Food & Beverage
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The Place to ‘Vie’ was Philly Wine Week’s ‘Opening Corks’ Event
Hip hip valet (parking)! “The best way to learn about wine is in the drinking.” – Alexis Lichine Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I don’t do beer. Exception: when at Citizens Bank Park, cheering on the Phightins’. Neither is hard liquor my cuppa char. Exception: Margaritas. I just like reading drink menus’ whimsical “drinks with names” (as I call them) – creative descriptions of specialty cocktails. Same with cookbooks. Not being a cook doesn’t stop me from appreciating the photos, asides and foreign-sounding ingredients. So no brew. Nothing hardcore. What remains? WINE. Now we’re talking! Wine is in a glass (and a class) by itself, as was the 5th Annual…
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Shake Shack’s Chicken Creation is White Hot Meaty Goodness!
Story by Kelly Kusumoto, photos by Colleen Cahill Shake Shack unveiled its newest item to an already difficult-to-choose-from menu. The “Hot Chick’n” sandwich made its debut and ever since it has been taking over sales at the King of Prussia establishment. Store manager Charlotte was kind enough to take a few minutes from her hectic schedule to tell us a little more about it. She said there had been more orders for the new sandwich than for their regular chicken sandwich and that it is on par with sales for their famous ShackBurgers over the past week. While we were waiting for our food, we overheard patrons say they’d rather…
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Philadelphia International Airport Lands American Express’s Prestigious Centurion Lounge
Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “To the great city of Philadelphia, I am so grateful to bring this back home to you.” – Chef Michael Solomonov, on being named best chef in the country at the James Beard Foundation Awards in Chicago, 2017. AMEX’s Centurion Lounge tapped Mike as its menu man. The City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection was recently honored in becoming one of only nine airports in the world to offer travelers a uniquely unique and unforgettable way to hang before, between or after flights. On October 19th (prior to an official October 31st opening), media were invited to preview American Express’s Centurion Lounge and to witness what was in store exclusively for AMEX…
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Drive a Boat in Lawless Lake of the Wild West in Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler When London Bridge Resort reached out for a tour of now nearby to me Lake Havasu City, AZ, it was a no-brainer. Sparking turquoise water flanked by majestic copper canyons? It’s like a photographer’s dream so of course I was all in! One tourism tweet later on Twitter, I was connected to the lovely Jillian Danielson who is an amazing storm chasing photographer who also owns the well-known Lake Havasu go-to guide, River Scene Magazine. Lake Havasu City is in western Arizona about four hours west of Phoenix, AZ and near the border of Eastern California. It’s known as a base for trails in the…
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Village Whiskey Packs More Than 200 Whiskeys in Railroad Style Restaurant in Philadelphia
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Every day we’re shuffling… through the always jam-packed Village Whiskey. One, because they have some stellar food and two because the size of the restaurant. Connected to adjoining fellow Jose Garces tapas restaurant Tinto, this railroad style restaurant doesn’t have much room to move around. The sidewalk cafe helps expand the space a bit but they claim they never accept reservations… unless you do a buyout for large parties. However, they just started accepting reservations during lunch and brunch until 3:3o p.m. so lucky you! Featuring a stellar selection of more than 200 whiskeys alongside what they claim is the country’s best burger, Village Whiskey is…
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The Positivity Charge Gives a Second Wellness Day Go at Philadelphia Ethical Society
Story by Cassie Hepler, Photos by ArtofRayy The Positivity Charge is a health and wellness day retreat that focuses on 3 main areas of your health: build, fuel and body, aiming to make a well rounded, better version of you. The second one day wellness retreat, this time held at the Philadelphia Ethical Society on a warm Saturday in March. Organizers Dr. Rubina Tahir and Parisha Smith are leaders in the wellness industry, known for creative strategies that assist communities in achieving and sustaining long term health goals. Smith and Tahir are climbing the fitness ladder together with knowledge, creativity and experience that was not only informative, but also interactive. I arrived half…
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Enjoy Upscale, Eclectic Asian Food at Yangming in Bryn Mawr
Run, don’t WOK! “we are the fortunate cookies, we who were flat but now curl moonlike around thick middles, cradling happy advice and lucky numbers in our crisp bellies” – Unknown Story, photos by Sharon Kozden While Walt Whitman sang his praises of the “body electric,” I’m here to sing similarly about Yangming’s foodstuffs eclectic. Yangming is an upscale, never-duplicated, well-known and loved establishment, offering an eclectic bounty of Chinese and Asian fusion cuisine. The cocktail offerings are creative, the wine list award-winning and the desserts a blend of either decadent or light. Indulge in the sweetest of treats or restrain with a fresh berry-based, naturally sugared more healthfhttp://yangmingrestaurant.com/reviews/ul choice. Lychee nuts…
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Luke’s Lobster has One of the Best ‘Lobstah’ Rolls in Philadelphia
Story, photos by Meg Arbo I am a lobster snob. In fact, I am so particular about lobster, I don’t even eat it outside of New England. Heck, I don’t even eat it outside of Maine; that is how much of a lobster snob I am. I take my lobster very seriously. Then Luke’s Lobster changed all that when they came to Philadelphia four years ago. Simply put, Luke’s Lobster makes the best “lobstah roll” you can get outside of New England. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear that Luke’s Lobster was opening a second location in Market East! Luke is from Maine and the man…
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Rejuvenate at Hofsas House and Walk the Wine Trail in Fairytale Town Carmel by the Sea, California
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler In a fairytale land far, far away (or nearby depending on where you live), there was a small, picturesque town in Northern California called Carmel-by-the-Sea. It had rolling hills and sharp winding roads where women were advised not to wear heels higher than an inch or so due to the fear of falling down. A short walk towards the Pacific Ocean leads you to the beach where locals had built massive bonfire structures, waiting for that perfect moonlit night. And in this fairytale land, there was a Bavarian style bed and breakfast getaway, the Hofsas House, owned by the Theis family and now celebrating seven…
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Old Man Winter Is No Match for Zoup’s! Comfort Soup
“A Jewish woman had two chickens. One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well.” – Henny Youngman Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Full disclosure: I don’t much care for soup. I fault my mom for that as well as for having sent me to charm school at 12 years of age. But that’s another story altogether, which I’ll reserve for my memoir. The onset of my soup-phobia began in childhood, when our soup staples alternated between thin chicken-noodle with two pea-sized bits of poultry of questionable authenticity. It’s alternative was chicken with rice, equally runny and with the same meager addition of a barely-there protein…
