Armstrong's Restaurant Moon Township: A Blast to the Past

As I sit here reflecting on that historic day, July 20, 1969, it's hard not to get emotional thinking about the incredible experience of watching Neil Armstrong and his crew land on the moon. It was a momentous occasion that marked a giant leap for mankind, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed it firsthand.

I remember leaving Armstrong's Restaurant Moon Township after dinner that evening, even though they were still broadcasting live footage from the lunar surface. My friends and I couldn't get enough of the excitement, watching in awe as flags and golf balls (yes, you read that right!) waved in the moon's gravity-less environment. As Armstrong descended the stairs from the Lunar Module, his iconic words still echo in my mind: 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' I was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down my face.

It wasn't just the sheer magnitude of the achievement that moved me - it was also the realization that we had finally reached the moon. We had wondered if it was possible, and yet there we were, watching it unfold in real-time. My friends decided to celebrate by renting a room at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel on Broad Street, where they feasted on room service and stayed glued to the television all day.

In those pre-HD TV days, the broadcast quality wasn't what we're used to today, but it didn't matter. We were too caught up in the moment to notice anything else. And yes, conspiracy theorists were already circulating their theories - how could they keep such a massive achievement secret when thousands of people around the world were involved? I remember thinking then that if this was indeed faked, someone would have spilled the beans by now.

As it turned out, I had just graduated from law school and was working as a deputy district attorney in Philadelphia under the late Arlen Specter. It was an exciting time to be living in Philadelphia, with so much happening in the world of politics and beyond.

Looking back on that day, it's clear how far we've come since then. But for me, Armstrong's Restaurant Moon Township will always be a reminder of that incredible moment when humanity took one giant leap forward.

Armstrong's restaurant moon township