Monsters and Alice in Wonderland- Philadelphia, the Bibliophile Tour

"Wait here," said our tour guide as she slipped past us into the dark room. I stood in the stark white entrance with excited anticipation.

"You may enter now," she motioned with a childlike smile. Slowly I entered the room and there they were, staring down at my small stature with a most hungry, greedy expression. I imagined that they would jump out from their guardlike positions and swallow me in one bite. After all, they are monsters.

I love books. Most girls love jewelry or flowers, but give me a good book any day. I fall in love with them. I love visiting new places and meeting new characters that I sometimes get to know as though they were my friends. Whatever my problems are, they can be lost within the pages of a book. I’d be hard pressed to give the name of a favorite book. It would be like having to give the name of a favorite child. They are all so different and unique. One takes place in space, another in a magical world, and another in Africa. Some I must admit are better than others and some characters more dear to my heart. Some books I waited in line at midnight to get, some were gifts, and some were part of an amazing adventure or literature conquest. I am a true bibliophile and thus wanted to take a small vacation to indulge my passion.

"Where are going?" you might ask. "Surely London or Paris or even New York."

"Of course not," I reply. "I’m going to Philadelphia."

If while playing a word association game, you threw out the word Philadelphia, you’d likely hear things like independence...Fourth of July...Ben Franklin...revolution...or other historical expressions. You wouldn’t initially think to associate Philadelphia with "Alice in Wonderland," Beatrix Potter, or Edgar Allen Poe, and yet Philadelphia has a wonderful array of activities for book lovers seemingly veiled in some sort of tourist secrecy. A quiet society of bibliophiles who pass information about sights amongst each other by word of mouth, fearful that they might have to share their tour with more than three other people. Let me lift the veil of secrecy and introduce you to Philadelphia, the bibliophile tour. Just promise you won’t all go there at once and that you will keep the information to yourself.

Quick Tips:

Just a short 15-minute ride over the bridges leading into Philadelphia is Southern New Jersey. If you are on a budget, you might want to look here for accommodations, as prices will be cheaper then staying in the city. You can even take the train over from Cherry Hill or Haddonfield if you don’t feel like driving in the city.

Look on www.gophilla.com for the best tourism information and details about each sight you may want to visit.

Research some dining options before you go. There are so many great restaurants in Philadelphia; you might be overwhelmed as to where to eat.

The Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia has a number of really great bars/restaurants and is a great place to get away from the tourists and hang out with the locals.

If you are not too sure where to eat or what to do next, ask a tour guide or other local, they will likely tell you of some cool places to visit that aren’t in the main travel brochures. We went to the small and somewhat unknown Civil War museum after a docent at the Rosenbach Museum recommended it.

Every fall and winter, Philadelphia has Restaurant Week. Dozens of Philadelphia restaurants participate and you could eat at a different one every night. The restaurants, most very pricey otherwise, offer a three-course meal for per person. It is well worth it and I highly recommend planning your trip around these weeks (http://www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek/).

Philadelphia is best seen in the fall or spring. In the summer, the streets are clogged with tourists and the city overall has a hot, sweaty, and smelly feel to it. The air-conditioned attractions like the National Constitution Center are flooded with people trying to keep cool and you won’t get to experience as much. Unless you are really into the outdoor speakers and historical street performers, fall and spring offer less crowds and better weather.

Best Way To Get Around:

Compared to most cities, Philadelphia is quite easy to drive around in. Parking can be costly so the best thing to do is plan to spend a day in each separate section. For example, if wanting to visit The Book Trader, I suggest going there and then planning your day in that vicinity. You can eat at one of the great restaurants just blocks away, get some ice cream at the Franklin Fountain, and take a peaceful walk along Penn’s Landing. This will keep you from having to drive from one end of the city to the other and numerous parking charges.

I highly recommend taking the train/subway as much as possible. This will force you to walk several blocks to most destinations and will allow you to discover restaurants, shops, and out of the way museums you might otherwise pass right by when driving in a car. The phlash bus, carriage rides, and trolley rides are other fun ways to traverse the city.

On a crisp fall day, I embarked on a leisurely walk around Philadelphia. Suddenly something caught my attention. It was a smell, and not just any smell, the smell of freshly baked waffles. In a Toucan Sam like trance, I began to follow my nose until I came upon the source of the delightful aroma, The Franklin Fountain.

Located at 116 Market St., The Franklin Fountain boasts itself as an ice cream saloon. Soda jerks dressed in crisp white shirts, bow ties, and hats serve up old school ice cream treats amidst an atmosphere filled with antiques. I perused the menu, which contained an extensive array of expertly created sodas, milkshakes, and ice cream indulgences. The ice cream is homemade and comes in flavors ranging from vanilla bean to teaberry gum. The banana splits are served in antique pressed glass boats and adult and kids alike were enjoying them both in the old-fashioned parlor and outside at comfortable tables. The Franklin Fountain itself sits on a very pedestrian corner and makes for great people-watching.

I instantly spotted my favorite ice cream flavor, Peanut Butter Ripple. I ordered mine to go, so I could continue my walk, and was extremely amused as my scoop of ice cream was placed in a Chinese take-out container. Upon my first bite, I knew that no other Peanut Butter Ripple ice cream could ever compete with this. The ice cream was just bursting with vanilla bean flavor mingled with gigantic chunks of creamy peanut butter. I savored every bite as I made my way to the Book Trader just down the street.

If you are in Philadelphia you must make an effort to visit The Franklin Fountain. I have returned numerous times and found the Root Beer Floats very tasty as well. It’s a great place to meet for a before dinner snack, after dinner dessert, or to wait out a scattered rain shower, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I couldn’t help but revel for a moment in the wonderful colors: vibrant red, bright yellow, deep purple, and earthy green. Who knew there could be such artistic admiration involved in looking at a plate of food?

After breathing in the smell of old books at the Rosenbach Museum, I was quite ready to breathe in the smell of some good food. Since the weather on this particular fall day was so ideal, I decided to take a walk and see which of the numerous restaurants in the area would catch my fancy. Not far from the museum, I was taken in by the sight of my favorite flower. There resting on the windowsills of a small corner eatery were large vases full of big, bright sunflowers. That was when I made up my mind to eat at Audrey Claire.

Located at 276 S. 20th St., Audrey Claire is a simply decorated Country French-themed restaurant. They boast the use of only the freshest of ingredients, which was confirmed once my “small dish” arrived. I was not exactly confident with my choice when I ordered the mango, tomato, and basil salad, but the flavors did in fact balance each other well. My husband who accompanied me chose the Mediterranean spread small dish and it was a delicious assortment, which included white bean spread and some of the best hummus I’ve tasted. Although my salad was good, his choice was even better and I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. My “big dish” consisted of a perch filet on top of creamy polenta, topped with spinach, in a butter sauce. The appearance was so pretty with the bright yellow sauce toned down slightly by the dark green spinach, I felt bad sinking my fork in as if vandalizing a lovely work of art. Shannon ordered the pork tenderloin, which came with a lentil salad filled with deep purple colored beans. Again the plate envy monster reared its ugly head as my dish proved to be a bit too salty. His pork tenderloin, however, was tender and juicy. Desserts seemed a bit lackluster at Audrey Claire with little variety, and my rice pudding was nothing more then...well...rice pudding. It is also important to note that they do not accept credit cards so make sure to bring cash or your companion, like mine, may be forced to take a walk in search of an ATM while you sit and twiddle your thumbs.

Audrey Claire was a very nice place to enjoy a meal. It was quite pleasant eating while warm fall breezes blew through the sunflower adorned windows. The staff was attentive and very helpful when making recommendations, and the open kitchen offered some added entertainment. If I ever went back, I’d probably just skip the big dish and dessert and order an assortment of the small dishes to sample, especially the Mediterranean spreads. After all, the food was really pretty and not too bad to taste either.

http://www.audreyclaire.com/ac/achome_flash.html

There is nothing more enjoyable for me than whiling a day away in Barnes and Noble. Clean, organized shelves display the newest releases, and tasty lattes await me just a few steps away. A few times a year however, a deep yearning overtakes me. A yearning for dusty shelves, literary chaos, and books I’ve never heard of but know I can’t live without. When I am in this state of mind, I go straight to The Book Trader, where finding “the” book is an adventure.

The Book Trader in Philadelphia is located at 7 N. 2nd St., off of Market Street. As the name implies, you are welcome to come bearing your unwanted literature. Through some mysterious system your books will be inspected and awarded monetary amounts, which you may use as store credit. If lugging bags or boxes laden with heavy books down Market Street for 6 blocks (in August no less) doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to simply enter and browse.

The store is divided into themed sections like fiction, travel, bibliographies, and such. That is about the extent of the organization. Heavy, towering wooden shelves, which always appear to need a good dusting, are stuffed full of others' unwanted books. It always gives me the feeling that I’m in some sort of book orphanage as the various hard and soft back copies cry out to me to take them home. When shelf space runs out the books are merely stacked in piles on the floor, making every step you take a bit precarious. It’s not unusual to travel down an aisle where someone is busy re-stacking a pile of books they just accidentally knocked over. It is nothing short of chaos, but the kind of chaos that a true book lover would just adore to be immersed in. An entire morning or afternoon could easily be spent wandering around the paper labyrinth. If you want to try a book out, just pick a comfy chair on the second floor and read while admiring the view of the church across the street through the giant upstairs window. Just watch out, as the resident cat may decide to make your lap a great place to curl up for a nap.

I’ve purchased numerous books at chain bookstores, but I somehow love the books I’ve bought from The Book Trader just a little more. A giant hard cover biography of Catherine the Great after a professor made me fall in love with her. I discovered a book about religion vs. Freud when I was obsessed with psychotherapy. It seems like no matter what the phase, I always find a book at The Book Trader to match it. The shelves may be dusty, the store itself chaotic, and there are no lattes to be found, but The Book Trader certainly makes finding “the” book just as pleasurable as reading it.

My footsteps echoed as I made my way across the meticulously shined marble floor. I was trying to remember what the little blurb I read said. I was anxious. I’m not sure if travel writers are supposed to be social, but I am not social. People make me nervous and asking strangers questions, and not knowing how they will react, makes me very nervous. My idea was that I was embarking on something secret and forbidding, so I was treading very carefully.

“Excuse me,” I said to the guard, barley above a whisper. “Could you tell me how to get to the rare book department?”

“Sure,” he blurted, proceeding to give the instructions in a rather loud and boisterous tone. I guess it’s not such a secret after all.

Taking the elevator, I arrived on a large balcony overlooking the lobby. To my left was a set of glass doors and a button with a sign that warned that once pressed it would take someone almost 5 minutes to answer. In due time I was greeted by a young lady who could have been the cover model for Librarian Monthly. In her sweater set, wool skirt, and glasses with the thick black frames, it almost seemed as though she was dressing purposely for the part. She introduced herself as Laura or Laurel, I never did quite get it. Laura/Laurel assured me that I was not late for the daily tour, which she would lead momentarily. While politely waiting I greedily inhaled, letting the smell of old books fill my lungs.

The tour began a few minutes after 11am and I must admit I wasn’t expecting too much since the price was free. Our little group was first led to a case where Laura/Laurel lovingly presented us with cuneiform tablets, sheets of papyrus, and other examples of how writing materials have evolved over time. We then jumped from case to case as our wool-skirted guide explained various collections and every so often displayed for us some bibliophilic artifact. She displayed a wonderful deal of enthusiasm, as she gracefully whisked each piece the way a kindergarten teacher does, making certain that each student has a chance to see the pictures associated with the story being read. A sense of admiration filled me as I thought that she really worked hard making it interesting despite the fact that she has probably guided this tour more than a hundred times.

The grand finale of the tour was well worth the entire venture. Slowly, Laura/Laurel unlocked and opened a set of double doors, making it excitingly dramatic. Inside was the library of a Mr. William M. Elkins. In his lifetime, Mr. Elkins had amassed a rather impressive collection of rare literature. Upon his death he willed his entire library to the Free Library of Philadelphia. Every inch of the library was donated—books, rugs, wall, and everything in between. A photographer even captured photos of the views outside his windows. Everything was then painstakingly reassembled in the rare book department of the library. It was fascinating and full of that oh-so-good old book smell. We were allowed to mill around for quite some time and our guide stated that if there were any books we wished to examine more closely she would gladly retrieve them from the shelves.

After a bit of browsing in the Elkins library, the doors were locked and we were told we could spend as much time as we wanted wandering around. I really enjoyed viewing the journal of Captain John Smith and the several cases that contained old school books. I examined the books hard, feeling sure that Laura Ingalls must have personally held at least one of them. I was also struck with a sense of overindulgence when I thought about how at one point in time books were really something rare and special. Having a book was almost like having a precious jewel and you read them over and over. I do love my books and the trip gave me a sense of gratitude that I could just go right now to the nearest Barnes and Noble and purchase a whole library of books right on the spot if I wanted to.

If you stood in line at midnight to get the last Harry Potter book, have a child or pet purposely named after a literary character, or still see the highlight of your life as playing Anne of Green Gables in your high school play, then the Free Library of Philadelphia’s rare book department is not to be missed. It’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to wander, as they close at 5pm. The tour starts at 11am every Monday through Friday, but you are free to arrive whenever you like just to look around and peer into the glass bookcases. I do believe that anyone whose quote is “Why read the book when you can see the movie?” would probably be bored, restless, and take the old book smell completely for granted. It’s not really a place for children either as there isn’t much to grab their attention. For me or anyone else with an intense love for books, it is one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets that really turned out to be not that secretive at all.

The fallen leaves rustled down the residential street lined with well-maintained brick exteriors, which echoed wealth. We were not quite sure we were in the right place. The street did not look like a museum belonged on it. There was nothing to make you think this was an area tourists should be wandering about, and then suddenly at the end of the street was a sign, a sign with a monster on it, and I knew that we had indeed found The Rosenbach Museum.

The moment we walked through the doors, a woman jumped up to greet us.

"Welcome to the Rosenbach, are you here for the tour?" We nodded yes.

"Oh, well it’s a good thing you came today, it’s Tuesday and so that means the tour is free." We feigned surprise, not wanting to appear cheap, but of course we had planned our visit on Tuesday purposefully to get in for free (the admission is usually $8). She told us that she was just waiting for an available docent, who should be here shortly, and that we were free to browse in the gift shop with another gentleman who was also waiting for the tour.

After 15 minutes or so, we were greeted by our friendly tour guide, who led the three of us into a small room with chairs set up lecture style. This part of the tour reminded me of the staging areas they have at theme parks where you have to listen to a little story of whatever before boarding your ride. Similar to that, our docent embarked on a speech giving the historical background of the museum.

The Rosenbachs were brothers with a love for business, books, and antiques. They spent their lives collecting and dealing rare books and manuscripts and amassed a great wealth of art and antiques as well. They resided in a row home in Philadelphia, located at 2008 DeLancey Place, where the museum continues to reside today. It has become such a staple in the surrounding residential neighborhood that there is a sign on the door giving instructions for deliverymen leaving packages.

"The neighbors usually leave a sign on their doors telling the deliveryman to drop the delivery off at the Rosenbach and then they come here and retrieve their package. We don’t mind, it keeps the residents happy," the docent explained.

After the prepping room we were ushered through various rooms of the house and informed with great passion about this antique, that painting, or this particular book collection. Portraits came alive as our docent talked about each person as though they were close personal friends. Antiques from around the world made me want to travel and collect similar treasures; and, of course, there were the books. Numerous first editions or the author’s personal copies; most notable for me was Lewis Carroll’s personal copy of Alice in Wonderland. The Rosenbach had actually owned the first copy as well, but after much controversy was nice enough to sell it to London, who felt they were the rightful owners. There were books by Hawthorne, Melville, and Joyce. In fact, every June the museum hosts their Bloomsday festival for James Joyce fans. During the festival, notable persons in Philadelphia come and take turns reading Ulysses on an outside stage.

"We close the whole street off and everyone just has a wonderful time," our docent beamed.

My favorite part of the museum was the Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are) gallery. Mr. Sendak visited the Rosenbach Museum often to admire the rare books and finally decided to dedicate a huge collection of his artwork to the museum. The stark white gallery is full of original artwork by the artist/author and is very inspiring. To protect the artwork, huge, thick shades featuring huge wild monsters cover the windows. Sadly, after this grand finale our tour was over.

I really liked the Rosenbach Museum and found it both relaxing and interesting. I was a little disappointed that photography within the museum was prohibited. Also prohibited was wandering around the museum on your own. My husband and I are the kind of people that well after everyone else has become bored or restless, we are still intently investigating and reading every plaque at a museum. At the Rosenbach you must be accompanied by one of their docents at all times and generally in tour format. I do understand that this is for the safety and well being of the artifacts in the museum, but I do love to wander. If you’re not into art, books, or antiques, I do believe that you would be bored with the Rosenbach Museum. Children also would find it pretty dull. There is no touching of anything allowed, except in the Maurice Sendak gallery, and if you have a child who is a Sendak fan you can make special arrangements to visit that room only. If you’re a nerd like me, however, and know you’ll get a thrill just from seeing Lewis Carroll’s personal copy of Alice in Wonderland or the first edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress or even perhaps would like to learn the significance of the pineapple in colonial antiques, then the Rosenbach Museum is not to be missed.

2008-2010 DeLancey Place
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: (215) 732-1600
Fax: (215) 545-7529
Email: info@rosenbach.org

Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday 10am-5pm
Wednesday 10am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm