Elle, do you live in Philly?

Sure do. <BR><BR>I'm happy to answer any specific questions you have.

Great and thanks! I guess right now I'm just contemplating it overall. I'd have to find work and probably look pretty hard b/c I work in Marketing in D.C. for a major newspaper. It would be difficult to get that same type of position in Philly.<BR><BR>But I honestly love that city and it seems to have a real sense of community.<BR><BR>Any feedback on what the dating scene is like?

Also, what is the best are to live in philly...right now I can't afford to buy but would like to eventually. <BR><BR>Center city, manayunk, the mainline, etc.?

Well, I met my husband in Philadelphia five years ago, so the dating scene was, um, fulfilling for me!<BR><BR>Seriously, I think Philadelphia has a pretty good dating scene. (Especially if you don't mind dating lawyers--the city is crawling with them!)<BR><BR>I sense that you're younger than us (we're late 30s), but we have a lot of neighbors, male and female, straight and gay, in their 20s and early 30s and they look like they have fun!<BR><BR>I think there's a fairly even male to female ratio. Some neighborhoods are going to be more singles-oriented than others, but I'm sure that's true for almost ever city.<BR><BR>An interesting thing re: the job market. I read an article last week that said that the recession is not hitting Philadelphia as hard as it is other cities, largely because the city was not successful in jumping on the high tech band wagon in a big way. So when the tech boom busted, it didn't pull the region down with it like it did in so many other places. The old standbys--law, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and insurance gave the region a more diversified portfolio that are helping it to weather the storm, I guess.

For a young single, I think that Northern Liberties, Bella Vista, Manayunk, Graduate Hospital area, and Fairmount would be best. <BR><BR>Old City is fun, but the neighborhood seems to be getting both older (in terms of the age of its residents) and more expensive.

Thanks Elle, that's great feedback. I am actually 30 going on 31 and dating in Washington is a joke. The girl to guy ratio is way out of whack and then men just plow through them. And like I said everyone is on there way to somewhere else.<BR><BR>But I'm optimistic as to starting over in a new city where i feel I want to grow my roots. That way if I stay single, it won't matter b/c I have my security in other areas. Plus I'll be closer to my home which is Wilkes-Barre PA.<BR><BR>I'm going to start looking heavily for jobs. And plug away at making Philadelphia my new goal!<BR><BR>Thanks again!<BR>Jodi

One more thing...what is the crime like in Philly.. I've seen some of the bad parts when I was younger and know that they seem to run right into the good ones. Any feedback on what your experience has been with that side of Philly?<BR>Thanks

OK, I've been away for a couple of hours:<BR><BR>nj-sorry, Cherry Hill is a Philly suburb--really not NJ by my perception<BR><BR>albany-no, it's f-ing cold relative to Hartford, even. Don't forget you are at the same latitude as Vermont<BR><BR>neaster-c'mon! Delaware, Maryland? Any place below the Mason Dixon line (which includes some parts of South Jersey) do not qualify for &quot;northeast&quot;. I am sure any southerner would agree.<BR><BR>Jodi--good luck on the dating thing. Don't be afraid to try a dating service if you are willing to fork over the $$. That's how I met my wife (by the way she's a newbie to CT).<BR><BR>To anyone re: Philly. I have a real problem with city wage taxes--grossly unfair. Lived in Pittsburgh for a while, same deal. It's a crime that they get away with it.<BR><BR>

ttt

I disagree: you're logic seems pretty faulty. Whoever heard of someone not considering a part of south jersey part of jersey b/c it's so close to philly? At what point of south jersey do you consider the line between part of jersey and part of philly? Bizarre. <BR><BR>You also stated that you don't consider MD and DE as part of the NE? INCLUDING parts of south jersey? Are you on crack? Do you have any inkling where the mason dixon line even starts? <BR><BR>Here's a tip: I would stop disagreeing w/people until you get your head straightened out.

Hey nj:<BR><BR>Let's chill now.<BR><BR>This has been a great thread and I am not trying to offend. If you go back (no, you don't have to) and read some of my previous posts, you'll note that I was pointing out that many Connecticut towns were NYC suburbs rather than entities unto themselves. Sorry, this is just the reality--Cherry Hill exists because it is near Philly, not because it is in southern NJ.<BR><BR>As for the Mason-Dixon line, I think if you research it, you will find that it runs through the south of New Jersey.<BR><BR>Anyone from the South out there have an opinion on this?--please help us settle this dispute.

topping

Oh God...this is too funny. The Mason-Dixon line does NOT run through southern NJ!!! ROTFLMAO!

Mason-Dixon Line is the border between Penn. and Md., and was in any case a political differentiation. Md. is therefore certainly below the M-D line.<BR><BR>The rest of this thread is crap, too, more of the same old same old northeast-bashing that goes on and gets old. Tells you something that people spend much more time talking about worst than best. Old Saybrook, CT? Westerly, RI? One thing: most of you anti-northeast people probably have NO CLUE how rural some parts of eastern CT are, let alone western Mass., much of VT and NH, and good luck if you ever get lost in northern Maine!

rotflmao?

<BR>Hi Jodi,<BR>I live in McLean, VA and grew up in Pittsburgh. I agree with what you said about dating in D.C. I'm sure that you would find the gender ratio to be in your favor in Pittsburgh. Friendly people there and definitely a community feeling.<BR><BR>

I'd say Pittsburgh is a very underrated city (I live just west of it). I'd say the whole state of Pennsylvania, in general, is very underrated. Lancaster, Gettysburg, Harrisburg and very picturesque places. <BR><BR>I also believe the Lake Erie coast of New York is spectacular to bike along in the summer when you pass green fields, and deep blue water of the lake, along with the winding roads and vineyards around the Dunkirk/Fredonia, NY area.<BR><BR>

but jodi is not considering pittsburgh so what's the point?

Being from Bethesda, Maryland, I do NOT consider myself from the SOUTH and never tell people such!! I am a Northeasterner--period!!