The Polished Gent at the Rittenhouse Spa and Club
Sure, you could go to the Rittenhouse's new Paul Labrecque salon for the $95 Indulgent Shave -- which really is the most wonderful straight-razor action you can get in the city. But why stop there? For $250 you'll get three hours of luxurious attention, including a back exfoliation and massage, a very manly manicure and pedicure, and the Indulgent Shave. (Make sure to take advantage of the heated pool.) 210 West Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103, therittenhousespaclub.com/packages.aspx.
The Nesting House
If you subscribe to the idea that newer isn't always better, you'll love the well-organized racks of gently used, adorable dresses, onesies, swaddles and jeans (and shelves of shoes) at the Nesting House, which sells new and consignment kids' stuff at locations in Mount Airy and Collingswood. Best part: the upscale non-apparel resale baby items, like Bumbos, Bloom bouncers and jogging strollers. 606 Carpenter Lane, Mount Airy, 215-438-1600, and 710 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, 856-869-3048, thenestinghouse.net.
Material Culture
We can't adequately explain how glorious this vast (60,000 square feet!) showroom is, packed with antiques sourced from all over the world. But we can tell you to wear a watch when visiting, because once inside, you'll lose all sense of time and place and stumble out six hours later with a reclaimed door, widemouthed copper floor vases and a hand-painted settee. 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Suite 101, Philadelphia, PA 19144, materialculture.com.
InLiquid
No way you're doling out Dali dollars for a new addition to your gallery wall? InLiquid's warehouse and e-store should be your first stop for pieces by Philly's most talented artists, so you can own that painting before it becomes auction-worthy. Put the annual June sale, Art for the Cash Poor, in your calendar. 1400 North American Street, #314, Philadelphia, PA 19122, inliquid.org.
Haverford Nature Trail
Think of this flat, unpaved 2.2-mile loop around the perimeter of Haverford College (a go-to for newbies and seasoned runners alike) as the prettiest track you've ever set foot on. 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041, haverford.edu/arboretum/files/Haverford-Trails-Brochure.pdf.
Century 21
There are plenty of things that aren't worth a second look (e.g., the lackluster shoe section), but do some digging and you'll find coveted brands (from the likes of Missoni and Armani to Vince, Theory and DVF) at prices worth the hunt. Bonus points for the luxury vintage shop-in-shop and the stellar athletic-wear department. 821 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, c21stores.com/Philly_.
AnaOno Intimates
After a breast cancer diagnosis at 27, Queen Village-based Dana Donofree started designing bras for women who've undergone major breast surgeries like mastectomies. Her new line of lacy underpinnings doesn't have painful underwires, is smartly sized for post-surgery fit issues, and is just as gorgeous as anything you'd find in traditional stores. Plus, five percent of all sales go to breast cancer foundations. anaono.com.
Events by Renee
Planning a big bash? You'll want to use party planning veteran Renee Patrone of Events by Renee. Equal parts creative spirit and Type-A organizer, she'll help you with any (or every) part of the process, from conception to execution. Her spin-off brand, Party Host Helpers, means she can also staff your shindig with pros she's trained herself -- people who'll greet guests, top off drinks and clear plates. 4347 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127, eventsbyrenee.net.
North Brigantine Beach
We've pulled out sharks, flounder, stripers and blues at the northern tip of this beach. Cast from the pier or sand and you'll never need a fishing license; if you snag a permit for your car, you can pull right up to the coastline.
Mary Tuomanen
With an impressive onstage range and a brain built for crafting memorable scripts, Tuomanen, a 34-year-old Center City dweller, is one of the best -- and busiest -- on the local scene. This past year she co-founded a playwriting collective and debuted a one-woman show; soon she'll star in Local Girls at Azuka Theatre, participate in a UArts incubator, and -- something that's really not to be missed -- play Andy Warhol in the Bearded Ladies Cabaret-Opera Philadelphia collaboration Andy: A Popera at FringeArts.
Diggerland
Some advice: Don't tell your kids that this year-old theme park is for children, or you'll have to fight them for the wheels of the real backhoes, dump trucks and excavators that can be driven and operated in a giant dirt pit. Instead, send them off to the rides, through the ropes course or to the stunt show, and catch up with them later. 100 Pinedge Court, West Berlin, NJ 08091, diggerlandusa.com.
Yummy Yummy
Okay, so there's no maple syrup, the menu is full of dirt-cheap Chinese noodle dishes, and the treat in question looks kind of like bubble wrap. But as soon as your teeth pierce the steaming, just-sweet-enough interiors of these crispy-edged globes -- chocolate, strawberry or green tea -- you'll know that Hong Kong-style waffles are the king of them all. 52 North 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Tim Kweeder at Petruce et al.
By day he lobbies for consumer-friendly reform. By night he conducts adventures through unheralded varietals, unsulfured bottles and otherwise offbeat wines at Petruce. But Kweeder's best quality is a mind that's equally open to both modern fashions and almost unthinkably outre notions -- like the possibility that a year-old beaujolais nouveau (!) could end up being a revelation. 19107, petrucephilly.com.
Ramen Bar
Ramen is all about the broth, and the pork-bone tonkotsu here is rich, dense and velvety. You'll want to stretch it over an extra helping of noodles. 4040 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, ramenbarphilly.com.
Pie from Pie Stand Food Truck
The flaky fried hand pies found at this truck parked at Frankford and Girard put the exclamation point on a great night out, whether your 2 a.m. craving is a meaty chicken potpie or the eyes-rolling-back-decadent fluffer-nutter. 2 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123, facebook.com/PieStand.