Synagogues:

Beth Zion - Beth Israel: 18th and Spruce.  Rabbi Stone and Cantor Mordechai.  This is a good place to hang out when you first move to town, because it attracts most of the Jewish grad students and young professionals that live in the Rittenhouse Square Area.  There is a Young Adults group that has events as well as a fabulous Melavah Malka program.  Four times a year, the Cantor brings his band down from NYC and they do a concert of world/Jewish music at Havdalah!  It's a really great time- safe space, fun people, everyone dances, and the music is incredible.

 

Rodeph Shalom- This is the big Reform synagogue that I pass every day on the way to Temple U.  It is a beautiful, Byzantine-style sanctuary with a changing art gallery as well.  Once a month, there is a more intimate service that attracts a younger crowd called "Finally Fridays," with a dinner afterwards.  There are also nice relaxed Sat. morning services there.

 

Society Hill-

 

Mikveh Israel

 

Germantown Jewish Center

 

Gesher Minyan

 

ISRAELI DANCING:

Especially great on Thursday nights in July and August, when about 50 people gather on the steps of the Art Museum and dance for the city!  I met some of my best friends this way.

2. Polly Esthers: 70s & 80s music. Fun place and you can wear all your old high school clothes, or your parents old stuff!
3. Delaware Ave. Clubs: Lots of cheesy dance clubs including Rock Lobster, Katmandu, Egypt, Maui, The 8th Floor, & The Warehouse.
4. Circa: (15th & Walnut) Nice place for dinner and dancing. It is a more upscale crowd because it is expensive but it is a fun place to go for a special occasion.
5. Five Spot: Swing Dancing Lessons for $5 cover on Sunday nights at 7 pm.

C. Coffee Shops & Desserts
1. Tuscany Cafe: (Rittenhouse Square) Nice place to get a drink and bring it to the park. You will see lots of people playing chess or reading.
2. Crimson Moon: (20th & Sansom) My favorite!  Funky decor and eclectic crowd with great big coffee drinks. Try the hot berry drink!
3. Xando: (15th & Locust, 17th and Walnut, 36th and Walnut, Front and South) A major scene with food, coffee, and interesting alcoholic drinks. There is often a large crowd and is very Friends-like with lots of couches. Try the s'mores - you make them yourself!
4. Borders Books: (1727 Walnut) One of the hippest places in town to see & be seen. The second floor coffee shop is often crowded but spacious. Lots of book signings and readings.
5. Fantes: (1006 S. 9th St.) An amazing labyrinth of cookware store and coffee shop. It is in the Italian Market.
6. Painted Parrot Cafe: (211 Chestnut St.) Great desserts and coffee in the heart of the historic district, especially the Wed, night all you can eat dessert buffet.
7. Pink Rose Pastry Shop: (4th & Bainbridge) Great desserts in South Philly.
8. Starbucks: (3rd & South and 1528 Walnut) Yes we have them here too!
9. Capriccio: (17th & Locust) High quality desserts, coffee and ice cream with seating outside on nice days.
10.Two Sisters Ala-Mode: 1141 Pine the best pie ever!
11.More than just Ice Cream: 1119 Locust - fun people-watching and ice cream!

D. Restaurants
My most used book this year was my Zagat Guide to all the restaurants in Philly.  There are so many great restaurants in Philadelphia that I can't list them all, but here are a few:
1. Cherry St. Chinese: (10th & Cherry) kosher, vegetarian Chinese.
2.

3. Marrakesh: (near South Street) A very fun Moroccan Place. Everyone eats out of the same plate with his or her fingers and it is a 7-course meal!
5. Friday, Saturday, Sunday: (21st & Spruce) A more expensive place with great food and a great bar.
7. Audrey Claire: (20th & Spruce) A great place to go on a warm night when they open up the windows. It is a nice place for good Mediterranean food.
8. Astral Plane: (1708 Lombard) Very gypsy/70s like! It has great ambiance.
9. Marathon Grill: (15th & Sansom) They have a huge menu with lots of veggie options. It is a nice place for lunch and is not too expensive.  Marathon on the Square  (19th and Spruce) is the more upscale but not unreasonably expensive version.
10. Au Bon Pain: (One Commerce Place at 21st & Market) It is a great place to go during the week for lunch to scope out the hot young lawyers that work in the building. Outside seating available. (There is now one in Wharton!)
11. The Italian Market: Great Italian Restaurants including Ralphs, Dante & Luigis, Osteria Romana.
12. Mama Palmas: (Spruce & 23) Good pizzas, veggie alternatives.
13. Sandy's: (24th and Locust) All star greasy spoon - great weekend breakfast - comfort food with a personal touch.
14. Famous Deli - 4th and Bainbridge (best Lox on the planet)
15. Alyan's Restaurant - 4th St. between South and Bainbridge - (Real deal Middle Eastern Food - amazing Pitot!)
16. Orfeo: 20th and Walnut
1. Lee's Hoagie House: 40th and Walnut (the best Tuna Hoagie in Philly)
2. Abner's: 38th and Chestnut (Best Cheese Fries!)
19. Dmitris: 23rd and Pine- delicious Greek food!

E. Shopping
1. King of Prussia: Largest mall in the east coast. 30 min. from Center City.
2. Franklin Mills: Great outlet shopping. It is really big!
3. Chestnut, Locust & Walnut Streets: (between 18th & Broad) Lots of good shoe and clothing stores, including the GAP, Aerosoles, Urban Outfitters, Jones of NY.
4. Chestnut Hill: Nice stores in a cute cobblestone road setting!
5. Manayunk: Cool upscale boutiques that are great for buying gifts.
6. South Street: (between 8th & 2nd) A lot of strange stores, and some more normal ones that are in between many restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.   
7. The Italian Market: Go there to buy fresh fruits and veggies, fish, and cheeses. Only open on Saturdays.
8. Reading Terminal Market: (12th & Arch) Lots of food stands with places to eat there and food to take home. Great place to buy meats, veggies, cheese, candy and anything else imaginable. It is a must see.
9. Sue's Produce - 18th between Sansom and Chestnut for produce
10. Metropolitan Bakery- 19th between Spruce and Rittenhouse Square, great bread!
11. American Pie - locations on South Street @ 5th-ish, and on Main St. in Manayunk (excellent for Judaica and other gifts).
Don't forget to explore the Food Trucks at Penn- they are definitely part of the Penn culture!

F. Manayunk
Fun to be away from the city. You will find a lot of yuppies. Great craft shows and artsy stores. Great bars & restaurants.

Restaurants: Le Bus, Sonoma, Arroyo Grille, Bella Trattoria
Bars: Grape Street, Flatrock, River Cafe, Main Street Cigar Bar

G. Chestnut Hill
Great shopping (lots of chain stores like Gap, Limited, and Banana Republic). It is a really cute place to just enjoy a nice day. There are lots of parks around there too and a farmers market open from Thursday to Saturday. If you like to roler blade or run, there is a great nature preserve called Valley Green that is beautiful and fun!

Restaurants: Melting Pot (a must do fondue place), Pollo Roso (upstairs from the Melting Pot), Vegetable Garden (vegetarian), Cin Cin (good Chinese food), and Burdenbecks (good ice cream).

H. Movies
Call 222-FILM for listings and theaters. If you reserve tickets over the phone they charge an extra $2. Dont forget to bring your ID to get students prices. The movie theater on Front Street and the Sansom St. walkway has especially good student prices. The Ritz at the Bourse has great alternative movies and independent films.

I. Special Events
1. Penns Landing: During the warm months they have great concerts and ethnic festivals. It is right on the water and is a great place to spend a nice day.
2. First Friday: The first Friday of every month (not in the summer) the art galleries open their doors for free and offer wine & cheese to yuppies who tour the galleries after work (around 5:30 PM).
3. Make it A Night: Wed. nights meter parking is free and the stores are open late and many have good sales.

J. Arts & Culture
There are a lot of theaters in Philly that have Broadway shows, dancing, and other great stuff. Also the art museum is great, with many special events - call them for details. Franklin Institute is a fun, hands-on, science museum that has laser shows and I-MAX movies where you feel like you are in the movie. There are lots of places to see live music (like bars).

 

K. The Philadelphia Orchestra has a long and glamorous history in the Academy of Music.  The Kimmel Center, at Broad and Spruce, just went up in December and now houses the orchestra and most concerts.  As of now, the Opera and the Pennsylvania Ballet are still performing at the Academy (Broad and Locust).  

Mann Music Center is a large ampitheater off West River Drive with lawn seats that are pretty cheap, and concerts include the Philly Pops and other rock music. Electric Music Factory has popular concerts. The Tweeter Center in Camden also has big shows.

Sports: Football - Eagles, Hockey - Flyers, Basketball - The 76ers, Baseball - Phillies, Minor League Baseball - Delaware, Reading, & Trenton. Sporting events are held at the Core States Center, the Spectrum, and Veterans Stadium.

K. Music Scene
Check the City Paper for bands coming to town.

Some small venues which are great to see up and coming artists at are...
1. Tin Angel: Acoustic Cafe/Bar - 2nd St. between Market and Chestnut (closer to Market)
2. Khyber Pass: 2nd between Market and Chestnut (closer to Chestnut)
3. TLA (Theater of the Living Arts - 3rd and South)
4. North Star Bar: 2639 W. Poplar
5. The Electric Factory: Ticket Info- 215.568.3222
6. The Cherry Tree (St. Mary's Church - on Penn's Campus) - for FOLK MUSIC
7. Grape Street Pub (Manayunk): 107 Grape


L. Outside of Philly
1. The Beach is an hour and a half away.
2. Atlantic City has an amusement park and casinos.
3. NYC is 2 hours by car and train. It costs around $80 on Amtrak, or you can take SEPTA and NJ Transit which only costs $24 round-trip.
4. Baltimore is 2 hours away. It costs around $65 on Amtrak.
5. DC is 3 hours away. It costs around $75 on Amtrak.
6. Amusement Parks: Six Flags Great Adventure is just off the NJ Turnpike and is only an hour away. Dorney Park is a water park close to Philly. Hershey Park is about and hour and a half away in Hershey, PA.
7. New Hope is 30 min. away and has a lot of cute shops and restaurants.
8. Boston is around 6 hours away by car. It costs around $150 on Amtrak.