Robbini Bespoke
A month after he shows up at your home or office with his measuring tape and look books — plus a massive array of Italian fabric samples (the Super 180s are oh-so-divine) — 38-year-old Rob Fung will return with a blazer, suit or trousers that will make everything else in your closet look sloppy and sad. Just ask his regular customers — a whole bunch of Philadelphia Eagles. robbini.com.
Estia
We’re not saying you must go here. Because if you did, we’d no longer be able to walk in and get a table, a drink, a plate of grilled Mediterranean sardines, some langoustines and dolmades whenever we want. So no, seriously. We hear the Hard Rock Café on Market Street is super good. Go there instead. 1405 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, estiarestaurant.com/philadelphia-pa/philadelphia-pa.asp,.
The Landing Kitchen
Up in Bala Cynwyd, Nick Elmi and Fia Berisha opened a little all-day cafe overlooking the Schuylkill, totally accessible to the ribbons of hiking and biking trails in the area. When you’re done with your morning trek, there are expert coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. When you’re about to go mountain-biking and need some fuel, there’s a brioche grilled cheese served (if you want) with a hefty dollop of black caviar (you do). 617 Righters Ferry Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, thelandingkitchen.com.
Maleek Jackson Fitness Boxing Gym
Looking for a healthy way for your kid to release some of the past year’s stress? At 4 p.m. every weekday, this NoLibs fitness space gets youth ages seven to 17 practicing gloved punches. Jackson’s upcoming after-school program will serve those needing mentorship and positive community ties. 926 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, maleekjacksonfitness.com.
JKo Beauty
Last year, JKo Beauty founder Jennifer Kochenour launched virtual personalized makeup tutorials so that those of us who wanted to offset our masks with the perfect smoky eye could learn how from the safety of our own homes. This year, as one of the region’s top bridal makeup artists, Kochenour is busy with all those rescheduled weddings. But she still makes time — and is the best in the game — for makeup how-tos. jkobeauty.com.
Bicycle Club of Philadelphia
Less injury-inducing than touch football and less awkward than dodgeball with co-workers is this band of 1,200 cyclists who offer camaraderie, a perfect way to blow off some steam after a long workday, and the chance to explore unknown corners of the city and 'burbs. Group rides are organized by skill level, and the membership fee is only $15 a year. All you have to do is show up with your bike and a helmet. Ride on. 00000, phillybikeclub.org.
Janice Martin
When the exhibit featuring Princess Grace's wedding came to town in 2006, the Art Museum called on Martin to restore Grace's famous -cathedral-length veil. So you can go ahead and trust her to get your grandmother's gown into ready-to-wear shape or, if you'd like, have her design one from scratch. She'll sketch, do fittings in muslin, and then source fine fabrics from Europe. How delightfully retro is that? 41 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, janicemartin.net.
Headlong Dance Theater
In 1993, three local dancers got together to form this company, dedicated to creating groundbreaking original works that span nearly a dozen styles and offer commentary on the world we live in. In September, they make their fifth Live Arts Festival appearance with This Town is a Mystery, which takes the notion of site-specific work to the extreme-Headlong convinced four real Philadelphia families to perform original dances in their own homes. For audiences. 1170 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, headlong.org.
The Classic Dessert Company
Pastry chef Gennaro Annunziato's Dark Side of the Moon, a study in chocolate indulgence created during one long night in the kitchen, is a perennial favorite at this South Jersey bakery. Then came the Chocolate Shadow, a lighter but just as decadent version meant to transcend Gennaro's power cake. The four-layer chocolate cake is laced with Grand Marnier, filled with chocolate mousse, then iced with a rich dark chocolate ganache. We say get both. Happy birthday to you! . 1000 Smithville Road, Eastampton, NJ 08060, .
Prodigy Pest Solutions
Owner Matt Kelley worked as a service technician with one of the big exterminator companies for many years, killing every bug in sight. But the impersonal nature of the job was killing something in him. So he started his own company, specializing in treating homes infested by the notoriously hard-to-kill bedbug. Giving his cell-phone number to customers, personally answering calls well after dinnertime, and utilizing the newest, most effective heat-technology, Kelley has built a company, Prodigy, that is both folksy and, for bedbugs, fatal. 231 Printz Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19029, prodigypestsolutions.com.
Isgro Pastries
Readers' Choice: As a co-worker noted, Someone should tell Michael Nutter if he wants to make Philadelphians happy, he should give them free cookies. It's true; people came out in droves. While we had doubts that a non-chocolate chip cookie could win, Isgro Pastries' butter sponge ricotta cookie with lemon icing got the gold. 1009 Christian Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, bestcannoli.com.
Sea Devil, Point Pleasant Beach
There are plenty of fishing boats in South Jersey, but on Captain Bob Pennington's Sea Devil, you and 17 of your best friends can spend 23 hours (5 p.m. to 4 p.m. the next day) tuna fishing with a pro. After 39 years of commercial fishing in these waters, Captain Bob knows how to find the fish, so expect to bring your cooler home packed with sushi-ready yellowfin. Cost is $325 per person, tackle included; rod rental is $20 each. 405 Channel Drive, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742, partyboatnj.com.
The Pine Barrens
With five county parks to choose from in this expansive 1.1-million acre region of Southern New Jersey, there are camping options for every skill level, whether youre an experienced adventurer or barely know how to pitch a tent. (And yes, some sites have flushing toilets, for those who arent ready to submit entirely to nature.) You wont be bored, thanks to plenty of biking, kayaking and canoeing options. Just be warned: This is the land of the Jersey Devil. See website for locations, 00000, njpinebarrens.com/camping-in-the-pine-barrens.
University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Since its founding more than 120 years ago, the Penn Museum, as it's (thankfully) nicknamed, has showcased the results of many of the 400 expeditions by the university's archaeologists and anthropologists. Highlights include the Chinese art housed in one of the country's largest unsupported masonry domes the Egyptian art gallery, and the African artifacts, as well as the temporary exhibits throughout the year. 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, penn.museum.
SUP Fitness with Aqua Vida
Aqua Vida's roster of stand-up paddleboard fitness classes (full moon yoga, floating boot camp) gives you plenty of opportunities to sculpt your six-pack. Because nothing tests your core strength quite like the consequence of falling into the Delaware River — in front of a staring crowd of Spruce Street Harbor Park revelers, no less. 301 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106, aquavidasup.com.