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When you called Philly a classic example of an American city, though, you've done what another poster has done, which is to equate an east coast city with a city. Another way to state that is that any city that isn't like the ones on the east coast is just not a city.
I think the northeast wins big in narrow-mindedness and dogmatism.
Huh? I think you are the one that is narrow-minded, considering you haven't even been to Philadelphia. The definition of a city has been consistent for hundreds and hundreds of years. Travel to Europe, Asia, South America, Northeast United States and a city is a city: Dense, vibrant, established, with a sense of tradition and history. You live in a Post-Automobile, strip-mall loving, watered-down version of a city (not that there's anything wrong with that). Not many cities will be able to compete with Philadelphia. IMO it is the classic American city.
Rainrock, no, I've been to both downtowns. San Jose demolishes Philly downtown because Dt San Jose is so beautiful and convenient. The action is in Dt San Jose, not like Philly on S. Street. Dt. Philly is patch work while Dt. San Jose is a complete package. There's no first run movie theater in Dt. Philly, No arena, No new library/city hall, no new or updated science museum, no or updated museum of art, no transit mall/pedestrian wall way and no nothin' in Dt. Philly. San Jose, on the other hand, everything has been added or updated. Check out the really nice new Safeway store at the base of Tower 88 condo. I can go and on and on. You'll have to visit San Jose before Philly can even think about competing San Jose. However, you smoke Dt. Phoenix, and that's easy. San Jose:NO WAY!!!!!!!!
I stated San Jose far surpasses Philadelphia and just about every other area for iconic scenery.
My point was , and I apologize if I mistyped, the average resident of MSA Philly lives in a more hospitable natural landscape.
The mountains surrounding San Jose are nice to look at but probably most of it is intrusive to live upon. The Ocean and Bay being nearby is magnificient for .00001 of your population that are blessed to be able to live next to.
Meanwhile Philadlephia MSA landscape is comprised of pleasantly livable rolling hills, valleys, forests, rivers and streams.
Thanks for posting fantastic photos of Philly [the city I actually voted for] but how you arrive at the statement that Philadelphia somehow has a "more hospitable natural landscape" is never justified with any logic or explanation. Crowded and a bit grimy in the inner core doesn't seem particularly "hospitable" OTOH San Jose is more spread out so there is space between houses that includes gardens and a climate that allows year-round gardening. That seems "hospitable" to me; plus mountains to comfortably hike\ bike in year-round.
Thanks for posting fantastic photos of Philly [the city I actually voted for] but how you arrive at the statement that Philadelphia somehow has a "more hospitable natural landscape" is never justified with any logic or explanation. Crowded and a bit grimy in the inner core doesn't seem particularly "hospitable" OTOH San Jose is more spread out so there is space between houses that includes gardens and a climate that allows year-round gardening. That seems "hospitable" to me; plus mountains to comfortably hike\ bike in year-round.
Year round gardening? What are you, a gardnerer?
This is City-Data, not Better Homes & Garden fansite. It seems whenever there is a [insert California city] vs another city, your entire defensene of the CA city revolves around plants, flowers, gardening, grass, milk & honey, fresh mangos, farming and hills. Is there anything else you care about? Entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts?
Surely San Jose has more going for it than vegetation..(it does!)
This is City-Data, not Better Homes & Garden fansite. It seems whenever there is a [insert California city] vs another city, your entire defensene of the CA city revolves around plants, flowers, gardening, grass, milk & honey, fresh mangos, farming and hills. Is there anything else you care about? Entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts?
Surely San Jose has more going for it than vegetation..(it does!)
Well CA has by far IMHO the best produce and growing season in the U.S. ...And produce there is directly tied to the fresh/local gourmet food culture that permeates the Bay Area.
A lot of urban people in Bay Area have gardens, it is pretty common. Come to think of it, everybody I know out there that is not directly in SF has a garden, and a few of them do too.
If it is a natural scenery competition I'm not sure any other major metro would win vs the Bay Area and what is around there to be honest. It is truly impressive.
I like a lot of other things in Chicago better than out there, but produce/weather/scenery are major downgrades.
This is City-Data, not Better Homes & Garden fansite. It seems whenever there is a [insert California city] vs another city, your entire defensene of the CA city revolves around plants, flowers, gardening, grass, milk & honey, fresh mangos, farming and hills. Is there anything else you care about? Entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts?
Surely San Jose has more going for it than vegetation..(it does!)
Gee, you sound a little defensive; does it have something to do with the frigid snowstorm barreling down on New York this weekend? In case you didn't read rainrock comments about Philly having a "more hospitable natural landscape" I wanted to provide examples of what many would consider real hospitality ala mother nature. It is in the 60's in San Jose today; about 30 degrees warmer than Philadelphia which is typically the difference during winter. So people in San Jose are likely enjoying lots of outdoor time this weekend. Even if doing indoor things is "your thing" one still has to go outside to take transportation to all that "entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts", right? In Philly that means putting on extra layers of clothing and if a person is taking public transportation than it means feeling very cold and anxious for the warm bus or train to come soon. In San Jose, people are probably in shirt sleeves and flip flops as they walk down the street to do the exact same things you list. So there's the difference, and I honestly think most people would prefer the temperature and sun of San Jose over the rain and current temp of 38 in Philly.
I stated San Jose far surpasses Philadelphia and just about every other area for iconic scenery.
My point was , and I apologize if I mistyped, the average resident of MSA Philly lives in a more hospitable natural landscape.
The mountains surrounding San Jose are nice to look at but probably most of it is intrusive to live upon. The Ocean and Bay being nearby is magnificient for .00001 of your population that are blessed to be able to live next to.
Meanwhile Philadlephia MSA landscape is comprised of pleasantly livable rolling hills, valleys, forests, rivers and streams.
Hrrm... I'm not familiar enough with the housing stock in MSA of San Jose to comment, but I know in North Bay/East Bay there are plenty of houses built on the sides of mountains.
People definitely live up in the hills in SJ. A lot of hill sides are very developed, obviously not the extreme slopes, but all of the foothills are developed.
so people in San Jose are likely enjoying lots of outdoor time this weekend. Even if doing indoor things is "your thing" one still has to go outside to take transportation to all that "entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts", right?
Oh Californio, I have a driver idling outside my apartmet (waiting to take me to one of those glamorous "only in New York" events later on tonight that you'll probably read about in magazines tomorrow), so no need to worry about my personal comfort.
Have fun gardening
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OTOH San Jose is more spread out so there is space between houses that includes gardens and a climate that allows year-round gardening. That seems "hospitable" to me; plus mountains to comfortably hike\ bike in year-round.
In case you didn't read rainrock comments about Philly having a "more hospitable natural landscape" I wanted to provide examples of what many would consider real hospitality ala mother nature. It is in the 60's in San Jose today; about 30 degrees warmer than Philadelphia which is typically the difference during winter. So people in San Jose are likely enjoying lots of outdoor time this weekend. Even if doing indoor things is "your thing" one still has to go outside to take transportation to all that "entertainment, culture, food, shopping, nightlife, the arts", right? In Philly that means putting on extra layers of clothing and if a person is taking public transportation than it means feeling very cold and anxious for the warm bus or train to come soon. In San Jose, people are probably in shirt sleeves and flip flops as they walk down the street to do the exact same things you list. So there's the difference, and I honestly think most people would prefer the temperature and sun of San Jose over the rain and current temp of 38 in Philly.
), so no need to worry about my personal comfort.
