May 22, 2024: Portraits -

After our visit to Washington, D.C., last month, we went to Philadelphia, and we had an equally great time there. As in DC, people were super helpful. One of us would unfold a map (our phone map apps had trouble finding us in Philly, so: paper maps). And inevitably, passers-by would stop and offer assistance.

It came to me that we are now a Cute Old Couple, which is not entirely a bad thing

Basically, the trip was a love fest. A dear friend took the train in from New Jersey and met us for an uproarious evening of beers. I obliviously cut in front of a guy at the bar and he was gracious as could be. Fellow guests joshed with us in the weird hotel elevator. 

A waitress even inexplicably complimented my outfit. (I was in Haute Touriste: tennis shoes, a bag bandoliered cross-body, a huge (suddenly unneeded) rain jacket tied around my waist, a second, bulging bag over my shoulder, a strange hat. She said, “Oh, I LIKE your STYLE.” I mean, come on.)

The only friction we saw was at our last brunch, when we were seated right next to a young couple who were not getting along. They were having a “Do you like X?” conversation, and No, they did NOT both like any X. She became progressively more fond of pixies; he went into wanna-be Philosophy professor mode, lecturing her about phenomenology.

(I struggled to describe their stances, here, so I asked Rick, “Remember that couple sitting next to us at that brunch in Philly?” He said, “I am trying to forget them.” I said, “Okay, but in the meantime, could I characterize their conflict as Pixies vs Phenomenology?” He allowed that was close enough.)

We couldn’t do much but eat, overhear them, look at our phones, and occasionally flash a look at each other. We silently established that she was Out There, and he was a jerk. I did managed to pass Rick a note:

And then I opened up our guidebook so we could decide where we were going next, and she turned our way and was not just likable, but full of good advice. She enthusiastically sent us off to the Barnes Foundation (“One THOUSAND per cent!”), which we loved. 

 Modigliani, Boy in Sailor Suit

(They have one of the most user-friendly art museum websites I’ve seen, if you want to poke around.)

Matisse, Red Madras Headdress

 Toulouse-Lautrec, A Montrouge

 Soutine, The Pastry Chef

All of the portraits here are from the Barnes, except the two dancers surrounded by teal. They are mine. I don't think they are headed to the Barnes, but I've been trying to do a few humans lately, and I realized that they remind me of that couple at the next table. 

I doubt there was a second date, but then again, it's possible that the sparring was just their dance.