inspiration

Last summer, my boyfriend and I went to Europe for two weeks. It was quite a trip—London, Paris, Bruges, and Amsterdam. All beautiful cities, each with their charms and annoyances. Towards the end of the trip, however, we both were ready to return home, to enjoy the (many) charms and (slightly fewer) annoyances Philadelphia has to offer both tourists and those who call Philly home.

It wasn’t that I didn’t love visiting Europe’s historic cities. I did. But, walking along the canals in Amsterdam made me miss the Schuylkill Banks; sipping a beer made from a centuries-old Trappist recipe at an outdoor café in Bruges made me want a Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale or a PBC Walt Wit; the Tate made me miss the Philadelphia Museum of Art and fountains at the Sacre Coeur made me miss Logan Square. In short, I was ready to come home, and, since it was only a vacation after all, I did precisely that.

In the ten months that have passed, I’ve settled into my new neighborhood of Northern Liberties, but I couldn’t escape the fact that most of this city, my city, is foreign to me. Certain neighborhoods I frequent…um, frequently, sure, but I haven’t set foot in the vast majority of Philly’s hoods. And so, I decided that this summer I will remedy that. This summer, I will visit all 167 of Philadelphia’s wildly diverse, unique, charming and annoying neighborhoods. And, as an added treat, I will post photos here. To share. With all of you.