Good morning Philadelphia! The sun is shining, there is blue sky as far as the eye can see, and not a cloud in the sky. I’d say Leslie is pretty luck with her wedding day weather; especially after the week of weather we’ve had in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast!
This weekend is a reunion weekend of sorts as we not only get to see Leslie and Charles say “I do” but we also get to spend time with Sabrina and her husband Trig, but also Meghann and Derek!
It’s been more than three months since we hung out in Vermont together which is way too long in my opinion! Over the past year we’ve spent time together at Healthy Living Summit, New York City, Disney World, and Vermont!
We arrived in Philadelphia last night around 8:30pm after a stressful afternoon. Bo had to work later than planned, we both had to finish packing at home, and the cross town traffic combined with the difficulty of getting a cab had us on edge for a good two hours! We literally made it on the bus with one minute to spare.
We chose the Bolt Bus over Amtrak due to the price and comfort level. The bus is really inexpensive and based on when I bought our tickets, we only paid $7 per person this time to get from New York City (8th and 34th street) to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia!
Bo spent time watching movies on his iPad while I slept for most of the two hours and fifteen minute trip. We were worried we would be really late based on the traffic leaving New York but once we hit New Jersey it was smooth sailing.
As soon as we made the stop in Cherry Hill, I knew we were close. Did you know I lived in Philadelphia for 3 years? My aunt and uncle live near Cherry Hill so I know that without traffic, the drive into the city is about 30 minutes. As soon as I saw the skyline and bridge, I couldn’t contain my excitement!
By 8:45 we had joined the gang at Jack’s Firehouse. Jack’s is a neighborhood restaurant near Sabrina and Trig’s home which is known for upscale comfort food and good beers. It didn’t disappoint and I was excited to try it after seeing it on Leslie’s blog multiple times!
The boys quickly started deep conversations on their side of the table, clearly getting along better than we could have ever imagined! It was the first time Bo had the opportunity to meet Trig though they’ve each heard a lot about the other. In addition, Bo and Derek clearly enjoyed catching up.
While the boys laughed an caught up, I focused on spending time with Sabrina and the little bambino! I had so many questions and was curious to hear how she is feeling at 22 weeks!
One thing is for sure, she is the most radiant pregnant woman I’ve seen in ages. Look at that smile and glow! You can barely tell she is pregnant from this picture but in real life she had an adorable baby bump!
I was starving when we finally arrived and happily dove into one of their warm biscuits with preserves as I enjoyed an unpictured summer ale.
The menu was filled with heavy comfort food with a definite Southern influence. Rather than go with barbecue or the ribs, I chose one of my standby favorites: salad and mussels!
The salad special was popular with our table due to the waiter’s delicious description! Grilled squash, eggplant, and zucchini mixed with endive and goat cheese atop light greens and drizzled with balsamic and olive oil. Holy yum! The salad was light and delicious though I should have asked for the dressing on the side.
The mussels exceeded my expectations and the sausage and garlic gave them a delicious, rich flavor even though I didn’t eat the sausage.
I left dinner satiated but not stuffed, exactly the way I like it.
The company was the best part though as the conversations and laughs continued non stop throughout dinner and beyond!
We returned to Sabrina’s house for some delicious salted chocolate chip cookies and a relaxing evening catching up while the boys headed out for one last beer.
The perfect Friday night!
Now I’m ready for Meghann to wake up so I can give her a running tour of Boathouse Row and Kelly Drive before a busy afternoon!
