Remember when sidewalk dining was a novelty in the late '90s?
Now for Philly's next wave: picnics in parklets.
"Parklets" are temporary platforms that cover two parking spaces with seating, and have been erected at various places around the city - including the latest adorable nook, trimmed with orange lanterns and planters, in front of Pumpkin Market on South Street.
Sanctioned by the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities, and piloted last year in University City (following models in New York and San Francisco), the parklets are meant to extend public space as much as street-side porches for businesses.
While I can think of few things more satisfying in the fall than a hearty bowl of short rib-ancho chili from Pumpkin Market (which built and maintains the parklet with a neighborhood association grant), you can sit with a snack from any of the businesses on Philly's current "it" street.
