The City of Brotherly Love is on a roll right now.
First there was the announcement that Pope Francis would be visiting the city this September. It’s the first visit papal visit to the U.S. since 2008, and he couldn’t have chosen a better city. Hotels within a10-mile radius to the city have been sold out since last November.
Then just this past week it was announced that the Democratic National Convention would be held next summer in the city. It could be an historic convention if Hillary Clinton is selected as the party’s candidate for President.
I’ve always thought Philly was the best city in the world, and now the rest of the world will get the chance to experience its greatness as well. We are perfectly located right between Washington, D.C., the political capital of the world and New York City, the financial capital of the world.
We were the birthplace of our nation, and have several historic landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and the Betsy Ross House. Other top attractions include the National Constitution Center, the Ben Franklin Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Franklin Institute (the science museum), Academy of Natural Sciences (the dinosaur museum), and the Please Touch Museum (for kids).
And no visit to the city would be complete without a Philly cheesesteak (from Pat’s of course) and a soft pretzel. (For a list of my favorite vegan restaurants, see the end of this post).
If you need to work off some of those extra calories, you can get your picture taken with the statue of Rocky, and then run up the steps of the Art Museum just like the Italian Stallion. There’s also an 18-hole mini-golf course, along with a full-size carousel, right in the heart of the city.
All that’s needed to paint a perfect picture is a championship-caliber pro sports team. It’s been awhile since the city has had a victory parade, but with the roll that we’re on, this could be the year. So let’s go Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and 76ers!
Forget the summer of George; this is the year of Philly.
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My Favorite Vegan Restaurants
The city is quite vegan friendly. Below are links to some great vegan restaurants:
Vedge – an upscale, world-class dining experience; recently voted as the top restaurant in Philadelphia on Zagat (and not just top vegan restaurant)
HipCityVeg – awesome casual vegan food. The “chicken” fajita wrap is my personal favorite.
Blackbird Pizza – an all-vegan pizzeria, what more needs to be said
Grindcore House – an all-vegan coffee shop offering sandwiches and desserts. Add in the punk/metal atmosphere along with a back room filled with books on social activism, and you’ve got one of more eclectic places in the city.
Govindas to Go (vegan and vegetarian)- another great place to pick up Philly-style sandwiches. The “chicken” cheesesteak is out of this world.
Vge Cafe – it’s in the suburbs, but I wanted to give it a shout out!
Beyond those listed above, there are several ethnic restaurants, such as Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese, and Mexican that can meet your needs. For a comprehensive list, visit VegPhilly.
Borden's Blather 