I recently moved from the suburbs into Philadelphia. I grew up outside the city and lived for a short time as a child in the northeast part of the city while my parents were building our house, but this is a full-scale immersion into life in Philadelphia for me — and so far, I couldn’t be happier. As with visiting any new city, my favorite part is getting to explore and finding hidden gems. I’m applying that travel philosophy to discovering my new neighborhood; luckily, with more time for the exploration. I’m in the Pennsport section of the city, which is South Philadelphia. If you are at all familiar with Philadelphia culture, I’m less than two blocks from Second Street (Two Street), also known as Mummers Row, and the Mummers Museum. My new apartment is also between and within easy walking distance to two Philadelphia dessert institutions — Termini Brothers, an Italian bakery that dates back to 1921 at this location, and the original Federal Donuts, which is re-opening Aug. 25. This could be dangerous for a sweet tooth like mine! I can walk to (such a welcome part of my life in the city versus the suburbs — walking to the store, the gym and getting outdoors more) iconic Philadelphia spots like the Italian Market and Pat’s and Geno’s, the cheesesteak empires. For great food, an essential part of discovering any neighborhood, my roommate and I gravitate to the East Passyunk neighborhood. Our favorites so far are Birra, where we spent a rainy Thursday night enjoying exceptional mussels and a unique carbonara thin-crust pizza, and Cantina Los Caballitos, a local Mexican restaurant with outdoor seating and a great drink selection. While there are so many different eateries to try in this area, I have a hunch we’ll frequent these two spots in particular. I’m looking forward to exploring further and learning more about my new neighborhood, in the middle of a revitalization, into the autumn. — Kim Krol, managing editor