Oh, Philly…?

So this happened: I was in Philly for the weekend and I texted Mads. And voilá: I got an audience with @mistressmaddie in the flesh. But let's backpedal a little. This was a meeting in the making for YEARS. Oh, yes. Years.

The first time I thought about going to Philly to meet some of the bloggers was years ago, before the pandemic. I don't know if you remember, but along with Lurkie (what's going with Lurkie, people??) I started plotting a blogger get-together that went nowhere. The pandemic and all that, right? Everything got scrapped.

But dear Anne Marie and I kept talking and we decided we'd meet in Philly and she'd call Mads and we'd surprise her. But life happened and dear Anne Marie is no longer with us. Cue a conference this year in Philly and an email and Mads and I got together! The plan was that we were going to talk on Saturday (Mads was coming into the city later in the afternoon and I had some work thing going on (networking, they call it) related to the conference I was attending. Still, the stars aligned and we met at the hotel bar and I have to tell you: Mads is everything she is online and more: witty, fun, smart, handsome and a great conversationalist. The stories! The jokes! The fun! We stayed up in that bar until WAY past my bedtime!

We ki-kied and cackled and talked about all of you (yes, you!). You thought you were not going to be present in that get together? You don't know us. And on top of everything, Mads brought me a gift. Yep, we are dealing with THAT kind of detail oriented person. It was two LPs (Babs and some Herb Albert) a fab print (my fav topic: men) and a very cute handmade bowl that is waiting for a plant at this moment. I was very touched. That level of attention (Mads deffo knows me, even though we had never personally met until this past weekend) is unparalleled. Thank you, Mads, you're awesome. *smooches*

Then on Saturday, we decided to spend the afternoon walking around downtown Philly. I had been to Philly before, maybe fifteen years ago, but did not remember anything. We walked around and then went to the Philly museum of art and had a stop at the Rodin museum, a little jewel stuck on one of the side streets near the Philly museum. It was fabulous. Mads told me that there's a ton of museums and interesting places around that area but you'd need a whole weekend to cover them all. Strongly recommend doing it, though. Such a walkable place! It's cosmopolitan but cozy. I guess that's what you get when you visit a city as old as Philly. I think the downtown is chaotic by car, but by foot is fab.

It was a pleasure walking around the museum and talk about the artwork we were seeing. It's an impressive museum (and walking around with someone who understands and enjoys design is always a perk!). I paid attention to things I sometimes overlook. Mads has got fantastic eye for art. It was a joy and a privilege to be invited to visit this museum, really. If Mads comes back to Chi, we'll have to go to the Art Institute (deal, Mads?). We managed to cover most of the upper floor but were missing some spots in the floors below. Another visit is needed.

We rounded up the evening going to one of those gay landmarks in the United States: Giovanni's Room. It's an institution. It was funded in 1973, people!  Before Amazon would ruin the idea of going book shopping. Before gay sex was legal. Before everything that came with the Gay Lib. It's also one of those iconic places I recommend everybody to go (especially the gaylings, who take everything for granted) because it's an experience we rarely get to have anymore. Independent bookstores are now mostly a rarity. Sad. But we enjoyed our visit to the limit: we went through every floor, discovering little jewels here and there. Books, magazines, clothes. It's a reader's paradise, I'm telling you. Every room had more surprises waiting for us. Mads got a gary/blue coat (fabulous, in the softest wool) and some books and I got a Giovanni's Room t-shirt and a tote bag. I need to show off I went there, natch.

 

After Giovanni's Room, we ended up having dinner at one of Mads' fav restaurants (I don't remember the name!!! Boo!) and we sat at the bar and got something to drink (Mads CAN indeed pack the cock-a-tails, hunny!) and then something delicious to eat. It was fantastic. Great music, great food, great conversation and a cute guy at the bar with longish hair and pretty eyes. What else can a boy ask for?

And after that, we walked around the gayborhood and ended up in a bar where we grooved to Rihanna and Bey and the divas and then walked back downtown. It was fabulous. I would go back in a heartbeat because I want to stay at that hotel Mads stayed (so MUCH character!) and walk around the gayborhood with more time and go back to the museum because we only scratched the surface. That place is HUGE.

So is it worth meeting with other bloggers? You bet your pretty face it is! 

Thanks, Mads, for a fantastic day in Philly. Next time I'm in town, I am definitely texting you. *hugs*

XOXO

P.S. if you drink, get ready to DRINK. Mads is deadly serious when it comes to cocktails.