PHILADELPHIAPhiladelphia is the second largest city on the East Coast, boasting first-class hotels, internationally acclaimed restaurants, championship sports teams, a plethora of museums, a wealth of shopping opportunities, and a sizzling nightlife.
Founded in 1682, Philadelphia--"the City of Brotherly Love" --is crammed with historic buildings and sites, and is within easy reach of such attractions as Valley Forge National Park, Longwood Gardens, and the Franklin Mint Museum. America's most historic square mile, Independence National Historical Park, contain s museums and buildings that reflect great moments in American history, and also the many ethnic cultures that have helped build the country. The Liberty Bell, crack and all, is here, as is the Betsy Ross house, wherein the first American flag was stitche d.
You can shop here in tiny boutiques or giant complexes, for old-world crafts or new-world bargains. Culture-lovers can catch the Philadelphia Orchestra, Ballet, or Opera--and those whose tastes are less highbrow can enjoy the city's many nightspots, offe ring rock, jazz, folk, and country music, with or without dancing. Sports fans can watch (in due season) the Philadelphia Eagles, 76ers, Phillies, Flyers, and Wings, or some of the teams from the 85 colleges in the area.
Dining in Philadelphia offers experiences as diverse as the city itself. Dedicated carnivores will love the huge portions of fresh, corn-fed U.S. prime beef, broiled to your specifications, or the live Maine lobsters served at the award-winning Ruth's C hris Steakhouse, (215) 790-1515, which has the casual and elegant atmosphere of an urban club. There's a roster of salads, chicken, shrimp, and fish dishes, broad enough to tempt any appetite -- and nine different styles of potatoes.
After you've seen the tall ships or caught one of the many free concerts at Penn's Landing, on the banks of the Delaware, drop into Downey's Pub, (215) 625-9500, and relax in an atmosphere reminiscent of an English pub -- but with much better food! Soup s here are such favorites they've put them up in cans for you enjoy at home: Irish Potato, Irish Stew, or Dublin Bay Lobster Bisque. There are pastas and seafood dishes, chicken, veal, beef, and pork specialties, refreshing salads, and a tempting array o f homemade cakes, pies, and desserts.
In the same area is Meiji-En, (215) 592-7100, an enormous Japanese restaurant that encompasses a teppenyaki room, a sushi bar, a tempura bar, a cocktail lounge, and a dining room that can accommodate over a hundred. The dexterity of the knife-wielding ch efs provides drama at your table as they skillfully chop, slice, and filet the ingredients of your choice before consigning them to the sizzling hibachi grill. On Sundays, there's a buffet brunch that stretches from sushi to French toast--guaranteed to su it any appetite.
Lovers of Dixieland jazz will enjoy Cafe Nola, (215) 627-2590, where the spirit of New Orleans is reflected in the Creole and Cajun specialties such as seafood jambalayah, catfish with hushpuppies, or muffuletta -- the classic hot antipasto-style sandwic h. Start with fresh clams and oysters from the Raw Bar, proceed through the soups, salads, and entrees to the last delicious mouthful of Bananas Foster--you'll feel that you've truly caught the spirit of the South. Come here on Sunday for a special Plan tation Breakfast or French Quarter Brunch.
Occupying two Victorian brownstones in the heart of University City, across the Walnut Street bridge, is the White Dog Cafe, (215) 386-9224, named for the pet of Madame Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society. The menu here is eclectic, and uses o nly the freshest of ingredients, including organically grown produce and free-range poultry, for such dishes as baked local goat cheese with spicy black bean salad, or mustard-baked filet of salmon with creamy herb sauce. There is no smoking at all here.
Experience Philadelphia, a city that exemplifies the diversity of America in microcosm.