Keystone Sign & Company
Keystone Sign & Company at work. Photograph by Jeff Fusco Even if you don’t know the name, you know the work. DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market. Love City Brewing. Garage in Fishtown, Primal Supply Meats in Brewerytown, K’Far, and scores of other signs, all hand-painted by Christian Cantiello and his crew. The next time you walk into a restaurant, bar or shop, look a little more closely at the logo out front — there’s a good chance it’s Cantiello’s work. keystonesignco.com.
Keystone Mini-Golf and Arcade
Let's start with the facts: It's a putt-putt course in a warehouse in Kensington. It's BYOB. It's 13 holes. It's decorated with ephemera that was around before Caddyshack was in theaters. It's got arcade games from the '90s and is open until 1 a.m. If your date doesn't find this the least bit amusing, it's time to call it a night. 161 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19122, keystoneminigolf.com.
Babette Josephs vs. Gregg Kravitz
State Rep Josephs accused her primary challenger, Kravitz, of only pretending to be bisexual so he could pick up some, uh, swing votes. "I outed him as a straight person," she boasted, forcing Kravitz to insist on his bi bona fides. The twist on "Don't ask, don't tell" (nobody asked, nobody cared) drew bipartisan mixed reactions, with Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal noting, "We've hit a new high point when candidates are accused of pretending to be gay to win a seat." Whatever Josephs crushed Kravitz in the primary. 00000,
Megan Boni
We admit that there are things about TikTok that still confound us. For instance, how a young woman from the Main Line can post a 19-second video of herself singing “I’m looking for a man in finance,” caption it “Did I just write the song of the summer?” and then have that become the actual song of the summer. It all happened to Boni, a.k.a. Girl on Couch, who tells us she’s signed a music deal with Universal. Modern living! instagram.com/megan_boni.
Eric Jaffe's Singing Telegram
For $100, this bearded, boisterous ukulele-playing drag queen — whom you might recognize as the resident entertainment host at Fishtown’s Fabrika or the co-producer of the semi-annual Snatcherella drag competition at Franky Bradley’s — will show up anywhere in the city and sing a song for your loved one. Want to cheap out? Her $10 Eric Jaffe Coloring Book makes a good gift as well. theericjaffe.com.
Hop Sing Laundromat
The Chinatown cocktail joint’s mysterious owner, known simply as Lê loves to ban people from his bar, and the not-welcome-back list is currently hovering at nearly 3,000. Among the infractions that can get you ousted: snapping photos, talking on your phone, or under-tipping your bartender or server. You’ve been warned. 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Hop Sing Laundromat
It's dark. There are no cameras allowed. And you can get from the front door to any of a number of hotels in mere minutes. 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Hop Sing Laundromat
Youve heard the hype, the rumors about mysterious owner/operator Le, the jokes about the dress code and the hidden door. But forget about that. All you need to know is that in an age in which the mustachioed and be-vested cocktail slinger has risen to the same level of cultural importance as the celebrity chef, Hop Sing Laundromat opened as one of the best cocktail bars any of us had ever been to, anywhere. And since then, it has only gotten better. 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Hop Sing Laundromat
Not just for the list of spirits in use (amazing) or the method of their dispersal (unique), but because the single best drink we had all year was made at this bar, out of just two obsessively chosen and prepared ingredients-one of them rum, the other grape juice. Yes, grape juice. 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Hop Sing Laundromat
Go to Hop Sing Laundromat, where the stiff drinks and rare mystique have been known to provoke late-night antics. Plus, there are several hotels within a half-mile of the front door. 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Dottie’s Serenade Service
How do you make loved ones feel special on their birthdays when they can’t have their friends and fam all around them? A Zoom party? Pfft. You send them the marvelous Dot Levine of Dottie’s Serenade Service, where the apt motto is “Give the Gift of Joy.” Prices start at $76, and Dot has a pretty vast repertoire, ranging from Willy Wonka to the Cure to traditional Yiddish ditties. dottiesserenadeservice.com.
Short Range Missiles at Hop Sing Laundromat
High-end liquor at ridiculously low prices (starting as cheap as $3.50), served alone and unadorned at a spot famous for mixed drinks? This is basically the bar's gift to its regulars (and those comfortable with drinking shots before the sun goes down), so find yourself some nice shoes, leave the cell phone in your pocket (it's the owner's biggest rule), and go take advantage between 5 and 7 p.m. (sometimes 8 p.m.). 1029 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, hopsinglaundromat.com.
Instacart
Sign on, pick out whatever you want from Whole Foods, Super Fresh, Green Aisle Grocery or even the liquor store, and have it in your hands at the office, at home in about an hour. It sounds indulgent, but it's not — free to sign up, and just a few bucks a load, plus tip. instacart.com.
Sing Your Life Karaoke at W/N W/N Coffee Bar
Sara Sherr has been ruling the local karaoke scene for a while now, but her newest series—in this unexpected coffee shop/bar/co-working space mashup—is the freshest one yet. The themed Thursday nights include Queer, Feminist, Big Gay Country and, our personal favorite, Protest. 931 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, winwincoffeebar.com.
Angelo’s Pizzeria
There are always crowds outside of Angelo’s, a surefire sign that whatever’s being handed over the counter is worth a wait. If you’re smart, you’ll order a sandwich, the eggplant rollantini, and the monster square pies. 736 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, angelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com.