PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM: I spent this past weekend in Philadelphia with family and friends, and in the process acquired the ultimate all-American tsotchke- a mini-football emblazoned with the signatures of all the men who signed the Declaration of Independence- anachronistic yes, but how great is it to bring together the two great traditions of American independence from the tyranny of the British (the Revolutionary War and the triumph of American football over soccer), from over 200 years apart?
The other highlight of the trip was dinner at the eponymous restaurant of Morimoto, better known to fans of the Food Network as Iron Chef Japanese. Not only did we enjoy an amazing meal (as Morimoto is no longer restricted by that whole-meal-from-one-ingredient rule), but we even got to meet the famous Morimoto, as he came around to the different tables- and upon hearing that we were from Minnesota, he shouted out "Go Twins!" Unfortunately the Iron Chef isn't as good a baseball prognosticator as he is a cook; the Twins lost three games in the three days I was in Philly.
Oh, and one more thing about that football- it was signed by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Hancock, etc.- but not, strangely, by Terrell Owens.