Browsing Tag

History

Photography travel Uncategorized

28 Hours in Philadelphia

February 29, 2016

I got to spend 28 hours in Philadelphia over the weekend. I caught the train to Philly from New York on Friday at noon. I arrived in the city at 2pm on Friday and left the following day at 6pm via BoltBus (only $10 – totally worth it!).

Philadelphia is a colorful city rich in history, culture and unique in character. Despite the brief trip, I managed to pack in quite a few of the major attractions of the city, to my surprise. Within 28 hours,  I was able to (aka my recommendations):

  1. Enjoy a campus tour of the University of Pennsylvania: I was fortunate to have been given a tour of UPenn by a family friend who is currently pursuing his PhD here. This Ivy League school was founded by Benjamin Franklin and is one of the first universities in the U.S.
  2. Visit Liberty Bell: The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence.
  3. Check out Independence Hall: Independence Hall is where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted.
  4. Catch a glimpse of Magic Gardens: Although I didn’t make it inside the gallery space, I got to view some of the unique and quirky mosaic art work from the side walk. Magic Gardens is a gallery space on South Street in Philadelphia. It is the largest work created by mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar.
  5. Eat Cheesesteak at Jim’s Steaks: I had cheesesteak for dinner at one of the highest rated cheesteak places in Philadelphia. Although the dish was filling and greasy, it was most definitely delicious!
  6. Ice Skate at Rothman Ice Rink: Despite my lack of ice skating skills, I had alot of fun. This rink also provides amazing views of the Philadelphia skyline.
  7. Get Cultured at Philadelphia Museum of Art: This museum was made famous by Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)’s famous run up the front steps, now widely known as the “Rocky Steps”. In addition to the great architectural views, I got to check out the International Pop art exhibit which is currently running. The exhibit showcases Pop art’s emergence as an international movement, migrating from the UK and the US to western and eastern Europe, Latin America, and Japan.
  8. Indulge my senses at Reading Terminal Market: Philadelphia’s historic public market is home to a wide variety of food stalls, offering baked goods, fresh meats, seafood, southern food, icecream and more.

 

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

Trainride from New York to Philadelphia

DSC_3467

Colorful street art makes me happy

DSC_3425

Liberty Bell: The symbol of American independence

DSC_3430

Independence Hall

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

DSC_0129.JPG

DSC_3490

DSC_3510

Philadelphia Museum of Art

DSC_3520

DSC_3525

Philadelphia Museum of Art: Rocky Steps

DSC_3548

DSC_3565

International Pop Art Exhibit

DSC_3584

 

DSC_3615

Reading Terminal Market

DSC_3626

DSC_3628

DSC_3636

Pine Street

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

Despite the brevity of my trip, I had a wonderful time exploring this city for the first time.  Whether you’re a history buff, culture junkie, self-proclaimed foodie or simply in need of a weekend getaway, you’re bound to have a great time in Philadelphia 🙂

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Digital Marketing Reflections

If you can Dream It, you can Do It.

September 22, 2013

Effective storytelling touches hearts, fascinates and moves audiences. In the context of marketing, storytelling plays a critical role in the art of branding. A compelling brand story holds the power to emotionally engage consumers; creating a meaningful connection and resulting in unwavering brand loyalty.

In my opinion, no discussion of storytelling and branding is complete without mention of the Walt Disney Company.

image

The Walt Disney Company is the master of storytelling. The company was founded upon a story so powerful that it continues to drive what they do and underlies why they do it

As a child, Walt Disney loved sketching cartoons. When he returned from serving as a Red Cross volunteer in World War I, he decided to dedicate his life to making cartoon motion pictures. With his heart set on pursuing his dream, in 1920 at the age of 19, he started his own company drawing cartoons of the creatures from his childhood. However, his journey to pursue his dreams was fraught with challenges. Upon starting his own company, Disney never had quite enough to eat, struggled to pay rent and was subsequently forced to live with friends. He enjoyed short-lived success when he created the short animation ‘Oswald the Rabbit’ however, in 1928, some of his cartoonists left taking Oswald with them. Disney was shattered. He returned to having nowhere to live and little money for food. Despite the obstacles and challenges Disney faced, he continued to persist and persevere. Nine decades later, Disney is one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. With a portfolio of brands, Disney continues to be the leader of creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and products globally.

The Disney brand story engages and emotionally connects with consumers worldwide because Walt Disney’s life itself was a living testament to the brand’s values and essence. His story of hardship, struggle and his eventual success in fulfiling his childhood dream adds to the brand story’s authenticity and magic. Walt Disney was able to live his ‘magic kingdom’ throughout his entire life. His legacy and life story continues to inspire consumers with the audacity to pursue their dreams.

Moreover, the Disney Brand story engages and connects with consumers because the company communicates a consistent set of core values across all of its operations. Disney’s theme parks, hotels, restaurants, TV entertainment and retail stores are all unified under the vision and mission to deliver happiness and magical experiences.

However, no brand is perfect and Disney is no exception. As children are their primary target audience, the brand is constantly under surveillance. The recent provocative and reckless behavior of former Disney star Miley Cyrus has undermined the credibility, trustworthiness and “innocence” of the brand, causing many parents to question whether Disney stars are good role models for their children. Indeed, as the Disney brand name is synonymous with innocence and childhood, it is under constant scrutiny and it is compelled to uphold a flawless reputation; any slip-up or controversy can be particularly detrimental to the brand.

image

For more than nine decades, the Walt Disney Company has been at the forefront of family entertainment. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to a leading global corporation, the story behind the Walt Disney Company is engaging, compelling and above all – inspiring.

Walt Disney once said: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Indeed, the success of the Walt Disney brand proves that all your dreams can come true, if only you have the courage to pursue them. 

http://youtu.be/KrkX4ZxnLbM