Broad Brief
Philadelphia's Weekly Wallet-Focused Newsletter
Issue #1 · April 16, 2026 · By Mike O'Connell

Happy Thursday, Philly! Welcome to Broad Brief. In this newsletter, I'll be breaking down Philadelphia trends and headlines that impact your wallet. If you make it through this 1,884 word newsletter and enjoy it, please share with a friend!

🍦On the horizon: Tipsy Scoops is opening in Rittenhouse Square on Saturday, May 9th. The collaboration with BOTLD is bringing liquor-infused ice cream scoops, sundaes, and cocktails to the neighborhood.

EMILIA IS ON FIRE
Greg Vernick Strikes Again
EMILIA · 2406 Frankford Ave. · East Kensington

The James Beard Award-winning chef opened his first restaurant outside of Center City earlier this year. The neighborhood trattoria is built around a charcoal and oak wood-fired grill and it's serving up some of the best pasta in the city.

This place is getting a ton of buzz and I had to check it out. Food and cocktails were off the charts. The Ti Vedo mezcal cocktail ($17) was delicious. "Potatoes on the fire" ($16) were a must as an appetizer or side. Artichokes are also having a moment and their crispy chokes ($18) rivaled the veal as my favorite part of the meal.

Emilia seats 80 guests - 60 on the main floor and 20 in the lounge/bar area held specifically for walk-ins. This Northeast Philly destination has some Center City prices but the quality certainly lives up to its price tags.

Crispy breaded cutlet with greens and parmesan at Emilia

💰 Crispy Veal, broccoli di ciccio ($53). Worth every cent!
THIS WEEK'S NUMBER
$4.13
In Philadelphia, the average price of a gallon of regular gas has climbed to approximately $4.13 this week. The average on this day a year ago? $3.36!
ON THE BOARD
Jobs, homes & headlines worth knowing
💼
Hot Job
Senior Relationship Strategist at PNC — $110k+ salary · Center City Location · Relationship management, strategic business development for premier clients.
🏠
House of the Week
$2.475M Townhouse in Washington Sq. West, 6,500 sqft., 7(!) bathrooms, elite roof deck
📲
2026 Access Philly App
New ioS and Android app keeps Philadelphians up to date on big ticket events in 2026
MONEY MATTERS

We asked and you answered. Read on for an inside look at one Philadelphian's relationship with money.

💸
This Week's Confession
Mid 30's · Queen's Village · Senior Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst
What do you earn per year?
"Total household income is around $210k. My partner and I both work finance roles. We started out making roughly $60k each out of college and at the time felt like we were rich! We've been working for around 10 years now so it's funny to see how we were able to get by."
Rent or own?
"We own our home. Bought it 2020 when interest rates were in the 4's. Mortgage is just under $2k per month. Timing really worked out for us."
Biggest money stressor right now?
"Childcare! We have a 2.5 year old and we're paying ~$2k per month for care in South Philly. It's the only way my partner and I can both work and have proper care for our child but we do eat out a lot less now!😂"
Money Tip for our readers
"We got lucky with timing when purchasing our home but I would recommend buying in an area before it's established. We have friends that bought in Fishtown a decade ago and they don't look so crazy now."
Want to be featured? It's 100% anonymous. Take the survey →
MARKETS
S&P 500
7,023
 ▲ 2.4% YTD
Nasdaq
24,016
 ▲ 3.36% YTD
As of market close Wednesday. YTD from Jan 1 open.
COBBS CREEK IS BACK
Historic Golf Course Reopens
Cobbs Creek Golf Club driving range, West Philadelphia

🏌️‍♂️Cobbs Creek Driving Range · 7400 Landsdowne Avenue · West Philadelphia

The once favorite Philadelphia public golf course has reopened after years of restoration. The return to form is underway with a state of the art driving range and "Q School" 9 hole course. Did I mention Tiger Woods' TGR Design is a main driving force in bringing this course back to its roots?

Tee times are available for the weekday or weekend golfer at the Q-School 9 hole course.

  • Junior (under 18): $15 weekdays · $15 weekends
  • Local (Philadelphia residents): $25 weekdays · $35 weekends
  • Regional (Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester counties): $45 weekdays · $55 weekends
  • National (outside Philadelphia and surrounding area): $65 weekdays · $75 weekends

Register your account at the Pro Shop. Note: no golf carts on the Q-School Course.
TAKING YOUR PULSE
Do you plan on attending a World Cup game? The cheapest ticket for the Philly opener between Côte d'Ivoire and Ecuador is $793 incl. fees on Stubhub.

Last week's results will go here but this is our first newsletter!

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See you next Thursday. 🏙️

— Mike O'Connell
Broad Brief · Philadelphia, PA

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