X-Force
Kudos to anyone who can work out and shower in a single lunch break. For the rest of us, there’s X-Force. The Swedish-designed system of negative-force training uses machines that flip the weight stacks to add extra resistance to the second half of a rep. You’ll work out harder in less time – 30 minutes, to be exact. The Graham Building, 30 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102, xforcephiladelphia.com.
Torque
Three workouts under one roof – spin, barre and TRX – means you’ll never want to leave; $2 for child care in an on-site playroom stocked with toys means you’ll never have an excuse not to go. 328 North Lewis Road, Royersford, PA 19468, thetorquemovement.com.
BalletX
No dance troupe has done more to put Philly on the world stage than this contemporary ballet company, which has earned unprecedented–and well-deserved–national press and recognition. The next season kicks off in November with three world premieres, including one from Sonya Tayeh, who has worked as a choreographer for Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, and Florence and the Machine. 265 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, balletx.org.
CorePower Yoga
With an outrageously accommodating class schedule, gorgeous locker rooms you'll actually want to shower in, and a boutique stocked with everything from Lululemon yoga mats to lust-worthy leggings, a yogi could happily camp out forever in this nationwide studio's first Philly outpost. Well, except to join in on the studio's weekly run club, of course. 1616 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, corepoweryoga.com.
Pad Porter
File this one under Services You Never Knew You Desperately Needed. Via start-up Pad Porter, Wharton grad Nonya Collier and her crew handle pretty much every moving task you could ever hope to outsource: booking the movers; packing and unpacking; stocking your new fridge; cleaning the old place; even waiting for the Comcast guy. Services are arranged �_ la carte, with prices starting at a (totally worth it) $25 an hour. padporter.co.
Lingual Institute
You won't be memorizing conjugations at this school. Its emphasis on practical conversation and interactive lessons in small group classes will get you talking and really learning immediately, so you'll be able to chat away when you visit Madrid (or Paris, or Taiwan) in a couple months. 100 South Broad Street, suite 622, Philadelphia, PA 19110, lingualinstitute.com.
Junk Be Gone
Demolition debris. Old furniture. Yard waste. Broken computers. Dead appliances. Trash, broken crap, whatever: Junk Be Gone will pick it up, get it out, donate what they can, recycle what's left over — and they'll do it on a weekend, in the evening, sometimes on the same day you call. They even sweep up after they're done. 4452 Carwithan Street, Philadelphia, PA 19136, junkremovalphilly.com.
Scout Clothing & Decor
This isn't your typical Shore shop, heaped with flashy tanks, ankle bracelets and beach-themed trinkets. Here you'll find vintage treasures (embellished clutches, sparkly jewelry, retro glassware) tucked among relaxed denim, soft tees, and light, airy dresses you need for summer. Leave room in your weekender for the covetable gifts and home goods, too, because there's no way you're walking away without a rosemary sea salt candle or Jonathan Adler decorative dish. 7817 Ventnor Avenue, Margate City, NJ 08402, scoutclothinganddecor.com.
Gorshin Trading Post & Supplies
This two-year-old shop is a venerable retail anchor for Haddonfield's sleepy main street, with a mix of gear and goods he'll love from brands like Filson, Topo Designs, Dubarry and Shinola. Want something out of the box? Starting this fall, Mitch will lead trips to outdoorsy spots like Steamboat, Colorado. 125 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ 08033, gorshin.com.
Ikiré Jones
The suiting is handmade to order, the textiles are custom-designed and inspired by splashy African prints, the silk scarves and squares are frame-worthy, and the University City-based company Ikiré Jones — the brainchild of a former attorney and an expert tailor — is soon to be a household name. ikirejones.com.
Studio 882
Bigger doesn't always mean better, but in the case of this Delco design store — which in June upgraded from a 3,000-square-foot showroom to a cavernous, gallery-like 12,600-square-foot space — bigger actually means best, if only because there's extra room for more than 75 lines of high-end furniture and home decor, artfully arranged in vignettes so lovely, you'll want to move right in. 101 Applied Bank Boulevard, Glen Mills, PA 19342, studio-882.com.
ToBox
Memo to philly fellas: If you're going to wear shoes -- real grown-up men's shoes -- you're going to want to wear ones from ToBox. Can't afford a new pair of John Lobbs? Bring your old ones in, and owner Tung To will custom-paint them so they'll look out-of-the-box new. 25 South 19th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, facebook.com/Toboxshoes.
South Moon Under
All the cutout suits and trendy fringed cover-ups you'll need to wade into the urban jungle of the city pool scene. Multiple locations, southmoonunder.com.
Philadelphia Vintage and Consignment Shoppe
It's got limited hours, many garments are encased in plastic, and there isn't much priced under $100. Which makes finding treasures from some of the most iconic names in fashion (Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Dior), plucked from the closets of the most famous people in the world (Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston), all the more special. 111 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, facebook.com/philadelphiavintage.
Jayel Lewis, @jayelllewis
What with this Philly-based personal trainer's big smile, strong bod and well-chosen backdrops, her Instagram account makes working out look like a sun-soaked vacation in the Caribbean. Follow her and you'll stand up a little straighter, eat a little smarter and work on your core. A lot.