Stroll

OUT FOR A TASTE OF WINTER, Mr. and Mrs. George Dziedzina, of Northeast Philadelphia, take son George for a stroll in Pennypack Park yesterday. But, a taste was all the area got when snow forecasts fell short.

A TENDER MOMENT is stolen by Wayne Del Prete and his girlfriend, Kim Muster. The couple found shelter from the rain in each other's arms and under a Fairmount Waterworks structure yesterday. Del Prete of Virginia and Muster of Maryland, who were in town visiting friends, were taking a stroll through the Art Museum area.

Shane Sannini inspects flowers from a vendor (right) at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue to see which ones he should buy, with some help, for his grandmother for Mother's Day yesterday. Merchandise in hand (above) the satisfied tot and mom Lisa Sannini stroll away.

The depths of winter seldom have highs like this. With afternoon temperatures in the region reaching well into the 50s in many places and with clear skies, Jan. 31 was a day for a stroll along the riverbank, a hatless romp at the playground, a day to think of spring. And today promises more of the same, with highs in the 50s and sunshine in the morning, at least.

Hungry shoppers stroll past some of the 20 food shops in the new Food Court at The Gallery at Market East yesterday, trying to decide where to do their belly-stuffing. The occasion was a grand reopening celebration marking the completion of a five-month, $2.6 million upgrading of the food area. The hoopla, which continues through June 10, includes free entertainment, exhibits and samples of various yummies.

Jim Rooker used to pitch for the Pirates. Jim Rooker always did hate walks. Well, some things never change. Jim Rooker had a new attack of control problems a few weeks back, you see. And it led to the biggest walk of his career. Only this walk is going to cover a little more territory than 90 feet. It's a walk that's going to cover, oh, about 308 miles. That's how far it is from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, see. And that's where Jim Rooker is walking, beginning Oct. 4. And it's all because "I opened my mouth a little too wide," he says.

Back when glass-box skyscrapers were new, and rare was the city with more than two or three, they provided a charming picture that, ironically, has become rarer and rarer the more glass boxes there are. For a short time, though, one of those pictures has shown up in Center City Philadelphia, and it's worth an evening stroll to take a look-see. What charm could a glass box offer? Simply the fragmented mirrored images of the older buildings nearby - roundels and curlicues reflected in hundreds of almost (but never perfectly)

BREATHE EASIER I. Vitamin A appears to protect against certain types of respiratory illnesses, including some associated with smoking. So says Dr. Alfredo Morabia of Johns Hopkins University, who reports a strong association between dietary intake of vitamin A, through consumption of such foods as milk and liver, and risk for such diseases as bronchitis and emphysema. People can easily get their daily recommended dose of 5,000 International Units of vitamin A dietarily, rather than by taking vitamin A pills, Morabia says.