How scared should I be to live in Philly?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

In Maine, the people are not rude or unfriendly. I would never characterize them that way. But they are extremely standoffish and weary of anyone "from away", as they call it. What does "from away" mean? It means that you're not from that area. And by "not from", they mean you can't trace your roots in the area prior to 1800.

The horrible elitist in me sort of respects that. People in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts all have that quality. The difference is people in Massachusetts are:

A) Overly obnoxious about it or
B) Arrived in 1962 and feel the need to prove how local they are. Which means they will punch you.

The thing that INSTANTLY turns me off about any city is arrogance. Which is why Boston, for instance, probably tops my list as the last place on earth I would ever live. Not to mention the wonderful climate and reasonable cost of living.

And great traffic. And wonderful race relations.

Seriously, Boston is awful. Just awful.

Philly- exceedingly blue collar, nothing to be arrogant about.

I think Philly is Boston with a slightly better climate and nicer residents. It has all the culture and history you could possibly want in a city without beating you over the head with it. It also has better food. And it doesn't make you a) drive to Foxboro or b) try to park near Fenway to make you watch a sporting event. Seriously, everyone should go to a baseball game at Fenway once. It will make you realize that you never want to go to a baseball game at Fenway again.

Did I mention that Boston is awful?

New York- knows they are the greatest city in the world, nothing to be arrogant about

True. And I've never really met a "rude" New Yorker - outside of a few just off the boat merchants. The average New Yorker is obnoxious, but not rude. There is a subtle difference.

Pittsburgh - again, blue collar

Pittsburgh, secretly, has more "old money" than any place in the US outside of New York and Boston. This means you get a relaxed, blue-collar city like Milwaukee except with world class arts and schools and hospitals. The problem Pittsburgh has is that it's never figured out how to market itself to the hipsters who want to live in Boston or New York after graduation.

Baltimore - yuppies are creeping up from DC and ruining the vibe, but traditional baltimorians are very 'what you see is what you get'.

The issue with Baltimore is that there are only about 20 square blocks that are not ridiculously touristy, embarassingly yuppiefied, or like something out of "The Wire." If you can find one those neighborhoods, it's the greatest place on earth. The bad sections in Baltimore are unusual in that it's so easy to accidently wonder into them. Take a wrong turn leaving the Inner Harbor and you feel like your life is at risk. That doesn't happen in DC or NYC.

I've always wanted to go to a Philly game wearing Union garb and a Skins jersey. Wonder if you'd get beer dumped on you or not? How many nervous breakdowns do you think that sight would cause?

Combine it with an anti-Terrel Owens hat. People would probably just walk away from you in utter confusion.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

I think Philly is Boston with a slightly better climate and nicer residents. It has all the culture and history you could possibly want in a city without beating you over the head with it. It also has better food. And it doesn't make you a) drive to Foxboro or b) try to park near Fenway to make you watch a sporting event. Seriously, everyone should go to a baseball game at Fenway once. It will make you realize that you never want to go to a baseball game at Fenway again.

Damn, really? I went to a game at Fenway and I found it to be the best baseball experience of my life...I've been to Nats games and Orioles games growing up but nothing topped that. You could tell the people really loved that team. I honestly dont see what you and zoony see. I loved every bit of the city and would move there given the chance.

When I was in Maine, I stayed in Kennekbunk...I never got the feeling I was unwanted no matter where I went since I wasnt local. I went to a shop down by the wharf in Portland and one of the people working in a shop gave me some free stuff because he said it was going to go bad anyways, might as well give it to someone who would use it.

I went off the beaten path to a lobster restaurant in Bailey Island...the only real way to get there without driving a long ass time is by boat. It was a local hangout for sure. Never once felt a standoffish vibe. We were chatting it up with a lobster fisher who had just brought in his catch to sell to the restaurant. Down to earth.

Maybe you two just come off as *******s?

[zoony]

The horrible elitist in me sort of respects that.

Wait, I thought you were from WVA.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Wait, I thought you were from WVA.

Notice I left as soon as was feasible.

[zoony]

Damn, really? I went to a game at Fenway and I found it to be the best baseball experience of my life...I've been to Nats games and Orioles games growing up but nothing topped that. You could tell the people really loved that team. I honestly dont see what you and zoony see. I loved every bit of the city and would move there given the chance.

When I was in Maine, I stayed in Kennekbunk...I never got the feeling I was unwanted no matter where I went since I wasnt local. I went to a shop down by the wharf in Portland and one of the people working in a shop gave me some free stuff because he said it was going to go bad anyways, might as well give it to someone who would use it.

I went off the beaten path to a lobster restaurant in Bailey Island...the only real way to get there without driving a long ass time is by boat. It was a local hangout for sure. Never once felt a standoffish vibe. We were chatting it up with a lobster fisher who had just brought in his catch to sell to the restaurant. Down to earth.

Maybe you two just come off as *******s?

so what you're saying is, all of the tourist places willing to take your money were nice to you.


I don't think you ever know a place until you put in a workweek there. Thankfully I stopped having to travel to Boston / Maine about 2 years ago. I absolutely LOVE that I no longer have to go there.

The roads in Boston are fun too. By fun, I mean like testicular cancer - fun.

.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

so what you're saying is, all of the tourist places willing to take your money were nice to you.

I don't think you ever know a place until you put in a workweek there. Thankfully I stopped having to travel to Boston / Maine about 2 years ago. I absolutely LOVE that I no longer have to go there.

The roads in Boston are fun too. By fun, I mean like testicular cancer - fun.

I didnt go to the touristy parts...yeah, I spent time in rich whitey area, but I was with a real Mainer. I dont go to those tourist trap places - you dont get the true experience

I do agree the roads are horrible...it took forever to get somewhere. Traffic on the freeway at 11am?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Fenway is great if you have someone to pay for the $200 tickets and the $75 parking that is 85 blocks away from the stadium, if you can fit your butt into the the 12-inch wide seat that is set up at 115 degree angle (apparently in 1915, everyone weight 112 pounds and had scoliosis), if you don't mind peeing into a trough, if you can handle the smell of urine that permeates the place, and if you don't question why it is 45 degrees on June 6th.

Everyone who loves baseball should go to Fenway once. That way, you appreciate how wonderful modern stadiums are.

Boston has this wonderful way of taking every awful, ugly thing about the place and making it into point of pride and a tourist trap. Come have some awful baked scrod, baked beans and corn. Only $27 for lunch! Sit on the patio. It's a balmy 42 degrees. Park in another county for $20 an hour. Deal with an embittered waitress who looks like an extra from "The Perfect Storm." She wants to divorce her drunk abuser of a husband, but - ha ha - the church won't let her......

[superozman]

Living in South Philly (damn near 5 minutes away), you will be fine. Actually - you will get more **** for being a Yankees fan than a Redskins fan. Being a fan of both, you will catch more crap than a port a potty if you are open and constantly talk up both teams in front of Philly fans.


However, it's only annoying during the week of the game, or when people find out who you like. besidees that, you'll be fine. And there are a lot of fun areas around Drexel.

Although, take Harvard if you get into it.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Living in South Philly (damn near 5 minutes away), you will be fine. Actually - you will get more **** for being a Yankees fan than a Redskins fan. Being a fan of both, you will catch more crap than a port a potty if you are open and constantly talk up both teams in front of Philly fans.

Out of curiosity, how do people generally find out that you are a fan of XXX team? I mean, in college, people eventually figure this stuff out about you. Like they will eventually figure out that you have herpes. But unless you wear a Sean Taylor jersey every day of your life out of some morbid sense of loyalty, how does the hobo on the corner know your likes and dislikes?

I currently have one baseball cap that is part of my "Saturday going to Home Depot" ensemble.

It's for Marshall University - a school I have zero association with. Once a year, someone will stop me and start asking random questions. It always takes me a full 45 seconds to figure out what the hell is going on.

[zoony]

Boston has this wonderful way of taking every awful, ugly thing about the place and making it into point of pride and a tourist trap. Come have some awful baked scrod, baked beans and corn. Only $27 for lunch! Sit on the patio. It's a balmy 42 degrees. Park in another county for $20 an hour. Deal with an embittered waitress who looks like an extra from "The Perfect Storm." She wants to divorce her drunk abuser of a husband, but - ha ha - the church won't let her......

perfect, just perfect.

Even hundreds of years later it's not hard to figure out why the Puritans got run out of England.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

By the way, I would go to Drexel and just pretend I went to Penn.

---------- Post added March-21st-2011 at 02:03 PM ----------

perfect, just perfect.

Even hundreds of years later it's not hard to figure out why the Puritans got run out of England.

And thus concludes this week's episode of "Everything Sucks with LKB and Zoony."

Tune in next week when our hosts explain why every person who attended an ACC school should be set on fire.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Seriously, fix yo' website.

[Koolblue13]

It's nice to see you guys saying some nice things about Philly for a change.

[haithman]

I went to UPenn and just graduated last May. You will be fine seriously. Just dont live on like 50th and Pine.

[Koolblue13]

I went to UPenn and just graduated last May. You will be fine seriously. Just dont live on like 50th and Pine.

I lived at 42nd and Walnut, next to TRoP for 6 months, back around 95. I saw 2 people get shot, one house just get unloaded into and 2 cars get stolen, while sitting on my 4rth floor balcony. That neighborhood has come a long way.