Art On Wheels, Part Thirteen: Which Of These Are Your Faves?

Yeah, Another Blogger

When, in September 2017, I published my first Art On Wheels essay, I doubt if I’d have guessed I’d still be tracking down artistically decorated vehicles nearly seven years later. But I am. Why? Because after my second or third expedition in search of same, I knew for certain that I get big kicks from the endeavor. It’s fun. And, even though your correspondent is older than f*cking dirt, having fun remains high on his These Are Important Aspects Of Life list.

And so, on the final morning of April 2024, I found myself in the center of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, having been transported there by a commuter train I’d boarded in my suburban-Philadelphia town. The hunt was on. Based on past experience, I was confident that a large number of excellently adorned trucks, vans and other wheeled assemblages were out there. The question, as always, was how many would cross paths with me. I was hoping for at least ten.

Well, I walked and walked and walked, covering about five miles of territory. In the two and one quarter hours I was on the street, I aimed my phone’s camera at 16 wheeled objects and then snapped their portraits. I enjoyed pretty much every minute of the treasure hunt. The fact that the adventure took place in a fascinating locale sure didn’t hurt. Believe me, I know I’ve oohed and aahed about Philadelphia time and time again in Yeah, Another Blogger. But I just can’t help myself, as this city truly has got what it takes. Philly is a winning combination of the old and the new and the in-between, of the chic and the stately and the funky. Plus, the sections of Philadelphia I traversed that day were popping with people whose collective energy rocked the air. I was in my element.

Now, all of the 16 wheeled subjects looked fine to me. While caught up in the excitement of the chase, however, I wasn’t precisely sure which were the standouts. Since then, though, I’ve examined and graded the vehicles, using the photos I took, and have whittled down the 16 selections to my top five. I have no idea how the 11 omitted carriers are able to make their presence known right now, but I hear them cussing at me. “Up yours, Neil! We deserve to be included in your story!” they just shouted in unison. I understand their pain and frustration. I empathize. Nonetheless, here’s what I have to say to them: “Tough shit, guys! Deal with it!”

Although my five faves are displayed on this page, I now will limit my commentary to the two that, in my book, tie as the gold-medal winners. No offense, of course, to the trucks promoting JDog junk removal and hauling, Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka, and White Claw Hard Seltzer. They look very cool, but I feel they don’t quite reach the heights achieved by the graffiti-covered truck and by the Tea Around Town bus.

The graffitied wonder struck a major chord with me the moment I spied it in Philadelphia’s historic district. The truck was parked about one block from where Benjamin Franklin, one of the USA’s so-called Founding Fathers, lived. I can’t get enough of its composition’s controlled wildness. The design is an invitation to visit, mentally, unusual realms. Seeing that voyages not of the ordinary appeal to me, I’ve accepted the invitation several times. The resultant trips, short though they were, delighted me.

As for the Tea Around Town bus, my eyes opened wide when I spotted it on a block near Rittenhouse Square, one of Philly’s finest neighborhood parks. I’d never seen this behemoth before. My best guess is that Tea Around Town is a new business venture. A quick look at the company website showed me that Tea Around Town offers, for $80 and up, a bus tour of downtown Philly, during which teas and pastries are served. And what a bus it is, blessed with exterior artwork as delicate and sweet as a butterfly. I’m at heart a softie. Not surprisingly, then, the Tea Around Town vehicle made me go a bit weak in the knees. I was smitten. Its style of painting, an excellent example of classic beauty, never will go out of style.

That does it for today, folks. I’d be interested to learn your thoughts about the art on view in this story. Goodbye till next time!

175 thoughts on “Art On Wheels, Part Thirteen: Which Of These Are Your Faves?”

  1. Unknown's avatar Anonymous May 15, 2024 / 3:48 pm

    I’ll have to try out the Tea Around Town bus when I’m in Philly next!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 15, 2024 / 4:43 pm

      I hope their teas and pastries are good ones. By the way, who is this? Your comments are posted as being from Anonymous.

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  2. the incurable dreamer's avatar the incurable dreamer May 15, 2024 / 4:45 pm

    Neil, my heart is with JDog. 10/10 must pat noggin. But the bus made me nostalgic for Paris and interested in a tour of Philly, so it was a very close second. What a great business idea to offer a tour like that. I look forward to your next Art On Wheels installment. This was fun.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 15, 2024 / 8:03 pm

      Hi, and thanks for adding your thoughts. You’re right — Tea Around Town is a great idea. I hope they are, or will be, successful. See ya!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Ritish Sharma's avatar Ritish Sharma May 16, 2024 / 7:16 am

    This is hilarious 😅 And gotta say, you narrowed it down to a killer top 5. I can’t decide between the graffiti masterpiece and the delicate tea bus myself. Talk about opposite ends of the artistic spectrum.

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. alhenry's avatar alhenry May 16, 2024 / 3:18 pm

    I agree–“The Tea Around Town” bus is a beauty (though not sure I’d be into coughing up $80+ for tea, even with pastries), BUT my heart is truly synced with the “Live Your Wave” truck. It just has such an adventurous, go-for-it, be your dream feel for me. Glad you had an excellent time (and great exercise) scouting out these gems on wheels!

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 16, 2024 / 5:31 pm

      Live Your Wave is a beauty. I found some very fine vehicles on my latest Art On Wheels excursion. Philly didn’t let me down!

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  8. shoreacres's avatar shoreacres May 16, 2024 / 9:19 pm

    Who knows? Maybe it’s my near-the-Gulf location, but I’m all in for White Claw and its invitation to “Live Your Wave.” I like the graphics, although I had to look up White Claw. I didn’t have a clue what the product was. I found that it’s an alcoholic seltzer water manufactured by the Mark Anthony Group. If only the group was named Mark Antony. They could have featured toga-clad partiers on their truck.

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  10. snakesinthegrass2014's avatar snakesinthegrass2014 May 18, 2024 / 2:17 pm

    I’ll go with iced tea and vodka only because it sounds so awful to me that it’s great (for someone else, of course!). – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 18, 2024 / 7:36 pm

      You know, iced tea plus vodka does sound awful. And yet, I guess that many people like it. Me, I’ll stick with beer!

      Liked by 1 person

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  11. estricsek's avatar estricsek May 18, 2024 / 6:38 pm

    JDog & graffiti truck are winners! As your story, Neil. I love the photos of arty vehicles. Nice job.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Shelley's avatar Shelley May 20, 2024 / 6:15 am

    I love the Tea Around Town – what a cool idea and a stunning design for the bus. Your adventure sounds wonderful too – way to keep it going all these years! 🥰

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 20, 2024 / 9:43 am

      Morning, Shelley. I go out on Art On Wheels expeditions about twice a year. I think they’d be less fun if I did it more often than that.

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      • Shelley's avatar Shelley May 21, 2024 / 5:41 am

        Morning to you too! Too much of a good thing can be that way. What you find to share here is fun for us to see, thank you for taking us along on your outings!

        Liked by 1 person

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  13. Pam Lazos's avatar Pam Lazos May 20, 2024 / 2:32 pm

    You find the best mobile art, Neil! And I’m with you: Philly does have it all, old, new, and mobile art! Don’t know why my kid moved to Charlotte, NC. All Charlotte’s got is humidity. Not much in the way of history. Ah well, to each his own.

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 20, 2024 / 4:55 pm

      Hey there, Pam. I’ve lived in or near Philly for most of my adult life. I took to the city right from the start, so I never wanted to move elsewhere after that.

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  14. ccerebrations's avatar ccerebrations May 20, 2024 / 4:15 pm

    I love that you do this. A few months ago, I saw the van decorated with a bunch of gray and green chairs from one your at on wheel posts. Something small and silly but it really brightened my day. So thank you! 🙂

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 20, 2024 / 7:42 pm

      Howdy. Thanks for the thumbs-up on Art On Wheels. Appreciated. The truck you saw is a great one. By the way, do you live in Philadelphia?

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  15. Chumpeh's avatar Chumpeh May 21, 2024 / 1:04 am

    Nice to meet you I will like you to follow me so I can follow you back.. this is my blog https://NEWSEMBASSY.ORG

    Am kinda new here

    Like

    Reply
  16. walkingoffthechessboard's avatar Bruce@WOTC May 21, 2024 / 3:29 pm

    The Tea Around Town bus advertising is a big winner with me. It looks like someone really knew what they wanted their brand to be, and was passionate about expressing it 100% on their design.

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. Pingback: Art On Wheels, Part Thirteen: Which Of These Are Your Faves? – Tessy Legitimo
  18. equinoxio21's avatar equinoxio21 May 21, 2024 / 9:07 pm

    Art on wheels is a good concept. I have taken a few, but I need to do more… Thanks for the post.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 22, 2024 / 6:56 am

      Morning. One of the best parts about Art On Wheels is that I never know what I’ll find. I like the air of surprise.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • equinoxio21's avatar equinoxio21 May 22, 2024 / 8:06 pm

        You’re right. A few years back a friend of mine started sketching fire hydrants. Precisely because she never knew what she would find around the corner.
        I followed her lead taking pix of hydrants around the world for a while…

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        Reply
  20. Annika Perry's avatar Annika Perry May 28, 2024 / 6:24 am

    Oh, the Tea around the Town bus is like an English garden in Spring! And just makes you want to spring aboard! Neil, I enjoy your adventures in Philly, you’ve sold me on the city and reckon you’re spoilt with colourful trucks. Here it’s all white or grey – I’ll have to see if I spot anything more exciting on my travels but hopes are not high!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Yeah, Another Blogger's avatar Yeah, Another Blogger May 28, 2024 / 10:49 am

      Afternoon, Annika. I’ll be curious to learn if Tea Around Town is or becomes successful. The venture started a few months ago.

      Liked by 1 person

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  23. annieasksyou's avatar annieasksyou May 31, 2024 / 1:22 pm

    I was struck by your mentioning that the Tea Around Town vehicle was parked by Rittenhouse Square. We have friends who just moved into an apartment right near there.

    Did you post anything more recent than this Neil? I thought I’d seen something. I keep missing your pieces, and that doesn’t make me happy.

    Liked by 1 person

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  24. jeanleesworld's avatar jeanleesworld June 3, 2024 / 10:55 am

    It’s lovely to bump into you on these streets after so long, my friend! I recently took a picture of a truck with a mouth very bizarrely painted on its sides but not its front; it made me think of your little explores here. I hope you’re well!

    Liked by 1 person

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  25. Silver Screenings's avatar Silver Screenings June 4, 2024 / 10:27 pm

    I like both the graffiti truck and the Tea Around Town. I especially liked that you placed one after the other for a real juxtaposition!

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  26. tanjabrittonwriter's avatar tanjabrittonwriter June 5, 2024 / 1:06 pm

    The great thing about your Arts on Wheels theme is that you will never run out of opportunities to find new motifs!

    I love the Tea Around Town bus best. What a wonderful idea (if a bit pricey) and artistic endeavor.

    Liked by 1 person

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  28. rkrontheroad's avatar rkrontheroad June 9, 2024 / 12:28 pm

    Without a doubt, I’d have to go along with your other commenter – Tea Around Town is a beauty. A bit pricey though. I wonder how they will paint the bus when they go out of business?

    Liked by 1 person

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  29. J P's avatar J P June 10, 2024 / 10:23 am

    I will confess that I am not a fan of the graffiti, but enjoyed the others. The tea bus is a favorite, but probably because it is most likely to be locally owned and operated. JDog may be too, and if so, it is worthy of a thumb on the scale as well. I like the others, but then corporate ad dollars are usually pretty good at making that happen. At least they contribute to the scenery!

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  30. stargazer's avatar stargazer June 10, 2024 / 6:01 pm

    I agree about the graffiti truck, but the Surfside one isn’t bad either. Bright and colourful!

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