A Tale of Two Bluegrass Bands

Last week we went to Clark Park, a nice little shady, grassy spot a few blocks away.We checked out the farmer's market (every farmer's market has a Mennonite/Amish contingent) and found some good produce and flowers.

We were also proselyted to the communist party there.  I'm thinking of joining; they were such nice clean cut boys (Marx and Engels shown here).

Clark park is on the corner of a plot of land that was used as an old Civil War hospital.  A hundred years ago, local citizens planted a piece of the Gettysburg geology there as a memorial.

Randomly, there is also a Dickens and Little Nell statue.

As we were just finishing up our brunch burritos from Honest Tom's psychedelic lunch truck,

...a ragged crew went past us, with obvious bluegrass instruments.  They set up and played a few songs, including an interesting variety called Cajun bluegrass using a rebar triangle instead of a washboard.  Cajun dialect is actually less understandable than regular bluegrass lyrics.  They called themselves Buffalo Death Rattle and noted they were "on tour."  In bare feet and with a dog: my kind of tour. Couldn't get a better picture as they played "in the round, " but facing in.

Inspired, we drove out to Longwood Gardens, the remnant estate of Peirce DuPont, chemical magnate, and dabbler in fountains and horticulture.  I didn't see a single weed or downed leaf the whole day.

 

After wandering around nicely appointed and immaculately tended gardens, we were informed that there would be a bluegrass band playing at the outdoor stage.  "Bonus!"  we thought.  "Maybe they'll be as good as Buffalo Death Rattle."

Imagine our surprise to get to listen to Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, four-time winner of the International Bluegrass Association group of the year.  They were a bit more "polished" than BDR.  And not a cajun cussword the whole time.  Plus the fountains near the stage accompanied their finale.

Then, to add to the magic, we went over to the main fountains and enjoyed 10,000 gallons per minute of Tchaikovsky and lit fountains.

One day, two renowned bluegrass bands on tour.  Does it get any better than that?

A Tale of Two Commutes

Terisa's daily commute: 25 minutes on foot (traffic-laden streets omitted for aesthetic effect)

Gabe's daily commute: 15 steps in slippers (jammies not pictured for aesthetic effect)

Brainstorming to Beat the Heat

It's been a little warm this weekend in Philadelphia and surrounds.

Niece Alicia says: "Did you notice that no one cared about the heat wave until it reached the east coast?  North Texas is on something like 25 days of 100 or above."  Actual picture of North Texas:

Niece Carrie says:  "I STILL don't care about the heat wave. Everyone commenting on the heat sounds like imbeciles. Of COURSE it's hot, it's SUMMER."  Here is an actual photo of Carrie maintaining cool.

Robin Williams says, "Warm? No, this is the setting for London Broil." (Good Morning, Vietnam, 1987) Actual picture of steak that makes me hungry for London Broil:

And of course they are all right.  Still, there is no good reason not to try to stay comfortable with all of these records breaking like tender young hearts at a Justin Bieber concert.  Actual tender hearts breaking for Justin (I am not making this up):

So at the risk of sounding imbecilic (Terisa says it's no risk, it's just a fact...) 

here are the best ideas so far.

Feel free to send in your own.

1.  Go camping.  Get out of town and into the sylvan woods, shady, dark, damp with cool moss.  We tried that this weekend at a local state park.  Our friends, Dale and Mitzi, organized a pretty fun get-away this weekend, complete with marshing mallows over a campfire, and a four-star breakfast in the morning.

Turns out that the outdoors doesn't get much cooler at night, AND you have the cicada tabernacle choir actually in your tent with you.  Still, wrestling with sleep deprivation takes what's left of your mind off of the weather.

2.  Eat cool foods. 

3.  Stay close to air conditioners.

4.  Drink, heavily.

4.  Do things with water.

5.  Adjust your wardrobe.  Maybe you can't go as far as this little tyke on our camping trip...

We don't mind the heat and humidity too much.  It makes this place seem more exotic, tropical and paradise-like.  We expect to see monkeys swinging from trees, and crocodiles in the fountains.

And it could be worse: you could have a hot job, too.

Philly Gabe and Terisa

Yay! For Fireflies

That is all.

Oot and Aboot with Mayor Nutter in Philly

From the very first inkling that we might come to Philadelphia, people have been giving us advice to get out and see the city.

We hear and obey.

The first day we got here, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed at a semi-outdoor venue called the Mann Center.  Of course we went.  The Busaths did the driving, thank you Dale, and prepared a picnic dinner, thank you Mitzi and Rosa. It was a pleasant summer's evening, and the familiar sounds of home welcomed us to a new home.  

For one of the encores, Mayor Nutter directed the choir.  He told us later that it was a stunning experience, and he was unprepared for the awe he felt standing in front of all of them.

The next weekend was the 4th of July and you've already seen that blog.  Of course, Mayor Nutter helped with the speechifying, and joined in the parade, and tapped the Liberty Bell, and posed with us in the visitor's center.  We were at all of those places, too, and we had to hustle to get there.

Then last weekend, we caught a bus downtown and explored the Italian market.  Essentially 8 blocks of sidewalk shopping, much of it fresh produce.  And fresh poultry.  And meat of uncertain age or origin.  The blueberries come from New Jersey.  Yes, the Garden State.

 The downtown is very interesting visually.  Here is one of Isaiah Zagar's wall mosaics.  These are all around South Philly,  like little surprise sunbursts.

There are lots of murals around town, too.  I have a nagging ambition to photograph them all.  Notice the almost nude sunbather under the red umbrella.

There are also some interesting building facades.  This one is on South Street, a bohemian, hippy, hipster mashup neighborhood.

We had our first Philly(r) Cheesesteak(tm) at Pat's(c).  It was a little commercialized.  It turns out that the secret is the bread.  Oh, and the cheese whiz.

It is kittycorner to Geno's, another famous shop.  There is some rivalry here, can't think why.

But we also found that other cheesesteak shops are just as popular.  

Then we went down to see Penn's landing, a commercial/community place developed from the old Philadelphia naval yards.  There was an Hispanic festival going on.  

 

And guess who was there?  Mayor Nutter!  Dude gets around!

In the midst of all of this playing, we found time to go to work.   Here is Terisa, first day at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, or CHOP.

Here is my office in Arlington.  Yes, as in DC. 

The commute isn't too bad, since I only have to do it every other week for a couple of days.  Haven't developed a rhythm yet, but I walk to the elevated train (which immediately goes underground), and ride to the train station.  I get on a regional Amtrak train and ride 2 hours to Union Station in DC.  A subway ride, a transfer, and short walk and there I am, at work.

Terisa has gotten her rotation assignments and despite extreme juggling on the part of the adminstrators, 

is  pleased with the opportunities.

In other firsts, we went bar hopping at the Puppy Kitchen.  Technically it wasn't bar hopping, since we only went to one place, and it was actually called the Pub and Kitchen.  This is Terisa's cohort of interns celebrating one last night of freedom.  The noise level was high enough to fuse metal...

Also, had our first thunderstorm.  Impressive enough but it seemed to make the temperature go UP, and I felt like I needed a SCUBA tank to breathe.

Hot, yes.  Humid, yes.  Pretty?  Definitely.

Gabe and Terisa