David's Mai Lai Wah
Liquor license? Check. Open at 3 a.m.? You bet. Pork dumplings with ginger scallion sauce that are more addictive than crack, heroin and crystal meth combined? Yeah, they've got those, too. Consider yourself warned. 1001 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Han Dynasty
At some Chinese restaurants, there are two separate menus the one given to American diners, and the secret one reserved for Chinese-speaking patrons. Not here: All diners get the same menu, which has both Americanized kung pao and lo mein and bona fide dishes you'd actually find in China. While you may find comfort in ordering your tried-and-true dishes (and they're great here), good things happen when you leap over that Great Wall to the other side of the menu. Cases in point: perfectly snappy shrimp in a hot pepper sauce, sizzling beef with charred scallion, and tea-smoked duck that'll have your taste buds on the road to Shanghai. 260 North Pottstown Pike, Exton, PA 19341, handynasty.net.
Church
From Front and Callowhill to 7th and Lombard, there are more than 20 historic churches, synagogues and Quaker meetinghouses. (For a complete list, visit ushistory.org.) And unless your prospective mate is an avowed atheist, touring them is a beautiful, quiet, even romantic (just not too romantic, people these are houses of worship) way to kill a few hours before contemplating life's meaning over cheap drinks and a cheese plate at Farmicia's weekend happy hour (15 South 3rd Street, 215-627-6274, farmiciarestaurant.com). 00000,
Radice
If the gods of ancient Greece had known that an Italian dessert could sing as sweetly as these lemony clouds of ricotta tucked into pistachio tuiles, they'd have kicked the ambrosia salesman right off the edge of Mount Olympus. 722 West DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, radicerestaurant.com.
Charlie's Old Original Hamburgers
Craving a burger the way burgers used to be just a slim, juicy patty tucked into a squishy white roll? The tasty one at this no-frills roadside shack will take you back. Prices will take you back, too: The Charlie's Special (cheddar, tomato, fried onions and pickles) is just $2.50. You can spend the savings on the killer black-and-white milkshakes, made with Bassetts ice cream. 336 Kedron Avenue, Folsom, PA 19033, .
Honey's Sit 'N Eat
Get to Honeys Sit N Eat before 9 a.m. and you can fill up on two eggs, a potato latke (or home fries), toast and coffee for $3.95 about the same price as a gallon of gas. 2101 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, honeyssitneat.com.
The Grey Lodge Pub
From the wildly popular Friday the Firkinteenths (every Friday the 13th) to events like serving Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA on 1/20, Mike "Scoats" Scotese fills his calendar with fun. 6235 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19135, greylodge.com.
Stone's Beverage Center beer delivery
The selection is huge, the delivery fee is less than you'd pay for a pint, and they bring it to your door. What else do you need to know? 1701 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, stonesofphilly.com.
Individual mink eyelash extensions at Ursula's About Phace
They take anywhere from one and a half to five hours for owner Ursula Augustine to apply, cost from $400 to $2,000, last about two months, and are so good that far-flung clients have been known to reroute their getaways to first land in Philly so this Rittenhouse beauty maven can doll them up, J.Lo-style. And yes, they're really mink. 1700 Sansom Street, Suite 201, Philadelphia, PA 19103, aboutphace201.com.
John Doyle
Imagine a sweet old grandpa. Now imagine that sweet old grandpa pouring you a pint of Stoudt's while telling a dirty joke from behind a 150-year-old bar. Head over to McGillin's on a Friday night and you'll find just such a gent: the delightful John Doyle, who's been behind the stick at Philly's oldest bar for 35 years. If you'd like to buy him a congratulatory drink, he'll take an Irish Mist on the rocks. 1310 Drury Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, mcgillins.com.
Limitless Longevity with Charlie Seltzer
Robin Raskin, Bewellphilly.com weight-loss blogger: Dr. Charlie has helped me completely rethink my approach to healthy eating. He got me away from the scale, focusing instead on how my clothes fit. The best part: When I couldnt get to his Center City office, we set up Skype meetings so we could touch base no matter where I was. 1601 Walnut Street, suite 810, Philadelphia, PA 19102, .
Danzeisen & Quigley
In 52 years, D&Q has morphed from a tiny ski specialty store into a veritable sporting-goods mecca, now with sections for skiing, snowboarding, cycling, swimming and running. What hasn't changed in all that time is the excellent, expert customer service—which is exactly why loyal customers keep going back. 1720 East Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, dandq.com.
Govberg Jewelers
Beneath twinkling chandeliers, tucked in mirrored cases, sit timepieces (Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet) that beg for someone to ask, "Do you have the time?" 1521 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, govbergwatches.com.
Le Viet
Dont hold its upscale looks against it its herbs are the best tended, its menu is the deepest, and its ground shrimp balls are the most succulent in town. 1019 South 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, levietrestaurant.com.
Bonjung
A fine-dining BYO sushi bar and traditional Japanese restaurant (with some Korean dishes thrown in) isn't exactly unheard-of in Philadelphia. But in the 'burbs? You'd have better luck finding a unicorn. And a unicorn wouldn't be nearly as delicious. 50 West 3rd Avenue, Collegeville, PA 19426, bonjungsushi.com.