A Photo Tour Back Home

Part One

In late August, I felt called to visit my hometown. The place I grew up. Just north of North Philly, the first exit off of Broad Street into Montgomery County, and just a few minutes on ojerkroad (Old York Road- tough to say fast), Elkins Park, Cheltenham Township. Think Dicky, Cosby, Sagat – quite a line-up. In fact, Dicky went to my high school and Cosby was tried at the same courthouse where I got community service for underage drinking. Haha.

Maybe it was the summer evening smells, sounds and laze. Maybe it was my impending 40th creeping up. Or maybe it was the year marker of my mom’s passing, that had me back here, traipsing around with my camera and my gal-pal-soulmate, Sam. Either way, this photo tour had me reminiscing.  

What I love about Cheltenham is its diversity and liberal lean. When you grow up around the cultural acceptance and an appreciation, if not celebration, of a variety of ethnicities and affiliations, you feel more comfortable in the human race. It's more fun, and you realize, we’re all quite similar, just wearing different make-up.   

These might not be the most interesting photos, but they’re meaningful to me. This will be at least a two-part photo tour. There were too many places to hit, I got hungry, and I needed a Phil-A-Bagel ASAP, the only real bagel shop that will ever have my heart. 

Pictured: 

• My mom’s 100-year-old apartment and where I lived for most of my childhood: Elkins Court. 32 Stairs to the third floor. Old timey elevator if you dare. Stucco walls. 

• The Elkins Park Square: Hillary’s, Blockbuster, Marco Polo (all extinct), Szechuan Mandarin (still standing).  

• Elkins Park Plaza, library and township building.  

• The house my grandparents lived in and where my mom grew up. We knocked, but no answer.

• The Jenkintown House where I lived with my dad for a bit. Stutz Candy, Buca Di Beppo, Friends Cafe (extinct). West Ave Grill, Buckets (thriving, well West Ave Grill is, didn’t go into Buckets).