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  • You don’t need a ticket to experience the World Cup in Philly

    You don’t need a ticket to experience the World Cup in Philly

    So you can’t afford an astronomically priced ticket when the World Cup arrives in Philly this summer?

    Not to worry.

    While the six World Cup games at Lincoln Financial Field from June 14 to July 4 will certainly get top billing, the city will be humming with soccer-related programming, offering numerous ways for residents and visitors to feel connected to the action.

    “Not everyone in our city, unfortunately, is going to get to go to the games,” said Elizabeth Clinton, development manager at Safe-Hub, a Kensington-based youth soccer organization and a board member for the CASA Soccer Leagues. “But there are going to be so many ways we as a community can enjoy the World Cup.”

    From watch parties to soccer camps to a LEGO World Cup trophy replica, here’s how to feel the energy when the world’s largest sporting event comes to town.

    The city’s biggest gathering spaces

    Lemon Hill will no doubt be the beating heart of the city’s soccer action this summer, with a high-profile fan fest running from June 11 to July 19 in East Fairmount Park. But there are plenty of places that are likely to see fan gatherings throughout the city.

    At Union Yards and Reaney Street, outside of Subaru Park, the Philadelphia Union will host what the team is calling “Soccer Celebration.” There, you’ll find dedicated viewing areas for select World Cup matches, interactive fan activities, giveaways, and live music — while food offerings will rotate to include menu items specific to competing nations. Entry is free with advanced registration.

    Additionally, the Union will offer a pair of chances to watch the Côte d’Ivoire men’s national team up-close during its preparations for the World Cup tournament — first in a friendly match against Union II on June 8 at 7 p.m., and again during a community training session on June 12 at 6:30 p.m. Both events are free but require advance tickets, which can be secured at the Union website.

    For the theatrically inclined, select AMC Theatres locations — including Cherry Hill and Bensalem — will be showing Telemundo’s live Spanish-language broadcasts of certain games, with advance tickets available through the AMC website.

    Officials are also expecting various neighborhoods across the city to be hubs of action depending on the matchups. When Brazil plays on June 19, for instance, there figures to be a good amount of energy along Castor Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, home to a sizable Brazilian population.

    Where to play, not just watch

    If you feel like pulling on a pair of boots and hitting the pitch yourself, you’ll find no shortage of options.

    CASA Soccer Leagues — the region’s largest independent amateur soccer league — will host a World Cup-style adult soccer tournament from May through July at various sites across the city, from South Philadelphia to the campuses of Temple University and Drexel University.

    The group also hosts regular pickup games, as well as beginner programs for those hoping to learn the sport.

    “Adults who want to try a new sport and get involved and learn a little bit,” said Clinton. “Every week, you’ll come, a coach will kind of teach the group the basics of soccer, [and] you can just come in your sneakers.”

    (For those looking to socialize without all the running, the organization is also planning a slew of watch parties.)

    Down the road in Chester, the WSFS Bank Sportsplex boasts a number of playing fields and is a regular hive of activity.

    “There’s soccer there almost every day of the week,” said Mike Blankemeyer, travel director for Sons of Ben, an independent supporters group for the Philadelphia Union. “I go over the bridge a lot for work, and there’s always somebody out there on the pitches.”

    World Cup for kids

    What Lemon Hill is for adults, Safe-Hub Philadelphia hopes to be for kids.

    The Kensington-based organization, which uses soccer to create safe spaces to the community, is planning a number of youth-focused events throughout the course of the World Cup festivities — among them, the Grassroots Cup on June 13-14, a youth tournament featuring more than 300 kids.

    “We really want to use the World Cup as a way to get kids in the door,” said Clinton. “To experience a love of the game and be in a safe space that’s really soccer-centered.”

    In addition to being a mecca of soccer gear and merchandise — including a LEGO replica of the World Cup trophy — Soccer Post Cherry Hill has seven TVs that will be tuned to the World Cup.

    The site will also host a four-day soccer camp for kids ages 8-11, running from Aug. 24-27, that will include various forms of training and conclude with a mock-World Cup tournament.

    The wall of cleats at Soccer Post Cherry Hill, which will be hosting a World Cup-themed youth soccer camp this summer.Photo courtesy of Soccer Post Cherry Hill

    And for the more bookish young fan, the Free Library of Philadelphia is slated to offer soccer-themed programming throughout the spring and summer.

    Choose your own adventure

    If being on the fringes of the action isn’t quite enough, there’s always the option of simply wading into the eye of the storm.

    “Even if I don’t get tickets, I’ll probably head down to the [Lincoln Financial Field], just to experience what it’s about,” said Chris Turk, 54, of Fairmount, a contributor to the Philly Soccer Page, a website devoted to the city’s soccer scene.

    “I think Philadelphia is really gonna put on an awesome showing,” he added. “[And] I think people who come here this summer for soccer are going to be amazed by how cool Philadelphia is.”

  • ‘Big Rube’ Harley made throwback jerseys popular. He says Mitchell & Ness didn’t pay him his share.

    ‘Big Rube’ Harley made throwback jerseys popular. He says Mitchell & Ness didn’t pay him his share.

    Days after Mitchell & Ness opened its new three-level flagship store on Walnut Street, Reuben “Big Rube” Harley stood across the street to announce his lawsuit against the sportswear company.

    Big Rube was an influencer before influencer was a job description. And in the early 2000s, he influenced athletes and hip-hop artists to wear Mitchell & Ness’ vintage jerseys, which can cost more than $300 a pop. Celebrities started wearing throwbacks and business was booming.

    But Mitchell & Ness didn’t fulfill their side of the deal, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

    The brand, which Fanatics bought in 2022, is obligated to pay Harley an unspecified commission for sales attributed to his marketing efforts, the lawsuit says. But it has refused to even calculate how much that commission might be, the suit says.

    “They’re not in this location for nothing,” Harley said Friday across from the new Mitchell & Ness store. “I created that and I want what’s mine.”

    A spokesperson for Fanatics said the company hadn’t been served the lawsuit and was unable to comment.

    Reuben “Big Rube” Harley standing outside the new Mitchell & Ness flagship store on Walnut Street. June 5, 2026.Abraham Gutman

    Harley became a Mitchell & Ness customer in the early 1990s, purchasing throwback Negro League baseball jerseys and caps, the complaint says. A decade later, in 2001, he approached then-Mitchell & Ness owner, Peter Capolino, with a vision of marketing the throwbacks to hip-hop artists and athletes.

    The brand was “tailored to old conservative white men,” Harley said of the Philadelphia-based company that was founded in 1904, “and I gave it to my culture.”

    Harley and Capolino entered into a “partly written and partly oral” agreement, the suit says, in which Mitchell & Ness would pay Harley commission based on sales attributable to his promotional efforts. The suit does not include a copy of the written part, say whether the commission was in perpetuity, or specify the percent of sales Harley claims he is owed.

    Mitchell & Ness also made Harley the company’s marketing director with a salary.

    “I got paid, but the agreement was a piece of the pie,” he said.

    As the new marketing director, Harley contacted athletes, celebrities, and artists in his network, the suit says. The throwbacks trend caught fire. Just a few months later, now-disgraced musician Sean “Diddy” Combs co-hosted the 2002 American Music Awards wearing a rotation of vintage jerseys.

    Mitchell & Ness’ annual sales rose from $2.2 million in 1999 to roughly $25 million in 2002, the suit says.

    “I consider it a miracle that Reuben fell into my lap,” Capolino told Time Magazine in 2003. “He deserves all the credit.”

    Fanatics’ owner Michael Rubin bought Mitchell & Ness in 2022 for $250 million as part of an ownership group that includes Meek Mill and Jay-Z.

    The new owners must respect the agreement with Harley, the suits says, and pay him his share of the sales that he is owed. The complaint does not specify a percent or amount.

    “Big Rube did his part,” said attorney Emeka Igwe. “Mitchell & Ness’ part was to give him a percentage of the sales from all the revenues that they were getting. And that was never done.”

    After parting ways with Mitchell & Ness in the mid-2000s, Harley continued to reinvent himself. He launched an apparel line, wrote a Philadelphia Daily News column, and became a chef.

    He decided to bring the lawsuit now because he is battling stage-four prostate cancer. Harley said he has been assessing his life and wants to leave a legacy for his 22-year-old daughter.

    Standing across the street from the new flagship store in Center City, about a dozen friends expressed their support.

    “We ain’t gonna stop until they build you a statue out here,” Simon Carr said. “You deserve it.”

  • She bought a new construction townhouse near City Avenue. Her inspector still found 100 things to fix. | How I Bought This House

    She bought a new construction townhouse near City Avenue. Her inspector still found 100 things to fix. | How I Bought This House

    The buyer: Heather Ong, 38, accountant

    The house: a 2,219-square-foot townhouse with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in Wynnefield.

    The price: listed for $499,000; purchased for $499,000.

    The agent: Nora DeCristofano, Compass

    The exterior of Heather Ong’s home in Wynnefield.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    The ask: Heather Ong did not move back to Philadelphia expecting to live with her parents for two years. The plan was to stay with them temporarily — six months at most — just long enough to save money and buy a house.

    “What started as a six-month search turned into a two-year search,” she said.

    Ong wanted to be in the city but not downtown. She was open to any place that was quiet and had outdoor space for her dog. She also wanted something move-in ready with three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms, and she wanted it for less than $600,000. That combination turned out to be hard to find.

    Ong liked the house’s modern, open-concept kitchen. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    The search: Ong started looking seriously in October 2023. She looked everywhere except Center City. In Point Breeze and Brewerytown, she kept running into the same problem. The houses were expensive, and many still needed work. “I refused to spend $600,000 on a home that I’d have to fix up,” she said.

    Housing inventory was low at the time. Very few of the listings she saw on Zillow met her criteria, so eventually she stopped checking the site. She did deep dives on local Reddit real estate threads instead. That’s where she saw a link to an Inquirer article about a new development near City Avenue.

    The living area in Heather Ong’s home.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    The location was close to where she wanted to be, and the price was close to what she wanted to spend, so she e-mailed the developer. She visited the site, but the townhouses were still under construction. She walked through a few model homes that were almost done to get a feel for the space.

    The appeal: The house she saw was a “typical Philly townhome,” Ong said. It had 10-foot ceilings and a roof deck. She liked that it had three full bathrooms and that it was close to I-76 and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. “Location-wise, it’s very convenient,” Ong said.

    And while she didn’t think the neighborhood was very exciting, she saw potential.

    “I feel like there are a lot of changes coming to the area,” she said.

    Plus, the house offered her more space than she could find elsewhere for the price.

    The house is a “typical Philly townhome,” Ong said. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    ”I got a bigger bang for my buck out here,” she said.

    The deal: The home was listed for $499,000, which is what Ong offered. There wasn’t much to negotiate. The builder was firm on price and told her she couldn’t customize any part of the house. “They said, ‘What you see is what you get,’” Ong recalled.

    She did, however, get the builder to agree to a mortgage contingency so that if they didn’t finish the house as promised, she could back out.

    Ong hired an independent inspector, who she said was incredibly thorough. “He came back with 100 things that needed to be fixed,” Ong said. The builder addressed all of them. He also installed larger vanities in the bathrooms per her request. The original ones were “barely larger than airplane bathroom sinks,” Ong said.

    The money: Ong put 10% down. Between the down payment and closing costs, she spent about $70,000. That included $4,000 to buy down her interest rate from 7% to 6%.

    The house has three bedrooms and three full bathrooms, plenty of space for Ong to host family and friends. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    The $70,000 came from her personal savings. She was able to put away a lot of money when she lived with her parents. She also had stock from her job at Zoom Info Technologies, which had vested by the time she was buying. It was worth about $25,000. Without it, she would not have been able to buy.

    “If that didn’t happen, I would still be stuck,” Ong said.

    The primary bedroom in Heather Ong’s home in Wynnefield. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer

    The move: Ong closed on May 1, 2025, and moved in on May 22, a rainy, thunderous day. The move itself was quick — most of her things were in storage. But settling in took months. The development was so new that Google Maps didn’t recognize her address yet, so her deliveries kept getting lost.

    “That was a nightmare,” she said.

    She also didn’t have internet for the first month.

    Life after close: After a year in the house, Ong has learned that new construction can still come with plenty of repairs.

    There have been nail pops, cracks, leaks, electricity issues, a microwave that keeps breaking, and a brand-new dryer that did not work. The constant repairs have made it harder for Ong to enjoy the house. Still, she does not regret buying it.

    “These are first-world problems that I’m dealing with,” she said.

    Did you recently buy a home in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at properties@inquirer.com.

    Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the name of Ong’s employer and the specifics of her down payment.

    Lilly, age 13, sits on the couch.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
  • See it, hear it, feel it: All the Philly art we loved this week

    See it, hear it, feel it: All the Philly art we loved this week

    A very Philly charm bracelet

    My John Wind charm bracelet featuring a salty soft pretzel, the LOVE statue, and a nattily dressed William Penn is one of my favorite pieces of Philly-centric jewelry.

    In honor of our nation’s 250th birthday, Wind is giving the charms some more brotherly love. A proud Philadelphian, Wind has partnered with the Philadelphia Visitor Center for a six-piece commemorative jewelry collection featuring four necklaces, one bracelet, and a key chain/bag fob.

    A commemorative John Wind charm bracelet available at the Philadelphia Visitor Center in honor of America’s 250th birthday.Nicole Vassallo for the Philadelphia Visitor Center

    The soft pretzel, the LOVE statue, and William Penn remain a part of the jeweled tableau, and Wind has added a few knickknacks to the Semiquincentennial mix, like a boxing glove as a shout-out to Rocky; a soccer ball for World Cup afficionados, a star with red, white, and blue stripes for patriots, and a Liberty Bell.

    Wind, who has been making charm jewelry since he started his business in the 1980s, has turned some of his tiny amulets into giant pieces of public art.

    John Wind’s exhibition at Park Towne Place, a collaboration between the Philadelphia artist and InLiquid.John Wind

    Earlier in the week, Wind unveiled an installation of Philadelphia, patriotic, and social justice charms as wall art at Park Towne Place. The show, “Charm Offensive @ Reilly Memorial” will be up through Oct. 6. It is a joint project between Wind, InLiquid Art, and Park Towne Place. All of the wall charms are for sale at $150 each.

    The John Wind x Philadelphia Visitor Center Collection is available at select Philadelphia Visitor Center locations and at johnwind.com. Prices range from $48 for the key chain/bag fob to $108 for the necklace.

    — Elizabeth Wellington

    Will Sharpe as Mozart in “Amadeus,” the miniseries on Starz.Courtesy Starz

    A new, hunky ‘Amadeus’

    We’ll leave the notes on Amadeus, now streaming on Starz, to the film and TV critics — mostly. The miniseries based on Peter Shaffer’s play about Mozart and his less-than-genius jealous rival Antonio Salieri doesn’t have half the atmosphere or humor of the 1984 Milos Forman film.

    That said, a hunky Mozart (Will Sharpe) seems like the update our age demands.

    But we can offer a few notes on, well, the notes — the ones written by Mozart. Snippets of his music woven through the show last only a few seconds each, leaving a thirst to hear the rest of the musical works in recordings.

    Mozart wrote only two piano concertos in minor keys, and one of them, the dark D Minor, K. 466, is heard in the opening credits. Annie Fischer’s 1959 recording with Adrian Boult and the Philharmonia Orchestra is exactly the storm you want.

    Three pieces flicker by in Amadeus in the scene where Mozart’s wife, Constanze, shares Mozart’s scores with Salieri — The Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, ‘Gran Partita’ Serenade, and the Symphony No. 25. Each one of such beauty and invention there’s no mystery about why Salieri was undone by envy. A fun recording rabbit hole awaits listeners in each: the discovery that a particular interpretation can fundamentally alter the character of a piece.

    A number of Mozart piano sonatas find their way into the miniseries, and Walter Gieseking’s recordings of crystalline tone and exquisite phrasing explain the kind of truths that are revealed when a composer finds his or her ideal interpreter. A form of genius, really.

    “Amadeus” is streaming on Starz.

    — Peter Dobrin

    The cover image to Dexter Wansel’s 1976 album “Life on Mars.”Philadelphia International Records

    Remembering a Philly jazz legend

    Dexter Wansel was the player par excellence during the latter stage of Philadelphia International Records run of excellence in the late 1970s and 1980s. He wrote and produced for the Jacksons, Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, the Jones Girls, and more.

    As Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff said in a statement after Wansel’s death on May 31 at 75, he “brought a new age sound” to PIR. “Dexter’s synthesizer and keyboard sounds were iconic.”

    As great a behind-the-scenes player as he was, Wansel was also a solo artist whose music pushed PIR forward, blending old school R&B with futuristic sounds and the kinds of sci-fi adventures that were au courant in the ’70s, with the work of artists like David Bowie and George Clinton.

    Wansel’s 1976 space-funk album Life on Mars is the place to start looking into his legacy. It was partly inspired by Bowie’s 1971 song “Life on Mars,” but Wansel’s track of the same name is a different song. His use of the ARP 2600 synth was innovative, and Wansel expanded the interstellar theme with song titles like “Stargazer” and “Rings of Saturn.”

    But the album, which points forward the silky soul Quiet Storm format, remains connected to funky, earthly pleasures and structured songwriting. “One Million Miles from the Ground” is actually about lovemaking, not planet exploring. Life on Mars also opens with a tribute to Gamble, Wansel’s PIR employer, with a horn-powered instrumental called “A Prophet Named K.G.”

    On June 24, as part of Art Philly, DJ-producer King Britt will honor Wansel and Life on Mars with a live performance at Johnny Brenda’s as part of his weeklong “Blacktronika: Philadelphia Now and Then” event series. The Blacktronika Icon Award that was planned to be presented to Wansel at the show will be given posthumously.

    “Blacktronika: Philadelphia Now and Then” at Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., June 23-29. johnnybrendas.com

    — Dan DeLuca

    A hotel full of art

    I know where the cool kids were Wednesday night — crowding into Yowie for the launch of Elsewhere, an art fair produced by Blah Blah Gallery and hosted within the rooms of the boutique hotel.

    The premise: a blend of Philly and international artists taking over hotel rooms and inviting guests into their suites. The result was three floors of contemporary art curated by some of today’s most exciting, thoughtful, and sustainable artists and galleries from around the world.

    Qualeasha Wood in her apartment in Philly in 2023 after making the move from New York City.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer

    There’s something extremely approachable and exciting about getting to hear about art while sitting on a couch with a gallery curator, sipping white wine together, being greeted by a piece of pop art inside a bathroom shower, or a Tadashi Adamson sculpture of toast with eyes staged on the hotel room’s kitchen counter.

    I also spotted pieces by Philly-tied textile artist Qualeasha Wood in the hallway of an area on the second floor curated by DARLA out of New York. We love to see it.

    Elsewhere Fair closed June 6.

    — Emily Bloch

    Tina Fey as Kate, Marco Calvani center) as Claude, and Colman Domingo as Danny in Season 2 of “The Four Seasons.”Emily V. Aragones/Netflix

    Shore laughs

    It’s always a good time when Philly stars collab for big projects, and that’s especially true with Tina Fey and Colman Domingo in the second season of their Netflix comedy, The Four Seasons. As a cocreator and writer of the show, Fey decided that the show’s cast of vacationing couples should take a trip to the Jersey Shore, where she used to visit for many summers as a kid.

    Those two episodes — filmed in Ocean Grove and Point Pleasant Beach — are some of the funniest in the season, and offer a chance for Fey’s and Domingo’s characters (Kate and Danny) to bond as they dream of opening a B&B.

    One part that really had me cackling was when Will Forte, who plays Fey’s husband, makes a beach friend. Kate knows he’s been searching for a guy friend to talk sports or play games. There’s a moment when Kate and Danny see the two dudes talking and they start making fun of what topics they might be discussing (the Mets, TV sales, Gatorade flavors?) and then the camera cuts to the guys, who are actually talking about deep trauma and grief.

    It’s a sweet and authentic portrayal of the Shore that feels like an excellent way to start the summer. There are so many laughs in this season I’d argue it might be better than the first. Plus, not to give anything away, but there’s even a brief trip to Philadelphia in the final episode, complete with a Wawa shout-out.

    “The Four Seasons” is streaming on Netflix.

    — Rosa Cartagena

  • The Flyers are interested in star center Dylan Larkin. Can Danny Brière get him?

    The Flyers are interested in star center Dylan Larkin. Can Danny Brière get him?

    The Flyers need a first-line center. Everyone knows this. Everyone acknowledges this, even the Flyers themselves. Most of their best and most promising forwards — Travis Konecny, Porter Martone, Owen Tippett, Matvei Michkov — are wingers. They have salary-cap room on their roster and players and prospects and picks they can trade.

    Dylan Larkin is a first-line center. Everyone knows this. Everyone acknowledges this, even the Detroit Red Wings, the only team Larkin has known over his 11-year career in the NHL. He turns 30 on July 30. Six-foot-one and 204 pounds, he has scored 30 goals or more in a season six times, including each of the last five, and is the Red Wings’ captain and a conscientious defensive player. He is amid an eight-year contract that runs through the 2030-31 season and counts $8.7 million annually against the cap.

    He also told the Red Wings recently that he wants them to trade him.

    You don’t have to be hockey’s answer to Howie Roseman to see where we’re going here. A deal for Larkin — depending on what they’d have to give up to get him — would make a lot of sense for the Flyers. It would fit general manager Danny Brière’s broad plan of being open to moves that had the potential to help the team in both the short and long terms.

    “We’re in a good spot, as far as the salary cap goes, as far as our picks go, as far as our prospects go,” Brière said last month. “There’s a lot of upside there. If there’s an opportunity to jump on something that could help us, yeah, it’s my job to look at everything. But I don’t feel that I’m forced to make a move just to make a move because we’ve made it into the playoffs this year.”

    Matvei Michkov and the Flyers have a swirl of questions around them. His answers Tuesday will only add more.

    The Flyers do have interest in Larkin, two team sources confirmed. But it’s believed that they are not currently among his top preferred destinations, and he has plenty of leverage in the form of a full no-trade clause.

    He reportedly wants out of Detroit because of his frustration over the franchise’s direction under GM and former Red Wings great Steve Yzerman. The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons and have not won a postseason series since 2013, and Larkin was critical of the organization for failing to make any significant moves at this year’s trade deadline.

    “We didn’t gain any momentum … and guys were kind of down about it,” he told reporters in April. “It’d be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and maybe a morale boost as well.”

    Danny Brière conveyed at his end-of-season news conference that he would exhibit pragmatism in making a young and promising team better. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    The Flyers generated that kind of spark this season by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in six years, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, and rejuvenating a dormant but still-loyal fan base. They are perceived as a team on the rise, and the expectation around the NHL, among their fans, and within their own locker room will be that they’ll not just return to the playoffs but be capable of going deeper once they get there.

    Though Brière has maintained for a while now that he has no problem being patient and waiting for the Flyers’ young talent to develop further, that atmosphere will put some pressure on him to improve the roster as soon as he can.

    “I know all the players are going to come back, and that’s definitely going to be their goal,” he said. “I don’t want to lower expectations, either. I think they believe they can make the playoffs again. They want another taste of it.”

    Dan Vladař’s breakout season has earned him a contract extension with the Flyers. Now can he do it again?

    It’s plausible that Larkin will come around to the idea that the Flyers can scratch his itch for meaningful springtime hockey, and it’s difficult to imagine a hungrier, more motivated player than a star in his prime who has been on just one playoff team in his 11 years in the league.

    The question that Brière and his brain trust will have to answer, of course, is, what might it take to get Larkin, and will he be worth it? Would it take, say, Tippett, Jett Luchanko, and a couple of draft picks? Would it take more? Less? Which player or players on the current roster would the Flyers be willing to sacrifice for a player who would be as fine a fit as Larkin?

    The Flyers’ offseason just went from interesting to fascinating, fast.

  • Bryce Harper’s toothpaste, Philly’s ‘Love Island’ takeover, and another Sánchez masterpiece | Weekly Report Card

    Bryce Harper’s toothpaste, Philly’s ‘Love Island’ takeover, and another Sánchez masterpiece | Weekly Report Card

    Bryce Harper’s toothpaste technique: C

    Bryce Harper spent last week defending his toothbrushing technique after the internet discovered that he squeezes toothpaste directly into his mouth.

    The revelation was so unsettling that the Padres put it on the videoboard, dentists weighed in, and millions of people suddenly found themselves evaluating the oral hygiene habits of the Phillies’ first baseman.

    The funniest part is that Harper seemed genuinely confused by the backlash. “I’ve done it forever,” he said, which somehow makes it worse.

    What elevates this from ordinary internet nonsense to a true Philly sports story is that Harper is currently one of the best players in baseball, and yet this became a legitimate multiday discussion.

    For the record, dentists do not recommend the technique. But Harper has two MVPs, hundreds of home runs, and apparently very clean teeth, so hard to argue with the results.

    Sean Reifel (left), Melanie Moreno (middle), Sincere Rhea (right) are contestants of Love Island USA 2026.Ben Symons/PEACOCK

    Three Philly-area contestants on ‘Love Island’? The Eagles agenda is spreading: B+

    Three contestants with Philadelphia-region ties entered the villa on this season of Love Island USA. They are a North Philly native, a Cape May track star, and a former Lehigh Valley police officer.

    And within one episode, Philadelphia had already established diplomatic relations.

    North Philly’s Melanie Moreno and Cape May’s Sincere Rhea immediately bonded over the Eagles, with Moreno declaring, “Literally cut me and I’ll bleed green.”

    The funniest part about Philly representation on reality TV is that contestants from here almost never ease people into it. Within minutes, viewers knew Moreno was from Philadelphia because she announced it the same way most Philadelphians do: loudly and with complete confidence.

    Meanwhile, Rhea seems genuinely wholesome enough that the producers will almost certainly try to create problems for him by Episode 3.

    The real winner, though, may be Philadelphia itself. The city somehow landed three contestants on one of the biggest reality shows, ensuring that for at least the next few weeks, viewers will get Eagles fandom and blunt honesty on their screens.

    Winners at the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants announcement.50 Best

    Philly restaurants keep collecting national awards like it’s normal now: A

    Two Philadelphia restaurants landed on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list this week, with Kalaya and Friday Saturday Sunday once again earning spots among the continent’s culinary heavyweights.

    The funny thing is that Philly food fans have become almost spoiled by this stuff.

    A few years ago, getting one restaurant on a list like this would have triggered a citywide victory lap. Now the reaction is more along the lines of: “Only two? What happened to Royal Sushi?”

    To be fair, both restaurants dropped in the rankings this year. But they also remained on a list featuring just 50 restaurants across the United States and Canada, which is a pretty good reminder of how much Philly’s dining scene has changed.

    Not that long ago, national restaurant conversations about Philadelphia basically began and ended with cheesesteaks.

    Now we’re arguing about Michelin recommendations, international rankings, tasting menus, and whether a restaurant fell from 7th to 11th … that’s a good problem to have.

    Local drag royalty Martha Graham Cracker sings during the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Pride Concert on June 4, 2025, at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Philadelphia gave Martha Graham Cracker a fitting farewell: A+

    The death of Martha Graham Cracker creator Dito van Reigersberg this week felt less like the loss of a performer and more like the loss of a piece of Philadelphia itself.

    The tributes poured in from every corner of the city — theater, music, drag, dance, politics — which says a lot about the rare place he occupied in Philadelphia culture.

    But one detail from the obituary stood out. David Devan, the former head of Opera Philadelphia, was at the hospital when van Reigersberg died June 1, the first day of Pride Month. Leaving afterward, he watched the city’s Pride rainbow lights come on across Philadelphia.

    “It was the first day of Pride Month, and our greatest queer Philadelphian died,” Devan said.

    For a performer who spent decades making people laugh, feel welcome, and feel seen, it’s difficult to imagine a more fitting image than Philadelphia lighting up in rainbows on the night he died.

    San Diego Padres’ Nick Castellanos looks on during the third inning against the Washington Nationals, on May 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)Nick Wass

    The Nick Castellanos reunion tour lasted about as long as expected: C

    When Nick Castellanos returned to Citizens Bank Park this week, the Phillies played a scoreboard tribute featuring some of his memorable moments from the 2022 postseason. Twenty-four hours later, the Padres designated him for assignment. The timing was brutal.

    Castellanos hit .191 in a part-time role with San Diego after the Phillies released him in spring training. Still, there’s something oddly fitting about the whole thing happening in Philadelphia.

    For all the frustration that came with the final year of the Castellanos era, he was also part of some genuinely great Phillies moments: The standing ovations, the postseason homers, the absolute certainty that if something weird happened in a game, Castellanos would somehow be involved.

    Now, he’s looking for another opportunity at age 34. And if this is the end of the road, at least Philadelphia got one last chance to tip its cap before the baseball gods immediately delivered one final, extremely Nick Castellanos plot twist.

    Apple Cinemas has scrapped plans to reopen the former Riverview Plaza theater in South Philly, closed since 2020. Photo taken May 6, 2019.STEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

    Philly movie fans lose again: F

    Philadelphia moviegoers got some bad news this week when Apple Cinemas scrapped plans to reopen the former Riverview Plaza theater in South Philly, ending hopes for the return of one of the city’s most beloved moviegoing spots, reported PhillyVoice.

    And what makes it sting is that people were genuinely excited about this one.

    The plan included bringing movies back to a theater that’s been dark since 2020, adding an IMAX screen, and giving Philly something it currently doesn’t have: a true IMAX theater. Instead, the project collapsed amid a dispute between Apple Cinemas and property owner Bart Blatstein over the condition of the building and lease obligations.

    The result is that the giant empty theater remains a giant empty theater.

    Cristopher Sánchez is running out of Phillies records to break: A+

    A week after setting the Phillies franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings, Cristopher Sánchez added another one: the longest scoreless streak ever by a left-handed pitcher.

    That’s not just a Phillies record. That’s an MLB record.

    By reaching 45⅔ scoreless innings, Sánchez passed Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell and moved into sixth place on the all-time list, regardless of handedness.

    What’s remarkable is how quickly this has gone from surprising to expected.

    Bryce Harper probably summed it up best when he said it feels normal now. A pitcher is doing things that haven’t been done in generations, and the reaction has become, “Yep, that’s Sánchez.” A few nervous moments, a bunch of awkward swings at changeups, seven scoreless innings, and another historic number attached to his name.

    The streak will end eventually, but right now, Philadelphia is watching one of the best stretches of pitching in baseball history unfold every fifth day.

  • How to have a Perfect Philly Day, according to Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia

    How to have a Perfect Philly Day, according to Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia

    For Angela Val, experiencing the charms of Philadelphia is far more than just a personal pastime. It’s part of her job.

    President and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, the nonprofit that serves as the city’s official leisure-tourism marketing agency, it falls to Val to sell the city’s many allures to the wider world. Especially this year, as Philadelphia prepares to ascend the global stage for America’s 250th anniversary.

    “It’s exciting for it to be here,” said Val, who has led Visit Philadelphia since 2022, after a prior 17-year stint at the agency, when she worked her way from a receptionist to vice president. “I have been preparing for this year with lots of different people, and to see it come to fruition — to be in the implementation stage — is really thrilling.”

    Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit PhiladelphiaRachel Rosenstein

    A native of Rockville, Md., Val fell in love with Philly’s rising potential after earning a degree in hospitality management from Drexel University in 1994.

    Starting out working hotel front desk and catering jobs, Val first joined Visit Philadelphia in 1998, amid Center City’s long awaited renaissance.

    “I just felt like I was going to be part of a city that’s going to have a great deal of growth over the next 10 years,” she said.

    Now, Val helps spearhead that growth.

    For the 250th, Visit Philadelphia has rolled out a series of marketing campaigns and events, including TED Democracy, a daylong symposium of broadcast TED talks exploring modern day democracy scheduled for June 13 at the Kimmel Center.

    Val, who lives in Point Breeze with her husband, and her dogs, Dash and Bailey, who are Mi-Kis, said her perfect Philly day would include a rooftop sunset, a killer workout, sweets before dinner, lots of great Philly food, and some late-night hanging with neighbors.

    7 a.m.

    We always start off with my dogs. We have two puppies. They’re about a year old. I take them to the deck to run around very early in the morning. We have a skyline view. We took all of our COVID refund and renovated the deck. I do like to sit on the deck with a cup of tea. The Random Tea Room sells a great loose mint tea that I love.

    I usually go back to bed. I am not a morning person. I am somebody who likes to hit the snooze button. So I’ll do that — just chill out in bed a little bit longer and catch the news.

    Angela Val, President and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, Speaks to guests and press about the announcement of TED Talks focus on democracy leading up to 2026 in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, May, 21, 2024.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    9 a.m.

    I usually head to the gym. I have a trainer. I belong to the Bellevue Sporting Club. I am all about strength training these days. As you get older, the doctor recommends less cardio, more strength. I had never really lifted weights before. Thus, I got a trainer, and I have to say, I do love it. Emily’s fantastic. I usually try to get that in two or three times a week, if possible. It always makes me feel better.

    11 a.m.

    I get a good walk there and a good walk back. I’m pretty ravenous afterward. Joe and I will usually meet up at Enswell. It’s just so pretty in there. They have this awesome egg sandwich — it’s so buttery and delicious. If that’s not available, I get the omelet, which is also delicious. Always with a side salad..

    1 p.m.

    In the afternoon, we just pick an activity to do. I love to walk so we usually walk some place — go see some exhibit or gallery. If this is a day in 2026, I’m going to want to check out “The Declaration’s Journey” at the Museum of the American Revolution. They have rare copies of the Declaration of Independence but also an advanced copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I have a dream.” And the bench on which he wrote “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

    And [I’d go to] Calder Gardens. It’s small, but so different for Philly. It’s so modern and beautiful.

    4 p.m.

    [Then I’m] headed to the Bread Room — from High Street Hospitality and Ellen Yin — to get a couple sweet treats. And I would love to be able to take one of the baking classes there. They have this scone with orange blossom frosting. It is delicious. They also have a chocolate chip cookie that has a little bit of sea salt on the top, which I also think is delicious. And it’s a big boy, so you can share it, and not have to eat the whole thing, like I do.

    6 p.m.

    We would honestly come home and take a nap and play with the dogs. But we would definitely go back out.

    8 p.m.

    We do eat out a lot. It’s just the two of us. We would go to Sao. That is one of the places that I would love to try. We’ve been to Mawn many times and it’s delicious. But we heard Sao was really great too. Fresh seafood. I am a seafood lover. I don’t eat meat regularly. For me to find a great seafood place, especially one that’s close by, I’m in.

    We go to Alice a lot. I like their artichoke salad there. We like to sit at the bar there at the very end. Also American Sardine Bar, which is right down the street from our house. I eat so often downtown during the week because of work. So I try really hard on the weekends to hit neighborhood spots. I don’t eat sardines. But what I wish they would bring back is their fried bologna sandwich. I will tell you that at two o’clock in the morning, if you’ve had a few drinks, it’s delicious. Always a cocktail. I’m old school. I’m always going to love the Cosmo (very light pink, not too sweet). But I was also was recently introduced to the Paper Plane. It seems just like a Cosmopolitan, but it has a whiskey base. It’s not too sweet.

    11 p.m.

    A perfect end is actually going next door to see our neighbors. We’re very good friends. And they have a beautiful patio with a pergola up top, so we’d just hang around with them around the firepit and listen to records. The soundtrack is probably Leon Bridges. That’s a perfect night.

    The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

  • Mystic, Conn., is much more than pizza and a movie title | Field Trip

    Mystic, Conn., is much more than pizza and a movie title | Field Trip

    Consider yourself warned: This weekend itinerary in Mystic, Conn., contains no pizza. Not that you can’t find a great slice in this New England seaport town, but Mystic offers so much more than nostalgia from the 1980s cult movie classic. Eccentric boutiques, hearty breakfasts, and stylish inns pile onto the nautical charm of the village, which is divided between Groton and Stonington by the Mystic River.

    It’s pretty much a straight shot up 95, clocking a little over four hours from Center City. Start the car.

    Fuel: Kitchen Little

    Start the trip with a Mystic tradition: breakfast at Kitchen Little, the second-floor cafe at the Mystic River Marina on Mason’s Island. The huge menu features blueberry-jeweled buttermilk pancakes, omelets stuffed with corned beef hash, and nine different types of eggs Benedict, including one piled with hunks of fresh lobster. Ask for a table on the deck for views of the boats drifting through the harbor.

    📍 36 Quarry Rd., Mystic, Conn. 06355

    Stay: The Whaler’s Inn

    Composed of a series of historic buildings constructed between 1865 and 1920, the Whaler’s Inn sits at the end of Mystic’s famous Main Street Bridge, an ideal location for exploring the town. The property fits the weekend’s nautical theme with its whitewashed facade, navy shutters, slate woodwork, and two seafood restaurants. Room categories are spread across multiple buildings, from adults-only luxury suites with buttercream sofas and sleek integrated kitchenettes to family rooms with built-in bunks and a children’s library. The experience is super customizable depending whether you’re traveling solo or with children.

    📍 20 E. Main St., Mystic, Conn. 06355

    Shop: Olde Mistick Village

    More than 40 boutiques comprise Olde Mistick Village, a model colonial-era New England town originally opened in 1973. The shops, arranged around a meetinghouse, run the gamut, from Salt Life-type souvenirs to rare manga volumes (Arisu), Murano glass jewelry (Gineva), and eerie Victorian oddities (Alice’s Little Haunted Book Shop). And if the weather isn’t cooperating during your visit, the village also hosts Mystic Luxury Cinemas, where the recliners are heated and the popcorn comes topped with real butter.

    📍 27 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, Conn. 06355

    Sun: Bluff Point Beach

    Just west of Mystic, the Poquonnock River meanders down into Long Island Sound, shimmying around the tip of Bluff Point Beach. This tranquil, undeveloped stretch of sand at the end of Bluff Point State Park arcs into the water like a slingshot, making it a relaxing place to sunbathe, stroll, and plane-spot the occasional jet taking off at Groton-New London Airport just across the river. Park in the state park lot; the beach is the end of the marked trial, a little over a mile south.

    📍 55 Depot Rd., Groton, Conn. 06340

    See: Mystic Museum of Art

    Lobster is not Southern Connecticut’s only historic industry. The region was also a leading producer of velvet in the 1800s. That craft takes center stage this summer in “Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways,” opening June 26 at Mystic Museum of Art. If painting is more your medium, the museum’s white farmhouse-style building houses a stunning collection of American impressionist and tonalist works from the early 1900s to the early 2000s, including Henry Ward Ranger’s Connecticut landscapes.

    📍 9 Water St., Mystic, Conn. 06355

    Learn: Mystic Seaport Museum

    Also on the weekend of June 26, the Mystic Seaport Museum’s 34th annual WoodenBoat Show goes down with more than a hundred styles of wooden vessels on display at the riverfront institution’s wharf. Besides the show, this is the place to learn about Mystic’s maritime culture, home to four national historic landmark vessels you can board and explore, as well as the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, the nation’s first preservation yard dedicated to wooden ships. If you love boats, or better yet, have kids that love boats, you should not miss it.

    📍 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, Conn. 06355

    Dine: Red 36

    Perched along the river, Red 36 glows as bright as a lantern once the sun goes down in Mystic. Heading here for dinner means shorts and a T-shirt and a table on the wide waterfront deck or under the barnlike wood-beam ceiling inside — extremely chill. Order a spicy marg made with jalapeño-infused tequila and mezcal or an ice-cold Allagash, along with one of two types of clam chowder; we say the creamy over the clear. Entrees include fish and chips splashed with malt vinegar, seafood paella, and the mac-daddy whole steamed lobster served with Mexican street corn, coleslaw, and Old Bay fries.

    📍 2 Washington St., Mystic, Conn. 06355

  • Authorities arrested 25 people at a cockfight in Delco and rescued 52 live birds

    Authorities arrested 25 people at a cockfight in Delco and rescued 52 live birds

    Law enforcement officials arrested 25 people and rescued more than 50 birds after breaking up a cockfight in Delaware County over the weekend.

    The Pennsylvania SPCA Animal Law Enforcement Team, along with local authorities including the Pennsylvania State Police and Central Delaware County Organized Crime Unit, interrupted the cockfight Saturday night at a home on the 500 block of Franklin Street in Chester, officials said. There, investigators removed 52 live birds and discovered three dead roosters while serving a search warrant on the property.

    “Cockfighting is one of the most brutal forms of animal cruelty; these birds are forced to fight to near death one cut at a time, suffering devastating injuries in the process,” Nicole Wilson, director of animal law enforcement and shelter operations at the PSPCA, said in a statement.

    PSPCA officials received a tip about the cockfight on Thursday, the organization said. Investigators went on to surveil the property, and noted a number of people entering and exiting it — some of whom were carrying “animal transport carriers,” the PSPCA said.

    After securing a warrant, PSPCA investigators received support in serving it from the Central Delaware County Organized Crime Unit because of the number of people involved in the cockfight.

    The animals rescued from the property were taken to the PSPCA’s Philadelphia headquarters, where they were to receive exams and medical care. The birds will remain in PSPCA custody until their owners surrender them, or a court case related to the incident is adjudicated, the organization said.

    Officials did not identify the people arrested.

    Cockfighting, the PSPCA said in its statement, is a felony in Pennsylvania. The investigation is continuing.

    The PSPCA asked that anyone with information contact its animal cruelty hotline at 866-601-SPCA (7722) or email cruelty@pspca.org. Tips may be left anonymously.

  • 2 fatal shootings reported in Chester, the latest in a spate of violence

    2 fatal shootings reported in Chester, the latest in a spate of violence

    Two fatal shooting marked a particularly violent Tuesday in Chester, roughly a year after the city celebrated a steep decline in homicides involving firearms in the first half of 2025.

    The fatalities were from separate shootings, one of which left a third person in critical condition, according to the city’s mayor. No arrests were made and officials did not have descriptions of any suspects.

    “These acts of violence are heartbreaking and serve as another painful reminder of the ongoing challenges facing our community and the devastating consequences violence continues to ave on individuals, families, and neighborhoods,” said Chester Mayor Stefan Roots in a statement Wednesday.

    Roots lamented a third incident, in which a police officer was assaulted Tuesday and suffered lacerations during a domestic dispute call. The officer was treated at a hospital and released as the incident remains under investigation.

    While year-to-date nonfatal and fatal shooting statistics were not immediately available, Tuesday’s deaths mark the latest in a spate of shootings.

    Though zero shootings were reported in March, The Delaware County Daily Times reports there have been 10 since April.

    Last summer, the Chester police reported 15 nonfatal shootings just over the midway mark of the year. That translated to a 16% decrease in nonfatal shootings compared to 2024. Homicides in the first half of 2025 had also dropped 41% compared to the same time in the year prior, according to the Chester police midyear report.

    The summer would go on to be one of the safest the Chester ever had, largely credited to national trends in declining violence and the yearslong collaboration among community advocates, police, and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office.

    Chester saw one of its safest summers ever in 2025. No one died from gun violence.

    Though Tuesday’s violence was alarming enough to warrant a news conference with both Roots and Chester Police Commissioner Katrina Blackwell, the mayor emphasized the continued violence prevention work across stakeholders and law enforcement.

    Chester’s Safe Summer Initiative will continue to provide resources to youth and families, as well as positive opportunities in the city, said Roots.

    “But public safety cannot rest solely on the shoulders of law enforcement,” he said in a statement, adding that people who “know something” should “say something.”