Dana "Bee" B.'s Profile

Nicole definitely has an eye for color and her designs are like nothing I've seen before--she'll take an article of clothing, be it a plain, denim skirt or some other cool, vintage piece, and embellish it with her own personal flair.  Her store boasts quite a selection of jewelry and accessories as well; even flip flops!  She is also very sweet and fun to chat with.  I'll definitely stop in and see Nicole again!

As a self-confessed sushi addict, I am always game for trying new sushi restaurants provided they are affordable and as long as the quality of the food is exceptional.  Fortunately, when I came to Aki with a friend who was visiting from Korea and only had one day to spend in Philly, we were delighted to have arrived while their lunch special was going on, so we each settled on a miso soup and two sushi rolls--all for $8.50? Not bad!  The sweet potato roll was very flavorful and didn't need much soy sauce to enhance the taste--a huge plus in my book because it's hard to find sushi restaurants who make sweet potato rolls that I deem flavorful enough.  What's more, the staff was friendly and attentive and the environment was calm (granted I am not sure how it is in the evenings and on weekends), and it's definitely a place I'd go back to, especially for lunch!

You know me, I'm always dreaming up what I want the rooms in my future home to look like.  Therefore, I love going to stores like Busybee for inspiration.  I walked in for the first time and granted the associates at the front of the store didn't seem preoccupied, except with chatting with each other, the fact that neither of them acknowledged my presence was a tad off-putting.  Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised to see some novelty items (such as chewing gum with fun packaging, books like "Go the F*** to Sleep," and tote bags) interspersed throughout the store among the couches, home decor, and other furniture pieces.   There are two areas; one in the front and one in the back, where customers can consult with Busybee's team of design experts to come up with the perfect layout, color scheme, and pieces for that special room in your home.  For those of you expecting, there is also a generous selection of baby furniture.  So, with the exception of not being greeted upon my entrance (HUGE pet peeve!), I would definitely consider returning to Busybee to shop for furniture once I own a house that can fit it!

All the props in the world to owner Melissa for creating the concept behind Cookie Confidential! (not to mention Undercover Cupcake and Blackmarket Brittle, both of which I have yet to try, but there's a first time for everything).  In here you can find the most unique cookie flavors on the face of the earth--from sriracha mango to bacon to peanut butter hot dog, and my favorite flavors thus far: apple chai and strawberry shortcake.  I stopped in for the first time with a friend from Korea who had only one day to spend in Philly, so he picked up a dozen cookies (which included one of each flavor from the entire selection in the case) for him to share with his friends who were in town with him.  

The layout of the shop is reminiscent of your friend's basement where you'd have those secret club meetings (get it?) or an old warehouse she decided to fix up and have parties in (which I could definitely see happening in the shop!), complete with a bakery behind the counter, an ice cream counter, and ample seating for customers.  Even though shop hours are limited, she still gets 5 stars just for her unique business approach.  One thing to keep in mind--if you need a mass amount of cookies for an event or if you'd just like to surprise a friend or loved one with some fun flavors they haven't yet tried, special orders and event catering are available!

Long live ComedySportz!  The company definitely lives up to its name by turning short-form improvisation into a sporting event and making it competitive!  There are usually two shows every Saturday night; one at 7:30pm and one at 10:00pm--even though the company promises a family-friendly show, the earlier performance is more kid-appropriate (as evidenced by the high volume of young spectators), and the later performance is a tad more geared towards adults, but still kept clean.  

Since I took two semesters of improv during my senior year of college, I was required to attend a ComedySportz show and write a paper about it the first semester, but returned once again my second semester when assigned to write a paper about an improv show of my choosing.  First time, I saw the earlier show (I went with a classmate who insisted on attending the 7:30 show rather than the 10pm; we ended up RUNNING from the subway and got there literally a minute before the show began--I was still catching my breath as I sat down!).  I noticed how the improvisers took into account the overwhelmingly large number of children in the audience, and my classmate was rather bitter about that.  Regardless, the second time I brought a friend who had never attended a ComedySportz show, and we had an amazing time.  Since we got there fairly early (thank goodness!), he and I ended up being selected as guest judges, which made the experience all the more memorable.  Since this was the later performance, I liked how the improvisers tailored the set more to the crowd.  

If you love improv and are looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday night, check out ComedySportz! You won't regret it!

When I spotted the rack of costumes outside the shop, I knew I had to go in and check it out, regardless of the fact that I have never used a sewing machine or taken on any large-scale sewing projects.  I was welcomed immediately upon my entrance, and once I mentioned I was interested in seeing what their offerings were in terms of costumes, I was led upstairs by a friendly associate (whose name was Benny, I believe) and was given the freedom to browse their entire selection, or at least what of it was accessible.  Although I don't have any upcoming stage productions, I still got some great inspiration, was very happy with the service, and I now know where to go if I'm in need of any costumes!

What a dainty little boutique you are, Sweet Jane!  Lots of designer items, some at prices my recently-graduated-from-college budget cannot accommodate; however, the store is well-organized and appealing to shoppers looking for classic yet tasteful pieces.

I had never even heard of Era Atomica before seeing its eye-catching sign amidst my journey through South Philly, but I am definitely happy I stopped in and that I know this place exists.  The sales associate was very friendly and informative, especially as I admired the '50s style dinette set they had (and for an extremely reasonable price at that!).  Even though it wasn't red chrome with red vinyl chairs, just like it is in the sketches I've made of my dream kitchen, I'm flexible, and she did assure me that those kinds of dinette sets are popular offerings and that they get them in often.  Hopefully they will have one for sale when I have a place to call my own!

We all know how used media stores are--hit or miss; that is, depending on how you roll (props to those of you who still own a record player).  My first visit to Beautiful World Syndicate, however, was definitely a hit.  I snagged two DVDs for $3!  Can we say, "WIN!" *cue game show bells*  A huge plus as well that the store is supportive of local performers; musicians, comedians, DJs, and other acts--I could tell by the poster-plastered walls!  So if you're looking for somewhere to pick up some DVDs to save for a rainy day, this is the place.

When I first saw 1600 Below, I had quite a vague idea of what to expect...clothes? furniture? knick-knacks?  A little of everything, you could say?  Well, I approached the door and was a tad confused when I saw the sign reading, "Open. Please Knock."  Regardless, the friendly owner Maria let me in and offered to be of any assistance to me should I have needed it.  However, I decided to use my first visit to the store as a chance to just browse around.   The first level of the shop houses the bigger pieces (furniture) as well as fabric samples and large rolls of fabric--an interior designer's heaven; I'd imagine (now why wasn't THAT my college major??).  Since my grandparents have been in the antiquing business since before I was born (as were my great-grandparents), antiques have always fascinated me, so I saw some pretty nice pieces that I envisioned in my future home, but alas, I could call none of them mine.  The lower level houses all the wearable items: [vintage, very costumey] clothes, ties, hats, jewelry, etc., but I didn't find anything I could see myself wearing "off-stage," per se.  One day, maybe, when I'm in need of a classic vintage piece!