The Kobo ereader

I took advantage of the fact that Borders is closing some of their stores to finally delve into the realm of ereaders. I picked up a Kobo ereader for $60, which was a real bargain. I have so many books that my shelves are overflowing and I have books lining the floor. It's a big mess. Therefore it's nice to have a unit that sort of acts like an iPod of books. I can store hundreds (and if I get an SD card, thousands) of books on this unit. Nothing beats having a book in your hand (and I read a lot of nonfiction which sometimes involves flipping back and forth between text and endnotes) but it was nice on a long bus ride like I took today to have to only carry this little and very light ereader. The Kobo also comes with a hundred classics already preloaded so I was able to reread Sun Tzu's Art of War. Add in something like a nine hour lasting battery and this unit was quite a steal at $60!

Philadelphia

Tuesday I was off from work so I took the bus down to Philadelphia as I try to do once or twice a year. This year I might head down there more than two times as I would like to go to the Museum of Art and also see the inside of the Eastern State Penitentiary . It's a nice city to go to for a day trip, very pedestrian friendly, and while not New York City in terms of things to, has quite a few places in its own right. It has a lot of great architecture as well.

The Reading Terminal Market is probably the single most impressive collection of eateries that I've ever seen. It has farm fresh food, much of it from Amish farms. There are several places that make some really impressive Philly Cheese Steaks (I went to Carmine's this visit). The Famous 4th St. Cookie has the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had and it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the other kiosks in the market. There's Chinese food, Amish food, Middle Eastern food, just about anything imaginable. Next time I go I plan to take advantage of the Jambalaya.

Then there is the Italian Market, hidden away in an out of the way section of the city in South Philly. That is the location of the famous Cheese Steak competitors Pat's, King of Steaks and Geno's. Both are very good. I've been slightly favoring Pat's but maybe I'll give Geno's another shot in my next visit. There is so much more in the Italian Market. It should also be called the Latin Market as there are many eateries of Latin American descent.

My recent visits have not even involved going to the real tourist places in the city like Independence Hall and the US Mint but I went to those places when I was a kid. The Bourse is an interesting mall in that Independence district, I believe one of the earliest malls in the country. It's certainly a city well worth checking out.