Two Thumbs Up

In my new neighborhood I have an abundance of places to look for movies, which is nice because I far prefer to rent a movie that try to watch any of the crap on tv. The only problem is, I never know what I want to rent. I don't go with a title or actor or even a genre in mind when I walk in there. Because of this, the majority of rental places are a little overwhelming for me. Last night when I went in, and even had someone else to help me make up my mind, I reckon it took no less than 45 minutes to choose something and it was a bad choice.

This is why I miss my old neighborhood movie place - Beaux Arts Video. It's a little hole in the wall that is pretty much the total opposite of Blockbuster. The new releases are intermixed with indie titles that you've probably heard a lot about but forgot you were ever interested in. The employee pics are honest and are a mixture of critically aclaimed film noir stuff (that I'm never going to touch) and movies you loved in your childhood and forgot existed (I snap them up right away.)

I will say that they don't have many of the popular releases, which can be a pain when you've set your heart on something. The flip side of that is there are so many good movies around that people don't bother even looking at because we're programmed to head zombie-like for Vince Vaughn's head. Beaux Arts has them all, and their super friendly staff will more than happily recommend something to you.

My favorite thing is they have a little gumball machine with chocolate in it so that when you've been staring blankly at the wall for too long you can recover your sugar levels, focus for long enough to pick your movie and get home to Vince and a glass of vino.

Beaux Arts Video, 1000 Spruce Street, (215) 923 1714

Find a BYO, Courtesy of "The Google"

If you haven't yet been seduced by Philadelphia's burgeoning BYOB culture, than you are a much less hungry person than I. Who can resist the grilled whole fish, garlic hummus platters, goat cheese salads, hand-rolled gnocchi and vanilla creme brulees that await, just a few doors down any given block at one of the city's over 200 BYOBs. And its not just the food that tempts, but the din of happy voices, the buzz of the kitchen just a few feet away, the low candle light and the hearth-like warmth of these undersized and often overstuffed 1-room establishments. Why just in the last week alone I have had the pleasure of dining (and drinking) at 2 of these pint-sized places, Mercato at the corner of Spruce and Camac Sts. in Washington Square West (pictured), and Audrey Claire at 20th & Spruce in Rittenhouse.

But with the sheer number of BYO options these days, who can choose? Personally I'm trying to hit them all one by one, but it's going to take some time. And since they seem to be multiplying by the day, how can one even keep up with the latest and greatest? Now, thanks to the wonders of Google maps and the clever folks over at the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation, finding your next BYO has never been easier. Their new Interactive BYOB Restaurant Map lets you find what you want, where you want it. Just choose a neighborhood, and all the BYOs are marked by cute little bottles of vino, conveniently color-coded by cuisine type. Red for Italian, Orange for French, Yellow for Spanish/Latin American, Green for...well you get the idea. Click on your chosen bottle and up pops the address, website, phone number, and important bits of information like whether they take reservations (not likely) or accept credit cards (dream on).

The map even lists the Wine & Spirits shops in the area in case you run out of the fruit of the vine before the cheese course arrives. Brilliant.

Greater Philadelphia Tourism & Marketing Corp.

Interactive BYOB Restaurant Map

www.gophila.com/byobmap

The Knights of Whole Foods

I walk by them everyday. They’re lean, either freakishly short or tall with near flawless skin. The girls have perfected the art of daytime MAC eyeliner. The guys have that detached, yet scrupulous stare down to a science. And every third person has a kick ass dog who never barks. No, I’m not talking about the impeccably cool people at The Last Drop. I am speaking about the legions of youth (oh, they never age) who sit outside of Whole Foods on South Street, each and every day, all day. I like to think of them as the knights of Whole Foods. Dare some kind of over processed, artificially flavored hooligan try and walk through those doors.

Who are these people? Are they students? If they’re students, how can they possibly afford Whole Foods and their $8 grapes? Do they work? Bike messengers perhaps? I mean even bike messengers have to deliver something at some point. More importantly, how do I get their damn job? I want to sit at a table and eat vegan treats and stare adoringly at my shelter rescue. I envision what they do after Whole Foods. God, their lives are probably so exciting while I race home to catch Everybody Loves Raymond on TBS. When I walk home from my 9-5 job (ok, 11-5 job) and stop to pick up dinner at Whole Foods, I glare at them, green with envy. I schlep my 3 paper bags (or plastic, I can’t decide which is the right answer) right on by them, dreaming of the day I can be the girl who sits outside of Whole Foods all day, people watching while snacking on a vanilla vegan cupcake. A jealous girl can dream….