Tiles Profiled by Hellion Internet Reporter

Last week I was contacted by CBS3 internet reporter (and former Miss Pennsylvania) Nicole Brewer about creating a site profile for the station. The webcast would chronicle the fascinating world of toynbeeidea.com and more specifically my bizarre obsession… Read More

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good: While driving to Maryland this Thanksgiving, I decided to stop at the rest areas that my bladder schedule usually compels me to pass over. That meant an early stop just south of Wilmington Delaware. Why this… Read More

Toynbee in Edison

For months I’ve heard about the amazing Indian food in Edison, NJ and for months I’ve wanted to go. But a trip to north Jersey for a single meal? The idea sat in the back of my mind… Read More

best toynbee tile unveiling photoessay in the world

Yes I’m still talking about the damn tiles. Today, a photoessay of yesterday’s great unveiling. This includes all known new tiles, except 15th and Race… which was found earlier today. The person pictured is Resurrect Dead documentary collaborator… Read More

new Toynbee tiles are old school tiles

This afternoon I discovered that summer rains softened the glue and tar paper on the 13th and Market tile. With the pile of tar paper still lying next to it, I found the uncovered tile within minutes of… Read More

strange tile news / huge tile news

So at 6:30 this evening I’m acting slightly obsessive, leaning over the hot pavement at 15th and Arch snapping detail photos at a glob of wood glue and tar paper under which a Toynbee tile is adhering to… Read More

Street Art

As evidenced by yesterday’s rhetorical screed against any and all who dare attack the value of Philadelphia’s murals, I’m a big fan of Philly’s public art. But what I didn’t say yesterday is that some of my favorite… Read More

Carvings

So yesterday afternoon I headed over to a friends house in West Philly. There were about a dozen people and 20 pumpkins. I carved 2. I bet you can guess which one in the below pic is mine…. Read More

Molly Pitcher, Toynbee tile

Yesterday, I mentioned that my girlfriend often asks why I’m so distrustful of ruralites. Today I come to you with a different question she often asks me, why do I care about the Toynbee tiles. I don’t actually… Read More

New Tile

Why is there a large, colorful, brand new Toynbee tile at the intersection of Cottman and Torresdale Northeast Philadelphia? I have no idea, but its existence creates all sorts of questions for the oligarchy of tile scholars. Is… Read More