It is Tuesday and thus, unfortunately back to the grind. To add insult to injury (or maybe the other way around in this case?) I've managed to acquire a bit of a nasty head cold and currently am having some difficulty breathing normally. But I really can't complain, because I just spent a most fabulous weekend in Philadelphia with Jess and Liz and probably am about due for a dose of reality.
First, while I'm thinking of it, I'd like to refute the notion that I hate the Mint. I don't hate the Mint, and I apologize if my previous blog caused anyone to jump to that conclusion. The Mint is a good thing. That's where they make the money. But forgive me if I don't feel any particular need to take a tour of the place. It isn't like they're giving out free samples. While we're on the subject, I also do not hate the Liberty Bell. I simply do not feel it is worth waiting hours on line to see the side with the crack when you can see the side without the crack through the window.
Otherwise, some highlights:
*Lucy, the "90s grunge" station on XM satellite radio (AirTran's in-flight entertainment). Much of the programming could only be considered 90s grunge in a very loose sense, but it isn't every day that you get to hear Everything Zen and Doll Parts in the space of ten minutes. Unless, of course, you've hijacked my iPod.
*Our super sweet free hotel suite. We stayed at the Residence Inn Center City gratis thanks to the fact that Jessica is high roller. Not only was the room spacious and lovely, but they also had an awesome continental breakfast (with sausage, and eggs, and GRITS, and coffee in limitless amounts!). Downsides included the fact that the management inconveniently failed to note that the pool was being repaired, thus causing us to wind up looking like fools as we wandered the hotel in our swimsuits.
*The Mutter Museum. This is the museum of medical oddities that I rambled on about a few entries ago and was convinced would be overruled. The fact that I got to go to this place at all is a testament to fate - Friday night, we were eating Chinese food and watching World's Creepiest Destinations on the Travel Channel when they did a segment on this very institution, thereby causing me to starting squealing, as I do, and sputtering about how badly I wanted to go. Turns out Liz and Jess were also sucked in by its supreme disgustingness, and my urge to see a bunch of fetuses in jars and historical medical instruments that could have doubled as torture devices was sated. In their gift shop, they had a shot glass with a photo of their plaster cast of the torsos of Chang and Eng the original Siamese twins, and on the reverse it said "Make Mine A Double." It may have been the best shot glass ever in the history of shot glasses.
*The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Running up its steps a la Rocky proved to be considerably less fun than I had hoped, as there are a damn lot of steps, not to mention it was extremely warm out and my jeans were a smidgen on the snug side. But the museum itself, in my humble opinion, is at least three times cooler than the MFA. Maybe four. First, they have an excellent Impressionist collection - tons and tons of Monets, and of course van Gogh's Sunflowers (which, art world renegade that I am, I accidentally took a picture of with - gasp! - flash, yet still managed not to get caught because I'm stealthy). Second, all of their doorways, rather than being regular boring doorways, are taken from churches and castles and other cool places, which adds so much character. Third, they have all of these period rooms and architectural settings. I cannot possibly begin to describe how cool these are. You just have to go. They have this insanely gorgeous medieval cloister from a French abbey, with a working fountain in the middle, where you can sit and reflect. There is also a reconstructed Japanese tea house (where I got yelled at by security because I stepped on some pebbles that were apparently important geological artifacts, except not because they were freaking PEBBLES), an Indian pillared hall, and a Chinese reception hall. Going from room to room made me feel like a contestant on Legends of the Hidden Temple, except with much less freaky, non-loincloth and feathered headdress-wearing guards. It rocked.
*The food. We ate so well in Philly that it was ridiculous. First there was my Nutella and banana crepe and fresh-roasted caffe Americano at the Reading Terminal Market (Jess and Liz had cheesesteaks, but I can't get behind those). Then the chili nachos at McGillin's. Then the charcuterie platter and the muffaletta at Nodding Head - the fries came with this dipping sauce that was insane. Then, there was the fact that we somehow managed to time our visit perfectly with Restaurant Week, and even more implausibly still, that we finagled a reservation at Brasserie Perrier, which according to our guidebook is one of the top five restaurants in Philly. I had escargot (shut up, they're so good), salmon with haricots verts and a horseradish pierogi in vodka dill cream sauce, and Tahitian vanilla creme brulee. I know. Then, minutes before our departure, we went to an artisanal gelato shop, where I had a bittersweet chocolate gelato that was possible one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life. Amazing. Also, this doesn't exactly count as food, but the two caipiroskas I had at Alma de Cuba - mango basil and white peach mint - were crazy delicious.
I really had the best time, and it was totally worth feeling a little bit like crap today. Except now I want to go away every weekend! I'm thinking Denver sometime after Christmas...any takers?
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