South Philly, where everyone is everyone's cousin, you're either Italian or Irish, and anyone at any time is ready to debate Pops vs. Rita's.
You say "wooder" and love it when your English teachers roll their eyes.
Water ice? What's that? I loved it when our English teacher in grade school would tell us we're saying it wrong - we're not, you are. It's wooder! Philadelphia was here before everyone else - therefore we're saying it right!
"Get wit" actually just means kissing.
Throwback to my middle school days! When someone say so-and-so "got wit" so-and-so everyone knew it meant they just kissed! I didn't realize it was only a South Philly thing until I went to high school and realized people from North and West Philly don't say that.
"What parish are you from?"
St. Monica's
Silvia Cavalieri
We don't use street names, if you say you're an 18th streeter you could be from either St. Richard's parish or St. Monica's parish. When someone asks you where in South Philly you're from, you state the parish in which you were born in, baptized in, went to school in, and go to church to.
Everyone knows the other's heritage percentage.
When growing up my friends and I would often compare our heritage make-ups, 25% Irish, 25% Polish, 10% Italian, etc. and take pride in the fact that our ancestors came to this city.
Everyone has a winery in their basement.
Wine photo by Bianca Isofache (@bianca_isofache) on UnsplashPhiladelphia is home to the 2nd largest Italian-American population, and most of them live in South Philly. Many people from the older generation still make home-made wine, like my father did. Making tomato sauce in the fall is also common.
Everyone is the other's cousin or "cousin."
If you have two mutual friends, chances are that they're cousins. . . or their families are so close that they just call themselves that.
"Hey how you doin?"
Yes, people really do say this.
Every older person has told you how they got beat by a nun in school.
Your parents, aunts, cousins, teachers, next-door neighbors, even the nuns and priests themselves have horror stories from being hit by rulers for bad behavior in school.
The big debate: Pop's vs. Rita's.
Pop's, a South Philly landmark where people of all ages and sizes line up to try their refreshing homemade Italian ice and ice cream. Rita's, well you know what that is. People in South Philly - especially kids - love to argue which one is better. The only way to find out? Try it yourself at Broad and Oregon! (It's Pop's.)
The other big debate: gravy vs. tomato sauce.
Oh boy, don't get me started. This debate is a hot one and has spanned South Philadelphia for years. Everyone has different reasons why they call their gravy gravy or their sauce sauce. It's never been officially settled, and probably never will. It's the worst thing to ask someone from South Philly and will get anyone heated.
You'll hear complaints about the mayor unless he's Rizzo.
No one in South Philly liked Nutter and when Jim Kenney, who is a 2 streeter (or was), ran for office, everyone in South Philly, especially on 2nd street, backed him up, especially because he ran on the promise that he was going to bring the Mummers Day parade back to South Philly. But when Kenney took office and failed on his promise he pissed off a lot of people and....let's just say he should stay far away from 2nd street. More on the story here.
You don't know what a party is until you've been to the Mummer's Day parade.
New Year's in South Philly is the most celebrated and highly anticipated time. Beer in hand, face painted, the brigades and string bands are out, costumes are flashy, and the umbrellas are in hand. It's the time of your life.
It's spitting outside.
Drizzle, it sounds like something children do in art class. Here in South Philly, the sky, or if you're a priest, God, spits. "It's spitting outside." Now you've used it right!
If you had chicken cutlets for lunch, you were the coolest.
Everyone's mom made them and they had a distinct, lovely smell and came wrapped in a nice paper towel. Ah, the old days.
P&S Ravioli > any other ravioli.
P&S Ravioli Company is a South Philly staple that sells fresh rolls, hoagies, lunch meats and cheeses, and their beloved ravioli. There is really no going back after you've had P&S Ravioli.
We WILL park illegally, and there's nothing you can do about it.
There's too many cars and not enough parking spots. The result? People park in the center of big streets, on the very end of the corners, and sometimes, even on the sidewalk. And NEVER try to call us out on it. You will face our wrath.
The serenade.
An age old tradition that will never die. One thing we like to do in South Philly? Celebrate and party. More info here.
Youse.
No one really knows how to spell it, youse, yous, you's. This is not the Midwest, saying y'all is prohibited.
Diagonal Parking.
You've heard of parallel parking so allow me to introduce you to . . . diagonal parking! Some streets in South Philly have diagonal parking to reduce double parking and increase the number of spots. If you're an outsider: good luck.
Jimmies.
They're not sprinkles, they're jimmies. No argument.
Every other word is a curse word.
We're hot-blooded and cursing gives us relief and allows us to vent and be funny at the same time. It's okay, I'll go to confession soon.
Penrose is the move.
Penrose Diner is always the move after proms, concerts, dances, and more.
