Need advice (Philadelphia, King of Prussia, California: sale, lofts, co-op)

[PaigeMarcus]

I am relocating to Philadelphia from Los Angeles... In March maybe.

Please tell me a bit about the culture of Philadelphia.

Does anyone know of any artists / loft communities.

How is the Downtown scene?

Thank you so much!

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by PaigeMarcus

I am relocating to Philadelphia from Los Angeles... In March maybe.

Don't wear your Lakers jersey around town. Just kidding. (Sorta.)

Please tell me a bit about the culture of Philadelphia.

Compared to stereotypically laid-back California, Philadelphians will seem more abrupt and standoffish. But if you hang in and frequent the same places long enough, eventually you'll become like "family".

Does anyone know of any artists / loft communities.

Old City has numerous art galleries and lofts. Rents will seem less expensive by LA standards but are among the highest in the city.

There is also an "official" Loft District bounded roughly by 11th and 13th Streets heading west and Spring Garden and Vine Streets heading south.

How is the Downtown scene?

The neighborhoods of Center City (what we call "downtown") are as vibrant as ever. The vast majority of nightlife and culture in the city is here, unlike the multiple hotspots in the LA metro. As a result, other surrounding neighborhoods (e.g. Northern Liberties, Fishtown, University City, Bella Vista, Queen Village, Passyunk Square) have been strengthened or revitalized. Center City's restaurant scene is well renowned although the area could be said to be lacking in upscale retail chains. If you miss South Coast Plaza, you'll want to head out to the King of Prussia Court and Plaza, arguably the largest mall complex in the country.

Manayunk, located in NW Philly, has become popular with those looking for a varied nightlife but want to be closer to work out in the 'burbs. There are lots of other nicer places to live in the city, of course, but I think I've summed up most of the options in or close to popular nightlife.

[Clark Park]

If you are an artist, you will be happy to discover that Philly is a very "artsy" city.

Our art museums are first rate and some of the finest in North America: The Pennsylvania Academy Of Fine Art (PAFA), the Philadelphia Museum Of Art, the Rodin Museum, the Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology), etc.

The small art galleries tend to cluster in "Olde City" near Independence Hall and there is a thing called "First Fridays" (1st Friday evening of each month) when all these galleries are open 5PM to 9PM and have wine and cheese and you stroll around visiting these art gallery "open houses" ... some artists display their works on the sidewalks as well. It's rather festive.

Although not everyone likes them, buildings all over town are covered by murals by the Mural Arts Project. Philly has more than any other city in the world ... over 3,300 at last count.

Our Art Museum:



The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art:

[PaigeMarcus]

lol that is funny! No lakers jersey... I was just looking at all my purple stuff.... awwwwwh. But thank you for the reply and Im ecstatic to hear that it is an artsy town.

[PaigeMarcus]

OH wow... these pictures are gorgeous! I am so amazed with the architecture and structure. Thank you for showing me.

[newmarlig]

I don't think Laker's jerseys cause problems. It's not like the 76ers are competitive with them. Now, any jersey from any NY team, or Dallas is a different story.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

I don't think Laker's jerseys cause problems. It's not like the 76ers are competitive with them. Now, any jersey from any NY team, or Dallas is a different story.

LOL I was (half-)joking about the Lakers jersey. Most natives under 30 may not be familiar with the "bitterness" that Magic, Kobe* and Shaq ingrained in us from the finals clashes over the years.

(*Kobe's "offense" started at Lower Merion High School when he chose to take pop singer Brandy to the prom. But that's another story...)

[a75206]

Philly's arts scene is quite deep and wide and goes beyond just Old City and the Art Museum and the PAFA (nation's oldest art school and museum, btw).

Here are some news articles that highlight some of the things:

Philadelphia - Community in Competition: Philly's Design Industry Grows Up

Philadelphia - Spectacle: Creative Entrepreneurs of Philly

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/ar.../28philly.html

I had sought out Fluxspace at the beginning of Day 2 of a thoroughly idiosyncratic personal art tour (with some good eating woven in) of a city that has emerged, especially over the last decade, as a lively and unpredictable place to see new art.


There is a particularly Philadelphian brand of hardy, low-budget, do-it-yourself, do-it-for-love creativeness evident in art and art spaces across the city. It is a climate that, as new as it sometimes feels, has been embodied and nurtured for decades by organizations like two I included on my itinerary: the Fabric Workshop and Museum, founded in 1977 as a way to combine world-class artistic collaborations with community outreach and education, and the Mural Arts Program, which grew out of the city’s anti-graffiti efforts and has worked with neighborhood residents and artists for 25 years to create more than 2,800 towering murals on walls throughout the city.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/ar...lagrafika.html

Art Review | 'Philagrafika 2010'
What Is Printmaking Today? Philadelphia Dares to Ask



And this one's a bit dated, but you can get a good idea of Philly from a big city outsider's perspective...and it's only gotten way way better since 2005...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/fa.../14PHILLY.html

[a75206]

Ohhh and don't forget the brand new for 2011: Philadelphia International Festival for the Arts (PIFA). It is going to be a city-wide multi-media arts centric even during the month of April. Hopefully you will move here before then so you can check it out.

PIFA

Here's more info on the event:

The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) Is Coming April 2011; Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow, Oct. 7, With Special PIFA Truck Tour | Uwishunu - Philadelphia Blog About Things to Do, Events, Restaurants, Food, Nightlife and More

[Padugan]

Originally Posted by PaigeMarcus

I am relocating to Philadelphia from Los Angeles... In March maybe.

Please tell me a bit about the culture of Philadelphia.

Does anyone know of any artists / loft communities.

How is the Downtown scene?

Thank you so much!

there is an artist co-op Near Northern Liberties, I can't remember the name, i'll re post if I can find the info. there is another one on Arch St. in China Town both are studio spaces but I think the one near northern liberties may have living accommodations too.

Most of the art scene can be figured out by checking out these two sites:

InLiquid.org The Philadelphia Art & Design Network / Resource a Philadelphia based nonprofit organization (http://www.inliquid.com/index.frame.html - broken link)

2010 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe