The multitude of cuisines in the West Philly neighborhood is reflective of the diversity of the student population. A true foodie destination that's a bit off the beaten path, you'll find African, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Indian spots with daring fusions of flavors; upscale, chef-driven restaurants; and down-home Philly goodness. Highly recommended from the city's foodie community: Marigold Kitchen (its gin-marinated venison gets rave reviews); Aksum, which blends Mediterranean and North African cuisine; and Dock Street Brewing.

The beating heart of Center City – with its restaurants, high-fashion boutiques and tourist attractions – pumps life to the extremities: west to Mantua, north to Olney, south to Point Breeze, and along that massive artery the Delaware into Fishtown, which I presently call home.  We are a city of neighborhoods – each with its own distinct heritage, demography, and architecture. We are an old city, a city of revolutionaries who told the British where they could stick it. We are New York's precocious cousin where you can still throw a rock without hitting someone, buy dinner and a drink for under $20, and get a Big Gulp should the mood strike. 

Over the years I would take many walks and bike rides through Laurel Hill Cemetery. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I started taking pictures there. I'd recently begun learning about the history of the place and felt a need to document it, to try and capture the essence of the ancient pockmarked stone – and the mostly unnamed craftsmen who carved it – in a way that was authentic and unadulterated.