Princeton Trip - Alex Mannherz

Although I have been in and around the Princeton area many times and I had never really taking the time to walk through the town and really discover what it had to offer. So, this trip and the planning that took place before provided me with a good opportunity to get to know the town of Princeton. In our days of research, my partner, Kyle Capello, and I picked out a few of the places in Princeton that seemed the most interesting to visit. By time we set out on our afternoon adventure into Princeton on Monday, April 14, we had already developed a loose itinerary that we had planned to follow. This plan began with arriving in Princeton, and then continuing on to several different places. I was to be the driver and we would find whatever parking was available. We wanted to walk through the Princeton before continuing into the main area of the town. We wanted to head through Palmer Square as it seemed to be the most recognizable part of the town. Next, we planned to stop at either Thomas Sweets or Halo Pub, depending on what our desire for sweets was at the time. Then we had decided that our next stop was to visit the historic graveyard. We knew that there were many famous people buried here, but we were not completely sure how we were going to find these specific graves. After that we planned to loop back towards the Princeton University campus and visit the Princeton record exchange. Our next stop would be a local eatery. Our final destination was supposed to be the Princeton Battle Field State Park before we embarked on the short return back to the Peddie Campus.
Our trip began exactly as planned as we arrived in Princeton and parked right next to the university campus. We walked through the campus on our way to Palmer square. The architecture through out the campus was stunning and it was interesting to once again walk through such a historic and renowned university. When I looked at Nassau Hall I remembered a story that Mr. Clements had told us sophomore year about how Nassau Hall was bombarded with cannons in the revolutionary war by the Continental Army because the British forces had taken it over. As a walked through the main gates of Princeton I thought about the legend that Princeton students who walk through the center gates before graduation will not graduate. We then continued through Palmer square. I was surprised at how friendly the people in the town were as several different people waved and said hello to us. It created a really friendly environment that seemed to carry through the afternoon.
We decided we were in the mood for some quality ice cream so we headed into Halo Pub. We waited for a couple of minutes because no server was present. But when we received our ice cream, it was worth the wait. I enjoyed my cookie dough chocolate chip ice cream as we walked the short distance to the graveyard. We found the entrance to the graveyard we also found a much needed map that showed the locations of the graves of the famous people who were buried in the graveyard. Walking through the graveyard was a very creepy experience because it was uncomfortable to think that we were constantly walking over the bodies of dead people. I stopped for a minute specifically at the grave of Aaron Burr. It was very unique experience to stand over the tombstone of such a prominent historical figure. After we walked around the graveyard for awhile we left to head for the Princeton record exchange. We stopped quickly in the record exchange and I was able to get the vibe of it’s old school nature. I have never seen so many CD’s one store and I am glad that we took a quick look into the store.
Finally, as our day was winding down we decided that we would get some local food for the road. We canceled our plans to visit the Battlefield State Park because it was a little far away, and we were both tired from the days activities and walking. So, instead, we headed to Hoagie Haven to pick up some sandwiches for dinner before heading back to Peddie. I had never actually been to Hoagie Haven but I had heard a lot about it from my friends who lived around the Princeton area. I decided to stay away from more famous items such as the “Phat Lady” or the “Heart Stop” and order a large roast beef hoagie. It was delicious and filling as it lasted me throughout the remainder of the night. Overall, our trip to Princeton was a great success. We were able to view the local places and sample the local foods while touring the great town.

Philadelphia Alternative: Princeton, NJ

It was a sunny spring day as Alex Manherz, I, and a local Princetoneon friend descended into the beautiful town of Princeton, NJ, home to the renowned Princeton University campus. Our first stop along our journey was the University campus, elegantly situated near the center of Princeton. The campus was beautiful on this spring day, and walking through it was very cool to say the least. After about twenty minutes of exploring what the University has to offer, we decided to grab something small to eat. Alex and I had been told a lot about a famous little ice cream shop called "Halo Pub", and after consulting a map we found our way to the shop. The outside of the ice cream parlor resembled a quaint bar or pub nestled in the center of the town. We all got some ice cream and made our way towards the Princeton Cemetery, the burial grounds to many famous Americans including Aaron Burr. There we found hundreds of graves, some even dating back to the 17th century. I found it amazing that there were people buried beneath my feet that lived through huge turning points in American history. After leaving the cemetery, Alex, the local, and myself stopped by the famous Princeton Record Exchange, known for their cheap cds and dvds. After this short visit, we intended to explore the Princeton battlefield, but just as we were determining which way to head, we were hit with hunger, and decided to find some local food. We stopped at a hoagie shop called "Hoagie Haven". This unique restaurant had all sorts of hoagie sandwiches, including my new favorite, and the one I ordered that day, known as the "Phat Lady"; a sandwich consisting of mozzarella sticks, French fries, and cheese steak strips. After consuming this amazing sandwich, we determined that we should head back to base as it was getting late. Our trip to Princeton was both educational and interesting, and most importantly: fun.

Philadelphia Trip - Sean

My partners, Dennis Briggs and Jackie Wang, and I had planned out our path to a T. We would get dropped off at City Hall and quickly go north into the Masonic Temple. Afterwards we would wander around Chinatown and take in the unique environment that Philadelphia’s Chinatown was sure to emanate. After walking down Race Street, the main street of Chinatown, we would go into the Chinatown Metro Station located at the corner of Race and 8^th Street. We would pay the two dollars per person to ride the subway and transfer three lines in order to get to our destination of the Lombard-South Station. From there we would walk down one of Philadelphia’s more lively, homely streets, South Street, and go to one of the best Philly Cheesesteak places in all the world, Jim’s Steaks. From there our group would head to the oldest established African American church in the United States. At the Bethel A.M.E. church we would roam around and witness the common day occurrences in one the cornerstones of African American religion in the United States. After walking around the Bethel A.M.E. church our plan was to go to north into Old City, where the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the oldest residential street in the United States were located. From Old City our trio would then head to our final destination, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Oh, how our plans differed when executed.

For starters, what was previously believed to be a bright and sunny day perfect for a trip to Philly turned out to be a cold, windy, and ,at least in the beginning, rainy day. This caused Jackie to dismay because she was cold throughout the entire trip and constantly wanted to venture inside during what was planned to be a mostly outdoors journey. Then, due to apparently bad planning on my part, the Masonic Temple we had planned on visiting turned out to be closed due to reservations and seemed like it had been for quite some time, whoops. This led to a sooner than intended trip to Chinatown. In Chinatown we had, thankfully, a pleasant surprise. One of the buildings was throwing a grand opening ceremony and had performers executing a dragon dance to the beat of a drum. We were cordially invited by one of the photographers at the event to go inside and visit. All of us were glad to take in the experience. After entering the building I found out that the place was a new salon called the “Angel Face Spa Salon”. The first I noticed after entering was odd, but a very interesting cultural experience. Inside the salon they were serving beverages and had an entire cooked pig carcass that a Chinese man was cutting up. Normally I would be a little confused about why cutting up a pig inside a hair salon would be a good advertising ploy but because of the occasion I decided the heck with my negative thoughts. After taking in the exuberant atmosphere Jackie, Briggs, and I left the building after taking business cards and thanking the owner for the pleasant time. Next up, second goof up in the itinerary. After walking down Race Street we could not find the Station that our map had shown was there. So with a quick executive decision our set went towards Old City which was relatively close. In Old City we wanted to go and visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall but decided it would be better not to wait in the long lines of tourists surrounding them. Instead we entered the Independence Hall visitor center and asked the teller where we could find the nearest subway station that would take us to the Lombard-South Station. He kindly pointed us in the right way and gave us directions which we sadly botched up three seconds after exiting the building. Asking a police officer on the street where we could find the nearest subway station he pointed us to the next block where we proceeded to pick the wrong entrance to subway three times in a row. Then our trio spent around 15 minutes inside the station thinking that all the trains passing by were express when in actuality they were all stops. After finally exiting at our intended destination we ambled through South Street and took in the essence of true Philadelphia. And then we went to one of the largest tourist spots in Philly. At Jim’s Steaks we waited for around half an hour in order to get our Cheese steak. While waiting I noticed all of the famous people who had been there and had written small recommendations and support back to Jim’s. I also saw the scores for the record holders on most Cheese steaks eaten in a duration of time. The Philly cheese steak was delicious as one would expect and we quickly headed out towards the Bethel A.M.E. church. When we reached the church we were greeted with a pleasant surprise, the wife of the bishop of the church Susan Leath who kindly invited us into the basement which contained a museum of the history of the founder of the church and of the church itself. She gave us a small private introduction to the museum with little bits of information and then sent us on our way with a smile and a plethora of great information. From there we headed to the Vietnam Veterans memorial and finding we still had over an hour of time, ambled around the general area and then took a rest in the Hyatt Hotel in order to collect our thoughts and mull over the fascinating journey we had just experienced.

Verk-@-Lerk's Explortion Philly style

Before I went on the trip to Philly I talked to many people who were familiar with the area to give me some advice on where to go, what to see, you know the stuff only locals would know. First, I talked to Mr. Malay, who told me some of the best restaurants in Philly along with some of the stuff, that one going to Philadelphia I had to check out. So before I left Philly I had a pretty good understanding of some stuff where I knew I had to go but I also new in the back of my mine that some of my most memorable stuff that will happen during my adventure will not be able to be planed out before hand but spontaneously happen.

It feels like the weeks flies by and April 5 is already here. I was so excited the night before the trip that I ended up staying up very late the Saturday night before. Therefore, after hitting my snooze button on my alarm clock numerous times, I woke up and it was already 10:12 knowing that Mr. Wood said we were leaving 10:22 sharp. So I get of bad pronto throw some clothes on thinking that it was going to be a nice day and headed to the bus. After hustling over to the bus, I got some great travel advice from Mr. Wood telling me that it would be a good idea to change my shorts and throw some pants on that might be a little warmer. Therefore, I ran back to my room turbo speed quickly found a pair of pants lying on the ground threw them on and headed back to the bus.

Finally, the trip had officially begun, and we were off leaving Peddie Campus and headed to a place I had never been before.

When we finally got to Philly after a longer than expected bus ride the first thing I noticed is the whether was terrible. The air feels so dirty when it rains in the city. Right off, the bat Pym and I had no clue where to go, so we just followed the crowd of our classmates for the first ten minutes until we realized that we should pull out our map and find the way to our first destination, CHINA TOWN. I had never actually been to any sort of china town before but I thought with Pym’s expertise in the Asian culture that she would be able to communicate well with the locals in china town. We ended up doing a large circle around one building and then we made a quick pit stop at the terminal market. While Pym was getting a crape I decided to do my own little bit of exploring around the market. First, I stopped and got to giant cookies, one peanut butter and one chocolate chip. I have to see they were both two of the better cookies I have had in awhile. Next, I was looking for some real food, something that would shut my stomach up from all the growling it did on the bus ride for missing brunch that morning. I saw this deli in the back that said Philadelphia’s best hoagies so I knew I had to try them out. Looking at the board to find out what to order I randomly said a Turkey Italian sandwich (thinking it was one sandwich on the board when it was actually two different sandwiches one turkey and one Italian). The sandwich maker gives me a weird looks and says, “What do you mean.” Acting as if I knew what I saying all along, “You know an Italian sandwich with some turkey on it.” The sandwich ended up being very good and I would say better than the sandwich than I had at hoagie heaven the day before. So after I got my grub down the pipe and my stomach was no longer singing me a song it was time to get on to our original trip to china town.

I knew we were getting close to china town when I started seeing only Asians pass us on the side of the street. China town felt to me like a whole different country. I went into a store and tried talking to the cashier and he responded to me in a foreign language acting as if I knew how to speak it. I noticed that most of the stores banners were red and that red was the predominant color in China town.

So we kept on walking down the road going into a store here and their but the China town road came to an end and the stores began to look more American again. I was trying to make a visit to Philadelphia not another country so we decided to go to one of the historical sites that America was famous for and that was the liberty bell. After a kinda long line we got into the museum and I immediately skipped all the reading junk and headed right to the actual bell. It was a big let down and the bell was much smaller and less cool than I expected. So with the liberty bell be a miss we headed to Washington Square to hope to check out some locals doing what they do on a Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, Washington Square was about as bleak as center campus during the winter term. None at all was their and the only people in it were us. So after that I needed some action. I had seen these historic sites but I wanted to see the locals. I had done the travel but not some much the discovery.

Our next stop was South Street. Now this is the place the locals hang out. It was full of cool stores and young people. We went by this store that looked like a junkyard from the outside but was a fine piece of art inside. We even met the person who created the art called Isaac plus I even got a picture with him.
After traveling down South Street to get to the water we decided it would be cool to go on a WWII submarine. The submarine was so small I realized that my height was not good for the low ceiling and I bumped my head a couple times. I cant imagine that people would be cramped up in the little sub for over 80 days.

It worked out perfectly that after the submarine tour that the Vietnam memorial was just across the street. Instead of just going to the Vietnam memorial for just pick up we were able to check it out and actually read some of the stuff on the walls. After chilling at the Vietnam memorial for a good 15 minutes it was time to go and I adventure to Philly had finished and I had discovered a lot about the city.

Carolyn- Philly Trip

Heading into our trip, Ming and I planned to hit three or four major points of interest in Philadelphia. After being dropped off at City Hall, we planned on exploring the area a bit and then working our way up to the Reading Terminal Market. At the market, we hoped to interact with different people and maybe get some lunch at a small café or cheese steak place there. Then, we planned on crossing over into Chinatown and again talking with locals and traveling around the town. After Chinatown, Ming and I were going to walk down 5th street in hopes to see the Liberty Bell. Depending on our time situation, we were going to either walk or take a bus down to the Vietnam memorial and explore that area if there was any time left over.
In actuality, Ming and I ended up going off course and as a result, we saw some interesting people and sights. To kick off our trip on a rainy and miserable day, we got lost. After talking to a local man on a bike, we got redirected and ended up passing City Hall again. After walking a couple of blocks, we noticed the Reading Terminal Market, which thankfully turned out to be indoors. I couldn’t help but smile as I walked through the doors because the smells and sights were familiar and welcoming. I saw little stands everywhere accompanied with stools and lots of food. I was overwhelmed by all the different types of food and cultures represented in such a small area. After buying a chocolate chip muffin for two dollars, Ming and I headed off in search for China Town and the Chinese Friendship Gate. Chinatown was small yet busy and full of life. We not only went to a traditional Chinese gift shop, but we also went to a Chinese bakery where I was hit with a distinct and strong scent of bread, rolls, and dessert tarts. After Chinatown, Ming and I decided to explore Liberty Bell and the general historical area. After waiting in a line for about 10 minutes behind a particularly unfriendly American woman, we finally got to see a museum dedicated to the Liberty Bell. Seeing the liberty bell was exciting, but for some reason I always pictured it to be gigantic in size. Afterwards, we ate in a food court and then proceeded to explore historical Philadelphia. It was rather nice to see Washington Square and statues dedicated to men who died in wars that shaped the way our country is today. We also heard from other travelers that South Street would be an interesting place to see, so we heading off in that direction and only had to stop for directions twice. Although the walk was longer than I expected, it was worth it. I got to see an area of Philly where people live. On our way to South Street, we noticed an eye sore which turned out to be the highlight of my trip. Philadelphia’s Magic Garden mesmerized me and forced me to take a closer look. The garden was actually mosaic art filled with ordinary objects that were turned into something dazzling. We met Isaiah Zagar, who started the Gardens in 1968. He was openly friendly and fun to talk to. The rest of South Street reminded me of something that I might find in New York City. The street was very urban and very busy. At the end of South Street was Penn’s Landing, which was beautiful. Real ships were restaurants, and a hotel was even formed in the shape of a boat. After walking along the water, Ming and I crossed the street to the Vietnam Memorial, where our trip ended. I got back on the bus and was able to rest my tired feet from walking all day.

Pim's trip to Philadelphia

Prior to the trip, I had a rough plan to mainly go to the Reading terminal market, Chinatown, Liberty Bell and other historic sites around there. I did not have an exact plan because I decided that I would stop wherever I want, and hopefully I would find some interesting places along the way. Also, I wanted to walk all through the trip, because walking would make it easier to see the local’s life and stop by whenever I want.

On my trip to Philadelphia, I started off walking from City Hall to the Reading Terminal Market. It was raining and the map got wet. I finally arrived at the market to find that some of the shops were closed on Sunday. However, there were still lots of people and many shops selling everything from Chocolate to flowers. After walking around for a while, however those chocolate were tempting, I decided to try Nutella Strawberry Banana Crepe at Profi’s Creperie. Watching the crepe being made was fun, and the crepe was pretty good, hot, crispy and sweet. At the shop, I talked to the lady sitting next to me. She was from Connecticut and was on an art trip to art museums and conferences in the city. After I finished the crepe, I headed over to Chinatown.
At Chinatown there were numerous Chinese restaurants, bakeries that sold bubble tea, my favorite dessert, and several Thai restaurants. Unfortunately, I was too full to eat more noodles or Peking Duck, although they smelled really good and authentic. There were also souvenir shops, with the owner who only speaks Chinese, selling different Chinese stuffs such as the traditional dress, bamboo fans, red lanterns, and jade jewelry. The markets there sold vegetables, fruits and ingredients I am familiar of in Thailand.
From the Chinatown, after several wrong turns, I arrived safely at the liberty bell. The line in front of the museum was pretty long, but what’s inside was worth waiting. I walked through the exhibit of the bell’s history to the Liberty Bell itself at the end of the exhibit hall. Although I expected the Bell to be larger than it actually was, it was not the size of the bell, but the story and people behind it that made this bell so special and inspiring.
Afterwards, I wanted to see the Washington square I researched on the internet. According to the website, there will be people, families and friends hanging around at the square, so I thought would be a good idea to go there to see the locals’ lives. Unfortunately, maybe because it was Sunday, or because it was chilly and windy outside, me and my partner were the only people at the square that afternoon. However, Washington’s statue, the fire in front of him, and the trees with flowers of different shades were also great sights to see.
After the long walk on quiet streets and being disappointed by the Washington square, I wanted to see people, crowded shops and real stuffs going on at South Street. I walked past many lovely neighborhoods with red-bricks houses and beautiful gardens before arriving at the lively South Street. There were all kinds of shops on the street ranging from seafood restaurants, shopping places, again Thai restaurants, hair salons or tattoo shops. Then on the right side of the road I spotted a weird-looking building with mirrors, colored tiles, bottles, wheels, dishes, and other different items glued on the wall. I crossed the street to take a closer look at those strange walls and realized that it was the Philadelphia’s Magic Garden, containing mosaic art works. This was what I was looking for on the trip, something unexpected that showed up as I just wandering around the city. With no hesitation, I paid 3 dollars for the so-called donation and went inside the building. I was lucky enough to meet the artist Isaiah Zagar himself and talk with him about his work and inspiration. I walked around the maze of this mosaic work and felt that it was very creative and unique. I came out of the gallery, knowing what I want to write for my article.My last destination is the Independence Seaport Museum on the river bank. The ticket was 10 dollars for a tour inside the Becuna submarine and the Olympia ship. Life of the navy at war was unimaginable for me until I went inside those ships and see for myself. Because the guns, torpedoes, kitchens, toilets, beds or operation rooms on the ships were still well preserved, I could get the sense of the stress, harshness, and inconvenience that the officers might felt during their operations.

Ming@Philly

We got off the bus from Philadelphia City Hall, and heading to the Reading Terminal Market. First we were on the wrong direction, but it is ok. Reading Terminal Market is awesome. Basically we can find all kinds of food there. We sat down and had a rest. Then we headed to Chinatown. We found a Chinese restaurant called “Ming Restaurant”, which is really annoying. We went through the Chinese Friendship Gate, and visited some Asian market. The shopkeeper doesn’t speak English at all, which surprised me. Then we walked to see the Liberty Bell. I though it should be at somewhere outdoor, but it was moved to the Liberty Bell Center. We waited in line for 10 minutes. The center was boring, but finally we got to see the Bell. Then we went to the Independence Visitor Center, and I got a little liberty bell. Carolyn ate her lunch there. We met Mr. Wood there.
After that, we had a Long walk to South Street. At the same time, we passed by some really nice neighborhoods. They are quiet, and very clean. We also visited Franklin Square and some other squares on our way to South Street. The flame at Franklin Square never goes out, which is unbelievable. Finally is the best part of the day! We passed by Philadelphia’s Magic Garden by chance, and luckily we met the Mosaic Mural Artist Isaiah Zagar, who started to work on his Magic Garden in 1968. Now he is still keep on working his Amazing art work. Mr. Zagar uses all materials like beer bottles, toilet, weight scale, glasses to build this garden. It is really beautiful on a sunny day. By the way, the weather was a lot better in the afternoon. Later we went through the South Street, and there are all kinds of stores there. It is definitely a multi-cultural street, with Chinese, Thai, Mexico, Japanese, India restaurants, ice-cream stores, grocery stores, etc. It is definitely a good shopping place. After a long walk on South Street, we arrived at Vietnam War Memorial on time. Then we saw somewhere on a big fire on our way back to Peddie.
We were really tired after a long walk, but lots of fun! Most of the time, we were following our plan, except when we were walking through the South Street and visit the Magic Garden. Both of them were accidentally discovered by us on our way to Vietnam Memorial Center.