Dali in Philadelphia

The location can't be beat if you want to enjoy Philadelphia's nightlife. The hotel itself is clean and nicely decorated, and the rooms are nice, just what you'd expect from a Sheraton.

From the hotel, it's a short 2-block walk to the hippest nightlife in Philly. There are plenty of bars and restaurants attracting mostly a younger crowd in their 20's and 30's, but it is also an area older couples would enjoy. There are quite a few upscale restaurants in addition to dance clubs.

During the day, the hotel is within walking distance to the major historical sites. Really, the best way to enjoy and get to know the city is to walk it.

The Eulogy Tavern is a Belgian Pub, complete with an extensive beer list and fabulous French/Belgian food. We had some of the fruit-flavored beer: my sister loved it despite her general dislike of beer. The atmosphere is louder and more pub-like downstairs, but upstairs offers a bit quieter of an experience. Still, this is a casual-dining place.

The mussels in a wine sauce were excellent, but larger than I expected. We also tried the brie-stuffed pastry; it, too, was very good.

The service was good and friendly. The decor was fun and casual. I would definitely go again.

The museum is absolutely breathtaking. It sites atop a large staircase, much like the Metropolitan in New York City, but is even more imposing.

We went to see the Dali exhibit, and it was worth the trip. It was a bit crowded, so if you can, go during the day when others are at work. We went early Saturday evening. The exhibit is quite extensive, covering his early and later works, the most popular being, of course, his surrealist period. I would warn that Dali is a bit graphic at times for children, and perhaps for some adults.

The rest of the museum is fabulous, and it would take at least 2 days to do justice to the collection.

One not-to-be-missed area is Duchamp's works, including The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors and the work to the right of that, behind the wooden door in the corner. Do not miss that one! The museum boasts one of the best Duchamp collections in the US, so don't miss out! (Marcel Duchamp is considered one of the most important high-modern artists. He created seminal works in the surrealist, dada, and cubist styles.)