Our trip to Philadelphia was a success! I love it there and hope to go back for a real vacation sometimes. I’ve only been twice, but both times were for this race, and there is only so much other stuff we can cram in!
We skipped off to the PA after a crazy day on Friday. I had a nice (well, perfect actually) visit with my little Piper-girl, and then raced down to my client’s apartment for a birthday blow-out, then picked up all my packages at work and then raced home and looked for parking for about 30 minutes and then packed as fast as my packing arms could go and then I got in the car and went to Philadelphia with Jake and Paul and Andrea. It doesn’t sound that crazy, but I was sweaty when i got in the car, and also it was almost 6pm. I was gone from 8:30 to 5:30 running non-stop. So, I basically didn’t mind the 2 hour drive, sitting, doing nothing.
Anyway, here I am dancing at the runner’s expo where we went to pick up our race packets. They had a smoke machine! So I danced and danced and loved it!
I thought it was impossible to walk past a smoke machine and not dance, but most people weren’t dancing. Actually come to think of it, NO people were dancing except for me. Be sad for me that the cheese dances alone. (nevermind, don’t be sad because I think the cheese has the most fun.)
After the Expo, we went to Sabrina’s for brunch. We went there last time too, because look at the food they sell you there! I got the stuffed Challa French Toast. It is stuffed with cream cheese and cinnamon and bananas. Dang. I only ate about a third of it because I knew I’d get sick if I ate more. And Becca and I planned ahead and decided to split the Stuffed Sugar Bread and an Omlet so that we could get some vegetables too. It worked out splendidly. 
Challa is a traditional Jewish bread that is delicious and sweet and is pronounced like “Holla!”.
That afternoon we shopped at the Anthropologie flagship store, where I bought the most amazing skirt I’ve seen in my entire lifetime, then we saw the new movie The Town…..(who sees movies on vacation? people who don’t see movies in their own city for fear of bedbugs. that’s who.) And then we hung out with Benjamin Franklin at the UPenn campus.
Then we walked. Which rocked. Seriously, I love being a walker. By being so used to walking everywhere I go, I’m never thrown off by all the walking that is included with other City vacationing. Lucky girl I am! Plus, I think walking everywhere in the glorious month of September is the best part of life!
Then the next morning we ran 13.1 miles! Jake ran so fast. I ran kind of fast at the end. Jake’s goal was 1 hour and 30 mins, and he got around 1 hour 29 mins, and my goal was 1 hour 45 min and I got 1 hour 45 min and 25 secs. boo. hoo. I was upset because I felt really really good at the end and knew it was because I didn’t run hard enough at the beginning. I ran comfortably. It’s my biggest running fault.
Oh well.
Back to happy stuff. There is this INSANE ice cream place in Philadelphia called Scoop Deville. It is delicious. We went there twice. We also got Philly Cheese Steaks! I mean, they got Philly Cheese Steaks, I got a Philly Cheese Pepper!. I think I invented the Philly Cheese Pepper=Bread, cheese, peppers and onions. It was awesome.
Philadelphia was fun and we like it so much there!
Here is one more picture of my amazing stuffed french toast because you know you love it.
Can we see the most amazing skirt ever?
challah french toast is my fave! altho that looks humongous. and i’d be scared of bedbugs, too. in fact, i’m already scared of them and portland doesn’t even really have a bad problem, yet!
You mean, you have to exercise to be able to eat that stuff and look like you? Crap! I’ve been doing it all wrong. But the food looked yummy!
And 25 seconds over your goal. Seriously? Give yourself a break, woman and go have some more french toast!
Thank you for sharing once more.
Well done on the race and the Anthro Attack! 45 seconds, shmeconds. And good on ya for the additional French toast deets. These will come in handy for the French Toast Challenge. Holla!
We saw The Town also. Seriously, how amazing was it? Ben Affleck’s cheekbones…don’t even get me started.
The last part of this comment should really be an entry on my own blog, but talking about hair care products over there is kinda random. Anyway, I discovered my new favorite product this weekend: Shu Uemura Shusu Sleek conditioning treatment. Ohmygosh. Smells and feels like heaven. I thought you’d want to know, in case you feel the same way and want to sing its praises over at HDOF or just soak up its awesomeness while you watch your shows in the shower.
Hooray Reagan!! Way to go on your race, and your anthro skirt, (which i second i would LOVE to see) and 25 seconds?!?! sheesh. you rocked that race! i didn’t know the ‘seconds’ part actually counted.
way to go girl!!
thanks for sharing your fun weekend!
Maybe you will run faster if you wear your new skirt.
It can be your “running skirt.” My husband works for a pest control company…I LOVE that you referenced “Bed Bugs.” Meh. Hahaha…don’t let those critters get the best of ya’!
Your blob and your piper make me smile. Loved this post. Glad you had a great time!
i grew up near phily and worked there and ive never been to that breakfast place- stop it. this will change.
also, isnt the anthro in philly sooo lovely? i love it. i want to live in that building and have rittenhouse square be my backyard.
smoke machines must induce dancing.
So glad you had fun in our city! It is so walkable, isn’t it? Where you took the picture on the bridge is outside the chichi apartment building that used to be the sweatshop where my grandparents worked. So now I have *two* breakfast places to try after seeing them on your blob. Congrats on your time and come back next year!
Ahhh, I am another new yorker who won’t go the the movies here for fear of bedbugs. I am glad I am not the only one because my fiance thinks I’m crazy!
girl, you are making me miss my city! sabrina’s is definitely a favorite, and insane is really the only way to describe scoop deville. and the Anthro? don’t get me started. glad you had phun in the PHL. (I’m sure you learned that people from Philly put PH’s in front of everything, it’s a rule.)
That looks amazing! Seriously so impressed with your and Jake’s mad running skills. Hubby and I run, but I broke my foot playing raquetball with hubby!! Boo hoo for me
I can’t wait to start back up again!!
Love,
Emily
Please give me your running skills. I hateee running and I suck at it, but it makes me so jealous that runners can pretty much eat anything they want and stay skinny!
And if I was there, I would have danced with you *shakes my booty*
what?! no picture of the amazing anthro skirt??? it’s okay. i suppose double-pics of the french toast make up for it.
Sweet! I love to run, but not enough to run a half marathon. So instead I took up training for a triathlon (because my sweet hubs loves them) and just like that, I completed my FIRST ever tri in July! 1/4 mile swim, 17 mile bike, 5k run in 1 hr 42 minutes. I could hardly believe this non-athlete working mom kinda gal did it. Sweet victory in life, just like your many sweet victories in yours. Pip is adorable, Love to read your blog:) See my tri-umph here:
http://rachel-supermom.blogspot.com/2010/08/success.html
The cheese dances alone! That is classic.
Looks like a great trip and congrats on the run!
oohhhh, that looks so good. i’m jealous that you got to eat that.
Next time you’re in town you must try Honey’s Sit and Eat for brunch. It’s in Northern Liberties and when I first ate there I died and came back to life just so I could go and eat there more. Seriously. That good. Altho my bf and I joke that it should really be named Honey’s Stand and Wait, but it’s worth it, pinky swear. So glad you had phun in Philly!
That french toast is keeeling me!
The cheese DOES have the most fun and great job on your race (seconds officially do NOT count, says me)! Just switched my Saturday brunch menu to stuffed french toast, although I’m not sure I can wait til Saturday. Maybe I’ll have to do a test run of the recipe tomorrow and tweak it each day leading up to Saturday! It looks devine!
(yay for the skirt~ love Anthro!)
We lived in Philly last summer and had a lot of fun! It is so close to everything so we got to see lots!
1:45:25? I am disappoint.
Hey… I lived in Locust Point (the building behind you in a photo) while in grad school at Penn!
Congrats on the race. And now I’m craving french toast.
That picture of you and Ben Franklin made me laugh. Such a scandal you could’ve created years ago.
And thanks for reminding me of “the cheese stands alone” line. That brings back fun memories as a kid. Thanks for being you.
you’ve done more in my city than i have! i will have to try sabrina’s sometime, that breakfast looks amazing!
Thursday I’m meeting my sister in Philly for a quick day trip. I know you haven’t spent a lot of time there, but do you have any suggestions for things we just have to do while we are there?
All right, the food looks nice but what I’d really like to see is the Anthropologie skirt! I didn’t know that brand until I came accross the name on some american blogs and now I am completely smitten with it -bought some stuff online, and considering going to very boring meetings in London because they have a shop
Congrats on the race! We live only an hour west of Philly! I {heart} Philadelphia.
I think we dance the same.
can we see the skirt, i heart anthro and you have amazing style
Next time you’re in Philly you gotta try the Franklin Fountain for the most amazing vintage ice cream sundaes. http://franklinfountainphilly.blogspot.com/2009/03/energy-and-persistence-conquer-all.html Yum!!
Reagan,
). Anyway, I too am a vegetarian who spent my visit to Philly eating Philly Cheese Peppers (I only had two, but I think that is one too many for a 3 days stay!!). I am glad someone else has the love of the cheese pepper. You should see the looks you get in AZ when you order a Philly Cheesesteak no steak 
they think I’m crazy. I am glad you enjoyed your trip! Take Care. Stephanie
I was in Philly while you were too (I am normally an AZ girl