Dom Fixes Bikes
Photograph by Jeff Fusco You know all those articles you’ve seen about Kids Today, and how All They Do Is Mess Around Online? Dominick Pecora is the perfect antidote to that world of woe. Last year, the 16-year-old was honored as one of Time magazine’s “Kids of the Year” for the ingenious business he started back when he was just 10 and had his eye on a pricey mountain bike. He figured out how to repair bicycles via YouTube, then put his knowledge to work out of his parents’ house, then a rented garage, and finally the storefront known as Dom Fixes Bikes. He not only saved up enough dough for that bike he yearned for; with the help of sponsors and donations, he gave away 260 free bikes to local kids last year. “My bike represents a lot of freedom,” he told Time. “It’s like that for a lot of other people as well.” 393 Lancaster Avenue, Malvern, PA 19355
SS United States
We’ll miss you, you hulking, decaying chunk of ruin porn. You were always there for us as we stared across the IKEA parking lot, thinking “Why the hell is that there?” You were, of course, at one point the fastest ocean liner ever to cross the Atlantic. Then you became a mecca for Philadelphians who wanted to appear gritty in their engagement photos. Now you sit off the coast of Alabama, soon to become a reef. Bon voyage, old friend.
Abbott Elementary x It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
We weren’t sure how the pretty PG educators of Abbott Elementary would mesh with the rather raunchy gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but they did, hilariously so. While we saw a more family-friendly version of the group in winter’s Abbott episode (like Charlie learning to read a children’s bird book), summer’s Sunny episode featured a spicier side of Abbott’s faculty that we hope to see more of.
Kenyatta Johnson
If you’d told us three years ago that we’d be writing this, we’d have probably wondered how someone could be on City Council while sitting in a federal penitentiary. But such is often the case in Philadelphia; we’re a home of second (third, fourth) chances. We want to commend Johnson specifically for his about-face on bike safety. In the past, he torpedoed plans for traffic calming measures on the stretch of Washington Avenue that runs through his district. But he championed the city’s Get Out the Bike Lane legislation, and even served as the keynote speaker at the city’s Vision Zero conference this past March. Here’s to second chances.
Mommy and Abrazzo
Photograph by Linette Messina Mommy, a Galapagos tortoise who arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo in 1932, became the oldest known first-time mother of her species in early 2025, hatching seven babies after bonding with Abrazzo, a 400-pound tortoise introduced to the zoo in 2020. Their offspring — four females and three males — are more than adorable additions to the zoo. They represent a miraculous step forward for a critically endangered species and a heart-swelling moment for generations of Philadelphians who’ve grown up visiting Mommy. This isn’t just a win for reptile romance — it’s a legacy that will outlive us all. Read more in our Best of Philly Spotlight. 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Dave Is Single
When the apps aren’t working and you’re tired of coming home alone after a night out, what is there to do? West Philly resident Dave Cline rented a billboard in Grays Ferry, added a photo, his Instagram handle, and some facts about himself — “Can cook (well)” and “Has normal hobbies” — and watched the dates roll in. More than 20 dates later, Cline thinks “dating is still kinda shitty even when you have a billboard.” Back to the apps!
Jayden Jiang
How do you spell champion? Jayden Jiang sure knows. The fifth-grader at Girard Academic Music Program was declared the winner of Philly’s regional round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in March — for the second year in a row. (He tied for 41st in the national bee.) His favorite of the 4,000 words he made sure he knew for this regional round was juxtapose, he says — a fitting choice for the bearer of a two-time crown.
Cherelle Parker
Photo-illustration by Leticia R. Albano We get it — public speaking is hard. You know who it’s usually not hard for? The mayor. Which is what made Parker’s E-L-G-S-E-S chant that much more memorable. So memorable, in fact, that a Royersford resident had it immortalized this year with an ELGSES vanity license plate. Maybe Parker should see if Jayden Jiang is available for an internship.
Brandon Graham’s Retirement Speech
It came in March, following the Birds’ magical Super Bowl LIX win, and it was right up there with teammate Jason Kelce’s iconic Super Bowl LII parade speech in emotional punch. “I gave everything I had, everything I had,” the defensive end declared, and that he did, for 15 up-and-down seasons with our Iggles — including the unforgettable Super Bowl strip sack of Tom Brady — that finally concluded in triumph. We’re gonna miss you, BG.
Jalen Hurts
Listen, it’s really busy being a beloved Super Bowl–winning quarterback. The workouts, the gauntlet of adoring fans everywhere you go, the meticulous facial hair to maintain … there just aren’t enough hours in the day. So when the Eagles headed to the White House to celebrate their big win, Hurts politely bowed out, due to “scheduling conflicts.” A classic explanation. Simple. Unimpeachable. No one has skipped a presidential photo op with more poise or plausible deniability.
Jake Blumgart, the Inquirer
Blumgart doesn’t have the flashiest beat (Eagles) or the most headline-grabbing (cops), but we’d argue that he has the most important beat in the city right now: real estate. With so many changes in the real estate market — post-pandemic blues, empty office buildings, shifting federal funding — we count on Blumgart to guide us through it. And he does it with a reporter’s eye for details and a novelist’s sense of narrative. If you’re ever wondering “What’s happening there?” Blumgart likely has the answer.
The Drunken Knitwits
Photograph by Jeff Fusco When vandals cut down nearly every string of a “yarn bombing” installation at East Passyunk’s Singing Fountain in April and stole away into the night, it was a reminder that people can be assholes sometimes. But mere weeks later (with the help of South Philly Yarn and Craft and the city’s yarn enthusiast community), the installation’s creators, the Philly chapter of global knitting group the Drunken Knitwits, had clothed the landmark once again in little woven food items and Eagles sweaters.
Scout Buying UArts’ Hamilton and Furness Halls
When the University of the Arts abruptly shuttered in June 2024, reactions quickly shifted from despair to considering what would happen to the institution’s vast real estate portfolio. Over the next year, that puzzle was solved, piece by piece, as various developers (and Temple) snapped up building after building. But then, a win for the little guys: Scout, the design firm responsible for the Bok Building makeover 10 years ago, pieced together a $12.25 million bid for Hamilton and Furness halls, which they plan to convert to art studios and affordable housing for artists. If the Bok is any indication, we’re in for a treat.
The Delco Pooper
There comes a time in every person’s life when they have to ask themselves one question: Should I forgive this road rage incident and go on with my life, or should I pull down my pants and poop on the hood of their car? (If you haven’t been forced into this situation yet yourself, it’s coming.) For Delco resident Christina Solometo, the answer was (allegedly!) simple, and we’re all now somehow living with the consequences of that decision. Next time maybe just keep your pants on and head home, Christina.
Matthew Nawn
We could all use a little bit of this Villanova student’s grit. During this spring’s Boston Marathon, Nawn made it 26 point allllmost 2 miles before collapsing just 30 feet from the finish line. After watching runners get pulled off the course earlier in the race, Nawn was determined to finish — so he got onto his hands and knees and crawled across the line. The video went viral, and he’s become an inspiration for runners around the world.
Fuzzy Slippers
Artist Branche Coverdale (center) with his team in front of Fuzzy Slippers / Photograph by Guarida As much as we love this city and all that it contains, it can be a lot. With his playful, cartoon-inspired style, artist Branche Coverdale looks to bring some levity and childlike cheer to the stressors of urban life. His mural Fuzzy Slippers, winner of Best Relief From City Living and located outside Punch Line Philly, is a prime example. 33 East Laurel Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Flourish
More than 100,000 passengers mill about 30th Street Station on an average weekday. Now the ones walking through (and driving under) the Cira Skybridge to catch their trains can view a stunning piece by artist Roxana Azar on their way. Her 2024 work Flourish — a colorful glass installation evoking greenhouse structures and the movement of plants and our pick for Best Art in the Clouds — was commissioned by Amtrak as part of their Art at Amtrak program. 2900 block of Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Mr. Scooot
In embracing his own lighthearted nature, artist Michele Scott, a.k.a. Mr. Scooot, offers a certain lightheartedness to Philly as well, through the bright colors and wide-eyed characters in his murals, prints, paintings, and local event poster illustrations. We particularly love his 2023 piece in collaboration with the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and Mural Arts.
Dhwani Saraiya
What would public art in Philly be without sports? If you’ve been to Citizens Bank Park lately, or outside, or on any social media platform, you may have seen Dhwani Saraiya’s comic-inspired work heralding the triumphs of Philly’s beloved sports teams. Despite donning Mets merch growing up, Saraiya found a muse in the Sixers in the late 2010s, then the Super Bowl LIX-winning Eagles, and finally the Phillies. As Nick Foles said upon being presented with one of her custom prints, the illustrations are “truly special.”
Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas and Kiran Musunuru
These two physicians led the CHOP and Penn Medicine team that, in May, made medical history by successfully using CRISPR gene-editing therapy to treat an infant born with a rare metabolic disease. Baby KJ was only months old when the team started administering the individually tailored therapy for his CPS1, or severe carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency. The landmark gene-correcting approach spares KJ the need for a liver transplant down the road and prevents neurological damage that could prove fatal. Doctors say he’s now growing well and thriving.
The Portal Debacle
The Portal is that fancy-dancy video/audio art installation that’s been traveling the world, with setups everywhere from Lithuania to Poland to NYC to Dublin — setups that let everyday citizens meet and greet and make funny faces at each other across the globe. Well, sure, any city can have a visit from the Portal — but only one city has ever had to shut the thing down and then relocate it due to persistent vandalism. And that city would be … ours, of course. No one likes us; we don’t care!
Dawn Staley
News broke back at the start of this year that North Philly’s own Dawn Staley had signed a multiyear contract with the University of South Carolina that made her the highest-paid women’s hoops coach ever. The deal, worth a jaw-dropping $25.25 million, shoots her past UConn’s Geno Auriemma and LSU’s Kim Mulkey. Since she headed south from her role as Temple’s head coach back in 2008, Staley has led USC teams to nine SEC tourney championships and seven Final Fours. Oh, and she has a new memoir out, too, in case you’re in need of inspo.
The Philadelphia Bike Community
After Barbara Friedes’s horrific death in the Spruce Street bike lane, Philly cyclists banded together to ensure that her death was not in vain. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Philly Bike Action, the 5th Square urbanist PAC, and the Philadelphia chapter of Families for Safe Streets forced action from the city, which had long ignored the problem. The result was the Get Out the Bike Lane legislation, which upped fines for parking in bike lanes and eliminated parking grace periods in some lanes. Now let’s get some concrete barriers to really protect riders.
Talon Romance
Not only was the Phoenixville Area High senior the Phantoms’ starting QB last football season (the team went 9-2), but he qualified for this spring’s PIAA track and field state championship as a javelin thrower, having taken up the sport at his O-line coach’s behest. This fall, he’ll continue both sports as a frosh at D-III Mount Union College, which just happens to be the alma mater of one Nick Sirianni.