Betty J. Smithsonian
She’s a sober Jewish lesbian, and most of her comedy is about being all of those things. Very feminist. Very funny.
Fergie’s Pub
Downstairs is the iconic Irish pub that’s been pouring Guinnesses for nearly 25 years. Upstairs is a lesser-known hideaway with all sorts of no-cover shows, like live-band karaoke, non-sucky comedy open mics and Fringe performances. You never know exactly what you’re going to get — and that’s part of the fun. 1214 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Fergies.com.
Marple Sports Arena
Most rinks in the region rent out old-school roller skates, but this Delco spot offers in-line skating, which means you’ll go a lot faster. $7 including skate rental. 611 South Park Way, Broomall, PA 19008, Marplesportsarena.com.
New Jersey Motorsports Park
Third-party companies like Cloud 9 Living and Rusty Wallace Racing Experience show up with really fast cars — sometimes Ferraris, sometimes NASCAR — at this South Jersey racetrack. The cost varies, but expect to pay $498 for three laps in that Ferrari. 8000 Dividing Creek Road, Millville, NJ 08332, Njmp.com.
Philadelphia Zoo
With the brand-new ropes course and soaring zip line, the beer garden, and the rebirth of the famous Zoo Key, it’s a good time to ask yourself: “When was the last time I was at the Philly Zoo?” For something a little more VIP, book a behind-the-scenes encounter with your favorite animal. (Two words: giraffe selfie.) 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104, philadelphiazoo.org.
Wayward Collection
All the offerings here are thoughtfully chosen, but the designer selection is a standout because it focuses on form, not flash — nothing is logoed or loud. You’ll revel in the joy of knowing that your jacquard blouse is 1970s YSL, your shirtdress is Halston, and your wide-leg pants are D&G — but no one else will know. Operates inside Cuttalossa & Co., 47 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, waywardcollection.com.
Proyecto Tamal
Pre-coronavirus, Ana Caballero was the chef at Lost Bread Co. But when disaster struck, she lost her job and turned her talents to protecting those being failed by our all-too-fragile social safety nets. This is how Proyecto Tamal was born. In partnership with Lost Bread and in collaboration with two families each week, Caballero does a weekly tamale sale, with recipes defined by the partner families and supplies covered by Venmo donations (@proyecto-tamal). All money raised goes to the families she works with. An average run of 400 tamales can mean $1,500 for a family in need. To Philly’s credit, the tamales have been selling out fast every week. lost-bread-co.myshopify.com/collections/project-tamale.
Women’s Wellness Spaces
Philly’s female-health-focused wellness spaces are absolutely popping off. In Rittenhouse, VSPOT Medi Spa (vspotmedispa.com) focuses on intimate treatments for women, from a golden vagina facial to orgasm injections — as well as open conversations on issues like incontinence. Contour Body Studio (contourbodystudio.com) in Kensington offers V-steams, body contouring, and simple cosmetic services like teeth whitening. And in King of Prussia, Main Line Health (mainlinehealth.org) opened a $64 million medical center with Axia Women’s Health (axiawh.com) in March with six floors of primary care, ob-gyn services, cardiology, and behavioral health offerings, all focused on women — plus a cafe, an apothecary-style boutique, a space for yoga classes, and an under-construction rooftop farm.
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books
At Marc Lamont Hill’s Germantown bookstore, you’ll find a well-curated assortment of timely reads as well as classics, plus a cozy hangout space equipped with a coffee bar and eatery. 5445 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, unclebobbies.com/#top.
PHLove
We loved watching Philly (and formerly Philly) music greats Darryl Hall, Questlove, Amos Lee and Patti LaBelle come together for this telethon/variety show, which raised $1.5 million for the PHL COVID-19 Relief Fund. Miss Patti absolutely killed it, as did the gospel choir that followed her. Find the full concert on YouTube. philafound.org/covid-19/phlove.
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.
Michael Gagliardi
Ultra-runner Michael Gagliardi. Photograph by Jeff Fusco When Somerton’s Michael “Gagz” Gagliardi set out to run the perimeter of Philadelphia, he was just looking to keep himself busy during stay-at-home orders. But he mapped his route turn by turn, then released those directions publicly (find ’em at phillymag.com/fourcornersrun), thereby setting a new, extremely hype running goal for every Philly runner out there, the likes of which Philly’s fitness community hasn’t seen since the Rocky 50K Fat Ass Run. phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2020/04/27/perimeter-of-philadelphia-run.
Yogawood
The vinyasa classes kick butt, yes. But with family nights, pay-what-you-can acupuncture, free meditation, daily $7 classes, plus yoga for kids, moms-to-be and baby-and-me, this studio is more of a community center, serving the neighborhood, giving back a little good karma on your way to nirvana. 688 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108, yogawood.com.
Savona
It claims to have one of the largest wine lists in Pennsylvania, with more than 1,000 bottles, but it's the quality, not quantity, that impresses here. Under the watchful eye (or nose?) of Melissa -Monosoff (below) one of only 15 women in the U.S. to hold the rank of Master Sommelier this list has something for everyone, from pinot-grigio--swilling ladies-who-lunch to rare bordeaux for the heavy-hitting oenophiles. 100 Old Gulph Road, Gulph Mills, PA 19428, savonarestaurant.com.
B Wilson, Just B Beautiful
B will do your face up right for any occasion with airbrush makeup and uber-natural-looking fake eyelashes. Call or see website for appointment, 00000, justbbeautiful.com.