Me too!

Hello, hearters of old shit! I can't believe the summer is almost over! My knee is doing really well- and aside from lots of PT this summer, I've been plugging away at FRES- Penn's Real Estate Development Office. And by that, I mean, sitting in my cubicle eating candy. They just installed an ice cream vending machine which spells trouble for me.

Like Haha, I was on the news.

Like Fon, I've had many Marky Mark sightings. I got to go behind the scenes of his movie because they were shooting on Penn's property!

Also, I just got a job! I'm going to be working for Wood Partners, a multi-family developer. They're in DC and it seems like a fun firm. I'll be moving in a few weeks. And while I will not being doing anything Preservation related, hopefully this will get my foot in the door. (The plan is that after I gain some experience and some $$, I can then go to work on developing adaptive reuse projects...)

OK, that's it for me. I hope all is well with everybody and keep the updates coming!

Mandy

we have a little blog, too!
if you want to check out what we're up to, go to www.ruedigs.blogspot.com

WHAT!?

My miserable, penniless, useless, homeless, unemployed summer has come to an abrupt and shocking end.  I got a strange and unreal-sounding lead last week.  After a 12-hour freakout of hesitation, I responded.  And, less than a week later, I got the call.  When can you come?  Sunday?  Start Monday?  Great.  Get to New Orleans.  Send the receipts.

Interview?  What interview?  Job description?  Que?

So, I'm off.  To where exactly, I don't know.  For who, precisely, I don't know.  For how long?  No idea.  Doing what?  Something vague about Section 106 and FEMA.  

New fucking Orleans?  Monday?  Are you kidding me?  No, seriously.

Oh my darling wonderpups!

So much news, so little time. I would like, foremost, to assure you that old shit is indeed alive and well in Jolly Old. After a rigourous (note the use of u, I am soooo British) three weeks of touring the man0r houses of England, I have returned, relatively unscathed, to the motherland. Brief synapses of Attingham: wake up, eat crappy food, lecture, look at a ridiculous amount of old stuff, eat mayonaise, more old shit, lecture, dinner of gross crap, two more lectures, drink a large amount of bad wine. Repeat. Don't get me wrong it was great, but eventually you start scanning 16th century interiors for somewhere you could possible rest your weary rump without breaking anything. After a little longer, your feet don't want to walk through one more Ruskinian landscape and you hope and pray that the old antiques dealer doesn't try and fall asleep on your bosom in the bus (yes, he did). But I return victorious with a great bibliography of books on every subject related to historic structures, landscapes and preservation (which I will share with you all as soon as it's formatted).

In other news, the house is going well. I currently have 8 trucks outside my house as they cut down deadly pine trees that threated to fall on the house. Amid a flurry of paint brushes and tools, things are starting to take shape and it is looking good. This is the ultimate cocktail/party house, so I expect to see some of your darling faces gracing my doorstep soon!

I have a baby puppy now. His name is Teddy and he's a west highland terror ... I mean terrier. He's ridiculously spunky and loves people.

So, i'm taking the RI real estate exam. My real estate agent has been trying to romance me into the company. I'd be representing the historic homes for sale and I think it would also be a good way to drum up some histopresto business.

That's it for now. I miss you all so much and love and want visitors! So come play soon!

S

GREETINGS

Hi everyone,

I am sorry I do not have very exciting news to share. I am living at home outside D.C. and working part-time at an Architectural firm while I search for full-time employment. I have been looking for jobs in D.C./ Boston/ NYC/ and Providence, RI. So if you hear of anything - let me know. And of course, If I move to a city near you and will get in touch.
I hope everyone is enjoying these last few HOT weeks of summer. I am going to be on Martha's Vineyard next week so I can't complain.
I miss everyone!

Besos,
Gabs

Philadelphia Stories

Philadelphia history on display until the end of August via our City Archives.

Philadelphia Stories

The Building of a Great American City

Art Institute of Philadelphia

1622 Chestnut St Gallery

HI!

visit often. post a lot. be in touch virtually so you don't feel lonesome because you're not staring at us across a table over a laptop daily...

hearts, haha

On Fox News and the President's House

If you heard a rumor that Mander and I were on MyFoxPhilly news this week, it's true.
There we were on federale assignment to photograph and absorb the temporary closing of the President's House and there were news cameras everywhere. Photographers elbowed us out of the way and apparently Fox did their standup with me and Mander as the backdrop. For more of the back of our heads, peep it for yourself.

The Kelly/Maiello design is not the best thing I've ever seen, but it's a starting point. Of course, they designed it without knowing what the dig would reveal, so here's to revisions!

What You've Missed in Philly

Martin Meyerson passed away this summer, as the building named for him will in the future. I ask you now to crassly place bets as to whether his passing will inspire them to name the new to-be-designed-and-someday-deemed-dreadful-by-its-ungrateful-inhabitants building in his honor AGAIN? or will Steve Wynn's money trump that? Discuss.

PlanPhilly offers a virtual tour of the Delaware waterfront developments, which is convenient for those of you who are not here to sweat it out.

Peep the Reading Railroad Viaduct at Necessity for Ruins! Some people around here think it's ripe for a redesign, a la the High Line in ye olde NYC. Now where's Kevin Bacon to stand in for Ed Norton in the inevitable publicity and advocacy role?

Rumor has it that M. Night Shayamalan is back in Philly with Marky Mark and Zooey Deschanel on a movie called The Happening, which is scheduled to begin shooting in here in August.

And in TV news, those of you transplants can be reminded of Philly in all her glory when It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia comes back to FX in September. I saw them shooting in my hood the other day. It's back foreal.

...got news, dear reader? Hit it. Post away!

Hey gang!

Here's the word as I know it::

I see AMANDA daily at NPS. We're the feds now.

MANDY had her knee rebuilt and she's off and running (well, almost)

SARAH V is up in Rhody, well actually she's in England right now and she just had a big ol birthday which we all have to celebrate when she returns stateside.

FON is queen of the universe. Don't believe me? Click here.

ARTIGAS popped through Philly and is now in Cali.

NICK may or may not be employed in Philadelphia or Buffalo or BOTH!

ELLEN is a veritable an one-man-band on a fascinating project on the main line.

ALEXIS C is traveling the world, with pit stops predictably on Nantucket and in NYC.

O'MALLEY lets everyone know where he is...

ALEXIS S jets between Philly and NYC. She's taking on the Fulton Mall in Brooklyn right now, working with Randy's firm MINERVA.

JULIE D is in Australia on her internship with EDAW, and she's keeping track of it here.

AMILA had a birthday and is back at MEVE and then jets away to Portland for her pending wedding. Adorable.

LAUREN is back at MEVE until mid-August, and then we get her back here.

REAGAN and Adam are camped out as our northermoast outpost, and as the post indicates below are getting a house.

MEGAN survived her trip as TA on the England adventure and is back in Philly.

ELDRA may or may not be in DC.

PATRICE is back easterly, or so rumor has it.

I'm missing lots of you, both on this list and in emotional ways... What are you up to? Hit the blog.

LOVE to all - HAHA

Rest in peace, Lady Bird.

Let's get this party started

Ok, it has been over a month since we graduated, and not a peep on our iheartoldshit blog. So I'm going to start. Adam and I are in Boston, and it's not too hot here. I mean that temperature-wise. It's quite nice so far, though I know I will change my tune come November. Adam is working. I am not. But I'm trying...the problem is (and this is a big problem) that I am leaving for Greece this Saturday and will be gone 3 weeks. Tragedy, I know. I'm very excited to spend some quality time with our most favoritest Pam at Mt. Lykaion. I will, however, be ditching her midway through the project to come back to my husband and dog.

The big news to report is that we're buying a house! No, we didn't buy that one from before because it was in seriously bad shape. Literally, the shape was bad (all racked and crooked). We have found a big old Victorian in Dorchester that needs lots of love, and we're going to give it to her. It's got LOTS of room...as of now, technically 6 bedrooms, so there's plenty of room for all of you! I'd love visits and opinions and thoughts as to how to save this lovely home. Lots of original stuff, beautiful woodwork, original wallpaper, etc. Adam and I have our work cut out for us (at the very least taking the lovely dish off the front porch).

So, we expect to see you all beginning in August to help warm up our new home. And, I expect to hear from you on this blog!!

welcome, grads

Yes yes, the iheartoldshit is back and up and waiting for you. Post nerdy questions next to party invites, conferences opportunities and travel disbatches next to love letters. Use at will. Post often and check in even more frequently. The idea is that here we can share ideas, commiserate with those who can sympathize and celebrate with those who know.

life lessons part 1

Today we were reminded that sometimes good practice has a lot to do with who you have working on a site. We met a man whose work includes tending to the final resting places of 150 years of Plymouth's citizenry, bringing back a bluebell population and fighting/propigating valerian the diameter of his arm. We met a marine turned forester turned site manager who rattles off botanical latin with ease and whose handshake can crush rocks. We met an architect volunteer who talked about how to honestly ackowledge the presence of new materials in an historic structure. It was all so unexpected and wonderfully surprising.

And even better than all of that, and this is going to sound sentimental, but this place is so green. We got to talk about carbon footprints and biodiversity and wood-chip heat. So now, hear this. We want to be buried in wicker coffins with willow trees above us. We want cemetaries that remind us of meadows. We want specimin plants. We want barn owls as pets.

Maawedge

There we were, a gaggle of mostly young eligible women, and the nice man wanted us to come get married. Could it be just the place?
We've decided to book the decadent Bickleigh Castle for our ceremonies and B&B. Really all we'd ever wanted was a place that felt like Medieval Times, but more real, and with a pink baseboard and a bar that's something out of Camelot. It is just the place. The bridal brochure is really what sold us, with its depictions of horrid wedding revelry. Surely it was not the bizarre profit-hungry dragon woman who was booking the KEEP (not castle) and Anglo-Saxon chapel from the 7th century (above).
It is truly one of the oddest and saddest things to see a building so exploited.
So we're all getting married. It's true. We chose the chapel for intimacy's sake. You're all invited.

Then we'll retire to a huge party over at Buckland Abbey in the barn and garden (right).

Taking our sweet time...

Really sweet-smelling roses outside a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon chapel. We know the good stuff when we see it.

Bath, minibus sickness, and vino

So we all piled into the minibus for a 3 hour tour (sing it, Gilligan!) to Bath. Multiple persons became ill or nearly ill, but we managed to make it without any pit stops. We did some walking, some photographing, some listening (or sleeping) to lectures. However, none of this is very important. I think the most memorable moment of today was the e-mail given to us regarding immigration paperwork that was needed weeks ago. We may not make be allowed to return to the US as a result of the forgotten document, but rest assured that we have now "released, indemnified, and held harmless the University of Pennsylvania from and against any claim for any losses, damages, or injuries arising out of or in connection with our participation in the study abroad program" And no, I do not have repatriation insurance. Then we came home, ate dinner, and drank multiple bottles of wine. The end.

PS- this was written in pink in honor (or should I say honour) of megan's gin and tonic/wedding outfit
PPS- we are in the midst of planning megan's hen/bachelorette party. More to come!

We like tea now.

We have all made it safely to Plymouth, which took some doing... There were insane car trips with jet lag. There were long train rides. There were (are) mountains of luggage. But we did it. So be proud.
Plymouth was England's most bombed out city in WWII because it is home to the Royal Navy. It's not the most lively place on earth but parts of it are quaint and it's picturesque by the sea.
No massive scandals have yet broken out. We were promised gin at the local (yes) distillery here, as Plymouth Gin is supposedly rather top shelf. Alas, our lectures ran over today.
We're living dorm style in suites. I made grilled cheese sandwiches with apples in a pot (not pan)for supper with soup. Not amazing living, but one of our cohorts made a feast complete with sassy presentation! (Someone's cooking for the rest of the family soon...)
Today was lots of lectures by really fun faculty, punctuated with several breaks for tea. Tomorrow we are off to Bath and are in for fun at the pubs in the evening as England plays Sweden in the World Cup. Let's just hope we don't start any brawls. (Or end up on the receiving end of any large swings by forearms with union jack tattoos and bulldogs.)

Prequel

English Heritage places of interest to check out en route to Plymouth?

Train information. Train passes.

T minus one month

Ok, people. Here 'tis - the alluded to, blog for Team Twickenham 2006. Look no further for pithy details, ploughman's lunches and other prattling on.


Twickenham basics
The Beeb's Restoration on Strawberry Hill
Penn's site of Strawberry Hill links