Zakian Rugs
When you spend upwards of $5,000 on an Oriental rug, you don’t want to cut corners on its upkeep, so take it to the guys who have been doing this for more than 100 years. Pets? Red wine? Toddlers who make you question why you have nice things? They’ve seen it all. They’ll pick up your rug, give you a rundown on its condition, provide services from cleaning to restoration (they’ll match the yarn and then weave or hand-knot to mirror the style), and bring it back to you as good as new. 4930 West Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, zakianrugs.com.
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Looking for a new hobby that makes you feel like you’ve actually accomplished something? Try a beginner class at this Germantown nonprofit. The workshop starts small — like, pencil-case small — but the skills acquired are applicable across the woodworking spectrum. From there, take a learning-series course to master the craft’s tools and techniques; you’ll be making your own furniture in no time. (Okay, it will probably take a long time.) 5212 Pulaski Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, philadelphiafurnitureworkshop.com/learning-series.
Flourish Market
Photograph by Jeff Fusco This nook from Allison Hendler and mom Patricia Van Hook will wrap you in a warm hug — it’s thoughtfully stocked with local or sustainable goods that support the community. (Hendler’s a champion of circular retail.) A Hendler favorite: baby products from B Corp-certified Bello Tunno. For Van Hook? Vintage glassware. There are tea towels hand-sewn in Bucks County, fresh bouquets, and new philanthropic partnerships — a bit of everything to help you flourish. 2227 Grays Ferry Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19146, flourishmarketphilly.com.
New June Bakery
Photograph by Annie Paige Imagine cutting into a four-tiered, ultra-frilly Lambeth-style cake on your Big Day — you’ll slice through prettily piped garlands and scrolls and frosting on frosting to reveal a vanilla confection with layers of tangy lemon cream and raspberry cardamom jam. The micro bakery and cake studio’s self-taught baker, Noelle Wheatley Blizzard, is embracing retro maximalism with her ’60s-inspired designs, and they’ve become wildly popular among the soon-to-be-wed crowd. new-june.com.
Wayne Edwards Workshop
With 50-plus years in business and a move to a new 1,500-square-foot shop and studio — the former home of Joseph Fox Bookshop — the Wayne Edwards team has more room to tailor your tux, plus a ready-to-wear section with luxury duds for your honeymoon. (Pair those Rubirosa sneakers with Candiani Italian denim.) And in the workshop? On average, 37 measurements to perfectly match your silhouette. 1724 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, wayneedwardsworkshop.com.
WatchBox
The sister concept of Govberg Jewelers is a global destination and community for collectible, secondhand luxury timepieces. Novices head here to build their watch wardrobes, but it’s discerning collectors who’ll appreciate the veritable treasure trove of authenticated, highly sought-after pieces from names such as Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and F.P. Journe, as well as hard-to-find independent makers. 166 East Levering Mill Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, thewatchbox.com.
Fabiola Lara’s Instagram "I Voted" stickers
We think it’s okay to admit that a small part of the appeal of voting is getting that sticker upon exiting the polling place and parading it around for the rest of the day. Illustrator Fabiola Lara gets that. So when Instagram reached out to her in March of last year for a series of digital election-season-themed stickers, she delivered. The colorful set of four, available in English and Spanish, has been shared by everyone from Joe Biden and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Selena Gomez and Kerry Washington.
You Can't Kill a Poet
These semi-regular readings upstairs at South Street dive Tattooed Mom (and occasionally elsewhere) are now in their ninth year, which may be a new record for a local poetry-reading series. The success stems from host and curator Boston Gordon’s mission to bring together the best queer and trans writers from the Philadelphia area — and from the fact that these readings are often visceral, incisive and funny, all meant to bring you a little closer to the city’s literary community. The next reading is set for September 24th. bostongordon.com.
Philly Bike Ride
Last October, this truly epic social ride closed down 20 miles of city streets so 3,000-plus cyclists could pedal worry-free for the first time ever. (That’s right: no cars!) Not needing to dodge SEPTA buses or opened-out-of-nowhere car doors? Let’s make that a permanent thing. The next Philly Bike Ride is scheduled for October 14th. phillybikeride.com.
Brandywine Museum of Art
When we think about art museums, we tend to think only about the Barnes and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. But don’t sleep on Chesco’s 52-year-old museum along the Brandywine Creek. It’s sometimes referred to as the Wyeth museum because the collection includes so many works by that family — but the 1,500 pieces here represent many other American artists as well. Right now, featured exhibits focus on Andrew Wyeth and 20th-century futurist Joseph Stella. 1 Hoffmans Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, brandywine.org.
HQ2
The DJs spin well into the wee hours at this two-level club, since there’s no such thing as closing time in an A.C. casino. 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, hq2ac.com.
Haason Reddick
Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images We were excited when the Eagles inked the Camden native/Temple alum edge rusher ahead of the 2022 season. Then he went on a sacking spree (19.5 between the regular season and playoffs!) that led the Birds all the way to the Super Bowl, and we lost our minds. No pressure, but we’re expecting similarly big things from another local product: onetime St. Joe’s Prep star D’Andre Swift, whom the Eagles stole in a draft-day trade in April.
Mawn
This self-described noodle house with “no rules” twists and merges Southeast Asian classics — banh chow chopped up and bathing in fish sauce, khao soi silky with Neighborhood Ramen’s homemade noodles, galangal-marinated rib-eye skewers marked by chef Phila Lorn’s own Cambodian roots. Mawn knows exactly who and what it is without anything to prove. The sour-sweet-savory dishes will zap you out of your bullshit day and into the moment, psychedelic Cambodian rock will make the small space come alive, and you won’t be able to remember what 9th Street was like without this BYOB. 764 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, mawnphilly.com.
Jelloman
Paul Vile — a.k.a. Jelloman — has been a gelatinous folk hero for years, known for benevolently launching pre-packaged Jell-O shots into eager crowds at music festivals and Eagles tailgates. But his boozy legend reached new heights during the NFC Championship celebration, when he crowd-surfed the gathered Broad Street masses sling-shotting cups of kelly green slurpables. Then the Super Bowl requests flooded in, so of course Vile (yup, Kurt’s bro) spent the run-up prepping an astounding 4,000 shots of jiggly juice.
Pietramala
Go to Pietramala because the salad is dressed and seasoned perfectly in elderflower vinaigrette, making market lettuces a revelation. Go because the cacio e pepe, made in part with fermented white sweet potato, is intensely creamy and savory. Go because the dining room is lined with twinkling lights and smiling, patient servers. Or you could go because it’s vegan. But you might not even notice that. 614 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, pietramalaphl.com.