Hillary & Luke’s Wedding Weekend Itinerary!

On March 12, 2025May 27, 2025 By lukephillaryhIn AdventuresLeave a comment

We’re so excited to celebrate with you! Thank you for making the trip to Philadelphia. We want the weekend to encapsulate all the wonderful ways you’ve been a part of our lives. Which means enjoying the things we all love! Like good food (throwback to Pig n’ Pie), music, and Philadelphia.

Most of all, we are grateful for our parents. Judy and Dave (Hillary’s!) and Maja and Scott (Luke’s!). Both have helped us lots (and are still helping, eeee!) to make this a special day 🙂 We wouldn’t be getting married without them!

Here is the plan…

Friday, June 20th

4:30pm
We’ll be hosting a picnic/tailgate at Palumbo Park (723 Catherine Street, Phila PA 19147) near Luke’s apartment (different location than originally planned).

7:15pm
Phillies versus Mets!!! Classic rivalry game at Citizens Bank Park. We have a block of tickets in right field.

If you’re super amped after the Phillies win, we recommend hanging out at the Garage in Passyunk. It’s right by Pat’s and Geno’s. Open 24 hours! Cheesesteaks, not the bar. More fun is coming!

Saturday, June 21st

We’ve got a list of totally optional recommended activities 🙂 see below! There may be rewards for things like most steps, museum ticket stubs, or bringing a stolen bottle of alcohol to the wedding.

5:00pm
Wedding! We’re doing it—we’ll start with a ceremony, followed by some drinks, snacks, dinner, and dancing. DJ Clairevoyant is helping with the tunes! It’s all happening at The National Society of Colonial Dames (here’s the website).

Sunday, June 22nd

10:00am
Coffee and breakfast at the Bucan and Poethig house, 2530 Naudian Street. The house is nearby 30th Street Station, and getting to the airport is easy via public transport or car. Feel free to bring your bags. We’ll be so sad to see you go 😦

Suggested Activities!

Option 1: West Philadelphia

Check out Penn’s campus: peak inside Fisher Fine Arts Library (fun fact: one time Hillary slept overnight here), take photos with Claes Oldenburg’s Split Button (1981) and an iteration of Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture. Visit the Clark Park Farmers Market. Eat some good chicken at Doro Bet.

Option 2: Benjamin Franklin Parkway + Fairmount

Walk or run the Rocky Steps! Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation. Enjoy the best Guinness in Philly at The Black Taxi, eat some wings.

Option 3: South Philly

It’s not burning trashcan season, but there’s still lots to see in the Italian Market. Magic Gardens is a fun, outside art experience and Philly classic. Lots of good Vietnamese on Washington Avenue: Pho Ha for vermicelli, Pho 75 for pho, Ba La for Vietnamese hoagies. Angelo’s is the best cheesesteak in Philly. Options!

If you just want some tasty food here are some favorites…

Middle Child Clubhouse, Fishtown
Pizzeria Beddia, Fishtown
Isgro Pastries, South Philly
Machine Shop, South Philly
Royal Tavern, South Philly
Sky Cafe, South Philly
Dim Sum Garden, Chinatown
Reading Terminal Market, Center City
K’Far, Rittenhouse Square
Parc, Rittenhouse Square
Primos Hoagies, various locations
Federal Donuts, various locations
Panda Express, various locations

Woohoo! See you soon 🙂

A Lunch Worth Waiting For

On September 26, 2017May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn Adventures3 Comments

Maine Lobster lunch in Kennebunkport — Heaven on a blue plastic tray

“I’m pretty upset that today was the first time I’ve had a proper Maine lobster.” This was the text I sent my parents after lunch in Kennebunkport, ME two weekends ago. Yes I know, #firstworldproblems indeed. But I was drunk off of sweet corn, clam chowder, and freshly-caught lobster, so I felt some guilt tripping was warranted.

Continue reading “A Lunch Worth Waiting For” →

Red Clay & Rosé

On August 9, 2017May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn Adventures1 Comment

New York City red clay tennis and glass of rose wine — Tenez + Apéritif

The ochre shade of a red clay tennis court beams especially bright on summer days. In New York City we’re surrounded by so much silver, blue, and black that other colors seem to pop out of nowhere – like the red chile oil in Chinese food or the green meadows in Prospect Park. The Riverside Clay tennis courts on Manhattan’s Upper Westside provide a burst of orange that catches every runner, driver, and cyclist by surprise.

Saturday, June 10th was one of those bright summer days, and we both had red clay fever.

Continue reading “Red Clay & Rosé” →

Traveling & Eating

On May 23, 2017May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn Adventures3 Comments

Watercolor painting of korean and japanese food

I took a big trip recently. Two weeks to Seoul, Kyoto, Hakone, and Tokyo. My first time traveling to Asia and my first time traveling abroad since college . The two weeks went by surprisingly quickly, as they always do. And now I’ve been back in New York for two weeks neglecting Pig n’ Pie (and all of our loyal fans!) and still reflecting on my trip. It’s taken me so long to sit down and write something because 1) we don’t actually have oodles of loyal fans patiently waiting (if you are reading this, thank you) and 2) I’ve been ashamed to admit that I made some blunders and embarrassing decisions while traveling. I ate western food more than once. I went to Starbucks (but not McDonald’s, never that). I only had one meal devoted solely to sushi. Navigating the foodscape in Korea and Japan was hard! I didn’t anticipate the struggle. And I’m not always the best dealing with the unexpected.

In the past, not being able to find that restaurant on the 8th floor of an unmarked building in Shinjiku would drive me crazy. I’d be wandering past many totally acceptable dining establishments, moronically set on finding the restaurant I read about in the guidebook. I didn’t do that this time.

I let go a little bit and I let Korea and Japan humble me. You can’t fully experience Korean and Japanese cuisine in your first visit! That’s crazy talk. Both of these countries have incredibly rich, thoughtful, and historical approaches to food. So maybe I’ll pull a Dev alla Master of None, but instead of Italy move to Tokyo to master the art of sushi making. But more seriously, I am going to take more risks cooking, without cursing myself when the results are subpar. And I’m going to make kimchi! Very unoriginal of me to choose the archetypal example of Korean food, but I’m starting with the classics. Plus, I’ve already listened to a podcast, which in millennial speak means I’m basically an expert.

The Ultimate Philly Lunch

On November 27, 2016May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn Adventures2 Comments

Best Italian hoagie lunch in Philadelphia — The perfect homecoming

The Thanksgiving holiday offers us the chance to see friends and family while gorging on the usual spread of turkey, mashed potatoes, yada yada yada. This year, however, it wasn’t the meal on Thursday that brought me the most pleasure. On Wednesday afternoon, I decided to skip the pre-Thanksgiving fast and walk to Cosmi’s Deli in South Philly for a Italian hoagie. Philly has recently gotten a lot of love for its pizza, fried chicken n’ donuts, and – yes, New York, even bagels. Most trips home I’ll head straight to Washington Ave. for Vietnamese pho, vermicelli, and hoagies aka bahn mi. Something must’ve been in the air this time around because I was craving the most quintessential Philly food I know. And, no it doesn’t begin with Cheese.

Admittedly, I have exclaimed on more than one occasion that I make the best Italian hoagie in the country. This is complete hubris, because although my version is pretty damn good – the guys at Cosmi’s will show you how it’s done.

I won’t leave you with a recipe, but I will give some instructions.

Walk, bike, or drive down to 8th & Dickinson streets
Go up to the counter and say, “Can I get a Italian on a seeded roll, lettuce/tomato/onion, roasted peppers, oil/vinegar, salt/pepper/oregano.”
Grab a bag of Herr’s chips and a can of soda
Pay for everything + a couple bucks tip
Find the nearest place to enjoy the best meal Philly has to offer.

Stocking Up at Sahadi’s

On May 12, 2016May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn AdventuresLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-08-14 at 4.54.23 PM

Sahadi grocery shopping in Brooklyn — Hillary with her arms full at Sahadi’s

NYT beat us to the punch last week when they posted a short feature on one of our favorite places in Brooklyn. Ever since we started to explore all foods Indian and Middle-Eastern, Sahadi’s has been been our go-to place for ingredients. This Atlantic Avenue landmark has been around for ages and continues to prosper despite the TJ’s across the street. We come to Sahadi’s whenever Ottolenghi asks for 1 TBS of some obscure ingredient or to buy staples like oregano and cumin in bulk. While we might have enough cinnamon sticks and cardamon pods to last a 100 curries, there’s always something else we can pick up at Sahadi’s.

Hoagies + Pie

On December 8, 2015May 13, 2019 By lukephillaryhIn Adventures1 Comment

Walking Map of Paisanos Union Market Caputo Bakery and Four Twenty Blackbirds — Paisanos > Union Market > Caputo > Four Twenty Blackbirds

Sundays are for walking. Whether it’s to Brooklyn Bridge Park in steamy July or a loop around Prospect Park in bone-chilling January, Hillary and I are devoted to our Sunday walk. With perfect weather this past weekend, we were inspired to log some major steps. After watching Creed on Friday evening, our hearts and stomachs longed for Philadelphia. What better to fulfill that taste of home than a classic Italian hoagie. We headed to Cobble Hill on Sunday morning for the essential hoagie ingredients, and made a detour to Gowanus for some pie slices.

Our stops