MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND or lots of my family photos from the past 5 days

PhillyChitChat note. I know that some of you are probably wondering when I will run your piece, and I will. It’s hot and slow out there. Stay tuned a lot of events I’ve covered will pop up this week, until then this is my Birthday weekend…

Wednesday my niece Kelsey, Nicole, Mom and I went to Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man located at 1500 Walnut, but the entrance is on 15th Street between Walnut & Locust. It was delicious. Great place to bring the kids. It’s a tad expensive for the desserts, but they can be shared as they are huge.

Birthday Day; I think Hallmark was crying a little that day as I received over 200 BDay wishes on Facebook. I really appreciated it as well as the people who called and dropped off gifts. My friend Aly Green brought me to lunch at Union Trust, besides the great company, introduced me to the waiters, chef & owner. Fun to talk to them about the menu and up coming events happening at Union Trust. I had the most delicous Rib Eye sandwhich. I took a photo and it’s on my twitter acct iphillychitchat Thanks Aly. (The Travelocity Gnome came to town and I really wanted to see him. I tweeted: @RoamingGnome I’m Philly’s paparazzi, where r you, need a picture? Have you been to Cosi’s 12th/Walnut? Buy coffee 10% goes to charity tonight4:07 PM Jul 23rd from web in reply to RoamingGnome)In the evening Mike, who’s always my diets best friend, had just the right bday cake for me an apple with a candle.
In the May/June Issue of Philadelphia Style Magazine I was listed on their “Hot List” which was a real thrill for me. I’m sure it was mostly for my charitable work that I do here on this blog (Please support one or more of the charities if you can), and the coverage I give to promote Philly. (And I do appreciate the acknowledgement from Sarah & John, and the nominations from Matt, Jimmy & Ashley Schaffer to name the ones I know of. Plus thanks to Sarah Cooper Bobersky for giving Mike the whisper in the ear.) The next day it was on to the beach to spend some time with my 2 visiting sisters from Charlotte, NC. As we were waiting at the red light Mike says to me, “Look at that gnome the guy is carrying!” I went ballastic, pull over, pull over I need a photo of the Travelocity Gnome.” Mike had no idea what I was talking about, and since he is the law abiding one of us, would not pull over no matter how much I pleaded. And off to work he went. When we pulled into his works driveway, we ran into his friend Toni. Sure enough Toni knew who the gnome was, and so did everyone else at Mike’s job. They ridiculed him all day. This was the photo the Travelocity Gnome went to take that day. (I borrowed it from his FB page) Tweeted: IPhillyChitChat: Damn on my way to beach w/mike driving + he wouldn’t stop for @roaminggnome @ art museum steps. I told him cabs always cut off traffic for fares8:49 AM Jul 24th from TwitterBerry ; Now he’s making fun of me. Says next time he sees a leprecon or unicorn he will stop for me.8:50 AM Jul 24th from TwitterBerry
If I had taken a picture of the Travelocity Gnome I know I would have followed my normal route to Stone Harbor and taken RT 55 instead of the AC Expressway & Parkway:

The five-car crash happened shortly after 9:00 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Stone Harbor Boulevard. According to police, one driver lost control and struck several other vehicles, as well as the guardrail. One lane of traffic was able to squeeze by following the accident, but crews eventually shut down all lanes to clean up the crash. The roadway was reopened at about 2:00 p.m. Officials said all of the injuries as a result of the crash appear to be non-life threatening.

I left Philly at 845AM and finally arrived in Stone Harbor at 1:30PM (It usually takes 90 minutes)
But then I saw Mom, sisters Crista & Janine and the world was fine.
Crista and I went to the Five & Ten. She doesn’t know why they sell rubber rats there.
But I see they sell gay hermit crabs. (The rainbow flag, sometimes called ‘the freedom flag’, was popularized as a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and diversity by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. )
Finally got to the beach. Although we lived on 99th & the bay, Crista’s hubby’s family lives on 94th Street. I like to go to the 119th street beach because of these boats, and the area called
The Point. Today I like it for bird watching, wildlife. But in high school it was a place I would go at night and live a little wild life – LOL Kinda desolute, and scary, but great for bonfires and beers.Across the inlet is Wildwood.my artistic shot of the neighbors shoes
Crista & her husband Michael, with Michael Jr & Beau (that’s his nickname, I can’t remember his birth name, don’t tell my sister)
Crista, and my niece Colleen with the kids at the park.
Crista and Beau
Then on Saturday we went to my moms for a gathering. My sister Judy was going to have lunch with all of us (except my brother Ray)
Sisters, Janine, Tracy, Aunt Mary, Judy, Crista Margaret, and niece Colleen. I think mom had left for the Philles game by this time. Today I hung out with Aly a bit, then visited a friend from high school. Tomorrow we return to PhillyChitChat, I think. It’s summer and it’s slower.