Philadelphia
Dinner in the City
Aug 25th
This past weekend I wanted to switch things up, and I drove into Philadelphia. I am only a 25-minute drive into Center City, but I never seem to get down there as much as I’d like to. I decided to try a new BYOB Italian restaurant called Bistro La Baia. I do recommend this restaurant and was very pleased with my overall experience.
The best part about this restaurant is that the food quality stays high and the prices stay low. Usually when you are eating in a city, entrées can easily cost anywhere between $20–$40. La Baia has entrée prices starting from $12, and the specials are around $20.
Inside, the seating was a bit cramped, but the servers moved gracefully around the tables. I couldn’t believe they didn’t bump into anything. The owner of the restaurant was there, and he greeted everyone with a thick Italian accent.
Our food came out steaming hot, and it was delicious. The portion size was very generous; I ended up taking most of my meal home and eating it for lunch the next day.
I’m going to try to start eating at new places in Philadelphia once or twice a month. I hope each time I have just as good an experience as I did at La Baia.
– Amanda Smith, advertising and editorial coordinator
Queen of the Nile
Jul 23rd
Last week I headed over to the Franklin Institute to check out its newest exhibit, “Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt.” It was a fascinating look into the work of Franck Goddio, the archaeologist who led the underwater search for elements from Cleopatra’s life, and Zahi Hawass, who leads the expedition to find Cleopatra’s tomb.
 The exhibit included almost all of the treasures found during Goddio’s searches – sculptures, jewelry, coins, etc. It was also incredibly informative, with maps of the way Egypt looked in Cleopatra’s time and short videos explaining myths, history and the dives. I was especially pleased that each exhibit-goer was given a headset, free of an additional charge. Throughout the exhibit, there were numbers and a special recording to listen to at each designated spot. The recordings were short but rather explanatory.
Apparently, my knowledge of Cleopatra was quite limited. Now, I’m happy to say, it’s quite extensive. Her story is intriguing. She was 17 years old when she took over the rule of a tumultuous Egypt. She wooed two Roman big shots, Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, ruling Egypt until its fall at the hands of Octavius. Rather than suffer at his hands, Cleopatra took her own life. There the real mystery begins, as the exact whereabouts of her tomb remain unknown. Cleopatra was one of the first women in power in history!
I don’t want to give away too many details about the exhibit because I encourage all of you to visit the Franklin Institute and check out the exhibit if you find yourself in the Philadelphia area. As of right now, no other cities are slated to welcome the exhibit. It runs at the Institute into January.
Of course, there is a lot to see and do at the Franklin Institute besides “Cleopatra.” If you visit, be sure to check out the walk-through human heart, the IMAX Theater and a lot more interesting exhibits!
– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executiveÂ
A Weekend of Brotherly Love
Jun 2nd
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling to Philadelphia and New York for some work and some fun. I am very lucky, however, as work and fun so often intermingle.
My long weekend started in Philadelphia, tailgating at a Phillies game. GT‘s publisher, Fran Gallagher, and his wife, Michele, were there, as well as GT‘s Kim Krol and Courtney Centeno, some of their friends and my GT Chicago connection, Lou Atsaves. We played bags, grilled and trash-talked a bit about the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals, which at the time was not set as the Chicago Blackhawks versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Finally, we saw the Phillies lose to the Boston Red Sox, in a one-hitter.
As I wrote last week, on Sunday, Louie and I went to see the Yankees play the Mets at Citi Field. Prior to that, we loaded the GT truck with the necessary supplies for Monday’s wine survey event.
On Monday, Louie and I transported everything to the event. Later in the day, we joined the GT staff at Delmonico’s for a little post-event relaxation. I reconnected with more GT staffers, their friends and other friends of GT. We shared laughs, stories, wine and appetizers.
This was a really great weekend. First and foremost, on the business end, the event was successful. Everyone contributed and did a wonderful job. Not to be overlooked, however, is all of the fun and the great memories.
I can go to a baseball game, a restaurant or a city any time I want. Doing these with great friends and sharing the moments, the stories and the laughs is what makes memories. On Tuesday morning, I left Philadelphia with a bunch of new, great memories.
– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
A Night in Philadelphia
May 21st
Last night, several members of the Global Traveler team met in the City of Brotherly Love for an event sponsored by one of our valued partners, the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia. We used the event as an opportunity to make a day of it in Philadelphia. The PA natives, myself, Fran Gallagher, Dick Evans and Kate Gallagher, were joined by the New Yorkers, Alex Young and Courtney Centeno, and the Bostonian, Lisa Matte.
We started the day with a meeting, followed by lunch at Mission Grill in Center City. We enjoyed fresh guacamole, an appetizer sampler and a variety of tacos. We headed to our various hotels throughout the city after lunch. Fran was at the Four Seasons; Alex was at the Loews. Courtney stayed at the Hotel Palomar, while Lisa was at the Hyatt at the Bellevue and I visited the Hilton Inn at Penn.
Later, we met up at the WTC event, hosted at the Hyatt at the Bellevue. The food was great and the company even better. The evening’s guest of honor was Gov. Ed Rendell. Following the event, we took in the view from the hotel’s 19th-floor bar, XIX. All in all, a great time and the perfect chance to catch up!
– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive
