Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mütter Museum
A medical museum turned permanent freak show, the Mütter is a great place to stop and restock your collection of nightmares. From the utterly fascinating to the truly bizarre, and every oddity in-between, the Mütter’s visitors are welcome to explore display case after display case of medical marvels including slides of Albert Einstein’s directed brain, conjoined twin fetuses, and the mysterious soap lady. Not for the faint of heart or stomach, a trip to Federal Donuts is best left for after you’ve had your fair share of pickled organs and other anatomical specimens. (19 South 2nd Street, www.muttermuseum.org)
Try: Once you've familiarized yourself with the legend of Soap Lady, you might want to dig a bit deeper with Stuff You Missed in History Class' podcast on the woman who is shrouded in more than just mystery.
Federal Donuts
If you manage to survive the Mütter with your appetite in tact, you’re in for a real treat with Federal Donuts just around the corner. Small but mighty, Federal’s cake-style donuts are the perfect companion to your morning coffee or a stand-alone meal if you’re serious about your sweets. The shop’s rotating menu insures that the flavors are as fresh as the donuts themselves, and have included offerings such as blueberry pancake, black and white cookie, and strawberry cheesecake to ensure just the right amount of dessert inception takes place during your stay. (1632 Sansom Street, www.federaldonuts.com)
Try: Be on the lookout for other unique flavors such as strawberry-lavender or Fluffhead—a killer combination of marshmallow fluff, peanut butter icing, and chocolate sprinkles for added crunch.
Moon + Arrow
You may as well hand over your wallet at the front door of this dizzyingly whimsical South Philly boutique. Every corner of the spacious showroom offers up its charm on a silver or clay platter with handcrafted jewelry dangling from every hook and soothing scents wafting from every jar or tin. Philly’s untamed spirit meets Brooklyn’s architectural eye to create a vibe that is meticulously curated, yet so effortlessly cool. (754 South 4th Street, www.moonandarrow.com)
