Wayward Collection
All the offerings here are thoughtfully chosen, but the designer selection is a standout because it focuses on form, not flash — nothing is logoed or loud. You’ll revel in the joy of knowing that your jacquard blouse is 1970s YSL, your shirtdress is Halston, and your wide-leg pants are D&G — but no one else will know. Operates inside Cuttalossa & Co., 47 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, waywardcollection.com.
Proyecto Tamal
Pre-coronavirus, Ana Caballero was the chef at Lost Bread Co. But when disaster struck, she lost her job and turned her talents to protecting those being failed by our all-too-fragile social safety nets. This is how Proyecto Tamal was born. In partnership with Lost Bread and in collaboration with two families each week, Caballero does a weekly tamale sale, with recipes defined by the partner families and supplies covered by Venmo donations (@proyecto-tamal). All money raised goes to the families she works with. An average run of 400 tamales can mean $1,500 for a family in need. To Philly’s credit, the tamales have been selling out fast every week. lost-bread-co.myshopify.com/collections/project-tamale.
Women’s Wellness Spaces
Philly’s female-health-focused wellness spaces are absolutely popping off. In Rittenhouse, VSPOT Medi Spa (vspotmedispa.com) focuses on intimate treatments for women, from a golden vagina facial to orgasm injections — as well as open conversations on issues like incontinence. Contour Body Studio (contourbodystudio.com) in Kensington offers V-steams, body contouring, and simple cosmetic services like teeth whitening. And in King of Prussia, Main Line Health (mainlinehealth.org) opened a $64 million medical center with Axia Women’s Health (axiawh.com) in March with six floors of primary care, ob-gyn services, cardiology, and behavioral health offerings, all focused on women — plus a cafe, an apothecary-style boutique, a space for yoga classes, and an under-construction rooftop farm.
Maleek Jackson Fitness Boxing Gym
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Looking for a healthy way for your kid to release some of the past year’s stress? At 4 p.m. every weekday, this NoLibs fitness space gets youth ages seven to 17 practicing gloved punches. Jackson’s upcoming after-school program will serve those needing mentorship and positive community ties. 926 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, maleekjacksonfitness.com.
La Canasta
La Canasta opened deep in the heart of South Philly’s Whitman neighborhood doing a classic taqueria menu with a rotating list of specials (mango-glazed chicken sandwiches! Short-rib burgers!). But the thing to order here is the namesake tacos de canasta — tortillas stuffed with pork or beans and steamed in hot chili oil and onions, only available on the weekends. 2341 South 4th Street , Philadelphia, PA 19148, philadelphiamexicanfood.com.
Varlo Apparel
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Former Division-I track star Soj Jibowu stumbled into the world of triathlon competitions without even knowing how to swim — and still managed to create multi-sport drag-resistant apparel that compresses in all the right places. You can also create your own sleek design from the more than 300 fabric choices in the custom online shop. varlosports.com.
Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books
At Marc Lamont Hill’s Germantown bookstore, you’ll find a well-curated assortment of timely reads as well as classics, plus a cozy hangout space equipped with a coffee bar and eatery. 5445 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, unclebobbies.com/#top.
PHLove
We loved watching Philly (and formerly Philly) music greats Darryl Hall, Questlove, Amos Lee and Patti LaBelle come together for this telethon/variety show, which raised $1.5 million for the PHL COVID-19 Relief Fund. Miss Patti absolutely killed it, as did the gospel choir that followed her. Find the full concert on YouTube. philafound.org/covid-19/phlove.
Dottie’s Serenade Service
How do you make loved ones feel special on their birthdays when they can’t have their friends and fam all around them? A Zoom party? Pfft. You send them the marvelous Dot Levine of Dottie’s Serenade Service, where the apt motto is “Give the Gift of Joy.” Prices start at $76, and Dot has a pretty vast repertoire, ranging from Willy Wonka to the Cure to traditional Yiddish ditties. dottiesserenadeservice.com.
Michael Gagliardi
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When Somerton’s Michael “Gagz” Gagliardi set out to run the perimeter of Philadelphia, he was just looking to keep himself busy during stay-at-home orders. But he mapped his route turn by turn, then released those directions publicly (find ’em at phillymag.com/fourcornersrun), thereby setting a new, extremely hype running goal for every Philly runner out there, the likes of which Philly’s fitness community hasn’t seen since the Rocky 50K Fat Ass Run. phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2020/04/27/perimeter-of-philadelphia-run.
Yogawood
The vinyasa classes kick butt, yes. But with family nights, pay-what-you-can acupuncture, free meditation, daily $7 classes, plus yoga for kids, moms-to-be and baby-and-me, this studio is more of a community center, serving the neighborhood, giving back a little good karma on your way to nirvana. 688 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108, yogawood.com.
Savona
It claims to have one of the largest wine lists in Pennsylvania, with more than 1,000 bottles, but it's the quality, not quantity, that impresses here. Under the watchful eye (or nose?) of Melissa -Monosoff (below) one of only 15 women in the U.S. to hold the rank of Master Sommelier this list has something for everyone, from pinot-grigio--swilling ladies-who-lunch to rare bordeaux for the heavy-hitting oenophiles. 100 Old Gulph Road, Gulph Mills, PA 19428, savonarestaurant.com.
B Wilson, Just B Beautiful
B will do your face up right for any occasion with airbrush makeup and uber-natural-looking fake eyelashes. Call or see website for appointment, 00000, justbbeautiful.com.
Coeur
Yes, it's tiny, but it's worth a peek inside: You're not going to find such lovely delicacies from Khurana, Christine Vancouver and La Perla under one roof (plus, ahem, a few other specialties tucked into a discreet little closet) anywhere else. 132 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, coeurlingerie.com.
Rogue Theory
The best screen covers we've seen, all fun colors and handsome patterns, plus loads of klutz-proof padding. That they're all handmade in Philly makes the deal even sweeter. 00000, etsy.com/people/RogueTheory.