Assembled Light

It's Halloween?

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:15 -0500

Walking down the streets of Philadelphia today, it was easy to forget it was Halloween with all the red covering the streets in celebration of clinching the World Series title. I stumbled unto Sansom Street at the Union League which proved to be an okay spot to catch everything. The crowd was really remarkable, a testament to Philadelphia sports fans everywhere.

What makes for a happy city?

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:42 -0500

Winning a WORLD SERIES!!!! This is the view headed down broad toward city hall. I have to say this was a celebration far better than any New Years. Despite the parade of pedestrians, drivers were cordial, high-fiving people walking by, and honking in celebration. What an awesome experience! It's about time, Philadelphia!

Most Peculiar

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:08 -0500

This was a first for me. I've never seen cats on a carousel before, let alone cats with a catch. You'll notice one has a fish and the other a bird.

I couldn't resist...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:06 -0500

Another carousel shot.

The Carousel

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:04 -0500

Nothing brings me back to childhood more than a carousel, especially a really old one like this. Housed in one of the wings at Memorial Hall, this is sure to be a stand-alone attraction for decades to come. This particular Carousel even has Philadelphia roots, built by the Dentzel Carousel Company on Germantown Avenue in 1924. It once had a home in West Philadelphia's Woodside Park until it closed in 1955. From there the carousel made its rounds to Rockaway Beach, NY, Lambertville, NJ and finally to the Smithsonian in 1965 where it was disassembled and put into storage for over 4 decades. Finally, in 2002 efforts were begun to refurbish and restore the carousel for its new life back in Philadelphia.

Caryatids!

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:54 -0500

Another one of my favorite architectural features are caryatids. I'm not sure why I am so drawn to them, but they are always gorgeous, superbly detailed and elegant. These at Memorial Hall were no exception.

Memorial Hall comes to Life

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:51 -0500

I was given the opportunity to take a tour of the new Please Touch museum which is set to open in 11 days at its new home in Memorial Hall. It completed exceeded all my expectations. The last time I saw the inside of this centennial building was six years ago for a short tour explaining about the centennial and basically hitting on the poor condition of the building's upkeep. Today, however, I was astonished. There were no pigeons flying in the main space, no dingy walls, or musty odor, just light and a glimpse into what it must have been like in its glory days. Also making a new home at Memorial Hall is Leo Sewell's 'Torch' sculpture made entirely of toys and other iconic memorabilia. The 40 foot-tall sculpture pays homage to the real Statue of Liberty arm and torch which paid a visit to Philadelphia in 1876 during the Centennial celebration as a fundraising effort for the pedestal that now holds the monument in NYC.

Sinatra in the Park

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:38 -0500

Stumbling upon a concert in Louis Kahn Memorial Park is an instant reminder why I love it here.

And they played a medley of Sinatra classics. Who could pass that up?

Sinatra Medley by Merion Concert Band

Artsy pic of the Day

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:27 -0500

This looks pretty dark and dismal for such a gorgeous September day, but I thought the perfect shadow cast of the tree was delightful.

Wow!

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:23 -0500

I'm not sure how I ever missed this building. I've walked this street maybe 100 times during my years in Philadelphia and yet somehow I overlooked this. I think what caught my attention the most were those 2 windows on the upper floor. They are so peculiar yet beautiful. It really starts to look like a face after a while.