EARTH DAY

Today is Earth Day, a day many people get involved in Earth activities or it gets swept under the carpet. I have always loved the day. It's a day to celebrate annually, though we should be caring for Mother Earth daily It's a day to highlight environmental protection and promote sustainability. The day can feature many things to get involved with, or we can just change our ways to protect and serve, like neighborhood tree plantings, creating a bird or bee habitat, liter pickups, or just unplugging things not in use frequently or turning off lights and things when not in a room, using grocery reuseable bags or a market basket INSTEAD of those dreaded damn plastic bags! I never go to the farmers market without my trusty basket to put everything in. Or it could be as simple as donating to so many various animal and environmental charities and agencies. I got a small group of us at work to go today to a park in Mechanicsburg to do a litter pick up, and once home, it's a day to make an extra contribution to several of the charities I belong to. Since I was in Philly for the weekend, another great way to have a fun day and do something to make a difference is look into your local parks!!!

I'm amazed at the parks in Philadelphia, which has almost over 63 park spaces in and around the city...Fairmount Park being one of the largest urban landscaped park systems in the US. So, this year I decided my new charity to give to this year is Friends of Rittenhouse Square, since I can't be there in person. I saw a booth this weekend and signed up. Rittenhouse Square, which is the fourth oldest park in the US, is like many other parks in the county. They need care and help, maintaining and improving to keep them around for our respite. Friends of Rittenhouse work tirelessly to help transform the Square into a place of peace and inspiration like litter removal, cleaning graffiti, planting flowers, weeding, and tending to gardens, clearing leaves, mowing lawns...or just donating or volunteering time, to a fund or group if they have one, and some parks even have benches you can buy and have placed in memory of someone. Our parks are more important than ever, what with urban crawl and development, or funds being cut off completely to maintain them. All these photos are fine example of parks in Philly I have taken over the years.

So many ways to give, or donate money or time too this Earth Day. Time to protect the environments and our animal and insect world before it's too late. Here are my primary groups I usually give too on Earth Day.

 

The Sheldrick Trust

The Nature Conservancy

National Audubon Society

World Wildlife Fund

And if interested in parks, check out your Parks and Recreations section of your local or city's website to see if they have a donations section or have a volunteer program.

And Happy Earth Day!

🌳🌼🌳🌼🌳🌼🌳

THE GEMS OF PHILADELPHIA

 

It was another glorious weekend here at the Casa du Borghese as witnessed above, and contrary to my Social Director, Anita Moorecock, was not passed out, on or under a chaise lounge!!! Yes, there was a wee touch of being hung, but I have also been busy getting steamer trunks ready for packing. Thank goodness Ming was here to entertain. In the meantime, two weeks ago while in Philly, I took a slew of pictures to share. Philly is a great walking city, with much to see and do along the way. Before you know it, your at your destination. But sometimes there is plenty too see and do un-planned. Here are some of my favorite mill abouts, or things I enjoy seeing for no reason other than a relaxing time.

 

Love Park has been a hot spot for a weekend hangout. There is much hot men watching, street musicians to be heard, and a couple close by eateries for a nibble. And not to mention on a hot day...it's a great place to cool off with that spectacular fountain, and it's cooling mist....

 

 

After getting in town sometimes I enjoy a good breakfast at Green Eggs Café....

Everyone knows the book, Green Eggs and Ham, but have you ever heard of the Green Eggs Café? Opened every day from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., this little café is home to more than nine different ways to get your eggs as well as a “Kitchen Sink” meal. There are more than enough options for you to choose exactly what you want from this amazing café. You can get anything from an omelet to Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese, which is to die for. Eggs Benedict is my favorite..

Taking a stroll through the small streets in the gayborhood is always a nice calming walk, with cobblestone streets, tree shaded walk ways, great architectural elements, and quaint little townhomes.....

 

A Mistress mode of transport?

If walking is not your thing, Philadelphia has a great bicycle share program with 60+ locations around town, which has been extremely popular with locals and tourist, and has been a great way to aviate the traffic congestion in town. Philadelphia continues to be one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country with the launch of its own bike sharing program called Indego.

 

After so much walking I like to grab a quick libation sometimes at the Ritz....

 

which has the stunning 10 Arts Lounge....

Handcrafted cocktails and innovative small plates, along with live music, make this downtown Philadelphia cocktail bar and lounge the perfect happy hour .... or  to catch a quick thrist quencher or 6.

 

If shopping or some great coffee is your flair, stop in at the Belleview Hotel...I love seeing their chandeliers and the incredibly elegant marble clock.....

 

Take a trip down to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. Magic Gardens is a, “mosaicked visionary" art environment as well as a gallery, where the artist, Isaiah Zagar, shows off his artwork through expression of colorful glass bottles, mirrors, tiles and old bike wheels. I promise, you’ve never seen anything like it before - it truly is a work of art.

 

 

Finally another place I find nice and secluded is Washington Square West. It's a quaint park, to see the lovely queens lounging about, some bird watching, and a great place for a snooze. Rittenhouse Square Park is nice too, but this park is no where as congested or noisy......

 

And the best part? With the exception of the drinks and the café......this whole day was free of money spending!!!! And gave the legs and ass a great work out! Most of these places are all within hotels for out of towners, and us locals can take regional rails on the cheap, so no need for driving. So a walk about can be a lovely way to spend a great day without always spending the money. Save those ones for the go-go boy bars I say! Tootles!!!!

Local Spot- A Day in the Park

What a wonderful, beautiful day it was in Philadelphia today. We slept in and got around at our usual snail's pace and then the Mistress and Boy-Toy decided to take Buster Bolfig Borghese in to town to see other dogs and we could get some boy watching in. We decided to go to the Washington Square Park in the southeast part of the city. It is quite a beautiful section too see and not far from Independence Hall. Washington Square Park was designated in 1682 and is one of five original parks or "squares" laid out in a city plan by Ben Franklin himself and William Penn, and is located in the Washington Square West and Society Hill neighborhoods. Fellow Philadelphians were out in full force and Buster got to see all kinds of other playmates, big and small. Not to mention the Mistress and Boy-Toy met their muscle boy, I mean, gentlemen owners! Here is a row of carriages awaiting some business across from Independence Hall.



Here is the Independence Hall.




One of the entrances to Washington Square Park.


And the park itself.








There was also many street mistrals walking about playing many different forms of music that just made the afternoon all the better.This was a group of young women play their instruments of choice. And Buster Bolfig seemed to enjoy taking a squat and a listen.





After departing the park we headed back up to center city to dine at our favorite South American eatery Mixto. We got the last outdoor table and enjoyed a delish dinner and some lovely summer beverages. And of course some prime real estate to guy watch, I mean, people watch. Why the Mistress keeps going back to men I have no idea. We are all about equal opportunity here people. And the weird thing was the Mistress and Boy-Toy had their picture taken like four times while dinning. And then when we though it safe, after dinner we departed Mixto and around the corner to bump into more paparazzi, I am so not kidding, and they wanted us to pose for pictures for the city paper of residents milling about the neighborhood. THANK-GOD the Mistress wore the swank summer up-do bouffant wig! Tootles!