…Attended a Phillies baseball game!

Sunday, August 8th, Reshica and I attended a Phillies professional baseball game!! We booked our tickets using http://www.stubhub.com/philadelphia-phillies-tickets/ a week prior to the game for about $20 a piece, Phillies vs. New York Mets!!

Reshica initially mentioned to me awhile back that one of the things on her to-do list was attend a Phillies baseball game. I was totally for this idea, since I have not stumbled upon many opportunities to attend professional baseball games! So after we booked our tickets, Reshica mentioned how she did not have much knowledge or experience with baseball. While I am not the biggest of baseball fans, but I did play softball in gradeschool and occasionally attend baseball games, I figured I would be able to provide enough education for her to understand the game.

The day before we went to the game, I found Reshica in the kitchen googling “How to learn baseball.” I then decided to start my explanation then, having her google image baseball diamond. So we started there, and I explained the bases, home plate and pitchers mound. The day of the game, I looked up directions on how to get to Citizens Bank Park using the subway system.

So with our directions and tickets and in hand, Reshica and I started off for our adventure! We were both unfamiliar with the certain subway route we took, so we figured it would be best to follow all the other people dressed in Red and White (as this was probably a good indication that they were traveling to the game too)! We arrived at our stop and followed the Red and White crowd to the Park. We passed a concert arena, the Flyers Hockey Arena and a football field as well.

Inside the park, we found our seats (AMAZING seats, especially for the price!!) and were amazed at the view!

We then ventured off before the first pitch to find some yummy ball park food. We found french fries and sodas. I vouched to get the souvenir cup (that was really less than a dollar more than the others) and headed back to our seat just in time for the national anthem.

And so the education began: It was best to explain baseball as it happened. So I informed her of strikes, foul balls, outs, bunts, homeruns, stealing the bases, innings, etc. This actually made the game pretty eventful, because we were each paying close attention to what was going on!

As the game continued, Reshica was catching up and learning the ongoings. She was even feeling bad for the Mets team because some Phillies fans were “booing” the Mets and she was upset that they did not have many fans there to support them.

Hey look – Go Physical Therapy!!!

So the final score was 6-5, and the Phillies won!! It was a very eventful game!

On our way back to the subway, there were people distributing Dr. Pepper drinks and energy drinks for promotion – so on our way to the subway, we picked up a few more drinks! It was a good end to the day!

So who would have thought that Id be teaching baseball, but Id like to say that I made a pretty good teacher :-)

…Been to South Street Philadelphia

So while this is a little bit later than when the event actually happened, I figured it was worthy of still mentioning (because after all, better late than never, right?!).

So Reshica, Kat and myself decided one Saturday night that we should go out on the town – Old City. So it was my responsibility to research good bars/clubs and Kat would take a train into the city to meet up with Reshica and myself. Needless to say, we are not timely individuals, so Kat arrived at our place and about an hour later, Reshica and I were ready about an hour later – oops.

I found that FLUID nightclub had free cover for ladies before 11pm and was located at 4th and South Street. So we decided to take the MFL (Market-Frankford Line) from 34th to 5th street. While we were there, we had to decide the directions ourselves to determine where 4th street was. Needless to say….we started going the wrong direction. At this point, it was shortly before 11 and we were determined to get to FLUID before free cover for ladies was over!!

We finally stumbled upon it, passing South Street. I wish we would have seen more of South Street, because this street has become a tourist landmark.

South Street is an east-west street in the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The stretch of South Street between Front Street and Seventh Street is known for its "bohemian" atmosphere and its diverse and urban mix of shops, bars, and eateries. It is one of Philadelphia's largest tourist attractions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Street_%28Philadelphia%29)

So once we walked into FLUID (http://www.fluidnightclub.com/) we realized it was incredibly dark, minimal people on the dance floor – but we headed straight for the bar. We each ordered a drink (helping Reshica choose a drink that we thought she would enjoy), and were told $9. Initially, this is not a bad price for drinks in the city, but then the bartender told us it was $9 for all 3 drinks, or $3 a piece! Not only was it free cover for ladies, but discount on drinks till midnight!! So Kat and I reached for our debit cards, when the bartender tells us “$30 minimum on cards” !!! WHAT!! Now what were we to do, with $3 drinks and $30 minimum?!?!? Well, Kat decided she would just start a tab, and each of us would get 3 drinks and each owe her $10. So our night began.

We looked around, and realized the atmosphere at this club was not one in which we were very familiar with. So we saw a lonely lit-table in the corner and sat down with our drinks. We enjoyed our time, chatting and sharing stories while we just observed the ongoings at the club. We noticed the DJ approaching the bar, carrying the mic while holding a bottle of vodka in the other hand (talent).

Kat had coworkers who were out at another place in Old City, and since our tab was complete, we decided to move on to the next place! We walked from 4th and South Street to 2nd and Church Street. We walked through a part of Old City with cobblestone streets and brick buildings. It was a beautiful walk.

Once we arrived at the new place, Sugar Mom’s, we met up with Kat’s coworker and some of his friends. One of the greatest things about this bar…they had DUM-DUM lollipops! Ive never seen a bar that served DUM-DUMs! I was so excited that I didnt care about the drinks, I just hung out with everyone and enjoyed the company. While we were out, Reshica had been talking about how she liked the “idea of being from the south” and “southern accents,” so she decided that since we were meeting new people, she would introduce herself as from Kentucky with a country accent. So picture an adorable girl, from Napal, speaking in a decent country accent, telling people she is from Kentucky, with two Kentucky girls (who do NOT have country accents, haha). We were a sight, it was precious.

This was another first for me: It became 2am, and the bar was closing. I have never been out at a bar when they close, because at home the bars do not close until 4am (and I am never out that late!). So the large group of us were gathered together, discussing what we were going to do next. I asked if anyone knew of a Taco Bell/Waffle House/White Castle in Old City, but the response was NO. Really?!? So first of all, the bars close early and second of all….NO food?!? What a difference this was from Louisville’s 4th Street or Bardstown road!

Since it was closing time, and no food was to be seen, Reshica and I decided to venture back to our place. And since the subway stops running after 1230am (go figure, the subway stops before the bars close….hmm..), we had to take the Night Owl bus that runs the same course of the MFL. This was not as predictable as the subway schedule, and we were standing at the bus stop with others for about 45 minutes until the bus arrived. Once it finally did, Reshica asked the driver if he could drop us off right by our place (and he agreed – since it was on the course but not a typical stop). So together we sat on the bus, and watched as more people got on at each stop. The Night Owl, on a Saturday night, at 3am – an ADVENTURE!

We finally made it home…safe and sound – and crashed into bed. We had such a busy night…but I would not have traded it for the world!! Whenever you put Reshica, Kat and myself together = GREAT TIMES!

…Experienced the wonders of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The date of this should really be August 7, 2010…but since its a little less than a month late, I better tell you all about it!!

My suitemate, Reshica, and I have been saying that we wanted to go to the art museum, but we had yet to get around to it. So that Saturday, we decided to just go for it! So we got ourselves ready and ventured out into the beautiful day (although we totally under predicted the heat of the beautiful day and wore jeans…when we probably would have best with something with less coverage!). So we took the MFL (Market-Frankford Line) to 30th street station and walked the Schuylkill River Trail all the way towards the art museum. This was a wonderful walk along the Schuylkill River and is available for walkers, runners, bikers, and all those just experiencing the glories of the day by the river. This walk was a decent walk, but with the sites all around us, we did not notice how far we had really walked!

Once we actually arrived to the Art Museum, we found the bathroom and wiped off our faces from the heat of the day (shew…) and then went to purchase our tickets. Reshica is a pharmaceutical intern and had been told that with her ID badge, she received free admission to the Art Museum. So together we walked up to the counter, she presented her ID badge and the lady kindly told us, “With your ID, you and a guest receive FREE admission.” I was blown away! I was not too excited to pay the $16 admission, but figured the Art Museum would be worth it – but now that I did not have to pay at all…well this was EVEN BETTER! With your admission to the museum, you receive a quaint little tag to place on your clothing, so that all security members know that you are a “paying” customer. Such a cute little idea.

So we put our tags on, and ventured out into the LARGE museum to see what we can learn! We walked up the large marble staircase (and when we descended the staircase, I mentioned how it made me feel like the movie, Titanic, when Jack is awaiting Rose at the landing of the staircase in the boat – corny ??) to find large exhibit hall entrances. We essentially started with Asian/European 1500 and worked our way to more contemporary art.

I had no idea what to expect once we walked in, but I never would have realized what I would learn that day! Together, Reshica and I made an interesting pair, because I was raised Roman Catholic in America and she was raised Hindu in Napal. So each of us were able to educate the other on significant pieces that represented our cultures. I provided information regarding Christ and Christianity, while she was aware of some of the history since she has been in America for 4 years now. But I spoke about the life of Jesus, importance of Saints, Stations of the Cross, the Crucifixion of Jesus and the importance of images regarding Mary. The exhibit halls were spectacular and seemed endless.

You would walk in, and feel as if you were actually in a French Cathedral, or feel as if you were stepping foot within a French flat with decorations from the chandeliers, to the window treatments, to the paintings to the furniture. You feel as if you are actually in the buildings, almost as if they took a crane and lofted the architecture and placed it into the museum!! Just look!

When we walked more into the Asian/European art, we startled stumbling across more Asian influence and Reshica was able to educate me on all the different gods and stories of the becoming of the gods. This was such a learning experience, that I know I would not have received had I gone with anyone else.

Just look at this fountain and architecture. The museum made it as if you are actually there with all the ambience. It was fantastic the way it was set up. And this doorway was enormous!! I could not even get the whole doorway in the shot!! All the stone and marble seemed seamlessly placed, as if it was built there.

Myself and Reshica in front of the LARGE marble staircase!!

A view to the outside, all the way to Center City. There were about 3 bridal parties taking their pictures out by the fountain.

We made our way through the museum, and ventured downstairs for the Contemporary Art exhibit…until…..a museum worker notified us that the museum was closing in 5 minutes and chances were that we were not going to see the rest of the exhibit. Mind you, we had only seen one room and the other two exhibits took us about an hour to get through each – So chances were that we were not going to see much contemporary art!

We left the museum and chose to walk through the rest of the city. While we were walking around the side, we saw a large line of people waiting…and then I realized….ROCKY!! We had to stop by the Rocky statue and get our picture!!

So the statue is sitting out front the museum, but it had its own line of people taking pictures with it, a man who deemed himself in charge of coordinating the line and even a man selling pretzels/water and ROCKY t-shirts!! It was its own tourist attraction!! So here we are!! GO ROCKY!

Overall, we had such a great day!! Who would have thought a simple Saturday, out at the Museum would become so educational!

So hope you enjoyed your tour of the museum….FREE OF CHARGE!

Traveled to Redding Terminal Market…

On Saturday, July 10th, my suitemate, Reshica and I decided to travel to the Farmer’s Market at Redding Terminal Market. I had heard several suitemates talking about the great prices and produce available there, so I decided it was time for me to travel there too!

So Reshica and I had talked about going earlier in the week, so she stopped by to see if I wanted to go. We got our bags ready and walked to the 34th street station for the Market-Frankford Line that would take us right to 11th street for the Redding Terminal Market. We walked right out of the train station, and only had to cross a small street to get right into the market.

This is a must-see place for anyone who visits Philadelphia. This terminal market has just about everything from produce farmer’s market, meat stations, fish stations, florists, ice cream, Indian and Pakistani foods, Thai, Chinese, etc, etc. Below is the map of the entire market and shows all the booths.

Today, the Reading Terminal Market, considered by many as one of the finest public markets in the U.S., blends together state-of-the-art systems technology without sacrificing its historical integrity. It’s not only a popular hometown attraction, but also the most popular Philadelphia tourist destination after the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. More than 80 merchants offer patrons fresh produce, meats, fish, groceries, flowers, baked goods, crafts, books, clothing, as well as hard-to-find specialties and ethnic foods. Shopping and dining become a pleasure in this warm, inviting, and unique atmosphere. The Reading Terminal Market, as it was over a hundred years ago, is reminiscent of personal, neighborhood shopping, and still offers something for everyone. A trip to Philadelphia would not be complete without stopping here.

http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/somethingforeveryone

So as you can see, this market place has a little bit of everything! The farmer’s market is insanely cheap. I got: 4 kiwis, two heads of broccoli, 2 apricots, 2 cucumbers, and 2 green peppers for $4.10 (and that is even WITHOUT the student discount that they have every Sunday and Wednesday)! Reshica and I found our treasures and walked around some, but it is such a large place that you almost need to spend hours in (almost like a flea market) because you will never see it all in one quick tour!

From there, we traveled to Chinatown, because I mentioned to Reshica that I have never been to a Chinatown. She warned me that it was going to smell odd (and boy did it ever)! It was an odd smell, one that I could not describe if I wanted to. I was very tempted to go in one of the dozens of Chinese restaurants, but I wondered if I really wanted some food, how would I know WHICH one to go in?!?! There were too many to decide. Chinatown was about 4 blocks deep and 4 blocks wide. It was filled with other farmer’s markets, restaurants and several knick-knack type of stores. It was a very interesting adventure, but Reshica and I were talking throughout our walk that I almost missed most of it!

From Chinatown, we went into the Gallery which is connected to the 11th street SEPTA station. It declares itself to be:

Sensational Shopping in Center City Philadelphia

The Gallery at Market East is prominently located in the heart of Philadelphia’s thriving Center City. Adjacent to major historical attractions, The Gallery is amazingly convenient and bustling with activity. More than 40,000 people enter The Gallery each day for great stores and eateries, all accessible through one of the city’s busiest transportation hubs. With its giant directory sculptures and soaring four-story atrium, The Gallery is one of the city’s premier shopping destinations.

http://www.galleryatmarketeast.com/about_us

The Gallery was a neat place because it had stores that I recognized, such as Old Navy, Burlington Coat Factory, Claires, Bath and Body Works, but there were also stores that were not familiar. These included Five Below (which is similar to a Dollar General except that all items range from $1-$5), Kicks USA, Underground Market, and several others. While we were walking around, Reshica decided that she wanted to get her left cartilage pierced (and who am I to tell someone not to), so I supported her! We walked into a store and I helped her decide which color gem she should get and helped her decide at which location on her cartilage she should get it pierced. It was a fun and eventful time, and completely out of the blue! Overall, she was pleased with her decision and she said that it doesn’t hurt even now (which is awesome).

From the Gallery, I had mentioned an exchange store, Buffalo Exchange, that I had stumbled upon when I ventured into the city once before. Reshica was enthralled by the idea, so we decided to head there next. On the way through the city, we stumbled across LOVE Park, which I had been wanting to see! This is a park that was built in the 1960’s at the eastern end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway across from City Hall.

LOVE Park in Philadelphia is famous as a mixed-use urban space and world capital of skateboarding, celebrated by millions as one of the most recognized landmarks of a $2 billion-a-year industry.

http://www.ushistory.org/lovepark/

To me, this park is extremely special because of the fantastic LOVE sign at one of the ends of the fountain. So Reshica told me that she would take my picture in front of the sign (YAY!). While I was standing in line (yes, there was a line to get your picture taken with this sign, it is that popular), we noticed a wedding party that had stopped at the park to take pictures in front of the water fountains and I am only certain that the LOVE sign was also included in their pictures (adorable thought!).

I hope that when more people come to visit, this is a place that we can come for SEVERAL photo opportunities! I LOVE Love Park!

We finally found Buffalo Exchange and had a nice time looking around for clothes. We each found a treasure and while we were there, we both decided that we needed to take a NYC trip with another suitemate of ours (Alyssa), and find more exchange stores. I have so far found 3 fabulous finds at this store and it is always fun because every time you go in, there are new items. People can buy, sell or trade clothing. So if you are willing, you can find some fantastic finds!

We ventured back to our place, with bags full of produce and clothes. We decided to close off the evening watching Grey’s Anatomy episodes on my Netflix account and eating popcorn. I would say it was an overall fantastic Saturday out on the town. Not only did I find some great places, but I also found a great friend in my suitemate.

Thanks for traveling along with me!

…Had to use a fire extinguisher in the kitchen – until now

So it seems as if I keep meeting more and more of my roommates while cooking dinner.  This is actually turning into a pretty neat event, because we all have different cultures and having different food selections.  But tonight was a major first. 

I met two roommates who are interning at Merck Pharmaceuticals, which is apparently decently far away from where we are staying.  So while I was cooking my rice mixture (broccoli and cheddar) with chicken and diced tomatoes as well as corn – which is a pretty typical American cuisine.  In the meantime, my roommate started making a South African meal (which appeared to be pretty tasty with a wide mixture of flavors). So while we were there discussing our meals and what we were doing in Philadelphia – her pot started to sizzle.  She told me it is normal, because it has oil in the pot.  But the one thing that was not normal….was the pot burst into flames!  Well, stupidly, I just kind of looked at her and she made the comment, “well, that’s not normal…” Ha, so I mentioned if we should add water to it, but then she said since it is just oil, it might make things worse.  So I had noticed the fire extinguisher earlier this week, so I went to grab it and hand it to her.  And due to the most recent online modules I have had to take for my orientation at the Children’s Hospital, I knew that I needed to P.A.S.S. or pull the pin, aim a the flame, squeeze the handle and sweep the flame.  I had already pulled the pin and was about to aim and squeeze until I realized maybe I should move my pan of rice out of the way (which I was not smart enough to do with my pan of corn :-( sad).  Then, I squeezed the handle and POOF!!! Out bursts the chemical/powder/burst of smoke from the extinguisher.  Successfully, I put out the fire!! Yay, go me. 

The aftermath consisted of dust on the stove as well as in my corn :-(.   Overall, this became a pretty good ice breaker when you are just meeting someone, ha.  But if you are trying to figure out the best way to start a conversation, do not feel as if you have to start a fire to do so.  Now I am starting to wonder what will happen the next time I make dinner!!

…Lived with someone from China

Tonight, I went to the kitchen to fix my good ol’ American pasta in a bag when I saw another pot on the stove just a bubbling away.  I wondered to which of my 6 roommates it belonged to. As I was washing other dishes I have dirtied up along the past two days, my next door roommate, Lee, showed up to stir her food. We started discussing what all we were making and I was surprised by what she had to say.  Her meal consisted of chicken (chicken legs still on the bone), mushrooms, sliced potatoes, and black fungus.  Yes, that is right, I said black fungus.  Come to find out, black fungus  or cloud ears, grow on a variety of woods including mango and kapok.  This is mostly sold dried but can be available fresh.  This piece of food is “prized in Chinese cuisine for its crunchy texture and therefore added to dishes only for the last few minutes of cooking. Delightful in salads, soups and stir-fries, it has no flavor of its own, but absorbs the seasonings it is cooked with” http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/1999/asian/fungus.html.  After Lee was telling me about the dish, she offered me a tasting of it.  Not only did she hand me a few pieces from her meal, rather she gave me close to one serving!  This was a very delicious meal and the black fungus was very tasty and was  soft, yet crunchy.  I offered up some of my tasty noodles in olive oil, garlic and broccoli.  Lee appeared to like it and was taken by surprise that it was a meal in a bag.  One comment she did have: “Do you like hot sauce?”  Which I think was a type of insinuation that it might need some spice.  So I went to my room to show her my new Franks Hot Sauce: Sweet Chili Sauce.  She appeared impressed. 

In addition to our meal conversation, we were also talking about some of her Chinese culture.  She mentioned that Kentucky was one of the first state that she ever learned about, which was all due to Kentucky Fried Chicken (thank you, thank you, KFC!).  She mentioned that KFC is way more popular than McDonald’s here in the states.  When she was talking about KFC, I asked if she has ever had any of the KFC here to compare the two.  She said there aren’t any in the city so she has not had any chance to experience.  In addition to all the other interesting things about KFC, but Lee also mentioned that the KFC and McDonald’s in China are nicer than they are here.  She said the food is of a higher quality and the inside of the restaurant were even nice too.  Who would have thought????

So on another note, I realized the differences between our languages and cultures.  During one of our conversations, I made the phrase, “That’s pretty neat.”  Well, after that phrase, Lee had an expression on her face of “What?

?”  Lee then asked me very kindly what I meant by “neat” and I tried to add additional adjectives such as, “cool”, “fun,” and had little success in describing what I was trying to achieve.  So Lee returned with, “Well, I have not heard of that phrase before.”   

So, tonight I enjoyed the company of my next door roommate, Lee while we sampled each others food, shared personal and cultural experiences, as well as chatting about some of the other roommates we have (which ones both of us still have not met and she has been here since August!).  Overall, it was a great time and hope to have many more in the future (maybe not much more with Lee since she moves out next week, but with a few of the other roommates). 

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