Tuesday, October 11, 2011

day one: from philly to long island, and the sights between

 

 
 
 
to walk in an unfamiliar city is to experience it for the very first time. to take in with delight every oddity or eccentricity found among the blocks, inside the shops and in the faces of passersby. on our first day in philadelphia, we explored by foot. walking underneath the row houses, past the churches seeped in history, and among the storefronts yawning with morning, only a couple open in the early hours of a saturday at nine.

we sat in old congress buildings and peered into rooms untouched by time. we gathered our jackets around us and sat outside at pat's king of steaks, another, different relic of philly history. we left the city full of its spirit, its love and its splendor.

our travels that day took us up the coast to ocean city. we sat outside a little cookie shop and devoured our wares, trying to blend in with the locals, taking pictures of the shopfront in secret, without the flash. we went onward to atlantic city, where we gambled $2 and lost $1.60, quitting while we still have forty cents to our name and honor.

we supped at rutger's university, by the "grease trucks," devouring a "fat darrell" sandwich: breaded chicken, marinara sauce, mozzarella sticks and french fries. this was not the last time we would eat a french fry sandwich in new england. must be a northern thing? either way, we weren't going to fight its divine deliciousness. we ran to eat under the umbrellas, an impending storm whipping its canvas and blowing my bangs.

this was the night of new york city, of the mania and glory of the lights and sounds of a typical saturday night in manhattan. we drove through the dark to long island, two hours past our designated arrival time.

then, cities and entire states behind us, we tiptoed into the sleeping bed and breakfast, found our room, and retired for the day, already full of memories, little stories, and flashes of glory that road trips bring. and while we already missed home, and the trees by the shed on the cusp of changing, we were an enamored band of travelers, already taken with the land behind and before us.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

did you say french fry sandwich?! that makes me drool just thinking about it, but im a definite sucker for fries..

loving the pictures and your little adventure.

Gentri said...

This makes me want to go there so badly! I've always wanted to I guess, this just makes me want to go even more. :)

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I am the same kind of gambler :)
I have been enjoying french fry sandwiches since I was a child but I'm from Arizona. My mother is from England and they eat them there but call them "chip butties". I had no idea they were popular anywhere here in the US, that's great!

The Soul Anchor said...

Aw, man, you're making me miss the east coast! I used to live in PA and loved it there :-)

mary kate said...

the fat darrell may have been one of my few favorite parts about going to rutgers for 2 years although eating them at 1 am probably wasnt such a good idea. cant wait to hear more!

Sarah said...

Wow those philly's look AMAZING! I've yet to have an authentic one. One day... one day!

- Sarah
http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com/

Aubrey said...

Wow! I'm sooo jealous! I'll make it there someday! Your pictures had me at the philly! I love going to new places and trying to food. Thanks for the delish pics!

Amber said...

look at all that yummy greasy food. Yum.

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Sarah said...

Hahaha! I can't believe you went to the Grease Trucks!

Sadaf Zarrar said...

Potato Chips Sandwich is right where you got me!! Lol, Hope you're have a great time... I in the meantime am adoring your guest posts!
xx
Siddy

www.SiddySays.com

Melissa said...

love your pictures! this looks like a lot of fun ;)

Laura Darling said...

My city! Great pictures...glad you had a good time!

Cara-Mia said...

How fun!! That sandwich looks so delicious.

At first I thought a french fry sandwich was a weird idea... but then I realized that we eat carne asada fries here in southern California. There is also something called a California burrito, which is a carne asada burrito with French fries in it. Yeah.

Unknown said...

lovely photos! now i really want to go to philly even more!
darling blog, by the way! excited to be a new follower :)


anna
www.embracethesunshine.blogspot.com

erika said...

So beautiful. I always end up saying "I loved this" on every single one of your posts, but that's because I do. :)

Unknown said...

I've never been there, but I want to one day! Looks like a great trip! Is that a sandwich with fries on it? Hmm. :)

Suz and Allan said...

I really want to go to Philadelphia one day! Great pictures-thanks for sharing!

Holli said...

You travel like I do... immersed in the locals.... living their life. I think it's the best way to fully experience wherever you may be. Thanks for the tour!!

sarah nicole said...

French fry sandwiches?! You just changed my life.

I am glad that you had such a lovely time!

xo,

Sarah

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