nightlife in the city

I've been out and about in this city at all times of the day and night. I love it here, center city, around 4am to 5am.

the thing about philly, is that it clears out real late [or real early... depending on whether or not you hear the birds chirping]. I mean, DEAD. After the bars and clubs let out, you have about an hour, hour and a half while the stragglers wander home or finish their late night meals at south street diner.

after all that, the city just goes into a coma for an hour or two, and time seems to freeze. This is when I like walking around. One can take the time to really appreciate the city at this time, as there are very few distractions. You're not worried about cars-- you can walk in the middle of the largest streets if you like, with only a few cabs appearing here and there. You're not worried about crowds of people, because it's pretty much a handful of homeless, cops, people like yourself, some criminals maybe, and the one or two people who have very early hours at work.

All there is, is the city & you. That's a great feeling. Imagine only 12 people, you included, living in the middle of one of the largest city's in the country. That's what it feels like.

yeah, there's always a chance you could be attacked. Predators roam at all hours. But that's not really a concern. It's a certain mentality you develop after long enough. For some, after enough times being attacked ;) Fact remains that there is this element at all times, no matter where you are. One simply cannot live in fear, or cower behind the safety of locked doors. What's the purpose of life, to live it in fear of the dark? For some of us, we think we've gotten past the need for a nightlight, but in reality, our fear of the dark has just transposed itself into something new; more fitting for the adult, or mature mind. As if the home or apartment has simply become one large bedroom with a nightlight. It's no longer the imaginary things looming over us when we used to pull the sheets over our heads. Now, it's the imaginary things "out there."

Fear, the great motivator.

I used to work late hours, finishing around 3 or 4am. I would walk home from old city, through the independence parks area, right through Washington Square [which is absolutly beautiful during the winter when the lamps, lined in a row diagonally through the park, glow orange yellow over a deserted, snow covered stone walkway.], and then about a 15-20 more minute walk till I got to my old apartment [I've since moved even closer into the middle of the city]. I always enjoyed these walks home, especially during the fall and winter.

I reccomend everyone to try and get this symbiontic feeling with the city. It really is expansive when you stop seeing these gargantuan structures as slabs of concrete and glass, and instead as a living breathing entity.

my kitten is curled up in a ball on my lap, sound asleep. I take back what I said about hating my kitten. I really don't... but sweet jesus sometimes it comes close....

ok.