Millésimé
How to turn your home into a place that looks as if it's been plucked from the pages of a modern-design magazine: Let owner Jinous Kazemi walk you through her collection of Ligne Roset couches; customizable wall hutches by USM Modular Furniture; and decadent leather armchairs, side tables and headboards by Poltrona Frau — and then buy it all. 33 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, millesime.us.
All Around This World
Parents rave about dad Jay Sand's internationally themed music classes, taught weekly from his West Philadelphia home. Kids eight and under are a captive audience for what one mom describes as Sand's "wonderful songs, great singing and guitar playing, ridiculous wit, crazy dance moves, and understanding of what it means to be a child." 00000, allaroundthisworld.com.
Suzie Brown
Bluesy, folksy, achy, rich, sweet-voiced Suzie Brown: A practicing cardiologist pursuing a career in singing (her own songs) and playing the guitar, she's part Emmylou Harris, part Alison Krauss, and totally worth seeing. (Try Tin Angel.) Or even just hearing her debut album is calledSide Streets. Visit Her Website 00000, suziebrownsongs.com.
Showing With Style
If there was a collective shriek of horror from soon-to-be-moms when Manayunk's Belly closed in 2008, there was an equally loud sigh of relief when Chelsea Ivsin and Elizabeth Long, then-employees of the store, kept the lease and reopened last May all during their senior year at Philadelphia University. Their selection of flattering, easy-to-wear maternity clothes, handbag-pretty diaper bags and It strollers has us just as impressed as the story of how their shop came to be.
4321 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127,
.
Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar
Coordinating your gal pals for mani/pedis would be a logistical nightmare if not for group-welcoming Nail Bar, where the mimosas are complimentary and the polish job is exceptional. For dinner, Alma de Cuba is fun and flirty, but not a meat market, so you won't have to spend your time fending off creeps. Bring the evening to a giddy end at Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar, where tipsy girls singing loudly are perfectly acceptable. 2006 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, jollyspianobar.com.
Alma de Cuba
Coordinating your gal pals for mani/pedis would be a logistical nightmare if not for group-welcoming Nail Bar, where the mimosas are complimentary and the polish job is exceptional. For dinner, Alma de Cuba is fun and flirty, but not a meat market, so you won't have to spend your time fending off creeps. Bring the evening to a giddy end at Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar, where tipsy girls singing loudly are perfectly acceptable. 1623 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, almadecubarestaurant.com.
Nail Bar
Coordinating your gal pals for mani/pedis would be a logistical nightmare if not for group-welcoming Nail Bar, where the mimosas are complimentary and the polish job is exceptional. For dinner, Alma de Cuba is fun and flirty, but not a meat market, so you won't have to spend your time fending off creeps. Bring the evening to a giddy end at Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar, where tipsy girls singing loudly are perfectly acceptable. 133 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, nailbarphila.com.
Mish Mish
Along with Jeff Goldblum’s filmography and the bathroom jokes in Ulysses, this apricot-adorned spot fits into the highbrow/lowbrow category that makes daily existence more enjoyable. Mish Mish doesn’t take itself too seriously — the wine list has tasting notes like “red silk pajamas” and “gabagoolian” — yet the hospitality is as finely tuned as at any upscale spot. So if you ever need to create the illusion that you’re chill and have great taste, book a table, order some grilled octopus with muhammara, then sit by the Singing Fountain and discuss your hopes and fears and the Jawn Morgan billboards on I-95. 1046 Tasker Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, mishmishphilly.com.
Ali’s Wagon
Fairmounters heaved a collective sigh of disappointment when home and gift shop (and 2017 BOP winner) Division IV shuttered earlier this year. But we needn’t have despaired: Owner Jessie Menken simply moved all of her gift-able goodies down the block to sister shop Ali’s Wagon, so we can still buy those terrifically thoughtful hostess gifts – candles, tote bags, tea towels, olive oils, salt scrubs, simple syrups, mugs – for anyone kind enough to invite us over for dinner. 2017 Fairmount Ave , Philadelphia , PA 19130, aliswagon.com.
Shannon Turner
This Philly cabaret performer can belt. She’s the only person we know who can pull off the biggest Broadway tunes in history, Black Sabbath, and Pink Floyd’s vocally exacting “Great Gig in the Sky,” which we once saw her sing from the roof of the Bok Bar in front of a sold-out crowd as the sun was setting on the horizon. Magical. The good news is that she’ll teach you all her secrets at your place or hers, or virtually. At the very least, your karaoke game will never be the same. instagram.com/shantasm29.
Pro-Team Collision
You don’t go to a body shop because you want to go to a body shop. You go because some dingus let a shopping cart go and it slammed into the side of your brand-new car, or you got rear-ended on the Blue Route. So it’s always nice to meet a crew like those at Pro-Team Collision, who handle your work with care and a sense of urgency. Need to (sigh) work with your insurance company? Pro-Team will do that work for you, to save you a bit of hassle. 378 Crooked Lane, King of Prussia, PA 19406, proteamcollision.com.
Bus Stop Shoe Boutique
Not going to lie: We snapped up a pair of the bright green Peridot mules as soon as they launched this summer as part of designer and boutique owner Elena Brennan’s new 15th anniversary Bus Stop X Loud collection. The collab with All Black includes Brennan’s first toe-baring creations in fresh colors and styles that sing of summer — like a kicky pink topaz sandal with suede, gold recycled fish skin, and a pearl metallic patent heel. We painted our nails a magenta hue and sported them around Portugal and Spain in June. 727 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, busstopboutique.com.
Upstairs at Vetri
What was once a storage room where chefs used to nap is now a Napa-esque private space with a giant wooden table, a beautiful demo kitchen, and glass cases that show off the wine collection. If you see it firsthand, that means you're partaking in an intimate and enviable experience: one of the regular small-group demos, classes or dinners with the region's top tastemakers. A recent lineup on the calendar? A cocktail class with L� from Hop Sing, a BYOB dinner with Vetri's sommelier, and a pasta-making class with Marc himself, which cost $300 but was sold out in mere minutes. 1312 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, vetriristorante.com.
Anthony Riley
After a too-long and stressful day, your walk home suddenly feels romantic. The sun's going down, and someone is crooning "Stand by Me" in Rittenhouse Square. You approach a crowd gathered around a clean-shaven 20-something busker who cycles through the Temptations, Sam Cooke and the Beatles. You notice a gorgeous stranger. Your eyes meet. And suddenly you forget why you were so stressed out to begin with. Riley is that good. (That he once took on Licenses and Inspections for the right to sing in the park doesn't hurt.) phillymag.com/news/2012/09/04/philadelphia-street-performers.
Oyster House
When Sansom Street Oyster House closed its doors two years ago, we sighed with sadness ... and relief. The eatery, run by the Mink family since 1976, had sunk into mediocrity after it was sold in 2000. Fast-forward to 2009 Sam Mink, grandson of the original Mink, took back the biz, reworked the menu, and brought light (white subway tile, floor-to-ceiling windows) to a space that had clung to its dark, wood-paneled decor. Of course, there are still oysters, and the snapper soup is still served properly, with sherry. There are lots more Philly institutions that could use such a face-lift we suggest putting a Mink in charge of them all. 1516 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, oysterhousephilly.com.