Wedge + Fig

Now that we’ve given you a glimpse of what the merchants of Old City have to offer for your wardrobe and your home in Philadelphia, it’s time to show you what they can put on your table – and what they have to offer your animal companions.

If, like this blogger, you like cheese, you’ll love Wedge + Fig (160 North 3rd Street), the newish cafe/cheese/pastry shop from Flying Monkey Patisserie founder Rebecca Topie. The shop’s selection of cheeses – about 50 different varieties on hand at any one time – changes with the seasons and is complemented by an assortment of tasty treats from the shop’s on-site bakery. If you’re looking to grab a bite while shopping, Wedge + Fig has a menu of paninis and other light fare, most of it featuring cheeses in stock; if you’re looking to get something for the food lover on your holiday shopping list, ask about their custom gift baskets. They also offer seasonal baked goods, including pies and buches de Noel (Yule logs).

Pinot

Now how about some wine to go with that cheese? Find it at Pinot (227 Market Street). In addition to just about every accessory and gadget a wine lover might want, this Best of Philly-winner specialty store also carries fine wines from Paradocx Vineyards, a family-owned winery located in the rolling hills of southern Chester County. In addition to blended, estate and vineyard wines by the bottle, Paradocx also offers something out of the ordinary for the entertainers on your list: paint cans of wine! Each can contains 3.5 liters of wine (about 4.5 bottles) and has a convenient pour spout.

BONeJOUR Pet Supply

BONeJOUR (53 North 3rd Street) is the destination for pet lovers. From food to grooming to fashion to accessories, BONeJOUR Pet Supply has everything for the discriminating pooch and puss. Everything in the store is top quality, tested by store staff, and 100% guaranteed to please. And not only is everything in the store pet-friendly, it’s budget-friendly too.

If you’re looking to surprise distant friends and relatives with unique gifts, visit the websites linked from these posts for information about ordering and shipping online. Your loved ones will be glad you did. And don’t forget to treat yourself – make a day of it by visiting one of the neighborhood’s many restaurants and galleries during your shopping trip.

–By Sandy Smith

All photos by the author

Looking for stylish stuff for your home in Philadelphia this holiday season? Look no further than Old City for great finds in furniture, decor and accessories for the home. From high-end designers to great savings on seating, Old City home and design boutiques have something for everyone. Here’s just a taste of what’s in store:

Jonathan Adler

For fun stuff to liven up your living space, turn to Jonathan Adler (33 North 3rd Street). Named “Best Home Decor” in Philadelphia magazine’s 2011 Best of Philly awards issue, Jonathan Adler specializes in bright, pop-influenced items that convey a sense of playfulness – “irreverent luxury,” in the words of the store’s manifesto. There’s a certain cheekiness to Adler’s collections that will make all but the most hard-bitten smile upon seeing them. On a budget? Consider some of Adler’s little tchotchkes, like the animal Christmas ornaments for $24.

If you’re looking to settle down for a long winter’s nap, there’s no better place to do it than on a bed from Hollandia International (149 North 3rd Street). Hollandia’s adjustable mattresses are among the world’s most technologically advanced and are designed to provide truly restorative sleep. Hollandia has also added the popular Tempur-Pedic line of beds to its collection this season. Not looking for a new bed right now? Check out their line of sleep accessories – buy one, get one at 50% off.

Mr. Bar Stool

Or perhaps you’re just looking for a place to sit down. If it’s not in the extensive warehouse collection at Mr. Bar Stool (167 North 2nd Street, at Race), chances are it’s not made any more. This wholesale-to-the-public seating outlet has thousands of chairs, tables, bars and stools in stock, with designs ranging from traditional to contemporary. There is a Calligaris design showroom on the store’s second floor as well.

As with fashion, this list only begins to take in the shopping options for Philadelphia homes available in Old City. Why not visit and discover your own new favorite shop?

 –Sandy Smith

All photographs by the author

Sugarcube

Living in Philly means there’s always something new and interesting to explore and discover. Take Old City as a shopping destination, for instance. Most of us who call Philadelphia home likely think of the area as home mainly to art galleries, restaurants and bars, but interspersed among all the art is a collection of unique and eclectic shops with gifts you won’t find anywhere else in the city. In this and the two posts that follow, we offer a brief guide to some of the best, where you’re sure to find items to satisfy just about any taste and budget.

Three Sirens Boutique (134 North 3rd Street) features women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes and accessories that run the gamut from classy to comfy, along with gift items like soaps and candles that appeal to a broader spectrum. The boutique’s jewelry collection comes from local designers, most notably Typhaney B. and Jill Ellen Designs, and the store’s shoe section is a partnership with local shoe boutique Bus Stop.

Reward

Classic clothing that combines vintage and contemporary style is Sugarcube’s stock in trade. Since 2004, Sugarcube (124 North 3rd Street) has specialized in introducing Philadelphia to original clothing and accessories for men and women from both new designers and classic names like Pendleton, which the store introduced to the city in 2007. The rustic style of the American Southwest is evident throughout the store right now, especially in its line of Pendleton clothes, blankets and accessories. Exclusive to the store this season is the Blksmith line of denim jeans – Sugarcube is  the Brooklyn firm’s second U.S. retailer – and a new fragrance called Moonshine, produced in France and bottled in North Carolina by a couple of Texans. Those looking for fun, inexpensive stocking stuffers should consider Sugarcube’s socks by Richer/Poorer, only $14 a pair.

In the air at Reward (55 North 2nd Street) is a more urban, punk sensibility, reflecting the tastes of the store’s owners. The store’s lines include both new designers with “forward-thinking perspective” and established names with reputations for quality. There’s something for everyone, male or female, here, all of it available nowhere else in the city.

This is just a sampling of the fashion and apparel choices available in Old City. From vintage to cutting edge, new to gently worn, it’s all here, and a visit for yourself will turn up gems as precious as these.

–Sandy Smith

All photographs by the author

While more Americans prefer mixed-use environments like Head House Square, townhomes remain a minority preference

Like urbanophiles elsewhere, boosters of living in Philly have had good cause to celebrate over the last decade or so. Close-in city neighborhoods have gained population in a number of cities, and, as noted in another recent post on this blog, the pattern of net out-migration from city to suburb is showing signs of reversing course. City real estate has also appreciated in value over this time and has held more of its value in the recent market downturn.

These trends comport with survey data released by the National Association of Realtors® in March that led Christopher Leinberger of the Brookings Institution and the University of Michigan to proclaim “The Death of the Fringe Suburb” in a recent New York Times Op-Ed essay. And indeed, the results of the 2011 NAR Community Prefernce Survey point to waning popularity for the strictly use-segregated, drive-everywhere landscape of the suburban fringe.  When asked to describe the type of community they preferred, more respondents – 36% – preferred living in urban downtowns (8%) or suburban communities with a mix of residences and businesses (28%) than preferred living in strictly residential suburbs (12%) or city neighborhoods (11%).  Even more respondents, however – 40% – preferred small-town (18%) or rural (22%) environments.

Small-town environments (shown here: New Ulm, MN) and their walkable suburban cousins are the choice of a majority of respondents to the NAR survey

The survey also showed that when respondents were asked to choose between more pedestrian-friendly “smart growth” communities and traditional suburban sprawl, a majority expressed a preference for the “smart growth” community: 56% vs. 43% who preferred sprawl.

But one other preference trumps them all: that for the detached single-family house, preferably with plenty of space around it. It remains the preferred housing choice of the overwhelming majority of respondents (80%), and when asked what factors they would sacrifice if forced to choose between preferences, respondents almost consistently chose to give up some other good – a walkable environment, easy access to parks and shopping, the ability to reach stores and amenities without driving – in order to obtain a detached house on a larger lot. The only thing that would make them downsize that ideal? A shorter commute to work.

Most Americans will sacrifice everything but a shorter commute to work for a single-family home with ample space around it

As the 2011 survey did not provide comparisons with responses to these questions when the survey was last conducted in 2004, it is difficult to say whether the general preference for mixed-use, walkable environments – the type of communities that dominate the Philadelphia real estate scene – represents a growing trend born of frustration with long commutes spent behind the wheel. But it does indicate that urbanity has made something of a comeback in the national consciousness. However, it is probably premature to bury the fringe suburb, for the desire for a home that is wholly one’s own remains the strongest of all housing preferences.

–Sandy Smith

All images public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Living in Philly has its charms and advantages. One of them is a collection of shopping districts filled with one-of-a-kind specialty stores and boutiques. From Rittenhouse Row to Head House Square, you can find dozens of places offering unique holiday gifts you won’t find anywhere else. What’s more, if you call Center City home, you can reach them without having to drive.

This holiday season, the Center City District is sponsoring a series of “Shopping Saturdays” from Nov. 26 through Dec. 17 focusing on Center City’s signature shopping districts. The CCD’s Shopping Saturday team will be in a different district each Saturday from noon to 2 p.m., offering hot chocolate, shopping bags and a chance to win a $500 Center City shopping spree. The first Saturday, Nov. 26, coincides with the ongoing national Small Business Saturday campaign, which promotes the small, independent businesses that are the backbone of our economy.

Here’s where you will find the CCD Shopping Saturday team these next four weeks:

Nov. 26 – Midtown Village, 13th and Chestnut streets
Dec. 3 – The Shops at Liberty Place, 16th and Chestnut streets
Dec. 10 – The Gallery at Market East, 9th and Market streets
Dec. 17 – Rittenhouse Row, 18th and Walnut streets

In addition, merchants in these districts will offer special discounts and events tied to the promotion. A complete list of participating merchants can be found on the Center City District’s Shopping Saturday website.

–Sandy Smith

While the market for real estate in Philadelphia lags the national trend for now, nationwide figures from the National Association of Realtors suggest the housing market is ever so slowly yet definitely turning a corner.

While the main attention-grabber in the NAR’s Monday report on existing-home sales for October was an unexpected 1.4% rise in sales from September’s figure, other data in the release show continued improvement in the overall state of the housing market. Annualized sales of existing homes nationwide in October were 13.5% above the pace at this time last year. In addition, the inventory of homes on the market continues to fall gradually. The 3.33 million existing homes for sale in October represent a 2.2% drop from the previous month. At the current sales pace, it would take 8 months to sell all the inventory, down from 8.3 months in September. The real estate industry trade group says that both figures have been trending downward gradually since July of 2008.

And while the national housing market remains a buyer’s market, with the national median price of existing homes 4.7% below last year’s level, sales of distressed properties – foreclosures and short sales – also continue to fall as a share of the total. October’s 28% share was down 2 percentage points from the previous month and 6 from the previous year.  Some of that fall may be due to delays in getting foreclosed properties to market, according to NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun: “In some areas we’re hearing about shortages of foreclosure inventory in the lower price ranges with multiple bidding on the more desirable properties,” Yun said. “Realtors® in such areas are calling for a faster process of getting foreclosure inventory into the market because they have ready buyers.”

Yun also noted that relaxation of today’s tighter credit standards would improve both the overall pace of existing-home sales and the absorption of distressed properties. “In addition, extending credit to responsible investors would help to absorb inventory at an even faster pace, which would go a long way toward restoring market balance,” he said.

Sales trends in the Philadelphia real estate market are more in line with those in the Northeast, where NAR data for October show a 5.1% falloff in existing-home sales from last month and a 1.4% rise from one year ago. TREND MLS data for October show sales in Center City Philadelphia and areas immediately adjacent running 35% below last month’s figure and 12% below the same month one year ago.

–Sandy Smith

So you’ve found that new home in Philadelphia you’ve always dreamed of, the one with the huge roof deck with spectacular skyline views, and you want to turn that deck into something really special. Or maybe you already own a piece of Philadelphia real estate with a roof that’s about due for repair or replacement. Here’s an idea that will add value and beauty to your home, cut your energy bills, and help our urban environment all at the same time: Turn that roof of yours green.

Intensive green roof with flowers on a Kater Street townhouse

Green roofs – roofs planted with low-maintenance grasses or plants that absorb and retain water – are a small but important way to help reduce the burden placed on Philadelphia’s sewer system when it rains. By absorbing and holding storm water, green roofs reduce runoff into the city’s sewers, which in turn reduces flooding and sewage pollution in the rivers that provide the city and region with drinking water.

A passive green roof like this one requires very little maintenance

Green roofs are also a component of the Philadelphia Water Department’s comprehensive stormwater management program for the next 25 years, “Green City, Clean Waters.” This plan has won national praise for its innovative approach to the water management issues raised by urban development because it relies on nature more than engineering to reduce storm water flows.

Turn your roof deck into your back yard by going green - it adds beauty and lowers your energy bills

But what’s in it for you? Fruits and vegetables, if you so choose. Or a rooftop oasis where you can relax. Lower energy bills thanks to the added insulation of the soil. And lower maintenance costs in the long run.

Installing a green roof requires you to do some homework first. You will need to find out how much weight your roof can support and how its drainage system functions, for starters. The cost of the installation will vary depending on what type of green roof you choose; the accompanying pictures give examples of the most common types.

For more information about green roofs and to find an installer, visit Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

The Philadelphia Water Department also has information about green roofs and other stormwater management tools homeowners can use to reduce storm runoff, as well as the role these tools play in the city’s 25-year stormwater management plan. Visit the Green City, Clean Waters website for full details.

–Sandy Smith

Just about anyone living in Center City Philadelphia who’s been around a while can attest that the heart of the city has changed a lot, and for the better, over the last decade. Where once quiet ruled after 6 p.m., the streets now hum with life well into the night. Those retail stores that survived the dark times now stay open later and reap the benefits. The dining scene continues to feed on its own success, with new restaurants popping up every week, it seems. Homeowners have also benefited as property values rose along with the resident population over the past decade.

All these changes have produced an encouraging result: Philadelphia is becoming more attractive to Philadelphians too, relative to its suburbs.

Confirmation of this comes from noted urban observer Aaron Renn, who crunched Internal Revenue Service data for a number of cities to see whether reports of a back-to-the-city trend were true or greatly exaggerated. What he found – and posted on his blog The Urbanophile , with a longer explanation on NewGeography – is that while the trend is indeed more hype than fact, the first signs of a change in direction did emerge in a number of cities in the 2000s.

One of those cities was Philadelphia, which Renn chose to analyze because it is at once a city and county. What he found was a shift in intra-metropolitan migration patterns since 2000. While more city residents continue to leave for the suburbs than vice versa, the gap between the two figures shrunk dramatically from 2000 to 2010. Plotted onto an index, suburb-to-city migration in Philadelphia increased over that decade while city-to-suburb migration fell.

For those who love city living, this can only be good news. It’s a sign that people who believe in city life can spread that belief to others, and that people acting together, from neighborhoods to City Hall, can rewrite the script of inexorable urban decline with a happier ending. All of these things have been happening in Philadelphia for nearly 20 years now, and it’s good to see that the seeds planted over that time are finally bearing fruit.

–Sandy Smith

The saga of the euro zone bailout resembled an old “Perils of Pauline” movie this week as fear and relief traded places regularly. First, investors worried that the euro zone member nations would be unable to reach a deal to avert a Greek default and stabilize the euro. Then, after a deal was announced to general relief, Greece’s prime minister announnced he would put the matter up to a popular vote, sending the markets back into a tizzy. Now, the referendum has been called off and markets are breathing another sigh of relief. The net result, however, was good news for those in the market for real estate in Philadelphia and elsewhere.

That’s because the turmoil caused investors to pour money into U.S. debt securities, causing mortgage interest rates to plummet, except on the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey, which is a trailing survey that measures activity in the calendar week preceding its release. On the two current-week surveys, the drop was pronounced.

Here are the national average mortgage rates on this week’s weekly surveys. Unless otherwise noted, rates are for 80% loan-to-value ratio mortgages and assume good credit.

Mortgage Bankers Association – Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey, week ending Oct. 28

30-year fixed-rate conforming loan: 4.31%, -2 points, with 0.49 points, +0.02 point

30-year fixed-rate jumbo loan: 4.69%, +1 point, with 0.45 points, +0.03 point

30-year fixed-rate FHA-guaranteed loan: 4.09%, -2 points, with 0.51 points, -0.1 point

15-year fixed-rate loan: 3.63%, +1 point, with 0.45 points, unchanged

5/1 adjustable-rate loan: 3.09%, -2 points, with 0.5 points, unchanged

Bankrate.com: Week ending Nov. 2

30-year fixed-rate loan: 4.23%, -10 points

15-year fixed-rate loan: 3.48%, -9 points

5-year ARM: 3.18%, -4 points

Loans this week averaged 0.38 points.

Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey®, week ending Nov. 3

30-year fixed-rate loan: 4%, -10 points, with 0.7 points

15-year fixed-rate loan: 3.31%, -7 points, with 0.7 points

5-year ARM: 2.96%, -12 points, with 0.6 points

1-year ARM: 2.88%, -2 points, with 0.6 points

One basis point equals one hundredth of one percent. One discount point represents one percent of the total value of the mortgage, paid as interest up front.

Mortgage applications rose slightly in the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association survey, with new purchase loan applications accounting for all of the total rise. Refinance applications fell, losing overall market share for the fourth week in a row. With rates headed back down, this trend could reverse in next week’s report, but at present, it indicates that buyers who can qualify for loans remain interested in homes on the market and are ready to take advantage of very attractive interest rates.