Trying to do Philadelphia like I do New York

Since last summer, I've been wanting to travel into Philadelphia like I travel into Manhattan.....leave my car at the train station and take the train in. Well today I finally did. I parked at the Conshohocken station and took the Manayunk/Norristown line into Jefferson Station. Since I don't know Philadelphia nearly as well as I know New York, I found myself playing with my phone trying to figure out what I would do in what order. I wanted to take at least one subway ride, so for $12, I bought the One-Day Independence Pass. The ride went quick, but I must add that like NJ Transit into Manhattan, the trains run on the hour. 

From Jefferson Station, I walked into Reading Terminal Market. I get excited like a child, when I go into places like this, BUT I didn't have a car and was limited to what I wanted to carry. I bought some marzipan and since it was 12:30 I headed for lunch at Zavino, which I never heard of until finding them on Yelp during my 32 minute train ride. I wanted Neapolitan style pizza and Zavino was closer than Pizzeria Vetri. I ordered the Margherita and then headed to get some French macarons at Miel Patisserie, which I also found on Yelp.

I was determined not to leave before taking a subway ride, so I picked up the Broad Street (orange) Line at Walnut-Locust and took it 2 stops north to Race-Vine. From there I walked West to the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. I walked around there for a half hour, spending most of my time looking at the No Home To Go To: Diaspora of the Baltic Nations Exhibition.

on the way to Free Library of Philadelphia

From there, I walked through Logan Square, admiring all of the different flags along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For years, I've driven past there and always wished I could stop to take pictures. From there, I entered JFK Plaza and admired the Love Statue. There were people everywhere and the heat was getting to me. I wanted to check out a few museums, but that will have to wait for my next visit, which I also hope to do without my car. It was 3:30 and most museums close at 5, so I picked up the train back to Conshohocken at Suburban station. I know that on my next visit, Reading Terminal Market will be my last stop and not my 1st.

Former Mayor Frank Rizzo

Happy Halloween!

The last 2 nights have been amazing! I'll always be able to say that I saw the last 2 shows at the legendary Philadelphia Spectrum. Tonight, Pearl Jam played for 200 minutes. I never saw Bruce Springsteen play that long! For one of the encores, they came out dressed as DEVO and played WHIP IT. They didn't do any SLAYER covers, but you can always count of SLAYER to come up with creative t-shirts 555 (ha ha ha)!