Living in the Philadelphia area?

There's a reason why it's called (mostly by people from New York) the Sixth Borough. It has a lot in common with New York city, though it's a lot smaller. But most east coast cities are pretty distinct - no one would mistake Baltimore, DC or Boston for New York or Philly, or each other. But here's the scoop - great restaurants, great beer culture with lots of microbreweries and brew pubs, great sports, fanatical fans (like you didn't know that), very genuine people, tough on the outside, soft in the middle. Neighborhoods are great, plenty of what were once "inner city" neighborhoods undergoing revivals, probably too many to list. It's an hour or two (depending on where you go) to the Jersey shore - which can be kind of an acquired taste, but is not really like the MTV show. It's 90 minute to 2.5 hours up to some adequate ski areas. There's a great bike trail the Schuylkill River Trail (pronounced "skoo kul") that runs from way the heck out in the country, well past Valley Forge, all the way into center city Philly (get used to calling it center city, not downtown, which really means south Philly to the locals). It's not usually too cold in the winter (except last winter) but it can be kind of hot and muggy in the summer. Fall and spring are really nice. Come and check it out.

Philly has it's own vibe. It's similar to other major cities in that it is big and noisy with lots of stuff to do. When you get in town, take on of the tourist buses from Reading Terminal or near Independence Hall. Sounds corny but you get a perspective of the city that is pretty useful. The different neighborhoods all have their own special niche, so what you would experience on South Street is going to be different from what you experience in Manayunk or Center City. If you are into bike riding at all there are some nice long trails. Philly is becoming a very bike friendly city. www.philly.com has some useful information that may help you understand what's going on in and around town. www.phillyfunguide.com is also a great site. If the job sounds great - take the plunge and come to Philly! Within weeks you'll have you own favorite cheesstake shop, and know what deli makes the best hoagie in your area. Don't dismiss scrapple until you've tried it!!