Philadelphia, PA

Since starting this little blog, I've been reading more and more about the city walkability index or Walk Score. Devised by angel investors (red flag #1) and a think tank, the site and their products (e.g. apps) helps you (you meaning you and me, and real estate agents -- red flag #2) find a walkable place to live based on their Walk Score, Transit Score, and Bike Score. After clicking on every hyperlink (even those small wayward ones), their mission to "promote more walkable neighborhoods" seems less of a priority than their vision, "for every property listing to read: Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Walk Score: 84" (red flag #3). Three red flags and I am officially skeptical. This thing can't be that accurate when their real schtick is selling their product to real estate agents and firms, can it??

It can and it is. Borderline scary accurate. By the time I entered my fourth previous address, my exclamations were starting to sound like the Pixies (4th stanza, last line) yet again. Don't you hate it when technology makes your life slightly better? But what is better when it comes to where you live? If you lived in a city where you could walk a few blocks for your daily errands, yet had to squeeze yourself in a mass transit sardine can twice a day Monday through Friday, would that be better than the city where you walked everywhere most of the time, including times in snow, rain, heat, or the gloom of night*? My cousin and her husband prefer the latter, "You're supposed to walk in a city. Not spend half of your time and day underground in a subway!" Both of them lived in New York City before moving to Philadelphia. And separately, both of them told me, "Philadelphia is a real city. Not New York City."

Real Independence Hall

Fake Independence Hall

On the other hand though, would a "real" city compel you to google "Does Philadelphia have a subway" after your visit? No lie. We saw all the historical sites (ever wonder why our founding fathers were potbellied? they barely moved from one meeting place to another), an outstanding art museum, plus a cool ass old prison without setting foot on a subway. Great when it's spring or summer, not so great when Eastern State Penitentiary looks like its gingerbread replica from above (hence the dumbphone camera pictures and the lack of them).

Al Capone's cell (he had the works)

John Doe's prison cell

The oddest thing for this cold-blooded human, however? My memories aren't of me freezing, they're of me living. Like eating and drinking, and having fun -- pursuing happiness! A warm cup of soup or a hot toddy was never far, and there was always time for one. Which brings me to the another aspect of what defines a city, time. It's a strange conundrum that people love cities for their 24/7 appeal, yet those who live in cities will cry how there's never enough time in a day. Maybe my company influenced how my time was spent ease in Philadelphia, or maybe not. Over 200 restaurants in the city are BYOB with no corking fee; lending one to fulfill their inalienable right into the wee hours of the night. (My lame nod to Philly's famous bard, Edgar Allen Poe.)

* Trivia of the Day: the original quote is from Herodotus, not USPS.

Length of Stay

Two long weekend stays (yes, both times in the dead of winter)

Docking Index

      

Seven anchors. In all honesty, my cousin and her husband had a car -- doesn't that defeat the purpose of living in a city? So as much as I loved Philadelphia, I still have to find and test this mysterious subway system. Also, I don't know what people are talking about when they say Philadelphians are rude. Everyone was super nice. That's not to say they've never experienced it as long time residents...