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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 1h

This is from June 14th, when the march went up the BF Parkway to the Art Museum. Today's went through downtown, on Market St, to Independence Hall.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 6h

Is this from June?

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 6h

The wide avenues tend to be an attribute of opportunity like urban renewal (Great Fire!) war, or insurrection - like Haussman in Paris, who designed the Champs-Elysees, the model for the BF Parkway (to the Art Museum). The Phila innovation was to cram it with museums like the new @caldergardens!

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 7h

I take your point. As the cities developed, broad avenues and green spaces grew in prominence, particularly from the 19th century on.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 7h

Lovely thread. As Phla born I love visitors who get us! One small point, Philadelphia is not like European cities, which grew from medieval dense and curvy streets (like Boston) rather than Philadelphia's street grid plan. But we do have some great alleys & pocket parks like Europe.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 8h

This clip may be from the June 14th No Kings. Today's protest isn't going up the BF Parkway to the Art Museum as shown, but rather down Market St to Independence Mall.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 5d

Yep. They filmed Task 'round these here parts. There isn't a river or creek without some Japanese Knotweed. Maybe the next episode will feature a Spotted Lanternfly.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 8d

Reliquary Inspection Zone

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 16d

If you see something, say something. So proud of my congresswoman, @repdean.bsky.social , for her good work and her no nonsense take on important issues - here the fitness of the president.

Go Madeleine, go.

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 17d

Dean: The president is unhinged

Johnson: A lot of folks on your side are too. I don’t control him

Dean: Oh my god, please. That performance in front of the generals.

Johnson: I didn’t see it.

Dean: Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies are laughing.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · 24d

I've been waiting months for this. Last time, the farmers got all the collected tariffs + add'l funds so tariffs burdened taxpayers twice (cost of goods and then fed payments to farmers). This time should be interesting with the added pressure of the shutdown of USAID and fedschool food assistance.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 24d

Brooke Rollins: "Soybean, corn, wheat, sorghum, cotton farmers are facing very difficult times. We are currently in conversations here at the White House, across the government, on a farmer aid package."

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Sep 18

Sure, Jersey sea gulls will eat your lunch, but California gulls are fecking cannibals!

Brown gull loading over what appears to be another brown gull. I was only willing to get but so close.

And then the brow gull goes in for a taste of the dearly departed.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Aug 4

Okay, Advent August it is. And for Japan, I hope to go myself and am obsessed with Katsura Imperial Villa. Impressive in its own right but also loops back to Phila as inspiration for the Shofuso House and Garden in Fairmount Park.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 26

And a smattering of the fine work done there.

New coffee table in progress, inside the finishing shop.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 26

And the views inside those buildings!

Conoid building interior with finished work and tour group.

Detail of Conoid building with upper windows open and no people.

Arts building with floating stairs and early Milk House table on tatami mat nestled below.

That staircase! The first stair is a large stone.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 26

Oh my. Visited Nakashima Woodworkers in New Hope today, and the various buildings were as spectacular as the furniture. So buildings first.

Nakashima House from the Showroom building's lily pond.

Side view of Conoid building w/ cement roof.

Pole barn, the only building not designed by George Nakashima, to house the years of selecting wood. Quite a legacy in itself.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 18

Whew, made it to the Fabric Workshop and Museum before the August closing of Soft/Cover.

The Apple of Adam's Eye by Carrie Mae Weems.

Left panel with "she'd always been the apple" embroidered in gold on printed red sateen with green acanthus leaves.

Right panel with "of Adam's eye" in gold embroidery on printed sateen red background with green acanthus leaves.

Detail of the center panel showing a female figure obscured by a blue shroud with acanthus leaves swirling around her on red sateen background.

All three panels of the free standing screen.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 16

Aggressive, she said.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 15

No worries. Gems abound.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 15

Yes, yes! Do come! The WE house is out in Paoli and is strictly a car destination. There are so many gems in the area, across every interest, LMK if you want any recs. End of the month, I tour the Nakashima House in New Hope for more beautiful wood but no Louis Kahn blogs. Will post.

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 11

Seven come eleven! Baby needs new shoes for the Packard.

Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 9

And then the Insides: prints, sculptures, and furniture. Just as Wharton Esherick left it at his death in 1970.

Of course he had his own printing press!

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Gita @gitaellen.bsky.social · Jul 9

Big mistake to wait 40 years to revisit the Wharton Esherick Museum.
Outsides: crazy-lovely assemblage of vernacular inspired and modern buildings for studio, office, and living.