DAY THREE, Friday, April 8
6:30 a.m.
It is weird sleeping in someone else's house. I mean, our host was splendid and generous, but it still feels kind of invasive to me to sleep in some random person's house. I decide, well, I'm up, why don't I try and find a yoga class to take near the apartment in downtown Philly.
7:45 a.m.
I am one tough bird, I am taking Bikram yoga in some random city at 8 in the morning because I am TOUGH. The instructor asks if I've ever taken Bikram and I say, I've taken it in New York. I sense the clenching of the instructor's sphincter and I spend the next hour and a half paying for the fact that I am from New York in an uncompassionate, 105 degree room with zero ventilation. I remember why I don't like Bikram. But I am TOUGH and ready to conquer the world.
10:00 a.m.
After a pleasant, anonymous shower at the yoga studio, I make it back in time to meet Jewlia and Marika as planned at 10:00.
11:00 a.m. Short short short stack -- Rachael's Nosherei
No word from J & M so I hit Rachael's Nosherei and order a foam bowl of matzo ball soup which I carry to the table on a red cafeteria tray. Total sinkers. 
1:00 p.m. After a raised voice fight with the parking attendant, whose colleague had miscommunicated the parking prices to us the night before, we take the car down to South St. again to do a little gawking. Philly has lots of pretty murals and public art, which we love. Also, many many salons to do braids. Okay, let's eat.
2:30 p.m. Short stack -- Tommy Gunn's Barbecue
I ask the guy behind the counter, "What is the entree you are most proud of?" He says, without hesitation, "The Kansas City baby back ribs." I order three teeny ribs with a side of Tennessee mustard slaw and baked beans.
The dry rubbed ribs are okay, but not moist, and don't hold a candle to the baby backs I had at the 1st BBQ Festival here in NYC featuring that 17th St. Bar & Grill or whatever. There's only about 2 tablespoons of meat on the three ribs, which is just fine for me, as I'm more of a sides girl anyway. If you're a carnivore, you're probably better off ordering the whole rack or going for the larger, meatier saucy spare ribs.
The Tennessee mustard slaw is a little disconcerting -- the mustard used is the French's kind, rendering the slaw a crayola yellow -- but it tastes pretty good, fairly mild mustard flavor but punchier than the classic slaw.
I think the beans are excellent, with plenty of pulled pork bits and a nice buttery texture, but Jewlia thinks they're too sweet.
Jewlia's spicy collard greens are excellent -- lots of heat, lots of green flavor. The Tommy Gunn sauce supposedly has some peach flavoring in it -- I don't know, it just tastes like sweet, tangy ketchup to me. I've never been much of a BBQ sauce person. (Do I hear gasps from the 'cue lovers? Come on then, show me a sauce that's worth something. I want to be proven wrong.) They also feature locally microbrewed sodas, but my root beer has too much caramel and not enough rooty bite for my taste. But it's a nice tuck in before we hit the road again, and the staff is extremely friendly. Extra points for the rolls of paper towels at every table.
Grade: B
Total: About $12 for 3 baby back ribs, two sides, and a tap soda.
Will I return? Feh, I don't think so. It wasn't so special. I'd like to have another cheesesteak instead, you know, when in Rome and all.
Tommy Gunn's American BBQ
630 South St.
215-627-6160
Leave a comment