However rainy it may have been this past week in Philadelphia, the gloom couldn’t ruin our weekend as me and my sisters hosted our dad, who was in town from Virginia Beach, for a weekend of Philly favorites.

Our dad grew up here and attended Temple University, where he rowed on the crew team. All of that is to say that he isn’t necessarily a tourist in the City of Brotherly love; however, he does love visiting the new restaurants and walking around Rittenhouse Square no matter the weather.

A six-hour solo drive for him landed him at our apartment on Friday evening just in time for happy hour. We hosted with Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, brie and our favorite dips. The hurricane was just rolling in, so we decided to stay in and rest. We ended up watching a movie together before bed.

On Saturday we met Dad at Urban Farmer, a restaurant conveniently located on the ground floor of The Logan hotel where he was staying for the weekend. I had eggs, and the table shared an order of the bourbon peach waffle — which was to die for. The roasted peaches mixed with fresh whipped cream and drizzled in bourbon syrup made for the most perfect bite. After breakfast we walked into Rittenhouse Square to find the weekly farmers market set up and crowded despite the spitting rain and wind chill. We made our way around the square and called it after a while to get back inside and into dry clothes.

Saturday night began with drinks at Vernick Fish, the ground-floor restaurant of the new Four Seasons building. I had a dirty martini made by the lead bartender. My dad ordered a sidecar, and my sisters enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc each. Dinner at Giuseppe and Sons followed, where we enjoyed a three-course meal. My favorite part of the meal was the tableside fresh mozzarella which was formed and pulled to perfection, making for a bit of a show with dinner.

Sunday rolled around quicker than any of us preferred, but we had to have one last meal before Dad got back on the road. If you can’t tell by now, we take our meals very seriously. A Philly favorite, Harper’s Garden, made for a perfect brunch before we hugged and wished my dad a safe drive home. We always enjoy time with Dad, and we look forward to seeing him in Philly again for Christmas, where I am sure we will enjoy Philly’s famous holiday spirit!

— Haley Fogarty, advertising manager