Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Philly

What's the temping market like in Philly?

itsonreserve — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:49:25 -0800

I have some time between the end of my residency and my new job. I'm not really interested in going back to the world of coffee-slinging for a few months. I'm curious about the temping market in Philly right now. Are there jobs? What temp companies do folks recommend? Is there enough temp work right now for someone to sustain a living?

Ccaasseetteess

god particle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:05:31 -0800

Where are the best places to buy tape cassettes in Philadelphia? I know there are a few record stores in Philly, but do these places (or any others) sell tape cassettes? I just recently got a tape player and I'm having a lot of fun with it, but want to find more cheap/obscure/fun tapes to listen to.

Running for the Greater Good

ginagina — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:11:07 -0800

Philly Runners: How do you combine running and volunteering? I'm working on compiling some resources for runners in Philadelphia. One aspect I'm having trouble with is finding ways to combine running and volunteer work. I know about Back on My Feet (http://www.backonmyfeet.org/) but I'd like to find other Philadelphia-based organizations that need people who run (dog shelters? after school programs, etc).

Thanks for your help!

Help us find a good World Series bet...

Towelie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:59:47 -0800

World series bet: Philadelphia/New York office 'rivalry'…ideas? We have six offices - with the Main Office in NYC and an office in Philadelphia.
(Staffing is about 9-10 in NYC, and 3-4 in Philly) We have four other offices (each with similar staffing levels.)

Any ideas on a 'good bet' - this is mostly for fun/morale reasons. I'm thinking that it'd be interesting/vested for our other offices to pick/align with the split over the worlds series…and have an interesting bet…

I just can't think of something beyond cheesesteaks/cheesecakes or wearing phillies/yankees wear (for one day) that would be interesting.

Best books and websites about Philly

LaszloKv — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:42:57 -0800

What are your favorite books or websites about Philadelphia or heavily involving Philadelphia? Both historical or modern.

Places to eat in Philly

Aanidaani — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:15:12 -0800

I just moved to Philly and I want to know what some of the best places to eat around town are. I've checked Philly Magazine, but a lot of those restaurants seem to be upscale and out of my price range. What are some affordable, good places that I should check out? I'm interested in all varieties of food, so any suggestions are welcome.

Where can I find temporary wifi office space in Philly?

Deathalicious — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 09:19:39 -0800

Monday morning I need access to a quiet location in Philadelphia (best: in Chestnut Hill or Mt Airy area) with inexpensive WiFi. Difficulty: I, myself, will not be quiet. Basically, I have an online conference call on Monday and due to various circumstances my normal location (home office) is not going to be available. So I need a place that could be kinda like a home office, only not in my home. I'm totally willing to pay, I know it would be rude to set myself up in a quiet coffee shop and mooch off their wireless and disturb others with my talking. However, ideally I'd pay less than $20 for two hours or so.

Philly Thrift Stores

god particle — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:58:35 -0800

What are some good thrift stores in Philly that go beyond just clothing? What are some good thrift stores in Philly that carry more than just clothing? Things like old electronics would be cool, but specifically I'm looking for thrift stores that might potentially have musical instruments such as toy pianos or old keyboards or even oscillators. I'd prefer to stick to the city but I'm not opposed to going out to the Main Line, since I know there are some thrift stores there (but I haven't been).

Feel free to also list Philly thrift stores that only deal in clothing but are great, since I'd like to know about those also.

Please tell me about temping

schroedinger — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:59:58 -0800

Need a briefer on all things temping, how to get a temp job when your office experience is minimal (but not your knowledge), and recommendations for staffing agencies in the Moorestown/Collingswood/Philly NJ suburbs area. I am looking to move to the Philadelphia suburbs, the Jersey side near Collingswood or Moorestown and have been considering temping agencies for employment.

However, I know absolutely nothing about temp agencies. I've read the previous AskMetafilter questions but still am not sure on a few topics.

1. How Does This All Work?
My understanding is temp agencies work like this. Am I correct?
- You call
- They ask for a resume and hopefully set up an appointment
- You arrive at the appointment and try to wow them
- They tell you whether or not you're hired with them
- Once hired, you call all the time asking if they've found a position
- When they find a position, you go to that position

2. Office Experience
I have a year's worth of official office experience that I did a couple of years ago, and everything else has been on-and-off barista work while I bounced in and out of school (and still haven't finished my degree). I can get great recommendations from my previous employers, but again, it's barista work. I'm extremely competent with answering phones and typing and MS Office and all of that, but it doesn't show on my resume. Is there any chance at all of me getting hired?

I also read in previous questions it's good to have an idea of what you want to do through them--but I thought most temp work was clerical. What other type of temp work is there? How do I express that I'm not particular on the industry or job, just that I get a salary?

3. Pay
What is a reasonable amount to request for pay? $10-11/hour seemed an almost luxurious amount of money when I was working as a barista, but it seemed from previous questions that temp jobs pay higher and I don't want to lowball because I'm used to poverty.

4. Recommended Agencies
A search engine like this one pulls up a billion-and-one staffing agencies in the area I'm looking. Do I call all of them? Is there some place that rates agencies? Should I focus on larger agencies, and what are these larger agencies? Can anyone give recommendations?

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South New Jersey area?

schroedinger — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:11:05 -0800

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South NJ/Moorestown area based on these requirements? I have read other questions and still need help. I would like to move to some area in the Philadelphia/Moorestown/South New Jersey region. I have a few requirements:

1) Easy, relatively short commute by car or public transit, to Moorestown, NJ (specifically 111 West 2nd Street)
2) Has coffee shops/froo froo bakeries with job opportunities in at least in the $8-$10/hour range
3) Cheap--ideally could get a room or something somewhere for $600/month or less.

I'm moving up specifically to lift at the gym located at 111 West 2nd Street in Moorestown, so it is vitally important that it be easy to get to there regularly.

I have a pretty high tolerance for sketch. I'm OK with roommates. I have a car, but prefer not to use it. It would be great to somehow live in Philly itself since I think the city would be a better social atmosphere than the suburbs (I'm single and in my mid-twenties), but I'm also not going to have a lot of money to spend on tolls so if that means living in NJ so be it.

If there are job opportunities that pay at least $8-$10/hour outside coffee shops and all that, that's great too, those just happen to be where my job background is centered.

I don't know the area at all, so I'm flying blind here. Any help is welcome.

What can I do with my folks while they're here next week?

misanthropicsarah — Sun, 03 May 2009 14:01:45 -0800

PhillyFilter: What can I do with my folks while they're here next week? So, my mom and dad will be here from the 10th to the 13th for their annual summer visit, and to see Leonard Cohen on the 12th (omg!!!!! Leonard Cohen!!!!!). But we need some more filler activities.

Things of note:

They've been here almost a dozen times, so we've done the touristy things to death.
They're retired and my partner and I are both unemployed right now, so we can't throw around a ton of money on museum admissions or show tickets or whatever.
We always go to see a movie, and I'm sure we'll do that, but still, that only takes care of a few hours.
They'll have a car, but they get cranky having to pay for city parking more than once a day.
Don't suggest the Mutter Museum. They will not be into it. So don't bother suggesting it.
Dad's major outdoorsy guy, but mom has severe ankle problems so can't walk for a long time at a stretch, and parnter and I are both lazy (and I hate the sunshine).
10pm is about as late as they stay out, and that's pretty exceptional.

I'm not sure if there's anything else relevant, but I'll check back in thread to answer any possible questions.

We're just looking for things to do to avoid the awkwardness of sitting in the living room in silence, or worse yet, hearing well-meant but seriously annoying advice about how to find work or save money or whatever.

Vintage dress shopping in Philadelphia recommendations

8dot3 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:52:46 -0800

I’ve been tasked with taking a friend shopping for a dress for an upcoming formal event. We live in Philly and would like to buy locally - details inside. We live in Philadelphia, she is looking for actual vintage, not vintage-inspired. She’s looking for something tea-length, not strapless, a-line/full (but not crazy petticoat bell full skirt), and not black. Think 50’s or 60’s, bonus points for any kind of dots in the pattern/fabric. Higher end vintage store recommendations would be appreciated, I know of all the local lower end consignment places like Green Street, Retrospect, Curiosity Shoppe and Buffalo Exchange but I have never gone more high-faloutin’ than that.

Thank you!

Best restaurant in Philly

relucent — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:20:23 -0800

OK. There's only one restaurant in Philadelphia. What is it? I'm in Philadelphia until tomorrow morning and I have the evening free. I've never been here before and have no plans of coming back any time soon. What is the one "can't-miss" restaurant? (Type of food doesn't matter.)

I've heard names like Geno's, Tony Luke's, and Pat's thrown around as being the best, but I am not necessarily concerned with getting a genuine cheesesteak or capturing the "essence of Philly"... I just want a great dining experience!

PhillyFilter: Pittsburgh-themed bar in Philly?

nayten — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:23:23 -0800

PhillyFilter: Looking for a Pittsburgh-themed bar in Philly to watch the SuperBowl, and Steelers regular season games in the future. The traditional sports bar just doesn't do it for me here, with all of the other Philly team memorobilia. I'm looking for a Western-PA style establishment with Pittsburgh's black and gold gear doning the walls-- Steelers/Pens/Pirates. Does such a place exist in a city so attached to her own teams?

I saw plenty of your Pittsburgh fans out at the Italian Market during the last Eagles game... where did you go to watch it?

Full Disclosure: I am a Phillies fan, not a Pirates fan.

Need a wireless hotspot in S. philly tomorrow night

stupidsexyFlanders — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:13:49 -0800

For reasons too tedious to get into, I need a quiet place with a broadband wireless connection between the hours of 7-9 p.m. tomorrow night, 12/15, as close to the Spectrum in South Philly as possible. Anybody got any suggestions?

Evert-fresh Bags in Phildelphia

zeek321 — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:47:35 -0800

Evert-Fresh bags in Philly? I'm looking to get some of these bags by the weekend so I can do a big shopping trip and store things for a bit longer than usual. Does anyone know where I can buy some of these bags between 1st and 50th?

http://www.evertfresh.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Evert-Fresh-Bag-Set-each-size/dp/B0009L8GHY

Pickup Soccer in Philly?

tomw — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:51:54 -0800

Is there a (pickup?) game of soccer in Philly I can play in between Wednesday 22nd October and Tuesday 28th? Just an English guy going to be in Philly and wondering if anyone has a casual or otherwise game of soccer going on which I can play in, any size is cool by me. I've seen a few pitches around center city....

Flying to Philly, looking for cheesesteak

Chuck Cheeze — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:35:18 -0800

Flying into Philly next Tuesday around 530pm, then driving up to Bethlehem. I'd love to stop in Philly and grab a killer cheesesteak- but I'll have my family with me so I'd probably only be able to do this if its somewhat near the airport or on the way toward Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton. Tell me where to go.

PhillyFilter: Where should I go view the Perseids Meteor Shower?

nayten — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:20:00 -0800

philly-philter: The Perseids Meteor Shower is coming! Where should I drive to outside of the city to get a good view? Trying to find a nice place to view the showers. Not sure who I'm talking into coming along, but trying to make it more of a date thing. I was thinking a community park might be nice? Maybe a campground near by? The Philly burbs would be nice, but I wouldn't mind a drive to Jersey.

What's weird and fun and delicious on the East Coast?

killerinsideme — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:29:43 -0800

ROAD TRIP!!!!! Philadelphia to Atlanta and back in about 10 days for a couple in their thirties with no kids. You've told me what to bring the people we visit, now tell me where to go! The Philly to Atlanta leg is Rt. 81 S to Chattanooga then Rt. 75 S to Atlanta, returning via 85 N to Richmond then 95N to Philly. I went to college in Nashville and lived in Atlanta for several years after that, but he's never even been south of Washington, D.C.! I've checked through the ask archives, but I still think it's worth asking the question.

Our taste is, in a word, quirky. We also like food, and the bf especially needs to try some down-home Southern cooking. Currently on the list are Dog Days Peach and Sunflower Festival near Winchester, VA, Rock City near Chattanooga, TN, Fort Sanders Yacht Club (classic arcade games!) in Knoxville, TN, Lexington Barbeque #1 in Lexington, NC and probably the Sliding Rock just SW of Asheville, NC in the Pisgah National Forest. I'm also digging up some offbeat places to check out on my favorite travel website Roadside America, but, while I'm finding lots of goofy photo ops ("Here we are next to the World's Largest Chest of Drawers!"), we'd like to find more things to experience, as opposed to things to look at.

Whaddya say? What can't we miss? And please don't let the proposed route deter you - we're not looking to break any speed records here and we'd be happy to detour for something local and unique. In fact, that wouldn't even be a detour.

What would you want brought to you from Philadelphia?

killerinsideme — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:55:45 -0800

What should we bring from Philadelphia as gifts for people we're visiting? My boyfriend and I are taking a road trip south in a couple weeks! (Gas prices rising, global climate changing - who wouldn't drive from Philly to Georgia in August?) We'll be stopping by to see various friends - some of whom I haven't seen in years, none of whom have any friends in or experiences of Philadelphia. What should we load the car up with for distribution? Cheesesteaks won't keep and Yuengling seems to be widely available. I was thinking Tastykakes, but he thinks they're more widely available than I realize. I foolishly didn't stock up on Zitner's Butter Krak eggs this past Easter. Is DiBruno Brothers local/unique enough that I should pick up goodies from there? What haven't I thought of?

What's a good bar in University City, Philadelphia?

ludwig_van — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:22:43 -0800

Philadelphians: recommend me a good bar in University City. Somewhere with a good beer selection (I like IPAs). Somewhere hip, with a good atmosphere. Somewhere good to take a date. What's like the Royal Tavern in University City?

Curly hair cut in Philly?

zeek321 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:59:08 -0800

Philly haircut? Male, thick, curly hair. It's time for my first haircut in Philly. I found this post from a couple years back. I usually have to go to two or three stylists before I get a good haircut in a new place, presumably because of the curly nature of my hair.

Does anyone have a recommendation for talented people between 40th and 1st street? I'm hoping for around $30-35, give or take, including tip. But, I'll go as low as $20 and would consider as high as $50 if he or she is beyond-belief skilled.

Thanks!

Philly quick and fun activities?

zeek321 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:59:56 -0800

new-to-Philly-filter: Casual, short dating activity--no food, coffee, or alcohol? New to Philly. I met a girl on the internet, and we're going to meet to see if we'd like to semi-casually hook up in the future.

A coffee shop and a walk is doable but always potentially awkward. I'm wondering if there's anything out there that would be fun and distracting during gaps in a conversation. Stores? Streets? Mini-museums? Libraries?

We're both somewhere on the West side fairly close to the campus area.

So, keeping in mind that we need to be able to have an articulate conversation:

0. I'm looking for something around very-early-evening.
1. Anything unique and entertaining that doesn't involve food, coffee, or alcohol?
2. In lieu of (1), any coffee shops that have tons of distracting character, but no loud music and are more intimate/less utilitarian?
3. In lieu of the campus, center city, of course, must have infinitely more stuff to do, and might be the best option. Please recommend stuff where it's really easy to grab a cab.

Thanks!

Help me love (or at least somewhat enjoy) my summer in the City of Brotherly Love.

mcroft — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:37:58 -0800

PhillyFilter: Help me love (or at least somewhat enjoy) my summer in the City of Brotherly Love. I'm looking for advice on how I can make the most of my time in Philly this summer.

Background: Throughout grad school and law school I have made it the habit to live in different cities in the summer for internships. I've lived in NYC for two summers, Seattle for one summer, and the Netherlands for another.

Now I'm in Philly. And although I have lived in other cities, I have never had as many of the stereotypical city problems as I have had here. Sure, the homeless in Seattle were mean. Yes, traffic in NYC was loud.

But since being in Philly for a little more than two weeks, I've had street racing outside my window and a shooting outside of my apartment. (Both incidents occured around 2 am on a Monday in the same parking lot that my City Center West apartment overlooks for those interested).

As a result of that plus some other minor incidents, I'm not all that fond of Philly, which is why I am turning to the hive mind to suggest some low cost activities that I can do to turn around my impression of the city. So far, Rittenhouse Square and the Schuylkill trail are great, but don't outweigh a dead body outside my window.