Nicetown-Tioga. They're two adjacent North Philly neighborhoods but you don't often hear their names apart. This set was taken in high election season in late fall 2004, when this part of the country was so fed up with George W Bush that they'd have voted for even John Kerry to replace him. Talk about your lesser of two evils.

Some might describe Nicetown and Tioga in the same manner, but I don't think that's fair . . . While North Philly has definitely earned its reputation as a blighted battleground, it's been at the expense of the good that exists -- the kempt rowhomes, Simon Gratz High (Rasheed Wallace represent), the Tasky Bakery, the good neighbors -- in neighborhoods like Nicetown and Tioga.

These photos don't take a side, though, they're just what I saw on my journey in October 2004.