Information and Events

• Campus Philly
• www.campusphilly.org
• With more than a quarter million students attending more than 80 local colleges and universities, there are plenty of resources to support the student population and enhance the college experience. The best place to start is with Campus Philly, a non-profit organization that sponsors student-oriented events and programs. Their website contains feature articles, events, special student discounts, and networking opportunities. You can also check out One Big Campus (www.onebigcampus.com, 877/887-4452), which offers information about visiting local schools and the surrounding city, as well as special hotel and transportation discounts for prospective students and their families.

• City of Philadelphia
• www.phila.gov
• The official website of the City of Philadelphia is a useful resource for new residents to the city. This is the place to go to find out where to sign up for gas and electricity or how to find hospitals and other emergency services. A news section offers updates on events in the city and local government, and the site also offers links to many other useful sites, including public transportation, education, and employment resources.

• Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation
• www.gophila.com
• Philadelphia’s tourism and marketing board is the ultimate online resource for visitors to the city and the surrounding region. The website offers nearly comprehensive listings and informative descriptions of everything the city has to offer, from historic sights to restaurants, nightlife, and shopping. It also offers suggested itineraries and tours for visitors with varied interests, including couples, families with children, gay, and African American visitors, among others. You can also book online to get great discounts for hotels, events, and travel packages.

• Philly Fun Guide
• www.phillyfunguide.com
• This is the place for comprehensive entertainment and other event listings in the area. Offering a wide range of leisure activities, including music, dance, sports, fairs, festivals, outdoor activities, tours, parades, dining, and more, it is coordinated by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, whose mission is to increase participation and support for arts and culture organizations in the area. Sign up to receive FunSavers, discounted ticket offers on many of the best visual and performing arts shows and exhibits in the area, delivered to your email inbox every Thursday.

News

• City Paper and PW
• www.citypaper.net and www.philadelphiaweekly.com
• Read articles from these free alternative weeklies, browse event listings, check restaurant reviews, and more.

• Metro
• www.philly.metro.us
• If you can’t get to a SEPTA station to pick up a Metro, you’ll find similar content online.

• Philadelphia Magazine
• www.phillymag.com
• Get the latest news, read articles from this month’s issue, and more on Philadelphia’s website.

• Philadelphia Independent Media Center
• www.phillyimc.org
• This is the website for the local independent media source.

• Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News
• www.philly.com
• Philadelphia’s two main daily newspapers are owned by Knight Ridder and can both be read online.

• Philadelphia Gay Times
• www.epgn.com
• This is the online branch of the print paper for the gay community. It has personals, classifieds, and events listings. Plenty of additional events can be found at www.phillygaycalendar.com.

• Philadelphia Tribune
• www.phillytrib.com
• This site provides news geared towards the African American community.

History and Architecture

• Philly History
• www.phillyhistory.org
• This award-winning site contains an extensive archive of photographs spanning Philadelphia’s history. One of the country’s largest municipal archives, it has an estimated two million photographs dating from the late 1800s. A number of different search options make it possible to find photographs from a specific time period, locale, or topic.

• Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks
• www.philalandmarks.org
• The group began in 1931, when the historic Powel House was set to be demolished and Frances Anne Wister and other supporters set out to save the house. They were successful, and later acquired Grumblethorpe, the Physick House, and Waynesborough. Today, the organization manages the four historic museum homes and is involved in other programs that support historic preservation.

• Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project (PAB)
• www.philadelphiabuildings.org
• It’s certainly the ultimate resource for architectural scholars, but the easy-to-use, accessible website is also an excellent resource for anyone interested in architecture. The website brings together the collections, data, and images of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania Architectural Archives, the Philadelphia Historical Commission, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and many other important architectural organizations. The site contains more than 35,000 images of structures and more than 2,500 biographies of architects, with an ever-growing database. If there is a local building you want to know more about, this is where to look.

• U.S. History
• www.ushistory.org
• The site is hosted by the Independence Hall Association (IHA), an organization founded in 1942 in conjunction with the creation of Independence National Historical Park. Their mission is to educate the public about the Revolutionary and colonial era in Philadelphia and this website does just that with detailed, interesting information about the sites and history of Independence Park.

Parks and Recreation

• Fairmount Park
• www.fairmountpark.org
• Outdoor lovers will want to check out this website offering a vast amount of information on the history, arts, culture, environment, and recreational activities available in Fairmount Park. Detailed maps include listings of all facilities.

• Friends of the Wissahickon
• www.fow.com
• This nonprofit is dedicated to Wissahickon Park, the part of Fairmount Park in the northwest section of the city. The site offers information on trails, maps, activities, and events.

Best Philly Blogs

• Foobooz
• www.foobooz.com
• With a name derived from “food” and “booze,” you can guess what this blog is all about. Foobooz keeps up-to-date on the latest restaurant and bar openings, events, and all things food and booze in Philly. It also features great deals around the city. Every Wednesday Foobooz editor Arthur Etchells contributes a food column, “The Bite,” to Metro Philadelphia.

• Philebrity
• www.philebrity.com
• A local blog covering arts, style, gossip, and media in the city, Philebrity is irreverent, entertaining, and even useful at times. They rely on reader tips for their gossip, so it can’t be taken too seriously, but it is often a fun read, and the young-oriented arts and event listings are solid.

• Philly Blog
• www.phillyblog.com
• No matter what your local interests, questions, or concern, there is someone on phillyblog willing to discuss them with you. Since 2002, this has been a popular local forum. Offer your own two cents, or just read what others have to say about the city. Whether choosing which neighborhood to live in, where to find the best cheesesteak, or looking for information on local zoning codes, there is a thread on this site for you.

• Uwishunu
• www.uwishunu.com
• “Uwishunu” is not a foreign word, but a subtly hip rendering of the words “you wish you knew,” all smooshed together. The younger, hipper offshoot of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (www.gophila.com), Uwishunu offers an insider’s look at Philadelphia. Written in blog form by GPTMC staff and other local contributors, it highlights the latest and greatest places to eat, drink, shop, and more. Their mission is to “enable visitors to hang like locals and locals to hang like insiders.”

• Young Philly Politics
• www.youngphillypolitics.com
• This progressive political blog offers a forum for young, socially aware individuals to discuss, or just read about, issues and politicians in the city, region, and state. The active bloggers on the site are passionate about (mostly local) politics, and often have interesting things to say. Anyone can contribute by signing up for a username.

© Karrie Gavin from Moon Philadelphia, 1st Edition