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Philadelphia - Part 2
A modern-history tour
Written by: Carl Corry
The City of Brotherly Love has grown to become a center of modern living, complete with skyscrapers, trendy restaurants and even a growing number of multimedia firms.
February 16, 2002, 9 a.m.
Angela and I woke up early in the hopes of seeing the Liberty Bell before a 12:30 p.m. reservation at Rouge, a Franco-Asian style restaurant in Rittenhouse Square.
But first, we dropped by the hotel's business center to catch up on e-mail. The center was filled with all the necessary modern technology, but it came at an unreasonable price: $7.50 for 15 minutes on the computer. We opted later for the free Internet access at ING Direct, a bright orange bank/cafe with eight flat screen computers.
Before we go any further, it's a good time for a warning: Philadelphia is a walking city, so comfortable walking shoes are a must. There's plenty of public transportation, and traffic is far from Times Square-chaotic, but it's a lot less expensive, less of a hassle and more fun to get around by foot. Parking at the hotel was $24 a day and we got caught paying $17 for two hours at a parking garage in Rittenhouse Square.
All that in mind, we walked to Independence Square, where small metal gates cordoned off the park in which the Liberty Bell Pavilion is located. It's one of several security measures implemented by various levels of government since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Some of the historic sites in the area, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion, have installed metal detectors. A couple of blocks north, the U.S. Mint, which was on the terrorist hit list, was still closed to the public.
A decent line had already assembled to see the Liberty Bell, so Angela and I decided to check out Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States were all adopted.
We lucked out and caught one of the first tours of the day.
Our entourage of about 30 people was led through the Assembly Room, where the Continental Congress met from 1775 to 1783 (except for the winter of 1777 - 1778 when Philadelphia was occupied by the British Army), the original Supreme Courtroom and the Governor's quarters upstairs. Next door in the West Wing, copies of the Great Essentials were on display. And lastly, we toured Congress Hall, where the House of Representatives and the Senate presided from 1790-1800, when Philadelphia served at the country's temporary capital.
The tour, led by 10-year veteran and Georgian native Terry Brown, was one of the best I've ever taken. I learned more about the country's history in that one hour than in all of high school, partly because it all seemed more relevant from the way he described it. Everyone who left was duly impressed and humbled. And it was free.
Based on my juicy cheeseburger and Angela's chicken salad with tomato on a croissant, I'd advise heading to the Rouge for lunch if you're in the area. Plan to bring plenty of cash for shopping at the loads of upscale and trendy stores in Rittenhouse Square and the surrounding area. Rittenhouse Row, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting uptown Center City from the Avenue of the Arts to 21st Street between Spruce and Market, holds special events throughout the year, including its Spring Festival, a floral expo, holiday promotions and Ambassador Night, which honors the service and hospitality industries.
After roaming around for a while, we met up with Cynthia M. Philo, executive director of the Old City Special Services District, a public/private business improvement group, for a two-hour tour of Old City. The 22-block area is the oldest business neighborhood in the country. It's home to a 125-year-old candy store, the oldest continuously residential street in the nation dating back to the early 1800s, Betsy Ross's home and Christ's Church, a beautifully kept 300-year-old Anglican-turned-Episcopalian church that has counted George Washington, Ben Franklin and a host of other Founding Fathers as parishioners. At 206 feet, it was once the tallest building in North America.
Old City also boasts a long list of eclectic (sometimes over the top) restaurants, art galleries, quirky fashion outlets and a growing number of multimedia firms - all of which embrace the area's history, including its architecture.
Old City also has one store that stands out not for its historic value, but its red, white and blue paint job done with the help of the city for the bicentennial celebration in 1776. The celebrations ended 25 years ago, but taking off the lead-based paint off The Shirt Corner Plus would be a tricky and expensive task.
We bid Cynthia farewell at Novelty, an innovative American eatery at 15 South Third Street.
Minus the bar and extra tables, the restaurant could be mistaken for a rich bachelor's pad. Everything is black - the tables, the ceilings, even the waiter's outfits. It's not unattractive, just filled with plenty of testosterone.
Beyond the décor, the cuisine was delightful. I chose the restaurant's signature Novelty Box - a selection of four Japanese items. The spicy wonton stuffed with crab and peppered seared tuna were balanced with smooth servings of salmon tartar and sea scallops.
Angela's duck was a little dry but well seasoned in an orange sauce.
Read part 1 | Read part 3
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