Quality of Life: +1 PHL

Moving from Philadelphia to New York has afforded me a unique perspective on the quality of life experienced in both. After a recent trip back to the big cheesesteak, my first since moving to NYC, a few things became painfully apparent.

Playing tennis... is sooooo easy in Philadelphia. I can access 8 courts for free within a 15 minute bike ride and it's unlikely I'll have to wait. In NYC, it would go down something like, I pay $100 for a permit (even though the season is half over) and wait at least an hour at a court in downtown Brooklyn or Manhattan. Or pay $7 an hour. Hey maybe tennis can be an urban sport after all!

Swimming freely... as there is an abundance of chlorinated municipal real estate in Philly. Granted, the Red Hook pool looks amazing from the outside. But it is regularly packed to the gills is perfect. By my estimation, it is easy to happen upon a half empty pool in PHL to have all to yourself. However, this will most like become an unreality as Nutter has threatened to close all pools, libraries, etc. during the crisis mode budget.

Eating fresh vegetables... because they come from your own garden. Yes, even with a crummy food service job it is possible to acquire arable land in your little concrete corner of the world, and harvest edible food! We just grilled up some huge eggplants, and boy were they yummy. And still a few dozen plump tomatoes and other veggies on the way. Not to mention throwing some fresh basil on a slice of Tacconelli's.

State tax... just went up AGAIN in New York. On a recent ride up with a friend, he realized last moment that he needed to purchase cheaper liquor down in the keystone. I then suggested he should probably get a carton of ciggies too. $110 spent rather quickly, but also ~$60 saved.

UPDATE:
Laundry... well, I think you get the idea.

I couldn't really find an appropriate picture, but I think this one of a happy dog from the region will do: