Note: This post was written in early December, but lingered in drafts for a month. Read it anyway! I revisit Philadelphia! PS: Check out this crazy Mummer’s Day parade video featuring my old crew dancing off global warming!

Train travel has never been so fast, so glamorous. Last weekend I took Amtrak for the very first time to my favorite neighbor to the south, Philadelphia.

I’ve spent a lot of time – I would guess the equivalent of one full week of my life — on New Jersey Transit trains , and after one ride on Amtrak, I am hooked. Expensive, yes, but so speedy! So efficient! Lovely! Apparently there are snack cars, and a quiet car (neither of thse were functional on my train). A brief recap in pictures:

Amtrak has its own in-train magazine. Colin Powell was on the cover. I am so excited to have a real ticket!

Leaving New Jersey: This sign reads “Trenton Makes – The World Takes”, which is always my favorite part of the trip. This is actually someone else’s seat. She had a small child with her – usually a recipe for traveling misery – and it wasn’t even annoying!

When I lived in Philadelphia, I was a member of an art collective called Space 1026. Once I arrived in Philadelphia, I went to the annual art auction at my old studio space. It was homey and fun, like the night before Thanksgiving at the local bar in your hometown with your high school friends.

Paddles for the art auction at Space 1026.

This was the most heated face-off of the auction. This young woman was apparently on the phone with London. The bidding for Alex da Corte’s piece went up to $800. I stopped at $50.

This is Philadelphia: MCAD alum Andy Beach, auctioneer extrordinaire Todd Kimmel, unidentified girl, 1026ers Roman Hasiuk, Alex Lukas, (unidentified bald man), and Aryon Hostelon.