Une Petite #TBT

Three Years Ago Today.....I was lucky enough to find myself embarking on a classic collegiate adventure: a semester abroad in Paris, France. I've long been a francophile, dabbled in the language in high school and been obsessed with the Baz Luhrman film Moulin Rouge. Then, my fascination with America Modernist literature (think Hemingway, Fitzgerald, TS Eliot - in other words, Midnight in Paris) blossomed during a sophomore year English class, so Paris was a natural choice for the requisite fall semester away. While it would be impossible to recollect an entire semester - where I went to school, lived with a french family, explored several other European cities, and immersed myself in the Parisian environment over four months - in a single blog post, I wanted to collect and capture the feeling of those first few days in a foreign city. It's very different than visiting somewhere for just a weekend, which is my typical m.o. these days, where I plan ahead of time the best possible use of time and mix of activities to get to know a place or check off famous landmark boxes in just 48 short hours.

Mystical Day Trips

As the dog days of summer are upon us, the long sunny weekends don't offer much relief and respite from the heat and humidity. Let's face it, you can't tame the sweat dripping down your back and under your bra and on the soles of your feet, and waiting in line for a Loopy Doopy popsicle cocktail on a slightly less-sweaty roof just doesn't cut it when its 90 and humid. If you're interested in doing a little more than hugging your air conditioner this weekend, a quick waterside getaway is the perfect option. There are tons of places to go just a few hours from the city - beaches, boardwalks, bars - pick your poison. If you're in the mood for a little history (or just some cute marine mammals), there's no better village than Mystic, Connecticut, nestled on the southern coast of Connecticut right where the Long Island Sound meets the open Atlantic. While I wound up in Mystic  via an overnight stop in Hartford, CT (Dylan's hometown), the village is only two and a half hours by car from New York City, yet feels thousands of miles - not to mention hundreds of years - away from the noise, grime, and sweat of the urban oven.

Photo Courtesy of MysticSeaport.org

Philadelphia: Phun, Phriends, Phood

What's closer to NYC than DC, just as historical as Boston, and full of students, dogs, and babies? Philadelphia, of course. I took my first real visit to the city of brotherly love this past weekend and have to say I was more than impressed. It's easy to lump Philly in to those post-industrial bastions of American economic sludge, like Baltimore, Hartford, and Pittsburgh. Beyond that, maybe you think of the liberty bell or Nicholas Cage stealing the Declaration of Independence. While those elements are present, you must be sure not to discount the plethora of independent small businesses, tidy row houses with basements and backyards (for the same price as Manhattan "2 bedroom"), lively art scene, and attractions that go beyond the hallmarks of the American Revolution.

Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River

About the Trip: I joined my roommate Anna, my soon to be roommate Nichole, and Dylan to crash in the spacious 3-bedroom house of Anna's boyfriend Aaron and Aaron's roommate Rob. Aaron is a filmer/producer for a local public art TV show, and is also an incredible chef. He and Dylan have taken a liking to each other, which offers multiple options for double dates and excursions, but this was the first time we had traveled to the city Aaron now calls home. Luckily, Aaron was more than willing to host his four guests in various beds, couches, and air mattresses throughout his home. His hospitality was compounded by his knowledge and eagerness to show us fun areas of the city packed with locals on a beautiful summer weekend. As is the habit of my generation, the weekend revolved heavily around food, drink, and debauchery, though we managed a pinch of refined culture and maturity thrown into the mix. 

Getting There:  Philadelphia is extremely easy and inexpensive to get to from NYC, with multiple bus departures from Peter Pan, Megabus, Bolt Bus, and the like, mostly for under $20 a pop. NJ Transit and/or Amtrak are also options if you have an aversion to the New Jersey Turnpike, but those tend to be spendier, and in the case of NJ Transit, much less convenient. A big shout-out to Dylan, though, who made the far less simply journey from Hartford via a combination of car, train, subway, and bus. And he did it all without complaining...

What to Do: Upon a late evening arrival at Aaron's apartment (a house he shares with two other guys in the family-friendly Graduate Hospital neighborhood), we immediately shook off the Greyhound bus smell with a backyard barbecue of meat, topped with meat, served with a side of meat (hot dogs and bacon burgers, of course). We washed it down with a few craft beers, of course, before heading out for a night at Morgan's Pier, a big, open-air beer and dance hall right on the waterfront of the Delaware River, underneath the Ben Franklin bridge. The casual vibe and proximity to watercraft make Morgan's Pier a solid destination whether looking to dance on a Friday night or relaxing on a Sunday afternoon (better yet, I just looked at their website and learned they have weekend brunch).