Wander & Wonder

Not all who wander are lost (but some of us do get lost while wandering) Browse, shop, and share in my favorite moments.

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Wallsome B

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Wallsome A

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A Month of Holidays - 2015 (#3 in a series)

1: Love Park/Christmas Village at Sunset (left); Preston & Steve’s Campout for Hunger* (top right); Deck the Alley on Elfreth’s Alley* (bottom right)

2: Love Park

3: Lit Brothers* (left); Dilworth Park (right)

4: Shane Confectionary*

5: Phillies Clubhouse* (top); The Lodge at Winterfest* (bottom left); One Liberty Observation Deck* (bottom right)

6: Mural at 10th & Bainbridge* (top left); Woodmere Art Museum* (top right); Philadelphia Museum of Art (bottom right); Rothman Ice Rink (bottom left)

7: Loews Philadelphia (left); The Sonesta* (top right); The Independent* (bottom right)

8: Army/Navy Game*

9: Philadelphia Museum of Art Sunrise (left); Congregation Mikveh Israel* (right)

10: Collingswood NJ* (top left); Laurel Hill Cemetery* (top right); East Passyunk Avenue (bottom right); University of Pennsylvania* (bottom left)

11: Graffiti Pier* (top left); 17th & Addison Streets* (top right); Lucky Strikes* (bottom right); City Hall (bottom left)

12: Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum* (top left); Macy’s holiday light show (top right); Christmas Village & City Hall (bottom right); Manayunk* (bottom left)

13: AMOR sculpture at Philadelphia Museum of Art*

* New location for 2015

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"Another Month of Holidays" - 2014

1 - UL, Comcast Center; UR, Peddler's Village*; LR, The Bank Building, Old City*; LL, Gingerbread House, The Shops at Liberty Place

2 - UL, Lemon Hill Mansion*; UR, Rittenhouse Square; LR, Holidelphia2014 Announcement, Kindy's Factory Outlet*; LL, Adventure Aquarium*

3 - UL, Old First Reformed UCC, Old City*; UR, Independence Mall*; LR, Handel's "Messiah", Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter & Paul*; LL, Isgro Pastries, South Philly*

4 - UL, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Benjamin Franklin Parkway*; UR, Macy's; LR, The Bourse*; LL, Running of the Santas

5 - UL, Philly Pops, Kimmel Center*; UR, Franklin Flea*; LR, Rothman Ice Rink, Dilworth Park* LL, Kindy's Factory Outlet*

6 - UL, Hyatt at the Bellevue*; UR, BSL Santa Express; LR, Nuts To You*; LL, City Hall Courtyard*

7 - UL, Camden Waterfront*; UR, McGillin's Old Ale House*; LR, Duross & Langel*; LL, North Pole Express, New Hope*

8 - UL, Bancroft Street, South Philly*; UR, South Street Headhouse*; LR, City Hall Courtyard*; LL, King of Prussia Mall*

*New location/event for 2014 version

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Academy of Music

Opening in 1857, "The Grand Lady of Broad Street " (or Locust Street) has an incredibly rich musical history. Composers including Copland, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, Strauss, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky have performed here as well as operatic greats such as Marian Anderson, Maria Callas, Pavarotti, Enrico Caruso, and more.

During World War II, the Academy's restaurant on the lower level was converted to a Stage Door Canteen to offer refreshments and entertainment to the men and women of the armed services. Between 1942 and 1945, the Canteen served more than 2.5 million people, and hosted entertainers including Abbott & Costello and Frank Sinatra.

Today, the Academy of Music is the oldest opera house in the United States still used for its intended purpose.

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"A Month of Holidays", 2013 1 - Christmas Village at Love Park 2 - UL, Shopping on Walnut Street; UR, Union League; LR, Jewelers Row; LL, Christmas Tree shopping on East Passyunk Avenue 3 - UL, Valley Foge National Park; UR, Citizens Bank Park; LR, Market Street (West of City Hall); LL, Running of the Santas 4 - Reading Terminal Market 5 - UL, Rittehouse Square; UR, Philadelphia Museum of Art; LR, Comcast Center; LL, Philadelphia Magic Gardens 6 - UL, Window on Market Street (East of City Hall); UR, Menorah exhibit at the Gershman Y; LR, Franklin Square; LL, Market-Frankford Line 7 - UL, Longwood Gardens; UR, Winterfest at Penn's Landing; LR, Poinsettia in Old City; LL, 30th Street Station 8 - UL, The Gallery; UR, The Nutcracker at the Academy of Music; LR, The Shops at Liberty Place; LL, The Ritz-Carlton 9 - Macy's 10 - UL, Christmas Village at Love Park; UR, South Philly neighborhood lights (13th Street); LR, Italian Market; LL, Piano & Tree at 1835 Market Street 11 - UL, Boat at Penn's Landing; UR, Mummer's Museum; LR, Cira Center; LL, Skyline from Loews Hotel 12 - Swan Fountain at Logan Square

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Honeymooning in the Poconos #1

Exploring an abandoned couples resort in the Pocono Mountains. Heart-shaped tubs, round beds with mirrors on the ceiling, an ice rink, indoor and outdoor pools, and more.

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 Training in Lancaster County

Trains always played a bit part in my life, pretty much from the beginning. Our first home was a few yards from railroad tracks, and I remember hearing the engine blast its horn and running to the sofa to look out the window at the train flying by. The first few Christmases in our next house saw my dad and I setting up an entire village of trains and buildings. My grandfather (mom’s father) shared my love of trains, and he actually had record albums of different train sounds and he and I would spend afternoons listening to the different engines, whistles, and horns. And then, of course, there were the occasional trips our family took to Lancaster County for a ride on the steam engines at the Strasburg Railroad. Even going back to Strasburg some 30 years later, I still felt the thrill I did when I was a kid, riding on the train, hearing the hiss of the steam and the loud whistle as we chugged up the tracks.