This week, Peter Greenberg Worldwide broadcasts from the Sofitel Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joining the program is the Historian at the Philadelphia History Museum, Cindy Little. She talks about African American history and the rarely discussed women who made Philadelphia’s history possible. Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer and Director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute, speaks about the advances in technology, allowing everything from the moon landing to futuristic space travel tourism. Anuj Gupta, General Manager of Reading Terminal Market, discusses the 125-year-old market and how it features unique family-owned businesses instead of chains or franchises. Then, Artist and Director of the Porch Light Program, Shira Walinsky, explains how the program empowers people who were arrested for tagging and instead utilizes their skills for art and the betterment of the city. There’s all of this and more as Peter Greenberg Worldwide broadcasts from the Sofitel Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Click here to listen to the show streaming from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 17, 2018.
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Johns Hopkins, Executive Director of Baltimore Heritage, discusses the hundreds of thousands of immigrants that came through Baltimore during the 1900s. He talks about what surprises visitors of Baltimore and shares the story of George Peabody, a rags to riches narrative. Johns Hopkins also shares the story of Johns Hopkins, American entrepreneur, abolitionist, and philanthropist who founded Johns Hopkins University—no relation.
Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief of Travel Weekly, talks about his recent trip to Jordan and his experience interviewing Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, King of Jordan. He discusses how some people are afraid to visit Jordan because of the countries that surround it. He also explains the reason behind some travel advisories and Playa del Carmen, where a bomb went off on a ferry frequented by tourists.
Cindy Little, Historian at the Philadelphia History Museum, talks about how Philadelphia was a center for the anti-slavery movement. She describes African American history and discusses portraits of Harriet Lee Smith, the wealthiest African American family pre-Civil War. She shares how Philadelphia used to call itself the “Workshop of the World.” She talks about the workforce and chemical manufacturing that occured in Philadelphia. She also discusses the women who made Philadelphia’s history possible, which is in contrast to many tours—that tend to focus only on white men.
Alex Tewfik, Food Editor of Philadelphia Magazine, talks about his experience as a server and how the restaurant industry is built on not paying the front of staff. He discusses chefs who care about their products, their people, and the city. He also explains the row of chef-owned restaurants in East Passyunk and how Philadelphia is one of the most walkable cities in the United States.
Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer and Director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute, talks about the history of its location and how the institute promotes a safe learning environment. He discusses how in ancient times people didn’t have the distractions they do today, allowing them more time to discover things. He explains the advances in technology allowing everything from the moon landing 50 years ago, to SpaceX and Virgin Galactic (space travel tourism). He also talks about the telescopes at the Institute, the planetarium, and other features that make it the most attended museum in the state of Pennsylvania.
Anuj Gupta, General Manager of Reading Terminal Market, just celebrated the market’s 125th year. He describes how the market features 80 unique family-owned businesses. There are no chains or franchises—so the person you bought sausage from most likely made it. He talks about the oldest ice cream company in America and how there’s still a line for it, even in February. He also highlights scrapple, deep fried meat scraps, and cheese steak…Pennsylvania delicacies.
James Claiborne, Programming Manager at the African American Museum, talks about the contemporary art featured in its upper galleries, using a combination of present and past artists. He discusses the art of struggle and what is bubbling up from the community. He explains how contemporary art swaps out every 3 to 6 months and how art can be used to create a safe space for healing and conversation.
Irene Levy Baker, Author of 100 Things to Do in Philadelphia Before You Die, recommends Dante and Luigi’s, an Italian restaurant in Philly, and encourages you to order red gravy (what locals call red sauce). She talks about the Philadelphia mural arts tour and how each neighborhood features something that makes it special. She also shares the story of John and Kira, two Philly chocolatiers who have a social responsibility with their chocolate. They state that the key to good chocolate is that you don’t have to eat a lot of it. Baker also has a new book coming out this fall.
Jay Wahl, Producing Artistic Director of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, talks about the Philly International Festival of the Arts, also known as PIFA. He discusses special interactive art and explains that there’s no distance between the art and the audience. He highlights the most surprising performance for him, which entailed closing down the street and featuring a crane with percussionists hanging and playing for the 200,000 people who watched. He also discusses some of its other experimental performances such as Doggy Hamlet, Aerial Dance Party, and Taylor Mac’s A 24-Decade History of Popular Music.
Shira Walinsky, Artist and Director of the Porch Light Program, discusses the history of the program, which started 34 years ago. She talks about working with people who were arrested for tagging and instead utilizing their skills for art and the betterment of the city. She explains how the program has created over 4,000 murals and how each unique neighborhood tells a different story. She also shares how the program uses art to address larger issues like mental health and trauma relief.
JonCarl Lachman, Chef-Owner of Noord and Co-Owner of The Dutch, explains how the East Passyunk neighborhood has slowly morphed into a dining destination. He discusses how his sous chef has made its signature crispy, garlic bread by hand every day since it opened. He shares his secret to making the perfect bread pudding—taking it out of the oven before it’s completely finished to keep it soft. He also explains how to adapt to customer’s tastes by changing the menu often and making adjustments, such as getting rid of its rotisserie chicken machine since the rabbit is more popular.
By Kyla Perlman for PeterGreenberg.com
