Bad food experiences

Unfortunately we have not even remotely succeeded in eating well while we're here.  Last night I think we did the right thing eating at the T.G.I.Friday's in the hotel, even though it was... bad; we were all very tired and it was pouring rain.  And breakfast was there too, because it's included, the usual chain-restaurant/hotel fare.  For lunch we thought we were rather clever walking over to the Whole Foods across the circle instead of eating at the museum cafe... but it was a longer and hotter walk than we expected, and we probably spent just as much money either way.  

For dinner I had a real plan, which was to get tasty local delicacies at the Reading Terminal Market.  It's only open until 6pm but that's no problem for us, right?  we eat early.  Well, Aaron woke up from his nap feeling kind of hot, so we went on a Tylenol quest, thinking "No problem!  we have a GPS!"  Ugh.  The GPS doesn't prevent you from getting mired in traffic, construction, etc, and it sure doesn't find you a parking place.  The following sequence of dinner attempts ensued:

1. The Reading Market:  we were too late & couldn't park.

2. The Sang Kee Peking Duck House, which I remember very fondly from the last time I was here: Still couldn't park.  Bailed.

3. Back to the hotel, dropped off the car.  They recommended Pietro's, a five-block walk.  But when we got there there was a wait.  Couldn't wait.

4. Tried a fancy diner-looking place we had passed on the way.  We got seated right away, but I made us leave when I saw a "small plate" of lobster mac-and-cheese for $18.

5. Across the street we got soft pretzels, which sustained us.

6. Down the block we got water ice, which we all enjoyed very much.  Lemon is better than watermelon.  The kids were then finished eating.

7. Dale and I got bad Chinese food from the place next door to the hotel.

We hope to do better tomorrow.