CREDIT: Visit Philly
If you read my blog regularly, then you know I have a special place in my heart for the city of Philadelphia. It shaped me into the person I am today. I went to undergrad and grad school in Philly and fell in love. A few weeks ago I was back on my old stomping grounds and took a small trip to Reading Terminal to buy some amish donuts to binge on for the day. As I drove past Walnut street, I remembered all the solo shopping trips I took here and how I learned to be independent and that hanging out by myself is ok. I started tearing up as I slowly drove (Philly traffic, gotta love it) past new restaurants and shops and I couldn’t help feeling a little bit of FOMO. I always knew Philly had the potential to be an amazing city, not that it wasn’t already, but I wanted others to see the city how I saw it. To this day I believe that Philly is the most underrated city for foodies. I remember saving up all my cash during college and waiting for that one special week, Restaurant Week, where upscale restaurants would have $35 prix fixe menus. My friend Marlene and I would make list of all the places we would hit up. Every Jose Garces and Steven Starr restaurant was always on top of the list. I still dream of the meal I had on Amada on my birthday. Even the cheap food was noteworthy from Lorenzo’s pizza to the Greek Lady. Six years into my living in Philly I had eaten at almost every restaurant in the city! Now that I see all these amazing new places popping up in the city, I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out a little.
By the time I hit Rittenhouse Square I was at a full sob. So many memories of leaving the lab (Biochem major here) to have a picnic and go people watching, rare but memorable awkward dates at the Rittenhouse restaurants, and saying to my friends when I make money I’m going to live here. Here I am a San Franciscan, still wanting to go back to my little city of Philly. Here are some of the things I love/miss about Philly:
1. Driving down 76 and hitting Boathouse Row and the city skyline at night. I can’t help but feel like I’m finally home. The city just hugs and surrounds you out of nowhere with bright lights and beautifuls views of the art museum and Schuykill River.
Credit: Philadelphia Living
2. Philly is a city with a small and homey feel to it. You can have a house with a driveway and backyard and still be in the city! Each area of Philly has a distinct culture and look to it, making it such a fun place to explore. South Street, University City, Olde City, Northern Liberties- none of them are like the other.
3. The food- I started blogging in Philly as PhillyFoodGirl. It inspired and and introduced to me amazing chefs and food products. The sole reason I ever even went to classes on Thursdays was because I knew at the end of the day I could treat myself with a whoopie pie from the Amish Farmer’s Market in Clark Park. Before going to Philly, I hardly ever ate out since my family never really went to restaurants. I started exploring other cuisines, my best friend introduced me to sushi and I learned how to use chopsticks in Philly. I was in my early 20s so I took advantage of my fast metabolism and stuffed my face with immense amounts of pizza, amish donuts (don’t get me started on these…life changing), pasta, gyros from Greek Lady and fries from Ishkabibles. Oh and tubs of water ice and ice cream from the Franklin Fountain. Philadelphia pretzels were apart of my daily diet because they were cheap and filling- the ideal meal for a broke college student. Philly is truly a food lover’s destination.
Credit: Philadelphia Wikipedia
4. History. When I was bored in Philly, I would hit up all the historical sites I could find. Locals tend to ignore all the “touristy” historical destinations, but I embraced them. I found hidden gems like the first surgical theater in Pennsylvania Hospital and the Chemical Heritage Foundation. For a history buff like me, it was paradise.
Credit: SomeECards
5. Confidence and independence. Philly locals have a honey badger-like attitudes. They don’t care what you think of them, they do what they like with confidence. I learned how to be assertive with my thoughts and my driving. 
You do you Philly 
Now onto the good part. I did a mini road trip from my home in North Jersey to Philadelphia and stopped at a few cute gift shops in between. I’m a sucker for good stationery and cute scrapbooking supplies so I picked up a few items that I’m going to be giving away!
Enter Below to win a craft giveaway worth $50+! Giveaway ends midnight 9/15/2014. (Open to residents of the 48 contiguous states only)
61 Responses
I now live 30 minutes from Philly, in the western burbs. We don’t get there often but this post certainly makes me want to!
Do it– you won’t regret it!
Yes! I am trying to make a jewelry holder out of a picture back bulletin board by screwing in hooks to the cloth.
Ohh sounds like fun! Thanks for entering!
I will start making my Christmas cards soon
I have to leave a comment about Philly first. While I never went to school in Philly (UPenn was always my dream but it fell), my father had surgery there. I live about 2 hours away, so it was really my first time there. While my father was in the hospital room recovering for two days, I explored the city with nothing but a GPS map on my phone and my mother trailing behind me. I had just gotten out of a horrible breakup about a month before where my ex cheated on me while my mother was battling cancer.
I would walk aimlessly for hours around the city with no idea where I was going, only to find myself so incredibly independent and proud of myself. It was in Philly where I cried in a corner and felt incredibly free and myself for once.
My friend just moved there to get her grad and doctoral degree, and she told me I could come sleepover on weekends. While I haven’t had the chance to go down and bother her yet… I’m so beyond excited. Philly always and forever will warm my heart.
I completely can empathize. I’ve cried many nights in Philly. The Philly lover in wants to say 1) screw your ex, 2. screw cancer 3. you do you girl! VIsit Philly soon- sometimes it’s nice to revisit the place that made you just a little bit stronger.
I’m planning on re-upholstering my dining room chairs.
Ohh that sounds hard! I’ve always wanted to try but I always felt like I might not be skilled enough. Thanks for entering!
I am making chalkboard banners. Thanks for the giveaway.
Chalkboard anything is fun to make! Thanks for entering 🙂
I want to build a new chicken coop!
whoa! Is that hard? Sounds like fun!
Right now college has me too stressed so instead finding a project is my project 😀
Manic Pinterest stalking is a project on its own! Good luck!
I really want to strip and repaint a chest:) ALSO, I live in philly and I love it!
Cherish it…love it…eat everything there haha! Thanks for entering!
I have all the parts to make a skate ramp I’ve been planning to build for a while, now I just have to put it together.
that’s badass! You must be super skilled because that sounds difficult!
I would love to try this drink holder made from a pumpkin for future fall partys 😀
I ready to start making and painting Christmas ornaments. I miss Philly. I lived there a lifetime ago(40 yrs. ago). I’m ouyt of Twitter follows and don’t do Instagram so I didn’t get many entries.
No worries! Glad you entered!
I’m just learning how to make jewelry (:
What kind of jewelry? That sounds like fun!
Right now I’m learning to sew and going to make fabric placemats.
I need to learn how to sew–not that skilled just yet! Good luck!
I have so many diy projects…I’m working on my entire pinterest page little by little
Ah! it’s the best crossing things off a list. thanks for entering!
I need to put shelves in my craft room closet so that I can be better organized.
I am going to make some pillows out of cloth place mats.
Always do! I like to buy old wood furniture and refinish/paint/fix it! (:
I am making Halloween cards. I am also making the costumes for both my husband and myself. We are going as Batman and Batwomen. That’s a new one!!
LOVE these goodies!! I am making some really cute decorations for my little man’s birthday party!!
🙂
We need to completely gut our kitchen and put in a new one. Lucky for me, the boyfriend is very handy.
I plan on making most of the Christmas gifts I will be giving this year. It varies from person to person. I like to make them personal and thoughtful.
Halloween decorations (:
Yes, I’m getting ready to redo the extra bedroom — strip wall paper and then I’m going to do stenciling on the walls.
I’m hoping to finish up sewing a skirt I started this summer and packed away while we moved. First, though, I need to unpack my sewing machine!
My DIY is finishing a homemade play kitchen for my son’s b-day.
I need to start making some Christmas decorations and headbands for my daughter.
I don’t have any DIY projects coming up.
I am going to chalk paint the tops of some jars and start scrapbooking for our new granddaughter.
My next DYI project is to learn to hem my pants! Not very exciting but necessary! *LOL* kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
I want to organize my kitchen cupboards and put new doors on them.
I am in the process of upcycling an old toy bin into a planter, turning a very large canvas into a chalboard/photo collage, and decorating for fall!
right now i am doing a diy kitchen update complete with cabinet liners and things like that.
Thank you cards for a wedding is my future project.
I’m getting ready to start on Christmas gifts and redoing our kitchen floor.
I’ve been doing a ton of upgrades in my rental house the last month! That’s a TON of DIY lol
Nothing currently planned, I need inspo!
i want to redo my game room- install new flooring myself
Working on making my best friend’s bday cake extra glam 😉
i am redoing our bedroom set
I want to sand and repaint my sewing cabinet and an armoire to makeover my sewing room
My Mom and I have a DIY project to refinish a few furniture pieces…we need all the good vibes we can get.
I’m working on Christmas ornaments
Our current DIY project is reworking the landscaping in our front yard. Transplanting flowers that are over-crowded, chainsawing out a dead bush, pulling up old mulch and redoing it all….before the snow flies. :-/
I would like to work on a kid’s hallway. I want to put chalkboard paint in one section and frames for artwork in another. I would love to paint it a nice bold color as well. Thank you!
Yes, I’m making little books for my grandsons as well as some hand made developmental toys.