My Introduction to Philly

As a little girl, I had limited understanding of Philadelphia. I was formally introduced to the city by my father who worked in a government building titled General Services Agency. When I was around eleven years old, he brought my brothers and I to Bring Your Child to Work Day, a day that made me fall in love with Philadelphia. As time went on, I knew that I wanted to attend Temple University. Knowing I had to attend an in-state school, Temple seemed the ideal option, or so I thought. My initial feelings for Temple fell short of my expectations, leaving me discontent. However, everything changed when I gained a different perspective of Philadelphia in an unexpected way. 

Maintaining money as a college student has always been at the top of my priority list. One day when discussing my financial situation with my friend Anna, she suggested that I apply to Xfinity Live in South Philadelphia. I’ll never forget my first day. Being amazed at the vastness of the place. How did I not know about one of Philadelphia’s most popular bars? Boy was I in for a treat. “Popular” is an understatement.

Xfinity Live Taught Me What It Means to Be a True Philadelphian

 My first day training was the Phillies home opener in April of 2022. The crowd came rushing in, yelling at the television, and demanding another round whenever one of the players hit a home run. Although I was working, I could feel the excitement surging through my veins. “So this is what it’s like to be a true Phillies fan,” I thought. From that day forward I understood the enthusiasm surrounding baseball. Xfinity Live taught me what it means to be a true Philadelphian, being an aggressive sports fan. 

Via Locusta Exposed Me to an Unfamiliar Lifestyle

Although I grew a deep fondness of Xfinity Live, it was dead during the off seasons. After talking to one of my old coworkers, she suggested I give a restaurant in Rittenhouse Square a try. To Via Locusta I go. To my dismay I quickly learned that I had very little appreciation for Vinny, my Italian manager, and the Via Locusta atmosphere. I can’t say that Via Locusta was all bad. What Via Locusta did was expose me to not only a different part of the city, but a lifestyle that I wasn’t familiar with. The Rittenhouse restaurant also taught me that you’re not a quitter for leaving a place that causes discontentment. 

Liberty Point Gave Me the Confidence to Find Calm in the Chaos

By the time the second semester of my junior year conceded, I had heard of a summertime restaurant on the waterfront at Penn’s Landing. Liberty Point enters stage right. My two roommates and I planned on living in the city for the summer and decided it could be fun to work together on the waterfront. Our instincts were correct. “Fun” is one of the many words I would use to describe Liberty Point. Throughout my time here, I worked with very interesting people. I worked with my best friends. The clientele was full of variety. You had corporate happy hours, families, and people who came in just to complain, lick their plates clean, and leave without paying. Liberty Point exhibited to me the beauty of Penn’s Landing. It taught me that you should not swim in the Delaware River. It gave me the confidence that I can find calm amongst the chaos, a tool I’ll carry in my arsenal for life. Liberty Point wasn’t that serious, mostly lighthearted and fun; that’s what I’ll always appreciate about it and something I’ll look for in other jobs. I fully enjoyed my time at the Penn’s Landing restaurant.

I Learned to Love Temple

Each restaurant taught me something different about myself and the city. I had to adapt to each climate, forcing me to grow as a young woman. Working at various restaurants exposed me to various parts of the city, each being unique in their own way. This growing familiarity allowed me to appreciate Temple as more than just a university, but an integral component of the city, something that I had not fully realized. The restaurant industry in Philadelphia taught me how to love it again, and in turn how to love Temple. Working in the city has allowed me to feel comfortable in a place that initially overwhelmed me. It reinvigorated the love I once had as a little girl, now a young woman.  I may not stay in the city of brotherly love forever, but I’ll always be a Philly girl at heart.