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Cool, Refreshing Drinks and Tasty Bites at The Watering Hole in the Philadelphia Zoo
Story by Jill Beckel, photos by Cassie Hepler The Watering Hole Beer Garden & Oasis is your new summer spot to be! Explore Philly visited The Watering Hole on a hot summer day at the Philadelphia Zoo, which is now open to the public. Sponsored by Victory Brewing Company, it’s a great place for guests to relax, grab a refreshing specialty beer, glass of wine and a bite to eat while also enjoying the great outdoors in this open-air hangout. As the Philadelphia region’s leading family destination, the zoo welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors last year. One of the region’s foremost conservation organizations, it is home to nearly 1,300 animals, many which are…
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McGillin’s Olde Ale House Serving German Fare for Oktoberfest, Midtown Village Fall Fest
Story, photos by Julia Dent McGillin’s Olde Ale House is hosting their annual Oktoberfest for the 15th year running. This year’s festival started in August, and it will wrap up with its main event on Oct. 1. The end of Oktoberfest coincides with Midtown Village Fall Festival with other local Philadelphia businesses, and McGillin’s will have an outdoor beer garden, karaoke and DJ, along with their German beers and food. Located in Center City, McGillin’s sits on its original location at 1310 Drury St. The last day of Oktoberfest will be celebrated outside McGillin’s. To celebrate Oktoberfest, McGillin’s has a selection of pumpkin beers, ciders, and German beers, as well…
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Bok Bar Mixes Hipsters, Booze, Vietnamese and Filipino Food with Stunning Views
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler General Manager Stephen Yaeger was working with Steven Starr before his restaurants were mega mogul money makers, about 12 years ago when there were only four fledgling restaurants. And when a powerhouse of that size starts looking to NYC for inspiration, it’s time to jump ship and start new ventures. That’s why we love Yaeger and his entrepreneurial spirit. He likes to take a risk… and get shit done. Previously they had a seasonal pass from the city for the hippest buzz of last season named Le Bok Fin (a pun on the now closed French restaurant Le Bec Fin). Now they are officially Bok, the rooftop…
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Skygarten Takes Booze Business to New Heights
Photos, story by Jae Rich For summer and fall, Skygarten is the premier place to enjoy a delicious cocktail, craft beer and breathtaking views. Hailing at the top of the 51st floor of Three Logan Square, they are crowned the highest beer garden in the city of Philadelphia. Known for its flourishing variety of German beers and champagne brunches on Saturday, Skygarten was definitely the new wave to ride in the heart of center city. Skygarten specially invited members of the media and local guests to enjoy a night of specially crafted drinks and savory appetizers as they prepped to make a huge announcement. Throughout the summer, Skygarten kept up a swinging roster…
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The Philadelphia Flyers Unveil New 50th Anniversary Uniform at Philly From the Top
Philadelphia Flyers Unveil 50th Golden Anniversary Anniversary Uniform Video and story by Whitney Ullman Just weeks away from the start of Training Camp, the Philadelphia Flyers unveiled a newly-created 50th anniversary uniform based around a new third jersey that features the club’s trademark orange and black, complemented by the addition of gold at Philly From the Top. (Check out that Explore Philly story from One Liberty Observation Deck). The club opted to integrate gold into the uniform, as well as in the Flyers campaign this season, as a nod to 50 years – what is often referred to as the ‘golden anniversary.’ Gold also serves as a symbol for the high standard…
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Dîner en Blanc Steps Up Fifth Anniversary to Art Museum
Photos, story by Deja Cromartie Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia celebrated its fifth anniversary with an unforgettable evening filled with elegance, food, art and music. The Art Museum was transformed into a beautiful “All American Paris.” There were about 5,000 people adorned in white clothing and accessories that taking photos with the Rocky Statue as well as running up and down the infamous Rocky Steps. The view was also a beautiful sight once everyone was set up with their tables. As a first time attendee of Dîner en Blanc, I was really impressed by the table decor. There was a lot of lighting, crystals, and beautiful flowers. Here are a few of my favorite tables:…
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Miss America 2017 Contestants Enjoy Lavish Buffet at Showboat Hotel
Photos, story by Lou Perri The 52 Miss America 2017 contestants walked the boards to get to Showboat Hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner created by Tim Kuhlman, general manager and an excellent chef. The 52 pageant contestants dined in style as servers sliced into Filet Mignon, pepper crusted Ahi Tuna, a spinach and strawberry salad, roasted fingerling potatoes, mixed vegetables and assorted pastries to end a wonderful meal. Kuhlman told Explore New Jersey he selected entrees from various Showboat menus and fit dietary selections for the young ladies.
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Philly Burlesque Dancers Wow Crowds at Rasputin’s Room at Franky Bradley’s
Photos, video and story by Michael Antonio Castaneda One of the finest qualities about Philadelphia is its lust for entertainment from great artists. Every Third Friday of the month at Franky Bradley’s, located at 1320 Chancellor St., you can find yourself having a very fine dinner and an even more amazing show. Lil’ Steph, a burlesque dancer in Philly, hosts one of the finest in the city. Having never been to an event like this, being there for the Rasputin’s Room third year anniversary was a true treat. The show featured Alyson Rodriguez Orenstein, Sophie Sucre, Ruby Von Vanity, Minx Arcana and Lil’ Steph. Lil’ Steph began performing burlesque in…
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Former Buzzfeed Comedian Matt Bellassai Slays at Punch Line Philly Comedy Club
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Only in America can you become famous for drinking at work. And not in the bad way! Former Buzzfeed boy toy Matt Bellassai is a drunk genius. He started Whine About It Wednesdays and had people in their cubicles green with envy as he drank copious amounts of red wine at his desk during work and still got paid to do so. “It got to a point where Buzzfeed told me I had to make a choice,” he said. And so the Drunk and Alone tour was born and Bellassai was thrust upon the world at only newly 26-years-old and ready to tear it up. His…
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Hey, Jealousy? We Saw Gin Blossoms At SugarHouse
Story by Hannah Harkness, photos by SugarHouse Casino This summer 90’s fans in Philadelphia had a chance to relive their past. The Gin Blossoms brought their generation-defining alt rock sound to a high energy crowd at the SugarHouse Casino. First signed in 1991, the Gin Blossoms emerged with their pop-rock sound during a time when grunge and hair bands dominated the radio. They quickly gained public and critical acclaim with New Miserable Experience, which went multi-platinum and earned them a Grammy for As Long as it Matters. Their most recent album was 2010’s No Chocolate Cake, which reached No. 1 on Amazon. The venue was unorthodox; many commented on the slightly bizarre…