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.
Blue Bell Inn
Since this storied restaurant reopened in April after more than a year of extensive renovations, its bar and patio have been packed with well-heeled gents and well-coiffed ladies of a certain age looking for love or at least a middle-aged hookup. The upshot? Enough wine-fueled love connections to spawn a reality show. Are you listening, Bravo? 601 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, bluebellinn.com.
The Library Bar
Unlike most hotel bars with their wide-open see-and-be-seen setups and weary-traveler clientele this newish 20-seater inside the Rittenhouse Hotel is as intimate as it is sophisticated. (And it has a beautiful outdoor courtyard.) Look for carefully crafted grown-up cocktails and a superlative wine selection from sommelier Justin Timsit. And a word to the wise: If you show up in old jeans and a T-shirt, you're underdressed. 210 West Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103, rittenhousehotel.com/dining/librarybar.
Urban Jungle
Although there are enough plants in this massive garage-like store to landscape a suburban McMansion, owner Curtis Alexander excels at squeezing greenery into the tightest of city spaces. (Vertical wall planters teeming with flowers and ferns are a specialty.) There are also Service and Help galore, like workshops on planting show-stopping terrariums and envy-inducing window boxes and, for the less DIY-inclined, a full menu of landscaping options. 1526 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147, urbanjunglephila.com.
Blink
The selection: unlike anything we've seen here in Philly (Persol! Balenciaga!). The deals: Whoa. Buy during a brand's trunk show-Gucci, let's say-and you not only get 20 percent off; you're entered into a raffle to win a pair or two of free specs from said brand. Kinda makes your habit of constantly losing your glasses seem very sly. 1824 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, shopblink.com.
The Clam Tavern
If you show up at 7 p.m. without reservations, you’re most likely SOL. (The crowds have been coming since the 1960s for the cheap cocktails, small-town service and baked clams.) But we’ve got a secret: The Broadway Bar & Grille, across the street, has the same owner and serves the full Clam Tavern menu. 339 East Broadway Avenue, Clifton Heights, PA 19018, clamtavern.net.
Hard Days Night Massage at Lush Spa
The Beatles-themed $175 treatment at this Rittenhouse spa sounds gimmicky, but it's actually amazing, thanks to amenities both cozy (you get a pair of PJs to wear during the treatment) and cool (it's all set to a remixed Beatles soundtrack). And get this: Massage therapists employ bands similar to those used in Cirque du Soleil's The Beatles: LOVE show to release hip tension. 1525 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, lushusa.com.
Institute of Contemporary Art
You can now visit the place that first exhibited the art of folks like Andy Warhol and Laurie Anderson for free, thanks to a generous grant. The ICA has no permanent collection; instead it hosts up to 12 new shows each year, so you can continue to expose yourself to the rising stars of the contemporary genre without spending a dime. 118 South 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, icaphila.org.
Serpico
The last couple of menus offered at Serpico have been the best in the restaurant's run. And to sit there and watch one of the greatest craftsmen in the industry direct a talented crew at the top of their game is thrilling in a way that few other restaurant experiences are -- like getting dinner, a show and a peek behind the curtain all at the same time. It speaks to the Instagramming, Vining, YouTubing voyeur in all of us. 604 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, serpicoonsouth.com.
Healthy Bites
America just got its first taste of oh-so-pretty personal chef Katie Cavuto Boyle on The Next Food Network Star, but we've been loving her ever since she started whipping up tasty dishes in our very own kitchens and delivering good-for-us meals right to our doors. Whether you crave delish turkey takeout, need to shed a few pounds, or simply require a starlet chef to show you the ropes, Katie's is the number to keep on speed dial. Call or see website for consultation, 00000, healthybitesdelivery.com.
Fête Urbane
This Drew Barrymore-approved business (the star featured the floral studio on her program thanks to its work with the Philadelphia Flower Show) run by a trio of women — sisters Angela Rayfield and Elizabeth Barrella and mom Maggie Ferrante-Barrella — has a knack for gorgeous installations. By that, we mean greenery-filled creations that seem to grow from the ceiling and bloom-clad entryways that make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a magical oasis. feteurbane.com.
Doggie Style Pets
Sign up to walk one of Doggie Style Pets’ resident pups. The dogs are adoptable, but even if you can’t take one home, you can have a canine companion for a half-hour. Just pick your time and store location online, show up, present your ID, and get instant happiness in the form of a fluffy friend (while helping the shelter give the dogs some exercise). Multiple locations, doggiestylepets.com.
Pro-Team Collision
You don’t go to a body shop because you want to go to a body shop. You go because some dingus let a shopping cart go and it slammed into the side of your brand-new car, or you got rear-ended on the Blue Route. So it’s always nice to meet a crew like those at Pro-Team Collision, who handle your work with care and a sense of urgency. Need to (sigh) work with your insurance company? Pro-Team will do that work for you, to save you a bit of hassle. 378 Crooked Lane, King of Prussia, PA 19406, proteamcollision.com.
Meadowsweet Mercantile
The carefully pared-down selection is organized by style (bohemian, rocker, minimalist), so you never have to hunt here. Also worth a perusal: the shop's impressive selection of handmade lifestyle goods, including ceramics, art, bags, and handwoven Turkish towels and robes designed in the back of the shop. 47 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, shopmeadowsweet.com.
Nigro's Auto Body
As long as Philly is all narrow streets and parallel parking, your car's going to be all pockmarks and dents. Quit fretting and go see South Philly's Aniello Nigro, an Italian-trained die-hard car lover who's been making beat-up, beat-down and just beat cars look new for 30 years. 939 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147, nigrosautobody.com.