We started our trip to Philly determined to sniff out some New York worthy haunts. Our only knowledge of the city’s nightlife comes from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. We were on vacation – we didn’t want to start by slumming it in the main character’s bar (even if Danny DeVito was hiding in a bathroom stall). Surely the city had some glitzy nightlife to offer. We would start with a Martini, and save drinking in the gutter for later in the week.
Luckily, we didn’t have to look far. Our room was on the 19th floor of the luscious Loews Hotel. We barely made it upstairs to check out the view of surrounding Center City. We were diverted by the trend-ified bar in the hotel’s lobby. The City sadly lacks a W Hotel (for now), but by the time our martini arrived we stopped dreaming of alphabet-named lodgings. We perched on the barstool at SoleFood and were impressed by the views of pretty people throughout the room. It was like we hadn’t even left our beloved city – the lighting, the crowd, the drink – we must be only a few subway stops short of downtown. The only difference? The price. Judging by the Loews (and later confirmed elsewhere) the general equation of upscale Philadelphia is New York minus four dollars.
We quickly remembered that there was an entire city to explore. We had to pry ourselves from that stool (the oysters and delicious pulled pork sliders really wanted us to stay). It was off to the truly exotic, the type of place that we so look forward to trying while on holiday: a wine bar. We parked ourselves in a warmly-lit Vinoteria just a few blocks away in Center City. Our preconceptions of the city were quickly thrown out the window: we walked there and were not harassed, mugged or sold into human slavery.
And quite the walk it was. Tria Cafe finds itself on a lovely West Village-esque corner. Trees line the block and a friendly hum emanates from the bar’s outdoor tables. They bill themselves as a wine, cheese, and beer cafe. We enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and then engaged in one of our favorite activities: swilling sparkling rose while gorging on delectable cheese (The equation New York -$4 = more wine for us). Tria is upscale in its offerings, but the crowd was relaxed and without a drop of pretension. If we ever decided to live in Philly, this would become our second home.
Having already hit two of the four major food groups (martini and wine) we decided to go for the third major staple of a balanced diet: beer. And what a selection we had. Philly is a beer- man’s dream, even the dowdiest bars had 7+ exotic brews on tap. With so much to choose from, we decided to go for the home-brewed option. Triumph Brewing Company makes its varied beers on premises. Better yet, the “premises” is a posh bi-level restaurant with plenty of nooks for drinking.
But, how to decide between their wares? Triumph knows that’s like making you decide your favorite child – it’s possible, but you don’t want to say it out loud. They offer a menu of beer flights that let you have a tiny taste of all the kiddies. We ordered up, and were treated to a sip of 8 wildly different (though equally scrumptious) tastes. Their selection changes seasonally, which is a great excuse to come back every day and “check in” on the children.
We decided on one more stop before it was back to the hotel (it’s travel that exhausts us, not the 9 drinks we consumed on the journey). Feeling wily from our tipsy trip, we decided it was time to dive into a real vacation destination. Who would have known that Cuba was so close? We tromped over to Cuba Libre. Thankfully we didn’t have to swim, it was only a few blocks from Triumph in the bar-laden Old City area.
How perfect, a Mojito (or three) to end the first night of our Philly adventure. Libre has the stuff to make your trip into a true libation vacation. They pour six varieties of their signature Cuba Libre Rum – we suggest going for the Guava Mojito, made with their dark brand. Sit in the dark, Cuban inspired dining room and let the Latin music wash over you. It becomes very easy to forget just where you are. Take a moment to situate yourself as you leave the restaurant and hail a cab – you want him to take you to the Loews Center City not downtown Havana.
I think that to receive the mortgage loans from creditors you ought to present a firm reason. But, one time I've received a small business loan, just because I wanted to buy a car.
Posted by: BrockANITA | March 10, 2010 at 05:00 PM