Fall is officially in the air when all you crave is a bowl of hot soup and some crusty bread.
My friend likes her soup creamy, while I prefer texture. Differences aside, the ritual of eating soup with someone is conversation enhancing.
I guess that’s one reason they call it ‘comfort food.’ Where was this taken? Good Spoon Soupery on Front Street.
Philadelphia is filled with brick and cobblestones. In this way it reminds me of Montreal. Built to endure. I wonder whether the next generation of building materials will leave such a legacy. In 100 years will we re-purpose the structures that are erecting today?
You can read more about Olde Kensington in an article I wrote for Homes.com. It was really fun to actively research and get to meet some local business owners.
I can describe the Start (it) Up Energy as a melting pot of words. Youthful, professional, gritty, established with a side of modern. It has the ability to pull people in with anticipation. Perfect example – Honeygrow is opening its first test kitchen in Fishtown.
Start (it) Up energy is also a forcefield of continuing development. It spawns a lot of construction and entrepreneurship. Does this follow in the path of hipster friendly venues? Tattoo parlors, thrift shops, breweries, yummy grub?
Start (it) up energy and development go hand in hand of course. Someone sees potential, has the capital to act and re-shape a cultural landscape. The people who gravitate to this type of environment like the idea of being in on something that is growing. I do.
Start (it) Up Energy to be sure causes repercussions. Demographic shifts, surge in home values, garbage, opportunity, crime rates. There is a good article that explains gentrification in Philly here.
Gentrification is a big part of this energy. Yet not all areas that are gentrifying have start-it-up energy. Food for thought.
It occurred to me today that the expression ‘breaking bread’ may have stemmed from the fact that in the olden days (before white bread), the loaves were dense. Maybe their bread knives failed like mine and people had to literally tear a piece off the loaf. I visualize the bread being passed along a table in a room painted SALON DRAB (Farrow and Ball).
Yes, ‘breaking bread’ is a play on ‘breaking bad’.
I think it is usually an expression related to eating, and I have certainly enjoyed many shared tables of stimulating conversation and yummy food. The loaf above is from Lost Bread and I had it with this Big Spoon spread called chai spice.Breaking bread with others has connotations of community. Community is my topic in this installment of #LiveLocal. This week I met a few new neighbors and we introduced two fellows (pilots) to each other who have crossed paths but never met. It felt fortuitous. And, it symbolizes what my husband has wanted for a long time – a neighborhood, community and roots.
I also met some neighbors from a few streets over. We were chatting about issues pertaining to a developer. Again, community. Getting together from across fences has a very powerful vibe. Especially when you share a concern like basement flooding. Half our block got water this week. Bye rug, you will be missed but not replaced.
On that note, I walked into a store in Old City (Parisa) just for fun and ended up meeting the lovely owner and taking a photo which is perfect for an upcoming article for my client, Homes.com. This after a trip to Moko Beauty where I met the talented Monique. It seemed like my day was replete with exchanges between people in the community. A day of breaking bread.
Thanks for reading
I am drawn to doors and doorways. The mere act of opening a door takes courage sometimes, in special occasions. As you open a door, who knows – you might confront the unknown.
There are cliches associated with opening a door too. And symbols. Like opportunity. Freedom – getting out or going in.
The experience of walking through a door can be unique. In the sense that sometimes when you open a door the experience on the other side can be transformative. First time meetings, feelings etc. You can fill in the blanks.
Alternatively it can be routine or ordinary, like when you come home. Unless that stresses you out. Anyway, the doorways of Philly are really something to take notice of. I think many of them I must walk by dozens of times. Here are some stand-out doorways from around and about.
This red door in Northern Liberties makes me think of the expression ‘opportunity knocks’ and has those high columns that feel like either wisdom or judgement. I had a meeting there. I also feel like it says ‘rehab’ on it. Some of the older features kept (it was a church) but it’s also modern, functional and bold.
This turquoise door is set in brick (with the sun just so…) says calm, and reminds me of space, sky and ocean. It’s in a building that has kept lots of its brickness and vibes of tech, yoga and a cross between Brooklyn and Old Montreal.
This elegantly carved wood doorway on Walnut Street seems to say ‘get grounded!’ Super earthly and elegant. I have some of this wood carving at home and it definitely reminds me of Montreal boutiques. Some of which I know are no longer around.
Stay tuned and #livelocal
Much heart went into writing this piece on Olde Kensington, Philly for Homes.com. Read a synopsis below, then check out the full article here.
“If you are looking for that start-up vibe, Olde Kensington is one of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods that is slowly getting a facelift. Tucked away between Northern Liberties (north) and Fishtown (west), this distinct section of Kensington is going from warehouse to coffee house and condo. With other kinds of redevelopment in the works, this area of the city is one to watch or give more thoughtful consideration for a next move.”
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