Halloween in Philadelphia, new restaurants to try, 'A Different World' reunion | FYI Philly
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- 'Stranger Things', 80s horror flicks inspire Philly Halloween hangouts
Three new Halloween hangouts popped up this fall in time for the spooky season.
Little Blume of Horrors has converted the burger and pizza joint into a throwback '80s horror flick.
Throughout the restaurant, you will find famous first-name favorites like Chucky, Jason and Freddy.
The menu is inspired by the season with a spider web pizza featuring buffalo chicken dip and a spooky burger with a jalapeno kick.
The drink menu has flavors for the season like the ghost, featuring ghost pepper tequila, a blackberry mojito and a pumpkin spice latte martini.
Just around the corner from City Hall, Uptown Beer Garden has been turned into Uptown Upside Down.
The Halloween spirit has three sections; the spider web tunnel featuring the electric chair, the heated indoor space with Halloween lights and classic creepy decor and the backyard inspired by "Stranger Things" with handmade monsters and iconic scenes from the show throughout the patio.
At Craftsman Row Saloon, 'Nightmare Before Christmas' was the inspiration for the restaurant's makeover.
You'll find Jack Skellington, Sally and Oogie Boogie hanging around while you feast on decadent Halloween-inspired milkshakes, pumpkin-infused mac and cheese or the Jack's burger featuring pumpkin aioli and maple candied bacon.
The drinks are equally inventive with the Blood Sample with a keepsake syringe and the pumpkin margarita served in a real pumpkin.
Craftsman Saloon | Facebook | Instagram
112 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
1500 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Uptown Beer Garden | Facebook | Instagram
1500 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Saami Somi is Center City's only spot for authentic Georgian cuisine
Saami Somi means three doughs in Georgian and this spot in Reading Terminal Market is serving the street foods of the former Soviet Republic.
The main dish is called khach'ap'uri. It's a boat-shaped loaf of bread stuffed with a heaping pile of cheese. The cheese boats come in a collection of flavors like traditional or walnut brie.
You can also try Georgia's oversized version of a soup dumpling, known as khink'ali, and buy whole loaves of bread (somi) to take home. They're baked fresh at 9am daily and best piping hot out of the oven.
Saami Somi is the project of siblings, Michael and Donna Kolodesh. Their parents are from Georgia's capital city of Tbilisi. They grew up in Northeast Philadelphia in a household filled with Georgian traditions and culture.
They traveled to The Republic of Georgia, pre-pandemic, after learning that their grandmother's Tbilisi apartment was being renovated because her street had been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
That trip sparked a cultural journey for the siblings and the decision to open Saami Somi.
Both architectural designers, they created a space that blends their Georgian background with their Philadelphia upbringing.
Georgia's language is one of the oldest in the world and there's a mural on the floor with phrases in both English and Georgian language and a poster on the wall with the Georgian alphabet.
The pantry section features home goods from Philadelphia makers alongside gems from Georgia like preserves, compote, Georgian sodas and mineral water, stuffed grape leaves and eggplant caviar.
The siblings took their grandmother's Georgian street food recipes and gave them to Ukrainian chef, Lor Kats.
Lor added his sourdough starter to the mix along with the traditional Ukrainian Borodinsky bread-a rye spiced with coriander and caraway.
There are appetizers, known as supra bites. Supra is a Georgian celebratory feast so the siblings selected their favorite Supra bites for the Saami Somi menu.
And there's a proper way to eat Georgian foods.
The dumpling you pick up by the dough nub that essentially serves as a handle.
You eat the filling, and slurp out the soup but you don't eat the nub.
Traditionally, whoever has the most nubs at the end of the night is the 'winner'.
The cheese boats, once baked, are topped with an egg yolk and a pat of butter.
You vigorously mix until you get a creamy fondue-like sauce, and if you do it right-you'll get a "really long luxurious pull" up to 3 feet long!
Once you mix and stretch the cheesy sauce, you rip and dip-turning your bread boat into an edible bowl.
51 N. 12th Street (Reading Terminal Market), Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Global fast-food giant Jollibee lands in Philly with fried chicken
Eater.com just named the Best Fried Chicken Chain in America, and it's called Jollibee - known by its mascot, the jolly bee.
The chain has been an institution in the Philippines since the 1970's, now their good eats are cooking up in Philly for the first time.
From marinated bone-in fried chicken, to spicy chicken sandwiches, the restaurant menu also includes traditional Filipino dishes like Palabok Fiesta - made with clear rice noodles topped with garlic sauce, sauteed pork, and shrimp.
The spaghetti is also made Filipino style, but don't expect to find meatballs - the sauce is sweet, and loaded with chunks of sliced hot dog.
The Philadelphia location is the first in Pennsylvania, located on Bustleton Avenue in 'the great Northeast', and is open every day of the week.
Jollibee | Facebook | Instagram
7340 Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19149
267-599-8008
open 9am-10pm daily
Delco steak shop Phil & Jim's wins 'Best Hoagie on Earth'
Residents in Parkside have known amazing cheesesteaks and hoagies for decades. And now the rest of the world does, too.
Phil & Jim's Steaks & Hoagies in Delaware County was just awarded the "Best Hoagie on Earth" prize by the publication Food Network Magazine.
Gia Miller, who co-owns the Delco steak shop that has been in operation since 1962, isn't surprised.
"No, I'm not surprised. We make hundreds of hundreds of Italian specials weekly," she said.
The award went to their signature hoagie: the Italian Special.
Miller says she is proud to be providing Delaware County residents with the comfort food they love, but she recognizes it's a lot of work too.
"I don't think people realize how much goes into it. It's 70 hours a week for me -- catering trays, team meals, high schools, everyone is calling us," said Miller.
She says even though the wait times on high peak times are near an hour, the customers will gladly wait it out for their meal, which they can proudly say is some of the best on the planet.
Julieta Zavala infusing her Mexican heritage in fashion designs
In a spare room turned sewing studio in her Newark, Del., home, Julieta Zavala is transforming colorful fabrics and threads into beautiful gowns, headbands and totes.
She uses textiles from Mexico and incorporates popular motifs from Mexican folklore along with the people and things iconic to her culture. Think cacti, mariachi bands and Frida Kahlo.
She also puts a big focus on sustainability, using recycled and upcycled materials to create her designs.
She crafted a corset, skirt and matching earrings from a plastic tablecloth. She also uses serape blankets and "whatever I can get my hands on."
Zavala came to the U.S. from Mexico City when she was 20 with plans to get her education and go home.
But first she had to learn English and get her high school diploma and, in the process, she met the man who would become her husband and the two had a son, now 8 years old.
She earned a degree in fashion from the Art Institute.
Her first big show was at the Penn Museum for the 2021 CultureFest!, celebrating Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. She will present in this year's CultureFest! as well.
She also worked with Alba Martinez, creating 13 of the clothing designs you see on La Guagua 47, the film project focused on the Latino culture found all along SEPTA's Route 47 Bus Route.
She takes custom orders and sells her creations at pop-up markets all around the region.
When she started, her Mexican-themed designs were motivated by homesickness.
Now she hopes her pieces give other Mexican American immigrants a similar solace.
Julieta Zavala | Facebook |Instagram
Penn Museum CultureFest! DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
3260 South Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Saturday, October 29, 10am-4pm
Local artist shows Latin pride in every creation with Art by SIR
When Shawnick I Rodriguez was naming her visual artist brand, she decided on her initials and chose Art by SIR.
Being a proud Latina of Puerto Rican heritage, she uses images from Puerto Rico in all of her creations.
From landmarks like the El Morro in San Juan, to the native frog of the island -- the coqui -- she works images like these into every design.
Shawnick says she does this to educate people about the place and culture she loves so much, and to share the joy that she gets from making items like paintings, murals, jewelry, home goods, clothing and more.
In addition to her online store, Shawnick sells her goods at art shows and festivals and gives workshops in and around the Tri-state area.
Shawnick Rodriguez, Visual Artist | Art by SIR | Facebook | Instagram
Cast of 'A Different World' reunites at Wilmington Public Library
The Wilmington Public Library recently hosted the cast of "A Different World" as part of their "Choppin' It Up" speaker series.
The series is one of many held at the library, featuring in-person discussions with well-known personalities such as Jennifer Lewis of 'black-ish', Angela Davis, LeVar Burton, Charles Blow, Ana Navarro, and many more.
Speakers are presented in the fall, but community service events are held throughout the year, earning the library national recognition recently.
The library was chosen from 30 finalists to be the winner of the nation's highest award for museums and libraries - the National Medal of Museum and Library Service.
Events are free, but require registration.
Wilmington Public Library | Facebook
10 East 10th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
302-571-7400
open 9-6 every day except Sunday
PHILADANCO's 'The Continuum' to debut work from company alums
PHILADANCO's new season is called 'The Continuum: Now, New, Next.'
It will introduce PHILADANCO's next generation of choreographers.
While many of the dancers go on to have storied careers, PHILADANCO alumni often make their way back to choreograph new work for the company.
Award-winning choreographer Francisco Gella will debut his new work called 'Seasons'.
"It's about jubilation and revelation, and the different types of seasons that we become, either in our own psyche or in the world," says Kim Bears-Bailey, Artistic Director of PHILADANCO!
Bernard Gaddis was the youngest to ever join PHILADANCO at just 15 years old.
The company will also debut his ballet 'Stolen Moments' this season.
"He's dealing with six couples," says Bears-Bailey. "It's about relationships, and how it can be something that's tender and forbidden at the same time."
PHILADANCO was founded in 1970 by Joan Myers Brown, who began training young dancers herself during a time when many African Americans were denied entry to dance schools.
Fifty-two years later, PHILADANCO is known around the world for progressing and preserving African American dance traditions in every show they perform.
'The Continuum: Now, New, Next' runs from October 28-30 at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater.
PHILADANCO! | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
215-387-8200
SHOW EXTRAS
Tickets are on sale for the 2023 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, which returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the first time since the pandemic. The theme is The Garden Electric.
2023 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show | Facebook | Instagram
March 4 - 12, 2023
Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Boo at the Zoo returns to Philadelphia Zoo for the last three weekends of October.
Boo at the Zoo | Facebook | Instagram
3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
