Tag Archives: Philadelphia

The Automat

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Today it houses medical offices but this fabulous art deco building was once home to one of the country’s most popular automats.

What is an automat? I’m so glad you asked.

Basically it was a self-serve restaurant with a wall of food behind glass plated doors. You would insert your coin, turn a knob and remove the single serve plate or bowl of food. It was sort of like a giant vending machine only the food was fresh made and delicious dishes like mac and cheese, casseroles, soup, salisbury steak and mouthwatering desserts.

It combined the convenience of fast food with affordability and a pleasant atmosphere.

It is very possible you’ve seen automats in old movies and there’s a great scene in the show The Marvelous Mrs Maisel where the two main characters are eating together in a truly spectacular automat. I also recall Sylvester the cat visiting one once.

We were going to or fro on Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street when I spotted this place and snapped a quick photo.

This building was the home of the old Horn and Hardart Automat and was the first of its kind in this country beginning in 1902. These places were especially popular during the Depression when diners with just a little change in their pocket could get cheap, hearty food.

This concept didn’t survive for even a full century as our last automat closed in New York on April 9, 1991.

Personally, I would like to see these places make a come back. It seems like there’s room for them in our dining landscape and the idea is just fun.

This public domain photo of a Horn and Hardart Automat illustrates the concept.

Want to know more? This CBS News story tells the story really well and includes some great imagery.

Contemplations On The Unknown Soldier

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On a tree lined street in Philadelphia’s Old Town, you will find a brick walled park where people gather in the mornings for guided yoga. Here you might find a little boy chasing a squirrel as his dad tags along behind. There might be an elderly couple sitting quietly as they take in the world around them.

These are some things I saw in Washington Square one late summer morning last year. We were intrigued by this place with its mix of old and new and a monument of some sort on the other side of the square. We were surprised to find ourselves standing before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution.

Despite the city’s commitment to preserving history, it never even occurred to me that such a thing would exist. This memorial honors the soldiers who died during the Revolutionary War. It was humbling to learn that many of them were buried in mass graves right here in this square. 

There’s a statue of George Washington and an eternal flame. The tomb includes remains which were disinterred from beneath the square. The plaque on the tomb, which was completed in 1957, reads “Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington’s army who died to give you liberty.”

There are other words carved into the side of the tomb. The phrase that resonated most with me is a phrase from President Washington’s farewell address in 1796. “The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts of common dangers, suffering and success.”

The other quote I liked best reads “Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness.”

My friend knelt on the ground before the monument and watched the flicker of the eternal flame. I stood, drinking in the sights, smells and sounds of this place that felt so sacred and so important. I was grateful there were no crowds to muck up the peace and reverence of this place. Yet, I was pleased to realize that this sacred ground appeals to those who seek a place to reflect as well as a young man with his small child who hopefully is teaching that youngster to respect the past. 

After all, everyone prospers when we all remember the progress, accomplishments, failures, and sins of our own past. 

We took our time here. It was a beautiful, reflective place to pause. On this cold January day when the nation has a conflicted view of who we are and who we ought to be, I’m glad I had that morning to reflect and to silently thank those brave soldiers who gave all while fighting for a vision and a dream for the life democracy would give their families. 

Washington Square and the tomb are part of Independence National Historic Park. There are tons of opportunities to interact with the past. This is just one of them. I hope you will someday find your way there to tour Independence Hall, to admire the Liberty Bell, and to sit where Betsy Ross worshiped. It’s an eye opening trip.

A Place To Relax

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Our Philadelphia hotel earlier this year had a fabulous reading room. It’s a dark and moody space that called my name every time I passed by.

It seemed like the perfect spot to curl up with a book but I never once saw anyone sitting there. I didn’t sit there either because we had a delightfully full schedule. The time we did spend at the hotel, we chose to spend it in pajamas with air conditioning blasting and our feet kicked up.

Now I wish I had bothered to run a comb through my hair and go downstairs to sit in this dreamy room. I’m not sure why I am still thinking about it but I still dream of it. If I ever go back, maybe I can plan for some quiet time in this relaxing space.

Hard Rock Philadelphia

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There’s no better way to see a city than by foot. That’s why my East Coast Adventure Pal Nichola and I are happiest taking long walks on our trips.

This is how you can stop to admire an alleyway mural. That’s how you notice the flower in a sidewalk crack or the nifty little architectural detail on the windows of an old building.

As a matter of fact, we are the kind of people who will set out on a walk and then find ourselves six city blocks in the wrong direction all because someone said “hey, look at that!”

It’s truly amazing we get anywhere at all considering how pleased we are to stop and study the odd and quiet things that others drive right past.

Most folks do, however, notice the Hard Rock Cafe in Philadelphia. We didn’t go in but I did enjoy seeing the massive 36 foot guitar on a historic building that might otherwise have been lost. That’s the historic Reading Terminal which dates to the late nineteenth century.

I didn’t even know the place existed until we went wandering on our last morning in town and found ourselves looking at murals and art installations around the neighborhood. That guitar is certainly a conversation piece and so is the building.

I’m grateful anytime someone chooses the historic instead of tearing it down to make way for the new.

Yellow Bicycle Canteen

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It’s called Yellow Bicycle Canteen and it was one of so many fun discoveries we made on foot in Philadelphia. We were immediately charmed by the curb appeal. The pops of yellow, sweet cafe tables and nifty signage were enough to pull us right through the door.

Guys, they specialize in vegetarian food! It was such a delightful, heart warming experience to walk into a restaurant and have an entire menu of food just for me!

Plus, every menu item can be made vegan with just a few swaps or omissions. This is the sort of thing you mostly find in cities. Given how many dietary needs have become mainstream, it’s shockingly difficult to eat in a restaurant in this country if you are gluten free or plant based.

Where I live, most restaurants cook green beans in pork and add beef to vegetable soup. Some restaurants offer a black bean burger or pizzas you can customize but I almost feel like many places don’t want my business.

But I digress. This place is incredible because you can get soups, wraps, and all kinds of fun sounding dishes. We were there for breakfast so I indulged in something called Y.B. Cheesy, a bagel with two eggs, American cheese and some kind of herb cream cheese spread.

We took our sandwiches across the street to sit in a quiet courtyard and enjoy our sandwiches and lemony Italian sodas.

They are not at all skimpy on the ingredients – it all was high quality and well worth the $7 price tag.

Small businesses are the backbone of our nation and our neighborhoods. These are the folks who are working to provide services and products and food that appeal to you and your sensibilities rather than the lowest common denominator that the chain stores and restaurants focus on.

If you’re walking down the street and spot a little cafe or cute store, do more than window shop if it can. Go in, see what they have and maybe spend a little cash with them. That’s how we get to keep these special places.

My only regret about this cafe is that we only got to go for one meal. Want to see their fabulous menu? Click here.

Philadelphia Dragons

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It’s the kind of thing a road tripper lives for and it was a fabulous surprise during our last morning walk through Philadelphia. It’s a sculpture of a dragon and one of four that guard a parking lot just a block or so down from Chinatown’s Friendship Arch.

Isn’t it fabulous?

All of the dragons are similar and all are elevated on poles making them feel larger than life. They are the creation of artist Ward Eiker in 2009. I read that each of these copper pieces weighs about 1,500 pounds and they cost about $75,000 to create.

The results are impressive and it’s worth noting that we stood there admiring them like a couple of fan girls! Go see them for yourselves at 815 Arch Street, Philadelphia.