guides

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you want to celebrate the mothers in your life or spend quality time with (or away from) your own kids, we’ve got you covered. From museums to spas, there are so many options beyond brunch and flowers. (Although the brunch is great too. Foobooz, don’t hurt us.) So make plans, buy last-minute goodies, and thank us later.

Get something better than flowers

Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse is preparing boxes of special Flor-de-Maio pastries for Mother’s Day for presale in their East Passyunk storefront. Each pastry in the $35 box depicts a flower owner Mardhory Santos-Cepeda discovered as a child while living with her mother and grandmother. “When I think of mothers, I think of flowers,” Cepeda said. “Not just because of the delicate and feminine aspects, but also because of my own personal life.” Pre-orders are currently available online through May 4 and can be picked up May 8 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. $35, order online through May 4, pick up May 8; Kouklet Brazillian Bakehouse, 1647 East Passyunk Avenue.

create something together

Tina Dixon Spence, owner of Mount Airy’s luxury children‘s boutique, Buddha Babe, is a mom herself, so she knows how much moms just need to lay down. Why not do it in style? Buddha Babe is hosting a special Mommy and Me workshop on May 7 so you and your mom (or your seven-year-old or older) can work side-by-side to create a pair of matching pillows. This sewing workshop is suitable for beginners, and all equipment and supplies will be provided. $95 for two, May 7, 4-6:30 p.m., Buddha Babe, 7101 Emlen Street.

If your mom is still decorating the house with crafts you made in kindergarten, then she — and her house — definitely deserves an upgrade. Pine + Quill in West Chester frequently hold hands-on making classes, where you learn how to create a piece of art and take it home. Although they don’t have a session on Mother’s Day, you can both attend a resin coaster making class using pressed dried flowers on May 22 ($58 ) or a Succulent Wall Framing Workshop on June 5 ($60). Both events run from 1 to 3 p.m. and include mimosas, light bites, and a 15% discount on in-store purchases. Sign up for one or both here. Pine + Quill, 23 North Walnut Street, West Chester.

Drinking tea with a fashion edge

With over 250 artifacts, the Penn Museum’s Stories We Wear exhibit explores how clothing, accessories and other adornments and body modifications reveal culture and identity over 2,500 years. This collection includes a dress worn by civil rights icon and opera singer Marian Anderson. On May 7, Jillian Pirtle, CEO of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society, visits the Penn Museum for a discussion of Anderson’s legacy and her sense of style. Tea attendees will also get a rare glimpse of Anderson’s wedding dress, which is not on view for the general public. Tea and light snacks will be served after the program. Tickets include admission to the museum for the day.
$7.50 to $20, May 7, 1 to 3 p.m., Penn Museum, 3260 South Street.

Marion Anderson’s dress on display at the Penn Museum. Just one of the icon’s dresses you’ll see at their special Mother’s Day event. / Photograph by Eric Sugar, University Communications

Keep the kids entertained

It won’t be very relaxing if you have young children and plan to spend Mother’s Day with them, let’s be honest. Luckily, some of the best places in town for toddlers host events to keep the kids busy (and hopefully exhausted).

If your kids can’t stop singing “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, head over to Nest for a Encanto themed party on the three floors of the playground. Meet Mirabel and Bruno (he’ll tell you the future!), sing Disney movie greatest hits with Nest’s house band, and more. $50 for a family of 4, $15 for each additional family member; May 8, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Nest, 1301 Locust Street.

Meanwhile, Kith + Kin is teaming up with Jazz in Fairmount to bring the music of Lemon Hill to the whole family. At 4 p.m. enjoy family programming from Gina Music with Gina (toddlers and preschoolers love it), then at 4:30 p.m. the Lucas Brown Trio will perform. Local treats from New June Bakery will be available for purchase on site, with proceeds going to future Jazz in Fairmount concerts. The event is pay-what-you-wish with a suggested donation; online registration is required.
Pay What You Want, May 8, 4-6 p.m., Lemon Hill Pavilion, Fairmount Park.

Book a special spa treatment

There’s nothing quite like being pampered at a luxury spa — and the mom in your life deserves it more than anyone. If you want to go wild and really splurge, opt for the Mom’s Day In package at W’s AWAY Spa. For $1,000 you’ll get an all-day suite, plus a mimosa bar and two 50-minute massages – one for the two of you. Otherwise, we suggest the Spring Detox, which includes a 50-minute massage and 50 minute facial with Gua sha enhancement just for mom, so she can relax from head to toe. $315, AWAY SPA at W, 1439 Chestnut Street. Book here.

Another fantastic option is to celebrate at iBeachClub in Manayunk. Their Mother’s Day special includes four mini spa treatments: a head and scalp massage, a peppermint shoulder and neck massage, a mud mask, and a hand massage and scrub. The pampering doesn’t end there, however. Next, mom will enjoy a 30-minute full body massage, plus time in the hot tub, sauna, and zero-gravity massage chair. Oh, and did we mention that the package includes a choice of free sangria, espresso, or cucumber citrus water? $239 per person or $215 per person when booking for two or more, iBeachClub, 150 Green Lane. Book here.

Give mom the gift of relaxation on Mother’s Day. / Photo courtesy of W Philadelphia

Relieve those sore muscles

If getting a massage at the spa isn’t mom’s MO — but you know she still needs some tension relief — sign up for the Roll It Out workshop at EveryBody Movement & Wellness. The 60-minute session begins at 11:30 a.m. on Mother’s Day and will teach your mom (and you, if you join!) how to self-massage using different balls and rollers. $15, Everybody Movement & Wellness, 4305 Locust Street. Book here.

Celebrating Revolutionary Women

Throughout Mother’s Day weekend at the Museum of the American Revolution, learn about the diverse women who played unsung but vital roles on the home front and in the armies during the Revolutionary War. Learn about these ‘forgotten revolutionaries’ through lectures and hands-on experiences in the gallery, and visit the Children’s Discovery Center downstairs to create your own Mother’s Day card inspired by German paper-cut art. If you come on Mother’s Day, you will also take home a free carnation. Want to make a day out of it? Head to Amada for a post-museum brunch and get 10% off all food orders, including a special fixed-price Mother’s Day menu, when you show your museum ticket stub. Free for museum members and children under 5; $13 to $19 for general admission, May 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Museum of the American Revolution, 101 South 3rd Street.

Buy from local manufacturers

Whether you need a last minute Mother’s Day gift or treat, or just want to go shopping with your mum, why not support local businesses and artists while you’re at it? First of all, we have Art Star, which takes possession of the first floor and the terrace of the La Bourse dining room. Thirty craft vendors – from jewelry to pottery to soaps – will be there all weekend, along with cocktails courtesy of the Attico Rooftop Bar and the usual array of Exchange food, including coffee, tacos, poke, ice cream and more. Art Star’s usual retail store at the Bourse will also remain open for even more handmade products.
Free to attend; prepaid, May 7 and 8, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., La Bourse, 111 South Independence Mall East.

Sisterly Love is also planning a special pre-Mother’s Day market at Lutheran Settlement House in Fishtown on May 7. Stay tuned for their list of vendors, but their events usually include a fantastic selection of food, art, jewelry, and personal care products. Free, May 7, Lutheran Settlement House, 1340 Frankford Avenue.

Meanwhile, look for deals all over town, like in Northern Liberties where Trunc is giving away a soft canvas t-shirt with purchases of $75, and the Random Tea Room will give you a free bag of Tulsi Rose tea if you get them. show a picture of mom. Further south, East Passyunk kicks off its month-long Garden Days with live music at the Singing Fountain, ornate monuments with flower displays and a chance to win a weekly gift card raffle for every $100 spent on the ‘Avenue – just pick up a punch card and get a punch for every $10 spent, and enter by handing in a completed card to any participating business.

Buy jewelry she’ll love

Speaking of local makers, we’re loving these gold-filled bracelets from The Sable Collective – and you’ll save if you buy two, so you can pair them with your Mother’s Day gift. ($58 to $78; to buy here.) We also can’t get enough of Maggie Mae Clay Company’s lovely clay earrings, which come in a variety of colors and patterns so mom can pair them with any outfit. (prices vary; Browse here.)