My quickie roadtrip to Philly - art, photos, food, and some good karma.
Nov 27th, 2016, 08:45 AM
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My quickie roadtrip to Philly - art, photos, food, and some good karma.
Good afternoon everyone
I don't know if this will help anyone but this is a high level overview of my mini road trip.
For all that I had a college roommate from the Philly burbs and I live in DC (close by) I haven't spent much time in Philly. When I'd visit the roommate after college we always hung out with her and her husband and friends in the burbs. Not much sightseeing.
I basically decided on Thanksgiving Day to head up for the overnight, on Friday. I had hoped to go in the fall with a friend as a day trip - train up early, train home late - but the timing didn't work for either of us. Had I had a train ticket for this I might have done that, but driving 2.5 hours minimum one way meant I'd do an overnight. My college friends were occupied with family stuff including taking their daughter back to Penn State. eep.
A new friend lives there, too. I went on a fantastic photo workshop in Italy in September with a photographer named Carla Coulson. One of the classmates lives in Philly so we made plans to meet for drinks later.
I stayed at the Windsor Suites on Benjamin Franklin Pkwy near Logan Square. Fantastic location for what I wanted to see and they are indeed suites. I even had a mini kitchen which I didn't use. And a real closet and a big bed and nice bathroom. I'd stay there again no probs. It was a nice walk from the museums I wanted to see, too. With tax it came to 195 a night plus 42 for overnight parking which was good until 6 PM departure day (although I left at 4 PM to drive home).
I arrived hungry around 2 PM and went straight to Jim's on South street. The line looked long but it only took half an hour to get inside. Cheesesteak: check. mmmmmm
I didn't think I had time to wander the neighborhood taking street art photos or for that matter visit the Magic Garden which was nearby. I was right - by the time I got to the hotel and prepped to head back out again it was pushing sunset which was another thing I wanted to photograph while I was there. As it turned out, then, I got practically no street art photos this trip. Bummer!
to be continued...
I don't know if this will help anyone but this is a high level overview of my mini road trip.
For all that I had a college roommate from the Philly burbs and I live in DC (close by) I haven't spent much time in Philly. When I'd visit the roommate after college we always hung out with her and her husband and friends in the burbs. Not much sightseeing.
I basically decided on Thanksgiving Day to head up for the overnight, on Friday. I had hoped to go in the fall with a friend as a day trip - train up early, train home late - but the timing didn't work for either of us. Had I had a train ticket for this I might have done that, but driving 2.5 hours minimum one way meant I'd do an overnight. My college friends were occupied with family stuff including taking their daughter back to Penn State. eep.
A new friend lives there, too. I went on a fantastic photo workshop in Italy in September with a photographer named Carla Coulson. One of the classmates lives in Philly so we made plans to meet for drinks later.
I stayed at the Windsor Suites on Benjamin Franklin Pkwy near Logan Square. Fantastic location for what I wanted to see and they are indeed suites. I even had a mini kitchen which I didn't use. And a real closet and a big bed and nice bathroom. I'd stay there again no probs. It was a nice walk from the museums I wanted to see, too. With tax it came to 195 a night plus 42 for overnight parking which was good until 6 PM departure day (although I left at 4 PM to drive home).
I arrived hungry around 2 PM and went straight to Jim's on South street. The line looked long but it only took half an hour to get inside. Cheesesteak: check. mmmmmm
I didn't think I had time to wander the neighborhood taking street art photos or for that matter visit the Magic Garden which was nearby. I was right - by the time I got to the hotel and prepped to head back out again it was pushing sunset which was another thing I wanted to photograph while I was there. As it turned out, then, I got practically no street art photos this trip. Bummer!
to be continued...
Nov 28th, 2016, 09:06 AM
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I took Uber from the hotel to the Boathouse Row which various friends told me was a great place for night photos. I drove so I had room to bring the tripod and camera gear and I love taking long exposures at night.
I walked around to the waterfront - behind the art museum - around 4 PM and had time to get some nice shots of the row of brightly lit houses as the skies darkened. I don't know if they were just decorated for the holidays or if this is year round.
What was fun, though, was that as I approached the little gazebo near the water there was clearly something going on. There were a dozen people decorating it. They had strings of lights and a few dozen tea candles being set up. I asked one person what was the occasion and there was soon to be a proposal! The bride was visiting the groom and his family for Thanksgiving and while the proposal wasn't a surprise the ceremony around it, was.
I took many shots of the houses and water and then as it got darker I backed way up to the edge of the little park area and took some photos from there, including the gazebo which by now had all the lights and candles lit.
The sister of the groom came up to me and asked me if I could take some shots for them. I took half a dozen or so including the proposal itself and the people congregating about afterwards with their sparklers. It was a long exposure and I was well back from the scene. The photos turned out well but of course long exposure means the people and movement are somewhat blurry. They also asked me to take photos of the group with their own camera.
The photos were very pretty, I thought. I've already emailed them to the sister of the groom so I guess I've got some good karma coming my way for my good deed!
Then, I walked up to the PMA with all my gear.
cont'd...
I walked around to the waterfront - behind the art museum - around 4 PM and had time to get some nice shots of the row of brightly lit houses as the skies darkened. I don't know if they were just decorated for the holidays or if this is year round.
What was fun, though, was that as I approached the little gazebo near the water there was clearly something going on. There were a dozen people decorating it. They had strings of lights and a few dozen tea candles being set up. I asked one person what was the occasion and there was soon to be a proposal! The bride was visiting the groom and his family for Thanksgiving and while the proposal wasn't a surprise the ceremony around it, was.
I took many shots of the houses and water and then as it got darker I backed way up to the edge of the little park area and took some photos from there, including the gazebo which by now had all the lights and candles lit.
The sister of the groom came up to me and asked me if I could take some shots for them. I took half a dozen or so including the proposal itself and the people congregating about afterwards with their sparklers. It was a long exposure and I was well back from the scene. The photos turned out well but of course long exposure means the people and movement are somewhat blurry. They also asked me to take photos of the group with their own camera.
The photos were very pretty, I thought. I've already emailed them to the sister of the groom so I guess I've got some good karma coming my way for my good deed!
Then, I walked up to the PMA with all my gear.
cont'd...
Nov 28th, 2016, 09:11 AM
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schmerl and birdie, thank you!
I saw the little shop next to Jim's and went inside, but I just didn't have time to wander. I didn't get on the road until 1130 AM which was my bad. I should have gotten on the road by 10 AM at the latest. Oh well.
I saw the little shop next to Jim's and went inside, but I just didn't have time to wander. I didn't get on the road until 1130 AM which was my bad. I should have gotten on the road by 10 AM at the latest. Oh well.
Nov 28th, 2016, 10:05 AM
#6
I seem to get a later than desired start myself when I head up to Philly from Williamsburg. I'm usually stuck in I95 traffic going through Chester, cursing my tendency to lallygag.
How lucky that young couple was to have you there at the right moment.
How lucky that young couple was to have you there at the right moment.
Dec 4th, 2016, 08:30 AM
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Thank you Birdie and schmerl
I'm losing steam. I've done a few more photoshoots since I got home and always more stuff to edit = time.
I had not been inside the PMA before. It's a terrific museum and I didn't do it justice by far. Friday nights, apparently, are party night and there was a DJ and lots of people drinking and hanging out, or dancing. I need to go back and slow down - mostly I just meandered but I did linger in the French artists wing. I was struck throughout the museum how many donor families there are in Philadelphia. Anecdotally speaking, DC is not an art donor town on that scale. We have fabulous museums and undoubtedly a lot of art is donated but I don't typically see entire wings named after families. (someone could correct me here!)
It made me wonder if art donation used to be a fashionable thing as many families seemed like old money and from many years ago. Does charity on that scale go in and out of fashion?
After I had my wander for a few hours I went back to my hotel and pinged a friend who lives there. I met her when I went on a photo workshop in Naples, Italy, in September. This workshop was with Carla Coulson who is a photographer I've long admired. Most of the attendees were Australians but there were a handful of Americans.
We agreed to meet at A Bar which is adjacent to Rittenhouse Square.
contd...
I'm losing steam. I've done a few more photoshoots since I got home and always more stuff to edit = time.
I had not been inside the PMA before. It's a terrific museum and I didn't do it justice by far. Friday nights, apparently, are party night and there was a DJ and lots of people drinking and hanging out, or dancing. I need to go back and slow down - mostly I just meandered but I did linger in the French artists wing. I was struck throughout the museum how many donor families there are in Philadelphia. Anecdotally speaking, DC is not an art donor town on that scale. We have fabulous museums and undoubtedly a lot of art is donated but I don't typically see entire wings named after families. (someone could correct me here!)
It made me wonder if art donation used to be a fashionable thing as many families seemed like old money and from many years ago. Does charity on that scale go in and out of fashion?
After I had my wander for a few hours I went back to my hotel and pinged a friend who lives there. I met her when I went on a photo workshop in Naples, Italy, in September. This workshop was with Carla Coulson who is a photographer I've long admired. Most of the attendees were Australians but there were a handful of Americans.
We agreed to meet at A Bar which is adjacent to Rittenhouse Square.
contd...
Feb 27th, 2017, 05:30 AM
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dela deb, I am heading back to Philly for the flower show in about ten days time - I'll try to finish this. Not that there is a lot to say. Just a lot of wandering and catching up with a friend.
Although I did see Covering Letter by Jitish Kallat! That was very moving.
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/849.html
It closes this week.
Although I did see Covering Letter by Jitish Kallat! That was very moving.
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/849.html
It closes this week.
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