BY TAMAR LERER

In print | Published April 19, 2007 — Updated January 22, 2009 13:41

Though being in a school 20 minutes away on the commuter rail (and rarely hopping on the aforementioned) does not make one a Philadelphia native, you should fake it for an evening and check out the release party for the “Not For Tourists Guide to Philadelphia.” On Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., skip Paces and opt for the real deal at the “perpetually hip music spot The Khyber [56 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106].” The publisher’s Web site (www.notfortourists.com) explains that their series of guidebooks, beginning with New York and currently including Philly, D.C. and Los Angeles, among others, is designed to give all the essential information about a city in an accessible and convenient way that no other guidebook has. “Our philosophy is simple,” they claim. “People need to use the cities they live in, commute into, or travel to effectively.”

To that end, the NFT guidebook has tons of maps. Philly is broken down into 27 manageable neighborhoods, and the guide lists each neighborhood’s “Essentials” and “Sundries/Entertainment.” Though the latter might be more of what the average Swattie is looking for when heading for a night on the town (coffee, shopping, nightlife, liquor stores and movie theaters certainly included), it’s the “Essentials” section that makes the guidebook truly unique. Are you in Society Hill and dying for a cheesesteak (a truly essential Philly staple)? NFT gives you four options, three of which are on the same street. Looking for a 24-hour pharmacy in Southwark West? There’s a CVS on 1405 S 10th street. Listings of banks, community gardens, landmarks, post offices, parking lots and supermarkets truly make this a book for both the Philly-savvy and the Philly-newbie.

There are separate pages for Parks and Places, Sports, Transit (including but not limited to SEPTA, Bridges, Amtrak and buses) and other miscellaneous information. Each page is replete with maps, pricing and hour information and how to get there with mass transit. Page 162 bowls over Joe Swattie with the addresses of 12 different bowling lanes and rates for both day and night. Page 136 has a map of Reading Terminal Market, color-coded by store category (groceries, bars, restaurants etc). Overall, this tiny – – and might I add distinctly sleek-looking – – book packs quite an informative punch.

If you’re looking for descriptions, recommendations or any of that out-of-town coddling, you’re in the wrong place. Not For Tourists doesn’t spare any words for those of you who can only get to 30th Street Station and then stand around looking awkward and lost. But for those true city-dwellers, or those ready to fake it, NFT is the way to go. And besides, the party is free.

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