I’ll be honest, in no way do I think that people from Philly should mass migrate to one area in Los Angeles. But if they did they’d have a pocket of that city smelling like roll-on oils, soft pretzels and impatience. After spending a lot of time there, I do believe there already are enough people from Philly to create a semi-exclusive community like Chinatown or Little Italy in SoCal. Let’s discuss what a community like that would look like in a place like LA.
The first thing to consider is when I say “Philly,” I’m including the Greater Philadelphia Area. That might not sit well with the regionalist and I’m sorry, when we’re in Philly we can bicker amongst ourselves like the rest of the world doesn’t look at us like we’re all the same.
On a national level no one gives a shit about the difference between Fishtown, Somerton, and West Philly. When we’re on someone else’s turf, ain’t no time for that shit. We have to stick together. So that means: white boys with semi-bowl cuts, chicks who wear cookie monster pajama pants, and Jason who says he’s from Philly but lived in Bucks County until he was 18 – are all welcome.
The second, is the location for a community that would probably be the size of Fishtown’s main street along Girard. I vote for the intersection of Echo Park & Silver Springs. Echo Park is known as the more diverse of the two and gives Little Philly some space to develop.
Like Philly, Silver Springs has the infrastructure of a West Coast version of what’s been gentrified in South Philly. We could argue all day about this, but in this completely hypothetical scenario we’re just going for it. Little Philly has to be the perfect mix of gritty blue collar folk with swanky hipsters that allows Philly to thrive. On top of all of that, there’s a nice bit of greenery in Silver Springs. I don’t think we appreciate it our trees and grass, but Philly seamlessly weaves nature all throughout the city.
When you spend serious time considering this level of hypothetical you have to think: What’s our value? For instance, if I’m in Manhattan and wanted a good cannoli and espresso, I’d consider the most hole in the wall spot in Little Italy. So apart from the inhabitants of this place that obviously has a tiny Amoroso’s factory, why should people come?
First order of business *holds up styrofoam cup* in these lil cups we’ll put something called ‘Water Ice,’ but it has to come from Philadelphia Water Ice company. I don’t understand why it’s not out there already! Could you imagine grabbing some tacos from one of those taco trucks and having a mango water ice immediately after it? Bliss.
We would also have several coffee shops with books, restaurants with famous Philly figures on the walls, several music halls and a plethora of breakfast shops that actually have decent bagels. This area would 100% lead the state in turkey bacon and turkey sausage sales along with a large amount of bean pies being imported weekly. To top it all off, a miniature Philly Art museum that promotes East coast artists on the rise, the Joe Frasier gym, and a few car shops with the knowledge to properly fix an ATV & dirt bikes.
As much as I’d like to think I caught the realistic essence of this completely hypothetical place, I’m pretty sure I missed some stuff. For example, I know I’m missing some obvious shop ideas and didn’t even get into the debate to Wawa or not to Wawa.
That being said, tweet at me what you think should be included in any “Little Philly” I’d love to hear what should be added, Stay Tuned for the next article where I explain why this ridiculous ass idea could actually work.
Philly Plain Dealer 