A love letter for errbody...

("Post-It" 49th x Market)

Hey, check this here out! I joke around, but really I do have some feelings (not too many, and don't tell nobody), and that's why I find this project interesting. "A Love Letter for You" is a series of murals painted on walls up and down Market St. in West Philly, and I have to say I'm feelin it. (shout out to Stephen Powers and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts program...good job, guys) Most of them are about love and relationships, obviously, but some like the above just contatin positive and uplifting messages to make you crack a smirk on the train to work. The bright and interesting colors, cool vibe and cute little "valentine powder heart" messages (i heart u, be mine, kiss me, etc.) make this a welcome addition to the sometimes bleak Philly streets. The genius of the project is that you have to go both ways down the street to see them all, making spotting the whole collection something you consciously have to do over the course of a few trips...almost like a game. There are 50 in all, but I'm just gonna share a few of my favorites with yall.

("Knocked on Your Door", 50th x Market)

This one is cool...just think about coming home after a long day of work and seeing your booskie smile and that just being...it...wow, almost makes me wanna have one lol...

("Home Now", 51st x Market)

I think I wanna feel this way about somebody...at some point...

("Open your eyes"/"Sunrise", 52nd x Market)

Take dat, take dat...

("Forever", 61st x Market)

That's not just in love...that's in life.

("Defeats"/"Sheets"/"Reciepts", 55th x Market)

This one is bangin cuz it's real shit...a long-term committed relationship between 2 people summed up in 9 words. I mean, ain't that what it's all about?

("Untitled", 45th x Market)

My personal favorite...mostly because it includes a great word: "raconteur" (rak-on-tour). No, that's not a topless traveling strip show, it means "a person who is skilled at telling stories in an interesting and witty manner." I kinda wanna be one of those when I grow up. The cut off part says "Now I am an entrepreneur living my dream..." and besides completing the rather clever wordplay on the mural...who doesn't wanna live their dream? That's whats up, now I feel inspired every time I pass 46th St. station.

Those are just a few of the 50 total works, but they're the ones that most jumped out at me. If you liked what you saw and wanna check out the rest, peep the website. Some are a little too sugary for me ("prepay is on, let's talk til my minutes are gone?" Ugh, pure saccharin...), but the project's general message of love and positivity can be appreciated by anybody with a soul. In these troubled, fucked up times, I think we need all the love we can get. The City of Brotherly Love rarely lives up to its name, but this project is a tiny nudge in the right direction...and you can't be mad at that. Aight, enough of the sweet talk, when the fuck does the game start?