Philadelphia / S. Jersey Blog

It has been a pleasure writing about Philadelphia for About.com for the past few years, but my time here is coming to a close. I will miss seeing you here.

All the best!
Karrie

Until a few years ago, Pat's and Geno's were East Passyunk's most notable culinary offerings. There were still long-standing, classic and delicious Italian restaurants like Marra's, but there was a lack of variety and lots of empty store fronts. Now the adorable avenue is a major destination for dining and retail. In 2010 Passyunk Avenue was profiled in the travel section of the New York Times for it's cool cafe culture and hip boutiques. After the young art crowd helped established East Passyunk Avenue as an exciting place to be, culinary heavy weights followed suit. In May of 2013, East Passyunk Avenue was named one of the 10 Best Foodie Streets in America. They have it all: great cafes, cozy BYOBs, progressive gastropubs, specialty food markets and sophisticated fine-dining. Here are some of the best places to eat and drink on East Passyunk Avenue.

May is a busy, beautiful month in Philly. In addition to Mother's Day and Memorial Day, and all the brunches and barbecues that entails, there are some great festivals. Definitely don't miss South Street's "new signature event," the South Street Headhouse District Spring Festival. Lots of great things have been happening in that area and on May 4th you can sample them all at once. Enjoy food and cocktails from nearby by restaurants while the young ones hang out in the "kid zone" at this massive street festival. Read more about what May has in store here.

In Philly, Spring can be rather fleeting. The cold subsides, the sun comes out, everyone is ecstatic... for a moment. The next thing you know It's 100 degrees with suffocating humidity. Early Spring is the best time to take advantage of Philadelphia's increasingly awesome outdoor seating options. While any restaurant can throw some tables out on the side walk, the best outdoor seating combines ambiance with open air. These restaurants have thoughtfully designed patio seating that feels like taking a mini vacation. Read more here.

The 10-day Philadelphia Science Festival begins Thursday, April 18. The festival, which is in it's 3rd year, is an interactive exploration of science, technology and engineering. The events take place throughout the city and includes anything from lectures and debates to carnivals and cocktail parties.  Science buff or not, this festival has plenty of fun and fascinating events for both children and adults. Here are my daily picks for Science Festival events.

There was a time, long, long ago, when people shopped at secondhand stores purely out of necessity. Today secondhand shopping has been elevated into an art form, a number 1 rap song, and for some, an occupation. Vintage goods bought for pennies on the dollar can fetch hundreds onEbay or Etsy shops. Amassing a collection of go-to thrift stores, flea markets and whole sale vintage distributors can take years of practice and an intimate knowledge of the city. Here are some of the best secondhand shops I've found in Philadelphia, plus some tips to help you make the most of them.

There is just so much awesomeness this month. There are tons of Festivals each with countless quality events of their own. Philadelphia was recently voted amongst America's top cities for culture by Travel + Leisure Magazine and with this month's line up of events it's not hard to see why. Click here to see the best April has to offer.

Easter is this Sunday, March 31. Here are some of the best ways to spend this Spring holiday whether you're looking for easter egg hunts or elegant brunch buffets.

Great and Mighty Things is the name of a new exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibition is comprised of over 200 works of "Outsider Art," collected and donated by Jill and Sheldon Benovitz, a sculpture and lawyer respectively. The term "Outsider Art" comes from the French "Art Brut," which was used to describe art created on the fringes of society, such as in asylums. Though the English term is much more broadly used, many outsider artists do create in spite of or because of mental illness, but the most important qualifiers for outsider art is that the artist is self-taught and doesn't make art for a living. Read more about the exhibit and some of the inspiring artist's here.

Rumors of a new Honey's Sit N' Eat have been circulating for almost three years. The project was signed in June 2010 and Graduate Hospital residents have been anxiously awaiting it's opening. The original Honey's Sit N' Eat at 4th and Brown in Northern Liberties is a staple of the neighborhood; serving homestyle brunch 7-days-a-week. The restaurant stays surprisingly busy during the weekdays and impossibly crowded on weekends. Read the full guide review here.