Doin' the Mummers' Strut

Started off 2010 with...noise. I awoke to the sounds of very loud string instruments blasting "When the Saints Go Marching In" at the VFW parking lot across the street. I know Mummers need to practice, but I'm sure the neighborhood LOVED hearing THAT at quarter of 9 in the morning.

Since I was up anyway, I got dressed and grabbed my bike for what's become a New Year's Day tradition for me. I've gone out to breakfast on New Year's Day for the past couple of years. It's something different to do on a holiday, since I'm not a party person and never eat breakfast out at any other time of the year.

This year, I took the bike a little further afield than usual. I rode over the train bridge into Audubon and down to the White Horse Pike to try the Legacy Diner. The Legacy was called the Colonial Diner when I first moved here in 2006, but it was remodeled and renamed shortly after. It's a really beautiful diner, with cool brown-and-rust wave-esque booths and really nice wooden seats and tables. The waitress was nice, too, and even apologized for not being prompt. (I understand - it's not easy to see someone dining alone.) It was busy but not full, and I got my waffles, tea, and ham quickly. The waffles were tasty, golden and soft; the ham was really nice and crispy. Tasted kind of like round bacon.

The first day of the year was really a nice one, something I appreciated after all the crazy weather we've had in the past few weeks. There was still a little bit of snow left when I got up this morning, but by the time I finished breakfast, it was in the 40s and almost all of it was gone. I had debated on and off whether to go to the Mummers' Parade, but I saw a little of it on the Legacy's TVs and thought it looked like fun. Besides, it would be something to do on a nice day I had no other plans for. I rode over to Collingswood and hopped a mostly-full PATCO train to 13th Street in Philadelphia, which let me off two blocks from the parade.

The Mummers' Parade is a Philadelphia tradition in which lavishly decorated local string bands and organizations strut their stuff...literally. Some have large floats and wear costumes related to whatever's cool this year. (I saw Star Wars and Jetsons-themed floats at the Legacy Diner.) Some are large groups dressed in ruffled and sequins and carrying cute little parasols. These guys dance, shake hands, give kids high-fives, and hand out colorful beads, like at Mardi Gras. The type most people are familiar with are the Fancy Groups, the ones wearing the costumes with tons of sequins and the huge feathers on their backs.

(My favorite "Fancy" Bridgade was the cute Eskimos with the rolling snow house. My favorites of the comic strutters were the enthusiastic orange-and-black Flyers-themed group and the jungle-animal-themed group that blasted "Hey Hey, We're the Monkees," among other animal-themed tunes.)

I walked up and down Broad Street, enjoying the carnival atmosphere. People chatted, laughed, danced, and waved at the performers. People pushed soft pretzels sold soft pretzels from grocery store carts. There were vendors for wacky fuzzy hats, huge "2010!" glasses, stuffed animals, plastic blow-up toys, New Year's hats, and more of the Mardi Gras beads. Feather Boas were so popular, they had their own vendors.

I finally ended up at the same Starbucks I went to on New Year's Day 2008, the last time I saw the parade. The Starbucks is in Philly's theater district, near the Merriam and the Wilma, among others. I pushed my way past the crowd, got a Caramel Spice Apple Cider, and pushed my way back out to gawk at the Fancy Brigades and the massive theaters. (Ten of the Ritz could probably fit in the Merriam alone.) The crowd by the theaters were really into it. At one point, one guy jumped out with the Fancy Brigades and broke into an amazing snake-like dance move!

I could have stayed longer if I wanted to, but my legs are still a bit sore from all the running around I did yesterday. I just ended up winding my way back through the crowd (getting stuck again by the massive knot of people at the entrance of the Double Tree Hotel) and over to 13th Street. I caught a somewhat full PATCO back to Collingswood.

(There was only one fly in the ointment today - the return of my allergies for the first time in weeks. I'm still sneezing and sniffling like crazy as I write this. I don't know where it came from - it was a gorgeous day today.)

Spent the rest of my first day of 2010 quietly working on various projects on the computer and online. I hope all of you spent your first day of the New Year doing something just as fun!