Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventure III
The Italian Market, South Philadelphia
September 20, 2008

At high noon, 9/20/08, Stan and I met up at the Italian market in South
Philadelphia yesterday for lunch at Ralph's,
http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ The place is unpretentious, the menu is
complete and probably hasn't changed much since 1900. The family history is
very inspiring!

We both had cacciatore; Stan had chicken, I had veal. Included were bowls
of spaghetti in a marinara sauce and a loaf or two of fresh Italian bread.
The portions were "more than you can eat" oversized! All said and done, the
food was exquisite with no room for desert. So...

We tried to walk it off up and down the Italian market--didn't help! We
peeked into and ducked into a dozen markets to sniff around. The aromas
change as you go past different storefronts, offering fresh and cooked
offerings.

It's not 100% Italian market. The Mexican cuisine is fairly well
represented in the 1/2 dozen or so stores. There are some "dime stores" as
well, selling typical t-shirts and other sundries. The fruit and vegetable
stands don't stand out as Italian, but they're there in good standing, in
the public interest.

Stan and I were seated for a break and I heard a vendor mention "It's
slow!" Perhaps at midday on that Saturday, but I'll bet it's too busy on
weekday mornings when restaurants load up daily. It was crowded with
shoppers and tourists, which were slow moving, except some sharp street-
smart folks who were either thin or quick enough to bypass the hypnotized
crowds, 1:10 ratio was my perceived observation.

So from one end of the Italian market and back, we then walked over to
South Street, the Hollywood Blvd. of Philadelphia and Stan's backyard for
many years. He again gave an expert guided tour of "where and what and
what was" on South Street. He even showed me where he lived at one time.

Two things about both the Italian market and South street, if you're one
block away from either, you won't know the activity going on just down the
block!!!

We dropped into Fantés midway in the Italian market, since I can't be at
the Italian market and not drop in to buy something useful (or NOT) and so
I bought a shiny, new, useless jigger/shot measure.

We parted company at about 3:15pm and agreed to do it again. It was way
more fun than Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventures I and II at the Reading
Terminal Market. It was a perfect day, clear blue sky and maybe 75. What a
way to close out the summer!

So when you visit Philadelphia, feel free to call on Stan and Andy to show
you the best time!

Thanks again Stan!

Best,

Andy
http://i35.tinypic.com/5es7xj.jpg
Picture this for maybe 6 blocks on both sides of the street.

"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
> Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventure III
> The Italian Market, South Philadelphia
> September 20, 2008
>
> At high noon, 9/20/08, Stan and I met up at the Italian market in South
> Philadelphia yesterday for lunch at Ralph's,
> http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ The place is unpretentious, the menu is
> complete and probably hasn't changed much since 1900. The family history
> is
> very inspiring!
>
> We both had cacciatore; Stan had chicken, I had veal. Included were bowls
> of spaghetti in a marinara sauce and a loaf or two of fresh Italian bread.
> The portions were "more than you can eat" oversized! All said and done,
> the
> food was exquisite with no room for desert. So...
>
> We tried to walk it off up and down the Italian market--didn't help! We
> peeked into and ducked into a dozen markets to sniff around. The aromas
> change as you go past different storefronts, offering fresh and cooked
> offerings.
>
> It's not 100% Italian market. The Mexican cuisine is fairly well
> represented in the 1/2 dozen or so stores. There are some "dime stores" as
> well, selling typical t-shirts and other sundries. The fruit and vegetable
> stands don't stand out as Italian, but they're there in good standing, in
> the public interest.
>
> Stan and I were seated for a break and I heard a vendor mention "It's
> slow!" Perhaps at midday on that Saturday, but I'll bet it's too busy on
> weekday mornings when restaurants load up daily. It was crowded with
> shoppers and tourists, which were slow moving, except some sharp street-
> smart folks who were either thin or quick enough to bypass the hypnotized
> crowds, 1:10 ratio was my perceived observation.
>
> So from one end of the Italian market and back, we then walked over to
> South Street, the Hollywood Blvd. of Philadelphia and Stan's backyard for
> many years. He again gave an expert guided tour of "where and what and
> what was" on South Street. He even showed me where he lived at one time.
>
> Two things about both the Italian market and South street, if you're one
> block away from either, you won't know the activity going on just down the
> block!!!
>
> We dropped into Fantés midway in the Italian market, since I can't be at
> the Italian market and not drop in to buy something useful (or NOT) and so
> I bought a shiny, new, useless jigger/shot measure.
>
> We parted company at about 3:15pm and agreed to do it again. It was way
> more fun than Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventures I and II at the Reading
> Terminal Market. It was a perfect day, clear blue sky and maybe 75. What a
> way to close out the summer!
>
> So when you visit Philadelphia, feel free to call on Stan and Andy to show
> you the best time!
>
> Thanks again Stan!
>
> Best,
>
> Andy
> http://i35.tinypic.com/5es7xj.jpg
> Picture this for maybe 6 blocks on both sides of the street.


Hey!!! I told youse guys to let me know the next time you went. Oh well, I
had a charter to Pen Argyl.........took a detour to see Jayne Mansfield.
-ginny

Virginia Tadrzynski said...

>
> "Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
>> Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventure III
>> The Italian Market, South Philadelphia
>> September 20, 2008
>>
>> At high noon, 9/20/08, Stan and I met up at the Italian market in South
>> Philadelphia yesterday for lunch at Ralph's,
>> http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ The place is unpretentious, the menu
>> is complete and probably hasn't changed much since 1900. The family
>> history is
>> very inspiring!
>>
>> We both had cacciatore; Stan had chicken, I had veal. Included were
>> bowls of spaghetti in a marinara sauce and a loaf or two of fresh
>> Italian bread. The portions were "more than you can eat" oversized! All
>> said and done, the
>> food was exquisite with no room for desert. So...
>>
>> We tried to walk it off up and down the Italian market--didn't help! We
>> peeked into and ducked into a dozen markets to sniff around. The aromas
>> change as you go past different storefronts, offering fresh and cooked
>> offerings.
>>
>> It's not 100% Italian market. The Mexican cuisine is fairly well
>> represented in the 1/2 dozen or so stores. There are some "dime stores"
>> as well, selling typical t-shirts and other sundries. The fruit and
>> vegetable stands don't stand out as Italian, but they're there in good
>> standing, in the public interest.
>>
>> Stan and I were seated for a break and I heard a vendor mention "It's
>> slow!" Perhaps at midday on that Saturday, but I'll bet it's too busy
>> on weekday mornings when restaurants load up daily. It was crowded with
>> shoppers and tourists, which were slow moving, except some sharp
>> street- smart folks who were either thin or quick enough to bypass the
>> hypnotized crowds, 1:10 ratio was my perceived observation.
>>
>> So from one end of the Italian market and back, we then walked over to
>> South Street, the Hollywood Blvd. of Philadelphia and Stan's backyard
>> for many years. He again gave an expert guided tour of "where and what
>> and what was" on South Street. He even showed me where he lived at one
>> time.
>>
>> Two things about both the Italian market and South street, if you're
>> one block away from either, you won't know the activity going on just
>> down the block!!!
>>
>> We dropped into Fantés midway in the Italian market, since I can't be
>> at the Italian market and not drop in to buy something useful (or NOT)
>> and so I bought a shiny, new, useless jigger/shot measure.
>>
>> We parted company at about 3:15pm and agreed to do it again. It was way
>> more fun than Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventures I and II at the
>> Reading Terminal Market. It was a perfect day, clear blue sky and maybe
>> 75. What a way to close out the summer!
>>
>> So when you visit Philadelphia, feel free to call on Stan and Andy to
>> show you the best time!
>>
>> Thanks again Stan!
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Andy
>> http://i35.tinypic.com/5es7xj.jpg
>> Picture this for maybe 6 blocks on both sides of the street.
>
>
> Hey!!! I told youse guys to let me know the next time you went. Oh
> well, I had a charter to Pen Argyl.........took a detour to see Jayne
> Mansfield. -ginny


Sorry Ginny,

Give us a chance to join in YOUR excellent adventure!

We won't be sorry.

Does that sound right???



Andy
BUM!!!

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:

> "Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
> > Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventure III
> > The Italian Market, South Philadelphia
> > September 20, 2008
> >
> > At high noon, 9/20/08, Stan and I met up at the Italian market in South
> > Philadelphia yesterday for lunch at Ralph's,
> > http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ The place is unpretentious, the menu is
> > complete and probably hasn't changed much since 1900. The family history
> > is
> > very inspiring!
> >
> > We both had cacciatore; Stan had chicken, I had veal. Included were
bowls
> > of spaghetti in a marinara sauce and a loaf or two of fresh Italian
bread.
> > The portions were "more than you can eat" oversized! All said and done,
> > the
> > food was exquisite with no room for desert. So...
> >
> > We tried to walk it off up and down the Italian market--didn't help! We
> > peeked into and ducked into a dozen markets to sniff around. The aromas
> > change as you go past different storefronts, offering fresh and cooked
> > offerings.
> >
> > It's not 100% Italian market. The Mexican cuisine is fairly well
> > represented in the 1/2 dozen or so stores. There are some "dime stores"
as
> > well, selling typical t-shirts and other sundries. The fruit and
vegetable
> > stands don't stand out as Italian, but they're there in good standing,
in
> > the public interest.
> >
> > Stan and I were seated for a break and I heard a vendor mention "It's
> > slow!" Perhaps at midday on that Saturday, but I'll bet it's too busy on
> > weekday mornings when restaurants load up daily. It was crowded with
> > shoppers and tourists, which were slow moving, except some sharp street-
> > smart folks who were either thin or quick enough to bypass the
hypnotized
> > crowds, 1:10 ratio was my perceived observation.
> >
> > So from one end of the Italian market and back, we then walked over to
> > South Street, the Hollywood Blvd. of Philadelphia and Stan's backyard
for
> > many years. He again gave an expert guided tour of "where and what and
> > what was" on South Street. He even showed me where he lived at one time.
> >
> > Two things about both the Italian market and South street, if you're one
> > block away from either, you won't know the activity going on just down
the
> > block!!!
> >
> > We dropped into Fantés midway in the Italian market, since I can't be at
> > the Italian market and not drop in to buy something useful (or NOT) and
so
> > I bought a shiny, new, useless jigger/shot measure.
> >
> > We parted company at about 3:15pm and agreed to do it again. It was way
> > more fun than Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventures I and II at the
Reading
> > Terminal Market. It was a perfect day, clear blue sky and maybe 75. What
a
> > way to close out the summer!
> >
> > So when you visit Philadelphia, feel free to call on Stan and Andy to
show
> > you the best time!
> >
> > Thanks again Stan!
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Andy
> > http://i35.tinypic.com/5es7xj.jpg
> > Picture this for maybe 6 blocks on both sides of the street.
>
>
> Hey!!! I told youse guys to let me know the next time you went. Oh well,
I
> had a charter to Pen Argyl.........took a detour to see Jayne Mansfield.


Wow! I am a HUGE Jayne Mansfield fan (and also of her lovely daughter
Mariska Hargitay)...

I woulda preferred that she have been buried in the "Hollywood Forever"
cemetery or Forest Lawn or some other LA - LA final abode, but hey, she is a
Pen Argyl gal...

Decades ago the _National Lampoon_ had a joke article about famous graves,
their pic of Jayne's gravesite had two markers, one read, "Here Lies The
Body Of Jayne Mansfield" and the other amaller one said, "Here Lies The Head
Of Jayne Mansfield"...what can one say about juvenile 70's taste. And in
any case Jayne was *not* beheaded in that terrible 1967 car crash, she was
only scalped...

Okay, so what's in Pen Argyl to see beside Jayne's grave...???


--
Best
Greg

Andy wrote:
> Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventure III
> The Italian Market, South Philadelphia
> September 20, 2008
>
> At high noon, 9/20/08, Stan and I met up at the Italian market in South
> Philadelphia yesterday for lunch at Ralph's,
> http://www.ralphsrestaurant.com/ The place is unpretentious, the menu is
> complete and probably hasn't changed much since 1900. The family history is
> very inspiring!
>
> We both had cacciatore; Stan had chicken, I had veal. Included were bowls
> of spaghetti in a marinara sauce and a loaf or two of fresh Italian bread.
> The portions were "more than you can eat" oversized! All said and done, the
> food was exquisite with no room for desert. So...
>
> We tried to walk it off up and down the Italian market--didn't help! We
> peeked into and ducked into a dozen markets to sniff around. The aromas
> change as you go past different storefronts, offering fresh and cooked
> offerings.
>
> It's not 100% Italian market. The Mexican cuisine is fairly well
> represented in the 1/2 dozen or so stores. There are some "dime stores" as
> well, selling typical t-shirts and other sundries. The fruit and vegetable
> stands don't stand out as Italian, but they're there in good standing, in
> the public interest.
>
> Stan and I were seated for a break and I heard a vendor mention "It's
> slow!" Perhaps at midday on that Saturday, but I'll bet it's too busy on
> weekday mornings when restaurants load up daily. It was crowded with
> shoppers and tourists, which were slow moving, except some sharp street-
> smart folks who were either thin or quick enough to bypass the hypnotized
> crowds, 1:10 ratio was my perceived observation.
>
> So from one end of the Italian market and back, we then walked over to
> South Street, the Hollywood Blvd. of Philadelphia and Stan's backyard for
> many years. He again gave an expert guided tour of "where and what and
> what was" on South Street. He even showed me where he lived at one time.
>
> Two things about both the Italian market and South street, if you're one
> block away from either, you won't know the activity going on just down the
> block!!!
>
> We dropped into Fantés midway in the Italian market, since I can't be at
> the Italian market and not drop in to buy something useful (or NOT) and so
> I bought a shiny, new, useless jigger/shot measure.
>
> We parted company at about 3:15pm and agreed to do it again. It was way
> more fun than Stan and Andy's Excellent Adventures I and II at the Reading
> Terminal Market. It was a perfect day, clear blue sky and maybe 75. What a
> way to close out the summer!
>
> So when you visit Philadelphia, feel free to call on Stan and Andy to show
> you the best time!
>
> Thanks again Stan!
>
> Best,
>
> Andy
> http://i35.tinypic.com/5es7xj.jpg
> Picture this for maybe 6 blocks on both sides of the street.

Sounds most excellent, indeed.

--
Jean B.

Jean B. said...

> Sounds most excellent, indeed.
>
> --
> Jean B.


Twas so!

Could've been 2x better with you around.

Alas,

Andy
BUM!!! of all BUMS!!!!!!

Andy wrote:
> Jean B. said...
>
>> Sounds most excellent, indeed.
>>
>> --
>> Jean B.
>
>
> Twas so!
>
> Could've been 2x better with you around.
>
> Alas,
>
> Andy
> BUM!!! of all BUMS!!!!!!

Don't count on that.

--
Jean B.

Jean B. said...

> Andy wrote:
>> Jean B. said...
>>
>>> Sounds most excellent, indeed.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jean B.
>>
>>
>> Twas so!
>>
>> Could've been 2x better with you around.
>>
>> Alas,
>>
>> Andy
>> BUM!!! of all BUMS!!!!!!
>
> Don't count on that.


No... I'm a BUM!!!

LOLOL!