I finally settled down in the City of Brotherly Love. After moving to Philadelphia in 2003 under the assumption a year or two would be my stay, I coughed up the money and bought a house in the city, knowing I would never be happy in the 'burbs in a "cookie-cutter" house. Old architecture was my love. So I bought a house built in the late 1800's. And I surrounded myself with Italians. Much like the cannolis at Potito's (the bakery just around the corner) are rich in flavor, South Philly is rich in old-school Italian culture. Take away the cars, and as my dad stated in a truly hilarious observation as the old tinkering ice cream truck drove by, "What year are we in?!". Looking beyond some loose floor boards and some elderly walls, I am facinated and extremely happy with my new home. I have far more room than I could ever want. I went from a tiny Old City apartment (sharing with a friend) to a 4 bedroom house. Even Annie, my ridiculously-spoiled cat, got her very own bedroom.
