An illustration of Fiona's profile. She has light skin, shoulder-length black hair, a mole under her left eye, and is wearing a light yellow shirt.

reporting from… Philadelphia! 🔔 by Fiona L. '27

i tried a real philadelphia cheesesteak

Day 1 – 10/12

My plane ride to Philadelphia was about an hour long—I booked a flight with a budget airline that charged for every add on and cracked down on oversized luggage. My backpack, which served as my carry on item, was oversized, and didn’t fit in a measuring station that had been set up at the gate. Fortunately, I met another MIT student on the same flight, Jorge C ’27, and he showed me a technique to compress all my luggage as much as possible, saving me from an oversized luggage fee. It was fate that I managed to see the MIT ID in his phone while riding the Silver Line to the airport.

After getting off the plane, I met my friend Sarah Y. on the UPenn campus. I got to know her suite and meet her suitemates! I took some time to unwind and unpack in Sarah’s room, which was very cute :)

Around the suite, there was a painting on the wall that they called “The Sigma,” and a poster that asked if I had a “skibidi” day. Sarah’s door had a series of post-its on it, each one celebrating another completed week of Math 1040, the UPenn equivalent of 18.02, Multivariable Calculus. My favorite post-it was the one that read, “Math 1040 is my abusive boyfriend.”

A medium, full shot framed at street level. Independence Hall is centered in the upper third of the frame, viewed from across the street. The building's white tower is a focal point against the blue sky. Diagonally receding lines of sidewalk, bollards, and the street create depth. The color palette consists of greens from the trees, gray from the streetscape, and a red tour bus on the right. People are distributed along the sidewalk; adds texture and human scale. The composition balances historical architecture with modern street elements.

a shot of Philadelphia

Sarah and I went to eat a Philly cheese steak and waterice, and then browsed the Philadelphia Visitor Center.

High-angle, close-up shot. A tanned hand holding a plastic container of bright red Italian ice is positioned on the left. Inside the container is a white spoon, and a black hair band is visible on the wrist. To the right, a cheesesteak partially wrapped in silver foil sits inside a ripped white paper bag. The background consists of a weathered wooden surface and a portion of a tan-colored bag in the upper right corner.

a traditional Philadelphian meal

There, I saw an adorable plush of a Philadelphia cheesesteak and a pretzel.

Close-up, eye-level shot featuring a circular wire display basket filled with several plush toys designed to resemble tacos and sandwiches. The toys are primarily tan and brown, with details like yellow felt cheese and brown filling. The toys have small, round
adorable philly cheesesteaks🥺🥺
Eye-level, slightly high-angle photograph featuring a retail display of felt flowers and Philadelphia themed merchandise. Two metal pails containing vibrant felt flowers are the focal point, with one pail elevated on a light-colored wooden block. A sign with the
felt flowers

At night, Sarah, Rachel (one of Sarah’s suitemates) and I got Shake Shack, and we had a picnic together on the lawn outside the dorm.

My mom had warned me to be wary of my safety, since Philadelphia is known to be more dangerous than Boston. I seem to have taken it a little far during my trip to Philadelphia, telling my Sarah and Rachel that I needed to avoid being “shanked” while getting late night burgers. That Shake Shack came to be known as “Shank Shack” for the duration of the weekend.

Low-angle, medium shot captures a nighttime picnic scene on a red and white checkerboard blanket. The composition includes a partially visible seated person holding a burger in the upper left, with Shake Shack containers, fries, a sauce cup, and a water bottle arranged towards the center. Shadows cast by low lighting partially obscure details. Diagonal lines of the blanket pattern lead the eye across the frame. The color palette consists primarily of reds, whites, browns, and blacks.

Shank Shack picnic

Sarah let me put a new Math 1040 post-it on her wall. I chose the phrase “Math 1040: Shank or be Shanked.” 01 Although Sarah wrote it, since her handwriting was a lot prettier than mine.

I finished my day by showering in the UPenn shower :)

Medium shot of a closed, white shower curtain in situ. the curtain is flat against the shower frame and the shower rod is partially visible at the top. The Penn University logo is vertically centered on the curtain. The lighting appears flat, with indistinct shadows. The camera angle is straight-on, showing the full curtain and a small sliver of the bathroom floor.

the upenn shower!!

Day 2 – 10/13

Friday was a museum day! Sarah and I got breakfast at La Colombe Coffee and went to Washington Square, where there happened to be a crafts market going on. It reminded me of the markets that would sometimes pop up around Boston Common.

Eye-level medium shot of a white tabletop overflowing with colorful glass pumpkins and fruit. The pumpkins are in a variety of colors including orange, purple, yellow, blue, teal, pink and black, each featuring a coiled green glass stem. Glass fruit sits in a tray. Background is blurred with people and tents. A small wooden riser sits towards the top, holding additional pumpkins.
reminds me of the MIT Glass Lab pumpkins!!!
Overhead shot of a round ceramic plate mounted on a roughly textured, light brown surface. The plate features a naive-style blue line drawing of a telephone pole composition. Inside the circle a gray and white sky makes up the background. Plate edges are a muted brown and white. The plate hangs with a screw in the lower left corner. The brown surface fills most of the composition.
telephone wires painted on porcelain

Then, we went to the Mutter Museum, a museum that displayed various medical oddities through the rare medical conditions of individuals throughout history. (I don’t have any photos because photography was not allowed in the museum.) 02 However, I did say that something was unsettling about going to the museum. I felt like it made real people’s medical conditions out to be something to entertain or to be gawked at.

A high-angle, medium shot of a light-skinned hand extending upwards. It wears five rubber finger puppets shaped like hands in varying skin tones. Low and to the right is a wooden floor with a shoe near the bottom. Behind the hand is a dark wall with a sign that reads "Mutter Museum". The composition emphasizes the stark contrast between the hand and the diverse puppet hands, drawing the viewer's attention the conceptual art.

5^2 fingers

We finished off the day by going to the Rodin Museum, 03 I really liked the courtyard of this museum—something about courtyards with statues will never fail to amaze me. where there was a statue of the thinker⁠04 I felt really special seeing it—it even reminded me a little bit of MIT’s own 'Alchemist' statue. But like the Alchemist, the Thinker was not unique, with 27 other statues pondering life all across the globe. ! Sarah and I posed in front of it in our own thinking positions.

Medium shot level view of a symmetrical composition featuring a landscape. A rectangular reflecting pool is centrally positioned in the foreground, framed by concrete edges and landscaping. Behind the pool, a light-stone architectural structure with a centered arched opening on the left and an decorative, gated entry on the right. People are visible in the background. Lush, dark-green trees dominate the upper portion of the frame, with sunlight dappling through the leaves above the structure. The reflection in the pool mirrors the architecture and sky.
the courtyard of the Rodin Museum
Low-angle shot of the Thinker statue, a bronze sculpture perched atop a light stone pedestal. The composition includes the statue's dark form against a backdrop of green trees and a light blue sky. Sunlight highlights the pedestal's texture and cast shadows on the statue's details. The building architecture can be seen on the left side of the image.
I wonder what he's thinking about...
A medium shot captures two bronze hand sculptures. The sculptures are positioned on black, octagonal pedestals. They are set on a marble countertop in front of a neutral, off-white wall. The sculptures are placed slightly apart, each accompanied by a descriptive plaque in front. The lighting is soft and diffused, emphasizing the textures of the bronze and marble. The composition is symmetrical, drawing the eye to the artwork.
there's a lot of emotion here for just two sculpted hands
Eye-level outdoor shot of Auguste Rodin's
more statues in the courtyard!

Afterwards, we visited Reading Terminal Market, where I became very very hungry admiring the different cuisines, and had dinner at Terakawa Street. In Philadelphia, “Don’t go past 40th street” is a common saying with regards to student safety. The restaurant was right on 40th street.

High-angle, medium shot of a white ceramic ramen bowl with a red accent rim, positioned slightly off-center on a black rectangular tray, set upon light brown wooden table. The ramen bowl is filled with orange/yellow broth containing ingredients such as noodles, pork, egg, seaweed and bean sprouts, topped with green onions. The composition balances color and texture, highlighting the ramen's appetizing presentation. The restaurant typography on the bowl adds cultural context.

40th Street Ramen

At night, I played Red Flags with some of Sarah’s friends in the dorm! It’s a game where each person tries to create an ideal partner for one player, with people being able to put “Red Flags” on their opponents’ creations to sabotage them. Some of my favorite “red flags” included “Tries to pay for everything with farm animals,” “Calls their pets their children,” and “Brings ex to first date.”

Day 3 – 10/14

On Saturday, everybody in the suite had commitments for clubs and other extracurriculars, and weren’t free to be dragged around the city by me :( However, there was one other person visiting UPenn for the weekend. Lily, a freshman from Pomona, was visiting one of Sarah’s suitemates, who she knew because they both went to the same high school in Hawaii. We took a long walk to the Philadelphia Art Museum, then had lunch at Unit Su Vege, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant.

Framed landscape painting, horizontal composition. Depicts boats in a bay under a cloudy sky. A rocky shore features a large square tower among smaller buildings. Muted earth tones and blues dominate. The frame is ornate, gold-toned with distressed red highlights. The artwork is mounted on a neutral-colored wall with rough texture. Partial frame of another art piece is visible.
a very beautiful landscape piece
Framed oil painting in portrait orientation. Displays Impressionist style with loose brushstrokes and dappled lighting. A girl in a translucent white blouse and a navy blue skirt is positioned in the center foreground. She is standing in what appears to be a doorway, holding the doorframe with her left hand and looking forward. Behind her, a garden bursts with green foliage, sunlight peering through the trees in a hazy fashion due to impressionist style, and splashes of white flowers are near the bottom right corner of the garden. The ornate frame surrounds the canvas. The painting is wall-mounted on a painted wall.
one of my favorites! i really like paintings that feature a lot of light.
Oil on canvas painting, “Still Life” by William Merritt Chase, circa 1900. The Baroque-style painting features a close-up, low-angle three-quarter shot of two fish, one crab, and a large pot. The color palette is dominated by muted browns and grey, with highlights of pink and cream on the fish. Impasto brushstrokes are evident, creating texture. The painting is mounted in an elaborate antique gold frame on a matte, light-green wall, with a descriptive placard next to the artwork.
dead fish.
Eye-level, medium shot of two square-format paintings on a light gray gallery wall. The left painting, in an intricate gold frame, renders a watery landscape with vertical tree trunks using Impressionistic brushstrokes and pale-blue sky. The right painting, also with a gilded frame, depicts a landscape of full, green trees in a similar style. Small, white placards are visible below each painting. A doorway is seen at the far right.
pretty leaves
Oil on canvas painting in ornate gold frame, depicting a rural scene. A young woman, back to the viewer, carrying a milk pail and a man with a straw hat, shovel over his shoulder, on grassy farmland dotted with wildflowers. Cows graze in the distance on a hill. The canvas is rendered in a naturalistic style with diffused light and muted tones. The piece has a classical composition with a balanced distribution of figures.
A Temperance Meeting
Framed artwork featuring a watercolor painting. The composition includes a horizontal cityscape with a river in the foreground. The color palette is dominated by cool tones–light blues, greens, and purples suggestive of a serene atmosphere. The architecture, including a prominent church spire, is rendered with loose brushstrokes, typical of an Impressionistic style. The lower-left corner contains an illegible artist's signature. The painting is surrounded by a wide white mat within a dark wood frame. A small brass plaque with the artist's name,
a sketch-like work
Wide shot of a museum exhibit with a light grey background. A three-tiered white platform displays an array of design chairs. Level 1 features a polished chrome chair is visible, as well as a black rocking chair, and a red and black chair. Level 2 features a wooden chair with red accents, a tan chair composed of concrete, and a round, wooden chair. Level 3 includes a black minimalist chair, multi-toned- brown and yellow- wooden-based chair, and a white and red stripe-pattern. The light is diffuse and even. The composition highlights the diverse forms and materials used in chair design. Labels with descriptions are faintly visible in the foreground.
a bunch of quirky chairs
Wide-angle, daytime shot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Dominating the foreground are the long, horizontal lines of the stone steps ascending to the Grecian-style museum building. People are scattered on the steps, creating dynamic points of interest. Two flagpoles, positioned near the edges of the museum, draw the eye upward. The sky is a clear gradient of blue, providing a backdrop that complements the warm tones of the museum’s facade and the gray of the stairs. Pavement in a herringbone pattern occupies the lower section of ground level space.
the Rocky steps! Lily filmed me running up them
High-angle shot of the William Forum atrium. A wire mesh sculpture composed of human figures hangs suspended from the ceiling grid. The mesh shows pink and gold colours. Recessed pot lights in the white ceiling provide illumination. A large opening with a white wall is in the centre behind the sculpture. Benches are on the light beige floor. The image is well-lit, with a focus on the artistic details of the sculpture.
looks like ghosts hanging from the ceiling

Afterwards, I saw a giant statue near the back of the museum!

Wide-angle, full shot of the bronze equestrian statue centered and facing right. Dominant vertical lines of the tiered pedestal and statue contrast with the horizontal steps in the foreground. Composition balances warm bronze tones against cool greens and blues of the sky and greenery. Diagonal lines lead the eye from the lower left to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the right.

a large statue

Lily had to catch a flight back to school afterwards, so I toured the Barnes museum and the Eastern State Penitentiary by myself. I learned about an interesting rivalry that the director of the Barnes had with the Philadelphia Art Museum, where they had clashed over a painting known as “The Bathers.” 05 I found the difference between the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Barnes to be like the MFA vs. the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston. While the former was more of a 'traditional' art museum, the latter was a collection created by a rich and eccentric individual. The Barnes consisted of around 20 rooms, all filled to the brim with artworks.

Medium shot of Van Gogh's oil painting
The Postman
Close-up of a framed artwork hanging on a light brown burlap surface in a gallery-like setting. The painting, identified as a work by Seurat on a small plate at the bottom of its ornate gold frame, depicts a park scene rendered in the pointillist style. A silver metal decorative object with pronged edges is mounted above the painting. The composition is a medium shot, centering the artwork against the textured wall. A sliver of ornate trim is visible along the bottom edge of the frame, near the floor.
a small painting

The exterior of the museum was also very beautiful!

Eye-level shot capturing the architectural design and landscape. The building's flat, unadorned facade faces left against a partially clouded blue sky. In contrast, the large tree is textured by clusters of needles. The geometric pool divides the landscape, with a view to the trees and path along the pool. The composition balances natural and structured, emphasizing the line between modern architecture and nature.
the Barnes museum is surrounded by a semi-moat
Low-angle, eye-level shot. A stone-lined reflecting pool dominates the foreground, filled with pebbles and reflecting the sky, trees, and architecture. The composition is vertically oriented. The pool extends from the bottom to the midground of the frame. Visual balance is achieved through the reflections and textural contrasts. The backdrop features modern building on the right and trees on the left, with a stone sculpture and a distant building visible in the center. Colors transition from muted stones to blues in the sky and red autumn colors in the treeline creating a tranquil atmosphere.
the entrance to the Barnes
Low-angle, medium shot of The Barnes Foundation's exterior. The building facade is clad in light-colored, textured stone panels arranged in a grid pattern, with recessed dark vertical stripes. The name
the entrance to the Barnes

It was said that Barnes had a strong and specific vision for his collection, sometimes shuffling into the collection at night to rearrange paintings he felt were in the wrong place. I only reached the Eastern State Penitentiary when it was almost closed, so there were few people there. It only made it seem more gloomy and moody, which fit the vibe of a prison. I found it interesting how the prison was set up to be radial in nature: 8 long corridors of cells extending from a central room. I also got to see Al Capone’s cell, which was furnished more nicely than any of the other cells in the prison.

A slightly low-angle, orthogonal shot down a long, narrow prison hallway. The composition emphasizes depth with diminishing perspective lines. The walls are textured, light-colored stone. The ceiling is a series of repeating arches or vaults that visually lead the eye to a distant window at the end of the hall. Benches are centered in foreground to middle ground, illuminated by sunlight from above. An
a row of cells
Medium shot of a prison interior. The composition centers on an arched doorway leading to a cellblock with barred gates and a dim, receding corridor. Text on a sign reads
the entrance to one of the cellblocks, where you can see the long corridor through the bars
Interior shot of a rectangular room with arched ceiling. Central composition focuses on twin beds, wooden nightstands, and writing desk. Dominant colors include beige/cream walls, dark wood furniture, and green/blue floral rug. Lighting is soft, with a warm glow from lamps and bright natural light from a recessed skylight. Framing includes framed pictures on the walls. The focal point is the overall ambience of an antique or historical setting.
Al Capone's cell
Framed view of the Eastern State Penitentiary, shot from underneath a wooden roof. The composition features stone walls, and at the base there is a grey sign with white text:
the start of the Eastern State Penitentiary guided audio tour
A medium shot framed by a doorway, creating a vertical composition drawing the eye to a weathered building exterior. The building features decayed brickwork, peeling paint, and boarded window and door openings. Above, scattered clouds fill the sky. The color palette is dominated by faded whites, grays, and hints of red from the building materials, contrasted by the vivid blue of the sky. The doorway adds depth and a sense of enclosure to the scene.
the sky is the color of freedom

That night, I met up with some friends I knew at UPenn. I had dinner in the dining hall with Trini, a friend I had known from online creative writing communities. Unfortunately, no pictures of the dining hall food because I did not enjoy it very much :(

Day 4 – 10/15

During my last day in Philadelphia, I went to a lecture of the fabled Math 1040. I sat next to Sarah and her friends, and kept my eyes on the professor and the chalkboard the whole time. There was a cruel irony to it: I had a much easier time paying attention to a class that wasn’t “mine,” as if my brain viewed it as a “fun talk” rather than an academic necessity.

Afterwards, I said a sad goodbye ⁠06 I didn’t expect to be so sad, but I was to the rest of Sarah’s friends, and the two of us went to eat lunch at a restaurant off-campus, Koreana.

Overhead shot of a white plate with a stir-fry containing sliced chicken and vegetables, a mound of white rice, broccoli, and shredded carrots. The dish is complemented by a bowl of miso soup, and are all sitting on a black tray on a wooden table. A cell phone lies nearby. The composition is informal, suggesting a casual dining setting. The lighting is neutral.

the food from Koreana

Some other sights I saw on the way there:

Low angle, medium shot. Philadelphia City Hall fills the frame, its ornate white façade detailed with columns, windows, and a clock tower against a bright blue sky. Composition emphasizes height and architectural grandeur.
not sure what this building is but it makes me feel very American
Low-angle frontal shot of an Art Deco building showcasing symmetry and vertical lines. The facade is light gray stone, with a central decorative panel incorporating geometric designs and a stone figure above the entrance. The main entrance has dark metal doors. A person is visible at the entrance, providing scale. The sky is clear and blue. The building's address is 2970. The composition emphasizes the building's height and architectural style.
idk what this is but I thought it looked cool
Three horizontally aligned, gold-framed architectural sketches are displayed on a stark white wall. From left, the artworks present: a towering staircase with arches and columns, a double-story hall lit by chandeliers and featuring an upper viewing gallery, and a segmented, coffered ceiling. Small, rectangular labels are affixed beneath each frame. The composition is slightly off-center to the right.
architectural paintings

 

Then I went to Independence Square, where I saw the Liberty Bell, The Museum of the American Revolution, the Ben Franklin Museum, and the Betsy Ross House.

A medium shot focuses on the Liberty Bell, positioned centrally within a bright, contemporary pavilion with light grey stone flooring. The dark, aged bronze bell is displayed on a metal support stand. The bell’s notable crack is clearly visible. Through a large glass window behind the bell, Independence Hall is seen amidst a landscape of red flowers and green trees. The composition balances the historical artifact against the modern architectural setting.
🔔🔔🔔THE LIBERTY BELL!!!!🔔🔔🔔 (NOT CLICKBAIT!!!!)
Indoor, medium shot of a diorama featuring figures in a well-lit 18th-century-style room. The composition focuses on two British soldiers in red coats and tricorn hats; one has an arm sling. Background includes two women, a window with green drapes, and scattered chairs. The color palette is muted, with prominent reds, whites, and browns. The scene is staged on a dark wooden floor, with light source from above. Focuses on the display's detail and historical setting.
from the Museum of the American Revolution
Medium shot of a bedroom interior. Dominant visual: a four-poster bed covered in a blue and white plaid pattern on the left and center with wooden frame. A large American flag is draped over a chair towards the right third. Beige paneled walls with doors. An old fireplace is on the far right. The lighting gives a flat, neutral tone, suggesting daytime with natural light coming from a window. The composition guides the eye from the elaborate bed to the American flag and period details, creating a sense of historical context.
inside the Betsy Ross House Museum

Everything was all in one place there! The Liberty Bell had a long but fast moving line. I was excited to see it, since I viewed it as Philadelphia’s most “iconic” attraction and a symbolic part of American history. 07 But, while impressive, it wasn’t my fondest memory of the weekend. Rather, it was the late night conversations with former strangers, the game of Red Flags, the trip to 'Shank Shank,' and the beautiful, beautiful, courtyard of the Barnes that first come to mind. Maybe there is a character arc in progress here, something about how the unexpected and unplanned is more important than… the ratings? The reviews? There is a blog post or a monologue or a poem hidden somewhere in here, but it is not ripe enough to pick.

I walked through Elfreth’s Alley, a historic street full of pretty old-timey houses, and I had a scoop of ice cream from Franklin’s Fountain. I thought the street was so peaceful and pretty, and I was surprised that people still lived in those houses!

A low-angle, medium shot emphasizes the depth of a narrow cobblestone street lined with two and three-story brick row houses under a partially cloudy sky. Houses feature colorful shutters, primarily red and green. The street is narrow with concrete walkways on either side delineated by short, round bollards. Flags hang from some buildings in the distance. The architectural style evokes a historic setting.
Elfreth's Alley
Medium shot of a brown brick house's entrance. A dark green door surrounded by white trim has a wheat wreath hanging on it and is flanked by a vintage-style exterior light fixture on the left and white drain pipe to the right. Stairs leading up to the door are decorated with potted orange and yellow mums, two dark metal lanterns on the lower steps, three orange pumpkins of varying size, and one with a portrait of George Washington carved on it, and a grey storage bin to the right.
the George Washington pumpkin is very fitting

The ice cream was pretty good, and I liked how all the scoops were served in take-out containers.

Close-up shot of a person holding a Franklin Ice Cream takeout container, filling the frame's lower left. The container is predominantly white with a prominent horizontally aligned red logo. The background offers a blurred perspective of a brick walkway, and distant figures and objects. The composition focuses on the product and the act of it being held, potentially indicating consumption or display.
reminds me of Chinese takeout containers
A medium shot shows a hand holding a partially eaten container of Franklin Ice Cream. The container is white with a red logo centered. The ice cream is a light tan color. There is a white plastic spoon. The background is a brick sidewalk with blurred figures walking. The composition emphasizes the ice cream as the focal point, with the hand and brick sidewalk creating context. The lighting appears overcast.
Franklin Fountain Ice Cream

I saw a beautiful sunset on the walk home too!

A medium shot of a city street at dusk. The composition is symmetrical, using the road and crosswalk lines to guide the eye towards a vanishing point in the distance. A cyclist crosses the foreground from right to left, creating a dynamic element. The color palette is dominated by cool blues and grays, contrasted with the warm oranges and yellows of the sunset sky. Buildings, ranging from low-rise brick structures to modern high-rises, flank the street. A cell tower rises behind them. The presence of pedestrian and automobile traffic suggests a busy urban environment. Tram tracks are visible on the road surface in the foreground.

the sunset!

At night, I finally got to see some parts of UPenn I didn’t get to see before, including the Kelly Writers’ House and two libraries.

Medium shot, eye-level view. The foreground features a brick pathway in soft focus with a yellow painted arrow. From there, a gray stone path leads, through a black wrought iron entrance, to a sign surrounded by red roses. The sign displays
the entrance to the Kelly Writer's House
Low-angle, medium shot of an ornate stone building at dusk. The building dominates the frame, a warm light issuing from the windows and arched doorway. A tower stands on the left side of the building. Two figures are standing at the bottom of the frame on the right side by the entrance. The sky is a deep blue. The frame is balanced with the tree on the left and the people on the right.
UPenn Fisher Library
Wide shot of a multi-tiered reading room. The composition leads the eye from the foreground tables and chairs to the illuminated arches stacked high, creating depth. Warm lighting from desk lamps and overhead fixtures casts soft glows. Red brick and light-colored stone construction adds textural contrast. The scene conveys an atmosphere of academic focus.
the inside of a library

I was pretty excited to see the Kelly Writers’ House—many people I knew from creative writing extracurriculars had gone to UPenn to study writing (among other things), and the Writers’ House had been promoted to me as a high schooler by a mentor in the writing community.

  1. Although Sarah wrote it, since her handwriting was a lot prettier than mine.⁠ ↑
  2. However, I did say that something was unsettling about going to the museum. I felt like it made real people’s medical conditions out to be something to entertain or to be gawked at.⁠ ↑
  3. I really liked the courtyard of this museum—something about courtyards with statues will never fail to amaze me.⁠ ↑
  4. I felt really special seeing it—it even reminded me a little bit of MIT’s own 'Alchemist' statue. But like the Alchemist, the Thinker was not unique, with 27 other statues pondering life all across the globe.⁠ ↑
  5. I found the difference between the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Barnes to be like the MFA vs. the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston. While the former was more of a 'traditional' art museum, the latter was a collection created by a rich and eccentric individual.⁠ ↑
  6. I didn’t expect to be so sad, but I was⁠ ↑
  7. But, while impressive, it wasn’t my fondest memory of the weekend. Rather, it was the late night conversations with former strangers, the game of Red Flags, the trip to 'Shank Shank,' and the beautiful, beautiful, courtyard of the Barnes that first come to mind. Maybe there is a character arc in progress here, something about how the unexpected and unplanned is more important than… the ratings? The reviews? There is a blog post or a monologue or a poem hidden somewhere in here, but it is not ripe enough to pick.⁠ ↑