|
Zara
Category:
Women's Clothing
1715 Walnut St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 557-0911
Just a stone's throw from the Square, trendy Spanish clothing line Zara has a retail store. The store features both men's and women's clothing (more professional attire downstairs, more "junior"...
Just a stone's throw from the Square, trendy Spanish clothing line Zara has a retail store. The store features both men's and women's clothing (more professional attire downstairs, more "junior" type clothing upstairs). The brand is similar to H&M in that in features very of the minute clothing for low prices. I shop there regularly and find many trendy tops and pants for reasonable prices that do not look cheap. Incidentally, as a tall person, the pants are more than long enough for me and I'm almost 5'11 so that's an advantage. But as a European brand, the sizes tend to run small so it's not a good store for the plus-sized. The biggest disadvantage is some of the clothing appears to have loose threads - I have only owned and washed their pieces for several months without a problem but I do wonder about the quality of the construction/lasting power. In sum, good place to find a seasonal trend for a low price, bad place to buy a staple like a winter jacket.
Hide
|
|
I've eaten several times at the Midtown IV in West Center City for breakfast with reasonable results so I thought nothing of going to Midtown III with a friend after leaving a bar one evening. The...
I've eaten several times at the Midtown IV in West Center City for breakfast with reasonable results so I thought nothing of going to Midtown III with a friend after leaving a bar one evening. The menu and the atmosphere were similar to the other Midtown - wide selection, cheap prices, open all night, diner-style food, like a Denny's in feel but with some local color in the form of scrapple and pork rolls. I ordered the rice pudding and my friend ordered eggs on toast. The service was reasonable if not particularly fast or friendly and the other patrons appeared to also be on the just-left-the-bar variety (it was close to 2 am). However, to my horror, midway through my rice pudding I notice a dead fly in the middle of my food. Shortly thereafter, my friend finds a hair, clearly not her own, in her eggs. The food is neither bad nor expensive but I will never go back again because fundamentally the place and the food aren't clean.
Hide
|
|
La Colombe has a reputation for excellence where coffee is concerned. It is rumored that Martha Stewart drinks La Colombe coffee. The coffee shop in Center City is right next to Rittenhouse Square...
La Colombe has a reputation for excellence where coffee is concerned. It is rumored that Martha Stewart drinks La Colombe coffee. The coffee shop in Center City is right next to Rittenhouse Square and has lower prices than most other establishments (regular coffee $1.25, iced coffee which includes a shot of espresso $2). It also is excellent coffee served in real pretty china glasses. But this is no fancy-pants establishment - the workers have a vaguely punk look and the clientele tends to favor "artistes" who come in looking bedraggled and sketch at the tables or local students with dog-earred philosophy books. Which may or may not suit you. The clientele also have a tendency to talk to you and the music (alternative sort) is played loud so it's not great for concentrated studying.
Hide
|
|
After a recent fender bender, I took my car into the dealership to be serviced. I know very little about cars but a visual minor amount of damage resulted in a rather high (I thought) quote. ...
After a recent fender bender, I took my car into the dealership to be serviced. I know very little about cars but a visual minor amount of damage resulted in a rather high (I thought) quote. However, Pacifico Ford did a wonderful job on my car making it look and run identical to before the accident. The scheduling woman also went out of her way to get me a ride to the airport after dropping my car off and to leave my car outside for me after hours so I could pick it up on my way back into town. I think the quote was perfectly fair but remember this is a dealership, not a cut-rate discount place. But if you value your car, I highly recommend it.
Hide
|
|
I went to Cuba Libre in Old City for brunch having been to the place previously at night for drinks and salsa dancing. With the sun-dappled dining room, palm trees, and brightly tiled floor, Cuba...
I went to Cuba Libre in Old City for brunch having been to the place previously at night for drinks and salsa dancing. With the sun-dappled dining room, palm trees, and brightly tiled floor, Cuba Libre looks like a transplant from Havana, not Philadelphia. This was especially evident at brunch with the sun coming in through the skylights. Brunch features imaginative dishes like the stuffed french toast with tropical fruits that I had, the Cuban-style huevos rancheros with sausages and black beans, and a delicious basket of breads (muffins, banana bread, etc) that comes with a churn for make-your-own mango butter. The coffee I had was quite good and frequently refilled but for those who prefer it, the brunch also featured Bloody Marias, Mimosas, Mojitos. The restaurant is run by the same people who own Alma de Cuba in Rittenhouse, a place visited by J. Lo a few years back. The main disadvantage of the brunch is the prices fall in the low teens which struck me, a poor student, as a lot of money for eggs, even really good tropical eggs. I'd love to go back if someone else were paying.
Hide
|
|
Figs
Category:
Restaurants
2501 Meredith St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130
(215) 978-8440
I recently visited Figs on recommendation for a date. I recommend looking up the location before heading out since Meredith St. is tiny and no cab driver in Philly will be able to locate it (mine...
I recently visited Figs on recommendation for a date. I recommend looking up the location before heading out since Meredith St. is tiny and no cab driver in Philly will be able to locate it (mine took half an hour with one stop for directions and one call from me to a friend to ask). The restaurant itself is very attractive with warm golden colors on the walls and lights strung up inside and outside creating a romantic, vaguely Middle Eastern atmosphere. The menu is a single page ranging from pasta to chicken to seafood to steak dishes all in the upscale American style. I ordered the sirloin which came with a gorgonzola cheese sauce, mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. The steak was slightly more well-done than I asked but high quality and the cheese sauce was delicious. Entrees ranged from $17 to $22. It's also a BYOB so be sure to stop for wine on your way.
Hide
|
|
McGillin's Olde Ale House is located in an alleyway off 13th Street between Chestnut and Sansom. It falls into the brewpub category and famously refuses to carry Guinness. What it does carry is $5...
McGillin's Olde Ale House is located in an alleyway off 13th Street between Chestnut and Sansom. It falls into the brewpub category and famously refuses to carry Guinness. What it does carry is $5 pitchers of domestic beers, a large selection of other beers on tap and a full bar, a friendly barkeep in the style of Robert Redford, and prompt service. It's a relaxed, vaguely Irish ambience that's popular with Center City professionals for afterwork happy hour. It's also popular on Friday nights for atrociously bad karaoke - the place to hear your co-workers sing "Love is a Battlefield." It's not trendy, it's not see-and-be-seen, it's not by Stephen Starr, but it's consistent authentic atmosphere in a Philly establishment with character and good prices.
Hide
|