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Seafood, Philadelphia Edition: Summer Nights at the Best Restaurant in Philly

Article by Stephanie Aiello

As the warm weather months approach us, it?s time to dust off the summer to-do list and add a Philadelphia favorite to the mix. Enjoy a gourmet meal aboard a restored sailing ship converted into a unique seafood restaurant, offering signature seafood dishes with South Sea flair. Built in 1904, the seafood restaurant?s history speaks volumes as one of the top 15 restaurants in the northeast region of the U.S.


The first thing you will notice about this critically acclaimed seafood restaurant is the atmosphere. The historic ship docked on the Philadelphia waterfront takes your mind to another place with the grandiose foyer, the twinkling lights, and the rich, colorful décor of an exotic retreat. Choose between a table in the formal dining room or on the outdoor deck overlooking the sparkling view of the waterfront. The aura of this restaurant in Philly is exciting yet comfortable, making it the ultimate destination for a first date or fiftieth anniversary.


Once seated, you will quickly discover what the all the ado is about. Other seafood in Philadelphia serves their dishes with little preparation or care. The chefs at this renowned restaurant in Philly use the freshest seafood and other ingredients to present a beautiful, tasty meal cooked to perfection. If you?re looking for the right balance between atmosphere and expert culinary skills, this is the place for you.


Known for its exquisite culinary creations, the choice seafood of Philadelphia is presented in a way you won?t forget. Start with a glass of chilled white wine and a one-of-a-kind seafood appetizer such as the Carpaccio of Avocado. The combination of lump crabmeat, blood orange, jicama, and citrus vinaigrette make this the perfect kick-off to enjoy seafood, Philadelphia style.


Other remarkable entrees of this Philadelphia seafood restaurant include unmatched crab cakes, perfectly prepared salmon, diver scallops with fennel, and much more. In addition to seafood, indulge in a great variety of meat and vegetarian dishes as well as small plates perfect for sharing on the ship deck with a cocktail.


After dinner, relax in the ship?s upper decks for drinks and a warm summer breeze. You can even catch some live island-themed music on certain days of the week. Don?t miss the opportunity to enjoy a unique dining experience that doubles as a stay-cation in the heart of the city. As one of the finest restaurants in Philly, you will get lost in the magic of the ship?s cuisine, atmosphere, and history.


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About the Author

Stephanie Aiello is a freelance writer for the critically acclaimed Moshulu Restaurant & Bar, a beautifully historic sailing ship docked on the Philadelphia waterfront. Discover more about the best thanksgiving dining in Philadelphia has to offer at one of the most unique restaurants in Philly.

Philadelphia Hotels, Find Capital for Energy Efficiency Projects

Article by Susan Patel

In the past few years, Philadelphia has been ?green? to a level above reduce, reuse and recycle. The Mayor?s Office of Sustainability have set the ambitious goal to reduce its vulnerability to rising energy prices andhave coordinated to make capital available to businesses to attain this goal.
At a time when access to capital is constrained, the City of Philadelphia created the GreenWorks Loan and Rebate Fund in 2010 to help businesses as hotels finance energy efficiency building practices, materials and equipment for major renovations and new construction projects. In addition, there is the Green Roofs Tax Credit and the Pennsylvania Green Energy Loan Program.
Good news! Funding is available for that 2011 energy efficiency project your sustainability team has been pushing for. It?s not only a good idea to keep up with competition, but also essential as Pennsylvania deregulated the electricity market that has only resulted in higher rates and increasing operating costs. An energy efficiency project might just be the long term solution to rising costs and energy use. Here are few key details about each of the programs:
Green Roofs Tax Credit
To qualify, you must own or operate a business within the City of Philadelphia and therefore pay the Business Privelege Tax. This is required because the incentive is issued in the form of “a credit against the Business Privilege Tax of 25% of all costs actually incurred to construct the Green Roof, provided that the total credit shall not exceed 0,000.”
GreenWorks Small Business Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Offers up to ,000 or 50% of a project?s cost to small businesses and property owners with commercial space who plan to make improvements that increase the hotel?s energy efficiency. The rebate is only available for projects that have not yet been implemented. Funds are limited.
GreenWorks Loan Fund
Financing will be targeted to projects with energy savings potential which also result in job creation. Loan amount ranges 0,000 to million with financing not exceeding 85% of project costs for retrofits or 33% of project costs for new construction. Interest rates may range between 3.5% to 6.5%.
Pennsylvania Green Energy Loan Fund
This state loan program will operate as a revolving loan program where the fund is replenished by interest and principal repayments made on prior loans. In order to qualify for a loan, a project must result in an estimated energy consumption reduction of at least 25%. Loans are available in amounts from roughly 0,000 to .5 million. Interest rates will be determined on a case-by-case basis but are generally expected to be from 4.0% to 6.5%.
Although most management deem finding the capital for hotel energy efficiency projects to be the hardest task, don?t underestimate the planning, project management and paperwork involved in simply submitting an application for the program, which makes no guarantees. To get it done right the first time around, minimize costs and utilize employee time efficiently, hotel management should consider consulting a professional energy efficiency advisor.
Click here for Incentives, Rebates and Loan Programs by State
Energy Efficiency rebates, tax and loan funding information can be found on Phila.gov and DSIREusa.org (SOURCES). All programs are subject to change and expiration depending on availability of funds as well as local and state plans.
About EcoGreenHotel
EcoGreenHotel LLC (Robbinsville, NJ), is a privately held company dedicated to helping lodging facilities address a broad spectrum of sustainability issues. The company provides information, tools, checklists, current news and trends to the hospitality industry through its website, http://www.EcoGreenHotel.com. The company also runs an online marketplace for green products and services at http://www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com. In addition to the online offerings, EcoGreenHotel provides customized consulting services tailored to the needs of the hospitality industry in the areas of energy efficiency and certifications, including LEED, Green Seal and Energy Star. For those properties that have reached certified levels of sustainability, EcoGreenHotel assists with marketing services to position the properties within the growing ?green? space and enhance revenue. For further information, email info@EcoGreenHotel.com or call 888-229-0213

About the Author

About Author
Susan Patel, VP of Technologies & Communications received her B.S. in Economics from Rutgers College at New Brunswick and has over six years of financial and investment analyst experience. Driven by her passion for sustainability and economic development since childhood and through philanthropic adventures internationally, Susan now leads business development and operations at EcoGreenHotel and is the Site Director and Managing Editor of EcoGreenHotel online publications.
For more Information, please visit at: http://www.ecogreenhotel.com

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Historic Preservation and the Philadelphia Fa?ade Ordinance

The new Philadelphia Façade Ordinance, signed by Mayor Michael Nutter on Feb. 17th, 2010, was a landmark piece of legislation for the AEC community in Philadelphia, providing a cornerstone for maintaining the integrity of and public trust in the buildings which define the landscape of the city. However, Philadelphia is a city with a rich and long history and an extensive inventory of historic structures, as well as an existing, robust Historic Commission and Historic Preservation Ordinance. The overlap between the façade ordinance and the historic preservation ordinance contains a number of grey areas. How to reconcile public safety with the need to preserve architectural treasures is the crux of the issue. The potential for conflict between these two important civic initiatives exists, and at this point in time is not addressed in either the new façade ordinance(http://www.facadeordinance.com/assets/pdfs/City_of_Philadelphia_Bill_090568-AAA.pdf) or the Historic Preservation Ordinance. Some procedural guidelines are put forth in the Historic Preservation Ordinance (http://www.phila.gov/historical/pdf/ordinance/ordinance.pdf), but nothing specifically addresses the expeditious remedy of unsafe conditions in an historically sensitive manner.

The first round of façade inspections mandated by the new façade ordinance law has begun, with buildings constructed prior to 1950 due to have inspections completed by June 30th, 2011. Buildings constructed between1951-1970 have a deadline of June 30th, 2012, with successive rounds for newer buildings due each year on June 30th through 2015. Then the cycle recommences. Already, many of the city’s most historic structures have undergone review, including the Art Institute, the Curtis Center, the Public Ledger, and the Wanamaker. The issue, now, is no longer theoretical.

In considering the intersection of the Façade Ordinance and historic preservation, the first issue that arises is the lack of any instruction in the Philadelphia Façade Ordinance for the inspecting professional to ascertain the historic preservation status of a building. Without such a provision, there is nothing to trigger the distinct, and varying, treatment options that historic designation requires. The several levels of preservation status: federal, state, city, county or district, each detail unique requirements which must be adhered to in any alteration of a landmark building. At the federal level, the National Register of Historic Places, and at the state level, the State Historic Preservation Office provides criteria for designation. At the local level, it is the Philadelphia Historical Commission that has authority. Therefore, it seems prudent that some direction needs to be given to the inspecting professional, within the Façade Ordinance, as to the authoritative sources that must be consulted in order to determine the historic status of a building in the inspection regimen.

The second issue we encounter in the intersection of safety and preservation, is the fact that no process is outlined in the Façade Ordinance (the words historic or preservation don’t even exist in the document) directing the inspecting professional as to practice regarding buildings designated with historic status at any level. Established practice and the city Historic Preservation Ordinance provide some guidance for dealing with city-designated historic structures. In Section 7 – Permits:

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(a)Unless a permit is first obtained from the Department (L&I), no person shall alter or demolish an historic building, structure, site or object, nor alter, demolish, or construct any building, structure, site or object within an historic district, nor alter or demolish an historic public interior portion of a building or structure, nor perform work on a building or structure that requires a building permit if such building or structure contains an historic public interior portion. And (c) Before the Department may issue such a permit; the permit application shall be forwarded to the Commission for its review.

Substantial guidance exists at the federal level in the form of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, which mandates a review of any federal landmark status buildings by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). These federal guidelines are generally administered at the state level by the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). In Pennsylvania, this is the Bureau for Historic Preservation (BHP), part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/historic_preservation/3741 )

But this scenario puts the onus on the individual engineer or architect hired for the façade ordinance inspection to be informed of the proper procedures, regulations and techniques to protect the historical treasure. Such looseness can easily result in damaged or lost features, buildings or landmark designations. Because of the lack of statutory regulations in the Façade Ordinance, it is possible, in the event of the finding of an “unsafe condition”, that the “prompt remedial action” required might cause the removal of important architectural features or materials or substantial aesthetic and historical damage in attempting to stabilize them. Conversely, the Historic Preservation Ordinance does not address the case of emergency safety repairs, and what is considered acceptable practice, so a significant void exists.

As the first round of inspections comes to a close on June 30th, it is likely that substantive and procedural issues related to the new ordinance will be identified and amendments to the ordinance proposed in the coming months. The issues outlined above regarding Historic Preservation and the façade ordinance most certainly should be on that list.

In the ASTM manual “Building Façade Maintenance, Repair and Inspection” (STP 1444), K.L. Fong and C. Louie, in the article “Façade Ordinances and Historic Structures – Theoretical and Practical Conservation Issues in Inspection and Repair” provide a generalized list of amendments that their study of the issue found to be needed for most facade ordinances nationwide:

Differentiate buildings of recognized historic and architectural value from those without conferred distinction. This difference is recognized by existing legislation and national, state and local registers of historic landmarks, buildings and districts.

Direct the inspecting professional to determine the historic status of the building and neighborhood and identify its recognized historic value. The historic status and characteristics of significance may affect treatment recommendations.

Direct the inspecting professional to established standards, guidelines and resources such as:

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties

State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO),

Local Landmark Commission or Advisory Board

American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice,

National Register of Historic Places,

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – Section 106 Review Process, and

National Park Service Preservation Briefs

Fong and Louie also identified commensurate changes that were desirable in the historic preservation code so that an integrated system of building safety and historic preservation can be created. These included:

Document the as-found condition, the removal of original material, and all of the new repair interventions

Retain as much of the original material in situ as possible

Timelines for redressing temporary repairs and implementing appropriate permanent repairs

Comprehensive maps and lists of all identified historic districts and individual buildings with coded levels of significance for easy use by inspecting professionals. These interactive databases, such as could be created by GIS systems, would be of significant value…

The inspection and remediation of historic structures, now a permanent feature with the new Philadelphia Façade Ordinance, is a very specialized area of structural engineering, requiring a broad knowledge of antiquated materials and construction techniques as well as their proper intersection with modern engineering standards, practices and building codes. The need to recognize this in the Façade Ordinance is paramount, if the rich architectural landscape of America’s first national capital is to be preserved for the coming generations.

Celebrate at a Unique Wedding Venue in Philadelphia and Experience the Best Restaurant in Philly for Outdoor Dining

Article by Christen Ronchetti

Looking for the best restaurant in Philly for weddings and outdoor dining? Book your party on the decks of a once-seafaring ship that has been transformed into a unique fine dining venue. Treat yourself and your guests to a wedding venue in Philadelphia with formal, yet comfortable and decidedly unique ambiance. Gaze at the city and Ben Franklin Bridge?both beautifully lit at night?as well as the serene Delaware River, aboard a ship moored at Penn?s Landing.

The best restaurant in Philly for weddings offers a staff with top-notch attentiveness and professionalism. Even if you?re not from Philly, the staff at this best restaurant in Philly can help you plan your event through quick and detailed email and phone correspondence. Speak with a helpful catering manager, who will immediately let you know your menu options, including pricing and sample photos of previous weddings. You can also meet with the staff on weekends, or whenever is most convenient, to plan your event in person. During the event, your banquet manager and personal waiter will put you at ease, taking care of everything so you can enjoy a stress-free celebration.

This unique wedding venue in Philadelphia accommodates parties ranging from 10-2,500 guests, and provides a wide range of dining options. The staff will work with you to ensure that every aspect of the event meets your standards?whether you need a special meal for someone with food allergies, or have a specific idea for your dream wedding cake, this wedding venue in Philadelphia can work with you every step of the way. Five decks of the ship can be booked for your private party or cocktail reception. Guests can celebrate in various arrangements, such as in one of two private rooms off the main dining room, at the exclusive chef?s table, at the Captain?s table, or under the stars on the outdoor decks. The outdoor bar offers the perfect setting for cocktails and live entertainment.

Experience the best restaurant in Philly with a beautiful maritime view of the Delaware. Your guests will love celebrating aboard a ship, surrounded by warm dark woodwork, masts illuminated by hundreds of lights, and the unbeatable view of the city and river?your guests will never forget their experience aboard this unique wedding venue in Philadelphia.

About the Author

Christen Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Moshulu Restaurant & Bar, an award-winning dining venue in the world?s oldest and largest four-masted sailing ship. The Moshulu has been recognized for its beautifully unique setting, outstanding food and service. If you?re looking for best restaurant in Philly to enjoy outdoor dining, or an unbeatable wedding venue in Philadelphia, visit Moshulu.com.