Restaurants in the city seem to get an outsized share of acclaim: they enjoy proximity to the Kimmel Center, the Academy of Music, and other high-profile performing arts venues, allowing them to draw the dinner-and-a-show crowd, and they enjoy the greatest share of tourists.

Nonetheless, it’s important not to overlook the high-quality options located outside of the city limits. Whether you live outside of Philadelphia and are looking for great restaurants close to home or you’re a city dweller looking for places outside your typical scene, this diverse selection will appeal to any palate.

Trattoria Totaro

Trattoria Totaro, a family-owned Italian BYOB in Conshohocken, offers an intimate, cozy atmosphere. This restaurant has its share of regulars, and it’s easy to see why.

In the warmer months, patrons have the option of enjoying their meal outdoors or indoors. Outdoor tables face onto Spring Mill Avenue, a street quiet enough as not to disturb your meal, but lively enough offer a friendly, neighborhood feel and a view into the heart of Conshohocken. Locals may even bump into a familiar face or two!

Inside the Trattoria, murals depicting the Italian countryside offer an exotic yet homey feel. Owners Vince and Donna and their daughters, Victoria and Alexandra, make every patron feel welcome.

Perennial favorites on the menu include Grandmom’s chocolate cake (inspired by Donna’s late mother, Claire, who loved to cook), an impossibly rich vegetable lasagna enhanced by sweet potato risotto, and pasta dishes named after Alexandra and Victoria.

While their menu clearly succeeds in drawing in regulars week after week, the Totaros don’t hesitate to changes things up. Yearly favorites include the classic Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve and Wild Game Night, which features a rotating selection of unusual meats such as boar, venison, and elk. 

Knishes & Dishes

If you’re looking for an incredible suburban Jewish deli, look no further. Lafayette Hill’s Knishes and Dishes may not look like much from the outside: its humble, unassuming facade is sandwiched between a paint store and nail salon in a well-loved strip mall. Once you step inside and place your order, however, you’ll find that it exceeds your expectations in terms of both food and service.

Most of the waitstaff at this long standing spot have been in their position for several years, which is evident in their speedy service and deep knowledge of the extensive menu. They’re accommodating and helpful, and will offer a variety of potential substitutions and modifications to dishes depending on each customer’s preferences and food sensitivities.

While the standard breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are many pages long and offer everything from pancakes to salads to meatloaf, the chefs at Knishes and Dishes are endlessly creative. They update their extensive list of specials on a weekly basis, and their names and descriptions are always clever and topical. During the last week of 2019, for example, “2020…Here We Come” specials included “Can We Get a Woot Woot?!,” “Starting Out Right,” and “Be Kind” (just to name a few).

Woojung Sushi

When you’re in the mood for a lighter lunch or dinner, sushi is a solid option. Dishes at Woojung Sushi in Plymouth Meeting are always fresh and innovative.

While the in-house sushi bar serves up sushi and sashimi in nearly every variety imaginable, Woo Jung prevents their options from becoming overwhelming by providing multiple sushi entree options. For one price, diners can elect for an option that includes miso soup, salad, and a selection of chef’s favorites.

If you prefer your lunch or dinner to be fully cooked, you can still enjoy a delicious meal at Woo Jung! In addition to a robust selection of soups and salads, non-sushi or sashimi options include hot appetizers and entrees such as chicken and salmon teriyaki, chicken and broccoli tempura, and shrimp and vegetable tempura.

If you do choose sushi, the Kiss of Fire roll is a delicious and photogenic crowd favorite. Served flaming and wrapped in foil the Kiss of Fire is warmed to the perfect temperature for a unique, smoky flavor before being put out by your gracious server. It includes shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado, and more.

Next time you’re looking for a new place to enjoy a meal out, consider venturing out of your comfort zone and trying one of these underrated destinations? You’ll be welcomed like family and have the chance to experience an innovative creation or classic dish, depending on your mood. No matter which of these places you visit or what you order, there’s no way you can go wrong.

When you set out to plan a vacation, you have a multitude of options. Large cities offer an exciting, culturally rich environment to explore, and lying on a beach with a cold drink can be therapeutic.

If you’re looking to escape the hectic rush of everyday life and don’t particularly enjoy the sand and surf, however, a stay at well-appointed inn could be an ideal getaway. Most bed and breakfasts are located close to a city large enough to explore but not so large or densely populated as to be overwhelming, and they allow their guests to adopt a slower, more relaxed pace of life.

Book a stay at one of these places and, for a precious few days, you’ll be able to focus on life’s simple pleasures: enjoying delicious food, taking long walks, getting lost in a good book, and reconnecting with those who matter most.

The Fearrington House Inn: Pittsboro, NC

The effortlessly charming Fearrington (pronounced FAIR-rington) House Inn is part of Fearrington Village, a collection of eateries and shops located on a historic farm. 

Once you’ve checked into your room (which will be filled with the sounds of the local classical music station), you can walk through the manicured grounds to visit the farm’s famous black and white belted cows and goats (lovingly nicknamed “Belties”).

Then, check out the lovely selection of restaurants and shops. The Belted Goat is a perfect one-stop shop, offering dine-in and to-go options including lunch and dinner fare, coffee and tea, and a robust wine selection. The Fearrington House Restaurant, part of the elite Relais & Chateaux restaurant group, offers a truly luxurious dinner experience as well as afternoon tea. McIntyre’s Books, Dovecote, Sprout, and Nest offer engrossing books, beautiful clothing and accessories, items for children, and housewares, respectively.

When you retire to your room for the night, you’ll find that it has been expertly prepared for a relaxing evening. Turndown service includes one pair of slippers per guest, a carafe of port (sweet dessert wine), and a selection of chocolate truffles as beautiful as they are delicious.

The Lancaster Bed and Breakfast: Lancaster, PA

You don’t have to “rough it” to stay overnight in Amish country! When you arrive at The Lancaster, you’ll feel as though you have been transported to another world. The bed and breakfast is just two blocks from downtown Lancaster, allowing you to move easily between the sanctuary of your room to several quiet yet vibrant blocks of coffee shops, restaurants, and retail stores. 

The Lancaster’s proprietors, Brad and Keith, will be your guides over the course of your stay. Each morning and evening, they will prepare a different home-cooked meal for you, complete with an explanation of the origin of each recipe. Their pride in their work as well as their passion for hospitality is evident.

In addition to your personal room and the dining room, guests at the inn have access to a luxurious lounge area. If you’re lucky enough to stay at the inn during a non-peak time, you will have a great chance of getting this room to yourself. The lounge is equipped with cookies, drinks, and a roaring fireplace which is lit during the winter months, and it is a perfect place to relax at the end of the day.

Chambery Inn: Lee, MA

The Chambery Inn is located in a region of New England known as The Berkshires. The building once served as a schoolhouse, and the rooms still have the original blackboards that once served to instruct students. Visitors fill them with messages welcoming future guests and announcing their reasons for coming to the inn, such as celebrating a honeymoon or wedding anniversary.

The Chambery Inn experience is intensely private. While the Fearrington House Inn and The Lancaster serve breakfast in a communal dining room, guests at the Chambery Inn fill out a slip of paper with their food preferences, hang it outside their door, and wake up to a room-delivered breakfast basket complete with the day’s New York Times.

The amenities don’t stop there: most rooms are equipped with a whirlpool hot tub, sitting area, and canopied bed. No matter the season when you choose to visit, the hot tub is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a day out on the town.

The town of Lee, Massachusetts is small, but there are many attractions to explore within a short driving distance. If you visit during the summer months, you should take the opportunity to attend a concert at the Tanglewood Music Center, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Don’t forget your bug spray! Athletic or adventurous visitors in the spring and summer should plan a day at Ramblewild, a one-of-a-kind treetop adventure park in Lanesborough, Massachusetts that will test your fitness while delivering an incredibly fun experience.

Next time you’re deciding what to do with your vacation days, why not consider a trip to a bed and breakfast or small inn? By choosing a destination that is off the beaten path, you’ll increase the chances of having privacy and avoid any potential overcrowding. 

Another major benefit is that, in your choice to support an independent business rather than a large hotel chain, you’ll experience great customer service. You may even forge personal bonds with your hosts: people who have chosen a career in the hospitality industry because it is their passion. Small inns and bed and breakfasts provide an intimate, personalized experience that chains simply can’t match.

Finding the attractions most suited to you may not be as easy as it would be in a large city, but your host and online sources such as Yelp can provide that service. The fact that you are visiting a city that does not necessarily welcome a huge number of tourists means that you’ll have some unique stories to tell upon your return home.

There are numerous advantages to daily journaling: those who keep a record of their thoughts, feelings, and actions report that it helps them to reflect on their circumstances and aids in personal growth. Physical benefits abound as well: maintaining a journal aids with stress management, improves your mood, and more.

For many, however, writing in a journal every day is a difficult habit to build, since the empty page can be intimidating. Without a set structure to follow, especially busy or significant days may seem too overwhelming to summarize, while less eventful ones may not feel worth chronicling at all.

By using innovative methods involving your smartphone and the classic notebook (with a twist), you can maintain a record of your daily life in a meaningful way.

One Second Every Day (1SE) App

Thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones, capturing silly, meaningful, and memorable events over the course of a typical day is easier than ever before. Modern phones have both photo and video capabilities, and if a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video is worth many times more. The elements of sound and movement evoke a stronger association with the moment than any still photo.

This idea is what drove Cesar Kuriyama to create One Second Every Day, a smartphone app that allows you to upload a video daily. The app provides tools to crop each video and choose your favorite second. At the end of a week, month, or year, the app mashes the video snippets together, providing an easily digestible account of any span of time.

The videos can be of anyone or anything: an unusual or especially good meal, a book you happen to be reading, a group of friends, or a moment of your commute to work or school. The format is simultaneously constraining and demanding, but it’s quicker and easier than sitting down to a blank journal page at the end of every day. 

In addition to bringing life to a seemingly mundane week or month, the challenge of finding moments to record will push you make each day meaningful. As time goes on and your video diary grows longer, you may find yourself calling a friend who you haven’t seen in a while, signing up for a new exercise class, or visiting a new restaurant that you’ve been meaning to try.

One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Journal

The one line a day journal relies on the traditional method of pen and paper rather than smartphone technology, but it is structured in a unique way.

The pages of the journal are not blank; instead, each section lists a date at the top (beginning with January 1 and continuing all the way to New Year’s Eve, December 31). The pages are divided into five sections, containing a space to write in the current year and a few lines.

The idea behind the journal is to write just one or two sentences to sum up each day. For five years, you’ll move steadily through the pages, only to turn back to the first page at the start of each new year. Once you’ve made it through a full year, you’ll be able to compare past and present entries in real time: the highlights of each given day exactly one, two, three, and four years ago will be readily apparent as you make your entry each day.

This concept has some similarities to the One Second Every Day app: by using an ultra-condensed format, it challenges you to immortalize one or two highlights of your day. While it’s easier to experience a week, month, or year in review by watching a compilation of one second videos, the One Line A Day journal provides the option of describing what’s on your mind along with providing a basic summary. Also, while a missed day of taking video cannot be recovered, it’s easy enough to catch up on your One Line a Day journal if you end up falling a day or two behind.

You can begin a One Line A Day journal using any notebook: just write the date at the top of each page and divide pages into five sections. The journal designed by Yao Cheng, however, is gorgeous and inspiring. There are celestial, floral, canvas, and modern designs available, and the pages have a watercolor background that is striking, yet light enough that it does not compete with your words.

If you’ve tried and failed to maintain a traditional journal and are looking for an innovative way to keep a record of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, you should consider giving One Second Every Day or One Line A Day a try. You could even do both: the combined effort recording a few seconds of video and writing one or two lines will take up less than ten minutes of your time.

Finally, One Second Every Day and One Line A Day could empower you to scale back or even eliminate your use of social media, if you so choose. Facebook, Instagram, and other websites and apps offer features that display memories from previous years, but these journaling methods do this naturally while also encouraging you to take risks and live your most authentic life.

After the excitement of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, the first months of a new year can be a letdown. January and February are icy and lacking in daylight hours, and many people struggle to adjust to a return to work after New Year’s Day. The pressure to form new habits and stick to New Year’s resolutions is another factor contributing to this sense of malaise.

Throwing a Super Bowl party is the perfect antidote to the winter blues. Whether you’re a football fan or you prefer to watch the commercials, the Super Bowl provides the perfect excuse to get a group of friends and family together for a casual, low-stakes day of fun.

Menu

Unlike the major holidays, parties centered around sports don’t come with the expectation of a complicated, labor-intensive menu. In fact, it’s the exact opposite!

What you choose to serve depends, of course, on your preferences and those of your guests, but you can’t go wrong with pizza, hoagies, and beer. Order from your favorite place, ask friends for their recommendations, or use resources like Yelp to narrow down your options.

Other crowd favorites to have at your party are wings, nachos, and pretzels. You can order a party platter or buy low-maintenance snacks at your local grocery store. Also, don’t hesitate to ask your guests to bring a drink, dessert, or side dish: your loved ones will want to help you throw the best party possible, and having people bring food and drinks helps to ensure that everyone’s favorites are available.

If you’re really aiming to impress, you can cook a cute, delicious side dish or dessert for the group to enjoy. For those with serious baking skills, cookies or cupcakes decorated with icing to look like footballs are sure to be a hit. 

Looking for a recipe that’s truly out of the box? You could even craft football shaped grilled cheese sandwiches (using dark rye bread for the maximum realistic effect) or decorate chocolate covered strawberries with white chocolate or white icing to resemble laces.

Decor

There’s no need to go overboard, but your guests will appreciate some small touches. Search Amazon or stop by your local Target or party supply store for football-themed plastic tablecloths, napkins, and paper plates.

For the especially crafty, Pinterest is a great resource. If you have the time and are looking to make a big impression, you can make your home “pop” by hanging a “water break” sign on a drink dispenser, creating customized sleeves for your soda bottles, or decorating mason jars to hold utensils.

Entertainment Options

Keep in mind that not all of your guests may be eager to watch the game. If your city’s team is not in the game or if you know that some of your friends and family don’t follow sports too closely, you may want to include alternative entertainment options in your celebration.

The Puppy Bowl, televised on Animal Planet each year on the day of the Super Bowl, is an adorable event that involves puppies eligible for adoption playing their own miniature football game. Kittens star in the halftime show, and other baby animals including hamsters, pigs, and chickens make cameos.

If you have multiple TVs in your home, you may want to dedicate one to the Super Bowl and another to the Puppy Bowl. Provide snacks and drinks in both spaces, and let guests choose where they would like to hang out. People may even move back and forth to get the best of both worlds: sports and cute animals.

Depending on the size of your party, you could also elect to set up a space with music, video games, and board games. By combining football and different types of games, you’ll create a party that no one will want to leave!

Follow the tips in this guide to throw an awesome Super Bowl party. You and your family and friends will be able to shake off the winter doldrums and enjoy a festive yet laid-back day.

Most importantly, try not to go overboard by putting too much time or money into planning this celebration: after all, the goal is to encourage a low-stakes, relaxed feel. Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or a commercials-and-wings enthusiast, you’ll have a memorable Sunday with the people who matter most.

The Philadelphia area is known for Rocky, the Liberty Bell, greasy cheesesteak, and extra-large slices of pizza. Case in point: the Philly Taco involves wrapping a slice from Lorenzo’s around a cheesesteak from Jim’s and consuming it all together as one gloriously cheesy meal. 

Nonetheless, Philly’s passion for fitness is just as strong as its love for cheesesteak, pizza, and soft pretzels. Read on for four fantastic fitness events in the area that will challenge you, educate you, keep you laughing, and feed you once you reach the finish line.

Valley Forge 5 Mile Run

In the running world, there are a few set distances which most races tend to cover: 5 kilometers (approximately 3.1 miles), 10 kilometers, 15 kilometers, a half marathon (13.1 miles), and a full marathon (26.2 miles). For relatively new runners who are comfortable with a 5K but may be intimidated by the prospect of entering a 10K or 15K, 5 miles is a perfect step-up distance. For those with a 10K, 15K, or even a marathon under their belts, pacing out a 5 mile run poses a unique challenge.

When you set out on the Valley Forge Revolutionary 5 Mile Run, you will reap benefits beyond a runner’s high. Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site where, during the American Revolutionary War, George Washington and his troops camped from 1777 to 1778. The run’s course will take you past reconstructed log cabins similar to those that the troops would have used during their encampment, Washington’s Memorial Chapel, and the United States National Memorial Arch. History buffs have the opportunity to stop by the visitor’s center to learn more.

The views are beautiful throughout: you’ll run through meadows and woodlands full of natural wildlife. For families and those who prefer a shorter walk or run, race organizers offer a three-mile walk and “Young Patriots Fun Run” for children ages 6-13 which covers the patriotic distance of 1.776 kilometers (approximately one mile).

Phillies Charities 5K

As a baseball fan, you can show your support for the Philadelphia Phillies in ways beyond attending games and buying jerseys. Proceeds from the Phillies Charities 5K, which takes place at the end of March each year, support organizations throughout the greater Philadelphia area, New Jersey, and Delaware.

The course consists of a loop around Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ home stadium. You’ll be entertained throughout the run, since there are multiple stations along the loop featuring live music, cheerleaders, and – best of all – the Phillie Phanatic in all of his green, fuzzy glory. When it’s time to cool down, you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to take a lap or two around the field.

Registration for this race includes some serious perks. All participants receive a voucher for four tickets to an April Phillies game, a lightweight baseball-style shirt, a medal and bib, a drawstring bag, and a discount which may be used in the Phillies Team Store.

Beer Muscles Strongman Competition

If you prefer weights to cardio, Beer Muscles is the event for you! Held at 2SP Brewing Company in Aston, PA, co-hosted by Power Plant Gym, and sanctioned by the American Strongman Corporation, Beer Muscles is accessible to beginners as well as seasoned athletes.

Registration is divided into women’s and men’s lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight classes. The “novice” division, which includes men’s and women’s lightweight and heavyweight divisions, is recommended for those with zero to little weightlifting experience, and even those who have entered the competition in previous years may choose to be placed in novice depending upon their skill and comfort level.

The competition’s events change each year, but they are always beer-themed. Past events have included a backwards keg toss (with the goal of clearing a bar), pulling a 2SP beer truck (set in neutral) arm-over-arm using a rope, and loading kegs of various weights to a platform. Events take no more than two minutes each to complete, but they’ll make your heart race as much or more than any run.

Spectators and athletes who have finished their events are welcome to sample beers in 2SP’s tasting room. Several food trucks are stationed outside to feed hungry athletes throughout the day, and sponsors set up tents with fitness-related merchandise including tee shirts, tank tops, and protein bars.

Pirate Fun Run at the Renaissance Faire

For the first time in 2019, the Mount Hope, PA-based Renaissance Faire held a pirate-themed 5K and Fun Run/Treasure Hunt. While those focused primarily on running begin a chip-timed 5K at 9:00 AM, those in search of a unique experience can sleep in and arrive later in the morning for an 11:00 AM treasure hunt. Registration includes both options, so you can decide what you’d like to do as late as the morning of the event.

Treasure hunt participants receive a piece of paper filled with questions and just one hour to run around the grounds in search of as many answers as possible. There are several actors in costume available to offer clues, but they have the option of being as explicit or cryptic as they choose. The clues are difficult, even for those who have attended the Renaissance Faire, and in order to find the answers without running out of time, you’ll need to “move your booty” (to use the slogan included on the race t-shirts).

Costumes are optional, but dressing up as a pirate or in Renaissance-era garb makes for some great photo ops! Once time runs out, everyone has the chance to enjoy a complimentary turkey leg and pint of beer while the winners are announced. Prizes in 2019 included cash, gift cards, a bike, and a 2020 Renaissance Faire season pass.

The Philadelphia fitness scene offers engaging events that appeal to individuals and families with diverse interests and levels of activity. Whether you’re a regular gym goer, fun runner, or none of the above, there is an event out there for you! Why not step outside of your comfort zone? If nothing else, you’ll cross the finish line with swag and an awesome story to tell.