Jennifer Zavala Catering
Top Chef alum Jennifer Zavala will come to your house and cook a delicious medical-grade-marijuana-infused meal for you and your friends, something she does regularly for those who are sick. The food is delicious, and Zavala – of illegal South Philly tamale-truck fame (Google it) – is as entertaining as the drugs themselves. Email for more info.
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.
Hoagie Dip from Collegeville Italian Deli
Imagine all the innards of a great hoagie the meat, the cheese, the vegetables chopped into minuscule bits, mixed with oil and mayo, and served in a bowl with hunks of bread to dip in it. It's the second-best thing to bring to a friend's house to eat while watching the game (the first, of course, always being beer). And no one does it better than the Collegeville Italian Deli. 3855 West Ridge Pike, Collegeville, PA 19426, collegevilledeli.com.
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
In case you missed it, biking is the new black. And nobody does more to make Philly (and the 'burbs) more bike-friendly than the 37-year-old Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. If you want to join the effort (they need help with everything from trail-cleaning to envelope-stuffing), the Coalition holds volunteer training nights the first Wednesday of each month. They're looking for 200 volunteers for their annual fund-raiser, September 13th's Bike Philly event. 1500 WalnutStreet, Suite 1107, Philadelphia, PA 19102, bicyclecoalition.org.
Organic Brown Sugar Scrub at Joseph Anthony Retreat Spa and Salon
Oooh, it smellssooo good. And leaves us sooo smooth. We don't know if it's the heated Hamam bed where we get to zone out while we're rubbed down with delicious-smelling sandy stuff, or the gentle touch of the therapist, who does a truly impressive job with the delicate task of rinsing off (barely a splash!). Or maybe it's just being at Joseph Anthony which always makes us feel all is right with the world. 243 West Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, josephanthony.com.
Theatre Contra
We’re pretty sure we’ve never given out a Best of Philly award for live readings before because, well, they generally inspire yawns. But then we discovered this scrappy young theater company that does dramatic live readings of scripts from movies like Die Hard, Snakes on a Plane and The Fast and the Furious. The events are held at a variety of bars and venues: Watch them do the Nicolas Cage-John Travolta sci-fi action movie Face/Off on September 4th at Tattooed Mom. theatrecontra.com.
Fishtown Choir
If you’re the kind of person who sings at the top of your lungs in the shower, this community-based, all-are-welcome impromptu choir that performs everything from Marvin Gaye and Crowded House to Radiohead and Mariah Carey is exactly what you need. You simply show up, have some drinks, do a quick rehearsal, and then belt it out. Join in on August 28th at Ortlieb’s when the choir does Bruce Springsteen. fishtownchoir.org.
The Sable Collective
This Fashion District shop has two main missions: to be welcoming to Black women and women of color, and to showcase products made by artisans from Black and marginalized communities. How does that translate? Into a place that’s got a little mysticism (crystal kits), a little beauty (Zen in a Jar shea butters), a little fashion (stunning bronze hoop earrings), a little sass (“Take No Shit” totes), and a whole lot of authentic community. Shop online, too. 901 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, thesablecollective.com.
Southwark
This institution—revamped last year by Chris D’Ambro and Marina de Oliveira—does it all right, from the tidy menu of casual comfort foods to the elegant cocktail list. Both are best enjoyed on the Secret Garden-like patio, where twinkly lights, soft music, and the aromatics of fresh herbs (grown by the kitchen staff) make for the chillest summer hang in the city. 701 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, southwarkrestaurant.com.
Charlie's Pizzeria
Remember when pizza used to taste like pizza? Charlie's does. Its pies are thin-crusted (but not crackers). The ingredients are simple (but not artisanal). When you bite into a slice, there's the appropriate amount of grease, the right amount of chew in the cheese, and an ideal floppiness to the crust. Someday, Charlie's will be a museum to what pizza tasted like before all pizza became gourmet. 107 West Germantown Pike, Norristown, PA 19401, pizzacharlies.com.
Rybrew
The Hollywood does actually resemble something an ascetic, waifish celeb-type might order: hummus, carrots, cucumber, multigrain bread. And yet? The sandwich is a delight, fresh-tasting and shockingly satisfying, especially if you make the recommended upgrades (tomato, cheese and avocado). And unlike, say, Natalie Portman, you're going to pair yours with one of Rybrew's 250 beers. 2816 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, rybrew.com/rybrew/rybrew.html.
DJ Sara Sherr
Escape frat-boy "Freebird" karaoke hell with this friendly, tattooed, pixie-haired gal of 40, who does actually have "Freebird" in her vast songbook, but also lots of B-sides, rare cuts and other music-nerd tracks. Venues include Tabu, P.O.P.E. and 12 Steps Down; connect with Sara Sherr via facebook.com/singyourlifekaraoke. 00000, facebook.com/singyourlifekaraoke.
John Hobe Antique Restoration
So you thought getting the kids a new puppy was a good idea. Of course you did. Then Fido chewed up the living room furniture. Of course he did. We understand. And so does John Hobe, who's brought a myriad of chairs, tables and curios, as well as the desk of our nation's first president, back to life. 8407 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, hobeantiquerestoration.com.
Vetri
There arent many places left where the mere mention of having been there still makes people sit up a little straighter and listen a little closer. Oh, you went to Vetri? What was the occasion? Vetri remains the best of a very exclusive list of high-end dining experiences, and without fail, dinner there does what dinner at one of the best restaurants in the country is supposed to do: leaves you with a memory that will sustain you far longer than anything that was on the plate. 1312 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, vetriristorante.com.
Jackie Fantacone at First Impressions
To look at this place, crammed floor-to-ceiling with tie-dye tunics and acid-wash jeggings and to look at her, a size-zero twinkie with perfect hair and makeup you wouldn't suspect First Impressions of having exactly the pair of Current/Elliott, Vince or Joe's everyone wants right now, or Fantacone of being able to fit them exactly to your not-size-zero body. But it does, and she can. Believe us: The first pair she picks will be the one you buy. 470 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19144, .