Baldwin’s Book Barn
This place has the location (an 1822 dairy barn built by a local Quaker family), volume (almost 300,000 books for sale), and quirky, creaky charm (it’s a Hobbit-like warren of rooms and corridors), but on top of that, it also has first editions from Hemingway and a $1,400 leather-bound set of Jane Austen tomes. 865 Lenape Road, West Chester , PA 19382, bookbarn.com.
Smoked Herring Spaghetti at Friday Saturday Sunday
Chad Williams and his sous- chef, Sashia Lariano, like to break rules by combining unexpected ingredients, with surprisingly delicious results. Case in point: these expert noodles, which only get better with a sauce of briny smoked fish (for depth), crab (for sweetness), chili (for heat), and anise seed (to perk it all up). 261 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, fridaysaturdaysunday.com.
Woodmere Art Museum
What ties together the seemingly random collection of contemporary and historic paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints here? They're all by artists from the Philadelphia region. The setting -- the Victorian mansion of the museum's founder, oil baron, politician and art collector Charles Knox Smith -- makes Woodmere like Philly's own version of the Frick. 9201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, woodmereartmuseum.org.
Trail Creek Outfitters
This outdoor emporium is as huge as a big-box chain but as welcoming as a tiny local shop, thanks to the community-oriented owners and staffers who have been hand-selecting and testing for themselves top-quality running, climbing, camping and sporting apparel and footwear for 30 years (and still love to chat about your adventures and needs). 487 Wilmington Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, trailcreekoutfitters.com/site.
Ani White at Deme
Fifteen minutes in White's chair, and you'll never let anyone else near your brows again including yourself. Her trained eye sees every little hair that needs plucking (no waxing, ever). Too sparse? She'll coach you through the grow-in stage and teach you how to fake it in the meantime. 2200 Arch Street, #102, Philadelphia, PA 19103, demeonline.com.
Restoration Hardware Outlet
Savvy shoppers (and interior designers) hit this outlet–and hit it often–to score up to 40 percent off on gorgeous chairs, chaises, sofas, soft goods, tables and lighting. Tips for the semi-savvy: Come prepared with room measurements, be ready to comb through a lot of inventory, and ask the staff about any unmarked sales. 2100 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, restorationhardware.com.
Joe Grooming Lounge at Duross & Langel
The latest addition to this soap shop and salon is a perfectly chic and masculine barbershop located just outside the women’s salon. You can get a cut from co-founder Steve Duross himself (he’s back behind the chair after a decade away) or a shave, a beard trim, neck cleanup, highlights, waxing or a facial. 117 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, joegroominglounge.com.
Spa Terme Di Aroma
When your aching neck requires expert attention, like, now, hobble right past the generic walk-in places for the de-knotting wizards at Terme, who give 15-minute chair massages between their regular clients. Call ahead first, but you can usually score an appointment a mere 10 minutes in advance. 32 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, termediaroma.com.
John Hobe Antique Restoration
So you thought getting the kids a new puppy was a good idea. Of course you did. Then Fido chewed up the living room furniture. Of course he did. We understand. And so does John Hobe, who's brought a myriad of chairs, tables and curios, as well as the desk of our nation's first president, back to life. 8407 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, hobeantiquerestoration.com.
Tracey L. Rogers
In astrology, who you are as a person is deeply influenced by the position of planets and stars at the time of your birth. Interested in learning more? Mount Airy-based astrologer and life coach Tracey L. Rogers is a zodiac guru who designs astrological birth charts and offers personal readings to help you make sense of your astral destiny. traceylrogers.com.
Monica Virga Cosmetics
It's the size of a walk-in closet, with shabby-chic charm and a dash of Italian glamour courtesy of owner and makeup artist Monica Virga, who recently relocated from Milan. Go here for her custom line of well-priced, quality cosmetics. A standout: the spray-on bronzer, which -- we can say with only minimal hyperbole -- changes lives. 413 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, makeupmonicavirga.com.
Rescue Spa
When this leading spa moved to a new location last year, it added a pretty new room outfitted with just one chair dedicated to doing up stylish 'dos. There, experts (held to the same sky-high standards as Rescue's aestheticians) quickly create subtle, on-trend styles, like just-messy-enough summer waves or deep part sweeps. 1601 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, rescuespa.net.
Happily Ever After
This is the type of charming throwback place that makes shopping for toys fun again. The helpful shopkeep knows everything about every book and toy, whether educational (Uncle Goose language blocks), trendy (Sophie giraffe and Olivia the Pig) or classically collectible (Robert Tonner dolls). We'll never give in to the big-box lure of a Toys "R" Us again. 230 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Jennifer Higdon
The Curtis Institute's Higdon won a Pulitzer this spring for her Violin Concerto just two months after she snagged a 2010 Grammy for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for her Percussion Concerto. She also holds the Rock Chair in Composition at Curtis, which sounds very Jack Black but is actually named for donor Milton L. Rock, alas. 00000, jenniferhigdon.com.
Retro Pilates
Retro Pilates puts a blast-from-the-past spin on traditional reformer Pilates. You’ll lengthen and strengthen on one of six Allegro 2 machines to the sounds of rock, folk and blues music from the Stones era, surrounded by a mid-century modern aesthetic. After your full-body burn, chillax in a bright white-and-red egg chair. 2423 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, retropilatesphilly.com.