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PhillyGAF |OT|

esms

Member
YDynbbw.jpg

Welcome to PhillyGAF, a hangout for current residents and a place for general discussion of all things Philadelphia.

People welcome here:

  • Current Residents
  • Former Residents
  • Potential Residents
  • Potential Visitors
  • Folks interested in Philly
  • Anyone from the Delaware Valley (South Jersey, North Delaware, Philadelphia Suburbs)
  • Almost everyone else
People not welcome here:

  • The Pope
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s move on to the nitty gritty.

With over 1.5M residents, Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth most populous city in the US, but, due to its high population density, the city feels much closer to cities like NYC or Chicago than it does cities like Houston or Phoenix. Interestingly the population of Philadelphia was at one time over 2M residents in the 1950s, but decades of white flight and the collapse of American industrial might devastated the city. In the 2010 census it was found that the population of Philadelphia had experienced its first increase in nearly 60 years, and the rapidity with which the population is increasing is growing rapidly. Located where the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers meet, it serves as both the economic and cultural hub of the surrounding Delaware Valley area. William Penn, a Quaker who founded the city in 1682, named Philadelphia after the Greek words philos (love) and adelphos (brother), hence the City of Brotherly Love.

Population and Demographics

Population: 1,560,297
Density: 11,635.3/sq mi
Racial makeup:
44.2% Black
36.3% White (Non-Hispanic)
13.3% Hispanic/Latino
6.9% Asian

Philadelphia is a majority black city. Like most major cities in the US, it has extensive ethnic and cultural diversity. Throughout the city, ethnic enclaves and neighborhoods are common, with neighborhoods full of Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Liberian, and even Cambodian residents. While racial tensions can at time be high in the city due to the diversity, it also provides the city with a great breadth of cultural activities, traditions and cuisine that help make the city truly world class.


A note before this section: Do not, I repeat, do not be afraid of food trucks in the city. They often have some authentic and quality food and are held to a higher standard of cleanliness than many restaurants by the Office of Public Health.

  • Independence Beer Garden – Buy a pitcher and get drunk with friends/family.
  • Talula’s Garden – Expensive, but really good. It’s Steven Starr, so you get what you pay for.
  • Philly Pretzel Factory – The breakfast of champions. Don’t forget to get the honey mustard sauce.
  • Reading Terminal Market – One of America’s oldest farmer’s markets. Home to one hell of a sandwich at DiNic’s.
  • Bistro St. Tropez – Really good French food hidden in a furniture showcase building.
  • Jim’s Steaks – I’m wary to say the best cheese steaks, but they’re definitely great.
  • City Tap House – As the name suggests, it has a ton of beers on tap. Also has quality food.
  • The Italian Market – A south Philly staple. Open-air market that has everything you could ever dream of.
  • Ladder 15 – A three-story bar constructed in a renovated firehouse in Center City.
  • Howl at the Moon – Dueling piano bar. As the night goes on, they take requests for songs to face off with. It gets to the point where they’re singing Snoop Dogg songs.
  • Lorenzo and Sons - Top shelf pizza.
  • Dalessandro's Steaks - From what I hear, you can get a primo cheesesteak here.


Philadelphia is home to some of the greatest arts and culture institutions in the world. At one end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway sits the Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in the US, with over 200,000 pieces in its collection. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has been pursuing aggressive expansion to create more gallery space to display its collection with the help of the design skills of Frank Gehry.

The Barnes Foundation, only a short walk from the art museum, is another treasure trove of art. The Barnes Foundation art collection represents the largest collection of impressionist and modernist masterworks outside of Europe. The remarkable collection has a huge catalog of works by artists such as Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso.
Next door to the Barnes Foundation is the Rodin Museum, features many of Rodin's most famous sculptures.

Philadelphia also has a great music scene, not only featuring a world-class orchestra, but also a thriving independent music scene. It's easy to catch a show at any of the great music venues throughout the city, such as the Union Transfer, or attend some of the giant outdoor concerts on the Parkway such as the Welcome America festival or the Made in America festival.

Monuments/Museums/Attractions:

  • Liberty Bell – It’s a bell with a crack in it.
  • Independence Hall – The Declaration of Independence was written here. Has a nice park out back.
  • National Constitution Center – Want to know about the U.S. Constitution? Here’s the place.
  • Museum of Art – Rocky ran up the steps. There’s also a Rocky statue outside. We really like Rocky. The inside is cool, too.
  • Philadelphia Zoo – It’s pretty sweet. They have tubes going all around the place that let monkeys and big cats roam around the park instead of being in cages all day.
  • The Barnes Foundation – Ridiculous amount of artwork here.
  • Rodin Museum – Largest collection of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures (discounting Paris)
  • The Franklin Institute - One of the oldest science education centers in the country
  • The Mütter Museum - Medical history museum with some pretty sweet anatomical exhibits and instruments from the 19th century
  • Please Touch Museum - Exactly as the name says. Really kid friendly.
Shopping:

  • The Gallery – Honestly, kind of shitty, but a good source for video games and clothes. Undergoing renovations soon.
  • Macy’s Center City – Both a historical landmark and a great place to shop.
  • King of Prussia Mall – I’m hesitant to put it on the list because it’s not in the city proper, but by far one of the best malls in the area hands down.
  • Jeweler’s Row – If you’re in the market for a rock for that special someone, this is the place to go. These people are really old school and professional.
Parks:

  • Dilworth Park – Recently renovated. Water park by summer, ice rink by winter.
  • Love Park – It’s got a pretty iconic sign. Also due for a redesign soon.
  • Fairmount Park – I’ve been told it’s one of the biggest city parks in the U.S.
Entertainment:


Philly from Above!


Handy dandy map.


All forms of public transit in the city are controlled and run by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA). If you buy some tokens, they’ll work for both local rail and buses.

Regional Rail:

Regional rail will take you to the suburbs of Philadelphia (The Main Line) and can also take you to South Jersey (PATCO).

Local Rail:

The Market-Frankford line (MFL or the El for short) and the Broad Street line serve as the two most frequented forms of transit within the city. The El is useful for taking you to West Philly, University City, Center City, Old City and Northern Liberties. The trolleys (green lines) complement these lines and more cars are run on these tracks, so you might get to where you’re going quicker.

Buses:

Buses serve as a supplement to local rail services. If there’s someplace trolleys, the El or the Broad Street line can’t take you, bus routes can help get you there.

Addendum:

Obviously, there are taxis that can get you from place to place that are everywhere and convenient. If you're traveling long distances within the city, however, I recommend you take Uber. It's cheaper and easier to get a ride back if you're going to someplace where taxis may not frequent.

Neighborhoods:


Neighborhoods of note:

Northern Liberties - This neighborhood has experience huge amounts of gentrification. Driven by it's easy public transit access but position on the fringe of the nicer areas of the city, this neighborhood has drawn many young people and artists over the years and has turned into a center of nightlife for the city.

Fishtown - Just to the north of the Northern Liberties neighborhood, this neighborhood has seen development spilling into it from the south. The neighborhood represents some of the greatest values of living as the rents are cheap and the spaces are large.

East Passyunk - Set along Passyunk Avenue this neighborhood is the focal point of some of the best dining that can be had in the city. Many of the countries youngest and brightest chefs are opening restaurants in this area. It's also the location of the famous Pat's and Geno's steaks. It's proximity to the historic Italian Market in south Philadelphia has only helped propel the neighborhood to popularity.

Manayunk - Manayunk is weird, but in a good way. Unlike most other very popular neighborhoods, Manayunk is very removed from the core of the city. The neighborhood is nestled along the Schuylkill river and features a main street filled with restaurants, bars and shops. It's an easy train ride from Manayunk to the center of the city, but the distance makes it feel more disconnected from the constant buzz of the city core giving it a relaxed feel.

Rittenhouse Square - Perhaps the ritziest neighborhood in the entire city. It's the center of the shopping district and surrounded by luxury high-rises. The square itself is a beautiful park that is very well maintained. A plethora of dining and shopping options make this neighborhood one of the finest in the city.

Old City - As the oldest neighborhood in the city it has incredible historic value. In Old City you can visit Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center, and many other historic landmarks. Notably it is also the center of the contemporary art scene in the city, with every first Friday signaling the beginning of new shows in the numerous art galleries throughout the neighborhood. If you are looking for boutique shopping it's also the place to be.

University City - The location of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, this neighborhood is overrun with college students. The presence of the universities has led the neighborhood to be one of the leading areas of growth in the city, to the extent that it's becoming a part of the skyline. As the neighborhoods grow so do the food and shopping options. This neighborhood is in West Philadelphia and the character of the areas surrounding the universities has a very different feel from what you get in the city core.

Fairmount/Spring Garden - This neighborhood is along the northwestern border of Center City Philadelphia. It's notable for the great access to the cultural institutions of the city, such as the museums or the intimidating Eastern State Penitentiary museum. There is also quite a good food scene in this area.

Chinatown - One of the many ethnic enclaves in the city. In recent years the influx of Asian students to the universities throughout the city has somewhat changed the character of this neighborhood, with hip new Asian themed restaurants and bars revitalizing what was once a stagnant neighborhood. It is notable that Chinatown is right next to the Philadelphia Convention Center, a massive convention center spanning several city blocks.


Feeling restless?


Government:

Philadelphia’s local government consists of a mayor, currently Michael Nutter, and a City Council, which consists of 16 seats and acts as a legislative body. Democrats have dominated city politics so much since the 1950s that one of my professors in college said that, “Republicans who run in this city are given a nice pat on the head and a token position in the administration, if they so desire it.” Having said that, elections and politics are generally interesting here as the minor differences between candidates and representatives are magnified because there is no capable opposition party. We get to choose from all flavors of Democrat.

Economy:

After the decline of American industry Philadelphia has foundered economically. The core of the Philadelphia economy has had to transform itself away from its industrial roots and find a new path upon which to thrive. The solution to the economic woes has largely been thanks to "Eds and Meds". The education and medical research sectors have consistently been some of the largest employers in Philadelphia for years. Notably, Philadelphia is the home of notorious Comcast Corporation. Comcast has been a huge driver of economic activity in the region, so while the rest of the country may have a bone to pick with them, generally Philadelphian's have a favorable outlook toward the company (just not their service). In recent years moves have been made to make the city more tax friendly, and one of the results of that is there has been a general increase of businesses moving to the city, but more importantly it's lead to a thriving startup scene.

With Philadelphia having one of the highest deep poverty rates of the major cities in the US, please call the number below if you see someone in distress.

Homeless Outreach Hotline: 215-232-1984

If you guys see someone who is homeless call that number, particularly if you see someone in distress. They may tell you to direct the individual to a shelter, but you can tell them it's absolutely necessary for them to send someone out to check on the individual.

Crime:

Killadelphia was the nickname used to describe the rampant violent crime problem in Philadelphia for many years. However, in the last 8 years the city has experienced a precipitous drop in homicide rates, with murder rates now at their lowest rate since the 1960s, and homicide down over 40% since 2007. The overall violent crime rate is falling too, with rates of decline of more than 7% for several years. Large swathes of the city once considered extremely dangerous are now considered safe. A lot of this is thanks to community and data based policing initiatives put in place by Charles Ramsey, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police. Ramsey had vast experience and success as Chief of Police in Washington DC and has instituted a system in Philadelphia that is clearly working. Smart policies from Philadelphia government have also helped, such as a policy that has decriminalized possession of marijuana in order to reduce the volume of arrests that lead to imprisonment for what is a victimless crime. In general crime in Philadelphia is becoming something less and less worrisome with each passing year, and hopefully soon the idea of Philadelphia as a city of extreme violence will be long forgotten.
_________________________________________________________________________________

This OP (largely based on my own experiences) is subject to change and I welcome any and all suggestions for material that should be linked or included in this post.

Massive thanks to AbortedWalrusFetus for helping me with this OP.
 

Dennis

Banned


There be trouble on the playground where he spent most of his days.

And so concludes my knowledge of Philly.....prior to reading the OP at least.
 

Thorakai

Member
Nice. Lived in Philly basically my entire life. About the graduate with my Masters in a month and it looks like there is a 2/3 chance I'll be sticking around.
 
Great OP esms. I'm a former Philly resident, lived there for 26 years of my life, and moved to CA. Although the move was totally worth it, I miss my home, my family, my Philly sports teams, the cheesesteaks, Tastykakes, and most importantly, the soft pretzels.
 
PhillyGAF is bestGAF. Suck it, other cities!

OH BTW I'M MOVING TO THE SUBURBS THIS SUMMER, PEACE

I love the concert venues, Union Transfer and The Trocadero are freaking amazing
 

bigkrev

Member
South Jersey here, but I work in the city. This time of year I just take Patco and then walk around a mile, but will use Septa (and I freaking HATE that it's tokens instead of a card, I always loose the damn things).

Nice OT, but I think you should add The Franklin Institute and I KNOW you should add The Mutter Museum to the list of Mueseams. Franklin Institute is a great place for kids (and adults) with tons of interactive exhibits, like a giant Heart you can run through, and the Mutter Museum is a crazy medical science museum that has all sorts of crazy things, from pieces of Albert Einsteins brain to hundreds of skulls from the Hyrtl collection.

Also, for people visiting the city- Pennsylvania has some really complicated and restrictive laws wrt selling Alcohol. Wine and Spirits can only be sold at state run stores that have regulated prices, and are closed on Holidays. 12 packs or smaller quantitys of Beer can be bought from Beer Stores (any store can apply for this licenses), but anything larger than a 12 pack/128 OZ can only be bought from Beer Distributors, which are normally drink only stores.
 

MJPIA

Member
Nice OP.
Suburbs gaf checking in.
Was at Fairmount park a month ago for the cherry blossom festival.
The Japanese house in that park is amazing.
 

jello44

Chie is the worst waifu
South Jersey here, but I work in the city. This time of year I just take Patco and then walk around a mile, but will use Septa (and I freaking HATE that it's tokens instead of a card, I always loose the damn things).

Nice OT, but I think you should add The Franklin Institute and I KNOW you should add The Mutter Museum to the list of Mueseams. Franklin Institute is a great place for kids (and adults) with tons of interactive exhibits, like a giant Heart you can run through, and the Mutter Museum is a crazy medical science museum that has all sorts of crazy things, from pieces of Albert Einsteins brain to hundreds of skulls from the Hyrtl collection.

Also, for people visiting the city- Pennsylvania has some really complicated and restrictive laws wrt selling Alcohol. Wine and Spirits can only be sold at state run stores that have regulated prices, and are closed on Holidays. 12 packs or smaller quantitys of Beer can be bought from Beer Stores (any store can apply for this licenses), but anything larger than a 12 pack/128 OZ can only be bought from Beer Distributors, which are normally drink only stores.

Lucky for you, they're changing this soon.

And yes, our liquor laws are stupid. I remember visiting Texas and seeing beer being sold in Walmart throwing me for a loop.
 

esms

Member
There be trouble on the playground where he spent most of his days.

And so concludes my knowledge of Philly.....prior to reading the OP at least.

will-smith-o.gif


Great OP. Live near a patco stop so south jersey checking in. Looking for employment so I can move into the city.

What industry do you work in/have your degree in? Pre-congrats on the move!

Nice. Lived in Philly basically my entire life. About the graduate with my Masters in a month and it looks like there is a 2/3 chance I'll be sticking around.

What school and what degree? Got any prospects?

Great OP esms. I'm a former Philly resident, lived there for 26 years of my life, and moved to CA. Although the move was totally worth it, I miss my home, my family, my Philly sports teams, the cheesesteaks, Tastykakes, and most importantly, the soft pretzels.

We won't be mad if you visit.

PhillyGAF is bestGAF. Suck it, other cities!

OH BTW I'M MOVING TO THE SUBURBS THIS SUMMER, PEACE

I love the concert venues, Union Transfer and The Trocadero are freaking amazing

Bro, how're you gonna leave the city before the Pope shuts this shit down?

Nice job OP. Queen Village checking in

Welcome, welcome!

South Jersey here, but I work in the city. This time of year I just take Patco and then walk around a mile, but will use Septa (and I freaking HATE that it's tokens instead of a card, I always loose the damn things).

Nice OT, but I think you should add The Franklin Institute and I KNOW you should add The Mutter Museum to the list of Mueseams. Franklin Institute is a great place for kids (and adults) with tons of interactive exhibits, like a giant Heart you can run through, and the Mutter Museum is a crazy medical science museum that has all sorts of crazy things, from pieces of Albert Einsteins brain to hundreds of skulls from the Hyrtl collection.

Also, for people visiting the city- Pennsylvania has some really complicated and restrictive laws wrt selling Alcohol. Wine and Spirits can only be sold at state run stores that have regulated prices, and are closed on Holidays. 12 packs or smaller quantitys of Beer can be bought from Beer Stores (any store can apply for this licenses), but anything larger than a 12 pack/128 OZ can only be bought from Beer Distributors, which are normally drink only stores.

I hear from coworkers that PATCO blows way more than SEPTA. I'll add those spots to the OP. Also, I'll edit in the thing about alcohol, as it is pretty weird.

Nice OP.
Suburbs gaf checking in.
Was at Fairmount park a month ago for the cherry blossom festival.
The Japanese house in that park is amazing.

I only learned of that spot recently. Did you go on the paid tour or just walk around?
 

jello44

Chie is the worst waifu
Oh yeah, the Please Touch Museum isn't there either. Another great place for kids.

The TLA is another great concert venue.

BTW, South Philly checkin' in.
 

sjboi

Member
South philly guy here. Love this city! The gayborhood is fantastic, and I live near two street... Anyone who hasn't been in the area for the New Year's Day Mummer's parade needs to check it out, pure insanity!
 

MJPIA

Member
I only learned of that spot recently. Did you go on the paid tour or just walk around?

Because of the large amount of people at the festival that were visiting the house they only had rushed mini tours that day.
Eventually I plan on going back and wandering.
 

RP912

Banned
Smh I'm still feeling some type of way that SEPTA raised the price. A whole lot change after I moved, especially where I used to live at in Philly.
 
Main Line next checking in, walking distance to the Strafford station on the R5.

Great OP, thanks for putting it together. We love the Philly Auto Show, go every year.
 
Because of the large amount of people at the festival that were visiting the house they only had rushed mini tours that day.
Eventually I plan on going back and wandering.

Yeah, I didn't like that it was cash only too. I may go back there one day, or just go to Japan instead. Idunno.

Sakura Sunday was pretty fun, though. Much better than recent years!

Philly really is unparalleled from a free event standpoint. Festivals and concerts all over during the summer. It's my favorite time of year.
 

bigkrev

Member
Also, as a wrestling fan, if we are talking concert venues and the ilk, 2300 Arena (AKA ECW Arena) has been renovated, and still has Pro Wrestling (Ring of Honor was there last week, CZW runs it a bunch, ect).

Lucky for you, they're changing this soon.

And yes, our liquor laws are stupid. I remember visiting Texas and seeing beer being sold in Walmart throwing me for a loop.

Oh thank god they are changing it. It's 2015 for fucks sake!

And yeah, I went on a trip to Virginia a few years ago and was shocked that you could just walk into a 7-11 and buy all the beer you would ever want.

South philly guy here. Love this city! The gayborhood is fantastic, and I live near two street... Anyone who hasn't been in the area for the New Year's Day Mummer's parade needs to check it out, pure insanity!

Gayborhood is great! It's pretty easily accessible via PATCO (12th-13th and Market stop), and has tons of great bars (I'm a fan of Woody's, and not just because it's the best name for a gay bar ever!), and is even getting permanent Rainbow crosswalks in July!
 
Great OP. Live near a patco stop so south jersey checking in. Looking for employment so I can move into the city.

BooThisMan.gif


I'm not sure how active this thread will be, I only know a handful of Philly Gaffers. Used to live in fishtown, I'm in the delco burbs now- closer to DE than Philly.

Media checking in. Philly and the surrounding suburbs are the best areas to live & the best sports town in the world.

you're walking distance from me.
 
Also, as a wrestling fan, if we are talking concert venues and the ilk, 2300 Arena (AKA ECW Arena) has been renovated, and still has Pro Wrestling (Ring of Honor was there last week, CZW runs it a bunch, ect).

Yeah, everyone should go here. Make me and my coworkers more moneymoneymoneymoney

But yeah, I'm moving up to the Bensalem/Trevose area in the summer since I work near there. I'll just take the RR down to Philly or drive down if I want to shop or do dumb stuff
 

esms

Member
Oh yeah, the Please Touch Museum isn't there either. Another great place for kids.

The TLA is another great concert venue.

Completely forgot about Please Touch. Consider it and TLA added.

Got my masters at Drexel and I live outside philly now (king of Prussia area)

About to be a Drexel alum myself. What did you get your masters in?

South philly guy here. Love this city! The gayborhood is fantastic, and I live near two street... Anyone who hasn't been in the area for the New Year's Day Mummer's parade needs to check it out, pure insanity!

Yo, you want me to add anything about the gayborhood? I really only know the bar scene (Woody's, Boxers etc).

Because of the large amount of people at the festival that were visiting the house they only had rushed mini tours that day.
Eventually I plan on going back and wandering.

Yeah, I'm more of wandering dude. It'll be a nice day out with the GF when I find the time.

Main Line next checking in, walking distance to the Strafford station on the R5.

Great OP, thanks for putting it together. We love the Philly Auto Show, go every year.

Ah shit, I missed the Philly Auto Show too.

NoLibs checking in. Moved out here little over a year ago and loving it so far.

Levittown checking in. Just outside the city.

Welcome to the party.
 

royalan

Member
South philly guy here. Love this city! The gayborhood is fantastic, and I live near two street... Anyone who hasn't been in the area for the New Year's Day Mummer's parade needs to check it out, pure insanity!

South Philly Represent!

Although, I void two street on New Year's lol

Great OT
 
If you're new to the area or just looking for things to do, Keep an eye on www.uwishunu.com.

I think the tourism office runs it, but everything that's anything going on for the week in the city (and surrounding burbs, to a far lesser extent) shows up there.
 
If you're new to the area or just looking for things to do, Keep an eye on www.uwishunu.com.

I think the tourism office runs it, but everything that's anything going on for the week in the city (and surrounding burbs, to a far lesser extent) shows up there.

This site (among a few others) honestly changed how I looked at Philly. When I first moved here, for the first few years, I was a real homebody. Then I tried to make an effort to go out and do more, and realized that if I really wanted to, I could just go out every night and find something to do in Philly or nearby. It's just too easy.
 

MJPIA

Member
Yeah, I didn't like that it was cash only too. I may go back there one day, or just go to Japan instead. Idunno.

Sakura Sunday was pretty fun, though. Much better than recent years!

Philly really is unparalleled from a free event standpoint. Festivals and concerts all over during the summer. It's my favorite time of year.

Yeah it was kinda strange seeing their cash only house tour booth sitting 10 feet away from their merchandise booth which you could use credit cards at.
At least it was only $5.

I stupidly forgot sunblock which bit me in the ass since I was there from 10 to the end since a friend was a volunteer but even then it was quite a fun event.
Karate demonstrations involving chalk bombs and soooooooo many dogs there was great.
 
This site (among a few others) honestly changed how I looked at Philly. When I first moved here, for the first few years, I was a real homebody. Then I tried to make an effort to go out and do more, and realized that if I really wanted to, I could just go out every night and find something to do in Philly or nearby. It's just too easy.

I'm an old man, so for me it was the Philadelphia Citypaper that did it. I can't reccommend THAT publication enough (although it was just sold to metro recently).

www.citypaper.net.

edit: an excerpt from "the bell curve", a regular feature:

[+1] Philadelphia ranks third on a list of the “unfriendliest” cities in America, according to a poll of the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. It’s possible the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine are just in a bad mood because they and their mothers all have syphilis and, furthermore, smell like shit all the time.

They specialize in longform and investigative journalism, and highlight a lot of what's going on in the city in terms of entertainment also. I remember picking it up for the first time during the republican convention (2000 or so?) and reading an article welcoming all of the out of town republicans, and inviting them to turn to the rather blatant prostitution advertisements in the back of the paper if they were looking for things to do around town.
 
Yeah it was kinda strange seeing their cash only house tour booth sitting 10 feet away from their merchandise booth which you could use credit cards at.
At least it was only $5.

I stupidly forgot sunblock which bit me in the ass since I was there from 10 to the end since a friend was a volunteer but even then it was quite a fun event.
Karate demonstrations involving chalk bombs and soooooooo many dogs there was great.

Eh, their loss. I got enough photo ops outside and in the festival anyway. I remember when I first came to Philly like 8 years ago where an absolutely terrible weaboo J-Pop cover band was playing, and then fast forward to now, where they got an actual (albeit small) J-Pop band to play. People got hype!

And I always love the taiko drum performances. So much fun.

I'm an old man, so for me it was the Philadelphia Citypaper that did it. I can't reccommend THAT publication enough (although it was just sold to metro recently).

www.citypaper.net.

edit: an excerpt from "the bell curve", a regular feature:

They specialize in longform and investigative journalism, and highlight a lot of what's going on in the city in terms of entertainment also. I remember picking it up for the first time during the republican convention (2000 or so?) and reading an article welcoming all of the out of town republicans, and inviting them to turn to the rather blatant prostitution advertisements in the back of the paper if they were looking for things to do around town.

I love the Citypaper. Daily News and Inquirer don't intrigue me too much, though Philly.com is pretty excellent for me in terms of news.
 

esms

Member
Psychology.

Congratulations on graduating. What's your degree in?

Thanks man. Communications/Public Relations, nothing special.

If you're new to the area or just looking for things to do, Keep an eye on www.uwishunu.com.

I think the tourism office runs it, but everything that's anything going on for the week in the city (and surrounding burbs, to a far lesser extent) shows up there.

I'm fixin to add this to the OP.
 
I love the Citypaper. Daily News and Inquirer don't intrigue me too much, though Philly.com is pretty excellent for me in terms of news.

Daily news and inquirer are owned by the same people- they aggregate the news now at Philly.com, there used to be separate websites for both in addition to philly.com, but the state of the newspapers right now is just a clusterfuck. something like 7 different owners in the past decade or something equally ridiculous.

Citypaper is good for longform and investigative stuff, and highlighting events but as a weekly its not good for breaking, national, or sports news at all. philly.com (or either of its print variants) pretty much have that on lockdown. I guess there's metro also? but as a free paper that one is REALLY light on content.

edit: there's also PhillyMag.com, the homepage of Philadelphia Magazine. Don't let the name fool you, Philadelphia Magazine is pretty much "main line today" with very tenuous links to the city itself. The website is MUCH better for some reason.

Thanks man. Communications/Public Relations, nothing special.
.

ah, that was my major, but I've never worked in the field. Good luck!
 
PhillyGAFfers, something of note coming up in a bit:

The Future Sensations Exhibit at the Eakins Oval (right outside the Philadelphia Art Museum)

FUTURE SENSATIONSMAY 30 - JUNE 06, 2015 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies, commemorates its 350th anniversary with a never-before-seen global exhibition of epic proportions, Future Sensations. The exhibit is an immersive experience with five distinct ephemeral pavilions that take visitors on a sensory journey of science, storytelling and art that celebrates the past three and a half centuries and offers glimpses into future innovations that will transform the world.

The touring exhibition makes four stops across the globe, including Shanghai, China; São Paulo, Brazil; Paris, France; and Philadelphia – the only tour stop in North America and home of Saint-Gobain’s domestic headquarters.

Admission to Future Sensations is FREE to the public. Food and beverages are available for purchase from on-site food trucks and at the beer garden.

tldr; a really goddamn cool art exhibit is going up outside the Art Museum on May 30th. It's up for a week. It's free. There's beer gardens right outside of it. Go to it. Be merry.
 

The Llama

Member
University City represent! Lived in PA for almost my entire life, and almost entirely in the city and suburbs.

Took my parents to Frankford Hall recently, which was an interesting experience (since they'd never been).

Oo nice a thread dedicated to Philly people. Wonder how many people actually live in Philadelphia and not the places like Abington and warminster lol

I may or may not have grown up in one of those places haha (but live in the city now).
 

TheTurboFD

Member
Oo nice a thread dedicated to Philly people. Wonder how many people actually live in Philadelphia and not the places like Abington and warminster lol
 

andthebeatgoeson

Junior Member
Ok, I'll concede, it's a good op. In terms of safety, it's vastly improved where I felt comfortable walking the city, at all goes off the night. Center city is great for the young. Lots of good night life experiences and a diverse restaurant scene.

The people love food and the restaurants live up to expectations.
 

esms

Member
No Lorenzo's? Foh, op. I'll give you one point for not saying Pat's or Geno's but deduct 5 points on Lorenzo's.

You know what's fucked up? In 5 years I've never been Lorenzo's. I'll add it in.

Lived there for a few years when I was young. It got me hooked on the Flyers.

Might be moving back in a year or so for school.

Which schools are you looking at?

Drexel alumnus and food truck gourmand

go suburbs

Welcome.


Funky. I'll have to check it out.

University City represent! Lived in PA for almost my entire life, and almost entirely in the city and suburbs.

Welcome. I'm currently in University City as well, but will be moving to North Philly once I graduate. I'll miss the college fuckery of this neighborhood.

Ok, I'll concede, it's a good op. In terms of safety, it's vastly improved where I felt comfortable walking the city, at all goes off the night. Center city is great for the young. Lots of good night life experiences and a diverse restaurant scene.

Many a night I've stumbled home and never felt scared. It's got that going for it.
 
Hope I can make it back up there before the end of the year. Need to pay Penns Landing a visit.

Go to the Spruce Street Harbor Park, too! Opens up on Friday. Floating garden with lights at night. Beer gardens and food stands from Federal Donuts and others. Just fun to wander around for a while.
 

RP912

Banned
Go to the Spruce Street Harbor Park, too! Opens up on Friday. Floating garden with lights at night. Beer gardens and food stands from Federal Donuts and others. Just fun to wander around for a while.

I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to try to wander around downtown and see what's new. Last time I came up there, it was just to see my family in West Philly. Didn't have much time to roam around :/
 
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