Welcome To Philly, Democrats. A Local's Dos And Don'ts For The Democrats Coming To Philadelphia In 2016

In light of the news that Philadelphia was selected to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Buzz Bissinger offers an amusing piece on the city at politico.com.

So Philadelphia is getting the Democratic National Convention in 2016… Given the competition—gentrified, Disney-fied, richified New York, where residents now only answer to the name of their shell corporation, and Columbus (why even consider a city in North Dakota??)—Philadelphia was a no-brainer.

 

As someone who spent the five longest years of anyone’s natural life writing a book about the city and its then-Mayor Ed Rendell, a few dos and don’ts to make the convention experience special.

... DON’T come near a cheesesteak. They are gnarly and fundamentally deranged in conception. Until you eat one. Then they are almost worth the guilt you will inevitably feel because you just ate one and likely ingested fifty or sixty thousand calories. Instead satisfy your cravings in what is America's most interesting and diverse culinary city. Try one of the many BYOBs. They are small and intimate and the food stunning and the cost reasonable.

... DO drive on the Schuylkill Expressway one night to see the twinkling lights of Boathouse Row against the backdrop of the art museum and the Fairmount Water Works and the city skyline. It is the single most spectacular view in the city. Then be prepared to die since the expressway is the worst engineered highway in history (for a real death thrill, take the South Street exit heading east and try to merge).

... DON'T refer to Philadelphia as “The City of Brotherly Love.” It’s tired and worn out and has never been remotely true. Philadelphians take great pride in their city. They are open and friendly, as long as you don’t mess with them. Same with the Eagles’ fans who once threw snowballs at a fan dressed as Santa Claus. It happened almost fifty years ago. It is also not at all representative of Eagles fans, except for the ten thousand or so still in jail for various unspeakable offenses. So don’t bring it up.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/democratic-convention-philadelphia-2016-115164.html#.VN7qD8t0yM9

Note: As a lifelong South Philadelphian - the main arena will be the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly, near the sports stadiums - I'm pleased for the city.

The History Of The Philly Cheesesteak

In 1970 I was an 18-year-old sailor stationed in San Deigo, California, just prior to shipping out to Southeast Asia.

Passing a sandwich shop in downtown San Deigo that advertised "Philly-Style Cheesesteaks," I pulled my two fellow sailors into the shop for a taste of something their pitiful hometowns didn't offer.

The sandwich tasted nothing like the cheesesteaks I grew up on in South Philly. I was somewhat embarassed and I told my friends that they would have to visit South Philadelphia to taste the real thing.

Since then the Philly cheesesteak has become famous and several local firms ship the authentic sandwich to other parts of the country.

Myfoxphilly.com offers a good piece on the history of the cheesesteak and you can view the video and read about the history of the famous sandwich via the below link:

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/the-history-of-the-philly-cheesesteak031211

As an aside, the sandwich ought to be called the "South Philly Cheesesteak," as it was first made in my part of the city.

And although Pat's made the first cheesesteak, I prefer Geno's.