It's impossible to totally predict these things, but how do you think Kenney will compare?
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PhillyGAF |OT|
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It's impossible to totally predict these things, but how do you think Kenney will compare?
thecouncil
Banned
Spruce Street Harbor Park opens tonight, PhillyGAF!
Yeah, they do that. I went last year but the lines are so incredibly long that I figured I would walk to Wawa and pay the $5 to spare myself standing in the sun. Haha.
Yeah, they do that. I went last year but the lines are so incredibly long that I figured I would walk to Wawa and pay the $5 to spare myself standing in the sun. Haha.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
More favorable to unions. Dangerously so, in my opinion. City needs to cut budget bloat and reform the tax code to make it more business friendly. The only solace is that Johnny Doc is a supporter of the new tax proposal to cut the business taxes in half and offset it with an increase in millage on commercial property taxes (not on residential property taxes). Kenney has made some boneheaded policy decisions regarding pensions. We'll see if he tries to fix them. I don't think Kenney is going to work to reduce councilmanic prerogative and reform zoning like Nutter did. Kenney has some good ideas and knows how to connect with the community but I am a doubter if his devotion is to bettering the city or if it's to bettering the politically connected at this point. Only time will tell.
Really Clarke holds more power than the Mayor's office right now, sadly. If you can't get council to align behind mayoral policy nothing gets done. The city turns into a fiefdom where councilpeople line their pockets and institute nepotism. It's a big deal that two city council incumbents got ousted in the primary. We need more turnover on council. We need less democratic machine candidates.
I think we fall in line on most of these issues. The last thing this city needs is more unions, in my opinion. What it needs is less, better run unions.
The pension liability worries me as well, and Kenney's actions taken around pensions worry me even further.
What I really want, and realize it isn't as important as pensions or schools, is L&I reform, or at the very least additional funding to do their job right.
The place just got a little bit better.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Didn't get to expound upon this earlier cause I was leaving work, but a lot of people would think the anti-union sentiment was born out of some conservative wankery. I consider myself moderate in political standings and haven't voted republican in the past two elections. Many liberals have a naivete that leads them to believe it's never the unions and always the corporations that lead to terrible things. I like to tell them to pay attention to Philadelphia politics for a year and see if that balances their expectations. Any time the balance gets too out of line in favor of either side things go to shit.
Anyway, L&I reform is a big item but what the city really needs is tax reform. The business taxes are ridiculous. Class A rents in Philly are far, far less than DC or NYC but they can't draw corporations because the taxes are too high. If Philadelphia could cut the business taxes in half with wise commercial property tax reform, and maybe some use & occupancy tax changes the city will drink the collective milkshakes of NYC and DC in short order.
BronsonLee
Member
Impossible. I'm one of the good guys!
...*shoves over Indego bike rack on the way out*
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
I have no clue why you would want to move to the suburbs dude.
Can someone explain to me what the fuck these are. They got built a few weeks ago and I still don't get it.
BronsonLee
Member
I work in the suburbs. It took me an hour and a half to get to work today. I'm cutting that to 5 minutes by moving. And I can still derp down to Philly!
Oh, and I'm just going on vacation. I don't leave Philly until August.
Public bike rental. Overpriced as all hell. 4$ per 30 mins, IIRC. You can become a member and it's cheaper, but come on
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
It's a bike share. It's actually pretty cool. Great for tourism or residents a like. You can either pay by the hour (4$ I think?) or you can pay a $15/month fee and get unlimited one hour rides. Think of it like this. You can pay like $145 for a year and get a bike. No need to worry about locking it up. No worrying about repairs or getting it stolen. If you get drunk and don't want to bike home you can just take a taxi. They are very appealing. Tourists can use them to get around and see the city. Philly is really great for cycling.
enemyairship
Neo Member
Checking in from Lucky Strikes. Not my favorite alley but I like that they have a no hat policy.
Ah, it seemed tourist-y.
Can't you get a DUI riding a bike drunk?
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
You can indeed. Plus it's just dangerous. That's where the bike share benefits. If you have a bike you can just take it to the bar. But if you get drunk, riding home is a pain in the ass. With the bike share you just leave the bike at the station and take a taxi home. Or even if you're super tired late at night, you don't have to worry about cycling home, you just take a taxi/mass transit. But you always have the option of cycling, without any of the hassle of cycling. That's the real strength of the bike share in my opinion. It increases the convenience of cycling a ton.
manzoman96
Member
I wanted to get down to one of the radio 104.5 summer block parties this year, but no one from the lineups is really appealing to me.
Also, where's everyone's usual destination for day trips to the beach? I usually end up going to Belmar since it's the closest and easiest drive.
Also, where's everyone's usual destination for day trips to the beach? I usually end up going to Belmar since it's the closest and easiest drive.
One of my favorites is Bethany Beach in Delaware, but that's too far for a day trip
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Dude Bethany was my summer haunt as a kid. My grandparents had a house near bethany on Cedar Neck Rd in Oceanview, maybe 10 mins from the beach. I would spend 3 months in Bethany every summer with my parents. Fondest memories I have of spending time with my mom. We'd drive down in two cars in the summer and my dad would spend weekends with us and my mom would watch us during the week. We'd go to the beach every day and hang about town. Every year we still try to rent a place in Bethany for a family vacation. Delaware beaches are so much better than NJ beaches in my opinion. My in-laws live in Monmouth county NJ so we go there quite often in the summer and go to the beach but it's lousy in comparison.
That's another thing to love about Philly though. You are at most an hour/hour and a half from the beach. It's a super easy day trip if you want to go to the beach. So close to NYC, DC, and the beach. It's such a great location in the US.
manzoman96
Member
Yo that's so awesome that your grandparents had a house there! What my family would do is go for a week and rent in the sea colony development. There's one particular condo that we try to get every time. Usually we'd go with a lot of my aunts/uncles and cousins. We haven't made the trip in a few years but I've been trying to get everyone to make it happen again. The beach is great and so is the actual town area. They have a pretty awesome arcade there. Won an Eagles beer mug the last time I was there.
But you're totally right, Philly is a really great area location wise. You can get to so many different places within a few hours. And yeah, Delaware beaches are superior to NJ beaches by far.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Yo that's so awesome that your grandparents had a house there! What my family would do is go for a week and rent in the sea colony development. There's one particular condo that we try to get every time. Usually we'd go with a lot of my aunts/uncles and cousins. We haven't made the trip in a few years but I've been trying to get everyone to make it happen again. The beach is great and so is the actual town area. They have a pretty awesome arcade there. Won an Eagles beer mug the last time I was there.
But you're totally right, Philly is a really great area location wise. You can get to so many different places within a few hours. And yeah, Delaware beaches are superior to NJ beaches by far.
Nice! I know exactly where you are talking about. The thing I loved about Bethany over a lot of beach towns is that it was so much a slower pace than most beach towns are. Everything was relaxed, wholesome, and just really good innocent fun. Now when I go to jersey beaches it's all tons of families from NY with a billion kids running around. There might be 12 other kids on the beach with us in Bethany. Great place, and it still is despite the development there. I may buy a condo in the area if I can scrape together enough coins. Dude, that arcade in town? The absolute best. There were two, the Starcade and the regular arcade. Both were great. They still have that game that says "Come on, let's get quackin!" in the arcade. That machine must be over 20 years old.
manzoman96
Member
I hope you get to buy a condo there someday, that would be pretty sweet. Ahhh now I really want to go back soon! Its not everyday you find someone whose been there let alone someone who knows what I'm talking about
And you nailed it perfectly it is a very relaxed paced place. One of our areas best kept secrets imo. Hopefully it stays like that too.Captain Tuttle
Member
The wife and I love The Oyster House, what are some other great seafood joints in Philly?
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
You know I am not really a huge seafood fan other than fish. I go to a lot of sushi places in town but never really go to seafood places themselves. Only recommendation I can give is the lobster roll at Luke's Lobster.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Thanks for the response, what's your go to sushi place?
Pretty much any beach trip is to Ocean City for me. It has by far the best Boardwalk, a distinct lack of frat bros/douchebags (due to all the familys) a shit ton of mini golf, and it's only downside (no alcohol) is easily remedied at Circle Liquors right next to the bridge in.
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Doma, Shiroi Hana, Umai Umai, or Morimoto. Sagami in Collingswood is awesome.
I am at Heritage Jazz bar in no libs right now. This place is amazing.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Thanks!
Was anyone here ever able to catch a fight at The Legendary Blue Horizon before it closed?
http://www.legendarybluehorizon.com/html/index.html
I really regret not making the effort
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Awesome video on Spruce Street Harbor Park, which just opened this past weekend. Check it out when you can.
This calculator can show you how much your property taxes will go up under Mayor Nutter's proposed 9.34% property tax increase. Nutter was on Radio Times this morning explaining the proposed tax increase. The taxes would go to create a sustainable, yearly increase in the schools budget of $105M. My property is abated, so this doesn't affect me too much, but I would be leaning toward supporting this increase even if I did not have an abatement.
Weekend roundup:
I went to three restaurants and a bar this weekend.
Osteria: I've been here half a dozen times at least. Service and food is as good as ever, it's still one of the best italian restaurants in the city. I got a skirt steak with seasonal vegetables. My wife got a spaghetti carbonara dish. They get a knock because they forgot to bring my wife's boxed leftovers to the table and we left without them.
Heritage: This place has a really great vibe. It's right across the street from Cantina Dos Segundos in Northern Liberties. I recommend checking it out. They had a live jazz band playing when we arrived. They had well over 15 different beers on tap and one of the largest whiskey lists I've seen in the city. All of the food was farm to table and prepared very well. A dining partner remarked that it was a very curated dining experience, so don't go here if you're looking for something neighborhoody or independent feeling. It was expensive, but not overly so, but I did find the plates to be on the smaller side. Great place if you want good drinks, live music, and very fresh food.
Emmanuelle: My favorite cocktail bar in the city. Someone in our group ordered their pho cocktail, which you'd think would be terrible but was actually shockingly good and not nearly as gimmicky as it sounds. Anyway after 3-4 rounds per person our wallets were really feeling lighter. Great drinks at large prices.
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodles: Chinatown was a mob this weekend. I think on Sunday everyone realized that most of the city was closed but they still wanted to go out for the weekend and everyone who wasn't at the beach ended up at Nan Zhou. Despite the fact that every seat in the place was full and there was a line out the door the food still managed to get to us in under five minutes after ordering. They must have magical elves working in their kitchen. As always their broth was very good, and the noodles has a great chewiness to them. We also go their fried dumplings this time which were excellent.
Bonus: Wawa has club sandwiches on sale for $4.49 and goddamn they are delicious. Jimmy G's steaks are open until 3:00AM on weekends and will lead to my death due to drunken late night cheesesteak purchasing.
This calculator can show you how much your property taxes will go up under Mayor Nutter's proposed 9.34% property tax increase. Nutter was on Radio Times this morning explaining the proposed tax increase. The taxes would go to create a sustainable, yearly increase in the schools budget of $105M. My property is abated, so this doesn't affect me too much, but I would be leaning toward supporting this increase even if I did not have an abatement.
Weekend roundup:
I went to three restaurants and a bar this weekend.
Osteria: I've been here half a dozen times at least. Service and food is as good as ever, it's still one of the best italian restaurants in the city. I got a skirt steak with seasonal vegetables. My wife got a spaghetti carbonara dish. They get a knock because they forgot to bring my wife's boxed leftovers to the table and we left without them.
Heritage: This place has a really great vibe. It's right across the street from Cantina Dos Segundos in Northern Liberties. I recommend checking it out. They had a live jazz band playing when we arrived. They had well over 15 different beers on tap and one of the largest whiskey lists I've seen in the city. All of the food was farm to table and prepared very well. A dining partner remarked that it was a very curated dining experience, so don't go here if you're looking for something neighborhoody or independent feeling. It was expensive, but not overly so, but I did find the plates to be on the smaller side. Great place if you want good drinks, live music, and very fresh food.
Emmanuelle: My favorite cocktail bar in the city. Someone in our group ordered their pho cocktail, which you'd think would be terrible but was actually shockingly good and not nearly as gimmicky as it sounds. Anyway after 3-4 rounds per person our wallets were really feeling lighter. Great drinks at large prices.
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodles: Chinatown was a mob this weekend. I think on Sunday everyone realized that most of the city was closed but they still wanted to go out for the weekend and everyone who wasn't at the beach ended up at Nan Zhou. Despite the fact that every seat in the place was full and there was a line out the door the food still managed to get to us in under five minutes after ordering. They must have magical elves working in their kitchen. As always their broth was very good, and the noodles has a great chewiness to them. We also go their fried dumplings this time which were excellent.
Bonus: Wawa has club sandwiches on sale for $4.49 and goddamn they are delicious. Jimmy G's steaks are open until 3:00AM on weekends and will lead to my death due to drunken late night cheesesteak purchasing.
Hope everybody had a great holiday. It was, and still is, beautiful outside.
Damn AWF, trying to eat everywhere in the city before you die?
Damn AWF, trying to eat everywhere in the city before you die?
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Haha pretty much. Volver is coming up in two weeks. I think I wanna hit Frankie Bradley's this weekend though.
Like I said, my wife and I are huge foodies. We try to do a new restaurant every weekend. If anyone ever wants input on a restaurant chances are I've been to it. Also, cocktail bars. The only major cocktail bar I can think of that I haven't been to in the city is Fiume, and my wife has been there.
It's tough though, I don't know what I would say is my favorite bar/restaurant. I think my favorite restaurant is probably Vernick, but I didn't have quite as good a time on my second trip there as I did on my first, but we were also a bit rushed and had a complicated night the second time. Good luck getting reservations, we booked two months in advance. Top notch service, food, and bar program though.
The big problem I have is that a lot of places (especially on East Passyunk from my limited experience) have pretty bad service still. It's like they'll have amazing food but poor service. Petruce Et Al is like that. One of my all time favorites in terms of food, but poor service in my opinion. You go to a place like Le Cheri though, and you get amazing attention to detail. When I was at Le Cheri Georges Perrier was there for dinner, and I found his antics highly amusing.
fluffydelusions
Member
Sorry if stupid question but I just moved from NYC to south jersey end of last year and wondering how buses/trains here work. In NYC I just got a metrocard and that worked for everything. How about here? I'm in Cherry Hill now btw near the mall.
Making a note of everything you mention.
I'm a scummy bar connoisseur, which is useless unless you're on a budget.
I haven't ran into this problem here in University City and Center City, but I have limited experience outside of my regular spots.
I met Jose Garces once. He was a pretty cool dude.
I have zero experience with the buses in Jersey. Maybe a local can help you out on that one.
For PATCO, I'm pretty sure there is a pass that can be used and automatically refilled. Check out their site.
Also, are you using these to travel into Philly or just around Cherry Hill/South Jersey?
Manmademan
Member
I'm not really certain that Nutter's plan was ever really meant to go anywhere. Both Wolf and the PA House/Senate are working on not only property tax reduction/elimination plans, but also implementation of a statewide funding formula for the school system.
if either one of those goes through (and one of them will at this point) then it renders the entire philly plan redundant.
smokeandmirrors
Banned
Yeah it's called the Freedom Card, it's 5 bucks to buy (unless you're a student then it's free) and then you just keep refilling it as necessary. No discounts on fares though which kinda sucks especially when round trip to philly from some of the further stations is around 6 bucks.
Is the new Septa stuff gonna work with patco stuff as well? I thought someone mentioned they wanted to do something like that but I doubt they will (although it would be incredibly fucking useful when transferring)
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
PATCO has it's own card. In Philly, for now, it's just tokens or cash fare. They are rolling out a card system that will work similar to NYCs called SEPTA Key in the next year. It'll be on subways and buses first, then makes its way to regional rail.
The Wolf plan is supposed to bring an additional $159M in for the city school budget, and the savings will go to Wage Tax in Philadelphia, rather than property taxes, as I understand. Thing about all of that is that it is going to take at the very least a year to get Wolf's plan through, maybe longer. The schools need the $105M just to get back to a bare minimum of functionality. The $159M could be used to further improve the school. Really the school district needs both. If the city wants to keep the growth momentum it has it's going to need to keep investing in schools.
Speaking of growth, the census bureau just released new figures a week ago: Philadelphia added 34,291 residents from 2010 to 2014. That's over 8500 residents a year, meaning the city will add 85,000 residents this decade if the trend stays steady. It's likely to increase. That's pretty huge, considering the population had only grown by a fraction of that last decade, and was still losing population the decade before that.
Bay Maximus
Banned
Subscribed.
I'll be moving to the suburbs of Philadelphia and have no idea about anything. Is Chesterbrook, Conshocken, King of Prussia or Paoli good places to live? Besides cheesesteaks (been to Geno's I think it was and was a bit underwhelmed) what restaurants MUST I try?
I'll be moving to the suburbs of Philadelphia and have no idea about anything. Is Chesterbrook, Conshocken, King of Prussia or Paoli good places to live? Besides cheesesteaks (been to Geno's I think it was and was a bit underwhelmed) what restaurants MUST I try?
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Where are you working, what sort of commute do you want, and what is your price range?
Captain Tuttle
Member
Where are you working? Are you looking for a night life? King of Prussia is basically a mall, Chesterbrook is a big mixed development, houses, townhouses and business parks. Good place to raise kids though, all the school districts are excellent out here.
If you're looking for a scene Conshy, Phoenixville or West Chester might be your best bets depending on the commute. We're in Wayne which has a night life but is kind of tame, some good restaurants though, my wife and I like Theresa's Next Door, amazing beer selection
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
If he has to commute to the city I'm going to recommend just not living in suburbs! That way you get a real, actual night life and a sane commute.
See you there. Poi is gross, though.
BronsonLee
Member
You call that Hawaiian food?! *running dropkick*
AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
Frankly I don't even know what Hawaiian food is.
I did go to a restaurant that was "all locally sourced" lately and they said one of their dishes was topped with King's Hawaiian roll bread crumbs. I do not know how you locally source Hawaiian food in Pennsylvania.
I did go to a restaurant that was "all locally sourced" lately and they said one of their dishes was topped with King's Hawaiian roll bread crumbs. I do not know how you locally source Hawaiian food in Pennsylvania.
All I know is Poi and SPAM.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Oh yeah I agree, he just mentioned some very specific places, there's some pretty big employers out here, Vanguard is the 800 pound gorilla
BronsonLee
Member
I'm joking of course, but Poi Dog's plate lunch is basically the same as other places in Hawaii. Two scoops of rice, one of macaroni salad, and two meats.
They chose two barf meats tho