Philly is a city of neighborhoods, each one with its own landscape, personality, and tight-knit community. While some areas are owell-known, like Bella Vista (where Rocky famously ran down the Italian Market in his gray sweatsuit while training to fight Apollo Creed), others are secret pockets in the city. Recently, we spent an afternoon exploring one of these pockets named Paradise. We saw familiar and new faces, all welcoming in sharing their experience of being a part of the community.
Where is Paradise?
Just northwest of the city and along the Schuylkill River sits Paradise, a nickname coined by its residents, that is formally the RAH Civic Association. RAH is an acronym for the avenues that create the community’s borders; Ridge, Allegheny, and Hunting Park. While it is considered to be a neighborhood within a greater neighborhood (Allegheny West), RAH is physically separated by nearby areas as it’s lined by greenspace on all sides: Mount Laurel Cemetery along Ridge Ave. and Mount Peace Cemetery along Hunting Park Ave., and trees along the former railroad of the Reading Company. Its physical location lends itself to be a perfect spot for those looking for a quiet neighborhood that’s accessible to both Center City and the grand open spaces of the city.
Walking Around
Within its streets, you'll encounter a mix of 20th-century rowhouses and twins, along with new construction that has blossomed in recent years. Walking around, you can’t help but notice how quiet it is! We ran into residents tending to their gardens and savoring the peace on their porches, while others were taking their daily walk with their pup in Laurel Hill East Cemetery.
The cemetery’s winding paths and a scenic overlook of the Schuylkill River makes it the perfect spot for runs or strolls. You can pay respects to treasured Philadelphians like Harry Kalas or visit Adrian and Paulie Pennino’s graves…we guess it all comes back to Rocky. It’s Philly, after all. Laurel Hill also hosts everything from tours and book clubs to outdoor movies and annual events.
Places Nearby
Within the residential streets, you’ll find small business storefronts such as photographers and salons, a Habitat for Humanity ReStore is set up in the old Pep Boys HQ, as well as older warehouses with establishments like Gladiator Mouth Guards that ship around the nation, and are worn by pro athletes.
Paradise's proximity to the shops of East Falls adds another layer of charm, allowing residents to enjoy the amenities of a second neighborhood as if it were their own. We took a 10-minute walk down Ridge Ave to Inn Yard Park, a perfect recreational spot to play basketball, take the kids to the playground, or enjoy a picnic on the grass.
On the way back, we stopped at Thunder Mug Cafe, a welcoming, cozy coffee shop with delicious drinks and a community printer! Continuing toward Paradise, we passed other favorites of East Falls, including The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company, Le Bus, The Black Squirrel Pub and Haunt, and the location of the weekly farmer’s market. A quick detour down Scott’s lane will put you at Sherman Mills. You’ll find many art studios and office space there, including the Philadelphia Wedding Chapel that performs vow ceremonies.
The People
It's no surprise that this wonderful community thrives by the effort of its civic leaders and the engagement of its residents and partners. The St. James School, in a 19th-century American Gothic church, is a faith and income-based middle school that serves the neighborhood and extends its role beyond education. They actively partner with the community to host and organize various events and programs from RAH Civic Association Meetings to pro-bono legal clinics and outreach initiatives. Their festivals, concerts, and other activities bring residents together at their gorgeous campus.
With the perfect balance of city convenience, involved community, and green spaces, we know why many Philly residents turn to Paradise and call it home. If you’d like to take a tour with us, reach out and we’ll meet you at the Thunder Mug Cafe!
With its current moniker of Philadelphia’s “Little Italy”, Bella Vista prides itself on celebrating the best of Italian history and culture. In recent years, the neighborhood has become even more diverse, with growing Vietnamese and Mexican immigrant populations. The history of Bella Vista is vast, and one of the neighborhood’s modern highlights is the availability of different cuisine options.