Dickens Festival - TOMORROW!!! Sat Dec 8

I love Narberth, a "Main Line" village that goes unnoticed by most folk.  It's smack dab on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, but not on any main road - not on Lancaster or Montgomery Avenues.  You have to LOOK to find it.  It's well worth the bit of exploring.

It's been quite a few years since I was in Narberth, but will always remember trips there with Mom & Mim - we'd park the car, then just ramble around the small, cozy shopping area.  Special.

Almost missed posting about tomorrow's Dickens' Festival.  This free annual event, held on the streets of Narberth, draws thousands of visitors.  (The local boast is that it's the fastest-growing holiday festival in the Philadelphia area!)  It's colorful, festive & about as interactive as you're going to get.  

Each year, the two becomes sort of its own version of Brigadoon - for one afternoon a year, it transforms into 1840s London, with Scrooge, Bob Cratchitt, Little Tim & all the characters from The Christmas Carol walking about the streets.  

Activities for all ages include a scavenger hunt for children, sending them searching high & low for Dickens characters.  But the event is soooo much more!

The 2012 Narberth Dickens Festival includes:

• Ebeneezer Scrooge and all the characters from “A Christmas Carol”
• dozens of period-authentic costumed performers
• free scavenger hunt & free prize for kids - 1pm to 3pm or while prize supplies last
• horse and carriage rides through the Narberth streets
• professional musicians
• authentic Victorian carolers
• free craft activities for kids 
• professional ice sculpting display
• free showing of A Muppet Christmas Carol - on two screens at 11am  at Narberth Stadium 2 on N. Narberth Ave  
• free "Nutcracker" dance performances from the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm
• Dickens "tattoos" and face painting for kids 
• 3 free hot toddies from local establishments (one from each) in any souvenir mug
• free first cup of coffee or hot chocolate in any souvenir tin cup, plus drink and soup discounts all day 
• period-authentic vendors and street food 

Wonderful family fun!  

WEGMAN'S - Warrington

If I had to choose a place for one-stop-shopping, it would be Wegman's - the closest one around these parts is in Warrington.

My first Wegman's - the one where I signed up for my Wegman's frequent shopper's card - was out in Downingtown.  It was the ONLY Wegman's in the entire area.  Mom & I were coming home from a bop out to Lancaster County, taking the "southern" route (aka Rt 30) home.  The store caught my eye & in we went.

Can remember the awe I felt at what seemed like a smaller, American version of Harrods food halls.  

Mom & I would always drop into Wegman's whenever we were nearby - several times, Wegman's was its our only destination.  

What joy when I heard we were getting our very own, up the road a piece in Warrington!

Wegman's aren't all that rare anymore, at least not in our neck of the woods.  You'll find them in Princeton & King of Prussia, Cherry Hill & Collegeville, Malvern & Mount Holly.  And, yes - there is still our FIRST Wegman's, out in Downingtown.  I've visited most of them - my Holy Grail is the trio of stores in Bethlehem, Nazareth & Allentown.  

The store isn't rare, but the shopping experience is, perhaps due in large measure to the fact it's still family owned & operated.  The first food market was opened by John Wegman, back in 1916 - the Rochester Fruit & Vegetable Company of Rochester, NY.  The Wegmans (John partnered up with his brother, Walter) were always innovative and they always focused on their employees, customers & community, a dedication still evident today.  Walter's son, the legendary Robert Wegman, set the bar for the innovation that's a company hallmark.  That same commitment to unsurpassed excellence was passed on to his son, Danny, and Danny's two daughters, Colleen & Nicole.  I've felt their personal touch in every Wegman's I've visited.  

They're up to date when it comes to online support.  Their website had loads of helpful information, tools for a simpler shopping experience, a well-presented blog, and so much more.

It still astonishes me to find a supermarket offering a fabulous beer selection ~AND~ a wine boutique!   You can mix & match bottles of beer and find a decent $6 bottle of wine.  As someone beleaguered by state-controlled liquor stores, that sort of freedom & selection is mind boggling.

Wegman's is especially fun at Christmas.  I always pamper John with one of a pretty spiffy selection of smoked salmon.  Linger longingly in the jaw-dropping cheese section, check out international foods for stocking stuffers, take a look up at the model training heading around a track set above the diary section.  Take your time browsing through their extensive magazine selection.  Marvel at all the different types of gluten-free, dairy-free & organic selections are available these days.  You need Christmas cards?  Something for the kitchen?  The newest best seller?  You'll find them here.  

Hungry?  Their baked goods are legendary.  They not only have someone constantly making fresh sushi and an above-average salad bar, they also offer a Chinese buffet and a yummy selection of hot entrees, along with a nifty dining area with a section for kids.  They even have live music on some evenings!

They say the proof is in the pudding.  In this case, the proof of Wegman's excellence is found in its impressive range of awards.  Most recently, company president, Danny Wegman, was named to Fitness Magazine's first Fit 50 List, celebrating 50 people who "effected real change in women's health and fitness."  Real Simple magazine named it a recipient of its Shopping-Made-Easy Award.  Danny W. was named to Ethispere magazine's 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics.   J.D.Powers & Associates ranked Wegman's pharmacy Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Supermarket Pharmacies.  Businessweek included Wegman's in its list of 25 Customer Service Superstars (included a wide range of companies).   The Food Marketing Institute gave him (how appropriate!) the inaugural Robert B. Wegman Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership, which honors the food retailer or wholesaler responsible for creating exceptional retail innovations.   Did I mention that it's consistently in the top 5 of Fortune magazine's annual Best Places to Work??

Whew!  And those accolades are just since 2008!

If you want a fun shopping experience, a place where you can literally indulge in one-stop-shopping for all your holiday needs, get thee going on over to Wegman's!  

WHOLE FOODS & TRADER JOE'S

We are so blessed to have a Whole Foods & a Trader Joe's that basically share a parking lot (if you head down from TJ's to WF, not in reverse).  They can't be beat when it comes to finding interesting goodies for holiday entertaining & spiffy gifts to please any foodie on your Christmas list!  

Go when you don't have any regular shopping to get done.  Personally, I'd finish up at Whole Foods, head up a few doors to grab a bagel & big cup of hot chocolate, then onto Trader Joe's.  Maybe when I finished at Trader Joe's, would nip right next door to pick up a nice bottle of wine or Blue Sapphire.

Yes, I live in foodie paradise!!

O Come, All Ye Faithful - TABLEAUX at Bryn Athyn Cathedral

It took me several years before I could bring myself to go to the Christmas Tableaux once they were moved to Bryn Athyn Cathedral.  

My heart still belonged to the ones I took such deep delight in at the Assembly Hall.  (Never could warm to them in Heilman Hall - felt disloyal.)  

But to put such a tale told in small, intimate scale in a stunning setting like the cathedral??  Surely, the  magnificent location would overpower the story.

Was I ever wrong!!  Think me crazy, but I can feel the joy of the building at holding the event in its very heart.  

And I thought that having "shepherds" with live animals outside, around a campfire, sounded hopelessly hokey.  

Was I ever wrong!  The sight feels so right, instilling a palpable sense of innocence - am always awed by its impact on my husband, who was not raised with a strong background in the spiritual aspects of Christmas.

Tableaux  are "living pictures" portraying the birth of Jesus through reverent participants, beautifully costumed, accompanied by inspiring music and words of Scripture.  It is an experience that enters the heart, forming memories that that transcend distance and time.  

They are early this year  ~ ~ Sunday, December 9.  Services are at 3:30 (the favorite of families with small children), 5, 7 and 8:15 p.m.   On your way in, take time to notice the shepherds & animals, include sheep, a donkey, and a young camel experiencing his first visit.  Enter into the innocence of the moment.

All are welcome.  Share the joy of this holiday celebration.  

Children's Tableaux - Heilman Hall:   Few, if any, people loved the Tableaux more than my mother, but in her final years it was too taxing to go even to the 3:30 cathedral service.  We found that the Children's Tableaux, at Heilman Hall, were perfect for her.  Portrayed by elementary school-aged children, the four Advent scenes are part of a worship service enjoyed by all ages.  Services are at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. at the Bryn Athyn Society Building.

All are welcome to either Tableaux service.  Because they are worship services,  you're requested to not take pictures at any time before, during or after the service.

Come & share the joy of this holiday celebration!  

 

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Lockhart Ladies' Holiday Trip to the Big Apple UPDATED

It’s possible to write a blog posting about the Christmas shopping joys of Chicago, Philadelphia, D.C., and even San Francisco – all places I love at Christmastime.  

But one blog to describe the high revels that’s Christmas shopping in NYC?  
No way!  
Can’t be done.  
Too many places, too little time.  
Today, my NYC meanders are dedicated to an area of interest - a certain item, a certain location, even a certain food.  

Not so back when the Lockhart Ladies hit Manhattan.  We did our best to do it all.  The classic holiday jaunt (often with Margaret York, now Gladish) started with parking across from the Algonquin, reviving with a cuppa in that hallowed hostelry, then off on a glorious hike up 5^th Avenue!  First Scribner, then Rockefeller Center, nip across to Saks, then onto Fortunoff, Asprey’s (in Trump Tower), Tiffany, and FAO Schwartz.  We'd top off our 5^th Ave jaunt by cutting through The Plaza, turning left on Central Park South to our beloved Rumpelmeyer's Ice Cream for a bit of decadence.  Refueled, we'd taxi back to the car and nip over to Kitchen Arts & Letters and (if we had the time), Bloomingdale’s – especially if Margaret was with us.  Our last shop stop was Zabar’s, then it was back in car & head down to dinner at Panchito’s.  Alas, some of our best beloveds are either long gone or transformed out of anything we would have recognized.  But I digress!  Will write up memories of times past under Sneezing Chickens - - this blog is about things to do NOW!

A  Holiday Trip to the Big Apple is still a great destination.  So, strap on some walking shoes & let’s get hiking!

The Algonquin ~ ~ My preferred parking garage is across the street from the legendary Algonquin.  Be sure to continue the tradition with a quick nip in to give holiday greetings to Matilda, the famous Algonquin Cat.  Too much to do to stop for a cuppa!  

NYYC ~ ~ Cross over 44th St, turning ever-so-briefly left toward 5^th Avenue.  Stop!  Look back across the street, at 37 West 44^th Street.  The architectural embellishments of the NewYork Yacht Club are so sublime, perfect for the club it houses.  Soak it in – NYC at its best!

NBA Store ~ ~ The next stop is heaven for basketball lovers - the NBA Store, between 47^th & 48^th Streets.  (lots of WNBA goodies, too)  Think FAO Schwartz or World of Disney, only for basketball fans.  How to entice them away from a sales staff steeped in basketball stats?  

Scribner Building ~ ~ The next stop is actually a long look.  From the west side of 5th Avenue, look across to the Scribner Building, one of my favorite bits of NYC architecture.  Scribner Books relocated years ago, but take a few moments to contemplate & appreciate the beautiful Beaux Arts architecture of the building still proudly emblazoned “Charles Scribner & Sons.” 

American Girl Place ~ ~ Continuing up the avenue, you come to American Girl Place!  Barbie marketing is piddly compared to American Girl.  Mattel never built a palatial emporium dedicated to a doll – okay, a hug of dolls, each set in a particular period of American history, complete with stories, books & an ever-expanding wardrobe.  You’ll find versions of the store coast to coast, from the Big Apple to the Big D, Atlanta to Chicago, D.C. to K.C., in the Colorado mountains to Minnesota’s prairies – even Boston Brahmins aren’t immune to the charms of these lasses.  But the 5^th Avenue store is the ultimate American Girl paradise!   Shopping is just the beginning - so many other things enchant girls of all ages – dining (brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner), a photo studio (have your real life American girl’s photo on a mock cover of  - of course, American Girl magazine), even a doll hair salon!  Sounds outrageous, but every moment in this temple to merchandising is unforgettable fun for girls from toddler to ancient!  (Dads & uncles & even big brothers have been known to be swept into the charm, too!)

  

Saks ~ ~ A hop, skip & jump from American Girl Place gets you to another holiday shopping mecca – Saks 5th Ave.  Yes, there are Saks locations all over the world, but the 5^th Ave location is the utter real deal.  I love to go there to be reminded of what shopping was like 30, 40 years ago, when stores knew it mattered that they maintain a high level of service.  It speaks volumes that Saks was honored this year by J.D. Powers with a Customer Service Champion - one of only 50 U.S. companies to be so honored.  

THE Tree ~ ~ By now, you need a breather.  Head across the street to Rockefeller Center to ooo & ahhhh over the epic Christmas tree, presiding over an iconic setting, skaters doing their thing on the rink below.  A must-see NYC sight! 

Be strong & press pass all the stores beckoning you – Cartier,  Fortunoff,  Takashimaya,  Lindt (be strong!),  even World of Disney (gasp!), the Apple Store &  Trump Tower.  You’re heading to the most iconic of all NYC jewelry stores – Tiffany. 

Tiffany ~ ~ ~ There is something special about getting a gift wrapped in that iconic (there’s that word again!) blue with white satin ribbon.  Tiffany & Co. has been part of the Lockhart Ladies holiday shop since Mim first introduced us to the elegantly cavernous sale floors eons ago.  My sister could find shockingly affordable gifts, from ornaments to beautiful wine glasses to whimsical Santa mugs – she was a wonder!  Even if you don’t go in – and I heartily suggest you do – do not miss their always exquisite windows.

Which says “Manhattan” more – Tiffany or FAO Schwartz??  Gotta go with the latter.  

FAO Schwartz ~ ~ The Toys R Us store in Times Square gives it a run for its money, but to me FAO Schwartz is the ultimate U.S. toy store (for me, THE ultimate will always be Hamley’s, although I might have to start saying “Je l’adore”).  Neither store really cares, since they’re both owned by the same company!!  Wander the halls, enjoy being a kid again.  Glory in the tradition & joy that is FAO Schwartz.   Interesting tidbit:  despite what we all saw in Big, FAO Schwartz had NO oversized keyboard – it was designed for the movie;  demand to see it became so great, the store had to get one made!! 

Time Warner Center ~ ~ Tired?  Good.  One last trek before getting something substantial to eat.  Across Central Park South to the Time Warner Center.  There are two reasons for heading to this tres elite urban mall – bathrooms & Bouchon Bakery/Café (at last - food!).  (Learned at an early age to never ever use public restrooms, not when grand hotels & fabulous shops have way better facilities.)  TWC offers surprisingly little in the way of food choices that are delectable & affordable.  Bouchon Bakery/Café is one of the few (maybe the only) place that fits the bill.  I confess to being addicted to their quiche, although tempted by their yummy looking salads & sandwiches.  Not cheap, but excellent value for the money. 

Mandarin Oriental ~ ~ Little would you guess in the hubbub of the stores that TWC hosts is one of the best of all Manhattan hotels – the AAA 5-star Mandarin Oriental, 202 guestrooms & 46 suites occupying floors 35 to 54, with knock-out views of Central Park and the Hudson River.  My “first” Mandarin Oriental was in San Francison – love at first sight!  Being way beyond my price bracket has never meant being outside my experience, since I can at least take a ramble through even the grandest hotel lobbies.  But my first Mandarin Oriental NYC experience went waaaay beyond a simple ramble. 

Have enjoyed a special relationship with several of our local elementary school classes – gave each member the same 8^th grade graduation present:  a trip to NYC, chauffeured  & chaperoned (until they turn 18 & are out of high school) by yours truly, good to the end of time. They get to set the theme, I research & serve as guide.  Two young lasses who took me up on the offer asked for a “Bling Tour” of Manhattan.  We hit Fortunoff, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Tiffany, then headed over to TWC    I kept mum about the actual reason for our foray across Central Park South.  Once there, headed straight up to the Mandarin Oriental.  The girls couldn’t figure out what was happening, as I headed straight for the Concierge.  “Hello,” I greeted the young woman.  “I am Deev Murphy.”

The woman broke out into a huge smile – “Ms. Murphy!  We’re so glad to meet you.  We received your e-mail.  Are these the young ladies?”  She looked at the two girls, then turned back to me – “Did they bring bathing suits?”  

I’d contacted the hotel ahead of time, letting them know about the girls’ request for the Bling Tour & that the Mandarin Oriental would be the one hotel spotlighted on our excursion.  No idea if they'd even gotten the e-mail, let alone if they'd care.  They certainly had & did!  From the concierge to staff throughout the hotel, they practically went through barrel loops for us.  Their brochure says, “We always love to welcome our Younger Fans.  Let us know if you have any special needs or requirements and we’ll endeavour to help.”  Yes -  if the girls had brought bathing suits, they could have enjoyed a swim in a swimming pool with a wow view of the West Side, the Hudson & the New Jersey Palisades!!  I can say, from experience, they live by the marketing adage to under-promise & over-deliver.  The girls & I had the run of the hotel, from inspecting a guest room to checking out the afore-mentioned spa swimming pool to peeking into the hotel's restaurants & soaking in the epic view of Columbus Circle/Central Park/NYC skyline from the lobby lounge.  Will always think of  Jazz & Aven whenever I’m at TWC and the INCREDIBLE  memory the staff of the Mandarin Oriental gave three non-paying voyeurs. 

Rambling Back Roads (not for the faint of heart) ~ ~ After getting refreshed & revived at the Time Warner Center, grab a cab back to the Algonquin & pick up the car.  This is my favorite part of the drive in Manhattan – driving over toward Madison, heading east to the funky roads around Grand Central Station, nipping up Park Avenue past the Waldorf Astoria, bopping over to then up up up Madison, heading west on 79^th, across Central Park,  across Central Park W, to Broadway.  Start looking for on-street parking (used to be easy; not now, with a mega Barnes & Noble at 82^nd St), but settle – if we must – for a parking garage.  And off we head to that fabled shrine to kitchenware & incredible eats – ZABAR’S.  

Zabar's ~ ~ Immortalized in You’ve Got Mail, Zabar's is the place where Meg Ryan’s character didn’t realize she was in a cash only lane & her arch nemesis (or so she thought) Tom Hanks ended up saving her bacon when she only had a credit card.  Yes – do not make the same mistake!!  Neither the staff nor the loyal clientele suffer fools gladly.  

Forever thanks to Margaret for introducing us to foodie heaven!!  Whoever described Zabar’s as “Old School soul food” almost got it right – I would have said “Old World.”   It’s like you stepped back in time & across at least one ocean.  My favorite sections are cheese & fish, although the whole place is awesome.   Check upstairs for terrific kitchenware.

Cafe Eighty Two ~ ~ Unlike my sister, I can resist the lure of driving down to the Village & Panchitos (now that I think about it, she never did the driving).  These days, if we have dinner in the city after Zabar's and before heading home, it's at Cafe Eighty Two, just a block or so up Broadway.  Great food, friendly service, reasonable prices AND gluten-free options!  

If we want to head back to hearth & home, we stock up on goodies for the road from Zabar's next-door bakery/coffee shop ~ ~ an assortment of their totally toothsome pastries, a bagel “with smear” for each of us, and a cup of coffee (be sure to order “black” as some New Yorkers think “with cream” when they hear just “regular”).  Then, it’s back to the car, a short nip up the Henry Hudson Parkway to the George Washington Bridge (taking care to be on the top level, not the closed-in bottom), over to NJ, then southward. 

I rarely take the NJ Turnpike to Manhattan (am a back roads gal), but it’s great to take home, especially at night.  Love the area around Newark Airport – lots going on.  If you do get off at the I-78 exit (an option, if you’re interested), chances are a passenger jet will roar over your car as you pay the toll!

You’re going to want or need to stop along the way –  there are some nice rest stops along the turnpike.  I’d LOVE to find a dandy diner off one of the exits – any suggestions greatly appreciated.    

The Christ Child

Like the blue bird waiting in your own back yard, there is a wonderful treasure trove of Christmas gifts right in our own little boro - at the Book Center in  Bryn Athyn Cathedral.  At this time of year, nothing raws me in more than the beautifully reissued classic, The Christ Child, a telling of the Christmas story as told in Matthew & Luke, illustrated by Maud & Miska Petersham.  

I'll let Lisa Alfelt share what so many of us who grew up with The Christ Child feel about this tender retelling :
Witness a literary nativity when the Petershams' luminous and memorable children's classic, The Christ Child, enjoys a limited rebirth this holiday season.

Maud (1890-1971) and Miska (1888-1960) Petersham were a talented and devoted husband-and-wife illustration team, who wrote and illustrated more than sixty books for children, and illustrated over a hundred works written by other authors. The couple received the Caldecott Medal for The Rooster Crows---a book of American songs, rhymes and games in the tradition of Mother Goose---in 1946. A single illustrator is chosen each year to receive this prestigious award, and they were also given the 1942 Caldecott (Honor) Award for An American ABC.

The Christ Child, first published in 1931, is one of their most beloved books. The book transports children and adults alike from the prophecy of Christ's coming and his miraculous birth to the Holy Family's flight into Egypt.  Brief text taken straight from the Gospels is brought to life in 24 color and 21 black and white illustrations that have become sweet remains for so many families. 

The Petershams traveled all the way to Palestine to create the art for this book, and wandered around Nazareth and Bethlehem, sitting in fields with shepherds who still live as their counterparts did two thousand years ago.

For thousands of families, The Christ Child book has been an important part of celebrating Christmas year after year. It is a timeless family treasure.

A Special Treat  ~ ~  This year, we've been given a special treat ~ our pastor,  Rev. Jeremy Simons, is giving a 4-week series of Tuesday afternoon talks on favorite Christmas stories & songs.  The reviews of his 11/27 talk on A Christmas Carol were excellent!  This coming Tuesday, he turns his loving attention to The Christ Child.  A must-experience hour!  All are welcome.  December 4, Bryn Athyn Cathedral, 4:00-5:00 p.m., free.  FYI - this is not a story hour for children, but directed to adults;  please leave the ones at home.  

GO, NAVY!!

Sorry, but my brother served as a plank owner on the U.S.S. Enterprise, so I gotta cheer on the midshipman playing at the 213th Army-Navy Game!!

The first one in my family to have special memories of the game was my older sister, Mim, who was a guest of Ambassador Kintner, back when she was a young lass.  What an experience, to go with to an epic football game with a dignitary!  She had great stories to share about the indescribable sight of Army Grey & Navy Blue filling Franklin Field (long gone;  now they play at Lincoln Financial Field).  

John & I have our own special moments associated with the game on our special overnight at the Bellevue the same weekend of the game; delighted it was Navy headquarters, with dozens of admirals & their ladies, dignitaries & celebrities staying there.  High spirits rocketed when Navy won!

John has his own special Army-Navy Game memories.  Several times, one of his clients put together a special train of privately owned railroad cars, hitched 'em up to an Amtrak train, and headed down to D.C.'s Union Station, where he picked up ambulatory patients from Bethesda & Walter Reed and transported them up to the game, wining & dining them en route, with a special seating section at the game.  He always has John do the artwork for the event, including posters.  John got to ride down on the trip to D.C. (imagine all those empty cars), then back to Philadelphia on its return home.  How I longed to stow away!!!

Even if you can't get tickets (VERY limited, but no harm trying), it's fun to be in Center City on Army-Navy Weekend.  There's a supercharged energy and LOTS of young midshipmen, cadets, and officers all over the place.  The game is about tradition & honoring those who serve, past & present - that sense is everywhere throughout the weekend.

Dec 6 ~ ~ ~Army-Navy Swim Meet:   Before meeting head-to-head on the football field, the two academies will go stroke-to-stroke in a swim meet at the Salvation Army Kroc Center   Warm up is at 4 p.m., meet starts at 6:00 p.m.   Thursday, Dec 6 (free - check online for availability)

Dec. 7 ~ ~ Army-Navy Pep Rally:  Kids are sure to get into the spirit as the rivals amp up the energies around the competition!  Head over to Liberty Place, where fans will get fired up by cheerleaders & pep bands revving up spirits for the next day's Big Game!!  The always fabulous Shops at Liberty Place will be even more enticing, with Army-Navy Game merchandise (great Christmas present!) available throughout the rally.  Noon, Liberty Place (16th & Chestnut).  Friday, Dec 7 (free)

Game Day - Dec 8
Army-Navy Tailgate:  Game Day, from noon-2 p.m., the well-connected will have a blast at a special all-you-can-eat VIP tailgate at Citizens Bank Park’s Hall of Fame Club.  $65 gets you plenty of Philly cuisine - not haute, but hot  (cheesesteaks, hoagies & hot dogs) - beer, wine, soda, and more.  

THE  GAME: There's more riding on this year's outcome than ever - for the first time since 2005, the Commander-in-Chief's trophy ~ given to the winner of the round robin played out among the nation’s service academies ~ will be awarded to the team that wins the Army/Navy bout.  (Hopes are high for Army - the last time they won it was in 1996.)  Kick off is  scheduled for 3 p.m., but gates open at 11 a.m. - fans are strongly encouraged to arrive early. 

BROADCAST
Can't get tickets?  The game will be televised nationally by CBS and carried worldwide by Westwood One and Armed Forces Radio. In Philadelphia, game will be broadcast live on CBS-3 TV and 97.5 The Fanatic.

Navy Blue FOREVER!!