Tuesday the beau and I headed south to Philly for a conference I was scheduled to attend on Wednesday. After settling in at the hotel, we drove downtown (during rush hour nonetheless) and found the best place to eat: HipCityVeg! Everything on the menu is plant based (vegan), sourced locally, delivered on bike, and all of their packaging is compostable. It’s a small location with just a few seats to enjoy inside but we didn’t mind; there was a great park just at the end of the block.
Everything on the menu looked delicious! I decided on the Crispy HipCity Ranch mostly because I haven’t tasted anything that resembles ranch dressing in seven months and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The beau got the Buffalo Bella, a crispy portobella tossed in buffalo sauce with a celery slaw and tomato. We of course ordered sides of sweet potato fries and I snagged a Groothie (a green smoothie) for my Wednesday morning breakfy. ANNNNNNNNND we got The Five Dollar Chocolate Shake that BLEW our minds! It was by far the best shake I’ve ever had.
We didn’t stay downtown too late because a) the All-Star game was on and b) I knew I had an early morning coming. All I can say is this: corner stores in Philly do not sell alcohol, I repeat, do not sell alcohol. All we wanted was a cold beer or two while watching the game!
Moving on, Wednesday I attended the conference all day at St. Joseph’s University (super pretty campus) while the beau went to a Japanese house and garden to read and relax.
And once I was finished learning for the day, we drove downtown to meet a friend of mine from undergrad. Funny story: I accidentally entered her address in the GPS incorrectly and ended up in the ghetto of all ghettos. I have never felt that unsafe in a vehicle. We quickly called her and was reassured that she indeed, did not live in the ghetto. Within five minutes we found her, were exchanging hugs and drinking a beer at the Memphis Taproom. Steph is a friend I appreciate: we aren’t close but have enough in common to keep good conversation. She is a good listener, is up for anything and has a positive attitude. I can’t wait to go visit her in Boston soon when I go to visit Lindsey.
She took us downtown to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (and yes, this is where both the Declaration and Constitution were signed). The brownstones that line the streets are gorgeous! You can see the history oozing from this city; we loved it. We then took Steph over to HipCityVeg for dinner because I realized that when in Philly, I should eat a “cheesesteak.” Philly Steak it was with mushrooms and onions and she tried the tofu curry over a salad. Oh, and more milkshakes! Her mind was blown too.
After a *quick* shopping spree at lululemon, we were off to see the Art Museum and Rocky statue. Let me tell you, it was HOT in Philly. I didn’t run either day because of the heat and thick humidity. But this didn’t stop the runners and athletes native to this city; they were hauling it on the paths as we were casually walking up. It was fun to see everyone running up the steps; there were a couple of bootcamps too! I didn’t plan ahead with the choice of Birkenstocks but did snag my typical tourist photographs.
I can’t explain the awkward hand on my hip but want to say thanks to Stephanie for the best mini tour of the city! It was a great quick road trip and I can’t wait to spend a longer period of time in this city. Until next time, Philadelphia!
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