Tag Archives: Center City

Chic Club Fun at Vango

As the warmer months are fast approaching, everyone starts talking about Vango and its uber-sexy Skybar roof deck lounge. Vango offers several different atmospheres throughout the club and lounge. If you’re in for a night of high-rolling and sophisticated fun, oPicture 16rder the bottle service and receive top-notch attention in the reserved area. Or if you’re looking for an evening filled with house music and calorie-burning grooving, the dance floors inside will not fail you. The DJs always keep the mood going all through the night – be sure to check out the color-coded calendar on the website so you can choose the tunes you’ll be dancing to.

Vango is more than just a club and killer roof deck (although with 8,000 square feet, it’s a whole lot of club), it also offers an enviable menu. The styles of chef Michael Fee (from Nobu) and owner Dia Sawan (from the family who gave us Philadelphia’s Mediterranean gems Byblos and Fez) meld Japanese and Mediterranean classics wonderfully; there aren’t many places you can begin with hummus for an appetizer, eat a main course of yellowtail jalapeño and spider rolls, then finish off with an order of baklava.

Another Starr: Butcher & Singer

Channeling a time when martinis at lunch were the norm and no self-respecting woman left the home without her coif in full pompadour, Butcher & Singer serves steak and seafood in Picture 14high fashion. If you are one of those that agree there can never be too much Mad Men in our lives, Butcher & Singer is your opportunity to walk right onto that set and light up a cigarette.

The stars at this Starr restaurant are steaks and seafood, just as any classic steakhouse should. Prime steaks are prepared a la carte from the beautiful open kitchen. Seafood highlights are cold-water lobster, classic surf and turf, freshly caught fish and Lobster Newberg. And for lunch, the Butcher Burger has won Philadelphia battles with its grilled onions, English cheddar, and homemade Russian dressing serving the knockout punch.

Oyster House: A Philly Tradition for Aphrodisiacs

The Sansom Picture 13Street Oyster House, now known as just the Oyster House, is a classic staple of the food scene and has been serving Philadelphians fresh seafood at reasonable prices since 1947. Oyster Hour is the House’s version of happy hour, serving “Buck-A-Shuck” $1 Oysters of the Day and drink specials during weekday happy hour and late-night on Saturdays.

These mouth-watering little aphrodisiacs are a wonderful start to a night out on the town, chased down with the House’s quality cocktails. The Oyster House is also home to Philadelphia’s odd, but delicious pairing, fried oysters and chicken salad – an old 19th century tradition that started at The Union League and stayed in the city’s heart.

After being renovated a little over a year ago, the Oyster House now boasts high ceilings and industrial-chic flair; with the family’s dynamic collection of ceramic oyster plates speckling the walls, you’ll find just the right hint of personality that will make you want to come back for more.

3. Eat Well at Philly Restaurant Week 1/17-1/29/10

Picture 16It’s time to shed those pesky extra pounds you put on over the holidays, but you’ll want to hold off on your New Year’s resolution for at least a month, because the event of the season is coming up. On January 17th, TD Bank will present City District Restaurant Week. More than 40 of Philadelphia’s most popular restaurants will be joining in on the 12-day event to prepare delicious entrees to send your taste buds soaring at prices that will leave you smiling.

Business or Pleasure – Loews is a Treat

The Loews Hotel in Philadelphia is in the heart of Center City located in the historic PSFS (Philadelphia Savings Fund Society) Building, a silhouette that has dominated the Philly skyline in its modern form since 1932.

loews2The hotel has terrific amenities, some of them utterly unique. If you love toting along your furry friend, pets are welcome at the hotel with open arms complete with a cat or dog bed in your room. Kids also get all-star treatment by receiving Fisher-Price welcome gifts and special “Kidbanas” by the pool. A full-service health spa, two-lane heated lap pool and twenty-four hour room service amenities round out the ways you can be pampered while staying with the acclaimed, four diamond Loews Hotel.

The art deco style combined with original bank vault doors and granite floors makes for a chic and elegant space to stay. Conveniently situated by the Reading Terminal Market and Philadelphia’s Convention Center, the 38 floor hotel is in a prime location for business or pleasure.

Avenue of the Arts: A Stretch of Culture Across Philly

The Avenue of the Arts runs through the heart of Philadelphia on Broad Street, the city’s widest and busiest street. To say that this area is saturated with culture is an understatement- museums, theaters, restaurants, perfPicture 7orming arts venues, universities, you name it, it’s there. The Avenue is a great place to visit because it’s easy to get to (lots of parking garages on the Avenue as well as accessible public transportation) and is always bustling with foot traffic.

The busiest and most affluent area of the Avenue is on South Broad, starting from Philly’s beautiful City Hall to Lombard Street, where you will find many of the city’s major theaters like the Academy of Music, Merriam Theatre, and Wilma Theater. When meandering down the Avenue, you can stop along the way and catch the building tours at many of the venues. Be sure to look on the Avenue of the Arts website for a listing of all the shows happening at all venues!

Take advantage of all that there is to do- and see- on this beautiful Avenue in the heart of Philadelphia.

The Bellevue: The Grande Dame of Broad St.

Nicknamed “The Grande Dame of Broad Street,” this historically-rich building has kept the same charm since her opening in 1904. Famous guests, including every U.S. President since Roosevelt (!), PHIbellevuehave stayed in the hotel segment of the building.

Besides the hotel, the Bellevue holds dozens of luxury shops (Nicole Miller, Tiffany & Co.), a food court with cuisine ranging from sushi to gyros, and a top-notch health club.

XIX (Nineteen) is one of the finest restaurants at the Bellevue and often has jam-packed happy hours after work. The restaurant is on the 19th floor, hence the name, and has some of the best views of Philadelphia.

Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland is in the main lobby as you enter off of Broad Street; the champagne truffles are bursts of decadent goodness. The shop is adorable and their chocolates are packaged beautifully, making great gifts for your return to home or the office.

The New Comcast Center is Worth the Visit

The Comcast Center is one of the newest additions to the Philadelphia sPicture 9kyline- and by far the tallest. You’ll need to allot at least ten minutes for ogling in the lobby at the gigantic video wall, 2,000 square feet of hi-def LED screen to be exact, that shows different images throughout the day of flying through space to Phillies playoff games.

The Market at Comcast Center is a great stop for lunch, and often gets busy with the suits on break during the week. Voted best food court by Philadelphia Magazine in 2009, any gourmet palate will be satiated with all of the choices. The most popular spot is Philadelphia’s famous cheese aficionados The Di Bruno Brothers. This Italian market sensation set up another shop here with scrumptious sandwiches filled with classic flavors.

LOVE Park, a plaza made famous for Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture, is located right outside the Comcast Center. If the weather is nice, dining al fresco is a must!

Bartenders are Friends at Jose Pistola’s

When considering Philadelphia bars, Jose Pistola’s gets the rare A++ for its bartenders. These guys will be your friend and laugh with you all evening all whilPicture 14e still managing to be unintrusive in your own conversations. The exposed brick walls, industrial-chic feel and long curving bars are a welcome surprise to the plain view of the outside.

Philly residents know Pistola’s for its beer list, which is long, lovely and always changing. If you get a good conversation going with the bartender, they’ve been known to pull some unique brews from the back for curious customers. Highlights of the menu are the nachos, which can be split for a table and are covered in some serious queso fresco, and the melt in your mouth, take me to Mexico empanadas. Whether you’rd singing work woes away at happy hour or hitting margaritas and burritos late night, Jose Pistola’s will be a good time.

Start The Weekend Right At Friday LIVE

Food and drink specials? Check. Gorgeous venue? Check. Fantastic free live music? Check! The Kimmel Center’s Friday LIVE series has all that and more Friday evenings on its Commonwealth Plaza sPHIfridaylivetage (that’s in the spectacular main lobby, which is worth the visit in itself).

The Philadelphia music scene is huge, and the Kimmel Center showcases these local talents from 5:30-7:15pm every Friday throughout its season. Rock, funk, classical, straight-away jazz – you name it- they’ve got it. Friday LIVE is a great way to see this beautiful venue, built in 2001 on the Avenue of the Arts, without committing to purchasing a ticket.

The bar serves drink specials and appetizers, ideal for a happy hour visit before going out to eat at one of the many restaurants in walking distance. Supporting local arts is always a good thing, so you may as well do it in this fabulous performing arts center. If you want to check out the performances before you go, they’re all listed on the website.