Monument at Washington Square Park
This past weekend I got to visit a friend I haven't seen in four years. Besides the joy of exploring new places, it's such a blessing to be able to see familiar faces I haven't seen in a while, let alone a four year reunion. I'm beyond thankful for this friend of going out of her way to host and show me around despite balancing school and work. Here's a toast to her and to this blog of Philly-ness! FYI, Philly is actually the oldest city in the States!

From New York, I arrived by Megabus and I actually got to spend the first day on my own, spending the night at Apple Hostels. If you are looking for affordable, convenient, and comfortable travel options, look no further than these two. I definitely vouch for what they stand for and highly recommend them to travelers on a budget (see their links for more info).

So with anticipative spirits and a growling stomach, the first thing I put in my mouth just had to be...*drumroll* a Philly cheese steak (PCS for short for the sake of this repetitive post), duh! and I did not regret it. As I was staying close to Market Street, I wasn't fond of the idea of making a 30min walk to the infamous long standing PCS rivals across the street from each other, Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks. Instead, I went to Campo's Deli, which was literally a 5min walk away from my hostel and known for their specialty PCS "Hoagies," basically a Philly term for subs, so my PCS had tomatoes, lettuce and onions in it and oh Philly was it delicious! I'm not usually a heavy burger/sub eater, but I was so satisfied by this concoction of steak strips + cheesy goodness.

Philly is a really easy place to navigate, so though there are tourist buses you can buy a 1 or 2 day pass to hop on/hop off, it is not necessary to check out most places. There are almost signs at every intersection/block to direct you to where you need to go downtown. I planned my itinerary based on their location and was able to attack the Liberty Bell/Independence Hall/Washington Statue/Square Park for some historic sightseeing, Chestnut/Walnut Street for some tax free shopping (on clothes and shoes only), checked out City Hall, and ended the night with an unplanned "First Friday," a monthly artsy event that happens on no other than the first Friday of each month. Located in Old City where art galleries are abundant, this social event brings out local artists to showcase their work, antique sellers to offer vintage goods (and lots of vintage jewelry at bargain able prices!), and an upbeat atmosphere for young and old to enjoy with galleries open for free to the public. This area is also very lively as there is a lot of culture going on with historic and long standing eateries (check out this cool ice cream joint, Franklin Fountain), local boutiques, bars and restaurants.

Liberty Bell
City Hall
First Friday Vintage Market
The next morning, I walked to the Italian Market on 9th Ave (not that exciting as it mainly sold fresh produce and meat products), and rerouted back to catch some glimpses of Penn's Landing (which wasn't the best view either compared to other bigger cities I've been to).

My second day consisted of checking out a more "local" side of Philly. My friend resided in Fishtown, so even driving out of downtown, you notice the difference in scenery. Less attractions and tourists are one thing, but rundown buildings, damaged properties, heaps of garbage was obvious that the city prioritize the infrastructure and image of the touristy core rather than the less visited places. Though, there was also a more hipster side to the less known whelms of Philly as well, especially near the Piazza.

My cookie sandwich
Within walking distance from where my friend lived, there was plenty of up and coming businesses and entrepreneurs adding hype to the area, especially in the food sector. Pizza Brain is one of them and is Guinness record recognized for their pizza museum and wall decked memorabilia of all things pizza, besides the fact that their pizza was one of the freshest and tastiest I had ever had. Next door and dessert partner in crime, we have Little Baby's Ice Cream, reinventing the concept of ice cream flavours and related desserts for the avid sweet tooth. I had my first ever ice cream sandwich, Thai tea ice cream between an almond fennel and chia snickerdoodle cookie (the tastes were so cool, yet so authentic at the same time.. like frozen thai tea!!).

At the Japanese House
Other than eating, which it seemed like I did a lot of, we also checked out Fairmount Park, and relaxed with a soothing visit to the Japanese Garden and house there. To be honest, it wasn't worth the admission ($6 adults, $4 students), as it was small relative to other Japanese gardens I've been to, and not that interesting. Though, this park was great for a picnic, a stroll, or even just people watching like we did as we caught a bridal party there taking pictures. On a side note, my friend also educated me on the heavy beer drinking culture in Philly as shown by the vast amount of breweries and types of beers, ales, etc. you can order when eating out, so if you're into beer, be sure to check it out.

My last day in Philly, we had coffee and a lighter lunch at Leotah's Place, a local cafe hidden in my friend's neighborhood and where one would think is a rustic cabin-like house driving by. From the exterior, it is part of a residential complex which adds to its comfortable atmosphere, and upon walking in, the decor is few, but authentic with a tribal vibe, and it feels as if you've been invited for coffee in someone's living room. This would honestly be my 'go-to' java place if I had it back home! Their aroma, unique caffeinated drinks (named after famous Americans), and small, but from scratch  food menus displays simplicity at its best.
Sitting inside Leotah's Place
Overall, it was an unforgettable weekend getaway from the craze of the big city life. Philly reminded me of life's simplest pleasures and cultivated a desire to learn more about American history and figures. I would definitely return in the future, and I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but I wish I made a stop at the premium outlets in philly as I could've got such a good deal on tax-free shopping! Next time!