Shop Around the Corner

Courtesy of Cafe 12

Some still remember it as Millennium. Others refuse to stop calling it Brew Ha Ha. But as Cafe 12, the go-to coffee shop in the Gayborhood for a little pick me up, the new owners have gone organic. While it’s a great place to chit chat and be seen – especially as the weather warms and the gays swarm to outdoor tables – Cafe 12 is now serving 100 percent Arabica-grown coffee. Translated: Philly is being treated to the stuff straight from the Himalayas. Every cup of this fair trade elixir is helping farmers in Third World countries.

Courtesy of Duross & Langel

When I’m not kicking back with a cup of Joe, I’m enjoying the greatest bath and body products from my gay friends at Duross & Langel. The guys just opened a second shop across the river in Haddonfield, N.J., where we can all get our favorite soaps, creams and body butter now on the town’s main drag, as well as the flagship

Courtesy of Catalyst

store on Philly’s 13th Street corridor. We’re just waiting impatiently until they offer the Moroccan Cedar in a big bottle.

While I’m indulging in the finer things, I wanted to let you know about Catalyst, a new raw food and juice bar opening on 12th Street. After enjoying a sample of their miracle concoctions, I already feel younger and prettier. Check out their website – they’ll be opening soon. I cannot wait for the grand opening to detox for spring.

Matthew Izzo is the owner of Matthew Izzo, a fashion and furniture boutique with a new location on 12th Street.