Saturday in the Park

Saturday in the Park

What a beautiful day! Very un-Philadelphia-like for August. No way was I going to stay at home on a day like this, so with a family friend, who was visiting us from out of town, and my nurse du jour, I decided to catch the train and head downtown. Yes, that's right. Even after last year's harrowing encounter with a SEPTA train, I thought I would give it another shot, what with the cost of gas and parking. I'm glad that I did, as things were a lot easier with my new wheelchair.

When we arrived safely in Center City, we made our way to Rittenhouse Square, one of my favorite spots in Philly, where we ate pizza and girl -- I mean people -- watched. What more could a guy want? Beautiful weather, delicious pizza, and gorgeous girls. Hope you enjoy the pictures of the scenery -- and I actually mean the scenery this time. Come on, I'm not a total dog!

In the Blinq of an Eye

In the Blinq of an Eye

It seems I've become an overnight sensation out there in the so-called blogosphere. Alerted last week to a request by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Daniel Rubin for insight into the accessibility situation in Philly, I contacted Mr. Rubin and began an e-mail dialogue on the subject. Today, one of my e-mails appeared in Mr. Rubin's blog, Blinq, along with a link to Winheld's World.

To be sure, the exposure is wonderful. But I'm even happier to know that Mr. Rubin has pledged to spend more time looking into accessibility here in the City That (Supposedly) Loves You Back. I mean, I'm about the biggest Philadelphia cheerleader around. Philly's a great place, with lots to see and do, much of which is readily accessible to those of us in wheelchairs. Still, there's plenty of room for improvement. Curb cuts and sidewalks can be treacherous; many shops and restaurants are out of reach. And don't even get me started on parking and mass transit!

Accessibility in cities is to be the focus of my master's thesis in urban studies, so I'll be learning more in the coming weeks and months. Meanwhile, if you have any observations that you'd like to share about accessibility in the city where you live, please consider posting a comment...

Yo, Adrian!

PUBLISHER FOUND!!!

Yo, Adrian!

Sly Stallone I ain't, but like Rocky before me, there I was today at the top of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, arms raised (someone's arms, anyway) in triumph at the fact that two years after beginning the project of a lifetime, I officially signed an agreement with Little Treasure Books to publish my memoir, Worth the Ride: My Journey with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

It has been a long road, with long hours, moments of self-doubt, and several bouts of writer's block, but with a tentative publication date of February, 2008, we're nearly there.

There are so many people who deserve credit for making this moment possible that I could practically write another book. To my friends, family, nurses, doctors, advisers, and to Winheld's World readers near and far, thank you for your support. I could not have done this without you. And to everyone out there who has ever been touched by DMD, our experiences may not be exactly the same, but this is your book, too. Together, we will create awareness of this disease, so that someday soon, a cure will be found and no family will ever have face it again.

Please continue to visit Winheld's World for all the latest updates...

Proceeds from book sales will go to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, which works "to improve the treatment, quality of life and long-term outlook for all individuals affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) through research, advocacy, education and compassion."

Breaking Bread, Burmese Style

Breaking Bread, Burmese Style

Winheld's World has become exotic lately -- well, at least when it comes to trying different foods. Tonight, I had dinner at a Burmese restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown district. Rather fitting in light of the current situation in Myanmar (Burma's official name). What better way to show solidarity with the Burmese people than to sample their cuisine.

I liked this restaurant from the second I rolled up the perfectly accessible ramp leading to its entrance. Inside, the hostess seated us at a table that was easy for me to get to, without my having to ask other people to move so I could get by. Even better, she pulled the chair away from the left side of the table -- as if she knew that I like the person feeding me to sit to my right!

The food certainly didn't disappoint, either. My favorite was the Banana Leaf Fish (pictured above). I figured that instead of another photo of yours truly, I would show the food I ate. Sorry if this makes you hungry!

The Northern Burma Fried Noodles (left) and the Jungle Chicken (below) were very tasty, too. We also had the Thousand Layer Bread with Curry Chicken Dip, as well as the Calamari Ala Burma Salad, but my dining companions and I were so hungry that we forgot to take a picture of those items beforehand!

A great time was had by all, which made it a bit easier to digest the Phillies' playoff elimination. As we like to say in Philly, there's always next year...