3. Brunch at the White Dog
There's nothing more relaxing on a sunny weekend morning or afternoon
than enjoying brunch at a lively restaurant with great food and,
ideally, some outside seating. Near the campus of the University of
Pennsylvania, the gay-popular White Dog Cafe fits the bill perfectly.
This bric-a-brac-filled eatery set in three adjacent Victorian town
houses serves such delicious brunch fare as lemon-mascarpone pancakes
with raspberry-maple syrup, and black-pepper-seared organic beef salad
with crumbled blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Also keep in mind
that Astral Plane restaurant, mentioned above, serves a terrific brunch
on Sundays.
4. Cheesesteaks at Geno's or Pat's
It may sound a bit cliched to search out a cheesesteak in this city
that's famous for them. But you're here - and you may as well have a
bite of Philadelphia's quintessential treat. Many connoisseurs favor two
neighboring joints a bit south of downtown, Geno's and Pat's (of course,
plenty of ardent critics deride these two places as tourist traps and
prefer other holes-in-the-wall around town). Pat's is said to have
invented this delicacy in 1930 - the restaurant serves 'em slathered
with Cheez Whiz and fried onions, and the steak is finely chopped.
Across the street at Geno's, the steaks are not shredded, and instead of
Cheez Whiz, they come topped with provolone. Which one is better? You be
the judge.
5. The Philadelphia Museum of Art
One of the nation's most esteemed art institutions, the Philadelphia
Museum of Art sits within a dramatic Greek Revival building amid 10
landscaped acres. Standouts in the permanent collection include
contemporary masterpieces by Picasso, Braque, and Matisse as well as
works by a number of post-World War II artists. The outstanding Marcel
Duchamp collection includes renditions of his Nude Descending a
Staircase (The "nude," people often overlook, is male). Check out
the fine collection of photos and paintings by gay artist Thomas Eakins
of young, virile men crewing and boating on the nearby Schuylkill River.
There's also an excellent display on Shaker furniture.
And that's just scratching the surface. The museum is adjacent to lushly
landscaped Fairmount Park, which straddles the Schuylkill River and
comprises nearly 9,000 acres of picturesque gardens, walkways, and
biking and bridle paths, plus about a dozen historic (mostly Colonial)
mansions, which are open to the public.
6. Reading Terminal Market
For a century, the more than 80 stalls at the cavernous Reading Terminal
Market have sold tantalizing, market-fresh foods, ranging from local
produce to international dishes from around the world. There are too
many great dining options to mention, but try not to miss the regional
Mexican fare at 12th Street Cantina, the deli items at Salumeria, Amish
treats at Beiler's Bakery, ice cream at Bassetts, the Pennsylvania Dutch
breakfasts at Dutch Eating Place, Italian hoagies at Carmen's, and
heavenly mac-and-cheese at Delilah's. But wherever you end up eating,
you won't go wrong - around every corner you'll see, smell, and have the
chance to taste delicious food. Continue to page
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The Hunk
