if these walls could talk...

http://www.philebrity.com/2010/12/02/local-hipsters-accidentally-buy-meth-house/


This article is entirely too interesting. Recently, two "hipsters" bought what seemed to be a cute and innocent house in Bristol. Little did they know what they had gotten themselves in to. Quickly after their arrival, the couple found that what seemed to be a normal house ... turned out to be a meth lab. The people who lived in the house before them used the house to cater their crystal meth drug production. The leftover smells and fumes of the meth even remained.

On the bright side however, the couple came up with a way to raise money in order to restore the house. They have created a blog known as "Our Meth House Blog" (haha) which has thus far raised $8500 of the $25000 needed to clean up the house. I think it's great that they are using a social network to raise money for a good cause. It is unfortunate that the previous owners did such a thing to the house, but instead of moving, the hipster couple is branching out to the public for help. And by using a blog nontheless.

Just goes to show how crazy Philadelphia really can be. Well not even the city itself, but the people too.


oxox

santa can you hear me?

I know that my blog is devoted to Philadelphia. But I just can't help it ... There is something on my mind that surpasses all of the rest of my thoughts.


CHRISTMAS!


It is going to come too soon, and I can't wait. My roommate and I actually just decked out our apartment to appear as a winter wonderland. We are utterly ecstatic in case you could not tell.

I promise this will be my only blog to wonder off topic. Come on now though, who doesn't love reading about one's excitement towards xmas?

oxox philly,
let your christmas festivities begin!

roots in the city

Do you know something that has always fascinated me? Knowing that someone famous is from my hometown. It is absolutely amazing, knowing that someone so lucky now came from the same background and surroundings as I did. It gives normal, average, every day people like me hope. Hope in that one day maybe we too can become famous and do something great for the world.

I found a list of people who are from Philadelphia. I was surprised by a lot of them.

- John Wanamaker : creator of the huge department store, Wanamaker's
- Kevin Bacon : incredibly talented actor
- Dick Clark : host of the New Year's special
- Bradley Cooper : super hot actor
- Tina Fey : amazingly funny comedian, actress, producer, etc.
- Seth Green : funny guy, voice on Family Guy, acted in Austin Powers
- Grace Kelly : famous actress
- the Lawrence Brothers : actors I group up watching on the Disney Channel
- Will Smith : actor, rapper, good guy
- Boyz II Men : that smooth sounding band that used to sing love ballads
- Eve : rapper
- Joan Jett : rock star who recently had a movie made about her

Pretty impressive, huh? And now even more cool ... those who attended my school : Temple University

- Bill Cosby
- Michael Schoeffling (the hottie who played Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles)
- Bob Saget
- Jesse Williams (actor: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Grey's Anatomy)


I am simply astounded by this information. These famous people have walked the same streets I do every day; stroll through the campus I set foot on every week.

Neat stuff if I must say so myself.


you're too kind, oxox

oh hey, how'd you get that money?

There are so many issues out there to have an opinion on. Healthcare, politics, global warming, and hundreds more. There are also many issues alluding to Philadelphia. Homelessness, the new casino being built, and even the school system. I am not going to lie. I am not one to get involved in issues. I cringe at the thought of politics. Indifference runs through my veins when one mentions my opinion on health care. It may sound ignorant, but I am a 20 year old girl. My worries have to do with my family, friends, university, and what I am going to wear the next day. But, there is something that strikes my chords every now and then, and that issue is landlords and Philadelphia housing. If there is one thing that I can take a stand on, it's how landlords undermind and mistreat their Temple University tenants. With this issue, I can take a stand.

To most adults, college kids are merely... kids. We don't know what we are doing. All we care about is booze, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. We go to class and come home and pound a couple beers. Wrong. Completely wrong. And when I say they are wrong, I mean they have no idea who they are dealing with. Just because we are college students,does not mean they can take advantage of us. We are adults fully capable of being treated with the same respect and altitude as the local who lives next door to me.

Here is what gets me angry. And I know I am not the only one with this issue. First of all, I am paying hundreds of dollars too much in my rent. I personally pay $600 for my room alone, and I do not even live in an entire house. It is a duplex. My roommates only rent the top two floors of four total. My dad who lives in the suburbs has an entire apartment : two bedrooms, one bath, one very large kitchen/dining area/living area and plenty of closet space... for $600. And for the same price I am living in a small dimensional room. How does this even make sense? Yes, I understand I live in a city. Not just any city, but Philadelphia. I expect it to be more expensive. But $600? Please, I know where that money is going. Into the housing development's pockets.

Bad service also comes to mind. I know of a Philadelphia housing group who's secretary lied to the tenants. She told them they could sign a month-to-month lease (because some of the tenants would be subletting after studying abroad). She also said they would not have to keep the water bill in their name and that the landlord was responsible for that. Two years later, the tenants found out she lied (and they were bombarded with two years worth of water bills). Come on! Is it because they think we are stupid and won't figure out that they are being lazy? Perhaps. And when these tenants call with a problem, a serious problem, I expect the maintenance man to show up two weeks later only to complain. And when PGW tells us we have a gas leak, maintenance man PLEASE do not turn everything back on. The professional gas company turned it off for a reason. For our health and safety. Something you clearly do not care about.

This may have seemed like venting, and for that I apologize. But this is an issue that exists within my city. I know dozens of peers who attend Temple University who feel the same way I do. We get no respect and the housing companies treat us like we are insignificant. Well guess what, we are significant. We are the ones putting money in your wallet so you can pay your bills. If only you didn't charge us so much, maybe we could pay our's.

I'm not the only one who feels this way, just check out this site alluding to the fact that landlords can be terrible. Site #1.

Other than that Philly, you are too kind.
xoxo

first friday

I have always been a lover of art. 3D sculptures, paintings, drawings, and everything in between. I not only enjoy looking at art, but creating it. Throughout High School and even college, I have absorbed myself in art and its beauty and its peace that it gives me. Nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a blank canvas and paint palette, and just letting my imagination run wild: following my hand as it creates images upon the canvas.

Philadelphia is a great place for art. It is everywhere. Art can be located at the Philadelphia Museum, along the sides of homes and buildings in the form of murals, and even in the various galleries located throughout the city. Art here in Philly is found in every shape and form, every nook and cranny. It is a beautiful thing. No matter where I am walking, I can find art. The subway, the corner store, Temple buildings, and more.

So it is no wonder that Philadelphia has created a famous event to the city known as "First Friday." I am saddened by the fact I have not attended this event. However, I plan on in the future. First Friday takes place on the first Friday of every month, and includes several of the city's galleries who "open their doors to the public" (phillyartgalleries.com). These galleries allow people to browse the art, purchase the art, or even create the art. I have heard that people are allowed to paint or create sculptures at this event. There are even wine tastings that take place at First Friday.

Most of what I have heard about this event has been by ear. Many of my friends have attended First Friday and absolutely loved it. My High School art teacher as well as my art professors here at Temple speak highly of the event. It is unusual that I have yet to attend the event, but definitely plan on it in the future.

One can tell that Philadelphia encourages the arts here in the city. So much that once a month they even encourage all to gather and appreciate every single form of art there is. So much history has taken place here in Philly, and it is a great place to use creativity and the imagination to come up with amazing statues and paintings. The city of brotherly love, the city of awesome artwork.

ill state of mind

I think this song says it all. :)

sports sports and more sports

How could I devote a blog to the city of Philadelphia without mentioning the ever inevitable... Philly sports teams. Especially at this time of year, when baseball, football, hockey, and basketball are all in season. I may not be the biggest sports fan, but while living in Philly, it is almost unavoidable to come across the fanatics in some way, shape, or form.

Our teams can bomb. They can do great. They can excell to the highest extent in their season. It doesn't matter. Philadelphia will still love them regardless. Philadelphia knows no hatred, ridicule, or skepticism towards their beloved teams. The Phillies and Eagles, no matter how bad their game is, will always be #1 in Philly sports fans' hearts.

It's great, it really is. This city is so possessive about their teams. They will devote their lives, or at least this season, to the teams. Tailgating, season tickets, promotional events... all consume the lives of devoted fans. Men and women alike. Even as I am not a huge football or baseball fan, I still find myself purchasing tickets or spending the afternoon tailgating. Pretty amazing, isn't it? That something so recreational, can have such a huge impact on the people it surrounds.

Professional sports take over peoples' lives. Philadelphia sports became these peoples' lifestyle. They live, eat, breathe the Eagles, Phillies, 6ers, or Flyers. And what's even better is that Philadelphians remain loyal to the teams no matter what. If that is not true love, than I do not know what is.

let's make a toast.

as one can tell from my previous posts, the city of Philadelphia is filled with unusual instances. strange people, crazy events, and even quite different "traditions" as seen in the article "A Penn Tradition that's Getting Stale." >>article Pranav Merchant is the author of this article. it tells of the tradition that has taken place at the University of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years. this tradition itself is the throwing of bread onto the football field at the end of the third quarter, for five football games a year. this act began after the original tradition of toasting a drink of beer was banned in 1970 because of the use of alcohol.

so upenn came up with a substitute. throw loaves of bread onto the field... nearly $500 worth of bread each game. this bread is given to spectators by the faculty, but many students provide their own slices as well. seems pretty crazy... right? Merchant not only tells of the tradition in his article, but how he disagrees with its existence. upenn is located in Philadelphia, a city nearly filled with homeless people and poverty (as i stated in a previous blog). he argues that instead of wasting $2500 worth of bread every year, they should be donating that money to help the hungry.

interesting argument, but is it credible? believable? logical? i'd like to say yes to all of the above. however, i would have the question the credibility. Merchant provides no source list. he does not include a place where his facts have been originated from. did he make up the numbers, statistics, and findings, or was this actual research? the only sense of credibility is given because Merchant is an actual student at upenn. he attends the football games. he observes the bread-tossing event. this senior has first-hand experienced what his article has touched upon. also, the fact that the article was placed in the Philadelphia Inquire says much in itself. this is a very credible source. so although Merchant left out a source list, his work is still quite believable. he could also provide more ways in which the school can help poverty, or what he plans on doing about the issue. (is he going to take action, or does he hope this article will cause an uproar in itself)

he does a good job in luring the reader in, i will give Merchant that. i'm impressed with the way his article is organized. he starts by telling the reader the issue, continues with why this act should not take place, and finishes his article with what the tradition can lead people to believe about upenn students and what should happen next. he knows that throwing bread onto the field is a long tradition for the school. he understands that traditions are hard to break. but as he states, if the tradition had been altered from beer to bread in 1970, why can't the tradition be changed to plastic bread of nonalcoholic drinks now? he wants the reader to understand his logic, which he does nicely, and i commend him for that.

many opinion pieces include a great deal of bias. but Merchant attends upenn. he is a student at the belly of the beast. the place where the issue occurs. you would think that a student at upenn would be for the tradition of throwing bread onto a football field and wasting it. but Merchant is different. he is not biased. he cares more about the poverty-struck Philadelphians than some silly tradition at his university. he even calls students at his school "spoiled" and "bratty." the fact that he is not biased also gives him more credibility to the readers.

i'm quite impressed with this article. as opposed to tearing it apart, i find it quite believable and logical. i do not like that he has not submitted where his information is taken from. other than that, he poses a good argument. it is one that many Philadelphians can feel for: poverty. upenn may not  be known for not having money, but the issue still exists in the city the college is in. Merchant does a great job in conveying this.

we fall like autumn leaves.

there's something i have forgot about living here in the city... the cold weather. just this week made me realize how miserable philadelphia can be. i think there is a vast group of people who can agree that philly gets the worst of all weathers. when it is hot, boy it is hot. and the same goes for when it is cold. we have been so accustomed to this beautiful weather in the city. as late september approached, the sun still was shining and all were believing "it is going to be a beautiful autumn."

and then came last week. absolutely disgusting. i was under the impression that my city was going to undergo a nice transition into the fall months. sunsets that don't seem real, leaves falling gracefully to the ground in brilliant shades of brown and orange. and then like i said, last week happened. rain. cold. allergies. storm. wet. windy. sad. all words that come to mind when i think of the past few days. even today dawned upon us a ray of sunlight... and as i type this i can see that the horrible rain clouds have inevitably surfaced again. bringing once again, the heartbreaking weather.

it makes me remember that philly can be so beautiful, but also so damn ugly. it can be disgustingly hot. undeniably freezing and snowy. and exhaustingly rainy. you can even tell the weather based on everyone's mood. i don't even have to go outside to realize i will need a heavy coat, rainboots, and umbrella. all i have to do is take one stare into my roommates' faces, and know that the outside is not somewhere desirable to be at that moment.

as stated in my last post, you have to take the good with the bad. i was fortunate enough to experience a few days into the transition of autumn. and if i am lucky, these days will reappear shortly. but as for now... this weather sucks.

with the good comes the bad.

things that i see every day in philadelphia: students walking to class, music performers lingering in the street, the occasional fist fight or screaming match, and unfortunately, homeless people.

it is tragic that although this city can be viewed as so beautiful, it still has its downsides. there are some people here who have worked hard and made their lives full of luxury. there are students here striving to earn a degree and make something of themselves. and then there are the less fortunate: those who cannot compare to the lucky ones. the homeless people make amends by living in the streets. whereas most of us sleep in a comfy bed in an air-conditioned or heated room, these people find comfort in a cardboard box with a few newspapers to keep warm.

it is heartbreaking to think that such an issue exists all over the world, and here in philly. thousands of people are existing without homes, raising their families with no shelter. i know there are those who pretend to be homeless in an attempt to earn extra money from a passerby. but then there are those who actually maintain this lifestyle. there are groups out there to help homeless people. but the problem is not becoming smaller. homelessness is a well-known issue. it occurs all over. so what can be done to eliminate the problem? what do you think causes the problem? do people become homeless because they simply do not care to make a living? are there homeless people who once had a home and could not pay for it? so many thoughts come to mind. and since the issue of homelessness is a big one, there are many websites to its dedication in philadelphia.

Project Home is a great websited devoted to homelessness in philadelphia. it claims that there are about 4,000 homeless people here in philly (living in shelters or on the street). most of them are african americans in their twenties, thirties, and forties. sadly, one third of the amount of homeless people in philly are children. since most shelters close in the winter, this is when most people are forced to make a living outside. the site also claims that the reasons most people are homeless are due to an inability to pay for a house or health care, or because of mental illness/substance abuse/domestic violence. Project Home is a site devoted to end homelessness in philly.

Philly IMC also gives information about homelessness in philly. although this website is more focused on how viewers can make a change in the issue. there are articles listed to "help educate the inspire the political will for change." the site acknowledges the fact that homelessness is rising here in the city, and there should be something we can all do to alter that.


both sites touch upon an issue here that is devastating: homelessness. i believe in philly however. as you can tell, i know it has its magic and liveliness. but with the good, one must accept the bad. and after we have accepted the bad, it is our duty to change it and make it better. yes, homelessness exists. but as citizens of the city, we should do all we can to let those people enjoy the same luckiness here that we do.

oxox

philly's got the magic.

do you wanna know something i love about philly?

that you can experience anything here. and in all honestly, if you are going to experience anything ... do it here.  if you are going to go through heartbreak, happiness, misery, excitement, withdrawl, or anything else you can possibly feel as a person, i highly suggest you do so in the lovely city of philadelphia.

there is just something about this place. like it exaggerates everything and makes it.. real. at home in the suburbs life is just blah. yes i go through sadness and happiness and everything in between, but it is just so different here. philly has character. as you walk down broad street with the cool breeze blowing through your hair, you realize that your bad break up isn't so bad after all. that the news you just heard about your family... will be okay. everything will be okay.

because here you are, in the city of brotherly love. where the skyline and the people and the magic just lingers everywhere. philly makes you happy to be alive. regardless of the circumstances. your mind may be on something else, but as long as your heart is here... you are in good hands. :)

oxox

philly + bike-riding + your naked body

there are certain things that people do every day. things that are so simple, they become a daily routine. make breakfast, do homework, go to class, tie one's shoes, etc.

and then there are things that people do naked. shower, skinny-dip, bike ride.

bike ride?

yes. there are people who actually ride their bike... in public... completely in the nude. and where else would such a crazy action take place than in the city of brotherly love itself? this blog is dedicated to insane happenings that take place in philly every day. i feel as though thousands of people partaking in a naked bike ride for all to see, surely falls under this category.

"At least one thousand cyclists participated in the second annual Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride from Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park to The Piazza at Schmidt's in Northern Liberties. The Naked Bike Ride is held to bring awareness to issues such as the environment, body image, and peace."

what an amazing way to promote body image. and i really mean that. my roommate had told me about this race that takes place last year. and i immediately became intrigued. who in their right mind would cycle throughout philadelphia with their goodies dangling for all to see? these couragous, environmental happy, body loving, peaceful people. and i envy them. they don't give a damn who sees their private parts; they are satisfied with themselves just the way they are. and you can tell by the pictures posted in the link below. they are careless. happy. free.

it just goes to show how interesting philly can be. the naked bike ride is not an unusual occurance. those who live here may appreciate me saying this. only in philly will you not be surprised if you are walking to class and a herd of naked bike riders go by. only in philly will it be a daily part of your day to walk outside and find all your neighbors gathering around for an intense unannounced block party. only in philly will you expect some of the more dangerous things such as shootings and drugs and robberies to be normal.

but it's okay. it's what i love about this place. give me a city full of antics and lunatics any day over the suburbs. there is life here. excitement. wonder. just walk out your door and you will find enough entertainment to fill your day.

it is here in the city of brotherly love, that a naked bike ride will take place. where people who are so care-free, independent, and loving all gather to promote a great self-body image, something many are without. philly is not only filled with people who do crazy things, but people who have a great cause while doing them.

and that is why philly, you are too kind. oxox


philly naked bike ride   <<< check it out, here is the link to pictures of bikers!

the beginning

my name is katie killian, and i am quite new to the "blogging" experience. granted, i have been accustomed to facebook for the past three years, but this blog is different; it is refreshing. as opposed to posting pictures of my social life, statuses about the insane things my friends and i get in, and comments about downright plain drama... i can pour my heart out about something close to me. and what that is, is none other than the city of philadelphia. i moved to this city two years ago, my freshmen year of college to attend temple university. and what i was in for ... would be nothing other than fantastic.

"philly, you are too kind" will be devoted to my life here in philly. what i see, smell, taste, hear, and even touch. everything that fills my senses on a daily basis, making my veins fill with excitement. philly is an amazing place. there are things that i have seen here that i never would have imagined in my lifetime. there are events that fill my day that i would trade for no other: my college campus, shopping stores and boutiques, center city, south street, cute restaurants, public transportation, and the beautiful sightseeing.

philly is a place like no other. this blog will allow you to see philly as i do.

oxox philly