Her Philly

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April 16, 2013

Sharing the Love {My First Liebster Award!}

Last week, the lovely Jade of stylewallflower nominated me for a super cool Liebster Award! In case this is a relatively new term to you (like it was to me!), allow me to explain. A Liebster Award is given from one blogger to another as a way to get to know new & fabulous people.

Liebster Award / Her Philly

There are a few interpretations of how many followers the nominated blogs should have & how many bloggers to nominate, but either way, it’s an awesome honor. So with that, on to the questions!

Share 11 things about yourself . . . 

1. My little sis Lindsay is my BFF. I feel pretty lucky to have her as my sister.

Lindsay Tharp & Emily Tharp NYC

2. I will never get tired of visiting in Disney World.

3. My favorite artist is Kurt Halsey. My apartment is covered in prints of his work, mostly from my many Art Star calendars.

Kurt Halsey brunette print "as big as the trees" / Her Philly

Image via

4. Almost every pair of earrings I own are from thrift stores.

5. I am a proud sister of Delta Gamma sorority!

Sisters of the Zeta Chi Chapter of Delta Gamma / Her Philly

6. I’ve been blessed with parents who love traveling. Some of our best vacations include Italy, San Diego & Miami.

7. I have a huge obsession with YouTube beauty gurus and their lives. Especially the British ones.

British YouTube beauty gurus Fleur, Zoe, Louise and Tanya in Disney World

Image via

8. I still take my laundry home to my parents’ house every chance I get.

9. I listen to Elvis Duran & the Morning Show every day on my way to work.

Elvis Duran and the Morning Show cast photo

Image via

10. I have two guilty pleasure movies: Love & Basketball and Varsity Blues.

11. Otters are my favorite animal. I could watch the otters at the Philadelphia Zoo for hours.

Baby otter learning to swim at Philadelphia Zoo / Her Philly

Answer the 11 questions given to you . . . 

1. What was your major in college? Communications with an English minor.

2. Why did you start blogging? I wanted to meet new people, write more, and have an excuse to document my exploration of a new city.

3. Pick: Mr. or Mrs. Carter? Mrs. Go Bey!

4. Favorite celebrity baby? Even though she is not a baby anymore, Suri Cruise.

5. Where was your favorite vacation? Italy.

6. What is your favorite neighborhood in Philly? Although I am trying to broaden my horizons, Rittenhouse will always have my heart.

7. What is your dream job? Anything that involves a little social media & some writing!

8. Favorite designer/celebrity collaboration? Prabal Gurung For Target.

9. Which musician do you wish would just stop making music and go away? NICKLEBACK & CREED. Like, for real.

10. What was your favorite concert and when? I love Coldplay concerts. I’ve been to two, and they were both amazing.

11. What are you looking forward to this summer? Phillies games, weekend trips with my friends & going home to the beach!

Nominate 5 Bloggers . . . (you better check them out!)

1. Celestine from Java Aficionado

2. Georgette from Grown and Curvy Woman

3. Melissa from Ring the Alam

4. Brittiny from Fashion of Philly

5. Karima from Skinny Minority

11 Questions For My Nominees to Answer . . .

1. What is your favorite video on YouTube?

2. Do you like the Philly sports teams?

3. What is your favorite area to shop in the city?

4. #1 tips for new bloggers?

5. Recommend your favorite book.

6. What is your dream vacation?

7. Give us your favorite hidden Philly gem?

8. Are you more or a beach or pool girl?

9. Is there a beauty item you can’t live without?

10. What is your favorite Philly restaurant?

11. How has blogging changed your life?

That was fun! Thanks again to Jade for nominating me. I also wanted to take this time to acknowledge the tragedies that took place in Boston yesterday. Sending you Philly love, Beantown. xx

her philly

Posted by herphilly 11 Comments
Filed Under: chit chat Tagged: art star, blog awards, british youtube beauty gurus, coldplay, delta gamma, disney world, elvis duran, elvis duran and the morning show, emily tharp, kurt halsey, liebster award, love and basketball, otters, otters are philly zoo, philadelphia, philadelphia zoo, philly, Prabal Gurung For Target®, rittenhouse park, sisters in dg, stylewallflower, suri cruise, varsity blues, what is a liebster award

April 7, 2013

A Check Off The Bucket List {#DaringlyHigh}

Don’t you love when you get an amazing opportunity? An opportunity to do something you never, ever, ever thought you would or could actually do in your life? I sure do. And I hope when you get that opportunity, you say yes, without hesitation. You’ll be happy you did.

Last weekend, the awesome Kory Aversa set me up with one of these opportunities. A chance for me to do something I’ve wanted to do ever since I saw Carrie Bradshaw do it (no, not that) . . . fly!

Set up for the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

In case you haven’t heard, our city is getting its culture on all this month with the arrival of PIFA, or the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. And, lucky for me, one of the Festival’s events is a Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts. Now, if we have similar brains, I know you may have some doubts as to if a class like this is feasible/possible/safe/sane for you to take. But hang on ladies, because I’m about to tell you how you can conquer your fears & walk away feeling empowered & just plain awesome.

My trapeze lesson took place last Saturday morning at 9am. My class had about 10 students in it, from kids under 10 to grown adults. I went by myself, so while chatting with some of my classmates, they started rattling off the activities they’ve done – rock climbing, gymnastics, sky diving. Had I done anything like that? No. But I stayed calm. 🙂

The staff started with their lesson and we were brought to a practice trapeze bar near the ground to try an upside down hang by hooking our legs on the bar. I hesitated – there was just no way I would be able to do it. But with the instructor’s help, I somehow got my legs hooked. It was a struggle, and then the nerves started setting in. What in the world did I get myself into?

About to fly on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

After our lesson, we were ready to fly. The entire process from climbing the ladder to landing in the net is relayed by instructions from the staff, so you do what & go where they say. When you are told to climb, you start up the ladder attached to the platform, which is attached to a belt around your waist. Even though you may feel uneasy climbing this tall, tall ladder, it’s not going to go anywhere. Rest assured that these Platforms and Ladders will keep you safe due to their firmness and because they meet security standards. And believe me, you can do it! When you get to the top of the platform, you hold on to a rope and get your hands chalked up. The instructor at the top of the platform buckles you in and starts prompting you to get a hold of the trapeze.

About to fly on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

Now, this is the stage where I thought I was not going to be able to jump. My palms are actually sweating right now as I type. Getting your right hand on the trapeze is OK. But when you have to remove your left hand from the rope to grab this floating bar, and the only thing keeping you on the platform is the instructor holding your belt, it’s scary. And it definitely took me about a minute to get up the nerve to do it . . .

About to fly on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

But after some major trust building by the instructor up on that platform, I did it. And I will tell you honestly, the first time you do that, the hardest part of the entire lesson is over. Now, it’s time to fly. About to fly on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her PhillyOn the instructor’s call – you jump. Once you’re up there & the bar is in your hands, this is not so bad. So, here we gooooo!

Flying on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

This is the most amazing feeling ever. I shrieked, of course, but it literally feels incredible. I’d say it’s a combination of conquering a fear, doing something you didn’t think your body could do, and not giving a care in the world as to what the people strolling by on Broad Street are thinking of you.

Flying on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

On your first swing out into the air, you are supposed to try and hook your legs. However I was still getting over the fact that I just jumped off a platform and was flying through the air, so I missed my opportunity. No sweat though, I still had two more tries.

On my second turn, the ladder climb got easier. I felt less scared up on the platform. And I was determined to hook my legs!

Flying on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her PhillyAnd what do you know . . . I did it! I also shrieked again.Hanging upside down on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

After you hook your legs, at the instructor’s command, you lift your body up and grab onto the bar. This is also not as hard as it looks with all of that adrenaline pumping and the momentum of your swing. Hanging upside down on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

To get “down,” you let go at the instructor’s command to land into the net. Check me out in action. Hey, I didn’t claim to be graceful.

 

On your third turn, the staff assess if you’re ready to be caught by another instructor. I was not, but I was totally content with that. And I hooked my legs AGAIN!

Hanging upside down on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

Hanging upside down on the trapeze during the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, taught by Fly School Circus Arts, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

However Lindsey & Natalie, two of my classmates, were naturals and got caught! They also took all of these great pictures & videos for me, so thank you girls! Check them out:

Overall, the experience was incredible. The staff members I worked with from Fly School Circus Arts were really fantastic. They made you feel completely comfortable & safe, which is important when you’re not fearless like the 6 year old children in my class. 🙂

Instructors and Staff from Fly School Circus Arts teaching the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her PhillyInstructors and Staff from Fly School Circus Arts teaching the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her PhillyInstructors and Staff from Fly School Circus Arts teaching the PIFA Daringly High Trapeze Class, on Broad Street in Philadelphia all April long / Her Philly

If you read this post and say, hey that looks like fun, but I could never do it . . . I urge you to reconsider. Remember my little speech about saying yes without hesitation? Here is your opportunity! The Trapeze Class is $55 a person for a two hour class (read all of their policies here). AKA that new spring dress you were looking at? Pass. This will be an experience you remember for a lifetime and you can do it!

Thanks to Kory at Aversa PR & Events for setting me up on this amazing opportunity! There are tons of PIFA events taking place now through April 27th, so I encourage you to check it out. I know I’ll definitely be hitting up the Street Fair!

Do you have any fears you’ve overcome or things you’ve done that you didn’t think were possible? I’d love to hear about them. Thanks for reading! xx

her philly

Posted by herphilly 9 Comments
Filed Under: playing Tagged: #daringlyhigh, april philadelphia, aversa pr, daringly high, emily tharp, Fly School Circus Arts, fun things to do in philly, good outdoor dates in philly, inexpensive outdoor exercise class, kory aversa, philadelphia international festival of the arts, philly circus lesson, philly group party ideas, philly trapeze, pifa, trapeze, trapeze flying philadelphia, trapeze lessons, what happens in a trapeze lesson, what to do in philly in april

March 31, 2013

No Dishwasher? No Problem!

One of the hardest things for me to deal with when I moved out of my parents’ place was the lack of dishwasher. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with hand cleaning dishes, cutlery, and everything else that goes into the sink, but having access to a dishwasher just makes life so much easier right? Pop them in the dishwasher, set it to the relevant settings, and there you have it. You’re good to go! I remember this one time when our dishwasher had actually stopped working and we needed to get a new one. It felt like the longest time of my life, but I was just so grateful that the plumbing company that we hired, similar to Make It Drain Plumbing & Rooter were able to install our new one as quickly as possible. I could’ve screamed with delight when we had it back.

So, if you haven’t already established, I am a dishwasher girl through and through. And the thought of cleaning dishes makes me feel like a real-life Cinderella (and also, apparently, a snob). Additionally, cleaning dishes on the kitchen sink (or anywhere else) might pose a risk of a clogged drain with food items and soaps. In that situation, I may have to book an appointment with a plumbing company from their website (like cityplumbingandrooter.com/los-angeles) for cleaning my kitchen drainage system. I may have to take extra care while washing dishes in the sink instead of using a dishwasher.

I was not happy to find out that living in Philadelphia post-college, the dishwasher scene does not get much better. After awhile, I was over the dry hands and cracked dishes from things slipping out of my grip. So when I finally saw an article in a magazine about how bad dish-washing liquid is for your skin (I have since misplaced said magazine, of course), I knew I needed something to combat this. After an extensive Etsy search, I found HostessCouture.

Pretty dish gloves for washing dishes without a dish washer by HostessCouture on Etsy / Her PhillyHostessCouture is a sweet little Etsy shop based out of Princeton. Owner Madison Harley and her partner stock the shop with unique denim jackets, cute aprons, and, of course, fashionable dish gloves. I got the Glamorous pair in December, and I am happy to report that the outer decorations have stayed perfectly intact! Here are some of my other favorites from the shop:

Gorgeous, girly dish gloves by HostessCouture on Etsy / Review at Her PhillyGorgeous, girly dish gloves by HostessCouture on Etsy / Review at Her Philly

The gloves are great because the are all “industrial strength” latex on the outside with a comfy cotton lining on the inside. I love that if I need my hands (dry) while I’m in the middle of washing, I can slip these off & it’s all good. The only thing I find troublesome is where to hang the gloves to dry when I’m finished using them. I usually just lay them across the faucet.

Pretty dish gloves for washing dishes without a dish washer by HostessCouture on Etsy / Her Philly

The gloves each run at $15/pair and ship FREE! Madison let me know a lot of her customers pick up the gloves for bridal showers, engagement parties, Mother’s Day, and even as a gift for gardeners.

What things do you use to make grown up chores more fun? And Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates! xx

her philly

Posted by herphilly 3 Comments
Filed Under: living Tagged: bridal shower gift, city living solutions, cute dish gloves, dishwashing gloves, emily tharp, engagement party gift, etsy gloves, etsy shop, gardener gift, gardener gloves, good hostess gifts, hostesscouture, mother's day gift, philadelphia, philadelphia blogs, philly, solutions for no dishwasher

February 8, 2013

Insta-Month: A Look Back {January}

January. Was. BUSY! Between Restaurant Week, trips back to my parents’ house, friend visits and, of course, work, I’ve been swamped! February is already going wonderfully with an awesome Philly Style Blogger event (more on that later!), a Joe Flacco Super Bowl win, and packing for my upcoming trip to Disney World!

Anthropologie sale room in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia     New puppy Ellie 

A little slice of Philly heaven: the Anthropologie sale room // Making a quick visit to WCU to see Ellie!

Broccoli, cous cous, tofu and soy sauce    Birthday cake at Iron Hill in Wilmington, DE

Broccoli, cous cous, tofu & soy sauce nommy lunch // Celebrating the DOB of my college roomie Ashley

Margaritas at El Vez in Philadelphia    Modeling by Tara

One of many margaritas at El Vez during Restaurant Week // Taking some model shots of my co-worker Tara

Wings, fries and chicken fingers from Curran's near Philadelphia     Jordan and baby Caroline  

Our office version of “Wing Bowl” … just yum. // Jordan & the cutest baby in the city of Philadelphia, Caroline

How was your first month of 2013? xx

her philly

Posted by herphilly 2 Comments
Filed Under: chit chat, insta-month Tagged: anthropologie, emily tharp, insta-month, instagram, instamonth, margaritas at el vez, new puppy, philadelphia, philly, restaurant week, wing bowl

January 9, 2013

That time I was in Philadelphia Magazine {sort of…}

One of the first things I did when I moved to Philly was obviously subscribe to Philadelphia Magazine. My parents subscribed to the magazine while I was growing up & I would always page through, daydreaming of my future life in the big city!

I read the magazine religiously every month, sometimes not all in one sitting, but I always genuinely enjoy its content. Being the social media gal I am, I usually tweet along with @PhillyMag on twitter, commenting on my favorite articles & photos. In November, the magazine (I have since thrown out the issue & can’t remember the author) wrote a great story about Philadelphia 76ers CEO Adam Aron. In true “Philadelphian” fashion, I was eating a cheesesteak while reading … so I decided to tweet about it.

After a tweet back from Philly Mag about including my tweet in their “letters to the editor” page and one month later, imagine my happiness when I opened the December issue…

philadelphia magazine december 2012

And this happened:

emily tharp philadelphia magazine december 2012

O.M.G! Talk about prime real estate! And so, my first (of hopefully many) 5 minutes of Philadelphia fame had arrived.

What was the first thing you did in the city that made you feel like a true Philadelphian? xx

her philly

Posted by herphilly 10 Comments
Filed Under: chit chat Tagged: 76ers philly mag, adam aron twitter, cheesesteak philly, emily tharp, philadelphia, Philadelphia 76ers CEO Adam Aron, philadelphia magazine, philadelphia twitters, philly, philly mag, social media, tweets, twitter

Hi! I'm Emily, a Philly lady on a quest to discover everything lovely, exciting, affordable, and beautiful about my city.

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Come yard sale shopping with me in South Jersey! Come yard sale shopping with me in South Jersey! 

I got out bright and early, route planned, coffee & water ready, and and cash in hand. It was a gorgeous morning and I was excited to find some gems. 

Watch to see what I picked up! What are your best yard sale tips? 

#yardsale #yardsalefinds #garagesale #southjersey #njblogger #southjerseyadventures #secondhandfinds #secondhandshopping #jerseyshorelocal #downtheshore
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