Pen Station
I'm in Philadelphia promoting the output, not really of my pen, but of my keyboard, at the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies conference.
I was in Philly once before, for the Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference a couple years back, but it was so intense, I never left the Penn Campus except to go to Drexel to hear keynote speaker Daniel Dennett talk.
Anyway, I only now realize what a beautiful town this is. Here are a few photos from this evening:
This one's controversial Civil War Major General George McClellan:
And last but not least, here I am with (on the left) my old L.A. pal Tony Ortega, the editor who's turned the tired old Village Voice into a fun and exciting read. In the middle, that's the very entertaining Gustavo Arellano, who writes "Ask A Mexican." And yes, that's me on the right, with a big piece of trash in the middle of my torso. (Can't win 'em all!)
This is a test comment!
Norman at June 6, 2008 5:53 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2008/06/06/pen_station.html#comment-1555092">comment from NormanThis is a test response!
Amy Alkon at June 6, 2008 6:04 AM
This is a non-informative post just to say that I was born in Pennsylvania, but in Pottstown, not Philly!
Flynne at June 6, 2008 6:16 AM
I hope you are partaking in some of the excellent dining that Philadelphia has to offer. The city has come a long way in terms of restaurants in recent years.
Angela at June 6, 2008 6:22 AM
Thanks again, Amy, for the pretty pics! You know I always enjoy them!
What is it with me and pics? I just moved out of my daughter's into a new apartment (finally!) and the pics are up!
Got lucky too. Around here the rental market's taken a real hit from the assholes that took on mortgages they couldn't afford and I've been looking at some really atrocious places that made me say maybe staying with my daughter and putting up with her Gen Y bullshit wasn't so bad.
Got real lucky. This one is pretty and quiet and the same price as one I looked at that was the size of my daughter's living room and dared to call a hot plate a stove. (The fridge was one of those half-size things you put in a camper or your office and the sink was about six inches square and, yes, all these "kitchen" things were in said living/bedroom -- it was a "studio" more like a hole in the wall.)
Instead I found this pretty little one-bedroom off the main busline by only two block but quiet as hell and with a backyard and flower beds. Landlords are so nice so far that I'm amending my prejudice of landlords and when on the weekend my daughter was over helping me move in with grandson, it turns out my grandson and their son are already friends (from daycare). I still think I'm hallucinating. And, I've come full circle. It's around the corner from the house I was born in (but only lived in for the first 7 years of my life).
Sorry about the off-topic rant.
Donna at June 6, 2008 6:27 AM
I was born and raised north of Philly.
The one thing they do well, and as a pure indulgence, is the Philly cheese steak. You should grab one while you're there.
Jim P. at June 6, 2008 6:38 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2008/06/06/pen_station.html#comment-1555105">comment from AngelaThey had a tasting of a bunch of restaurants last night. Excellent food. And it was at the train station, which was just beautiful. Very impressive-looking city.
Amy Alkon at June 6, 2008 6:47 AM
Well, maybe its cleaned up in the ten years since I lived there, but we used to say Philadelphia was like New York without the good parts.
snakeman99 at June 6, 2008 8:08 AM
Thank goodness for the alternative media
Otherwise, we wouldn't even hear stories like this one
Thanks.
maya at June 6, 2008 8:29 AM
I've only visited Philly so I don't know about the bad parts, but I thought it rocked! The people are friendly and know how to have fun.
By contrast, and I don't know if this is causative or corollary to the hit-and-run video, you can walk around Hartford all day and not draw a single unsolicited hello.
DaveG at June 6, 2008 8:29 AM
Nice pics! I'm going to have to actually visit Philly one day. Drove through it once, but I was driving a moving van and didn't have time to sightsee much.
But I do remember how Phillies fans used to boo Mike Schmidt...
Cousin Dave at June 6, 2008 10:21 AM
I'm pretty sure he gave up the "Ask a Mexican" column some months ago.
JulieA at June 7, 2008 12:15 AM
As a Philly native, I think I should tell you it's Penn station. Not Pen. :)
Jay at June 8, 2008 6:22 AM
any chance you could give us a heads up of where you'll be? Some of us wouldn't mind hearing you speak. I just moved to Philly myself, and find it, save for the crime that I've mentioned in other posts (which seems not to be in teh downtown area), very nice.
So yeah.... hope you had a chance to walk around center city.
j.d. at June 8, 2008 4:50 PM
Hi Amy! I wish we had run into each other while you were in Philadelphia. But looks like you found your way around Philadelphia anyway.
We loved meeting the AAN folks and showing you our town. A lot of people, like you, haven't been here in a while and don't know how pretty, and walkable, and delicious this town is!
Caroline at June 10, 2008 9:57 AM
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