For the kids – 2011 Readers’ Choice

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Fashion-forward boutique

In September 2009, Alexis Fiordimondo Allegretto opened a boutique at 2403 S. Broad St., and, in less than two years, Fashionably Ever After, moved up to become the best shop for kids’ clothing.

The former pharmaceutical sales representative always had a dream of one day owning and operating her own business. It was just a matter of taking that leap of faith. After noticing the number of charming boutiques popping up in New Jersey, the fashion aficionado wanted to bring a similar concept closer to home.

“They were more fashion-forward and we needed that in our community,” she said.

In April ’09, she did just that. A little behind on purchasing for the next season, she hustled to finish the paperwork, scoped out locations and had a designer draft the store’s layout all with the intent of opening at the start of one of retail’s busiest seasons — back to school.

With a “good mix of traditional and trendy,” Allegretto said of her pint-sized boutique that has something for everyone. Carrying some of fashion’s most recognizable brands and styles for each upcoming season and with a plethora of little girl options, the shop even uniquely caters to boys.

As the only authorized retailer of Ugg boots in South Philadelphia, the owner prides herself in supplying a variety while also presenting a friendly store with welcoming “face out” displays. This vast selection has made the store a one-stop shop for customers.

“We can dress a child from head to toe,” she said. “It’s simple shopping for people and for moms that are busy.”

Allegretto travels up to New York four times a year to attend trade shows and purchase new product to help the chic shop stand out among its clients.

“We have a unique mix and we carved out our own niche,” Allegretto, a La Salle University graduate, said. “I’m excited and flattered that the customers like us.”

Little Beth Boutique took home second while A Star Is Born grabbed third.

Creativity learning child care

Specialized age-appropriate centers where children learn to explore their surroundings in an interactive and creative environment describes Alphabet Academy’s four sites that span about a three-block radius along East Passyunk Avenue.

Since opening in 1998, owner and operator Roe Gallo and her 40-person staff have been dedicated to providing hands on attention and education in a variety of settings earning it the top spot for day care. Each classroom comes equipped with a teacher and several aides.

The Alphabet Station, 1510 E. Passyunk, separated into several classrooms caters to infants, toddlers and preschool age children providing them with the opportunity to learn about the solar system. Stepping into forest- and safari-infused atmosphere at The Treehouse, 1506 E. Passyunk, the older preschool and prekindergarten children enjoy loads of adventure while improving motor functions at the same time.

While these rooms help infants and toddlers strengthen their developmental skills, the enhanced curriculum at Alphabet Garden, 1631 E. Passyunk, filled with computers, focuses on preparing older children for their move into kindergarten.

The Aquarium, 1720 E. Passyunk Avenue, presents a final option for parents who would rather have their child remain in the same location during their time at Alphabet Academy.

“Parents know their kids are in good hands and will be prepared to go into kindergarten,” Gallo said.

Open 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, the overall instruction at all sites concentrates on aiding children’s mental, physical, emotional and social abilities mainly through play. Gallo, who worked in a day care setting since she was a teenager, stresses the importance of maintaining constant communication with parents on a daily basis begets success. The child care center distributes a monthly calendar and newsletter to keep parents up-to-date.

“I’m here everyday with the children and am in direct contact with the parents,” she said. “They know their children are well taken care of and have piece of mind during the day.”

A Whole New World placed second while Forever Young snagged third.

No Barry-ers to success

Nearly 60 years old, Barry Playground is in the prime of its recreational life. Originating at 18th and Johnston streets and stretching approximately four square blocks, it serves as an aesthetically-pleasing location for athletics, crafts, dog walks and fitness. Its amenities have garnered the spot this year’s top park/playground prize.

Nicknamed Johnston’s Field, the facility takes its name from Commodore John Barry, a Revolutionary War naval hero. No cannon fire rends the air at the Marconi site, but basketballers regularly launch their best shots there. Future baseball stars compete adjacent to the hoopsters as part of the Delaware Valley Youth Athletic Association, an organization Barry has hosted for almost 55 years. Touch footballers share space with the diamond denizens, and two hardcourts please anyone looking for a tennis match or an impromptu game of stickball.

Slides, swings and a jungle gym intensify pulses and parents’ smiles. Summer will welcome Barry’s well-maintained pool, but every day offers dog owners a chance to prance their pooches on the perimeter.

“Barry is a safe and clean park. Baseball is a huge draw,” Philadelphia Parks and Recreation District 7 manager Steve Goldman said of the appeal of the facility.

At the end of the month, he will pick up five more venues and three more pools to complement the district’s seven current aquatic opportunities. Adding more areas means Barry will have extra competition, but Goldman wants its users to revel because he is doing so.

“As district manager, I am very proud that the readers have given Barry Playground such a well-deserved award,” he said.

Columbus Square Park looked pretty in second place, and Marconi Plaza bounded into third. 

An innovative educator

Since she first began as a substitute teacher at Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., six years ago, Jamie Varallo, developed her own effective classroom technique. After two teachers retired, and during the beginning stage of the schools’ merger, she jumped in head first and soon found her niche among faculty and students alike.

She teaches freshman and junior underclassmen to unravel Shakespearean sonnets and classic English literature while adapting them to modern times. The head of The Crown newspaper and the brainchild behind the school’s now three-year-old full-fledged Renaissance Faire, her impact is widespread. What initially began as an assignment in her classroom soon included other departments once she proposed the idea to administration. For all of these reasons, it’s no wonder Varallo was named best teacher.

“Jamie is innovative,” principal Patricia Sticco said about the deserving educator. “She teaches the 21st-century student and addresses how they are learning.”

With an intense focus on project-based work, Varallo brings an un-wavered enthusiasm into her classroom.

“I give 100 percent to my students everyday,” she said. “My biggest thing is I’ve always tried to relate my material I’m doing — whether it’s British literature or Shakespeare — to how they can connect the now to what happened then.”

With that in mind, one lesson the 30-year-old Temple and Neumann University graduate highlights is having her students read, interpret, write and perform a modern play when covering Homer’s “The Odyssey.”

According to Sticco, Varallo is a model teacher who commands attention and engages the students while avoiding discipline problems. Although her students may be far removed from the topics she covers, Varallo loves when one of them reaches that “a-ha” moment or when a struggling student works extra hard to pull up their grade.

“My favorite thing would have to be once I know that the student understands a concept or they feel comfortable enough to discuss what we’re learning,” she said. “That’s the moment I feel accomplished.”

But this recognition is bittersweet because Varallo, who will wed in June, also will relocate to California at the end of the school year. Amidst shock and surprise, she knows it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“My experience at Neumann-Goretti has been amazing,” she said. “It’s a very special place and one of a kind.”

Fellow Neumann-Goretti English teacher Leo Cittadini ranked second while George Sharswood fourth-grade teacher Alexandra Panetta took third. 

Kid-approved meals

Any local resident walking into the Penrose Diner, 2016 Penrose Ave., knows what to expect — quality. Whether it’s the freshly-prepared meal or friendly waitstaff, customers always feel at home.
Ranking high among South Philadelphians is something the Penrose Diner has come to know well over the years. Nominated twice for best diner, the local establishment also serves up a top-rated kids’ menu.

Since diners are known for preparing classic American dishes, it only makes sense this popular eatery would do the same when it came to their options for the under 12 variety. Offering regular menu selections ranging from chicken fingers to grilled cheese and hamburgers, the establishment also switches it up with specialty macaroni-and-cheese bites and home-cooked turkey and stuffing.
The latter are big hits among the tykes, Manager Bill Dovas said. All kids’ lunch and dinner choices are served complete with dessert – a choice between gelatin, pudding or ice cream – and a small drink — all reasonably priced at less than $7.

“We just offer kids a variety, we give them a fun cup to play with and the price is right,” Dovas said.
The manager of six years also attributes the continued success to the restaurant’s bright, inviting atmosphere.

“Our waitstaff is great, a lot of them have kids and they know how to relate to kids, they talk to the kids, play with them,” he said.

But whatever the reason, Penrose stays on top and Dovas gladly accepts any accolades thrown their way.

Melrose Diner served up second while the Oregon Diner and Uncle Oogie’s Pizzeria tied for third. SPR

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