Jelloman
Paul Vile — a.k.a. Jelloman — has been a gelatinous folk hero for years, known for benevolently launching pre-packaged Jell-O shots into eager crowds at music festivals and Eagles tailgates. But his boozy legend reached new heights during the NFC Championship celebration, when he crowd-surfed the gathered Broad Street masses sling-shotting cups of kelly green slurpables. Then the Super Bowl requests flooded in, so of course Vile (yup, Kurt’s bro) spent the run-up prepping an astounding 4,000 shots of jiggly juice.
Chops
The power crowd wants two things in a restaurant: enough of a scene that its worth being seen, and enough privacy that you can actually get down to business. Alex Plotkins City Avenue steakhouse offers both, which is why its become the perfect meeting ground for suits from city and suburb. Dine among TV newsers from nearby Channels 6 and 10, bigwigs like Carl Dranoff, Pete Musser and Charlie Pizzi, and the occasional Center City law partner playing hooky from the Palm or Capital Grille. 401 City Line Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, chops-restaurant.com.
Black Landlord
Funk meets hip-hop meets punk in this Philly octet composed of time-tested veterans of the local music scene, most prominently pimped-out-large-and-in-charge front man Maxx Stoyanoff-Williams, who leads his tight entourage through edgy, fierce horn stacks and beat breakdowns like James Brown on steroids. Buy the band's first full-length album, Addicted to Distraction, which came out earlier this year, or better yet, check out one of its energetic live performances. 00000, blacklandlord.com.
Revival Letterpress
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Matthew Hiller has been letterpress printing since 2011, and his equipment — antique Chandler & Price platen presses and a hand-cranked Challenge cylinder press — has been at work for more than a century longer. Inside his studio, Hiller designs everything from wedding invites and business cards to posters and custom packaging, then uses the finest paper and old-fashioned techniques to bring them to life. In a world where DM’d party invites and texted birthday GIFs have become the norm, these character-filled pieces convey the beauty of the human touch. 1901 South 9th Street, number 208, Philadelphia, PA 19148, revivalletterpress.com/project-gallery-page.
John Jarboe
The founder and artistic director of the gender-bending Bearded Ladies Cabaret company plans big things. One of her most recent projects is the Beardmobile, a performance van tricked out with a stage, sound system and lights that lets her bring drag anywhere she damn well pleases, including to libraries and public parks. In September, find her at Late Nite Snacks — the Fringe Festival cabaret she curates — and onstage in her new play, Rose: You Are Who You Eat, which is probably the world’s first musical about a twin who eats her sister in the womb. beardedladiescabaret.com.
Kalaya
With palm trees sprouting from the center of a perpetually busy dining room and a bar slinging lemongrass-infused cocktails, the new Kalaya — a partnership between Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon and Defined Hospitality — certainly looks different than it did in its Bella Vista days. But in the face of the inherent Philadelphia skepticism that greets any beloved space’s evolution, Kalaya’s southern Thai dishes still pack the same delightful punch. And Suntaranon still floats around the dining room, sometimes holding someone’s baby, always representing a menu that pays exquisite homage to her heritage. 4 West Palmer Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125, kalayaphilly.com.
Cindy Carniecki
The Liquor Control Board isn't exactly famed for its knowledgeable staff. Which is why we were so pleasantly surprised to find Cindy Carniecki at the new PLCB-run boutique wine store in the Garces Trading Company, skillfully recommending a $15 French ros to go with our meal. It's nice doing business with a real wine enthusiast. (Cindy worked in the restaurant biz for 30 years before taking a job with the PLCB.) And apparently the feeling's mutual: The best part about working at the new store, she says, is customers who are excited about wine. 1111 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, garcestradingcompany.com.
12th Street Catering
Photograph by Stephen Recchia When the salad course impresses, you know you’re in for a good night of eating. And when the dessert is a mascarpone mousse made to look like caviar and toast points, you know you’ll never forget the cuisine. (The drinks are tops too!) That’s what you get with this 43-year-old woman-owned catering business, which focuses on sustainability — via carbon-neutral menus and produce grown within 100 miles, including in their rooftop garden — and just added the brand-new Edelman Fossil Park & Museum in South Jersey to its already stellar list of venues. We’re coming to your tasting. 12stcatering.com.
Broad Agency
There’s a trick to creating a captivating logo or designing a brand’s aesthetic — one that makes modern-day eyes, inundated with an unending stream of viral memes and frenetic videos, stop to really see. It starts with an agency that has a preternatural knack for asking the right questions and getting to know the client. The Broad Agency, run by two talented (self-proclaimed!) broads, Kristen Sachs and Hannah Dillon, shines in this arena. They pick up on who you are and what you want, maybe before you even know yourself, and can bring to life a new look for your business, including a website, swag and packaging. broad.agency.
“A Gritty Resolution”
Photograph by Jeff Fusco It’s been close to six years since the Flyers unleashed Gritty into the world, and we thought we had seen every possible creative tribute to the beastly orange mascot. But then, in June, Northern Liberties composer Melissa Dunphy, who has seen her modern classical music performed at such esteemed venues as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, debuted this dramatic five-minute choral work with words adapted from Helen Gym’s 2018 City Council resolution honoring our orange id. “I would die for Gritty,” Dunphy tells us. Catch a live performance of the song at melissadunphy.com. melissadunphy.com.
Andrew Meredith
This 38-year-old Northeast native's debut work, a memoir called The Removers, is dark and bleak and funny and utterly Philly. The down-on-his-luck narrator joins his sad dad, a disgraced former La Salle prof, in the business of making house calls to pick up corpses for local funeral homes. Between encounters with the dead and those they leave behind, he meanders in and out of love affairs, observes the dissolution of his parents' marriage, and ponders why he can't seem to gain any traction. A tour de force that should be the hands-down choice for the next One Book, One Philadelphia campaign. andrewmeredith.net.
Haddonfield
It's just so freakin'cute. Seriously like,How could I swing moving here? cute. But besides the ridiculously charming, friendly, bucolic atmosphere along Kings Highway East, the shopping is simply divine. There's everything from kid stuff (Pipsqueak) to women's wear (Maxwell James) to sporting equipment (Haddonfield Running Company) to jewelry (McNelis and Sherry) to art galleries (Accent Studio) to gifts (Serendipity) to home furnishings (The Upholstery Shop) to lingerie (Georgie Girl Boutique) to music (Siren's Song) to spas and salons (Salon M Design) to ... Oh, we're tired. Just go, already. 00000, shophaddonfieldnj.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.
Fishtown
Where else to go but Fishtown? Start with the $2 tacos and tasty $4 margaritas at Loco Pezs lively happy hour (5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1 to 3 p.m. on weekends; 2401 East Norris Street, 267-886-8061) before challenging your date to a few rounds of Asteroids and Donkey Kong (and beers, of course) at Barcade (1114 Frankford Avenue, 215-634-4400). If things are going well, proceed to nearby Kung Fu Necktie (1250 North Front Street, 215-291-4191) for some affordable live music many shows are just $10. 00000,
Johnsons Corner Farm
At Johnson's, there's a fruit or veggie for all seasons, and for every fruit or veggie, there's a festival to go with it. These farm folks celebrate the harvest of their strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, corn and apples and it's contagious. The music and baked goods and cookouts and hayrides out "to go a-pickin'" are so Garrison Keillor that before you're even done plucking your apples, you'll be planning your return trip to the 56-year-old South Jersey family farm for pumpkin season. The pickin's good seven days a week, and they'll weigh your bounty, charge by the pound, and then send you on your way to go make that pie. 133 Church Road, Medford, NJ 08055, johnsonsfarm.com.