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A feast for the senses on Rittenhouse Row

Saturday, May 18th, 2013
Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival

The forecast looks good today – it’s a great day for a street fair, and there’s a doozy of one on Walnut Street. Photo from Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

As sure as the flowers bloom, the crowds will flock to Walnut Street from Broad to Rittenhouse Square today for another May perennial: the Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival.

This annual event brings the city’s premier shopping district outdoors for one fun-filled, flavorful afternoon.

“Flavorful” because the district’s restaurants are the stars of the show. More than 40 Rittenhouse Row restaurants set up shop at the festival, offering inexpensive samplings of their featured fare. If you’re looking for a.bar or a.kitchen to patronize, don’t fret – both of these establishments will have tents at the event. So will the city’s two most prominent restaurateurs. If this year is like last, the Rittenhouse Square block of Walnut will be a Stephen Starr showcase, with demonstrations and booths from his Rittenhouse-area restaurants – Alma de Cuba, Barclay Prime, Butcher and Singer, Continental Mid-town, The Dandelion, El Rey and Parc. Jose Garces will be represented by his Village Whiskey, and you will have one last chance to experience Le Bec-Fin fare on the cheap – the restaurant will close for good in June, but it will have a booth at today’s festival.

There will also be shopping, with merchandise from area retailers, and live entertainment on several stages.

Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival, noon to 5 p.m. today on Walnut Street from Broad to 19th. Free.

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Food and Drink, Points of Interest, Restaurants, Rittenhouse Square, Shopping | No Comments »

Philadelphia’s Hottest Neighborhoods in 2013, Part Two

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

best-philly-neighborhoods-to-buy-a-houseIn our last post, we began our look at the top ten hottest neighborhoods in Philadelphia as forecasted by market trends seen in the first quarter of 2013. Today, we continue our journey through Philly’s fastest-growing neighborhoods and look at a few areas where properties barely hit the market before they are sold.

Demand in some of the neighborhoods below has many surprised and bodes well for the continued recovery and growth of the Philadelphia housing market.

The Big Five of Philly’s Top 10 Hottest Neighborhoods

Cedar Park – Cedar Park is home to historic architecture of the Queen Anne style. The westward expansion of University City has put this Philadelphia neighborhood on the map of many knowledgeable house-hunters. This Philly neighborhood sports a great variety of cafes and restaurants whose menus span the globe. The efforts of its neighborhood association are drawing investment in preserving its historic buildings.

Northern Liberties – Take a look at Northern Liberties and gaze at the future of Fishtown about a decade from now. The youthful hipsters of the Bush era took over Northern Liberties, revitalized it, and were slowly driven out by the rising prices. Now, young and established professionals alike are drawn to Northern Liberties, enjoying its thriving restaurant scene and almost small-town charm.

Avenue of the Arts – Property values are skyrocketing in this once fallow neighborhood thanks to the construction of new apartments, condos, and townhouses. Avenue of the Arts is drawing young professionals who enjoy its shopping, restaurants, bars, and nightlife. Proximity to public transit and a fashionable reputation ensure Avenue of the Arts will remain a hot neighborhood for some time.

Washington Square West – The locals call it the “Gayborhood,” and yes, there is a sizable gay and lesbian population in Washington Square West. This influx of single professionals and dual-income-no-kids (DINK) couples has likely been key to this neighborhood’s complete rebirth. With thriving businesses and rising property values, Washington Square West is drawing all manner of young professionals and young families who appreciate its amazing restaurant scene and bohemian feel.

Rittenhouse Square – In the middle of it all, Rittenhouse Square offers shopping, restaurants, parks, and access to all that Philly has to offer. This neighborhood is seeing an influx of investment from the more established, including empty nesters, professionals from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and those who can afford its higher property values. Price, it seems, will never be enough to keep Rittenhouse Square from being one of the most popular neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia real estate, Rittenhouse Square, University City, Washington Square West | No Comments »

For Once, Downtown Philly is Ahead of the Curve

Thursday, April 4th, 2013
Officials in cities across the country have discovered what we in Philadelphia have known for some time now: It's nice to live in the center of it all.

Officials in cities across the country have discovered what we in Philadelphia have known for some time now: It’s nice to live in the center of it all.

“The young and the restless” are making downtown living the hottest ticket in cities across the country, it appears.

According to data cited in a Forbes feature, the downtown areas of major U.S. cities posted growth rates double that of their cities as a whole in the decade from 2000 to 2010, and the drivers of that growth have largely been college-educated adults from 25 to 34 years of age. This cohort, who is now currently making over Fishtown, is drawn to the amenity-rich, walkable environments downtowns offer – and cities across the country are now falling over themselves to reel them into their cores.

Forbes identified 15 “emerging U.S. downtowns” in its feature. Among them: New York – where the office canyons of Lower Manhattan are acquiring residents for the first time in many decades – and Los Angeles, which appears serious about giving its 50 suburbs a central city to complement them. We are pleased to note that Philadelphia is not on this list, although its employment density is cited in the item on Birmingham, Ala., which apparently has a comparable concentration of jobs in its center relative to city size. We believe that’s because for once, this city is not behind the curve but ahead of it. Thanks to the efforts of public officials and private investors that began in earnest way back in the 1960s, Philadelphia has consistently invested in its urban core in ways that have by and large (though not always) reinforced its appeal as a place to live, if not necessarily to work. As a result, the city center’s population began to shoot upward as early as the 1980s, while the city as a whole continued to hemmorhage residents, and the urban revival has since spread to a number of neighborhoods adjacent to the core.

We at Noah Ostroff & Associates have been fans of city living since the start, so we’re naturally thrilled to see that a new generation of Americans has discovered its virtues. As for those 15 other cities: Welcome to the neighborhood.

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Philadelphia real estate | 6 Comments »

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at a Famous Philadelphia Pub Crawl

Friday, February 22nd, 2013

No city does St. Patrick’s Day better than Philadelphia, and there’s no better way to spend St. Patrick’s Day than with an old fashioned Irish pub crawl.  This March, grab your four-leaf clover, dress up in green, and take a tour of some of the best Irish pubs in Philly at one of these famous St. Patrick’s Day pub crawls.

luckoftheirish

Official Saint Paddy’s Pub Crawl Philadelphia
Sunday, March 17, 3 p.m.-11 p.m.
Begins at Red Zone, 35 South Second Street, Old City

The producers of the world’s largest pub crawl, pubcrawls.com, presents Philadelphia’s “official” St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl.  Hang out in Old City’s best pubs, meet new friends, and enjoy drink specials like $1 (12 oz.) draft beers, $2 bottle beers, $3 well drinks, and $4 Irish whiskey.  Register for only $10, or paint the town green with 3 days of pub crawls with a special all-access pass.  Only $20 gets you access to the Happy Hour St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl on March 15, the Saint Paddy’s Day Luck of the Irish Pub Crawl on March 16, and finally the Official Saint Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl on March 17.  You can even add on a Saint Paddy’s Day T-shirt for an additional $10.

runningofthemicks

Running of the Micks
Saturday, March 9, 12 p.m.-11 p.m.
Begins at Finnigan’s Wake, Third and Spring Garden Streets, Northern Liberties

“Drink, ride, and run up the Art Museum steps,” Rocky-style, at the wildest pub crawl in Philadelphia.  Visit Philly’s hottest bars and enjoy live music, contests, and drink specials for 11 straight hours.  Finish off the evening with a historic run up the Art Museum steps.  General admission is only $15, and special VIP access, including an open beer bar, is $80.

erinexpress

Erin Express
Saturday, March 9 and Saturday, March 16, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Philly’s number one St. Patrick’s Day celebration is presented by Cavanaugh’s Restaurant and Sports Bar in University City.  Get absolutely free bus transportation for six whole hours, and visit the Erin Express “depots,” including Mill Creek Tavern, Smokey Joe’s, The Blarney Stone, Westy’s, and many more.  Buses run in a continuous loop every 15-20 minutes, so there is no starting or ending location.  Best of all, there is no registration charge!  All you have to do is show up at one of the depots, buy yourself a drink, and hop on the next bus.

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Food and Drink, Northern Liberties, Old City, South Philly, Uncategorized, University City | No Comments »

Tickets Now on Sale for Philly Farm and Food Fest

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

Philly Farm & Food Fest graphicTickets are now available for the second annual Philly Farm & Food Fest. The event, which will be held on Sunday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, is a chance for folks to shop, taste, learn and speak directly with farmers, food artisans and sustainable business owners.

A joint project of Fair Food Philly and PASA (the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture), Philly Farm & Food Fest is a one-day only event that will connect shoppers with food artisans and producers and local farmers. Over 100 vendors will be sampling and selling locally grown produce, meats, specialty foods, soaps, body products, and a number of other products and foods for your senses.

In addition to the vendors, this years event will feature activities galore, including Putting the Attainable in Your Sustainable Business, presented by Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, and Super Small Batch Canning and Preserving by Marisa McClellan.  Kids’ activities include story time and photos taken with Honey Queen or Dairy Princess; and Chipotle Mexican Grill, a supporting sponsor of Philly Farm & Food Fest, will offer kids the opportunity to custom design organic cotton t-shirts and receive a free kids meal card.

Tickets are $15 in advanvce and $20 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets are available at www.phillyfarmfest.org

 

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Food and Drink | No Comments »

Taste Something New at Philly Cooks Week

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
Sample plates

Can’t get enough of Philly’s sizzling restaurant scene? Philly Cooks Week lets you experience the best of it all in one place with a series of tasting events.

Starting February 25, Philadelphia magazine presents Philly Cooks Week, a 4-day celebration of the flavors of Philadelphia, filled with culinary delights, famous chefs, and creative cocktails.  Tickets are on sale now for the all-new tasting tours and “The Big Event.”

New!  Tantalizing Tasting Tours

February 25 through 27, take a tasting tour of some of Philly’s best restaurants.  Get an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at some of Philadelphia’s top kitchens, meet the chefs, sample some of each restaurant’s best dishes, and even help prepare some dishes of your own.  Each tour visits the kitchens of three restaurants in a different Philly neighborhood, including Rittenhouse, Old City, Fishtown, South Street, North Broad, and many more.  Sample charcuterie with Marc Vetri, hang with Jose Garces, go into the kitchen with the chef at Stateside, and make kebabs with Michael Solomonov at Zahav.  Tickets are $110, and they are selling out quickly!  Visit www.phillymag.com/phillycooks/tastingtours to buy yours today.

The Mouthwatering Main Event

On February 28, join Philadelphia magazine for “The Big Event” at the historic Strawbridge Building at 801 Market Street.  Sample dozens of delectable dishes from 40 of Philly’s most popular restaurants, hand-picked by Philadelphia magazine Food Editor Jason Sheehan.  Meet some of Philly’s most celebrated chefs, and enjoy cocktails made by the city’s best bartenders.  Featured restaurants include Alla Spina, Continental, El Rey, Fette Sau, Fork, Fountain Restaurant, Hot Diggity, and many more.  Tickets are $85 per person, or $75 per person for 10 or more tickets.  Buy your tickets today at www.phillymag.com/phillycooks/bigevent.

Philly Cooks Week Cares

Proceeds from Philly Cooks Week benefit The Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, a charity that helps the families of seriously ill children.  Their two locations on Chestnut Street and Front & Eerie, conveniently located near pediatric hospitals, provide the comforts of home and the support of their well-trained staff and volunteers.  Families staying at The Ronald McDonald House have the opportunity to relate to other guests while providing their children with the best possible care and support.  Visit www.philarmh.org to learn more.

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Food and Drink, Restaurants | No Comments »

Ring in the Year of the Snake in Chinatown this February

Friday, January 25th, 2013
Chinatown Flower Market

The Chinatown Flower Market traditionally opens the city’s Chinese New Year celebration. It takes place this year on Feb. 9.

Next month marks the annual Chinese New Year Celebration in Chinatown, sponsored by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and promoting the Chinatown community.  Join in the festivities to celebrate the Chinese tradition of the Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, a time when families come together to welcome the new year and bring good luck to their loved ones with feasts, gifts, and parades.

Since 1966, the PCDC has worked for the Chinatown community, protecting the neighborhood, preserving its heritage, and promoting the businesses and residents of Chinatown.  In its 47 years of service, the PCDC has built over 226 units of residential housing and over 24 units of commercial space.  One of its most visible successes is the restoration of the Chinatown Friendship Arch.  The PCDC holds various workshops and events throughout the year that help build the Chinatown community and preserve the Chinese culture in Philadelphia.

Chinatown Flower Market

This Year’s Chinese New Year celebration begins on Saturday, February 9 with the Chinatown Flower Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  This second annual event is inspired by traditional Chinese Lunar New Year flower markets, which ring in the new year with fresh flowers, treats, and lucky red keepsakes.  Browse a wide selection of beautiful flowers, handmade lanterns, candies, red envelopes, and much more at 10th Street Plaza, 10th and Vine streets.

Parades

Bundle up for three exciting parades celebrating the Lunar New Year.  Saturday, February 9 at 11 p.m, enjoy the Midnight Lion Dance Performance at 10th and Race streets.  Then be dazzled by the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance on Sunday, February 10 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., starting at 10th and Spring streets.  A martial arts performance will also take place on Sunday, February 10 at 10th and Arch Streets.

Chinese New Year Banquet

The PCDC’s annual Chinese New Year Banquet will top off the celebration on Friday, February 15 at Ocean City Restaurant, 234 N. 9th St.  Beginning with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m., the PCDC will celebrate its 47th anniversary of preserving, protecting, and promoting the Chinatown community.  Tickets are $85 each.  Visit chinatown-pcdc.org to register.

Say farewell to the year of the dragon and welcome the year of the snake in Chinatown this Lunar New Year.  Enjoy these fun events and help the PCDC preserve a culture and community rich in colorful traditions.  The Chinese New Year celebrations all take place in Chinatown, located near Market East station, and accessible by subway and PATCO.

- Jen Heller Meservey

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Chinatown, Philadelphia real estate | No Comments »

Have a Conversation with an Author at the Central Library

Monday, January 21st, 2013
Free Library, Central Library

The Central Library of the Free Library of Philadelphia has been stimulating conversation – and readers – since 1999 with its author talks.

Located at 1901 Vine Street on Logan Square, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Central Library has been educating and enriching Philadelphians since 1927.  With over 7 million items, many special collections, a variety of programs and services, and even its own café, the Central Library is a bustling hub of information and fun.

Since 1993, the Central Library has presented its popular author events, featuring poets, novelists, historians, and activists, lecturing, answering questions, and signing copies of their books.  Several author events are held throughout each year, and many of them are free to the public.  Here’s a look at some interesting and thought-provoking author conversations you can enjoy in 2013.

Monday, February 4, 6:30 p.m.

On the first Monday of every month, the Central Library presents Monday Poets in the Skyline Room on the 4th floor.  In February, Monday Poets features Michele Belluomini and Elizabeth Bodien, both of whom have been published in various literary publications and released their own books of poetry.  This event is free to the public.

Tuesday, February 5, 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with The King Years:  Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement, a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winner Taylor Branch.  Branch is known for his three-volume history of the Civil Rights Movement, America in the King Years.  He will be discussing pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement in historical context, from bus boycott to political revolution.  General admission is $15; students are $7.  Buy tickets online at freelibrary.org/authorevents.

Thursday, February 7, 7:30 p.m.

Experience the lives of African Americans during the Civil War era with Envisioning Emancipation:  Black Americans and the End of Slavery, a conversation with historians Deborah Willis and Barbara Krauthamer.  Willis and Krauthamer will examine a series of photographs from their visual book, discussing the public and private lives of free and enslaved African Americans during the Civil War.  This event is free to the public.

Tuesday, February 12, 7:30 p.m.

Have a conversation with three popular novelists, Karen Russell, Claire Vaye Watkins and Amity Gaige.  Russell’s debut novel, Swamplandia! was a New York Times Best Book of the Year, and her new book, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, is a collection of short stories that blend horror with magical realism.  Watkins is an assistant professor at Bucknell University, and co-director of the Mojave School.  Her new collection, Battleborn, features stories set in the Nevada desert.  Gaige has been named one of “5 Under 35 Outstanding Emerging Novelists” by the National Book Foundation.  Her new novel, Schroder, follows the life of a young East German immigrant.  This event is free to the public.

- Jen Heller Meservey

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Posted in Articles, Center City, Logan Square, Points of Interest | No Comments »

Keep Your New Year’s Resolution at One of the Best Gyms in Philadelphia

Friday, December 28th, 2012

The holidays are almost over, and 2013 will be here before you know it.  After a December full of delicious dinners, cookies, cakes, candy, and other treats, you might have put on a few extra holiday pounds.  If your New Year’s resolution is to get in shape by 2014, joining a gym will be a great first step.  For a local gym with outstanding service, state-of-the-art equipment, and fun classes that will keep you fit, try one of these top-rated gyms in Philadelphia from the PHL17 2012 Philly Hot List.

AFC Fitness, Northeast Philadelphia

AFC’s four convenient locations are well known throughout the Philadelphia area for their aquatic fitness training and therapy.  They offer personal training, group classes, on-site physical therapy, and a massive double-Olympic pool at their 45,000-square-foot facility conveniently located on Grant Avenue in Northeast Philly.

City Fitness, Northern Liberties

The expertly trained fitness counselors at City Fitness work with you to ensure that you meet your personal fitness goals, either for the new year or for life.  Their state-of-the-art facility on Spring Garden Street is ultra-clean and features award-winning amenities, like personal 15-inch-screen LCD TVs, iPod and cell phone connectivity, and built-in fans on all of their brand-new cardio equipment.

Optimal Sport 1315, Center City

With a combined 40-plus years of experience in the fitness industry, the experts at Optimal Sports can help you “be optimal” with their group classes, personal training, and “Executive Performance,” a training program designed specifically for stressed-out executives.  Their Center City facility is conveniently located in The Philadelphia Building at 13th and Walnut Streets, near subway and PATCO stops, and just a short walk from Market East Station.

Urban Athlete, Mt. Airy

Urban Athlete’s fitness training programs combine old school methods with the latest functional strength training principles.  They provide group classes, personal training, and boot camps at their Mt. Airy facility on Germantown Avenue.  Their expert staff offer personal attention to each member.  They greet all of their members by first name, and look forward to seeing them walk through the door every day.

Keep your New Year’s resolution with training programs and classes at one of these top Philadelphia gyms.  View the full Philly Hot List of “Best Gym” winners here and find the best facility to meet your personal fitness goals.

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Posted in Center City, Mt. Airy, Neighborhood Pages, Northeast Philadelphia, Northern Liberties, Old City, Points of Interest | No Comments »

5 Great Things To Do With Your Kids in Philadelphia This Holiday Season

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Christmas Village

A German import that Philly has taken to its bosom, the Christmas Village offers fascinating things to see, do, buy and eat for young and old between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.

If you’re like us, you’re probably in a frenzy now in the countdown to Christmas Day. May we suggest you take a break and do something fun with your kids in Philadelphia? The city is at its best this time of year, with both year-round and seasonal attractions that appeal to young and old. Here are five of the top places to go and things to do for kids in Philadelphia:

1. Macy’s Holiday Light Show and Dickens Village display. As the only traditional department store left in Center City, Macy’s has inherited the mantle of both its predecessors, John Wanamaker and Strawbridge & Clothier, honoring their legacies with holiday traditions that have delighted generations of kids in Philadelphia. The Holiday Light Show in the Grand Court has been refreshed and updated; the Magic Christmas Tree’s 34,000 lights now sparkle a little more brightly – and the grand Wanamaker Organ has become an integral part of the show to boot. On the third floor is the animatronic exhibit recounting Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” a classic that was the highpoint of a holiday visit to Strawbridge’s for decades.  Macy’s Center City, 1300 Market St. Light show every hour on the hour, Dickens Village open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Dec. 31.

2. Enchanted Colonial Village at the Please Touch Museum. The grand Christmas tradition of Philadelphia’s fourth major department store, Lit Brothers, lives on at the Please Touch Museum in West Fairmount Park. From 1962 until Lit Brothers’ demise in 1975, kids in Philadelphia marveled at the animated “Enchanted Colonial Village” – a trip back in time to America’s early years, featuring scenes of everyday life in the colonial period: a blacksmith shop, a seamstress, a baker, a toymaker (of course), and more. Now in the Smithsonian’s permanent collection, this piece of Philadelphia history comes alive again every December at Philadelphia’s children’s museum. And while you’re there, take a ride on the Red Rocket, the monorail that used to circle Wanamakers’ fourth-floor toy department at Christmastime. At Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, 4231 Avenue of the Republic. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission $16, children under one and members free.

3. Christmas Village. This annual outdoor market, our version of the German “Christkindlmarkt,” offers something for kids in PhilHoliadelphia of all ages. More than 50 vendors offer one-of-a-kind arts and crafts, most specially themed for the holiday season. There’s also plenty of wonderful food to eat, including authentic German specialties and pastries. In JFK Plaza (LOVE Park), 15th Street and John F. Kennedy Blvd. Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, through Dec. 24.

4. Franklin Square Holiday Celebration. The newest holiday tradition for kids in Philadelphia is in Franklin Square, at the northwest corner of Independence Mall. The square was transformed a few years ago into a family fun attraction, and right after Thanksgiving, it gets dressed up for the holidays with festive lights and decorations. Even Santa Claus gets in on the fun, riding the vintage Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, playing rounds of Philly Mini Golf with visitors and reading stories from “Patriots, Pirates, Heroes and Spies: Stories from Historic Philadelphia.” At Franklin Square, 6th and Race streets. Hours: Saturdays, Sundays and Christmas Eve, 12 noon to 3 p.m.

5. The Comcast Holiday Spectacular. Now this is must-see TV. The incredible, eye-popping LED video display in the lobby of the Comcast Center has been wowing both grownups and kids in Philadelphia since the building opened in 2008. You and your family will go on an incredible 15-minute journey down ski slopes, through enchanting winter scenes, and even into the sky with this high-tech tour de force. At the Comcast Center, 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Shows every hour on the hour through New Year’s Day.

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