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While Gram and Papa were visiting, we decided to do things we had never done before.

First on the list: The Edgar Allan Poe House. Not much more than a shell of the building Poe lived in for a short period of time. One room had a loose wood board which Joe found inviting. He lifted it up and:

Lilia found a chair she liked and hammed it up for the camera:

“‘Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door”:

This isn’t Poe’s Library, but Lilia liked the sofa:

Somebody in the Poe house was cooking cabbage. I suggested to Joe that we try to find the Polish cafeteria in Port Richmond. Everyone agreed that sounded great, so off we went– without knowing what the place was called or knowing how to get there. Somehow we found ourselves in the right neighborhood and at the right place.

Lilia at the Syrenka Cafe:

The family loitering near a phone-shaped phone:

Lilia with a cup on her head at the Julia Cafe:

On Sunday, we decided to head out to Northeast Philadelphia to locate a letterbox in Pennypack Park. We don’t venture to the Northeast frequently, and we hate driving on Roosevelt Boulevard because of its deadly reputation. We didn’t have to stay on it long, because we were heading out Oxford Avenue. I was looking out the car window at the cute houses– little bungalows that were quite nice– when Gram let out a shriek– someone ran a red light and was heading right for us. I don’t know how we avoided it. We made our way to Pennypack Environmental Center and took a walk– this was not where the letterbox was supposed to be.

The family on the walk:

I learned that beech trees don’t lose their leaves like normal trees… they fall off when new ones start coming in:

Lilia took a cue from Gram and started hiking with a walking stick:

It was a beautiful park– good place for bird watching!
We moved on to the Verree Road Parking Lot– the starting place for our Letterbox.
The instructions didn’t make sense and it was getting late. The box had been placed a few years ago, and after reading this sign:

we realized that this was a new lot. The old Verree Road Parking Lot had been across the street– and converted to a wetland. Ah well. More adventures in Letterboxing.

We had BLTs for dinner (Lilia is a fan of B!) and drove Gram and Papa to their hotel. They flew back to Michigan the next day, and we miss them!

We fall into a routine of eating at the same places and ordering the same food all the time.
For example, here is a list of Philadelphia eateries that we have frequented for years along with my favorite item on the menu:

El Azteca II– Mexican Chicken Soup

South Street Souvlaki– Beets with Skoradalia

Vietnam Restaurant– Lemon Grass Chicken Soup and some kind of Bun

The Indian Buffet (New Delhi)– Chicken Tikka Masala

Magic Carpet Food Truck (outside Meyerson Hall)– Magic Meatball Sandwich (veg)

Rami’s Food Truck (38th and Locust)– Lentil Platter

Bob’s Diner– The Eye-opener (2 eggs, corned-beef hash, hash browns, toast, coffee)

Chun Hing (over near the Pathmark on Monument Road)– String Beans with Garlic Sauce; Mr. Kaplan’s Chicken (sesame chicken)

Recently, we have added a Mexican restaurant in Mt. Airy to our list (Mi Puebla). The food is just okay, but it’s comfortable to hang out there with a little one, and Lilia enjoys the Rice and Beans (as long as I remember to ask for it without cheese). And we have started having breakfast at The Set Table right here in our own neighborhood, which is a very nice place to have a breakfast. Or attend a poetry reading.

This weekend, we tried two new food places that will enter our eating-out rotation.

Syrenka, in Port Richmond. I first heard about this Polish restaurant years and years ago– Robin Williams visited there in 1998, and I don’t know if that’s when I first heard of it, or if it was in the review I linked to (from 2001). We were put-off by the unfriendly employee– I think Joe was ready to leave, but honestly, the food smelled so good, I was not walking out the door. The food was definitely worth putting up with the frown. I only regret I did not try galumpkis. I forgot that they are actually called Golabki in Polish, and didn’t recognize it on the menu. I had a roast pork meal that was delcious. We will definitely go back for the stuffed cabbage. For dessert, we stopped at Julia Cafe and enjoyed apple cake and coffee. They also serve meals, so we will have to try that out sometime.

Lee How Fook. After years of going to Vietnam Restaurant right next door, we finally tried Lee How Fook. It was recommended to me only 8 years ago. The food was very good. I got a Lilia-friendly meal (she mostly ate rice anyway). Joe tried the Oyster Hot Pot because we were lucky enough to sit next to the framed food reviews that recommended it. I don’t eat Oysters, so I can’t say if it was good or not, but he and Papa seemed to like it. Papa ordered a pork dish that was excellent.

So, what are your favorite Philadelphia restaurants?