I’m watching the Eagles/Vikings game today and I realized out of all the major cities in the United States, Philadelphia is the one which I don’t know anything about.
So, is there a historic center city area with the historic areas well preserved? Is it a doughnut city where everyone lives in some faceless suburb?
Anyone got a link to some pictures of the city?
Outside of the orchestra and the options exchange there, I don’t know anything about Philadelphia.
As a Southern transplant to the Boston area, I find it somewhat similar to Boston except much more run-down, more dirty, more crime-ridden, and much more New Jersey. There are plenty of historical things to see and do and historic districts but Boston does them much better (and I am not a huge Boston fan). I just find the city and its attitude very harsh. It is a worthwhile place to visit especially if you like American history but there are lots of things they could improve upon to make it more likable.
Hey, fuck you, Shagnasty – we’re the City of Brotherly Love (who once, famously, booed Santa).
Haven’t been to Boston since I was a kid, so can’t compare them – but I live in Philly because it’s a vibrant urban environment with a lot going on culturally, intellectually, and socially at a scale I find way more livable than NYC. People live in our historic district, and elsewhere downtown (in Center City, as we call it), but we’re a city of neighborhoods with distinct identities.
Hereare a couple of pictures.
Aw Shagnasty, Philadelphia isn’t so bad!
Sure there’s crime, but it’s like that in many cities. Philadelphia is quite large. We have an historic area (called “Olde City”) where you can find things such as the liberty bell, where the declaration of independence was signed, historic houses, etc. Very nice, expensive area to lvie in. It borders the Delaware river. Gets really crowded during the fourth of july. Then there’s the business district right west of it (called “Center City”). There’s big buildings, city hall, etc.
West of that, its University City. This is made up of a bunch of universities including University of Pennsylvania, an ivy league. South of this is South Philadelphia. There’s a large italian section.
Neighborhoods surround these areas, some more crime ridden than others.
I love Philly, and I’ve lived here all my life. We love cheesesteaks, Philadelphia pretzels, Italian hoagies, Yeungling, and SPORTS. We take our sports really seriously, even when they aren’t doing so well. We’ll tail gate anything and have an eating contest during it.
I just got back from Philly two days ago, and I still love that city. The “brotherly love” is total nonsense, because everyone I know there is loud, a little rude, and a trifle offensive, but they’re fun people to hang out with. (And I speak of my in-laws and their vast network of assorted aunts, uncles, cousins, and various relatives. Kind of like hanging out with The Sopranos and some of the shadier characters from The Godfather.) I’m more familiar with South Philly and the suburbs around there, because that’s where my husband grew up. We visit a few times a year, and it would definitely be close to the top of my list of places to live.
The food is great. The natives are as nice as anywhere I’ve ever been. The cost of living is manageable. It’s one of the cleaner looking cities I’ve seen, and the historic nature of the city is nicely preserved. Center City is really quite beautiful, especially at certain times of day. And the food is really great.
Did I mention the food?
What is the basis for the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
“In west Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground was where I spent most of my days
Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool
And all shootin some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys
Who were up to no good
Startin making trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
She said ‘You’re movin’ with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air”
I rest my case.
In the pantheon of uncontestable arguments, “sitcom theme song” has to be damn near the top.
I’m not sure that there is a part of Philadelphia without some serious history, and lots of it. I live in the Northwest, and spend a considerable amount of time walking up and down Germantown Avenue.
This is one of my votes for cool pieces of history/places to go:
Historic Germantown
“Germantown Lower Burying Ground”
“One of the graves of interest is that of Sergeant Charles S. Bringhurst, who three times climbed to the rampart atop Fort Sumter to replace the flag when it was shot down by Confederates during the opening engagement of the Civil War.”
I think of this every time I walk or drive by the front arch.
The upper part of g-town has some pretty impressive history, too, for those who may be interested.
I am reminded every time I am just walking up and down the Avenue how lucky I am to live in a city with so much substance.
I love Philadelphia, and I love my neighborhood.
I was in Philadelphia last week casing their museumand it struck me as a town you really had to get to know for a while to feel comfortable in. With all due respect to Twickster it does come across as a bit rough around the edges, but I’m sure there’s a heart of gold at the center.
What?!?
Taking pictures at the art museum steps and no picture of you with Rocky Balboa?
I bet you are hiding that one from us.
I don’t think I have EVER driven around that turn and not seen people having their picture taken with him. Umm, the statue, that is.
Not once, ever.
The steps are sans Rocky.
He’s at the bottom, to the right (looking up). (TPTB declined the many, many offers to have him in that plaza at the top.)
I lived in Philadelphia for 2 years and spent all my free time mountain biking in the Wissahickon park - an unbelievable resource for such a large urban connurbation. It’s like finding a piece of the Cascades a bike ride away from Philadelphia city hall (It’s part of Fairmount park, which is advertised as the largest city park system in the US). So I always remember Philly as a beautiful place to live. The riding was pretty serious, as well. Very tough trails.
In the wider context the city felt very low key, like an enormous village in some ways. The Philadelphia urban area must be huge, but the centre city had nothing of the urgency and buzz you find in places like New York or London.
Hallgirl1 lives in South Philly and works right around the corner from the Italian Market. Me? I’m comfortable two hours away.
When we first moved to Pennsylvania (over 10 years ago), one of first, most exciting day trips was Philly. It’s still an exciting day trip (I was just there last week to see the Chronicles of Narnia exhibit at the Franklin Institute), but there are a lot of people and a lot of traffic, but a lot of stuff to do and things to see.
Still, I’m glad when I leave. I once got offered to interview for a job outside of Philly and turned it down (although it would have been a very good position) simply because I could not imagine living that close to Philly and having Philly “full time”.
My husband and I lived in University City for six years while I was in grad school (well, 7 for me and 6 for him), and we liked it enough to stay, although we did move to the suburbs, as we have two dogs and wanted a place with its own yard.
When I first arrived, I was intimidated, and when my then-boyfriend moved here, he hated it with a burning hatred, but it grew on him. It’s a little dirty, and there’s crime, but there’s a ton of history, the museums are fun, there’s always something to do, and I believe MissGypsy mentioned the food. My husband says one of his major regrets about moving out of the city is the food; there’s ridiculously good food to be had at quite reasonable prices. In general, the cost of living is very reasonable compared to a lot of metropolitan areas, the climate’s not awful, and we love the feel of the city- that the people are generally tough but fair. Unless we have to move because of work, I don’t see us leaving.
/edit: I forgot! It’s also a great city for beer!
Phila is either awesome or awful, depending entirely on individual opinion. I’ve LOVED every minute I ever spent there. But my SO, who went to school and lived there, will only go if I beg him to. Of course, he had wonderful and horrible experiences there. I’m a small-town, coal region girl, and Phila has always had an allure for me. My brothers are heavy-highway construction workers, and they do a 2-hour commute to work there. They hate the city.
In case nobody’s mentioned it… there’s some good food
Mutter Museum is definitely cool, and I’m wild about the art museum too. But, being a paranoid small-town girl, I’ve kept almost all of my visits limited to daylight hours.
Flower Show coming up, early March, coincides with Matisse exhibit at Museum of Art. Sounds like an excuse for a road trip…
i’ve been to boston and philly. i enjoy the fact that i can walk around boston, take a 2 hour flight and walk down ben franklin parkway the same day! bet old ben would have loved that! not to mention john adams.
boston does a better job with its harbour than philly has done with its waterfronts. the freedom trail is a nifty thing. philly has the ben franklin parkway.
the major difference between the 2 cities is in the puritan vs quaker mindframe that started the 2 cities. philly is much more live and let live than boston, even to this day.
boston still has a proper british feel to it. philly’s brits had some softening from germans and swedes, it has a more earthy feel.
I’ve visited both cities. I think Boston is more of a giant college town and Philly is a lot friendlier place though obviously more in your face. I did not really like Boston* all that much and it has less interesting things for me at least to do than Philly. Philly has great museums and a very good zoo.
“Philadelphia is not dull. It just seems that way because it is next to exciting Camden, New Jersey.”