The weeks of do-nothing and laziness are over. I start work at NBC tomorrow….
So after Cleveland, I trudged on, first to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania is a long state, let me tell you), and then after that to Atlantic City, where I really am glad I got a chance to go gamble and play some craps before starting my new job. I have no idea when I’d get a chance to gamble again (which sounds totally dramatic but it’s not), so it was nice to have a quick stop to do so. But before I get into the Philadelphia and Atlantic City stories, I think I’ll work backwards this time and first put up the pictures of my new digs and the sunset views of Manhattan as experienced from my neighborhood on my first day here. Still can’t believe I’m starting tomorrow. Anyways, my drive out here was very safe and I avoided speeding tickets the entire way. Yay me. It probably helped I was never going more than 10mph over the speed limit the entire time, even in those states with 65mph speed limits (you know who you are, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey!!!).
Here are the pics from my new hood. Enjoy. Â (2014 Note: Â I’ve also collected all these photos into my Travelogue page for this whole journey)
23 Sept 2007 – West New York (NJ) Pics
23-Sep-2007 11:45, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
Looking from the kitchen into the living room
23-Sep-2007 16:09, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 151
The kitchen in the new apartment
23-Sep-2007 16:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Looking towards my bathroom from the kitchen
23-Sep-2007 16:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
23-Sep-2007 16:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
Looking into my bedroom
23-Sep-2007 16:11, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
My furniture-less bedroom
23-Sep-2007 16:11, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
The hallway of the 4th floor - looks like a hotel, right?
23-Sep-2007 16:16, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 141
My home for the next 16 months
23-Sep-2007 16:18, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
Very nice place to live, especially having a grocery store downstairs
23-Sep-2007 16:29, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:30, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
The skyline view from our part of the NJ coastline
23-Sep-2007 16:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
I did end up running along this wonderful pathway
23-Sep-2007 16:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:35, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Signs of West New York's previous life as a dock city
23-Sep-2007 16:35, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:36, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
The gorgeous view of 2007 NYC from our apartment's shoreline
23-Sep-2007 16:39, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:39, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:41, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:41, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:41, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
23-Sep-2007 16:45, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 130
23-Sep-2007 16:45, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
But before I was in Manhattan, I got to have two very cool days! At the beginning and for most of those two days, I was with the illustrious Jenny Robinson in Philadelphia! Cue the fanfare music! It was a lot of fun and it began pretty much as soon as I arrived on Friday night (also coinciding with me having to drive in Philly rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon – not what I’d call fun). We first got some dinner at an authentic and very non-touristy Philly ‘restaurant’ called Steve’s where I got myself some pretty damn good Philly Cheese Steak. But really, what made it awesome were the true Philly natives who were also there. Seriously – the accents, the body hair, the high-tops, the hairstyles, the clothes…. it was flippin’ awesome. Remember that Jack in the Box commercial where Jack sends a very mild-mannered guy out to Philly to do research on the PCSs and comes back as Mr. Philly wearing high-tops, high hair, and a Philly accent, going “Heyyyy Jackyyyyyy!”. No lie, that’s exactly how it was here too. Awesome. Then we went back downtown to where my hotel was (which was literally in the center of everything – very cool place to be if you have the opportunity to stay in Philly: Holiday Inn Historic District) and walked along South Street, which reminded me mostly of Melrose Avenue in LA. After that, we said our goodnights and I crashed.
The next morning, I woke up and it was freakin’ raining, which was not cool. But fortunately, that didn’t last all damn day and we then met up and started a full day of sightseeing. First we grabbed some breakfast at this high-falutin’ cafe where Jenny made some waiter drop his tray of cups and glasses. She really did. It was all her fault. After that we walked over to the damn Liberty Bell! How awesome was that? We then got our free timed tickets for the Independence Hall (in hindsight, not sure how worth it this was, but still, I can say I was where both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed and adopted) which weren’t for a few hours so we then squeezed in a full circuit of the Big Bus Tour of Philadelphia (much like what there is in London and other big cities). As you’ll see in the pics, this was again a great way to get an idea of the entire city and if you have time, it allows you to plan out other things to see. I didn’t have that time this visit, but I definitely know I’d like to go back and see a lot more of Philadelphia.
It was also great just to see Jenny again! She is definitely one of those friends in which it seems like no time passes when you see them again after a long separation in between. Still as snarky as ever, and I think I’ve refreshed her ‘so to speak’ness so maybe it’ll catch on at her work. Here’s hoping. WTF Joe!!!????
21 Sep 2007 – Philadelphia, Day 1
Pennsylvania welcomes ME
21-Sep-2007 09:38, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
As does the suckass rush hour traffic of Philadelphia on a Friday
21-Sep-2007 15:26, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
There is the city o' Philly
21-Sep-2007 15:37, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.2, 9.028mm, 0.002 sec
Total paparazzi shot of Jenny
21-Sep-2007 17:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 315
21-Sep-2007 17:15, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 165
The total-Philly site of my authentic cheese steak experience
21-Sep-2007 18:03, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.2 sec, ISO 141
Spooky cemetery in the middle of the city
21-Sep-2007 18:53, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 1 sec, ISO 200
South Street from the pier part of it
21-Sep-2007 19:16, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 200
Demon Jenny
21-Sep-2007 19:16, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.8 sec, ISO 200
21-Sep-2007 19:20, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 200
Spooky Sixth Senseish type of street
21-Sep-2007 19:29, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 1 sec, ISO 200
21-Sep-2007 19:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.8 sec, ISO 200
21-Sep-2007 19:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.4 sec, ISO 400
22 Sep 2007 – Sightseeing Philly with Jenny
22-Sep-2007 08:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.6 sec
Jenny the next day
22-Sep-2007 08:20, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
After breakfast
22-Sep-2007 09:00, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.013 sec
Taking a pic looking towards the Independence hall area
22-Sep-2007 09:07, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
There's Independence Hall surrounded by all the rest of Philly
22-Sep-2007 09:09, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.006 sec
Closer
22-Sep-2007 09:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
In front of Independence Hall, along with the Marines who were filming one of their commercials at the time
22-Sep-2007 09:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Again
22-Sep-2007 09:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Marines were there doing something on camera.
22-Sep-2007 09:16, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
IH again
22-Sep-2007 09:17, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
Me and the Liberty Bell!
22-Sep-2007 09:31, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
22-Sep-2007 09:31, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.5, 10.487mm, 0.013 sec
Cool way to locate it with Independence Hall behind it
22-Sep-2007 09:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
22-Sep-2007 09:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
The place where you get your IH tickets - it has a lot of other cool things in there too, including WTF Joe
22-Sep-2007 09:37, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
Standard Jenny
22-Sep-2007 09:51, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
'Normal' Jenny
22-Sep-2007 09:51, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
Me
22-Sep-2007 10:02, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Pointing while waiting for the bus to go
22-Sep-2007 10:02, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
There's our Big Bus tour guide
22-Sep-2007 10:06, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
The Philadelphia U.S. Mint, for you coin collectors out there
22-Sep-2007 10:12, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
The Benjamin Franklin bridge
22-Sep-2007 10:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:15, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.5, 12.523mm, 0.004 sec
The Betsy Ross House - or is it?
22-Sep-2007 10:16, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:19, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
Looking towards downtown Philly
22-Sep-2007 10:20, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.9, 23.1mm, 0.005 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:21, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.5, 10.487mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:22, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:23, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:25, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.01 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:25, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.008 sec
The Comcast building
22-Sep-2007 10:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
This is City Hall, the biggest in the country. William Penn's statue is atop the tower.
22-Sep-2007 10:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Skyscrapers and City Hall
22-Sep-2007 10:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.5, 10.487mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.002 sec
Again
22-Sep-2007 10:34, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Approaching the Museum of Art which also has...
22-Sep-2007 10:46, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:49, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.9, 23.1mm, 0.017 sec
....the Rocky Steps!!!
22-Sep-2007 10:49, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:50, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.9, 23.1mm, 0.005 sec
From the Museum Of Art is a boulevard that leads directly back to City hall. Kinda like Philly's Champs Elysees
22-Sep-2007 10:51, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 3.5, 12.523mm, 0.003 sec
Philadelphia in my head
22-Sep-2007 10:51, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 10.0, 12.523mm, 0.013 sec
Once more with feeling
22-Sep-2007 10:51, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:53, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:54, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:56, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:57, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:58, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 10:59, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:02, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:03, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:04, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
Jenny and the Case of the Blustery Knotted Hair
22-Sep-2007 11:04, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
The Big Bus takes you everywhere. See how far we are from the city now.
22-Sep-2007 11:05, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:05, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.008 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:05, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:05, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.005 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:05, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.5, 18.776mm, 0.005 sec
At the zoo, you can go up in a tethered hot air balloon for an allegedly awesome view.
22-Sep-2007 11:06, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
Being on the top of the bus is potentially lethal. The trees are quite low.
22-Sep-2007 11:06, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
Evidenced by Jenny's duck-and-cover
22-Sep-2007 11:09, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Philly, its highways and its railways
22-Sep-2007 11:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:10, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.005 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:12, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:13, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
The Franklin Institute
22-Sep-2007 11:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 9.0, 10.487mm, 0.005 sec
Currently home to the King Tut exhibit (but it does NOT have the famous mask there - WTF Joe?)
22-Sep-2007 11:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 9.028mm, 0.008 sec
Further along the 'Champs Elysees' and here's a nice fountain
22-Sep-2007 11:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
There's City Hall
22-Sep-2007 11:15, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:15, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.9, 23.1mm, 0.002 sec
Again
22-Sep-2007 11:18, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Finally sunnier! And here's one of the oldest hospitals - they used to do surgery in the sunroom on top because it was before electricity.
22-Sep-2007 11:28, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:35, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
The Benjamin Franklin Suspension Bridge
22-Sep-2007 11:37, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:37, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:37, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
22-Sep-2007 11:40, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Independence hall again now that it was time to go inside
22-Sep-2007 11:56, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.002 sec
Inside Independence Hall and where the Constitution was signed
22-Sep-2007 12:14, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
In both this room and the next lots of historical stuff happened
22-Sep-2007 12:20, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
22-Sep-2007 12:31, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
Me and the Tower
22-Sep-2007 12:31, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 12:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
Tower and pretty sky
22-Sep-2007 12:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.004 sec
22-Sep-2007 12:35, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.003 sec
Jenny is being cute
22-Sep-2007 12:55, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.017 sec
Driving on Ben Franklin bridge
22-Sep-2007 13:18, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
22-Sep-2007 13:18, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
Welcome to Atlantic City... always turned on???? WTF Joe? Howza 'bout a STS?
22-Sep-2007 14:12, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 8.0, 7.7mm, 0.006 sec
My Atlantic City hotel - the Trump Marina Casino Hotel - very nice!
22-Sep-2007 14:17, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 4.0, 15.599mm, 0.002 sec
22-Sep-2007 21:32, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
22-Sep-2007 21:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.017 sec
22-Sep-2007 21:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.2 sec
22-Sep-2007 21:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.125 sec
22-Sep-2007 21:33, Canon Canon PowerShot SD900, 2.8, 7.7mm, 0.8 sec
Okay, I’m seriously tired now but it was all worth it! I had to get these pictures up now or I’d probably take forever to do so once work starts. It was definitely an amazing adventure driving across this country of ours – it was a part of it that I really wasn’t familiar with so it was cool to see a bunch of new stuff, even if it did all look the same after awhile – corn fields, corn fields, corn fields…. then trees trees trees…. finally Philly and Atlantic City and of course Manhattan and North Jersey broke all that monotony up!
Here’s hoping for a good first day tomorrow!