Blossom
Blink and you'll miss this little shop, which from the sidewalk looks as though it vends orchids only, but then reveals itself to be unrivaled when it comes to imaginative and sophisticated arrangements incorporating all sorts of blooms. We've tried DIY here; it doesn't quite work. Let owner Kevin Kim do his thing. You'll be happy. 225 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, .
Dejanaya Spicer
What began as swirly stress relief has become a creative career for this West Philly artist. Her emotional pieces have simple silhouettes drawn in colored lines and squiggles that never touch yet all come together cohesively. Her preferred drawing instrument? The Sharpie. “You can see those perfect details, the shape of the body, the curve of the hair,” says Spicer, who’s also a full-time photographer. Her first exhibit is via Fitler Club’s artist-in-residence program; those of us who aren’t members can browse her work online. lovesickartgallery.com.
Eli Collins, A.Kitchen
Eli Collins, A.Kitchen’s executive chef / Photograph by Jeff Fusco In a restaurant world roaring with egos (excuse us, personalities), Collins quietly lets his food speak for itself. Since 2017, A.Kitchen’s executive chef has been flexing his talent and imagination sub rosa, evolving new recipes and techniques for his ever-changing menu at this Rittenhouse cafe. You can see it in the smallest details: the dab of made-from-scratch date mustard that comes with the chicken liver terrine, the delicate tortellini hand-filled with chevre from a local farm, the mussels with broth built from ramps and pickled long hots. What’s missing from the menu is any shred of ego. Instead, every dish gets to be the star. 135 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, akitchenandbar.com.
Tyrese Maxey
Post-game press conferences are where original quotations go to die. Not so with Maxey. In January, the point guard showed up after a victory and started singing the Sixers fight song. Then, when the soporific sportswriter hive failed to react, he asked them: “Why y’all always so serious?” That joyful spontaneity is what makes Maxey such a compelling player on the court, too — and why we’re starting to think he’ll have plenty more singing opportunities in years to come. Clap your hands, everybody …
Evans Pest Control
You could do what everyone does and sign up with Big National Pest Control Conglomerate Inc. and every couple of months politely scream, “Well, they didn’t come!” at a call-center operator (hypothetically). Or you could call Evans Pest Control and get responsive service that actually keeps the bugs out of your basement. Got an issue? Just text the company, and someone will be right over. If it’s a situation you think you can handle yourself — ha! — stop by the Port Richmond office and pick up the pest-control products the company uses. 2607 East Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, evanspestmgmt.com.
Black Hound Clay Studio
Bethany Rusen, founder and director of this inclusive pottery studio, says ceramics saved her life, adding, “I’m hoping I can pass that experience on to other people.” Black Hound offers affordable space to artists and sliding-scale pricing for workshops. If you just want to drop in, you can create a functional piece of art like a mug or planter in about two hours. More ambitious? Try an eight-week session in wheel-throwing ceramics. Up next: A second location is coming this fall to Point Breeze. 715 South 50th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143, blackhoundclay.com.
Heavy Metal Sausage Co.
At this South Philly specialty deli, you can stock up on homemade pork sausages or stop by for lunch and listen to owners Patrick Alfiero and Melissa Pellegrino talk about local sourcing while you eat zungenblutwurst sausage and pickled vegetables stacked on rye. Or you can snag a ticket to the weekly family-style dinners, where you’ll be treated to pork liver pâté and veal-stuffed pasta made from local grains. No matter how you Heavy Metal, Alfiero and Pellegrino’s approach to whole-animal butchery will keep you coming back again and again. 1527 West Porter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, heavymetalsausage.com.
Gass & Main
Chef Dane DeMarco works from a very particular palette when crafting menus, drawing on a thousand memories of street parties, suburban dinner tables and backyard barbecues. At Gass & Main, the mac and cheese is made with truffled gnocchi in a silky mornay, the green tomato hush puppies are crowned with chow chow and bathed in comeback sauce, the hot dogs are Snake River wagyu with homemade hot mustard, and there’s caviar topping the French onion dip. Because at Gass & Main, childhood is redefined, comfort comes with an upgrade, and even the simplest, most cherished food memories can be made new again. 7 Kings Court, Haddonfield, NJ 08033, gassandmain.com.
Michael Vincent Ferreri at Res Ipsa
He comes from good roots, having cut his teeth at Zeppoli, Aldine and Zahav. He’s smart enough to understand modern tricks and techniques without letting them cloud his vision of what people actually want to eat. And at Res Ipsa, he’s done what seems almost impossible: created menus that work for quick-serve breakfasts, low-key lunches and upscale dinners that will knock your socks off. (They did ours; see our pick for Best New Italian Restaurant on page 96.) 2218 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, resipsaphilly.com.
David J. Witchell
Remember the montage from Pretty Woman where Vivian goes from gaudy to glam in a Beverly Hills minute? Had she been in Newtown instead, she could have come here for a soothing scrub in the grotto-like spa, a conditioning treatment and blowout in the bustling salon (if David's booked and he always is request Jack), a whirl through the lovely makeup bar, and a twirl into the super-secret upstairs boutique, which she'd find stocked with essentials from Theory and James Perse, plus the show--stopping frock required for her night at the opera. 25 South State Street, Newtown, PA 18940, davidjwitchell.com.
Scarlett's Closet
The hours are spotty. The location doesn't seem like a sure thing. That tropical-scene-splashed circle skirt you just have to have is missing its price tag. And everything seems to bear a subtle trace of eau de ashtray. But odors come out at the dry cleaner, and nowhere will you find a deeper selection of well-preserved versions of things your Madison Avenue Nana wore in her day, from ladylike black dress suits (so Sterling Cooper) to jewel-adorned clutches to Mrs. Robinson-esque lounge-about-the-pool wear. 1034 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
The Pub
This cavernous steakhouse feels like it hasn't changed since Truman was in office and yes, we mean that as a good thing. A throwback in the style of the old Zaberer's in North Wildwood, it has a basic salad bar (iceberg and bacon bits) that beckons; a luscious, fatty rib eye that comes with jus to spare for the huge foil-wrapped baked potato; and no-nonsense waitresses who don't flinch should someone at the table ask for his meat medium-well. The Pub's got ambience and steak (and onion rings!) in spades all for a third of the cash you'd drop at your typical Center City steakhouse. 7600 Kaighns Avenue, Pennsauken, NJ 08110, thepubnj.com.
Cantina Los Caballitos
Not everything on the menu at the Cantina is cheap, but many of the best basics are, like the giant bowl of citrus-tinged guacamole ($7), the massive, overstuffed Tex-Mex-style burritos ($8 to $11), and the real-deal tacos ($8 to $11), all of which come with a healthy dusting of cilantro and a lime wedge for squeezing. After one bite of the menu stars the crunchy-soft fried plantains with melted cheese ($6), and the tamarind barbecued pork ribs paired with pickled jalapeos ($12) you'll forgive this hipster hang in South Philly for its long waits and too-cool-for-school crowds, and just order another $6 frozen blood-orange margarita. 1651 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, cantinaloscaballitos.com/main.html.
International House
Philly may not have a repertory cinema, but the weekly screenings at this University City complex for students come pretty close. There are fun flicks, such as cheesy sci-fi tales (Star Trek III: The Wrath of Khan, 8/23) and bad 80s movies (The Legend of Billie Jean, 8/30), foreign classics (The Red Balloon, 8/10), and more serious and obscure diversions, like the upcoming Jacques Rivette (9/5-7) and Sergei Parajanov series (9/14-17). I-House, as it is known, is for the film fan who is just not satisfied by Netflix. 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, ihousephilly.org.
Exact Solar
This Newtown company has been in the solar game for years, helping thousands of Pennsylvania and New Jersey homes convert. In addition to homes, they hook up solar pool heaters. 1655 Fairfield Road, Yardley, PA 19067, exactsolar.com.