Phrankly Philly

I’ve walked by US Masim Wholesale Nail Supply dozens of times on my way to my favorite Pho restaurant on 11th and Washington Streets, Pho Hoa.  Masim is never open.  They keeps the strangest hours.  But, by luck, I was dining at cafe Laos on Monday night and it was open! I have to say, it was completely worth the wait. Essie and OPI polishes were so cheap! $4 compared to the regular $9.50 at the pharmacy!

Not only that, US Masim Wholesale Nail Supply has anything you could ever need for nail care - heavily discounted.

It’s worth a trip, I promise you - just make sure they are open before you go!

215.467.1328, 1119 S 11th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Today, I stumbled upon a blog with the most beautiful scenic pictures.  The most recent posting (as of today) was of the writer’s visit to the Morris Arboretum and they are absolutely gorgeous! www.goofygirl.org

She is extremely talented and I will be visiting her blog very often from now on.  Make sure to take a look at Goofy Girl Blog and don’t miss her pictures from Ecuador.

Some of my regular visitors may have noticed that I’ve been absent from blogging these past two weeks.  Well, I’m happy to say that I’m back and better than ever.  The reason for my absence is that Ive been studying for the LEED exam (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

I’m happy to report that I passed and am an official accredited professional now!  They exam was hard and full of tricks, but I got through it and scored a 183. A 170 is passing and 200 is the highest score.  I’m very proud of this score and will tell you two things help me attain it:

1. Study, study, study and start memorizing early.

2. Taking the practice exams on www.greenexamprep.com over and over again. I took each of the 5 practice exams 3 times and it really helped.

If there is anyone out there preparing for the exam now and wants  more advise, please feel free to contact me.  Also, read through www.intheleed.com.  It’s the most helpful site on the web about preparation for the exam.

Good luck!

What is the new Center City Sips promotion? Basically, its when:

Center City’s best bars and restaurants host the summer’s happiest hour every Wednesday, from June 3 through August 26, 5-7 pm. Take advantage of $4 cocktails, $3 wine, $2 beers and half-price appetizers, with some establishments even offering a 15% dinner discount after 7 pm.

In layman’s terms, its when everyone heads to the shore for the weekends and restaurants want you to drink and eat on Wednesdays…which is fine by me.

It started last week and I’ve heard nothing about it - but, that doesn’t mean much since I’ve been at the shore.  If anyone has tried out this deal, let me know.  In the meantime, here are the restaurants on the list that sparked my interest:

Alfa, Chifa, Fuji Mountain, Helium, Lucky Strikes, Tinto, and Union Trust

I said it with Hip Hop the Sixers Mascot and I’ll say it again with Gus the Groundhog - he’s gotta go! Gus the Groundhog, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania, the mascot for the Pennsylvania Lottery, and an irritating creature, is beyond creepy.  Couldn’t they have made Gus a cute lovable creature, like the groundhog in Caddyshack?  Instead they made him look like a rodent! Granted, groundhogs are rodents, but I don’t need to be reminded of this while relaxing at home watching TV!

I think I’ve said enough.

I just couldn’t resist sharing this NY Times article about the glass house in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, even though it has nothing to do with Philadelphia.

Remember Cameron’s amazing glass house and garage that held his dad’s convertible? (Am I scaring anyone yet?) Well, its all for sale and it can be yours for a cool $2.3million.

Ain’t no thang, right? I’m ballin’ on a budget but maybe you can buy it. The only catch, besides the price tag, is that its located in the suburbs of Chicago.

Read more here: www.nytimes.com

Ellen Degeneres gave the commencement speech at my college (granted I graduated 4 years ago, but who’s counting?) Watch the speech below.  It’s so New Orleans and hilarious in typical Ellen style.

Deuville Inn, Strathmere, NJ

You can usually find me at the Jersey Shore on Memorial Day weekend - except this year because I have a wedding in South Beach (woe is me, right?) But, if I were going to the shore, here is what I’d be doing…

1. Drinking at the beach bar at the Deuville Inn in  Strathmere. Deuville Inn

2. Renting a bike and riding down the Ocean City Boardwalk (before 11AM, of course) Ocean City BoardWalk

3. Gambling on Sunday morning at the Borgata - the tables are significantly less crowded, the room is less smoke-filled, and the air conditioning isn’t blasting.  The Borgata

4. Eating breakfast at Uncle Bills Pancake House (any Uncle Bills will do).

5.  Sleeping on the beach under an umbrella.

While sitting in my apartment this afternoon, I happened to look out the window and see the PECO  building light up for the first time since New Years!  I was even more surprised to see the lights in color for the first time in my life - Red, Green, and Blue tests went on for about 30 minutes. Here are some pics I shot out my windows:

Does this mean the message board will be permanently back on soon?  Does anyone know?

How did this not happen already?  It’s like deliciousness and happiness came together to for a Brotherly Lovefest! View below.

Phanatic and Tastykake