The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum reveals her top things to do in the City of Brotherly Love, from eating six dozen oysters to supporting local drag shows
Drag queen , classically - trained opera house singer , and transcription artist Sapphira Cristál is probably best acknowledge as the runner up on season 16 ofRuPaul ’s Drag Race(she was also crown Miss Congeniality , the title reach to the kindest queen of the time of year ) . Since appear on the show , Cristál has released several singles , performed at New York ’s iconic Lincoln Center , and appeared onJimmy Kimmel Live . Originally from Houston , Cristál lives in Philadelphia , a city she truly calls her own . Here ’s how she spend the complete day in the City of Brotherly Love .
Since leaving Houston , I ’ve lived in Rochester , New York City , Boston , and now , Philadelphia . When I proceed here , I felt it was the closest to Houston . This city is just full of warm hoi polloi . While it ’s not the south , it ’s close enough that the people have southerly tendency . It is full of kind people . They ’re not thenicestpeople in the world , but they will be there for you . They ’ll be cursing you out and calling you a dumbass , but they will be there for you . And I love that about Philadelphia .
The intellectual nourishment in Philly is excellent . One of my favorite topographic point to go to on a day off isOyster House . It has a heavy $ 2 oyster happy 60 minutes every Monday through Friday . I in person can go through 72 oysters by myself — and I have , and I will again . Oyster House also has lobster and seafood towers . Everything there is reasonably price , too . You ’re not going to provide destitute after run through a lot of nutrient , and I like that .
Courtesy of Joe Mac/Shorefire Media
" They ’re not thenicestpeople in the world , but they will be there for you . They ’ll be cursing you out and call you a blockhead , but they will be there for you . And I love that about Philadelphia . "
read Terminal Marketis another choice for great morsel . One of my preferred smear isBeck ’s Cajun Cafe . It has great okra plant , amazing étouffée , and a to - die - for breadstuff pud . Sometimes it will even have beignets . There ’s also a heavy rib joint in the market calledGlick ’s Rib Shack . I ’m from Texas , so I fuck good barbecue . When I first proceed to town , I did a go of all the barbecue restaurants in Philly to find the best one , and Glick ’s Rib Shack is one of them . Right across from Glick ’s isBeiler ’s Doughnuts , which has really adorable apple fritter . I ’ve watched them make the doughnuts : They knead the dough , add the orchard apple tree , and then drop them into the vegetable oil . They ’re so new . It reminds me of Shipley Do - Nuts in Houston .
Another great situation to eat isJohn ’s Roast Pork . My beau knows that I like pork barrel and urge John ’s . When I first moved here , I had an awful cheesesteak and think to myself , ‘ This is rubbish . I do n’t ever want this again . ’ Then I had the cheesesteak at John ’s and was like , ‘ This is phenomenal . ’ I do n’t bang what variety of steak they use , but they use a lot of it . It ’s not a sleazy cheesesteak , it ’s peachy timbre and it is delicious .
Oyster House | Courtesy of Michael Persico/Oyster House
" I in person can go through 72 oysters by myself — and I have , and I will again . "
out of doors of traditional eating house , I love to go toFranky Bradley ’s . Franky Bradley ’s is all of the thing . It ’s a stripe . It ’s a eatery . It ’s a show venue . It ’s a club . It has great solid food and great live performances . The club nights are knock and it ’s packed every Friday . It ’s also massive . It ’s basically two different buildings : Franky Bradley ’s and B. West , which used to be a club cry Key West . It caters to so many different queer people and is a safe space for pretty much anyone in Philadelphia . I love Frankie Bradley ’s ; it ’s one of my homes in Philadelphia .
Fabrikais another great place for queer creative person in Philadelphia . I perform there on occasion and I worked there for years . Fabrika has airy acts , drag , burlesque , singers , sideshows , and clowns . It is a shoes for execution excellency and I appreciate that drag is a part of that . They understand that if you have natural endowment , you belong to on the leg . I care to go see my friends perform there .
Oyster House | Courtesy of Michael Persico/Oyster House
" It is a place for performance excellence and I apprise that drag is a part of that . "
On a day off , I also really enjoy perish to the local museums . The Rodin Museumis one of my favorites . It ’s interesting to see the direction Rodin regard human body as art . He was really obsessed with the human body and I love that .
In the fall , Linvilla Orchardsis one of my favorite places to chat . They have apple and pumpkin picking , hay drive , and even Christmas Tree . I consider my beau apple pick at Linvilla Orchard and that ’s where I diminish in love with him . It ’s also where I pay off the call that Monét X Change and I were commission to put on a show at Lincoln Center in New York . So the orchard has a very special place in my marrow .
The Rodin Museum | Courtesy of The Rodin Museum
The last spot I have to strike on a day off isPlanet Fitness . It ’s the thoroughgoing gym . It ’s cheap but it also has most of the thing that you need and involve in a workout . I ’m a bootleg card penis , so I have all these massage options that are perfect for after a workout . There are massage hot seat , including one that massage you with eminent - atmospheric pressure water . They have light therapy as well . It ’s also a neat gymnasium for those who are not gym people and do n’t desire others look at them . They further people to stick in their own business . There are all of these signal that are like “ exit the fuck up and just bally work out . ”
Places to Eat & Drink
Oyster House1516 Sansom St , Philadelphia
Reading Terminal Market1136 Arch St , Philadelphia
John ’s Roast Pork14 E Snyder Ave , Philadelphia
Linvilla Orchards | Courtesy of Linvilla Orchards
Franky Bradley’s1320 Chancellor St , Philadelphia
Things to See & Do
Fabrika1108 Frankford Ave , Philadelphia
Rodin Museum2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy , Philadelphia
Linvilla Orchards137 W Knowlton Rd , Media , PA
Planet FitnessVarious localisation
