records. Time and place. Lightning in a bottle. An earnestness that matched a feeling, whatever it was. If I had to narrow it down further, it just might be about this song. And, man, I still can’t believe this happened. It’ll take days to get over this. (Update — Still not over it.)

Amy and Emily doing melody on the song about two people running away together, or just running away? I do not know the extent to which a pop ballad can move a person, but there I was, thinking, No way 16 year-old me could have pictured any of this.

I suppose we could have left then and I would have felt as though I’d had my fill. How often can you say that just a handful of songs into a show? But you don’t do that, because there’s always the potential for magic in the air. They rolled out a piano and Etheridge put down her guitar and played a Joan Armatrading classic.

One day, someone is going to figure out that Melissa Etheridge has just been riffing on Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Joan Armatrading her whole career. And why not? It works.

She’s 63 and still brings it. I’d never really had a desire to see her in concert, and I see now that was my loss. She put on a terrific show, and that was only the first half. We’ll get to the rest of the show next week.

Back at home, we have a new friend in the backyard. I just happened to catch this in the light as I went about the evening chores. Much better to see it than feel it.

It’ll be interesting to watch that web work evolve, I’m sure.

Meanwhile, over in the giant leaf district, we will find giant leaves.

That plant sits next to the water spigot, so it gets a bit of extra water whenever that’s on. I assume that’s why it’s taller than me now. Thankfully the brown-eyed susans that are growing next to it have no similar ambitions. But who knows what they’ll get up to this weekend.

And you? What are you up to this weekend? Make sure it is a good one!

baseball / Philadelphia / photo / Tuesday — Comments Off
30
Jul 24

Backyard to table

Slow day, as it should be. The only problem is I need to figure out how to do more with the slow days. Even the days I don’t want to do a lot, or perhaps especially on those days. The only other problem is I need to find a way to make something productive come of the slow days. (Hashtag, summer problems.)

We’ve been enjoying the first products from our backyard garden. Two cucumbers came out yesterday. They went into a fresh salad that we had with lunch yesterday and dinner this evening.

I wonder what we’ll bring in next? Probably the peaches. They’re getting close, and the first ones will come off the tree later this week, I’d bet.

We’ve still got a lot of peaches from last year’s harvest in the freezer. I had a giant peach smoothie for dinner Sunday night. You see, I forgot that we bagged some for smoothies, and bagged larger quart bags for general purposes. I grabbed a quart bag. I had a giant smoothie. Then I had another. And then a bit more.

Peaches, honey, a touch of milk, and that’s it. Somehow I didn’t think that’d make up dinner, but you can put … about a quart’s worth of peaches in a quart bag. And that’s a lot of peaches!

I sat outside and listened to the crickets and some music and enjoyed a lot of fresh frozen fruit. It was peaceful. And also peachful.

So it’s slow, but look what’s going on outside.

Quite lovely, innit? That’s why I sat outside Sunday night. Why I’ve got to remember to do that more and more.

Last night we loaded up the car — my uncle-in-law came to join us, and we all picked up my god-nieces-in-law (just go with it) — and went over to see the local guys play the visiting Yankees. We had some nice seats.

(Click to embiggen.)

But it was not a good game for the home team. Aaron Judge hit two home runs. The Yankees collected four more dingers, which have become quite boring, I’d say. Also, we saw a position player, the Phillies’ backup catcher, pitch the final inning in a game everyone just wanted to end.

We ran into one of The Yankee’s students leaving the park, so that happens now.

We got the girls home and caught up on the night’s Olympics. It was a full fun night of sportsing. And we had more sportsing today, which was probably the most productive bit of my Tuesday, truth be told. (Hashtag, summer problems.)

adventures / baseball / Philadelphia / photo / Thursday — Comments Off
11
Jul 24

We forgot our brooms

After a leisurely day around the house, I’ll give you one guess about where we went this evening.

OK, I’ll give you a second guess about where we went this evening. You’re sure to get it from here.

(Click to embiggen.)

Thursday night is theme night, I guess. And it was also inexpensive ticket night. So we semi-spontaneously went across the river and spent some time at Citizens Bank Park. We watched the great Shoehei Ohtani go 0-4 and saw Aaron Nola scatter four hits and two walks across six innings as the homestanding team beat the not-very-well-liked visitors 4-0. Brandon Marsh hit a home run and charted a triple to right, Trea Turner recorded his sixth home run in nine games. And just after I took that large photo (seriously, click it, it’ll open in a new window and you can scroll around) Kyle Schwarber hit a baseball a very long distance, as he frequently does.

The good guys won, 5-1. It was a series sweep. In a related story, after a two-inning battle I defeated the sunscreen that oozed into my left eye.

Did you notice the new graphic up there? The blue one? I’m updating a few of those as I go. And, this evening, as we were leaving the park, I had the opportunity to get a nice skyline of the city.

I was, of course, photobombed.

It was a delightful night over the river. Except for the sunscreen incident.

We’ll be back over there in a few weeks. Not eager to repeat the same mistake, I’ll be sure to have a new skin protection strategy by then.