neusnews: December 2008

I took Andy and Sylvia to the Seattle Center for the day. We started off with lunch and met up with Rob, Beth and Ben with whom we lunch. It was great to catch up with the two and see their growing toddler. Andy actually was able to run the train in the snow village they put up every year in the food circus. Next we headed over to the Science Center to catch a 3-D movie, Santa vs. Snowman. I was prepared to dislike it but with our 3-D glasses on it was really fun -- snow flakes falling on our heads, reindeer careening over us, presents whirling about. Unfortunately, or fortunately maybe, when the lights went out Sylvia put her head down on my shoulder and went to sleep. She slept through the entire movie. Andy still didn't want to go in the dinosaur room, even though he kept insisting he did, so we played in the toddler appropriate play area. Andy is an old hand here -- we've been so many times. But all of this is still relatively new to Sylvia who spent a great deal of time mastering the stair steps and slide, and "driving" the car and helicopter.

We spent Thanksgiving week in Philadelphia. We've spent many Thanksgivings there, in Center City, and being in the historical city of our founders, combined with the 18th century houses, Independence Hall and other historic buildings, the City Tavern, the horse carriages, the large city park squares...all make it an ideal place to spend the holiday. Sure, a friend of a friend of my son's was in the hospital from gun shot wounds after a 2:00 a.m. botched armed robbery on their street corner (a seemingly peaceful neighborhood we also visited) but the City of Brotherly Love has always lived up to its reputation where we are concerned.

We started off with dinner at a terrific French bistro, Creperie Beau Monde, followed by Peter's cabaret (www.cabaretredlight.com) at the restaurant's upstairs stage, Le Cabaret Francais L'Etage, where we were reunited with lots of Peter's friends and a racy night of songs, music and skits.

The next day we joined Peter at a music studio where he recorded several songs on his accordian for a Broadway (?) musical. Spent an afternoon walking around the beautiful Halvorford college grounds while Peter taught a class. Went to an opera by Peter's students at Curtis School of Music, Don Giovani, that was so superb I couldn't believe these were all college students.

We stayed in a wonderful suite with a kitchen bigger than ours, a living room, and bedroom full of antiques (Oasis Room, Philadelphia Bella Vista B&B, 752 South 10th Street, www.philadelphiabellavistabnb.com) 2 blocks to the Italian market and our favorite fresh torrone maker and bakery, Isgros, over 100 years in continuous operation with many of the women working behind the counter there for almost as long!)and 2 blocks to Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, a wonder of imagination in mosaic (www.philadelphiasmagicgardens.org). I cooked a complete meal in kitchen's small stove and only set off the alarm once, though we were lucky not to set it off more times as the stove chugged out smoke.

We visited Peter's new studio for launching his million projects, center for his graphic design business, art projects, and band and performing troupe rehearsals housed in a fantastic, large space hidden in an old dairy factory.

We breakfasted at Carman's Country Kitchen, a wonderful breakfast in a tiny diner made my a saucy Carman who considers "special requests" an insult. Having been warned, I barely whispered my request for bacon cooked hard, but added "only if that's okay." I had the unlikely combination of a sweet corn, kale and smoked Gouda omelet that was really incredible. Tom had waffles topped with cooked, mashed carrots and Peter French toast with beets and raspberries on top. Carman doesn't have a website but she has an army of loyal fans. So if you go to Philly, get there early; there's only four tables.

We were then joined by Peter Neu and his girlfriend Allie who drove down from Manhattan. Esther, Peter and neighbor Ginny made a traditional turkey dinner we all enjoyed. Before dinner we had visited the city's oldest inn, the City Tavern (est. 1773) where our founding fathers lodged,imbided, dined and held meetings, while working on our nation's founding. There we also imbided in traditional drinks of the time -- Wassail, spiked apple cider, and beer from the original recipes of Washington, Jefferson and others.

Finally, on our last day in town we ate at Parc, the wonderful French restaurant on Rittenhouse Square (really, you would swear you were in Paris). The best moment of the entire trip -- Peter gifted me with an antique violin and case that he had purchased for me in Prague this summer and saved to give me until our last hours in Philadelphia. It was more than I ever expected. Glad to say, the violin and we had an uneventful and relaxing trip back to Seattle. Now for the lessons.

Photos of our trip follow. More information on Phillie food at my new food blog, The Meandering Fork (www.themeanderingfork.blogspot.com).