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Ha, you're funny. I spent 4 years of college, not far from you, on the Main line. I think I have some knowledge about Philadelphia. I know of and I think I've been to all of your random neighborhoods in Philly.....
Center City, however nice it is, is fairly small in the grand scheme of things. Its like a neighborhood in Manhattan, however in Philly it is basically THE one and only neighborhood.
If you have been to Chestnut Hill , West Mt Airy,Manayunk,Bella Vista,East Falls,City Line Ave,Spruce HIll as you proclaim, then how on Gods green earth are you arguing that Center City is the only decent neighborhood in Philadelphia?
You are either lying about having been in those neighborhoods or your standards are irrationally "off the charts" high.
Yes, overall the city has seen better days and the once great ethnic working class hoods have taken a dramatic turn for the worse, but Philadelphia is still so much more than the picture you are trying to paint- A decent downtown surrounded by urban decay. Thats simply not the case.
Those solid to excellent middle upper middle class neighborhoods I mentioned in the first post probably total 75- 80 Sq miles(the approximate size of Boston and SF)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mead
Yes Philly has a lot going on for it, but I'm sorry. So long as NYC is 2 hours away, Philly will always play second fiddle to NYC. That is how it has been for the past 200 years. In economic terms I think DC probably has an even better market, especially for a field like law, than does Philadelphia.
Who cares, except an apparent pompous windbag, if Philadlephia will always play second fiddle to NYC? I personally could care less. I was simply trying to give a straightforward point of view from a person from metro Philly. Although NYC and DC are great areas we aren't kneeling down at altar here . Hate to break your heart but DC and NYC simply are not in the conciousness of people outside those respective cities. NYC/DC right or wrong never ever get mentioned by the people of metro Philadelphia or the media of Philadlephia.
Just north of downtown and with easy access to the center city by public transit or the Schuylkill Expressway, this urban suburb is famous for its cobblestone streets, stately colonial-style townhouses and upscale restaurants and cafes. The populace is mostly comprised of affluent families who work in downtown Philadelphia. The large houses here often have five or six bedrooms and cost from $600,000 to $2 million and up, depending on the location.
Yes I've been to I believe all of the neighborhoods you've mentioned, except perhaps East Falls. Nice areas, but nothing to write home about. With Chestnut Hill, that area is so far out. You might as well live out in the burbs, as you would probably be closer to Center City.
Bella Vista is nice, been there a bunch of times. South Street is always interesting. The whole Chestnut Hill/West Mt. Airy/Manayunk/Roxborough area is nice, but is far removed from Center City. Isn't Spruce Hill just an extension of University City?
Don't get me wrong Philly is a nice place. I spent 4 years there and really enjoyed every minute of it. However I think you just enjoying hyping your local city.
Plus you didn't even answer my question. If you love Philly so much, what are you doing out on the Main line??? Villanova/Lower Merion, while nice, is not Philadelphia.
However I think you just enjoying hyping your local city.
I dont enjoy hyping my local area, but I did feel the need to defend Philadelphia from some inaccuracies and this myth(from a NYer no less) that the best thing Philly has going for it is its proximity to NYC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mead
Yeah location wise Philly wins, but how often are you actually going to go visit NYC or DC? Maybe a couple of times a year?.......
Philly is nice, but only a few small sections are decent......
I dont enjoy hyping my local area, but I did feel the need to defend Philadelphia from some inaccuracies and this myth(from a NYer no less) that the best thing Philly has going for it is its proximity to NYC.
That's strange. The Chamber of Commerce here in Scranton says that our proximity to NYC is the best thing we have going for us! LOL! Can someone say "inferiority complex?"
RainRock, try not to be so defensive about Philadelphia. While I concur that there's many nice things about the city, the number of cop slayings there as of late has a lot of city dwellers on edge. If these "gangsta thugs" have no respect even for the police, then who can stop them? President Bush? Whoopi Goldberg? Madonna? The one flaw that you provided about neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill, Center City, Manayunk, Roxborough, etc. is that these are all areas exclusively for the upper-middle-class. If you're a blue-collar average working Joe type of person, these stellar neighborhoods are out of your reach.
Our family loves to visit Philadelphia for all of the great things it has to offer, but we dare not stray from the heavily-traveled areas. With a murder a day, I don't like the thought that I could very well become a statistic. What good are great neighborhoods if they are only available to the well-to-do?
Our family loves to visit Philadelphia for all of the great things it has to offer, but we dare not stray from the heavily-traveled areas. With a murder a day, I don't like the thought that I could very well become a statistic. What good are great neighborhoods if they are only available to the well-to-do?
Honestly, isn't that the case for every nice, well-kept urban neighborhood for practially every city in this country? Cities, in general, are more and more becoming economically stratified into either those that are affluent or those living in poverty. After living in DC and visiting Baltimore, New York, and Boston on multiple occasions, I can honestly say that Philly is the only major city in the Northeast that still has solid evidence of a strong middle class. So, to answer your question, no: you do not have to be a millionaire to live in a desirable neighborhood in Philly, as compared to higher costs of living in other cities on the East Coast. An upscale neighborhood is another story, however. Even then, one may attain the same posh lifestyle in Philly as in New York for a fraction of the price:
Thus, rainrock is right to defend Philadelphia against the claim that its proximity to NYC is its only selling point. Sure, New York will always be this nation's number one city. I don't think anyone's contesting that -- c'mon it's New York. However, make no mistake: Philadelphia definitely has own identity and does not define itself as being "close to New York." It no doubt is among the top contenders for large metropolitan areas with the best quality-of-life. The proximity to New York is a perk. Sorry to contribute to this thread getting off topic from turning into New York vs. Philly as opposed to Chicago vs. Philly, but I felt the need to add another perspective.
I personally like cities that separate themselves from the rest of the world. This is why I love NYC and Chicago. Sure, these cities are the representatives of "Corporate America," but they still have this "I don't care" attitude to them.
Philly is more dependent than New York and Chicago.
So personally I would go with Chicago because 1) It's safer. 2) It's more diverse. 3) It's more independent. 4) It's more impressive. 5) It has a better nightlife. 6) You have a better chance at having a WHITE CHRISTMAS! Can't beat that.
The real estate prices don't differ much, if they do at all. Chicago will give you more for your money.
I think everyone should be nicer to Rainrock. Personally I haven't been to NY or DC in about 5 years. They are both great cities but there is plenty to do in Philly.
I have never been to Chicago but I think Philly is probably a bit more expensive... nowhere near NY, Boston, or San Fran tho. One thing to consider is Philly has a lot of neighborhoods of people who have lived there forever... not so many transplants. Not sure if that would bother you or not.
A couple of sure bets-- you will have cold and miserable weather, great food, and an obsession with sports in either place.
A friend of mine, a native New Yorker, recently moved back to Philadelphia
(where he had attended grad. school) after living many years in Chicago. He mainly went back to be closer to family. He's had some interesting observations. Philadelphia feels like a much smaller city to him. He lives
in Society Hill and can walk everywhere. He finds more of a "food culture"
in the old European style of street markets etc. He finds the summers
much hotter and uncomfortable...and it stinks with all the refineries. He also hardly rides his bike or runs anymore...getting to the one big park is not so convenient. Downtown shopping has been a disappointment after Chicago. He is oppressed by all the homeless everywhere and the place
is relatively dirty. He has taken a number of trips to great East Coast
destinations but finds the fares are expensive and not always convenient.
I've only visited once. I had a new-comers facsination but the place
still looked old, run down and a bit outmoded to me. The new architecture
(with a few exceptions) was mediocre. The historic areas around In-
dependence Hall had an unfinished quality...the "mall" had wide
expanses of trampled grass and saplings rather than full growth trees. The waterfronts are totally unremarkable until you get past the Art
Museum, which is a quite a hike. Benjamin Franklin Parkway was the only
part of the city that looked world class. Rittenback Square (sp?) was
also a beautiful spot. The city hall is monstrous. The small streets
lined with almost identical rowhouses had a charm but became monotonous after a while.
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Can someone say "inferiority complex?" 
What good are great neighborhoods if they are only available to the well-to-do?
However, make no mistake: Philadelphia definitely has own identity and does not define itself as being "close to New York." It no doubt is among the top contenders for large metropolitan areas with the best quality-of-life. The proximity to New York is a perk. 
Philadelphia Impressions
