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Thanks for stopping by Phillystine, my on-again, off-again personal blog.
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The life of Jesus in Christmas lights
What’s this? Why,it’s an animated Christmas light Jesus flogging. Frankly, I find this display a disconcerting piece of Americana. The above picture is part of an annual spectacle in Blue Springs, Missouri. Guided by smiling gingerbread men, visitors drive through a subdivision and see lights that depict the life of Jesus–everything from his birth to […]
Wanamaker Light Show: is the magic tree gone for good?
Pictured above is the 2004 Center City Philadelphia Lord & Taylor holiday light show (formerly the Wanamaker light show). Wouldn’t it look better with a big magic Christmas tree, some colored fountains, and a Santa train with animated wheels? I think so too. Alas, for the past few years we’ve watched as crucial elements of […]
Philadelphia Cereality
A few weeks ago, Philadelphia made national news by being the second city in the United States to boast a Cereality location. In case you missed it, Cereality is a fast food place that specializes in, uh, cereal. Not surprisingly, both the Philadelphia Cereality and the original Cereality in Arizona are located on or near […]
Arts pick: society’s most troubling problems
Today’s arts pick is a masterpiece that represents some of society’s most troubling problems. Though constructed of material commonly associated with childhood and innocence, the piece is an abstraction of the segregation and bigotry that pervade our culture. The artist has chosen an unusual medium for this picture, one originally intended to act as a […]
Good Grief! beer and cheese party tips
I finally had the beer and cheese party this weekend. Here are a few strategies for hosting your own beer and cheese shindig (Apartment Therapy published some helpful holiday party tips last month, but a few important guidelines were missing). That citronella torch fuel you spilled on the deck last summer never really went away–it […]
Shout out to the Trappist monks
You know what I’ve been learning as part of my cheese education? That a lot of cheese originates from those crazy Trappist monks, the same folks who are responsible for many fine beers. Thanks, Trappist monks! As Clair says, you are some righteous dudes.