Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with philadelphia

Is Noah Shannon's story in the NYT true?

crazy with stars — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:08:46 -0800

Noah Gallagher Shannon has a piece in Sunday's NYT about an emergency landing at Philadelphia. Something about the story makes me think that it might be fictional. Can anybody prove that the story took place as he describes it? I'm not at all an expert in aviation, but some of the details about Shannon's story ring false. Specifically that:

* Electricity on a plane would be turned off in preparation for an emergency landing.
* Nobody noticed that their flight had been circling around Philadelphia for two hours before the landing
* Philadelphia in particular has "the best standby emergency personnel."
* An airline would give gifts after an emergency landing.

Unfortunately Shannon doesn't give many concrete details about the flight to try to track it down. He says that the intended destination was Denver, and that Philadelphia was not on the way to Denver (so the originating airport must not have been in the northeast). The flight involved a problem with the landing gear, but the flight landed safely anyway. He doesn't provide any information about when this flight happened.

Can anybody find any independent verification of an emergency landing at Philadelphia involving a failure of the landing gear?

I'm looking for a quote from a founding father about leaving government

rileyray3000 — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:01:35 -0800

I remember reading something, somewhere from one of the founding fathers about the original intent of legislators to NOT be a political class. To serve a term or two and go home so that people from outside could contribute and people inside didn't get too jaded. Though maybe I'm adding a lot of subtext. Is there anything from any of the FF's on this that rings a bell? Do you have a quote or two?

Philadelphia Cheesesteaks, the Zoo, a CSA, and...?

cacao — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:04:18 -0800

Please help me settle into Philadelphia. Moving to Philadelphia. Please help me fall in love. What's your favorite thing about this city? What are your favorite places to go? Some of the stuff we do together (pretty normal stuff I guess, I feel boring just writing this): going to the movies, spending time in parks and gardens, going out for dinner (bars are ok but I need recommendations based on FOOD not drink), going to cafes with good European style coffee, going to really good bookstores, experiencing multicultural things. I would love to join some club type stuff too, and am particularly interested in resources for entrepreneurs.

Tell me what I need to do to love it here. What are the best ways to make friends? I'm here with my husband, we're both in our mid to late twenties. SUPER BONUS POINTS for recommendations for your favorite area CSA- I'm finding listings but it's hard to pick one quickly just off of what I find on the internet.

We're in the Fairmount area. I know that there are a dozen mini-questions embedded in this, but it's all about helping me integrate into Philadelphia as soon as possible. Thank you!!!

PhillyFilter: Random Rittenhouse Square Interestingness?

neroli — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:00:43 -0800

Girlfriend and I are going to Philadelphia tomorrow -- the plan is to eat fried chicken and donuts, hang out in a hotel room, go out and eat and drink some more, then go back to the hotel. We've been to Philly a bunch of times for various cultural things, and are big fans, but this trip the concept is basically: Do Almost Nothing. Still, we might want to take a stroll in the afternoon. Staying at the Radisson on 17th & Locust. Anything nearby we might not know about and should check out?

Please tell me about Philadelphia.

valleys — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 08:35:19 -0800

Bringing my daughter to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In a wheelchair. Looking for the best/easiest (yet cheapest?) way to get from the airport, where to stay, what to do. My 14 year-old daughter needs specialist treatment for a pain condition and we have an appointment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). We're travelling (from Canada) there for one day/night in May, then for an extended period later in the year. She is in a wheelchair, can walk a short distance with difficulty. Can't really manage stairs. She can get out of the chair and into a vehicle, so doesn't need special transport.

We'll be flying in to PHL. What is the best way to get from there to CHOP, or somewhere near by, and back again the next day? The wheelchair we have may not fit in the trunk of a regular car (it's a rental and the wheels don't come off), so would probably need a minivan cab, if they're available. While I don't want to take public transit, I need to keep expenses minimal so probably can't afford a limo.

CHOP has given us a long list of hotels nearby. Where would you suggest for one night before the appointment? When we come back for longer-term treatment later in the year we'll look at Ronald McDonald House or a long-stay apartment.

And while we won't have much, if any, free time, for this first brief visit, please give us things to look forward to for when we'll be back for treatment (which will probably be 2-4 weeks mid-summer). We may not travel home for weekends, so would be looking for galleries, museums and other teenager-friendly activities to do. And whichever parent is with her will probably be free for much of the day while she is in treatment, so suggestions of activities around CHOP or elsewhere in the city would be appreciated. Parks, walking trails, bike rental, yoga studios, good coffee shops to hang out and read / internet. That kind of thing.

Living in Boston vs. living in Philadelphia?

Beardman — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 07:55:39 -0800

I've got the chance to spend two years doing research work at a university in either Boston or Philadelphia. I've never been to either city, and I can't visit them before deciding. I'm looking for general impressions of what life would be like in each place. (I've posted some other details inside, but because I'm so ignorant of both places, this is pretty free-form...) Just impressions of one or the other would be fine, but I'm especially interested in how the two cities differ. (FWIW, I've lived in Toronto, Vancouver, and NYC, so comparisons in terms of those places would all be understood.)

I care about these things:

- good transit/seasonal cycling options within the city (I don't drive)
- affordable train access to other cities (see above)
- green space (parks, streets with trees)
- ability to live without roommates in, let's just say it, a somewhat hip neighborhood
- nice coffee shops and small, eclectic bars
- vegetarian food, esp. Latin American, Indian, Ethiopian...
- decent 'indie' music scene, good independent dance nights
- friendly people!

One crucial detail: I would be significantly poorer in Boston (40k/yr) than in Philly (over 50k/yr). Can a person even live on that amount a year in transit distance to Cambridge?

Sell, Donate, or Junk My Car?

SpiffyRob — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:12:40 -0800

I've got a '98 Subaru Legacy Outback with 138k miles that I need to get rid of. It runs, but would need a fair amount of work done to continue running for long. It is safe to drive, but I wouldn't want to take it on a long trip. Trying to determine the best option: Selling, donating, or junking. In Philadelphia. My beloved Subie has taken me through some wonderful times, but it is time to say goodbye. Per a mechanic I trust, the brakes are so bad that the pads, rotors, and calipers would likely all need to be replaced (pads and rotors for sure.) Assuming it would all need to be replaced, I'd be looking at $1000-$1500 right there. (They still work, for now. He said they probably have about a month left before they start becoming a serious safety hazard. They have started making a bunch of noise though, even when not braking.) A Subie-nut friend of mine who drove it recently also recommended getting the shocks and struts replaced sooner rather than later. Not sure what the cost of that would be, but some googling seems to suggest it could run another $1000 pretty easily.

All this, plus a move to a city where having a car really isn't needed, and borders on being a hassle, has brought me to the sad conclusion that it's time to let the old girl go.

But how?

I really don't think I've got the patience to sell it myself, so selling it would likely mean a chain. My first instinct was CarMax, but the nearest one is 1:30 away, which I wouldn't feel super comfortable driving. CarSense and WeBuyAnyCar.com are two alternatives with closer outposts, but I know nothing about them. Moreover, I wonder if I would actually get any money from them. Without the work that would need to be done, I have a hard time believing one of these places would give me anything more than $2000, and knowing that there's probably at least $2000 of work needed, would they give me anything?

So then my thoughts turn to donating. It's unlikely I would be itemizing my 2013 return, so I wouldn't be doing it for tax reasons, just hoping to help out a good cause. But it seems like most of the middle man services are largely frowned upon, and very little of the car's value ever makes it to charities. I really have no idea how to go about finding a worthy cause who would be interested in a car in this kind of shape otherwise.

So finally, the big parking lot in the sky: Junking. I haven't done much research here, but it seems like I could get it towed, and if so, this would seem to be the easiest option.

So:

1. Worth selling? If so, any experience with CarSense or WeBuyAnyCar.com? Any Philly-area places I should look into? Preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

2. Worth donating even if I wouldn't be taking the deduction? Again, preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

3. If all else fails, any recommendations on how to go about junking it? Once more, with feeling: preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

NYTimes article about home in Philadelphia

joyceanmachine — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:23:21 -0800

A couple years back, the New York Times ran a profile of a super-awesome home in Philadelphia. Help me track down the article again? I'm trying to track down a link for my friend. As best I can remember, the house was:

Located in Philadelphia

Brick and multiple stories, and it was probably a rehab from a non-residential use

Absolutely ginormous

Shaped like a triangle/on a triangle lot

Had an amaaaaazing roof deck

Was then up for sale, but probably is no longer on sale

Shown in photos that accompanied the text article

I'm pretty sure that it's this one triangle, brick, multi-story house with an amazing roof deck that can be seen on the western side of the Blue subway line, between the Girard and Berks stops.

The NYTimes ran the profile at least a year or two ago, possibly more, and it was definitely the NY Times and it was definitely online at some point. I've googled and NYTimes searched every combination of "brick triangle Philadelphia nytimes" that I can think of but no luck.

Divorce and immigration attorney in Philadelphia area

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:55:02 -0800

I need recommendations for an attorney in the Philadelphia area, who can handle divorce and custody cases where one party (myself) is a non-US citizen, who is here on a marriage-based Green Card. The Card itself is about 2 years old.

What should I do in Philadelphia in a day?

libbrichus — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 04:15:55 -0800

I will be in Philadelphia from 9am to 5pm today with my wife to celebrate her 30th birthday. It's our first time here. What are some things that we can do and a brunch that we can have to make it memorable?

Where should a nature lover and illustrator move to?

timespacewheredoifit — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:55:29 -0800

I am in the process of moving from my abusive family's house/city to another city with the wages I have saved over the past few years, but I have been unable to choose a city. It would ideally be affordable, and have a supportive environment for artists/illustrators with natural beauty and publishing opportunities. Do any cities come to mind? Any help would be very much appreciated! I am in the process of moving towards independence. I feel this is the right decision, but I am so confused about which city to move to and can't decide.

I went to art school and have a BFA and hope to be a scientific illustrator, ideally of marine life, and so a city with a lot of marine nature would be a plus. To give more of an idea about where I'd like to live, ideally this city would:

-Have a supportive artistic community with job, networking and publishing opportunities for illustrators with continual growth such as important exhibitions/museums/institutions

-Have a robust enough economy, such that I can find a service job or other job to pay all of my bills (which should be minimal as I'm responsible) very soon after moving there, without using too much of my savings to tide me over until I find a job

-Have natural beauty, and nice outlets to appreciate nature, such as zoos, parks, beaches or lakes

-Have whale-watching opportunities and marine life

-Have decent public transportation, as I do not have a car and would rather not buy one

To give more of an idea of my financial background, the jobs I have had post-graduation have all been entry-level in non-related fields, such as office administration. I am fine with having whatever job pays the bills, as long as I am able to come home and focus on making my art. So, it is important to me that the city I move to is affordable so that I won't run out of my money, as I do not consider moving back home an option.

I was thinking of Seattle, for its natural beauty (which would be a resource for my artwork) and its institutions, but I was wondering if I should move to a city on the East Coast such as Philly or Boston for its proximity to New York and publishers, as NY would be too expensive for me. I just don't know if I would be shooting myself in the foot by being away from the East Coast. I'm hesitant about Boston because of its higher rent, but it does have proximity to NYC and Cape Cod (for whale-watching). But Seattle has its natural beauty, which is a huge stress reliever for me. And then I was thinking San Francisco would be wonderful for its art community -and- natural beauty, but I fear it may be too expensive for me, so I wonder if Oakland would be better. So, I've been going in circles and can't choose. I'm leaning towards Seattle, Philly or Boston.

I hope this hasn't been too confusing. I thought to come to the Green to see what advice anyone may have, especially if they are artists or locals from those cities, but any advice is helpful. Thank you so much, it goes a long way!

Philly Blogs

Rory Marinich — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:00:53 -0800

Help me find the best-written most interesting blogs writing about Philadelphia.

Quiet (not just empty) bar in Philadelphia?

brackish.line — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:43:06 -0800

Can you recommend a quiet (but not simply empty) bar in Philadelphia? My gf and I have trouble talking and hearing over the music at most places. If you've ever been to Burp Castle in NY you know what my ideal bar is like (monk costumes optional). Good craft beer selection is a plus, as is the availability of hard cider. We live in West Philly but would welcome recommendations in any neighborhood.

For reference, Local 44 has a good selection but is usually too loud.

Birmingham to Boston Road Trip

bamassippi — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:13:28 -0800

What weather and road issues should I be aware of in my drive from Birmingham to Boston next Saturday, and what sights should I see? I've done the Birmingham to DC leg a few times. I've also done DC to New York, but never this time of year.

Day 1, Saturday: Birmingham to DC (yes, long day)
Day 2, Sunday: DC to Boston

A couple of years ago we drove through northern New Mexico during December and only later (once we hit a snow storm) did we realize that was a stupid idea. I don't want to experience an "oh crap" moment again.

My only fear is hitting icy or snowy roads, and my only goal is to make the most of my drive. I lived in Seattle for 4 years and in my trips through the pass learned to cope with ice/snow, though I hate it with a passion.

What should I be aware of and for which sights should I stop and see?

We don't need rust proofing, we just need a state inspection

Diskeater — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:13:07 -0800

Car inspection time in Philadelphia! Help us not get screwed over. My girlfriend and I both need to get our cars inspected and we are looking for good, local garages. In the past, she has taken her car to the Pepboys around the corner but they always seem to find something wrong that costs her hundreds of dollars and she’d prefer not to deal with them again. I’ve never had my car inspected in Pennsylvania before but it’s relatively new and I almost never drive so I’m not that worried about it.

We’d like to find a place that is local and won’t rip us off. We live in Fishtown/Northern Liberties and would prefer to find a garage in that area but we’re willing to travel to other parts of the city if there’s a fantastic garage somewhere else. Weekend hours are a must as we’d like to get this done sooner rather than later.

What's going on in Philadelphia this weekend that we should check out?

BlueMartini7 — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:13:41 -0800

Travel Philter: Traveling to Philly Sunday, Monday with my sweetie - staying downtown, please suggest some fun things for us to do. What to do in Philadelphia this weekend? My boyfriend and I will be visiting Philly this Sunday and Monday. Please give us some ideas of how best to spend the time. I'm looking for suggestions related to good food, entertainment, theater, music, museum exhibitions. We both like to run so if there's a good route, please suggest.

And I was really looking forward to this trip, too!

Narrative Priorities — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 08:35:45 -0800

I'm supposed to be at a B&B in Philadelphia tomorrow evening, and right now I'm in Brooklyn. I don't have a car, rail isn't running, busses leave from parts of the city that are extremely difficult to access and I'm not even sure I could get a ticket. Suggestions? Am I not thinking of something? I have a reservation at a Bed & Breakfast in downtown Philly this weekend, for both Thursday and Friday night. They have a 72 hour cancellation policy, but by the time I realized how bad things were going to get that deadline had already passed.

Originally, we were going to take NJT rail down to Trenton and pick up the SEPTA regional rail for the rest of the trip down to Philly -- as such, we hadn't bought any tickets ahead of time.

I live in southern Brooklyn, about a three hour walk from midtown. Having poked around, the situation seems to be:

- No NJT or subway service, and no word on when it will resume
- NYC busses are running and there are cabs, but both systems are overtaxed and the traffic is incredibly bad.
- Bolt bus and Megabus are not running until tomorrow, which means two days of stranded travelers will be overloading that system
- Peter Pan isn't running at all, with no word on when service will resume (and you couldn't pay me to go to Port Authority right now anyway)
- SEPTA regional rail has restarted, but with delays
- As far as I can tell, SEPTA is still connecting with the Trenton Transit Center, but I have no idea what the situation is at that station
- The only car rentals within walking distance are zipcars.

Given all of this, my options seem to be:
- Call the B&B and beg them to let me reschedule my trip, given the circumstances (if they refuse, I would be out ~$100 if I don't show)
- Rent a zipcar and drive down to Philly, adding ~$300 to the cost of the trip and possibly signing up for horrific traffic
- Find some way to get into Manhattan and fight my way onto a bus

Complicating factor: I have a companion for this trip who does not handle travel stress very well.

At this moment, Option 1 seems like the only reasonable choice, but I have a tendency to be skittish about these things and worry I'm giving up too easily.

Metafilter, I could really use some perspective! Particularly from those of you in southern NJ and Philly who know more than I do what the situation is down there!

Where can I live in Philadelphia for 4 months?

mushtale — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:51:22 -0800

Where can I live in Philadelphia for 4 months? I am a 21-year-old woman who is interviewing for an internship at Penn. If I get the job (fingers crossed!), I will be in Philadelphia from January to May. Only problem is - where would I live? None of my family or friends live in Philly, and I don't own a car, so I'm assuming I'll have to find a sublet close to the university.

Any suggestions where to look? I've been scouring craigslist, but I'm a little wary since most of the listings look pretty sketchy. And ideally, I'm looking for a place under $800/month- is this a reasonable expectation?

god i hate scrubbing tile

joyceanmachine — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:03:28 -0800

Recommendations for housecleaning services in Philadelphia? We're looking for somebody to come through our place once or twice a month and take care of certain chores that we hate doing, like scrub grout in the bathtub, wipe down the dish rack, and vacuum under the $%&*@#$ furniture. We would prefer not to go with a big company that treats their employees poorly.

Any recommendations?

Bonus question: ballpark estimates for what it should cost? It's a 3BR/2.5 bathroom place with three floors inhabited by two we-don't-enjoy-cleaning professionals. We don't have pets that live outside cages.

Getting the Most from a Philly Bus Tour

not that girl — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:03:31 -0800

Best way to tour Philadelphia with an 8-year-old? My 8-year-old son and I will be spending a long weekend in Philadelphia visiting friends later this month. One day of our visit we'll be on our own while our friends are in school and at work. I thought we might enjoy one of the bus/trolley tours to get an overview of the city. I wonder if anyone has advice about the best way to enjoy this? Places to get off? A great place to have lunch along the way?

I think he's a little old for the "Please Touch" museum, and we'll be spending the next day at the Franklin Institute. He is a smart kid interested in everything. He loves adventurous food--last time we were in Philly, he ordered an enormous crab from the tank for his dinner in Chinatown, and ate the whole thing. We may have a vegan friend along with us, so a restaurant with good vegan options within easy walking distance of one of the stops would be great to know about.

Don't have money for repairs to pass inspection, what do I do?

schroedinger — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:37:02 -0800

Car needs to pass annual inspection in Pennsylvania. Turns out I need $1000+ in repairs, and I paid $1400 for the car itself (valuable lessons about buying used cars learned). I can't afford this and it doesn't make sense anyway. I need a car. What are my options? Here's what I see:

- Find "Take the Money and Run" inspection place (I live in Philadelphia so theoretically this should be possible, but where?)

- Sell car, buy car with what I can get

I don't know if the first is possible, and the second will leave me with an even crappier car than I already had. Are there any other options?

(inspection due at the end of the month--I know, I know, shouldn't have left it this long)

Lookin' for some brunch.

amcm — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 06:58:04 -0800

Looking for a good place for a post-wedding brunch near the Hilton Hotel on City Avenue in Phila, PA. My future in-laws, fiancee and I are having trouble finding a good place for brunch on the day after our wedding. The out of town folks are staying at the Hilton hotel on City Avenue in Philadelphia, and we are trying to find a place that is close to the hotel. None of us are very familiar with that slice of Philly/ Bala Cynwyd/ Merion, so I thought this was a good query to feed to the hive.

It would be on Sunday, September 30th, for our out of town guests, immediate family, and the bridal party. We're anticipating quite a few people (I'm guessing 20-30), so we'd need a place that could take a reservation, or could save a room for us or something like that. We're looking for something more restaurant-ish and casual, in other words, not a hotel buffet type deal. It would also be nice if it wasn't very expensive. Good food a must!

Walking-around recommendations for downtown Philadelphia?

odinsdream — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:00:51 -0800

Walking-around recommendations for downtown Philadelphia? I'm going to a four-day conference at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Events end daily around 5ish, and I'd love some recommendations for things to do within walking distance, especially:

Quiet coffeeshops for reading
Chill bars for a quiet drink, local beer
Sushi, Indian food, bakeries, awesome local food

I've not visited the area before, so any tips or suggestions are welcome. I will not have access to a car, is public transportation easy to use?

Where can I get body art quality henna in Austin, Texas, this evening, or in Philadelphia this weekend?

UniversityNomad — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:53:33 -0800

Where can I get body art quality henna in Austin, Texas, this evening, or in Philadelphia tomorrow? I'm in Austin, Texas, until early tomorrow morning, when I fly to Philadelphia. For complicated reasons that are probably both irrelevant and uninteresting, I need to purchase good quality henna (preferably body art quality) ASAP. I'd like to purchase it preferably in Austin this evening (6-8 pm ish, and in the downtown or in walking distance of East Austin) or in Philadelphia tomorrow. If I have the luxury of a more specific preference, I'm looking for something that stains a warm light red on hair (like HennaforHair's Punjabi Prime) - nothing cool or burgundy, although I'm not looking for anything *too* orangey either. Any recommendations? Please?

Non-fluffy flexibility-promoting exercise classes in Philadelphia?

brackish.line — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:16:18 -0800

Where can I get the body workout without the soul workout - in Philadelphia? I'd like to find an exercise class that focuses on flexibility and reducing tension - without the spiritual stuff usually abundant in yoga classes. Yes, this is basically the same question as this post, just a different city.

I recently moved to Philly for a somewhat (and increasingly) stressful desk job that I nonetheless really like. The stress is taking a toll on my shoulders and neck especially. I fully recognize that yoga is the answer - but the spiritual aspect of yoga classes is completely unappealing and distracting to me. (I'm glad it works for so many people, but I'm just not one of them.)

Can anyone recommend a non-spiritual exercise class that will focus on reducing tension and increasing flexibility?

Snowflake details: Bonus points if it's in West Philly, but I'll consider going anywhere within the city accessible by public transit. I've heard that bikram yoga might be a good option, but I'm a complete wuss about hot weather...anything above 75 degrees and I'm already uncomfortable.