Philadelphia Pet Hotel and Villas
You can rest easy leaving your precious Precious at this kennel/spa/playhouse when you're off to the Shore, but here's fair warning: She may never want to come back home. Do you throw her birthday parties? 7401 Holstein Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153, phillypethotel.com.
SquareBurger
We've seen them do it sacrifice unsuspecting Butterscotch Krimpet twins to the swirling ice-cream vortex of the milkshake maker. And frankly, we're glad, because becoming a milkshake at Squareburger is truly the highest calling to which a humble Tastykake can aspire. Franklin Square, 6th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19106, historicphiladelphia.org/squareburger.
Iron Maiden Futurism at Palo Santo Wellness Boutique
What do you get when you combine bodyweight exercises with the flow of a Vinyasa yoga class and an old-school hip-hop playlist? That would be Iron Maiden Futurism, the sweaty, hour-long brainchild of trainer Abi Galloza — a workout that manages to be just as weird and awesome as its name suggests. 1707 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, facebook.com/palosantowellnessboutique.
The Pub in Pennsauken
There's a time and place for fancy, clubby steakhouses. But when you want to go seriously retro, try the Pub, where the steaks all come off a charcoal-fired hearth, an expansive salad bar is included, and you do your feasting in a medieval dining hall on the outskirts of Camden. 7600 Kaighns Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 08109, thepubnj.com.
Flotation Philly
The mental reboot earned from doing absolutely nothing but floating in a dark, enclosed tub filled with salt water is mind-clearing bliss. And with this float center's new addition of a float cabin — essentially an enclosed tub the size of a small room — even the most claustrophobic among us can zone out. 534 East Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, flotationphilly.com.
Kortnie Wetherall
She cut her teeth in makeup artistry in New York City, doing editorial looks for brands like Bobbi Brown Cosmetics before moving to Philly in 2019. Now Wetherall’s a mobile artist specializing in bridal and event makeup, highly coveted for her skill in creating minimal yet glowy looks. makeupkort.com.
Wild Honey Salon
Over at mother/daughter-owned Wild Honey Salon you’ll find a come-as-you-are vibe, stylists who are excellent listeners, and a team that helps one another grow. Plus, they specialize in lived-in color, so your fresh ’do will not only look natural but also grow out with grace. 261 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, salonwildhoney.com.
Youthphoria
Being photographed can induce serious anxiety, and doubly for folks who are trans. Photographer Shannon Collins set out to change that by founding Youthphoria, which provides no-cost celebratory photo sessions for trans, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth in the Philly area. Every cost — the photography, the styling, the makeup — is covered by donations. youthphoria.org.
Pirate Pebbs
Think being a karaoke host is easy — that you just hit play and introduce a singer? Wrong. You need personality. You need to be able to belt out some tunes yourself to get people in the mood. And you need to be able to deal with drunk people. Pirate Pebbs, as she goes by, checks all those boxes and can pull off Prince, Lady Gaga and Tracy Chapman, which is quite the feat. Find her at SouthHouse, Tavern on Camac and El Bar. instagram.com/piratepebbskaraoke.
Matchbox Road Museum
Owner/curator Everett Marshall III calls it a “mini-museum.” But we’re not sure the term “mini” applies to a place that holds more than 60,000 little die-cast cars and all sorts of Matchbox advertisements and ephemera. Regardless, if you’re going to have a collection of 60,000 of anything, you might as well share it with the world. 15 Pearl Street, Newfield, NJ 08344, facebook.com/matchboxroadmuseum.
La Morelense Plus
Photograph by Jeff Fusco With festive piñatas and papel picado hanging from the colorful pergola, light and creamy housemade ice cream, and fresh Tajin-sprinkled fruit, La Morelense Plus is a sensory explosion. Sure, you can get your standard vanilla or chocolate scoops, but you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t try Mexican favorites like elote, mamey or Gansito. 1127 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ 08107, lamorelenseplus.com.
Florian Francis
Some rugs are just too special to live out their days on the floor, being trampled and spilled upon. No, handmade tufted fiber art like that by Florian Francis earns a place on the wall. Francis’s pieces are often pop-culture referential (like the popular customizable TV dinner designs). Our favorites, though, are the hoagie and the Cheez Whiz. They’re both contenders for our kitchen decor. florianfrancis.bigcartel.com.
M Concept
Shopping here is like taking a crash course in Philly’s design scene. Owner Ethan Nguyen will alert you to colorful local finds like Alexandra Damiano silk slip dresses, Tesoro handcrafted leather bags, and West Oak Design lightweight linen shifts. Then, once you’ve outfitted your closet, he’ll point you across the street to his new home-goods store, Weekend, to do the same for the rest of your house. 1540 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, mconceptshop.com.
Design on Demand by Widell + Boschetti
Make your pad Arch Di-worthy without the commitment of a full-service designer with the à la carte e-design option from these Philly up-and-comers. Barette Widell and Christina Boschetti will create a mood board and layout based on your room’s specs (rates start at $1,100) and choose the right products to bring both to life, for an end result that’s more inspired than those seen-that-everywhere looks. widellboschetti.com.
Party Host Helpers
It’s your party, you can cry if you want to … or you can pay some good people to handle all the laborious stuff that you don’t want to do–setting tables, tending bar, cleaning up, checking coats. This Wayne-based company, now in 30 cities nationwide, is the key to making your next shindig actually enjoyable–for you. partyhosthelper.com.