A City of Neighborhoods

Toward the end of Winter  break, I was thinking a lot about what makes Philadelphia different than other cities. Most of this reflection was provoked by the fact that my dad and youngest brother came to visit me from California. They have been to various cities throughout the country and in England and Wales, but both said that Philadelphia was just different. I tend to agree.

Philadelphia has a completely different feel than Chicago, San Francisco, New York or D.C. Though I am still new to the area, I tend to think this arises from the notion that Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive flavor and feel. It is also a very walkable city, so it is easy to walk around and get a sense of how the smaller neighborhoods make up the big city. I know that almost by definition all cities have neighborhoods, but Philadelphia is a city defined by the beauty and distinctiveness of its mini-cultures. Over the past few months, I have come to really appreciate the neighborhood feel of Philadelphia because it allows simultaneous access to a large, metropolitan city and the comfortable intimacy of a smaller setting.

Penn GSE students spend a lot of time in a neighborhood called University City. We go to school in this neighborhood and some even live on campus or really close to the Penn. University City is called as such because it is home to Penn, Drexel University, University of the Sciences, Lincoln University Urban Center, The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College and perhaps more that I am forgetting.

Students might also spend a lot of time in Center City. Center City is essentially the downtown district of Philadelphia (though no one calls it 'downtown' here). It's a hub of commercial and social activity in the Philadelphia. The majority of  the city's skyscrapers are here; there's also shopping, restaurants and lots of people. Center City is also home to the famous Philadelphia hangout (and excellent people watching station), Rittenhouse Square. Rittenhouse is a great place to meet up with friends, take a walk, have a picnic or just sit in the heart of one of America's most historically rich cities. It is beautiful during any season or time of day!

I live in a neighborhood that some call Graduate Hospital  for its proximity to Penn Medicine at Rittenhouse. Others call it Schuylkill  because it is right up against the river Schuylkill, while others, still, might simply dub it Southwest Center City  (self-explanatory). Graduate Hospital is home to many medical and nursing students, young families and pet owners. Almost every time I peer out the window onto busy South Street, I see a young mother walking her child to school, a person in 'scrubs', someone pushing a stroller or walking a dog or a couple jogging together. I love living here because it is a neighborhood of young people. I wonder about the career plans of the young medical students or the precious moments that parents and children share on the way to school. It's also a very convenient place for me and my husband to live because it is very close to where he works downtown and is only a fifteen minute walk to Penn GSE. We could not have asked for a more perfectly located place to call home.

And, there are many more neighborhoods that make up Philadelphia. Here,  I have included  one map of the neighborhoods, but the dividing lines and neighborhood names really depend on who you ask. As you read earlier, my neighborhood goes by at least three different names. Philadelphians take pride in being a city of neighborhoods and are generally excited to talk about their favorite neighborhood or the place where they live.Neighborhoods and the ease in moving between them to have a full, diverse Philadelphia experience, I believe, are a big part of what makes this city so unique. Now that I generally know my way around, it is fun to go exploring and find that wonderful Italian restaurant in the Bella Vista or Italian Market section of Philadelphia or enjoy the historic homes of Olde City.