24 Hours in Philly

I got to visit a new city this week: Philadelphia!

Unfortunately, I didn't eat any cream cheese or cheesesteaks or pretzels. Nor did I visit Constitution Hall or the Liberty Bell. To be fair, I was only there for 24 hours and it was for work, so, you know, I was working most of the time.

However, I did get to visit two Food Network-approved locales:

First, I picked up a box of brownies for the boys at Flying Monkey in Reading Terminal Market. Ok, they weren't just for the boys - I did include a couple of the Boozer brownies that were recently featured "Kid in a Candy Store." (My kids love Adam Gertler.) They are just as good as the looked on TV, but I need to give a special shout out to the orange brownies because they are so strangely delicious.

And then for dinner, my gracious coworker/tour guide/Philly resident took me to Iron Chef Jose Garces' Distrito. It was love at first sight. Not only is the entire place pink, but we got to eat in a modified VW beetle parked in the front window...it was a little like being a a piece of performance art. Oh, and the food is good, too. Spicy. Honestly, I was content with the pineapple margarita and guacamole, but the Atun ceviche was also ridiculously good. Highly recommended if you're in the area.

The other thing I did on my trip was stay at the Aloft chain of hotels. Have you been? I can't quite figure it out. It's designed as if the reason you stay in hotel is to hang out in the lobby. The lobby is really welcoming, but like a cross between a hip bar and your friend's rec room, and the staff is very casual, like "Hey, what's up?" when you check in. The rooms are very modern and sparse...a little like sleeping in a pod or a nicely decorated dorm room. The dorm room vibe is especially apparent in the middle of the night when all the people who have been hanging out in the lobby come stumbling up to their rooms (it seems like they just didn't bother soundproofing the walls that face the hallway).

I feel conflicted about Aloft. I want to like it for its appearance, but I feel like it's not very nice on the inside. I guess that makes me shallow when it comes to hotels.

So anyway, while this trip to Philly was woefully short on time and historical appreciation, it looks like I'll be back a few times in the coming months, so I feel pretty certain I'll be able to tackle the touristy stuff bit by bit. And probably stay in a different hotel.

Celebrities, Cake and Poorly-Managed Corporate Contests

Did anyone else watch The Celebrity Apprentice last night? I half-expected Candy Finnigan to come strolling into the boardroom. I didn't think it was possible, but I actually felt bad for Dennis Rodman. Not that they weren't all right about him, I just think maybe the intervention could have been held off camera. 

In other TV news (I use that term loosely), I believe that food shows are taking over my life...or, at least, my Tivo. Between Iron Chef, Chopped and Challenge, the Food Network is rivaling Bravo for my affections. 

This "Last Cake Standing" business will likely tip the scales in FN's favor. An elimination-style competition involving fancy cake decorating? It's like the best TV show ever. The only way I think it could possibly be better would be if the chefs had to travel the world, searching for clues that would tell them what to bake and how to decorate their creations...and then they would have to race, while carrying the cakes, to the finish line. Yes, I'm sure that would be a hit.  

Oh, and speaking of the Food Network, one last thing: 

I'm 98% sure we did not win the Welch's Ultimate PB&J Challenge. I have arrived at this conclusion based purely on the fact that I have not received any communication about the contest. Since they mysteriously took the contest website down, I emailed Welch's to try to find out who won and received this form letter (please note that I emailed them on March 26):

Thank you for contacting Welch's.

On our about March 25, 2009 representatives from the Food Network Kitchen and the Welch’s team, will review each of the Finalist Submissions and rank finalists and select (1) overall Grand Prize winner. The decision of the judges will be final and binding in all matters. The winner will be confirmed by U.S. mail and/or telephone and must meet all eligibility requirements including the timely execution and return of all necessary releases and documents required by sponsors.

We hope this information is helpful.

No, it's really not. But what I am deducing is that a winner was contacted and they must now wait to receive all of that winner's "necessary releases and documents" back before they can announce anything. Aside from being bummed about not winning, I just think the whole contest could have been managed better. I mean, they've got everyone's email addresses, would it be too much trouble to inform us that a winner has been chosen and that it wasn't us? Apparently. Oh well, better luck next time. 

But, seeing as Welch's clearly isn't very interested in retaining the customers it may have attracted with this contest, let's all feel free to buy whatever brand of jelly we want. I'm kind of partial to Smucker's Simply Fruit. 

Yes, I'm a little bitter.

Allez cuisine!

Consider this a heads up. My family is entering a soon-to-be-named contest. It required us to make a video featuring a certain name brand condiment.

Normally my husband would opt out of such things, but the details of what we could win (free trip and more!) and a quick scan of the current entries convinced him to join up this time.

Which is how we found ourselves acting out a no-budget version of Iron Chef America in our kitchen yesterday afternoon…we could call it Iron Sandwichmaker America. Oh, but the way we hacked at that bread with the giant knife…the artistry of our plating...I fully expect to awake to TV executives knocking at our door tomorrow…or whenever it is that my husband finishes his fancy video editing (he went to art school, you know) and we get the thing posted.

So stay tuned. Your participation will be requested…soon, I hope.