:(

lol.

I’m homeeee now, yay! It feels good to be back. ♥ I kinda missed the burbs, though there’s so much more to do in the city. Everything’s within walking distance. Not so in Northern Virginia. Granted, we are all kinda squished together, but you need a car to function here. If you try to walk or bike anywhere, you’ll likely get hit, as no one knows how to drive. :) What? I can say that, I’m from here. ;)

Was watching my local news station a few minutes ago, sigh. Boring. I’ll get used to it again with time, but I shall miss you, Action News, LMAO. That theme song, sounding like something from an 80s action TV show.. Made me excited to watch the news. Rick Williams and his seriousness.. I’ll miss it very much so. It’s the little things. All of the little things. I’ll miss them very much. Philadelphia really left a huge impression on me. I love that city. I really love that city.

whitetiger9:

randomlybran:

because when you’re in Philly, you know, that’s what you’re supposed to do. It’s the law.

Very nice! That’s the spirit, duder.

Haha, thanks! ;) I hope they sell Amoroso rolls in Virginia, otherwise I’m going be packing a whole suitcase full of these babies to take back with me. LMAO.

because when you’re in Philly, you know, that’s what you’re supposed to do. It’s the law.

I’M 22! YAY!

Haha, it’ll truly be official at 4:30 AM this morning, but yes. I’m 22, and that’s crazy. I just turned 21, HOWWWW am I 22 all of a sudden?! lol.

Talk to you guys later, I should be posting a little something about how my trip’s been going soon. I started typing some stuff, but haven’t finished it yet. I don’t feel like finishing it right now, so I will later. I promise! :) Right now, I’ve got to go get some sleep, as I have a big day of Birthday festivities ahead of me, haha.

-Bran.

Current temperature: 63.

What’s going on, Philly?

Haha, the weather was weird like this yesterday too. At least it’s not crazy hot like it has been. Plus, I have an excuse to wear my hoodie! :) I love my hoodie. ♥

It’s supposed to storm on my Birthday (Thursday). Not liking that too much, but hey, the weather changes all the time—you never know. However, considering the fact that it’s been so stormy for the past several days, it probably won’t change too much.

Here’s hoping.

Hello, everyone! I’ll write about how my Friday went later on today, if I get a chance! :) Nothing very eventful happened or anything, it’s just that I like keeping track of my time here in Philly. :) I’m very tired from walking around everywhere, and had a great night watching one of my current favorite TV shows. It’s a Korean medical drama called Surgeon Bong Dal Hee. Think of it as the Grey’s Anatomy of Korea, haha. It was a very short-lived series (January 2007 to March 2007), but, I don’t know, I really like it. I discovered it through an Asian channel called Arirang, and have been trying to keep up with it ever since. You guys should check it out if you’re interested in foreign shows, movies, etc. You can watch every single episode (there are 18 of them) here. I just found that link tonight, and was extremely happy about it, haha! :)

Anyway, yep! I’ll probably have much more to talk about later, after I’ve gotten some proper rest. Good night, all! :) Talk later. ♥

-Bran.

Technically, I’m on my fifth day here, but I didn’t get to write about my fourth day until now, so here we go. Had a very nice day. I walked quite a bit, just looking around and such—the weather was begging to be enjoyed. It wasn’t too hot early on in the afternoon, but got a little warm as the day progressed. Thank the Lord for the amazing breeze here. One thing I really like about this city so far is the fact that there’s an actual breeze. In the city! It’s not just a small breeze, either. It’s a major breeze, which is very pleasant in these premature summer temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately. It’s just not like that in New York City. I love NYC so much, but summers right in the heart of all the action are brutal. Anyway, shopped a little bit, mainly to pick up some needs, but also to get some wants as well (haha). My first weekend in the area is coming up, and I’m excited for it! I’ve been thinking about what I want to do on the weekends before I even got here, lol. I’ve got to do something, I can’t just waste a perfectly good weekend doing nothing. It’s supposed to rain late on Friday into early Saturday morning, but things should be clearing up before Saturday really starts. If all goes well weather-wise, I’d love to get out and explore. :)

Well, I guess I’ll go for now. I’m exhausted, partly because of everything I did yesterday (technically), and also because of my allergies. See, I’m allergic to just about everything outside, so I’ve been sneezing like crazy. I believe I’d benefit from a small investment in some Claritin, haha.

Talk later. :)

-Bran.

Update (6.1.12, 11:14 PM): Happy June, everyone! :)

Whenever I look lovely, there are no hot guys to be found. Nowhere, not one. BUT TODAY, after waiting OVER AN HOUR in fairly windy weather for a frickin’ cab, who greets me when I arrive at my hotel? Why, a VERY cute, Michael Bublé look-alike valet guy, of course.

Why, WHY does this always happen to me?! lmao. He smiled at me (fainting over here), and asked if I needed any help with my bags. Sigh. I was tired as crap, and my hair must’ve looked crazy, from being blown around all day. I think it’s a conspiracy. Like, hot guys just gather at their secret hot guy headquarters, and wait for you to look ugly, so they can pop out of nowhere to say hello. WHYYYY?!

Oh, and the cab thing is totally my fault. I had the stupid idea to go to Rite Aid during rush hour. Rush hour = GOOD LUCK FINDING A CAB! Seriously, I’m from Northern Virginia—I should’ve known better. Northern Virginia’s unofficial slogan is “Welcome to Northern Virginia! Expect delays.” Anyway, ah well, haha. I just lost track of time.

Also, thank you, “Rite Aid Man” as I shall call you, for having a Mom who works for a cab company. I’m very fond of the fact that you have connections to get anyone in Philadelphia a cab within a very short amount of time. You’re our savior! :)

-Bran.

Yay! Just arrived on Monday afternoon. :) I’ve passed through the area many times by train, but that’s about it. Last year, I actually got to see the train station on 30th Street (insert sarcastic “ooooh” here) while waiting to catch a connecting train, but again, that’s about it. The station is lovely, but, you know, nothing like what’s beyond it. I walked around the area today to get a feel for what this city is really like, but felt a bit lost. See, I don’t know quite where to begin. That’s the way I feel about all cities—they’re dense, which means lots of things to do, places to see, etc., some of which can be “hidden,” if you will, from visitors’ eyes.

So, this is where all of you locals come in. I’m going to be here for a while, so I’ve got to know: What it is that I, without a doubt, must do while I’m here? Where do I need to go? What do I have to see? Where can I find the best cheesesteak(s)? LOL, if you like finer cuisine, by all means, recommend your suggestions, but know that I’m a simple girl. I wanna know where all of the good junk food is. ;) I Googled where to find the best cheesesteak(s) in Philadelphia, and while of course, Geno’s and Pat’s came up, I understand they’re more touristy (I quote the term “tourist traps,” used by one local), and, frankly, overrated. THIS IS ONLY WHAT I’VE GATHERED FROM ONLINE RESEARCH, so don’t hate me if I’m completely wrong about this. I’ve concluded that Jim’s is apparently awesome, so I kinda have my heart set on it. Is this wise? A local recommended this same place to me, so I think I might have something here. Am I right?

One more question: How do you “properly” order a cheesesteak in Philadelphia? Philadelphians are serious about their cheesesteak ordering process, so I want to make sure I get it right. Tell me what to do. It seems that it’s simply either American, provolone, or Whiz (Cheez Whiz), depending on what kind of cheese you want, followed by “wit,” meaning you want onions, or “witout,” if you prefer your cheesesteak be onionless. Is that right? Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m thinking I can’t go wrong saying “American, without.” How does that sound? Please note that there’s no way I’m going to say “witout.” Locals sound normal saying that. I, however, sound ridiculous.

Also, random, but my Mom and I stopped by 7-Eleven yesterday evening to grab some snacks and drinks, and as we browsed around, Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom began playing overhead. I felt like fist pumping, lmao (I know, wrong state). Who cares if it’s a 70s song, it’s amazingly appropriate for the occasion! :)

Anyway, yes. I shall be going to bed now, as I’ve had a very long day of walking around in at least 90+ degree weather. I’m from Virginia—if you’re from the East Coast, you know that it’s humid as CRAP here. Therefore, horrible heat + terrible humidity make for one very tired Brandi. That being said, goodnight, everyone. Sleep tight.

-Bran.