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  • The Philly concerts that’ll get you through Christmas week and into the new year

    The Philly concerts that’ll get you through Christmas week and into the new year

    This week in Philly music is all about the plentiful live music options on New Year’s Eve, including LL Cool J, Snacktime, Ben Arnold, Low Cut Connie, and Kindred the Family Soul.

    But before we get to the final blowout of 2025, there’s also some action with touring and local Philly bands in the days after Christmas. Not to mention: Wayne Newton!

    Friday, Dec. 26

    Wayne Newton

    Center City will become Sin City with this rare Philly appearance by the longtime denizen of the Las Vegas Strip. “Wayne Newton, Mr. Las Vegas: Memories and Melodies” is how the 83-year-old entertainer who released 165 albums in his day — and scored a signature hit in 1963 with “Danke Schoen” — bills the show he’s bringing to City Winery for two nights. (7 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., CityWinery.com/philadelphia)

    Saturday, Dec. 27

    Jealousy Curve / John Faye

    On Saturday at Underground Arts, Philly rock band Jealousy Curve shares a bill with John Faye, the longtime musician on the local scene. Faye played reunion dates with his ‘90s alt-rock band the Caulfields last month and was on stage at last week’s Pierre Robert tribute at the Fillmore as a member of David Uosikkinen’s band, In The Pocket. Faye’s latest is The Long Game, released on Uosikkinen’s ITP Entertainment last year. (8 p.m., Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org)

    Gogol Bordello play the Archer Music Hall in Allentown on Dec. 28.

    Sunday, Dec. 28

    Gogol Bordello

    Gogol Bordello, and its charismatic Ukrainian American lead singer, Eugene Hutz, have a long tradition of playing Philly shows in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. This time, the New York punk band, which mixes Romani and traditional Ukrainian music into their raucous blend, is bound for a different Pennsylvania location with a date at Archer Music Hall, the new Live Nation venue in Allentown. (8 p.m. Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton St., Allentown, archermusichall.com)

    A Jam Without Borders

    Yesseh Furaha-Ali of Snacktime, Camden trumpeter Arnetta Johnson, and the Bul Bey are among the artists who’ll be playing at Ortlieb’s at this event hosted by Corey Bernhard and Friends. It’s a fundraiser for Philadelphia families impacted by ICE. (8 p.m., Ortlieb’s, 847 N. Third St., ortliebsphilly.com)

    Monday, Dec. 29

    “Fear of Heights”

    Philly rocker Alan Mann regularly played South Street clubs like J.C. Dobbs and Ripley Music Hall before his death in 1987. Rich Murray, who directed the video for Mann’s song “Christmas on the Block,” which became the first indie video played on MTV and a subsequent Philly holiday music favorite, has made a documentary about his relationship with Mann and his legacy. Called Fear of Heights, the movie, which begins with a 2015 clip of the late DJ Pierre Robert dropping the needle on “Christmas on the Block” on WMMR-FM (93.3), will have its Philly premiere at Film Society East. It will be followed by a discussion with Murray and his co-filmmakers moderated by WMGK-FM DJ Cindy Drue. (7 p.m., Film Society East, 125 S. Second St., filmadelphia.org)

    Low Cut Connie at Concerts Under the Stars in King of Prussia on Aug. 1, 2025. Left to right: Rich Stanley, Nick Perri, Adam Weiner, Jarae Lewis (on drums, partially hidden), Amanda “Rocky” Bullwinkel, and Kelsey Cork. The band will play Ardmore Music Hall on Dec. 30 and 31.

    Tuesday, Dec. 30

    Dark Star Orchestra

    The longstanding Grateful Dead tribute band is marking the transition from 2025 to 2026 on a short East Coast tour, which includes a date at Franklin Music Hall on NYE’s eve. (8 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 N. Seventh St., franklinmusichall.com)

    The Samples

    And for a further jam band experience, veteran Colorado 10-piece band the Samples, which blends a Dead influence with more pop-rock shadings, does two nights at 118 North in Wayne. (8 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, 118 NorthWayne.com)

    Low Cut Connie

    Adam Weiner and Miss Rocky of Low Cut Connie distinguished themselves with their take on David Bowie’s “Young Americans” at last week’s Pierre Robert tribute. Let’s hope they put it in the playlist for their two end-of-the-year blowouts on Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve.

    The band didn’t put out a new album this year but had an eventful 2025, getting caught up in to pop-and-politics brouhahas in D.C. and Luzerne County, and releasing some high-quality protest songs. Bluegrass band Shelby Means Trio, led by the eponymous bassist formerly in Molly Tuttle’s band, opens on Tuesday, and Philly rock and roller Roberta Faceplant opens Wednesday. (8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, ardmoremusichall.com)

    LL Cool J will headline a free concert on the Ben Franklin Parkway on New Year’s Eve. The show will also feature DJ Jazzy Jeff, Adam Blackstone, and Dorothy.

    Wednesday, Dec. 31

    LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Adam Blackstone

    This is the big new party on the Parkway and maybe the start of a new Philadelphia tradition? The city will officially usher in the year of the Semiquicentennial with its first-ever free NYE music and fireworks spectacle. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and “Mama Said Knock You Out” hitmaker LL Cool J is making good on his commitment to play Philly after he opted out of this year’s July 4 Welcome America show in solidarity with striking municipal city workers. DJ Jazzy Jeff is, of course, the master of the Wheel of Steel, and Adam Blackstone has become one of the leading ambassadors for Philly music, and plans to debut a new civic pride song called “Brotherly Love” at the show. Dorothy and Technician the DJ are also on the bill. (8 p.m., Benjamin Franklin Parkway, phila.gov)

    Snacktime

    Philly R&B and soul party band par excellence Snacktime is the NYE Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia house band. This is the third consecutive year that the horn-happy outfit has closed out the season at the Fishtown bowling alley/music venue. The band that started out busking in Rittenhouse Square during the pandemic has a new single. It is a sweetly sung and inventively arranged version of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” (8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia)

    Ben Arnold

    Ben Arnold was another standout at this month’s tribute to the late Pierre Robert. The Philly songwriter covered Robert Hazard’s “Change Reaction” and then led a singalong finale of the Youngbloods’ “Get Together.” Arnold put out a top-shelf album called XI this year, featuring the terrific single “Catch the Lightning,” and also toured Europe with the band U.S. Rails. He’ll be singing his own songs and some by U.S. Rails at his Kelly Center NYE show in Havertown. (7:30 p.m., Kelly Center, 4 E. Eagle Road, Havertown, kellycenter.org.)

    Kindred the Family Soul performs on the Presser Stage during The Roots Picnic Day 2 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on June 4, 2023. The group will do two shows at the City Winery Philadelphia on New Year’s Eve.

    Kindred the Family Soul

    The wife-and-husband team of Aja Graydon and Fatin Dantzler appeared last month at the Met Philly with John Legend, with whom they shared salad days at the Black Lily showcases in the early 00s. The veteran neo-soul act is back as City Winery NYE headliners, playing early and late shows at the Filbert Street club on Thursday. (7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., citywinery.com/philadelphia)

    Felice Brothers plays Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia on Jan. 2.

    Friday, Jan. 2

    Felice Bros.

    Upstate New York-born sibling act the Felice Brothers’ winning, ramshackle sound has mixed folk and rock and roll into a satisfying blend over the course of 10 albums. The most recent is 2024’s The Valley of Abandoned Songs. Brother Ian and James Felice make their annual holiday season stop at Brooklyn Bowl Philly on Friday, with Canadian songwriter Charlotte Cornfield opening. (8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia)

    Candy Volcano

    Philly Loves Bowie Week will kick off with two shows by tribute band Candy Volcano at Ardmore Music Hall. The first show will be at WXPN-FM Free at Noon, and then a nighttime show at the venue in which the band will cover Bowie’s 1976 album Station to Station. (Noon, Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, xpn.org/freeatnoon, and 8 p.m., ardmoremusichall.com)

  • See what homebuyers can get for $390,000 in Lower Merion, Northeast Philly, and Camden County | The Price Point

    See what homebuyers can get for $390,000 in Lower Merion, Northeast Philly, and Camden County | The Price Point

    The Price Point compares homes listed for similar sale prices across the region to help readers set expectations about house hunting.

    Looking for a new home for the new year? You’ve got options if you have the region’s typical homebuying budget.

    Across the Philadelphia metropolitan area, homes sold for a median of $390,000 last month, according to the multiple listing service Bright MLS. That typical sale price is up more than 3% from last year.

    Here’s what a home shopper could get with a budget like this in three different neighborhoods in the region.

    Lower Merion condo in star location

    Wolverton & Co., a Montgomery County-based real estate company, sells and manages a lot of condos in the area of West Montgomery Avenue in the Haverford section of Lower Merion Township.

    “I call that stretch the golden mile of Haverford as it relates to condominiums,” said Will Wolverton, owner and broker of record at Wolverton & Co. “It’s a very desirable area.”

    There are restaurants and national and local stores, including at the nearby Haverford Square and Suburban Square shopping centers. Condo residents can walk to SEPTA’s Haverford station to catch Regional Rail trains. The Merion Cricket Club offers sports facilities and hosts dinners and galas.

    One condo currently for sale in the area is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit at Haverford Hunt Club, a building with 16 units on four floors. Condos there include both one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

    The building is about 45 years old but has been “thoughtfully updated” in both looks and critical infrastructure, such as the elevator and the roof, Wolverton said.

    The condo for sale gets a lot of natural light, he said. And it’s on the top floor, so buyers won’t have upstairs neighbors. It also has a private balcony and a reserved space in the property’s parking lot.

    The last several serious buyers have been most interested in the neighborhood, Wolverton said.

    “It’s a very good property,” he said, “and a great location.”

    The condo was listed for sale for $385,000 on Oct. 20.

    An unusual Mayfair twin

    This home in the Mayfair neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia stands out in a few ways, said listing agent Xiao Zhen Zhao, who works throughout this section of the city, as well as Fishtown and Northern Liberties.

    The open kitchen is “very unique” for the area and includes bar seating, said Zhao, an agent with Legacy Landmark Realty.

    The primary bedroom has a private bathroom, which isn’t common in older homes in Northeast Philadelphia, she said. A lot of houses have only one full bathroom, she said. One of the bathrooms features a skylight and pink tiles on the walls.

    And the home is “a bigger twin,” she said. It spans 1,868 square feet.

    The home has a backyard and a walk-out finished basement, which has a half bathroom. It also has a garage and driveway.

    The twin is in an area of the city where houses are more affordable and parking is easy. It’s within walking distance of schools. It’s minutes from stores and restaurants along Cottman Avenue, and it’s right off Pennypack Park.

    Potential buyers have liked the layout of the home and also the look of it, Zhao said.

    “A lot of people like the brick,” she said.

    The twin was listed for sale for $389,000 on Nov. 21.

    A Colonial charmer in Gloucester

    Potential buyers touring this Colonial in Camden County have fallen for its charm, said real estate agent Evangeline Gambardella. “Because it is a very charming space.”

    The living room features a brick fireplace and a large window that lets in natural light and frames views of the front yard.

    The layout is more open than in a traditional Colonial, especially in this area of Gloucester Township, said Gambardella, a real estate agent with the Mike McCann Team, which is an affiliate of Keller Williams.

    The owners have recently updated the property. The home has new landscaping, a roof that is about 4 years old, a new fence, and a new heating, cooling, and ventilation system.

    Gambardella said this work makes the property ideal for first-time homebuyers, people who are downsizing, or anyone who doesn’t want to undertake large projects.

    “It presents a really lovely value for its price point,” she said.

    The home’s kitchen includes an island with seating. And a door in the formal dining room opens to the deck, which has a retractable awning.

    Home shoppers who have visited the property like its spacious backyard and its location. It is minutes from the Gloucester Premium Outlets and the Deptford Mall, has easy access to major highways, and is close to parks and restaurants.

    The home’s unfinished basement also is a “huge selling point for a lot of people” who want to decide what to do with the space, Gambardella said.

    The house was listed for sale for $389,000 on Dec. 20.

  • A long, emotional memorial to Pierre Robert was boundless in enthusiasm, much like Robert himself

    A long, emotional memorial to Pierre Robert was boundless in enthusiasm, much like Robert himself

    Pierre Robert’s unexpected death in October sent Philadelphia rock fans into a state of shock.

    How could the community of WMMR-FM (93.3) listeners carry on without the kind-hearted DJ? He was an unfailingly reliable source of good cheer and boundless musical enthusiasm on the airwaves, and at concerts and charity events across the region for over 40 years.

    On Wednesday night at the Fillmore in Fishtown, a sold-out crowd of 3,000 “good citizens” — as Robert called his fellow Philadelphians — struggled through their grief in a combination concert and wake that was billed as “Pierre Robert: A Show of Life.”

    Collectively, the friends of Robert who performed and spoke on stage at the event came up with a mutually agreed upon strategy: Life without Pierre Robert would be tolerable for the MMR family only if it essentially remained a life with Pierre Robert. That is, if through music and his memory, his spirit can be kept alive.

    The memorial concert raised money for Manna, the Philly nonprofit that feeds people with life-threatening illnesses, that was a favorite among many worthy causes Robert supported.

    The evening began with Robert’s family gathering on stage, with niece Nicole Horder and nephew Brett Robert addressing the crowd while a portrait of their uncle and his tie-dyed lab coat were on display to their right.

    Ed Roland of Collective Soul performs during the “Pierre Robert: A Show of Life” concert on Dec. 17, 2025 at the Fillmore in Philadelphia.

    It ended five hours later, with Philly songwriter Ben Arnold leading a chorus of close to 40 musicians, friends, and family members on a singalong version of “Get Together,” the 1967 Youngbloods hit and countercultural anthem that fit the long-haired, bearded, and peace-sign-flashing Robert to a T.

    In between, there were spirited, heartfelt, and sometimes tearful performances by David Uosikkinen’s In the Pocket, Marc LaBelle of Dirty Honey, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul, plus stripped-down duo sets by members of Philly hard rock band Halestorm and Jacksonville, Fla.’s Shinedown. And of course, there was Robert’s favorite Philly band, the Hooters.

    Robert grew up in California, and his passion for the city he relocated to in the early 1980s and came to call home, was noted throughout the evening.

    Pierre Robert is keeping the job he interviewed for at a Hooters show at the Chestnut Cabaret in 1981

    “If you tried to make a list of someone who would never make it in Philadelphia,” his nephew said at the start, “it would be a crazy hippie from California that’s a vegetarian, and ‘it’s all about peace and love man.’

    Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performs during the Pierre Robert Show of Life concert Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/CAIN IMAGES for WMMR)

    “But the thing about Philly is, Philly loves people who are unapologetically themselves. And he never forgot for a second that he got to live the life of his dreams because you guys tuned in and listened and showed up for him.”

    That theme of Robert being an outsider who chose to become a Philadelphian was cleverly echoed by Adam Weiner of Low Cut Connie.

    Weiner’s song selection was “Young Americans,” which was recorded at Sigma Sound Studio a half-century ago by David Bowie, “another great artist who fell in love with Philadelphia,” he said.

    Uosikkinen was the hard-working hero of the night, keeping the beat both with In the Pocket and later the Hooters, while just five weeks out of knee replacement surgery.

    The ITP set of local luminaries, who set a high bar for the rest of the evening, began with Steve Butler and Richard Bush singing the Kinks’ “Sunny Afternoon” (a Robert favorite). It also included Cliff Hillis doing Todd Rundgren’s “I Saw the Light,” Arnold taking on Robert Hazard’s “Change Reaction,” and three-song sets by Tommy Conwell and Bob “Beru” McCafferty.

    During one interlude, Philadelphia Councilmember Rue Landau came on stage to pay tribute to Robert, who was honored last week by a resolution introduced by Councilmember Mark Squilla that renames Latimer Street between 12th and Camac Streets as “Pierre Robert Way.”

    Nicole Horder, niece of Pierre Robert and Ed Roland of Collective Soul dances during the Hooters performance during the “Pierre Robert: A Show of Life” concert on Dec. 17, 2025 at the Fillmore in Philadelphia.

    Matt Cord, who has taken over the MMR midday time slot, introduced bands and was one of many who joked about Robert’s habitual lateness.

    Robert’s fellow DJ and mentee Jackie Bam Bam aptly called his late friend “the Santa Claus of Philadelphia, the Mister Rogers of Philadelphia on the radio.”

    “I said to Pierre: ‘You’re my hero! Who’s your hero?’ He said, ‘Jerry Blavat, the Geator’,” speaking of the legendary DJ who was mourned by the city after his death in 2023.

    After Dirty Honey’s LaBelle revved up the crowd with satisfyingly shrieking covers of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, the lengthy show settled in to a strummy hard-rock acoustic duo midsection.

    Ed Roland of Georgia band Collective Soul played, accompanied by producer Shawn Grove, a Philly area-native and Pierre-ophile. Before getting to the band’s signature 1993 hit “Shine,” Roland thanked the Eagles for drafting several Georgia Bulldogs defensive players, then was taken by surprise by a raucous “E-A-G-L-E-S” chant.

    “I love you already, and now I love you even more,” he told the crowd.

    Halestorm is the band led by singer Lzzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger that hails from Red Lion in York County. Hale is a full-throated rock star, and ripped it up on “I Miss the Misery” and “Love Bites (So Do I).” She dedicated a forthright piano ballad, “How Will You Remember Me?” to Robert.

    Brent Smith and Zach Myers of Shinedown followed and had the room singing with hits like “A Symptom of Being Human” and “Three Six Five.”

    “There will never be another human on this earth who loves music more than that guy,” Myers said of Robert. Thanks to Robert, “Philly feels like a second home to us,” he said.

    The quality of material was elevated considerably with Myers’ cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.”

    The soul of the evening, however, belonged to the Hooters. The band was introduced twice. First by Robert’s longtime MMR colleague John DeBella, who noted that the Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman-fronted Philly band was Robert’s favorite, along with the Rolling Stones.

    (Curiously, none of the acts covered a Stones song, or anything by the Grateful Dead, who Robert also dearly loved.)

    The second time, the Hooters were intro’d by Robert himself, who referred to the band as “joy generators” in a recording from one of the band’s annual shows at the Keswick Theatre, the last of which he attended just days before his death.

    Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown perform during the Pierre Robert Show of Life concert Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/CAIN IMAGES for WMMR)

    The band kept it bright, opening with the carpe diem optimism of “I’m Alive” and the hopeful “Silver Lining,” looking for a light even when “in your deepest shade of black.”

    “This is a joyous occasion,” Bazilian said. “But it’s life, and it’s one that was so well-lived. And that we all got to share.”

    The sextet named after a melodica — the instrument which Hyman and guitarist John Lilly played simultaneously at one point — made sure to include Robert’s picks, such as “Boys Will Be Boys.”

    And the city that Robert came to love was celebrated in its closing song “Beat Up Guitar,” with a lyric that could have been voiced by its departed friend.

    “I may leave this place tomorrow, but my soul is here to stay,” Hyman and Bazilian sang, “In the town that rocked the nation — Philadelphia, Pa.”

    All performers throughout the evening sing “Get Together” as the final song during the “Pierre Robert: AShow of Life” concert on Dec. 17, 2025 at the Fillmore in Philadelphia.
  • How to have a perfect Philly day, according to indie rocker Golden Apples

    How to have a perfect Philly day, according to indie rocker Golden Apples

    Russell Edling has been in Philly long enough to remember when Fishtown was quiet — “pretty sleepy,” he said. That was more than a decade ago, when he was a fresh Temple grad.

    Things have changed a lot since then, both for Fishtown and Edling. A musician who records under the name Golden Apples, Edling just released his fourth album, Shooting Star, in September. It’s a “record of songs about writing songs,” he said — and about trusting your creative instincts.

    Edling’s own instincts extend beyond music. He also dabbles in design and helps run Freehand Supply, the art shop he and a friend opened in the neighborhood earlier this year.

    “When I first moved here for college in 2008, there was nothing like that in Fishtown,” he said. “I used to bike up to Temple just to get art supplies. It feels good to be able to offer that to people now.”

    Here’s how Russell Edling would spend a perfect day in Philadelphia.

    7 a.m.

    I get up around 7 and I like to go running. I do a casual jog through the neighborhood and loop through Penn Treaty Park, then run around the casino and come home. It feels special to wake up and, in like 15 minutes, be running by a river through a park.

    9 a.m.

    My wife and I have a favorite spot to get breakfast. It’s this place in South Philly called Comfort Floyd. It’s wonderful. I think it’s the best pancake I’ve ever had. All their food is so good. The ambience is very chill and pleasant, too. We will ride our bikes down there and hang out as long as we want.

    Noon

    After that, we will bop around South Philly a little bit. I really like Brickbat Books. It’s a great spot. They have a lot of art books, a lot of used books, a really great curated selection. They also have some records.

    We will probably go to Retrospect on South Street, too. My partner, Mimi, really loves thrifting. I have less of an appetite for it. I get exhausted by the experience sometimes and have to dissociate.

    Russell Edling, a musician who goes by the moniker Golden Apples, in his art supply store, Freehand, in Fishtown.

    2 p.m.

    On our way back up to the neighborhood, we might stop at Freehand just to make sure everything’s going all right there. Then we’ll head home to walk the dog. We have a wonderful black German short hair–pointer–lab mix. We live right by a soccer/baseball field that he loves to run around. You’re not supposed to bring your dogs in there, but everybody does anyway.

    Basil cream, confit garlic, ricotta, fontina, and mozzarella atop a white pizza at Pizza Richmond.

    3:30 p.m.

    If it happens to be a weekend when the Richmond Street Flea is happening, we’ll definitely go to that.

    There are a bunch of little shops on Richmond Street, and they all open their doors. Everybody’s out on the street. They have vendors, food, and pop-ups. Even live music.

    We’ll end up popping into different shops. There’s a vintage store called Big Top. There’s Launderette Records, which is an incredible record store. There’s a jewelry store called Tshatshke, where my partner and I got our wedding bands. And there’s a great pizza spot — Pizza Richmond. They also have soft-serve ice cream. We’ll hang out at the flea market for a while. Maybe see some music, talk to some friends, and just hang out.

    6:30 p.m.

    If we’re still out for the day after the flea market, we’re going to see a show. Our favorite venue is Khyber Pass Pub. It’s been around for a really long time. I think Nirvana played there. Guided By Voices played there. So many legendary people have played there over the years. It’s a small, intimate space, but they have great shows all the time, and they have an incredible menu.

    Franklin Fountain ice cream: “Our equivalent of a nightcap.”

    11 p.m.

    Our equivalent of a nightcap is ice cream at Franklin Fountain because they are open until midnight.

    There are two Franklin Fountains in the same building. One is 1920s style. The other is 1950s style. No one goes to the 1950s one for some reason, so we go to that one to skip the line. I know it’s very touristy, but I have worked in ice cream throughout my life, and I think it’s the best ice cream in the city.

  • Harriett’s Bookshop among bookstores receiving a $500 Christmas bonus from James Patterson

    Harriett’s Bookshop among bookstores receiving a $500 Christmas bonus from James Patterson

    Three local bookstores are among eight in Pennsylvania to win a $500 grant from award-winning author James Patterson’s annual Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.

    Harriett’s Bookshop in Fishtown, Main Point Books in Wayne, and the Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown were the local winners.

    Harriett’s owner Jeannine A. Cook thanked Patterson on her Instagram.

    “Thank you [James Patterson] for supporting Harriett’s in this way and spreading love to our bookshop cousins all across the country when many of us need it most,” Cook wrote, adding that she will use the money to support her Bookshop Without Borders project that brings books and companionship to people who are lonely.

    Patterson, who released Return of the Spider, the latest installment in the popular Alex Cross series in November, pledged $300,000 this year, distributing $500 to 600 booksellers and members of the American Bookstore Association. Bookstores are nominated by authors, customers, employees, fellow bookstore owners, and managers.

    This year’s winners were announced Wednesday. This is Main Point Books second consecutive bonus and it was Harriett’s first. In New Jersey, Inkwood Books in Haddonfield and Words Matter Bookstore in Pitman also received grants.

    Patterson has been doling out cash to bookstores in this holiday bonus program since 2015. The gifts, he said to the New York Times in 2014, are to financially support and recognize the vital work of independent bookstore employees and librarians.

    Patterson alludes to the need to fund independent bookstores in his 2024 book The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, True Stories of the Magic of Reading.

    “Our bookstores in America are at risk,” he said in 2014 at the advent of the program. “Publishing and publishers as we’ve known them are at stake. To some extent the future of American literature is at stake.”

  • Philly expands outdoor dining and cracks down on ‘reservation scalpers’ ahead of expected 2026 tourism

    Philly expands outdoor dining and cracks down on ‘reservation scalpers’ ahead of expected 2026 tourism

    Philadelphia lawmakers on Thursday approved two changes to city law that are aimed at boosting business for restaurants and the hospitality sector ahead of an expected influx of tourists visiting the city next year.

    During its final meeting of the year, City Council voted to approve legislation to expand outdoor dining in the city by easing the permitting process in a handful of commercial corridors.

    Legislators also voted to ban so-called reservation scalpers, which are third-party businesses that allow people to secure tables and then resell them without authorization from the restaurant.

    Both measures passed Council unanimously and were championed by advocates for the restaurant industry, who lobbied lawmakers to ease burdens on the tourism and hospitality industry ahead of several large-scale events in the city next year, including celebrations for America’s Semiquincentennial, when Philadelphia is expected to host a flurry of visitors.

    They both now head to the desk of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who has never issued a veto.

    It can take two years for a restaurant to get approved for outdoor dining. One Philly Council member is trying to make it easier

    The outdoor dining legislation, authored by Councilmember Rue Landau, a Democrat who represents the city at-large, expands the number of so-called by-right zones, where businesses can have sidewalk cafes without having to obtain a special zoning ordinance.

    Currently, by-right areas are only in Center City and a few commercial corridors in other neighborhoods. Restaurants outside those areas must undertake a sometimes lengthy process to get permission to place tables and chairs outside.

    The expanded zones, which were chosen by individual Council members who represent the city’s 10 geographic districts, include corridors in Manayunk and on parts of Washington Avenue, Passyunk Avenue, and Point Breeze Avenue in South Philadelphia.

    The legislation also includes all of the West Philadelphia-based Third District, which is represented by Jamie Gauthier, the only Council member who chose to include her entire district in the expansion.

    The cafe area on the sidewalk outside of Gleaner’s Cafe in the 9th Street Market on Thursday, July 27, 2023.

    Nicholas Ducos, who owns Mural City Cellars in Fishtown, said he has been working for more than a year to get permission to place four picnic tables outside his winery. He said he has had to jump through hoops including working with multiple agencies, spending $1,500 to hire an architect, and even having to provide paperwork to the city on a CD-ROM.

    “There are a lot of difficult things about running a business in Philadelphia,” Ducos said. “This should not be one.”

    At left is Philadelphia Council President Kenyatta Johnson greeting Rue Landau and other returning members of council on their first day of fall session, City Hall, Thursday, September 11, 2025.

    Council members also approved the reservation scalping legislation authored by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, a Democrat who represents the city at-large. He has said the bill is modeled after a similar law in New York and is not aimed at popular apps and websites like OpenTable, Resy, and Tock that partner directly with restaurants.

    Philly looks to crack down on restaurant ‘reservation scalpers’ ahead of Michelin ratings

    Instead, it is a crackdown on websites that don’t work with restaurants, such as AppointmentTrader.com, which provides a platform for people to sell reservations and tickets to events.

    Jonas Frey, the founder of AppointmentTrader.com, previously said the legislation needlessly targets his platform. He said his company put safeguards in place to prevent scalping, including shutting down accounts if more than half of their reservations go unsold.

    But Thomas has cast the website and similar platforms as “predatory” because restaurants can end up saddled with empty tables if the reservations do not resell.

    Zak Pyzik, senior director of public affairs at the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said the legislation is an important safeguard for restaurants.

    “This bill provides clear, sensible protections that will keep restaurants in the driver’s seat,” he said, “and in control of their business and their technology services.”

  • Where to feast on seven fishes (or seven other things) this holiday season

    Where to feast on seven fishes (or seven other things) this holiday season

    The feast of the seven fishes, or festa dei sette pesci, has its roots in post-World War II immigration to America, when Southern Italians imported the tradition of La Vigilia — a Christmas Eve feast with no meat. La Vigilia, with its traditional consumption of baccalà, spaghetti alle vongole, and vegetables, has adapted to what we know here as an hourslong dinner with seven (more or less) fish dishes, a number that may refer to the seven sacraments.

    But the feast of the seven fishes has undergone another evolution. It is now readily embraced by chefs who specialize in other cuisines, and who sometimes take the emphasis off fish. Like Christmas itself, the feast of the seven fishes has in many cases been shifted away from its religious origins, and they now also frequently occur several days prior to Christmas Eve.

    Reservations have been going quickly for these elaborate holiday meals, and some are already sold out, like the feast at Fiorella (you can add yourself to the waitlist). Here are 12 restaurants in Philly serving special menus, celebrating the feast of seven whatevers (mostly fishes). This list isn’t comprehensive, so if you miss out on one of these reservations, keep your eye out on Philly restaurants’ Instagram pages for other feasting opportunities.

    Bastia

    Chef Tyler Akin will be serving a Sardinian-inflected feast of the seven fishes at Bastia on Dec. 21 and 22 for $125 per person, with an optional $85 beverage pairing. “We are really excited about the dishes, especially the malloreddus with pesto Genovese, swordfish, and gremolata; these are tiny Sardinian gnocchi that is a mainstay of the holidays.” Akin also promises squid ink risotto with blue crab, Calabrian chili butter, and bottarga — a dish “which truly tastes like the sea,” he said — as well as oysters with house sun-dried gooseberry mignonette. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    1401 E. Susquehanna Ave., 267-651-0269, bastiafishtown.com

    Bistro Romano

    Bistro Romano is offering two seven fishes set menu options: one for people who want all the fish (“seven fishes tasting menu”), and others who may want to partake in the festivities but are fish-averse (“pasta & turf tasting menu”). For those who are all about the fish, the dinner commences with frutti di mare, leads into pastas like lobster ravioli and fettuccine with bay scallops and baby shrimp, crescendoes with swordfish and branzino, and ends on a tiramisu finale. For those who are anti-fish, expect veal, New York strip steak, sausage rigatoni, and bucatini with duck ragu. Both menus are $89 per person and do not include tax or gratuity. They are only offered on Christmas Eve, when Bistro Romano’s a la carte menu is otherwise not available. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    120 Lombard St., 215-925-8880, bistroromano.com

    Chef Joe Cicala sautés blue crabs as he shows how to make spaghetti alla chitarra with crab at his restaurant, Cicala at the Divine Lorraine, in Philadelphia on Thursday, July 23, 2020.

    Cicala

    This is the first year that Cicala will be serving a seven fishes dinner. “Angela and I believe Christmas Eve is more fun and exciting compared to Christmas Day so we usually close in order to give our staff (and ourselves) the ability to spend it with our families,” said chef Joe Cicala. “However, this year we completely forgot to turn off the reservations and when we went to do so, it turned out that we were almost fully booked. So it looks like we are staying open this year.” Cicala’s entire a la carte menu will be available on Christmas Eve, along with a “menu fisso” of five courses utilizing seven different fish (price TBD). They are still working out the full details, but reservations can be made on Resy.

    699 N. Broad St., 267-886-9334, cicalarestaurant.com

    Heavy Metal Sausage Co. owners Patrick Alfiero (left) and Melissa Pellegrino prepare for the Thursday night trattoria dinner on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.

    Heavy Metal Sausage

    South Philly’s Heavy Metal Sausage leans hard into seven fishes, so much so that for years they’ve been hosting feasts of “more than seven fishes.” This year, there are five nights of such extravagant dinners, featuring “more than 12 dishes, more than seven fishes,” from Dec. 18 to 22, with two seatings per night (6 and 8:30 p.m.). A seat at this bonanza goes for $150 per person; gluten and seafood allergies cannot be accommodated, and tickets cannot be refunded or rescheduled. Bookings can be made on Square.

    1527 W. Porter St., no phone, heavymetalsausage.com

    Yun Fuentes and R.J. Smith team up for a Caribbean approach to the Feast of the Seven Fishes at Bolo.

    Bolo

    This holiday season, Bolo chef Yun Fuentes is welcoming chef R.J. Smith of Ocho Supper Club for a one-night-only Siete Mares, a Caribbean interpretation of the feast of the seven fishes. It will be 7 p.m. on Dec. 16 for $150 per person. Expect hamachi ceviche with scotch bonnet-passion fruit salsa and uni, lobster curry rellenos, red snapper escovitch, and an island-inspired version of surf and turf, or mar y montaña: roasted suckling pig and seafood rice with clams, calamari, and squid ink sofrito. There will also be an Ocho Happy Hour in Bolo’s first-floor rum bar from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.

    2025 Sansom St., 267-639-2741, bolophl.com

    Farina Di Vita

    Queen Village sandwich shop Farina Di Vita is running a seven fishes catering menu until Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. or until they sell out of their fried smelts, jumbo lump crab cakes, mussel gravy, salmon piccata, shrimp cocktail, Thai chili salmon, and calamari salad. Get them all or get them a la carte. Orders must be placed over the phone (ask to speak with Jason).

    250 Catharine St., 267-639-5185, instagram.com/farinadivita

    Vernick Fish

    Vernick Fish will be celebrating the feast of the seven fishes on Dec. 23 and 24 with a five-course, family-style menu for $195 per person. It includes tuna crudo, bay scallop crudo, and the Tuscan flatbread schiacciata, with osetra caviar, to start. Expect octopus skewers, fritto misto, white mussels, squid ink spaghetti, and whole roasted branzino with blue crab. A la carte options will be available at the bar. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.

    1 N. 19th St., 215-419-5055, vernickfish.com

    Tulip Pasta and Wine Bar

    Chef Jason Cichonski’s Tulip Pasta and Wine Bar will be serving their seven fishes dinner on Dec. 22 and 23 for $100 per person with an optional $55 wine pairing. The menu includes tuna carpaccio, mussel toast, prawns, baked clams, crab ravioli, squid ink pasta, black bass, and fried chocolate ravioli with gingerbread ice cream for dessert. Reservations can be made on Resy.

    2302 E. Norris St., 267-773-8189, tulippasta.com

    The “snack” course of Messina Social Club’s Feast of the Seven Fishes tasting menu in 2024.

    Messina Social Club

    Semi-private Messina Social Club, also by Jason Cichonski, with chef Eddie Konrad, is offering a six-course seven fishes tasting menu on Dec. 21, 22, and 23 for $135 per person. “There will be plays on traditional dishes, like last year we did an octopus bolognese and a series of ‘snacks.’ We always do more than seven actual fishes,” said Konrad. For dessert, Konrad has been working on a “terrine-a-misu,” consisting of ladyfingers in an “amaro-based soak that I stack, layer, press, and cut like a cake and serve with a whipped mascarpone.” Reservations can be made on Resy.

    1533 S. 10th St., 267-928-4152, messinasocialclub.com

    Fork

    Fork’s feast of the seven fishes occurs only on Christmas Eve. It’s $125 per person, not inclusive of tax and a 20% service charge. Courses include brandade toast, crispy Prosecco-battered smelts, two handmade pastas, and a choice of a family-style entree for two, like a whole roasted branzino. There will also be additional starter options for $22 each, such as fluke crudo with a brown butter pear vinaigrette and half a dozen oysters on the half shell. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    306 Market St., 215-625-9425, forkrestaurant.com

    Liz Grothe speaks to guests at the friends and family opening of Scampi in Queen Village.

    Scampi

    Scampi in Queen Village may be named for one of those potential fishes, but chef Liz Grothe’s signature move at the holidays — this is the third year — is to serve a feast of the seven pastas, featuring lots of fishes. The menu is available on Dec. 23 (Dec. 22’s dinner is sold out), with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. Reservations must be made via Google form, which cautions, “Do not let the lucky number seven fool you, this is at least a nine-course dinner and it takes about 2.5 hours. This is as ritzy as it gets for us.” It’s $150 per person and BYOB. Menu includes Grothe’s Caesar toast, lorighittas (small Sardinian ring-shaped pastas) with calamari and peas, spaghetti gamberi crudo (raw shrimp), smoked trout culurgiones, clam chowder gnocchi, and tiramisu for dessert.

    617 S. Third St., no phone, scampiphilly.com

    Percy owner Seth Kligerman, Percy chef Jack Smith, and Fishtown Pickle owners Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski.

    Fishtown Pickle Project x Percy

    Fishtown Pickles will be hosting its feast of the seven pickles for the fifth year on Dec. 16 with two seatings, at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. It will be held at Kensington restaurant Percy, which recently rebranded as a diner, and thus this will be a “Diner Edition” of the celebration. Tickets are $105 per person, with $10 per ticket going to Sharing Excess. The menu is a collaboration between Percy chef Jack Smith and Fishtown Pickle Project co-founder Mike Sicinski. There will be a Hanukkah nod of a deviled egg and latke with smoked fish and pickle slaw, pumpkin soup with winter squash kimchi, corned pork belly with sweet onion pickle glaze, fermented red cabbage kraut and rye bread gremolata, antipasto made with Fishtown Pickle Dip, and a pickle-brined chicken schnitzel. In Percy’s Sound Lounge, there will be a Pickle Sundae Bar with wet walnuts (made with fermented honey), tea-pickled golden raisins, hot fudge, whipped sour cream, and fermented fruit. If the main event sells out, you can still participate in the Pickle Sundae Bar by purchasing tickets on Fishtown Pickle Project’s website.

    Percy Diner and Bar, 1700 N. Front St., 215-975-0020, percyphl.com

  • How these Philly-area consumers are spending $150 on all their holiday gifts

    How these Philly-area consumers are spending $150 on all their holiday gifts

    Kacii Hamer has no financial stress this holiday season.

    In past years, “holidays were always ‘give, give, give,’ and that’s what I always felt like I had to do,” said Hamer, a 33-year-old pre-K teacher and wedding photographer. Back then, “I couldn’t imagine thrifting gifts or DIYing gifts. You have that fear of ‘Oh my god, are these people going to judge me?’ or ‘Is this good enough?’”

    This year, however, Hamer is celebrating “Thriftmas,” a social-media trend where participants buy many of their holiday gifts secondhand.

    Between a family Pollyanna, a gift for her boyfriend, and a present for her goddaughter, she plans to spend no more than $150 total. For her goddaughter, she is sanding and repainting a $14 rocking horse that she got at the 2nd Ave. Thrift store in South Philadelphia.

    The thrift-focused holiday season will mark a fitting end to what Hamer calls her first “hardcore” low-buy year, one during which she cut out most nonessential spending.

    Hamer, who splits her time between the Philadelphia region and Scranton, was one of several low- and no-buyers whom The Inquirer talked with in April.

    These Philly-area residents are doing No-Buy 2025. Here’s how much they’ve saved.

    The frugal challenge took off this year amid broader economic pressures, including continued inflation. Philly-area participants said they were trying to save money, pay off debt, reduce waste, and, in some cases, stop patronizing large retailers that don’t align with their values.

    Now as the holidays approach, some low- and no-buyers are making exceptions for gifts, or using some of their recent savings to fund their festivities.

    Others, however, are standing firm in their low-spending habits. They’re setting budgets, trimming their gift-recipient lists, or shopping secondhand.

    Shoppers descend on the King of Prussia Mall on Black Friday in this 2022 file photo.

    This time of year, some local low-buyers said, it requires extra strength to resist consumerist pressures and go against the norm. Each U.S. adult is expected to spend about $628 on average on holiday gifts this year, according to the National Retail Federation, which anticipates overall holiday spending will surpass $1 trillion for the first time ever.

    At the same time, others say economic uncertainty has made for easier conversations about gifting.

    “I’m not under pressure to spend, and I think this year it’s actually easier to [cut back on gifts] than in years past,” said Mylena Sutton, 48, of Voorhees. “A lot of my friends are sensitive to what’s happening in the economy … you don’t have to explain.”

    Parents buying less for Christmas

    Some Philly-area parents have found that Santa can be thrifty, too.

    Heather Fertig, 38, of Fishtown, said about 80% of her toddler’s Christmas gifts will be secondhand. They’ll include a marble run, which she bought this week from a local thrift store, and a wooden train table, for which she remains on the hunt.

    Thanks to secondhand stores, Facebook marketplace, and neighborhood parent groups, Fertig, a stay-at-home mom, said she and her husband will likely spend about $150 in all.

    These Philly-area residents bring in hundreds of dollars a month selling stuff online. Here’s how.

    Her motivation is as much environmental as it is financial.

    After having her son, she realized, “Wow, there is so much waste,” Fertig said. “I kind of felt, previous to that, that there was a stigma around getting things secondhand.”

    But “it was never there,” she added. “It was this made-up thing that everything had to be brand-new to you.”

    Santa James Claus greets children at the Fashion District in this 2022 file photo. Some local parents have found Santa can cut back on spending, too.

    For young children, whose interests change so quickly, it makes even more sense to buy items secondhand, Fertig said. On Christmas morning, her 2-year-old doesn’t know the difference.

    “He’s just as happy as if I bought it straight from Walmart,” she said.

    In Montgomery County, Jenna Harris-Mosley said she takes a combo approach to gift-giving for her 5-year-old daughter, whose birthday is on New Year’s Eve.

    The 41-year-old bought some smaller, new gifts, including Shrek snow globes and Squishmallow stuffed toys, throughout the year to spread out spending.

    She plans to get other items secondhand, including one or two American Girl dolls for $20-$30 each. And she will set aside some money for experiences, such as an upcoming day trip to New York City for tea at the American Girl store — with the new-to-her doll, of course.

    Harris-Mosley said she took an especially intentional approach to spending this year after getting laid off from her job in tech sales in October. It has helped that she had already bought many of her daughter’s Christmas and birthday gifts when she found deals earlier in the year, she said.

    “I have things hidden in every corner of my house,” she said. And as for grown-ups “I don’t stress myself about holiday gifts,” figuring most adults in her life have the things they need — and can buy things they don’t.

    In Port Richmond, Rachel Dwyer is making homemade felt ornaments for the adults on her list, and getting two books for each child. The 34-year-old nanny has learned that too many toys and trinkets can be overwhelming for kids and parents.

    “It’s just a lot of clutter,” she said, “and a lot of junk.”

    People walk through the Shops at Liberty Place in this 2021 file photo.

    How to spend less on holiday gifts

    Seasoned low-buyers say it’s hard to cut back on spending. But once you get over the initial hurdle, they say, it’s freeing.

    “Push through the fear,” Hamer said. “It feels nice going into the holidays with such a positive attitude.”

    In South Jersey, Sutton has never been a big holiday gift-giver, saying she prefers to buy loved ones presents intentionally throughout the year.

    If others feel overwhelmed by their holiday gifts-to-buy list, she recommends they ask themselves: “Do you do these things because they have value for you? Or do you do these things because they are expected?”

    People browse the Christmas Village at LOVE Park in this 2021 file photo.

    “Be brazen about it,” said Sutton, a consultant and leadership coach. That might mean telling people: “If you only get me a gift because you expect an exchange, don’t buy me one.”

    “People who have stayed away from thrifting should get back into it,” said Jen Benner, 34, of Conshohocken. “The thrift stores are jam-packed with very good stuff.”

    If you aren’t sure about buying secondhand, “start small. Start with a child’s gift or a truck or a train or something little,” Fertig said. “Work your way up to bigger items.”

    Benner, a real estate agent, keeps a running list on her phone of gift ideas that her loved ones mention throughout the year. This can save time and anxiety around the holidays, and reduce the urge to overspend.

    Remember, too, that the most meaningful gifts can be among the least expensive, Dwyer said. She recommends personalized, handmade gifts or framed photos, as well as gifts of time or skills, such as a babysitting session, a home-cooked meal, or a family-photo session.

  • Her 105-year-old home near Palmer Cemetery got big updates, while keeping some history

    Her 105-year-old home near Palmer Cemetery got big updates, while keeping some history

    When Nicala La Reau bought a 105-year-old Fishtown home last year, the neighborhood was a major selling point. But she knew it would need “a full gut renovation.”

    “The house had incredible bones, but it was dated both inside and out — everything from the plumbing and electrical systems to the finishes and floor plan needed updating,” she said.

    La Reau appreciates the home’s “rare luxury for city living” with its generously sized backyard. “That’s where my vegetable and herb garden, and my roses all live,” she said.

    Renovations began immediately when she purchased the property in October 2024. It had been a five-bedroom, 1½-bathroom home.

    A half bathroom, so labeled in French, sits off the dining area.
    The backyard, with ample seating and La Reau’s herb garden.
    An extension of the living space, featuring colorful art and a magenta bench.
    The television sits above a wood cabinet with intricate details.

    By the time she was done renovating, about six months later, the new floor plan dropped one bedroom, putting an additional full bathroom in its place. She also expanded the primary bathroom.

    Her goal was to reconfigure the layout to create larger, more functional bathrooms and bedrooms.

    The first floor has an open-concept living, dining, and kitchen area that leads to the backyard. The second floor includes the primary suite with a large bathroom, as well as an additional bedroom, which La Reau uses as a walk-in closet. There’s also a guest bath.

    The third floor has another bedroom, an office, and access to the rooftop deck, which she uses for relaxing and entertaining.

    A wet bar on the third floor, which has access to the rooftop deck.
    The bedroom furniture is surrounded by hanging plants.

    “In the warmer months, I use it for everything from morning coffee to evening gatherings and even summer movie nights,” said La Reau.

    The home sits near Palmer Cemetery, a historic location that she believes gives her block “a unique and peaceful character.”

    “What I love most is that the land directly across the street is part of the cemetery, which means there’s a sense of openness and greenery you don’t often get in the city,” La Reau said. “It creates a rare balance of being in an urban neighborhood while still feeling connected to nature.”

    La Reau’s personal style and design flair is evident at every turn in the home. She carefully selected every finish and detail.

    In the dining area, a collection of art in various shapes and sizes and an intricately framed mirror line the walls.
    The shoe wall in La Reau’s closet.

    “The project was extensive. I completely gutted the kitchen and two existing bathrooms, added an additional full bathroom, and restored many of the home’s original features: hardwood floors, columns, stair treads and railings, as well as the marble fireplace,” she explained. And the renovation included upgrading all of the essential systems, including plumbing, electrical, and structural reinforcements.

    Still, she aimed to preserve the historic charm of the home while layering in modern elements that reflected her personal, eclectic style.

    “Much of my inspiration comes from my travels abroad, especially time spent working in Barcelona, and my family,” La Reau said. La Reau is the marketing director for North America for Pronovias, an international wedding dress designer based in Barcelona, Spain. “Parisian and European influences are woven throughout the design,” she said.

    She opted for neutral finishes to create a timeless, classic foundation that will “age gracefully,” while using accents such as glass knobs and crystal lighting fixtures to honor the home’s vintage character.

    The living space features a colorful accent wall, purple details, and columns dividing the first-floor spaces.

    In the living room depth and drama were created with a wall in Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin Moore, a balance of heathered plum and velvety brown, framing the restored fireplace and custom-built shelving.

    “I also introduced new molding throughout the primary bedroom and living areas to elevate the architectural character,” she said.

    The kitchen was one of the most important spaces, as La Reau enjoys cooking and baking. The focal point is a Kucht Gemstone KEG Series range in a slate finish with gold accents, featuring an eight-burner, double-oven statement piece that blends luxury and function.

    “To balance its boldness, I selected soft, muted finishes: marble crepe and white flooring rather than a stark black-and-white checkerboard, sandstone backsplash tiles, and granite countertops with subtle gray and brown veining,” she said.

    A Kucht Gemstone KEG Series range is a centerpiece of the kitchen.
    A large sink and gold details in the kitchen, which was an important space as La Reau loves to cook and bake.

    Throughout the home, splashes of bright color against muted fabrics and warm wood furniture create a layered but cohesive atmosphere.

    “Artwork collected from my travels is thoughtfully placed in each room, allowing every space to tell its own story while still flowing together as a whole,” La Reau said.

    She feels right at home in her community.

    The exterior of Nicala La Reau’s home.

    “The walkability to Frankford Avenue is unbeatable‚” she said. With its evolving culinary scene, she noted, there seems to always be a new restaurant or bar to check out.

    “But beyond that, there’s a neighborliness here — you see people out walking dogs, saying hello, and looking out for one another,” said La Reau. “Fishtown has a balance of growth and rootedness that feels like somewhere I can grow into long term.”

    Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.

  • Grammy nominee Dijon shrieked till his voice gave out for thousands of fans at the Met

    Grammy nominee Dijon shrieked till his voice gave out for thousands of fans at the Met

    There are few artists who can accomplish the impossible feat of a voluntary phone-free show.

    The moment Dijon Duenas — dressed casually as if he’d stopped by a Fishtown bar to watch the Eagles game — walked on to the Met stage, Philadelphians packing the 3,500-seater venue remained captivated for the full two-hour show.

    The Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and multi-instrumentalist, who goes by just his first name, made a stop at the Met Philadelphia on his 37-city tour on Sunday night.

    The international tour, which began in October, comes after the release of Dijon’s second album, Baby, “a spectacular new vision of soul, pop, and R&B” in which his “surrealist, collagist approach to songwriting stretches the bounds of sound and feeling,” according to Pitchfork.

    And altering those bounds of soul, pop, and R&B he did; performing 18 songs from new and past albums. With his nine-person band, fans watched a live jam session playing out as the artist expertly weaved together instrumentals and his voice to recreate the high production of his work live on stage.

    Starting off on a “HIGHER!” note, Dijon began the show with the ecstatic and celebratory track. Audience members were up on their feet by the first beat, dancing, bopping their heads, and singing along until he concluded the show with a heart-wrenching encore performance of “Rodeo Clown.”

    Philadelphia fans have waited four years to see Dijon back in the City of Brotherly Love, since he last stopped here in 2022 at the Union Transfer for two sold-out shows. The anticipation to see him was palatable from the mass of people buying merch and records before the show even began and the commitment to stay on their feet, phone-free throughout.

    Since his debut album Absolutely dropped in 2021, Dijon has quickly made his mark. He regularly works with guitarist and songwriter Mk.gee. He teamed up with Bon Iver for single One Day, and helped produce Justin Bieber’s SWAG. He made a cameo on Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, and will be a musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Dec. 6. And he’s up for producer of the year for his work on Bieber’s album at the Grammys.

    On Sunday, Dijon let all the small yet significant quirks of his production vibrate off the Met walls: euphoric swells in “Yamaha” offering vulnerable glimpses of joy and devotion, his trademark squawks and wails in “My Man” echoing deep emotions of resentment, and intentional pauses in “Talk Down” making space for his fans to belt out the lyrics to the crowd favorite Absolutely track.

    The flashing flood lights on stage lit up the thousands of faces that remained transfixed and almost hypnotized by Dijon’s artistry. He finished his set with soulful, soft “Kindalove,” but cheers and hollers from the crowd for a full four minutes brought the singer back on stage for two raspy, raw encore performances of “Skin” and “Rodeo Clown,” both tracks that demonstrated the lengths he’ll go — even if it means shrieking until his voice gives out.

    Watching the artist replicate his work live, for many in the audience walking out of the venue, was nothing short of — as critics have hailed his latest album — “transcendent.”