Tag Archives: Philadelphia

Finally Fast Around the City, University of Penn

13 May

Rena from Finally Fast shares pictures from the University of Penn campus.

Penn prepares for it’s Spring 2011 graduates.  There were about 5 or 6 of these massive tents, used to accommodate students, family, and friends during the graduation ceremonies.

The Locust Walk on Penn’s campus starts at 40th street and ends in Blanche P Levy park, just past 36th street.  The bridge in this picture crosses 38th street.

Bronze statues playings in the greenery on Penn’s campus.  The statues are designed to look like shadows and are back lit at night.

Spring is definitely here in the city!  One of the beautiful gardens along the Locust Walk .

For more information on the Locust Walk, click here

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Finally Fast: Around the City, University City

6 May

Rena from FinallyFast takes a quick walk around Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Drexel University is one of the two Universities that makes up University City.

 I have no idea what the white spikes are but the light up at night, which is cool.

Here is another look at the spikes. I think they are suppose to be dragon scales (or at least that is my guess).

I’m not sure what this building is going to be, but it looks cool already.

Drexel’s main building is really cool looking. The above is the detail over the front door.

You can check out more information on Drexel University Here.

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FinallyFast: Around the City

29 Apr

Rena from FinallyFast takes anothing look at spring in Philadelphia.

The last week as been hot and sticky here in Philadelphia. Its almost as if we went straight from winter chill to summer heat. Anyways today is a lot nicer and more Spring-ish. I thought I would share some of my favorite flowering trees as spring moves into summer. The above picture is from one of the little courtyards in Center City.

This beautiful tree is behind the Art Museum, you can see the water works in the back ground. That’s my bike in the lower right.


Here is another tree from close to the Art Museum. I loved how all the flowers seem to be hanging down in waves.

This huge crab apple is on Penn’s Campus. There is actually rows upon rows of flowering trees there, most of which are now getting past their prime.

Does anyone have a favorite flowering tree or favorite spring flower to share?

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FinallyFast Around the City: Center City

22 Apr

Finally Fast takes a look at Center City Philadelphia

City Hall Philadelphia is the tallest, largest, and most expensive City Hall in the United States. The 15th Street stop is the center hub for much of Philadelphia, and the exit is right next to (one is in the middle of) City Hall.

Next to City Hall is one of my favorite squares. The biggest statue is probably the above one. However the rest of the area is filled with various different game board pieces.

The center one really does look about to fall over doesn’t it.

Sorry, Monopaly, Dominos, Checkers, Bingo: Basically all your favorite games growing up.

Center City and City Hall are great places to visit. There is a lot in the area.

For more information on City Hall, Click Here

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Finally Fast Around the City: Philly Water Works

15 Apr

FinallyFast ‘s Rena takes a look at one of Philadelphia’s Historical Landmarks.

The Philadelphia Water Works is now a restaurant. But when it was built it was the one of the first of its kind water delivery systems in the USA, delivering water to the whole of Philadelphia.

Besides having really amazing architecture, it would influence the creation of the Fairmount Park (to protect the water supply).

Around the water works, there are lots of trails (being just off the Schuylkill Bank Trail). The above is one of my favorites down close to the water.

There is also one of my favorite spiral stair cases near the Water Works. I got vertigo taking the picture above, because I was standing on the staircase looking down. There is something really scary about looking down and being able to see water and concrete way below you.

For more information on the Water Works Restaurant and the Fairmount Water Works, click here.

There is also great information at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretative Center.

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FinallyFast Around the City: Schuylkill Banks & Azalea Garden

8 Apr

This Week FinallyFast ‘s Rena Moore takes us to the Schuylkill Bank Trail and the Azalea Garden

I took a walk down by the Schuylkill River yesterday. It was beautiful, unlike today which is rainy and gross. The river looked wonderful reflecting the lazy clouds above.

The trail runs along the river through Philadelphia, by the Art Museum, by Boat house row, and beyond.

Behind the Art Museum, it runs past the Azalea Garden. Its a little early for the Azalea’s but there are other flowers out.

This is Lamp Rose, one of my favorite spring flowers.

I have no idea what this bush is, but the flowers are little bells.

The garden also has a good number of statues.

This panther just looked so regal, looking out over the grass and flowers.

For more information on the Schuylkill Trail click here.

For more information on the Azalea Garden click here.

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Ooh-La-La: Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts

5 Apr

PIFA

Families, single couples, and anyone else flocking to Philadelphia (home of this very blog and our Finally Fast brand!) in April are in for a very special treat. The one-time-only extravaganza known as the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts is kicking off in spectacular fashion starting April 7, and the party continues for nearly an entire month, to May 1. Throughout, there are an amazing amount of places to explore, food to eat, art to appreciate, activities for young and old, and cultural festivities.

Touted as the “City of Brotherly Love Meets the City of Light,” the theme for the festival is early 20th century Paris—1910 to 1920, to be exact—evoking the spirit of World’s Fairs of yesteryear. Here’s a quick rundown of just a small sample (of a total of 135 events!):

  • An Opening Night Gala on April 7, featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pennsylvania Ballet performing Stravinsky’s Pulcinella (which premiered in Paris in 1920). Dinner courtesy of Wolfgang Puck. Swanky!

  • Fly School Circus is on hand each day of the event, teaching everyone how to express themselves on the daring, dashing, dazzling flying trapeze. Classes are open for everyone six years of age and up. Really, really cool event for the whole family.

  • There are really too many musical events to count: everything from jazz to classical to opera to children sing-a-longs to world music. The Philadelphia Orchestra will of course play a major role throughout the festivities, but there are full orchestras and smaller quartets and such coming in from around the region.

  • Plenty of film events are taking place. My favorites? Wave Upon Wave on April 14, a live multimedia accompaniment to music videos celebrating the fusion of Western and Japanese cultures, and A Night at the Movies, during which two classic silent films are accompanied by live Cole Porter music.

  • In the spirit of the festival’s theme, food will take on distinctly French dimensions, with crepes, happy hour concerts with French music, and wine tastings—and believe me, that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

  • Who Stole the Mona Lisa? Your family will help solve the mystery in an interactive concert bringing together music, animation, and storytelling.

Hopefully this list has whetted your appetite, and you can go to pifa.org for all the event listings and ticket information. Light shows, mural paintings, theater shows, free stuff, cheap stuff—it’s all here, and it would make for one heck of a memorable experience for you and yours. Enjoy!

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Philadelphia

25 Mar

As most of you know the Finally Fast offices are in Philadelphia. Philly is a great place to live and work, whether you like history or just having fun. So instead of showing you more wonderful pictures of how spring is coming along. I thought I would share some of my favorite places over the next couple of weeks.

Elfreth’s Alley: Talk about stepping back in time. the whole row of streets make you feel history.

Its kind of nice to get away from the business of the rest of the city.

Ok I lied here is a little look at what spring is doing.

I was actually surprised that their daffodils were not up, they are in other places around the city.

Check out more on Elfreth’s Alley here.

 

Do you have a favorite place in Philadelphia? (or even your own city?)

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