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The Rebirth of Philly's Fishtown

Philadelphia, which the New York Times dubbed the "next borough" way back in 2005, scored more ink in the paper's Sunday travel section. This time, the subject was the city's gentrifying Fishtown neighborhood. Akin to Brooklyn's Bushwick area (where young hipsters have spilled over from the ever-increasing rent in Williamsburg), Fishtown has, according to the Times, become a place where "artists easily outnumber fishermen and heroin addicts."

In addition to the obvious renovated apartments, the city's northeastern 'hood also has a number of independently-owned boutiques, restaurants and art spaces. Famous in Philly for making the city's staples (cheese steaks, hot sausage and fish cake, torpedo sandwiches), Johnny's Hots scored a shout-out in the article. But, as the story points out, the area is no longer just a spot for decades-old food spots--it's also bringing new businesses to the forefront.

We're psyched for Johnny Brenda's, above, a combination gastropub/music venue that serves up tuna steak with tempura rice cakes, and later played host to a concert by Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth.

If Fishtown's renaissance isn't enough to lure visitors out for a Philly day trip--and it might not be--this Friday, a 28-person group exhibition called "Puppet Show" is showing at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Contemporary Art. For $6, audience members get a mash-up of artwork by puppeteers, video artists, sculptors, and photographers.

Related Stories:
· Day Out: Fishtown, Philadelphia [NYT]
· Travel Datebook: "Puppet Show" [NYT]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]