Monday, December 22, 2008

Cookies and the CIty

It was a very busy weekend. Friday was a snow day so I finally began my annual cookie blitz. Since last Christmas there has been a boy at our church who has been begging to come help me bake cookies this year. Every time he sees me I hear, "Mrs. Lime! You and me, we're gonna bake cookies for Christmas this year, right?" I always said I'd be glad to have him come help. When the time came I asked him last weekend if he'd be available this weekend. When we had the snow day I asked if he'd like to come over Friday instead. Keep in mind my kids have not wanted to participate in the annual baking melee for a while. Since this boy joined us it brought out the volunteer spirit in Isaac. Here are the two helpers I had for most of the day.It worked out well. Our helper likes measuring things but not mixing or cracking eggs. He measured, Isaac cracked eggs and washed up in between the 9 different doughs we made up, I mixed. They both helped me get cookies on trays and in and out of the oven. On Friday we got through baking 4 of the 9 doughs before everyone passed out for the night. Yesterday I finished baking 3 more doughs. So far I've done 66 dozen cookies. I sent my newest helper home with a big bag for himself and said it was up to him as to whether or not he shared them with anyone. When I sent him home with more on Sunday, he confided that he had hidden the others in his room. I told him his secret was safe with me.

Saturday my dad invited me to go into Philadelphia to see A Chorus Line at the Forrest Theater since he is a subscriber and my stepmother couldn't go with him due to her somewhat complicated recovery from knee replacement surgery. I felt bad that she couldn't go but she seemed quite happy to let me enjoy the ticket with Dad. I brought her a bag of cookies though so she'd have a treat for the day. Kind of a lopsided trade, I know.


It's been a long time since I had the chance to go into Philadelphia (and I do love that city) and even longer since I saw a show anywhere. Seeing Boathouse Row along the Schuylkill River as we drive in always makes me happy. We actually came in behind Boathouse Row so I swiped the picture below. For a panoramic view of the gorgeous effect of the year round lights on Boathouse Row as well as the Philadelphia Art Museum (which I am REALLY itching to get back to) click here. Really, take a minute and go check it out.
*image from http://www.cis.rit.edu



As we headed toward Center City we could see City Hall with William Penn perched atop. When I was a kid no building reached above Billy's head. It gave the city a unique feeling because it was "short." Times change though and now there are several buildings that exceed his height. Of course I had to look among the international flags to see if I could find the colors of Trinidad and Tobago flying. The flags are labeled and go alphabetically so it was easy to search. Sadly, there was no flag in between Turkey and Ukraine (nor was it before Turkey where it should have been...I do actually know how to alphabetize...it's Monday morning, ok? I have a Cookie hangover). Mayor Nutter needs to account for this, in my opinion.


We parked and walked to the Forrest Theater, which was built in 1927. It was named for 19th century actor Edwin Forrest. According to the website, it's the oldest continuously operated opera house in the US. It's quite lovely. I swiped these pictures from the Schubert Organization website. I didn't figure the folks I was sitting next to would be all that thrilled to have me snapping away. The show was terrific.



After the show we had about an hour and half to kill before our dinner reservations. Since my stepmother's knee has been a major hindrance for her for a number of years I think it was a treat for Dad, as much as for me, to be able to amble around the city. He wanted to check out the Holiday Spectacular that plays in the lobby of the brand new Comcast Center so we headed that way. It was pretty nifty. Here's about 3 minutes of the show in case you are interested. there was some very clever stuff that I didn't capture but this gives a feel for it.



Once it finished we hoofed it back to the restaurant but I paused long enough to try to capture City Hall at night. I'm not terribly experienced with nighttime photography and I didn't have my tripod. All things considered, I was reasonably satisfied with the results.



Dad took me to The Oceanaire because he is all about fine dining. I have to say this is the sort of place that is so far off my radar because it is so far outside of my budgetary constraints but wow! The food was to die for. When I raved about the amusees bouches (thank you, Food Network for informing me as to what the heck an amusee bouche is [translation: mouth amuser, a single tasty bite of something]) the waitress brought another plate which Dad shoved in my direction. Then someone else brought us another pair of them and Dad pushed them to me again. Uh, yeah. I got 5 tasty bites and I'd have been happy to eat a whole plate of them but there were some crab cakes that were melt in your mouth good, cider roasted squash, spinach salad, and then a creme brulee that could have fed both of us. Uh, yeah...I needed someone to roll me out to the car when it was over.

Good time was had by all though.

20 comments:

furiousBall said...

I love the Forrest. you got some great shots of Philly! Boathouse row is made for this time of year!

EmBee said...

First Hershey and now this! I'm truly green with envy.

The first Broadway play I ever saw was Chorus Line, so obviously it's one of my fav's. Also been to the Forrest to see 'Phantom' and 'Grand Hotel'... A lovely theater.

Nice pics, by the way.
:-)

EmBee said...

Oh and one other thing... The Comcast show, while nice, just makes me think how much less my monthly bill might be without the holiday spectacle.
Grrrrr!
I know, I'm such a Scrooge!

Mona said...

66 dozen cookies!!! (swoon)!

& Nine Flavors! Wow!

The theater looks spectacular! & so does the city!

I'm glad you had a good time! :)

barman said...

I thought I was rather imopressive when I get in full production of making chex mix. I usually make 12 to 20 batches. But 66 dozen cookies. Your kitchen must just have been a humming. It must have smelled incredible.

The Chorus Line would have been incredible. The show you captures was super and Philly ... it makes me realize how much I am missing in life. Very lovely selection of photos to share what the city has to offer. As to you night shots, you did fantastic, no worried there. I would have loved to do a trip like that. The dinner would probably have made me uncomfortable a little but it to sounds like it was to die for. What a wonderful weekend.

Bijoux said...

Those helpers are adorable! I think I topped off at 28 dozen total cookies and that was over a week period. Don't know how you did it!

And I love a good amusee bouche!

Elle Dubya said...

*sigh* I have very fond memories of my one and only visit to Philly. I've walked along that river and seen the lights on the boathouses - very lovely indeed... I'm glad you had such a great time with your dad!

Suldog said...

Wow. You baked 66 dozen cookies? You're my hero! I'm bushed if I make 4 or 5 dozen.

You should write to the mayor about those flags. Tell him you're actually with some T&T governmental liaison or something. In these days of not wanting to offend anybody for anything, I bet those flags will be flying within a week :-)

snowelf said...

Goodness, I think *I* need to be rolled out the car after reading that...

That light show was really cool! And I love Carole of the Bells...

Your helpers were awesome! Are they for hire? Cookies are the best currency. :)

I've never met a kid that didn't love the challenge of cracking eggs though. :P

--snow

KFarmer said...

What a wonderful week-end! Smelling cookies all day, playing with the kiddo's and then off to some fine entertainment, devine food~ not to mention the spectacular company :)

I wish my dad and I could spend time together like that. You are one lucky gal :)

Merry Christmas sweet ~

Anonymous said...

I so love these pictorial Lime travelogues! That theater certainly is beautiful.

How was the show? A singular sensation? (Sorry, I just had to... lol!) I was thinking too that recovering from knee surgery and A Chorus Line may not have been a good mix anyway.

Cheers!~

Lulda Casadaga said...

That Philly is a great place...I haven't been in awhile...hell, I haven't even been into DC in a long time and I'm right down the road! :( I need to get out more! :D

Ummm...love them cookies! I'm lookin forward to my trip up to see my mom...she always makes some cookies for xmas. I'm lucky if I can go to the grocery store and pick up a pack of cookies! ;)

Keep warm...hot cocoa and cookies and a lap blanket and the new stove...sounds like the perfect setting.

S said...

Havin fun in Philly!

Next time bring me a cheese steak, willyas?


:)
Happy Hollydays Lime

Desmond Jones said...

66 dozen?!? That's like, 800 cookies! Which makes me wonder how long it would take my kids to eat 100 cookies each. Not nearly long enough, I'm sure. . .

Molly gives out dried-apple wreaths to teachers, etc.; she's pretty much slicing and drying apples from thanksgiving on. . .

I've been to Philadelphia exactly once, and that was mostly just driving thru. Alas. . . So much history there, if nothing else. . .

GAB said...

Here it is almost Christmas and I havent baked one cookie and you did what 9 or was that 12? lol
I started out in the spirit then something happened and wham none! Poor grandkids ask me each day are we gonna bake cookies today grandma. I guess maybe tomorrow I will try to make at least one batch. Or maybe I will cheat and buy some already make cookies and pretend we did them.

The Zombieslayer said...

I'll crack the eggs, especially if there's food involved. I'm pretty good at that.

Your night photography skills are pretty good. Those look cool. I've never been to Philadelphia (well, not Pennsylvania at all) and with architecture like that, I'll need to go.

G-Man said...

hehehe...A Chorus Lime!!!

Cheesy said...

Sometimes I miss Philly....
sometimes.. lol

Polt said...

Your helpers, they were like Santa's little elves, eh? :)

I was in Philly about two years ago and the hotel we stayed in was right across the street from city hall, with a view of it out our window. Lovely city, from what we saw of it.

Have THE happiest of Holidays, Lime!
HUGS..

Anonymous said...

Oh what a wonderful time with your dad!!! :) That is an awesome post! I want to go to Penn now!