Quote:
Originally Posted by Don098
But Philadelphia is a place that relishes in being the underdog, the red-headed step child of the NE, like it or not. We like that no one knows about the Curtis Institute of Music, or the castles of the main line, Fairmount Park, or even something as obvious as the INSIDE of the Art Museum. We don't want it to be like NYC or Washington.
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Not sure if Philly "relishes" it...Philadelphia has never had the power of media behind it the way these other two cities have had, more specifically NYC--i would argue that the single largest driving force in present day NYC tourism is not draws like the Statue of Liberty or the MOMA--but "Sex in the City." The economic impact of that show is staggering--they simply mention that a muffin at Magnolia Bakery is delicious; guess what, lines are pouring out into the street and wrapped around the building with Tweens and College aged girls living the dream--I'll take my Brown Betty...
People know about Juilliard and not the Curtis because the former has been mentioned or the focus of dozens of pop-culture movies...New York has incalculably benefited from an unsolicited billion dollar PR campaign financed by Hollywood.
Everyone knows about NYC's famous museums because they are mentioned or visited in dozens of movies/tv shows. Philly? Everyone knows about 1 place, the Art Museum, and for the average tourist it ain't cause of Cezanne...it's Rocky...
It's not that we don't want people to know about our grand institutions, it's just that we have such a smaller vehicle or platform for getting word out about our stuff. I was slightly disappointed when i heard the sleek, urban and sophisticated James L Brooks film starring Jack Nicholson, Reese Witherspoon, and Paul Rudd that was shot entirely in PHilly; in the film will take place in DC. So when you see them sitting outside at Table 31 sipping cocktails, audiences around the world will think how cool and hip DC looks... Sadly, if you want to watch Philly take off, pitch a show to HBO about 4 women who love shoes, sex, and living a fancy lifestyle in Rittenhouse Square.
As it is, I view Philly as a very fine wine: if you know what you're doing it's an unforgettable experience.