Three hours and one train change later, we stepped off the regional rail onto an old-fashioned rail station platform in the heart of a Philly sweetspot.

Greeted at the station by our longtime friends and Mount Airy denizens since 2001, we were unprepared for the heady beauty and the restful calm - the expanse of greenery, the wide-open space.

The first thing I noticed was that every yard, from grand to cramped, in this community noted for its racial diversity and its stunning 18th and 19th century archictecture was ablaze with spring blossoms - daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, tulip magnolias, cherries, and pansies.

The second thing I noticed was the large numbers of shiny, happy people smiling at complete strangers. Only when I visit my North Carolina hometown do I see so many genuinely happy people.

I wanted some of that Kool-Aid.

One stop foodie shopping

For 15 years, the Chestnut HIll Farmers Market (8229 Germantown Ave., 215-242-5905) has been the go-to market for local foodies. Tucked away behind the Chestnut Hill Hotel (215-242-5905), the market offers everything from pickles, organic rotisserie chicken, a butcher & specialty meats, a patisserie, and gelato to fresh produce and a fromagerie. Fabulous fruits

Go on an empty stomach and with a fat wallet.

Fromagerie Jonathan's Best (open seven days) put out a salty, pungent slab of manchego for sampling. Other treats from various vendors included curried chicken salad, artichoke dip and gelato.

The extra-nice counter people at Cosmic Catering dispensed going green advice along with the whopping portions on the meat and two sides platter ($9), generous enough for two to share. We had the breaded but baked chicken breast, whose low-fat status hardly offset the creamy, cheesy mac 'n cheese. We pretended to compensate with sweet roasted carrots.

We made our way contentedly to the car, still dishing up and sharing bites of blood orange, tiramisu and coconut gelati ($3.75 for a small) from A Whole Lot o' Gelato.If you can't be in Italy, eating gelato is the next best thing

Farmers Market hours are Thursdays & Fridays, 9 am to 6 pm, and Saturdays, 8 am to 5 pm. Free parking is found in a lot off of Southampton Avenue.

The rest of the evening was devoted to watching Sweetheart, the silvery-gray-and-black bunny frolic in the living room; the grown ups chatted and drank a good red wine while the kids played games, and later we sat down to a belated seder honoring the Jewish traditon of Passover.

Nice guys finish first

The common denominator in Mount Airy seems to be the too often disparaged adjective, nice.

Mount Airy has been cited as one of the first succesfully integrated communities in the United States and U.S. News & World Report recognizes the neighborhood for its racial balance and harmony.

Wissahickon walk The community is 67.9% African American, 27.4% Caucasian and 4.7% other or mixed race. Solidly middle class, the average household income is $54,469 and nearly 13,000 of the communities 38,000-plus residents have some college or have obtained either an associate's, bachelor's or graduate degree.

In and around the area are major universities, Temple, Drexel, and University of Pennsylvania, as well as many other smaller colleges such as Chestnut Hill College.

During our visit, my friend, artist and designer Kimberly Soles and daughter, Leila, were constantly bumping into someone they know or were being greeted by a friend-of-a-friend.

The main commercial area runs along Germantown Avenue, where locals and visitors alike find small town appeal but city sophistication in the cafes, restaurants, shops and book stores. From Weaver's Way Co-op, the Big Blue Marble Book Store, InFusion Coffee & Tea Gallery to the tiny Italian restaurant Umbria, the shopping district reminds me of my childhood haunts on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

Dinner in a wildlife preserve

On Saturday night, we had dinner with landscape architect Margie Ruddick, whose yard has been designated a wildlife preserve so that she and her kids can live more attuned with nature. Behind a low bamboo fence lumbered a large reptilian sculpture. Bat boxes hung in the backyard awaiting guests and grasses grew wildly and freely everywhere. Birds twittered and chirped as they settled in at dusk.

There was nary a sign of a lawn pruning or manicuring tool in sight.

Good and garlicky chicken We walked into the large, open kitchen where Ruddick was grilling garlicky Brazilian chicken and helping daughter, Celia, make potato skins with avocado dip.

I put down the marble cake with fresh whipped cream and strawberries we made in the afternoon and put on the proverbial apron to help while Soles mixed up a batch of margaritas.

By evening's end, my son and I felt like we were home with family.

Everywhere we went there was a magical quality that can only be attributed to the social graces.

A night in the princess bed

During our visit, Leila graciously gave up her room and the princess bed, a wrought iron canopy bed with a crown at its peak, for me to rest my head sans pea. I had such delightful dreams in the princess bed; I didn't want to leave its cozy confines.

In the morning when I woke, I half expected to see the Disney birds out of Snow White flitting about with lovely silken ribbons dangling from their beaks.

Some-bunny loves us Instead we had a visit from the other rabbit in residence, the Easter Bunny who had left robin's eggs, chocolates and jelly beans as well as a soccer ball.

For breakfast, I made Bunny pancakes, despite protests from Leila who wouldn't dream of eating a bunny rabbit. Hippity hop out of the pan and onto the plate

Later, we met Dad, Aaron, and all piled into the car to take a ride over to Forbidden Drive along the Wissahickon Creek. Once in the park, we hiked along the creek - three hours - a beautiful but slightly challenging climb over little hillocks, rocks and small watersheds creekside.

The day was windy and a little nippy but the wild violets and Jack in the Pulpit were tender reminders of the warm days ahead.

By four, it was time to pick up our packs and walk down to the Allen Lane station to wait for Septa's R8 to take us back to the City Center where we would connect to Trenton and go on to New York.

While waiting for the train, we chased the soccer ball on the station lawn, inhaling the smoky scent of cherry blossoms mixed with the smoky fragrance from wood-burning fireplaces - lit one last evening to take off the spring chill.

Information

Transportation: NJ Transit to Trenton $21.50 RT off-peak; kids under 12 ride free; Septa $18 RT adults; kids half-price.

Where to stay: Chestnut Hill Hotel (8229 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, 215-242-5905, 800-628-9744) Rates from $159.