Long story short: Yours truly will find himself in Philadelphia with very little to do between noon and until my flight leaves at 6:35 PM. (I’ll be going home from a 48-hour Datacenter Disaster Recovery exercise, so I may be a tad bleary-eyed.) Would any of the resident Philadelphia dopers be interested in meeting up for lunch and perhaps a tad of sight-seeing ?
I’ll be checking in on the thread - if anyone is interested, we can start going into details about where & when. What say ? 
I MIGHT possibly be able to take you up on that.
To start, I’m a guy so don’t wear anything sexy. You’d be amazed at how little people know about their own city. I DO know what it’s like to sit in an airport all friggin day and that sucks a giant one too.
I have no idea what you’re into and all that so if a better informed doper doesn’t happen along maybe I’ll let you be stuck with me. All I can say is that I know my way around the city if there’s something you want to see or if you want to buy me a drink or two, what the heck! But remember, I sit at the dummy table on the straight dope.
Ordinarily I’d be all over this like white on rice – but I’m leaving for vacation first thing Saturday morning.
Rooves – take him down to Old City – great area for walking around. Yeah, you can do the Liberty Bell, etc. – but make sure you hit Ben Franklin’s house (on Market between 3rd and 4th), etc. There’s a couple of used bookstores on 2nd in the block above Market, art galleries around that area, etc. Grab lunch at Reading Market and you’ve given him a highlights of Philly afternoon.
And, the heat is supposed to break by then!
I can’t make it either, because the in-laws are coming for dinner.
I’m gonna second twickster’s suggestion about the Old City. I can’t imagine going to Philly and not seeing it. Your head may explode from irony if you see the Liberty Bell because you have to go through an airport-style search.
Robin
If Verrain and I weren’t moving two days before, we’d take you around the area. Since we can’t, we’ll just wish you a good time here.
Rooves, if you’re sure you don’t mind, that would rock. The Old City sounds like a cool place to see and if there’s a tavern or two, beer’s on me. twickster, MsRobyn - too bad we couldn’t figure it out this time around.
And I’ll try to refrain from dressing provocatively. 
I hate to chime in with another excuse but I’m tied up Saturday as well. Be sure to sample a proper cheesesteak from Pat’s or Gino’s on South street, the city is famous for them.
how are you thinking of getting to the airport? train? cab?
old city is fun, there is an outdoor market craft thing around 2nd and south. also there are a few pub places around there.
security is tight around ind. hall, but you can see the liberty bell easily from the out side.
plough and stars or stars and plough or something like that is one of my fav. pub like places.
How in the name of Loke did I miss TruePisce’s post ? Sorry! :smack:
Bongmaster, I have so far avoided eating a cheesesteak sandwich for fear of encountering an inferior one. (A 14-hour workday may have had something to do with it, too…) Your recommendations are duly noted.
rocking chair, I aven’t planned for airport transport yet, but I think the train sounds like a winner. I’ll have to check that out.
Rooves, how about I email you and we’ll get the details worked out ? Again, thanks!
Ok, where are you from anyway Norman?
And have you figured out what you wanted to do?
It’s been a while since I’ve been in center city but you can pretty much waste the day just walking around.
My wife works this saturday but she’s usually home around 12pm or thereabouts. As long as nothing goes wrong with that I should be good to go.
I’m about a half hour from center city. If I do end up hanging out with you I’d have no problem dropping you off at the airport (as long as it’s PHL and not Baltimore!).
i live in centre city and usually head out somewhere for lunch on saturday’s. might be interesting to have lunch with people instead of a book.
the train is the r1 on the septa line. 3:55 and 4:25 would get you there in time.
if rooves can get you there that would be optimum.
I think the centre of the city sounds like a winner - I’ve never been to the East Coast before, and from what little I’ve seen of the city, it looks like I could easily have a good time just taking in the architecture and the history. rocking chair, please do join us.
I’m currently staying at 17th and Race, should be within walking distance of the centre.
Rooves, check your email for some phone numbers etc. As for where I’m from: I’m a transplanted Dane, currently living in LA with my better half Shayna. If you’re sure you don’t mind dropping me off at the airport, that would absolutely rock - but I will, and that’s the truth, be just as fine if you could point me towards a train.
See y’all tomorrow!
17th and race isn’t that far away from me. just a bit across the parkway. i usually head over to 17th and market on saturdays to eat lunch.
i work at an arch firm and was a hist. major, so we have that covered.
let me know timing and location.
rocking chair, sounds like a plan. Please check your email.
the pavement was pounded.
here is the path that pounded, so you can show shayna on the map.
17th and race to ben franklin parkway, parkway to jfk plaza/love park, plaza to city hall, through city hall to 13th and market. on market we headed to indep. brewry pub at reading terminal. then market to 6th street to chestnut, indep. hall
then chestnut to 4th, 4th to walnut, walnut to 2nd (city tavern) 2nd to arch, arch to 10th, (chinatown) 10th to race, race to 17th. 17th to suburban station for the train.
a rather successful 3 hour tour!
Thank you!
Sadly, Rooves was waylaid at the last minute, but rocking chair rose to the challenge and basically showed yours truly the highlights of Philadelphia - pounding, indeed, a lot of pavement in the process. Fascinating historical buildings and monuments, lunch at a microbrewery and exchange of historical tidbits from our respective countries - a good time was had by all. And to top things off, rocking chair gave me the coolest little souvenir bag with replicas of the liberty bell, “Independence mints”, keychains etc. before getting me on the train to the airport.
It’s a fact - Dopers are the nicest people and the best tour guides. Thanks so much!
looks like you got to the airport on time. i hope all went well there.
it is tradtional to give liberty bells to visiting dignitaries. the bookbeads should be sized for a paperback. i figured you wouldn’t have time to souvenir shop.
perhaps the next time you are on the east coast shayna will be with you, and y’all will have more time to see the sights.