"Magic Mike XXL" is the kind of movie that needs to be seen in a theater. Not because it's a work of art or a technical achievement, but because it's just that much fun -- especially when people are comfortable interacting with the screen in a group setting. The movie is smart in how it makes the audience invest in the characters and the story (yes, there actually is one!) for the better part of an hour before giving them what they bought tickets to see. While I personally squealed audibly at only one scene (Joe Manganiello + a certain Nine Inch Nails song = WOW), it was doubly entertaining not only to see the dancing on screen but also to hear the cheering when something memorable happened. Definitely the crowd-pleasing pick of the summer!
Back in the real world of the big city, in an attempt to keep trying new places and restaurants, dinner that night was Mexican food. It was a craving I had since our arrival, but Philly isn't exactly famous for it. After extensive online research (no Zagat rating this time), we settled on Lucha Cartel, a small, upscale spot on Chestnut Street that had great reviews in local publications and websites. Chris was even more excited after landing us a 1,000-point reservation through OpenTable! Their ambiance stood out immediately as one of the most unique restaurants where I've ever dined. The color motif was purple and black with gold accents, and their decor was an eclectic, almost surreal combination of luchador (Mexican wrestler) and Day of the Dead. I wanted to take pictures, but it didn't seem right in such a small place with so many other diners -- most of whom were actually blocking the shots with their tables and chairs, so it would have been super awkward anyway. (Excuse me, would you mind moving your entire party of guests and your meals to accommodate this gawking tourist?)
Now on to what really matters at a restaurant: the food! After an appetizer of housemade tortilla chips and their seasoned bean dip, my coconut milk margarita (not as weird as it sounds) was a nice complement to my pollo relleno, a chicken breast stuffed with apple chunks and gruyere cheese and glazed with a zesty white-wine-and-pepper sauce. It definitely had a kick, but there was a nice balance between the flavor and the spice -- not all spicy foods are able to pull that off! The sides of red rice and mixed greens were simple, flavorful touches to offset the heat of the dish.
Now on to what really matters at a restaurant: the food! After an appetizer of housemade tortilla chips and their seasoned bean dip, my coconut milk margarita (not as weird as it sounds) was a nice complement to my pollo relleno, a chicken breast stuffed with apple chunks and gruyere cheese and glazed with a zesty white-wine-and-pepper sauce. It definitely had a kick, but there was a nice balance between the flavor and the spice -- not all spicy foods are able to pull that off! The sides of red rice and mixed greens were simple, flavorful touches to offset the heat of the dish.
As good as dinner was, none of their desserts grabbed our interest. We explored the area on foot before once again turning to the wisdom of Zagat to find The Franklin Fountain, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda shoppe with a line out the door -- and for good reason! The scoops are massive, and the homemade waffle cones are enormous enough to house them. In addition to all of the standard flavors, they had a few special offerings, including my instant choice: Teaberry. Named after a brand of gum that was popular on the East Coast way back when and is still made to this day, this ice cream looked and tasted just like the gum -- only the flavor lasted much longer in ice cream form! Full of nostalgic enthusiasm and with eyes bigger than my stomach, I sprung for the large, a 3-scoop waffle cone. Whoops. It was definitely the largest and most expensive ice cream cone I've ever enjoyed (more than $10 and worth every penny), but any photos proving my ability to eat this monstrosity would surely violate some kind of public indecency laws and possibly even break the Internet.
By Thursday, the ISTE conference was over, so Chris had more free time to do some of the tourist attractions that we had been talking about. Heading into Fourth of July weekend, both Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell were overflowing with crowds and lines, so we decided to skip those since we had both already visited them on separate occasions (albeit a long time ago). Apparently, this is the only weekend when people get the urge to visit patriotic sites!
We settled on the Franklin Institute, a nature and science museum that was always a favorite of mine growing up and still holds a certain charm. As an added bonus, Chris's membership to Denver's Museum of Nature & Science was reciprocal, so we only had to pay a small upgrade to access the special exhibitions. The Institute's emphasis on interactivity makes visiting fun for all ages (even two grown adults), and the Genghis Khan exhibit was really fascinating. We also got to see the Giant Heart, manually power light bulbs, and even record a weather forecast in front of a green screen. In short, our inner children went bananas!
When lunch rolled around, I knew we were running out of time for a staple food that is uniquely Philly: the cheesesteak. As we headed back toward the hustle and bustle of downtown, we stopped at Reading Terminal Market, a.k.a. the busiest food court known to man. Every kind of cuisine you can think of is represented, but nothing could distract me from my mission. Of the several cheesesteak options in the Market alone, Spataro's was well-regarded enough for my liking, so I got the classic sandwich with peppers, onions, and cheese whiz.
Normally, I wouldn't go anywhere near something with "whiz" in its name, especially as a connoisseur of cheese, but this is my one exception. The way the whiz blends with the grease from the ribeye adds a delightful (if unhealthy) layer to this most holy of steak sandwiches. Chris made the mistake (mis-steak?) of getting provolone cheese and wasn't nearly as impressed, mainly because the cheese just sat there on his sandwich instead of interacting with the toppings and dancing as happily across his taste buds as they had on mine. To someone like me, who is originally from the East Coast and has a healthy appetite, the cheesesteak is food porn at its finest.
Slowing down a little after filling our bellies and walking all the way back to the hotel, we enjoyed some air-conditioned, feet-elevated, channel-surfing downtime before heading below our new friend South Street to meet some of my family for dinner. My mom's best friend Joanne (also my godmother), her husband John, and my sister MaryBeth -- who Chris and I had recently met up with during our New York trip in March -- joined us at Hawthorne's. A small but elegant answer to the typical bar and grill, this restaurant featured a great menu and a self-serve cooler (brilliant!) for bottled and canned beers in addition to their expansive selections on tap. I was desperate for vegetables after the day's earlier indulgence, so the arugula salad with apricots, mango vinaigrette, and salmon was a welcome change. The meal was a win all around: Chris got to meet Joanne and John, and I enjoyed catching up with them too since our last visit had been over three years ago. And needless to say, it's always great to see my sister whenever I can! After Joanne and John headed home, MaryBeth was kind enough to drive us back to the hotel (less walking!), where we had a nightcap at a small bar around the corner (only brief walking). The service was atrocious, but the drinks were good and the company was even better.
As the night came to a close, an early-morning flight to Boston loomed ahead of us. Some people go on vacations to relax and unwind by doing practically nothing. It's safe to say that we're not those people! I can do nothing when I'm at home, so if I'm going somewhere -- even if I've been there before or I'm from the area -- you can bet I'll be out there seeing and doing as much as possible. There's always plenty of time for adventures both big and small.
We settled on the Franklin Institute, a nature and science museum that was always a favorite of mine growing up and still holds a certain charm. As an added bonus, Chris's membership to Denver's Museum of Nature & Science was reciprocal, so we only had to pay a small upgrade to access the special exhibitions. The Institute's emphasis on interactivity makes visiting fun for all ages (even two grown adults), and the Genghis Khan exhibit was really fascinating. We also got to see the Giant Heart, manually power light bulbs, and even record a weather forecast in front of a green screen. In short, our inner children went bananas!
When lunch rolled around, I knew we were running out of time for a staple food that is uniquely Philly: the cheesesteak. As we headed back toward the hustle and bustle of downtown, we stopped at Reading Terminal Market, a.k.a. the busiest food court known to man. Every kind of cuisine you can think of is represented, but nothing could distract me from my mission. Of the several cheesesteak options in the Market alone, Spataro's was well-regarded enough for my liking, so I got the classic sandwich with peppers, onions, and cheese whiz.
Normally, I wouldn't go anywhere near something with "whiz" in its name, especially as a connoisseur of cheese, but this is my one exception. The way the whiz blends with the grease from the ribeye adds a delightful (if unhealthy) layer to this most holy of steak sandwiches. Chris made the mistake (mis-steak?) of getting provolone cheese and wasn't nearly as impressed, mainly because the cheese just sat there on his sandwich instead of interacting with the toppings and dancing as happily across his taste buds as they had on mine. To someone like me, who is originally from the East Coast and has a healthy appetite, the cheesesteak is food porn at its finest.
Slowing down a little after filling our bellies and walking all the way back to the hotel, we enjoyed some air-conditioned, feet-elevated, channel-surfing downtime before heading below our new friend South Street to meet some of my family for dinner. My mom's best friend Joanne (also my godmother), her husband John, and my sister MaryBeth -- who Chris and I had recently met up with during our New York trip in March -- joined us at Hawthorne's. A small but elegant answer to the typical bar and grill, this restaurant featured a great menu and a self-serve cooler (brilliant!) for bottled and canned beers in addition to their expansive selections on tap. I was desperate for vegetables after the day's earlier indulgence, so the arugula salad with apricots, mango vinaigrette, and salmon was a welcome change. The meal was a win all around: Chris got to meet Joanne and John, and I enjoyed catching up with them too since our last visit had been over three years ago. And needless to say, it's always great to see my sister whenever I can! After Joanne and John headed home, MaryBeth was kind enough to drive us back to the hotel (less walking!), where we had a nightcap at a small bar around the corner (only brief walking). The service was atrocious, but the drinks were good and the company was even better.
As the night came to a close, an early-morning flight to Boston loomed ahead of us. Some people go on vacations to relax and unwind by doing practically nothing. It's safe to say that we're not those people! I can do nothing when I'm at home, so if I'm going somewhere -- even if I've been there before or I'm from the area -- you can bet I'll be out there seeing and doing as much as possible. There's always plenty of time for adventures both big and small.
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