by Sr. Editor on January 29, 2010
Looking for a restaurant where kids won’t feel left out? Especially if you are a new parent, you may realize that eating out isn’t the same experience that you were once accustomed to. Finding good restaurants where the kids will be entertained and you can enjoy a somewhat sophisticated meal can be challenging. If you have small children and live in Philadelphia, here are some kid-friendly dining options that will satisfy everyone’s taste.
Photo by: Tabooz on flickr
World Café Live
3025 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Located In the neighborhood of University City, World Cafe Live creates a fun and interactive live music experience for kids and parents. This is a place you’ll want to take the kids for lunch as the doors generally open at 11 a.m. with the show starting at 11:30 a.m. The Dodge Caravan Peanut Butter & Jams series is a popular Saturday morning show followed by a family friendly lunch buffet (not included in ticket price). World Café Live was voted “Best Kids Concert Series” by Philadelphia Magazine.
Hibachi Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar
Pier 19
325 North Columbus Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Kids will enjoy the fire shows from the chef’s open grill. Best of all, young gourmets can enjoy an entree of fried rice and grilled veggies with teriyaki chicken, shrimp, scallops, salmon, red snapper or steak for less than $10. Specials include early bird specials for the whole family and a wide selection of appetizers. Get ready for the show as soon as the chef arrives at the hibachi table. Your kids will get a kick out of the squirting mustard bottles prank, flaming onion volcanoes and food tossing to guests. Adults will enjoy a beautiful view of the water from Penn’s Landing.
Nifty Fifty’s
2491 Grant Avenue at Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19114
If you are looking for a fun, themed restaurant, check out Nifty Fifty’s, built and decorated like a classic 1950’s diner. Complete with retro music and bright neon lights, kids will enjoy the constant action of this 50’s themed diner. The food is not too shabby either. The rich milkshakes are the restaurant’s signature item, as well as the custom soda flavors. Order any flavor of soda, including banana, bubble gum or cotton candy, and a Nifty Fifty’s server can create it for you. They have more than just burgers. For more sophisticated palates, try the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich.
Hard Rock Café
1113-31 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
If you happen to be in the Market East neighborhood with your kids visiting Independence Hall, check out the Hard Rock Café located in the historic Reading Terminal train station. It’s fitting that this rock ‘n’ roll themed restaurant is just blocks away from the birthplace of America. Hamburgers are just one of the menu items that can be enjoyed by the kids. The adults will appreciate the wide variety of drinks available at the bar while music and videos play in the rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia-decorated restaurant.
Friendly’s
9165 Ridge Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19128
Any restaurant with a tagline like Friendly’s, “where ice cream makes the meal”, is going to please kids. Friendly’s has a kids menu that includes a kid-pleasing variety of drinks, meals and desserts. Adults can tap into their inner child while ordering healthy options such as soups and salads, sandwich wraps and even steaks and seafood. For a fun treat at any age, order the Fribble with Butterfinger and Reeses and get the straw that changes colors when it gets cold.
April writes for Apartment Guide in Philadelphia. If you are looking for a cool place to live in Center City, check out the wide variety of apartments in Philadelphia.
by Sr. Editor on January 25, 2010
Photo by: Edenpictures on Flickr Creative Commons
Especially if you have kids, playgrounds in your neighborhood can greatly enhance the quality of your daily life. Fortunately, if you live in Philadelphia, there are plenty of neighborhoods with great playgrounds within walking distance from your home. Whether you are a Philly mom looking for some play space for your little ones, or you are an adult looking to satisfy your inner child with some clean open green space, you’ll find these Philadelphia neighborhood parks will accommodate your needs.
Here are three neighborhoods that offer close proximity to some of the best playgrounds in Philadelphia:
1. Society Hill
Three Bears Park has been called a hidden treasure in Society Hill. Local residents with smaller kids love it because it has lots of equipment for young toddlers. Also, it seems to be a social hot spot for parents who are regulars of this neighborhood, which is perfect if you are looking to make friends with other moms or dads.
Starr Garden Playground was established in 1905. While the park has more concrete than green space, the well-kept baseball field and basketball courts make it the perfect place to play sports. For young kids, there are enough slides and swings to keep junior happy. If you are looking for a place to take some cool photos, check out Starr Garden’s inner courtyard. With plenty of benches, a pretty garden, mosaic work and steel statues, it’s a great spot to get away or get inspired.
For older kids, Seger Playground has basketball courts, tennis courts, a dog run and ample grassy areas for relaxing picnics. For kids, Seger Playground offers two playgrounds with fenced-off areas for children under six. The swings and jungle gym are safe, clean and well-maintained. Overall, this park is fun for the whole family.
2. Northern Liberties
Liberty Lands Park is a great park for kids and adults. In the spring and summer you can count on regularly scheduled free outdoor concerts and art festivals. For younger kids, the park’s jungle gym is separated from the rest of the park and has good equipment that is well maintained.
If you live in the Northern Liberties neighborhood in Philadelphia, you are also strategically located within five miles of the three best-rated playgrounds in downtown Philadelphia: Seger Park, Smith Memorial Park and Starr Garden.
3. Fairmount
Smith Memorial Park is by far the most popular play park in this neighborhood and perhaps in the whole area of Philadelphia. Rich in history, this large playground is located in a safe neighborhood and has some of the most modern and cool play equipment you’ve ever seen. Established in 1899, Smith Memorial Park takes outdoor recreation just as seriously as it did during the playground movement of the late 1800s.
If you are looking for a versatile, wide-open and spacious play area, Fairmount Park may be reason enough to move to the Fairmount neighborhood. Fairmount Park is a place where you can escape the urban life of Philly and enjoy one of the largest urban park systems in the country. Fairmount Park features several unique amenities that make regular playgrounds seem dinky. The kids will love running around the open stretch of land, going down to the water and splashing around. If you’d like to introduce them to some culture, take them to see the Japanese Tea House, the Horticulture Center or one of the park’s museums.
by Sr. Editor on January 21, 2010
Philly by night / Photo by YapSnap on Flickr
If you are looking for a cool place to live in Philadelphia, you’re in luck; the growing metro area of Philadelphia has a variety of eclectic neighborhoods to choose from. From rainbow communities to older parts of town with character to areas with green space and environmental awareness, Philadelphia offers multiple options for finding apartments with like-minded hipster neighbors.
Germantown
Germantown has been described as one of the nation’s oldest suburbs, but it is still within the city limits, allowing easy access to public transportation. Home to many middle-class families, there are plenty of neighborhood shops, restaurants and bars within walking distance. Residents of Germantown enjoy nearby art galleries and seasonal events and are often involved in community organizations. Fairmount Park is just across the river, which is ideal for outdoor, sporty types who like to go for walks, jog and bike.
Manayunk
If you like a condensed area where you can hop from one bar to another, Manayunk is the place for you. Manayunk has a huge assortment of bars and restaurants. The young, hip crowd can usually be found on Main Street, where there is good live music on most nights at any given bar. On weekends, you can find hundreds of people out on the streets of Manayunk shopping, eating and enjoying the sites. Manayunk was officially named a National Historic District in 1983. Manayunk, also called “Philadelphia’s Main Street,” boasts more than 65 chic boutiques and galleries and dozens of restaurants.
Chestnut Hill
Generally, people who live in Chestnut Hill are geared towards improving their beautiful community through organizations, clubs and social events. If you choose to live in Chestnut Hill, you will enjoy the wide variety of art galleries, restaurants, specialty boutiques and antiques shops. Located on Philadelphia’s northwest boundary, Chestnut Hill is a pedestrian-friendly area, within walking and biking distance of the city’s action. Chestnut Hill is a perfect spot to rent a trendy loft apartment or own a small, older home. If you have a family, your kids will love the many cultural events taking place in Chestnut Hill yearround, including festivals and parades.
Northern Liberties
Northern Liberties is the perfect place to live if you are looking to mix and mingle with the young, outgoing crowds of modern Philadelphia. Known as an alternative night spot for hipsters, the district is home to many eclectic bars and restaurants ranging from small neighborhood bars to larger places such as the Standard Tap. If you are the artsy type, you’ll appreciate that Northern Liberties is one of Philadelphia’s greatest artist magnets, attracting great musical acts at places such as Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus. Despite Northern Liberties’ trend-setting art scene, it maintains a down-to-earth appeal, where you can expect to find plenty of nightlife.
Olde City
Olde City is considered by many as the most happening spot of Philadelphia. Known for the most exciting collection of art galleries on the East Coast, Olde City is full of unique shops, restaurants and theaters. Locals enjoy strolling through Independence Park, lying on the western edge of Olde City. If you are a history buff, you will appreciate the rich history of this old Pennsylvanian town. Soak up the historical architecture as you walk along the streets. Olde City is home to many different people including young professionals, artists and writers, doctors and lawyers, shopkeepers and families with young children.
Queen Village
As Philadelphia’s first neighborhood, Queen Village has a rich past that makes it one of the city’s most interesting places to live. Not only does it offer the standard attractions of any other hip town, such as cool restaurants, nice bars and an eclectic shopping district (South Street), but it also hosts the oldest and largest fabric row in the country (4th Street Fabric Row). The Queen Village neighborhood, which is home to over 7,000 residents, is within walking distance of Independence Hall, Penn’s Landing, the Italian Market and Center City. Queen Village’s thriving business and residential areas make it one of the city’s most charming and livable communities in Philadelphia.