Philly Fixers Guild
That boombox with the fuzzy left speaker. The vacuum cleaner that just doesn’t suck as much as it used to. Time was, you’d leave them on the curb and buy new ones. Philly Fixers Guild is trying to change that by using volunteer fixers to help Philadelphians “repair rather than replace.” The group holds fairs to which you can bring your janky items and walk away with them as good as new. Don’t toss that alarm clock just yet. phillyfixersguild.org.
Di Bruno Bros.
Sande Friedman has bought and sold a lot of wine as the Di Bruno Bros. wine buyer. Now, in collaboration with some of her favorite wineries, Friedman helped create two new bottles — a barbera-zinfandel blend from La Clarine in California, and Rosé of Carmine, with WayVine Winery & Vineyard in Chester County — with stellar results. 1730 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, dibruno.com/9th-street-bottle-shop.
Terrill Haigler, a.k.a. Ya Fav Trashman
Of all the pandemic’s heroes, none is more uniquely Philly than Haigler, who rose to Instagram prominence during last summer’s trash slowdown by delivering trash tips and updates and has since parlayed that fame into his own block-by-block, neighborhood-by-neighborhood city-cleanup operation. instagram.com/_yafavtrashman.
Sally
Every so often, a restaurant summons all its confidence, swings open its doors, and absolutely nails every single thing it sets out to do. In Sally’s case, Anna D’Isidoro, D’Onna Stubblefield and Rob Marzinsky set out to do pizza, wine and small plates — which, well, feels so very … common these days. But the menu here is deceivingly special, a treasure trove of perfect, deeply considered vegetables (the charred cabbage drenched in a spicy, tangy “who knew?” sauce is so confoundingly good, you’ll be wondering about it for weeks), sourdough pizzas that range from margherita to clam and leek to South Philly-style pizzazz, and a thoughtfully curated wine list the whole staff seems excited to chat about. The servers are having fun, the music’s always bumping, and every time we go, we leave feeling happy, full, even a little bit resentful that there aren’t a hundred more restaurants in Philly like Sally, bringing that same kind of youthful, future-thinking vibrancy to our dining scene. 2229 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, sallyphl.com.
Pinnacle Overlook
Up yonder in Berks County (not to be confused with the Pinnacle in Lancaster County), you’ll find a nine-mile Appalachian Trail hike that offers a big payoff via this scenic (and we do mean scenic) overlook. Don’t forget to pack water. Lots of water. lancasterconservancy.org/preserves/pinnacle-scenic-overlook.
Philly Pumptrack
Thanks to the moxie of Heidi Grunwald, an avid biker and a deputy director at Temple, a corner of Fairmount Park (near the Mann) is now a BMX-style course with more hills, bumps, turns and dirt than any kid could wish for. But there's more to this year-old spot than just good biking: It's a free place for kids to get some fresh air, make new friends and accomplish goals. You'll find a fleet of high-quality bikes and helmets for the borrowing, knowledgeable staffers, and programming like the "Ladies Only" Sundays, when girls and women can ride without the boys. Phillypumptrack.org.
El Diablo at Six Flags Great Adventure
It's not the biggest. It's not the fastest. But this new ride is absolutely terrifying. Your car rolls backward and forward on a 360-degree looped track, slowly building up enough momentum to send you hurtling upside down over and over again. 1 Six Flags Boulevard, Jackson, NJ 08527, sixflags.com/greatadventure/attractions/el-diablo/overview.
Wissahickon Valley Park
If you've only walked Forbidden Drive, you haven't really done the Wiss. This 1,800-acre park has 57 miles of shaded, twisting, water-edging trails and couldn't be more accessible. Seek out the paths that lead to the park's many historic bridges, like the Thomas Mill covered bridge -- originally built in 1737, it's the last of its kind within city limits. Fow.org.
McFadden's on 3rd Street
We've had no shortage of mediocre-to-lousy places shutting their doors in 2015, but none of them were quite as wretched as the wretchedest of all, this 14-year-old bastion of sticky floors, bar fights and regret-filled 2 a.m. hookups at 3rd and Spring Garden.
Artisan Boulanger Patissier
In the bakery world, Cambodian immigrants Andre Chin and Amanda Eap have been making lovely French baguettes with a little more heft than most for ages, but it's their pastries that bring the neighbors to the door at 8 a.m. (on the dot!) on Sundays. The spinach and mushroom croissant makes us wish they did more savory ones but then, that would leave less room for the raspberry, and the chocolate, and the chocolate mocha, and the chocolate pistachio. 1218 Mifflin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, .
Down2Earth Interior Design
Yes, of course Amy Cuker uses eco-friendly materials for her redesign projects concrete countertops from a Delaware fabricator, cabinets from Amish woodworkers, low-VOC paints, cork floors. But the LEED-accredited owner of this four-year-old interior design firm has also repurposed old rowhouse washbasins, salvaged pine floorboards for a new staircase, and revived details like antique doorknobs and bathtubs. In essence, Down2Earth can uncover and relocate, refurbish and repaint the potential that was there all along. 7604 Spring Avenue, Elkins Park, PA 19027, down2earthinteriordesign.com.
Fish Finder II
Laugh as your kid's face lights up with excitement and/or panic when she hooks a flounder on this comfy and clean 46-foot catamaran with the nicest staff at the Jersey Shore. The four-hour trip will set a family of four back about $130, a price that includes rods, bait and a digital family photo. And yes, they'll bait the hook for you. (See? Nice.) 3654 Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard, Brigantine, NJ 08203, fishfinder-charters.com/fish_fishII.html.
Paradigm Salon
Donna Visco is the stylist other stylists seek out to learn how to transform plain ol’ hair into fabulously colorful shades. One look at her rainbow work and you’ll never go back to blond or brunette again. 18 Summit Square Center, Langhorne, PA 19047, paradigmsalon.com.
Lash Extensions at David J. Witchell
Book an appointment, and they’ll expertly apply falsies that will last for up to two days. Cheaper than a full lash-extension application (it’s only $25), better-looking than drugstore DIY strips, and, at about 10 minutes, (almost) quicker than swiping on mascara. Additional location in Peddler’s Village, Lahaska. 25 South State Street, Newtown, PA 18940, davidjwitchell.com.
Rocky’s Crystals & Minerals
Both neophyte mystics and New Age pros can find something to soothe their souls here. Handy information cards explain — as best as it can be explained — how bumble bee jasper activates chakras and rose quartz promotes self-confidence. Multiple locations. rockyscrystalsonline.com.