Yowie
Picture an of-the-moment art gallery: minimalist white walls, colorful sculptures, a painfully cool curator. Now, imagine everything is for sale. That’s Yowie—except the sculptures are eclectic homewares (Felt + Fat ceramics, Dusen Dusen throw pillows) and the curator is owner Shannon Maldonado, who opened the tiny home and lifestyle boutique after a year of buzzy pop-ups all over the city. 716 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, shopyowie.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.
Rikumo
Champagne? Pfft. A glass of bubbly on arrival seems downright pedestrian stacked against the complimentary tea bar, aromatherapy, spa-like pond and library filled with art books housed inside this Über-Zen Japanese import shop. Plan ahead to hit monthly events; a recent bash offered charcoal-based beauty treatments on the cheap. 1216 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, rikumo.com.
Moon + Arrow
You won't find anything flashy here. That's the beauty of this flea-market-like store, which brims with handcrafted, low-key-cool treasures like fringed yarn wall hangings,unglazed earthenware air-plant slings and gorgeous jewelry, so you'll never have to scrape off a "Made in China" sticker before wrapping. 754 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, moonandarrow.com.
HopHands
Despite all the excellent beers the mad geniuses of Ardmore-based Tired Hands Brewing Company come up with, we always find ourselves returning to this one. It's a crisp, refreshing American pale that drinks like a perfect sweet summer beer, without any unnecessary complication to the flavor save a mild undertone of pine needles. tiredhands.com.
Jim Kenney
Kenney is bringing new meaning to the term “lame duck” as he comes up with increasingly lame and uninspired ways to duck any kind of public scrutiny. Refusing to meet with a Democratic state Senator, forcing that Senator to resort to a sit-in outside Kenney’s office? Check. Publicly stating he’s looking forward to the day he’s no longer mayor? Check. Who knows what new, magical disappearing acts Kenney will pull off in the 17 months between now and Inauguration Day 2024?
Primp & Play
Mini mani-pedis at Primp&Play / Photograph by Jeff Fusco It’s a genius concept: Mom gets a massage or facial while her little one is entertained with arts and crafts or mini beauty services like chocolate facials and glitter manis. Primp & Play is perfect for spa-day birthday parties, too — and no need to worry about stuffing goodie bags at 2 a.m., because your kid’s besties will make their own lotion, lip gloss or jewelry to take home. 1520 Locust Street, second floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, primpandplay.com.
Summit Acupuncture
Rumor has it Summit Acupuncture in Callowhill is the place where Philly’s top athletes and fitness trainers go to heal and repair their bodies, and we get why. From an airy, light-filled loft, founder Jason Krantz and his team provide traditional Chinese medicine treatments like acupuncture, cupping and gua sha — plus practical, easily incorporated holistic health advice — that’ll leave you feeling like you finally got a good night’s sleep. 421 North 7th Street, suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19123, summitacuphilly.com.
Philly's Fake-Injury Cops
As if the police department needed any more PR problems, the Inquirer reported that more than 650 officers — 11 percent of the force — are out on full-pay injury leave, many of them spending their “recuperation” doing things like running a roofing business or winning an MVP award in a slow-pitch softball league. This is the same department that just received a $30 million budget increase, mostly to cover — what else? — rising officer salaries.
Prajjé Oscar Jean-Baptiste
The Haitian-born, Fishtown-based women’s fashion designer — who stole the TV world’s most stylish hearts on Season 19 of Project Runway — produces gorgeously intricate, brilliantly colorful ready-to-wear and custom gowns, dresses and matching sets influenced by his former home. Don one for your next gala or wedding or simply for going to the grocery store — any way you wear it, you’ll demand attention. prajjeoscar.com.
Supply Library
Books? Who reads books anymore? West Philly’s free Supply Library is far more hands-on. The dropbox on South 50th Street from multimedia artist Cassie Jones, with its “Leave what you don’t need. Take what you want” sign, is a spot for DIYers to drop off or pick up arts-and-crafts odds and ends, from leftover yarn to fabric scraps to … well, the only limit’s the imagination, right? Jones hopes it’s the first of many.
Stacey's Surf & Paddle
Photograph by Natalie Chitwood This surf school, from Margate native Stacey Alper, trains newbies of any age to use balance, focus and strength to catch their first wave. Options range from private lessons to kids’ and teens’ surf camps to adult community nights — including a weekly meetup specifically for women. Opt for a sunset or full-moon stand-up paddleboard session if you want to float amid golden-hour rays or moonlight sans catching a wave. 9511 Amherst Avenue, Margate City, NJ 08402, staceyssurf.com.
Evolve Dance
Lifelong dancer and former Eagles cheerleader Rachel Swartz struggled to find a laid-back dance studio that felt like home. So she opened Evolve, a light-drenched space where newbies and seasoned groovers alike could come together and get a little sassy with the choreo, without any competitive vibes. Welcome to your hot-girl jazz era. 2039 Walnut Street, unit 1F, Philadelphia, PA 19103, evolvedancephilly.com.
Marian Anderson Hall
We always bristled at the name of the Kimmel Center’s main concert venue, in part because it reminded us we had to pay our phone bill but also because there was nothing at all “Philadelphia” about “Verizon Hall.” Now the room bears the name of the South Philly opera singer who famously performed an open-air Easter concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, became the first Black lead singer to grace the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, and went on to win all sorts of awards and honors. Much better. philorch.org.
Roberto Lugo
No less an authority than Vogue shouted out the Elkins Park/Temple ceramicist/activist in December. Lugo, who calls himself the “ghetto potter,” creates fine-art ceramics, notably a Kamala Harris teapot and urns honoring AOC and Kobe Bryant. His work sits in galleries and museums (includingvw PMA) and goes for big bucks to private collectors. wexlergallery.com/roberto-lugo.