Leeward Furniture's Popsicle Mirror
Last year was the year of the at-home workout gadget, from sleek Pelotons to personal workout mirrors that reflect your sweating image back at you. Now that we can all go outside again, turn your space back into an actual home with beautiful objects that don’t bully you into exercise. No better place to start than with Leeward’s beautiful popsicle mirror, made in Kensington by husband-and-wife duo John Geating and Gina Kim. It’s just the right amount of playful while serving a necessary purpose: You can check yourself out while also using its top shelf to store small tchotchkes and books. 3237 Amber Street 4-3-C, Philadelphia, PA 19134, leewardfurniture.com.
Eastern Airlines
If you were traveling abroad when the coronavirus landed in the U.S., there was good reason to panic. Fear of spreading the virus brought international travel to a sudden halt, making returns to North America nearly impossible. Just when things couldn’t look more bleak or uncertain, there came the tiniest glimmer of hope from the least-expected source. Eastern Airlines, a small Wayne-based carrier (think 10 planes and a staff of about 200), came to the literal rescue. Through careful coordination with the State Department and local officials, Eastern organized rescue flights, and to date, they’ve flown nearly 24,000 once-stranded American citizens from Central and South America back to the States. goeasternair.com.
MainLine Pet Sitting
The choosiest of Main Line dog lovers trust MLPS with their Preciouses, and their homes P.O. Box 115, Gladwyne, PA 19035, mainlinepetsitting.com.
The People Who Run Businesses
They already put themselves on the line. Then came a catastrophe. Read the full write up here. phillymag.com/news/2020/07/16/philadelphia-business-owners-coronavirus.
Sapphira Cristál
An operatic drag queen with a six-octave range and some of the most fabulous costumes around? Hell yeah! instagram.com/sapphiracristal.
Oyster House
With lump Maryland meat and no filler, chef Aaron Gottesman has returned some dignity to this clichéd menu item. 1516 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, oysterhousephilly.com.
Mango Tree Bistro
No fish head curry here, but the more traditional varieties are well done at this Thai joint in a converted home right on Ridge Pike. 3120 Ridge Pike, Eagleville, PA 19403, mangotreethai.com.
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.
The People Who Looked Out for Our Health
Whether they’re helping patients who are sick or homing in on a vaccine, let’s hear it for the scientists. Read the full write up here. phillymag.com/news/2020/07/16/scientists-frontline-heroes-coronavirus-vaccine.
Insomnia Cookies
Freezer empty? Order a pint of ice cream (or a quart, no judgment) and some fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies from Insomnia, and get your (homemade) Chipwich on. Multiple locations, insomniacookies.com.
Aneu Kitchen + Juicery
Home in on the “healthy shots” part of the menu for straight-to-the-system shocks of goodness like lemon with ginger, turmeric, black pepper and grapeseed oil. Additional location in Paoli. 1225 Montrose Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, aneucatering.com.
Pinball Gallery
Here, you pay an hourly rate for dozens of machines, including some very cool vintage specimens from the '60s and '70s. 81 Lancaster Avenue (edited), Malvern, PA 19355, pinballgallery.net.
East Falls Glassworks
Getting creative in the kitchen not cutting it for you? Try a furnace and a blowtorch instead. Book a private lesson at East Falls Glassworks, learn the basics of glassblowing, and take home a self-made souvenir of your red-hot evening. 3510 Scotts Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, eastfallsglass.com.
Classic Coachwork Main Line
It’s like the crew here has some sort of magic time machine that can bring a car that’s experienced an unfortunate turn of fate back to looking like it just drove out of the dealership. 228 East Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087, classiccoachwork.com/main-line.
Johnny Brenda’s
Though mostly known for its burgers and beer, Johnny Brenda’s is actually doing some of the best cheffy vegetables in the city–marinated snap peas on a bed of homemade ricotta, and grilled local asparagus with slivers of cured salmon 1201 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, johnnybrendas.com.