philadelphia | Her Philly

November 18, 2013

Post-NYC Reflections

New York City is an amazing place. There is a unique hustle & bustle about the city that I personally have not been able to find anywhere else in the world. But each time I go, for a quick trip or for work or most recently for Lucky FABB, I appreciate my own city so much more.

The morning after I returned from three crazy days in NYC, I hopped in my car and drove over to Whole Foods, as I love to do early on Saturday mornings. This trip was more out of necessity, as I traveled an insane amount last month and needed fresh groceries desperately. I decided to get a few other errands out of the way on my trip, so after a stop at Starbucks for breakfast & a latte, I ran to Fine Wine & Good Spirits and the bank, three stops I completed entirely in about a half hour.

Once at the grocery store, I roamed the aisles peacefully, not bumping into anyone or even having to wait in a long line. I walked to the (free) provided parking lot, and got in my car. And just as I reached the bottom of the spiral ramp leading me back out into my city, I stopped. The side street was empty. It was calm. And it was so, so beautiful. I was instantly, once again, filled with joy about the city I live in. I know Philadelphia is mine, and I belong here. I am blessed (yes) to get the opportunity to travel and experience other places, but I am always so happy this is the place I get to come home to.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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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

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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.

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

April 12, 2013

A Sweet Treat {The Igloo Frozen Yogurt}

During my senior year of college, two froyo shops opened up within a few steps of my apartment. It became our weakness, as it was always fresh & consistently yummy. Since moving to the city, I have had many yummy froyo trips, but, perhaps luckily, none have been as close as my college spots.

So, I was excited to hear about the Grand Opening of The Igloo (2223 Grays Ferry Avenue), a new frozen yogurt shop in Philadelphia.

The inside of the shop is bright & modern. The set-up allows for a nice flow to move people through the line.

The shop has lots of yummy flavors, like Raspberry & Pomegranate, Tahitian Vanilla, and Cookies & Cream. Each self service pump has a mixed pump in the center to swirl together two complementing flavors. I chose Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate! Yum.

Next comes the toppings! It seems everyone loved Peanut M&Ms this day 🙂
In addition to candy toppings, The Igloo also has some fruit, sprinkle & crushed cookie options. If you want, you can go up to the counter and ask for your dessert to be topped off with whipped cream. They use NitrousWhip chargers so the cream is perfectly whipped and is a great addition to any dessert they offer.

My favorite topping was the chocolate sauce that hardened into a shell. My friend Kenya & I did a pretty good job with our creations, don’t you think?

Just to add to the cuteness factor of this post, check out Kenya’s new puppy, Sushi! He is a fluffy little American Eskimo, so he totally fit right in at The Igloo 🙂

I definitely will be visiting The Igloo during the upcoming months for a sweet treat! They apparently have a salted caramel flavor that I really want to try – yum!

What are some of your favorite dessert spots in Philadelphia? xx

April 9, 2013

Insta-Month: A Look Back {March}

March was a busy month! Between birthdays, reunions and weekend trips . . . sprinkled in with some amazing opportunities, I had a full schedule, and I absolutely loved it! Check out some of the highlights . . .

#1 thing to love about March: Shamrock Shakes // The best mozzarella special at my fav Philly gem, Salento

Tara & I about to experience the #WesterosVIP event // My favorite Game of Thrones (p)imp, Tyrion Lannister

With Carling & Ashley at the Harlem Globetrotters game // There is not much better than crab fries & cheese

One of my favorite days of the year – free Rita’s water ice // And favorite day of the year Part 2 . . .

Celebrating Amy’s birthday @ Sons of Essex in NYC // My obsession with kale (topped w/ bacon) grows daily

Coming from a Philly pizza enthusiast, SliCE has my fav pizza presentation // Our pretty city from a roof deck

A normal blogging night 🙂 // Right before my big #DaringlyHigh Trapeze Lesson with Fly School Circus Arts

Some thrift store finds at my favorite shop in South Jersey // Finally got to try a burger at Rouge!

If you’re craving some more Her Philly Instagram action, follow me! Like any Instagram user, I would like as many followers as possible and I’m currently looking into the best way of achieving that. My research leads me to believe that one can always look up the best site to buy Instagram followers or keep a track of Instagram growth tools, which are a popular way of doing this. However, there are some tools that should be avoided at all costs. For instance, Socialcaptain scammed people and is a massive waste of money. On the other hand, Upleap and Nitreo have been rated highly. Decisions, decisions!

Some of these photos came from my personal account and I just really wanted to share . . . are you feeling special yet? xx

What was your favorite moment of March? (This is a judgement free zone, it’s OK if you say Rita’s or Shamrock Shakes . . . )

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).

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.

HostessCouture 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:

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.

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

March 25, 2013

{The Delivery Dish} Tres Jalapeños

After a long week and no time to grocery shop, I decided my Friday night dinner would be a dose of my favorite cuisine. But after ordering takeout in Philadelphia (regularly) for over 3 years, I have yet to find my go-to Mexican spot. I did a quick search on GrubHub and found Tres Jalapeños (901 South 8th St.). They had decent reviews, so I decided to give them a try.

I ordered the Green Beef Enchiladas ($9.25), Side of Chips ($2.50) and Side of Guacamole ($2.50). Everything arrived in less than the time GrubHub had estimated, but was a little cool. Nothing a quick pop in the microwave can’t solve!

My enchiladas were described as: Three corn tortillas filled with ground beef and topped with green sauce, fresh cheese, onions, sour cream, rice and beans. They ended up being delicious with just the right amount of spice. Sometimes corn tortillas throw me off, but these were great. The guacamole was creamy & yummy too! My only complaint was that the chips were a little bland, (I feel like a bad Mexican food fan to say I would have preferred Chipotle’s lime & salt chips but hey . . . they’re good.)

The portions were pretty big, so I saved half of my meal for “brunch” the next day (still avoiding that grocery shopping thing . . . ). And to my surprise, my meal tasted just as good reheated in the morning!

So maybe I’ve found my new Mexican go-to. Next time, I’ve love to try their Shrimp Jumbo Quesadillas or Mole Chicken Burrito. Do you like Mexican food? What are some of your favorite Mexican spots in Philadelphia?

March 18, 2013

{Quick Trip} NYC Broadway Getaway

Looking for a quick weekend getaway activity that will help you relive a little slice of your childhood? I’ve got just the thing . . . (and full disclosure: it does not take place in Philly!)

For Christmas this year, my mom got our family tickets to attend Matilda on Broadway. This past weekend, we drove up to NYC for some shopping, some chomping and the play! While I am a huge fan of theatre and love going to see plays to begin with, I thought Matilda was truly spectacular.

We attended one of the Preview Performances (March 4 – April 14) at the Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th St.). We were in one of the top center rows, but could still see everything on the stage perfectly. The sets were beautiful and so well done, and the special effects were fantastic. As most of the songs were performed by children, I wasn’t immediately in love with any of the music when I heard it. However today, I have been listening to this song on repeat . . . so it has definitely grown on me!

We were truly so impressed with the child actors (we saw the adorable Oona Laurence as Matilda) and thought they outshone most of the adults (except, of course, the hysterical Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull – and yes, that’s a man). We were even lucky enough to run into two of these adorable little nuggets (Jack Broderick as Bruce & Ted Wilson as Eric) outside of the theatre after the show! How cute are they?

Matilda runs through early December and tickets range from $32 – $147. They also offer student tickets for some performances. The play runs about 2.5 hours with intermission – the perfect length! I highly recommend Matilda on Broadway (and a weekend in NYC!) as a great getaway option for Philadelphians of any age.

Have you attended any Broadway plays recently? What’s your favorite?

March 14, 2013

A.D.I.D.A.P {All Day I Dream About Pizza}

When I was younger and had to answer a questionnaire in my latest fill-in-the-blank diary or complete my profile on Xanga, I could never decide on what my favorite food was. Fast forward to answering that same question now, and I literally can’t think of any thing but this answer: PIZZA. I love it, and living in Philadelphia has only elevated my obsession. Some days I drive home from work and find myself day dreaming about where I will order pizza from that night. It’s a sickness. A cheesy, crispy, saucy sickness.

So, anybody else ready for a slice? To fuel your cravings, here are some of my favorite Philadelphia pizza places I’d love to chomp on right about now . . .

Lazaro’s (1743 South St.)

Pizza slices from Lazaro's Pizza on South Street in Philadelphia

Image taken by me (before I ate the pizza)

The sweetest, yummiest sauce and pretty much the biggest slices I’ve ever seen. Plus, they’re open literally every snow storm/hurricane and have awesome quick delivery.

Serafina (130 S. 18th St.)

tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, sliced tomato with one egg pizza from Serafina in Philadelphia

Image taken by me (before I ate the pizza)

Since this pizza (the ALL’ UOVO, aka mozzarella, prosciutto, sliced tomato & egg) is quite a rare treat for me at $18+ a pie, it haunts my dreams. Crispy, flavorful perfection.

SliCE (1740 Sansom St. & 1180 S. 10th St.)

White pizza from SliCE Pizza in Philadelphia

Image taken by me (before I ate the pizza)

SliCE is one of my favorite delivery pizza spots, but lately I’ve been loving stopping by their storefront for a quick bite while I’m shopping in the area. They have great salads too, but let’s be real, we’re all here for the pizza. {PS: LivingSocial is running a deal for all of SliCE’s locations today: $10 for $20}

Gianfranco Pizza Rustica (248 S. 11th St., 6 N. 3rd St. & 2124 S. Broad St.)

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Gianfranco was another one of my favorite delivery options. But after one too many times waiting almost 2 hours for pizza delivery, I’ve stopped ordering from there. Nonetheless, they make a great pie.

Pietro’s (1714 Walnut St. & 121-123 South St.)

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Before I moved to the city, Pietro’s was my go-to spot when shopping on Walnut St. But, similarly to Gianfranco, after many visits with pretty lackluster service, I haven’t been in months. I wish this wasn’t the case, because their Barese pie (roasted sausage, hot pesto, tomato, basil, & mozzarella) is to die for.

I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into this love affair. What are some of your favorite pizza options in Philly? I obviously need to know… 🙂

March 9, 2013

Small City Living Spaces {Pinspiration 2.0}

Since my last Small City Living Spaces {Pinspiration} post has been getting a lot of love lately, I decided to share some more of my pin-spiring finds (from what has proven to be simply the most addicting social networking site to date…)!

Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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A huge DIY bulletin board like this one is the perfect place to store all of the loose papers and magazine tears I have laying around my apartment. Plus, it takes up a huge chunk of space on those un-paintable, white city apartment walls.

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This, literally, is life-changing. If your pots, pans & dishes are stored in an abyss like mine are, this organization idea may be your answer.

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The best way to utilize your small space is to give everything its own place. This room is clean & free of clutter (my dream…).

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Don’t waste any space! Plus, your toilet suddenly looks a lot fancier 🙂

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One of the main things I have no space for in my apartment is my wrapping supplies. If your apartment has closet doors like this one, I suggest you give it a try.

What blogs or magazines do you read for apartment/house inspiration? xx

February 17, 2013

Small City Living Spaces {Shelf Decorating Ideas}

I hope everyone had a wonderful week & a lovely Valentine’s Day! I returned from Disney World Friday evening and am still in the process of getting my life back in order. I woke up early this morning to do some cleaning, so I thought I’d show you some shelf decorating tips for one of my favorite parts of my tiny city apartment.

Decorating a tiny apartment is trickier than you might imagine. There isn’t much space for personalisation, so I have to find space wherever I can. I have to think carefully about my interior ideas – nothing too big or it’ll make the room look smaller, nothing too dark or it’ll make the room look depressing. Instead, I opt for small touches here and there that make me smile whenever I see them. A big challenge is the bathroom, with very little room for customisation. Luckily, there’s a windowcill just begging to be decorated!

I started off with a clean space on this cute little window ledge in my bathroom.

Then, I added this great vintage mirrored tray I got at Golden Nugget Flea Market (Lambertville, NJ).

Next step was to add my bottles of perfume! I keep the blinds closed during the day so no sunlight hits the bottles.

To finish, I added some small touches like these faux flowers that match my shower curtain & a pretty candle.

I love how this little nook turned out. Do you have any spots in your Philly apartment you love? xx