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Dave Thomas | profile | all galleries >> Out and About in Southeastern PA >> Philadelphia Scenes >> New Years 2016 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

New Years 2016

We celebrated the new year by spending the day in Philadelphia. As it turned out, we misread or somehow got confused on a possible tour of the organ in Verizon Hall for which we made it a point to arrive by 10:00 AM. We took the SEPTA Rail from Lansdale in Montgomery County down to Suburban Station in Center City, eliminating parking and driving hassles. We at least got to get relatively close to the movable on-stage organ console and view the Verizon Hall performance space without the seats full. (We have attended a performance or two there in the past.)

We learned there would be organ demonstration recitals on the hour, starting at noon. So we hung around enjoying some of the family activities that were being conducted in the Kimmel Center, had some coffee, then went outside and watched the Mummers Parade, the 116th, starting off. The parade is a Mardi Gras like event, but has never been a big deal for Ye Olde Photographer as January 1st in Philadelphia can be a rather brutal weather experience, and the parade goes on for hours. This particular day, the temperatures were above freezing with some hazy sun and no precipitation, so it was an opportunity to at least take in a sampling of some colorful costumes. Later in the day there would be some of the lengendary string bands (which somehow manage to include saxophones and accordions), as well as the fancy divisions that have some monstrous costumes that are quite amazing to see. Some of the parade participants spend most of the rest of the year making costumes and preparing for the next year's parade.

At noon we returned to verizon Hall and heard about a twenty minute recital on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, played by Michael Stairs, the organist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Later in the afternoon there were appearances by other organists. The organ was built by the Dobson Company, in Iowa, and is a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

After the recital we wandered a few blocks to Rittenhouse Square and had a very tasty lunch at Devon, our main meal for the day. From there we zig-zagged north and west to the Ben Franklin Parkway and walked up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to check out a major exhibition that was nearing an end. Following that we trekked down the Parkway to the train station and returned to the suburbs. So we saw lots of neat stuff and walked a couple of miles, a good day!

Lansdale Station History
Lansdale Station History
g9/93/463093/3/162496807.sHAUtYqk.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162496808.IFK3vpmi.jpg Looking North
Looking North
Ba-a-a-ad Girl
Ba-a-a-ad Girl
g9/93/463093/3/162496811.rExEHRRa.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162496812.GwWtWuGR.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497187.yg2ifi0V.jpg Fanciful Creation
Fanciful Creation
Bicycle Patrol
Bicycle Patrol
Entrance
Entrance
Welcome Table
Welcome Table
In Verizon Hall
In Verizon Hall
g9/93/463093/3/162497192.yHhUsSRI.jpg Main Console
Main Console
g9/93/463093/3/162497194.4jI62CTg.jpg Stage Console
Stage Console
g9/93/463093/3/162497196.KR8ONLKN.jpg
Verizon Hall Seats
Verizon Hall Seats
g9/93/463093/3/162497198.8A27jyGU.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497199.pB11uSMg.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497200.oKirWKTf.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497201.myE9L80A.jpg The Tall Man
The Tall Man
"Soul Cruisers"
"Soul Cruisers"
g9/93/463093/3/162497206.Ab88nR1s.jpg "Happy Moo Year"
"Happy Moo Year"
g9/93/463093/3/162497208.ZTSpAMpn.jpg "Eat Mor Frogs"
"Eat Mor Frogs"
g9/93/463093/3/162497210.3vA4DWhK.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162497211.nI7rKjoK.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497212.GCcVnDNu.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497213.TuDy8Z98.jpg Another Group & Band
Another Group & Band
Angels?
Angels?
g9/93/463093/3/162497216.ehaKWhw4.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162497217.hbtVts71.jpg Irish Monks
Irish Monks
g9/93/463093/3/162497219.lRZyDM1v.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497220.GFrjjSKv.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497221.OatvbbKZ.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497222.LsiL1P4V.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162497223.WvbI80Hx.jpg Brass Band
Brass Band
Argh! Pirates!
Argh! Pirates!
g9/93/463093/3/162497227.lrt3Y9OE.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497228.DDuE9Fzg.jpg Supplies
Supplies
g9/93/463093/3/162497230.F2CWXUSF.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497231.cRRqlLnx.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497232.mzsyl8lg.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497233.ITHiPqxP.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497234.O3sgEzBG.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497235.l7chDTBl.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162497236.9befu4xT.jpg g9/93/463093/3/162497237.RMGKMZ2r.jpg Frog Brigade?!
Frog Brigade?!
Younger Froggies
Younger Froggies
g9/93/463093/3/162497238.oP20k5Bu.jpg Front
Front
Rear
Rear
g9/93/463093/3/162497243.lOikYQ1O.jpg Landi's Thrift Shop
Landi's Thrift Shop
g9/93/463093/3/162497248.wvbXGbVY.jpg Freak Show
Freak Show
Popemobile
Popemobile
Batmobile
Batmobile
"WillStrut"
"WillStrut"
Stocking Supplies
Stocking Supplies
Percussion
Percussion
The Beat Goes On
The Beat Goes On
g9/93/463093/3/162497255.6ScV0mtN.jpg
g9/93/463093/3/162497256.OQNOr5wV.jpg Putin' on the Ritz
Putin' on the Ritz
Noon Recital
Noon Recital
Dance Class Demo
Dance Class Demo
g9/93/463093/3/162497260.Sq2Zup7m.jpg Art Museum Stairway
Art Museum Stairway
g9/93/463093/3/162497262.7OWXYyZK.jpg From the Steps
From the Steps
In Line for Rocky
In Line for Rocky
George Washington
George Washington
Parkway Southeast
Parkway Southeast
Toward City Hall
Toward City Hall