Philly Area Thread

[Shakedwnst]

Forgot to include that in my response too...that it's NJ and not to do it.

 

[lazerviking]

I know you asked for Philly neighborhoods, but I'm suggest Collingswood NJ. Fifteen min Patco train ride to Center City, a few great craft beer bars in the area, and your city wage tax gets credited towards your NJ income tax (I think a savings of almost 4%, not sure).

Plus I would assume cheaper rent.

Plus I would assume less stabby.

Oh yeah, no panhandlers in Collingswood. So it's got that going for it.

I mean, Collingswood is nice for a small town, but if you want to live in a great city, I wouldn't suggest it. You'd essentially be living in the suburbs. And you would have to cross the bridge every day, or take Patco to the Broad Street Line. Also, please don't listen to anyone who tells you that Philly is unsafe or "stabby." Like any big city in the entire world, there are parts of the city than are unsafe, but these are places that you almost surely would never have a reason to go.

There are really a ton of great neighborhoods in the city, each with a different feel. Rest assured, every one has great stuff within walking distance and plenty of craft beer bars. Some good neighborhoods have been listed above. I would add Queen Village, Graduate Hospital, Rittenhouse (pricy and tiny apartments, but you're never more than a five minute walk from Rittenhouse Square), Norther Liberties, Fishtown/Kensington (though I agree with Thoreau Like A Girl - can be a great neighborhood to go out, but I wouldn't want to live there), various parts of South Philly, etc, etc. You should visit and see as many neighborhoods as possible before you make your decision.

 

[xnicknj]

I'd also consider farther south in Bella Vista/East Passayunk. Still on the Broad Street Line and much farther along in terms of bars/restaurants.

+1 on considering this. Farther from Einstein but I live around this area (Queens Village) and love it. Wouldnt considering moving unless I'm leaving the city completely.

Fairmount could be nice too...Fishtown/Northern Liberties I like to visit but also wouldnt want to live there but some people love it. Also, note that you dont want to live in any of the real North Philly areas that might appear to be "convenient" to where you'll be working.

 

[Shakedwnst]

Really important question...are you driving to Einstein every day? (unless you want to live near Temple, I wouldn't, and therefore I'd limit my searching to the BSL since the Philly public transportation system isn't so reliable)

 

[lazerviking]

Really important question...are you driving to Einstein every day? (unless you want to live near Temple, I wouldn't, and therefore I'd limit my searching to the BSL since the Philly public transportation system isn't so reliable)

I'm sorry if I'm sounding like a dismissive dick in this thread, but again this is just not true. I haven't had a car for 11 years and have never had a problem with efficiency of the transit system. Learn the bus routes, they are extremely reliable and fast. BSL is definitely reliable too, but it's far from the only game in town.

 

[Shakedwnst]

I'm sorry if I'm sounding like a dismissive dick in this thread, but again this is just not true. I haven't had a car for 11 years and have never had a problem with efficiency of the transit system. Learn the bus routes, they are extremely reliable and fast. BSL is definitely reliable too, but it's far from the only game in town.

My point (which wasn't so clearly conveyed) is that I wouldn't plan for my work commute to be a bus to the market frankfurt line to the bsl line to einstein every day if there's an obvious one train trip to my destination and that was the reason I was moving to the city.

 

[MrMurke]

Not sure I'd call Collingswood "young", or home to a great bar scene.

Plus Philly isn't that stabby if you know where to be.

Plus I never see panhandlers unless I'm in Center City.

Plus Einstein is nowhere near Collingswood.

I was just trying to provide an "outside the box" idea. And "stabby" was just my failure-at-humor metaphor for general questionable areas that any large city has.

And I would call Collingswood "young." Not 25 and under young, but definitely young professionals and people starting families. It's not like we're talking about Haddonfield here.

My main point is, depending on his income and if he's already going to take public transportation, an added 30 minutes to the commute might be worth the 4%. That's valuable beer spending money!

 

[MrMurke]

I'm sorry if I'm sounding like a dismissive dick in this thread, but again this is just not true. I haven't had a car for 11 years and have never had a problem with efficiency of the transit system. Learn the bus routes, they are extremely reliable and fast. BSL is definitely reliable too, but it's far from the only game in town.

As much as I've seen people talk about SEPTA issues, the only times I have ever had issues were during snow storms that effectively closed the city down. Otherwise I found it to be very reliable, and loved my TrailPass when I had one (makes getting to the area breweries highly efficient.

 

[iong516]

But... It's in NJ

Nope levels are indescribable. I want a neighborhood close to where I work where I'm happy walking around on nights and weekends with desirable entertainment at my fingertips.

 

[iong516]

an added 30 minutes to the commute

 

[user 305778]

Seriously, don't move to NJ.

edit: Also I like Francisville at least the part closer to the prison. There's parking available, it's not particularly far from the Broad Street Line, and it's an easy walk into Center City or an easy bus ride.

 

[owlsfan]

Spring Garden and Fairmount are really awesome, but parking is a ******* nightmare.

 

[reaper16]

+1 on considering this. Farther from Einstein but I live around this area (Queens Village) and love it. Wouldnt considering moving unless I'm leaving the city completely.

Fairmount could be nice too...Fishtown/Northern Liberties I like to visit but also wouldnt want to live there but some people love it. Also, note that you dont want to live in any of the real North Philly areas that might appear to be "convenient" to where you'll be working.

I've got to +1 this too. I love living in Queen Village. It's close to everything I want to go to yet also pretty quiet.

(Also, you live in Queen Village too, Nick? How have we not drank together yet?)

 

[Shakedwnst]

Bella Vista here (right next to the market). Queen village was one too many buses from work in center city for us.

Looked in Fairmount but felt it still had a year or two to go

 

[Thoreau Like A Girl]

If you have a car that youll be using a lot and rely on on street parking, it'll be ****** in fairmount, queen village/most of Bella vista/east passayunk, northern liberties, and all of center city. And Chinatown's a joke.
You'll be mostly okay in spring garden/ eraserhood, brewerytown, francisville, west philly outside of campuses, fishtown (for most part)

 

[iong516]

I will have a car. This is good stuff to know.. Brewerytown is looking pretty desirable for me.

 

[owlsfan]

I will have a car. This is good stuff to know.. Brewerytown is looking pretty desirable for me.

You may want to drive through before you commit to living there. It's definitely improving but it's still pretty sketchy in some areas.

 

[Thoreau Like A Girl]

You may want to drive through before you commit to living there. It's definitely improving but it's still pretty sketchy in some areas.

Stay south of Thompson and you're good.

 

[Shakedwnst]

I live right on 11th at christian. FWIW I have only spent more than 10 minutes trying to find a spot once or twice in a year and that was a friday or Saturday night.

I'd seriously reconsider driving to work every day unless your budget is keeping you in the brewerytown area. Many of these places have permitted street parking so if you aren't moving your car every day it won't matter where you live. You can leave your car on the street as long as you want

 

[lazerviking]

I agree with Shakedwnst, if you've got the option I would choose not to drive. Having a car that you don't drive every day won't limit you to either an area with ample parking or having to pay for a spot (can be very pricey). A street parking pass is something like $30 a year and should serve you well.

 

[iong516]

I'm so down to live in Fairmount near a subway station and not use my car much. That would be great. From my online apt search I think I can afford it. Apt finding visit in April or May...

 

[lazerviking]

I'm so down to live in Fairmount near a subway station and not use my car much. That would be great. From my online apt search I think I can afford it. Apt finding visit in April or May...

Fairmount is awesome, but not really that close to the subway. If you were actually in Fairmount, as opposed to Francisville or neighborhoods further east, you are probably looking at at least a 15 minute walk to the subway.

 

[iong516]

Yeah this is why I need to go up there and look around.

 

[Shakedwnst]

Right, technically fairmount isn't that close to the subway, but those other neighborhoods that are still in the process of gentrifying are close. Take a hard look at the area between east passayunk and bella vista. Right near the federal/ellsworth stop (will probably add 10 minutes to your subway ride). Friends just got a big one bedroom there for $1500, so there are reasonable places around to rent. I'd personally prefer to live there over Fairmount any day. Acme (grocery store) is a 10 minute walk at most. Plenty of awesome bars and restaurants, and much easier to get into Center City than some of the other neighborhoods farther east.

Or else find some people to split the apartment above Hawthorne's. That might be dangerous though.

Parking passes for a year are $35 btw

 

[Shakedwnst]

Oh, and contact a realtor. By PA law they won't cost you anything and will do most of the legwork for you if you have some decent guidelines for them. That's of course if you can afford to spend a little more than what's listed on CL, although sometimes realtors have those also.

 

[Beeradelphia1]

Pennsport is right by the highway, has some beer bars within walking distance and the property value will increase there faster than most places in the city mentioned already. There's a brewery opening up on Moore and Moyamensing called Mellody Brewing hopefully by the years end. Doesn't hurt to be in walking distance from my house also, some crazy shares have gone down in my house in Pennsport

 

[Shakedwnst]

Looking to pop some Lambic bottles tonight to celebrate some good news. Is Monk's my best bet?

 

[lazerviking]

Looking to pop some Lambic bottles tonight to celebrate some good news. Is Monk's my best bet?

Was there last friday and the only bottles available were Oude Beersel, Tilquin, Girardin, and 3F Kriek. That may have changed since then, but I doubt it.

 

[Shakedwnst]

Thank you! Guess I'll have to start scouting out some other bottle lists

 

[Thoreau Like A Girl]

Was there last friday and the only bottles available were Oude Beersel, Tilquin, Girardin, and 3F Kriek. That may have changed since then, but I doubt it.

ie, a lot of good lambic....

you're going to be hard pressed finding a better list, shakedwnst, imho. they had quetsche, too.

you can check out Teresa's Next Door in Wayne, but you're going to pay dearly. I think they have 1 or 2 Cantillon, De Cam, Tilquin, 3F.. maybe others.