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You are viewing 8 posts for May 2010

Tayyib's Beat: Intro

  • Posted By: (Tayyib)
  • May 14, 2010
    • Tayyib Profile
      • Tayyib Profile

Tayyib Smith

Founder of Little Giant Media and Publisher of two.one.five magazine

Mr. Smith has long been a successful conduit between artist, niche brands, and the music industry, earning the respect of corporate brands for his unique ability to connect with the hearts and minds of the trendsetting youth market via facilitation of successful relationships. His reputation as a musicologist and social planner started with a chance encounter in youth with friend and mentor—and Philly 360° creative ambassador—King Britt and has lead to a rich career of experiences producing events that marry brands in the Philadelphia region with culture.

And to his clients—and others—he's known as Little Giant.


Rakia's Style Nation: Intro

  • Posted By: (Rakia)
  • May 14, 2010
    • Rakia Reynolds
      • Rakia Reynolds
      • Photo Credit: Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC

Welcome!

I am a TV producer-turned-publicist who has always loved to immerse myself in the world of fashion. I am by no means an expert, but rather an avid people-watcher, boutique shopper and fashion explorer who is always on the move to discover new designers and new designs.

As a mother and business owner, I am naturally an insomniac and engage in plenty of activities that keep me up at night. One of those passions is my love for fashion! I am always thinking of new designs, clothing that I’d like to see, or what outfit I am going to wear next. Fashion excites me and literally keeps me up at night. I am inspired by the people that live here in Philly and want to share that inspiration with you.

Every other week, stay tuned as I introduce these stylish trendsetters to you and take a deeper look into Philly’s amazing fashion scene.

Ciao for now!


Hip Trips with Cheldin: Intro

  • Posted By: (Cheldin)
  • May 14, 2010
    • Cheldin Barlatt Rumar
      • Cheldin Barlatt Rumar

HIP Trips with Cheldin

Philly Hip Trips is your personal guide to exploring the fun and funky offerings available to trendy and stylish individuals and groups. Tune in regularly for the inside scoop on the hottest spas, restaurants, bars, nightlife and hotels in Philadelphia. As a ten-year veteran in the business, I will be your guide in navigating through the most diverse destinations in Philly. From boutique hotels to rare spa treatments and from exclusive nightclubs to one-of-a-kind restaurants, I’ll provide you with a VIP invitation to explore the hippest parts of Philadelphia. Hold on for the ride!


Rakia's Style Nation: Meet Krissy

  • Posted By: Philly 360
  • May 14, 2010
    • Fabulous Fashion
      • Fabulous Fashion
      • Photo Credit: Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC
    • Meet Krissy!
      • Meet Krissy!
      • Photo Credit: Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC
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Stylin’ & Profiling: Krissy

I first met Krissy at a photo shoot when she casually walked in wearing hot pink ripped jeans, an oversized white tee and fedora. A woman with such a keen sense of style and courage must be my kindred spirit! Immediately, I wanted to talk with her about her style and inspiration.

Yesterday I caught up with Krissy as she was on her way to grab cocktails in the city with some of her girlfriends. The golden-hued, half bustier, pleated mini dress with unfinished hem was a show stopper as we walked down the street. The eye-catching ensemble even prompted one passerby to ask for a photo of the back of the dress and like any friendly fashionista, she obliged.

Krissy describes her style as creative and says she can throw on almost anything to make a bold statement…except a business suit. That’s why she called on local designer Katra Michener when she wanted a one-of-a kind dress. When it came to footwear, she decided that since she’d be schlepping around the city for a while, she’d go with a pair of high-top Nike sneakers with pink trim, instead of heels. My kind of girl indeed!

To get Krissy’s look visit:

Topstitch Boutique

54 North 3rd Street

Old City

Ask for dresses by Katra

 

Ubiq

1509 Walnut Street

Center City


HIP Trips with Cheldin: Center City

  • Posted By: (Cheldin)
  • May 14, 2010
    • Continental Midtown
      • Continental Midtown
      • Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Starr Restaurants
    • Continental Midtown
      • Continental Midtown
      • Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Starr Restaurants
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First Stop: Continental Mid-town

Where do you go when you need to enjoy the right cocktail in the right environment? Where can you eat dinner in a non-traditional space (basket swings anyone?)? Want to meet new people? Do you want to see and be seen? Do you want all of these things under one roof?!

Decisions, decisions. Thank goodness we are here to help!

One of Center City’s funky crowned jewels is Continental Mid-town. Its playful décor and inviting dining rooms allow guests to enjoy an adult experience within a child-like environment, complete with abstract lighting fixtures, a disco-era sunken dining area and dessert items like Nutella icicles and cotton candy. The combination chic bar and hip dining destination offers guests a mature and colorful playground where they can escape all manner of reality…well, at least till 2 am.

The amazingly large plates (lobster mac n cheese, cheesesteak eggrolls, tofu tempura) and creative cocktails (Rittenhouse Rock and Rye, Mexico City Cosmo, Champagne-o-Rama) compliment each other perfectly, creating a seamless marriage between dining and nightlife. Owned and operated by nationally-recognized restaurateur Stephen Starr, Continental Mid-town caters to the stylish and trendy and offers a fresh and inviting environment to meet new people while experiencing Philly in a HIP way.

Don’t forget the rooftop deck with its green foliage, city views and cool vibe. In the summer, this is the place for a fun night out with friends and friends-to-be. Whether you’re interested in dinner, drinks or settling in for a long night of cocktails and music – Continental Mid-town has got you covered.


Hip Trip: Girls Night Out

  • Posted By: (Aaron)
  • May 6, 2010
    • Topstitch Boutique
      • Topstitch Boutique
      • Photo Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
    • Hotel Palomar
      • Hotel Palomar
      • Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Hotel Palomar Philadelphia
    • The Piazza at Schmidt's
      • The Piazza at Schmidt's
      • Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of The Piazza at Schmidt's
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The plans are made. The date is set.  The iPhones and Blackberries have been synchronized.  It’s time to gather your girlfriends and head to Philadelphia for a relaxing and fun girls getaway!

It all starts at The Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, located on 117 S. 17th Street. This beautiful new boutique hotel, located within Philly’s “French Quarter”, is housed in a renovated Art Deco style building.  The interior features a contemporary design aesthetic, original artwork and unexpected splashes of color, a perfect fit for a dynamic group of tastemakers.

2:00 pm – Check In

The ladies check into their hotel rooms and get ready to head to their highly anticipated—and sorely needed—spa appointments.

3:00 pm – Relaxation Time—Ahhh…

After traveling from out-of-state—and working hard all week—the ladies are in need of some TLC. They’ve booked appointments at Spa East, 1040 N. Second Street, in the trendy Northern Liberties neighborhood. Each takes advantage of the Exhale Package service; a combination of a traditional manicure, pedicure, Simply Back massage, Jet Set Face Glow and fifteen-minute sauna session, designed to de-stress and pamper overworked muscles and minds.

5:15 pm – Cake Break

After their ooh-ahh-spa moment, the girlfriends decide to do a bit of exploring in the Piazza at Schmidts, a massive 80,000 square foot open-air plaza featuring artist’s studios, boutiques, restaurants, apartments and office space, a huge stage and 26 by 16-foot next generation, high definition LED screen where neighbors and visitors watch movies, sporting events and engage in plenty of fun, free events.  Through the Piazza they go, stopping at one of the best bakeries around, Brown Betty Dessert Boutique on Liberties Walk, where they share homemade cupcakes (the red velvet will make you want to holler!) and refreshing drinks before doing some retail damage.

6:15 pm – Fashion Pit Stop

On the way back from their sweets stop, they take a small detour to Old City and visit Topstitch Boutique at 54 N. 3rd Street.  Here, the ladies pick out funky handsewn dresses and corsets, vintage purses and wildly popular Fleather earrings to rock on the town.  After giving their wallets a light workout (Philly prices barely make their dollars break a sweat), they cab it back to their hotel rooms and glamify for their fun Philly night out.

7:15 pm – Old City Stroll

The ladies love the Old City neighborhood so much, they go into urban explorer mode and check out Sugarcube, a vintage-meets-new boutique with fabulous shoes; Smak Parlour, one of Philly 360 creative ambassador Marsha Ambrosius’ favorite shops for one-of-a-kind hip and flirty fashions; Vivant Art Collection, a gallery specializing in Haitian art, African masks and Island ceramics; and Scarlett Alley, a one-stop home store that features tea sets, jewelry, candles, makeup and more.

8:15 pm – In Need of Good Wine and Great Food

All of that relaxation and shopping can really make a girl hungry!  The first stop of the evening is Rouge on Rittenhouse Square.  At this bistro-café, they’ll enjoy tasty dishes like sautéed calamari Bolognese, shrimp and lobster spring rolls, grilled yellow fin tuna with eggplant and porcini mushroom chutney and the Rouge burger, made famous by one of the nation’s well-known girlfriends and bestie to Oprah, Gayle King.  Delectable dishes and the best people-watching in the city—celebs, athletes, politicos, social circuit regulars—can’t be beat!

Insider’s Tip: If Rouge is full, sashay down the street to Parc, a spacious Parisienne bistro that serves classic French fare in a fun, relaxing environment with equally impressive views of the Square and its denizens.

11:30 pm – Time to SEE and be SEEN!

Just blocks away is G Lounge at 111 South 17th Street, one of the best lounges in Philly to dance, profile and party like a rock star.   Bottle service reservations have already been made for the group so the ladies walk can straight to the front of the line and down the stairs for VIP access to the luxe space. They are escorted directly to their reserved table and dig the vibe and crowd and waste no time putting their strappy stilettos and new dance moves to the test—tonight’s going to be a good night indeed!

2:10 am – Back to The Palomar!

Sleep, glorious sleep.

10:00 am – Wake Up Call and Check Out

The ladies visit Square 1682, the restaurant adjacent to Hotel Palomar for a taste of Chef Guillermo Tellez’s locally sourced, New American menu featuring breakfast items like farm fresh eggs, rustic French toast, freshly squeezed grapefruit and orange juices, seasonal fruit and freshly-baked goods.

12:00 pm – Time to Say Goodbye (for now)

The ladies gather their belongings (new frocks and smocks, shoes and memories) and check out of the hotel.  They see the city in a whole new light and can’t wait to come back and spend a whole weekend in their new favorite getaway spot—Philly!


Philly 360° Video Series: Men's Urban Fashion

  • Posted By: (Aaron)
  • May 6, 2010

When it comes to men’s fashion in Philly, our guys don’t follow trends, they create them. From works of art disguised as sneakers to locally designed high fashion tees, we’ve got everything your stylish heart desires. Take a peek inside Abakus Takeout, Blue Sole Shoes, Duke + Winston, Made to Order and Ubiq to get the scoop on the urban fashion scene with Philly 360 Fashion Ambassador, Rakia Reynolds.

Can’t get enough? Check out Philly 360’s Top Boutiques for more listings.


Philly 360° Video Series: Fashion - Women's Accessories

  • Posted By: Philly 360
  • May 1, 2010

Fashionistas and divas-in-training, join Rakia Reynolds, Philly 360° creative ambassador, stylist extraordinaire, marketing maven and all around 'it girl' brings you a taste of the hottest accessories from some of Philly's most amazing indie boutiques.

You'll get the scoop on what to wear and how at places like Topstitch Boutique, Bus Stop and Letau Designs.

For more fashion picks, check out Philly 360°'s Top Boutiques list!