25 January 06: South Street Bridge is A-OK!

You're damn skippy it is! Ain't nothin' wrong no how with that there span across the Skoo-kill. Might as well go dance with a hundred tractor-trailers (or Septa buses), because that's how sturdy it is. In fact, to see how sturdily sturdy its sturdiness is, click the A-OK link below.

Soon as I get two seconds to breathe (or perhaps more from that hot, crowded Boom room o'er Penn way Monday), I'll expand my thoughts on 10 Rittenhouse Square; or rather, the failed fight against it. There's also news of a Trump Tower -- not Nicetown slots license -- that needs exploration. And there are just a slew of topics waiting to be checked off the 2006 list. Oh, and Matt Johnson just went to Manayunk. Do stay tuned, won't you?

And yo: don't forget to stop by Darling's (20th & Pine) for the All Proper Philly Skyline photo show!

–B Love








19 January 06: Go Comcast Go!
Darling's Cafe is the place of the day, so won't you go eat some cheesecake? The All Proper Philly Skyline photo show wants your presence, and John and Harry wouldn't mind seeing you either.

Scannapieco's 1701 (or is it 1706?) Rittenhouse Square is ready to roll, Henry Holcomb reports in the 1/19 Inquirer. (The article mentions that the Sheraton, on the corner of 18th & Locust, is going condo as well.) Now 1706 (which we'll call it since it's on the south side of Rittenhouse Square [Street]) ... it's a mega-high-end luxury tower. Units are in the millions of dollars and it has a robotic car parking garage. And it's a block away from the Square itself. Some wonder if this will impede the chances of Mandeville Place's construction, since it too is for the ultra-luxury bracket -- and it's at 24th & Walnut.

Given a choice, the Philly skyline team would certainly prefer Mandeville Place, based on what we've seen of both towers, and the views would be far better too. Plus there's no one is standing in the way of Mandeville Place, whereas 1706 has both a tower of similar height and a rowhome across the street who both don't want it built. (They love the views of that surface parking lot, don't they?) More news on either project as it develops, but here's hoping we can have both.

Speaking of news, in case you haven't been by the site recently, Comcast Center is a-moving right along. Its core is a good four stories above street level now, and the steel frame can't be that far behind. Be sure to check the Comcast Center section for frequent photo updates.

And don't forget to buckle up for a ride on Vine Street. (Click below!)

–B Love








17 January 06: Happy birthday, Ben
The All Proper Philly Skyline photo show at Darling's Cafe (20th & Pine) wants YOU. So go!

Edan is the visionary. And he introduced me to Vine Street, that longtime northern border of the original city of Philadelphia. It's no longer cohesive enough to be a boundary to anything, but it's still there all right. For a glimpse of how it looks in 2006, click below.

And don't forget to relive an All Proper 2005, or to time warp back to 2003 by clicking Cesar Pelli's head. Other new features are in the works, so keep an eye out, yo.

–B Love








6 January 06: Go to Darling's!
It's 2006 and we're full steam ahead. The All Proper Philly Skyline photo show at Darling's Cafe has garnered compliments and is looking for cash. So stop on by! Darling's is on 20th between Pine and Lombard; it's highly recommended that you get a coffee and a slice of cheesecake, be it of bananas foster or grand marnier or verry cherry or classic persuasion. Do it for local art.

And do it for Mark, whose 2005 review is the top current feature. Click below to enjoy it. Also note that after nearly a year of promises, Southwest Philly has come to the digital age. A set of photos taken April 2004 in the Kingsessing neighborhood has finally been put together. It's right next to Cesar Pelli, whose head will take you to the Penn's Landing 2003 Time Warp.

–B Love






3 January 06: Go to Darling's!
My real live, honest to goodness New Years resolution is to bring the archive to the fore, with a blog-style 'recent posts' dealio. It's long overdue. It'll make stuff like the Spencer-vs-Mahoney Ritz-vs-1441-Chestnut quarrel, the UNnecessity of a "Ben Station", the Murano's earth moving, the slots nonsense, reminders that The Skinny has been updated, Comcast Center stuff, music, cheesesteaks, breakfasts and beers . . . all of these things, a whole lot easier to find. Until then, however:

Stop by Darling's Cafe! At 20th & Pine, everyone's favorite purveyor of original cheesecakes is the place to be in 2006, as the All Proper Philly Skyline collab takes to the streets. Err, the walls, anyway. My photos and Mark's photos are there for your cafe experience enhancement, and for you to take home for a nominal fee should you choose to. For a sneak preview of mine, click the photo essays link above. For a look at Mark's, visit his web site, or click the graphic below and remember 2005 with your champagne and sauer kraut.

Philly skyline, 2006 ho. Happy New Year!

–B Love