Honeysuckle Provisions is a new entrant on the West Philadelphia food scene, a trailblazing Afrocentric grocery and cafe.
[Ads /]
Husband and wife team Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude Tate serve their West Philly community while celebrating Black foodways and farmers.
Menu items are nods to Cybille's Haitian roots and Omar's as a descendant of South Carolina plantation slaves, with an overarching reverence for the food of the Black diaspora.
They implement what they have learned from their parents and grandparents, and consider this store to be the blueprint for an expansion of the Honeysuckle brand in the future.
Honeysuckle Provisions | Instagram
310 S. 48th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Winter hours: Thursday-Sunday, 9am-7pm
Heavy Metal Sausage Company is South Philly's new high-end deli
Patrick Alfiero and Mellisa Pelligrino never set out to own their own eatery.
They'd been working together at Nick Elmi restaurants -- he as a chef and she as a sommelier. But when the pandemic hit, both lost their jobs.
That's when Alfiero's entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and he decided to start selling hotdogs.
They were a hit and as word spread and business grew, Alfiero started adding sausages to the menu and they opened Heavy Metal Sausage Co. last April.
It's a high-end deli concept with hearty soups and stews and sandwiches like smoked ham and cheese slathered with spicy carrot long hot relish. Alfiero does all of the cooking, making almost everything in-house.
They just added four-course dinners on Thursdays and Fridays, called Trattoria, with house-made pasta and all-animal ragu made with goose, rabbit, beef and pork.
The place just earned a prestigious James Beard nomination, and the couple just got engaged.
Heavy Metal Sausage Co. | Facebook | Instagram
1527 W. Porter Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19145
Da-Wa Sushi & Ramen brings international fish selection to Fishtown
At Da-Wa Joseph's Sushi & Ramen in Fishtown, Joseph Kim is the chef and his wife, Ellie works the front of the house.
Serving fish as fresh as possible, Chef Kim welcomes weekly deliveries of different types of fish from all around the world, including Otoro bluefin tuna from Spain, king salmon from New Zealand, and yellowtail from Japan.
Chef Kim says that sushi tastes best in February.
"In the wintertime, the water gets cold and the fish get fattier," says Chef Kim.
He's already gearing up for Valentine's Day as Da-Wa welcomes many couples this time of year.
On V-Day all Junmai "pure rice" sake will be on the house.
Da-Wa offers more than sushi.
There are also three types of ramen, along with braised pork belly bao buns, octopus tempura, shrimp ceviche, and crispy rice with bluefin tuna, to name a few.
Chef Kim grew up in South Korea and moved to New Jersey when he was 12.
He met his wife while working at a sushi spot in New York.
The couple has turned Da-Wa into a true family-run restaurant, including Joseph's 72-year-old mother, who still works there daily.
Da-Wa Joseph's Sushi & Ramen | Instagram
1204 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
215-278-7671
Bow Wow Weddings can help your dog be a part of your special day
When Ana and Sam Best decided to tie the knot, they wanted their bulldog baby Mowgli to be a part of their big day.
But, with all of the details involved, they didn't know how they could make it work.
[Ads /]
Then they saw an Instagram post about Bow Wow Weddings, a new business that can board your furry friend, take them to and from the venue and assist with their ceremonial role-from ring bearer to flower pup or guest greeter.
Bow Wow Weddings can suit the pups up with a formal bow tie and, with treats in hand, assist with the wedding photos too.
The business was co-founded by North Wales native, Myles Ragin.
He and his business partner went to college together and both are now accountants, a job he describes as "not that fulfilling."
Bow Wow Weddings was a way to bring a little more "happy to our day" and to the day of the couple and their wedding party.
Bow Wow Weddings covers Philadelphia and the tri-state area, with Myles' partner covering the western side of the state.
They can do destination weddings too, and they're planning to incorporate cats in the nuptials in the future.
Bow Wow Weddings | Facebook | Instagram
267-638-8941
This Manayunk spot was named Philadelphia's 'best bed & breakfast'
Every morning, you'll find Mark Jerde in the kitchen of the Manayunk Chambers Guest House, whipping up everything from hand-carved double smoked bacon to grilled pineapple and all kinds of pastries.
Jerde is a professional baker and the pastries are his claim to fame.
He also worked the front desk at the Rittenhouse Hotel, and he revels in providing high-end hospitality.
His husband, Neal Orzeck, was born and raised in Manayunk. The Guest House, a former church parsonage built in 1877, was owned by his great aunt and has been in his family since 1900.
Orzeck bought the property in 1999. When he and Jerde started dating several years later, they set out to restore the home to its Victorian splendor, with Jerde doing nearly all of the work, by hand, over a period of 11 years.
The bed and breakfast has four guest rooms, each with its own personality and private bath.
The parlor is a place for guests to gather and socialize, and Mark has an eye for every little detail.
TripAdvisor has named the bed and breakfast the best in Philadelphia for four years running.
The couple has also worked to transform the entire neighborhood into an openly LGBTQIA+ friendly destination.
Manayunk Chambers Guest House | Facebook
168 Gay Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19127
215-482-4203
Home makeover ideas at Philly Home + Garden Show
The Philly Home + Garden Show returns to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center for the eighth time.
More than 250 home improvement experts will be under one roof with inspiration for projects to improve your home inside and out.
Landscaping projects, roofing, siding, fencing; if you can dream it up, there is an expert on hand to discuss the possibilities.
Carpenter and celebrity craftsman Jeff Devlin will be on hand giving presentations aimed at helping DIYers.
He will also have a stand for his store Sycamore and Stone Farm, a home decor shop in Chester Springs situated inside a 300-year old restored barn Jeff renovated himself.
Enter to win a custom table handmade by Jeff Devlin!
Jeff also provides workshops and classes at Sycamore and Stone Farm that are similar to his presentations at the Philly Home + Garden Show, aimed at giving students a chance to learn skills from an expert.
Philly Home + Garden Show | Facebook | Instagram
February 24-26, 2023
Greater Philadelphia Expo Center | Tickets
[Ads /]
100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456
Sycamore & Stone Farm | Facebook | Instagram
1251 Conestoga Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425
Main Line Health's tips and recipes for a healthy heart
Every Valentine's Day, we focus on affairs of the heart.
It's also Heart Month, and our sponsor partners at Main Line Health have some ideas on how you can show your heart some love -- with a heart-healthy recipe from registered dietitian Ashley McCorkle, and some tips from cardiologist Kaitlyn Ibrahim.
Main Line Health | Facebook | Instagram
Mediterranean Farro & Chickpea Salad
For the Salad:
- 1 cup cooked Farro
- 1 cup packed arugula
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 15.5 ounce can no salt added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons pistachios (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- 1. Combine Farro, arugula, bell pepper, tomatoes, scallions, and chickpeas in a large bowl.
- 2. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, honey, mustard, salt, and red pepper, stirring with a whisk.
- 3. Drizzle over Farro mixture, and toss.
- 4. Sprinkle with pistachios. (optional)
Forrest Theatre set for '1776' story of Founding Fathers with a twist
If you loved the Broadway musical, 'Hamilton,' you'll want to see '1776.'
It tells the story of the Founding Fathers, but with a big twist.
'1776' is being staged at the Forrest Theatre, just blocks from where the history actually happened in Philadelphia.
The show focuses on the events leading up to the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Jeffrey Page, a University of the Arts alum, is co-directing the show with a multicultural cast of artists who identify as female, nonbinary or trans.
"It's a reimagining," says Page. "This is for people who are interested in going on a very imaginative journey of, what if?"
"What if we told the story through voices that weren't allowed in the room during this moment?" says actor Sav Souza. They play Dr. Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire.
"The lead character of the show, John Adams, is being played by a Black woman," says Page.
"In 1776, literally, there were trans people," says Souza.
And so Souza says by putting their body in the story, "to me, it feels like an act of protest."
The show hit Broadway last fall and the Forrest Theatre is the first stop on its national tour.
"It makes us look at history through a very different and interesting lens," says Page who also choreographed the show.
It is the Broadway debut for Souza, who also graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
"I think that we've created something that is really special and really effective," says Souza. "And I hope that people will come and will feel seen."
While the show wrestles with the very foundation of our nation, it's also a musical comedy.
Page says the comedic moments in the play drive us into "a deeper kind of truth."
"I want Philadelphians to be proud," says Page. "We have the ability to jump inside of narratives and change them."
'1776' runs February 14-26 at the Forrest Theatre.
'1776' at Forrest Theatre | Tickets
1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107