And now for a commercial break...

Who's that girl?

So I recently cut my hair to a length shorter than I have ever had my hair in my life! It is taking some time to get use to... I keep reaching back thinking that I am going to pull my hair up, but there is nothing to pull up! But with all of the positive affirmations and compliments that I have been getting, I am warming up to my new hairdo very quickly. A world of hair clips, products, and hairbands are ahead of me!

Our Honeymoon: Day 3

We headed northwest towards Lake Louise and decided to stop along the way to hike Johnston Canyon. It's an easy shaded meandering trail along a raging river.

On the way up to the Upper Falls we passed many secondary falls in this limestone canyon.

A rail designated the trail and provided some safety from the sometimes steep canyon walls. As you might find in any highly trafficked natural area, people had carved their initials in the rail and on the trees. We noticed that part of the rail was covered in names and were touched when we realized that it was the same couple. It says "Mike V. + Michelle C. 4EVER 97." Then to the left of that it says "Mike V. and Michelle C. 1 YEAR 98." To the left of that it says "MV + MC 2 1/2 years 99." To the far left of the picture it reads "M+M 6,15,02 5 years." Finally at the far right of the picture it says "Michelle C. Will U MARRY ME" and underneath that it says "YES 08."

Finally we made it out to the Upper Falls. The walkway narrowed and turned into a metal grating as we got out on the water. The falls were hidden and could only be seen from the very end of the walkway. There was a line of people waiting to take pictures and to see the falls so we waited our turn until we could get a good look at the falls.

We hiked out of Johnston Canyon and headed further northwest towards Lake Louise. Our rental car came with a Gypsy GPS Guide, which doesn't provide GPS directions but uses GPS coordinates to automatically play commentary about your immediate surroundings. It was a pretty cool addition to the trip because it pointed out interesting sites and educated us on the history of the areas we passed by. Plus there were entertaining voices for the guides. One site that the Gypsy alerted us to is the scene in the picture below, which has been the subject of many photos. It also turns out that we will traveling along these tracks later in our trip.

When we finally made it to Lake Louise we were surprised to find it still frozen over. To Eric's right you can see the Upper and Lower Victoria Glaciers just above Lake Louise.

The melt waters from the glacier bring rock flour to the bed of Lake Louise, which gives the Lake its signature emerald color. Eric and I took a short hike around half of the Lake. We are hoping to come back in warmer weather to hike up to the Lake Agnes Teahouse when it is open.

The view of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise from the other end of the Lake was gorgeous. We spent some time exploring, checking out some rock climbers who were on nearby cliffs, and then decided to have lunch at the Chateau.

We brought our lunch out to the Lake to enjoy the amazing view and the beautiful weather. We were joined by a very curious Whiskey Jack Bird aka Gray Jay (well at least we think it was a gray jay). He later joined us on the bench.

Our next stop was Lake Moraine, which we heard had an even deeper emerald color. It was also still mostly frozen and so the water line was pretty low. The next two pictures are from on top of the Rockpile, which is at one end of the Lake and gave us a better view of the surrounds.

The water line usually comes up to the treeline but it has receded significantly during the winter months. Eric and I were able to hike down to the waters edge. In the background behind Eric, there is a fantastic mountain-scape. Not surprisingly we are in the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

Eric made a friend when we were walking along the shore. They literally stood that way for several minutes. It was really adorable.

At this point you can imagine we were tired from our busy day. So we headed back to the town of Banff for a late night dinner. On the way home we managed to see more wildlife. This elk was eating on the side of the road.

Wow! What a busy day full of amazing sites. Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

Our Honeymoon: Day 2

We slept in late the next day in our lovely hotel room overlooking the mountains. We were pretty tired from the wedding planning, our wedding day, and traveling. So we thought we earned it.

Considering the weather from the day before we didn't know what to expect but to our pleasant surprise it was a beautiful and clear day. Lucky us! So we decided to start the day off by taking the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, which has a fantastic view of the town of Banff and the surrounding mountain ranges.

We took the boardwalk and stairs up Sanson's Peak, the location of a historical weather observatory. Imagine having to hike to up to this meteorological station in the winter! It's a three mile trail with an elevation gain of more than 7,400 ft! Park meteorologist Norman Sanson did it over 1,000 times during the early 1900s. Amazing.

We hiked around a bit to look for wildlife and play in the snow. I was pretty excited when we came across a Hoary marmot running along a trail so I sent Eric after it. No luck in catching it though. They are fast little suckers. But the marmot would be only the beginning of a trip filled with wildlife! Heading back to the gondola we saw this Rocky Mountain goat hanging out on the side of the mountain. Sweet!
On the way back to the town of Banff we stopped by Canada Place, which is an exhibit about Canada's culture, land, and accomplishments (Do you know that the electric light bulb was invented by a Canadian who sold the patent to Edison?!). There was a gorgeous (and classic) view of the town of Banff from the Canada Place property.

After lunch we decided to explore Lake Minnewanka, which we could see from the top of Sulphur Mountain. It is the longest lake of the mountain lakes in the Canadian Rockies. As we drove towards the lake, there was something in the road walking towards us. I really thought it was just two people walking in the middle of the road, but as we got close, it turned out to be two female Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep! We slowed down to let them pass safely next to us as I took some pictures.

But then as we got further down the road, we ran into two male Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep! They were licking the salt out of the road. Eric rolled down his window to take some pictures. Then all of sudden they charged each other. Eric managed to take this picture before he freaked out and rightfully so... they were really close to our car and a bit pissed off. Not the best combination. But thankfully we left unscathed.

There were some hiking trails by Lake Minnewanka that went into the surrounding forest. It was very peaceful. We came across an old beautiful wooden bridge. Since it was starting to get late, we wrapped up our hike and headed back to Banff for some dinner.


Tomorrow we are off to Lake Louise!

Our Honeymoon: Day 1

The Monday following our wedding we flew to Calgary in Alberta Canada. We were greeted with a gray sky and rain. Plus it was a bit colder than we expected, but we made the most of our visit. We headed over to Calgary Tower, which is free standing observation tower in downtown Calgary. We were able to get a better view of the city, which was filled with construction cranes (The building industry is booming in Canada!). You can see cranes in the picture below just above Eric's feet.


There was a section of the floor that was all glass. Eric made me go out on the glass even though I am super scared of heights. I think he thought it was pretty entertaining. See as I grasp the metal column for dear life.


On our way out of Calgary Tower we ran into a very nice beaver that was dressed as a Canadian Mountie. What can I say? I can never pass up photo opportunities like this...


We only spent a couple of hours in Calgary and then drove our rental car to Banff, which was about 1.5 hours away. The town of Banff is surrounded by snow capped mountains and located in beautiful Banff National Park. We took the rest of our evening to stroll down the main street and grab a late dinner.


On tomorrow's docket, find some wildlife.

Guest Book

Our guest book!
We blurred out the content but if you are really curious,
we are sure you could probably figure out what people wrote...

Family and friends, in the middle of all the celebrating we neglected to get the word out that the table cards were meant for our guest book. Whoops! So if you happen to read this and you still have your table card lying around, we would love love love if you could write something for our guest book. If you lost your table card but still want to send something, send an index card or a postcard! We are not too picky. Our snail mail address is on the back of the ceremony program (or you can contact us through the comment feature of this blog and we can send it to you). Thanks again!

Thank you!

Eric and Margaret at the reception
in Lincoln Hall of the Union League of Philadelphia
(Thanks Dr. Bobby for the photo!)

Eric and I would like to thank everyone who made our wedding day so memorable and special. We feel so blessed to have you all in our lives and we hope for your continued presence in our future. We also hope you were filled with the same joy and happiness we felt on our wedding day and that we feel on everyday we are together.

We would like to especially thank our parents for their support, patience, and love throughout our relationship. You continue to be examples in our lives and in our marriage. We also would like to acknowlegde our amazing families and relatives who bring lots of laughter, happiness, and delight to our lives.

For all those who participated in our wedding ceremony - our celebrants, our ninongs and ninangs, our bridal party, our secondary sponsors, our readers, and our musicians - each of your contributions were felt and appreciated during the ceremony. You will forever be a part of our hearts and marriage.

To our parents' friends, and our friends from Notre Dame Academy, Carnegie Mellon, Habitat for Humanity, AIAS, and San Diego, thank you again for everything you have given our lives. For those who were able to celebrate with us, who traveled from near and far, we recognize the sacrifices you made to be there and feel blessed that you could share in our wedding day. To those who could not make the trip, we hope our life paths continue to cross in the future.

Brunch on Sunday

Please join on Sunday at Margaret's parents house for a Memorial Day/Post Wedding Celebration BBQ. Directions will be provided at the reception on Saturday evening. The BBQ will start around 11 or 11:30AM. There will be Filipino food as well as the usual BBQ stand bys (hamburgers and hot dogs). Also I am sure we will fire up the karaoke as well!

We hope to see you there!

Meet the Bridal Party: Mark (Groomsman)

Margaret says:
Mark was one of my first friends at Carnegie Mellon. We both found yourselves in a pre-college program at CMU the summer before our freshman year. We were young, awkward, and not so wise on the world but neither of us would ever admit that... but through college and beyond we grew up together both as architects working on design projects as a team, and as people spending a good deal of time pondering the mysteries of the world late at night.

I cannot do justice here to the friendship that Eric and I have with Mark individually and as a collective unit given that it is the 11th hour. But just know that we feel very blessed to have Mark in our lives as we are certainly better people because of him. Mark challenges us to rethink what is possible for one man to accomplish. He instills in us the passion and hope that can only come from the magic that occurs when he assembles a group of people to work for a collective cause. Wise words, outrageous stories, and supportive gestures all make Mark our go-to guy. His presence in our lives reassures us that no matter what we will make it through and be better for it.

Mark and Margaret at Nick's wedding

Mark says:
So there was a fire escape balcony that clung to the side of this brutish brick studio building adjacent to panther hollow. It, not unlike, my new life in Pittsburgh in the summer of 1996 stood on the periphery, a hundred feet above solid earth, bolted, but seemingly unattached. It’s funny. I think about that time and the lifetime since and I recognize how important part of that metaphor has been to me.

A bolt.

A short, crazy, ridiculously strong bolt. That is Margaret. She was the first friend I made in Pittsburgh. No exaggeration; the absolute first one. And she kept me grounded. The same unyielding bond when times were up, and when times were down. In fact, the story of my time in the realm of the class of 2001 architecture anthologies will seem mercurial and distant, save the accounts of one small brown girl.

And for that experience, for that friendship, for that bolt, I am continually grateful.

The 30/36 Pennsylvania Ave Bus Route carves up the streetscape of the Nation's Capital in a tremendous cultural zigzag that connects old and young, wealthy and poor, first day new job rookies and office cubicle icons. It is as much a representation of the diversity of city as you are likely to find. In its almost brutal acceptance of people on their own terms, it reminds me of unabashed friendship, and of relentless loyalty.

And of Eric.

One part problem solver, one part co-conspirator. That is who he is. Appreciating the complexities of his character came long after college in the throws of underwhelming job descriptions, canal bike rides, bi-annual moving boxes, and impromptu do-it-yourselfisms. The funny part is that whether or not starting down some obscure path of internal or external growth was a good decision to begin with, Eric will see it through with you to the bitter end. Constantly reminding me that merit exists not in the duration of time you spend with someone but the quality of their presence.

And for that honesty, that trust, that friendly bus ride through life's peculiarities, I am continually grateful.

Meet the Birdal Party: Doug (Groomsman)

Eric says:
Aside from Doug being a Yankee fan and his general disdain for all sports teams starting with the name Pittsburgh, he is pretty much an all-around good guy. Doug is probably the most loyal person I have ever encountered, even to the point of working for places that don't pay him for periods of time that can be quantified in years. Yes, years. But it was this extreme loyalty (or unbelievable laziness, depending on who you talk to) that brought he and I together at a small firm outside of Washington DC (shout-out to Mangan Group) for a few glorious years. It was here that I believe Doug and I really matured as professionals, making the leap from being young, green interns to guys who genuinely contributed to the growth and development of a firm. This was in large part due to the management style of the firm's principal, but I also like to think that Doug and I inspired one another to become leaders in a firm that was then and is still today on the rise. This was a special time for us both, and Doug continues to be a major part of Mangan Group's successes.

Fortunately, our social maturity in no way paralleled this professional growth. And we continue to jab one another and anyone else within striking distance any chance we get. I can always count on Doug to call me out when I screw something up and knock me off my admittedly high horse when the situation calls for it. But much like the army, he will also build you back up. And together you may achieve small moments of greatness such as a concrete countertop or a 200+ bowling score. That is, if you're not first blinded by Doug's bright yellow Nike t-shirt. I'm sure it will make an appearance this weekend, so be on the lookout. That's Doug.

Doug and Larry are wondering, "Where did they go?"
while taking in the rays in Hawaii.
Eric is documenting this meeting of the minds in the background.

Doug says:
Do any of us really remember our first time meeting another? Up until the time I met Eric I thought it wasn't possible. Well really it still holds true. Blame my foggy memory perhaps but it was a long time ago. Eric and I were in different crowds throughout most of college. Yeah we hung with the same peeps but usually not in the general vicinity of one another. But those times we were in the same place at the same time enjoying the same company, man there were some chuckles to be had - most of them at my expense. That sharp witted tongue and dry sarcasm were things I couldn't compete with. But it was something I wished I could master. I studied up. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of it,college ended and he soon jetted down to DC on one of many meandering across the country episodes of following Margaret. I remember telling my roommate at the time that Eric was one person I really wished I had known more.


As fate would have it, that time would come to fruition a few years later. I was out of a job at the time, and Eric had heard through the grapevine that things weren't going so swell on my end. Even though we weren't tight buds, he still put his neck out there for me to see about getting me a job at his firm. From that gracious offering, he opened the door for me being set up in a great spot. I am forever grateful to him for this. And besides I may be the only person in our gaggle of friends outside of Margaret who gets to say they were with him for eight hours a day every weekday for two or so years. A better time could not be had I would venture to say.


Now because of him I occasionally wear a belt. It might actually coordinate with my pants. I even wear nonfaded black socks if you can believe it. And best of all I can talk eloquently about how the Olympics are a perfect analogy to why grade inflation is perfectly alright when you're taking AP classes. It's amazing. He has turned my life around. But I still take my shoes off at work...


Eric's good people and at minimum the same can be said about Margaret. Two wonderful people I'm more than happy to call my good friends and proud that they've asked me to be a part of their great day.

Things to Do in the Vicinity of Philadelphia

Fountains at Longwood Gardens

Along the Rivers and Outside of town

Attractions
Bartram’s Gardens – America’s oldest botanical garden along the Schuylkill River

Adventure Aquarium – located in Camden along the Delaware waterfront, this aquarium offers glimpses of sharks, hippos, birds, and sea life!

Longwood Gardens – located in the Brandywine Valley, this is a premier horticultural display

The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education – 360 acres of forest with 4 miles of hiking trails

Meet the Bridal Party: Christine (Bridesmaid)

Margaret says:
In high school, Christine and I shared many great experiences. Of particular significance in my life was sharing KAIROS with Chris in high school. KAIROS in this context means "time with God" but it is an ancient Greek word meaning "due measure" or "opportune time." It is also the name for a Jesuit retreat program that takes you through what I can only describe as an emotional roller coaster. I believe that the KAIROS experience is heightened by those that you share it with and I was fortunate to share my first retreat with Chris. A participant can take out of it as much or as little as they are willing to give and at the time I was on the search for meaning. It is an experience that will always be a part of who I have become as a person and as a result Chris will always hold a special place in my heart as well.

After college I traveled a good deal for work and found my way up to Boston quite often. I usually stayed with Chris when I was visiting Beantown and we had a many great adventures throughout the city (and to nearby states). I am still jealous to this day that she got to drive the duck boat on the Charles River. Lucky girl! Chris also came to visit me in Washington DC a couple of times and I had the great fortune of checking out a Redskins game from the 50 yard line with her (Troy Aikman was sitting behind us and we also got to go on the field!).

But all of these vivid memories cannot eclipse our close friendship. We have supported each other through all that life has dealt us. And I could not be happier that she will be there on my wedding day.

From L to R: The Notre Dame girls - Sandra, Heather, Christine, Erin, Bridgette, and Margaret

at Christine and Dave's wedding

Christine says:
I met Margaret 16 years ago when we were freshmen in high school. Some of my favorite memories include being in the same Kairos VII group, late nights at the Minella Diner, playing pool in Manyunk, and sharing Christmas dinner. My absolute favorite, though, was when we took a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip together to Bar Harbor, Maine. Our weekend began when we haphazardly ended up at a Lumberjack Show!!! It was one of the funniest shows I've ever experienced and something that I still recommend to anyone I know who's passing through Bar Harbor. We topped that off by waking up crazy early the next morning to drive up a mountain and be the first people in the US to see the sunrise in the freezing cold. Our weekend concluded with one of the best whale watching cruises I've been on. No matter what we've done together, we've always had a lot of fun...

I don't remember when I met Eric, but I remember that I always thought that Margaret and Eric were great together. Dave and I went down to DC to visit them a few years back. We spent our 4th of July watching A National Spelling Bee, stopping only briefly to run up to their roof deck to watch some fireworks. They offered some great perspective on the movie and helped us understand why the Spelling Bee is a televised sport on ESPN. For that, I will always be grateful. Since then, they've made their own fireworks, covering a lot of distance and time zones. I'm so glad that they're finally together in the same city (again) and that they'll soon be together forever.

Getting Around Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Phlash Trolley in front of the Philadelphia Musuem of Art

Getting Around Philadelphia
Phlash trolley - Its a purple trolley so you can’t miss it. It stops at 21 locations in Philadelphia along a loop from Penn's Landing to Philadelphia Museum of Art. $2 for a single ride or $5 to ride it all day. It comes around about every 12 minutes and runs from 10-6pm.

SEPTA – Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority - includes buses, trains, and trolleys

Rent a bike - see the link below for Philadelphia Bike Tours where you can get guided tours or rent a bike and explore on your own.

On Foot - Philadelphia is a very walkable city and there is so much to see and do along the way! "Year after year, Philadelphia is rated as one of the best walking cities in the country... Colorful directional signs called "Walk! Philadelphia" have been added throughout Center City that will help you navigate even better."

Tours
Check out the Philadelphia Pass (212-977-7732) – All in one sightseeing pass; 30 top attractions for one price
Ride the Ducks – These are amphibious tour vehicles that will take you to all the attractions in town

Philadelphia Bike Tours (215-514-3124 or 215-334-0790)

Ghost Tours of Philadelphia (215-413-1997) - "Peer into the other side of Philadelphia history and folklore on this candlelight walking tour of America's most historic and most haunted city! Watch history come alive as we journey through Independence Park and Society Hill. Philly's most popular and unusual nighttime attraction."

Philadelphia Food Tasting Tour of Italian Market - "Visit venditori, go behind the scenes at an authentic salumeria (Italian grocery store), cheese shops, and a Sicilian pasticceria, sample Italian delicacies and go home with authentic Italian recipes and discount cards for shopping."

Wok 'N Walk Tour of Chinatown (215-928-9333) - "Chef Joseph Poon's team will serve full lunch or dinner, followed by a Tai Chi demonstration, a Chinese vegetable carving lesson and walking tour of the chef’s community including stops at a fortune cookie factory, Chinese herbal medicine shop, Chinese place of worship, a Chinese bakery, Asian grocery store, fish market and more."

Food Tour of Philadelphia (800-979-3370) - They offer different tours including a Center City Food Lovers Tour, Artisanal Beer and Food Tour, and Fine Wine and Food Tour

Reading Terminal Market Tours - "Every Wednesday & Saturday learn the story behind cheese steaks, hoagies, pretzels and other Philly food favorites, and the 114-year history of the vibrant Reading Terminal Market where they’re sold during this 75-minute, food-writer-led walking tour."

Things to Do Around St Agatha and St James Church

Greenline Cafe in West Philly

West Philly

Dining
Fatou & Fama's Restaurant (4002 Chestnut St; 215-386-0700)

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant (229 S 45TH St on 45th and Locust; 215-387-2424 ) - a great option for vegetarians and cheap too

Vientiane Cafe (4728 Baltimore Ave between S 47th St & S 48th St; 215-726-1095) - a pan-asian place (BYOB) with good selection of vegetarian food

Rx (4443 Spruce St; 215-222-9590) - a BYO that uses organic local ingredients - it's a nice place for brunch with outside seating in nice weather

Greenline Cafe (4239 Baltimore Ave, 215-222-3431)

White Dog Cafe (3420 Sansom Street; 215-386-9224) - "The country's leading environmentally and community conscious restaurant"

Attractions
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)/ University of Pennsylvania – one of the leading museums in the country

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology - Ancient Egyptian, Mediterranean World, Asian, African, American exhibitions, shops

Notable Architecture in Philadelphia

Here is a short list of some notable architecture in Philadelphia. There is certainly more architecture to see in Philadelphia than what is included on this list such as pattern book houses, the Philadelphia Art Museum, and Greek Revival and Victorian architecture from the 19th century. We encourage you to explore the city.

Cira Center - Pelli and Associates - University of Pennsylvania


Richards Medical Center - Louis Kahn - University of Pennsylvania


North Hall and Fountain - Michael Graves - Drexel University Campus, at the intersection of Race & North 33rd Streets


Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts - Rafael Viñoly Architects - Avenue of the Arts


PSFS Building - George Howe and William Lescaze - 12 South 12th street (Market street & N 12th street) - First International Style building built in the United States


Society Hill Towers - IM Pei - 2nd and Locust Streets


Comcast Center - Robert A. M. Stern Architects - 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd - tallest building in Pennsylvania


Fisher Fine Arts Library - Frank Furness - University of Pennsylvania


Eastern State Penitentiary - John Haviland - N. 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue – Radical 19th-century prison designed to create social change


Guild House - Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates - Spring Garden St (between 6th and 7th)



Resources:
List of Buildings in Philadelphia
http://www.aviewoncities.com/buildings/philadelphia.htm

Buildings and Architecture of Philadelphia - History through the Centuries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buildings_and_architecture_of_Philadelphia

Meet the Bridal Party: Dave (Groomsman)

Margaret says:
Growing up, my brother and I didn't always get along. We usually stayed to ourselves and did our own thing. But in high school our relationship changed. We started to hang out together (probably cause he had his drivers license) and I remember that our usual after school ritual was watching cartoons or Power Rangers then playing Tetris. We both were night owls and I often spent many late nights working on homework. Being the awesome brother that he is, Dave would go out to Taco Bell to pick me up a snack or bring me to Kinkos at midnight. That is probably when I realized that my big brother was an amazing guy (that and when he agreed to be the date to junior prom of four of my friends... seriously).

I knew early on that he was much smarter than me and it didn't help that he made it seem effortless. It was because of his example that I pushed myself to be the best that I could be in school... Nothing like a little family competition to motivate. Luckily he was not as high strung and neurotic as I was because his more laid back attitude gave me some necessary perspective through high school and life. Dave was always surrounded by friends and I don't know one of my friends that didn't love to hang out with my brother. I even remember that when I started school at CMU someone came up to me to ask if Dave was my brother... Apparently his fame spanned all of Pennsylvania (and probably New England as well). I always looked up to Dave because of his charm and wit. He could chat up anybody and seemed to be instantly adored by all.

It's funny that Dave is so protective of me when it comes to the guys I have dated since in all other circumstances he believes that I can hold my own. He is always standing up for me and supporting me in the choices I have made. And for that unconditional love and support, I am eternally grateful.

Margaret and Dave at Halloween

Dave says:
I am Margaret’s brother… thanks, I appreciate all of your sympathy. Growing up with Margaret has been quite the adventure. I knew she would find the right guy in her life, but I honestly did not imagine that it would come so early and easily.

I describe Margaret as a universally concerned, perfectionist, loyal, academic. Her search for knowledge is apparent by her direction into a PhD program. She is loyal to a fault to everyone she believes in. She demands of herself excellence devoting as much of her time and more to deliver beyond expectations. And she concerns herself with everything of the heart. Where she finds an emotional connection, Margaret campaigns for change to make the world better, puts her energies into projects supporting causes such as Habitat for Humanity, and will fight for any political, environmental or personal causes she sees fit.

Eric I believe sees the same things I see in Margaret. I also see in Eric many similar qualities. They have been dating for nearly a decade, but not necessarily living in the same area for probably half of it. He has supported Margaret in her decisions to pursue education. Eric being just as loyal has followed Margaret from city-to-city in this pursuit. They support each other and know how to have fun together.

I met Eric early on in their relationship while they were at CMU. I remember talking to Eric at a party and letting him know what my expectations were of him while he was dating my sister. My sister didn’t quite appreciate what I had said. Looking back at it though, I didn’t have to say anything to Eric. I am happy that Eric has always known how to treat Margaret and also deal with her when she is being Margaret.

Welcome to the family Eric. Take good care of my sister. Margaret, I am very proud of you. Try to move together when the time comes to change cities again. I hope the two of you enjoy the “Big Adventure” you share together throughout your lives.

Things to Do in South Philly

Philly Italian Market

South Philly

Dining
South Philly is known for excellent Italian restaurants since it is the heart of the Italian community in Philadelphia.

Mezza Luna (763 S 8th St; 215-627-4705) - Italian; amazing gnocchi

Ralph’s Restaurant (760 S. Ninth Street) - America's oldest family-owned Italian restaurant

Tony Luke’s (39 E. Oregon Avenue) - my brother's favorite cheesesteak place

Carman's Country Kitchen (1301 S 11th St; 215-339-9613)

Cucina Forte (768 S 8th St; 215-238-0778)

Geno's Steaks (1219 S 9th St; 215-389-0659) - rival of Pat's

Pat's King of Steaks (1237 E Passyunk Ave; 215-468-1546) - rival of Geno's

James (824 S 8th St; 215-629-4980)

Kristian's Ristorante (1100 Federal St; 215-468-0104)

L'Angolo (1415 Porter St; 215-389-4252)

Sabrina's Café (910 Christian St; 215-574-1599)

Saloon (750 S 7th St; 215-627-1811)

Tre Scalini (1533 S 11th St; 215-551-3870)

Attractions
Philly Italian Market (9th Street)- the oldest and largest working outdoor market in the United States; this is the market that Rocky runs through and someone throws him an orange.

Mummers Museum – a museum dedicated to a Philadelphia tradition

Fleisher Art Memorial (719 Catherine Street; 215-922-3456)

Meet the Bridal Party: Gabby (Bridesmaid)

Margaret says:
Gabby and I hung out with different groups of friends in high school, but thank goodness there was some overlap and that we ended up having lunch together every day junior year. But it really wasn't until one night when we found ourselves deep in conversation that I realized Gabby was such a wonderful person. It was her advice, patience, and listening that got me through high school. She provided me with a different perspective on life and a renewed sense of purpose.

Our friendship was tested once by a long train trip to visit our siblings in New England. But overall that was a fun whirlwind trip to Middlebury, VT and Boston, MA in one weekend and definitely one to remember. And while it was certainly "easier" to meet up when I lived on the east coast, we have overcome distance and time to remain close friends. A trip to Philadelphia is never complete without meeting up with Gabby. She is a great friend and confidant.

Through many of the important moments of our lives, Gabby and I have been there to support each other. I could not imagine this special day without her and I know that our friendship will continue for a long time to come.

Gabby, Marian, Emily, Margaret and Chrissy
at Margaret's graduation from Carnegie Mellon.

Gabby says:
Margaret and I met in high school. I guess you could say it was a bit of an odd couple pairing. Margaret was always driven, hard-working, focused and ambitious. I was somewhat of a slacker. But once we'd had our first conversation, I was hooked. Her charm and humor kept me smiling and the value she placed on friendship reassured me that I could always count on her.

Over the years we've both made efforts to stay connected. Even though we only see one another a few times a year, I still know that Margaret is one of my best friends and always will be. Through all the ups and downs of my life, no matter how many wrong turns I make, she has always supported me. She is the kind of person who loves her friends for who they are and not what they do. That, to me, is the true definition of a friend.

I've been waiting a long time for this wedding, as I'm sure others have as well. It's finally here and I could not be happier or more honored to be a part of it. Margaret deserves the most amazing and perfect day on May 24th. After all, she has already found the perfect guy in Eric. There is no one more deserving of such a fabulous woman. I wish them all the happiness in the world.

Things to Do Around South Street

Penn's Landing with the Ben Franklin Bridge in the background.

Waterfront/Penn’s Landing/South Street

Dining
Jim’s Steaks Steaks (400 South Street)

Fez Moroccan Restaurant (620 South 2nd Street; 215-925-5367) - good for groups

Gayle (617 S 3rd St)

La Grolla (782 South 2nd St; 215-627-7701) - Italian, with wild mushrooms as a specialty.

Cedar's (616 S. 2nd St.; 215-925-4950) - Lebanese, good and cheap. BYOB

Mustard Greens (622 S. 2nd St; 215-627-0833) - Chinese, reasonably priced

Horizons (611 S. 7th St.; 215-923-6117) - Vegan

Tattooed Mom (530 South St; 215-238-9880) - bar food and cheap drinks; plus you'll likely see Bam Margera

Attractions
Art Galleries - there are several art galleries on South St

Independence Seaport Museum – waterfront maritime museum features ships and exhibits

Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA) – great music venue located on South Street

Ride the Ducks Philadelphia (877-887-8225) – amphibious sightseeing tour vehicles that will take you to all the attractions in town (see the Things to Do Around the Liberty Bell post)

Meet the Bridal Party: Larry (Groomsman)

Eric says:
Lawrence. Fabbroni. Say that name to anyone who knows him and you’re bound to evoke a smile. Or perhaps a sly grin. Inevitably some thought of one of Larry’s exploits will come to mind. Larry is that guy who gets the party going, kicks it in the butt if it’s lagging, and locks the doors when the last person is ready to leave. But he is also so much more. At times he has been my roommate, project team member, travel buddy, and beer pong partner. I knew Larry when he first started school at Carnegie Mellon University, which is to say that I have vivid memories of him singing an original song at freshman orientation, with bleach blond hair, and performing at Follies. Later on, he graced the covers of our structures reports with the likes of the A-team and Kiss, rendered computer models until the wee hours of the morning, and eased the tension of late nights in studio by clapping along to the works of John Cougar Mellencamp. We watched Rudy make the Notre Dame football team over and over again without fail. And for a few weeks one legendary summer we studied in Rome and traveled the through Europe by train together.

In short, I attribute a great deal of my college experience to Larry. And as much as he drove us all towards good times through the rigors of higher education, he also became one of the most driven members of the professional community. Larry changed a lot during those five sleepless years. And in many ways he didn’t change at all. He has always been a true friend. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have a friend like Larry. But if not, I invite you to seek him out at the reception. Talk about design. Talk about politics. The Yankees. Life. Then take a shot with him and go get your dance on. I guarantee you will have a good time and you may just make a friend for life.

Hanging out at the University Center at Carnegie Mellon.
From the L: Michele, Larry, Jack, Margaret, and Eric
(Photograph by Nick Colello)

Larry says:
Hmmm....Eric and I....how to tell this.....what I should do is start at the beginning....but what I'm going to do is mix it all up, because really, we met in college and what happened in those days is kind of blurry (possibly due to the time Margaret punched me in the face, but that is a different story for a different time....like perhaps when I meet all her relatives...). In any case, unlike many college friends Eric and I took a bit longer to find each other despite being in the same architecture class together. This is probably due to the fact that we are both pretty full of ourselves and are skeptical of anyone else's pure awesome-ness. But we did find each other, and our friendship came to be not so long before Eric and Margaret began dating. As the story goes, I was involved in helping the famous first date happen, and I saw it all happen, the laughs, the adoring eyes, the holding hands, and -for the sake of this story - the first "more holding hands" as they lagged behind Michele and I on the walk home.

A few months later, Eric and I were rooming together in Rome, where we changed the summer for everyone when, on the first night, we discovered the New Fox Tavern (thanks to all who prompted that discovery by thinking it would be funny to lock us out of the apartment), which was the proud host of many Power Hours and late night karaoke (Eric is kind of like a young Tom Waits). Along with Margaret and a whole group of other friends we shared so many great memories that summer: Dave Matthews playing a tiny concert in the Italian countryside, dinners in Trestevere, cold showers (not together...sickos), and so much more. We traveled together after Rome on a whirlwind tour of western Europe, sleeping on trains and in hostels, learning too much about each other's body odors, and most importantly overcoming a precarious situation along the Spanish-French border in which I almost traded one of Eric's kidneys for some homemade sangria (i figured he's pretty skinny so it would be a quick procedure).

Pause #1 in my story. I just wanted to say how much I enjoy burritos. Tacos are boring....unless they are fish tacos in Cali, then they are okay.... And I always burn myself on the sizzling fajita plate, why can't they just cook the meat before they serve them....but pretty much any time you are talking to me it is a pretty safe assumption that burritos are not far from my mind.

Okay, back to my story. When we arrived back in the states, things were different between Eric and I. That's because we were now living in the same house on Beeler Street, where more memories were made. I learned there how much Eric liked Jerry Springer, and basically any type of trashy television that played in between classes; we beat the hell out of Eric's first George Foreman grill; we made Wednesday nights legendary, and we killed his Mercury Cougar.

Pause #2 in my story. I just want to caution everyone that I look totally hot in a tux. It's almost to the point where I am a like a superhero. I am telling you this now, so you can prepare yourself to pay attention to Eric and Margaret, and all the wedding shenanigans, instead of continually being distracted by my tux-studliness.

Anyway, Eric's always been one of those people I fall right back in step with, no matter how long we've been apart. I suspect he put up with many of my ridiculous jokes and insane tendencies because at times I may have been about twice his size, and volumetrically that was great friend-value for him. It might also be because of all the other great memories though: my sun poisoning in jersey and the ride back to Pittsburgh, late nights at Mad Mex, miniature games of pool in our "dining" room, our disturbing affinity for cinematic depictions of Notre Dame football, our "Little Guy in a Big Guy Suit" conspiracy theory, a forged email that should have gotten me in a whole lot of trouble, or the leftover punch from our Halloween party that almost lasted until the following summer, and dramatically reduced the capacity of our refrigerator.

From my name you might be able to tell I've got a bit of Italian blood in me, so I know a thing or two about "Family". To me being Family is more than blood or eating at a certain restaurant chain we'll call "The We've-Never-Heard-of-Fresh-Ingredients-and-We-Suck Garden". To me it is about getting to a point of complete trust, loyalty, and care. It is about people you would do anything for, and knowing they would do anything for you. Eric and Margaret are Family to me. It helps that they are a whole lot of fun too.

Things to Do Around the Liberty Bell

Independence Hall

Historic District (Old City)

Dining
Buddakan (325 Chestnut Street; 215-574-9440)

Cafe Spice (35 S. Second St.; 215-627-6273)

City Tavern (138 South 2nd Street; 215-413-1443)

Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar (138 Market Street; 215-923-6069)

Cuba Libre (10 South Second Street; 215-627-0666 )

Moshulu (401 South Columbus Blvd; 215-923-2500)

Old Original Bookbinders (125 Walnut Street; 215-925-7027)

Morimoto (723 Chestnut St; 215-413-9070) - If you're an avid fan of the Iron Chef series on The Food Network then you might want to check out Morimoto's. The interior won an AIA honor award.

Philadelphia Fish and Company (207 Chestnut St.; 215-625-8605)

Attractions
History is all around you in this part of town. Luckily, there are multiple walking tours so you can wander the small cobble streets.

National Constitution Center – interactive museum celebrating the U.S. Constitution featuring a theater, exhibits, and artifacts.

Independence Visitor Center

Independence Hall and Liberty Bell - new home to the symbol of our nation’s freedom

Betsy Ross House – historic house museum

Elfreth’s Alley – oldest residential street in the U.S.; offers guided tours

Lights of Liberty – evening outdoor light spectacular about the American Revolution

Ride the Ducks Philadelphia (877-887-8225) – Amphibious sightseeing tour vehicles that will take you to all the attractions in town. The ticketing location is at 6th and Chestnut Streets in the heart of the Historic District. The boarding location is at 6th and Market Streets next to the Independence Visitor Center.