Naked Cyclists Flood Philly Streets; First Photos

 FIRST PHOTOS!

 PHILLY NAKED BIKE RIDE!

SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

Naked bicyclists overwhelmed Center City Philadelphia late today as they cycled from the scenic River Drive, around posh Rittenhouse Square, down Market Street, through Independence Hall (just a few pedals from the Liberty Bell) and north to the Piazza at Schmidts in the funky Northern Liberties neighborhood.
The whole thing went off without a hitch with as many as a thousand or more pedal-powered participants receiving cheers from bystanders, gawkers and sidewalk diners along the route.
The weather was perfect and the view was -- well, you can see it here.
The Philly Naked Bike Ride is designed to promote bike-riding as an alternative to gas guzzling. It's part of an international movement. The organizers say they are interested in "fuel-conscious consumption." They claim this is their only message.
This was the third annual naked bike ride through the streets of Philadelphia. The first seven-mile Philly Naked Bike Ride in 2009 was counted as a big success with far fewer participating. The event seems to get bigger every year.
Do you have to be naked to participate? No. And some people weren't naked. It's a very public event and the extent to which participants disrobe is their own choice.
The local police were aware of the ride and monitored it. They didn't anticipate any problems just so long as the bike riders kept moving -- and as long as they did not engage in lewd behavior.
To our knowledge, there were no problems.
All photos copyright 2011, Dan Cirucci.

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Groovy 'Shake Shack' Headed To Center City Philly

Shake Shack, the Manhattan sensation, is headed to center-city Philadelphia.
But cool your heels, the burger and shake master won;t hit town until the second half of next year.
Shake Shack will land above Rittenhouse Square at 2000 Sansom Street.
Restaurateur Danny Meyer (he of the famed Union Square Cafe) says he’s thrilled to add his “voice to the city’s vibrant culinary dialogue.” Philadelphia’s Shake shack will join six New York locations as well as branches in Miami, Washington D.C. Dubai and Kuwait City (what an eclectic list!)
Shake Shack features famous burgers, hot dogs, thick creamy shakes and frozen custard. And, the Philadelphia location is expected to offer beer and wine as well. So, if you're so inclined, you can have a beer with your frozen custard (aka soft serve).
The 2000 block of Sansom is already a VERY HIP corridor but it's about to become a lot more trendy and a lot more crowded!

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The Undiscovered Gems Of America's Birthplace

The Italian-Romanesque style 10th Presbyterian Church.

The ceiling of the Doges Room at 1801 Walnut featuring medallion portraits of the popes. This building is now the Anthropologie store.

The Thomas Hockley house incorporating French Empire elements. In the background you can see the garish, top-heavy 1970s-style Wanamaker House condos in exposed concrete.

 

The ornate crown of The Drake, now an apartment building.

A rambling Second-Empire mansion built for a sea captain on Delancey Place

A "cozy" Georgian Revival residence on the splendid, historically significant 1800 block of Delancey Place.

The spectacular Dr. Horace Jane house on South 19th featuring three triangular gables and terra cotta ornamentation.

The wildly expressive Welsh House at 1932 Spruce with golden pink Pompeian brick, terra cotta and heraldic devices.

Few cities can boast the rich, varied and historically-significant architecture of Philadelphia.
At every turn, there is something new to discover. And each bit of architecture comes with its own lesson and story.
We recently spent a wonderful spring afternoon enjoying a self-conducted architectural tour of Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square area.
The Rittenhouse Square Fitler Historic District encompasses most of the southwest quadrant of the original city of Philadelphia.The entire district is part of the National Register of  Historic Places.Within its boundaries, several thousand buildings contribute to a priceless tapestry of residential and institutional architecture. This extraordinary concentration of buildings and streetscapes documents a period of rapid growth in the city in the 19th century.
But it also remains a cherished, functioning neighborhood for thousands of Philadelphians just as it's been for almost 200 years.
Now, here's an interesting question for you: How many of the buildings shown above are by renowned architect Frank Furness and which ones are they?
Before we give you the answer, we'll tell you that we downloaded our tour free from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
And now, the answer: The third and the seventh photos (from the top) that you see above depict homes designed by Furness in his distinctive style.
All photos copyright 2011 by Dan Cirucci.

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An Undiscovered Philadelphia Gem: Rosenbach

Over the weekend we visited a virtually undiscovered Philadelphia gem.
Tucked away among the elegant 19th-century townhomes on Delancey Place near Rittenhouse Square, it houses one of the world’s great collections of manuscripts, literature and rare books.
A list of some of the treasures amassed by the two brothers behind this gem is amazing in itself – Lewis Carroll’s own copy of Alice in Wonderland, a first edition of Don Quixote, James Joyce’s handwritten manuscript for Ulysses, and the earliest extant letter from George Washington – but the real treat is to see them among the Egyptian statuary, Persian rugs, 18th-century furniture and Thomas Sully paintings that graced the 1860s mansion during the the brothers' lifetime.
It's the Rosenbach Museum and Library.
The library has more than 130,000 manuscripts and 30,000 rare books; the museum boasts the largest U.S. collection of miniature portraits painted in oil on metal.
The Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia is the sole repository of the original artwork of famed author and illustrator Maurice Sendak and a foremost authority on all things Sendak.
Author of Where the Wild Things Are and 108 other books, Maurice Sendak chose the Rosenbach to be the permanent home of his work in the early 1970s thanks to shared literary and collecting interests.
The Rosenbach’s Sendak collection is the largest collection of “Sendakiana” in the world, with over 10,000 preliminary sketches, final drawings, manuscripts, books, and ephemera as well as exclusive recent interview footage in which Sendak discusses his life, childhood, work, and inspirations.
And the Rosenbach recently kicked off its commemoration of Civil War 150 with an exhibition focusing on the war’s causes and earliest days, from the pre-war wrangling over abolition and states’ rights to the bombing of Fort Sumter and the first pitched battles.
The museum gets its name from the collections and treasures of Philip Rosenbach and his younger brother Dr. A. S. W Rosenbach. The brothers owned the Rosenbach Company which became the preeminent dealer of rare books, manusceprits and decorative arts during the first half of the 20th century.

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Parc On Rittenhouse Square: Joie de Vivre!

Have we told you lately how much we love Parc Restaurant, Bistro & Cafe on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia?
We were there again this weekend and, once again we had a wonderful time.
In fact, we've never had a bad experience -- or a bad meal -- at Parc. Never.
Parc has everything going for it: An authentic, casual French ambiance that envelops you and puts you in the mood to enjoy your surroundings; a superb location at Philadelphia's choicest address; a mercifully small (though nonetheless inventive) menu that reminds you that every dish is special; a tariff that doesn't drain your wallet and, last but not least, the very best restaurant staff in the city.
Some of our lunch favorites: warm shrimp salad, croque madame, omelette, steak frites.
Some of our dinner favorites: New York strip, roasted cod, beef bourguignon, half roast chicken.
Parc is big and boisterous. But it's also intimate and seductive. In other words, it's full of life. So, you can be part of a big group or dine with a few friends or have a cozy table for two or take a single seat at the bar or sit alone by a window and you'll have a great time anytime, anyway, anyhow.
The food is plentiful, tasty and served lovingly.
The bread is -- well, it's what you would expect at a real French cafe. The French fries are fresh, hand cut and so fragrant that you feel like you're in potato heaven.
And the staff is friendly, helpful, efficient, grateful and always accommodating. You'll find an open, welcoming attitude characterizes this fine, professionally trained staff. You'll always be treated warmly.
Great food. A distinctive, warm, inviting environment. Superb service.
Can you ask for anything more?

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