Difficult Questions: Is Allentown Cooler Than Philly?
I know, I know, but before you say anything, consider this: Allentown just became the second city (besides Philadelphia) to pass Nutter’s gun law, requiring citizens to report lost or stolen guns. But unlike here, where the NRA is already doing its damnedest to squash the law (thanks, assholes), you get this weird feeling that the law could stick in Allentown because it’s God’s country, there’s a cultural assumption that they know more what they’re doing with guns out there, and in this election season, who wants to invoke the ire of embittered Pennsylvanians clinging to guns and religion because they’ve got nothing else? It could be a disaster! When you think about it, that’s pretty cool. But there’s more: Rent is cheap as hell (cheaper than Philly!), the Raw Pogo On The Scaffold guy lives there (who also does The Virginville Film Festival), Pissed Jeans and Brother JT come from there, and you get the sense that you could do whatever the fuck you wanted in the universe for only like $500 a month, just so long as you stayed out of the way of The Man. Like in SLC Punk. Plus, let’s face it: With a huge wave of Recession Chic about to splinter hipsters to the hinterlands, Allentown’s cultural stock could be ready to explode. So I ask you: Is Allentown cooler than Philly?
On second thought, don’t answer that.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:03 am
SLC Punk? Does that mean you have to end up going to law school in the end?
October 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Valania’s from Allentown, too ;)
October 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Every town has its shame pony, Sara.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Shame Pony would be a great name for a band.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:28 am
1) Allentown has amazing disc golf
2) Allentown has a shit-ton of bowling alleys
3) Allentown has Grumpy’s BBQ
4) Allentown is 80 minutes from Philly.
I think Allentown is my favorite town other than Philly. We should start calling it the 7th borough.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Guys, if you like Allentown this much, you never lived there. Sorry. Other than Yocco’s and Wegman’s, I can’t say much positive about the place. Oh, and it’s close to Bethlehem, and that’s kind of cool, so I guess there’s that.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Oh my lord, Allentown is a vast wasteland. I should know, I not only spent my middle and high school years there, I also suffered the indignity of working at the Lehigh Valley Mall Chi Chi’s; at the time, the world’s busiest Chi Chi’s. Which tells you what you really need to know about Allentown, there is no good food. So only move there for the cheap rent if you are prepared to cook all your meals from scratch.
Also, I’m pretty sure that Brother JT is from Bethlehem.
Also also? Allentown has a weirdly small black population.
But it does have Yocco’s.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
when i think of anything that is west of 55th st or so, i think immediately of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfBeg34RMWI
October 7th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
When I think of Allentown I only thing of Dorney Park & Wild Water Kingdom…is that wrong? :-\
Plus I know a lot of people that are from that area and always come back to Philly for fun :)…go us!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
sorry, by a lot of people I meant a lot of Latinos :)…go us again!
October 7th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Allentown aka The 610 Struggle.
little puerto rico
October 7th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Agreed with everything has been said about Allentown so far, but I really wouldn’t call it God’s country, the Lehigh Valley is a medium-sized rust-belt metropolitan area (3/4 mil people) and Allentown is still the third-largest city in Pennsylvania.
October 7th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Allentown has a lot going for it + it’s only 10 minutes from Blue Mountain.
October 7th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Hmmm. Amanda Seyfried, Christine Taylor, designer Thom Browne, Carson Kressley, author Lauren Weisberger…all from A-town/Lehigh Valley. Not to mention they have an official Apple store. Philly may be slipping;)
October 7th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
jonathan valania, allentown native.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
beat by @sugartown
October 8th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
A difficult question with an easy answer: no.