(Hi, Lucky 13 and P.O.P.E!)ĭRINK: Charlie Was a Sinner, 131 S 13th St Plus, it lands you in the epicenter of the East Passyunk section of South Philly, which boasts a cute and very walkable “main street” vibe, tons more good food, and some of my favorite dive bars in the city. A community hub for literary events, local artists, and beginner witches, this is a great stop for any book-lover. There are a lot of really great indie bookstores in Philly-please go see a few of them and buy a lot of books!-but A Novel Idea has fulfilled a personal dream of mine: having an indie bookstore within walking distance of my house. A great palate cleanser for after you’ve had your fill of dark and spooky at the Mütter. The PMG is a nonprofit that does a lot of great community outreach work, so it’s doubly worth the price of admission. The grounds also have a rotating folk art exhibition inside. This one’s probably on your radar already, but what can I say-sometimes the tourists get it right! A multilevel mosaic garden created by artist Isaiah Zugar, the Magic Gardens really do have a fairy tale-like quality, but in a a totally Philly way (being that the mosaic is made of broken glass, garbage, and other found objects). Plus, a visit to Barbacoa puts you in the heart of the Italian Market, an open-air market that’s been in operation since the 19th century, and is now home to a variety of international cuisines, with one strip in particular also known as “Little Saigon.” They keep odd hours and operate with a “you get what we made” menu, but whatever you get will probably be the best taco you’ve had in your life. Courtesy of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens Sara Novic ( True Biz) recommends:ĮAT: South Philly Barbacoa, 1140 S 9th Stĭon’t be deceived by the no-frills look of this Mexican spot-Chef Cristina Martinez just snagged her fifth James Beard award nomination this week. These are led by the founder Vashti DuBois they are multifaceted and completely unforgettable. In order to visit, you have to schedule a tour. It’s a house museum and also a universe with artwork and memorabilia in various mediums. This is an out-of-the-way time commitment, but it will change your life. VISIT: The Colored Girls Museum, 4613 Newhall St I particularly love breakfast at Café y Chocolate and believe that someone who writes poems could write one about their chilaquiles. There is a lot of venerable Mexican food in Philadelphia-everyone has their favorite spot, a lot of it down in South Philly.

Enjoy! Eat, Drink, Visit Courtesy of The Colored Girls Museum Asali Solomon ( The Days of Afrekete) recommends:

We also combed through the prodigious offsite event listings and spotlighted the most FOMO-inducing readings and parties. To that end, we reached out to some of our favorite Philly-based writers for their recommendations-where to eat, drink, visit, and (of course) buy books.

The one thing that’s certain is that Philadelphia, the host city, is an excellent place to spend a literary long weekend. Others are bowing out due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19 safety and, in many cases, chronic symptoms brought on by long-haul COVID. If Twitter is any indication, folks attending in person are nervous (to interact with humans again), excited (to interact with humans again), and completely baffled by what to wear. Last year was entirely virtual, and the 2020 event, held in early march in San Antonio was… a debacle. It’s hard to predict what AWP will look like this year, as the conference returns to an in-person event (while also offering virtual passes).

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