Well... That Was Nice

Front and Center, yes Don, we know you are proud

After a good night's rest in my luxurious room I woke up with just enough time to shower and iron my clothes in preparation for tonight. After meeting in the lobby we took taxis to Independence Hall and, after a quick breakfast, took a tour of the building where the Founding Fathers created and signed the Declaration of Independence. I really enjoyed being inside such a monumental building, and learning more about our nation's history. Apparently, according to our tour guide, John Adam's inauguration as the second president was the first peaceful (or did not involve someone's death) transfer of power of that level.

Outside of our next destination, the National Constitution Center, I was forcefully "elected" by my cohort to participate in an  on camera interview with three college students researching for a school project. They asked general questions about me followed by a variety of questions about what I was doing in the area, if I was visiting local sights, etc. Unfortunately, I do not think I was very helpful to them, as my answers were almost always "no" or "I don't know." Still it was a fun experience.

Halibut and Forbidden Rice

After a quick stop at the Constitution Center we headed back to the UPenn campus for our information session and tour. I was very excited, as that was my first serious college visit. Throughout the information session I learned a lot, not only about UPenn but also the college admission process in general and what the college experience is like. A current student at UPenn gave us an informative tour. It was amazing to see the level of care and dedication to the university which both our presenter (a UPenn alum and admissions officer) and our tour guide had. I was very impressed by UPenn. The campus was very nice, they offer extremely helpful financial aid options, and the policies encouraging inter school and even international study appeal to me greatly. Luckily I am only a sophomore and have lots of time for consideration, but UPenn certainly made its way very high up my list.

Nice to have some seafood after that steak.

After our UPenn visit we got a surprisingly good snack at a local Chinese food cart, then said farewell to the Columbia Cohort who also happened to be visiting UPenn. Then it was a short walk back to the hotel. After some time blogging and listening to music I got to take advantage of another of our hotel's great perks, an air conditioned gym. Then it was off to the showers, and dinner!!!

We ate dinner at The Fountain at the Four Seasons Hotel, which I understand the Hotel Management group had to read a book on. I was immediately made comfortable by the UPenn students, faculty, and alums when they greeted us with friendly smiles and warm handshakes. After we made our introductions we were led by hotel staff to our private dining room. I sat between two current students, Matt and Ross. We talked throughout dinner about their experiences at UPenn, their majors, what I wanted to do, and surprisingly Ross and I had a lengthy discussion about the intricacies and our personal interests in architecture. The food was excellent. From my halibut and "forbidden" rice (named because it was so rare only the emperor of China was allowed to eat it as Matt and I learned), to my lobster, crab, shrimp and rice, to my chocolate souffle I was blown away by the taste and presentation. Altogether it was a great night, made so good by the excellent service, fine food, and pleasant company.

I learned a lot about UPenn today, and while it may not be the school I end up going to, I know I will apply.

Tomorrow its off to New York City to visit Columbia University.

1 Down, 2 To Go

I was sleeping soundly when we were suddenly awakened by an "early" wake-up call at 8:15. After washing up and getting dressed we headed out to get some breakfast before touring Independence Hall. Once we were done, we met up with the Columbia cohort and toured Independence Hall together. It was nice meeting some friends from both El Cerrito and former ILC interviews. Overall, the tour of Independence Hall was very informing and interesting in putting our nation into perspective.

Independence Hall

The Columbia Cohort on the Independence Hall tour with us

The room where the Declaration of Independence was signed 

After the tour, the Columbia cohort left for lunch with the UPenn admissions officers (we will be having dinner with them). We, on the other hand, went for a short visit to the National Constitution Center but didn't get to see the actual Constitution due to time constraints. However, we did get Eric Wilson to get interviewed by some college students doing a project. After that, we went to UPenn for our first informational session and campus tour.

The National Constitution Center: the place to rock out to freedom!

At the informational session, we sat right up front and were informed by an extremely vibrant admissions spokesperson named Doris. She talked about all the great aspects of UPenn and what to expect if we choose to attend. However, the part that stood out to me the most was her tips on college admissions (especially the letters of recommendation) on not only UPenn, but all the other colleges we will be applying for. Once the informational session was over we went on the campus tour with our guide Anna. We got to see the engineering quad, main library, and the Wharton School (a business school within UPenn). A prominent theme in UPenn is Benjamin Franklin since he founded the school, but he is also the one that truly defined the modern education in liberal arts.

Tonight, we went to The Fountain Restaurant inside Four Seasons Hotel with two admissions officers and a handful of current students and alums of UPenn. I sat next to UPenn rising senior Margaret, who is originally from Guam, and Mr. Chan-Law. Margaret and I started talking about why she chose UPenn over her other choices and how the application process was. I learned that she is currently majoring in biochemistry, switching majors from journalism. During our talk about colleges, Margaret gave an extremely helpful tip of choosing a college which caters to your desired method of transportation to class. This didn't occur to be a great importance for me before but now that she said that, getting to class is a major part of the college experience and I would not want to go to a college that doesn't cater to my desires in that area. After a while, the conversation drifted towards the great things you can do around UPenn like all the free events that happen quite frequently throughout Philadelphia. 

As for the food, it was beyond amazing. We all started off with some hors d'oeurvres which consisted of tuna, scallop, beef dumplings, and crab. For the appetizer, I chose the octopus with potatoes and it was phenomenal. I had the seafood paella which had shrimp, rock cod, and lobster. The seafood was the best I have had in a while. As for dessert, I had the strawberry sauvignon. While it was a little on the sweet side, it was still delicious. Funnily enough, all of us (except Mr. Chan-Law who got lamb) chose the seafood dish since we were all full of beef from Del Frisco's the other night. Dinner ended with a group of us talking about the local sports teams and we also got to meet the chef that prepared the stellar food. Overall, the dinner was extremely informing and entertaining. It had a very "laid-back" feel which really helped when it came to the conversations.

Dinner at The Fountain Restaurant

Appetizer: Octopus with Potatoes

Main Course: Seafood Paella

Dessert: Strawberry Sauvignon

The Greatness of Penn

Our group of students started the day at Independence Hall to learn and feel the creation of our great nation.  There were some moments that felt like they were in a history class, but the visible and authentic settings made history come to life.  

We had a quick view of the famous Liberty Bell and took a lobby tour of the National Constitution Center.  

Then off we went to the Penn information session and campus tour.  I believe the kids came out with very valuable information about the various colleges and programs at Penn.  The presenter had some volume trouble with the mic, but we sat at the front row, so that helped a lot.  

She gave some great advice about the process of choosing the best fit university for yourself.  It is not just 4+ years of commitment, dedication, and hard work.  The university becomes part of you and you part of it for the rest of your adult life.  It is a life-changing choice and students need to evaluate all the information and experience given to them to make that choice.  

Not everyone can come to Penn and get a first-hand experience of the campus and college life.  But I believe every student can access the same information and more through the university's website, be it Penn or any other school  It has a tremendous amount of information regarding admissions, application process, financial aid, and so forth.  I understand that seeing and reading something online is not the same as doing it up close and personal, but realistically speaking, not every WCCUSD student can come cross country to do a info session and campus tour.  But, we can encourage one of these admission officers to come to us and talk to our various high schools about their particular university.  We have showed great interest in them and hopefully, they can reciprocate that as well. 

UPenn: Can We Go Back?

Independence Hall

Our first morning in Philadelphia was well spent.  Our first destination was Independence Hall, and after grabbing a quick breakfast at Honey Restaurant a block away, we met the Columbia cohort right outside the gate.  This trip to Independence Hall, where we were part of a larger tour group, reminded me a lot of my eighth grade field trip to Washington D.C. and how our destination revolved around early United States history and how this political foundation affects us today.  As the Columbia group had a lunch commitment with UPenn alumni and admission officers, we headed toward the National Constitution Center to rest before our UPenn tour. 

UPenn Freshman Dorm Quad

I can say that the tour of the University of Pennsylvania was truly enlightening.  The Columbia group was also on this tour after returning from their lunch, but we were separated during the campus walk part of the visit.  For the first half of the tour we were greeted into the Irvine Theater by Doris, an enthusiastic alumni who now works in the admissions office.  She described the many different courses that the school offers, and later went into depth about the typical admissions process and how to apply for financial aid, something I found particularly useful.  Currently I am not sure what field I want to enter as an adult or what exactly I want to study during college, but the options in various “schools,” that is, departments within the university and the availability of help and guidance on campus encouraged me to look into the school at a greater depth. 

Wharton School of Business

After our introduction to the university, Anna, a rising junior at Penn, led our walk around campus for the second part of the tour.  She is duel majoring at Wharton, the business school, and in nursing.  We explored the campus altogether and visited various buildings including the main library and the Huntsman Hall, which belongs to the Wharton Business School.  Anna belongs to the business school and displayed particular enthusiasm when explaining the opportunities offered through Wharton.  One thing that I liked about her experience at Penn was when she explained a recent trip she took to China, only for 10 days, to study economics and business.  These unique opportunities are really attractive to me and if I were to have more time I would have loved for more alumni to speak to us about their experience at school, which was perfect, because after resting at the hotel our next stop was Fountain Restaurant to meet UPenn alumni and admission officers.   

At 7 o’clock sharp we met with the UPenn group which consisted of admissions officers, alumni, and current students.  I found it a lot easier to speak to these people because of our visit to the campus earlier today.  When they were talking about campus life and the accessibility of the city I was able to better understand and visualize what they were talking about.  Again, similar to the dinner at Prospect back in San Francisco, we were seated in a private dining room and served delicious food.  After last night’s hefty steak dinner (don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful), I decided to stick to a seafood course instead.  

Wild Bass Dinner 

Day two was incredible.  Visiting Independence Hall was a good way to explore the city and it’s history, but I found it most important that we were able to visit with the Columbia group during the outing.  Even though it was only yesterday that we left the Bay Area, a lot has happened and traveling in this way has been am interesting transition.  Seeing familiar faces in the Columbia group was just comforting as well as enjoyable.  Who doesn’t want to visit the East Coast with friends?

In addition, visiting the UPenn campus and taking a tour has truly been eye opening.  Having alumni share their knowledge with us while on the tour certainly was valuable and then later speaking to alumni and admission officers and really understanding what they are talking about was beneficial.  I am attracted to the school from what I have learned today and am considering applying there when the time comes.   Today was really a day to remember and continue to make me proud to be a part of the Ivy League Connection and represent our school district. 

First Day, Early Start

Alex, Eric, and Mr. Chan-Law, enjoying their 5 o'clock breakfast.

It has been a long day, especially with a three-hour difference to throw our natural cycle off. I tried to get some sleep the night before, but for a teenager, going to bed before midnight just seems impossible. So as I rolled out of my warm bed at 2 AM, California time, I had to remind myself that one sleepless night would be worth it. Although I felt tired during Don's mini-orientation and baggage weigh-in, I am proud to see that I look okay in our group picture. Finally, around 3:30 (I didn't check my watch), we were off to the San Francisco Airport. We actually got there before the employees did, but by 5:10, we were through security, and eating a delicious but expensive airport breakfast (I got a mushroom omelet).

The flight was quick and rather uneventful; it only took about four and a half hours. We arrived in Philadelphia around 2 PM, and collected our baggage without incident. The van that picked us up was too small, though, so Eric Wang, Frank, Calvin, and Alex were crammed together in a three-seat section, with Eric Wilson and I put in the back. As our van passed first a refinery, then several decrepit buildings, and finally at least two rusty overpasses that looked like they could crumble at any moment, my first impression of Philadelphia became "dirty." Due to its age and historical significance, I expected the buildings to be preserved and pristine. Instead I found a defiled graveyard of past glory, ruined by graffiti, dirt, and overall neglect. Of course, the downtown area looked cleaner, but only because of the fancy shopping areas and the surrounding university; it does little justice to the buildings that may have been around for 200 years.

We waited about 20 minutes for our rooms.

The fancy light buttons.

I can watch the taxis pick up and drop off people.

I would not let this disappointment ruin my fun, though. We had to wait awhile for our hotel rooms because they had not been paid for yet, but it was worth it. My hotel room (located right on the UPenn campus) is beautiful, and full of tricks and toys. In order to save electricity, guests must insert their card into a special slot which turns on the room electricity; when they leave, people can take their card out to conserve energy. The room is also equipped with an LG flat screen TV (complete with HBO and Showtime) and an iPad. The bathroom comes with fancy light buttons (sorry, that's the only way I can describe them) and my shower is just another part of the room (no tub, just walk to the left, close the curtain, and turn on the water). I also have a decent view of the street, part of a campus library, and some of the downtown area.

Two beds - one for sleeping, one for jumping.

The entrance to the restaurant
(for tall people).

After playing with the iPad, I unpacked my stuff, and joined the rest of my cohort in a quest to find a convenience store (Mr. Chan-Law wanted water, and I needed more batteries for my power-sucking camera). We returned to our rooms for another hour and a half before meeting up again for dinner at the Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse. My veal cost almost $40, and it was the best I've ever had. It actually reminded me of the omelet I ate earlier this morning; but it was delicious, with the perfect combination of salt, pepper, and whatever wonderful juices the restaurant used. And best of all, it was gluten-free!

Calvin, just having a good time while we waited for our table.

My veal was awesome!

Dinner finally ended and we returned to our hotel via taxi, which is where I am now. My computer says it is 9:20 PM, but I know it's really 12; so good night for now, until I can describe my new adventure on the University of Pennsylvania campus.

A Whole Different World

It has been one of the longest days I ever had. To start off such an exciting, as well as exhausting, day, I met up with my cohorts before the sun even rose. It was colder than I thought at 3 AM, and as Don was talking about the trip to Pennsylvania, I could feel myself shivering a little. It felt much warmer in the van on the way to the airport. Since the van came early, we had plenty of time at the airport with around 2 hours. At the airport, we bought the biggest burritos ever. They were huge and, best of all, filled with bacon. They were much preferred over airplane food, but a little too big. They were a little bigger than the size of my foot. After we finished our meal, the dreaded airplane trip arrived.

No matter how long a flight is, whether it is 13 hours to China or just 5 hours to Pennsylvania, I always hated them. As soon as we enter the plane, the smell just makes me nauseous. My ears would soon be popping every other minute once in the air, and there were only beverages served on the plane. Most of the time, I had to read the book Cornell assigned. Once the flight was over with, the day would gradually become better.

Hotel Lobby

Finally arriving to the hotel, we had to wait at the lobby because there was some confusion because the rooms weren’t paid. In most hotels, it would be a pain to wait, but in The Inn at Penn, the interior was well designed, which made the wait enjoyable. However, it was quickly resolved and Eric Wilson and I went to our room while the others went to theirs. Since we had plenty of time to spend before our dinner we went walking and just viewing this unfamiliar territory. After going to CVS, we came back, with 2 hours to relax. During this entire time, I was too tired to really do anything due to that flight and the time difference.

Ceiling of  Del Frisco Steakhouse

Finally, it came time for the big dinner. I was looking forward to this because I haven't eaten since we left the airport. We arrived, and I was flabbergasted by the incredible interior. There were huge columns, as well as a magnificent staircase of wine. We ordered our steak, which what I thought took quite some time (maybe because I was hungry.) However, when the steaks finally arrived, they looked fantastic, and the time we waited for the steak was worth it. Everyone just devoured their steaks partly because we hadn't really eaten lunch, and also, because it was so good.  

Biggest steak I ever ate

This day has been a great start to what will be a fabulous experience. Today's activities were fun, but the next few days would be even funner. 

Day One and Loving It!

The beginning of the day was an overall success.  After waking up at 2 in the morning I spent the early hour checking and re-checking my belongings so as to be sure nothing was left behind.  After a few scares on the way down to El Cerrito High I was relieved to see that I didn’t forget my key for the laptop security cable, one of my biggest concerns.  The real problem turned out to be the cold.  While preparing my luggage to complement the seemingly hot and humid East Coast, I almost rushed out of the house without a jacket only to have the below-55 degree wind greet my exposed legs in my athletic shorts. Not the best planning to say the least.  We were soon ready to leave the school after a group photo taken by Don of what I would expect to be a photograph of six, half-awake teenagers seeking refuge from the cold by bundling their hands in any available pockets.  The airport shuttle soon arrived and we were off!

The ride to the airport was interesting.  Turns out that even during the early morning hours San Pablo Avenue is still a busy place.  Everyone was seemingly awake but all too tired to say a word.  I guess the excitement of what lay ahead kept everyone awake, but the fact that it was 3:30 in the morning combated any effort to display any physical enthusiasm whatsoever.  We made good time to the airport in the end, so good actually that the stations for baggage check weren’t even open yet!

The plane ride was not particularly eventful.  I spent my time listening to music, sleeping, starting Fast Food Nation, our summer assignment for AP Language and Composition, and outlining Plato’s Republic for the most part.  Yes, as you may have guessed, there was not a television on the plane. 

Waiting in Philly

We were picked up from the airport by another shuttle, but not one of those plain white vans similar to what we rode from the high school to the airport.  No, this was a black Chevrolet Suburban, the kind that you see the secret agents riding in the movies.  As we headed toward Philadelphia, one of the first things that made an impression on me, being a total baseball nut was seeing, from a distance, Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.  Calvin later made the observation about the freeway signs how at the fork on route took you to New Jersey while the other took you to Delaware, not something you really get to see growing up in California.  After crossing a bridge into Philadelphia we went straight into the heart of UPenn, where we will be visiting tomorrow with the Columbia group.  Our hotel: The Inn at Penn, is located on campus and is beautiful, to say the least.  Being a victim to allergies I was particularly pleased to see that the bathroom was equipped with Kleenex brand facial tissues as opposed to those rough generic-brand tissues one usually finds at hotels.  I will be staying in a room by myself, something that I never have done before so it may be interesting. 

Entering Philadelphia

Something that came as a pleasant surprise about Philadelphia was the city’s overall consciousness regarding recycling.  Even from the walk from the gate to the baggage claim, every trash bin was accompanied by two recycling bins (paper and plastic/aluminum) as “Philadelphia Recycles” posters decorated the walls of the airport.  In the streets of the campus the same applied as most trash bins were split in two with a recycling bin.  Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area, I have always thought that we were the most conscious about distinguishing waste from recycling, but Philadelphia had made more of a public effort to spread the concept of recycling across the city, something I appreciated.  In addition, US Airways separated the beverage cans from the napkins and garbage as well, which I have not noticed on a commercial air service ever, as the hotel room carries both garbage and recycling bin as well. 

The conclusion to a wonderful day

Tonight we dined at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House.  We took our first cab ride on the way to the restaurant and were introduced to Philadelphia at night.  To start, the food at Del Frisco’s was amazing.  Everyone ordered a steak, all of different shapes and sizes, all simply but gorgeously prepared.  The restaurant used to be a bank and was remodeled into a three-story restaurant.  Many of the buildings in Philadelphia have had their architecture preserved on the outside only to be remodeled on the inside for a more modern taste, similar to some buildings in San Francisco.  I would call the night a success as everyone finished his or her steak as we cabbed home to call it a night. 

Tomorrow will be an amazing experience.  We will meet up with the Columbia group, who flew into New York City today, and will spend the morning at Independence Hall and later tour the University of Pennsylvania.  I cannot wait to spend another day as a member of the ILC and am looking forward to sharing my experience with you soon!  

Across The Country In 5 Hours

Although Don told us to sleep the night before the trip instead of staying up and sleeping on the plane, I was too excited to go to sleep anyways. Unfortunately, I hit that time where I actually fell into a deep sleep about twenty minutes before my alarm went off and when the time came, I went straight for the snooze button. I was finally forced to wake up by my mom and reluctantly did so. However, the most painful part of this 2:00 AM dilemma was not actually waking up, but trying to put in my contacts in my bloodshot eyes (Maybe I should have worn glasses instead like Alex and Rachel.  Well, you live and you learn).

To my surprise I was the first of my cohort to arrive at El Cerrito High School for the pre-departure meet-up, keeping my streak alive from the Cornell dinner. After Don weighed all our luggage (mine came out at 31.78 pounds), he gave us some words of wisdom that mostly pertained to blogging. Thanks to Don, I will be sure to share as many photos with you all as possible.

We departed for SFO in a shuttle, but the ride was pretty quiet since all of us were still a little groggy from the lack of sleep. Once we got to the airport, our check-in counters weren't even open yet, and to my surprise, there were people earlier than us waiting in line. Once we got all our luggage checked-in and our boarding passes finalized, we headed to the security checkpoint which, again, was not open yet. When we all got through security, we went to go get some breakfast. Unfortunately, I devoured mine before I could take a photo of it. After that it was time to board the plane.

The flight overall was extremely bumpy, it seemed that the pilot tried to find every possible turbulence spot to fly through. Now I'm not one to complain since I, for some strange reason, love bumpy plane rides. Once we landed we headed towards the baggage claim area that was literally half a mile from the boarding gate of the plane. When we all got our luggage we waited for our ride because, apparently, they forgot when to pick us up. Just like the Brown-I group, we rode in a Chevy Suburban.

Our lengthy trek towards the baggage claim

Citizens Bank Park

Oh, hello UPenn!

When we got to the hotel, confusion ensued. The front-desk clerk told us that our rooms had not been paid for yet so there was this seemingly endless conversation between Mr. Chan-Law and Don and the receptionist. Finally, they got it settled and we were off to our rooms (I'm rooming with Eric Wang). Saying this hotel room is amazing is quite an understatement. I mean, the TV itself has over 2000 channels!

Did I mention that our hotel room has an iPad?

For our first dinner in Philadelphia, we went to Del Frisco's Steakhouse. With some background information, we all found out that the building used to be a bank. The food there was amazing! However, the wait was a little longer than expected, but it was worth the wait. As this day wraps up, I am looking forward to the campus visit to UPenn tomorrow! Well, off to bed to try and adjust to the new time zone.

Del Frisco's

Front entrance to Del Frisco's

Amazing wine “cellar" inside Del Frisco's

My phenomenal 24 oz Prime Porterhouse

Live From Philadelphia

Today was a pretty eventful day. The Cornell cohort gathered at El Cerrito High School bright and early to leave for SFO and make our flight to Philadelphia. Our shuttle was early and we arrived at SFO so early that none of the check-in registers were even open! I was shocked to see about 50 or so people just waiting to check in their bags. After checking in our bags and going through security, we enjoyed a nice breakfast before we boarded our flight to Philadelphia.

Waiting in Gate 26 for our flight to leave.

For the most part, the flight was pretty uneventful. I sat in middle of three seats with Rachael to my left and an elderly woman to my right. The lady to my right was reading today's San Francisco Chronicle and passed section by section to me as she finished reading them. I spent the flight reading the newspaper, rereading Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy, listening to music, and playing with my IPod. It was nice to just relax and get to know more about both the world and refresh my mind about Isadore Sharp's book.

After we landed and claimed our bags, we were driven to our hotel: The Inn at Penn. I was expecting the driver to drive like the cab drivers I had in New York City last year, but it was anything but. The driver wasn't aggressive, in fact our driver didn't drive any differently than any driver would drive in the Bay Area.  We then checked into our hotel which is magnificent. The WiFi is fast, the room is comforting, and I'll get to know my cohort member Calvin better because we're roommates!

Our hotel room.

Our hotel room, part 2.

The dinner tonight at Del Friscos was magnificent. I had a prime rib-eye that was extremely succulent. Now that I'm full and happy to be on the east coast, it's time to wind down and hang out with Calvin for a bit before I sleep.

My delicious steak.

The birds' eye view of my steak.

Bright and... No, Just Early

The day began like any other... except 6 hours earlier. A quick shower, a quick breakfast, and off we went to ECHS. After weighing in our luggage and a quick speech from Don, we took our cohort photo. It wasn't until right before we boarded the van that it struck me that I wouldn't be home again for almost a month.

Yes, that is a complementary Ipad

We actually arrived at the airport before the baggage checking booths and security lines opened. Luckily it was only a short wait. Then once we set up at our terminal we went for some breakfast. I ordered a breakfast burrito and was extremely pleased. The flight was a blur as I tried, half awake, to read about Plato's philosophies. After we arrived in Philadelphia I finally felt awake and ready to go. After a short car ride we arrived at our hotel. Unfortunately there was a mixup in the payments for the rooms and we ended up waiting as our fearless chaperone, Alfredo, boldly championed our cause. Finally an agreement was reached and we continued to our rooms. Our rooms are somewhat impressive, each coming equipped with an Ipad 2, a flat-screen TV, thousands of channels, and free WiFi.

After accommodating ourselves to our rooms we took a brief, yet pleasant walk around the area in search of snacks, and came back with only one bottle of water. Despite our lack of success, I enjoyed the chance to see the area and start getting to know Philadelphia.

I spent the next few hours before dinner with Frank in our room, watching sitcoms, getting situated, and of course blogging. For our first East Coast dinner we ate at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House.I ordered what was advertised as a 32 oz. steak, and even though it was more of a 22 oz. steak with a 10 oz. bone I still enjoyed it. Now all that is left for tonight is to relax, watch some basketball, listen to some music, and read some Plato. It should be fun.

Then  tomorrow its off to UPenn for our campus tour and dinner.