Having lived in the Philadelphia area since 1988 (when my family so rudely yanked me out of my homeland and dragged me kicking and screaming off to the U.S.), I thought I had developed an appreciation for city living. I was, of course, flat wrong, given that I had been in a sleepy, backwater suburb for most of that time. Only since I began seeing the woman who would turn out to be my wife (how'd that happen?) have I developed a greater appreciation for Philadelphia as a city. It helped that she lived in South Philadelphia, right on one of the main thoroughfares, and that her apartment was a 20 minute walk away from the bus over from New Jersey (where I was living at the time). It also helped that I was living in my... oh, fine, I was living in my parents' basement, and I had a good amount of disposable income. Sigh. The embarrassment. She didn't seem to mind, though.

My point is that I didn't really get to know Philadelphia all that well until I got married and moved into South Philadelphia. The past three years have been a great experience, getting to know the city in a number of ways. Forget about the history, as I only do the historical stuff with visitors when they come to town. My main interest in Philadelphia is in the nightlife--the restaurants, bars, films, cultural events, bars, hotels, bars, bars. What follows is an all-too brief summary of some of my favorite things to do in Philadelphia.

Eating
The Greater Philadelphia area has a ridiculous number of places to eat, in almost any food category you can think of. My all time favorite restaurant in town is Tequila's, which I just managed to get onto the Epinions database to review (check it out here). But beyond that, there are some absolutely brilliant little gems scattered throughout the various neighborhoods of town. In Old City (ask at the tourist information for neighborhood info) you can find almost any ethnic restaurant you'd like, from Afghan (Kabul Restaurant) to Irish (The Plough and Stars) to French-Japanese-Thai (yes, all three, at Le Champignon). There is also an interesting place called the City Tavern, which features waitstaff dressed in period costumes from early in Philadelphia's history. I have only ever had drinks there, but it's a different kind of atmosphere, and worth a look.

South Philly (or Sou'philly) was put on the map briefly when Sylvester Stallone made Rocky back in the late 1970s. It's a great deal of fun for me to watch that film nowadays, now that I recognize a few of the places he visits. My favorite restaurants in this section are Mama Maria's, Pesto, Franco & Luigi's, and Criniti, all Italian. Oh, South Philly is, or used to be anyway, an Italian neighborhood, so the proliferation of authentic Italian restaurants isn't too surprising here.

Center City is where most of the really fancy places are. The five-star restaurant in town is Georges Perrier's Le Bec Fin which I only got the cash up to visit once (put aside $400 for a good meal for two here). Other restaurants in this area that might be worth a look are Tequila's (of course), Circa, Sotto Varalli, Fado's Irish Pub, and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Ruth's Chris is also quite expensive, but I had the best filet mignon I have ever tasted there.

If I went on by neighborhood, the list would grow ridiculous. What with University City, Manayunk, and the suburbs, the number of worthwhile restaurants begins to grow exponentially. I'll stop here, though.

Hotels
Every few months, my wife and I tire of apartment living, and head off into town to stay at a hotel for a night or two. It's a good way to keep the city fresh, and a nice change of pace for a while. Loews Center City Hotel is located in the old P.S.F.S. building (who knows what that stood for?), and is a twenty-something story building just east of City Hall. If you go, try to get rooms in the top five floors, the ones you need to use your keycard in the elevator to get to. That way you can jaunt up to the boardrooms on the top floors late at night when no one's there, and... um... look at the view (ahem). Seriously, it's fun up there.

Rittenhouse B&B is located on Rittenhouse Street, just off of Rittenhouse Square. You can see where the name came from. This is a small, boutique B&B, with a different design motif for each suite. In the evenings, they serve chocolates and wine in the lobby, as a means of fostering conversation between the guests. My wife and I spent a Valentine's Day night here, and absolutely loved it. It is well worth a visit. The jacuzzi tub was especially enjoyable. The place is located ideally for visits to the theaters and concert halls in Center City.

We have visited a few other places, and there are certainly great hotels we have not experienced. Check out the Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, and the Rittenhouse (if you've got the cash). The Westin, the Latham, and the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square are other fine establishments.

Culture
Philadelphia has a great many cultural attractions. Just north-west of Center City is the Art Museum, the Franklin Institute, the Rodin Museum, Eastern State Penitentiary, and Fairmount Park. In Center City itself is the Academy of Music (for operas), the Kimmel Center (a newly constructed monument to the arts, with space for the Philadelphia Orchestra and more), the Wilma, Walnut Street, Plays & Players, and Forrest Theaters, for almost any kind of theater production you could wish for, and City Hall itself, which is of significant historical and architectural interest. Admittedly, I haven't been to nearly all of these places, but they are destinations I would point to if you're in town for a week. There are a great many other small theaters in town as well, a lot of whom do really great work, and shouldn't be overlooked.

In Old City, you have all the historical stuff. I know I said I wouldn't touch it, but I should at least mention the fact that Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, and Franklin Square are all in the same general area down near the Delaware River. Oh, and while you're near the Delaware, check out the...

Nightlife
I don't really go in for clubs, but if you want them, they're here baby. Down on Delaware Avenue (or Columbus Blvd.--it seems to be called both nowadays), you can get five or six clubs in a six-block area. Check out Egypt, Dave & Buster's, Rock Lobster, and more down here.

For movies, if you're in an artsy mood, look for the Ritz Theaters. There are three or four of them scattered around Old City, and they cater to the independent film fans. If you're tired of the crappy blockbusters, look these places up.

By the way, one of the best times my wife and I had this year was at the Philadelphia Film Festival. In two weeks, we saw between 25 and 30 films each, and attended four after-parties at various places around town. The education in international film was just fantastic, and some real gems stick in my mind from that time. The Japanese film-makers came out ahead this year, with The Eye, Dark Waters, Ping Pong, and Aiki, all of which were brilliant films in their own way. Look for these at your local rental place, if you're lucky enough to have an artsy one.

I Have To Finish Now...
Dang, I'm running out of space. Not really, but I'm sure I'm wearing down your patience with this semi-endless review. So what to finish with? I hope I've piqued your interest a bit concerning my current hometown. Philadelphia is well worth a visit. Like any major metropolitan area, forget about driving it, 'cause parking can be horrendous (not as bad as NYC, but still bad). There's plenty to do within a two mile radius of City Hall, and cabs are never far off. No matter what your preference in a vacation spot, Philadelphia can deliver it.

Don't like cities? Drive an hour out of town to get to Lancaster County, and the Amish experience. Drive two hours out of town to get to the Pocono Mountains. Philadelphia is a great place to live, and a great place to visit. It's well worth a weekend trip, and easily worth a week-long stay. The City of Brotherly Love may not always overwhelm with welcome and camaraderie, but you'll certainly find something here to love.


This has been my humble contribution to proxam's My Hometown Write-Off. Surf on over to his profile page for more info, and for the other participants.



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