Hi everyone! I figured that at least once a week I’d write a post updating everyone on how our moving plans are going. If you didn’t read my moving to Alaska post, go check it out now! Andrew and I are still crazy excited about moving, and we spend all day preparing for the move by going through all our stuff, making last minute appointments before we leave, and planning our long drive up there. And every night, we lay in bed talking about how amazing it’s going to be to finally live up there! But there are a few rough points to moving so far away. We’re going to miss our friends and family so much, but there are a few other thing I’m going to miss about living in Philly:
Food:
1. Wawa: If you don’t know what Wawa is, you NEED to come to Philly ASAP! It’s like a Seven Eleven, a deli, and a gas station had a baby together. How can three things have a baby? No idea, but it happened and it’s called Wawa. They have the cheapest gas, but they also have the most delicious coffee and deli sandwiches! Everything is made to order and they use Amoroso rolls (soooo good!). I probably go there about 4 times a week for coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and their super massive chocolate chip cookies that they heat up in the oven before you buy them. OMG I’m going to miss this place! But I may lose weight once I stop eating all that stuff 🙂
Beyond obsessed.
2. Trader Joe’s: I know this isn’t technically a Philly thing, but they don’t have it in Alaska so I’m pretty upset. Trader Joe’s has the best food and most of it is organic or somewhat more healthy than the other crap I eat. Speaking of the crap I eat, I am going to miss Cookie Butter so much! I may try to get it shipped out to me. I’m also going to stock up for our drive up there, but there is a limit of 6 jars per customer so I’ll need to be careful.
3. Chipotle: I don’t understand why they don’t have this in Alaska since they have a Qdoba, but I actually did cry when I found out they don’t have one up there. Actual real tears. I may have been stressed out, tired, and hungry when I found out but that’s still the level of love that I have for those burritos. I barely ever eat fast food so this officially means I’m done eating out I guess! Fun fact: Anchorage also doesn’t have a Panera, a Dunkin Donuts, or a Chick Fil A. Hmmm.
4. “Wooder Ice”: That’s how we pronounce it out here 🙂 Seriously though, there will be no Rita’s or any other kind of water ice out there, so I guess I better start eating regular ice cream more!
5. Real soft pretzels: We’re pretzel snobs in Philly and I’m very particular about my pretzels. I’m hoping they at least have Utz or Snyder’s pretzels at the grocery store so I can have a bit of eastern PA food with me up there.
Places:
1. Ridley Creek State Park: I started running in this park, ran my first 5k here, and even got married here! It’s a seriously beautiful little oasis 10 minutes from my office and I’m going to miss running there a few times a week. Although I won’t miss that beast of a hill at the beginning of the running trail…
You can see why I will miss this place!
2. Being a 2 hour drive away from so many awesome places: Right now I can get in my car and within 2 hours I can be in DC, NYC, Lancaster, the beach, the Poconos, and both my parent’s and my in-law’s houses. It’s nice to be near so many great places!
3. Historical locations: As a history major, I’m a big nerd about anything history related. Which is why I’ve loved living in Philly! We’ve got the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross’s house, Elfreth’s Alley, Ben Franklin’s grave, and so many other awesome places! We’ve even got Edgar Allen Poe’s house. Anchorage doesn’t have many historical old sights so I’m going to miss that!
4. TJ Maxx: I have no idea how I’m going to buy any clothes or household items up there without TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Seriously, 90% of what I own has been bought there. When I come back to visit I’ll have to bring an empty suitcase and stock up!
5. Being in driving distance of Acadia National Park: This has nothing to do with Philly except that it’s our big yearly vacation every year and I’m beyond obsessed with Mount Desert Island and every mountain/lake on it. In fact, when we visit in the fall I’m trying to convince Andrew that we should drive up there for a long weekend.
Running:
1. Broad Street: In case you didn’t do the math, I’d like to unfortunately announce that I will be missing the Broad Street Run on May 4th. I’ll be up in Seward which is awesome, but I’m really upset I won’t get to participate in this race since it’s been a goal of mine for years and I actually got in through the lottery! I guess I’ll have to fly back one year to run it!
2. The Schyulkill River Trail: I love running on this flat trail because it’s pretty, populated enough to not creep me out when I’m alone, and helps me do my long runs off of the treadmill. It’s also fun for hiking, especially in Valley Forge National Historical Park!
3. Forbidden Drive: I’ve done some of my best runs on this trail. It’s so pretty and there’s even a covered bridge! There are lots of fun trails going up the hills that I’m too klutzy to run on too.
The pretty covered bridge on Forbidden Drive
4. Cool races like Run The Bridge and the Hershey 10k: I would run those races every year if I could! I know Alaska will have tons of great races but none that take place in 2 states or run through an amusement park.
5. Not worrying about moose and bears while running: I’ve had some close encounters with deer, but I’m not sure what I will do when I’m running in the path of an animal that could kill me. I feel like I need a “how to deal with dangerous animals while running” class since it’s a bit different than hiking. Everyone knows you shouldn’t run away from a bear, but what happens when you’re just trying to run? Would it be annoying to run with bear bells on?
*BONUS THING I’M GOING TO MISS: The Flyers! Especially since even if I have the opportunity to watch a live game up there, it will be happening at 3:00 pm. Holy time change.
Fighting in the penalty box!
So there you have it – my very silly list of things I’ll miss when I move. If you live in Philly you might understand why I’ll miss some of these things (who else is a pretzel snob?). Of course I’m giving this stuff up in order to have even better stuff in Alaska, but it doesn’t completely fix the fact that I won’t have a Chipotle burrito for a long time! Why can’t I have it all?
Are you addicted to any of the things on my list? What would you miss if you moved away from your hometown?
Mom in the Mtns 
No Chipotle?! That is rough! I am sure you will find some other restaurant that is equally, if not more amazing! (if that is possible…) That is a bummer about Broad Street, but I am sure you will be too busy moving to even think about it. Good luck with everything!
Yeah, I’m very upset. I actually had Chipotle tonight to make myself feel better. But you’re right, I’ll hopefully find something to replace it! We actually ate at the Moose’s Tooth twice while we were in Anchorage – they make crazy awesome pizza and have their own brewery so I know we’ll be there a lot! I can look forward to that!
Alaska sounds like a whole different world! Many of those things I could do without but TJ Maxx? you’re right I do so much shopping there haha…Well you’ll just find new favorites that none of us can get lol
I know! I go there more than any other store so I don’t know what I’m going to do. They have an online shopping option now, but it’s just not the same. Digging through racks of clothing to find amazing deals is half the fun! Maybe they’ll have some kind of cool outlet-type store up there?
No Chipotle- the horror! I’m not much of a fast food person either, but I am addicted to Chipotle. I think I’d cry too.
TJ Maxx is the best- what a bummer that they don’t have it! That store has EVERYTHING.
When I moved back east from CA, I found myself missing Pizza Port (best pizza & atmosphere ever), and In-n-Out. Heck, I still miss them 😉
I’m excited to see what replacements you find in Alaska though!
Okay that makes me feel like less of a loser 🙂 I ate Chipotle tonight and almost cried because I’m going to miss it so much! Looks like I’ll be eating there like twice a week until we move! And maybe they’ll open one up there?
Cookie butter from TJ’s is the bomb! As is their white cheddar organic mac and cheese. I buy it by the case when I do roadtrips to Minneapolis…oh and the smores squares they sell. To die for. As for what I would miss about my home town…the lack of traffic, the long, hot summer nights that seem to never end and the downtown Christmas lights. There are other things, but those are ones that pop i to my head that don’t include friends and family.
~Lisa
Yes those smores squares are amazing!!!!!! I just bought the cowboy bark…omg. I have to stop trying new yummy snacks from there! I’m actually totally looking forward to the lack of traffic in Alaska too, it’s one of the top reasons we chose to live there (plus all the mountains and lakes and hiking trails and all that!).