Amrita Yoga & Wellness
Allow us to count the glorious ways of this Fishtown yoga mecca: skylights in every classroom. An in-studio waterfall. Gorgeous locker rooms with showers. Amrita also has a roster of some of the city's best instructors and up to nine classes every single day. (We happen to be obsessed with Emile Sorger's Infrared Hot Flow class, but honestly, you can't go wrong.) 1204 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, amritayogawellness.com.
Graceful Gardens
Grace Wicks daughter of restaurateur and environmentalist Judy Wicks grew up in a household with a true love of nature. But that home was in West Philly with no backyard, so her family did all its gardening in pots and planters, a skill she's perfected as the owner of Center City landscaping company Graceful Gardens. Her roof decks, planters, window boxes and backyards are as artful and lush as any country courtyard. Ask her about her edible works she designed the chef's gardens for the Four Seasons. gracefulgardens.net.
Spot Gourmet Burgers, Steaks & Pork
Steve, Jim, Pat and Geno pretty much do one thing: steaks. But Josh Kim, from the confines of a food cart the size of a shoebox, whips up everything from burgers to lobster rolls. And yet his cheese-steak is still a cut above, thanks to slices of hand-cut sirloin that are seasoned well and layered with onions that have some bite. facebook.com/spotburgers.
Kensington Derby and Arts Festival
It takes a lot to get thousands of people to stand around in the pouring rain, but in the case of the Kensington Derby, rain makes the finale even better. After costumed teams have pedaled tricked-out homemade vehicles across three miles of obstacle courses throughout the neighborhood, there’s the pièce de résistance: the mud pit. Some make it through; others break down. Either way, the crowd goes wild. Kensingtonkineticarts.org.
Tim Gleeson
If you’ve ever admired a cool design element in Yowie or the Deacon Hotel — powder-coated steel shelves, floating desks, a sculptural foam display case that looks both organic and cutting-edge — chances are Gleeson built it. The contractor and fabricator works on home projects, too, using the same visionary perspective for bars, bathrooms and built-in shelves. instagram.com/gleepglop.
Jeremy Farson
Twenty-year roofing veteran Farson is quick to respond, shows up when he says he will — and oh yeah, he has a YouTube channel. Farson tours roofs, shining a spotlight on every major and minor problem — some from wear and tear and others that were clearly the mistake of the last dude who did the job. youtube.com/channel/UCCR2iOOP0tUh3jamkjyFzQA.
3rd Story Philly
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the people you love, dearly, can sometimes drive you up the wall. If you’re looking for a little more space, the folks at Third Story are for you. This team of architects, developers and builders does more than just plop another level on your house; they take the time to learn what makes your home special and incorporate that into the expansion. 3rdstoryphilly.com.
Gabriella's Vietnam
If you want to brag about what makes our city’s dining scene so juicy in a single restaurant experience, take an out-of-town pal to this family-run Vietnamese spot. What with drinking BYO chilled wine on the summer sidewalk, a calm but cool South Philly neighborhood scene, and some of the greatest vermicelli platters and sizzling catfish you’ll eat during your years on Planet Earth, Gabriella’s Vietnam makes us feel luckier to live in Philly every time we visit. 1837 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, gabriellasvietnam.com.
Crisp Chik'n
So you’ve been boycotting Chick-fil-A for God knows how long, but you’re really craving one of those fried chicken sandwiches and some waffle fries. You need to get to know this Delco spot that’s just over a year old. The food is strikingly similar to Chick-fil-A’s, but better. 27 North Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050, crispchikn.com.
Mural City Garden
Streetery permits in the City of Philadelphia might be as convoluted as the plot of a Russian novel, but Mural City Cellars’ outdoor space is going strong. With Adirondack chairs and pop-ups from some of our favorite local chefs, this is a shady and spacious neighborhood spot worth crossing town for. Mural City’s locally made wines are available by the glass and by the bottle, produced with lots of care and no pretension. 2211 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, muralcitycellars.com.
Case Comedy
You already know about the two big comedy clubs in Philadelphia, Helium and Punch Line. But what you probably don’t know is that once a week, in a back room upstairs at West Philly Ethiopian stalwart Abyssinia, a rotating cast of Philadelphia’s funniest and edgiest comics (as well as some comedians from outside the city) gets together to make you laugh out loud. And no high ticket prices, drink minimums or “convenience fees” here; admission is simply pay-what-you-wish. instagram.com/casecomedy.
Hoagiefest NFTs
Last summer, Sizzli colossus Wawa proudly announced the debut of Hoagiefest NFTs, a line of “one-of-a-kind digital collectibles” that marked the convenience store/gas station’s entrée into the then-red-hot metaverse. Not long after, the non-fungible-token bubble burst. In a tribute to brand loyalty, 65,000 Shorti lovers still signed on for a sweepstakes to win the imaginary goodies — even if some grumblers likened Wawa’s move to Anakin’s journey to the dark side.
Du Soleil Photographie
Vietnamese-born Minh Cao didn’t learn professional photography until after she’d started her business as a side hustle in 2015. “My parents never deemed photography fit for a profession, so studying it never crossed my mind,” says the Ridley Park resident. She self-trained online, took some in-person classes, and today is known for snapping weddings through a dreamy, tender — almost wistful — lens that makes you never want to leave that moment. dusoleilphoto.com.
Anej Skin Studio
Jena Salzano boasts 18 years in the “skin”-dustry, and her results-driven atelier in Yardley is a little slice of sophisticated-beauty heaven. Take your pick from bespoke facials, services utilizing cult favorite Biologique Recherche, and high-tech treatments for body sculpting and optimal skin health (like the hyperbaric-chamber-based Glass O2 Dome facial), plus massages, lash and brow boosts, hair removal and personal consults. 19 East Afton Avenue, Yardley, PA 19067, anejskinstudio.com.
Dwell & Co.
Found an 18th-century barn you’d love to call home? Want to fix up the old Victorian you live in now so it will fetch a better price when you sell it? Dwell & Co. will turn that old place into a stunning new one and help you buy or sell it. Because it’s both a design/build construction firm and a real estate brokerage, all you need to get things going is a single email. dwellcompany.com.