Friday, September 4, 2015

Weekend IN or weekend OUT of Philly?

If the Memorial Day kicks off summer season and weekend getaways at the beach, with the Labor Day it all unofficially ends.

Did you know...?

In a nutshell, the Labour Day is one of the American (and Canadian) public holidays celebrated on the first Monday of September in order to pay tribute to all workers. However, in most countries around the world, May 1 was adopted for the same commemorative purpose. So why does the US celebrate it in September? A violent riot occured around the beginning of May in Chicago back in the 19th century, causing death of many workers who were fighting for their rights such as the eight hour workday. To avoid that the labor holiday would become from that time on related to this tragic event a different day was chosen. 

Did you know...?
Another reason of having the holiday in September is said to be a large gap between the 4 July and Thanksgiving. Good choice! A long weekend in the middle was absolutely necessary.

Have you heard that...?
There is an unwritten rule that bans wearing white clothes after the Labor Day. White clothes used to be a symbol of leisure and vacation of the upper class. When back in town after the Labor Day, people would change their wadrobes and went back to wearing their dark suites and pants. Does it mean that if you wear white pants in September people will point a finger at you? No worries, ladies. This rule seems to have faded in people's minds. On instagram, for example, a hashtag #whiteafterlaborday has been created as a "rebellion" in favor of white pants.

So what plans do YOU have?
Do you feel like making advantage of this last summer long weekend? Getting away of the town is a perfect choice. If you have no inspirations yet, take a look at Natasha's tips for the Labor Day getaways.

If you are staying in town, we also suggest you:

Enjoy the beer in one of the Philadelphia's original pop-up locations. Have some beer outdoors while the weather still allows it. Among our favorite spots are The Spruce Harbour Park, PHS Beer Garden and recently open Le Bok Fin (hurry up, this pop-up rooftop closes the second weeekend of September.)



Take your yoga mat outside and enjoy the weekend mornings practicing yoga. If you still haven't had a chance to practice your downward facing dog in a fresh air,  keep in mind (and in your schedule) te following bring-your-own-mat and free donation classes:
Yoga at the Race Street Pier: Saturdays and Sundays @9:30
Yoga at the Schuykill River Banks: Saturday @11:00
Yoga on the rooftop of Le Bok Fin: Saturdays @11:00 and Sundays @11:30

Keep yourself in shape and RUN like never before. A nice and healthy alternative for city walking tours is offered by a guided running tour in the Liberty Bell neighborhood on Monday, 7 September. You can swet and sightsee at the same time. Check it out! It can also be an option if you have friends or relatives staying over.
If you like running,yoga and a good beer, you can have all of these thanks to The Great Escape. You can literally join the Party Bus for a run-yoga-party weekend kicking off on Saturday, 5 September. More info and tickets here.


Don't miss anything! If you want to be well-informed on what it's going on in Philadelphia during the Labour Day weekend, give a glance at this comprehensive guide at Visiphilly website. It includes ongoing museum exhibitions, music events during the weekend, popular dining locations and many more.

Hope you liked some of our tips. Don't hesitate to share your Labor Day moments with us!