Boyds: Unparalleled Quality in Apparel and Service

This posh Center City mini department store offers designer fashions for men and women with top-notch service. Women’s shoes and handbags are on the first floor; men’s shoes are on the mezzanine; men’s clothing including suits, dress shirts, ties, coats, sportswear, and formalwear are on the second floor; women’s clothing is on the third floor; and men’s big and tall clothing are on the fourth floor.

Boyds has a staff of on-site European tailors who can customize the fit of anything found in the store, from denim to designer suits and dresses. Valet parking is available, as well as interpreters who speak Russian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Chinese and Korean.

Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Boyds
1818 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 564-9000
http://boydsphila.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/boyds-philadelphia-philadelphia

Savor the Spices of Indian Fare at Tashan

Modern furnishings and accessories from India, Spain, and Mexico welcome you into Tashan, an Indian fusion restaurant situated on the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia. The ambiance echoes sophistication with dimmed lighting and a relaxed, friendly wait staff.

Start the evening off with a distinctive wine, craft beer, or a signature cocktail. As for the food, the most revered dishes include the vegetarian kale saag paneer, a rich and creamy dish of kale and cheese. The shrimp curry is another popular choice, best paired with an order of just-baked goat cheese naan for dipping. Leave some room for dessert, as the Valrhona Chocolate Cake is said to be the perfect conclusion to a memorable dinner.

Tashan serves lunch and dinner daily.

Tashan
777 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(267) 687-2170
mytashan.com/home
www.yelp.com/biz/tashan-philadelphia

How to Make a New Year’s Resolution—and Stick With It

Whether you resolve to hit the gym every day or to finally take that trip to Europe, most of us make some type of resolution for the New Year. Sticking with a New Year’s resolution for the other 364 days can be much more difficult, however, and it can take a great deal of dedication to make your goals happen. Here are a few simple ways to choose a resolution and stick with it.

  1. Stay realistic. Although the whole point of a resolution is to become better than you are today, you don’t want to pick something that’s completely out of reach. Instead of vowing to become President, for example, enroll in classes to work toward a law degree.
  2. Make a specific goal. Likewise, resolutions that are too vague will also set you up for failure. Choose something that you can monitor, like losing a certain amount of weight or visit a specific number of countries.
  3. Set aside time in your schedule. Once you finally decide on a resolution, the best way to stick with it is by setting aside a certain amount of time each day, week, or month just for that activity.
  4. Make a grand proclamation. If all else fails, call on your friends to keep you accountable. By posting your resolution online or telling a trusted confidant, you’ll feel more obligated to stick with it.

5 New Year's Resolutions You Won't Keep – And 5 You Will [Forbes]
Just 8% of People Achieve Their New Year's Resolutions. Here's How They Do It. [Forbes]
10 Tricks to Help You Actually Keep Your New Year's Resolutions [Huffington Post]
9 Ways to Keep your New Year's Resolutions [Bankrate]

Happy Holidays!

We wish you and your loved ones all a very happy and safe holiday season.

Strike! Check Out These Popular Bowling Alleys in Philadelphia

Whether you’re a part of a league or you just do it for fun, bowling is an all-American pastime beloved by people of all ages. Lace up your bowling shoes, pack up your ball and get ready for some old-fashioned fun at these two great alleys in the City of Brotherly Love.

PEP Bowl
South Philadelphia’s PEP Bowl is located just minutes away from Center City, making it a convenient bowling alley for residents all over the city. The vintage-style alley dates back to the 1950s, but it’s been updated over the years to create a state-of-the-art experience. It’s also very popular for large parties. Best of all, PEP Bowl donates its proceeds to help people with developmental disabilities find employment and necessary services in the Philadelphia area.

North Bowl
North Bowl is an upscale, stylish bowling alley with a food menu that would rival most hip restaurants. Each dish is made with local meats and produce, and the bar serves 12 rotating draft beer selections, handcrafted cocktails, and an impressive wine list. North Bowl also offers vintage arcade games, pool tables, and a lounge area if you want to hang out after your game is over. Service industry professionals love North Bowl’s Monday night Industry Night, and the bowling alley also has daily happy hours on weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m.

Why We Crave Junk Food—and How to Outsmart That Craving!

It happens to even the most disciplined of dieter: You're going about your day, when, all of sudden, you develop an intense craving for a sweet or salty snack. If this sounds like you, you're not alone! In fact, junk food is created with the intention of inciting a snack attack! The makers of your favorite potato chip or chocolate bar spend countless hours developing their product to impart just the right amount of crunch, sweetness, and creaminess to ensure you come back for more. What's more, giving in to your favorite junk food releases feel-good receptors in the brain, causing an immediate boost in mood.

Now that you're aware that there's a science to junk food, you're likely still wondering how you can combat cravings. To outsmart a craving, you need to first identify the craving and the reason behind it. Are you stressed at work? Instead of reaching for the comfort foods Mom used to make, call a friend to talk about your situation. Are you dieting and being too restrictive with your meal plan? Instead of cutting out pizza or chocolate forever, allow yourself to indulge in a piece of chocolate or pizza every so often. Moderation is key.

The most effective way to stop over-indulging is to limit your access to junk food. Keep your cabinets clear of cookies, candies, and chips, and after abstaining for a certain amount of time, you'll likely find that you no longer crave junk food as much as you used to!

The Facts About Food Cravings [WebMD]
Why Your Brain Craves Junk Food (and What You Can Do About It) [Lifehacker]
Know Why You're Craving Food [Women's Health]

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope everyone has a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Meritage: Wallet-Friendly Fine Dining in Rittenhouse Square

Meritage serves contemporary American fare just a few blocks from Rittenhouse Square. The dining room, which seats 55 people, boasts golden yellow walls and gleaming hardwood floors, proving the space to be equal parts cozy and chic.

Meritage promises to be one of the more wallet-friendly fine dining destinations in the tony Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. A full bar offers an impressive variety of wines under $50, while elegantly plated dishes don't exceed $30. The gourmet fare here includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. For those without dietary restrictions, the free-range chicken breast with whipped potatoes, and sauteed spinach is a local favorite. Finish your meal with the decadent goat cheese cake with pistachio, poppy seeds, and lemon curd.

Meritage serves dinner 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Meritage
500 S. 20th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 985-1922
www.meritagephiladelphia.com/index.html
www.yelp.com/biz/meritage-philadelphia

Easy Thanksgiving Decor Crafts the Whole Family Can Make

Between prepping your home for out-of-town guests and ensuring the turkey is properly basted, you're likely going to be stressed a little thin on Thanksgiving Day! Luckily, these Turkey Day crafts can help keep your little ones entertained, requiring just a little assistance from you along the way.

Mod Mayflower [Parenting]
Task the kids with making these adorable masted ships out of paper. White construction paper is affixed to popsicle sticks to create the ships' sails, while a paper beverage sleeve helps the mini Mayflowers to stay upright. Use the ships to add flair to your Thanksgiving Day decor, or write each guest's name onto the sails and use the ships as place cards.

Turkey Headband Craft for Kids [abccreativelearning.com]
Create a custom turkey headband for your favorite little pilgrims with this quick and easy craft. Simply cut a length of brown construction paper to wrap around your child's head, then instruct your pint-sized dinner guests to trace their hand shape onto multiple colors of construction paper. The hand shapes will become the turkey's "feathers," while a googly-eyed turkey face decorates the front of the funky, seasonal accessory.

Top Philadelphia Coffeeshops

Though it may be easy to pop into that large chain coffee shop on your way to work each morning, where’s the fun in that? Philadelphia is home to a wide variety of great independent coffee houses with a much more personality, and these are just a few.

La Colombe Coffee
The thought process behind La Colombe Coffee is that if you remove the food menu, the merchandise and the other unnecessary features, the coffee will have to speak for itself. That’s exactly what the founders did with their Rittenhouse Square and Dilworth Plaza locations, and the results are beautifully minimal coffee shops that brew fair-trade classic and reserve coffee blends from around the world.

One Shot Coffee & Cafe
Located on the corner of George and American Streets, One Shot is a warm, eclectic coffee house furnished with rustic wood, vintage furniture and bookshelves from floor to ceiling. The cafe proudly brews Portland’s Stumptown Coffee, which has been hailed as the best coffee in the world by numerous media sources, as well as pour-overs from local roasters ReAnimator and Rival Bros Coffee.

Old City Coffee
Old City Coffee brews only high-grown Arabica beans in very small batches, and the prices are kept extremely low by not using a commercial roaster. The cafe is traditionally furnished with wooden tables and bright pops of red, and true to coffee house form, there are often live music performances in the evenings.

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