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.
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.
The Jim
To be fair, Philly isn’t flooded with new dive bars, because it’s potentially not the wisest business decision to open a place without gimmick or pretense. But the Jim is so much more than that. With (ostensibly) no natural light and a “Hang out here if you want to; we don’t really care” energy, Fergus Carey and Jim McNamara’s South Philly spot feels like the kind of precious neighborhood gathering place that cities are losing, not gaining. Don’t leave without an order of the twice-fried, napkin-destroying chicken wings. 1701 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, thejimphilly.com.
Cunningham Piano Company
This 128-year-old company designs pianos from scratch and restores priceless Bosendorfers and Steinways for people all over the world. Additional location in Germantown, by appointment only. 198 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, cunninghampiano.com.
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.
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.
Patrick McNally Accounting
A few years ago, with a pile of W-2s and 1099s and LLC forms and other tax documents we still don’t understand, we wandered down to Packer Avenue, walked up to the second story of a strip mall, and met a man whose calm and generosity of spirit can only be described as saintly. Since then, we haven’t entrusted our taxes to anyone else. McNally also handles payroll and bookkeeping services for small businesses, and if his tax work is any indication, you’d be in good hands there, too. 1546 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145, mcnallyaccounting.com.
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.
Philadelphia Diamond Company
Gemologist Ken Black and wife Nicole have been in the business for just over two decades, taking abstract nuptial jewelry ideas and turning them into works of wearable art. The couple uses both lab-grown gems (a lower-carbon-footprint option) and natural stones for their genderless engagement and wedding rings, which are all certified by the Gemological Institute of America. For added sparkle: They have a design patent pending on a star ring band with five points of contact on the finger, which helps with comfort and fit and ensures that your huge rock stays upright. 421 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, philadelphiadiamondco.com.
Ame Salon and Spa
Hitting up the "drip bar" is more than just Rihanna's latest obsession. The process fluids mixed with vitamins, taken intravenously seems to have legit health benefits. (We felt an instant boost that lasted all week!) Nurse Michael Anne McAllister spent years working with cancer patients and saw the power of this liquid firsthand, so she started Longevity Aesthetics, a business that treats everyone from those who are sick (cancer, Lyme disease) to your average run-down multi-tasker (i.e., all of us). According to McAllister, benefits include energy, glowing skin, shiny hair and our favorite removal of brain fog. 111 Waynewood Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087, amesalonandspa.com/index.html.
1812 Productions
Its hard to be funny all the time, but Philadelphia's all-comedy theater company, stationed at Plays and Players, does just that. Last season,Cherry Bomb was, well, the bomb. Their annualThis Is the Week That Is show is always a (smart) hoot. And they changed it up a bit by throwing in a musical cabaret about marriage, to critical acclaim (masters of comic timing, raved theInquirer). Next season, were looking forward toThe First Day of School: A Soccermom Sex Farce (opens 10/1) and April'sAn Evening With(out) Woody Allen. Independence Studio on 3, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 1812productions.org.
Tiny Tildie's
If you: a) have a baby, b) know someone who’s having one, or c) just like looking at ridiculously adorable — and yes, tiny — things, head to this nearly year-old sister shop of Tildie’s Toy Box. It’s stocked with clothing and accessories for newborns up to size 3T (from brands like Posh Peanut and Quincy Mae, and expanding to size 6T in the fall), plus toys (we’re obsessed with Blabla’s hand-knitted dolls) and gear (like Mushie’s pastel silicone sippy cups and utensils). Need a baby-shower gift ASAP? They offer gratis gift-wrapping. 1833 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, tildiestoybox.com/tiny-tildies.
Abby Misbin
The humble cowboy hat has been reborn of late as the number one party-girl fashion staple. Fairmount-based Etsy seller Abby Misbin takes it to new heights with handmade designs, one of which has crowned the head of Beyoncé herself. Just two years after the Temple grad started her shop as a side hustle, she was personally contacted by one of Queen B’s stylists about using one of her disco-ball-inspired 10-gallons in Renaissance promotional material. Since then, Misbin has shot into local small-business stardom, and her hats are almost as hard to get as Bey’s concert tickets.
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.