Scenes from a Conference in Philly

They’re actually just scenes from Philly, not from the conference. I barely went to the conference. Well: I went to two sessions, which technically is the same number I attended at ICIS. But anyway: Philly is a large city with good restaurants and an urban rail/subway situation that functions reasonably well, aside from the one insane person per car rule, which — I mean, it seems like there might be some upside to the train system isolating its liabilities better.

My hotel was very close to the convention center and next door to a court building. Interesting people were hanging out nearby (not pictured).

It's a subway in the same sense the T in Boston is a subway.

It’s a subway in the same sense the T in Boston is a subway.

Aviation art. (It's portrait-oriented, maybe double-click twice to see the real photo.)

Aviation art. (It’s portrait-oriented, maybe double-click twice to see the real photo.)

This was the conference center.

This was the conference center.

Let freedom ring if it wants to, I guess.

Let freedom ring if it wants to, I guess.

I had a student in my MBA class last semester who gave me some excellent restaurant tips. This place was called Fette Sau, but only the name was pretentious. I mean, imho. Probably some of the patrons. Many hipsters.

I had a student in my MBA class last semester who gave me some excellent restaurant tips. This place was called Fette Sau, but only the name was pretentious. I mean, imho. Probably some of the patrons. Many hipsters.

There was this market here that sold the best whoopie pies ever.

There was this market here that sold the best whoopie pies ever.

  1. Was neat to see Orrin Cooper again. This (INFORMS is the name of the conference) was his main conference for the year.
  2. Again, good restaurants.
  3. Some very strong hipster ‘hoods.
  4. Taking the train from the airport to downtown: very convenient and faster/cheaper than a cab (except that they only run every half-hour).
  5. A lot of homeless. A LOT of homeless.
  6. Very impressive city hall.
  7. Did not find Paddy’s Pub. I suspect it is not real :(.

bkd