The Special - Philadelphia: A Big City with a Small-City Feel

Philadelphia: A Big City with a Small-City Feel

03/18/19 • 25 min

In this episode of “The Special,” we explore the constantly evolving South Philadelphia neighborhood. Once considered a red light district, an influx of businesses have moved there, some of which are owned by the chef Marcie Turney, who has opened restaurants, bars and boutiques in the area. While Turney prepares this episode’s meal, we’ll tour South Philly and visit a local glassblower, a butcher and a boxing coach.

We’ll sit for a traditional Italian-Philly meal of “Sunday Gravy” with three female entrepreneurs. For more information and behind the scenes photos, visit nytimes.com/thespecial.

BMW’s first ever X7 inspired “The Special” by bringing together a new collaboration between two expert storytellers: The New York Times’s T Brand Studio and The Infatuation for the first time. Together, they examine culture and food in a way only they can. Sponsored by BMW.

We’ll sit for a traditional Italian-Philly meal of “Sunday Gravy” with three female entrepreneurs. For more information and behind the scenes photos, visit nytimes.com/thespecial.

Previous Episode

Minneapolis: Cold Weather Creates Unique Culture

Minneapolis is evolving. The weather may be frigid, but it's a welcoming and inclusive environment in which creativity and diversity are valued. In this episode, we'll explore the melding of Nordic, Somali and indigenous flavors to enrich the city's culinary scene.

We’ll sit with artists, activists and chefs as Alex Roberts from Restaurant Alma creates a hearty and unexpected dish featuring local ingredients. We learn how the city is culturally evolving and what role these artists play in that evolution everyday. For more information and behind the scenes photos, visit nytimes.com/thespecial.

BMW’s first ever X7 inspired “The Special” by bringing together a new collaboration between two expert storytellers — The New York Times’ T Brand Studio and The Infatuation for the first time. Together, they examine culture and food in a way that only they can. Sponsored by BMW.

Next Episode

How Greenville Keeps Moving Forward

When you’re in Greenville, S.C. you feel like you’re home. There are no strangers in Greenville, the locals say, only friends you haven’t met yet. In this episode of “The Special,” we explore Southern hospitality through the eyes of the people who live there. We’ll hear from the chef Shaun Garcia on his restaurant, Soby’s, where he puts a modern twist on recipes from his great-grandmother. We’ll also explore how Greenville’s dedicated residents transformed the city for the modern era. We’ll tour the city’s parks with a member of the City Council, speed along BMW’s test track with a high-performance driver, and learn about the city’s past from a civil rights legend.

We’ll sit with our guests for a meal of fried chicken with a honey and peppercorn twist. Sponsored by BMW.

BMW’s first ever X7 inspired “The Special,” by bringing together a new collaboration between two expert storytellers — The New York Times T Brand Studio and The Infatuation for the first time. Together, we examine culture and food in a way only we can.

For more information and behind the scenes photos, visit nytimes.com/thespecial.