Han Dynasty
Yes, you read that right. Han Dynasty has some of the best cocktails in Philly right now thanks to Lê of Hop Sing Laundromat, who swooped in and upgraded the bar menu with a handful of new, truly inventive elixirs. You’ll have almost as much fun sipping on the green matcha and vanilla Phat Phuc as you will ordering it. 123 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, handynasty.net.
Scout Clothing & Decor
This isn't your typical Shore shop, heaped with flashy tanks, ankle bracelets and beach-themed trinkets. Here you'll find vintage treasures (embellished clutches, sparkly jewelry, retro glassware) tucked among relaxed denim, soft tees, and light, airy dresses you need for summer. Leave room in your weekender for the covetable gifts and home goods, too, because there's no way you're walking away without a rosemary sea salt candle or Jonathan Adler decorative dish. 7817 Ventnor Avenue, Margate City, NJ 08402, scoutclothinganddecor.com.
Millésimé
How to turn your home into a place that looks as if it's been plucked from the pages of a modern-design magazine: Let owner Jinous Kazemi walk you through her collection of Ligne Roset couches; customizable wall hutches by USM Modular Furniture; and decadent leather armchairs, side tables and headboards by Poltrona Frau — and then buy it all. 33 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, millesime.us.
Studio 882
Bigger doesn't always mean better, but in the case of this Delco design store — which in June upgraded from a 3,000-square-foot showroom to a cavernous, gallery-like 12,600-square-foot space — bigger actually means best, if only because there's extra room for more than 75 lines of high-end furniture and home decor, artfully arranged in vignettes so lovely, you'll want to move right in. 101 Applied Bank Boulevard, Glen Mills, PA 19342, studio-882.com.
Philadelphia Vintage and Consignment Shoppe
It's got limited hours, many garments are encased in plastic, and there isn't much priced under $100. Which makes finding treasures from some of the most iconic names in fashion (Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Dior), plucked from the closets of the most famous people in the world (Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston), all the more special. 111 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, facebook.com/philadelphiavintage.
Cella Luxuria
As furniture shopping becomes increasingly big-box and catalog-focused, this growing local shop delivers exactly what we want: options. The Chestnut Street flagship has soft leather sofas and industrial-cool accent pieces; the next-door sister store is dedicated to mid-century modern, and the newest Queen Village annex has all the same great brands, plus more of those home-making accessories. 1214-1216 Chestnut Street and 331 South Street, 19107, cellaluxuria.com.
The United States Mint
The fascinating (and totally free!) self-guided tour gives you a bird's-eye view of the actual, live coin-making process from 40 feet above the factory floor where some 715 million quarters were produced last year. It's the perfect Independence Mall destination for those of us who aren't tourists. 151 North Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106, usmint.gov/mint_tours/?action=philadelphia.
Short Range Missiles at Hop Sing Laundromat
High-end liquor at ridiculously low prices (starting as cheap as $3.50), served alone and unadorned at a spot famous for mixed drinks? This is basically the bar's gift to its regulars (and those comfortable with drinking shots before the sun goes down), so find yourself some nice shoes, leave the cell phone in your pocket (it's the owner's biggest rule), and go take advantage between 5 and 7 p.m. (sometimes 8 p.m.). 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
David Frank and Stephen Simons
The owners of Khyber Pass Pub, Royal Tavern, Los Caballitos and Dos Segundos would be qualified for this award even without their latest endeavor, Triangle Tavern. When you give a neighborhood this many affordable and comfortable spots for dinner and late-night bites, plus cheap drinks in a time when fewer and fewer bars can claim affordability as a core tenet of their concepts, it's a triumph well worth celebrating.
El Rincon Criollo
You've probably never trekked to Spring City, a Chester County borough north of Phoenixville. But it's worth the drive for this small, spartan strip-mall hole-in-the-wall if you're looking to get your hands on some fried plantains, a killer mofongo doused with a sweet and blistering hot sauce, or fried mashed potato balls that are pure carbohydrate joy. 13 Riverside Drive, Spring City, PA 19475, facebook.com/TheLatinCorner.
VegPhilly
Whether you're looking to get your hands on some veggie sausage or a slice of vegan cheesecake, this website has you covered. It's a handy online map of veg-friendly spots around the city, with candid user restaurant reviews—which rate the atmosphere and food and name a favorite dish—making eating vegan easier than ever. vegphilly.com.
November Project
Head to the Art Museum at 6:25 on Wednesday mornings or Franklin Field at the same time on Fridays, and you'll see a fitness flash mob: more than 100 (crazy?) people doing burpees and squats in unison. It's all part of the Facebook-and-Twitter-fueled fitness movement, now in 17 cities, that came to Philly earlier this year. The 40-minute boot-camp-style workouts are open to all and totally free. november-project.com.
Paint Nite
You wouldn't think a couple of hours with a drink and a paintbrush would be such a hilarious experiment in bonding, or such an oddly satisfying creative release, but there you have it. The increasingly popular Paint Nite franchise, which sends local artists and teachers to bars all over the city every single night, is a happy respite from the ubiquitous sauv-blanc-and-pommes-frites routine. You might even go home with a painting you're proud of. (Okay, probably not. But still.) paintnite.com/pages/home/index.
Robert's
In 2007, New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni declared that Roberts, a spot inside the Penthouse gentlemens club, had some of the very best steaks in New York City. Well, Roberts has now expanded to Atlantic City, and the steaks here reach that rarely achieved level known as utter perfection. And no, you dont have to go to a strip club to enjoy them. But you do have to go to the Taj. 100 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08041, robertsatlanticcity.com.
Per Lei Boutique
The haute women's clothing boutique has initiated a Buy Now, Wear Now, Pay Later program: Spend $1,000, pay half, bring it all home, and pay your balance within 30 days. When your significant other asks how you scored so much for so little, just shrug and tell him you're a savvy shopper. 2 East State Street, Media, PA 19063, perleiboutique.com.