Trip Report: Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia. Philly. The "City of Brotherly Love." No matter what you call it, Philadelphia, PA is a unique experience. A tough city, but a proud city, Philadelphia can rub people the wrong way sometimes. But the food, drinks, and the people were still reason enough for my wife and I to brave the cold temps on MLK weekend and check it out.

We got an early head start to go about an hour north of Philly for lunch. Marcello's Pizza Grill is in Hamilton Square, NJ. If you are on TikTok, then you recognize the restaurant. Salvatore "Sally Slices" Mandreucci put the restaurant on the on the map with his TikToks in 2021, and his fame grew.

We made our way to the restaurant, hoping to meet the TikTok star, and to try the pizza, of course. I have to tell you...it was great!

As you can see, the slice was pretty darned big...but the pictures don't do it justice. My wife and I both grabbed a slice of the hot honey pizza. This slice was so big that they cut it in half. It was fresh out of the oven, and brought right to our car. It was just the right amount of crispiness, spice from the sauce and hot honey. I would love to be able to describe this pizza as the late Anthony Bourdain might, but  I can't do it any justice...the stuff was just too good. 

We got a glimpse of Sally Slices, but he was very busy loading up for a delivery. I did walk past him after throwing the plates and napkins away from our meal. I spoke and he spoke back, but I didn't want to bother him. Maybe we will be able to chat and ask for a picture on the next trip up.  

Up next, was a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. That is just a very long way of saying that we saw the "Rocky Steps".

It was cold. Extremely cold. But there was no way that we were going to let that deter us. So after getting harassed by the kind gentlemen selling items next to the Rocky statue at the base of the steps, I pulled out my phone, opened Spotify, and played "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti...otherwise known as "that song from Rocky." We then jogged our way up the steps, giggling at our background music. The view was gorgeous. We decided to head back to our car, and save the museum for next time. 

We walked back to our car and saw a ton of people walking into a museum near our parking space. The Rodin Museum is the home for the artwork of French sculptor Auguste Rodin, who is considered the father of modern sculpture. This museum houses the largest collection of his work outside of Paris. The museum itself appeared to be closed, but the outdoor garden is free and open year-round.

After our trip to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway area, we made our way back to our hotel to kill time and decide on dinner. We settled on dinner in Chinatown, but the bar selection was where things got interesting. We didn't like any of our options for a jazz bar, so we started searching for Speakeasies. There was one in particular that got our attention. Hop Sing Laundromat is one big mystery. Very little is known about Lê, the enigmatic owner. Not only that, but you can find yourself on the banned list very quickly without knowing why. How easily, might you ask? Well, there are around 5,000 people on the banned list right now...We snagged a 9:30 PM reservation, and made our way in. Cameras are not allowed inside, and the door is nondescript. We waited in line and got in.

I will leave the details out...if you have the chance to go, you absolutely need to. Cocktail Legend Toby Maloney was in town as a guest bartender, and he did not disappoint. There is a reason that Condé Nast Traveler named Hop Sing Laundromat one of the 30 greatest bars in the world. If we didn't get banned, we will absolutely be back. 

The next morning, we shook off the hangover from the night before, and did the standard Philly tourist stuff. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Betsy Ross' house were great. Tickets for Independence Hall are free if you walk up there, but you can reserve them online prior to your arrival for a small fee. It was required for MLK weekend.

For lunch, we decided it was time to try another thing that Philly is known for: The cheesesteak! Where to go? There are so many choices. Also, there is no undisputed king of cheesteaks in this city. Everyone has a favorite. So we settled on one of the tourist traps. Legend has it that Pat's is the originator of the sandwich, and seemed to have a longer line than Geno's, a competitor that is literally right across the street.

Standing in line, we received a quick tutorial for how to properly order, and then we were on our way.

However, what they don't tell you is that there are two lines: One for ordering steaks and another for ordering fries and drinks. So if you go, remember that.

It was a delicious, cheesy mess. It was simply glorious. And my clothes smelled like cheesesteak for the rest of the day. A great reminder of a great lunch. 

Dinner was inspired by the hit film, "The Irishman." Villa di Roma is an Italian restaurant in the Italian market that has been around for over five decades. It was shown in the movie as a place routinely frequented. While it looks different in the film than in real life, it is still a phenomenal place to eat a meal.

 When we went in, it was crowded. The restaurant is clearly a go-to for Sunday dinners. The Vikings/Giants game was on the TV at the bar. The reservation system? A piece of paper. It was a long wait for our table, but who cares? Have a drink at the bar, and enjoy yourself. An amazing experience is on the way.

When we got to the table, I snapped this picture of the menu. It is a paper menu. Old school. I put my phone down after this. My wife ordered the lasagna and I ordered the rigatoni with meatballs. Just like the speakeasy, I will leave a little mystery here, too. It was one of the top five best Italian meals that I have ever had in my life. Our Waiter Dominic was phenomenal and recommended the Tiramisu for dessert. His Aunt makes it fresh. Every. Single. Day. From Scratch. It was heavenly. I don't normally like Tiramisu, but Villa di Roma made me a believer once again. 

Philly was so wonderful. The food and drinks were amazing. I would recommend Philadelphia to anyone who is looking for a weekend trip on the East Coast.

Heart of Arabia Expedition

 

There is nothing like a nice walk or road trip (or camel ride) to clear your mind. The Heart of Arabia Expedition team is showing us how fun those things can be.

 The team of Mark Evans, MBE, Ana-Maria Pavalache, Alan Morrissey, and Reem Philby set out on November 15th, 2022 for the first stage of their expedition.

 The two-stage, 1,300km trek across Saudi Arabia is loosely following the steps of Harry St John Philby's 1917 mission to Ibn Saud. The team is utilizing walking, camels, and 4X4 vehicles.

 Stage two started today, and it has been great to follow this expedition. You should, too!

 Below are ways to follow along:

 https://linktr.ee/heartofarabia

 For more information on Mr. Philby, please see below:

 https://www.britannica.com/biography/H-Saint-John-Philby

What is Adventure?

 

For some of us, adventure is climbing Mount Everest. For others, it is running a half marathon. Some may consider adventure getting on a plane and traveling to a new place. I’d like to say that adventure is best defined by the individual. What we should stop doing for certain, however, is letting the outdoor industry and media dictate to us what adventure is. 

While attending Outdoor Retailer (Online) in 2020, I heard an anecdote about how much this has played into how exclusive not only the outdoors, but the adventure community can feel. There is a person who is employed by a large outdoor company of some sort, who’s only outdoor excursions are taking multiple walks outside during the week. Try telling this person that they are not the real deal. 

If you want to hop in your car and travel to a new place in the region a few weekends a year, who am I to tell you that you aren’t living a life of adventure? As long as you take the time to challenge yourself and learn something new, then you are adventuring!

First Post

 

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks — on your body or on your heart — are beautiful. Often though, they hurt.” 

– Anthony Bourdain

“Why?” That’s the question I asked myself over and over when considering starting a blog. There are tons of blogs out there. If we are going to mention famous people who have written about their travels, then good luck being as good as Charles Kuralt or my hero, Anthony Bourdain.

So why do this? Because, I grew up in a small town. I never thought I would see and do as much as I have. I grew up, got a great job, moved away from home, and learned a lot. I work hard these days, but I still try my best to explore the world when I can.

Travel has changed my life. This is my chance to show and tell. You can still live a life of adventure, whether you work in an oil field or at a desk. Take it from me.