Yummy Yummy
Okay, so there's no maple syrup, the menu is full of dirt-cheap Chinese noodle dishes, and the treat in question looks kind of like bubble wrap. But as soon as your teeth pierce the steaming, just-sweet-enough interiors of these crispy-edged globes -- chocolate, strawberry or green tea -- you'll know that Hong Kong-style waffles are the king of them all. 52 North 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Tim Kweeder at Petruce et al.
By day he lobbies for consumer-friendly reform. By night he conducts adventures through unheralded varietals, unsulfured bottles and otherwise offbeat wines at Petruce. But Kweeder's best quality is a mind that's equally open to both modern fashions and almost unthinkably outre notions -- like the possibility that a year-old beaujolais nouveau (!) could end up being a revelation. 19107, petrucephilly.com.
Ramen Bar
Ramen is all about the broth, and the pork-bone tonkotsu here is rich, dense and velvety. You'll want to stretch it over an extra helping of noodles. 4040 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, ramenbarphilly.com.
Pie from Pie Stand Food Truck
The flaky fried hand pies found at this truck parked at Frankford and Girard put the exclamation point on a great night out, whether your 2 a.m. craving is a meaty chicken potpie or the eyes-rolling-back-decadent fluffer-nutter. 2 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123, facebook.com/PieStand.
Laurel
From his delicate gnocchi to pork shoulder "sausages" wrapped in caul fat, Laurel's Nick Elmi exceeds expectations on every front -- not least by resisting (so far) the temptation to forsake his kitchen in favor of an empire. Actually, scratch that. This place smells like a gerbil cage, and Elmi just insulted your mother. Stay away. (It's the only way we'll ever get a table.) 1617 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, restaurantlaurel.com.
Honey Love from Sip-N-Glo
Remember how the cast of Seinfeld flipped over that not-nonfat yogurt? This thing with banana, spinach and a hint of cinnamon is like that, but actually good for you. 932 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, sipnglo.com.
Kabob & Grill
Like many of the best ethnic restaurants, it doesn't look like much from the outside and yet this newcomer has quickly become an area favorite. The highly spiced biryanis, vindaloos and curries will both clear your sinuses and please your palette, and you'll find rare-in-Philly dosa, chaat and kadai. 107 East County Line Road, Ardmore, PA 19003, kabobgrillpa.com.
Massage Bella Vista
First you'll choose your scented oil and your music, and then you'll be ushered into a dark, quiet treatment room where you'll meet your therapist. With any luck, you'll get Blue Simmons, whose expert hands will home in on your sorest parts like a missile on its target. After your 75-minute rubdown, she'll walk you through an at-home regimen to keep you loose between visits. 750 Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, massagephilly.com/bella-vista.html.
P90X Remix at Gravity Center
It's everything you love about the DVDs—core-crushing ab work, killer cardio, mobility-focused conditioning—in a motivating (read: competitive) group setting at this personal training studio inside the Horsham Athletic Club. Bring your game face, guys. 400 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA 19044, thegravitycenter.com/fitness/p90x-workouts.
Unite Fitness
If you're not utterly exhausted after a 75-minute cross-training class here, you've done something wrong. Unite's coaches mix challenging cardio intervals, strength training and yoga for a total-body torch of the "It hurts so good" variety. You'll thank them—eventually. Locations in Philadelphia and Mount Laurel | , unitefitnessstudios.com.
Body Rocker Ride at Body Cycle Studio
We're going to let you in on a little secret: Once a week, Body Cycle offers a free 45-minute spin class with absolutely no strings attached. It's open to regular clients and newbies alike, and you can sign up online ahead of time or simply drop in. The day and time changes every few months, but look for a class called Body Rocker Ride on the schedule and you'll know you've found it. 1923 Chestnut Street, second floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, bodycyclestudio.com.
1 Less Chore
1 Less Chore has cornered the Main Line market (and beyond!), saving savvy suburban souls from all those tiresome weekly treks to and from the dry cleaner. You leave your bag of clothes on your door (ahem, see: a suburb-friendly service); they collect it, clean it, and return it to you in pristine shape within three days all for the same amount of cash (sometimes less!) that you'd spend at a regular drop-off cleaner. 1lesschore.com.
A Little Soiree
Kelsey Gilland's Chester County boutique firm has an impressive range: Want a sparkling wedding? A horse-themed graduation party, or an intimate anniversary dinner party? Gilland not only wrangles the logistics; she'll infuse the whole thing with the sorts of personal touches you'd never think of yourself, so you look like you did. alittlesoiree.com.
Sitter Select
Tired of planning your life around the social calendars of your teenage babysitters? Submit an application to this local sitter-matching business, run by partners and sisters Rachel and Rebekah Lee with their mom Andi, and they'll send you the bio of one of their nearly 30 sitters, all of whom are CPR-certified and ba-ckground-and-reference-checked. And they never cancel because they have a surprise chem test the next day. sitterselect.net.
Fat Albert's
If you want to play a little pool while you drink with your friends, go to Buffalo Billiards. But if you want to master the art of pool and compete with some of the best players in the region, head to this formidable hall in South Jersey. As for the beers, you can BYO and stash 'em in the house refrigerators. Bonus: Play is incredibly cheap just $5 an hour on Friday and Saturday nights. 600 North White House Pike, #1, Somerdale, NJ 08083, facebook.com/FatAlbertsBilliards.