Philadelphia's Distinct and Diverse Districts Are Ready to Be Explored
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NEIGHBORHOODS Elfreth's Alley, p. 32 Mural Arts Program, p. 39 y m a l A , B V C L H P , B V C L H P : t f e l p o t m o r f the back e Turn to s i w k of this guide for c o l complete maps of c , y ea h Philadelphia and the p ounding ar a r surr g o t o Chinatown, p. 36 h P NEIGHBORHOODS PHILADELPHIA’S DISTINCT AND DIVERSE DISTRICTS ARE READY TO BE EXPLORED BY JOANN GRECO AND RHONDA RICHE Neighborhoods 5-0.indd 31 12-10-04 10:20 AM Ò OLD CITY (HISTORIC, WATERFRONT DISTRICT, SOCIETY HILL) NEW BOHEMIANS With its cast-iron storefronts, art galleries and Belgian block streets, this neighborhood has the look and feel of an artist enclave. On First Fridays, it’s packed with tech entrepreneurs (along N3RD Street) and other creative types Stroll back to Colonial days in Elfreth's Alley checking out art gallery open houses. At other times, there's a more laid-back vibe. MUST SEE: FAMILY FRIENDLY Indulge in comfort food and kitsch at 1. Carousel? Check. Miniature has a terrific collection of hipster- Jones Restaurant (jones-restaurant. golf? Check. Awesome shakes and approved tees — many priced for as com), Stephen Starr's homage to burgers? Check. Franklin Square low as $5. And if you're looking for Brady Bunch-era nostalgia. The (historicphiladelphia.org/franklin- something a little more unique, they 1970s-inspired decor features shag square/what-to-see), one of William can custom print a design on the carpeting, bubble lamps and a roaring Penn’s original five public squares, premises. fireplace. But the retro cuisine is the offers wonderful people-watching, real attraction. The pickiest kids will be eating and playing. 3. Elfreth’s Alley (elfrethsalley. unable to resist the baked macaroni org), between Front and 2nd streets and cheese, fried chicken and burgers. 2. While Old City T Shirts and just north of Arch Street, bills itself Adults will be transported back to their Souvenirs (oldcitytshirts.com) may as America’s oldest continuously own childhood with Bubbe’s brisket. not look like a destination shop, it inhabited residential street. Two homes are now open to the public, but the real fun is in strolling past the others and getting a sense of how modern and Colonial Philadelphia coexist. 4. No visit to Old City would Franklin Vine St be complete without stopping by Square The Continental 1 Highway (continentalmartinibar.com). Local 676 d v l B s impresario Stephen Starr kicked off u b r m Race St his restaurant career by imaginatively e u l n r o u C 3 r spinning an old diner into a martini T e l 2 h e Cherry St p i o bar — and in doing so, pushed the t n B s i a r V h neighborhood right over the edge D C C , L Arch St s n into hipper-than-thou territory. H o i P t r a r o t f s p u l Located on the Independence l 5. o I r h 4 p 5 Mall, The National Museum t a a Market St L M l of American Jewish History's . r B a K V (nmajh.org) archive of over n C a L 30,000 objects from the Colonial y r H B Chestnut P : : St t period to the present day helps bring y S y t t t t t t h h S n S S S S p p d o h h h d t t the concepts of democracy and t n r r a a F 3 2 6 5 4 r r g g freedom to life. o o t t o o h h P P Neighborhoods 5-0.indd 32 12-09-28 10:04 AM Old City is a lively mix of modern and Photography: Naomi Finlay for PHLCVB Finlay Naomi Photography: historic Philadelphia Neighborhoods 5-0.indd 33 12-10-10 5:26 PM Ò PARKWAY MUSEUMS DISTRICT PARIS IN PHILADELPHIA An American Champs-Élysées, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is home to some of the nation’s most iconic museums and institutions. This lively public space is also the scene of music festivals and the city’s first “Diner en Blanc” pop-up dinner party. MUST SEE: Charles Dickens first editions and 1. The jewel of the city’s cultural world personal letters — you can even see is The Philadelphia Museum of Dickens’ stuffed pet raven, Grip. Stop FAMILY FRIENDLY Art (philamuseum.org). Called the by the Children’s Room for original You’ll find two important science museums at Parthenon on the Parkway, the main artwork by famed local son N.C. Logan Square. For child-friendly exhibitions, building was co-designed in 1907 by Wyeth. visit The Franklin Institute (fi.edu). It’s also prominent architects Julian Abele home of the Benjamin Franklin Memorial and Howell Lewis Shay (Abele was 5. End your exploration of the and the Tuttleman IMAX Theatre. The the first African American to design a Parkway at JFK Plaza, locally known Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel major museum in the nation). There as LOVE Park. And make sure to University (ansp.org) is the place to learn are more than 200 galleries displaying have your picture taken with Robert more about the natural sciences and see examples of art and craft spanning Indiana’s LOVE sculpture while you’re specimens of birds, insects, fish, mammals over 2,000 years of history. It’s also there. and, of course, dinosaurs. the home of the “Rocky Steps” (see p. 100 for more about this Philadelphia filmic landmark). 2 2. A tour of Eastern State Penitentiary (easternstate.org) is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. Every year it’s the scene of a fantastic exhibit featuring “haunted 1 attractions”; this year it runs from September 21 to November 10. In the spirit of the French influences 3 in this neighborhood, it’s also host Benjamin F to a Bastille Day fête in July, which ranklin Pkwy means you’ll have to come back for a 4 summer visit. Highway 676 Vine St Winter St Vine St The recently opened Barnes 3. t S Logan d Foundation (barnesfoundation. Square a o r B org) hosts an amazing collection N of impressionist, post-impressionist Race St and early modern art. The newly Cherry St renovated Rodin Museum (rodinmuseum.org) has the largest Arch St collection of works by sculptor 5 t t t t t t t t t S S S JFK Blvd S S S S S S Auguste Rodin outside France. d h d h h h t h h t n r t t t t s t 3 2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 N N N N N N N N N 4. The Parkway Central Library of Market St the Free Library of Philadelphia (freelibrary.org) features one of the world’s biggest public collections of Neighborhoods 5-0.indd 34 12-10-15 12:15 PM B V C L H P : y h p a r The Philadelphia Museum g o t of Art is home to more than o h P 200 galleries Neighborhoods 5-0.indd 35 12-09-28 10:07 AM Ò CONVENTION CENTER DISTRICT A MOVABLE Vine St Expwy 676 FEAST Vine St Franklin Home to the recently expanded Square Pennsylvania Convention Center and Race St some of Philadelphia’s finest hotels, 1 Cherry St 3 4 this neighborhood is the place where 2 5 locals and visitors meet and mingle Arch St while experiencing culinary and cultural Filbert St delights from around the world. Market St t t t t t t t t S S S S S S S S h h h h t t t t h h h h t t t t 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 9 8 7 6 MUST SEE: offers delicacies from all across Asia; favorites include Vietnamese pho and Thai red curry. If you're traveling with The Convention district is home 1. a large group, visit Sang Kee Peking to amazing outdoor art installations, Duck House (sangkeechinatown. including Claes Oldenburg’s com), a Chinatown landmark that Paint Torch and Jordan Liska’s serves delicious duck and other Grumman Greenhouse in delights until 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Lenfest Plaza. Saturday nights. Sample the best in local and global 2. The African American Museum flavors at the Reading Terminal 5. in Philadelphia (aampmuseum. Market (readingterminalmarket. org) boasts an impressive collection org). Housed under a converted of art and artifacts. In January, check train station (the Reading Railway of out a new exhibition called Come See Foodie heaven inside the Monopoly fame), this historic building About Me: The Mary Wilson Supremes Reading Terminal Market brings local farmers and international Collection (until June 2013). food vendors together under one enormous roof. It’s also home to Tommy DiNic’s Roast Pork Sandwich, which was recently voted the best in America by the Travel Channel’s Adam Richman. ’s lphia Philade y m a 3. A cool modern art Chinatown l A exhibition space, The Fabric , is one of the B Workshop and Museum's gest in the V lar C y L (fabricworkshopandmuseum.org) countr H P unique artist-in-residence program : m o t has resulted in an archive of one-of-a- t o b kind collaborations with internationally o t renowned artists such as Roy p o t , Lichtenstein and Kara Walker.