Downtownphilly

Not to be confused with that Boyz II Men classic, "Motownphilly," on account of the only music you're going to hear here is the banging of the drummer in your own head (or your own personal calliope music, if you're me).

While we were on Broad Street for the "Wait Wait" taping last week, wandering aimlessly around the Kimmel Center trying to figure out why there was nobody there (answer: because they were all AT THE RIGHT PLACE), I managed to take some pictures. Not GOOD pictures, because it was dark and I used my cellphone, but STILL. Even the bathrooms are funky (and not in the "stinky" sort of way).

The Kimmel Center is lovely, all modern and iron and ramps and no steps and lots of glass windows that look out over the neon lights and gaslamps and traffic of the Avenue of the Arts. We made our way up to the rooftop garden -- sixth floor, maybe, or seventh -- and I actually looked down and didn't drop my phone or fall to my death or anything.

Although my knees did buckle when I looked down to the little "patio" on the main level, and I had to sit down for a while until the room stopped spinning.

There were these neat creepy statues on one of the levels, of these naked female forms with limbs missing. I never understand this kind of art -- like, for the LOVE OF GOD, why doesn't the Venus de Milo have all of her body parts? -- but I can at least appreciate it. I think.

That picture really is terrible -- you should go to the Kimmel and check them out for yourself. They're quite interesting. Tell 'em I sent you.

This giant, gorgeous old church is right across the street. Now it's a Baptist ministry that does a lot of community outreach, but it used to be a Presbyterian church that was completed in 1901. They don't make churches like this any more, unfortunately. I love old churches.

We finally made it up the street about a block or so to the Academy of Music, and let me just tell you that my pictures DO NOT do this place justice. HOLY MAN. What a spectacular theater that is, all bas-relief and gilding and Rococo-ish details and ... just wow. Imagine "Phantom of the Opera" -- this is exactly the kind of theater I always thought the Phantom might haunt. (Better pictures, by professionals with real equipment and proper lighting, here.)

It's weird being a tourist in a town you know and love. I mean, Philadelphia has so much history and culture and stuff, but most of what I know involves the Vet and the Rocky statue, so it's nice to be able to wander around downtown and see the little things. Like the real live gaslight lamps along the Avenue. I take the city for granted. I really need to visit more.