Philadelphia’s Very Own Castor Sector in Washington West

Point of Interest Overview by Aaron Stella

The Washington West Area of Philadelphia shares its city-space with what is endearingly called, “The Gayborhood,”—Philadelphia’s LGBT amenities sector. While other LGBT establishments (bars, clubs, clothiers, furnishers, etc…) lie outside of the Gayborhood, within exists the most concentrated gathering. Also, you know you’re in the Gayborhood for sure simply by looking up at the corner street-name signs: if you see rainbow banners beneath them, then you’re in it. Since the Gayborhood lies close to City Hall (Broad and Market streets) and the Avenue of the Arts (southern half of Broad Street), it’s usually bustling with tourists and enraptured Philadlepians of the like, hunting about for one of the many gastropubs and fine eateries in the area; and at night, the streets teem with an eclectic cast of revelers. The Gayborhood also contains some of the city’s most elegant stretches. Mosey around: The quaint lanes and brick row homes are enough to charm one even after the beauty of the area at large. Also, just a few factoids: Philadelphia is home to the world’s first-ever and largest Outfest block party, and also boasts of a fabulous Pride Fest and Equality Forum celebration. So if you ever plan on poking around the Washington West Area for housing, a gourmet bite or a hot nightspot, take a look at the list below to get a sense of what’s out in the neighborhood:

Woody’s Bar & Restaurant

202 S 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545-1893
www.woodysbar.com

12th Air Command

254 S 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545-8088
www.12thair.com

Pure Nightclub

1221 St. James St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 735-5772
purephilly.com

Tavern On Camac

243 S Camac St
Philadelphia, PA 19107-5609
(215) 545-0900
tavernoncamac.com

Uncles

1220 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 546-6660

Knock Restaurant and Bar

225 S. 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 925-1166
knockphilly.com

Bump

1234 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 732-1800
bumplounge.com

PHAG

1225 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4914
(215) 627-0461

Lolita

106 S 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4522
(215) 546-7100
www.lolitabyob.com

Giovanni’s Room

345 S 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 923-2960
www.giovannisroom.com

Valanni

1229 Spruce St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 790-9494
www.valanni.com

Smiles in Rittenhouse for the Pad Thai Pleasure-Bounty

Restaurant Review by Aaron Stella

When scrounging for food in Rittenhouse, try exploring the area’s western periphery, particularly the 22nd Street stretch. Be careful now: the façade of Smile, a quiet yet elegant Thai food restaurant, is somewhat inconspicuous. But it’s worth ascertaining. Smile’s been part of the upmarket Rittenhouse Square area for a little over three years, providing 9-5ers and others of the voracious ilk with an affordable assortment of pad thai favorites. Into the quaint quarters, lightly adorned with artifacts of the east, the perfectly-portioned fare can be enjoyed leisurely from any seat in the house (All tables are very cozy). Smile’s lunch special—another one of it’s enticing qualities—runs for only $7.95, with which you get a choice of two appetizers and one entrée.  Appetizers for the lunch special include sping rolls, steamed dumplings, a mixed greed salad with cream dressing (delish!), and others; entrées include shrimp satay, curried beef (quality cut), roast duck, and others more (all entrées come with rice). And be sure to try the desserts. Of course, Smile is also the perfect date spot for dinner or late lunch: patrons laud the copious portions-to-price at dinner. So if you’re ever in the area, don’t hesitate to settle in at Smile. By your meal’s end, it’s sure to be in your Rolodex of favorites.

So… you are moving to the Rittenhouse neighborhood of Philadelphia. Where are you going to send the kids to school? Where are the neighborhood Police stations, Hospitals and Animal Hospitals? Well no need to fret new neighbor! See below for a sampling of services in Rittenhouse, complete with web links to get you where you need to go fast.

Schools

Public Elementary Schools

Greenfield Elementary

2nd and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215)299-4666
Fax: (215)299-3567
http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/schools/greenfield/

Public High Schools

South Philadelphia High Schools

440 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Phone: 215.400.4000
http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/

Police Stations

Philadelphia Police 9th District

401 N 21st St
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 686-3090
www.phila.gov

Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office

100 S Broad St # 5
Philadelphia, PA 19110
(215) 686-3530
phillysheriff.com

Treatment Centers & Hospitals

Councils and General Information

Delaware Valley Hospital Council

121 S Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 735-9695
dvhc.org

Albert Einstein Medical Center: Patient Information

226 W Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 456-7890
einstein.edu

Hospitals

Wills Eye Hospital: Clinical Lab

135 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
willseye.org

Mercy Philadelphia Hospital: Nuclear Medicine

250 S 21st St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 748-9157
ucomparehealthcare.com

Otolaryngology Jefferson Hospital

1721 Pine St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-3322
phillyent.com

Graduate Hospital

2115 South St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 546-3562

Animal Hospitals

Cat Vet of South Street

2210 South St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 545-2287

Radbill Animal Hospital

408 S 20th St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 732-7321

VCA Cat Hospital-Philadelphia

226 S 20th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 567-6446
vcacathospitalofphiladelphia.com

Libraries

Isaiah V Williamson Library

1625 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 735-1416
saintmarksphiladelphia.org

Rosenbach Museum & Library

2008 Delancey St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 732-1600
rosenbach.org

Townhomes, condos and apartments: Northern Liberties is on the make. Last Sunday were four open houses for some of the finest homes NoLibs has to offer, with prices ranging from $549.9K-$825K. All homes are located near hubs of commerce and comfort acclaimed by Northern Libertines, such the 2nd street promenade, Liberties Walk and Liberties Lands Park. Best of all, “green” is much more than the new chic: it’s a way of life, and these homes have it in spades. Take a look below for the specs on these beautiful homes in Northern Liberties.

A quick note: many of the new NoLibs homes are LEED-certified. That means that a credible third party agent has audited the structure and eco-friendliness of the home and has concluded that the home is, at minimum, 50% more energy efficient in cooling and domestic hot water energy usage than required by code. There are different levels of LEED certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum) each indicate the level of energy efficiency each home possesses. For more information on LEED certification, visit www.leedphilly.com.

Twelve Houses: 1119 N. 3rd St, $699,000

3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2700 square feet

Gourmet Cook’s kitchen with commercial grade Wolf and SubZero Appliances
New Modern European design
Family room, living room, den, gas fireplace
Baths with Kohler, Grohe and Duravit fixtures
Nemo penny tile and Carerra marble tile
Fenced in patio, parking

916 New Market St, $625,000

3 bed, 3 baths

(Gold LEED Certification pending)
Sleek Contemporary design
Green roof with great views
Private Decks, Permeable and Drought Tolerant Landscaping.
Solar panels to provide domestic hot water needs and radiant heating.

Brown Street Estates: 320 Brown Street, from $825,000

3600 SQ FT w/ 3 levels of outdoor space
Steel and glass stairs
European design / garage parking
10 yr tax abatement
Decks and Fabulous Garden Patio
760 SF Mater Suite with Master Bath and generous storage.

Thin Flats: 147-151 Laurel Street

From $549.9K – $679.9K
The first multi-family LEED Gold project in the country.

MODULNOVA Italian design Kitchens
Radiant floor heating
Green Roof & solar panel systems
Parking w/electric carport
Solar panels
Rainwater harvesting cistern.

Store Overview by Aaron Stella

Art Star
623 N 2nd St
Philadelphia PA, 19123
215-238-1557
www.artstarphilly.com

Both consignment boutique and art gallery, Art Star – located on a sweet little retail row on 2nd Street in Northern Liberties, offers assorted choice craft and artwork from local artists while doubling as an art venue. You can find just about anything there, from stylized, bohemian garb (blouses, t-shirts, long sleeves, dress and casual), to wacky stuffed animals (remember space invaders? They’re stuffed, too), to home décor accessories than can fit into just about any theme. But not everything is “cute”; Art Star’s composite of craftwork sometimes enters into the ferocious avant-garde. (Think deranged monsters and macabre maelstroms etched to wood or designed to blouses and T’s). If one had to sum up the featured art at Art Star, “Alternative Modern” is the genre that seems to best encompass its madcap miscellany of craft goods. If you’re an artist yourself and are looking to consign or exhibit your work, visit www.artstarphilly.com to get submission details. Exhibitions rotate about every six weeks; there is ample floor and wall space to accommodate even larger installments. For curious shoppers, Art Star adds newly consigned craftwork often so frequent visits are encouraged.

Are you interested in relocating to the Northern Liberites neighborhood of Philadelphia? Check out the Northern Liberties page of our website – a great place to see what homes are on the market.

Restaurant Review
by Aaron Stella

There are many transports of delight posited down the promenade of Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties, but none tantalize curious strollers quite like Bar Ferdinand. BF’s Sable-sheened woodwork is often licked with gold trim, marrying rustic and opulent, and in captivatingly spacious quarters to boot. It’s a “bar” in the most liberal sense of the word: aside from an international tour of beer and a wine menu of practically every vintage from Spain, BF serves up tapas galore. Forget cheese fries and chicken fingers slaked away with can of PBR (not that there’s anything wrong with that); instead, sumptuous salads (arugula, spinach and quail), pastries filled with every season of meat with a plethora of seasoning in each (lobster in a croissant), simple cold tapas like salted Marcona almonds and cheese and quince, creamy croquettes, skewers, veggie comestibles and the list goes on. Did I mention BF’s a cheap date? Tapas range from $6 to $12, in easily shareable portions, too; and it’s hard not to get a good bottle of wine. Bar Ferdinand is great for brunch, dinner, or just a midday snack.

Thinking about relocating to Northern Liberties?

Remax City Space specializes in the neighborhood and has many innovative listings available – click here to check out Northern Liberties listings.

Bar Ferdinand is located at 1030 N 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123 – check out their website!

by Aaron Stella

A step up from your standard order corner grocer, Palm Grocery and Deli located on the 2nd street stretch of Northern Liberties, stocks fresh produce, figure-friendly victuals and exotic sweets (when you want to be bad). An ample inventory of Asian cuisine and ingredients are available, which includes, but is not limited to, prepped sushi, Szechuan and not-so-Szechuan marinades, noodles, and more obscure items like sesame oil and fish sauce. Also in tow are all your home essentials: trash bags, toiletries, paper and plastic sandwich bags, plates, and utensils. Even if you’re full up at home, Palm offers a gourmet selection of sandwiches, salads, paninis, and zesty sides. To-order service is snappy thanks to a swift assembly line of preparers. And for you home-cooking vets, Palm stocks packaged meats and fresh cheeses to accommodate your latest epicurean enterprises. Chairs and tables are set up inside, and, if the weather permits, outside, for shoppers who desire a brief respite from the day’s hustle and bustle. Quick-fix breakfast foods to speed your morning along include muffins, light pastries, sweet breads, coffee and hot cocoa in several blends. And don’t forget about the cornucopia of tea near the produce section. Unlike most corner grocers, Palm infrequently has sales, so be sure to peruse carefully while shopping.

Thinking about relocating to Northern Liberties?

Remax City Space specializes in the neighborhood and has many innovative listings available – click here to check out Northern Liberties listings.

by Aaron Stella

As far as its name, “Foodery” belies the presence of its fridge containing more than 800 American and Imported Craft beers and counting. At the Foodery, located in the eco-friendly, pseudo hipster neighborhood of Northern Liberties, you can create your own custom six or twelve-pack, and save ten percent on the total (not too shabby). And don’t be shy to ask for help. With more than 800 beers, the staff is more than happy to be a part of orchestrating your next brew-venture. But aside from all this beer talk, this doesn’t mean the Foodery doesn’t carry food—on the contrary. The Foodery carries all your cold cuts favorites and then some, complete with a toothsome selection of sandwiches, subs and salads, including make-your-owns. Be sure to take advantage of their sitting area, which looks onto the 2nd Street promenade of NoLibs. As per tradition with NoLibs purveyors, everything is kept fresh and bought local. Probably the Foodery’s most popular attraction is their Thursday night free beer tasting offered from 6-8 pm with a different brewery featured every week. Other free tastings happen periodically throughout the year, sometimes lasting up to a full week. And all upcoming tastings are posted on their website.

Thinking about relocating to Northern Liberties?

Remax City Space specializes in the neighborhood and has many listings available – click here to check out Northern Liberties listings.

Also – check out our featured open houses in Northern Liberties for this coming Sunday by visiting our open house page.

If you would like to download a flyer to take with you on your Sunday tour of Northern Liberties, click here.

The Foodery is located at 837 N 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Contact them at (215) 238-6077 or visit their website.

Northern Liberties

Brown Street Estates: 320 Brown Street

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY: 1-3PM

Townhomes in the heart of Northern Liberties — Only 4 Left! Starting at $729K

For the buyer with impeccable taste. Modern design with European sensibility. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 levels of outdoor space is the heart of Northern Liberties. And at approximately 3400 square feet, these townhomes truly would be a wonderful place to call home. Featuring indoor/outdoor fireplace, hardwood floors throughout, kitchens with stone countertops, Miele appliances and European cabinetry. Decks, patio, custom designed steel and glass stairs, large windows, finished basement, 760 square foot Master Suite and Garage Parking.

Thin Flats: 147-151 W. Laurel Street

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY: 1-2PM

From $549,900 to $679,900

Thin Flats created by local design and build firm Onion Flats, is where luxury meets sustainability. Featuring MODULNOVA Itallian designed kitchens with Jenn Air dual fuel oven and cooktop. Glass and tile bathrooms with custom made ceramic sinks and Bain Ultra/Kohler tub, and Grohe/Houzer low flow faucets. Hardwood floors throughout, with Jig Inc custom designed steel and glass stairs and bridge. Reduce your carbon footprint with solar thermal panels, green inhabitable roofs, rainwater harvesting cisterns, and indoor air quality and heat recovery systems. Private decks and and yards. 1 car parking with each unit with electric car charging port.

916 New Market: $625,000

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY: 1-3PM

With 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 2100 square feet of space, this is a gem in the heart of Northern Liberties. Features inhabitable green roof, and is LEED Gold Certified. Other amenities in this contemporary home include NY Lofts cabinetry in the kitchen, custom steel and glass bridge, espresso bamboo floors througout, skylights, glass and tile baths with a Jacuzzi tub in the Master bath.