Bright doors, tiny sculptures — a Design Hunt in Philadelphia
After a wedding in New Jersey (everything you’d expect and more), I had a couple of days free to spend in another city. Having found New York fairly tiring and also constantly feeling I was missing some sort of Big Party or The Place To Be, I knew I’d like somewhere a bit smaller — and having heard of Philly at least twice and working out it was a mere three hours on the bus (positively next door by American standards), it seemed like a good shout. Two days was definitely not long enough, but it is long enough to point of things I liked and tiny bad sculpture thing I very unfairly didn’t. Heed my warnings, lest ye sail the stormy seas of size-related disappointment…
Old City District - Independent by Design
I managed to pick up a map of the Old City District, which details the blocks with independent shops, beautiful signs, lovely antiques, as well as some more modern pieces of design. I’ve tried to work out who designed the mapbut apparently they wish to remain anonymous so I can’t credit them (the only logical conclusion: a cartographer who has something to hide, like one of those buried treasure cartographers. Maybe I need to hold this map above a fire to reveal the secret ink to find the oldest, dustiest antique in town. Maybe I’ve been here too long and watched National Treasure one too many times.). Anyway, I’d really recommend popping into these shops for some trinkets and wares.
Vagabond
My post about Margate shows that I do love a little independent clothes shop full of linens, and the theme continues here. Really nice pieces — although they do run small, so I didn’t venture to try anything. I’m sure if I’d have asked they’d have been able to crack out a couple of things to fit (a gal can dream), but I was too busy staring at the owners elderly chihuahua. He was the best.Omoi Zakka Shop
Lots of design books, Japanese-designed stationery and adorable pin badges. I picked up a tiny measuring tape and a pin of a bear in a little hat (potentially to make myself feel like a giant).Philadelphia Independents
If you need a tea towel for your Mum, stop in here. I guess also anything else you might need with a Philadelphia print (designed by a local), but I really must recommend the top tier tea towels.
Murals & Doors
Do you like fun door numbers and murals about fruit? What am I saying, that’s the most naturally agreeable set of interests in the world. Well, good news, because there’s heaps here. Not so much a thing to do or place to go than a general sense of these people really love painting their doors, but that’s kind of what’s so fascinating about it. I guess it’s probably also important to note that murals are very much used to voice social issues in the city — with a programme to incite social change through art running for the last thirty years. They didn’t mention the doors though, so I guess that’s just for fanciness sake.
& The Love Sculpture Granted, I didn’t know Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture was in Philly, but everything else that I’ve absorbed from constant American TV and general culture made me assume it was approx three metres tall. I have seen photos of people standing next to this sculpture and it looked three metres tall. They’re touching it, the sculpture, this sculpture, this bloody sculpture with ther hands, their measurable hands and it is abundantly and measurably three metres tall. Despite this overwhelming evidence to the tallness of said sculpture, it’s important to note that it is, in fact, bafflingly small. And also on a podium — the steroids of weak sculptures. I feel as though I have been gaslit by a work of art. All you need is love? Nonsense — all you need is height because it is far 👏 too 👏 small. 2/10; worth a visit for the I Love Philly sign and an excuse to snap a pic. Found plenty of love for Philly, but not tiny lying sculpture.
I won’t go into too much detail, but if you want to climb through a giant plastic heart (as god intended) and some neurons (as Jimmy Neutron intended) this is the place to go. I have no size qualms here — things were appropriately quite big. Time it right to visit the planetarium, and make sure you use the grotesque weighing machine that sloshes blood down a tube to let you know how much of the stuff you’ve got in your body. I went with a Doctor, and even she said it was a bit grim. There’s also a very fun (keep things design-related, Laura) exhibition about optical illusions, lots of fake shops fronts and lovely little Easter Eggs. Well worth a visit if you don’t mind punting a kid out of the way every now and then. (I also recommend the local Philly sport of child punting — it’s a blast.)
Eat & Drink (it’s America, and thus how I spent 90% of my time)
If you like a) neon signs for a live lobster cooker and also b) also averting said lobsters tiny little eyes as you walk by, this is the place to go. Super busy, so avoid lunchtimes —- I personally enjoyed eating a humongous Philly Cheesesteak (had to be done) during breakfast hours. Lots of places to buy fabulous tat too, and some artisanal honey if you’re into that sort of thing and not at all concerned about being stopped at customs for illegal honey imports. I don’t know if that’s a thing, but it really feels like it is, doesn’t it? Maybe reading Winnie the Pooh as child has given me a conflated idea about the value of honey, but that’s not going to stop me portioning it all into tiny shampoo bottles.
Recommend by a local friend for a Black & Tan, an iced latte that made me want to cry. In a good way. Good, oaty coffee tears.
Hear me out. The. Best. Bagel. In. Philly. And listen, I had three whole bagels during the time I was there, so I know I have a right to judge. I’d recommend staying on menu - they really do know how much is best to pack into an everything bagel without needing to bend the rules of time, space, or social etiquette just to eat it. Don’t be a fool and try and cram some extra bits in there, it’s already got ‘everything,’ why would you need more?
A fab German-style beer garden with many pint options, and you can even get a proper stein involved if you’re feeling especially Bavarian that day. Definite good vibes, and a strong sense that things might devolve into chaos the later the night gets - though I might be a little too far gone to worry about that now. Prost!
For a fancy meal out following approx two too many pints at an aforementioned beer hall. I’d book ahead if you’d like to sit outside on a nice day, but inside is pretty cool too — perfect for only half-seeing the person you’re with and getting your phone torch out for the menu. The pasta was tiny and delicious (sad) and the pizza was hefty and delicious (happy) — hopefully it’s clear where my allegiances lie.
And that’s the lot! Fancy reading about some other places as seen from my definitely obviously quite expert perspective on what to do in them? Check out my other posts on Berlin or Dublin. I’m nothing if not varied.
