row row row our boat…

A row of summer boats
that want to take us away
but can’t
as they lay anchored in the safety of the harbor.

It is the gentle rolling of the vast like sea
that will give us the freedom to find the destination
as we row row row our boat…

out and about in the city of brotherly love…

This past Sunday afternoon, the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community celebrated our city’s diversity with the annual “Outfest” held in the “gayborhood” of Philadelphia.

I was fortunate to have off on a rare Sunday, and Daryl and I took full advantage of the spectacular weather to explore not only the Outfest celebration later in the afternoon, but also to take a self-imposed walking tour to a few other locations in the “City of Brotherly Love” along the way AFTER our delicious breakfast at the Midtown Diner (which I describe in my other blog “a little taste.”)

I wanted to show Daryl a sculpture entitled Freedom by Zenos Frudakis at the base of the Glaxo-Smith Kline building at 16th and Vine streets that I had only seen in passing while driving through town in the past.

This is what we saw.

and this…

and this…

and lastly, this…

Daryl was totally impressed with my decision to walk several blocks to see this amazing sculpture. I knew he’d like it.

I used to live in “Philly,” and I loved it when I did. I’d walk EVERYwhere, even during inclimate weather. Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods and very walkable.

We saw this.

a mural on the side of Le Meridien Hotel on Arch Street at 14th.

and we passed this…

long ago abandoned, but I love the old signage on Pauline's Bridal Shop.

We continued on our excursion through town and stumbled into “Occupy Philadelphia!” which was being held on the western side of City Hall. It was truly enlightening to actually see the people, the tents, the posters and signs, all the chalk messages written on the sidewalk and the very real energy of the 99%. What I think intrigued me personally the most was the contradiction of the tent town of the “occupiers” in the shadows of these…

and this…

like this…

with their messages that included this…

and this…

oh… and this one.

We felt that we should get moving and decided to stroll past the new “paintbrush” sculpture at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts Building. Sorry guys, but it reminds me of Woody Woodpecker.

Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts

At this point of our walking tour, the weather, while beautiful, was making Daryl sweat through his polo shirt. He usually wears a tee shirt underneath, but wanted to feel “liberated” this day, so he went what I guess I would call topless commando? It didn’t work to his liking…

So we ended up here.

… to pick up a tee shirt and a new polo shirt for the Princess. Sigh. Once cleaned up and once again presentable, we were quickly on our way waving goodbye to Macy’s.

FINALLY, we arrived albeit an alley next to Sister’s and behind Woody’s, to Philadelphia’s Outfest.

The music was pumpin’ and the crowds were jumpin’! It was about 5 or 6 square blocks of diversity, camaraderie, playfulness, food, music, and every age and type of glorious human being the city has to offer.

We saw this…

and lots of these…

and of course I MADE Daryl do this…

that's Daryl on the left in his newly purchased shirt from Macys. duh.

 

 

 

 and we ran into her…

 

Shelita Buffet?

while searching for friends…

 

 

while we watched a fabulous dance troupe…

 

 

The day was young and we continued to enjoy the company of more good people, like these…

 

 

and these…

 

 

and these…

 

 

and her…

 

blowing UP condoms is so much better than blowing WITH them

 

and this “lady” came along…

 

 

and turned Daryl BACK into a Christian!

 

my handsome Christian!

 

We had a fantastic day in the City of Brotherly Love!

Peppah and Salt?

 

… and on our way to the car, we passed this… trying to figure out how appropriate it was to see at the end of our day in the city.

 

gourmet? pancake? balls?? Next time!

Third Annual “Blessing of the Balls.”

Here in Philadelphia, we’ve had a little snow today as some sort of perversely timed April Fool’s joke, courtesy of Mother Nature. We haven’t had a cruel joke like this since the Wilson Good administration back in the mid-eighties.

More importantly though, here in the City of Brotherly Love, it’s opening day of our Phillies baseball season and what better way to celebrate than our third annual “Blessing of the Balls?” I love balls! Hell, I love religion! This mixture of two of my favorite things hasn’t come along since 1928 when Reeses invented the Peanut Butter Cup! What a tradition! The only thing missing is Jayson Werth (oh and 126 million dollars).

The holy trinity of religions including a priest, rabbi and a pastor had most of the zealot bases covered on John DeBella’s radio show this morning on our local WMGK. The event took place outside of Citizen’s Bank Park (inside McFadden’s Sportsbar and Grill) and can be heard in its entirety here.

I’m thinkin’ we need some sort of committee to vote and have today declared a holiday. Close the banks, schools and the Forum Theater.

Balls for everyone!

Tomorrow’s Post: “It’s not the SIZE of the bat, it’s how you SWING it.”