Tim Kweeder at Kensington Quarters
In this beer-lovin’ town, wine can be a hard sell. Leave it to Kensington Quarters GM and wine director Kweeder to come up with a list of organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines that aren’t just easy on the wallet, but—through clever use of colloquial descriptors—are easy to get excited about, too. 1310 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, kensingtonquarters.com/.
Poe’s Sandwich Joint
Leave it to pothead N.A. Poe to come up with the ultimate match for the munchies. The bulging, cheesy meatball, chicken and eggplant parmesan sandwiches — and, yes, the funnel cake fries — are available late on weeknights and, blissfully, until 3 a.m. on weekends. 1429 Marlborough Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125, .
Neighborhood Ramen
Lines out the door, graffiti on the walls, hip-hop on the playlist, and some of the most inspired ramen and gyoza you’ll find anywhere. Rumor is they don’t let you take leftovers. Who knows if it’s true? We’ve never had to ask. 617 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, neighborhoodramen.com/.
Philly Chef Conference
Every year, this event — dreamed up and organized by Michael Traud of Drexel’s Center for Food & Hospitality Management — pulls in some of the biggest names in food and food media in the world. And that only means good things for Philly’s food scene. 101 North 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, phillychefconference.com.
The Crème Brûlée Waffle at Avenue Kitchen
When you need energy to power you through your morning, you get eggs. When you’re staring down an obligation-free Sunday, you order this Belgian waffle, which comes with vanilla bean cream and a shell of caramelized sugar that cracks when you tap it with your fork. 509 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, avekitchen.com.
Mickey’s Tavern
This Delco watering hole attracts all types at its every-other-Friday events, so you might hear Guns N’ Roses followed by Whitney Houston followed by Miley Cyrus and — since we are in Delco — a little Sinatra. 129 South State Road, Upper Darby, PA 19082, .
Norman Porter
The jeans that come from this small Kensington company are of the thickest Japanese and American selvage denim, with hand-hammered rivets, custom stitching, house-embossed leather patches, and cuts that can be tailored to you. Make an appointment to visit the studio; you'll never go back to Levi's again. 150 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Studio 301, Philadelphia, PA 19122, normanporter.com.
Ben & Irv's
Family history (60 years of it, in fact) is what makes the food that comes from the kitchen so heartfelt. Just scan the options for anything that has the excellent pastrami, corned beef or smoked fish on it, and you'll leave with a big smile on your punim. 1962 Country Lane Road, Huntington Valley, PA 19006, benandirvs.com/.
Bonnie's Capistrano
The kind of bar where when you put down five bucks and say, "Lager, please," you won't have some squirrelly hipster asking, "The Sly Fox, the Sixpoint, or the new one made with goat sweat and sriracha?" Plus: You'll get $2 in change when your Yuengling is delivered. 1503 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, .
Main Line School Night
Because isn't it time you took up tai chi? Or finally got around to studying Russian literature? Or added some heirloom vegetable recipes to your kitchen repertoire? Here, you can do any of the above for as little as $15 a class. 60 Gulph Creek Road, Radnor, PA 19087, mainlineschoolnight.org/.
Blackfish
Chef Chip Roman has done more than just open a couple of restaurants Blackfish is extraordinary, and Mica shows great promise. What's more: he and Mica partner Jason Cichonski have brought culinary hope to the many diners living in areas overlooked by Starr, Garces, Vetri and Billy Penn. 119 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428, blackfishrestaurant.com/.
Settlement Music School
Sure, some of the schools grads go on to Juilliard and Curtis, but for instructors like Soviet-born Dolly Krasnopolsky, it doesnt matter if youre better at practicing Chopsticks than Chopin. The 24-year Settlement vet takes (and loves) all kinds. See website for locations, 00000, smsmusic.org.
Shuffleboard at the Ivy Inn
Yeah, we know what you're thinking: Philly Mag's endorsing shuffleboard?! But hey, it's harder than it looks. And you meet some of the nicest neighborhood people playing it. Get in a game at Ivy Inn, where the best players including the state champ hang out. 37 Brookline Boulevard, Havertown, PA 19083, ivyinn.org/.
Exhumed Films
Bloodcurdling screams! Satanic slashers! Cellar-dwelling one-eyed torture beasts! It could only mean one thing: Exhumed Films' monthly double (sometimes triple) feature of some of the best and worst -horror films ever made. International House, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, exhumedfilms.com/.
Art Star Gallery and Boutique
Go because you love the non-brand-name charm, because shopping here gives you instant street-style cred, and because you want your friends to come here when it's time to buy gifts for you. 623 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, artstarphilly.com/.