Category Archives: Philly

Feb16

Sparked a memory

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This is a rewrite as wordpress got the hiccups when I was in the middle of writing before.

 

Bill Henley, one of the NBC10 tv guys, was in a community service ad this morning and mentioned the Crystal Tea Room. When we were little kids, especially around Christmastime, mom and my grandmom would take us first to John Wanamakers. This was a top notch store in downtown Philadelphia. We first had to drive down to 69th St and then take the el train which was fun and scary at the same time. When we reached our destination, we usually caught the light show on the main floor. Then we headed up to the 9th floor where the Crystal Tea room was (mom updated me with this info). It was so elegant and beautifully decorated. We usually had tea sandwiches (which I still love) which consisted of chicken salad, tuna, deviled ham or cucumbers. And I believe we had soup too. The menu was quite brief, one side of a menu. For dessert, we had a snowball with the fake holly leaf to adorn the top. We thought we were special. The snowball was vanilla ice cream rolled in coconut. The store was smart to have the art supply/toy area near the restaurant as we always got a drawing tablet and one of those fat ink pens that held about 10 multi-color inks.

 

Here is what the tea room looks like today, very much like what I remember:

Wanamaker’s Crystal tea room

Jan28

The Royals in Philly-like a 3rd grade class trip

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It is almost like the same kinds of trips all us kids from the Philadelphia burbs would take in elementary school. One time we would visit Independence Hall and see the Liberty Bell (it’s been moved to another location). Then we went to the Academy of Nature Sciences or the Franklin Institute. My least favorite trip-riding ‘The Good Ship Lollipop’ down the Delaware River. It was a cold early spring day (if I remember correctly) and I got a little seasick.

So Charles and Camilla are hopping all over the city (video) seeing the sites, painting with kids, and maybe even trying a ‘Royal Philly cheesesteak’ (I’m trying to find the ingredients). They are staying at the Four Seasons. I believe they went to a concert at the Academy of Music (where I saw The Carpenters when I was 13 or 14) in honor of the Academy’s 150th anniversary. Tom Brokaw was the host. Brian told me the necklace Camilla had on was worth 25 million or some exuburant price. I still think she is one lucky lady-not so much for marrying Charles, but just because. ; ) I’d like to feel like ‘the upper crust’ of society just one time.

Jan13

More football

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The Eagles are in the play-offs down in New Orleans. The guys are in their Eagle shirts and have their eyeballs glued to the tv. The only good thing-I can stay on the computer as long as I want. Think I’ll go make a collage or something. I’ll let you know how it goes. Just don’t show too many Campbell Soup commercials of Donovan McNabb eating clam chowder-not cool.

Apr29

The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies

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The above exhibit is coming to the Franklin Institute in the fall. The reporter for Action news went to Chicago to preview this unusual display of real bodies. They are preserved with a special plastic. Not sure if the squeamish could handle it. I was ok looking at it on the tv, but wonder what it would be like to see a pregnant lady with an 8 month old fetus dissected in half. This is such an 20th century exhibit! They even have a ‘store’ with mousepads, watches, etc. displaying the bodies. Maybe that is kinda overdoing it. All the bodies used were from people who donated their bodies to science. There are over 200 of them in the exhibit. Be sure to check out the ‘body facts’ page.


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Apr15

The Royals of Monaco

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I guess Prince Rainier’s passing took ‘second place’ to that of the Pope’s demise. Most people know he was married to actress Grace Kelly, but they don’t know she grew up in Philadelphia. She had a fake snooty accent during her Hollywood days and as a Princess. Come to think about it, I guess it sounds better in the long run! Her daughter Stephanie use to come to the states to summer in the Poconos and she indeed did not sound as affected as her mother. Stef actually sounds like she is from Philly!
So I wonder how Prince Albert will do as the ‘royal in charge’? Maybe Caroline would do better in this situation. I believe Rainier had a stip in his will that she could take over the job if her little bro couldn’t handle it. Caroline has had an interesting past. She’s on her 3rd husband. Her sister is just as interesting with all the men in her past (though mom was a temptress too).
A few years back, we got to see Princess Grace’s wedding gown on display at the Philadelphia Art Museum.
It was yellowing, but still beautiful and very intricate and looked very uncomfortable. We also got to see Princess Diana’s ‘Elvis dress’-the white gown with the high collar that was covered with little pearls.
My grandmom’s first cousin was family friends of the Kellys and Kate went on the ship over to Monaco to the royal wedding. Kate was a neat lady and it’s cool to know there is somewhat of a long lost connection there. She and her daughter were well off, but they weren’t snooty. Kate’s daughter Gloria started the business ‘Dane Decor’ that sells imported Danish furniture. When Gloria came to my wedding, she gave us a teak tea cart that I still use. Gloria also told us that she looked in the phonebook for Hasselbergs in Denmark (on one of her buying trips) and there were only a few there. She looked in Swedish phonebooks and there were many more. Hasselberg is my grandmom’s maiden name. Don’t I think about that when I see Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Bette Midler who is married to a Von Hasselberg!



Princess Grace’s wedding gown on display at the Phila. Museum of Art (after it was restored). Posted by Hello