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TOP: Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, located in
the heart of Center City, is a great home base for work or play. (PHOTOS: CHRISTIAN HORAN) MIDDLE: At Alpen Rose, all beef is dry-aged in-house and cut tableside. (PHOTO: COURTESY ALPEN ROSE) BOTTOM: Independence Hall is one of many sites dating back to the birth of this nation. (PHOTO: R. KENNEDY) Parc, a Rittenhouse Square staple, is paramount for getting
the vibe just right for a great couple of days in the city that prides
itself on loving one another. (PHOTO: M. FISCHETTI)
WHETHER YOU’RE INTO CLASSIC OR COOL, PHILADELPHIA DELIVERS
Sky high hospitality keeps us coming back to the City of Brotherly Love
By Diana Oates
Special Contributor
With working travelers back on the road and Texas young athletes showing more interest than ever in lacrosse, a sport with Northeastern roots, Philadelphia has become a popular place for Dallasites to spend a few days.
From cheesesteaks to the Constitution, this manageable yet magical city has passionate people ready to welcome you. However, there’s still a catch: Planning the perfect trip involves a beautiful balance of old and new.
And whether your dream day involves cobblestone streets and historical walking tours or enjoying a spa day followed by great eats and an Eagles game (the Cowboys play there on Oct. 16), the options are endless.
Stay: Every now and then, a hotel that truly wows even the most seasoned traveler comes along. That is the case with Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. Highlights include a 57th-floor infinity-edge pool, the gym of all hotel gyms, food by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, jaw-dropping floral by Jeff Leatham, and, most importantly, that old-school hospitality that reminds you that superior customer service is not dead, albeit hard to find. Rooms start at $817 a night, and if you’re looking for a sign to splurge on a hotel, take this as one in shining stage lights. This is not just a place to stay; this is a place to experience.
Eat: Whether this is your inaugural or 10th trek to Philly, Parc, a tribute to the beloved French bistro, is a must. Whether you’re diving into the bubbling bliss that is its onion soup gratinée or sharing a plate of Saturday’s rack of lamb Du Jour, you’ll be a smitten kitten with a champagne buzz by the time the check comes (and that’s a promise). Once you’ve scratched your “must eat at a Philly institution itch,” you’ll feel better about hitting up the newer hot spots like Alpen Rose by Michael Schulson. This vibey candlelit speakeasy is easy to miss but impossible to forget.
If you didn’t visit Vegetarian? Check out Vedge, where the Rocky statue and James Beard-nomrun up and down the inated Chefs Rich Landau and Kate stairs pretending to Jacoby make vegbe in tip-top fighting etables (not meat substitutes) the star shape, did you even of its plant-based really visit Philly? menu. From stuffed avocados to eggplant braciola and spicy dan dan noodles, we dare you to miss meat after dining here. Do: Depends. If this is a work trip and you happen to be a member of Dallas’ Park House, enjoy reciprocity at Philly’s hot, new Fitler Club, where business and pleasure can exist simultaneously via food and beverage, wellness, and 34,000 square feet of workspace with office suites. Get to have some fun? Philly adores its sports teams. Pick an in-season pro sport and enjoy. Sprinkle in history with the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and other sites within America’s “most historic square mile.” And get your culture via a stroll through the Philadelphia Museum of Art, because if you didn’t visit the Rocky statue and run up and down the stairs pretending to be in tip-top fighting shape, did you even really visit Philly?
GRAB A CHEESESTEAK HERE
1. Tony Luke’s (the original location) 2. Carmen’s Famous Italian Hoagies & Cheesesteaks 3. Steve’s Prince of Steaks 4. Ishkabibble’s 5. Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop
This follow-up to my July column, which was about choosing hardwood floors, is aimed at those who already have them but could use help choosing complementary décor.
MARGARET CHAMBERS If you’ve ever wondered which wall paint colors go best with dark wood floors, which colors are best for light floors, or when to use rugs (and when not to), look no further: I’ll answer these questions and more.
How to make dark wood floors shine
Rooms with dark wood floors need light walls, or else the room will be too dark and cave-like. That said, this still leaves a wide variety of paint color options, from cream to light gray, light blue, or pale green. Incorporating plants is good: Bright greenery pops against a dark base. Natural light also reflects beautifully against the grain of dark-stained wood, so try to let in lots of natural light.
Tips for working with light hardwood floors
The best wall colors for rooms with light hardwood tend to be neutrals. Off-white gives the room an airy feel, cool gray creates an aura of relaxation, and warm gray makes the room seem cozy. White furniture, a sandy brown rug, colorful accents, and gold or silver accessories are a winning combination for light hardwood floors. I suggest light grey, charcoal grey, or black furniture for the furnishings.
A word about area rugs
Area rugs are almost always a must for hardwood floors. They protect your floors from daily wear and tear while softening footfalls. If you have wood furniture similar in color to your wood floors, you can use a contrasting rug to create a visual buffer between them.
Parquet floors are the only type of hardwood floors that I wouldn’t recommend using rugs on. Sometimes, the inlaid wood pattern is so busy that it would be overwhelming to break it up even further with rugs.
Hardwood is the most sought-after
The neutral colors and orange accents in this modern Dallas home compliment the light
wood floors. (PHOTO: DAN PIASSICK) Grey paint, as
seen in the library of a Kessler Park home, is a good wall color to go with dark hardwood
floors. (PHOTO: NATHAN SCHRODER)
flooring, so you’ll naturally want to show it off if you have it. The key is to harmonize your floors with the right paint colors, furnishings, and fabrics.
Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors.com/blog for more design advice.
Slow Cooking Yields Big Flavors with Minimal Attention
October is made for football games, tailgate parties, autumn picnics, backyard gatherings, and cozy meals. With so many possiCHRISTY ROST bilities, my slow cooker has reappeared in my kitchen after its summer hiatus.
Slow cooking requires little attention during the cooking process. Simply combine ingredients in the bottom of the pot, cover, select the cooking temperature, and walk away. Before long, savory aromas fill the air, becoming irresistible as the hours pass.
One of my favorite slowcooked recipes is pulled pork. Falloff-the-bone tender, the meat is so flavorful and juicy it can be enjoyed as is, but stir in homemade or bottled barbecue sauce, and it becomes tantalizing Texas-style barbecued pulled pork.
For another variation, add roasted Hatch chiles as the meat cooks, and it’s the foundation for New Mexican pork tacos.
A recent trip to Albuquerque inspired my slow-cooked Hatch Chile Pulled Pork Tacos. We’d visited New Mexico many times, but this trip focused on discovering Albuquerque’s history and cuisine. Native American and
Hatch Chile Pulled Pork Tacos
(PHOTO: CHRISTY ROST)
Spanish heritage strongly influence this region, going back to ancient petroglyphs etched into volcanic rock 400 to 700 years ago in what is now the Petroglyph National Monument.
From enchiladas with green chile, to decadent grilled ribeye tacos with chile aioli, and Campo’s live-fire braised lamb birria with blue corn hominy, each meal was chosen to taste Albuquerque’s food traditions.
But the meal that left a lasting impression was the Navajo Taco I enjoyed at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen. Hot-from-the-skillet frybread was garnished with tender churro lamb, pueblo beans, onion, green chile, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. It was simply amazing.
Wanting to recapture some of Albuquerque’s flavors, I seasoned a pork shoulder with a smoky dry rub for a more complex flavor profile, then lined the bottom of my slow cooker with slices of onion, garlic, and fresh orange.
The dry rub and meaty juices combined with the aromatics, creating an array of mouthwatering flavors. After shredding the pork shoulder, I served it in warm flour tortillas, garnished with a tangy cabbage slaw.
If you prefer, use traditional taco
HATCH CHILE PULLED PORK TACOS
Ingredients:
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 – 4- to 6-pound pork shoulder 1 orange, rinsed and sliced 1 large onion, peeled and sliced 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced 1 large Hatch chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
Warm corn or flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Stir together brown sugar, smoked paprika, dry mustard, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture generously over all sides of the meat and set it aside.
Line the bottom of the slow cooker pot with onion, orange, garlic, and roasted Hatch chile slices, reserving one slice of orange. Place the dry-rubbed meat over the aromatics, place the reserved orange slice on top, and pour the chicken broth around the meat. Cover with the lid, set the temperature to high, and cook for two hours. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for three to four hours more, for a total of five to six hours.
When the meat is fall-offthe-bone tender, remove it from the cooker and shred using two forks. Stir some cooking broth into the meat and serve with warm tortillas. Garnish each taco with cabbage slaw or chopped lettuce and tomato, and shredded cheese.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings (two tacos per serving)
toppings of chopped lettuce and tomatoes garnished with shredded cheese. Either way, these tacos will be the hit of any autumn event.
Christy Rost is a cookbook author, chef on PBS stations nationwide, and longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her Celebrating Home 4-minute cooking videos are available at youtube. com/ChristyRostCooks and on her christyrost.com website.
