Virtual Classes
If being at home with your kids 24/7 has changed your attitude toward screen time, it’s okay. We know you love those little rascals, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need some “me” time now and then. Allay your guilt (if you still have any) by registering for one of the many local kids’ classes that have popped up on YouTube and across social media. Settlement Music School is offering Settlement Kids Live (settlementmusic.org), with free music and dance classes for children streamed live on Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday. If your offspring have energy to burn, InMovement Gymnastics Education (phillyinmovement.com) has online tumbling, karate and dance classes. Pick the one that’s right for your little one, and you may actually get the chance to use the bathroom without being interrupted. And the Philly Zoo at 2 (philadelphiazoo.org) introduces kids to all kinds of creatures every weekday at 2 p.m. via Facebook Live — and keeps an archive of past videos for hours of educational streaming.
Bridge Street, Phoenixville
Noon: Start with Swedish potato pancakes or omelets at local fave Black Lab Bistro (248 Bridge Street, 610-935-5988, blacklabbistro.net). 2 p.m.: Take in a classic movie at the Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, 610-917-0223, thecolonialtheatre.com). This month, look for a Harlow-and-Gable screening series; coming in September: the "Better on the Big Screen" series, including The Searchers (9/6), Lawrence of Arabia (9/13), and the supremely confounding 2001: A Space Odyssey (9/20). 4 p.m. (or later, depending on length of said movie): Roam the antique (and junk) shops on Bridge Street. Buy things you don't need. 6 p.m.: It's Sunday, so it's an early dinner. For burgers and beer, the call is Iron Hill (130 East Bridge Street, 610-983-9333, ironhillbrewery.com); for something a tad more refined, BYO Majolica (258 Bridge Street, 610-917-0962, majolicarestaurant.com). 8 p.m.: Remember that tomorrow is a workday, and make the long, sad journey home. 00000,
Occasionette
Sara Selepouchins brand-new shop has all those handcrafted party goods (charming banners, stripy paper straws) that make any party look pulled-together. Her great gift-y items like pretty greeting cards and housewares (napkins, dishtowels, totes, etc.), which feature her own darling illustrations, are only a bonus. 1825 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, occasionette.com.
Marilyn Schwartz of Kids’ MusicRound
A warning: The first time you walk into one of Miss Marilyn’s music classes, you’re going to be overwhelmed. Babies are squealing and toddlers are dancing (the age-bracket sweet spot is newborn to about five years), and Miss Marilyn is bouncing around wildly and playing guitar, and you’ll come out wanting either a coffee or a cocktail. But loosen up and lean into it, and you’ll see what everyone else in Bucks County already knows: Miss Marilyn is the most fun person your kids will ever meet, and the single best way to get them to love music. (You might walk away with some cool new mom friends, too.) Follow her Facebook page for info on virtual class offerings. missmarilynkmr.com/.
Omar Tate
Sometimes, a new chef will arrive in Philly and bring an unmistakable energy — a sort of hyper-focused intentionality, a sense of I’ve got big plans for this city. Omar Tate was born and raised in Philly, and he worked in some of the city’s most ambitious kitchens before leaving for NYC to hone his culinary career. As he wove his way through kitchens, following the well-trodden career path of the modern professional chef, he began to explore and amplify Black American foodways — their tragic history, their uncertain future, their cultural complexities, and their constant erasure from the culinary pantheon. Honeysuckle — his NYC pop-up restaurant-turned-takeout operation — was the physical manifestation of his particular brand of culinary activism. Meals began with a glass of “Honeysuckle Red Drink” (his take on Kool-Aid, a staple of his childhood), and the to-go bags included samples of his own poetry. The coronavirus crisis brought him (and Honeysuckle) back to Philly, and he has big plans for this city — particularly in West Philly, where he’s envisioning a community center for which food will, of course, be the anchor. Follow @honeysuckle_projects on Instagram for information on future dinners and pop-ups. instagram.com/honeysuckle_projects/.
Exact Solar
This Newtown company has been in the solar game for years, helping thousands of Pennsylvania and New Jersey homes convert. In addition to homes, they hook up solar pool heaters. 1655 Fairfield Road, Yardley, PA 19067, exactsolar.com/.
Friday-Morning Eagles Tix
Before you drop major dime on a sold-out Eagles home game again, know these three things. 1: For each home game, there are seats set aside for marketing purposes and for the visiting team. 2: Its rare for all of these seats to be used. 3: On the Friday morning before a Sunday game, the surplus seats are sold for face value on Ticketmaster. We found last-minute seats for several games last season. Fly, Eagles fan, fly! 00000, ticketmaster.com/Philadelphia-Eagles-tickets/artist/805999.
McGlinchey's
I remember the first time I went to McGlinchey's, the notoriously divey (and smokey) dive bar on 15th Street. It was just after my 21st birthday (I'm 39 now, egad!), and I heard that the beers were some of the cheapest in the city, which is all I needed to know. Given that these were the days before Philadelphia was Beer Town U.S.A., I ordered a Rolling Rock. Within minutes, I managed to get screamed at by the prickly bartender and have a beer spilled on me. On a later visit, a blonde bartender pegged me in the eye with an ice cube, and a girl puked on my shoes. Little has changed. Unlike most dive bars in Philadelphia, which go through waves of cliques and trends (Bob & Barbara's is a good case in point), McGlinchey's is still the same old school McGlinchey's it was back in the good old days when every bar in the city allowed you to light up. And the cast of regulars that bellies up to the bar each night hell, each lunchtime, at this place is a study in colorful characters, so much so that Philadelphia photographer (and former McGlinchey's bartender) Sarah Stolfa won a New York Times photography contest for The Regulars, her series of pics of some of McGlinchey's most dedicated drinkers. You can have your gastropubs and trendy dive bars that have to actually try to be dive bars. Gritty, no-frills McGlinchey's is the real deal. Oh you can find all sorts of fancy beers here now, that's true... but don't worry; they still have the $3 Rolling Rock 20 oz. draft. And the jukebox is now one of those irritating play-anything models. But the bathrooms are still filthy and graffiti-covered, with barely enough room to stand up and pee (and God forbid you have to do more). You can still get a 75-cent hot dog from a crock-potted pool of questionable liquid. And if you so much as let a finger dangle into the waitress's service space at the bar, she will put a verbal beatdown on you. But that's okay. It's McGlinchey's. It's always been that way, and I, for one, hope it never changes. 259 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, mcglincheys.com/.
Two Locals
Brothers and former home brewers Mengistu and Richard Koilor now have the distinction of running the city’s first Black-owned brewery, churning out deep and complex stuff like their Nubian brown ale and Who You Wit, a Belgian-style witbier. The duo is still looking for a permanent home; for the time being, check out their website for where to pick up a four-pack of tallboys. twolocalsbrewing.com.
Massage Bella Vista
First you'll choose your scented oil and your music, and then you'll be ushered into a dark, quiet treatment room where you'll meet your therapist. With any luck, you'll get Blue Simmons, whose expert hands will home in on your sorest parts like a missile on its target. After your 75-minute rubdown, she'll walk you through an at-home regimen to keep you loose between visits. 750 Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, massagephilly.com/bella-vista.html.
Bibou
Pierre Calmels doesnt just do right by the classics (escargots, terrines, veal sweetbreads); he shows how fresh contemporary French cooking can be. (Think shellfish bisque with pomegranate seeds, or seared foie gras with a lime-tanged plum chutney.) Meanwhile, his lovely wife, Charlotte, turns the dining room into a home away from home for Phillys French expats. 1009 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, biboubyob.com.
Weavers Way Mercantile
The Weavers Way Co-Op has long been a part of the Mount Airy community (48 years and counting!), but the mercantile shop across the street opened in 2016. The space itself — a former garage — makes for a highly pleasant browsing experience, and the home goods and vintage clothes on offer will add retro personality to any home or closet. It’s not just limited to secondhand goods, though: Ceramics, candles, jewelry and more from local makers serve as reminders of the area’s rich artistic history. 559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119, etsy.com/shop/WeaversWayMerc.
Leeward Furniture's Popsicle Mirror
Last year was the year of the at-home workout gadget, from sleek Pelotons to personal workout mirrors that reflect your sweating image back at you. Now that we can all go outside again, turn your space back into an actual home with beautiful objects that don’t bully you into exercise. No better place to start than with Leeward’s beautiful popsicle mirror, made in Kensington by husband-and-wife duo John Geating and Gina Kim. It’s just the right amount of playful while serving a necessary purpose: You can check yourself out while also using its top shelf to store small tchotchkes and books. 3237 Amber Street 4-3-C, Philadelphia, PA 19134, leewardfurniture.com.
MainLine Pet Sitting
The choosiest of Main Line dog lovers trust MLPS with their Preciouses, and their homes P.O. Box 115, Gladwyne, PA 19035, mainlinepetsitting.com/.
Mango Tree Bistro
No fish head curry here, but the more traditional varieties are well done at this Thai joint in a converted home right on Ridge Pike. 3120 Ridge Pike, Eagleville, PA 19403, mangotreethai.com/.