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We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Philly

We ask local movers and shakers the essential questions.

 the Online News Association (ONA) 2023 Impact Award. City Cast Philly spoke to former Community News and Information Director 

“After a challenging first semester in my first reporting class at Rutgers, I learned something about journalism: it’s hard and sometimes unpredictable. But I realized how it could be improved to better serve and reflect communities we’re a part of. Ultimately, I see how civic engagement and staying informed can greatly improve someone’s life and especially during COVID age — can literally save it.”

What has been your favorite piece of Philly journalism?

, a Filipino fast food chain restaurant, opening on Bustleton Ave. The second is a 

 for people overcoming addiction that I managed with Billy Penn. The project resulted in 50 verified organizations in the city by community members.”

What is Equally Informed Philly and how does it serve the city?

 that bridges the digital divide in the city. It has a free English and Spanish text line where our team sends important updates about living in Philly to subscribers. We have a community-level reporting program where Philly residents contribute to our print newsletter that we distribute via community partners across the city. You can follow us @

Newsroom collaborative Resolve Philly recently won the Online News Association (ONA) 2023 Impact Award. City Cast Philly spoke to Community News and Information Director Kristine Villanueva, about how Resolve serves Philly. 

Bridging the Digital News Divide with Resolve Philly Reporter Kristine Villanueva

Bridging the Digital News Divide with Former Resolve Philly Reporter Kristine Villanueva

3 Questions With

It’s settled: Central Jersey is real. Last week, NJ Gov. Phil Murphy 

 officially recognizing the central part of the Garden State. City Cast Philly recently 

, who sponsored the bill, about why that's important. Here are some highlights from that interview, which have been condensed for clarity:

Do people identify as being from Central Jersey?

“Absolutely. It's a source of pride. There is no way that someone who lives in the center of our state says, ‘Oh, I'm from North Jersey or I'm from South Jersey.’ We are Central Jersey, through and through.”

“It’s really about tourism. We have tourism data from pre-pandemic and where we are now for northern, central, and southern regions of the state. And what we’re seeing is that the central part of the state has lagged behind. Along with that piece of defining Central Jersey comes a promotion of a new area and some money that’s put aside to promote it.”

How would you spend an ideal day in Central Jersey?

“I would start with a walk, jog, or a bike ride along the 

. Then I would get lunch at one of the local restaurants which sources all its vegetables, fruits, and meats from Central Jersey farms ... Maybe then I’d get tickets for one of the local theaters. We have award-winning regional theaters. I just saw Hasan Minhaj at the 

It’s settled: Central Jersey is real. Last week, NJ Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law officially recognizing the central part of the Garden State. City Cast Philly recently spoke to state Senator Andrew Zwicker. Here are some highlights from that interview, which have been condensed for clarity. 

Resolving the Central Jersey ‘Debate’ With New Jersey Senator Andrew Zwicker

 is the owner and illustrator of local pet brand 

. Kuang creates custom pet portraits, pet apparel, toys, and accessories, and clothes for pet parents.

How did you first get into art/sketching?

“From my earliest memory, I was always drawing, reading, and exploring the depths of my imagination. Since then, I’ve created murals, joined every art class in my academic career, was a fashion designer for a bit, and wrote professionally for nearly a decade. I’ve since traded paint for an Apple Pencil and illustrate and design on an iPad.”

When did you launch Char & Whiskers and how has the business been growing?

“I launched about a year ago with the desire to enhance the relationships between pet parents and their pets. A single illustration for a friend transformed into illustrating 1000+ pets and growing. What was originally just art is now expanding into other pet products that can be found in stores across the country.”

What’s your favorite part about being able to create art of people’s pets?

“When I started, I made a conscious effort to build real connections with my audience and customers. Because of that, I’ve been overwhelmed with the positivity that this job brings. I feel very blessed to work with lovely people from all over the world, hearing countless stories about their pets and how much joy they bring. It’s truly what makes doing this so fulfilling.”

In Conversation With Artist Jie Yi Kuang

” a spin. Riffing on this TikTok trend, the couple recently joined 

 to share their tips for getting out of a dating rut with 26 Philly-centric, letter-themed date ideas.

What has been your favorite letter date so far, Gabe?

“My favorite so far has been ‘F’ for … 

. It has a huge pond, and it’s great for walking and biking. There’s tennis and pickleball courts. But the real highlight is the Southeast Asian market. It’s just fantastic. Especially the sugar cane juice, it’s one of my favorite treats for the summer.”

. It’s one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country. We had never been there before, and so we thought, what better opportunity than to use the letter 'D' to go there and check it out? We're already trying to plan trips back because it is a cool piece of history, while also a really great restaurant.”

What would you recommend to other couples who want to try alphabet dating?

Manisha: “Get as creative as possible. That's been the most fun for us, especially using it as an opportunity to try new places or new ideas or things that you don't usually do."

Gabe: “You can make it activity-based or food-based, whatever works for you. It allows you to work together with your partner on something that's really fun. And you find some new things that you might not have done before or areas of the city you might not have seen before.”

Who should we talk to next?

The ABC’s of Philly Dating with Manisha and Gabe Maday

Vacation season is still going strong. Philly local Millette Stambaugh, the 32-year-old travel blogger behind 

, shares her travel tips and experiences.

Out of all the cities you’ve visited, which one reminds you of Philly the most?

“Philly is gritty, unapologetic, and full of creative vibes like Saigon. It’s walkable and historic like Boston. It’s community-driven like Baltimore and Portland, and there’s just so much to do and eat like NYC.”

What advice would you give someone who is about to travel for their first time?

“Go in with zero expectations. I’m a believer that you should let a place tell you what it’s about instead of acting like the authority based on what you’ve seen and read online or in the media. New places are always going to be filled with novelty and learning curves whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a first-time adventurer!”

What are your planning tips for making the most of your time in a new place?

“My travel style is to plan smart, but stay flexible. I map out an ambitious itinerary but leave a lot of room for flexibility and wandering. Trip researching can be intimidating, but a quick way to sort through the noise is to find boutique travel groups and gather inspiration from their trip itineraries or read blog posts instead of relying on TripAdvisor.”

Who should I talk to next?

In Conversation With Philly-based Travel Influencer Millette Stambaugh

,” a series of sculptures stretching along the Delaware River waterfront from Pier 68 to Race Street Pier. The sculptures represent the area’s natural elements, and are made from trash and plastic. Visitors can explore the art further through interactive puzzles and a scavenger hunt.

How did you come up with the puzzles for the “Pockets Of Light” scavenger hunt?

: “My goal is always to help people explore the built or natural environment. As I find pieces that might work well together, I slowly compile an appropriate puzzle structure for them. I try to imbue each puzzle with some sense of meaning. It takes a lot of tweaking to achieve something that feels serendipitous to participants, but it’s so worth it to give people something that only makes sense when they start observing the world around them.”

What’s the intention behind using trash as art to highlight nature?

: “We saw this as an opportunity to take on the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on the natural world. Visually, this is a subversive message, as I’ve worked hard to make trash look beautiful, to mimic nature. The art of transforming post-consumer materials into something beautiful that brings people joy and also extends the life of materials feels meaningful.”

How long did it take to complete the installation?

 “I probably spent about 120 hours on bringing this to life. This was a partnership from Day One, so I also planned the overall structure, designed activities, stickers and placards, assisted with installation, and helped promote the project.”

: “The initial dreaming started in January, but I’ve dedicated the last three months to creating this body of work. I spent a few hundred hours at my sewing machine and sitting with a needle and thread, hand-stitching components. The installation process took two days and went pretty smoothly. Now I'm having fun hustling to get the word out and am grateful that there’s been such a warm reception!”

Meet the Artist Duo Behind “Pockets of Light”

What inspired you to create a business in Philly devoted to raw vegan desserts?

“I’ve always been very health conscious and have been making raw vegan desserts for years now and my friends & family love them. There are tons of vegan desserts available in Philly, but I couldn’t find anything dedicated to RAW (no-bake) vegan desserts. So I went for it and launched my little raw vegan business in November 2021.”

Have you ever had a customer that was pleasantly surprised with how delicious vegan sweets can be?

“Yes!!! All the time. People are shocked at how delicious the raw vegan desserts are, despite being made from 100% plant-based raw ingredients and not having the typical dessert ingredients like refined sugar.”

What is your hope for the future of Philly Raw Desserts?

“My hope is to launch nationwide shipping this year, and launch a new line of products that I hope to get into grocery stores like Mom’s or Whole Foods.”

Delicious Vegan Sweet Treats in Philly by Preethi Sundararajan

. But several smoking bars still exist in Philly, thanks to exceptions allowed under that law. City Cast Philly 

spoke to local food and drink reporter Ali Mohsen

 about why time is running out for these bars.

How are bars able to have smoking exemptions?

“They got waivers in 2008, at the time when the law was put into place. As an owner of an establishment, if you could prove that 90% of your revenue came from alcohol sales, then you were given 90 days to apply for an exemption against the ban. And a handful of bars did. But once current ownership changes for whatever reason, you can't transfer the exemptions, even if it's to a member of the same family.”

In Philly, people smoke hookah and cigars, and vaping is also popular. What makes smoking bars different from what's allowed now?

“In Philly's case, it’s unique both in that it's one of the last in U.S. cities [with cigarette smoking bars], but there's also so much history attached to them. And in the case of Friendly Lounge on Washington, that bar has been recreated for that Scorsese movie, ‘The Irishman’. Because there's a lot of history there.”

What’s the culture like within smoking bars?

“With smoking bars it is a subculture. It's a community. There's something special about that. There is a character that I think fits in with the Philly identity. This is a city that's proudly working-class and rough around the edges and we have a mascot like Gritty. How do you not have smoking bars in the city?”

Mohsen’s answers have been edited for length and clarity.

3 Questions With Ali Mohsen, Food and Drink Reporter

Philly has a lot of well-known landmarks and attractions, but there’s plenty of unexpected spots to uncover. City Cast Philly recently spoke to Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura, about 

all the weird and wonderful things to explore

If you had 12 hours in Philly, where would you go?

“Philly has a huge underground music scene. You can find a great basement show. So go to a basement show, or go to the 

 and see a show there. And then if you wanna chill out, maybe it's like the next day, there is a Quaker church, I believe it's called Chestnut Hill [Friends Meeting], and they have something called the 

. It's this beautiful art exhibit, basically kind of like a little square of light on the ceiling, and it's just this beautiful, very meditative experience.”

What’s one of Philly’s best outdoor spaces?

, it’s such a beautiful place. It dates back to the 1700s.  That's the thing about Philadelphia: the history is so deep. And so much of it was preserved and managed to not be just paved over. Bartram's Gardens is this famous botanical garden and  a national historic landmark. It has the oldest ginkgo tree on the entire North American continent, so you can go check that out.”

Where should you go to explore Philly history?

“If you’re interested in history, the downtown branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia has a 

. It’s in the rare books room. It’s a long, complicated story, but it was Charles Dickens' pet raven.”

cool and unusual things to do across the city

3 Questions with Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura

With a library card, you can get a lot more than just books. City Cast Philly spoke with Christine Caputo, chief of youth services and programs at the Free Library of Philadelphia, about the unique finds and programming that Philadelphians can access with their card.

What's the coolest thing you can do with your library card that most people don't know about?

“One of the coolest things is our birding backpacks that you can borrow at several libraries. You get binoculars for adults and for kids, and you get a field guide with birds in it so you can identify what you're seeing. And you get a map of some of our local parks near the library where you borrow the kit from.”

What’s available at Free Library branches for music lovers?

“We have our jazz music library, a popular music library and the Smithsonian Global Sound. We have a collection of instruments that you can borrow at the Parkway Central Library. You can get a guitar, drums, a recorder, and all kinds of instruments, so you can learn to play or practice skills you already have.”

What kind of summer programming does the Library offer?

“Each year we have Summer of Wonder, our reading and learning program for kids, teens, and adults through August 11. Kids can earn stickers on our game board, and teens and adults can enter a raffle for reading books and attending activities. You can also 

cool things to borrow and do at your local branch