In 1974, while floundering in life, I moved from a town in New York State to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for employment reasons. I knew almost nothing about the city when I started my new job as a caseworker with the Pennsylvania Department Of Public Welfare. Well, I lucked out. The job became the first section of a PDPW career that lasted well over 30 years. And, right from the start, I felt at ease and at home in The City Of Brotherly Love.
I was wowed by Philly’s music scene and museums, its art galleries, bookstores and record stores, its beautiful parks and plethora of houses and other structures erected in the 1700s and 1800s. I had landed in a place loaded with history and culture and, as it turned out, poised to embrace the future. For, Philadelphia has gotten better during the subsequent years. A world-class restaurant scene has developed, for instance, something almost nobody would have predicted back then. And the looks of downtown Philadelphia improved, taking on a modernistic slant when a crop of skyscrapers, as sleek as can be, began to rise in the 1980s.
To this day, Philadelphia’s assets have resonated with me quite perfectly. Which is why I’ve never tired of Philadelphia. There’s zero chance my love for this city will end before I bid farewell to Planet Earth.
In 2005, for reasons too banal to go into, my wife Sandy and I moved from Philadelphia to a nearby suburb, where we still reside. However, the relocation didn’t mean that my need to absorb Philadelphia’s vibes had lessened. On the contrary. For the next four years I continued to get my Philadelphia fix regularly, because I worked in an interesting section of the city and also because I frequently indulged, during non-work hours, in good stuff the city had to offer. And, since retiring from PDPW in 2009, I’ve journeyed to and immersed myself in Philly two to five times each month, often with Sandy. I just can’t stay away.
During the last decade or more, one of the activities I’ve most enjoyed is taking long walks, with no agenda in mind, through different Philadelphia neighborhoods. Nearly every block contains one thing or another that grabs my attention, and the rhythms of my legs in motion make me feel free. My latest expedition took place on the final Tuesday of July. That’s when I drove sleep-deprived Sandy, who was too groggy to be behind the wheel safely, to her hair salon appointment in Philadelphia’s Queen Village section. After I parked the car, Sandy entered the shop where magic occurs, and I ventured off to see what was up in Queen Village.
Over the next hour and a quarter I walked along many of Queen Village’s blocks, some of which I’d never been on before. This neighborhood, which is a bit south of Philly’s far-better known Old City section (Old City contains Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and other famed American landmarks), has a fair number of green spaces and a few funky commercial corridors. On those corridors, one finds taverns, fabric stores, a Jewish-style deli and other eateries, a bookstore, tattoo joints, craft shops, and on and on.
Most of the blocks, though, are primarily residential. They are calm, partially shaded by trees, and just plain lovely. The majority of houses, I’d guess, date from the 1800s. There are plenty from the 1900s and aughts too, and some that remain from the 1700s during Philadelphia’s early years of development. If Sandy and I ever seriously contemplate moving back to Philadelphia, Queen Village might be a neighborhood for us to consider landing in.
Before heading back to the hair salon to retrieve Sandy, I popped into Three Graces Coffee, in the heart of Queen Village, to rehydrate and have a bite to eat, as the outside temperature (85°F/29°C) had begun to drain my aged bod of energy and had put me on the verge of sweating like a frigging pig. Three Graces saved the day. A glass of iced peppermint tea went down swimmingly. And a blueberry muffin, as good as any I’ve ever eaten, put a smile on my inner face. I was content, and already looking forward to my next round of exploration, whenever that might occur, in the city I know best.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
It sounds like a big city with a village vibe. I found Paris to be like that, each “neighborhood” felt like a small town. Cities that are walkable are comfortable to me.
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A friend of mine lives with his wife in a sort-of central part of Philadelphia. He once told me that he walks about five miles each day in the city. He’s truly a walker and an explorer.
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Looks like a nice mix of old and new. I especially like the brick house with the blue doors and shutters. Not sure about hoofing around when it’s 85F and maybe humid too. I guess you’re acclimatized, though.
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Hi. I wasn’t in direct sunlight much of the time, which helped. A temp of 75F would have been a lot more comfortable, in any case.
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Not sure if you followed Jim Borden from Borden’s Blather blog. He has pretty much retired from blogging now, but he’s from the Philly area. He teaches at Villanova. When I was on the east coast, he took me around the city for a great day. Of course, he filmed me sprinting (haha) up the steps a la Rocky as I’m sure thousands of others have done before. For lunch he took me to Geno’s for a legendary Philly cheesesteak.
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Hi Pete. You had a good day in Philly. A statue of Rocky used to be at a stadium in Philly. Ten or more years ago it was moved to the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum Of Art, where it stands very close to the stairs you ran up. In its new location, that statue has become one of the things that tourists flock to. It’s incredibly popular.
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Yeah, we had our picture taken there on the grounds in “fighting position.”
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I have only been to Philadelphia once, but I fell in love with it! I absolutely get your sentiment! I even used it as one of the settings of my manuscript. 🥰
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Hi. Thanks for adding your thoughts. I don’t know who this is, though. You’re listed as Anonymous.
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I really love those odd chance moves fate, or whatever your deal is, pops into our paths ensuring we end up just where we’re meant to be. I can see why you love the place!
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Hi. I’m lucky that things worked out for me. A lot of people, I suspect, are indifferent to where they live.
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What a marvellous tribute to your favourite city! It’s so wonderful when you find a place that you fit and that fits you. Thanks, Neil.
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Hello there. Philadelphia has been a major part of my life for about 50 years. And, it’s where I met my wife!
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We came to Glasgow in 1986 and, like you and Philadelphia, I can now never imagine being anywhere else. Well, for about two minutes I dream about living in a little cottage next to the sea, then I remember all the museums, restaurants, concert halls, etc I can just walk to from here and I wake up.
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Right. Rural and semi-rural places are great to spend time in. But only up to a point, for folks like you and me.
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I always think the best way to really get to know a city is by taking yourself off on long, random walks. You know you’ve found the right place for you when you don’t tire of exploring it. I enjoyed reading about your love affair with Philly!
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Right, walking is where it’s at. How else are you really going to be able to experience things fully?
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We loved Philedelphia when we visited back in 2022.
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This city has a lot going for it. Lately I’ve been into eating at Philadelphia restaurants I hadn’t been to before. The restaurant scene here is amazing.
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It certainly is a beautiful place!
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There even are beautiful, old areas that are far from the downtown sections. One of those neighborhoods (Chestnut Hill) looks a lot like an English village.
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Thank you, Neil, for such a beautiful tribute to your beloved city, Philadelphia. I loved all the images of the place you were exploring but my favorite was the brick house with the blue door and shatters! I can imagine anyone would be happy living there! Thank you again, Neil, for this mini tour of the wonderful city.
Joanna
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Hi Joanna, and thanks for joining me on the tour. I appreciate it.
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The pleasure was all mine, Neil!
Joanna
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Philadelphia sounds.as though it fits like the proverbial, Neil. Definitely worth visiting. As a teenager, I escaped the quiet village where I lived and worked in the City of London and the West End. To walk around places read about in history lessons in school, always excited me. To eat my lunch-time sandwiches in the grounds of The Tower of London, while the grey River Thames flowed by, was special, and nervously walking down dark, shadowy, narrow alleyways Jack, the London Ripper frequented with evil intent, always put speed in my legs…Fasting forward, of course, it was a totally different story, and I enjoyed the modern touches with delight. Nevertheless, its ancient history impinged now and then when a cobblestoned passageway ‘spoke’ to you in the quietest whisper Despite the too many horrors of war, aren’t we lucky to live in such a fascinating world! All the best.
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Hi Joy. London is such an amazing city. It’s huge and beautiful and endlessly fascinating. It would take several lifetimes to explore London fully.
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It’s always refreshing to read about your positive attitude about Philadelphia. We in the hinterlands usually only hear about the negative aspects of the city. I’m glad that Philadelphia is a hub of culture and beauty.
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Hello there. Philadelphia has plenty of problems. Every city does. But it’s vibrant in many ways. There is no lack of good things to do!
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Gosh! What a beautiful city and so full of history. I’ve never been there but I can see why you’d enjoy walking there as much as you can. And, an iced peppermint tea sounds wonderful in August! Take care.
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Morning, Suzanne. The peppermint iced tea hit the spot. It revived me!
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I love that you love your city. That sense of place is so important.
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Very true. Having a sense of place makes a big, positive difference.
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l also love Philadelphia. I worked for 40 years at the Philadelphia School District Administration Building. I walked every day around the area and took in all the sights. At lunch time would often stop in the Mutter Museum my favorite museum and some days just take my lunch and eat in their garden. Often walk to Rittenhouse Square and have my lunch. Other days walked to all the shops along Walnut Street. Also often walked to Rodin Museum going inside or having lunch at the garden. Also a favorite was walking to azalea garden next to art museum to eat lunch. I could go on and on! I love Philadelphia.
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Hi Joyce. There are so many fine places in the city to spend time in. And you mentioned a bunch of them. Philadelphia has so much going for it. And there are always new sites and sights to discover.
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this is a wonderful ode of joy to the place you love the most; your gratitude , dare I say , reverence , shows through 🙂
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I consider myself very fortunate to have landed in Philadelphia in 1974. And, over the last few years, I’ve explored (on foot) many sections of the city I’d known little or nothing about.
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… and thanks for sending us dispatches from these places, Neil so we feel a part of it 🙂
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This is a great love letter to your city. I’ll add this to my “places to visit” list.
Cheers!
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Hi. It’s a good city to visit. It’s kind of like a smaller version of New York City in many ways.
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your piece is perfect timing for me. I’m going to visit my son in Philly and I’ve never been there before.
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If you’d like, maybe we can meet for lunch or coffee or something during your visit.
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That is a wonderful idea.
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Went to Famous Deli Sunday for lunch. Price of a corned beef sandwich $25. It was good but couldn’t eat it all.
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Hi Mike. At Ben and Irv’s (where we met for lunch last year), a corned beef sandwich is $15.49.
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Hi Neil! Much cheaper.
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What a beautiful post, especially in a time when the urban experience is often regarded a a trip to hell. How I hate that attitude even though I live in a rural town. You wrote so movingly about all that Philadelphia has to offer and how vital cities all their cultural opportunities. Finally, it was interesting to learn what you did for a living, and, no, I wasn’t surprised.
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Morning, Laurie. I don’t love the suburbs, which is where I’ve lived since 2005. But I do love Philadelphia. I’m always excited to go into Philly, and I go there often.
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Looks like a fabulous city. I don’t get to the US very often but your favourite city certainly looks like a great destination.
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Hi. I think that Philadelphia is a pretty popular tourist destination. There’s a whole lot to see and do in Philly, and much of the city looks great too.
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This would be a place that I would live in and love it!
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Philly awaits your visit!
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Long walks in your favorite place with breaks for comfort food. Simple things in life are truly the best!
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Geoff, we think alike!
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The City should hire you for marketing. No one loves their city more than you do.
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If it’s a part-time job, I’ll take it. But not full-time!
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Philadelphia began to blossom right around the time that you and I arrived. Coincidence? Maybe, but I think we brought the right vibes.
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Hey there, Sam. You improved the scene, but I doubt if I did!
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Did you invent that phrase, “inner smile”? I like it!
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Hi. I doubt if I originated it. By the way, I don’t know who this is. You’re listed as Anonymous.
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I’ve only been to Philadelphia a few times – the area around Temple university. It seemed nice but that was a long time ago.
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Hi Jan. To tell you the truth, the Temple area isn’t one of the city’s best. But I admire that university — they have built a bunch of big, modern buildings in recent years, and keep trying to improve the campus.
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It was a long time ago!
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I’ve spent countless happy days walking those same (and other Philadelphia) streets. Can’t think of anything that beats city walks, especially if you love walking in your (adopted) hometown. I count my blessings every walkable day, which in San Francisco is 365 of the year, for the joy of urban walks. Thanks for the stroll, how was the hairdo?
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Hi. Is this Fran? — you’re listed as Anonymous. Sandy’s hair appointment was a successful one!
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Philadelphia sounds really appealing. My nearest city, Cincinnati (about a 15 or 20 minute drive and over the Ohio River) also has a lot to offer.
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Hi. I was in Cincinnati once, many years ago. I remember going to an art museum. Is this Denise? — you’re listed as Anonymous.
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Your photos really capture the beauty of the city, Neil. And how lucky you are to absolutely love where you live; I’d say that only a small minority of people experience that kind of love on a daily basis. I’ve been to Philadelphia only once, when my sister married a Philadelphian in the dead of winter. As a San Franciscan, I wasn’t used to all that ice and I did a lot of slipping around!
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They should have waited till April to get married!
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Neil, it was delightful to join you on your walk around the streets of Queen Village 🙂 A blueberry muffin is also my preferred sweet treat 🙂 By the way, I feel like a new woman after a visit to the hair salon where, as you say, “magic occurs” 🙂
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Hi. For glucose-related reasons, I don’t eat muffins very often. But I love all kinds of muffins: blueberry; corn; cranberry; etc.
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How wonderful that you love where you live Neil. Not everyone can say that certainly. Also, that you are content. An adjective that most people can only aspire to.
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Hi Lynne. I’m not content all the time. But I very much was in Three Graces Coffee bistro!
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Philly really should hire you for their marketing promotion. It really is a beautiful city that often gets put down, but has a lot going for it. The Schuylkill (coming from the western suburbs) can be challenging but we try to get into the city as much as we can. YOu’ve given me some new places to check out.
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Hey there, Brian. I’m sure you’ve seen many of the murals that have been painted on buildings all over the city. A fun thing to do is to walk around, looking at murals. They are almost everywhere!
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Your descriptions of the city of brotherly love make me want to visit it. One of these days I hope a get to.
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Hi. Is this Jan? If you visit this city, I’m certain you’ll have a good time. There is a whole lot to see and to do.
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Hi, Neil – I completely understand the love of a place. Quite recently, someone asked me that if I could live ANYWHERE in the world, except for Vancouver Island (where I live now), which place would I choose. I honestly couldn’t answer. I LOVE Vancouver Island (and like you, I love just wandering through its many diverse charming areas). I couldn’t think of a better place to live. You described this feeling very well.
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Hello there. You live in a great place. I was there once. My wife and I went to Port Alberni to go on a boat trip that took us down a long river to the ocean. The boat trip was spectacular.
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Too bad we didn’t know each other then. We could have met for coffee
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Your posts have introduced me to Philadelphia in a way no tourist literature could achieve. Queen Village is very tempting!
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Hi Helen. I wouldn’t have been in Queen Village that day had my wife not needed to be driven to her hairdresser appointment!
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Loved this post. My one visit to your city was eons ago, but I still remember it well and with pleasure. I can understand why you love it. All the best, Muriel
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Morning, Muriel. You live in a fine city and a fine province. BC is excellent! Take care. Neil
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I really enjoyed this positive view of Philly. I’m not sure how my fondness for a good Philly cheese steak developed, but if the rest of the city is as tasty as that sandwich, you’re in a very good place. I lived twice in the heart of Houston, once for three years and once for five, and I loved it. For various reasons Houston wasn’t as much a walkable city, but there still was a lot to like about it.
Your descriptions of the Philadelphia neighborhoods does remind me of the time I spent in Manhattan, visiting an aunt on West 16th or friends on the Upper West Side. In those days, New York was much safer, and I spent plenty of time walking — and eating my way through — its neighborhoods. Good times!
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NYC is amazing. In Manhattan alone, a person could spend a week doing nothing but exploring Central Park!
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Hi Neil! Wonderful story and wonderful photos. I walked through that neighborhood when our son lived in Philadelphia. So many great neighborhoods to explore. Great job!
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Hi Ernie, and thanks. I appreciate it.
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Such a wonderful post about a place I have yet to visit. It looks like the splendour of Philadelphia comes in many forms, whether it be the obvious such as public art, museums and botanic gardens or the subtle ones, such as skyline views, architecture, alleyways and various neighbourhoods. You know, your post got me thinking about how important it is to love where you live and it made me question how do we cultivate an initial attachment to a place and ultimately learn to love where we live? I suppose, the short answer would be—we choose to. The long answer would be consistently doing small things that manifest a feeling of belonging over time. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Hi. Your analysis is superb. I think that love of place significantly has to do with a person’s interests and leanings. If their environment doesn’t mesh with and satisfy all of that, then they’ll feel kind of out of place. Take care.
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🥰🥰🥰
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“…the shop where magic occurs.” Love it! Wish I could find some of that same magic for me! Thanks for another lovely tour.
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Hi. My wife’s hairdresser would be happy to work on your hair!
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your posts make me want to visit philly! It sounds like an enchanting place. You really captured a vibe that seems charming.
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Hello there. Thanks very much for stopping by and adding your thoughts. Much appreciated.
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Philadelphia sounds like a wonderful city, and your love for it shone through every sentence of this post. Now I want to visit it…
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Philadelphia awaits your visit!
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This was a lovely story and enjoyed the photos. I just feel like I ventured to Queen Village with you.
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Thanks very much. I appreciate that a lot.
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I enjoyed going on this walk with you. A lovely story and a lovely city.
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Hi Vivienne. Philadelphia has made my life better. It truly has been a big part of my life.
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I found this post very useful.
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Your ‘hood sounds pretty damn good. I will have to pop in one day. Thanks for the sales pitch! 😉 Mel
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Howdy Mel. There are many good cities in the world. Philadelphia is one of them. If you were to visit it, I think you’d have a fine time. Have a good day!
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I’m not a city person (though I lived most of my life in several of them), but you do make a case for Philadelphia. It sounds lovely, no wonder you love it!
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Hi there. Which cities did you live in?
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Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Cochin, Calcutta, Ahmedabad and Bangalore – as they were called then. Enjoyed them at the time; but the way they are now, I’m so glad not to be living there!
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I think I have spent more time in Philly than in any other big old city, with Chicago in second place. I had relatives in the area for most of my life, which gave us the excuse. I can understand your enthusiasm for the place.
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Hi. Which do you prefer, Philly or Chicago?
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Only one combines cheese steaks, scrapple and TastyKakes! 🙂
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