Overbrook: Or a place that I'd usually not visit

Facts:

• Overbrook is in West Philly (I know - who goes there?)
• Overbrook is separated into Overbrook Farms, Overbrook and Overbrook Park.
• Overbrook Farms was originally developed in the early 1900s as an exclusive community for middle-management families and was the first planned community on the exclusive Main Line railroad.
• From the early 1900s to the 1960s most families in Overbrook were of Italian or Irish descent.
• Today Overbrook is mostly African American.
• Crime rates are lower in Overbrook than other sections of West Philly ( I still have no plans to hang out in West Philly).
• The Overbrook R5 station was shown in the TV series Cold Case. It was not, however, the actual train station. I guess even film crews have no desire to go to West Philly.

Why Overbrook?
I went to a birthday party in Overbrook Farms.


Method of Travel:
From Market East take the R5 to the Overbrook station

Cost of Round Trip Ticket:
Off peak - $7.00

Don't:

• Take the train from Market East if you have a choice.
• Crossing Market street means you run the gamut of seedy dudes hanging out.
• The station itself connects to the Gallery (need I say more?).  http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Huge-City-Hall-Snowball-Fight-Lands-Teens-in-Jail-84517507.html
• The number of mentally ill is astronomical and for some reason I'm a magnet for the disturbed. 

Do:

• Take hand sanitizer.
• Be sure to check out the amazing homes in Overbrook Farms.

What's it all about, Alfie?

I've lived in Philadelphia for almost five years as an adult. I grew up in the suburbs and moved away to attend university and then moved even farther away to southern California. But I came back (in the winter I ask myself why,  I also also ask why in the humid summer, oh and during allergy season(s)). And here I am, five years in and I've realized that I haven't really done much exploration of the city and it's surroundings (everything I need is between 2nd and 18th between Fitzwater and Walnut). When I want to get away I try and travel outside of the country (I like accents).  But now I'm unemployed and making every penny count (unsuccessfully, I'm rather a spendthrift) and figured now is the time to discover what I've been missing.

I don't have a car. Everywhere that I go will be able to be accessed by either walking or taking public transit. I'm not much for the bus as I get terribly car sick (also, have you seen the people who ride the bus?) so mostly it will be via Regional Rail.

First up: Overbrook