It's not so bad out here - less smoggy, but more cluttered - and you'll be able to catch Otakon instead of AX. It's a bit more humid too.

But, you'll learn a new language - be ready to "go down the shore" and "shopping at the Ac-a-me!" Yo!

Welcome to Philly! Have fun being a Drexel Dragon, kiddo!

A-N

The thing I'll miss about AX is not actually attending but staffing, which I do with a group of good friends I literally only see once a year. I'd love to get involved with staffing Otakon if possible though, so thanks for recommending an alternative. :3

I've only been on the East Coast for 11 days, and it was in D.C., but I do remember it being surprisingly humid. Honestly, being a SoCal gal my whole life, I'm more worried about the cold lol. (And about not having my car.) Did you move from the West Coast too, or have you always been in Philly?

As for the new language, I'm really looking forward to learning about "hoagies" and getting my hands on a real "cheesesteak!" I figure they might be worth giving up In N' Out.

It's been a hard decision for me, and I hope you're not bothered if I come to you with questions about Philly life in the upcoming months... Either way, thanks SO much for the warm welcome! I really appreciate it.

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Well, oddly, even though Otakon is in Baltimore (a quick drive down I-95 - get used to that highway) the folks running it are from just outside Philly (West Chester, SW of Philly). Give them a ring when you're here and see what happens - they're always looking for help!

I am born and raised an east-coaster, spending the majority of my years (all but 1) in Bucks County, the county directly to the north of Philly. The fiancee though Shadsie ([link]) was raised just outside Phoenix, AZ all her life, and doesn't intend on going back ever since getting the 'it's GREEN all year round' bug some 5 years ago. She knows of the west coast ways to a degree, and has actually been to AX (I have not, sadly - maybe one day...). As noted above, at least figuring out the highways are a bit easier, as we aren't inundated with them as you were out west. Where SoCal was built around the highways, Philly was built first, and the highways came second.

Hoagies - supposedly named for the sandwiches made for shipworkers on Hog Island (an island in the Delaware River now part of the mainland, and where the airport is today). You can get what makes a hoagie anywhere except one thing - the roll - it's got to be an Amoroso. And don't forget to get a Tastykake with that.

9th and Passyunk (pronounced PASSY-YUNK) is the heart of the cheesesteak war. It's 24/7 - it's an art to watch, and you have to know the language because that row of people behind you are wating for you to order. Check this Wiki pic for how it's done [link] . On one corner is Geno's - on the other is Pat's King of Steaks. If you are flying into Philly, the neon you would see looking towards the north might make you think you just landed in Vegas, but rest asured, it's only 9th & Passyunk serving up another cheesesteak WIT! Yes, I've heard about In-N-Outs... we don't have palm trees to cross (but I know of a guy who builds aluminum ones here). We are just starting to get Sonics out here - Jack In The Box came in the 70s and left in the 80s, and no one around here would know what a Carl's Jr is if they tripped over a Hardee's to see one. Most of our 'unique' chains have gone the way of the dodo. You'll have to live with these two single stores for your 'authentic Taste of Philly'.

What you probably will really have to get used to is the Eastern City layout the most (and this isn't just Philly - it's Baltimore, New York and many of the older suburbs) as the streets tend to be narrow. Be ready for that change, especially if you're intending on getting a car out here. Fortunately we do have a decent bus and rail system.

Philly humid isn't usually as bad as DC humid, since DC was built on a swamp (true!). It can get nasty, but we do have pleanty of close-by get aways for cooling ourselves - IE: that 'Down the shore' thing mentioned in my first note. Just remember, Philly folk go 'down the shore' (the New Jersey shore from Atlantic City down to Cape May) and 'up the mountains' (the Poconos - good sking). The trick is, it's all easy to get to - PA is about 1/6th the size of CA. It's an hour and a half to the mountains, it's an hour and a half to the shore.

One really nice thing about Drexel (if you're going to be on the main campus) is that you will be within walking distance (mind you, a GOOD walking distance - take the bus) of the museums - the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is full of them - The Museum of Art, the Rodin (where one of his "Thinkers" is), the Franklin Institute, the Natural History and of course, my old stomping grounds at Moore College of Art (where I once ran the school store - not bad for a nieve 20 year old in an all-girl college - sigh [*gets hit in the head by Shadsie*]).

I have no problem with you dropping a line - I'm sure there's other Philly folks here as well, who will gladly help you feel at home here.

Humm... SoCal doesn't get snow much does it?

Next word! N'oreastern! (When we get socked with a load of snow off the ocean - WEEEEE! Here's a shot of Ye Old Homestead in Feb 2007! [link]) Welcome to Philly!

A-N

Wow, thanks for giving me a lot to read through! (Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed it.) I now have an idea how different west coast and east coast vocabulary can be... What exactly is Tastykake? I've actually never been to a Sonics, and I hear I'm missing out; I'll definitely try to remedy that before leaving the state. Jack in the Box was the heart of the E-Coli scare many years ago, and since then, I've known many a college student to get food poisoning from eating there... not recommended. While I've never gotten sick from them, it's safe to say you're not missing out on anything. However, In N' Out is amazing(ly bad for you). Even though it has a deceptively simple selection, the trick is in ordering off the secret menu. I guess knowing how to order off of the In N' Out secret menu would be the equivalent of knowing the proper way to order a Hoagie or a cheesesteak, jargon and all. By the way, that Wiki pic of the cheesesteak ordering process was seriously awesome, thank you for sharing. :]

I'm not sure how I'll transition from AX to Otakon, simply because I've been staffing at AX since 2004 and my loyalty runs deep. However, since the con dates don't overlap, it looks like I could technically staff both if I'm really feeling adventurous. I highly recommend you take a trip to AX one year though... it's just massive.

Speaking of massive, I forget that California is bigger than Pennsylvania. I've always lived fairly close to the shoreline, and my current apartment is no more than 15 minutes driving distance from the beach. Anyways, I'm guessing I won't have as great a need to go 'down the shore' as I will 'up the mountains.' SoCal typically doesn't get any snow at all, and lord knows I love warm weather, BUT when it's cold, I want to be in the thick of it - that means the more winter rain and snow there is, the happier I am. Keep in mind that my definition of cold is when it's 60 degrees outside, and I say "it's freezing" when it's about 40 degrees, so I know I still have quite a bit of adjusting to do. But last year I got into snowboarding and absolutely loved it, so I'm really looking forward to hitting up the Poconos and seeing what a true winter is like.

I believe I'll be in Center City (?), and I have absolutely no idea where that is in relation to all the museums and other colleges, but I'm certainly planning on looking them all up, for all the sightseeing I'm sure to do with my dad in the week between move-in and classes starting. One of the reasons I originally wanted to go to the east coast as an undergrad was actually because of all the history that you can feel coming off the buildings and such. You really can't get much of that on the west coast. I also remember being in love with the greenery during my brief visit to D.C., whereas California is basically one giant desert, potted with manmade oases here and there. I'm glad to hear Philly's green too - having an eyeful of pretty nature is sure to make up for whatever humidity comes my way.

And here I thought I'd missed my chance to see what east coast living was like (having actual seasons, N'oreasterns, streets steeped in history, etc.)... so that's definitely a few things I'm eager to experience, even if I do end up complaining about the bitter cold come November. XD

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What...
...is...
...a...
...TASTYKAKE!?
[link]

Where you have eateries, we have regional foods. Philly isn't just cheesesteaks and hoagies. Since we are in the eastern outskirts of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the Philly area has many other things to munch and brunch on. We have the original Philadelphia Soft Pretzel (salty and smothered in mustard), Funnel Cakes, the aforementioned Tastykake, Frank's Black Cherry Wishniak Soda, and some oddities, like scrapple - oh, that’s one I’d love to see what would happen if you ran into it! Most folks who see it the first time don’t know what to do with it. It’s made of pork, spices and corn meal, sold in packages that look like tofu (but it isn’t), and is served either thin-sliced or thick-sliced and fried, as a breakfast side. Scrambled eggs and scrapple (I like mine medium thin) covered in maple syrup. Heaven! Of course there is some variations that us locals have made of some Pennsy Dutch recipes, such as my corn fritters (made them just the other night since Shadsie loves them so – crazy Arizona kid!) 1 Cup of sweet corn and instant pancake mix, mixed thick and dropped-fried in a wok. They puff up golden brown – served with a Hatfield Ham Steak half – how Philly is that! Yumm!

AX Vs Otakon – yes, AX is flat out huge (from what I’m told), but Otakon isn’t a slouch, as it has Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to work with. You’ll get your kicks under the Bromo Seltzer Tower. Of course if you do both, you’d probably get a case of déjà vu, since most of the exhibitors displays start at AX and then simply move east.

Now then, where is Drexel – it’s actually not in center city – it’s off to the west. Drexel is part of what is known as University City, as it is surrounded by the University of Pennsylvania’s main campus. All of this is actually West Philadelphia – granted, you will be at the very eastern part of West Philly, but West Philly nonetheless. If you Google Map Drexel University, you will see that I-76 and a river splits you from center city. This is the Schuykill (pronounced SKOOL-KILL) River, and the everlovin’ Schuykill (AKA Sher-kill) Expressway, one of very few 2-lane Interstate Highways in the country. Try to avoid this beastie as much as possible. Fortunately, center city is just over the bridges to the east.

The main core road through the heart of Philadelphia east-west is Market Street, which has a subway (AKA The Market/Frankfort Line) station at Drexel. Simply take an east bound train to the Market East Station, and you will be under the Reading Terminal Market, the Philly Hard Rock Café, China Town, and the Pennsylvania Convention Center (Yes, they have a con there, but it pales compared to Ota, or so I am told). This is also a good place to point out places like the Reading Terminal Market and China Town (THERE BE POCKY THERE! – and roasted ducks hanging from windows… with sneakers… I kid you not…, as Philly has three large market areas that are world renown - the aforementioned two above, and the Italian Market, all of which are open air, and wild to shop. Oddly, the Italian Market starts at a familiar location mentioned in a previous message – 9th & Passyunk. If you start at Geno’s or Pat’s and head north up 9th, it takes you right through it.

Getting back to the subway, if you take it to 5th Street, you will land in the historic section of town, Independence National Park, where you’ll find Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House, Carpenter’s Hall, the Liberty Bell, and other things like the Philadelphia Mint at the Federal Reserve Building. So, yes, it’s easy to get into Center City, but you’ll want to get a SEPTA TransPass. It will make things easier in the long run.

As for those Novembers – actually, they’re not that bad, though we have had rough ones before. Heck, just look what we did for the World Series in October – who would have thought it would be delayed because of snow? But wait for January and February. That’s when it will get ya!

A-N

Oh hey, Tastykake looks a little like a Hostess cake mated with a dollar pie and had offspring? XD I bet Tastykake probably tastes better than Hostess products though; I can't believe I used to eat (and actually enjoy) Twinkies as a kid. I also didn't know Philly was also home to things like funnel cake (YUM) and soft pretzels (though I'm not sure I can get used to the idea of putting mustard on a pretzel). And as for a scrapple... I'm absolutely not sure how you'd eat it, and I'm not even sure I can imagine it properly... but it sounds absolutely delicious covered in maple syrup! As it is, I'm tempted to throw those ingredients together and try making your corn fritters, but my roommate, who is in the process of moving, has currently taken all her pots and pans with her to her new apartment; so alas, I must go kitchenware shopping first.

One pro that occurred to me about working at a smaller convention after AX is that I'll probably have more free time to do things - like see exhibitors, walk around with other attendee friends, etc. I sure do love AX, but in recent years management has come down harder and harder on staff privileges, and this year is no exception, what with the statewide budget cuts and all. That means less outsourced temps hired and more free slave-labor required. Having said that, I haven't had a leisurely look at the exhibit hall in years and probably wouldn't even notice the repeat of exhibitors at Otakon. Yet another positive point!

Given that I won't have a car (something I'll REALLY need to adjust to), I'm hoping never to take any interstate or expressway. That also means I'll need to become competent at using the subway system, which is something that excites me and scares me at the same time. I love the idea of reliable public transportation, which California lacks despite all efforts to build and maintain a subway system. Unfortunately, my sense of direction is terrible, and my memory for locations is arguably just as bad. I suspect my parents know this, and that's why my dad is insisting on flying out with me and helping me settle in. I must learn how to get to Chinatown however, as, being Chinese myself, I will certainly be making routine trips to buy Pocky, roast duck, roast pig, bbq pork buns, etc. [But wait, did you say... sneakers? In the window WITH the roast ducks? For sale? Hmm. Something doesn't sound right there...] Actually, I'm sure I'll be hitting up all 3 of those marketplaces on a regular basis, since I love all kinds of food (if you hadn't noticed already lol). In fact, I may be eating out so much in the first few months, getting a 'taste' of Philly, that I worry for my waistline - it's the freshman forty all over again.

At some point, I'll need to buy a map of Philadelphia and highlight all the routes you've mentioned thus far. It seems like Drexel's campuses are somewhat spread out, so I'll actually be studying (and hopefully residing) along 15th and Vine St., adjacent to the I-676. They've also suggested getting acquainted with both the SEPTA subway and the SEPTA train systems; I'm assuming one is underground and the other above, and thus they count as 2 different modes of transport? I'm a little upset at the state of California for the lack of motivation in improving our public transportation. The only non-cargo trains we have here are the Metrolink, which hardly stops anywhere and serves more as a means to get to tourist attractions nowadays. I also hear that we have a subway system now, but not one person I know has used it and, again, it hardly stops anywhere. This probably all sounds really weird, but I'm really looking forward to doing my part for the environment and getting used to public transport! Sure, it might suck around January when I turn into a human popsicle, but that's what hot cocoa is for - that, and the kotatsu I'm saving up to buy. ;3

My mind is still on scrappes and maple syrup, as it's lunch/brunch time over here. Time for me to scrounge up some leftovers or else head out and buy a new set of pots and pans. Happy Flag Day to you and Shadsie.

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Ah ha! I was wondering why you were going to Drexel for a Master of Public Health degree (when Drexel is an engineering college) – you’re going to Drexel’s College of Medicine at Hahnemann University Hospital! Well now, that places you in a slightly different local, and indeed, you would be in Center City, and within walking distance of Chinatown to the east and the museums to the west. (Type Hahnemann University Hospital into Google Maps and you’ll see just where you will be.) No need to ride the subway there!

This will be one of the differences though with being in an east coast city as compared to west coast – we walk A LOT. Getting from one point to another in the center of Philly is easiest on foot. We have twin subway systems (North & South on Broad Street – East & West on Market Street), busses and trolleys, and regional rail service all run by SEPTA, so if foot work is out, they can usually get you where you need to go ([link]). There is, of course taxis. We also have this interesting beastie as well – Philly is a Zipcar town ([link]) for those times you really want to drive yourself, but don’t have a place to put your car – try borrowing one off the street!

Well drop us a line when you’re heading out here – it’s always good to have someone who knows the area, and I’m sure there’s others here on dA who’d love to help you settle in out here!

A-N & Shadsie

must get kbbq as much as we can before you leave ;_;

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Oh yeah, I didn't realize the school of public health wasn't exactly in the main body of Drexel. I forget that metropolitan east coast universities are spread out, whereas California schools (even in big cities like LA and San Diego) are extremely centralized. If it's a question of footwork versus riding the rail, I honestly don't mind walking; I didn't have a license or a car until sophomore year of college, so I literally walked everywhere for miles and miles, back when I lived in LA. Having had pretty bad experiences on the LA metro buses (we get a lot of crazies), I actually prefer walking. Of course it'd be nice to get acquainted with the subways though. And those Zipcars are a fascinating idea.

While I'm not sure it would be more efficient for me to use a Zipcar, I do have half a mind to buy some SEPTA maps in advance. To go with a Zagat's guide.

I'll certainly let you know when I'm heading out. I'm still nervous about the whole situation, though of course I'm also really excited about the move... but for now, I must return to the neverending packing. Thanks SO much for all your advice and tips thus far, it really has been interesting to learn about all the cultural differences and foods and locations. I've really appreciated your help, and I do feel much more comforted after hearing from you.

Hope you and Shadsie have a fantastic summer!

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