Today was the third annual craft beer festival, part of Philly Beer Week. The event was held down…read morein the Naval yard, and you had to have a ticket just to get in the area. It was a giant tasting, with everyone getting a little glass with 2-4 ounce markings on it. Supposedly every brewery was to give 2 ounces, but most filled you up to 4. There were scores of breweries there, and I must have tried every type of beer imaginable, not every one great, but several worth remembering (my friend wrote them down, thank goodness!). My favorite moments - beer bingo, and beer waves, starting at one end of the long building and moving to the other, with everyone cheering and raising their glassesd as it approached. There were food stations, which cost extra but not extravagantly so. Everyone was well-mannered, even though you were more likely to bump shoulders with others as the night wore on, the crowd grew thicker, and navigation skills deteriorated. Many local breweries were absent, and a discussion thread elsewhere mentioned that there may have been a boycott due to low reimbursement rates offered to the breweries for attendance. There was lots of beer-themed merchandise for sale, with some very cool t-shirts. Oh well, I had a great time, with my first Milk Stout (from a Lancastetr brewery) and waaaaay too many others to mention. Or remember.

I think the Fairmount Arts Crawl might have just been one of the best community events I've ever…read moreattended, and I've been to several. Throughout a 10+ block radius there was small businesses converted into art galleries for the day, musicians playing on practically every corner, poetry readings, puppetry by Spiral Q, outdoor sales and then some! Fairmount definitely proved that it really knew how to get it's community involved. I don't think there was a single block that didn't at least have one festivity going on. Good thing that we had a great tour guide in Anthony P.! And even if it's a year away I think I'm definitely fiending for the next one.

Long gone are the days where the fountain was a musical centerpiece of East Passyunk Ave. But I'm…read morefine with not being able to reminisce to some Sinatra so long as the Avenue has gained such a noteworthy centerpiece in its wake! While the old fountain still exists at the core, rather than fence it in they opened up the space and added welcoming tables and benches, and a take a book leave a book station. The end result is the perfect seasonal parklet that's perfectly fitting in the time of East Passyunk's restaurant renaissance, and you'll almost always see a few South Philly characters taking it all in. While the Fountain is always the perfect spot to kick back and relax to a good book, It also see's it's share of action including the Wednesday Farmer's Market, holiday activities once the fountain gets transformed into a "Christmas tree", and a dj/music station during all of East Passyunk Ave's street festivals.

Sitting there, in the sun, I was easily whisked away to Europe...in particular, Prague…read more.... So lovely, so peaceful. Gorgeous anchor and place to sit. Oh bella!

This is one of the coolest holiday light displays ever!! The family really goes all out!…read more The home is DRIPPING in lights, Clark is out front, as is the 1989 Ford Taurus family station wagon complete with the oversized Christmas tree they plucked right from the ground, roots and all! There's even the 1984 Chicago cop car with flashing lights! Of course, this scene wouldn't be complete without crazy Cousin Eddy and his RV!!! This is THEE coolest! He looks JUST like him and waves too! It's kind of unreal! The characters are actually made of latex and have been commissioned from an artist in California The family who owns the house, The Harbaughs', seem like the absolute sweetest! Their goal each of the past three years they've decorated is to fill the RV with Toys For Tots! The toys will specifically be given to the children at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, so if you visit, definitely bring one or a few! They don't need to be wrapped! There is also a donation box! Please give! The first year they collected donations they accumulated more than 4,000 toys! Last year that total topped out at 9,000 toys!! Cops are patrolling the street and directing traffic so it wasn't crazy at all! You can surely drive-by in your vehicle or if you feel safe, there's a cul-de-sac right behind the house with a clearly marked path! Usually, you can get up close and take photos IN the set but this year because of Covid there is a barrier. This infamous house, which gets lit on Thanksgiving and stays that way until New Years Day has gained much buzz! Even Clark, played by Chevy Chase, and Ellen, played by Beverly D'Angelo, sent the family a video shout out! Way cool! By the way, you're totally going to want to go home and rewatch this classic again! .

There's so much cool stuff within the city limits that I've committed to trying to explore…read moresomething new (to me) every week. Recently that meant exploring the trolley trails in west Fairmount Park and finding the stone spiral arch bridge. In the early 1900s, a scene trolley took people through the woods. Nature has reclaimed the trolley paths, but in recent years they have been converted into miles of hiking trails. It's not crowded--I only saw 4 other people, mountain bikers, on my visit. It's a great place to explore. It's shaded so the walk was cool. It's pretty level so the hike is easy. And if you know where to go, you can find this beautiful bridge that looks like a brick spiral. The years have taken a toll, so I wonder how much longer we'll get to enjoy it. It's cool to think that in the past so much work was put into creating a beautiful structure that really just needed to serve a simple function. Don't have time for a long hike? You can get to the bridge quickly by entering the trail from Chamounix Mansion. Park by the equestrian building and head in. It's probably less than a 1/2 mile walk to the bridge.

I'm one of those weird Aquarius people who like to explore abandoned buildings, and ancient sites,…read moreso I had to check out Stone Arch Bridge! It is an old bridge that leads to nowhere because it is no longer being used. It is surrounded by a forest, and kind of hard to find. The best way to find it is to stay at Chamounix Mansion, and follow the trail behind the trees. It's worth checking out if you like to post on Instagram, and finding hidden gems that are off the beaten path.

Good photo spot me and my boyfriend had a great time only thing is wish it stayed on 24 hrs because…read moresome days if I go it's not on

An Instagram worthy quick place to check out if you're in the Passyunk, Termini's Bakery,…read morePats/Genos area. A neon sign art installation on the side of a building, located down a deteriorated alleyway. Go after dark for the full effect, and get your camera ready to snap away! Park nearby on Passyunk, Reed or 9th streets and then walk down Percy Street. You only really need 5 or 10 minutes here, so swing by next time you're in the area!

I went to the Old House Fair about a month ago in Germantown, and it was a great event which…read moreaccurately reflected the work of the Preservation Alliance. Getting together organizations, businesses, property owners, and the miscellaneous concerned citizens who see the value of architectural preservation. I had a fab time, met old friends and made new ones, learned a few things, joined the P.A., and ate like a pig. Marvelous. I rode my bike home to West Philly (hopefully burning off that meatball parm sandwich) and took a look at their website www.preservationalliance.com . I had seen it before , but hadn't paid too much attention, turns out that it rocks! The calendar section alone is enough to keep you busy for quite awhile, but when you sit down to look it over have your planner on your lap because you will find events that you don't want to miss. Skip forward a few weeks and I'm attending the Homeowner Workshops in Queen Village and Cedar Park. Experts demonstrate skills from masonry to roofing, and much more. If you need to work on an older house with the intent to maintain it's integrity then these workshops may be of great help to you. If you end up just hiring a contractor you will learn the vocabulary to communicate your needs, and be a more informed consumer of their services. Owning an older house is always a challenge, unless your financially independent, so be sure to get some help from the P.A. It's a membership based organization, so consider joining, taking on an old house is always easier if you have allies.

I just tried another walking tour and it was awful. It was given by the author of a book about the…read moregolden age of retail in Philadelphia. He was just basically reading from his book a list of dates and architects. He didn't weave in any of the interesting things that make architecture come alive such as relationship to history, changes in demographics, modernization. We left after more than an hour. He also had very little depth of knowledge of the subject for having written a whole book about it. $32 (for two of us) down the drain.

South Street is super cool! If you visit Philly, this is one place you must definitely check out…read more The street seems to go on forever and there are a multitude of indie stores, bars, clothing stores, and food spots. My boyfriend and I ended up here to visit a specific store in general, then after ended up exploring more. Spend like an hour here wandering, it's worth it.

Let me begin this review with saying I am not a native Philadelphian. I live on the West Coast, but…read moreI have lots of family near Philly, so my mom and I come every couple years. We've been to Philadelphia quite a few times, but we have always seemed to miss this cute little neighborhood. Today, I got the pleasure of exploring this pocket of Philly enjoyed by tourists and natives alike. South Street is coined the most hipster street in Philly, and I completely agree. It's filled with famous restaurants, cute stores, and beautiful art on every corner. The entire area is covered in murals and mosaics in every crevice, making it very unique. There's photo ops to take advantage of everywhere, and I could explore for hours. Also, it's home to the famous Philadelphia Magic Garden. I highly recommend checking South Street out on your next trip to the city, because it's a local gem. I'm disappointed I didn't see this underrated neighborhood on my previous trips to Philly, because I have absolutely fallen in love with its good vibes and one of a kind beauty. See you soon, South Street!