Radicchio on Wood and Kristian’s at 11th and Federal. I like Kristian’s a lot, its a nice little place, very “South Philly”. In a good way, not the stereotypic way people think of Philly. Their veal dishes are amazing.

Ralph’s on 9th Street in the Italian Market area

Vetri. Good luck getting reservations if you don’t plan in advance. If you’re in the neighborhood and ask, there’s a chance you can get a table on the spur of the moment.

Osteria: Great food. Fringe area, practically the Badlands, but no big deal for some.

Modo Mio: a slightly sketchier neighborhood, but again, no big deal.

If not, then South Philly is probably the way to go. First choice there – Tre Scalini. After that? The Saloon for a little nicer, Ralph’s for the old red and white check tablecloth place, Marra’s for a pizza and pasta joint.

You should find some time for the Italian Market if you have an extra hour. It’s in South Philly and the source of the best bread in the city.

La Viola is always good, but it’s cash only.

Scannicchio’s on Broad St. Delicious. Not fancy, small, quaint place.

Trattoria primadonna beats all mentioned above for me.

We went to a place called Porcini. Very small, and the portions and menu was small, but very very good food.

Pietro’s at 1714 Walnut Street, Center City. Great Pizza, Salad and Pasta!

Melagrano is GREAT GREAT GREAT. BYOB. Reasonably priced. between 20th and 21th. Also, I like Branzinos (byob) and Devon. All Rittenhouse area.

Over 200,000 works of art in 200 galleries include paintings by the great European masters such as Picasso, Duchamp, Cezanne, Dali, Chagall, Miro, and Matisse. Collections of Asian art dating from 2500 B.C. to the present day represent the culture and diversity of China, Japan, Tibet, India, Korea, Persia, Turkey, and Pakistan. The Museum also features American modernists such as O’Keefe, Johns, and LeWitt, along with many self-taught African American and Mexican artists. In addition to paintings and sculpture, collections of 18th and 19th century furniture and silver by Pennsylvania craftsmen, Tucker porcelains, and Dutch ceramics from the 12th to the 20th centuries are also housed in the Museum. .

The Museum devotes an entire room to the artwork of Thomas Eakins, the renowned Philadelphia painter, photographer, sculptor, and educator. Eakins was far ahead of his time, painting people in everyday settings and portraying nudity such as seen in the Swimming Hole, without reservation. Firmly entrenched in the study of human anatomy and extreme in his liberal views on what is acceptable behavior, his art caused a stir, to say the least. Eakins’ painting, The Gross Clinic, is perhaps one of the most controversial in its startling realism, but remains the greatest portrayal of a medical procedure and a surgeon at work. His photography, as well, was exceptional in his ability to capture the human figure in motion. His superb artistry failed to capture the ultra-conservative members of Philadelphia society, however, and Eakins, like so many other great artists, was not given credit for his mastery until after his death in 1916.

Unique attractions at the Museum include the von Kienbusch Armor Collection of several centuries of European armor, a gift by the collector to the Museum in 1976.
Galleries representing specific periods in history include a medieval cloister, a Japanese teahouse, an Indian Hindu temple, a Pennsylvania Dutch kitchen, and a Chinese scholar’s study room. Current exhibitions include 18th century Japanese ink paintings, the graphic modern art of William Johnson, miniature paintings of Indian animals, pop art by Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Oldenberg, Tibetan ritual arts, and the works of Ellsworth Kelly. New acquisitions at the Museum include a sculpture of a Death Cart representing the 19th century art of the Penitente religious groups of New Mexico and southern Colorado, Chinese funeral procession figures, 17th century silver caskets, and Guiseppe Mazziuoli’s sculpture of the Death of Cleopatra. In addition to gallery tours, lectures, films, and classes, other programs planned by the Museum include the annual Craft Show, November 8-11 in 2007 and a special exhibit of Frida Kahlo in February 2008.

Extensive restoration of the gables, the roof, columns, and exterior has been ongoing for the past few years. Another major expansion, to be designed by the notable Frank Gehry, was announced in October 2006. The project is expected to take at least 10 years to complete at a cost of over $500 million. An 80,000 square foot gallery to be built beneath the steps will feature contemporary sculpture, Asian art, and other special exhibits.

Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Introductory walks daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Every Friday evening from 5 to 8:45 p.m., is Art After 5, with art and entertainment. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and July 4th. Ph: 215-684-7500 (recording); 215-763-8100 (other info).
Admission: Adults – $12.00, Seniors 62+ – $9.00, Children 13 to 18 & Students w/ID – $8.00. Members free. Sunday – pay what you wish all day, special activities for kids.
(Note: General admission does not include the special Renoir Landscapes exhibition, from October 4 2007 to January 6, 2008.
Dining: Museum restaurant, ground floor, Lunch Tuesday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Dinner Friday, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sunday champagne brunch, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Balcony Café, 1st floor, west entrance, Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum Café, ground floor, Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Parking: Limited on street around the Museum. Eakins Oval Parking: Monday – Thursday, Saturday & Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rates: $7.00 up to 6 hours, $10 over 6. Upper Terrace: $5.00 – nonmembers, $4.00 – members. Handicap accessible parking entrance on upper terrace. Wheelchairs available free at entrances, elevators at each floor. Gift shop on premises.

(Note: Whether it can be considered art in the true sense of the word, or not, many tourists pause at the statue of Rocky Balboa (from the movie) that stands at the foot of the Rocky footprints leading up the steps to the entrance of the Museum.)

From the time of the first prisoner, Charles Williams, until 1926, the inmate population had increased to over 1700 in a prison designed for less than 300 occupants. Gangster Al Capone spent a year here in 1929 in a cell he personally furnished with antiques, rugs, and oil paintings. In 1945, the infamous bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton dug a 97’ tunnel, and with 12 other inmates, escaped from the prison to continue a life of crime on the outside until his death in 1980. Overall, it is estimated that more than 100 prison escapes were attempted, and all but a very few were captured. The penitentiary was a tourist destination even then, with visits by prominent citizens such as Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831, who was impressed with the system of reform and its effectiveness, and Charles Dickens in 1842, who criticized and opposed the system for its severity.

Overcrowding resulted in abandoning the idea of separate cells and by 1913, cohabitation of prisoners was established and the Pennsylvania prison system of reform was abolished. Eastern State was officially closed in 1970, except for a brief period in 1971 when it was used as a holding place for inmates brought in from a riot staged at Holmesburg prison. The prisoners and guards were transferred to Graterford Prison, and although redevelopment of Eastern State was considered, it never materialized. Instead, it opened to the public in 1994 for historic tours, and today, it serves as a grim reminder of notorious criminals and the reality of crime and punishment. It is a place of empty cells and guard towers, a place where Hollywood has capitalized on the public’s lurid fascination and curiosity with the darker side of history. Shocking tales of horror and insanity have been filmed and brought to life within the prison walls including SciFi’s Ghost Hunters and the movie Twelve Monkeys. In June of 2007, the Travel channel will broadcast Most Haunted Live, a British show focusing on the paranormal. Along with ghostly visual and sound effects, the company hopes to reach beyond to the supernatural from this location.

Regularly scheduled events held at the prison each year include Bastille Day, a humorous staging of the storming of Bastille Prison, Terror Behind the Walls, a Halloween haunted house, and the 4th of July Independence Day celebration. Tourists can view American classic movies such as The Untouchables, and former inmates and prison staff may be interested in attending their alumni reunion, although this seems like a strange sort of celebration. The changing series of art exhibits and installations are main attractions for many visitors. One of the most interesting of these is the Janet Cardiff & George Miller two-story installation of Pandemonium. A visit to Pandemonium is exactly what its name implies. Rather than an eerie silence, one is bombarded with sound from every direction, the sounds of the tormented and the tormentors. Thirty-nine sculptures of cats by Linda Brenner represent those that moved into the prison after its closure, and hundreds of feet of steel pipes, built by Dayton Castleman, outline the tunnels and paths used by prison escapees.

Eastern State Penitentiary, a first in state prisons in the U.S., is considered an endangered cultural historic site; it is on the World Monuments Fund list as one of 100 sites in need of funding and community support for their preservation.

Hours: April 1 – November 30, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., last entry at 4:00 p.m. Summer extended hours: June – August, Wednesdays until 8:00 p.m., last entry at 7:00 p.m. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, and December through March. Ph: 215-236-3300.
Admission: Adults, $9.00, Seniors & Students, $7.00, Children 7-12, $4.00. No children under age 7.
Tours: Audio presentation with voices of former inmates, staff, and historians. Includes Surveillance Hub, Al Capone’s cell, solitary confinement exercise yards, and Death Row (cellblock 15). Daily 30-minute interactive tours, included in admission.
Parking: On street and lot next to the prison, $4.00 up to 2 hours, over 2 hours – $5.00.
Partially handicap accessible. Outdoor seating available for visitors bringing lunch.

(Note: Visitors to this “preserved ruin” are asked to sign personal liability waivers, due to its deteriorating condition.)

Within a rather modest exterior, the elaborate interior of the opera house is modeled after La Scala in Milan. The hall, with a seating capacity of approximately 3,000, features an open horseshoe design. Superior acoustics are made possible with a solid 3’ brick wall lined with studding and pine boards that completely encloses the auditorium to absorb sounds and echoes. The balconies, supported by 14 Corinthian columns, rise in four recessed tiers beneath a ceiling of murals painted by Karl Schmolze. A magnificent chandelier, 50’ in circumference, 16’ in diameter, and weighing 5,000 lbs., as well as busts of Mozart, Poetry, and Music, add to the ornately carved and gilded décor of the hall. The ballroom, designed after the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, will accommodate 350 people and is often used for the Philadelphia Orchestra’s chamber concerts. The original elegant restaurant and separate drawing rooms in the basement of the Academy were converted to a Stage Door Canteen for entertaining the armed forces during WWII. From 1942 to 1945, an estimated two and a half million men and women enjoyed the refreshments and performances by top entertainers such as Abbott and Costello, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and Lynn Fontaine.

From the premiere of Verdi’s Il Trovatore in February 1857 through Gounod’s Faust, Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, and Madama Butterfly, the Academy of Music has featured numerous famous performing artists such as Marian Anderson, Enrico Caruso, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Isaac Stern, and Leontyne Price. The opera season for 2007 and early 2008 will include Falstaff, Porgy and Bess, Rigoletto, Hansel & Gretel, Cyrano, Norma, and Ainadamar. The Broadway series of productions scheduled for this season are Disney’s High School Musical, the Philadelphia debuts of The Color Purple and The Drowsy Chaperone, and a return of the favorite classic, My Fair Lady. In addition, the Pennsylvania Ballet will perform Sleeping Beauty and H.M.S. Pinafore in June of 2007. The Academy also sponsors A Taste of the Opera, a Sunday lecture series, recitals, and round table discussions in their adult education programs. Subscribers to the Academy can enjoy free 30-minute informal talks by local opera experts and staff members one hour before every performance, as well as attend annual open house tours and meet the cast events.

Since its opening, the Academy has been the scene for a number of other noteworthy occasions including the special performance by Peter Nero of the Philly Pops and Rod Stewart at the Academy’s 150th anniversary; the 2nd term nomination of Ulysses S. Grant in 1872; Grover Cleveland’s centennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution, and Philadelphia’s first indoor football game. Millions of dollars have been donated to maintaining the Academy through the years, with major improvements in lighting, seating, stage design and equipment, dressing rooms, and lobbies, along with restoration of ceiling murals and addition of new elevators. One hundred years after its opening, the Academy was purchased by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, who introduced the first annual anniversary ball and concert in 1957. This event, catering to local and international members and entertainers, is a major fundraiser designed to further the modernization and preservation of Philadelphia’s “grand old lady.”

Tickets: Available at the Academy’s Box Office, open two hours before until 30 minutes after the performance. Kimmel Box Office, open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Ph: 215-893-1999
Prices: Vary according to seating location – from least expensive amphitheater to balcony and loges.
Parking: Central Parking garages. Handicap accessible from Broad Street entrance.

Upon entering the museum, visitors are shown Freedom Rising, a dramatic theater-in the-round live presentation in the DeVoss Exhibit Hall, which runs twice each hour. Further within the Center, there are numerous theme-based and interactive exhibits which invite willing participants to answer questions, e-mail elected officials, observe constitutional issues, and post opinions on such topics as the death penalty and the theory of intelligent design. The Constitution Center presents a variety of special events, programs, and lectures in observance of national holidays and on various subjects such as Women in Faith, Immigration and Economic Liberty, the famous Dred Scott vs. Sanford court decision, Walter Isaacson’s biography of Einstein, and a discussion of the war in Iraq by Washington Post journalist and author of “Fiasco,” Thomas Ricks.

Students in grades 7 – 12 can participate in Living News, an interactive performance and forum relating to current constitutional issues in the news, explore the judicial system and act as judge and jury in famous historical cases, or learn the rights and responsibilities of an American citizen. In addition, they can spend the day touring exhibits on presidential powers and political platforms, as well as watch noteworthy campaigns and elections of the past. Other enjoyable, interactive activities include participating in a First Amendment freedom skit, learning about papermaking or the printing press, or viewing political cartoons about some of our nation’s leaders. Signer’s Hall on the second floor is a large room surrounded by the flags from all 50 states, where visitors may sign their name on a worldwide electronic register, reaffirming their beliefs in democracy and freedom. There are 12 interactive stations in the Hall, as well, where a repository of information on constitutional issues is available to the public. Each visitor to the Hall will leave with his or her own pocket sized Constitution.

More than one million people of all age groups and interest levels visit the National Constitution Center each year, and countless others take advantage of the national education and outreach programs on radio and TV, the online virtual museum, and the public opinion research that the Center provides.

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., & Sunday, 12 Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Admission: Adults – $12.00, seniors 65+ – $11.00, children 4–12 – $8.00, active military and children under 4 – free. Ph: 215-409-6600 or 866-917-1787, Monday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or purchase online.
Parking: Underground lots at both the Constitution and Independence Centers.
Dining: The Delegates Restaurant, open daily 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Handicap accessible, call in advance for special needs.

The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust acquired the entire Gallery complex in 2003 and 2004. There are actually two galleries in the complex, Gallery I from 9th Street (site of the former Strawbridge’s) to the east side of 10th and Gallery II, extending beyond to 12th Street. The large 150,000 square foot K-Mart opened in the late 1990’s and now occupies the main part of Gallery I, replacing Steins, Gimbels, and the Clover stores which all eventually went out of business. Gallery II consists of numerous well-known stores including Burlington Coat Factory, Bath and Body Works, Old Navy, Foot Locker, and the Limited, in addition to 51 other retailers.

The Gallery is not Philadelphia’s largest mall; however, its easy accessibility and central downtown location attract over 40,000 shoppers and visitors each day. In addition to CVS, Modell’s Sporting Goods, and Walgreen’s, there are Claire’s and Lids for accessories, Borders and Horizon bookstores, and a Hallmark store. Men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes and clothing stores include the Children’s Place, Kicks USA, Guess, Pay/Half, Unica, City Blue, and Four Seasons. The mall also has several other stores with shoes, toys, jewelry, electronics, and games. There are a number of specialty shops in The Gallery, as well, such as Brigade for men, Cramers for kids, and Sky Blue, a shop that has something from everyone in the way of clothing, jewelry, and gifts.

The quick counter service restaurants in the Food Court include Cinnabon, McDonalds, Quiznos, Subway, Mrs. Fields, and Chocolate Express, for a wide selection of domestic and imported candies. Full-service dining is also available at The Two Street Café, a combination restaurant and bar, Sbarro’s for Italian, Osaka Japan, and Villa Pizza. Other specialty type food places include Meldy’s meat market, the Market Street produce market, Ocean Bounty fresh seafood, Tiffany’s bakery, Charley’s cheesesteak and subs, and the Gallery Buffet and Bravo Deli.

The Gallery sponsors special events throughout the year including programs for the holidays, children, and families. Lunchtime concerts in the Center Court beneath the four-story atrium are popular, as well as arts and crafts exhibits and fairs.

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday – 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday – 12 Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Parking Garages (2): At 10th and 12th St, between Arch and Filbert. Rates: 2+ hours – $14.00; early bird special $9.00 (in by 10 a.m., out by 6 p.m.); After 4 p.m. – $6.00.

(Note: Customer service on the lower level at 10th and Market provides information and maps on area attractions, events, transportation, hotels and restaurant reservations.
Ph: 215-625-4962)

I wasn’t around for the glory years of 1974-1976. The Flyers won two Stanley Cups and on 11th January 1976 the Flyers were pitted against the Red Army (the Soviet Union – now Russia) hockey team in a monumental exhibition game. They won it 4-1 and they held the distinction of being the only team to beat the Russian bullies. During this time the Flyers were the “Broad Street Bullies” and Dave “The Hammer” Schultz set the tone for physical intimidation. Bobby Clarke was the star player along with Bernie Parent, the goalie who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1974 and 1975 as the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In 1966, after waiting for almost thirty years, the National Hockey League (NHL) awarded the city of Philadelphia its own hockey franchise. The name they chose for the team was the Flyers, which represented what hockey and the new team was going to be: exciting and bursting with energy and momentum.

The team logo, now a very familiar image, was created by Sam Ciccone, It was designed with the letter P and had an orange pick and wings. It carried out the same idea of motion, excitement, speed and activity that the name stood for. The team colors of black, white and orange came from the original hockey league franchise, the Philadelphia Quakers, who were shut down in the 1930s.

They have had their share of players who have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The likes of Harry Wright, Robin Roberts, Jimmiie Foxx and Tony Perez are former Phillies that are part of the Hall of Fame.

The Phillies had their only taste of a world title in 1980 when they won the World Series. Tthe Phillies had to get past several teams such as Kansas City and Houston to be able to gain their first and only Major League Baseball title.

The Phillies, while not known to be among the dominant teams of Major League Baseball have their own following ranging from celebrities and actors. Philadelphians continue to support the home team.

In the late 1940s, the “Eagles” won the NFL (National Football League) Championship Games, which was led by their Head Couch Greasy Neale and RB (Running Back) Steve Van Buren. They won their third NFL Championship in 1960, led by Norm Van Brocklin (Football Hall of Famers) and Chuck Bednarik (well-known as one of the most devastating tacklers).

Between 1988 and 1996, the “Eagles” qualified for the playoffs 6 out of 9 seasons. The team during that period was composed of the offensive stars Randall Cunningham (quarterback), Keith Jackson (tight end), Keith Byars (running back). The defensive lines was led by Reggie White (the minister of defense was one of the two greatest defensive ends ever to play in the NFL), Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, Seth Joyner, Wes Hopkins, and Andre Waters.

The glory days were back in the early 2000s as head coach Andy Reid led the team to four consecutive NFC championship games from 2001 to 2004. The current Eagles don’t have a superbowl ring to show for it, but they are nearly always competitive.

The former stadium of the Philadelphian Eagles was Veterans Stadium or simply “The Vet”. It is a multi-purpose sports complex built on a 74 acre site in South Philadelphia. Parts of the sports complex include a recreational park, Core States Spectrum indoor arena and the Core State arena.

August 16, 1971 was the date when the Philadelphia Eagles team first played at the Vet. They defeated the Buffalo Bills in a 34-28 preseason encounter. Today, the old Veteran Stadium is replaced by Lincoln Financial Field, commonly referred as the Linc.

The Linc’s field consists of four jail cells located at the right side of the stadium. Seats along the sidelines are only 60 feet away from the field and it has a sitting capacity of 68,532 people which is over 3,000 more than the previous Vet stadium.

The new stadium is the home of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Temple Owls (a college football team).