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Twinkle, Twinkle: Era Contemporary Showcases Stargarden Exhibit at Da Vinci Art Alliance
Era Contemporary announces exhibit with beautifully rendered photograph. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden When Jessica Libor, artist, graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and director of Era Contemporary, “a pop-up art gallery that showcases artwork by living artists who display a unique vision and a focus on magical realism,” recently called for submissions, artists delivered. The exhibit, entitled StarGarden was held Friday, September 1st at Philadelphia’s Da Vinci Art Alliance. Curated by Libor, it fused the sublime mystery of the celestial night sky’s cosmos with the tangible beauty of floral and fauna on magical terra firma. So when Cassie Hepler called for a writer and photographer to cover the event, my shooting star-swift affirmative response confirmed my presence at…
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Experience Luxury at Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose CA, the Only Boutique Hotel on Santana Row
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Luxury, style, class and comfort are the key ingredients at this modern boutique hotel on San Jose’s Santana Row, Hotel Valencia. Nestled in the heart of bustling Silicon Valley, elegant Old World Mediterranean style meets sleek modern design to create the ultimate in cosmopolitan sophistication. Polished and recently renovated by Houston-based Rottet Studio to include 215 guest rooms and suites, more than 4,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, two on-site restaurants – Oveja Negra Restaurant (Black Sheep) and The Terrace, full-service VBar (ultra-modern and sleek, Vbar is one of the hottest spots at Santana Row) and seasonal rooftop bar, Cielo. Located at the heart of the vibrant Santana Row urban oasis,…
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The Turtle Always Wins the Race at Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille
Photos / Story by Jill Beckel Explore Philly recently got a chance to check out the brand new Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille in North Wales and we had a blast! From tasty appetizers and filling entrees to fancy happy hour drinks, the Greene Turtle has something for everyone. Whether you want to stop in for Happy Hour with some coworkers, have a nice family dinner, or catch the game, the Greene Turtle is the perfect spot. The atmosphere is welcoming, fun and relaxing. “The Greene Turtle is more than a sports bar and grille. We believe in being a community hangout for all ages, that serves great food and drinks…
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Boardroom Spirits Distillery Launches ‘C’ Made Entirely from Raw Carrots at Aldine
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler What’s up, doc? Someone had to do it… take carrots and make booze out of it. And we’re glad it was a relatively new startup company Boardroom Spirits from Lansdale with awards to back them up. C, a first-of-its-kind 92-proof eau de vie-style spirit created entirely from carrots, literally and figuratively, follows ‘B’, distilled entirely from beets, and is expected to have the same kitchen to bar versatility. Sold in their Lansdale, PA Distillery, it is available at Aldine, Martha, and Harvest as well as nationally through Ezra’s. It takes about 12.5 pounds of carrots to create one 375 Ml bottle of C. Much like all of Boardroom Spirit…
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From Farm to Home Grass Fed Meat Delivery, Lil’ Ponderosa is a Grill Master’s Dream
Story by Explore Philly, Photos courtesy of Lil’ Ponderosa Lil’ Ponderosa is a new farm-to-home grass-fed meat service for Philadelphia and surrounding areas. The sustainable ranch based near Lancaster, PA provides grass-fed meat for its own award-winning farm-to-table restaurant John J. Jeffries, and now offers its meats through special combination boxes and a monthly subscription service. Shop all cuts of beef and organ meat, house-made jerky, and farm heritage pasteurized pork from the neighboring farm. Now carnivores don’t even need to move off the couch to order home delivery of locally raised grass-fed beef and pork products. Products are currently available a la carte or in special combination boxes, and…
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Philly’s Real Life ‘Rocky’ Bantamweight Christian Carto, a SugarHouse Sweet Boxing Treat
Story by Kelly Kusumoto, photos by Colleen Cahill On a hot, sweaty August night, Bantamweight Christian Carto TKO’d Phillip Adyaka to remain perfect at 11-0 with 11 KOs and proved he was SugarHouse Casino’s sweetest treat of the night. On the banks of the Delaware River, SugarHouse Casino in Fishtown was bustling with action. Cars filled each parking lot, people were walking to and fro, dining outside and playing inside. The weather was perfect and the mood was right. But no one’s stars were more aligned for a win than the incredibly talented, Philly native, Christian Carto, who at 20 years young is carving out a boxing career he hopes…
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Catering to Both Men and Women, Jay Butler Shoes Are a Classic, Handmade Staple
Story by Jill Beckel, photos by Jay Butler Justin L. Jeffers, Founder & Creative Director of Jay Butler Shoes, thinks that shoes should be comfortable, stylish, made to last and affordable. According to their website, “Jay Butler is a brand that strives to provide men and women with classic, well-made footwear and leather goods. Jay Butler was established out of the desire to fill a void in a market for justly priced, direct to consumer footwear. By opting out of selling our shoes through wholesalers and brick and mortar stores, we are able to offer our shoes at an impost that is well below what is normally seen without compromising on…
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Meltdown at Ruby’s Diner with Debut of 35th Anniversary Burger
Photos, story by Sharon Kozden Celebrating 35 years of all-American classics, Ruby’s Diner has introduced a new, aptly named 35th Anniversary Burger. As a kid, a burger dine-out the Kozden way meant a meal comprised of single patty, small order of fries and an equally small-sized cola. No frills, no deviation from the spare. Little Sharon, a minimalist before her time. My father had four hungry mouths to feed on a humble meter reader’s salary, which ensured that I lived for years in ignorance of the vast and varied manners in which foodstuffs could be prepared. Descendant on both sides from Anthracite coal miners (as far from to-the-manor-born as one can get), imagine my bugged-out eyes when I discovered such grub-stuffs as toppings,…
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Hurricane Irma Displaces Single Dad, Daughter to New Jersey
Story, photos by Scott W. Miller, Esq. You could never say that we didn’t see it coming. Hurricane Irma churned its way towards Florida with a level of intensity and capacity for destruction that was plain to anyone. Its ferocious potential was evident from Barbuda to Cuba, long before it reached the Gulf Coast of Florida. News broadcasts announced its power and path. As a single dad in Tampa with a 5-year old, I had only one choice. It was time to leave. Leaving wasn’t as simple as it seemed. Days before landfall, flights were unobtainable. First Tampa, then Orlando, then Jacksonville ran out of departures with seats. I had to…
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Sit Outside and Enjoy Sunset Views, Chews at Winnie’s LeBus in Manayunk
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Winnie’s in Manayunk is a Main Street Manayunk staple, full of fresh food and sweet sunny – or sunset – views. Usually I always do brunch or lunch there and once upon a time, they did quizzo during happy hour for a steal and I would leave every night with a ridiculously large chocolate cupcake as a snack for later. This time we were invited for a lazy Sunday dinner with a fresh abundance of summer fruits and vegetables prepared the homemade way. In a culture of pre-prepped, packaged and ready-to-eat, it’s nice to know that there are still some hometown Philly favorites that are…
