Uptown Girl
Traditionally, I visit her over a weekend about once a year. I arrive Friday evening for dinner and we sit and catch up over a bottle of wine. Saturday morning, we head out after breakfast and spend a couple hours enjoying the city: shopping, museums, art galleries, historic sites, Philly has it all. We usually skip lunch so we can treat ourselves to a fancy restaurant before going to a movie or jazz club, if we still have the energy. We like jazz clubs because you can just sit, enjoy the music and if there’s empty seats at your table, people will join you. We’ve met some interesting characters that way. Like Uncle T who wore dark glasses all night, chain smoked (at that time you still could in clubs) and bought all our drinks. We still talk about Charla who plopped down and, like a stand-up commedian, told us her whole hilarious, roller coaster life story between jazz sets.
I couldn’t live in downtown Philadelphia, but Cindy loves it. She likes popping over to the coffee shop on the way to work, stopping in the farmers market held on a closed street every Saturday, being within walking distance of work, events, entertainment, food and a variety of cultural experiences. For me, a weekend is enough.