Rounding out my trip back East, I made a visit to Philadelphia, a city that I have always disliked. I haven't been back for ten years, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really liked it this time.
The weather had just turned crisp from humid and I got a preview of my favorite season, fall. Philly was great and I had to admit to my sister that she was right, I would really love it if she showed me around.
Our first stop was Reading Terminal Market, and I never wanted to leave. I had to have a Philly Cheese steak from Rick's and then walk around and drool at all the food. They have everything you could imagine - bakeries, fresh flowers, produce, crafts, seafood, and every ethnic food is represented. There is even a blog filled with stories and photos. It is ten times better than the Farmer's Market in Los Angeles. We then walked around the city and visited the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, saw a fabulous fine arts show at Rittenhouse Square, Market Street, Penn's Landing, Society Hill, the Liberty Bell and a fabulous four story Anthropologie store, that made me so jealous I don't live in Philadelphia. I didn't get to the museum, but I hope to in the future, now that I am no longer Philly adverse.
Why did you dislike Philadelphia before?
I'm surprised to hear that you liked it now, as compared to the Rendell years... as John Street has done everything short of inserting land mines into the sidewalks to make the city as dangerous as humanly possible.
The murder rate has skyrocketed in Philly in the last year... it's like Beruit.
Posted by: a. | September 27, 2007 at 10:52 PM