Philadelphia Area Fun

Foodie Friday South Jazz Kitchen

Feb 22, 2019

This week’s Foodie Friday profile is on another favorite area restaurant for outstanding soul food. My first time at South was last June. It was a great summer evening, valet parking is available down the street. When you first enter the restaurant there is a bar to the right and then the main dining area that also has counter seating as well. Upon entering the restaurant I noticed some diners were eating al fresco. The jazz lounge is adjacent to the main dining room. As I looked over the menu and wanted to try multiple dishes, I decided on the fried green tomatoes appetizer. It was beyond delicious and I missed that the tomatoes were served with shrimp remoulade. I devoured every bite on my plate. For my entree, I picked the Carolina shrimp & grits. Grits are one of my favorite breakfast foods. I can eat grits with bacon, sausage, shrimp, salmon croquettes, or fish. The best grits are made to perfection when they are creamy. The entree was superb. Lobster grits, with a Nola sauce and asparagus garnished with shrimp. The grits were creamy and cooked perfectly. I am anxious to go back again.

Fried Green Tomatoes & Shrimp Remoulad with pickled red cabbage

Mexican Food and Dining Out at Xolo Tacos with Kids

Feb 8, 2019

Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines. Dining out at XoloTacos was a great night. This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. The food was outstanding with every bite. We capped off dinner with dessert which was worth every calorie.

Every dish had fresh ingredients and the crispy empanadas were outstanding. I cannot wait to visit again and try the Mahi Mahi tacos, soup, a margarita, and dessert.

Camping Trip and What we Packed for Two Days Away for Class Trip

Jun 4, 2018

The annual 5th-grade camping trip came up so quickly. I was determined to start packing weeks before the departure date. It was suggested the kids bring a suitcase with wheels and a bag with a sleeping bag and travel pillow packed separately.

Our packing list included:

fitted sheet, twin bed
flip-flops for shower
sleeping bag- Target(laundered before the trip)
travel pillow, found this at Amazon (washed the cover and ran pillow through hot dryer)
blanket
backpack (packed all sleeping items)
PJs, bottoms, shorts, and t-shirts
5 pairs of socks(waterproof socks are a great idea, fleece socks to keep feet warm)
hiking boots (strongly suggest rubber boots especially if the grounds are muddy )
sneakers(depending on the weather conditions, the sneakers were no match for the mud)
3 pairs of long pants, 2 pairs of gym shorts(only if weather permits)
5 shirts, definitely would pack more long sleeve vs. short sleeves(nights get chilly)
2 sweatshirts, sweaters, or jacket(things that can layer well)
poncho(rain slicker if rain is predicted)
toiletries(body wash, deodorant, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, sunscreen, insect repellant, shampoo)- found most in Target travel size aisle
2 towels and washcloths(extra washcloths) and beach towel
baseball cap or hat with a brim
swimsuit
2 to 3 trash bags (wet clothing)
laundry bag

Philadelphia – Spring and Summer Fun at Spruce Street Harbor Park

May 30, 2017

Philadelphia Spruce Street Harbor Park

Philadelphia offers a number of activities during the spring and summer season. This is yet another outdoor space for family fun. I noticed people on my Facebook timeline posting pictures from Spruce Street Harbor Park. This is another venue in my backyard that was worth a drive into the city. It is located off of Columbus Blvd (Delaware Avenue) at Spruce Street along Penns Landing. The kids and I decided to go and I was pleasantly surprised with the overall design. The weather was perfect enough to enjoy some outdoor sights. I enjoy the city for activities, however, my pet peeve is PARKING. The parking lot is $20 unless you are a Blue Cross & Blue Shield employee parking is $13. (***eyeroll***). There is on street parking on Columbus Boulevard, if you are lucky enough to find parking in a designated area. Ok, I digress.

Now for a look inside of this urban oasis of activities. Spruce Street Harbor Park opened in 2014, it is open from July to August. It is a unique space at Penns Landing because it offers a boardwalk, a beach, a fountain area and misting stations. The main attraction for the #SSHP is a number of floating barges with lily pad gardens, a pop-up restaurant and bar and nets over the water. I would suggest checking the calendar of events because throughout the season there are festivals, concerts, and movies on the Great Plaza. There is also a Facebook page for activity updates, Spruce Street Harbor Park. If you want to unwind and relax there are hammocks, Adirondack chairs or find a seat underneath an umbrella in the beach area. Just a tidbit of information, Huffington Post voted the urban beach, one of the best urban beaches in the world, who knew?

What would Philadelphia be without a great selection of foods, the food vendors are set up in cargo containers along the harbor boardwalk. For the foodie in you, there are delicious summer foods from Federal Donuts with their famous donuts by the bag and chicken sandwiches(note: the food here is not the same menu as the other Federal Donuts throughout the city), Graso Group(offering chicken fingers, fries, hot dogs and other fare), ice cream from Franklin Fountain(my favorite banana a cup is $5 and you get a hearty scoop), a water ice truck that sells funnel cake(yummy) and I spotted a food truck Distrito’s for my chicken tacos. For adults seeking alcoholic beverages, there is a concession serving craft beer and cocktails which must be consumed inside the Oasis.

In the Columbus seating area, there is plenty of movable seating, an oversized chess game, oversized soft Legos, a large Jenga game. Another attraction for the kids is the cargo container with plenty of arcade games to get the kids attention. The arcade has a photo booth for those who like to take those quirky and memorable pictures. The Independence Seaport Museum has admission to tour the ships that are docked on the waterfront. Now if you walk pass the ship Gazela you will find the beach area with lounge chairs, beach umbrellas and a simulated pebble beach material. If you need to cool off, don’t forget to visit the Mist Walk. There is also roller skating on the other side of harbor park, which is $3 admission per person, $10 per person for skate rentals.

Foodie: Favorite Local Breakfast Cafe

May 27, 2016

In September, my daughter and I were searching a local place to have breakfast. I remembered hearing about Nudy’s when I lived in Chester county.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day especially on the weekend. It’s even better when someone else is making the meal. My daughter is a huge fan of pancakes. I ordered an egg white omelet loaded with veggies and an order of home fries(really hash browns) with a cup of java.

My daughter ordered a short stack of blueberry pancakes. Just so you know the short stack is an order of 2 pancakes vs. 3 pancakes in a regular order.