-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
PhillyGAF |OT|
- Thread starter esms
- Start date
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
They have a few dim sum dishes, but it's far from traditional dim sum, you are right. My chinese wife and in-laws loved it by the way.
Also, yeah, Ocean Harbor is pretty bad all things considered, but I think it's cleaner and better than Joy Tsin Lau. I won't set foot in the place. We went in once and left because it was too gross.
Dim sum garden? It is traditional, pretty standard Shanghai stuff. Things like xiaolongbao and glutinous rice dumplings are not canto dishes
Usually when people say dim sum (canto term), they're talking about canto yum cha
Just arrived at Nom Wah
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Yeah, it's got a few traditional dim sum dishes. Ha gow, siu mai, and a handful of others. None of my favorites, but they do have them. It just doesn't have a lot.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
The cheong fan is a little too soft but there was a lot of meat tucked inside.
The shrimp/veggie fried dumplings are good, fresh greens inside
edit: quality bolay too
How is their pei gyun or whatever it's called? The wrinkly bean curd stuffed noodles. It's my favorite dish by far in dim sum.
Did you watch me order
Very good and well stuffed too
ngau yuk mai also tasty and not heavy on fillers
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Nice. I'll have to take my in-laws there. Nom Wah has been in NYC for years but they decided to branch out to Philly recently. Seems like it's going to be one of the best dim sum places. I take it you are Chinese? My wife's family is Toisanese on her mom's side, and from Hong Kong on her dad's side. My problem is all of the Chinese words I learn are all Toisanese so if I ever use them people who speak Cantonese look at me like I'm just a crazy white guy.
The place is pretty small compared to your typical dim sum place, so going during peak weekend hours might be a bad idea.
Very clean place, chairs are kinda tiny for larger people tho
Im whitey and fluent in all languages of food love
except cuisines I dont like
Can I get a male maid?
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Actually, out of morbid curiosity I went to their facebook page and they did indeed have a butler.
No, I mean in the dress.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
If you want that just stand at 13th and Walnut at midnight on a Friday.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Roots Picnic schedule.
Sold out already though.
BronsonLee
Member
We must stop maid cafes at all costs
why
What is this fuckery.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Eh, I'd rather nerdy teens/young adults had an outlet for their hobby than not in the end. At least these kids aren't getting into trouble.
BronsonLee
Member
Emperor_EL
Member
I wonder if they say "Moe Moe Kyun Kyun" & "Oishii Kunare" after bringing someone a Cheesesteak?
Bay Maximus
Banned
Well I'll have to commute out to the Reading area but my fiancee with have to go to Philadelphia daily for school so we're kind of being pulled at both ends. I've heard the traffic sucks going to the city but heading out to the burbs isn't as harsh which why I'm considering either living really close to the city or on the northwest part of the city.
We will be saving for a house so I'd like to keep rent and utilities under 1800/m but I'd be flexible for the perfect space.
Manmademan
Member
Traffic sucks in either direction. there's no real way around it. If your fiancee is going to school in the city, I'm guessing that's either penn, drexel, or temple so you're pretty much taking 76 in and out. BOTH directions are horrendous during peak times.
I would probably suggest getting a place in king of prussia, somewhere near 422. Have your fiancee take regional rail into the city (a drive to the closest station is only a few minutes, I believe) and you can drive into reading in about 45 minutes, maybe an hour depending on traffic.
shouldn't be an issue staying under that budget either, but it's been a long time since I've looked for rentals.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Check out Phoenixville or Collegeville. It's 45mins or so to Reading and close to the main line train stations.
Manmademan
Member
these are also good ideas
fluffydelusions
Member
So first time at Delasandros...well damn...that was a good cheese steak
totipotent.cell
Member
Awesome timing for this thread!
I'm hoping resident Philadelphians can share some insight. My family (wife and a 3yo daughter) will be relocating to Philadelphia this fall. Wife will be working at University City and I will be at Center City (TJU to be exact). We're currently debating where to purchase a home.
As someone alluded to earlier in the thread, main line burbs have been driven into our thought process as the place to live (due to school districts) but we're having second thoughts, largely due to the commute (I hear traffic can be horrendous) and because my little one won't be attending school for another couple of years. As close proximity to our work is the most attractive criteria, we are considering purchasing somewhere near TJU (i.e. Rittenhouse Sq, Washington Square West, Society Hill).
Our max budget is ~500K for a 2Br/2Ba (or1.5ba) and based on Trulia/Zillow, this looks like this is too low for Rittenhouse Sq and only tiny unattractive places look to be in our price range in other areas I mentioned. Have home prices in these areas always been this high? Am I not looking in the right places? Our price range also appears too low for a place in main line burbs with reasonable commute time such as Lower Merion. Are there other locations I missed in my search that fit our bill?
Also, is it really safe to live in Center City area such as Washington Square West? Trulia crime/safety ratings seems to indicate pockets of high crime rates, particularly around city hall and TJU, which are areas I thought to be safe.
Any input would be much appreciated!
I'm hoping resident Philadelphians can share some insight. My family (wife and a 3yo daughter) will be relocating to Philadelphia this fall. Wife will be working at University City and I will be at Center City (TJU to be exact). We're currently debating where to purchase a home.
As someone alluded to earlier in the thread, main line burbs have been driven into our thought process as the place to live (due to school districts) but we're having second thoughts, largely due to the commute (I hear traffic can be horrendous) and because my little one won't be attending school for another couple of years. As close proximity to our work is the most attractive criteria, we are considering purchasing somewhere near TJU (i.e. Rittenhouse Sq, Washington Square West, Society Hill).
Our max budget is ~500K for a 2Br/2Ba (or1.5ba) and based on Trulia/Zillow, this looks like this is too low for Rittenhouse Sq and only tiny unattractive places look to be in our price range in other areas I mentioned. Have home prices in these areas always been this high? Am I not looking in the right places? Our price range also appears too low for a place in main line burbs with reasonable commute time such as Lower Merion. Are there other locations I missed in my search that fit our bill?
Also, is it really safe to live in Center City area such as Washington Square West? Trulia crime/safety ratings seems to indicate pockets of high crime rates, particularly around city hall and TJU, which are areas I thought to be safe.
Any input would be much appreciated!
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Real estate development is like a weird hobby of mine, so I'll be able to help you out thoroughly.
Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square West are going to be pricey. Ideally I think you should be able to get 1400-1500 sq feet in the right neighborhood with a $500k budget. To put it in perspective I have a 1700sqft house with offstreet parking for $265k. You seem a little intimidated by the crime, maybe unjustifiably so, so I'll try to steer you away from edgy neighborhoods. I will say that the entirety of the area from South of Girard Ave to North of Washington Ave and between the rivers is relatively safe, with a few exception areas. You also have options like Chestnut Hill or Manayunk that are safe and affordable but would be larger commutes for you.
Now the other factor here is the schools. There are actually a few very good schools in the Center City region which may be possible to get your kid in. If they are a factor concentrate your search around Penn Alexander School in University City, McCall Elementary in Washington Square West, and Meredith School in Society Hill/Queen Village. Obviously they are more expensive neighborhoods. If schools ARE a big issue for you in the remotest sense I am going to encourage you to rent first rather than buy. That way you can see how your kid is doing at a school for a year or two and still have the flexibility to move. Keep in mind there are also some very good charters and some magnet schools which your kid may be able to get into. Obviously you'll want to do your due diligence and check out the schools, but I don't know that Trulia/Zillow rank schools entirely accurately.
Now, in terms of location, you two are going to want to look for something within a 10 minute walk of either the BSL or the MFL subway lines. Both TJU and Penn are super easy, half hour commutes at max from almost anywhere in Center City via the subway lines. That actually gives you a lot of flexibility and less reliance on a car to save some costs and make dealing with parking much more pleasant.
All that said, if you want a single family home, and not a condo, all you're going to find in your price range are tiny Trinity Homes in your price range. Going with a condo isn't as bad in the city as it is in the suburbs because the HoAs are usually 2-3 units. All you have to do is make sure the HoA rules aren't obscene and basically let you do whatever you want. I live in a condo and have never had a problem with the HoA, but it's only three of us in the association.
Based on all of that I am going to recommend the following neighborhoods to you. University City (in Penn Alexander cachement), Society Hill, Queen Village (north side only), Washington Square West, Rittenhouse Square, Logan Square, Spring Garden, Graduate Hospital and Northern Liberties. If you want nice neighborhoods slightly further from transit check out Fairmount or Fitler Square. Just a cursory glance at Society Hill shows me that you can find some 1000-1500sqft 2b/2ba houses pretty easily. That's an easy walk to TJU and an easy commute to Penn.
A final note on safety. As I said before pretty much anywhere in CC is safe. Vine Street to South Street is almost completely safe. It's still a city and you still have to use street smarts obviously. If you park on the street be careful to lock your car and not leave any valuables visible in the car. If you're walking late at night after dark keep your wits about you and stay in well lit areas and off side streets. Try to be home before bars let out. I've lived in the city for years and I've basically only had one single incident of crime when a car was broken into. Random violent crime is nearly unheard of honestly. You're not going to get beat up or murdered. At worst you could get mugged or your house broken in to, but breakins are fairly rare, and your homeowners insurance will cover all of that. You'll be fine, don't be intimidated by the safety aspect. Stay out of North Philly, most of West Philly, and one weird pocket southwest of center city. For your convenience here is a link to a map that shows crime hotspots. It's a few years old, but as a resident I find it very accurate. Also know that the city has gotten much safer in recent years. Homicides are at a 50 year low. Violent crime is down sharply.
Everything above is true. Rittenhouse and wash west probably sound good from an outsider cause they are the most prominent areas. But you'll never get anything for sub $800 and even then it's a fixer upper. I found west of broad to be really loud and to many bars. Development is finally going over Washington at this point. I think spring garden is the young couples area.
Don't get fooled by Kensington, it has a ton of stuff going on and is really cheap for the size of house. And is booming with development but I think it's still a war zone.
if at all possible I would say rent in rittenhouse for a month or two before you buy. Going to neighborhoods at night is super important and it's good to understand the area.
I just bought around passunk ave, I was around $180 for a three bed. It's pretty much all old people and families. If I wasn't right on the 48 bus I think I would depressed by the distance.
Don't get fooled by Kensington, it has a ton of stuff going on and is really cheap for the size of house. And is booming with development but I think it's still a war zone.
if at all possible I would say rent in rittenhouse for a month or two before you buy. Going to neighborhoods at night is super important and it's good to understand the area.
I just bought around passunk ave, I was around $180 for a three bed. It's pretty much all old people and families. If I wasn't right on the 48 bus I think I would depressed by the distance.
It was all in philly, Winthrop bank is the walcovia bank on broad street. Inside lobby is still the same. The area in back is the Christmas scene.
the other stuff is the union league across the street with orcastra club mixed in.
Always thought the panting spot was in city hall?
Captain Tuttle
Member
I think the closest train station to Collegeville is Lansdale, it's about twenty minutes or so depending on where you are. King of Prussia, Wayne or Devon would be better bets I think, really close to the R5 and good access to 422 and that would likely be an opposite commute for you. Phoenixville is a cool little place but the closest train stations are Paoli and Norristown, probably 15 minutes each.
Conshohocken might be good too, train station and Google Maps says it's 50 minutes or so from Reading but it would likely be longer, traffic is terrible in that area
totipotent.cell
Member
Thank you both for thoughtful and informative replies!
It appears Queens Village/Society Hill are nice alternatives within the city and Chestnut Hill/Manayunk for suburbs. As we were beginning to entertain the idea of living in the city, I was getting greedy and hoping to find a place where I can walk to TJU. I guess this isn't likely unless I get lucky or find a place at the northwestern end of Society Hill.
As for safety, you are correct in that I am very concerned about it. It's ironic given that I grew up in Queens NY before the heavy gentrification that came with Rudy Giuliani and have experienced firsthand all sorts of crime. Having a sheltered wife and a toddler daughter has turned me into a neurotic paranoiac about their safety as a head of the family.
The suggestion about getting a sense of the neighborhood at night is a good one. I am in biomedical research and the need to go into the lab at odd hours or to go back later at night will arise frequently. If I am fortunate to find a place within walking distance, even if it's a bit of a hike, I would be nice to do so in an area I feel relatively safe.
Thanks again and I will keep you guys posted in my search!
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
I grew up in Berks county and drive back frequently. The drive on 422 at rush hour is hell, and if he's any further east I don't recommend it. Phoenixville puts him past the major trouble spots like the Audubon exit, but still is an easy drive to the train station. All said the places you mentioned are way better for getting in the city and nicer areas but less in the middle.
Ace Harding
Member
YES! A PhilaGAF OT! I have been waiting for this day for many years. I could cry.
There are a decent amount of us here so looking forward to some good recommendations and hot Philly tips (and happy to share my own).
Thanks OP!
I would strongly, strongly encourage you to visit schools before you buy somewhere. The District is in really sorry shape now and things have deteriorated to a degree even in some of the better elementary schools like Meredith. Talk to parents and principals if you can.
And definitely come check out Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy! Yeah it's a little commute but there are two train lines that take you right into town and there's lots of green out here.
There are a decent amount of us here so looking forward to some good recommendations and hot Philly tips (and happy to share my own).
Thanks OP!
I was going to respond and then I ready AbortedWalrusFetus' excellent post and he said everything I was going to say and more. This guy knows what he's talking about.
I would strongly, strongly encourage you to visit schools before you buy somewhere. The District is in really sorry shape now and things have deteriorated to a degree even in some of the better elementary schools like Meredith. Talk to parents and principals if you can.
And definitely come check out Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy! Yeah it's a little commute but there are two train lines that take you right into town and there's lots of green out here.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Manmademan
Member
not really much to add to what AWF said, all of that is really informative- with one exception.
many of the people living out in the main line and surrounding suburbs that work in the city don't drive in, but take regional rail.
unlike the subway, the regional rail lines are quite comfortable and rarely late. You may want to look at housing in close proximity to one of the RR lines. 500K will get you something palatial within a half hour train ride, easily.
Also, it's hard to overstate just how much schools are a mess in the city right now- and this will not be fixed anytime soon. There are some good ones here and there, but many of those have waiting lists and other nonsense attached to them. Just about everyone I know with the means to leave is doing so as soon as their children are of school age.
totipotent.cell
Member
Thank you both for your input! We will definitely heed your advice and do our due diligence on schools.
In this regard, we are also thinking of private schools as an option (if other options don't pan out). The thinking is that since we will be paying close to $20K/year for full day daycare for my girl, combined with property tax appearing to be much lower in the city relative to main line burbs (especially if we get a place with tax abatement), why not continue to pay(perhaps a bit more) for private school?
Do you guys see a flaw in this line of reasoning? My cursory search revealed that there are a few options with reasonable tuition rates that fit our budget but vast majority appear to be catholic schools. This is also without knowing what the actual property taxes are like in the suburbs (including Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, etc.)
As for commuting to the city, you are absolutely right about taking the public transit making more sense. However, my wife is really against replying on public transit other than very short commutes (her commute now is~1.5 hrs). She is also reluctant to expose our daughter to public transit since she wants the daycare to be very close to one of our work. All these preconditions have made this home search harder than it should be.....ughhh.
Thanks again for all the input!
Ace Harding
Member
No I see no flaw in this reasoning. There are some good catholic elementary schools out there. If you can swing $20-25k for elementary school you basically have your choice of the best private schools (non-Catholic) in the area. just know that it hits 30-35k for high school.
I take a train into work. My daycare is walkable from my house. My commute is 40 minutes including walking. That's actually shorter than it was when I lived in Society Hill.
Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy are in the City proper FYI. So the property tax rates are the same as they are closer to downtown. They are generally higher in the counties outside the City.
Manmademan
Member
property tax can vary depending on where you are- but wage tax will be higher if you live and work within the city, as opposed to just living outside of the city and commuting in. You'll likely have to do the math to see how much you'll ACTUALLY be paying in taxes- but keep in mind that as I said earlier in the thread that property tax rates across the entire state are in the process of being completely overhauled for the current budget year. Nothing you see currently is going to be correct re: property taxes in a couple of months.
as to your second point- in this area you're wasting your money on private school. The philly suburbs area is home to several very, very, VERY good public school systems:
Pittsburgh Business Journal regularly ranks PA's school districts (there are 500 of these) yearly.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2015/04/10/chester-county-district-ranks-no-1-in-pennsylvania.html
in the immediate area, you have:
Chadds Ford-Unionville SD (chester county) at #1
Radnor School District (delaware county) at #2
Lower Merion SD (Montgomery) at #6
Tredyeffrin-Easttown SD (Chester County) at #7
Wallingford-Swarthmore SD (Delaware County) at #9
Rose Tree-Media SD (Delaware County) at #11
Central Bucks (Bucks County) at #12
on top of that, US news puts out a yearly ranking that shows you where these schools place nationally-
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/pennsylvania/rankings?int=c0b4c1
That list is high schools only, but DOES include magnet and charter schools, and should give you an idea of how good the district is. These districts absolutely smoke any private school you can think of, without costing you 20K per year. Virtually no one that lives in these areas sends their kids to private schools for anything other than religious reasons.
As to your wife's concerns about public transportation, regional rail isn't the subway. it's just professionals going about their business in the morning and afternoons. I suggest taking it before writing it off.
BronsonLee
Member
Coming back to Philly from Hawaii tonight. Anybody been to the cool art exhibit at Eakins Oval yet? Should I go at night or during the day?
Manmademan
Member
ah, I knew there was something I meant to do this weekend. totally slipped my mind
Damerman
Member
Well im not that versed in how their models work. I do know that the awesometown model was too expensive for me and my siblings to even get a down payment. We were looking for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom set up. I forget the model. But it was just around 300,000k.
hah, grew up in wallingford, but yes, delaware county has some great schools. it's not just chester county. and yes, regional rail is on weekday commutes is pretty much suburb people going to and coming back from work, then on weekends it's mostly families or students going to down there.
SolidSnakeUS
Member
Woot, CB East and West being up there 
.
.Manmademan
Member
I bought a house in Wallingford, after I did the research. Not only that, but after my sister got a chance to see the neighborhood she took her kids OUT of the 20K a year private school she had them in and just bought a house a mile down the road from me.
My brother is in the process of selling his place and doing the same thing. Dumping money into private school doesn't really make any sense. Just move to one of the highly ranked districts if you have that much capital to throw around.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
I think his point was that if he was living in the city private school was an option. He's right about that, but forget catholic school and check out friends select/quaker schools.
I'd rather spend $20k to send my kid to private school than live in a suburb.