How do you wrap up sixteen plus years of your life? I am not so sure. I have lived in the 19130 zip code longer than any other in my nearly half a century on this planet but today I leave it for good. By early this afternoon, the boys and I will be driving south in a Prius packed to the gills, headed first toward the Blue Ridge Parkway, then New Orleans, and eventually on to our new home of Houston, Texas.
These last few weeks have been bittersweet, fêting with some of our oldest and dearest friends, all of whom I will miss dearly.
I will also miss the city itself: its grit, grime, and attitude. Yesterday, at the end of a long ride, I decided to take one more loop around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with City Hall at one end and the Art Museum at the other. As I turned on to the wide boulevard, a car swerved, cut me off, yelled an obscenity out the window, and the driver thrust her hand out the window with her middle finger extended.
I laughed–that is my city.
And then I flipped her off right back.
There are many aspects of living here in Philadelphia that I will miss (and some that I won’t), and, after a couple of hours scouring my photos, here many of them are….
The history: we are going to the Liberty Bell and Constitution Hall one more time today before we leave. It has been incredible living in a city where so much has happened that has not only shaped this country, but changed the world.
The Fourth of July. This year was a bit of a dud, but we lived just a couple of minutes from the Art Museum which is the center of the Fourth celebration here in Philly.
My quirky wine cellar: our old basement was an unwieldy mélange of bikes and booze. And I loved it.
Dining al fresco in our ‘hood: I know we will find new spots in Houston, but we won’t be able to walk there. Our little Fairmount neighborhood has changed a ton in the last 16 years and now boasts some fantastic restaurants.
The Thanksgiving Day parade: In what had become a tradition, the boys and I would take the five-minute walk down to the Ben Franklin Parkway and watch the parade with hundreds of our best friends from South Jersey.
Christmas in Philly: Another tradition was to spend a day seeing the city and it’s preparations for the season: Love Park, the light show at the Wanamaker, Christmas Village, the Comcast Center.
Coaching basketball at quirky Lloyd Hall.
Yeah, I am even going to miss the Rocky statue. Every day, hundreds of people still run up the steps of the Art Museum (the “Rocky Steps”), celebrating a movie that is now 40 years old.
The first snow storm of the year. We have had a few big snows while here in Philly, and they always make me a little giddy.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s in D.C. The nation’s “new” capital (Philly was the first) is just a few hours down I-95 and we would typically spend a few days down there between Christmas and New Year’s. It is a great time to go–hotels are really cheap, and the lines are really short.
Watching movies on the Art Museum steps.
Watching Rocky on the steps that the movie made so famous.
Helen Mirren. OK, I saw her in New York, which I was able to visit frequently, and is really the center of the wine trade here in the U.S.
A city of statues: Just about everywhere you turn in the Philadelphia, there is a statue. This is right near our old house–why there is a statue of Joan of Arc in Philly is still a mystery to me, though.
Jeroboams of Mailly Champagne: Many years ago, we bought about 100 of these bottles (for $40 each, delivered), and we just drank the last one the other day. It was fabulous.
Stoop Parties: I would regularly hold samples tastings outside my house. I discovered that people like free booze.
Sabering on the roof.
Eastern State Penitentiary: The most influential prison ever. And our neighbor.
My wine dinners at Fare.
Hershey Park.
The Wa.
Hating the Cowboys: I imagine you can’t do that as openly in Texas.
Penn’s Campus: I got my graduate degree there, and always enjoyed going back.
Vintage Krug on the roof.
The Rodin Museum.
The Palestra: if you are a fan of basketball, you have to see at least one game here.
City Hall: The largest municipal building in the country (bigger than the U.S. Capitol) and the tallest masonry building in the world.
My flower and herb garden.
The Bank.
Sip and Spin.
The Orioles.
Joe Roberts.
Penns Woods Winery: I wish I had visited there more often.
Va La: some truly great wine being made in PA.
Need in Deed: I was on the Board of a truly great organization that helped teachers better reach their students. (No, it did not involve an Elvis impersonator–this was at a 5k to support the organization).
The Linc.
Sledding in Fairmount Park.
Pat’s King of Steaks (one more before we go today!).
Our street in Spring.
Van Coln Field.
Fairmount Tae Kwon Do Studio: One of the best kept secrets in the City.
QCW cycling team.
Our (former) corner of the world.
the drunken cyclist 
Awww, wishing you the very best. *sniff*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Beth! See you in a few weeks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Lovely
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Jim!
LikeLike
Enjoy the adventure, safe travels. A few of us have been talking about a road trip-the Quakers will visit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be great! We should have room in a couple of months!
LikeLike
Sending our best! My husband just wrapped up a program at Penn (spent a few weeks each summer there during the course of the program). Lots of great places & people in Philly… But the world is a fascinating & welcoming place…Enjoy the next bits. Good luck to your family & to you. Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Philly is the East Coast’s most affordable gem, we will miss it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome memories! Good luck in your new home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Sean!
LikeLike
Hope the move goes well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do they ever? 😉
LikeLike
Lots of wonderful memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed.
LikeLike
Great pictures! Thanks to you, I have Philadelphia on my bucket list- 4th of July or not!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Fourth is a bit crazy, but it is really cool to think about all of the people that have been in town on that day (e.g., Susan B. Anthony in 1876, Nelson Mandella in 1993). Gives you chills.
LikeLike
Beautiful pictures! beautiful family! Good luck with your new adventure!! 🙂 cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, thanks so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a Philly fan transplanted to South Florida I know first-hand that you can indeed hate the Cowboys, no matter where you live! Stay Green! Loved your pics, BTW.
LikeLiked by 1 person
E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!
LikeLiked by 1 person
One door closes, another opens. Tis life. Change it good! Enjoy the ride!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Change is indeed good! Cheers!
LikeLike
wishing you and your family all the best…….shhhhh…..agreed, no cowgirl hatin in Texas ;o)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing the memories. Now to create some new ones. Safe travels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great way to look at it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those are some great memories. Nobody can take that away! Oh, and I’m pretty sure that you can hate the Cowboys all you want in Houston, home of the Texans!
Safe travels, and new adventures in your new home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, the Texans have a pretty strong following, but I will still keep my head down for a bit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a former Philadelphian who has lived both north and south of the city since living there, there are a few truths I can share with you:
1.) No convenience store holds a candle to Wawa. None.
2.) Watching the opening credits of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will give you that twinge of nostalgia in your heart. Every time.
3.) The PLCB will never not make you shake your head no matter how little their actions impact you.
4.) It’s always there to come back for a visit.
Safe travels, and make sure to download/stream the Chef soundtrack (both volumes, actually) for an excellent playlist for your trip!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! I ALWAYS well up during the opening of It’s Always Sunny. Always!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goodbye my friend 😦 Have a safe trip. I will be keeping up with you in your new home. It is ironic that you are moving just as the P.L.C.B is changing so you will have to come back to do some wine and chili dog matching at the 7-11 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would not be so sure that the “changes” going on with the wine laws in PA are all that good (i.e., beneficial to the consumer).
LikeLike
Ah come on Jeff. You have lived in Pennsylvania long enough to know that the legislature only has the best interests of the residents in mind when the make laws. LOL LOL LOL LOL Oh man I just slay me! Wait a minute I think I peed a little.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Good one!
LikeLike
That was a great look at your life in Philly! Safe travels!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much!
LikeLike
Wishing you some great future vintages. We just left our home of 16 years, so I get it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Change is good, right?
LikeLike
Sixteen years ago you had no memories of Philly just as you have no memories to tie you to Houston. I have family that moved from outside Queens almost 40 years ago to outside Houston; they consider themselves Texans through and through. Best wishes as you enter into this new and exciting time in your lives!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It might take a while to consider myself a Texan, but I am willing to try (I think)!
LikeLike