Longform

Foobooz

How Surfside Took Over the Cocktail World

It’s moving day at Surfside headquarters in Kensington. In the main office upstairs, cardboard boxes sit ready to be taped closed, and the neon “Surfside” […]

tom mcallister it all felt impossible
City Life

Tom McAllister’s It All Felt Impossible Explores Growing Up in Philadelphia in 42 Essays

A few years ago, author and Rutgers-Camden professor Tom McAllister was stuck in a writing rut. In an attempt to extract himself from said rut, […]

City Life

How Conshohocken Got Cool

It’s a gray day in mid-February, and I’m standing inside a bright shop in Conshohocken perusing the goods. There are crystals — glimmering Brazilian citrine […]

City Life

The Beef Bandits of Nicetown: Inside the Biggest Cargo Theft Ring in Modern Philadelphia History

Lieutenant George Ackerman didn’t know who was causing it, but something funny had started to happen. It was the spring of 2022, and Ackerman was […]

City Life

Our Phones Are Making Us Miserable — So Why Can’t We Let Go?

There are a few things I do in my daily life that aren’t particularly good for me but that I take great pleasure in. I […]

City Life

How the Pandemic Rewired My Sense of Place and Time

In general, I’ve lived a long and happy life. Sure, there have been intervals of hardship — I lost my mother and a sister too […]

City Life

From CAPA to Motown Philly: How One Philadelphia High School Made Boyz II Men

The following is an excerpt from the upcoming book Boyz II Men 40th Anniversary Celebration, which chronicles the group’s ascent from Philly teenagers to Grammy […]

City Life

Krasner vs. Dugan: Inside the District Attorney Race That Will Define Philly’s Future

Pat Dugan couldn’t take any more from Larry Krasner. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, at a meeting in the Municipal Services Building […]

City Life

“I Hope Your Team Sucks and Loses”: Inside the Head of John Kruk

Last April, while broadcasting a Phillies game in San Diego, John Kruk noticed he had a window. The seventh inning had just started. The Phillies […]

City Life

Highway to Hell: Inside PennDOT’s Plan to Widen I-95 Through South Philly

The Southeast Youth Athletic Association is wedged into a small square block in South Philly. On some level, the location is fitting: From the blacktopped […]

City Life

Philly Special: How Dawn Staley Went From 25th and Diamond to the Top of the Basketball World

Dawn Staley walks gingerly (thank you, eight knee surgeries) onto the Carolina Coliseum court carrying a cup of coffee, with Champ, her seven-year-old Havanese, skittering […]

Property

Philly Housing Prices Are Through the Roof. But There Are Ways to Fix It

Browse the listings on your preferred real estate website these days and here’s what you might find: A three-bedroom in East Passyunk that sold for […]

City Life

Dan Rhoton’s Big, Audacious Plan to End Poverty

A dozen years ago, Dan Rhoton was walking down a street in North Philly when he heard someone calling: “Mr. Rhoton! Mr. Rhoton!” He turned […]

City Life

Steven Singer Loves the Haters

“Have you started your story yet?” Dad asks from across the table. My husband and I are out to dinner with my parents, and the […]

City Life

The Battle Over Philly’s Clean Hydrogen Revolution

Before we meet up, Chris DiGiulio warns me there’s a chance we’ll get hassled by security. She’s bringing a camera — which she says can […]