BYOB = Bring Your Own Good Time... I'm Back Baby!

Some people choose a good BYOB to save a buck on the bill, I go for them because I get to bring the best part of the meal!  The Booze!  Choose your favorite place and/or cuisine and then take yourself on a little trip to Total Wine (aka: my Mecca) and pick up a few bottles of wine, a good plum sake or mix and match make your own six pack to bring.

The BYOB
A no-brainer BYOB is always Italian, and there is no better place to go then the Italian Market area.  May I suggest August BYOB?  August is a comfy little trattoria located on South 13th street, only open for dinner and only Wednesday - Sunday.

In a place like this, I always suggest that you go crazy on the appetizers and get an entree to split.  I'd go for the Roasted Red Peppers, Spicy Sausage and Beet Salad for an app, then split the Farfalle Pasta with crab meat, sun dried tomatoes and porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce.  Its the perfect dish to split, the cream sauce dishes can be heavy but not when you're sharing it... it's just enough.

Italian food and red wine practically go hand in hand... so if you're going to go red I'd go all the way and get a nice Chianti.  I suggest a mid priced bottle of La Castellina Chianti.  It's a bit on the sweet floral side, however the spice really comes through on your pallet and will pop once paired with the roasted red pepper app and the creamy pasta dish.

If Italian isn't your style, no need to worry.  Philly's number one tourism site visitphilly.com, has a great City Guide to BYOB's.

It's my suggestion that you hang out and take in all the BYOB has to offer.  Finish a bottle of wine or two, enjoy dessert and the company you're keeping, maybe take a stroll around the city when you're done.  Sometimes just dinner and good friends are all you really need for a night out on the town.

Eat, drink and be merry.  Cheers!

I think I'll have myself a beer

So many things Beer related are happening in Philly within the next few months... it's hard not to plan a date revolving around all these great events!  


Lets start in Fishtown... yea I said it, Fishtown
Steven Starr, will you ever retire?  I think not.  Starr Restaurants announced the opening of Frankford Hall, a very urban version of a traditional German Beer Garden.  It's located on 1210 Frankford Ave in Fishtown; very up and coming so I hear.  Frankford Hall has 9 taps with a great mixture of brews to check out.  My favorite part of this is, the food... you get it at the "walk up" counter.  Steven.... going so cas[ual], I love it!  The good is traditional German.  Although I have yet to attend Frankford Hall, I'm really looking forward to the Bavarian bread dumplings and Schnitzel.  

"Now Open: Frankford Hall, Stephen Starr’s New Beer Garden Bringing Brews, Brats, Ping Pong And More To Fishtown" - UWishUNu

Its a Sprint not a Marathon...
This week is American Craft Beer Week all over the nation and June 3 - 12th is Philly Beer Week (but events are going on as we speak).  There are so many things to do downtown, who could possibly remember them all? Download the iPhone or Android App which lists all the events and locations.  


This Saturday, do your best to get down to Varga Bar this Saturday for the All-American BBQ featuring Dogfish Head brews.  There will be grilling outside, games and Dogfish Head beer... not a bad way to spend the day just before the world ends, eh?

Afterwards, you can head to the South Philly Tap Room for the 6th Annual Wheat Beer Fest.  They will be tossin out over 20 different Wheats from tons of great breweries like  Great Lakes Brewing Co. , Harpoon Brewery , Philadelphia Brewing Co. , Sly Fox Brewing Co. , Spaten - Franziskaner , Victory Brewing Company 

This is going to be a great next few weeks for Philly Beer Lovers... so many tap rooms, so little time!  


PhilaDate has spoken... go eat, drink and be merry... or just really drunk with this line up.

I Can Date Clearly Now the Rain is Gone!

It's that time of year!  The sun is shining, the rain is pretty much gone and outside seating is now OPEN!  There is nothing better then sitting outside with a good beer or glass of wine, good company and good eats.  The outside date is something you can do with a love interest, spouse, or a friend(s).  Either way, shake off the cabin fever and head outside!


Where do all the people meet? South Street, South Street!
There is always a great place to eat outside on South Street.  A safe suggestion would be Bridget Foy's at 200 South Street - the very end, closer to Headhouse Square.  B.Foy's has some great outdoor seating with a nice awning/railing combo that will keep you from harsh sun and/or  sporadic rain showers while enjoying your meal.  Its a great place for Brunch or an early dinner so you can catch the sunset behind you at Penn's Landing.  


The menu here is quite unique!  The Pulled Pork Empanadas, with the Feta White Bean Salad (I like to add Shrimp to mine), and an original Margarita to wash it all down is what I like to call a successful afternoon.

B.Foy's at night is very happening outside and so pretty to sit and people watch!

The Empanadas are TO DIE for!

  

Dressin' and Impressin'
If you really want to impress your date for the evening OR just want something fun to do after an early bird dinner... TONIGHT head on over to the Old City Design and Fashion Night!  From "5:30-8:30 p.m., more than 20 participating businesses, including furniture and lighting showrooms, fashion boutiques, salons and art galleries, host special events and exhibits, both public and private."  This is a free event and it's all throughout Old City  - however you do need a ticket to get in to some galleries.   


So park at Headhouse Square and walk on over to Old City after dinner (head down 2nd street till you hit Chestnut and I'm sure you'll find it).

  

That's it kids, go Eat Drink and be Merry!  Also - big shout out to the awesome VisitPhilly blog - U Wish U Nu for all the great tips on happenings in the P-H-I!  If you want to read a great blog about unique things happening in the city go to www.uwishunu.com  

A Burger and a Shake; the Perfect Spring Date

In like a lion? Yea, you're not kiddin!  I think all of us in the Northeast can agree that next year, we're opting for a new Groundhog.  It's rough to plan a date this time of year - it looks sunny and nice out but it's still a little cold.  The first few weeks of Spring can bring snow and ice - if that's the case, may I suggest burgers, fries and lots of alcohol! 


I Want to Love You... Pretty Young Thing
The Piazza at Schmidts is Philadelphias newest Jewel.  The Piazza is located on North 2nd Street and Germantown Ave, just below Girard.  It is an architectural beauty, with some of the best event space in No.Libs.  Just about everything is located within the walls of this place; food, drink, music venus, etc.  One of the best things about The Piazza is PYT!  This burger joint brings a whole new meaning to "Holy Cow", and did I mention Rachael Ray did a spot for her Show there not to long ago?

Getting back to the important facts... not only can you have  your choice of over 15 kinds of burgers and sandwiches, but you can get yourself a Milkshake with "Spirit".  I would have to suggest The ?uestlove shake created by Philly's Own ?uestlove of The Roots.  This shake includes vanilla ice cream, frangelico, and Irish cream liqueur - a mixture to surely leave seeing happy little trees.  As much as I love a good burger, I think I'd have to go with PYT's Tomato/Bacon/and Cheddar Grilled Cheese, even though the heart attack on a Plate - aka The Cheesesteak Pretzel Roll Burger would be reason enough to break my lenten sacrifice of "Don't Eat Like Crap".  

Either way, you can't go wrong; burgers + shakes with a twist + PYT Hipster Atmosphere = Hot Child in the City!

What a Meal... What Now?
There are a few options for an after dinner activity.  There is always something happening at the Backroom@PYT, someone is always spinnin.  But if you're in the mood to relax for the rest of the night with a good brew or glass of wine, may we suggest Bar Ferdinand?  They have a great selection of wines (Red, Rose and White), and a very interesting selection of Beer including Victory, Sly Fox, River Horse and a personal imported favorite, Sole De Cadiz - pilsner with fresh squeezed Orange Juice.  Bar Ferdinand has a very "chill out man" kind of look to it.  The bars old world feel is a result of the earth toned walls, gorgeous rounded archways, bright mosaics, a few pieces from renowned painter Ben Kamihira, red light lamps, a bar counter made in the "old world process scagliola", and dried roses hanging sporadically throughout the space.  It's definitely the best place to end the night in a very low key fashion.

Do your best to keep up that Spring spirit amidst the last few days of the cold weather.  Do not forget to eat, drink and be merry... and REPORT BACK TO US!

The Food Truck... Don't Knock It Till Ya Tried It!

One of Philly's latest food trends is... the food truck.  From Tyson Bees (Chef Tyson Wong Ophaso) to Guapos Tacos (Iron Chef, Jose Garces), the food truck biz is boomin and what a better time then when Spring has almost sprung?


Truckin'
There are a ton of trucks to pick from these days.  Chef's all over are realizing that their target audience is the guy or girl on the go.  The way to get peoples butts in seats is to catch their attention first... so get 'em on the go.  The food truck is not only convenient but usually reasonable in price.  Tyson Bee's food truck is usually located on 33rd and Spruce - right in the heart of University City - from 11:30am to 7pm.  As the weather gets warmer they may move around.  


If you're in the mood for a Late Night Snack, Iron Chef Jose Garces debuted his Food Truck "Guapos Tacos".  On March 4, 2011 Garces hit the streets at 13th and Chancellor.  No word yet as to where they will be this week, but follow Guapos Tacos on twitter @guapostacos and be sure to hit their next spot!


I Got My Food Truck, Who Could Ask For Anything More?
So once you've purchased your Food Truck fare, walk over to the nearest park; my favorite spot in the Spring is Rittenhouse.  This time of year there is beautiful foliage blooming, as well as some interesting folks for good people watching.  If you can't take it anymore and find yourself finishing your meal on the way to the park... get your liquid dessert!  In this city there is a Starbucks on every corner.  Bikini season is sooner then you think, so avoid the Cupcake,  grab an iced Chai Latte and enjoy the city my friends.


The Great and Powerful PhilaDate has spoken, so go drink eat and be merry.

The Oscar Date, never a dull moment...

The winter is starting to fade, but the rain keeps putting a damper on those nights out on the town.  Never fear... the OSCAR's are here.  The Oscars put my movie watching abilities in to gear.  There is nothing better then a few friends on the couch - drink(s) in hand, watching this years Oscar winning films.  This just so happens to be a family friendly date as well.  If you just can't seem to find a sitter; pop in Toy Story 3 and when the kids fall asleep you can slip on Inception!


Dinner Comes First:
So living near or in the city, there are so many options for a great meal.  I'm sure PhilaDate has mentioned this before, but www.diningin.com is one of the BEST things to happen to the food scene in a long time!  You can get take out from some of the city's BEST establishments!  There is a feature called "Daily Deals" and here you can find coupons for delivery and food.  I don't know about you, but for this Oscar Move Night I'd take advantage of the Reduced Delivery Rate coupon of $4.99 for El Vez or The Continental.  Who could go wrong with Martini's or Margaritas?  Not me!


The Movie:
You can go with Netflix if you have a subscription, or you can just head to your local BlockBuster and check out a few movies.  I always like to go with the films who have won Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Roles and Best Motion Picture.  That is definitely enough cinema to fill up a night... or maybe two!


This date is not only saving you money on rising gas prices, but it's saving you from a crowd of noisy Phildadelphians and letting you spend time with the people who matter.  


Ok, PhilaDate has spoken so go eat, drink and be merry!

Beer and Chocolate; Now Thats My Kind of Valentines Day

This year Valentines Day falls on a Monday; so some folks might be celebrating this weekend.  If that is the case, this city is your oyster!  I've recently discovered the amazingness that is 13th street between Chestnut and Sansom - "Marcie Turney and Valerie Sufran are the pioneering entrepreneurs whose 6 restaurants & boutiques on 13th street in Philadelphia have helped transform the once desolate neighborhood in to trendy mid-town village".  These ladies own three of my favorite restaurants (Lolita, Barbuzzo, and Bindi) and one very funky clothing/accessories/knick-knacks/Chocolate/Flowers store that I just can't get enough of; Verde.  This Valentines Day, Verde is hosting a Beer and Chocolate Shopping Event!  This Sunday, February 13th don't miss out!  For more information on Verde, check out their blog at http://www.verdephiladelphia.blogspot.com/




The Main Event:
If you live near a train station, my suggestion is... take it in to the city!  I'd get off at Suburban Station and walk on over to 13th between Sansom and Chestnut.  You can't miss this block, it's so hip, it's just oozing with funky friendly people.  Once you get to Verde, Chef Turney and Sufran will have a keg of Yards Love Stout (how appropriate) tapped.  Grab a free beer, and peruse the store... I'll tell you it's where I got my Philly Heart's Me t-shirt.  Be sure to purchase some of that delish Marcie Blaine Chocolate as well.  




The Post Game Show:
Well since you're already in Mid-Town Village, you may as well go have another beer and a slice of gourmet pizza at Barbuzzo! This "Mediterranean Kitch & Bar" is just the right mix of trend and comfort.  The large wood globe lamps hanging over the cherry wood barstools really make for the best atmosphere to relax in on a Sunday afternoon with a good beer and a cute boy... or girl... ya know, whatever you like... I'm not judging.




Valentines Day being on a Monday is the perfect excuse to spend the entire weekend... together... doing everything... or nothing at all.  Ok kids... go, eat, drink and be merry!