hodges sibs in philadelphia - '06

Our brother Christopher turned 50 this year. much like the nyc surprise of last year, we surprised him in Philadelphia. Click on each image to view a larger photo; use your browser back button to return to this page.

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thursday, 9/7:  play day in philadelphia

Bruce heads back to NYC to work; John goes to work at a plant nearby.  Chris and Susan have breakfast at the Down Home Diner and do the Reading Terminal Market and Bridget Foy's. We get in some sight-seeing, including a taste of a few historic sites, in preparation for running around with John on Friday. We visit the graveyard at the St. Peter's Churchyard. Some surprising celebrities are buried there, including George Mifflin Dallas, Vice President of the United States, for whom Dallas Texas is named.  There is some amazing public sculpture in Philly (not including the Rocky statue).  Isaiah Zagar has done some gorgeous public mosaics all around town, in some surprising places.  We meet up with John at Chinatown after a lovely snack at the Szechuan Tasty House.  It is incredibly tasty.  In (and around) Chinatown, Susan buys a bunch of weird stuff, including a living cactus charm for her cell phone.  Cheese steaks serve as an early-evening appetizer.  Chris goes off to rehearsal, then Susan and John meet up with Shaune for dinner at La Azteca.

• 
  near the hotel,
  arch st. presbyterian,
  where shaune sings
• 
  day 2, meeting
  chris at curtis
• 
  down home diner
• 
  odd person...wig and
  sequined baseball cap
  with a plaid suitcase.
• 
  reading terminal
  market
• 
  reading terminal
  market
• 
  historic marker
  near curtis
• 
  nostalgia
• 
  roos
• 
  roos
• 
  zagar mosaics
• 
  zagar mosaics
• 
  zagar mosaics
• 
  at bridget foy's
• 
  st. peter's
  churchyard
• 
  near szechuan
  tasty house
• 
  cactus cell
  phone charm
• 
  chris & shaune's place
• 
  chris & shaune's place
• 
  chris & shaune's place
• 
  welcome to the city
  of brotherly love!
• 
  mmm...philly cheese
  steak at SOS, where
  they serve you
  in any language!
• 
  more cheese steak

friday, 9/8:  playday 2 in philadelphia

Chris and Susan help John make a "Rocky"-esque training video for work.  This happens to be the day that the Rocky statue is re-dedicated (by Sly himself) at the foot of the steps of the Art Museum. Chris, John and Susan have breakfast at Zeke's and see the historic sites.  We go to The Bourse and historic City Tavern.  Great microbrews there.  John goes to meet a friend for dinner; Bruce returns and, with Shaune and Susan attends a concert of "The Crossing" choir to hear Chris sing.  This was a fantastic concert of mostly new choral music, plus some surprising old ones (that were new to me).  The singers met the challenging program effortlessly.  We meet up with John at the newly-opened Copa Miami later that evening.

• 
  yo. not john.
• 
  zeke's
• 
  hmmm...
• 
  liberty bell
• 
  liberty bell
• 
  independence hall
• 
  the room where some
  important historical
  document was signed.
• 
  the chair where
  george actually sat.
• 
  independence hall
• 
  independence hall
• 
  chris and john at
  independence hall
• 
  philip syng and his wife who
  lost many of their children.
  he made the inkwell used
  to sign the Declaration of
  Independence.
• 
  the transcription of the
  syng grave marker
• 
  cemetery
• 
  benjamin franklin
   grave
• 
  benjamin franklin
   grave
• 
  franklin wrote this as a
  student, though he didn't
  intend it to be used as his
  epitaph. he is buried
  nearby, according
  to his wishes.
• 
  chestnut hill presbyterian
  church organ
• 
  "at the copa,..."
• 
  "...copa miami..."
• 
  "...the hottest spot..."
• 
  "...north of old 'bamy..."

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