Vacations don’t have to be expensive ordeals. In fact, with a little imagination, you can plan a series of one or two day mini-vacations all summer long. While a one or two week vacation away may be the ideal way to go, that’s not possible for everyone. So if you cannot take off to Wildwood, Cape May, Rehoboth Beach, or to cozy cabin in the Poconos, here are some ideas.
Take a walk over to the archeological dig near Girard and Richmond Streets. Although the site seems to be closed up for now, that’s no reason not to put on a sun visor or straw hat, pack a camera, and look for something the archeologists may have left behind. Amateur archeology is exciting. I’ve always felt that digging in the earth is anyone’s prerogative (as long as you’re not on federal land, of course), especially if you decided to dig in your backyard and happened to find a Lenni Lenape stone amulet, or a Native American tool set. Finding such gems, of course, would force you to struggle with the question: Do I keep the items or turn them over to the community?
While growing up near a farm in Chester County, I was always hearing stories about how local neighbors were finding Revolutionary War canon balls. While I never found a canon ball, I always wondered what the finders did with them. Perhaps they started their own (down low) home museum.
One of the disadvantages of urban renewal and riverfront development is the conversion of heretofore rustic terrain areas into “polite” garden paths that become overpopulated with cyclists and fellow nature lovers. While a conversion like this is necessary and certainly overdue for Philly’s waterfront, it doesn’t quite fit the bill when you want to take a hike in an isolated area that has the look and feel of real woodland. When you grow up in the country, you never lose your love for isolated forest paths. (There aren’t too many real forests in the city unless you go to Fairmount or Pennypack Park.)
But if faux archeology isn’t your thing, head over to Greensgrow Farms and take a look around, and while you’re at it, pet the pig named Milkshake and look for the Greensgrow signature cat. This might not qualify as a mini vacation but it will certainly get you off your sofa and away from the television set.
Some people get away in their minds by throwing an impromptu “in front of my house” block party with fold up picnic tables, grills, burgers (the delicious veggie burger!), ketchup, mustard, and different kinds of salad. You don’t need to go whole hog and host an official block party; I’m talking a small keg event with one ice bucket where you can put wine or soda. When your mini-party ends you might feel as if you had taken a road trip to Longwood Gardens or Fairmount Park.
Some neighbors of mine did just this not too long ago. They were a group of guys who normally don’t throw picnics—just your average hardcore basketball and hanging on the stoop types—but one day they were inspired, as if Martha Stewart had appeared to them in the clouds, to set up a picnic encampment. There they were, grilling burgers and dogs, flipping the cheese, and arranging paper plates and napkins to accommodate “walk along” guests. This pop-up picnic created a magical atmosphere so that the mood among these guys for the rest of the day and night was harmony plus. They even cleaned up after themselves, which is extraordinary since there were no women or mothers present to direct the show.
If food isn’t your thing, you can always turn yourself into a pop-up community activist.
Some months ago, I witnessed a man doing this along E. Thompson Street. With his broom, shovel, dust pan and bags (into which he put the litter), he was going full speed ahead like a hired contractor, only he was a volunteer—with a smile. When I asked him what inspired him to take on such a project by himself, he said he didn’t have to think about it much. “The mess just needs attention and somebody has to do it,” he said. His demeanor proved without a doubt that work can be a happy endeavor.
When some people think of summer they think of ice cream or frozen custard. If you can manage only a short trip away from your sofa, go to Rita’s Water Ice stand at the shopping plaza, and indulge to your heart’s content, only know that I won’t be joining you because I am a frozen yogurt fan.
If you have a love of clean tunnels, organize a volunteer cleanup for the area under the Belgrade Street overpass bridge near Lehigh Avenue, the area’s most notorious dumping ground, where at any given point one can find old tires, disemboweled car seats, broken appliances, discarded jewelry, dead pigeons, garbage, and broken glass. You may think that cleaning this tunnel is a losing battle, and the sad thing is, you would be right, but to stop trying is to give up.
Make a new friend. We can get into ruts with our selective friendship circles and sometimes don’t see when there’s a new ship on the horizon. Force yourself out of old patterns and invite somebody new for coffee or a beer; suspend fear of the unknown and see where this takes you. Recently I attended the Arts and Business Council Award ceremony at 600 N. Broad Street, and after the presentation there was a reception during which people were encouraged to network or go up to strangers and introduce themselves. I’ve been to a lot of events in the city but this event was by far one of the friendliest I’ve ever attended.
If stoop sitting on a neighbor’s property is your idea of a mini-vacation, then remember to clean up your garbage when you leave. Don’t return a favor with insult. That can only get you “blacklisted.”
Rent a car for the day—Philly Car Share or Zip Car—and take off to the mountains; get out of the neighborhood; leave the familiar, get out of your comfort zone. Take a road trip to the Eastern Shore, to Jim Thorpe, PA, or how about New Hope?
Go to Pennypack Park in the Northeast with picnic paraphernalia and (if you’re daring) take a dip in the creek. Ditto for Devil’s Pool in Fairmount Park near Valley Green where kids have been swimming and diving for decades. While in Valley Green, hike to the waterfall and sit on the rocks by the base of the falls.
Other ideas: Forget visual or music stimulation and pick up a book. Reading is the greatest education. Map out a list of books to read this summer and commit to the project.
Take an old lady or old man on the verge of nursing home admittance to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and a chat.
Take a day trip to 2600 Germantown Avenue and E. Huntingdon Street and inspect the incredible 6 block mural project there. You will see broken down stores and small businesses being transformed before your very eyes as the workers—most previously unemployed kids from that neighborhood—paint the exteriors of buildings that have gone unattended to for years.
If you don’t like anything I’ve suggested, you can always sit on your sofa and wonder why you’re so depressed or unhappy.
