Wall Street Shmall Street, Go Eat!

Ok so the economy might be crumbling like dominoes around us but fear not, I have some good news for all. It is officially restaurant week in Philly! Now mostly I think restaurant week is a scam but I do like to participate because it means I try new places. This time around, the powers that be upped the price for a 3-course meal. Now you will pay $35 bucks for an appetizer, entree and dessert. Of course, alcohol and tips are extra.

While there are standard gastro pubs on the extensive list of participating restaurants, I recommend trying a normally pricey place to get your $35 bucks worth. Tonight I am eating at Hawaiian Fusion restaurant Roy's which has been on my "to do" list forever. You do always have the option of ordering from the regular menu should you not like your limited "restaurant week" menu options.

Restaurant week runs until Friday, Sept. 19th. Be sure to make reservations as everyone and their mother tends to come out this week.

As the bankruptcy continues to mount, I urge everyone to drown their worries in a bottle of wine at a restaurant you probably can't afford anymore.

http://www.centercityphila.org/life/RestaurantWeek.php

Vetri- Not Worth the Hype!

It's been a big year for me. I fell in love, started cohabiting and got a haircut with bangs. Last night we decided to celebrate our first year together as an official couple. Two months ago, the bf made reservations at Philly renowned restaurant Vetri. Ever since I moved to Philly, I've been hearing great things about this place. I was expecting a super expensive, fabulous meal and overall dining experience. Well, the food was excellent....the service was pretty unimpressive.

I strongly feel that good service is a major part of the dining experience especially when you're eating at an outrageously expensive restaurant. Now there are probably 10 tables in this restaurant and there were definitely at least 10 servers. It didn't matter- we had no particular waiter and the sommelier not only took our wine order, but also our dinner order. (I was just glad someone did.) But let's start at the beginning-we were greeted by a very tall man who seemed annoyed that we were there. He asked us what we wanted to drink. I ordered a vodka cranberry and the BF said he needed a couple of minutes. Nobody ever came back to see if he was ready for a drink. We waited another 30 minutes for menus.

In fairness, the food was delicious. We started with an appetizer of Kobe steak that was cooked to rare perfection. I had a rich spinach gnocchi plate that literally melted in your mouth. The bf had a light white fish that was cooked with tomatoes smothered in olive oil- delicious. We had a chocolate souffle for dessert that was perfectly moist in the center. All very yummy.

And then we waited another 30 minutes for the check. While dinner was undeniably delicious, I've had better service at TGI Friday's. We're glad that we tried Vetri but I think for our second anniversary- we'll go the Steven Starr route.

http://www.vetriristorante.com/

Extraordinary Blooming Restaurant

A very nice person at my office has been raving about Apamate for many months, so when my husband said he tengo tapas, I took the opportunity to experience it for myself. And as its name suggests (explained on the restaurant's website) this narrow crimson cafe named for a Venezeulan tree does stand out in its own way.

Blink and you will pass right by this unassuming storefront, noted only by thin vertical strands of red lights illuminating the large square window facing South Street. Enter to the sounds of Manu Chao and Buena Vista Social Club just over the din of the front-of-the-shop kitchen, and your eyes gaze from the dark wood furniture, to the deep red walls, to the Spanish tile countertop and the chocolate caliente mixer, reminding you to save room for churros.

The waitstaff are helpful and informed, happy to make recommendations on not only what to eat but how to eat it. Apamate serves small and large plates along with a laundry list of tapas. Only here they are called "pintxos," which is either a ploy to separate itself from the growing glut of tapas restaurants throughout the city, or a subliminal semantic trick to further remind its patrons that these plates are, in fact, teeny tiny "pinches" of food.

We plowed through 3 or 4 pintxos, in addition to the serrano ham and bechamel croquettes and an a seafood paella entree. The ingredients were fresh and organic, the flavors were authentic and robust, and the meal was affordable - borderline cheap. We saved room for churros, as did a few other parties who came through just to order dessert. And when the server accidentally brought us the wrong dish (dulce de leche instead of Nutella, really neither is wrong!), they corrected the mistake by giving us the right one on the house. Now that's class.

Cafe Apamate
1620 South Street
215.790.1620
www.cafeapamate.com

Form + Function = Fabulous

It should come as no surprise by now, dear readers, that i have a closet full of really fun shoes. Gold ones, pink ones, leopard print, raspberry-suede, forest green patent leather. Sadly, most of these pretty pairs never see the light of day. Many are displayed inside the office, but must be cast aside in favor of a more sensible option to face the nooks and crannies of the streets of Philadelphia. Yes, I am that girl, put-together from head to...mid ankle. And just peaking out from under my Marc Jacobs trench and freshly pressed Banana Republic pants are my $10 flip flops. Or crocs, or fuzzy Merrell clogs. It's embarassing, but must be done. My feet are very sensitive and I have to walk a LOT! Excuses aside, I was one step removed from the ubiquitous white ankle socks and Reeboks over nude pantyhose. I needed help.

So as the leaves began to turn I decided to turn over a new one for fashion's sake. I will never be one of those women who can wear 3.5 inch heels all day everyday. But I found a little piece of hope in the form of La Canadienne boots. My mom first told me about this miraculous brand she found at Benjamin Lovell, where the boots were waterproof and fleece-lined and believe it or not, actually attractive! I did not believe such a product could exist. But alas, I was wrong and to my great surprise I quickly found myself with a pair of black leather "Tahra" boots that fit my leg perfectly, looked great and felt great too. I am finally free from the fuzzy Merrell for I have found a winter shoe that I can actually walk in and stay in style.

Benjamin Lovell has a number of locations around Center City, the counties, and South Jersey. I found my Canadiennes at the Glen Eagle Square location in my hometown of Chadds Ford, but no doubt they carry this product at most locations. Happy winter walking!

Benjamin Lovell Shoes
Multiple Locations
http://www.benjaminlovell.com/

Double Trouble

I'd like to warn our readers about an area of the city I call the danger zone. The danger zone is a 3 block corridor between 16th and 18th, Sansom and Walnut Sts. Non-shopaholics may simply see this as the French Quarter or part of Rittenhouse Row. It is the home to some very fine boutiques, harbours of high fashion and my own personal shopping oasis. It is also where I often part with my discretionary income.

There are more stores in the danger zone than I can mention in one post so I will concentrate on two personal favorites: Echochic and Kimberly Boutique. Echochic is an urban fashionista's mecca, teeming with bohemian caftan-style dresses, avant-garde accessories and graffitied vintage handbags, cutting edge designers like See by Chloe and L.A.M.B. Over the years I have
found many great pieces, including a butter yellow sundress for my rehearsal dinner, a super-soft Rachel Pally cotton baby doll mini dress, and a few signature vintage pieces that always make an impression. The staff are stylish and helpful, and will actually tell you honestly if a piece is right for you. Echochic is also not a place for a woman whose style errs on the conservative side. Echochic is for the Carrie in us, not the Charlotte.

Which brings me to Kimberly, which is great for the more staple wardrobe "musts" and investment dressing - the LBD, the trench coat, the cropped wool jacket, classic Charlotte-friendly separates by designers such as Susana Monaco and Cynthia Vincent, peppered with the occassional LaRok or Nguyen to keep it exciting. I walk by Kimberly every day on my way to work. I have had many a close call with other commuters (and a few street food vendors) as my gaze gets stuck on its window displays when I should be watching where I am walking. Recently I coveted this fabulously mod Tibi dress for 3 weeks before succombing to its call to me. I knew if I walked in and tried it on, I would have to have it. I was right. In fact I also had to get a new hair cut to match the dress.

There are other shopping corridors around the city that can suck you dry of your savings. But the proximity of this particular area to my place of employment makes this one my own personal danger zone, filled with the pleasure of finding the next best thing and the pain of having to put it back on the rack and resist. Some power lunch, I power shop at lunch. It feeds my addiction.

Echochic, 1700 Sansom St.
www.echochic.com

Kimberly Boutique, 123 S. 16th St.
www.kimberlyboutique.com

Restaurant week, why do you mock me so?

Last night, as I lugged my bags of dirty laundry in my left hand and detergent in my right, I passed young couples in love dining outdoors and came to a realization. I have clean underwear now and they don't. They will waste a lovely Sunday day/ evening, sorting their lights from darks, while I sip wine at the Wine, Arts and Food festival at the Mann. I think it's a fair trade.

Anyway. This week is chock full of Philly happenings. I'm plan on enjoying them with friends, but will make an effort to strike up a slightly intoxicated convo with choice passersby. My first date with the Italian taught me that talking to new people is fun, and to just be open to it. It doesn't have to be awkward and painful. (oh, I think we're going to try for a second). Tomorrow night I'm going to the Inliquid Silent Auction with some people from work. Art + open bar = many emo men just waiting for my shameless flirting. To give me an edge, I'm thinking of wearing my beret , black turtleneck and painting on a little goatee. Friday, my sister and I are going out for a chick night of shopping, drinks and pampering at Shecky's girls night out. Word is I can get some free jawn there. Saturday is Oktoberfest and Madonna Michael Prince at the M room. Ohhh that sounds like a little slice of heaven, doesn't it? Aaaaaand I just realized I should just go ahead and marry a gay man.

In other news, I'm very proud of myself. Kind of. Putting myself Out There is stressful. And this week I regressed back to being a 13 year old girl. Back story: When I get in from nights on the town, MySpace is not my friend. I contact anyone and everyone I have come in contact within the past 10-12 years. One poor unfortunate soul wrote me back. We emailed back and forth, but in all honesty, I hadn't talked to him since grade school. He gave me his phone # via email and told me to call him for a good time. Megan told me I had to. Even though this could be (and probably is) purely platonic, it was very hard for me to take that leap from Myspace stalking to real life interaction. So Monday night after a glass of wine, I did it. I picked up the phone and... left him a voicemail. Did you know you can do that? Yes, from your voicemail you can leave someone else a voicemail without them ever knowing. God, I'm good at being crazy. I was planning on saying "Oh, it just went straight to voicemail", but when I called it turns out he was asleep and just assumed he missed me. Long story short, he called back last night and we're gonna get together for a drink next week. Should be fun to catch up.

Wow, that was a whole lot of rambling. Good day.

Some Like it Hot...REALLY Hot

I have been going to the gym for oh, almost two-thirds of my almost three decades on this planet. And this past spring, I got tired. And bored. But I was a bride-to-be. It was not the time to lose my athletic religion, yet my feet just wouldn't walk me to the gym anymore. I needed a change.

In addition to my gym addiction, I have tried all the exercise trends. In the eighties it was Mousercise with my sisters in our leotards and legwarmers. In the early nineties, the Cindy Crawford workout. The late nineties, step aerobics. The millenium, I pushed myself to Billy Blanks' Tai Bo and cardio kick-boxed my way out of the college puff. Mat Pilates, Vinyasa Flow, Total Body Conditioning, Ashtanga yoga...the list is endless. All the while running, lifting and ellipticalling on the gym floor day after day.

So its no surprise that when the need for change came, I found Bikram Yoga.

Bikram Yoga is the brainchild of legendary yogi Bikram Choudhury, who overcame severe physical injuries by practicing this particular 26-posture sequence. The postures are uncomplicated; anyone who has downward-dogged their way through a standard yoga class can easily handle it. The sequence emphasizes balance of your systems and addresses your circulatory, digestive, endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. Sounds good, right? But here's the catch - the room is hot. REALLY hot. 105 degrees hot. 90 minutes of 105 degrees hot. So those uncomplicated postures suddenly become a lot more challenging.

There's reason behind the heat, it helps you sweat out toxins, regenerate cells, and loosen muscles, tendons and ligaments. I shiver at 80 or below, and after 8 hours of suffering in an office that feels like a Sub Zero, I embrace the hot. But if you blast the AC in April, this might not be for you. If you don't like to sweat, this might not be for you. You will sweat more during this 90 min class than running 9 miles. Oh, and the guy next to you will sweat that much too. You know, the one with the hairy back and the banana hammock that you concentrated very hard all class to avoid seeing. So if you can't handle a little skin, this class might not be for you. But if you like a challenge, want to feel healthier, look leaner, and gain physical and mental strength, this class may be for you.

Luckily, at Center Siddhi Yoga, they know its not for everyone. But they want you to give it a good try, so they offer a $20 unlimited week for beginners. If you go, drink A LOT of water before, during, and after. And bring a towel. Namaste.

Bikram Yoga of India
Center Siddhi Yoga
1520 Sansom Street, 3rd floor
215.977.YOGA
www.bikramphiladelphia.com

A Pharaoh Visit with King Tut

I have an enormous to do list. No, I don't mean grocery shopping, laundry, paying bills or cleaning. What I mean is that I read about some event in Philly and then talk incessantly about how I have to go to that. What usually happens is that the event comes and goes and I'm still sitting on my couch, watching 90210 reruns on Soapnet. (I totally forgot what a bitch Brenda really was.) Anyway, when I read last February that the King Tut exhibit was coming to the Franklin Institute, I decided that I should definitely go. Naturally, I waited until last night, the week before it closes, to go.

The extensive exhibit consists of artifacts from his reign and tomb. I saw vases that held internal organs, deity figurines, King Tut childhood chairs, hieroglyphics and lots of jewelry boxes. The Franklin Institute did a great job of displaying everything and setting the mood, from the music to lights. However, I left a little disappointed. I'm not quite sure what I expected. I think I was hoping for some actual mummy action but all they showed was a video. That being said, I am glad I went. It's really neat to see all these items from the 1300s BC and I learned quite a bit about old King T, who actually was only 20 when he died mysteriously. I also recommend going on a weeknight to avoid the crowds and save a few bucks.

The exhibit closes on September 30th and moves to London. Get there fast!

http://www2.fi.edu/

Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Calling All Pet Lovers

Clear your schedules for next Sunday, December 17th, to bring your precious pups, cuddly kittens, beautiful birds and lovely lizards to confess their every desire to his highness, Santa Paws. Your favorite furball might be in desperate need for new squeaky toys, giant rawhides or a cozy bed, and this is just the place for them to whisper their wishes into the open ears of Old St. Nick.

Santa Paws will be making his appearance from 12pm - 5pm at none other than the Rotunda at the Ritz-Carlton, a venue that few four-legged creatures ever have the pleasure of entering (although I am sure there are a few miniature yorkies out there that have snuck in by way of a Birkin bag). Your treasured pets will get their photo taken on Santa's lap for a very reasonable $10.

If watching your furry friends bark and yelp their holiday wishes to someone who we hope is a very tolerant jolly ol' elf isn't satisfaction enough, you'll be pleased to know that your $10 is a donation to the Morris Animal Rescue. Those of you who are familiar with Morris know that it needs a lot of financial help to keep up its 120-year old tradition of serving Philadelphia's neglected animals. So give your pet the memory that will last as long as pet memories last - approximately 3 minutes, for a good cause.

Morris Animal Refuge, 1242 Lombard St., 215-735-9570
www.morrisanimalrefuge.org

Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 10 Avenue of the Arts

Far East Feeding Frenzy

Like in most major US cities, Philly's Chinatown is like stepping into another world. It has its own pulse, a heartbeat that seems to race faster than the rest of the city. Maybe it's the MSG.

China-town probably isn't an accurate description of the area, as the influences span the entire Far East, from Chinese, to Thai, to Indonesian and my most recent food exploration, Malaysian. But I guess the Chinese get the recognition, maybe because they were first to arrive on US soil? I'll have to research that one.

Choosing a restaurant in Chinatown can be intimidating, as there are so many that look alike and offer similar menus. But on a friend's recommendation we discovered Penang, a pearl of the east right here in our little corner of the western world. Penang offers an exploration of the culinary delights of Southeast Asia, which incorporates a diverse variety of flavors, spices, meats, veggies, and seafood. There are even a few items that are so unusual and authentic that they note on the menu for patrons to please "ask advice" before ordering.

Penang has locations in other cities, and I got the impression from my fellow diner who had been to the DC outpost that Philly's disappointed a bit in the atmosphere department. But upon second glance we all decided we quite liked the rustic decor, which was designed to invoke the traditional street-side vendors of the restaurant's namesake Malaysian state. And as a cash-only operation, it didn't hurt that the prices were not that much higher than one would find in the street stalls either!

Penang, 117 N. 10th St., 215-413-2531
www.penangusa.com

Sing City

Karaoke. What is it about karaoke that makes people crazy? You're either obsessed or scared to death. There's really very little in between. Those who have a nice singing voice but are not quite good enough to do anything useful with it are most susceptible to the calling of this psuedo-performance. Some people take it very seriously. Almost sport-like. There's an unspoken sense of competition, like you have to one-up the guy that went before you. Or someone in the crowd decides you suck and wants to one-up you with a mind-blowing rendition of "We are the Champions."

I never thought of Philadelphia as a karaoke capital, but I recently discovered otherwise. With some friends in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, we headed to Fuji Mountain for a relaxing sushi dinner and a few Sapporos (I should note here that they offered this Japanese beer in 3 -yes - 3 different sizes, the 22 oz for those who really need to lube up before taking the mic). Fuji Mountain is a 4-story establishment with the sushi bar on the first floor, sake bar on the second, and the third and fourth devoted to cocktails and karaoke.

Fuji Mountain is the real deal, a chanteur's paradise devoted to the underappreciated art of televised accompaniment. When we'd had our fill of singing along with everyone from Elvis to TLC, we made our way to what we thought would be your typical Brit-style pub, Barristers. Little did we know that we would walk right into Wednesday night karaoke. It is everywhere. So get practicing - you could be up next.

Fuji Mountain, 2030 Chestnut St., 215-751-0939
www.fujimt.com
Barristers Bar & Grille, 1823 Sansom St., 215-496-0786
www.barristersbar.com

Organization for the Flibbertyjibbet

A few years ago I was given a Palm Pilot as a present. This was my dream: more gadgetry in the hopes of making my organized. Woot! The only thing I failed to take in to consideration is that I am really a true lover of pen and paper. I can’t stop myself from writing lists of Christmas presents to buy and music I’ve heard and all sorts of stupid things that I actually like to keep and look back on. It was my habit of sitting down and writing pointless nothings that got me hooked on Molekine notebooks.

I like Molekines for a number of reasons. They are well constructed, with nice elastic to hold it together so that all the other crap I slip into it doesn’t get lost. There is a little pocket at the back in which I keep more odds and ends. The covers are hardy – my mum’s puppy chewed a corner and it didn’t make much of a dent.

This year, to add to all my notebooks, I bought the Moleskine year planner at the AIA Bookstore. It’s a soft cover so it’s not too heavy for your purse and is handily organized to have the days on one side of the page and the other side just a page for notes and scribbles. If you’re the type that can’t keep their pen still while on the phone making appointments, this is the organizer for you. You must, however, buy the planner early if you think it's your thing because they sell out. And they do not reappear. I made the mistake last year of trying to find one on something like January 2nd and was sorely disappointed.

I’ve also bought their Paris city notebook for my upcoming trip with my sister. I want to customize my sister’s before I give it to her to make it a little more special and also to make sure that we hit all the good patisseries. See how the Moleskine’s make you think straight?!

Moleskine, www.moleskine.it/eng/default.htm
AIA Bookstore, 117 S 17th Street, (215) 569-3188, www.aiabookstore.com
Check out the Moleskine tags on flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/tags/moleskine/clusters

For a Little Girl About Philly

I love love love giving presents. I get particular joy out of Christmas by spending time looking around for the gift that will be just right for everyone in my family. But last week I faced a new challenge in the gift giving department- the Christening gift.

Here I was rather stumped. Finding a present that is rather significant for someone who can’t tell you what they want…. Dilemma… First I started by looking for the traditional present- the silver rattle, the little cup. I found luck with the piggy bank. I love this unusual piggy and it even comes with money ALREADY IN IT! It’s an absolute bargain at $28 so I was all set. Until the godfather, my boyfriend, went and got the very traditional piggy bank from Tiffany’s (at my suggestion. DAMN ME!)

So the search went on. The Children’s Boutique offers not only a wide range of gifts at a wide range of prices, the people there are also extremely attentive. And not in that nagging, you’d-better-buy-something way. The BF had actually originally settled on something they retailed: an adorable stepstool with a little compartment for kiddies to hide things, carved from wood and hand painted. It costs a reasonable $75, if my memory serves me, but for me that was a little high. I ended up getting a super cuddly baby blanket and a weird toy that was all hand wrapped and ribboned to perfection.

Had I really bought what I wanted it would have been an engraved Christmas ornament. Ornaments have always been one of my favorite gifts to give, and a little bell (on sale right now) with the name and birthdate would have been exactly what I wanted. I have heard a lot of good things about Things Remembered, so learn from my mistakes and, when you know what you really want to give, plan ahead and just order it already.

Tiffany & Co., 1414 Walnut St., www.tiffany.com

Children's Boutique, 1702 Walnut St., www.echildrensboutique.com,

Things Remembered, www.thingsremembered.com/

A Perfect 10 (or 20)

City Nails, Midtown Nails, Nail City, Uptown Nails, Downtown Nails, Center City Nails, Walnut Nails, Chestnut Nails, Nails R Us...Nails, Nails, Nails. How is a girl to know the good from the bad and the ugly? Well the ugly I guess is easy to pick out and steer clear of. Dirty is a definite don't. But so many nail boutiques look the same, they're almost all always busy, how to know if I'll wind up with a fabulous mani or a fist full of fung?

My answer is Rittenhouse Nails. I worked around the corner when they opened a little over 2 years ago so I saw the whole thing go down. Hardwood floors, crown molding, even a lovely chandelier give this walk-ins-welcome a little extra class. The staff are friendly, full of smiles and even chatty despite a language barrier. Last week one of the ladies noticed my engagement ring and asked if I had any pictures of my wedding. How cute is that? Of course I could not oblige due to the fact that it has not yet occured, but whatevs.

The ladies at Rittenhouse are very thorough, so don't pop in if you are pressed for time. They take real care of their clients' digits - no wayward cuticle is safe around them. And if they can make mine look good, they can help anybody! They not only massage your feet and legs during the pedi and your hands during the mani, but also your shoulders while you wait under the nail dryers. Love that.

Rittenhouse Nails, 1742 Sansom St. 215.557.0078

Try it. You might like it.

I went to a show last night and I’m not sure why but just how wonderful it was surprised me. It was the Joanna Newsom show at the Sanctuary at the First Unitarian Church, and there probably isn’t much of a better place to see her in Philly. The small audience was deadly silent and spilled out to seating in the aisles and in front of the stage. I was right at the back but still close enough that my $15 standing room ticket now seems ridiculously cheap. So thank you R5.

She was accompanied by four other people to play her new highly orchestrated album in its entirety. I couldn’t really get over her stamina to play her harp for these seven minute long songs and singing along while hardly taking a breath. You may be able to tell from my glowing adoration here that I am now a Joanna groupie type and seeing her live has given me a greater appreciation of her albums.

Sadly, her tour is now moving south and then across to the west coast. And then to England where she’ll play with full symphony orchestras, which I would now KILL to see. Her voice is a bit of an acquired taste so this album really isn’t for everyone. So maybe give her a bit of a looksee and tell me that you’re not a little big enamored now. And then buy her new album and get all swept away.

Joanna Newsom, http://www.dragcity.com/bands/newsom.html

R5 Productions, www.r5productions.com/shows.html

Get Naked

Something has happened in Center City. A gravitational force that no mere human can resist is pulling everyone toward the corner of Juniper and Walnut. I don't know if it's the name and people think that there's a different kind of sugar to be had there, or that everyone is just hoping that a mysterious gypsy bearing a striking resemblance to Johnny Depp will walk through the door at the very moment that they are enjoying a mini fudge cheesecake at the front table. But whatever it is, Philly is mezmerized by its very own Chocolat. And this place is has a great atmosphere (totally abuzz at 3:30 on a Tuesday afternoon), stays open late at night, and a presents fabulous alternative to the 'Bucks.

The Naked Chocolate Cafe's cupcakes have been calling my name since their doors opened, but I have managed to resist their charms...until yesterday, when I gave in (research, of course). Plus, we received a recommendation by one of our fabulous readers, so the Naked cupcake could no longer be ignored.

The first hurdle to get over in the Naked Chocolate Cafe is deciding on just one thing since everything is just so darn pretty. That said, I did not buy just one thing, rather I also picked up a sample of their dark chocolate for my man (that got the thumbs up too). Their cupcakes come in a number of varieties, of which I went for, yes, the chocolate with vanilla icing, again. Anyone who is a fan of carrot cake might want to test that one out because it almost tempted me and I do not go to the carrot. I believe Megan has indulged in the chocolate with peanut butter icing, so perhaps she will weigh in on that variety as well.

The flavor of this cupcake was much bigger than its actual size. I was so drunk with pleasure I actually felt hung over after eating it. Sugar rush, no doubt, because this pup is SWEET. I felt I could have been happy simply smelling it...but unfortunately for my waste line, our 6 criteria do require actual eating. The chocolate cake was dense and moist, and you can taste the real chocolate in the mix - this ain't no Duncan Hines! The icing was very sugary and had a slight granular quality to it, which personally I like, and I will say it was borderline too sweet. Sugar overdose. But isn't that the point?

Score: Appearance - 9 (although the black forest and carrot cake varieties would definitely warrant 10s); Cakiness - 10; Icing - 7; Sweetness - 7; Freshness - 9; Overall Flavor Yumminess - 8

Total: 50

The Naked Chocolate Cafe, 1317 Walnut St.

www.nakedchocolatecafe.com

Just don't forget to breath...

I am reluctant to share the following thing with you, as I want to keep it all to myself. I don’t want people to start going to this and then I can’t get in and then because of my big mouth I can’t do my favorite thing anymore.

But, for the greater good and because I am SO NICE, I will let you in on this.

It’s my pilates teacher. Elizabeth. She is so great that she is like Madonna or Cher or Britney and no longer needs a last name. (Plus they don’t put it on the schedules so I don’t know it.) She is my instructor at 12th Street Gym and she also teachers at the ever wonderful Lithe Pilates in NoLibs.

If you’ve ever taken pilates you will know that you can do it one of two ways: (a) you flop around on the floor and think it’s crazy easy and don’t understand why you’re there or (b) you concentrate on what the teacher says and you’re surprisingly beat up by the end of the session. What makes Elizabeth so special is that not only does she manage to squeeze in a TON of exhausting moves into the hour but also she has the care to really teach. She walks around adjusting the moves, she’ll stop the class to give the tips that make you actually do the moves right, and all sorts of things which help you on the way to getting those yummy pilates abs.

Plus, she’s just bloody nice. When I’m forcing myself to sit in a mirrored room with a bunch of dancers in lycra and attempt to move like them, it’s nice to have an instructor that lets you feel less like the elephant in the room.

12th Street Gym, 204 S 12th Street, (215) 985-4092, www.12streetgym.com/

Lithe Pilates, Liberties Walk, (215) 928-1663, www.lithemethod.com/

Say Cheeeeeeese

This particular recommendation would perhaps normally fall under the heading of "shopping" but I think this camera shop offers so much more that I'm hijacking over to the "adventures" category.

I'm a bit of a secret photography nut. Secret because recently I've been spending more time researching stuff than actually taking any pictures. To further my research, I recently headed out to Photo Louge (aka CBOP for those who have known it over the years) to check out the recent camera of my fantasy: the holga with polaroid backing. Never heard of it? Well, don't worry. You probably don't want it. I'm just insane and think that if I owned this camera then I would soon be on my way to becoming the next Annie Leibowitz. Sadly, Photo Lounge did not carry it. The man who helped me was able to tell me that it's unlikely that I'll find the holgaroid, as it's called (though it sounds more like a bum problem to me), in Philadelphia. But he was able to recommend two New York retailers that might be able to help me.

I then proceded to talk to him for about 45 minutes about other cameras that caught my eye. I have rarely talked to any sales person who was more interested in what he was talking about and less pushy about making an actual sale. Ever. And because of this, after a little more research, I am actually going to go buy my new camera there when I was once just going to head off to Best Buy and guiltily hand more money over to a big chain.

Photo Lounge also produces beautiful prints because they hire people who actually care about photography and know what they're doing instead of just feeding your film into a big box and handing over a pack of crappy looking pictures. You can also load your digital photos online for printing so even if you're as lazy as me about getting them on paper you have no excuse any more.

So if you need advice about your next camera purchase (which you probably do more than you think) or want beautiful prints to add to your albums, please think about heading to Photo Lounge. You'll get the best service around and keep a local store in business.

Photo Lounge CBOP, www.myphotolounge.com, 1909 Chestnut St, (267) 322 6651

Went in for sushi, came out with Christmas

While we're on the subject of random lunchtime wanderings, I might as well mention that I stumbled across my first taste of the holiday season the other day at none other than DiBruno Brothers. Most people go for bread, cheese, and $20 per pound salami. On this particular occasion I settled on sushi and a lovely addition to my forthcoming frazier fir. I usually subscribe to the "no Christmas until after Thanksgiving" rule, but how could I resist this fabulous tribute to my city? I did, by the way (shopaholics everywhere be proud of my self-restraint), resist the matching appetizer plates, dish towels, juice cups and pint glasses that were also prominently displayed in the impulse-purchase section.

This porcelain ornament, which is part of the Cityscape Collection by DSC Designs, features all of Philly's most famous landmarks - Independence Hall, Boathouse Row, and the Academy of Fine Arts to name a few. You know, all those places you take for granted, walk by every day but never visit. The artwork has remarkable detail for such small renderings and each landmark is labeled in the artist's handwriting. It is, in a word, adorable. And it's $14.99 plus tax. What can I say? It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St. 215-665-9220

www.dibruno.com

I'll take the psychic and half a sandwich please.

Have your lunch breaks become all about lunch? Do you just run out to Cosi and grab a soup or sandwich and run back to your desk to check emails again? Have you become bored of the same routine? Then try our new Visit A Psychic During Your Lunch Hour And Have Something To Talk About For Days To Come plan!

That’s right. In a moment of inspiration, Megan decided that the best thing to do in the middle of the work day is go out and have the future foretold by a stranger so I happily skipped along with her. Oddly, the first one wasn’t home (hello? Did you not psychically know we were coming?!). And if the next one was too expensive to get anything but a palm reading done, but I guess that’s what you get for visiting a psychic with a Rittenhouse address…

Megan had both her palms read and I only one, as I am willing to save pennies even when it involves knowing my future, which might come in handy (no pun intended). Afterwards Megan was a little cross that she got around the same amount of information that I did for half the palm supply, but if you’ve ever seen my granny hands you’d know there’s a lot that’s going on there in the many wrinkles. The biggest insights we were given were that Megan will live to 91, which she’s dreading, and I will have two children, which is... ok… Really the best thing about it was a great change from the normal lunch hour but you don’t have to be psychic to know that variety is the spice of life.