Philadelphia is My Home

10
Dec

Fess Up

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Hello, my name is Momish and I am a Christmas junkie.

Fess up, people.  I know I am not alone here.  You too love this stuff, admit it.  If you’re a junkie like me, you’ve got your car radio tuned to B101, singing along to the six versions of ”Jingle Bell Rock” they play every day. 

You’ve changed your Windows wall paper to a winter wonderland scene, complete with falling snow. Forget that it slows everything down to a crawl on your PC… you gotta have the falling snow.

You’re spending every weekend searching for that perfect gift, ornament or decoration.  You’ve marched along with the Winter Warlock, putting “one foot in front of the other” on more than one occasion.  And before you even take your coat off, you’re eagerly sifting through the mail to see what new cards you got.

But most of all, you’ve already been to Macy’s to see the holiday light show.  You sat your adult bum down next to that eagle statue, then you watched, smiled and sang along with all the third graders, just like you did when you were in third grade. 

As cheesy as it is, you know you still love it.  C’mon, how can anyone resist a smile when Frosty’s arms blink up, down, up, down, up, down.  It’s classic. Personally, I think it is the organ music that lends itself to that magical feeling.  Well, that mixed with a big, fat dose of nostalgia.

So, have you been yet?  Fess up!

Check out Centercityphila.org for all Holiday Events going on around the city.

Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC

03
Dec

It’s All About The Food

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Once you hit a certain age, the holidays aren’t really about getting stuff anymore.  Not cool and fun stuff anyway.  No, instead they become more about the food than anything else.

But alas, in my true fashion, I will most likely be a total disappointment in this arena.  Since I rarely cook or bake, I can’t post any terrific mouth watering recipes that will have you running for the kitchen, rolling pin in hand.

So instead, I figured I would just pass along some great foods I have recently eaten.  It’s my little way of sharing the joy.

Let’s see.  Well for starters, I recently ate at Horizons.  A fully vegan restaurant where you can gorge yourself without feeling like a total glutton.  That part is very important to me around this time of year.  So if you are like me and need to feel good about stuffing your face, I suggest you pit stop over to this great restaurant for at least one good meal before New Year’s day.  It will really help, trust me.  Now I don’t feel so bad about all the sugar cookies I have eaten.

The food was so tasty on its own, but knowing it was healthy and good for you, made it that much more enjoyable.  I had the Portobello Trio entree, which had so much flavor, I could eat it everyday for a week straight!  I plan on going back A LOT so I can work my way down the entire menu, because it was only after much painful agony, I settled on the Portobellos.  So I must return.  (I sense a New Year’s resolution in the making!)

What else?  Oh yeah! We had a smashing birthday party for my husband last weekend.  Since it was his birthday and he is the cook in our house, we decided to cater it so he could actually enjoy his day.  After searching endlessly for a reasonable caterer that we could afford without having to sacrifice my daughter’s Christmas presents, we went with Tori’s.

Located on South street, they were able to deliver the food to us right before the party.  They were completely open to letting us order what we needed and what fit our budget.  We had “lollipop” lamb chops, eggplant bruschetta, crab cakes, a cheese and a fruit platter.  Everything was amazing and perfect, with interesting flavors instead of the same old boring trays of food.  

The party was fun, needless to say.  But in the end, it was all about the food and Tori’s really helped to make it a success. Great food without paying for all the stuff you really don’t need or want when having a simple house party.  If you haven’t checked out their new location, you must go. It’s such an amazing building, with a lovely atmosphere that perfectly compliments the great food.

So, that is my brief update on holiday eating.  If you know of any good places around town, fill me in.

In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the festive season and all that yummy food.  Munch away, people.  Munch away.

26
Nov

There’s Still Time

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

You have until December 31st, so there is still plenty of time really.  

I am not talking about any holiday stuff here.  No, nothing to do with shopping or decorating or cocktail parties or anything hectic like that. I am talking about culture.  Treating yourself by taking a nice needed break from the hectic. 

In between the endless commercialism and the agony of battling consumerism, wouldn’t you just love to squeeze in some culture?  Take a relaxing and educating stroll around a museum?  How about one that is actually doable, as in you can see all the exhibits in less than two hours.  

And for free!  Now that sure makes it a bit more doable, doesn’t it? No dipping into your Christmas Club savings.

The Perelman Building at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has free admission until the end of the year.  Right now, the exhibits include a great collection of evening gowns from three Philadelphian designers and a collection of modern decorative art among others. 

But the best part (aside from being free, of course) is that it is just enough without being overwhelming.  Because the last thing you need right now is more overwhelming. You want to escape overwhelming at all costs, right?

Just think, after a two hour stroll that awakens your visual and mental senses, you just might be ready to tackle those long lines and crowded stores again.  It might even inspire you to get a little more creative with your wrapping this year.

At the very least, you’ll have something interesting to talk about at all those holiday cocktail parties you’ve got lined up on your calendar.  I’m telling you, you need this.

 The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

08
Nov

Scarred For Life

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

When I was around ten years old, my girlfriend and I sneaked into her parent’s bathroom and started snooping around.

We found a bottle of her mom’s perfume and went to town.  We dabbed it all over our wrists and behind our ears, just like grown up ladies do before a fancy night out on the town.

Then my friend dropped the bottle.  It fell into the toilet, where it promptly shattered into a million pieces when it hit the porcelain.  A more apt description would be that it exploded.  Glass went flying in every direction and one sharp piece sliced an inch gash in my leg.

I still have the scar.  As far as scars go, it isn’t that big.  Yet, it is there.  For life.  It doesn’t smell like Oscar de la Renta anymore, but I notice it every time I am wearing a skirt and cross my legs.

Every scar has a story.  Some funny, some heart breaking, some just bizarre.  But a story, none-the-less.  This is why I think the exhibit Thin Skinned Thick will be mesmerizing.

Photographer Amie Potsic’s collection examines scarring in an artistic, beautiful way.  And each photograph is accompanied by the subject’s story behind the scar.

The exhibit’s grand opening is this Friday at 6:00 PM at the Sol Mednick Gallery (The University of the Arts, 211 S. Broad St., 15th flr. 215-717-6300).  Continues until December 14th. 

OK, so there’s lots of time, but why wait? Everyone loves a good story.  But more importantly, eveyone needs a chance to see beauty where we never thought to look before.

25
Oct

Clue In Real Life

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Here’s a fun event that fits in well with Halloween: 

The Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion Mystery Tour.   The tour is 20 minutes long, and takes you throughout the mansion.  As you visit each room, you meet a new character who will tell his or her story as they drop you hints and clues as to which of them is the murderer.

It’s like the Clue game, only live in person.  Just being in a mansion seems to drum up the old Clue memories.  What did Mrs. Peacock really do with that candlestick?

Anyway, the murdering is only going on for this weekend, so get you handy dandy notebook ready and get sleuthing. 

Tours are on October 26, 27 & 28, from 6PM - 9PM and cost 10-12 bucks.  Check out the site for more detail and directions.

But hey, if you pre-order from Fun Savers, they only cost you 7 boo bucks. (call 215-438-1861 and mention “fun savers”)

EVENTS

18
Oct

Urg (um, I mean Erg) Is Too A Word

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

It’s a work unit.

I know this because I do a lot of crossword puzzles.  Which is also why I play a mean game of Scrabble.  I love Scrabble, but no one will play with me because I always win.

This is why I was thrilled to death to find the Free Library’s Philly Plays Scrabble program which holds Scrabble competitions throughout this month.

If you are a Scrabble buff, here’s your chance to shine.  You might even find yourself amongst some serious competition.

Bring. It. On.

Check out the Librabry’s website for more details, as well as a slew of other great events they host.  When was the last time you actually went to the library?  With the world’s wealth of imformation a simple Google click away, I am sure it’s been quite some time you have walked through those doors.  I know I haven’t been here in ages.  And I miss that old beautiful building on the Parkway.  It’s the first free library in the country, you know.

So c’mon, put on your Scrabble thinking caps and and haul your Google addicted butts over to the library.  I could use some stiff competition.

(Philly Plays Scrabble has events throughout many Library branches.  Check the website for dates and times, since each vary.)

11
Oct

Keeping Afloat

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Well, as you may or may not have noticed, I have not been able to keep up with this blog and my editor responsibilities.  For this I truly apologize!  I am sure the readers reader I had is by now long gone.

When I started this, I had hoped to make this a great resource and fun place to meet for Philly residents on-line. But alas, shortly after we went live, I changed jobs.

My new job is keeping me very busy, not to mention barely squeezing in the time to update my personal blog every now and then.

I have contacted the powers that be in hopes of finding another editor for Philly! If anyone is interested, please e-mail me and I will pass it on.  I would hate to see this great city fall by the wayside on ismyhome.com.

In the meantime…

Well…

All I can say is I will keep trying. 

So what’s new with you?

30
Sep

NL East

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Congratulations to the Phillies for clinching the NL East Division Championships!

When they showed the stats tonight, revealing the Phillies track record, it showed that the last time they won the World Series was in 1980.   TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS!

My first thought was, “God help me, I’m old!”  Although I clearly remember partying on Broad Street, I was in grade school for heaven’s sake.

But then my second thought was, “We’re due then.”

 C’mon guys! You can do it!

21
Sep

Thrill Me

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

Thrill me, chill me!

I love Halloween and am beginning to see the signs of this great season everywhere. (Just go into any CVS, orange and black assault you the second you walk in)

I’m always looking for the fun things to do around this time.  There are lost of hayrides and pumpkin picking farms.  The one thing that is right in our back yards which I have never done is Terror Behind The Walls at the old and creepy Eastern State Penitentiary.

I would think just being in that place at night would give me enough chills.

Has anyone done this?  Is it worth the price? (tickets start at 20 bucks!)

18
Sep

Off By A Hair

Author: Momish, Category: Uncategorized

So says coach Andy Reid about the Eagles team.  “Off by a hair.”  I hope that’s all it is because that might actually be something correctable.

I haven’t lost my faith yet, but in all honesty I didn’t go into this season with my usual feelings of “we can do it” or “this year for sure”.  There has only been one year where I watched Eagles game after Eagles game without my heart lodged in my throat.  That was the year they made it to the playoffs but lost to Tampa Bay.  Do you remember that year?

That was a good year.

I will never forget that year.

They were awesome that year.

I have yet to feel that way ever since.  Not even the year they made it to the Superbowl.  Heart in throat, the entire time.

I have a feeling I will be choking a lot this year, just like the Eagles.  But I haven’t lost all faith in them just yet.  When I watch an Eagles game without any worries, then you know it means I have lost my faith.

Or they are back to the amazing team they were that year….