[howard_roark]

Bruiser -

Race Street is not a bad location – your apartment should be on the riverfront, a mile from Center City and very close to many of the museums & art scene, if it fancies you. You will have a good access to freeways and SEPTA stations. Also you will be very close to Amtrak if you plan to do frequent getaway to NYC.

The concerns - you may be right on the edge of a freeway (noise) & depending on your location you may have the view of a railway yard. Also just like any other parts of Philly downtown, you have to be a bit cautious – especially during late nights. If you are planning on staying there for more than six months, then it may be a good idea to get a car.

During my last visit few months back: I really enjoyed the jazz at Zanzibar Blues (on Broad Street), had a fabulous time at an afghan restaurant Kabul (on Chestnut) – a very trendy place to throw parties.

Hope this helps.

[bruiser]

thanks so much. all this info's really helpful, especially since i'm leaving within a week or so. yes, Race St is north of Center City and close to the museums, which I am fairly keen on. And ya, I am next to a railway yard and the jogging track next to the river, so I am expecting it will be fairly busy during the day, but quiet at night.

The apartments are supposed to be quite nice, but I've heard some weird 'shared utilities' billing policy which would mean larger bills, I presume. I need to check that out. No, I won't be working, just following the boyfriend, so I'm also looking for places to explore within Philly itself. cheesesteak is going to be one of the first things i try!

applefan is the trolley linked to almost everything? is it expensive?

What is good shopping? it's become an important concern of mine, unfortunately...

[tex]

shopping eh? you're going to the right place. philly has become a 2nd shopping stop for new yorkers. i was there int he summer and had a very enjoyable day walking around (i think) 3rd, 4th, streets. actually elle decor did a nice little piece on where to go in philly, this was a year ago, and that's what i used. anyway, some nice home grown, funky businesses with clothes, home stuff, jewllery etc. oh, whole foods will be very near you and if you don't know it already, prepare to be impressed. it is chock full of good for you foods and even better, has excellent freshly made stuff everyday.

shopping out of center city:
king of prussia mall has all major brands in a nicely kept mall. franklin mills is an outlet mall 20 min into the burbs, its hit or miss but seems to draw new jerseyans in droves.

[bruiser]

Yes! that is what i am hoping to check out immediately - whole foods. Another one of my friends told me I'd be near Trader Joe's as well, which is supposed to be happy and friendly and everything you look for in a market.

Need to know about farmers markets as well? are they common in Philly? I used to love hanging around them in LA.

And please don't be annoyed by the next question. What are the neighbourhoods to avoid? I have several friends from the East Coast who keep telling me Philadelphia is crime-ridden but they can't get any more specific - they don't really know the place, I guess!

[Submariner]

Well, in terms of crime, we did feel more unsafe in Philly than we did in LA. This had to less to do with the crime rate and more to do with geography. Unlike LA which has more clearly defined "unsafe" neighborhoods, Philly's unsavory areas are scattered throughout the city. For example, one block might seem perfectly safe while the very next block might be sketchy. Alot of this has to do with the number of lights, shops, and pedestrians. Generally speaking, north Philly and west Philly are poorer neighborhoods. West Philly only gets sketchy after 40th-45th street, a few blocks west of UPenn/Wharton. From Upenn to Center City, the main streets are pretty safe as there are always many students walking to/from the campus and their apartments in Center City. The area around 30th Street Station is actually ok now. You have a few new apartment buildings in the area and alot of students in the vicinity as well (mostly Drexel, I believe).

As others mentioned, Race Street is off of the more traveled routes like Walnut, Chestnut, and Market. We had a few friends who lived at 2323, and they mentioned that they did need to be alert walking to and from the building.

In terms of markets, we went to the Reading market which is mostly indoors and lacks the feeling of a western Farmer's market (the one's we're used to were at 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica). The Italian Market also has some great deals on meat and other foodstuffs, and you might even call it a cultural experience to go walking there.

Just be prepared for a big change if you're coming from the west coast. It didn't occur to me while I was there, but looking back, Philly now seems like a third world city. (Go to the Italian Market or Walmart and you'll know what I mean). You should always be alert and aware of your surroundings, much more so than in LA or HK. That said, we did enjoy our time in Philly and do miss it. Franklin Mills and King of Prussia are great, but also try to take advantage of the restaurant scene. Philly probably as the highest concentration of great restaurants than any other city in the US, though they can get a bit pricey. Want to share your reason for the move? It might make a difference in terms of your options and opportunities.

[bruiser]

Well, Dorothy is about to leave... I have just about a day left in HK before I fly off to Philadelphia and discover what everyone has said is all about! Pretty excited actually. Thanks so much. I'm not moving from the West Coast although that's the area I'm most familiar with save New York. Just from HK, so Philadelphia is just the city with the shootings (today) and Rocky and UPenn etc etc. Will definitely try the Italian Market and the Reading Terminal. I once stayed above it at the Hilton Garden Inn and remember it being kind of burgery scented. All I smelt was meat!

Anyway, you have friends in 2323? Care to refer some of them to me? Keen to hear more! But taking your advice about keeping the eyes open when walking home... hmm. can't wait to see what it's all about anyway!