Christ Church vows not to disappoint

Summer Beckley goes to church to find out why the rest of Philadelphia is missing out on this gem.

Light streams in through ornate windows at Christ Church. In the hushed calm, it’s easy to imagine this place centuries ago, with its high ceilings and massive columns, filled with men in powdered wigs and breeches and women in gowns and petticoats. Christ Church has seen our nation develop in the last 300 years, from the turmoil and confusion of its beginning to the present.

“For almost as long as there has been a Philadelphia, there has been a Christ Church,” Senior Guide and Historian at Christ Church Neil Ronk said. “It’s been a mirror of the community. It’s a picture that can be one of hope for the city.”

Christ Church is a National Historic Landmark located in the heart of Old City on North American Street. Founded in 1695 by the Church of England, it is known as “The Nation’s Church” and was attended by Founding Fathers like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush and Betsy Ross.

“Christ Church was very important in the founding of our country,” said Anne McLaughlin, the director of tourism at Christ Church. “It is where many of the Founding Fathers worshipped and where [five] signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried.”

The church was originally housed in a small, wooden building on the site. The congregation quickly grew and between 1727 and 1744, the current church was constructed. It is now held as one of the nation’s most beautiful surviving examples of 18th-century Georgian architecture.

Unlike many landmarks in Philadelphia, Christ Church is still fully functioning in its original purpose.

“It’s one of few historic buildings in Philadelphia that’s still in existence and continuing to do what it did. Christ Church is an active church that has not missed a service since it was founded. The church has had its ups and downs. There have been times when the neighborhood wasn’t very nice. But right now it’s very active. We average about 400 members,” McLaughlin said.

“We want to teach history in a way that goes beyond, ‘George Washington sat there.’” Ronk added. “We want to take that nugget of history and from that, make the audience think.”

Fifteen signers of the Declaration of Independence worshipped at the congregation in the 1700s. At the First Continental Congress in September of 1774, Christ Church rector, Jacob Duché, led the opening prayers in Carpenter’s Hall. During the Revolutionary War, Reverend William White served as Chaplain to the Continental Congress and the U.S. Senate.

Five signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried at the Christ Church Burial Ground, including Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush. The two acres at the corner of Fifth and Arch streets were purchased by Christ Church in 1719. Historically prominent Philadelphians, Andrew Hamilton and Robert Morris lay at rest there along with many victims of the 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic.

Christ Church is among the top 10 most visited sites in the Philadelphia region.

“We average about 250,000 people a year who come to visit the church and burial ground,” McLaughlin said. “Between March and June, we get about 2,000 students a day.”

McLaughlin said that many families visit the church in the summer months, from the end of May through September. Other visitors are senior groups and college students. Professors from history and architecture classes often pay the church a visit.

Christ Church is the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church. McLaughlin said it is “the mother church for Episcopalians.” In 1804, Christ Church was home to the ordination of Absalom Jones, the first African-American priest in the Episcopalian Church.

“Each year, we tell our story through a different theme,” McLaughlin said. “That way, when people come to Christ Church and the Burial Ground, they don’t always hear the same tour. For example, we have looked at women and African Americans. One year we did ‘Artists, Writers and Composers.’

“This year, for 2010, we’re going to be focusing on connections to the military. It’s fascinating for everybody. We find new information or sometimes rediscover material that’s been lost,” she added.

Today, brass plaques mark the wooden pews, showing where historic individuals once sat. It is fascinating to visit Christ Church, knowing that people like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin once walked the aisles.

“It’s not just history.” Ronk said. “It’s about how you turn the past to make you think about what you can do for the future.”

Summer Beckley can be reached at summer.beckley@temple.edu.

First Friday a beautiful chance for art immersion

The free monthy event, held across several Old City blocks has something for artists and novice admirers alike.

This month’s First Friday has come and gone. But what did you do with your time? Did you go to your favorite coffee house? Maybe you went home for the weekend, or maybe you sat around your apartment watching TV all night.

Whatever you were doing with your time, if you didn’t spend Friday in Old City, frankly, you were probably wasting it.

If you were unaware – and believe me, it’s surprising how many are not aware – every first Friday of the month, Old City dedicates its streets solely to the arts for an event called First Friday.

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Old City’s art galleries open their doors to the public. Artists set up camp on the streets to display and sell their works, musicians perform live on almost every corner.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s totally free to go to? That’s right – free live music, free gallery showings and free artsy fun.

First Fridays started in Philadelphia in 1991, when the Old City Arts Association organized a district-wide open house. The event proved to be a success, sparking a lasting trend. Today, First Fridays mark one of the largest cultural events in the city.

Amid the galleries and artists who set their stuff up along the streets, it’s difficult to ignore the music that becomes First Friday’s soundtrack – not to mention the delicious cuisine in Old City.

If you have money to spend and a date to treat with an awesome meal, from Spanish tapas to Chilean delicacies, Old City during First Friday is the way to go. Plus, Old City theaters and restaurants often offer specials for those who attend the cultural event.

It’s a great time to rediscover your artistic passions, and at First Fridays, artists are often able to network with art students. The artists and vendors on the streets are friendly and usually love to talk about their projects.

It’s a great way to make connections with other talented painters, jewelry makers, designers and the like. Older students can offer advice on certain mediums, and graduate students can talk to you about possibly furthering your artistic endeavors.

But, for this cultural experience or fruitful networking to occur, you have to get out there and participate. And you’ve got to be willing to talk to a couple strangers. With First Friday’s casual, laid-back atmosphere, though, it shouldn’t be difficult to approach new people.

From artists to spectators, everyone who attends First Friday has one thing in common – love and appreciation for art and its promotion.

There’s a surplus of amazing, contemporary art in the city, and these galleries know who produces the best of the best. Most galleries are within the area bordered by Front Street to the east, Third Streets to the west, Vine Street to the north and Market Street to the south.

Some of the most impressive galleries are found on Second Street, such as Muse, the Artist’s House Gallery and Pentimenti Gallery. And the greatest thing about these places is that most are run by artists for artists.

All my First Friday experiences have been entertaining. Meeting new people who share an appreciation and enthusiasm for the arts is always a treat, and seeing so many passionate people in one place is extremely uplifting and inspirational to the struggling artist.

First Fridays serve as a reminder that neither the artist nor the spectator is alone and that there are many who support artists and help maintain creativity in our city’s culture.

Nicole Welk can be reached at nicole.welk@temple.edu.

Painted Bride fuses forms of creativity

The edgy art center in Old City seeks to combine elements of music, dance, theater and art in a socially-conscious effort.

In a building that looks like a giant pre-Columbian jewelry box, with the words “The Bride has many suitors” painted in script, there’s home to contemporary art venue the Painted Bride.

The mosaic of mirror tiles and painted swirls, titled “The Skin of the Bride,” is the work of Isaiah Zagar, one of the original founders and owner of the similarly-styled Eye’s Gallery on South Street.

Workshops are visible from the street through large, rustic windows.  

Hanging in the foyer is a one-of-a-kind chandelier made of a bicycle, hose, shovel and bucket spiked with bulbs, all fused together and suspended on a pulley. Ambient salsa music plays, and further into the building is one of the Bride’s current exhibits, Dignity Transforms, a reproduction of a community renewal project in North Philadelphia and part of the Semilla Arts Initiative.  

Artists Betsy Casañas and Pedro Ospina recreate the residents’ contributions with portraits, around which their works are displayed. Most prominent are the greenhouse and gardener, wheelbarrow truck and its creator and a hot rod hung with wrenches and screws beneath the portrait of a mechanic.

Divided lengthwise by a suspended sheet of chain link fence, the exhibit includes photographs of the project as well.

Casañas’ and Ospina’s individual works are displayed upstairs, the most salient being Casañas’ nude self-portraits. These oil canvases hang frameless on wooden rods like scrolls.  

Among the paintings are intricate webs of wooden spindles, netted and boxed in, created by Ospina. The theme continues with webs of metallic thorns, intriguing and elegantly intimidating.

Ospina’s paintings are textured and reminiscent of Picasso’s surrealism.

By the stairs hang Ospina’s trademark birdcages, featuring totem poles inset with beads and tipped with sheets of nail heads and perches spiked with glass shards.

“When people see the birdcages, they assume it’s Pedro,” said Marketing Coordinator LaNeshe Miller. “It’s a staple of his coming out in Philly.”

On the violet door of the Gerry Givnish Theater is the Painted Bride’s original logo, a geometric black and white bride that takes a second or two to recognize.

Featured inside are often controversial performances in dance, theater, music or any combination of the three.

Upcoming is Scott Turner’s “Becoming A Man in 127 Easy Steps,” about transitioning from female to male. Beginning in December, the show features monologues and aerial ribbon trapeze.  

“We seek to put out stuff that’s more than entertainment,” Miller said. “We like art that speaks to societal and cultural issues.”

Behind the theater, the office cubicles are enclosed in domestic white walls with awning windows, and tribal masks hang throughout.

“I’m looking for work that has some type of social connection and has a high degree of artistic excellence,” Executive Director Laurel Raczka said, when asked how she chooses pieces to be displayed.

Performances are sometimes followed with a discussion between audiences and artists.

“I want art to be accessible to a wide range of people. It’s important to have activities that bring people into the process and speak to the artist,” Raczka said. “People get intimidated by just the term ‘art,’ so it is meant to engage them.”

“I’d like this to be a destination at all times,” she added, “where people can come during the day and talk.”

Bianca Brown can be reached at bianca.brown@temple.edu.

Fright up your alley

If you live in Philadelphia, you’ve probably heard a little something about the city’s historical residents. Benjamin Franklin, the notorious inventor and scholar, Dr. John Physick, the creator of soda pop, and dramatic poet and storyteller Edgar Allen Poe have all called Philly home. What you probably don’t know is that their residencies may not be over just yet.

The Spirits of ‘76 Ghost Tour guides tourists through the streets of Old City, where trained historians talk about famous and haunted landmarks.

The tour meets at Fourth and Chestnut streets, where a small table sits draped in black linens adorning the sign “Spirits of 76’ Ghost Tour: One Part History, Two Parts Haunt!” After purchasing a ticket (a glow stick necklace), tour guides promptly lead groups on a stroll through the cobblestone walkways of Old City.

OK, so it sounds cheesy.

Walking through the city with a glowing necklace, while a guide embellishes his stories with dorky antics like waving his fingers around and booing. But if you get over your own coolness, let your guard down and psych yourself up, a ghost tour can be a truly entertaining experience.

You may not be personally haunted by Edgar Allen Poe, but you will probably learn something new about Philadelphia. Walking through Old City, tour guides stop at City Tavern, Carpenter’s Hall and Merchant’s Exchange, where reported incidences of ghostly activities occur.

One of the folklore stories told is about a witch on Pine Street. Residents who live on the street refuse to reveal exactly where the witch lived because they fear their property values will decrease.

The eeriest part of the tour is visiting the city’s old cemeteries, where ancient Indian chiefs and historical figures are buried. A children’s cemetery, which was built after flu epidemics hit the city, is also shown during the tour.

It’s hard to take the tour too seriously, especially if there’s a goofy bunch who creates ridiculous sound effects in order to scare other tourists.

Though I didn’t see any ghosts, I did experience something a little supernatural.

I refrained from taking photographs during the tour because of my camera’s poor nighttime quality. But once we toured the cemeteries, I felt inspired to take a few shots of the thin tombstones. The first picture I took was in Saint Peters Cemetery, where tombstones mysteriously fall over and fling across the burial grounds.

At first glance, my picture looked rather ordinary – a blank landscape view of tombstones and monuments. When I zoomed in on the last visible row of headstones, I saw a man standing in a long black coat. I assure you that no one was in that part of the cemetery when I was there. Scattered throughout the pictures are flames that hover over tombstones and other translucent figures.
I could be a crappy photographer – or a damned good spirit photographer. You’ll have to be the judge of that.

Lauren Gordon can be reached at lauren.gordon@temple.edu.

15 ways to explore the arts in Philly

Philadelphia’s arts and entertainment scene can’t be squeezed into a 1,000-word article. It’s just too big for that. Why else would Americans for the Arts (AFTA), a nonprofit organization that recognizes the country’s best art centers, have visited the city this summer? But don’t take their word for it—take ours. Follow this SparkNotes-like guide to the city during your first 15 days here. And after that? Read the darn book already.

1. Don’t Eat Like a College Student
Imagine if Ramen looked and tasted as appetizing as it appears on the Maruchan package wrapping. That’s the best way to describe pho, a big bowl of white rice noodles and beef slices in broth, which sells for $5 to $7 at Vietnamese markets. Top it off with a blended bubble tea, an avocado, jackfruit or strawberry smoothie sprinkled with tapioca balls.
12th Street and Washington Avenue, Sixth Street and Washington Avenue

2. Fulfill Your Fight Club Fantasies
If you’re looking for a combative edge in fitness (or just an alternative to IBC Student Recreation Center’s crowded weight room), check out the Philadelphia Mixed Martial Arts Academy and the Fight Factory. Both provide mixed martial arts lessons from world-class instructors. Fight Factory’s Eddie Alvarez is considered one of the top fighters in the 155-pound weight class. Not so confident in your butt-kicking abilities? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is popular among the athletically challenged, since it teaches you how to keep up with bigger, stronger opponents.
1321 Juniper St. and 2200 E. Susquehanna Ave.

3. Love Cheesesteaks, But Love Hoagies
More sliced steak on bread with Cheese Whiz may be Philly’s most enduring culinary export, but hoagies are also a staple at almost any deli in the city. The homemade bread rolls at Sarcone’s Deli and Bakery (734 South 9th St.) are packed with high carbs. Nick’s Charcoal Pit (1242 Snyder Ave.) is famous for its filet mignon sandwich, while Govinda’s (Broad and South streets) puts a vegetarian spin on the white collar sandwich.

4. Go to Church
The colorful events that the Rotunda, a once-abandoned church, hosts range from Holistic Mom Network meetings to monthly hip-hop gatherings. Most of the events are free; otherwise, admission is on a sliding scale and usually under $15. Upcoming shows worth attending: Gods vs Men: The Book of Xen, a colorful dystopian satire with song and dance that is being performed on Aug. 30-31, and Urban ECHO, a dance exhibition that runs the first and second Saturdays of September.
4104 Walnut St.

5. Don’t Drive on I-76 to Admire Nature
Hidden near 38th Street on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus is one of Philadelphia’s best kept secrets: a five-acre botanical garden lush with indigenous wildlife – excluding pigeons, squirrels and cockroaches. In 1897, Dr. John M. MacFarland created the Biopond, which is maintained by Penn’s School
of Arts and Sciences. It’s an oasis in a jungle of concrete.
3710 Hamilton Walk

6. Drink to the Local Economy
Yards Brewing Company set up shop in the historic Weisbrod & Hess building in 2001, and brewed beer with the future owners of the Philadelphia Brewing Company until a bitter breakup in 2007. Yards moved to Delaware Avenue and kept the original recipes for its pale ales and seasonal brews and PBC
maintained the brewery in Kensington. PBC offers a blend of local and European ales like the Walt Whitman, as well as hoppy brews like the Kenzinger. Ben Franklin once said, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Yards and PBC remind us of his words.

7. Don’t Pay for Art
More than 40 art galleries open their doors to the public and offer live music, food and wine on the first Friday of every month, from 5-9 p.m. F.U.E.L. (249 Arch St.), which was converted into living quarters for the cast of MTV’s Real World: Philadelphia, is a high-ceilinged gallery with hip art. The Old City Jewish Art Association (55 N. 5 St.) is especially generous with free food on the first Fridays. Though members focus on Jewish-themed art, anyone is welcome to browse and dine at no cost.

8. Scratch That: Pay for Art if Van Gogh’s Involved
Originals by Monet, Dali, DuChamp and Van Gogh are among the 225,000-plus works of art featured at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the accompanying Perelman Building. Sundays are free from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and tickets are $10 with a student ID during weekdays. Try to see the exhibit on Nandalal Bose, one of India’s most prolific modern artists, before it closes on Sept. 1. Jog up the steps and pose next to the statue of Stallone—err, Rocky.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway

9. Laugh So You Don’t Cry
Helium’s open-mic night has featured Comedy Central talent like Greg Giraldo and Joe Rogan, as well as some of Philly’s funniest rising comedians. Kent Haines, Steve Gerben and Chip Chantry are among the city’s best. Feel free to join them: you have three minutes to sink or float in the Philly’s comedic waters.
The environment is supportive and heckling is discouraged, unless someone goes over their time limit.
20th and Samson streets

10. Be Proud of Philly’s Own
The mix of urban soul and independent culture has Philly at the epicenter of one of the strongest rock and hip-hop scenes on the East Coast. Many a hipster swoon for Dr. Dog, mewithoutYou and Man Man, all of whom call Philly their home. Jill Scott, the Roots and Musiq Soulchild are native Philadelphians, while RJD2 relocated to the city from Oregon. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the brilliant, demented minds behind Adult Swim’s Tom Goes To The Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job are Temple alumni. Their earlier dabbling in absurdity can be seen on www.timanderic.com.

11. Take a Shower
Shampoo’s name is not a gimmick. Foam rains from the club’s ceiling every Sunday, so bring your rubber
ducky on the dance floor. Five separate rooms, like the blue room for dance and the velvet underground room for old school and classic club tracks, make Shampoo one of the bigger clubs in the city. It’s also one of the few places that caters to the underage crowd. Spoiled Thursdays is for ages 14 to 18. Nocturne Gothic Wednesdays attracts crowds of vampire look-a-likes with $3 drink specials and throbbing industrial music. Don’t worry—they won’t bite unless you give them permission.
Willow Street between Seventh and Eighth streets

12. Believe in Aliens
Founder Jennifer Bates succumbed to leukemia in May 2007, but her legacy lives on through her Fishtown-based bookstore that specializes in the esoteric. Conspiracy theories, the occult and science fiction are all popular subjects at Germ Books. A UFO discussion group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m., where you’re sure to get a weird look is if you ask for Harry Potter.
2005 Frankford Ave.

13. Jog in Our Own Central Park
Consisting of 63 parks that span some 9,200 acres, Fairmount Park has enough space and activities for any city-weary person to get lost in. Kelly Drive has trails for biking and walking that run parallel to the Schuylkill River, which is frequented by rowers. The area near the Art Museum district also has golf courses and pavilion for public events.

14. Swill Beer for Free
Come into Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar on your birthday and the first drink is on the house. Located 40 steps from Geno’s on Passyunk Avenue, this Depression-era dive bar embodies the friendly neighborhood spirit of South Philly. Ray’s has Quizzo on Mondays, karaoke on Fridays, live music on
Saturdays and comedy nights once a month, for no cover. It’s a prime spot to sip on a Kenzinger and light up a cigarette.
1200 E. Passyunk Ave.

15. If Life’s a Tragedy, Throw a Party
Once a month, Eric Broomfield honors his late brother with Carnivolution, West Philly’s wildest party. Located at the Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, the gathering features Broomfield’s band the Hydrogen Jukebox, which plays Vaudevillian rock. Guests include clowns, fire-breathers, knife throwers and sword
swallowers.
3819 W. Philly Ave.

Neighborhood Watch

Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods. Think of them as living, breathing organisms—ever-changing, ever-growing and each entirely different from the next. Now think of yourself as an explorer that is about to set off on an urban safari. Wander, observe and listen. Familiarize yourself with the city. After all, it’s your new home—and while it may be overwhelming at first glance, its bark is tougher than its bite. Follow this guide and you’ll feel like a local in no time.

Fairmount

Best known as: A mostly residential area with cheaper-than-Center City rent prices and home to some of the city’s most famous tourist attractions.
Where to eat: Fairmount’s Osteria (640 N.Broad St.) was named the best restaurant in the city by Philadelphia magazine in February, and its traditional Italian food lives up to the hype. The London Grill (2301 Fairmount Ave.) and the Rose Tattoo Café (19th and Callowhill streets) are also good back-ups if Osteria is booked for the night.
What to do: Check out the Eastern State Penitentiary (2124 Fairmount Ave.), a former state prison where Willie Sutton and Al Capone were once prisoners. For a little outdoor adventure, spend some time exploring the vast expanse of Fairmount Park or take a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 W. Girard Ave.)

University City

Best known as: A diverse and eclectic residential neighborhood that is also home to the University of Pennsylvania’s gorgeous campus, Drexel University’s not-so-gorgeous campus and some of the city’s best house venues, where local experimental rock bands play low-key shows.
Where to eat: Feast yourself on foods from around the globe. Grab Ethiopian cuisine at Abyssinia (229 S. 45th St.) or Dahlak (4708 Baltimore Ave.), try Pakistani at Kabobeesh (4201 Chestnut St.), or gorge on the $10 all-you-can-eat buffet at Sitar India (60 S. 38th St.) For drinks, Dock Street Brewery and Restaurant (701 S. 50th St.) is a West Philly favorite. Try its award winning premium amber beer, which is brewed and bottled on site.
Where to shop: For those who travel on two wheels, the independently owned Trophy Bikes (3131 Walnut St.) is a must-stop. The Last Word Bookshop (220 S. 40th St.) is a great place to find dog-eared novels and cheap textbooks, and The Second Mile Center (214 S. 45th St.) is a thrift store with tons of stuff to dig through—some of it decent and salvageable, some of it not.
What to do: The International House (3701 Chestnut St.) hosts frequent concerts and movie screenings, and the World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) is known for its live music and bar.

Templetown

Best known as: The best-lit part of the city. Don’t even try to stargaze here.
Where to eat: Koja Grille (1600 N. Broad St.) offers delicious, spicy Korean dishes
for cheap prices—and you can use Diamond Dollars to pay. The Sexy Green Truck, located outside of the
Student Center, has some of the best food on campus and all of its produce is locally grown. But when it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve just come from a frat party, the only place to go is Temple Star (1412 W. Diamond St.)—for quick, greasy Chinese food that will soak up the beer in your stomach.
Where to shop: Phenomenal Records (1432 Cecil B. Moore Ave.) is a great place to
find underground hip-hop, rap and R&B records. Keep your eyes peeled—you may run into regulars Method Man, Ludacris or Ghostface Killah.

Northern Liberties

Best known as: A haven for artists and musicians, and a dining and nightlife rival for neighboring Old City.
Where to eat: Snack on miniature vegan donuts at the Soy Café (630 N. 2nd St), and then taste the bubble tea and stuffed pretzels at Euphoria Smoothies & Coffee (1001 N. 2nd St.) The gastropub offered at the Abbaye (637 N. 3rd St.) is a good spot for drinks. The brand-new Cantina Dos Segundos (931 N. 2nd St.) is earning a reputation for its guacamole and chips.
Where to shop: Made to Order (817 N. 2nd St.) and Art Star Gallery & Boutique (623 N. 2nd St.) both offer unique and eclectic clothing and accessories for men and women.
What to do: Indulge your inner child with bowling, arcade games and tater tots at North Bowl (909 N. 2nd St.), or catch a free Thursday night outdoor movie screening at the Arbol Café (209 Poplar St.)

Old City

Best known as: A place for sightseeing, wining and dining.
Where to eat: Stephen Starr’s original restaurant, Continental (138 Market St.), may look like a diner on the outside, but you won’t find lobster mashed potatoes or decadent martinis at your local greasy spoon. Old Original Bookbinder’s (125 Walnut St.) is another Old City classic, a Philadelphia landmark where everyone including David Bowie, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Nixon
have dined. For dessert, check out the old-fashioned milkshakes and malts at the Franklin Fountain (116 Market St.)
Where to shop: All within a few blocks of each other, used book stores Big Jar Books (55 N. 2nd Street) and The Book Trader (7 N. 2nd Street), and record emporium A.K.A. Music (27 N. 2nd Street) are worthy stops. Chic boutiques are plentiful on Third Street, but Sazz Vintage Clothing (133 N. 3rd Street), in particular, is a gem—the store sells mostly men’s vintage, with a focus on rockabilly and disco styles.
What to do: The Khyber (56 S. 2nd Street) is one of Philadelphia’s most popular bars and a frequent stop for bands and musicians on the road. Also worth checking out is Penn’s Landing, located on the Delaware River waterfront, where concerts and other events are sometimes held.

South Street

Best known as: The first place most people visit when they move to Philadelphia.
Where to eat: The Jamaican Jerk Hut (1436 South St.) serves up mouthwatering
Caribbean food, while South Street Souvlaki (509 South St.) makes a mean gyro. Also, Lorenzo & Son
Pizza (305 South St.) is known for its huge, greasy slices.
Where to shop: The best shops on South Street are the sex shops— Condom Kingdom (437 South St.), Erogenous Zone (523 South St.) and The Mood (531 South St.) Also worth
checking out are Repo Records (538 South St.), vintage shop Retrospect (534 South St.) and women’s boutique Guacamole (422 South St.)
What to do: Make sure you visit Isaiah Zagar’s spectacular mosaic labyrinth, the Magic Garden (1020-1022 South St.), open to the public for a mere $3 donation during weekday and weekend afternoons. Whole Foods (929 South St.) often holds movie screenings, concerts and other
events on its roof, and Manny Brown’s (119 South St.) is home to the original Kinky Quizzo, held every Wednesday night. If that doesn’t peak your interest, check out Bob & Barbara’s Lounge (1509 South St.) for live jazz, drag shows and drunken spelling bees.

Italian Market

Best known as: The battleground for the war between Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s, a better alternative to Pathmark in terms of produce and a great spot for people-watching and
cheese-buying.
Where to eat: A trip to either Pat’s or Geno’s is absolutely necessary when roaming the Italian Market. Both are located at the intersection of Ninth and Wharton streets and Passyunk Avenue, and both offer pretty much the exact same cheesesteak—just remember to order in English if you’re visiting Geno’s. Sabrina’s Café (910 Christian St.) is another Italian Market favorite, known for its great breakfast food.
Where to shop: Molly’s Bookstore (1010 S. 9th St.) always has tons of cheap used books to poke through. For gourmet cheeses and meats, stop by Di Bruno Brothers (930 S. 9th St.), Esposito’s Meats (1001 S. 9th St.) or Talluto’s Pasta and Cheese (944 S. 9th St.), where they make fresh mozzarella every day.

Gayborhood

Best known as: The friendliest neighborhood in the city for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders and a great spot for dining and nightlife.
Where to eat: Stephen Starr’s El Vez (121 S. 13th St.) serves unique, Mexican-inspired dishes and huge margaritas. Bump Lounge (1234 Locust St.) offers specialty martinis with names like “The Metrosexual” and two menus, one with “big plates” and the other of “small plates.” While restaurants like Italian joint Portofino (1227 Walnut St.) and the French bistro Caribou Café (1126 Walnut St.) tend to be a bit pricier, there’s always the Pad Thai Shack (122 S. 12th St.) for those looking for cheap, tasty take-out.
What to do: Woody’s Bar (202 S. 13th St.) is the Gayborhood’s most famous
nightclub and a favorite among college students, even those who aren’t gay. Sal’s (200 S. 12th St.) holds regular dance parties and concerts, and the Last Drop (1300 Pine St.) is a popular Gayborhood coffee shop that stays open late for night owls.

Chinatown

Best known as: A predominantly Asian neighborhood with a lot of cheap restaurants and bubble tea shops.
Where to eat: Penang (117 N. 10th St.) is well known in the area for
its unique Malaysian cuisine, while Imperial Inn (146 N. 10th St.) is often hailed as one of Chinatown’s best – and least expensive – dim sum restaurants. For those with dietary restrictions, New Harmony (135 N. 9th St.) and Kingdom of Vegetarians (129 N. 11th St.) are both certified kosher vegan restaurants that also serve gluten-free dishes.
Where to shop: The best shopping in Chinatown is at its many Asian grocery stores,
where you can purchase all the goods you need to make your own sushi, as well as fresh noodles, spices, sauces and dumplings.

Anna Hyclak can be reached at anna.hyclak@temple.edu.

Old City Coffee devotees make it a new city tradition

Whether sitting quaintly on a narrow cobblestone street or planted within the hectic Reading Terminal Market, Old City Coffee’s two locations embody the qualities of a “true Philadelphia coffee shop.” The stores’ products – not to mention its 24-year existence – have given it fame in both Center City and Old City.

“They roast it 10 blocks away,” said Tyler Ward, an independent contractor living near the Old City location. “It’s so fresh, it makes a big difference.”

Opened independently in 1984, Old City Coffee’s original shop was so successful that it expanded to Reading Terminal just four years later. The company’s business was kept steady by Old City Coffee’s unique brewing process.

“They don’t use substandard beans and then over-roast them, which is what Starbucks does,” said George Polgar, Ward’s business partner. “The other thing is, they keep the coffee maintained, and that’s the key. As soon as coffee hits the air, it changes the flavor. When other coffee shops pour it into those pump cans, it’s not coffee anymore. The urns they use here are not modern like those.”

Old City Coffee’s roast is far from the average Joe, too. Their locations are the only places in the city where you can find 100 percent Arabica coffee, which is why many say it’s the best coffee in Philadelphia.

Sandayani Saputra, who has been a manager at Old City Coffee for three years, said the variety keeps the customers coming back. Its location in the busy Reading Terminal also doesn’t hinder business – in fact, many go there specifically for the coffee.

“The coffee of the day is our best-selling product,” she said. “Local people always come over and grab a coffee in the morning.”
Old City Coffee has a tendency to make customers loyal – so loyal that they can’t live without it.

“We’ve been around a long time, and so has Old City Coffee,” Ward said. “So when we go on vacation, we take it with us. We buy the beans and take the cups, too.”

Another Old City Coffee customer appreciates the simple aspects of the shop.

“The sun’s really nice here and the location is great,” Fred Kenner said. “It’s perfect.”

Like the mornings, weekends at Old City Coffee are bustling. With a private café at the Old City location and a large public seating area at the Reading Terminal, customers feel inclined to stay awhile.

“It has a good weekend crowd,” Ward said. “The café is full every weekend.”

Everyone knows that Philadelphia residents are harsh in judgment, so Old City Coffee’s good reputation definitely says something about it. And its combination of locality, freshness and seniority render it deserving of this.

“It’s local to Philadelphia,” Saputra said. “So if you want real Philadelphian coffee with a really great taste, Old City Coffee’s the place.”

Carlene Majorino can be reached at carlene.majorino@temple.edu.