Summer in the (Other) City

Hey there, readers! So I know it's been a LONG time since we last touched base, and we all have a lot of catching up to do, but what better time to start than summer? I have to admit, this has been a crazy year full of adventures and plenty of responsibilities. But now that I'm two weeks out of finals and two weeks into my new internship in Philadelphia, I'm finally starting to feel the sweet freedom of summer in the city (cue Lovin' Spoonful).

The Challenge:

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a serious love for New York. I take pride in the fact that I can direct tourists to the Empire State Building, and the fact that my old apartment actually overlooked (under-looked?) the ESB. I met Betsey Johnson--THE Betsey Johnson--in the elevator of my apartment building. I go to school in the Fi-Di, not the Financial District. And most importantly, I am fully aware that "brunch" is a verb as much as it is a noun, and this girl knows how to brunch like pre-Sochi Shaun White knows how to snowboard. Yup, went there.

The Upshot:

With that being said, the idea of parting with my beloved New York for 12 exhausting weeks was just short of unfathomable. But the opportunity was in Philly, so here I am, living in the ninth bedroom of a 9-bedroom house in University City (I'm renting from a friend and U Penn student, who incidentally will be spending her summer in New York).

 Moving to a new city can be intimidating. I was surprised to discover that I have a greater store of local knowledge from two years of living in Manhattan than I do from 17 years of living less than an hour from Philly. After only two weeks (TWO WEEKS!) I've caught myself criticizing Philly--a city I still barely know--by pointing out its deficiencies compared to New York. No more.

Today, after a perfectly Parisian late-lunch with my new friend, coworker, and Philly aficionado, EM (she blogs!), I've gained a new and inspiring approach to tackling my off-hours. I already love my internship, and with a new outlook and great friends to shape my perspective, I'm excited to share this adventure with all of you. 

Blue skies and open running paths lining the Schuylkill River.

This place used to be a banjo factory, of all things. The current owners are in the business of cranking out splendid dirty chai lattes.

Me and my brother at Hai Street Kitchen, a new Japanese burrito bar in Center City that opened this week.

Parc, Rittenhouse Square. Amazing food and an atmosphere that is quintessentially Parisian.

Any city that has authentic French patisseries that serve pistachio macarons is worth getting to know. 

-Carly