Philadelphia Dreaming

Pomeranians have one of the longest lifespans of any breed. The one loved by Philly resident Joe and his wife spent 18 years as a member of the family. Good thing the critter couldn’t have known how close it came to ending up elsewhere.

Where did Joe pick up his cherished pooch? A failing pet store — which only scored the impulse purchase because Joe was under the influence.

“The Gallery [Mall] had just opened and my wife and I were walking around Center City,” he recalled. “We had already had a few drinks when we came upon a pet store going out of business.” They went in to find two dogs for sale, $50 each. Joe tried to make a deal — $75 for both — but the shop owner turned him down. Instead, “we settled on the Pom and it was our dog for the next 18 years.”

Anyone who indulges in alcohol knows inhibitions + retail storefronts can be a dangerous combination for wallet health.

Billy Penn reader Scott is no exception. Like that one birthday where he was especially “drunken and sad,” and he wandered into a Kohl’s to buy…a diamond ring. “Because Kohl’s is so known for its fine jewelry?” he said.

In the age of easy online purchases, drunk shopping in the U.S. has reached new heights.

Americans spent an estimated $45 billion while intoxicated last year, according to global survey company Statista. The grand majority of that boozy buying power was directed toward Amazon, which was used by 85% of those polled. Runners up include eBay and Etsy.

Pennsylvanians are no slackers when it comes to tipsy spending, with residents shelling out $400 to $499 annually, according to the aforementioned report. That’s way lower than pack-leaders Kentucky (all that bourbon) and Connecticut (all that wealth?), while just slightly less than our neighbors in New Jersey, more than Ohio and about the same as New York.

What are we dropping that $450 on? Inspired by the Seattle Times, which asked readers in Washington to share their stories, we wanted to know what caught Philadelphians’ under-the-influence fancy. So we asked — and you delivered.

Look, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You get home from a night out and your inhibition switch is set firmly to “off.” While shoveling in a slice of too-hot 7-Eleven pizza (we’re not here to judge) you start perusing the marketplace.

Seriously, you’re not alone. Read on to find out what some Philly peeps told Billy Penn they bought while tipsy.

Food is a no-brainer. BP reader Kylie once snagged herself a box of 24 chocolate bars from her native Australia. “When the box arrived, I thought they were a gift from someone else — I even called my mum to thank her. I guess they were a gift from drunk Kylie to sober Kylie,” she said.

Philly resident Grant, meanwhile, scored himself a giant bag of jawbreakers because he was “trashed” and reminiscing about the cartoon/video game Ed, Edd n Eddy, where the crunchy candy is the ultimate prize.

Reader Jacquelyn was just trying to make things easy for herself when she logged onto Amazon and ordered a giant toaster oven. She wanted to warm up pizza, she said, “but was too drunk to trust myself to use an oven.” (We’re pretty sure that slice got gobbled up cold instead of waiting for the delivery person a few days later.)

These sloshed scores sometimes have longterm effects, like the 12-pack of Annie’s mac ‘n’ cheese that an anonymous reader said they ordered after a night out in a new city and realized their cupboards were bare.

“Right before falling asleep I must have hit the order button, because two days later, I got home from work to find a giant box of mac and cheese.” It lasted. “Eight months later, I moved back to Philly and accidentally left behind half the shipment that I hadn’t gotten around to eating. I hope the next tenant liked shells and white cheddar!”

Does the entire collectibles industry depending on drunken shoppers? Seems like a plausible theory, especially in light of some of the submissions readers sent in.

There’s the lifesize cutout of Kim Jong-il that reader Madeline purchased on eBay because she “thought it would be a nice touch” at her upcoming wedding. Unless she was drinking at Hop Sing Laundromat, which likes to call itself “The World’s Greatest North Korean Cocktail Bar,” that makes less sense than a perfectly reasonable (but probably super expensive) Eagles football helmet signed by Carson Wentz that reader Wendell paid for at a restaurant silent auction.

Billy Penn reader Scott said he absolutely does not regret the 5-foot-tall “fathead” doll he ordered in a Titos and Jack Daniels-fueled spree — even though it was of his friend’s profile pic, which he thought looked like a “smarmy realtor” when it showed up in his timeline. “Best $110 I’ve ever spent.”

Still hanging on the wall of reader Cyn’s Philly home is a 3-foot-by-4-foot painting of a matador from the 1970s. The acquisition story goes like this:

Tipsy at a Jinxed Fishtown art opening, Cyn picked up the painting for just $18. As the night evolved, they managed to carry the frame along to the El Bar, and then to Kung Fu Necktie. But the artwork never made it home, so then next morning they called to inquire about it.

Cyn: “I’m calling about a painting I forgot there the other night…”
KFN: “What does it look like?”
Cyn: “….”

(As if people leave paintings at the Front Street music dive on a regular basis. Which, to be fair, might actually be the case.)

It’s a well-documented fact that intoxicated people often misjudge their physical abilities.

Why else would reader Sam have bought multiple actual parachutes, including one over 50-feet wide? He was drunkenly planning a complicated prank on his wife, he explained, with whom he’d just bought a house: “It involved ‘falling’ off the roof.”

A Philly resident who goes by Franco once scored himself a pair of 19th-century replica whaling harpoons, while his friend Damien recounted picking up a full-size air hockey table, “with no way to transport it home from the store and no way to fit it in my basement.”

Reader Rachel ended up with a season’s worth of amusement when, in a moment of inebriated inspiration, she procured a bag of 12 dozen 4-foot-long squiggly balloons.

“It was a total surprise when they showed up in the mail,” she recalled. “I had a second floor porch in the trees in West Philly at the time, so my boyfriend and I spent a summer blowing them up and launching them at people as they walked by.”

Other toys BP readers acquired while blitzed include a 5-lb. bag of LEGOs and a remote-controlled mini helicopter. One person told us they went all in on a Shamwow (cleaning sounds more fun when you’re lit up?), while another decided to look inward.

“I bought an ancestry.com kit,” said a Twitter user going by D-Beis. How’d that genetic introspection work out? We may never know. The DNA discovery tool is apparently still in its original packaging.

Philly is a damn beautiful city. We all know this, and we’re all proud of it — even if our reputation has always been more, well Gritty, than picturesque. There are so many pretty and unique areas to take advantage of here. And, for couples getting engaged in the city they love, it’s only natural that they want to find the perfect place to do it: somewhere memorable, meaningful, unique, and, of course, scenic.

To help spur some ideas for our local lovebirds, we reached out to some of our area’s most talented engagement and wedding photographers to find out the most scenic proposal spots in the area. (And, in case you didn’t hear, we’re celebrating proposals all month long here at Philadelphia Wedding. For all of our fun Proposal Month coverage, go here.) Below, find our list of top recommended Philadelphia scenic proposal spots where you can pop the question in style — and take a great photo in the process.

Cira Green

Joshua Michael Johnson Photography

“I’d recommend Cira Green, an urban park hidden atop a parking garage in University City,” says Joshua Michael Johnson of Joshua Michael Johnson Photography, “This intimate retreat will take you above the city noise, offering the skyline and river as a backdrop, so you can pop the question with a view. There’s an acre of greenery here, so extra points if you pack a picnic and wait for the sunset to do it.”

Race Street Pier

Colin Coleman Photography

“The Ben Franklin Bridge is an iconic structure,” says Colin Coleman of Colin Coleman Photography, “One of the best and closest views of the bridge is from Race Street Pier, where I’ve found myself on several occasions with couples I’ve shot. Here, you’re out over the water and the bridge towers above you with its passing cars and trains and the twinkle of lights that line it.”

Magic Gardens

RingShot Photography

“Located on South Street, the Magic Gardens is an environment and community arts center with maze-like space which was created using nontraditional materials such as recyclables, old household items, colorful glass, tiles and mirrors,” says Carmen Smargiassi of RingShot Photography,  “It is a magical location and the staff is very willing to accommodate and assist in setting up proposals.”

Totally Philly Murals

Colin Coleman Photography

“There’s one thing you can be sure to find all over the city, and I’m not talking about cheesesteaks or football fans,” says Coleman, “Mural art is a long-standing tradition in Philadelphia, and luckily for photographers, these gems make incredible backdrops for any photo shoot. The key is finding one that speaks to the couple and represents them in a massive and colorful way, contributing to the story that they are creating for themselves.”

Local Craft Breweries

Colin Coleman Photography

“One thing that my couples (and I) seem to have in common is a love and appreciation of craft brews,” says Coleman, “It isn’t at all rare to find me in their neighborhood brewery or beer garden during engagements or weddings. Craft beer is something of a phenomenon in Philadelphia these days.”

The Top of the Art Museum Steps

RingShot Photography

“The Rocky Footprints at the top of the Museum of Art steps is a favorite proposal location which draws couples from Philadelphia and beyond,” says Carmen Smargiassi of RingShot Photography, “On any given day, this iconically recognizable location is filled with so much energy as visitors, snapping selfies, also surround and celebrate the newly engaged couple.”

Belmont Plateau

 Addison Street

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQg8nj7BZWH/

“Another amazing proposal location that is classic Philadelphia and one that works best at night is Addison Street in Rittenhouse between 17th and 18th streets,” says Ragonese, “The twinkle lights around the trees when lit up at night make any proposal pure magic.”

The Carousel at Franklin Square

“I love the carousel at Franklin Square,” says Jessica Manns of Jessica Manns Photography, “The ride, while lit up and spinning, has so much whimsy and romanticism while being fun and charming.”

Behind the Art Museum

“The PMAis a popular proposal spot, but I think the real romantic spot is behind the museum,” says Manns, “There is a walking path behind the museum with two gondolas that you can stand at and look at the view of boathouse row. What a romantic spot to propose — especially at night with the lights winking and reflecting off of the water.”

Kelly Drive

Emily Wren Photography

“The best proposals are ones that take place in spots with personal significance to the couple — whether that’s your favorite date night spot, strolling the streets of your neighborhood, or the place you shared your first kiss!” says Emily Wren of Emily Wren Photography, “With that said, as a photographer, I’m always thinking about the seasons. Depending on when you plan to propose, it’s an important thing to keep in mind. For spring, I love Kelly Drive (especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom). Spruce Street Harbor Park is such a fun summer-specific spot! Fall is always gorgeous on the trails through The Wissahickon. And for winter, I’m such a sucker for the holiday charm of all the string lights along Addison Street!

Cherry Street Pier

BG Productions Photography & Videography

“We love the new Cherry Street Pier,” says Cathie Berrey Green of BG Productions Photography & Videography, “What a great place to pop the question! And imagine it from this view.”

Rittenhouse Square

BG Productions Photography & Videography

“And of course there is always one of our favs Rittenhouse Square. Who wouldn’t want to get engaged in the middle of this city park!” says Green, “Of course you will always get other people in the background- but who cares- more people to instantly say Congratulations!”

Bartram’s Garden

“Bartram’s Garden is the perfect proposal spot for a girl who doesn’t like to be the center of attention,” says Julie Melton of Sweetwater Portraits, “It’s intimate and wild, has plenty of space, and you can return again and again for romantic picnic lunches on your anniversary. Bonus points for being able to include your four-legged friends!”

The Wissahickon

“Keep the proposal intimate and simple by choosing an activity that you both love to do,” says Julie Melton of Sweetwater Portraits, “A decadent picnic and hike in the Wissahickon, along with a proposal at a dramatic overlook, would be perfection.”

John F. Collins Park

Sweetwater Portraits

“Rent John F. Collins Park and set up a surprise champagne brunch for two,” says Julie Melton of Sweetwater Portraits, “This is a tiny, beautiful park at 17th and Chestnut. We photographed a proposal here where the groom filled the park with roses, set a lovely table and then asked his bride-to-be to meet him. She was so surprised!”

Penn Treaty Park

Redfield Photography

“A beautiful waterfront park without the Center City crowds,” says Marisa Rebecca of Redfield Photography, “If you want to propose inside the city but still around nature, you can count on Penn Treaty being more private during the week with lovely views of the Ben Franklin Bridge, a rock covered shoreline and weeping willow trees. Plus, you’re just a few blocks away from all of Fishtown’s best bars + restaurants to have drinks and celebrate!”

 

Longwood Gardens

Redfield Photography

“Longwood Gardens has thousands of incredibly beautiful areas to propose inside and out, so you don’t have to worry about rain ruining your proposal plans,” says Rebecca, “You can choose to make it an obvious celebration by asking in one of Longwood’s most popular areas, like the European Fountain Garden, or keep it private in one of their many secluded vignettes around the property.”

Your Own Neighborhood

Redfield Photography

“Choose a spot in your neighborhood that has some meaning to you guys as a couple,” says Rebecca, “Go to your favorite street to house hunt, walk your pup, or people watch.”

For more Proposal Month content, go here.

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1200 S. Concord Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19382 | Bright MLS images via BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors

We know from years spent poring over house listings that people hereabouts absolutely love Colonials.

There’s a lot to love about this classic house style: It employs a simple yet efficient layout and offers elegance in its details.

Most of the Colonials on the market, however, are revivals. This house for sale outside West Chester, on the other hand, is the genuine article.

Music room

Living room

The first shots in the American Revolution were being fired in Concord and Lexington the year the main house here was built. That makes this house, which got an addition in 1833, an outstanding exemplar of the center-hall Colonial style.

And its owners know it, for they have lovingly cared for its intricate, detailed woodwork. You’ll notice just how well as you peruse these photos of its main floor.

Foyer

The listing agent describes the woodwork in the foyer especially as museum-quality, suitable for shipping off to Winterthur for conservation. But why bother doing that when it fits so well and has been so well cared for here?

Dining room

Den

Another tipoff to this house’s authenticity: Fireplaces just about everywhere in the main wing. The ones on the main floor all work, while those in the second-floor bedrooms have become decorative.

Kitchen and breakfast area

This house for sale is equipped to satisfy modern tastes, as its restaurant-quality kitchen should make clear. But its layout remains rooted in tradition, with separately defined rooms for every purpose.

Family room

A wall of windows, however, offers a link between the kitchen and the family room. In the family room, this wall lights an area with a travertine marble floor that makes for a great mini-greenhouse.

Every room in this house has plenty of space, including the home office and mud room. The bathrooms have all been updated and nicely outfitted as well, and there’s plenty of closet space.

Exterior rear

Formal garden

And in the back, you’ll find a patio, a formal garden and a swimming pool, all of which combine to make a great space for outdoor entertaining and relaxation.

Elsewhere on this house’s grounds, you’ll find a former stable that can be converted to many other uses. Behind it are the walls of other former outbuildings.

All this sits on 8.3 acres about a mile south of West Chester. In terms of convenience, you’ll also be sitting pretty here: it’s a short drive into the borough itself for dining, shopping and entertainment, and suburban Wilmington employment centers and Concord Mall are just a few miles away as well. Getting to Philadelphia International Airport takes a little longer — a trip that will become less enervating when a widening of Route 322 is complete.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 5

BATHS: 6 full, 2 half

SQUARE FEET: 6,128

SALE PRICE: $1,250,000

OTHER STUFF: You don’t have to buy all 8.3 acres if you don’t want to. This property is available in several different configurations. Ask the agent for details.

1200 S. Concord Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19382 [Holly Gross | Holly Gross Group | BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors]

Jonathan and Jennifer Moody share how they found their new South Philly house. Photograph by Matt Zugale

Who: Jonathan Moody, 35, project consultant; Jennifer Moody, 37, information services applications manager.
Their target: A house big enough for a growing family in an up-and-coming neighborhood.
Their budget: $450,000.

The Contenders

A newly rehabbed 3 BR, 2 BA post-WWII rowhouse on Front Street for $379,000.

A newly rehabbed 3 BR, 1.5 BA 1920s rowhouse on Moore Street for $475,000.

A new-construction 3 BR, 3 BA rowhouse on Manton Street for $480,000.

The Process

Jonathan and Jennifer met in Philly, and moved in together (and then got married) when Jonathan relocated to Philly from Harrisburg for a new job. In the five years they’ve lived here, they’ve migrated to progressively larger spaces: a one-bedroom Rittenhouse Square apartment, then a two-bedroom apartment in Logan Square. When the couple had their first child, they decided they needed a place with room enough for their son to grow and a good school for him to attend. They also were looking for a neighborhood with home values on the rise, because, as Jennifer puts it, “We wanted to see and experience the changes” as they happened.

In addition to three bedrooms and a good school nearby, the Moodys’ must-haves included a yard at their home and parks close at hand. They hoped for a basement they could use as a rec room or guest space, a roof deck, and a main-floor powder room. “We also wanted a larger kitchen,” Jennifer says. “My husband complained that only one person could fit in our old one.”

The Moodys limited their search to three South Philadelphia neighborhoods where they already knew people: Point Breeze, Pennsport and Dickinson Narrows. They considered both new and existing houses but leaned toward new and recently rehabbed ones because they wanted to spend Christmas living in their new home instead of fixing it up. Like most buyers now, they started their search online; agent Derek Fulforth at Keller Williams/Philly Living Team reached out to them when they started browsing listings on the agency’s site. They clicked with him immediately, and a little less than six months later, they were home.

The winner is … A new rowhome on Manton Street. Its sale price exceeded their ceiling by $30,000, but “because it had everything on our checklist, we decided to go for it,” Jennifer says.

Pro Tips If You’re Looking in a Changing Neighborhood

1. Hey, is that new construction?
Even if you’re not looking to buy a newly built home, keep an eye out for them when determining where to buy. “The moment [contractors] start building, it adds equity to all the homes around there,” says Derek Fulforth.
2. Hey, is that a coffee shop?
To figure out where houses might be going up next, search for neighborhood amenities like coffee shops and cafes, and look for public transportation nearby. Both attract developers anxious to get out in front of the crowd.
3. Hit up your friends for intel.
Scope a neighborhood before you start looking for houses there, to get a feel for what it’s like and where its amenities are. Jennifer recommends considering neighborhoods where you already know residents; they can give you inside intelligence.

Published as “Jonathan and Jennifer” in “Tales of the Hunt” in the March 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Parks on Tap, the traveling beer garden that pops up in a different Philly park every week, is back for the season with Lost Bread Co. pretzels, pulled pork sandwiches, and a namesake beer. Through Sunday, August 28, find the food, drink, hammocks, and lawn chairs in the Azalea Garden in Fairmount Park, behind the Art Museum.

The project, now in its fourth year, is a fundraiser for the city’s parks put together by the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Rec and run by FCM Hospitality, the group behind Morgan’s Pier on the waterfront, Rosy’s Taco Bar and Harper’s Garden in Center City, and Craft Hall in Northern Liberties.

The pop-up goes to 23 parks over 23 weeks, including four spots that are new for 2019: Historic Rittenhouse Town in Wissahickon, Fisher Park in Olney, McMichael Park in East Falls, and the Discovery Center in East Fairmount Park. The full schedule is here.

Weather permitting, the hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday and holidays from noon to 10 p.m.

Check out the food menu:

Snacks

• ($5) Smoky Deviled Eggs, dijon filling, tarragon
• ($5) Kettle Cooked Chips and Onion Dip
• ($4) Lost Bread Co. Pretzel, Pimento Cheese
• ($4) Lost Bread Co. Cornbread, hot sauce butter

Mains

• ($9) Quinoa salad, Spring Vegetables, Balsamic Dressing, Local Greens, Add smoked chicken +$3
• ($11) Pulled Pork, Classic Slaw, Bread and Butter Pickles, Seeded Milk Bun
• ($12) Brisket Cheesesteak, Cherry Pepper Cheese Sauce, Onions, Baguette
• ($11) Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich, Local Greens, Pickled Onions, Seeded Milk Bun
• ($11) Charred Squash and Eggplant Hoagie, Lettuce, Onion, “Veganaise,” Baguette
• ($11) Square Personal Pizza, mozzarella cheese, fermented tomato sauce, basil - Mushrooms +$2, Italian Sausage +$2, Pepperoni +$2

Sides

• ($3) Cole Slaw
• ($4) Potato Salad
• ($2) Bag of Chips

Kids

• ($4) All Beef Hot Dog, Potato Bun

Sweets

• ($4) Lost Bread Co. Pretzel Shortbread cookies (2 pieces)
• ($3) Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Soft Serve Ice Cream

The drinks list includes Parks Pale Ale from the new Mainstay Independent Brewing Company located at Craft Hall, along with other drafts ($6–$8) and cans ($7), a rosé ($8). and rotating draft cocktails.

To cut down on waste, a reusable plastic cup is available for $1 and a fancier silicone pint cup is going for $15. Both have the Parks on Tap logo and get you $1 off a drink every time you use one. (You can also bring your reusable Parks on Tap cup from a previous year to get $1 off.)

Parks on Tap is free but you have to sign up as a member online first and show up with your confirmation email.

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Spring 2019 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Unlisted Philadelphia highlights interesting and significant Philadelphia buildings not yet listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. To learn more about the local designation process and how you can participate in nominating a building to the Philadelphia Register, visit the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s website for more information.

BUILDING: Banca Bozzelli

LOCATION: 735-37 S. 7th Street

ARCHITECT: Unknown

YEAR: 1893 (with alterations by Watson & Huckel in 1903)

During the Italian immigration boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cultural biases and language barriers often shut new immigrants out of the traditional banking houses of Philadelphia. As a result, a number of informal and unregulated “immigrant banks” popped up in neighborhoods like South Philadelphia to manage savings, advance credit, and remit funds overseas. Usually founded by immigrants themselves, these banks tended to operate discreetly out of existing taverns, grocery stores, and other local businesses. Steamship agent Lorenzo Bozzelli, though, threw discretion to the wind and constructed Banca Bozzelli, a grand, purpose-built edifice surpassing the stature and prestige of traditional banks. A decade later, rival Banca d’Italia, which eventually absorbed Banca Bozzelli, constructed an equally impressive tower down the block. Although both survive remarkably intact today, neither has been listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.