Unlike my usual early morning blogging, I'm writing this in the afternoon. Got home an hour ago from my weekend with Mary Ellen M. in Philly and what a fabulous time we had. On Friday morning, I drove to her son's house in Manahawkin, where she met me after the closing on the property she sold in Barnegat Light. We stopped in Medford for lunch at the Blue H 2--I guess it's a play on "H2O"--where I had an excellent fresh tuna dish. Got to her condo, freshened up, then we went out to the Philadelphia Festival of the Arts. We watched the setups for Saturday's events, which included a children's "park" with sod, flowers, and topiary animals. Freshened up back at her place, then walked the block or so to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and saw a terrific light show at a replica (about 50 feet high) of the Eiffel Tower in the lobby. We ate there, too, at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Went home to relax and talk and enjoy the bell-ringing we could hear easily from her balcony and living room.
Mary Ellen is selling her condo on the tenth floor to buy another on the thirty-seventh. Her R.E. agent came with the prospective buyer, a young doctor at Jefferson, and then took us up to see the new place.
I have never--never!-- in my life seen such a place. You walk in the door and gasp at practically a panoramic view of the city, including a huge expanse of the river and three bridges, the magnificent old Bellevue Hotel, and a side angle of William Penn on City Hall. It's just incredible. She won't be in until the summer and plans an open house to celebrate and hey--I wanna go.
On Saturday, we spent most the day at the fair, which was hoppin' on a gorgeous spring day, flooded with sunshine. We sampled wines and bought a bottle each, talked to little theatre people at their stands, and generally did all the fun things you do at a street fair. Went to a nearby park later, then ate at a bar and grille called "Parc." I had Salad Nicoise, although I had had tuna on Friday, but I didn't care.
Strolled back to M.E.'s and sat talking about a range of subjects for hours. She had been a nun for three years and we discussed religion, as well as her marriage which ended after 40 years. At 6:30, we went back to the street to see the French bell-ringers, who also, as well as I can understand, were hoisted up by a huge crane to ring in the heavens--or something. I didn't see that part, because after an hour and fifteen standing in the midst of thousands--certainly five thousand--people, I told M.E. I was going to stand up against a building instead, as I got a litle claustrophoic. It worked out fine because I went in the bar and grille and asked if I could sit in the waiting area with a beer. They were okay with that and I sipped my brew, and stayed there while poor M.R. was out in the fray. (She said the police and an ambulance was called--don't know how they could get through--because a man near her had had a panic attack and needed treatment. He was taken to the hospital.
We found each other after and went to yet another fabulous--and expensive--restaurant right across the street from her called "Estia." We both had swordfish and it was superb. (However, I shudder to think how much I spent over the weekend.)
M.E. was going to a shower for her niece in Waretown, so we left early and got back down to Manahawkin about 10:00. Said goodbye with many thanks.
NOTE: I mentioned to M.E. my high school journalism teacher, Sister Gabriel, whom I contacted a few years ago. (She left the convent years ago and lives in Florida.) ME. believes Sister Gabriel had been her teacher, too, in--I think--Perth Amboy. Would love to find out if she had been there--any readers have a clue?