The AFP conference, which is hosted in Philadelphia this year, is a local event for us! With Go-Live Faster headquartered in Wilmington, DE, our Executive Vice President, Hari calls Philadelphia his home. Hari has spent the past 8 years in love with Philly and has put together some local recommendations (with a lot of help from his wife!)

An Insider’s Guide to the Philly Experience

It’s that time of the year! The feel of cooler temperatures after a long summer, a warm and visually pleasing landscape of leaves in colors of reds, oranges, and browns, and of course, the Annual Association for Financial Professional’s conference. Come visit us at AFP 2022, booth 1611! Setup a meeting with our team (who willopenly share ideas on how you can accelerate your next digital transformation initiative!)

Things to DO!

Bask in the history of the United States at:

  1. The National Constitution Center
  2. Museum of the American Revolution
  3. Independence Hall and Congress Hall
  4. Liberty Bell
  5. Elfreth's Alley (Elfreth's Alley is a historic street in Philly, dating back to 1703. There are 32 houses on the street which were built between 1703 and 1836).
  6. Museum of Jewish American History
  7. Ben Franklin Museum

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Appreciate the Art at:

  1. Museum of Art
  2. Barnes Foundation
  3. Mutter Museum
  4. Magic Garden

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Other exciting activities include:

  1. Visit the US Mint in Philadelphia (reservations required for the tour).
  2. Walk across Ben Franklin Bridge (great views at sunset!)
  3. Eastern State Penitentiary - This place is eerie even during the day! During spooky season (October) the penitentiary ups the ante. Check it out in the evening if you dare... (reservations required)‍
  4. Shofuso - An acre+ of serenity and elegance in Fairmount Park, full of landscaped gardens alongside a ceremonial tea house and koi pond.‍
  5. Reading Terminal Market - great for Amish specialties, and Bassett's Ice-cream - America's oldest ice cream company. 
  6. Don't miss a fix of nature in the city and catch the last of fall on the Schuylkill river trail towards boathouse row. 
  7. Give your credit card some exercise during a shopping spree at Vagabond, Philadelphia Independents, and Ommo Zakka!‍
  8. If you have time to spare, take a half-day trip from Philly to Longwood Garden. Make it a full day by staying for the light exhibit by Bruce Munro (on display till Oct 30th).

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Looking for more recommendations geared towards food and beverages? Stay tuned for our next post, “An Insider’s Guide to Philly Feasting.”

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An Insider’s Guide to Philly Feasting!

When it comes to food, Philly is an awesome destination. The city's energy and underdog spirit results in some unexpected friendships with servers and strangers. It's not uncommon to see someone break into a dance while making your sandwich. Once your belly is full, make sure to come visit us at AFP 2022, booth 1611! Take some time to chat with our team (who would love to share ideas on how you can accelerate your next digital transformation initiative!)


Places to EAT!

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Restaurants:

  1. The Olde Bar
  2. Friday Saturday Sunday
  3. WM Mulherin's (need reservations)
  4. Suraya (need reservations well in advance)
  5. Zahav (good luck getting a reservation)
  6. a.Bar
  7. Charlie Was A Sinner (vegan)
  8. Urban Farmer
  9. Double Knot
  10. The Love
  11. Royal Izakaya and Sushi
  12. Vernick Fish
  13. Martha
  14. LMNO

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Cocktails:

  1. The Ranstead Room (speakeasy)
  2. Hop Sing Laundromat (speakeasy)
  3. 1 Tippling Place
  4. Graffiti
  5. Art in Age
  6. Happy Hour at Cuba Libre

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Sweet Treats:

  1. Tartes (best-kept secret for sweet treats - check timings before you go)

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Rooftops:

  1. Irwins
  2. Assembly at the Logan Hotel
  3. XIX Hyatt Bellevue

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Insider tip: Locals don’t eat their cheesesteaks from Pats or Geno’s! Dalessandro’s is outside the city at 600 Wendover

Street- corner of Henry Ave. (trust us, it’s worth taking an uber and back) or John’s Roast Pork on 14 Snyder Ave. If you

want a true authentic Philly Cheesesteak, those are the places to go.

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Something you might not know about Philly? The booming craft beer scene. While working on the Declaration of

Independence, John Adams took a moment to write to his wife in Boston saying, "I drink no cider, but feast on

Philadelphia beer." Thus, the Philly beer scene was born.

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Breweries to check out:

  1. Dock Street Brewing
  2. Philadelphia Brewing
  3. 2nd Story
  4. Evil Genuis
  5. Yards
  6. Sly Fox
  7. Tripple Bottom (woman owned and B corp certified)

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More of a coffee fan? No Problem! Skip Starbucks and get local coffee at any of these coffee houses:

  1. Menagerie 
  2. Elixir
  3. Greenstreet Cafe
  4. Jiggy Coffee
  5. Old City Coffee (Reading Terminal) 
  6. Rally 
  7. La Colombe 
  8. Bodhi

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Still wanting more insider tips on Philly? Make sure to check out our last post, “An Insider’s Guide to Philly Lingo.”

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An Insider’s Guide to Philly Lingo

If you’re not from the Philly area, you might find yourself scratching your head when a local says something to you that you don’t quite understand. Don’t worry! We’ve got the language barrier covered with some Philly lingo listed below.

  1. Jawn (rhymes with fawn, dawn, etc.) – this could literally mean anything
  • "Hand me that jawn." Translation: Hand me the thing I'm pointing to (ice cream cone, remote control, small child, etc.).
  • "We went to Chickie's and Pete's last night. That jawn is fantastic." Translation: That place is fantastic.
  1. CHOP – Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. If a friend says, "I got a co-op at CHOP!" that does not mean they're working at a restaurant, a barber shop, or a knife store. It means they're going to work at the country's first hospital dedicated to helping children.‍
  2. HUP – Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. If someone mentions HUP, they're not talking about a military march, they are talking about the closest hospital to campus.‍
  3. Birds – Philadelphia's NFL team, the Eagles. If you see your friends walking around campus with their Eagles gear, make sure to yell "Go Birds!"‍
  4. Shore – the beach, typically referring to New Jersey's beaches. Often you'll hear it phrased a certain way: "I'm going down the shore this weekend." Translation: I'm going to the beach this weekend.‍
  5. Wit/Witout – with or without fried onions, used in reference to ordering a cheesesteak. This is a classic discussion (some might call it an argument), and you can try it both ways at multiple places around the city.‍
  6. Insider Tip: Hari believes that onions are absolutely necessary in order to create the perfect cheesesteak. He’s sure others would disagree. But they would be wrong. (Note the Philly attitude used just there. This is necessary if you want to truly fit in.)‍
  7. Hoagie – a sandwich on a long roll which typically includes meats, lettuce, tomato, onions, and oil and vinegar; known in some other regions of the country as a "sub." Insider tip: Never, and we mean NEVER, let a Philadelphian catch you saying the word "sub" unless it comes before "way" and you're referring to the Broad Street subway line!‍
  8. Montco – Montgomery County, PA.‍
  9. Delco – Delaware County, PA.‍
  10. Youse/ yous – the plural of "you." Here are some examples:
  • "Did youse/ yous see the Birds crush the Pats last night?"
  • "Did youse/ yous guys get my hoagie?"

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Source: 10 Philadelphia Jargon Terms Everyone Should Know

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Insider tip: Like any big city, Philly has its share of crime and gets a bad rep for it! Please be aware of your surroundings and don’t hesitate to ask hotel staff for safety tips and whether a place is safe or not.

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We can’t wait to have a chance to connect with you at AFP 2022. Come see us at booth 1611, tell us some of your

favorite Philly things to do, eat, or say, and let us have a conversation with you about how you can accelerate your next

digital transformation initiative!

Be safe, have fun and look forward to seeing all of you in Philly! Go Birds…

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