Rama & Luke's Crib 

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Wedding

Most of y'all already know it. We met as kids and proud members of Central High School's 264, stayed friends through college (Seth in Ithaca and Laura in Pittsburgh) and decided to set off on an adventure together - with our dear friend Adam! - to Central and South America after college in 2009. A few months, six or so countries, and one very frustrated Adam later, we were in love. We returned to our family and friends at the mothership (a.k.a. Philly) in summer 2010 and moved to South Philly with Stefan--he, like Adam, grew to be a wonderfully near and dear third wheel. We landed a couple of public interest legal jobs and, traipsing up and down 15th Street each day, worked across the street from each other for a couple years, then in the same building for another year. Not to worry; we maintained a healthy professional separation of 9 floors between us. We loved the paralegal gigs but wished we could sign our own briefs, so decided to embark on an unenviable dual law school application mission. Laura thought it would never work, but Seth was sure it would, and through some miracle it did. We set off for Berkeley in August 2013 in Seth's '97 Accord with most of our worldly possessions packed into its absurdly top-heavy roof bag. The little car made it, we learned EZ pass doesn't cut it in California toll booths, and were surprised to find out that law school wasn't half bad. Two and a half years later, we've found yet another wonderful home and aren't sure how we'd made it so far in life without the wonderful friends we've made in the Bay.

So Far

Sneaky Seth bought a ring last winter, proposed on one of our favorite local redwood hikes in January 2015, and topped off the day with a stunning sunset gondola ride on Lake Merritt. (To any scoffers, don't knock it 'til you try it.) Now we're soaking up our last year in the Bay, hugging our Berkeley friends extra tight as we try to convince each and every one to settle in Philly, and getting excited about moving back to our dear friends and family back home. We can't think of a better way to mark our transition back to Philadelphia than with a backyard boda bash bringing together the people we love from near and far to celebrate and help usher in our next chapter.

Getting Hitched and Next Up

Our Story

Getting There

Ample Public Transportation! (a.k.a. limited parking)

Because we'll be celebrating at a private home (Rama and Luke's) on a residential street, parking is very limited. If it's possible for you to train, cab, bus, or bike to the wedding, that will leave parking spots open for those who can't (and we will be eternally grateful). [Philly friends: we're looking at you. Catch that R8 into G-town!] Most importantly, we will party and rest easy knowing no one is drinking and driving home.Below is some info on how to get to the wedding other than by driving, and some details for those who need to drive. If you have any questions or worries about getting there, feel free to give either of us a call or email.

Walking and Biking

A stroll through Germantown on a late May evening is a wonderful thing. The neighborhood is generally safe, so long as (as with anywhere) you've got moderate street smarts and aren't too impaired. If you've got any concerns, just ask. If you're biking, we'll have a safe place for you to store your bike.

Train

Philly has an extensive train network operated by SEPTA called the Regional Rail. Two of those train lines come through Germantown: the Chestnut Hill West (formerly known as the R8) and the Chestnut Hill East (R7). The wedding is just 3 blocks from the Tulpehocken Train Station, a stop on the Chestnut Hill West line. If you stay anywhere near downtown/center city, you can catch the Chestnut Hill West into Germantown (a 15-20 minute ride), get off at Tulpehocken Station, then walk just a few minutes from the station to the wedding. Likewise, if you stay in Chestnut Hill or West Mount Airy, you can catch the Chestnut Hill West line the other way (toward Center City): a 5-10 minute ride. Buy your ticket at the station before boarding if you can, because you'll pay an extra dollar or two if you buy your tickets on board. This same train system will get you from the airport to downtown (aka Center City), and from there to Germantown (or most other Northwest Philly neighborhoods). <a href="http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html">http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html</a> [**Warning: don't rely on the SEPTA trip planner -- use Google Maps instead and call Septa (or us) with any questions.**]

For most people, walking, training, or cabbing will be the best option, but the bus might be handy for a few of you. The house is on or close to the following SEPTA bus lines: H, XH, 53, 23, 26, and K.http://www.septa.org/service/bus/ [Again, please opt for Google over Septa's trip planner.]

Cabs and the like

There are plenty of cab and cab-like ways to get to and from the wedding. Some local cab companies are: Germantown Cabs (215.438.8888), Freedom Cab (215.222.9999), Yellow Cab (215.333.3333), and 215GetACab (a free cab app). Lyft and Uber are also ubiquitous in Philly.

Driving

If you need to drive, there is street parking (no time limit or permit required) on Walnut Lane and neighboring streets (Harvey, Greene, McCallum, Tulpehocken, Wayne, Washington, etc.). As long as people who can take public transpo or a cheap cab do so, there should be enough street parking for people traveling longer distances or who otherwise need to drive. (And for people who need to drive, carpooling will be a big help.) Thanks in advance for your help with this!We want everyone to have a worry-free arrival to the wedding. For people with limited mobility (for whom walking a a few blocks is not ideal), there will be a handful of spots in a little parking lot immediately to the left of L + R's house (if you're looking at the house from the street). If this fills up, drive in there anyway and we'll enlist someone to "valet" park your car for you. [Warning: if you're young and spritely and without a cast on your leg, we will probably kick you out of this lot to save it for those who need it.] If you have mobility issues that we might not know about, please let us know in advance so we can be sure you get a spot in the tiny lot or that someone parks your car close by. With everyone's help, we'll make sure that anyone who needs a parking spot gets one, and that anyone who needs to be close to the house, is.

Food and Drink

For a color coded map, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zKwE2Dk-NGYo.kxzNl0C7qPJ8&amp;usp=sharing">CLICK HERE! </a>Green = Sandwich/lunch/snackRed = Dinner restaurantYellow = Brunch/cafeBlue = Bar

CHEESESTEAKS

Although Philadelphia's food scene is much more than just cheesesteaks, we know our guests will be (understandably) eager to try the best sandwich ever invented. Because not all cheesesteaks are created equal, please confine your cheesesteak quest to the establishments listed below. (You may notice that the famed Geno's and Pat's are not listed. This is not a mistake - don't believe the hype. Plus, Geno's is racist.)First, some tips on ordering: (1) DO NOT get lettuce on your cheesesteak under any circumstances; (2) adding fried onions is an option that should be strongly considered; (3) top cheese choices include provolone (sharp, if possible), american, or whiz (though this is not recommended for first timers). DALESSANDRO'S: Located in nearby Roxborough, the Northwest Philly favorite is also one of the City's best. Don't confuse it with Chubby's across the street, which is just fine but does not match Dale's (pronounced "Deli's) perfect fusion of cheese and meat.Recommended order: Cheesesteak with fried onions and provolone. Add "sauce" (marinara) if you like. Also make sure to get a side of the diced cherry peppers. JOHN'S ROAST PORK: If you can find your way to this tiny shop surrounded by a shopping center in deep South Philly--a relic of when workers from the nearby port relied on John's for breakfast and lunch--it is definitely worth it.Recommended order: There are two options here. The classic is a roast pork sandwich (with long hots!). John's also makes Seth's favorite cheesesteak in the City, with sharp provolone, fried onions, and long hots. TONY LUKE'S: Another deep South Philly gem, Tony Luke's makes its own fantastic rolls and has many different options (including vegetarian) for customizing your sandwich.Recommended order: Cheesesteak Italiano (sharp prov &amp; broccoli rabe), with fried onions of course. For the non-carnivores, Laura recommends the Uncle Mike (broccoli rabe, spinach, sweet peppers, fried onions, sauce, and add sharp prov). STEVE'S PRINCE OF STEAKS: For people who do not wish to venture too far south, Steve's recently opened a store in Center City (its original location is in Northeast Philadelphia, but even a delicious cheesesteak is not a worth a trip to the "Neast").Recommended order: Cheesesteak with Steve's one-of-a-kind american cheese sauce (think whiz but with melted american instead). GOVINDA'S: Located at the corner of South and Broad streets, Govinda's is an Indian restaurant that makes surprisingly delicious vegetarian (and vegan, believe it or not) cheesesteaks, mostly with seitan. If you don't eat meat and are dying to see what all the cheesesteak fuss is about, Govinda's is not a bad option (though Laura prefers Tony Luke's veggie-based sandwiches).Recommended order: "Chicken" cheesesteak with fried onions.

OTHER SANDWICHES & SNACKS

PAESANO'S: Located in the heart of the Italian Market, Paesano's has a plethora of innovative, delectable sandwiches. If you're not into cheesesteaks, but like hot sandwiches, this is your place. They also have a location in the Kensington/Fishtown area if you find yourself on the northern side of Center City. SARCONE'S: For classic Philly hoagies, Sarcone's is your best bet. They make their own seeded rolls and use high quality meats and cheeses. WAWA: Wawa is a hallmark of life in the Philly area and one of the things we miss most living in California. When we were living abroad, Mark and JA (Seth's parents) brought Wawa hoagies all the way to Bolivia! They don't have the best hoagies and hot sandwiches, but they're always open, they're all over the City, they have fun touch screen ordering, and the sandwiches are really good for a store like this (it's so much more than just a convenience store). FEDERAL DONUTS: This place makes the best donuts, and also has fantastic fried chicken. It now has four locations throughout the City. DiBRUNO BRO'S: Pictured above with a certain President enjoying their great cheese, meats, and other Italian goodies, DiBruno Bro's is a classic in the Italian Market. READING TERMINAL: Reading Terminal is usually packed with a mix of tourists and nine-to-fivers getting lunch at one of the dozens of different stalls. If the people in your group can't decide between Thai, Cheesesteaks, Amish food, and Sushi, the Reading Terminal Market is perfect for you!

LOCAL (NW PHILLY) FOOD

McMENAMINS: Affordable staple of NW Philly with great pub food. EARTH BREAD &amp; BREWERY: Wood fired pizza and homemade beer. HOKKA HOKKA: Great Japanese food on Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill. TIFFIN: Indian restaurant with a few locations around the City, including nearby Mt. Airy. GOAT HOLLOW: Local gastro pub with great burgers. HAN DYNASTY: Szechuan style Chinese with locations in nearby Manayunk (Main Street), West Philly, and Old City. Try the dan dan noodles! BOB'S DINER: Classic diner/greasy spoon in nearby Roxborough. Great for breakfast. ROSE PETAL CAFE: Germantown cafe known for its waffles. HIGH POINT CAFE: Two locations in Mt. Airy with great crepes and breakfast-y food.

BARS

Hopefully, the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society will have its annual summer pop-up beer gardens going by late May. If so, we highly recommend checking out one of their locations, wherever they are. Check <a href="http://phsonline.org/programs/phs-pop-up-gardens">here</a> for more info as the date approaches. Besides that, see the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zKwE2Dk-NGYo.kxzNl0C7qPJ8&amp;usp=sharing">map</a> (blue=bar) for other suggestions around the City!

Logistics

Wedding Party

Photos

Registry

Q + A

There are loads of Airbnb options in Germantown, ranging from one bedroom in a house to an apartment or entire house. With luck (or early booking), you should be able to find a good, affordable spot within walking distance of the wedding/reception location (L+R's house). If you can't find anything very close, some other nice, close by neighborhoods are Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, and East Falls. A cab/lyft/uber from any of those places should be in the $5-10 range. Another good option would be to stay downtown, which is an easy train ride from L+R's place. If you're wondering if the cool place you found is in a good location, just holler.

Airbnb (best option for budgets)

Unlike Airbnb, this service helps you find real B&amp;Bs in Philly -- as in the ones run by pros that include breakfast. It pre-dates Airbnb by decades. These tend to be a little pricier, nicer, and well-established. Philly residents (including Laura's family) have long relied on bed and breakfasts for a little extra income to keep the heat on in those big, old, stone houses. If you're looking for a place close to where the wedding will be held, click on the "Chestnut Hill" tab, which (somewhat mysteriously) includes listings for all of Northwest Phila's hoods: Germantown, Mount Airy, East Falls, etc. If you don't find something you like on the website, try calling.

Bed and Breakfast Connections of Philadelphia

For people looking to spend a bit more on a historic, high-end hotel in a cute neighborhood, this is a good option. It's a 10 minute drive from the wedding, and can also be reached by a short bus or train ride. Chestnut Hill is a great neighborhood for strolling around, walking to dinner, shopping, etc. Their prices vary, but are never low; they seem to be at least $170/night. Its amenities apparently include a Tesla charging station...so there's that. The photo here is from 1872.

Chestnut Hill Hotel (pricey, historic)

A bit pricey, but one of the closest traditional hotels. About a 10 minute drive from the wedding - no great public transpo option between there and L+R's house.

Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West (~$115/night)

We know attending a wedding can get expensive, quick. If you're struggling to find an affordable place to stay in Philly (or you just love couchsurfing), please let us know and we'll do our best to hook you up with a friendly owner of a spare room, couch, or air mattress.

Spare beds and couches and floors, oh my!

Travel

There are so many museums in Philly. Here's a tiny sample: FRANKLIN INSTITUTE: a wonderful science museum for all ages, downtown on the Ben Franklin Parkway - $20 adult admission. <a href="https://www.fi.edu/">https://www.fi.edu/</a> PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART (aka the Rocky Steps): visit for its world class art collection and rotating exhibits...and/or to see scores of people from around the world running up the stairs, then jumping up and down with their hands over their heads at the top. This Rocky pilgrimage happens every day, all day, all-year round. Admission: $20 adult, $18 senior, $14 student, free for kids 12 and under. Wednesday evenings and the last Sunday of each month (including the day after the wedding) is pay-what-you-wish for everyone. <a href="http://philamuseum.org/">http://philamuseum.org/</a> MUTTER MUSEUM: "America's finest museum of medical history...its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments...helps the public understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body and to appreciate the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease." A really interesting, sometimes stomach-churning stop that's worth the trip. <a href="http://muttermuseum.org/">http://muttermuseum.org/</a> BARNES FOUNDATION: a fun and funky museum featuring post-impressionist art and accompanying metal fixtures (sounds weird but it great) from the private collection of the Barnes family. The collection recently moved from the suburbs into a beautiful new home on the Parkway in Center City after a decade-long legal battle. Definitely worth a visit, but call or go online to book in advance since there are strict limits on the number of people who can be in the museum at once, and tickets usually sell out. <a href="http://www.barnesfoundation.org/">http://www.barnesfoundation.org/</a> ...and oh-so-many more.

Museums Galore

Philadelphia is a city built to be walked, and if it's nice out, there's no better way to see the city than through its parks. Our favorite way to spend time in Philly is to walk somewhere beautiful, eat something delicious, and repeat. A far from exhaustive list of some our favorite ways to be outside in Philly: FAIRMOUNT PARK: Philly's big, beautiful city park flanks both sides of the Schuylkill River, with paved, gravel, and dirt trails for walkers, runners, bikers, kids, great-grandparents and everyone in between. If you're staying in Germantown, Mt. Airy, or Chestnut Hill you'll probably be within a few blocks of an entrance to the park. Some of the many entrances are Rittenhouse Town (from Lincoln Drive or Wissahickon), Bluebell Hill, Kitchen's Lane, Valley Green, and Northwestern Stables. If you start or end your stroll or hike at Valley Green, you can get a snack or meal at the Valley Green Inn or snackbar. THE BANKS OF THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER: Walk, run, bike, or sit and picnic along 25 miles of riverside trail and grass. One option is the 9 mile loop from the Art Museum, along the East bank of the river (called Kelly or East River Drive), crossing the river at Falls Bridge, then heading back downtown on the West bank of the river (called MLK or West River Drive), and back to the Art Museum. On the weekends, West River Drive is completely closed to cars, so walkers and bikers reign. You can even run or bike all the way from Germantown to Center City, all on trails along the river (with only one street crossing - Main St. in Manayunk). The River Trail has recently been extended on the east bank so that you can go a few miles south from the Art Museum and get view of West Phila. If you do walk past the Art Museum, check out the Azalea gardens in the back while you're there - hopefully they'll still be in bloom. THE (BEN FRANKLIN) PARKWAY: Walk, sit, picnic, and splash along the parkway, which extends from the Art Museum down to City Hall and features greenery and fountains starting (on the Art Museum end) at Eakins Oval, then on to Logan Square (confusingly, a circle), Sister Cities Park (with a tasty cafe), through Love Park, and finally at City Hall's recently renovated Dilworth Plaza. THE CENTER CITY SQUARES: Thanks to William Penn, who wanted Philly to remain "a green country town," there are a few one-square-block parks in the heart of downtown that provide a green haven from your sightseeing, shopping, or whatever else brings you to center city. They are: Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, and Franklin Square - for the curious, learn about their history here - <a href="http://muttermuseum.org/"></a><a href="http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/02/04/a-guide-to-philadelphias-squares/">http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/02/04/a-guid...</a> THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT &amp; PENN'S LANDING: Like big ships and bridges? This is the place for you. <a href="http://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/">http://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/</a>

The Great Outdoors 

Old City is where the magic happened, and you can easily walk between most of the sites:Independence Hall, Independence Mall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House, Congress Hall, Declaration (Graff) House, Elfreth's Alley, Carpenter's Hall, etc.http://www.visitphilly.com/historic-philadelphia/attractions-in-historic-philadelphia/

Laura & Seth

Laura & Seth

L&S

Wedding Day

5:00 PM

Wedding

Reception