Hello Readers!
My name is Lydia and I am a 21-year-old from Maryland, and a senior at the University of Delaware.
You may ask...why is this girl blogging about a Pennsylvania city if she resides below the Mason-Dixon line? How does she know Philly and what does she even know about it? Also, how is she even old enough to know? How does she manage to explore and "devour" Philly as a full-time college student?
Well, my friend, Philadelphia holds a special place in my heart, which is how this blog came about. I began blogging for my school newspaper, The Review, about national events and affairs: www.star-spangledbanter.blogspot.com
I do find U.S. (and international) news to be extremely important. However, I thought in between covering campus issues, reading and blogging about national news, and international news, and my journalism of genocide class, ...well I thought maybe I could take a breather and write about something else near and dear to me, on a lighter note.
So here we are. Lydia's Guide to "Devouring Philly." From restaurants to shopping, museums to night life, I will cover who's who and how to for all ages. Well, from teenagers to college students to young adults so forth.
I do, in fact, know Philly pretty well, especially for someone who never actually lived there. As a kid, I spent a lot of time growing up in a New Jersey suburb just outside Philly by the name of Collingswood. This is where my aunt, uncle and two cousins lived. One cousin, Jennifer, was older than me by a few months, close enough for us to become best friends and remain best friends until this very day. We spent many weekends making trips into the city. Finding the best restaurants in China Town, the Italian Market, Little Italy, Society Hill, Market Street and everything else in between. We learned the places to find great deals and the places where you're most definitely getting ripped off. We found beautiful murals and art and side streets, the most quaint duplexes and small townhouses. We frequented the museums and saw some of the most amazing exhibits (my number one stands out as Salvador Dali during my senior year in high school).
I am now fully able to circumnavigate the city on my own. Without a GPS! And the one thing after all these years that I've noticed about this city...it's that while you can feel comfortable, familiar and at home, you also NEVER run out of new places to eat, stores to shop at or places to go. It's not all Philly Cheesesteaks....this city is FILLED with hidden gems and it is now my job to help get you to them.
So read on, I'll try to keep this updated as often as possible. If you're looking for a great cup of Joe, the best pastrami on rye, the best slice, the perfect boutique for new shoes or a dress, or an art gallery to browse - come here for some help. If you have any specific questions, post them on here! I'll do my best to answer them fully so that you too can devour Philly.
One of my favorite spots is Vietnam Restaurant on 11th Street. It's great for appetizers (get the spring rolls with mint and pickled radish) and noodles, though the duck is amazing as is most everything on the menu. The only problem is that you have to order your entire meal at once. This means that just as you're finishing your appetizer the soup comes out and then when you're half way through that, well, you're dinner is appearing on the table. But don't let this dissuade you from trying it.
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