Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia




Jazzy and I are in Philadelphia for our 19th annual "Father-Daughter Vacation." We had a wonderful day. Lunch in Bethlehem before heading down to Philadelphia. Then lots of talk and catching up, and lots of walking around. How could I have forgot what a terrific looking city this is. Narrow streets, zillions of little alleys and cul de sacs, vibrant blocks full of shops and people, an amazing architectural inventory, great old houses everywhere. We're staying in one on Pine and 18th. Dinner was crab cakes and fried oysters at the Sansom St. Oyster House, then a movie, "The Kids are All Right" with Annette Benning and Julianne Moore as lesbian mothers whose kids seek out their sperm donor father. Very funny, and very appropriate for a day on which a judge in California ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Rittenhouse Square used to be surrounded by houses like the first two photos above. It's mostly apartment buildings now. The park was full of people and kids and flowers and fountains and specimen trees. The blocks around it are full of appealing buildings, like this one on 18th and Spruce.

4 comments:

  1. Great to have your eyes to see Philly again, I have walked those streets many times and I am sureI missed allot. Have fun

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  3. 18th & Delancy, if I'm not mistaken; I really couldn't be, I was basically raised in that neighborhood; I went to school on 17th & Spruce; a half-block up, north, then one full block east. ;)

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  4. The second photo was built by a cousin of mine (Samuel Price Wetherill) in the early 1900's. His daughter founded the Art Alliance across the square but it's now housed in this old mansion. It's a shame so many others were torn down.

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