Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Food, Glorious Food:

1. Can’t decide between the chocolate peanut butter martini, White Cosmo, Miami Sky, Red Hot Mary or the dozen-or-so other specialty drinks at Red Sky Restaurant and Lounge? Now, guests don’t have to. They can order up to four different carafes, which contain two glasses each of whatever mixed drinks they desire, priced at a special rate, depending on the drink. Garnished with Hershey’s Kisses, flavored sugars and other exotic additions, carafes are a great way to please everyone’s taste while saving money on the regular drink price. 224 Market Street, (215) 925-8080, www.redskylounge.com
2. If committing to purchase an entire bottle of wine seems a little daunting, patrons at contemporary Italian Ristorante Panorama can sample different wines by ordering a flight of white, red, mixed, dessert or spumante. Each category contains about five varying sub-categories like “Aromatic Alternatives to Chardonnay,” “Tuscan Treasures,” “Viva Espana” and “Sticky Sweet.” And each flight costs between $16 and $48 and contains five 1.5-ounce glasses. 14 N. Front Street, (215) 922-7800, www.pennsviewhotel.com
3. So many beers, so little time. This typical brewpub conundrum is easily solved with a Brewmaster’s Sampler at Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant. For $5.50, patrons can taste five four-ounce portions of beers brewed on-premises, like Bohemian Blonde, Schuylkill Punch and Crook’s Mill Pale Ale. Drinkers can either choose their own favorites from the eight beers on tap, or the bartender will pour the four year-round beers and the freshest seasonal selection. 4120 Main Street, (215) 482-8220, www.manayunkbrewery.com
4. Employees at Mercato restaurant admit that their oil list has caused some patrons to call the restaurant pretentious, but they insist that by selling specialized oils in their dining room, they’re actually providing a unique opportunity for guests to “compare oils and to get a taste to open up their mouths before dinner, almost like an amuse-bouche.” The American-Italian bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) spot offers a flight of two oils and a vinegar, which are intended to be eaten with bread, olives, salad and dinner, for $5. The current oil list boasts seven oils from Italy, Greece, Tunisia and Chile, as well as a white balsamic vinegar and an infused vinegar. Of course, house oil is free. 1216 Spruce Street, (215) 985-2962, www.mercatobyob.com
5. A great way to keep the kids entertained during dinner or to break the ice with a first date is to help the chef prepare the food. At University City’s Penne Restaurant, head chef Roberta Adamo informally invites her guests to roll pasta with her at the chef’s table, positioned directly in front of the open kitchen. Guests can either reserve the table, which seats 6-8, or they can wander over and offer to help out while Adamo is rolling and cutting the dough for any of the six pastas currently on the menu. 3600 Sansom Street, (215) 823-6222, www.pennerestaurant.com
6. Wine and cheese lovers will – to their delight – never be the same after a Friday night outside the Westin Hotel Philadelphia’s lobby bar, where a representative from DiBruno Bros. pairs cheeses, fondues and light snacks with wines selected by the hotel’s sommelier. For just $24.95, pleasure-seekers get five glasses of wine (each week features a different country) and as much delicious cheese and gastronomic education as they can stomach. Fridays 5:00-8:00 p.m. 99 S. 17^th Street, (215) 563-1600, www.westin.com
7. The phrase “chocolate heaven” doesn’t even begin to describe the mounds of chocolate and assorted desserts served Thursday nights at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia. It’s all you eat from 8:00 until 11:00 p.m. in The Rotunda area of the hotel, where chefs prepare a buffet table piled high with 20-25 types of sweets. Imagine chocolate-covered strawberries, a chocolate fountain, crepes, fresh fruit, rich cakes and many other delights, all for $24.99. 10 Avenue of the Arts, (215) 523-8000, www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/philadelphia
8. It’s all about sweets for the sweet on Friday and Saturday nights at the elegant Swann Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, where two people can nibble on a made-to-order tart for $14.00. Diners can select from three different types of shells, which may be flavored with ingredients like chocolate, cookie dough or meringue, depending on the week, and fill it with their selection of three different toppings, many of which are fresh fruit. The chef mixes in a puff cream, pops it in the oven, and voila. One Logan Square, (215) 963-1500, www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia

Boundless Philadelphia™:

1. Go vertical at Go Vertical, the biggest indoor rock-climbing gym on the East Coast. Philadelphia’s only rock-climbing gym welcomes experienced climbers to drop in and spend the day climbing on the biggest lead wall in the country, among hundreds of other climbing routes. (Unsupervised day pass $17). Novices can drop in for a 10-minute supervised “sample” climb for $18, or they can sign up for a two-hour beginner class, which costs $65. Children are welcome on most climbing routes; prices listed are adult only. 950 N. Penn Street, (215) 928-1800, www.govertical.com
2. There may be no prettier way to take in the natural sites of Southeastern Pennsylvania than by coasting over them in a hot air balloon. While several companies operate balloon flights out of Bucks County, Balloon Expeditions is noteworthy because its president, Bob Waligunda, has been called “the dean of American balloonists” by Sports Illustrated magazine. Bob and his staff run one-hour flights throughout the year, weather permitting. A standard sunrise or sunset flight costs $175 per person and includes a pre-flight briefing, balloon flight and post-flight champagne toast. Lahaska, (800) 592-1525, www.upupnaway.com
3. Spring Mountain Ski Resort in Montgomery County is one of the only places in the country that offers treetop canopy tours – a series of zip line and rope challenges high up in the trees. Not for the faint-of-heart, the excursions keep visitors a few hundred feet off the ground, with nothing but their harness, a few carabineers and the cables used to land fighter jets on aircraft carriers to keep them in the air. Spring Mountain recently started offering rock climbing tours and geocaching trips, which are GPS-assisted treasure hunts through the woods. Skiing is just one of the winter activities available here. 757 Spring Mount Road, Spring Mount, (610) 287-7900, www.springmountain-fun.com
4. People who love exploring a new place by running through it with equally fleet-footed locals have a standing invitation to join the Philly Runners group for any of its races or events. More than 500 men and women of all ages and skill levels are part of this welcoming organization based in Center City. Informal all-skills runs take place every Saturday morning and Tuesday evening throughout the year and start and end at the bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. Runners split into groups determined by pace and distance, so there’s a comfort level for everyone. www.phillyrunners.org
5. “Eliminate the fear. Embrace the power. Love the bike.” This slogan is the mantra for Sturdy Girl Cycling, an all-female bike club that encourages women to gain confidence through riding. Selected as a 2005 Club of the Year by USA Cycling (the sport’s governing body), Sturdy Girl makes most of its rides and events open to the (female) public for a fee. www.sturdygirlcycling.com
6. One of the most scenic and talked-about bike rides in the region is the not-to-be-missed annual Covered Bridges Ride, sponsored by the Central Bucks Bicycle Club. Each October, 2,000 riders from all over the United States converge on Bucks County to ride through six historic covered bridges and up to 63 miles (shorter rides possible) of some of the prettiest scenery in the country. The ride concludes with a grande finale picnic and party. www.cbbikeclub.org
7. Visitors can get a new perspective on Philadelphia’s sites by seeing them by bicycle, moped or Segway. Guided bike and moped tours ride leisurely through Center City, from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River and include several stops and a picnic lunch. There’s a base four-hour package (day or evening) and two pre-made tour packages: an Eastern State Penitentiary package and a Philadelphia Zoo package, which include lunch and admission to attractions. Tours range from $56 to $89 and include a professional guide, helmets, safety training and a Philly Phlash ticket from the end of the route back into the city.
8. Or, visitors can ride a Segway Human Transporter past popular Philadelphia sites like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Boathouse Row and Fairmount Park. I Glide Tours run a 2 ½-hour escorted tour, which begins with a hands-on training session and ample time to get comfortable riding the Segway. Tours of up to nine gliders launch from Eakin’s Oval, just across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ($49-$69). (877) 474-3127, www.buyphiladelphiatours.com

A Little Bit of History, A Whole Lot of Fun:

1. Students of the sea can spend a night on the legendary Battleship New Jersey, a floating museum on the Camden Waterfront across from Center City Philadelphia. During the overnight encampment, children older than seven and their chaperones will learn their way around the nation’s most decorated battleship by: taking a guided tour of the historic WWII-era ship; climbing inside the ship’s 16-inch gun turrets; chowing down in the crew’s mess; participating in a “dogfight” over Iwo Jima in the 4D Flight Simulator; and exploring the Captain’s and Admiral’s cabins while climbing up and down the ship’s original ladders and companionways. Participants then spend the night in a bunk. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, NJ, (866) 877-6262, www.battleshipnewjersey.org
2. The Civil War is as real as it gets every June at Pennypacker Mill’s Civil War Reunion Evening Lantern Tours. Much more spooky and surreal than being a daytime witness to the re-enacted battles, lantern tours bring visitors into the encampment where the smells of the campfire, the voices of commanders planning the next day’s battle, the cries of the wounded at the field hospital, the nighttime glow of signal torches and the sounds of soldiers singing envelop participants. Often, to their surprise, visitors are called upon to actively participate in the goings-on. 5 Haldeman Road, Schwenksville, (610) 287-9349, www.montcopa.org
3. It’s easy to believe it’s the 17^th century again while taking part in a hands-on workshop at Pennsbury Manor, William Penn’s recreated country home. Workshops run frequently throughout the year and include family-friendly events like Sheepshearing & Historic Trades (washing and carding sheep, spinning the wool, etc.) and Colonial Cooking (helping to prepare some of Mrs. Penn’s recipes). 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville, (215) 946-0400, www.pennsburymanor.org

Art Action, Wine Time, Undersea Adventures and More:

1. For decades, tourists have mimicked the legendary Rocky Balboa movie character by running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and finishing with a triumphant fists-in-the-air wave. Now, they can end their victory lap with a photo next to the famous Rocky statue that was donated by Sylvester Stallone himself. In September 2006, the city’s park commission approved the statue’s move to the bottom of the museum’s steps, where all eight feet and six inches of the bronze Rocky should continue to proudly gaze on in perpetuity. 26^th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
2. Wine enthusiasts looking for an opportunity to get closer to the land can pick their own grapes each harvest season at Peace Valley Winery. Four acres of land are stocked with two red varietals (Fredonia and Steuben grapes) and one white varietal (Niagara), which pickers can scoop up for $.75 per pound. After spending a few hours hunched over the vines, visitors can sample from the winery’s 20 estate-bottled wines, available to taste for free from Wednesday to Sunday. Limekiln Road, Chalfont, (215) 249-9058
3. It’s all about lavender at the Peace Valley Lavender Farm, where visitors are invited to pick their own lavender to bring home (six different types; approximately $1 per ounce) along with lots of lavender goodies from the on-site gift shop. Although lavender can be picked primarily in June and July, with some availability in the fall, the shop is open Thursday through Sunday year-round for sales of items like bath and body products, sachets and pillows, dried lavender floral arrangements and wreaths. 802 New Galena Road, Doylestown, (215) 249-8462, www.peacevalleylavender.com
4. People looking to put a little spring in their step can find it at the Society Hill Dance Academy, where $10 buys entry into one of many lively drop-in dance classes. No partner, experience or reservation is necessary to get a 45-minute group introduction to dances like the salsa, cha-cha, foxtrot and rhumba. Drop in classes are offered nightly Monday through Friday. There is an open house dance party every Thursday night from 9:15-11:00pm. 409 S. 2^nd Street, (215) 574-3574, www.societyhilldance.com
5. For the tourist who has done everything, here’s a new experience to try: Swimming with the Sharks at Adventure Aquarium on the Camden Riverfront. During the 2 ½-hour-program brave participants receive a lengthy safety debriefing, then enter the shark tank in partial scuba gear in order to spend some supervised yet nerve-wrenchingly close time underwater with sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks and barracuda. Just when visitors start to relax, they’re taken to the adjoining Stingray Lagoon where they can swim with and feed dozens of stingrays. $165 includes admission to the aquarium, an adventure tee-shirt and a souvenir snorkel and mask. 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, NJ, (856) 335-3153, www.adventureaquarium.com
6. Amateur comedians can try their mouths in front of an audience every Tuesday night at the year-old Helium Comedy Club in Center City. Up to 20 comedians can sign up to perform for three to seven minutes at that night’s free show, which starts at 8:00 p.m. The payoff, besides getting some laughs, is that the club’s general manager checks out the talent and books comedians she likes to emcee future professional acts. Sign-up for comedians is 6:00-7:00 p.m. 2031 Sansom Street, (215) 496-9001, www.heliumcomedy.com
7. Twice a month Old City’s October Gallery, which showcases the talents of African American artists, hosts Panoramic Poetry, an open-mike art, rhythm, prose and music night. The event is held the second and third Fridays of the month at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $7. Interested artists, poets, vocalists and musicians should e-mail the gallery to sign up to perform. 68 N. 2^nd Street, (215) 629-3939, ext. 13, www.octobergallery.com
8. The creators of Girlfriends, a gathering space and spa for ladies-only events, anticipate every need for groups of women who want to get together to socialize and relax. Wedding shower? Camp reunion? Surprise birthday party? The Girlfriends space establishes a serene and comfortable mood with its recreated kitchens, bedrooms and pillow lounges, while staff pamper guests with packages that can include anything from a group pedicure to a four-hour party complete with meals, drinks, spa services and quiet time. Girlfriends has also announced the creation of men’s night (wine and cigar tastings, motivational speakers, etc.) and couples’ night (eating, drinking and camaraderie). 3502 Scotts Lane, (215) 844-4000, www.girlfriendsatshermanmills.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside™ a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Cara Schneider, (215) 599-0789