I live in the city of Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love. You know cheesesteaks, Ben Franklin, and Superbowl LII Champs?

When I was a child, I saw the city as a dead end, boring place filled with dirty corner stores, a few neighborhood crazies, and the constant stench of urine and weed.

However, throughout high school, I watched the city change before my eyes. New houses with cool, grey exteriors and balconies were being built. Expensive coffee shops that sell things like mochaccinos and cold brews, and had vintage light bulbs as decorations replaced the corner stores. The old Italian men who hung out in coffee shops seemed to be replaced by a younger generation who are covered in tattoos and piercings and don't use deodorant. The city, however, still reeks of urine and marijuana.

With this wave of changes came an awakening of food culture. Trendy restaurants seemed to rise out of the ground overnight. Pizzeria Vetri, Honeygrow, HipCityVeg, Sweetgreen, Milkhouse, and MacMart just to name a few, have become favorites of mine because like those around me, I too have fallen victim to the delicious, unique, and expensive offerings of these restaurants and cafes.

$5.00 for Cold Brew? Take my money!

$6.00 for a green smoothie? Sure!

$16.00 for a salad? Delicious!

Heather DeSalvo

My wallet has taken a good beating at this one particular place that I have frequented this summer: Goldie. Goldie is a Jewish fast-casual restaurant on Samson street between 15th and 16th. They're 100% vegan and have three things on their menu: falafel, fries, and Tehina shakes. The first time I tried Goldie's falafel sandwich and Turkish coffee Tehina shake, I fell in love. The angels were singing, a light shone down, and I floated up to heaven.

Turkish Coffe Tehani Shake Silvia Cavalieri

Okay, it did not exactly go down like that. But if there is one thing to know about me, it is that I absolutely love frozen, sugary drinks. Milkshakes, iced coffees, bubble teas, and fruity iced teas are my summer staples. In the eighteen years of my life, I've tried many milkshakes and Goldie's Tehani shake takes the cake.

That is why I woke up at 9:00 AM one humid, muggy morning in July and walked the .9 mile from my house to Broad street, took the subway and rode to Walnut-Locust. I waited 20 minutes after they opened at 11:00 AM, walked right up to the counter, and as a line of hungry people behind me grew, I gave my order, "One Turkish coffee shake please!" and handed over the exact $5.00 it cost.

After I devoured the shake and entered a state of bliss and happiness, I walked around Rittenhouse square park, pet some dogs, did some people watching, some window shopping, run from the rain, and overall enjoyed the city that I have grown to love and be proud to call home.

The moral of this story? Go out and explore the world around you, and eat whatever you damn please because life is too short not to!

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.