Buddha Babe
Kids’ clothes can often look so, well, childish. Tina Dixon Spence’s Buddha Babe appeals to style-conscious moms like NBC 10 meteorologist Brittney Shipp with deliciously soft baby essentials that pack plenty of personality, from the newly redesigned “Philly LOVE” theme to anything splashed with “Lil Jawn.” The store’s new sewing classes are some of the hottest tickets in town, with summer camp for kids and Sip and Sew sessions for parents quickly selling out. 7101 Emlen Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119, buddhababe.com.
Jim Thorpe
There aren’t many places that are just 90 minutes away and that offer exhilarating white-water rafting excursions, adventurous-sounding (but actually quite easy) mountain-bike journeys down a gorge (the key word being down), scenic rides on a historic train, and a cute Main-Street-America shopping district with bars, restaurants, and eclectic boutiques and indie bookstores. Come to think of it: There’s only one!
Rue Landau and Nina Ahmad
Cherelle Parker wasn’t the only ground-breaking “first” to emerge from our primaries. Landau and Ahmad made some hard-to-believe history with their victories in the City Council at-large race. Landau will become, shockingly, the first openly LGBTQ candidate to win a City Council seat. And Ahmad will become the first South Asian and immigrant elected. Both communities have fought for decades to be represented within City Hall — we’re excited to see how they’ll impact change now that they’re finally there.
Supply Library
Books? Who reads books anymore? West Philly’s free Supply Library is far more hands-on. The dropbox on South 50th Street from multimedia artist Cassie Jones, with its “Leave what you don’t need. Take what you want” sign, is a spot for DIYers to drop off or pick up arts-and-crafts odds and ends, from leftover yarn to fabric scraps to … well, the only limit’s the imagination, right? Jones hopes it’s the first of many.
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve
The name is fairly self-explanatory: acres upon acres of positively gorgeous wildflowers. Plus, fun nature activities like the Shinrin-yoku nature therapy walk on August 11th and a family-friendly look at spiders on August 25th. Like what you see growing in the beds? Visit Bowman’s Native Plant Nursery to buy some for yours. 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938, bhwp.org.
Libertee Grounds
The Fairmount bar’s already great Philly-themed mini golf course is getting a refresh this fall, expanding from nine holes to 18 and unveiling a pro-level golf simulator. Add to that an outdoor beer garden, kid-friendly hours on Sunday afternoons, and plenty of TVs for Birds-watching, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a weekend outing. liberteegrounds.com.
MVMNT Center
This small-but-mighty space is less than a year old but has quickly established itself as a go-to, with everything you need for optimal wellness: a roster of Pilates, strength training and mobility workouts plus cold-plunge tubs, infrared saunas and vitamin C showers. There are also rotating events on topics like breathwork, nutrition and skin health. Good (ahem, great) news: A second location is coming soon. 609 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147, mvmntcenter.com.
Pirate Pebbs
Think being a karaoke host is easy — that you just hit play and introduce a singer? Wrong. You need personality. You need to be able to belt out some tunes yourself to get people in the mood. And you need to be able to deal with drunk people. Pirate Pebbs, as she goes by, checks all those boxes and can pull off Prince, Lady Gaga and Tracy Chapman, which is quite the feat. Find her at SouthHouse, Tavern on Camac and El Bar. instagram.com/piratepebbskaraoke.
Le Souk Market
From the owners behind Northeast Philly’s Bishos (the very same Bishos that won Best of Philly in 2023 for their highly refreshing lemonana) comes a new organic market stuffed to the gills with goods from across the Middle East and North Africa — many of them made in-house, such as their roasted nuts, pickles, baklawa and spice blends. Don’t miss their extravagant and utterly popular made-to-order crepes and waffles. 7952 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, instagram.com/lesoukmarketphilly.
Wild Yeast Bakehouse
If you think you perfected the art of sourdough during the pandemic, think again. John Goncher bakes the perfect loaf, with a sturdy crust that gives way to an airy, chewy and tangy interior with every bite. You can try Wild Yeast for yourself by subscribing to his bread share for a weekly delivery, or try to snag some sourdough at the Media farmers’ market. But get there early — he sells out fast. wildyeastbakehouse.com.
Val’s Lesbian Bar
Philadelphia hasn’t had a lesbian bar worth going to since Sisters closed in 2013. But South Philly couple Julia Harris and Clover Gilfor are working to change that by opening one in Old City, hopefully within the next year. Meanwhile, the pair hosts a bevy of pop-up parties, mixers and other events for the sapphically inclined, whether you’re into poetry, DJs, flea markets or live music. @Valslesbianbar. instagram.com/valslesbianbar.
Florian Francis
Some rugs are just too special to live out their days on the floor, being trampled and spilled upon. No, handmade tufted fiber art like that by Florian Francis earns a place on the wall. Francis’s pieces are often pop-culture referential (like the popular customizable TV dinner designs). Our favorites, though, are the hoagie and the Cheez Whiz. They’re both contenders for our kitchen decor. florianfrancis.bigcartel.com.
Party Host Helpers
It’s your party, you can cry if you want to … or you can pay some good people to handle all the laborious stuff that you don’t want to do–setting tables, tending bar, cleaning up, checking coats. This Wayne-based company, now in 30 cities nationwide, is the key to making your next shindig actually enjoyable–for you. partyhosthelper.com.
Performance Meal Prep
All the menu items from no-commitment meal-delivery service Performance Meal Prep (sweet-and-sour meatballs, jerk chicken tacos, roasted veggies) are fresh, healthy and tasty. Which is precisely why plenty of local trainers–and even some Phillies players–have standing orders. Services Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties, plus South Jersey and Delaware. eatpmp.com.
Pet Nanny
Instead of Fido going to the doggie motel, the Pet Nanny comes to Fido. Pet-first-aid-certified “nannies” stay overnight with your fur baby when you’re outta town — and while they’re there, they can also vacuum your carpets, water your plants, and even pick up a few groceries. Services the Main Line. pet-nanny.net.