Philly Java

You'll notice that today's map is a little different. Instead of showing my path to a new spot, today it shows the path that I returned on. My coffee excursion today was part of a last minute art adventure. Despite the heat index hovering around 103 degrees, I found myself shlepping off towards 4th street. I was headed to the fabulous fabric district to buy a few yards of cloth for a last minute installation. For those not from the area, the fabric district is a cluster of streets where fabric is stuffed from floor to ceiling, sometimes many stories high. Browsing might leave you lost for days, but if you go knowing what you need, you will find it. I quickly did, but knew the walk back would be a killer, so I took the opportunity to discover the Philadelphia Java Company. I stepped into a cool oasis and forgot about my walk home. The coffee shop was bright and filled with sunflowers on this afternoon. Situated on South 4th Street, in what looks like an authentic old store front, down to its tin ceiling, it was filled with people both inside and out. In addition to my rich, dark ice coffee, I fueled up with a labreh sandwich *scrumptious*. This delicious delight involved italian bread, a creamy middle eastern yogurt spread, giant olives and olive oil - most of which ended up drizzled down the front of me because it was so delicious I didn't even notice the mess I was making. Leaving Philly Java, I shook my head at the bravely insane souls sitting outside on this painfully hot day. I wandered my way back to center city through the historic Old City district. Shockingly, the extreme heat had not slowed the onslaught of families to Independence Mall. I took a quick peak at the Liberty Bell as I slipped into the always free and mostly clean restrooms at this national park before continuing to trudge through the heat. I had just come from what really was a neighborhood coffee shop, through one of the first neighborhoods in this city, which was one of the first neighborhoods in this country. While I had taken that for granted, all of the people braving the heat around me had not. I was free to take this walk through the birthplace of freedom and all I was focused on were the free bathrooms, sounds about right.

For those interested in the art that lead to this adventure, you can check out my completed installation if you click here.

Cafe Ole

Today's adventure was due in part to our friend Christine Colby getting into the Graduate Student Show at The Clay Studio in Old City. In celebration, we all set off to congratulate her at the opening. Originally the intention was to hit up Ray's Cafe & Tea House in the heart of Chinatown, but for the second time now the computer has lead me astray. Ray's is still in business, but it did not occur to me they would be closed for the holiday weekend (of course!). A little weary, we continued on, hoping to hit someplace before we made it all the way to the gallery. We happened upon Cafe Ole at 147 North Third Street. The place was packed on this beautiful Friday evening, both inside and out. Seating in front and on the side of the cafe allowed patrons to people-watch and the comfy couches inside seemed to be filled with old friends catching up. Relieved, we found a table for six in the back. Catching all of our eyes, almost simultaneously, were the gorgeous glasses of fresh ice tea (tropical green tea or raspberry black tea) being served that were absolutely stuffed with fresh mint and lemon. We all got in on this business pretty quick. It was hands down, honestly refreshing. This was just the rest we needed, in this artsy little cafe, to continue on. On the way out the door, I grabbed an ice coffee to go. The rich flavor lingered with every sip and I was glad we had braved the packed tables to find ourselves a spot here. Once again, I find myself happy to consider where I ended up when I was forced to move beyond where I had planned (there is something in there about the best laid plans...).

La Citadelle

Today's walk was a short, but familiar one. Rather than letting the computer randomly chose a site in the city to wander off to, I jumped at the chance to join my friend Erica for a quick afternoon caffeine fix at an old favorite. Located at 1600 Pine Street is one of the best cappuccinos you may ever have. I knew this from past experience and was thrilled to add it to this summer's jaunts. This quiet and relaxed spot is much of what I envision when I think of a neighborhood coffee shop. The small tables are packed with people clicking away on their laptops (there is free wi-fi here) and the jovial french owner welcomes everyone who walks through the door. Most appear to be regulars who talk for a while, many engaging the owner in his native french language. While the initial room is small, the high ceilings give it an airy and bright quality as an eclectic collection of global music plays in the background. Now, when you go there and order your cappuccino, pay attention - you are about to witness a master at his craft. The owner runs the espresso machine like he is playing a fine instrument. He casually swirls the frothed milk into your cup with an undeniable rhythm. It is a keen reminder of quality in craftsmanship. Sipping your cappuccino at a small table by the window, with the rich smell of fresh coffee in the air, it will be hard to imagine there is anything else you have to do that day. As you get to the bottom of your cup, you will notice the airy frothed milk that is still clinging to the porcelain sides and if you deny that you sat there and scraped every last drop out with that small spoon, then you are simply a liar. La Citadelle is evidence that a small community neighborhood corner can still thrive within the shadow of a large city.

Cosi

Ooops! The new parameter for this walking project will include calling ahead to find out if it is a. still in business and b. actually open when I am out wandering. Maybe not b, we can't eliminate all sense of adventure, right? Unfortunately, despite some rave reviews online, Remedy Tea Bar on Sansom was out of business when I trudged up there in the heat today. Not wanting to lose the opportunity at hand (and starving!), I continued on. One observation I can make about Sundays in Philadelphia is that they seem to involve some sort of a siesta. A number of places are open at lunch time and then again at dinner, but few I walked by were open in between. The exception were bars airing the World Cup, which was not the scene I was searching for this afternoon. As the heat began to take its toll, I stepped into Cosi's on 15th & Locust. The part of me looking for a local experience cringed a little. In my defense I believe there is something to be said for "any port in a storm" or in this case, any air conditioning in an extreme heat wave. There's nothing I didn't know walking into this Cosi's, or so I thought. I knew exactly what my coffee would taste like, I knew which salad I would chose, I knew what the furniture would feel like and I knew all the decorations that would be on the walls surrounding me. They are the exact same in every Cosi's on the planet. In the spirit of openness, I first met my husband in front of a Cosi's and five hundred days later, he proposed on that very spot, so they do have a place in my heart. But to stay on track, here's what I didn't know entering this Cosi's, this was a truly open and welcoming home for a very diverse community. While I sat and enjoyed both the cool air and what was expected from my ice coffee, I say something I didn't expect. I saw, repeatedly, a level of patience and kindness exhibited by a young staff, far beyond their years. While there, I witnessed an onslaught of customers looking for refuge from the heat. From a gaggle of children continuously interrupting the counter staff with a silly game to an elderly gentleman who required a lot of physical assistance; each person who walked in the door was met with dignity (and this did not fade once their transaction was complete). So today's walk has something to do with being open to the unexpected, even in the places where you know exactly what to expect...