Back in Action: Italian Market Festival

Philly is in full bloom! This past weekend was the Italian Market Festival. A weekend to celebrate the Italian Market, there is lot of food, and venders lining the market and the city closes off 9th Street from Fitzwater to Federal for the festival . Living near the market is a noisy few days, but you have to love a street fair.

Walking down the street there is a kettle corn stall just to the right. Gotta love the kettle corn. Antea went with us and she was saving herself for a pork sandwich from Espositos. Every establishment that makes or sells some kind of food stuff is out on the street peddling their wares. There were sausages and beer, meat balls and gravy (in South Philly gravy means red sauce, I was freaked out the first time I ever heard someone say macaroni and gravy), cannoli, peperoni, mozzarella, pizza, and chocolate dipped bananas to name just some of the food you could eat. There was also live music. It's loud and crowded and wonderfully Philly.



This is my favorite shop in the market. The "One Stop Accordion Shop" Liberty Bellows. The Accordion is in my top five favorite instruments. I love that this shop even exists and that I get to walk by it on my way to go to the market.

This was a contest to win a car if you could guess how much pasta was in the trunk, but we joked that they just wanted to show you how much pasta this car could hold. My guess, a lot of pasta.

This guy was hand rolling cigars outside in the market. he was also smoking a cigar while he did it. Go you cigar rolling duded! I'm not one for smoking, but it was interesting to watch him.

And finally I love it when people miss-use quotation marks.


Oh, what is this you may say. This isn't the Italian Market. No this is my cardigan, look at that button band, all it need now is some buttons.

Exploded

That is how the apartment looks right now.
But I just got my new base yarn in the mail (yay!). But don't tell Simon as it adds to the explodiness of the aparttment
And I have a cold egg roll to snack on, so right now life is good

Brunch

I go to brunch with one of my friends almost weekly and we have a few places we frequent, but yesterday we went to Sabrina's on 9th and christian. When it's nice out they put tables outside so, we sat in the shade enjoying the not so hot yet weather. I had the Blue Cheese Fritata and it was amazing, it had spinach mushrooms and bacon in it and a good helping on blue cheese all melty on the top. It came with potatoes and they were crisp on the outside and sateed with onions. I highly reconmend this spot to anyone looking for yummy food at great prices. My brunch was $8.99 and I had a ton of food on my plate.

Supposedly on weekends they are packed so go knowing you will have to wait for a table or go on a weekday. We went on Monday and didn't have to wait at all.

Date Night

Last night Simon and I went out on a date. Something we haven't done in ages. We went to one of our favorite spots in Philly the Nodding Head. Not only is this a pub with great fries, but it is also a microbrewery and brews all there own beer. This is really why it is my favorite bar, it's fries are the second reason why.

This amazing bar is on 15th and Sansom, and is in a way hard to find as it is an upstairs bar. There is a giant sign above the bar, but only a small door and a staircase make up the entrence. Which is why on my first time going there I walked past it completely. the atmosphere reminds me much of the pubs I visited when I was in England.

The beer is great and the selection is always changing. Their grog a dark chocolaty beer is my favorite, while Simon enjoys their 60 Shillings which is smooth and malty. In the Spring and Summer we both like thier Monkey Knife Fight which is a white ale brewed with lemon grass and ginger. On par with there beer is their food, I've already mentioned the fries (which they serve with a spicy mayonais dipping sauce), but there burgers and sandwiches are delicious. I love the Muffeletta made with Pesto and olive tapinade. The also have wonderful Mussels which you can get steamed in a varriate of ways.

All in all I love this bar.

Camp and Cold

It is so cold here in Philly. The last couple of winters have been mild and this one is very cold. I have to admit it is nice to actually have a winter. Simon however has said he has never been in a place this cold. I guess this is expected since he is from Australia.

Today was my Camp reunion, which is why this post is so late. I work at a summer arts camp in South Jersey and today was the reunion. We all get together campers and some of the staff and hang out at the camp for a few hours in the afternoon. It was fun to see some of the campers I have taught and visit with some staff that I love.

Tonight we went to the midtown continental for dinner and while pricy the food was amazing. The best part about dinner was the lobster mashed potatoes.