Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1.8 G Prime Lens

Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1.8G Prime Lens
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/2183/AF-S-DX-NIKKOR-35mm-f%252F1.8G.html

This is my first prime lens.  I made the plunge into prime lenses in order to play with bokeh, have sharper photos and have a lens that is fast and does well in low light. Most of the time, I take photos in dimly lit areas when out with friends.  A flash is a bit distracting and jarring in these settings. I hope to experiment with background blur and low light photography and some portraits and general photos with this lens.

I settled on 35mm over 50mm as 50 is a bit close for my needs.  This lens is a Nikon F Mount and works on all bodies.

The lens comes in a gold nikkor box with a lens hood and a lens pouch.  The build is quite nice and feels very sturdy.  

Belgian Cafe (Fairmount Philadelphia PA)

The Belgian Cafe
21st and Green
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.thebelgiancafe.com/

To continue my friend's birthday weekend we had dinner at the Belgian Cafe.  With the same owners as Monks, my expectations were set fairly high as I always enjoy a visit to Monks in center city.  While the beer selection is a tad smaller than Monks, it is really not an issue as Monks' selection is ginormous. 

Dinner turned into a mussels and burger affair with their belgian fries with bourbon mayo/ aioli.  Everyone enjoyed the food and potations.  I was quite glad to see that Monk's Flemish Ale is available at the Belgian Cafe as well.  For anyone who hasn't had the flemish sour ale yet I highly recommend it.

Belgian Cafe is recommended anytime you're in the mood for burgers, mussels, and beer.

Lemon Hill (Fairmount)

Lemon Hill (Fairmount)

747 N. 25th St. 

Philadelphia, Pa 19130

215.232.2299

http://www.lemonhillphilly.com/

Lemon Hill has surprisingly good cocktails.  It is less surprising after you learn that the cocktail menu is designed by the same person who tinkers with the Franklin Mortgage.

Come for the cocktails.  Stay for the food.  The small sampling of appetizers that I've had have been quite good and I've heard very good reviews regarding the food.  If I ever have dinner here the review will be posted.

This visit we had cocktails and the cripsy chicken liver.  The liver was very good but a tad bit over salted in my opinion.

Lastly, the bartenders are pretty good at taking off menu orders.  Our request for penicillins is always acknowledged.  I decided to test my luck by trying to order a Ramos Gin Fizz, notorious among mixologists as it takes about 8-10 min for them to make one.  Our server apologized and said that my drink order was not doable this evening but perhaps on my next visit.  Service was very good and prompt throughout our evening.  There is also a decent scotch selection.

Alla Spina (Philadelphia, PA)

Alla Spina (Philadelphia, PA)
http://www.allaspinaphilly.com/

Location
1410 Mt. Vernon St.
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Email  allaspina@vetrifamily.com

Alla Spina was the chosen restaurant for a friend's birthday dinner.  The ambiance was appropriate, although a little dim with lighting.  It was a tiny bit challenging to read the menu but the food and service was very good.

Everything was delicious but the special highlight was the braised pork shoulder.  The pickled vegetables that accompanied the dish was not my cup of tea but visually appealing.  My beef tenderloin was very tender and well seasoned.

This Vetri restaurant had been on my list of places to check out for a long time and I'm glad I had a chance to try it out over a celebratory birthday dinner with friends. 

Verdict: Definitely worth checking out.

Cheesecake Factory

Sometimes I'm hungry and I do end up eating at a chain.  It happens. 

I hadn't been to a cheesecake factory in a while and a meal occurred there.  Not too much to say.  As a standard chain it fits the bill and the food is fairly standard.  The service was a tiny bit slow but can be excused slightly due to how many people were being served at that time.

If you like cheesecake, worth checking out even if I find it a bit overpriced for cheesecake.

Milkboy (Center City Philadelphia, PA)

Milkboy (Center City Philadelphia, PA)
http://www.milkboyphilly.com

MilkBoy Philly
1100 Chestnut Street
Philadephia, PA 19107

Milkboy has started to become one of my standard post work happy hour drink venues after a long workweek.  For those who enjoy caffeine uppers (coffee and espresso) with downers (alcohol: cocktails and beer) at the same venue, this is the place for you.

The food selection is also pretty good.  We tried the mac and cheese and very much enjoyed it.

One of the cocktails, the handsome, involves makers, fresh crushed ginger root, club soda and has a sprig of thyme.  It is actually quite refreshing and delicious.

For Happy Hour drafts and cocktails are discounted 2 dollars.  Definitely check it out.