Original post author: Ryan
Jessica and I had a great 3-day trip to Philadelphia. It was a nice mix of business and recreation; Jess had a conference and I worked remotely from our hotel for 2 days.
On Thursday night, we went to a Jai Wolf concert at a venue called Union Transfer. Jai Wolf is a dance/electronic producer who also dabbles a bit in indie pop and rock. I originally thought we’d miss seeing him in Boston this weekend, but then we discovered that he was playing in Philly too. It was a good time, lots of good energy at this cool venue.
On Friday night, we enjoyed a nice dinner at Morimoto, a restaurant created by the eponymous iron chef. The restaurant looked incredible inside. Its appearance seemed to mimic what a good piece of sushi tastes like; smooth, delicate, complex, bright...you get the idea. Despite being owned by a famous chef, I thought the best things about this restaurant were the ambiance and the service. The food was good, but didn’t really beat out some other (cheaper) sushi restaurants we’ve been to. Overall, I’d still recommend Morimoto for a nice night out.
Saturday was Jess’s birthday. We woke up early and took a long walk through the city to sightsee. By dinner time, we were exhausted. We ended up getting a sandwich at a great place called The Foodery - a great place for beer drinkers. Then finished the night with a cocktail at the rooftop patio of a restaurant called The Continental.
We were very fortunate to receive a detailed list of Philadelphia restaurant and bar recommendations from a friend (Chris) of a friend (Casey). That list was really helpful. We used it a bunch. Thanks!
Before I sign off, I need to be realistic and note the unfortunate problem of homelessness and crime in Philadelphia. It’s definitely more in-your-face than any other city I’ve visited. Biker gangs patrol the streets, even in areas with a lot of business and tourist activity. There are plenty of people who are out on the sidewalks looking for trouble. And it’s sad to see so much poverty. You can’t really walk more than two blocks without being asked for a handout. I’d love to recommend visiting Philadelphia, but I’d give that recommendation a big asterisk - it’s only for the adventurous and the bold, particularly if you want to see the night life.