So, despite what feels like a mountain of school work, I made time yesterday to go to my first
First Friday. I left my dorm around 6:30 and headed for the nearby subway station, where I ran into Kenan (a cool guy) and a bunch of people from my dorm who were also going to the same spot. We talked for a bit and I kind-of coerced Kenan into taking my crazy scarf - i had brought tit with me in hopes of eschewing it upon someone, and he was the lucky victim. Kenan and i boarded a different car - he was going to an opera - and got so wrapped up in conversation, I didn't realize - I had missed my transfer! I had to wait for a car in the other direction.
Getting off at spring-garden station, I realized, I had no fucking clue as to where I ought to be going. so i got to street level, oriented myself (I had my wisdom teeth taken out at the office right by the subway entrance) and walked all the way to the convention center, looking for a bus that might take me where i ought to be going. I ended up taking the 48 (I had bought a transfer ticket at the first subway station)and finally made it to Penn's Landing, only to realize - I could have just taken the Market-Frankford line and saved myself a dollar. :(
Nonetheless, I was there! I spent the entire evening tromping up and down 2nd street between Market and Arch. Stopped at
Brave New Worlds, a truly classy comic shop I've heard nice things about. And it was nice indeed - definitely felt like a boutique, without being snotty, and still had all the necessary traipses of comic geekery.
And as for the actual art galleries:
What definitely interested me most, out of all the things I saw this evening, were the street artists. There were lots of performers but also probably two dozen people just sitting out on curbs with there work on blankets and tables, hocking to the general public. and some of the stuff was absolutely beautiful - one girl, whose card i took but lost, was selling jewelry made form epoxy preserved fruit. Another guy was selling Dr. Who inspired Tshirts and other pop culture prints and whatnot. and there were plenty more just selling their work, in all sizes. it was super inspiring! I bought a cute pair of zebra-print ribbon earrings from some ladies, because I hadn't brought money for more - and it was a good thing too, because i would have bought every other piece on the street!
last but not least a stopped at some of the bookstores - the Book Trader and another whose name escapes me. The former had a very expansive collection, all used items and the whole place smelled like old paper, yum. :)
I decided to head back around 9, but walked up Market street first - past
Smak Parlour, a totally high end boutique that had cute, fresh clothes that i could never afford in my lifetime, and on the next block,
Artist & Craftsman, definitely the coolest and most well stocked independent art store in which I've ever set foot. It was a little more pricey than some of the small chain competitors in the area, and less convenient relative to where I am in the city, but I'll have to go back sometime and actually buy something>w<
When I finally found another subway station (5th and Market was closed for construction or some nonsense, so i had to go all the way over to 8th Street!) I did okay, but ended up waiting around half an hour at City Hall Station for a train that was never coming - There was a Flyer's game and the local line had been shut down, or something. at that point I noticed I had left the Hall, or at least thought I left the Hall, with my trusty Pokewalker, which was nowhere to be found. I was completely pissed but figured i could find a new one online.I ran into a couple people from my dorm again -Abby, Derek, and a girl whose name escapes me - who had been waiting for the same damned car too. We made it back a little after 10, and after unsuccessfullly attempting to get food at Temple's "Free Food and Fun Fridays" (they ran out of food) I went and just got food at the cafeteria. Ran into more people from Peabody there, and we had a nice chat. over our late dinner.
In the wee hours of the morning I found the Pokewalker - fell off my pants when i was tying my shoes or something before I had left earlier. It was sitting in a pile of laundry on the floor.
and I cut my hair!
Pics to come as soon as i get them uploaded.
