Kent Studios
Remember the utter shock you felt the first time you tried to have a beloved band poster professionally framed? Nothing, you thought, will ever be worthy of hanging on a wall at that price. There’s an alternative. Opened in 1953, Kent Studios is still offering top-notch framing with thousands of options for frames and matting, and the prices still feel fair. So top-notch and fair, in fact, that customers and designers come from New York, New Jersey and Delaware to get their artwork (and band posters) custom-framed. 190 Fairview Road, Woodlyn, PA 19094, kentstudios.net.
Carolyn Clement
Yes, Carolyn is sweet and patient and comes with a bag of tricks for the kids, but no one would get into family photography who wasn’t and didn’t. It’s really her work that makes her so sought-after—photos that capture casual, authentic moments in cool city settings (historic alleys, old park steps). Worth every penny. Carolynclementphotography.com.
The Clam Tavern
If you show up at 7 p.m. without reservations, you’re most likely SOL. (The crowds have been coming since the 1960s for the cheap cocktails, small-town service and baked clams.) But we’ve got a secret: The Broadway Bar & Grille, across the street, has the same owner and serves the full Clam Tavern menu. 339 East Broadway Avenue, Clifton Heights, PA 19018, clamtavern.net.
Poi Dog
Fried chicken junkies, if you’re looking to get your fix from different latitudes, you won’t want to miss this Big Island version, where the bird is dipped in sweet rice flour, doused in furikake seasoning, and topped with togarashi-yuzu mayo. Psst: It comes on the lunch plate with two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and pickled red cabbage. Yum. 102 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, poidogphilly.com.
La Maison
There’s something about rustic French cooking that’s just so comforting. It could be the simplicity in a cuisine built on rigid rules and regulations. Or maybe it’s the sense of calm that comes from recipes perfected across generations. And in the hands of chef Martin Gagne, in this 300-year-old farmhouse/24-seat prix-fixe BYOB, you taste all of that and more. 1470 Old Ridge Road, Coventryville, PA 19465, martinskitchen.com/wp/cuisine-du-marche.
Assassin’s Handbook at Friday Saturday Sunday
These days, even your corner shot-and-a-beer bar can mix up a technically perfect manhattan. (In other words, we wonder if Philly has reached maximum craft-cocktail capacity.) And then along comes barman Paul MacDonald with his zinger of a list. The star: the Assassin’s Handbook, a mixture of Jamaican rum, cognac, averna, amaro and mulled wine, with a spark of habanero at the finish. Wow. 261 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, fridaysaturdaysunday.com.
Aleksandra Ambrozy
Philly brides have long known about this Polish-born talent—heck, Taylor Swift bestie Britany Maack employed her for her Reading wedding. But you don’t actually have to be walking down the aisle to get Ambrozy’s help. Pop into her airy studio before a big night out, have her come to your place for special-occasion prep, or sign up for one of her product-and-technique-instructive makeup classes to learn her tricks yourself. 1118 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, aleksandraambrozy.com.
The Training Station
Why? That’s the question that comes to mind when you learn former pro runner Phil Clark moved his gym_—and all its fancy equipment handpicked for serious athletes—from the Piazza’s shiny Rialto building to a dingy, unassuming strip mall on Spring Garden. But once you walk into the light-filled space—complete with a lengthy turf runway you’d think impossible for a city gym—it all makes sense. 533 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, phillytrainingstation.com.
Bundy
As an authorized Apple dealer, Bundy -- in business for nearly a century -- does vigorous in-house testing on the rehabbed iPads it gets from a reliable source, and each purchase comes with a free 90-day warranty. But the "open box" items, which have only been used for demo or floor-model purposes, are the real steal: On a recent trip, we spotted a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2014 priced $400 below nearly identical newer models. 1809 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, bundycomputer.com.
Enliven Planters
If your neighbors' verdant window boxes make you and your scattering of marigolds feel inadequate, consider a subscription from Bucks County-based Enliven Planters. Their garden designers — the same brains behind the beautiful boxes at Vedge and Russet — will come at the start of every season to create a customized box or planter that can hold its own against any of the other stunners in your neighborhood. enlivenplanters.com.
Back-to-School Classes at Ink + Mortar
Sign up for one of the intimate classes offered by this stellar branding and design studio. (They've worked with such stylish local companies as BHLDN, Maggpie Vintage and Peg and Awl.) Expert instructors will help you master topics ranging from SEO to basic photography to digital art, and hands-on brainstorming time will get your gears turning. You'll come out on the other side with new skills and a stronger brand. 125 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, inkandmortar.com.
Mason Dixon
The cutest footwear we've ever seen comes from Mason Dixon, a collection of kids' booties and derby shoes by Fishtown's Heather Holiday. Hand-cut leather laces, hand-sewn soles, whimsical color pairings and adorable styles make you wish she made them in adult sizes. (Wish granted: She finally does.) Philadelphia, PA mason-dixon-made.myshopify.com.
Private School by Bela Shehu
You could find rainbow art installations, bleacher seating, DJs, chef tastings, and dozens of local vendors selling everything from jewelry (Forge + Finish) to clothing (the founder’s own NINOBrand) to design-forward furniture (Minima) at this tastemaker’s ticketed month-long pop-up last spring. Missed it? Don’t fret: More, at different locations, are coming soon.
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.
Buffalo Cauliflower at Front Street Cafe
We get it. You want to eat healthy, but the world is just full of delicious things that are so, so bad for you. Here's what you do: Lie to yourself. Go to Front Street Cafe and tell yourself the Buffalo cauliflower is good for you, because, you know, it's a vegetable, right? And completely ignore the fact that this cauliflower comes crisp and deep-fried, with a spicy Buffalo-sauce-spiked crust and a side of creamy cucumber-dill dressing. Look at you, health nut. 1253 North Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, frontstreetcafe.net.