Pristine Hand Carwash Lube & Detail Center
Instead of the usual harsh spinning scrubbers and high-powered sprayers in an automatic tunnel, at Pristine you'll find a team of workers, sponges up, ready to carefully soap away stubborn street grime. How carefully? Just ask the owners of all those fancy Italian sports cars in line with you. 1000 Haddonfield Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, facebook.com/pages/Pristine-Hand-Carwash-Lube-Detail-Center/269314083110116.
<em>Symbiosis</em>
New York artist Roxy Paine's jarring sculpture, on loan to the city for a year, looks like two stainless steel trees stuck in stasis, one collapsing onto the other. It's so sleek that the birds haven't discovered how to do their business on it. Yet. associationforpublicart.org/symbiosis.
Joy Cleaners
No matter how much you throw down for your boyfriend/skinny/rocker/boot cuts, theres only one way to ensure the perfect fit: The denim fairy godmothers here have mastered reattaching original hems and cinching in waistbands, all while maintaining the flair of your new pair. 221 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, .
Le Virtù
How can you choose between chef Luciana Spurio's fresh fazzoletti "handkerchiefs" with rich duck ragu, the feathery crepes layered with itty-bitty meatballs, or the paper-thin pappardelle? Take our advice: Bring a crowd, and order 'em all. 1927 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, levirtu.com.
Jo Jo's Professional Auto Detailing
Husband-and-wife team Jo Jo and Michele bring a personal touch to their service, restoring your ride to factory condition by removing grit, oil stains and odors. What sets them apart is how they regularly surprise customers by going the extra mile. (Theyll even clean the insides of your headlights!) 1913 South Bancroft Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, .
Lititz
This quaint but increasingly sophisticated Main Street town offers a taste of Lancaster County without the Amish tourist-trappiness. Be sure to grab tomato pie (literal tomato pie, not the saucy pizza-like stuff we get around here) and a pear-and-blue-cheese salad at the aptly named Tomato Pie Caf (23 North Broad Street, 717-627-1762). Throw back a few craft beers (and even craft sodas!) at Appalachian Brewing Company (55 North Water Street, 717-625-0300). And poke your head in at the numerous shops and boutiques selling everything from vintage guitar amps and local art to hand-made stationery and rare books. If you decide to make a night of it, the new upscale Rock Suites at the General Sutter Inn (14 East Main Street, 717-626-2115) are inspired by rock bands (and are totally cool). 00000, lititzpa.com.
The Pink Lapel
April Burks has one of those awesome “It’s so obvious!” stories: She made a tie for her husband in 2014, everyone flipped out about how amazing it was, and an entire line was born. Burks now turns upbeat patterned fabrics into ties, pocket squares, scrunchies and face masks, all by hand, from her West Philly studio. thepinklapel.com.
Dottie’s Serenade Service
How do you make loved ones feel special on their birthdays when they can’t have their friends and fam all around them? A Zoom party? Pfft. You send them the marvelous Dot Levine of Dottie’s Serenade Service, where the apt motto is “Give the Gift of Joy.” Prices start at $76, and Dot has a pretty vast repertoire, ranging from Willy Wonka to the Cure to traditional Yiddish ditties. dottiesserenadeservice.com.
Phila Massages
When you hurt—we mean really hurt—all the Enya and precious oils in the world can't help you. What can: owners Brian Rutledge and Natacha Vidal, who train their ninja-like focus on loosening your muscles and teaching you how to keep them loose between appointments. Bonus: One hour is only $65. 132 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, philamassages.com.
Le Virtù
This Abruzzo-focused Italian restaurant takes the prize in a city full of Italian restaurants because weve never had a bad meal, a bad time or even a bad moment here. There's always just one more thing on the menu you have to try the next time you come in no matter how many times youve already been. Plus, the bowl of sausage and polenta is as good as tube-shaped meats get. 1927 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, levirtu.com.
Janice Martin
When the exhibit featuring Princess Grace's wedding came to town in 2006, the Art Museum called on Martin to restore Grace's famous -cathedral-length veil. So you can go ahead and trust her to get your grandmother's gown into ready-to-wear shape or, if you'd like, have her design one from scratch. She'll sketch, do fittings in muslin, and then source fine fabrics from Europe. How delightfully retro is that? 41 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, janicemartin.net.
Limitless Longevity with Charlie Seltzer
Robin Raskin, Bewellphilly.com weight-loss blogger: Dr. Charlie has helped me completely rethink my approach to healthy eating. He got me away from the scale, focusing instead on how my clothes fit. The best part: When I couldnt get to his Center City office, we set up Skype meetings so we could touch base no matter where I was. 1601 Walnut Street, suite 810, Philadelphia, PA 19102, .
Zahav
What do you get a food snob who's tried everything? Grilled duck hearts, obviously. Or how about warm Turkish hummus, fried cauliflower and egg-topped lamb kebabs? Wash it all down with a bourbon-and-mint Lemonnana with hints of verbena in the easy dining room of this Israeli hot spot, and your snooty Brooklyn buddy will be canceling his plans at Minetta and begging to Amtrak it down again next weekend. 237 St. James Place, Philadelphia, PA 19106, zahavrestaurant.com.
Sea Devil, Point Pleasant Beach
There are plenty of fishing boats in South Jersey, but on Captain Bob Pennington's Sea Devil, you and 17 of your best friends can spend 23 hours (5 p.m. to 4 p.m. the next day) tuna fishing with a pro. After 39 years of commercial fishing in these waters, Captain Bob knows how to find the fish, so expect to bring your cooler home packed with sushi-ready yellowfin. Cost is $325 per person, tackle included; rod rental is $20 each. 405 Channel Drive, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742, partyboatnj.com.
The Pine Barrens
With five county parks to choose from in this expansive 1.1-million acre region of Southern New Jersey, there are camping options for every skill level, whether youre an experienced adventurer or barely know how to pitch a tent. (And yes, some sites have flushing toilets, for those who arent ready to submit entirely to nature.) You wont be bored, thanks to plenty of biking, kayaking and canoeing options. Just be warned: This is the land of the Jersey Devil. See website for locations, 00000, njpinebarrens.com/camping-in-the-pine-barrens.