France-based Sofitel hotels are generally known for their, naturally, French flair, but the luxurious brand’s Philadelphia property is adding a dash of English charm with its new London taxi service. For hire by hotel guests only, the iconic London taxi, imported directly from England, offers free rides around town and to/from the Philadelphia International Airport (a 20-minute drive) Mondays through Fridays between 7 and 9 A.M (reservations recommended). Booking the service any other time of day will cost you, depending on the duration of your ride, upwards of $25 for lifts within the city center and $45 to the airport. Not cheap for most chaps, but the five-seat, mini-bar laden cab makes for a bloody fun alternative to typical transportation, wouldn’t you say?

There are just a few more days left to catch the annual Philadelphia Flower Show, “Bella Italia,” appearing through March 8 at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Inspired by the lush gardens of ancient Rome and the romantic Italian countryside, the world’s largest indoor show presents acres of sprawling vines and floral arrangements. Vendors sell everything from pottery to Murano glass, gardening supplies and plant-inspired jewelry.

Even if building a dream garden isn’t on your hectic agenda these days it’s amazing to see what this show’s green-thumbed contestants can do. From elegant bonsai miniatures to bizarre living installations, this weird and wild show is a spectacle you shouldn’t miss. Adult tickets cost $24 from March 2-6, or $26 during the weekend on March 7 and 8. To save a few dollars, book online at www.theflowershow.com. Advance purchase tickets are available for $22 per person.

Perhaps no other artist has cast such a long shadow across this last century than Paul Cezanne. His far-reaching influence can be traced across five successive generations to artists as diverse and prominent as Jasper Johns, Charles Demuth, Max Beckman and Ellsworth Kelly. Cezanne was for Henri Matisse a “benevolent god of painting” and for Pablo Picasso, “my one and only master.”

Appearing exclusively at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, “Cezanne and Beyond” explores the artist’s extraordinary legacy, bringing together more than 150 works by Cezanne and 18 other master artists whose work he profoundly inspired. On view through May 17, the exhibition draws important connections between the iconic artist’s achievements and those of other celebrated artists right up through the present day. Read the rest of this post »

Ian Schrager may have sparked a flame in 1984 with the Morgans hotel in New York City, but the watershed for the boutique hotel genre wasn’t until 1998, when Starwood launched its hip W brand. The boutique model – design-conscious, intimate, unique to its location – took off, and big brands have been trying to get a piece of the success ever since.

Starwood recently launched another group, Aloft (pictured at right), with rates on a par with budget chains (around $150/night) and loftlike rooms by David Rockwell, with high ceilings, large windows, and lots of gadgets. As with W hotels, there’s an emphasis on hangout spots, such as a self-serve gourmet café and a pool area with WiFi. Nineteen Alofts opened in 2008 (Montreal, Philadelphia, and Beijing were a few of the first), and about 30 are slated for 2009. Read the rest of this post »