For the Love of Philly: Headhouse Farmers' Market

Growing up in a small town we always got seasonal produce from local farmers.  Some of them are family friends and other times you just find a veggie stand at the side or the road at the corn of a field that would be filled with good things like tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and later in the summer corn.  Living in Philly my options are a lot different from that of my childhood, but this brings me to my new favorite place to visit on Sunday morning, the Headhouse Farmers' Market.  It's the best of both, located between Lombard St. and South St. on 2nd St.

There are tons of vendors to choose from and I love chatting with the farmers about there produce and farms.  Last week I saw radishes, peas, three varieties or turnips, beets, zucchini, squash, apples, tomatoes, strawberries, all sorts of varieties of lettuce.  My market bag is always full when I leave the market.

Along with produce that farmers bring there are a few other vendors that sell there goods.  You can find two farmers to by fresh cage free eggs from. there are too different cheese vendors one is cows milk cheese the other is goat milk cheese (my fave), there are bakers and florists, and a a few plant nurseries too.

The Market opens bright ans early on Sunday morning at 10am and goes to 2pm.  I suggest going early to get the best pick of the produce.

For the Love of Philly: Reading Terminal Market

The Reading Terminal Market is a must when you are in center city.  It is one of my favorite places in center city and even if you don't need any produce, bread, fish, cheese, cupcakes or anything to eat it is a great place to go and experience the atmosphere.

My first stop at the market is always Old City Coffee.  I need my caffeine fix for the morning or afternoon, or really any time of the day.

My next favorite place in Metropolitan Bakery.  Their bread is so yummy, but what I really love is their chocolate croissants.  Every few weeks I meet up with my friend Nicole and we purchase large cups of coffee and wonderful starchy bread and eat, chat and knit.  It involves three of my favorite things and one of my favorite people.   

The terminal is always teaming with activity and there is so much to see and do and eat.  There are countless stalls and all selling a variety of things.

  You can find locally grown and organic goods at the market.

Any kind of cheese you can imagine.

Yummy cupcakes from Flying Monkey. 

Watch pretzels being made by hand. 

Get a sandwich as big as your face.

Buy freshly baked breads.

Brows a variety of honeys.

Did I mention the pretzels.  If you find yourself in the terminal you at least need to have a hand made pretzel. The terminal is a great piece of Philly I love it for the vibe and the food.  It's a great place to visit just to see what's there and happening. 

The Reading Terminal Market

12th and Arch St

Philadelphia Pa

Hours

Monday-Saturday

8am-6pm

Sunday

9am-5pm

For the Love of Philly: PAT or Philly AIDS Thrift

PAT is my favorite thrift store in Philly.  There window display is always fun and kookie, they always have interesting items, and the volunteers are friendly and helpful.  I have a few reasons why I love this store.  First off they are in my neighborhood, a short walk to a wonderful thrift store.  Secondly, now that PAT has moved to it's new store the place is HUGE.  Thirdly, They have a whole room devoted to things that cost $1 (that's where I found that great wool coat).  And finally PAT is a non profit that gives all it's dough to the AIDS Fund who helps distribute the funds to local AIDS organizations.

There are two floors in this local gem of a thrift store and the bottom has kitchen wears, CD's and Movies, and items that are in season.  At Halloween the first floor has a lot of items that would make great costumes.  Right now there are tons of Jackets and sweaters.  The changing rooms and the front counter are also located on the first floor.

 
My favorite is the second floor that's where all the clothes, shoes and books are.  The dollar room is also located on the second floor in the very back.  Past the book section there is a room with a pool table, which Simon longs for every time he comes with me to the thrift store.

I can and have spent hours combing through racks of tees and jeans, or looking for fun things to read.  Every time I go in I come out with something.  If you plan on stopping by make sure you give yourself lots of time to explore.

Some other highlights about PAT:
-They have different color tags that are discounted every week.  There is at 25%, 50% and 75% tag.  The Volunteers post the colors on all of the walls around the shop.
-Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month the Mazzoni Center comes with their mobile testing center and offers free HIV testing from 12pm-5pm
-Check their website, because sometimes there are special sales.  For example this month on the 17th
everything that is green, has green in it or is snake skin print will be 50% off.
-They offer gift cards.
-They take debit and credit cards

Philly AIDS Thrift

710 S. 5th St

Philadelphia PA

Store Hours:

Mon-Thurs: 11am-8pm

Fri & Sat: 11am-9pm

Sunday: 11am-7pm

For the Love of Philly: Chapter House

Front Room of Chapterhouse

This is by far my favorite coffee house in Philadelphia.  One of the reasons we moved to Bella Vista was because we would be closer to Chapterhouse.  Ok, maybe that wasn't really the reason, but it was a great perk to moving to this neighborhood.

This gem of a coffee shop is located off of South Street on 9th.  It is practically on the corner of 9th and Bainbridge.  Don't be lured into the Starbucks on the corner of 9th and South when just a short walk down the same block you can go to Chapterhouse.  The building is beautiful and the front of the cafe is floor to ceiling windows which let in a ton of natural light and at night you can't miss this coffee spot, and sometimes I feel like a moth drawn to the flame in the promise of caffeine.

Chapterhouse has a huge selections of beverages from drip coffee, to specialty drinks, to a great selection of teas.  They also make smoothies and Italian sodas.  My favorites are the soy latte with hazelnut, and their hot chocolate.  On top of great coffee they have locally baked treats like cupcakes and croissants.  They also have light lunch fare, wraps and sandwiches are delivered daily from Cafe Ole in Old City.

Not only is this a great hang out with delicious beverages they also are a gallery with the art rotating every two months.  A poetry slam is held every first Saturday in the room downstairs, and the South Philly Knitters meet here during the winter months every Thursday.

Chapterhouse

620 South 9th St

Philadelphia PA

Hours

Mon-Sun 

7am-10pm

For The Love of Philly: Pennsylvania Fabric Outlet

This is my favorite shop in Philly to buy fabric and buttons.  They have a huge selection of fashion fabrics, cottons, linen, wool, practically everything.  One of the best things too is it's an outlet which sells close out so the prices are half in not more off the original.  It's one down fall is that if you see something you like you should snap it up while you are there, because who knows if it's going to be there when you go back.  Since the fabrics are close out they can't order you more.

What I like about this shop is that it is easily navigated.  Unlike a lot of shops in fabric row you are able to explore and see all the wonderful goodies in stock.  Stock is neatly displayed on shelves and racks and hung up on walls.  It's not fancy, but it's not messy.  The staff is helpful and if you can't find something they will probably know right where it is.  

Not only is there a huge selection of fabric there is also a wall full of buttons and other hardware.  Also in the way back of the shop (not pictured) there are all types of zippers, trims, lace, cording, pipping, and elastic.  They also stock feathers and sequence and leather.  

The shop is located on South 4th St.  Just a few store fronts past Fitzwater St.  The hours are not posted in the store, but they are open everyday except Sundays to my knowledge and close around 5:30 on most days.  This is vague and not too helpful, but every time I have made a trip to this shop it has been open.  If you are looking for fabric I say stop here first.  

For the Love of Philly: Morning Glory

Garden Keeper Fritata

Simon and I live in a great neighborhood called Bella Vista and it has some amazing restaurants.  One of our Favorites is called Morning Glory.  Morning Glory is a Finer Dinner and it is a tiny gem of a restaurant. It is located on the south side corner of Fitzwater and 10th Street, and although its size is small the food is anything but your regular dinner fare.

View from the door

The menu has eats like, the garden keeper fritata which is filled with potatoes, greens and ham, Monkey Bread French Toast with mangoes, bananas and caramel sauce, and Guinness Beef Stew.  Their specials are always changing with the season, and highly recommended.  This spot is a Philly Favorite when it comes to brunch.

Special: Mediterranean Scramble

Eggs over easy with sausage and a buttermilk biscuit.

 With limited space "be nice or leave" is a great motto as you are in close quarters with other dinners and can watch the line cooks prepare your meal.  There are plenty of other interesting things about Morning Glory.  They make their own ketchup (it is some of the best ketchup I have ever eaten).  They also make homemade buttermilk biscuits and there is always fresh fruit compote on every table.  When you order coffee it comes to you in a metal cup. 

View of the kitchen from our table

 You can always expect a wait to eat on the weekends at Morning Glory, and it is well worth the wait to get in.  If you are impatient and want to be seated right away go on one of the weekdays right before or after lunchtime.  Or if you can only make it on the weekend go early or late the wait is shorter than if you go between 10am and 1pm. 

Morning Glory

10th and Fitzwater Street

Philadelphia PA 19147

Hours:

Monday-Friday

7am-4pm
Saturday &Sunday

8am-3pm

For The Love Of Philly: Nangellini

Photo by Adam's Nanny

 When you walk into Nangellini you are welcomed by the warmth of color.  The shop is bursting with it, if you were ever able to be inside of a rainbow I imagine that this is how it would look.  From the art on the walls to the color of Nancy's hair vibrancy rules in this shop.

Nangellini is my LYS.  I'm a bit biased when it comes to this store as I use to work here and it is two blocks from my apartment.  Located on South street between 9th and 8th street this store not only has wonderful yarn and all the knitting accessories one may need but you can also find fiber for spinning and felting along with finished items.  The Finished Items are mostly the work of the owner Nancy.  She is a free form fiber artist, with vibrant pink and sometimes purple or blue hair.  Nancy is a self proclaimed hat addict and by looking in the front of the shop you can see the evidence of her love of knitting and crocheting hats.  She also knits beautiful lace mandalas as wall hangings that are hung through out her shop.  

Nangellini

 Nangellini specializes in unique yarn.  This means Nancy stocks luxury fibers, trendy, anything with sparkle, recycled sari silks, banana fiber, and tons of other fabulous yarn.  She stocks one of my favorite company's yarn Mirasol.  If you are looking for a unique gift for a knitter of someone who thinks outside of the box you should check out this fab shop on South St.

You can check out Nangellini online or on Facebook.

 Nangellini

832 South St

Philadelphia Pa 19147

215-413-5001

Hours
Monday: by Appointment Only
Tuesday: 11am-9pm
Wednesday & Thursday: 11am-6pm

Friday: 11am-8pm
Saturday: 12pm-7pm
Sunday: 12pm-6pm

Classes
Nancy offers classes for Knitting and crochet.
Classes are scheduled with Nancy based on availability.
Call to schedule a class with Nancy.

Knitting Circles:
Tuesday at 6-9pm

Sunday at 3-6pm
*$5 to participate or free with purchase of $5 or more*
Receive 10% off yarn purchases during the circle