Please Touch

[david and josie, washington square park, philadelphia, august 4, 2007]

Went to Philly last weekend to see my brother and his wife and my niece Josie and their new house. Philadelphia, which I hate, instinctively, from years of "Oh-you're-from-Pittsburgh? I-know-someone-in-Philadelphia" syndrome, grows on me every time I go there. Especially because David now lives in Queen Village, a neighborhood south of Center City that abutts the Delaware River and includes a lot of great parks, markets, restaurants, and an open-air Italian market. It's a bit like the Strip District in Pittsburgh, except with rowhouses and families and not so many warehouses.

On Saturday, I was charged with taking little Josie to the Please Touch! museum, some 30 blocks from David's house. She slept the whole way there in her stroller, but when she woke up, she was hot, grouchy, and had no idea where she ways or really, who I was, and the tears 'n squalling began immediately. I called Dave to come assist, but by the time he got there, Josie and I had gotten really into the boats-in-water play station, and she had calmed down.

The following are some photos of Josie from the museum. That's right just because she's cute. Not because this is really travel-related.


[art made with rice, glue, crayons]


[alternate use for rice]


[generosity]

There were lots of old SEPTA public transport vehicles parked in the museum, and Josie took the helm at driving several of them.


[septa bus]


[septa trolley]


[tractor]

Josie tried to give a play turnip to this little boy, but he refused, so she threw it at him.


[peace offering]

And these photos are from the farm room. The Please Touch! museum focuses on teaching valuable life skills, like motoring and agriculture. Here, little Pepita (which is Josie's Spanish name) is harvesting toy turnips and cabbages.


[agriculture]


[lift with your knees]


[paige, the turnip-crazed, big-headed playmate]

The day would not be complete without a hearty meal, so Josie demolished a bowl of matzoh-ball soup at Famous Fourth Street deli, which is the best Jewish deli I've been to in some time. I could barely finish half of my reuben, which is telling, given my appetite usually. I did have soup, latkes, pickles, and several Doc B's black cherries, too, though.


[hand-to-mouth coordination]


[mmmm!]

...and bedtime...


[tooth-washing]


[gum-scrubbing]


[pre-bed story: Mickey "In the Night Kitchen"]

p.s. bonus points for anyone who can tell me apart from my brother.