Wednesday was Victor’s birthday. We decided to take a trek into the city and play. We just don’t get down there enough – and there really is so much to do! One of our most favorite places in the city is Reading Terminal Market. The market has been there since well before the turn of the LAST century. The place is great! And huge! 78,000 square feet of food! Definitely my kind of place!

From its inception, it has been a mecca for Philadelphians and tourists alike. It has survived depressions and redevelopment. It stays on top of food trends, yet stays loyal to fresh, honest food.

It is a maze of aisles and stands, food stallls where freshly prepared foods compete with produce, cheeses and fresh meats, poultry and seafood. It’s a gastronomic delight. A feast for the senses. I rather like the place a lot!

It’s a place where every conceivable food is available in one place, from Asian to Middle Eastern, local Amish to Imported Italian. Coffee roasted on premise. The scents overwhelm the senses. The colors, the sounds. The crowds… Yes, it is a busy place!

We resisted the urge to just buy everything in sight! Having just stocked the larder, we weren’t in dire need of anything, but I did want coffee. A pound of Vienna roast Sumatra (fabulous!!) and a pound of “San Francisco Blend” (so-so) were the first purchases.

We meandered through the cavernous hall, looking at this, commenting on that. It was a great way to while away the afternoon…

We then headed to the back of the hall where there’s a seating area and an old upright piano. A woman was playing a pretty rough rendition of “The Blue Danube.” Okay… REALLY rough! It only added to the charm.

Methinks my Wednesday shopping trip is going to be back into the city. And I can take the train right in!