If a person could be a city, I would be Philadelphia. Philly is my city and I am Philly.
Like me, Philly has a story a history about nearly everything (who HASN’T heard the story of snowballs being thrown at Santa Claus?!). We know how to tell a good story and we will take multiple detours to get to the point but it will be a good story in the end. And we will make you laugh along the way.
We’re not fancy and we don’t care what you think about us. We will wear pajama pants to Wawa but we will also put on that dress that hugs the body just right and turn heads as we strut down Broad Street. And the next morning we will make you belly laugh about the shenanigans that took place the night before.
Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
You can’t mess with Philly. We get angry and we fight. But we fight because we love so hard. We’re passionate. The City of Brotherly Love isn’t just our tourist tagline. We will literally give our sweaty T-shirt that we just worked hours in, off our backs to help the guy in need, or the guy coming up new. Our hearts are full when we’re helping others. But, you know, we’re gonna want a beer afterwards.
We’re slow to change (because of all that history that follows us and sometimes slows us down). But when we do change, we innovate!
We have our own language, unique accents and inside jokes that outsiders could easily raise an eyebrow about, but we like it that way. We will drink our “wooder” and hit up that jawn down the street and have the time of our lives. You’re welcome to join us. We promise it’ll be a good time!
Philly knows food, too. We all have our favorite cheesesteak and hoagie spot (and we will fight you over which is best) but we know how to do cuisine also. We can have a hoagie for lunch and then cheers around the dinner table at Zahav, an Israeli restaurant that received the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2019. We’ve mastered the blend of working class with first class in all aspects of life.
Philadelphia City Hall; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
Philadelphia is tough and gritty (there’s a reason we named the Flyers mascot Gritty). We don’t expect things to come easily. We’re willing to work hard and fight for the success that we know we don’t deserve, but that we have earned. We earn things here in Philly.
Love Park in Philadelphia; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
At first glance, Philadelphia isn’t the pretties city. She’s not the most popular. She’s a little scarred. But she shines so bright! She is full of light and life and laughter. Her passion is contagious. Her ambition infectious. She is beautifully unique. Her love is waiting.
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