Your Daily WTF? Free Tacos!

I've got your daily dose of WTF right here. Melissa Joan Hart will be passing out free tacos tomorrow at the Spruce Street Harbor Park. Oh, wait, it gets more WTF-ier. She's promoting Old El Paso's new boat-shaped taco shell.

Clarissa has some explaining to do.

Boat shaped tacos? At Spruce Street Harbor? Get it? 

I'm not going to lie. I love Sabrina and I love tacos, so I'll probably try to sneak over there for lunch. 

Chalet on the Delaware

The people have spoken and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation has answered. Who knew? People like being on the water. I'll set aside my snarky remarks about the torrid history of Philadelphia's Delaware Waterfront for the positive direction it's taking.

Riding the success of the Spruce Street Harbor Park, Penn's Landing is being transformed into a Swiss ski chalet this winter. The RiverRink has been a hit for years, but in the past the waterfront has offered little else in its colder months. This year, RiverRink will have to compete with Dilworth Park's much more convenient and scenic iceskating rink. And they're doing it right.

Two tents known as The Lodge will be outfitted with cozy sofas and rocking chairs, and - of course - Garces Events will be bringing the menu. Remember Stephen Starr? What ever happened to that guy?

Familiar to those who frequented the Spruce Street Harbor Park, the retrofitted shipping containers will be back and full of gifts from Art Star and arcade games.

But here's the best part, and something just so quirky and uniquely Philadelphian: salvaged materials including fireplace mantles and other architectural details outfitting The Lodge are from none other than the city's grande dame of Broad Street, the Divine Ms. L.

Penn's Landing Pop-up Park

Groundswell Design Group, Interface Studio, and Digsau

With the exception of the Race Street Pier, the DRWC will be bringing its most ambitious plan to the river on June 27th.

A $700,000 pop-up park at Spruce Street Harbor will host a floating restaurant, games, snacks, and art galleries.

What's more, Jodie Milkman, a DRWC Director stated that the event is intended to prove Penn's Landing's worth as a real asset to the city, one worthy of public investment.

Other pop-up parks and beer gardens throughout the city occupy confined or clearly defined lots. While the central Delaware is technically comprised of various elements or "parks," the entire space feels like one contiguous space. It will be interesting to see how the $700,000 gamble will actually play out.

Proactive investment in temporary events geared towards all Philadelphians and visitors is a step in the right direction.