December 12, 2019
fish dinner

The Feast of the 7 Fishes: A Philadelphia Christmas Tradition

One of the better-known Philadelphia holiday traditions is the Feast of the 7 Fishes. As the name implies, this is a dinner meant to leave the table groaning under the weight of the abundance: seven (minimum – other odd numbers like nine, eleven, or even thirteen!) courses are served with all the family gathered ’round on Christmas Eve, to celebrate […]
December 11, 2019
mugs

Beyond Tinsel: Three Bars to Get Your Festivus Spirit Going This Year

I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve given Tinsel a lot of coverage on this blog. The concept of a recurring holiday pop-up bar is a fun one, especially now that the owners have expanded on the concept and gotten in on the Halloween gig as well. December is a time of year when people love to be enveloped in […]
December 9, 2019
bananas

Giant Alternative Format Stores a Hit in Center City

National chain stores are gradually figuring out the formula to bringing all the convenience of a big store to a small, city-friendly format: and they’re doing it in Philadelphia. A few years ago, Target successfully test-drove a Center City location with an itty-bitty footprint and curated assortment of products aimed at those that live, work, and play downtown. Now, grocery […]
December 5, 2019
hygge

Get Your Hygge On This Holiday

It’s almost 2020, and “hygge” is not losing steam as an aspirational buzzword. This Danish loan-word, pronounced “hoo-gah,” represents the coziness of home, family, and comfort. Never is there a time of year more conducive to some super hygge than the holiday season, when friends and family gather all together and enjoy good food, great company, and carols, stories, and […]
December 3, 2019
philadelphia

Smart Money: Invest in These Center City Neighborhoods

If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re thinking of moving to Philadelphia. That’s already a great life decision. The City of Brotherly Love is filled with history and cultural significance, along with a welcoming and diverse population. The City of Brotherly Love is often known as “a city of neighborhoods” owing to the fact that different areas of the city have […]
November 26, 2019
tinsel

This Black Friday, Get Your Tinsel On

For some people, Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – means shopping oneself into oblivion as the malls and department stores bowl you over with doorbusters and other great deals. For Center City-ites, however, this Friday means the yearly start of a young but beloved holiday tradition: the opening of Tinsel, the renowned holiday pop-up bar, on 12th Street […]
November 21, 2019
bathroom

Have We Hit Max Open-Concept? A Philly Rental Challenges the Trend

“Open concept” as a real estate buzzword has, in my humble opinion, hit peak saturation. I myself don’t see the point in knocking down perfectly good walls that delineate living space and allow for privacy and containment of noise, but I realize that’s a personal preference. The majority of today’s buyers want a free-flowing, wide-open floorplan where kitchen, dining room, […]
November 20, 2019
theater food

A Movie Theater Finally Comes to Center City… But There’s a Catch

AMC’s new Center City multiplex has been decades in the making. Long has downtown suffered from a lack of cinemas to watch first-run blockbusters on the big screen, and the new screens at the Fashion District Philadelphia will undoubtedly have plenty of butts in its seats going forward. However, at least one patron who has already experienced what the AMC […]
November 19, 2019
wedding cake

Philadelphia Weddings: The Top Spots for Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes: on a scale of 1-10, how important are they? I’d say about “8,” behind the venue and the bride’s dress, but tied with photography, flowers, and music. Every wedding of every faith shares in common a wedding cake tradition. It can be a towering confection taller than the bride or a simple sheet cake, but everyone knows that […]