A family gathering that I feared … yet was therapeutic, after-the-jump ….
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Several months ago, my siblings and I received an invite to attend a surprise 50th wedding anniversary dinner in suburban Philadelphia for my cousin Bill (with his kids covering all expenses). I was nervous, though, at the November 9th date … just days after the election. (Feast or famine, I wondered)?
I took Amtrak down to Philadelphia’s 30th Street station, then taking Bus 124 (just two blocks away, for $2.50) to the King of Prussia Mall (where both the restaurant and my hotel would be). Suddenly, there was a possible bus/subway strike to contend with, and I was scrambling to arrange alternate transportation.
Fortunately, the regional transportation authority (SEPTA) has a wonderful social media account— over a few days, I posed several questions … and got answers in less than 10 minutes. Not “expected wait time is xx minutes”. Better still, even though the union contract expired last Friday at midnight: they extended negotiations (citing progress) so I was spared executing Plan B. (Bus 124 ran like a charm, too). I thanked their staff for customer service that was transcendent.
On Saturday/Sunday: I had lunch at Bonner’s Irish Pub (not far from Amtrak’s 30th Street station) — a neighborhood pub vibe I like and have visited in the past — with lots of Philadelphia Eagles gear. Something I didn’t see 30 years ago in Irish pubs: the bartenders were a young Black man (Saturday) and a young Asian woman (Sunday).
By contrast, the restaurant that the anniversary was held (Maggiano’s Little Italy, a chain that began in Chicago) was in a 3-story building with numerous rooms. Family-style plates were served, with a wide variety of dishes … and boxed leftovers for the locals. Truly an epicurean delight, and Bill’s daughter Melissa certainly arranged it well.
Growing up on Long Island, NY in the 60’s-70’s, there were a few large restaurants like this … nowadays, you don’t see many of these (considered “dinosaurs”, with difficulty filling tables due to more competition).
Years ago, food critic Alan Richman wrote (in GQ) about four of the Top Ten grossing restaurants in the US (not necessarily the most profitable) north of Boston with many seats. Over the years, the Hilltop Steakhouse and two Asian places (Weylu’s and The Kowloon) have closed — or are closing — and just last month the final one (The Continental) announced it will close … citing a lack of business enough for its large capacity (especially after Covid).
I’ve noted in the past that both my siblings — as well as my extended family — never spoke about politics before (and no reason to start now). Yet after the election, I was nervous … we’re a mixed bunch, with some MAGA relatives (though far from all).
Mercifully, not only did I hear no political chatter (at least, not within earshot) …. but moreover: it was a getaway weekend … in which I also got away from the pundits and carnival barkers on TV. And thus, very therapeutic!
My cousin Bill and his wife Paula were given a ruse by their daughter, but later admitted that they suspected a surprise party .. of maybe(?) 10-12 people.
Instead, when they walked in: this was their first reaction .. upon seeing seventy-five people.
What made the journey to-and-fro even better: was reading a travel book by a high school classmate, Marianne Canedo Bohr — married to another classmate (Joe Bohr). It was not her first travel book: Gap Year Girl told the story of how the two of them took early retirement and traveled across 21 countries (many of which they had visited in their youth) that I previously enjoyed.
Now, her latest work is called The Twenty— how she and Joe decided to hike the GR20 — a grueling, thirteen-day, 124-mile hike across the mountains of the French island of Corsica, with a gain/loss in altitude of 62,300 feet … at the age of sixty. Here-to-fore, I only knew Corsica as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Less than 50 people are able to complete the trek successfully each year.
It is a gripping tale of athleticism at any age, travel adventures, family life ... and childhood memories. The last part is what elevated it for me, as we were (unknowingly) classmates for two years in junior high school (a bad time for us both) before we knew each other as high school classmates (a happy time).
She and Joe went with a tour group of seven, all of whom but one were able to complete the trek. She bonded with an Englishwoman named Sarah (who tells her after Marianne had to skip a portion of the trek to heal an injury), “I need a serious dose of estrogen, Marianne — enough already, with just the boys”.
A paperback book of only 311 pages .. yet a compelling read. And helped me get through what could have been a depressing weekend … that turned out so well.
Let’s close with a song from Jimmy Forrest, Bolo Blues— which the late Bob Porter used as his theme song for his syndicated radio show, Portraits in Blue.
Now, on to Top Comments:
Nothing came in from the field this evening.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the front-page story about the lead attorneys for Rudy Giuliani seeking to withdraw as counsel — both javax2 as well as nehill attempt to decipher their legalese filings for us: one more simply, and one more a bit more complex.
Next, a pair of pictures from today:
From Grumpy Old Geek— for pootie lovers,
And from NY Vegan
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
19) Dump by Denise Oliver Velez +7528) Election 2024 by Denise Oliver Velez +67