Shane's Confectionery
Readers' Choice: We told our nominees to bring their best. The diversity was exciting rare Peruvian cacao, caramel highlighted by salt and pretzels with peanut butter. Shane's Confectionery's Whirly Berley Bars (chocolate nougat with salted chocolate caramel and Mast Bros. Nibs) took home the top honor but it came down to one vote! 110 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, shanecandies.com.
Linvilla Orchards
You get pizza, lemonade or cider, cake, coloring books, a hayride, animal feeding, and an entrance to Linvilla's all-wooden playground. Season allowing, ask for a pick-you-own add-on, so each kid gets to go home with some handpicked fruits and veggies. 137 West Knowlton Road, Media, PA 19063, linvilla.com.
Three Potato Four
Husband-and-wife team Stu Eli and Janet Morales go out into the world and gather really awesome, unique retro, reclaimed and vintage stuff furniture, accessories, signs, knickknacks and the like and put it all under one roof, so we can lazily go and pick out what we like. Which is how we like it. 376 Shurs Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19128, threepotatofour.com.
Blue Octagon
Step inside this tiny shop and be immersed in a whirl of color and shine, with heaps of Jonathan Adler whimsy, shiny gilt and lacquer, Deco lines and Palm Beach glamour. (Pucci caftan and martini not included.) 335 East King Street, Malvern, PA 19355, theblueoctagon.com.
SoapBox
Owner Ginger Kuczowicz's sweet-smelling carpet deodorizers, counter sprays and laundry powders are concocted with only the tried-and-true ingredients your grandmother used (vinegars, salt, oils, baking soda) to clean efficiently, gently and safely. Don't overlook her just-as-great bath and body products, like baby butt balm, deodorant and makeup remover. 616 South 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, myholistichome.com/store.
East Falls Plumbing and Heating
In Philly, if you live in anything other than a new-construction home, you've probably got old pipes -- and that means you should know about Bill Bierman, owner of East Falls Plumbing and Heating. He's a master plumber who specializes in systems that have been on this earth longer than you, possibly even longer than your parents or their parents or ... well, you get the idea. 3431 West Commissioner Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132, .
Golf Science Center
Homing in on your tee game is probably the last thing you thought you'd ever be doing near Chinatown, but the HD simulators in this inconspicuous building allow you to "play" some of the world's most prestigious courses, while the high-tech swing analysis, private lessons and beginner workshops keep the yips away no matter the season. 211 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, golfsciencecenter.com.
Fairmount Park Organic Recycling Center
Tired of spending your time and money schlepping to Home Depot? There’s an alternative. City residents are entitled to 30 gallons of free organic materials every year from Fairmount Park: screened leaf compost, mulch, wood chips, and whatever “other organic materials” means. If you happen to own a chain saw (though — why do you have a chain saw in the city?), you’re welcome to break some felled trees down into firewood, too. 3850 Ford Road, Philadelphia, PA 19131, phila.gov/services/trees-parks-the-environment/get-organic-materials.
Little Baby's Non-Dairy Ice Cream
The siren call of the ice-cream cone isn't any less enticing just because your body can't cope with lactose. Thanks to the nearly two dozen almond- and coconut-milk-based ice-cream options here—from chocolate salt malt to lime-toasted coconut to chocolate teriyaki (!)—you can finally answer it, fret-free. Multiple locations | , 00000, littlebabysicecream.com.
Suya Suya
Fast-casual joints are about as riveting as a half-flaccid traffic cone reserving a parking spot. But this Nigerian restaurant in Northern Liberties operates in its own lane, serving a menu of grilled and yaji-rubbed proteins heavy on peanuts, paprika and scorching cayenne. Customize a bowl for takeout (or sit inside with your laptop and some generously provided wi-fi) for what’s by far the best lunch you’ll eat all week. 400 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123, suyasuya.co.
Doggie Style Pets
Sign up to walk one of Doggie Style Pets’ resident pups. The dogs are adoptable, but even if you can’t take one home, you can have a canine companion for a half-hour. Just pick your time and store location online, show up, present your ID, and get instant happiness in the form of a fluffy friend (while helping the shelter give the dogs some exercise). Multiple locations, doggiestylepets.com.
Dr. Thunder
At some point in the evening at Dr. Thunder's karaoke events, the following three things will probably happen: Dr. Thunder will strip down to a cape and shiny shorti-shorts with DR. THUNDER emblazoned across the butt in bright green letters; someone will sing Journey; and you will put on some ridiculous outfit and wig from his huge crate of costumes. Just know that those photos Dr. Thunder is taking of you while you're singing (read: making a fool of yourself) will wind up on Facebook the next morning. Mercifully, he rarely takes video. Find his busy schedule at facebook.com/thunderkaraoke. Call or see website for consultation, 00000, facebook.com/thunderkaraoke.
Beekeepers for a Day
Sure, you could meet at a bar or try to get a table at the best new restaurant in Philadelphia. But if you really want to see what your possible future better half is made of, both of you can don some beekeeper outfits and spend half a day delving deep into bees and their hives with South Philly apiarist Mark Berman. Bonus: You get to take home a bottle of backyard honey. What you do with that honey after this segment of your date ends is your business. instagram.com/annabeeshoney.
Redcap's Corner
Trendy places like Thirsty Dice and Queen & Rook are where you go when you want to hang out with your friends, have a beer or latte, and casually play some board games for an hour or two. Well, Redcap’s isn’t trendy. There’s no cafe. The store just recently upgraded from folding chairs. But what it does have is a hard-core dedication to providing an inclusive environment for serious tabletop gamers, whether your jam is Magic: The Gathering (tournaments every Friday!) or far more complex endeavors that make lesser players’ heads hurt by page two of the brick-thick manual. 3850 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, redcapscorner.com.
Urban Escapes
Whether you want a date or just some friends with alfresco interests, the Philly branch of the social networking group Urban Escapes organizes trips for young -professionals generally between the ages of 25 and 35 to the Poconos for whitewater rafting, to Bucks County for a wine tasting, or even to the Yucatan Peninsula for snorkeling. Each itinerary has one goal: to get you out of the city bubble and in with a crew of new faces. Good luck finding that on Match.com. 269 South 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .