patrick.net

clambo says

She suggested I go down to an ATM and get some money to do the transaction.

Ok, but you may get mugged by an ordinary thug, after you type in your PIN at the ATM.

So fine, there are some floozies around but then again, if you were in Montreal, you could have your cake and make it past the ATM machine w/o a mugger following you there.

theoakman says

The Italian market and the surrounding area has an unlimited amount of gems that NYC will never have.

Dude, we have that exact thing in Providence Rhode Island, which has more Italian-Americans per capita per state, than most other northeast cities.

I don't have the patience to deal with muggers and vagabonds following me around town.

Cool architecture and Hall and Oates.

clambo says

"Philly is the east San Francisco" sorry but I have been to Philadelphia and they're not even in the same universe.

I rode an elevator in the Clevelander hotel in Miami. I saw a female with some bags from department stores. She said "Are you going up to the balcony?" I said "Yes, I want to see the nice view." She came up wearing a bathing suit. "Do you like what you see? We can go down to my room, I would like to do some more shopping." She suggested I go down to an ATM and get some money to do the transaction.

She was from Philly, down for the weekend.

I have no doubt there are thousands of ones like her up there.

How attractive was she?

Take a fold out canvas diorama of Frisco to Philly, open it up and let ten bums shit on it, pull out a lawn chair and you're almost there.

Rin says

theoakman says

The Italian market and the surrounding area has an unlimited amount of gems that NYC will never have.

Dude, we have that exact thing in Providence Rhode Island, which has more Italian-Americans per capita per state, than most other northeast cities.

I don't have the patience to deal with muggers and vagabonds following me around town.

No you don't. You just think you do. Get down to the area of 9th st near the Italian Market and get something other than a cheesesteak. You are missing a whole world of amazingness as far as sandwiches go. Moreover, the whole area of South Philly is very low crime. It's an old school type neighborhood. North Philly is a shithole.

Been to Philly six times 2000-2003. Told once by old black guys area I was in was not safe for whites and I should be careful and leave. Another time my driver was mugged within a minute of getting out of car to get gas. Place looks like huge shithole.

Booger, she wasn't too hot but she was brown and curvy so she was definitely DTF.

I told her "I am here with someone." and she said "Oh, that's no problem; we'll use my room, I tell my friends to leave it for a while for us to use."

Later it was funny to see her and her friends and my companion all hanging out and laughing and getting drunk.

S. Florida is like a giant semi-pro whorehouse; the magazines talk about the weather, beaches, fishing, everglades, etc. but they don't talk about this amazing aspect of the place.

Rin, I didn't use the ATM but this was Ocean Drive South Beach Miami , it was a safe enough area.

Actually, I recommend you go check it out sometime; there is plenty of debauchery to be had; you will see Colombian, Cuban, Venezuelan, and even Russian girls around.

To me it had a vibe like Times Square meets the Jersey Shore but with hotter suggestively clothed girls.

I stayed in downtown Philly next to the Convention Center. Could see William Penn's Statue on City Hall a block or so away from the front entrance.

Could not grab a smoke at 5AM without being accosted by bum after bum. Entrance to Field House full of human piss. Cops were not interested - or allowed - to move off bums. There were a dozen sleeping around a bus stop, again within a block or so of City Hall, right in front of the ritzy hotels.

It's gotten worse each time I've been there, which was twice earlier this decade, then one last year. This time was the absolute shit though, it was much worse than it was the last two times.

Denver was also markedly worse a couple of years ago when I last went, than it was a decade ago. The first time I went about 10 years ago it was pristine. The last time I went it was not quite SF/Philly bad, but you could tell something was different.

I wonder if Denver recently decriminalized being an addicted bum.

clambo says

Rin, I didn't use the ATM but this was Ocean Drive South Beach Miami , it was a safe enough area.

Yes, I know it was in FL but the point was that if she was a hoe in Philly, chances are, you'd get mugged at the nearest ATM unless it's inside a secure building.

theoakman says

You are missing a whole world of amazingness as far as sandwiches go.

Ok, but those sandwiches are also up here. I have my favorites in Medford, Somerville, as well as Boston's North End. And as for Providence, someone actually put together a page on its Federal Hill area which has got great Italian eateries ...

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/rhode-island/italian-cuisine-ri/


theoakman says

North Philly is a shithole.

As well as the West Side and a lot of Center City once you leave Rittenhouse Square. North Philly just happens to stick out like a sore thumb as a lot of daily commuters use Rte 611 to get to the 'burbs like Conshohocken and get to see the 'South Bronx' in its full regalia but during the day.

NoCoupForYou says

I wonder if Denver recently decriminalized being an addicted bum.

I was there a few years ago and took the Grey Line Tour (which was excellent, by the way). When we went past the Governor's mansion, there were all kinds of homeless and bums. I mean, a LOT. It was not a cold time of year (September) but they all wore those big, fluffy down/fleece jackets, so they looked like a bunch of multi-colored Pillsbury dough boys.

During the trip, I went into a mini mart in Aurora, and it was crazy fuck ghetto shit and I could hardly wait to get out of there. Like California, there's shit going down there that ain't right.

You guys are creeping me out.

I already bought the plane tickets for us to take my partner's 12 year old nephew, a history buff, to Philadelphia after school gets out for the historical stuff.

theoakman says

North Philly is a shithole.

How does it compare to West Baltimore?

B.A.C.A.H. says

You guys are creeping me out.

I already bought the plane tickets for us to take my partner's 12 year old nephew, a history buff, to Philadelphia after school gets out for the historical stuff.

The touristy parts of Philadelphia seem fine to me.

zzyzzx says

The touristy parts of Philadelphia seem fine to me.

You'd think they would have a good cheesesteak!

B.A.C.A.H. says

to Philadelphia after school gets out for the historical stuff.

Here's the thing, Philadelphia was 'grown' (or came of age) via the contributions of a Boston transplant, Benjamin Franklin, who founded the fire dept, library, the Univ of Pennsylvania, along with many other things.

In effect, he symbolized the best that New England had to offer (and yes, he was an exceptional talent for his times) but without the religious intolerance and backwater thinking of the Puritans, the founders of the Massachusetts Bay colony.

And thus, everyone expects Philly to be just like Boston in modern times but in reality, it regressed into an east coast rust belt dumpster. And like a lot of cities where the downtown went into the toilet, the 'burbs around Philly were quite prosperous, all the way from the Main Line to the King of Prussia and back towards Doylestown.

In contrast, even Boston's urban Maverick Square, a dumpster when I was born, is today, a beautiful, up and coming neighborhood with a harbor view and one T stop from downtown. And even the borderline neighborhood, Savin Hill, a.k.a Stabbing Hill when I was a kid, hasn't had a stabbing in quite some time.

Seriously, almost anyone with a brain, would prefer to live in the 'burbs and occasionally come down to the city for a show, in the Philadelphia area.

In Boston, the rules are clear ... avoid the triumvirate of Dorchestor-Roxbury-Mattapan, and for the most part, you'll do ok. In Philly, just avoid the whole city if you can because honestly, there are mugging only blocks from Rittenhouse square and Penn's Landing/South St.

B.A.C.A.H. says

I already bought the plane tickets for us to take my partner's 12 year old nephew, a history buff, to Philadelphia after school gets out for the historical stuff.

Daytime. Liberty bell park area full of hoodlums even when I was a kid, probably same or worse today. Stay away from Temple University.

Then, go to Gettysburg and check out the Amish Paradise near Intercourse, PA. Always sure to make the kids on the bus laugh their asses off. Have breakfast there, best in the USA.

NoCoupForYou says

Liberty bell park area full of hoodlums even when I was a kid, probably same or worse today.

That's cause Center City is not some 'safe haven' from gangland-like behavior.

I recall arriving in South Jersey, only several years ago, and the news reported a commuter being beaten and killed by a gang, right in a downtown SEPTA metro stop in Philly. Seriously, stuff like that would be talked about in Boston for ages but in Philly, it's not out of the ordinary.

In Boston, gangland is Roxbury, Mattapan, and Dorchester. We all know it and unless we have some business down there, we avoid the 'hoods.

Hi Rin, thank you for your comments about Philadelphia vs Boston.

My wife partner wanted to take nephew to Washington for the historical stuff. It was my idea to also go to Philadelphia a couple of days before to take him to some stuff there before driving to DC, also being as how Gettysburg would be a reasonable dog-leg on the drive.

Another part of the dogleg will be a battlefield to go see in the Shenandoah Valley where my greatgreat grandfather got wounded in the 114th NY regiment, at the battle of Cedar Creek. That site'll be part of the dogleg to DC. The family lore is that he got shot in the ass, the joke is maybe running from the enemy! Heh heh.

Yes we've been to Boston before but with our kids, not the nephew. A genealogy hobbyist in my family has traced our roots to four different passengers on the Mayflower. One of them, Doty, was not a Pilgrim but instead one of the hired hands the Party brought along.

Boston is nicer than Philly. Much nicer. But Philly has better food. If you are in center City, it's fine. Same with historic section. Just stay out of the ghetto. BTW. The ghetto in Philly has amazing food as well.

theoakman says

The ghetto in Philly has amazing food as well.

I think some of the best food in most cities is in the rough areas. They can sell it for much more profitable prices because the real estate prices/leases are so low and they don't have a $300k build out of a space. They're also likely getting the raw food/product from the same vendors as the nicer places anyway. They can work on making it better instead of the bottom line and pretending to be fancy.

WookieMan says

They're also likely getting the raw food/product from the same vendors as the nicer places anyway. They can work on making it better instead of the bottom line and pretending to be fancy.

Yes, I've heard the same for Dorchester and Mattapan in Boston but still, safety comes first. I'll pay the premium for a better neighborhood to eat in.

B.A.C.A.H. says

My wife partner wanted to take nephew to Washington for the historical stuff. It was my idea to also go to Philadelphia a couple of days before to take him to some stuff there before driving to DC, also being as how Gettysburg would be a reasonable dog-leg on the drive.

Another part of the dogleg will be a battlefield to go see in the Shenandoah Valley where my greatgreat grandfather got wounded in the 114th NY regiment, at the battle of Cedar Creek. That site'll be part of the dogleg to DC. The family lore is that he got shot in the ass, the joke is maybe running from the enemy! Heh heh.

I've been to a LOT of the civil war battlefields in the area. Check their websites and/or otherwise find out if they are giving guided tours on the day that you are going. Off season (meaning not summer) they only do guided tours on weekends and/or special event days, if at all (like this one: https://www.nps.gov/mono/index.htm). the best day to visit any civil war battlefield is on the battle anniversary date, EXCEPT Gettysburg, which will be so crowded that you will wish you had not gone that day. The smaller, lesser known battles only have events around the anniversary dates, like this one: https://www.visitfrederick.org/listing/south-mountain-state-battlefield-park/282/ or Balls Bluff (along the Potomac near DC) or Ft Stevens in DC. At least the South Mountain one (which is a Maryland state park) has indoor exhibits and a driving tour like a national park, but Balls Bluff and Ft Stevens are strictly outdoors. I've been to Harper's Ferry, but didn't visit the battlefield there. Also check out Antietam.

If you like forts, try Ft McHenry in downtown Baltimore, Ft Washington (below DC), and Ft Frederick in Western Maryland (if you are passing it anyway and they are having a special event that day).

I've also been wanting to visit the battlefield near Front Royal where the Union Army's 1st Maryland attacked the Confederate Army's 1st Maryland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Front_Royal

NoCoupForYou says

and check out the Amish Paradise near Intercourse, PA

I've been wanting to go there and to Lititz. Also, the Strasburg rail road and museum across the street from it are nice.

Onvacation says

You'd think they would have a good cheesesteak!

If you are in the main touristy part of Philadelphia, there is a huge Visitor's Center there. Just ask them where to go and get a good cheesesteak.

Though philly can improve a lot just by helping homeless with jobs /home. There is lot to do in philly. I live 40 mins in suburb n visit philly a lot.

Museums : franklin institute, art museums, liberty bell, ...
River front: penns landing, tons of history.
Zoo
Lot of street parties
Restaurants
Dance clubs ...

Museums : franklin institute, art museums, liberty bell, ..

Franklin Institute is awesome. Especially nice feature if you have a young child is that aerial bicycle ride over the main floor.

I will make a mental note to visit The Franklin Institute.

Not too far away Ft Delaware which I recommend also.