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Edited on Wed Nov-03-04 01:55 PM by janesez
Okay, if you want to live in the city, you are going to have to factor in the cost of private or Catholic school for your child. Unfortunately, you simply can't send your kid to public school in Philadelphia. They are really, really bad.
Most people (MANY non-Catholics) choose Catholic school because it's a good education at a much more reasonable price than a secular private school. Yes they have to take religion classes, but it's much more tolerant and non-fundie atmosphere than you would expect. Catholic school has been the schooling choice for non-Catholics with a lower income who want their kids to have a good education for many, many years here, so they know how to do it without alienating people.
Now, if you live in the suburbs, some of the places 101er mentioned, you can send you kid to public school. However, the cost of living is significantly higher in the suburbs, especially if you want to live close enough to commute into the city to work.
If you plan on moving here, you simply MUST stop saying "steak and cheese sandwiches". :) They are CHEESE STEAKS, plain and simple. You order them "with" (with onions) or "without" (without onions, of course). And you pick your cheese. American, provolone, or Whiz (cheese whiz). So you say, I'll have a cheese steak, without, provolone. If you want tomato sauce, that is not a cheese steak. That is a PIZZA steak.
What do I love about living here? Well, I am a Northeast girl for my whole life and I love the pace and the attitude here. It's kind of the attitude, "Basically I may not be all nicey-nicey with you, neighbor, but if somebody fucks with you, I HAVE YOUR BACK." In certain neighborhoods, like University City, you really can walk down the residential streets and people say hi to one another. I like that. :) I like my particular neighborhood because it's leafy and there's brick sidewalks and it looks almost suburban. Beautiful old house out here in West Phila.
This city is liberal, like, LIBERAL. During this election, it was like Bush didn't exist here. You'd be hard-pressed to think of 2 people you know who voted for Bush.
Great restaurants. The best French restaurant in the country according to the critics--Le Bec Fin. Great ethnic and multicultural food.
The beauty of the Northeast and the change of season is matchless in the rest of the country, as far as I'm concerned. It's simply gorgeous.
Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in the WORLD.
Rittenhouse Square is simply the most beautiful public square of any city in the country outside of Boston.
I don't know, there's a lot. Ask me questions and I'll answer them. I enjoy bragging about my city and it takes my mind off how badly I feel today.
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