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Toast to Cantina's third birthday on February 1. (Photo courtesy Cantina Dos Segundos)

Cantina Dos Segundos is turning tres, and they’re celebrating with a 3rd Birthday Fiesta of triple proportions, this Wednesday, February 1.

Starting at 11 a.m., Dos Segundos will be serving up exclusive food and drink specials, all priced at $3 each.

Available throughout the day are three types of decadent $3 tacos specially crafted by Sous Chef Neal Mayton.

Think Pork Belly Tacos, dry-rubbed and marinated in Dos Equis beer; vegetarian Mini Black Bean Tacos topped with queso fresco, lettuce, and pico de gallo; and more.

The vegans can chow down on Spicy Seitan Tacos with a coconut milk-chili arbol sauce, garnished with fresh jalapeños.

Dos Segundos has also rounded up three tempting drink specials to keep the birthday boozy. For one day only, all Dos Equis drafts will be $3. Tequila fans can guzzle $3 shots of Sauza Silver and Sauza Gold, which pair perfectly with the tacos. And the third awesome drink special: $3 Sauza Silver Margaritas!

There will also be three DJs in house, a musical trifecta spinning from 10 p.m. until close.

Happy Birthday Cantina Dos Segundos!

Cantina Dos Segundos 3rd Birthday Fiesta
When: Wednesday, February 1, 11 a.m.-close
Where: 931 N. 2nd Street
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.cantinadossegundos.com

Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live) and Carrie Brownstein (Wild Flag, Sleater Kinney) from IFC’s hit original comedy Portlandia are embarking on a unique limited tour bringing the romanticized and dreamy rendering of Portland, OR to life for fans across the country.

They’re heading to Philadelphia for two shows in one night on Sunday, February 19 at The Trocadero. The first show is already sold out, but The Troc has added a late night show at 10:30 p.m.

“Portlandia: The Tour” will feature Armisen and Brownstein, the co-creators, writers and stars of Portlandia, performing live music, presenting sneak-peek clips from the show’s second season and sharing personal anecdotes about the creation and inspiration of Portlandia and its variety of eccentric characters.

“Portlandia: The Tour” began (where else?) in Portland, OR, on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 and is making its way around the country.

The TV show has been a critical success, and it’s sure to be a hilarious evening.

“Portlandia: The Tour” at The Trocadero
When: Sunday, February 19, 8 and 10:30 p.m.
Where: 1003 Arch Street
Cost: $30
More info: www.thetroc.com

The Free Library is holding a month's worth of great free programming to celebrate African American History Month. (Photo courtesy Free Library)

Celebrate Black History Month in February at the Free Library of Philadelphia, where this annual observance of achievements by black Americans will be commemorated with a wide range of events across the library system’s branches.

The Free Library’s Black History Month events will offer students and adults several ways to learn about and honor the significant people, places, and experiences in black history.

Check out the lineup:

• Zora’s Tales: Sunday, February 5, 2 p.m., Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street, Free. As part of the “Sundays on Stage” program, The Women of Color Productions presents a one-woman play depicting the amazing life and times of Zora Neale Hurston, who was considered one of the preeminent writers of 20th century African America literature.

• Black History Month Treasure Hunt: Monday, February 6–Friday, February 10. Haddington Branch, 446 N. 65th Street, Free. Enjoy a full week of African- merican history. Stop in any time during normal hours to learn about African American authors and participate in a cool treasure hunt. Prizes will be awarded!

• Black History Story Time: Tuesdays, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 10:30 a.m. Walnut Street West, 201 S. 40th Street, Free. It’s story time at the library! Listen to famous and not-so-famous stories and poems written by and about well-known African Americans. Discover fascinating facts each week while broadening your cultural knowledge and awareness.

• Malcolm and Martin: Wednesday, February 22, 4 p.m., Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library, 125 S. 52nd Street, Free. Students 10 years old+ are invited to join the talented cast of the Walnut Street Theatre’s Touring Company who will take students on a journey that explores the Civil Rights Movement. Discover how the messages of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are just as relevant today as they were in the 1960s’ turbulent era of race riots, bus boycotts, sit-ins and marches.

Black History Month At The Free Library [Official Site]

The Franklin Institute has an exciting new exhibit in store called Design Zone that incorporates art and math and shows how people create cool stuff like video games, laser light shows and more.

Go behind the scenes and see how creative problem solvers like skate park designers, music producers, roller coaster engineers and others use math to do the awesome things they do.

Organized into three interactive areas, the exhibit highlights the relationship between math and the creative process in art, music and engineering.

You can build skyscrapers, design a video game, spin tracks like a DJ, throw a dance party, make your own instruments, construct a roller coaster and compete in a virtual bike race.

Design Zone opens January 28 and runs through April 1.

Design Zone at Franklin Institute
When: January 28-April 1
Where: 222 N. 20th Street
Cost: Free with general admission tickets
More info: www.fi.edu

Chinatown gets festive this weekend with a Lion Dance Parade this Sunday, just one of many festivities happening in Philadelphia.
(Photo by Christian Carrollo of PicturePhilly)

Tons of great stuff going down this weekend, from the bigger-and-better-than-ever Philadelphia Auto Show to the grand opening of PAFA’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit.

Feast to your heart’s content on a budget at Route 6′s Lobster Week, Pizzeria Stella’s Pizza Week, Tashan’s awesome $50 for $35 deal and any of the hundreds of Center City Restaurant Week participating restaurants.

Check out all our top picks for how to spend your weekend in Philly, below:

Friday, January 27

Our guide to restaurants and bars with extracurriculars, from ping pong and shuffleboard to Jenga and Pac-Man

Art After 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Jrue Holiday Bobblehead Night: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Charlotte Bobcats

Pig Iron Theatre Company’s The Aporkalypse

Arcadia Boutique’s Winter Attic Sale & Spring Pre-Sale (Fri, Sat, Sun)

Bus Stop Boutique’s Warehouse Sale (Fri, Sat, Sun)

Pearls of the East: 10th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration at International House

Wok ‘N Walk tour of Chinatown (Fri, Sat, Sun)

2012 Lambertville*New Hope Winter Festival (Fri, Sat, Sun)

Philagrafika presents “Doing Time | Depth of Surface” at Moore College (Fri, Sat, Sun) — Opening Day!

Tashan Restaurant Week $50 for $35 deal (Fri, Sun)

Center City Restaurant Week (Fri, Sun)

Frankford Hall Late-Night Menu (Fri, Sat)

Lobster Week at Route 6 (Fri, Sun)

Friday Night Flights at Ristorante Panorama

Winter Adventure Tours at Eastern State Penitentiary (Fri, Sat, Sun)

Pizza Week at Pizzeria Stella (Fri, Sun)

Saturday, January 28

Doug Collins Bobblehead Night: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons

Philadelphia Auto Show (Sat, Sun)

Valentine’s Day Retail Roundup: Top Picks For Philadelphia Card and Gift Shops

Jerry Blavat at the Kimmel Center

Iron Hill Brewery’s Belgium Comes to West Chester 2012

155th Anniversary Concert of the Academy of Music

Continue reading, below.

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XFINITY Live!, now opening eight days earlier than anticipated, will add a much needed dining, shopping and entertainment destination to the Sports Complex neighborhood in South Philly. (Image courtesy Xfinity Live)

XFINITY Live!, Philadelphia’s new dining and entertainment district under construction on the former Spectrum site in South Philly, is opening earlier than planned.

Originally slated for an April 5, 2012 grand opening, XFINITY Live! will now open in time for the two upcoming Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concerts, coming to the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29 that we shared with you yesterday.

Concert ticketholders will have exclusive access to XFINITY Live! Philadelphia on these nights beginning at 4 p.m.

XFINITY Live! will then have its grand opening celebration, featuring a live concert with a national headlining act (to be named), on Friday, March 30. That means three straight days of XFINITY Live! festivities.

A quick recap of what the complex promises: there’s the XFINITY On Demand Theater, an outdoor 24-foot LED video wall; the NBC Sports Arena, featuring an indoor 32-foot Sony LED screen and the NBC Sports Field, a 300-foot turf field.

Food-wise, the Philly MarketPlace will feature a VIP lounge, custom draft tables, a raw bar, world class sports viewing and the Comcast SportsNet Ticker, over 100-feet of LED ribbon showing live sports scores and top news; that’s in addition to the Victory Beer Hall, The Spectrum Grille, Broad Street Bullies Pub and PBR Bar and Grill complete the food and drink offerings.

Tickets to see Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, which includes exclusive access to a preview night at XFINITY Live! Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29, will go on sale on Saturday, January 28 at 9 a.m. exclusively though ComcastTIX online, by phone at 1 (800) 298-4200 or at the Wells Fargo Center box office.

We can’t wait for Bruce to return to the streets of Philadelphia, and for this incredibly exciting addition to the sports complexes to open its doors. March can’t come too soon!

XFINITY Live!
Opening March 28, 2012
11th Street & Pattison Avenue
More info: xfinitylive.com

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Philly
When: March 28-29
Where: Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street
Cost: Tickets
More info: www.brucespringsteen.net

Discover the life and art of pioneering African-American artist Henry O. Tanner at PAFA's major new exhibition Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit, on display starting January 28. (Photos by T. Scheid for GPTMC)

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, an artistic gem in Center City, boasts treasures by local and national luminaries such as Charles Willson Peale (founder of the Academy), Thomas Eakins (who taught at PAFA) and Violet Oakley.

This winter and spring, PAFA complements its luminous collection with , an exhibition of more than 100 works by the PAFA-taught artist Henry Tanner (Eakins was one of his instructors; Tanner studied at PAFA from 1879-1885).

The collection includes 12 paintings never shown in a Tanner retrospective, the only two known sculptures Tanner completed as well as his career-making Resurrection of Lazarus from the collection of the Musée d’Orsay which has never before crossed the Atlantic.

Visitors can purchase the most complete scholarly publication on Henry O. Tanner to date as well as the first-ever children’s book about Tanner, written and illustrated by renowned artist-author Faith Ringgold and published by PAFA.

After its premiere at PAFA, Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit will continue on a national tour, with stops in Cincinnati and Houston.

Keep in mind PAFA has free admission on Sundays and extended hours every Wednesday evening.

Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit
When: January 28-April 15
Where: Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts, Hamilton Building, 128 N. Broad Street
Cost: Adults $15, Seniors (60+) and students $8, Youth (13–18) $6, Children (12 and under) Free
More info: www.pafa.org

 
On last week’s episode of 30 Rock, Liz Lemon shared a theory about the Phillie Phanatic, mentioning America’s most beloved mascot in the dialogue of the episode. On this week’s episode, Tina Fey and 30 Rock both upped their Philly cred to an entirely new level when the Phillie Phanatic made an actual guest appearance in the episode, clip above.

A little context: Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) got his boss, Hank Hooper of Kabletown (the company on 30 Rock that is a stand-in for Comcast) a “Business-versary” gift, to mark the one-year anniversary of them working together. Long story short, a day with the Phanatic was part of the gift. Unfortunately, it was delivered to the wrong floor and hilarity ensues.

The Phanatic even speaks(!!); 30 Rock translates the Phanatic’s squeaks into subtitles, and well, you’re going to have to watch for yourself.

Liz Lemon got a big kick out of it. And so did we.

30 Rock [Hulu]

This adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends.
(Photo by Joan Marcus courtesy Kimmel Center)

Direct from their phenomenally successful Broadway engagement, the internationally acclaimed Beatles concert, RAIN! A Tribute To The Beatles, returns to Philadelphia at the Academy of Music for eight shows only from January 31 to February 5 as part of the Kimmel Center’s Broadway Season.

As “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!”, according to the Associated Press, RAIN! performs the full range of The Beatles’ discography live onstage, including the most complex and challenging songs that The Beatles themselves recorded in the studio but never performed live for an audience.

Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally note-for-note, infectious performance.

Rock out to everything from the early hits to later classics (I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hard Day’s Night, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Let It Be, Come Together, Hey Jude and more).

Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 731-3333, online or at the Kimmel Center box office.

“Rain! A Tribute To The Beatles”
Where: Academy Of Music, 1420 Locust Street
When: January 31-February 5
Cost: Tickets range from $20-$100
More info: www.kimmelcenter.org

Enjoy a delicious barbecue meal tonight at City Tap House, just one of many options for spending your evening. (Photo courtesy City Tap House)

[Evenings in Philadelphia are always action-packed, and we want to help you cherry-pick from all the events and activities going on. On certain days that promise particularly bustling evenings, we round up our selections for the most can't-miss pursuits with which to fill your schedule. See you out there!]

• Our top picks for weeknight indoor fun in Philadelphia

• Spring Arts Preview at International House Philadelphia: The free season-opening party will feature food, drinks, a live performance by musical duo Blues Control, spotlighting a unique combination of keyboards, guitar and tape manipulation, as well as a multimedia presentatin of upcoming events at The International House.

Where: 3701 Chestnut Street
When: Thursday, January 26, 7 p.m.
Cost: Free

• Tashan Restaurant Week Deal: In honor of Restaurant Week, the geographical bounds of which Tashan is outside, this buzzed-about Indian spot on South Broad is offering an awesome dining deal: order anything you want off the menu, and pay only $35 for $50 worth of food and drinks.

Where: 777 S. Broad
When: Now through January 27 and January 29-February 3
Cost: $35 on the first $50

• “Homesick Texans” Supper at City Tap House: This winter at City Tap House, Executive Chef Ralph Kane is dishing up special cold-weather-perfect hearty Suppers, a range of themed specials for every night, Monday through Saturday. Tonight’s is “Homesick Texans” for barbecue lovers, boasting Kane’s sweet and smoky specialties.

Where: 3925 Walnut Street
When: Thursday, January 26
Cost: Suppers range in price from $24 to $36

• Krispy Kreme Family Night to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters: Head out to the Bensalem or Fox Chase Krispy Kreme locations to chow down in support of a great organization. Kids will receive a free glazed donut to dip in the dipping station, and can enjoy a coloring station and more activities.

Where: 1729 Street Road, Bensalem; 7855 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia
When: Thursday, January 26, 6-9 p.m.
Cost: Pay as you go

• Experience the Wines of France & Chile at the Independence Visitor Center: Enjoy business casual networking, appetizers and wonderful wines from France, Chile and the US. Bring business cards to exchange and a drawing for prizes.

Where: 6th & Market Streets
When: Thursday, January 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Cost: $60 non-members, $40 FACC members and their guest

• Rhythms of Time Sharing at AUX at Vox Populi: Continuing AUX’s Art Writing event series, London based KIOSK collective presents the latest installment of their project Rhythms of Time Sharing, which explores the current shift in contemporary art practice towards participatory and performative work.

Where: Vox Populi Gallery, 319 N. 11th Street
When: Thursday, January 26, 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

• Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at the Walnut Street Theatre: Agatha Christie, the mistress of mystery, brings her most popular creation, The Mousetrap, to the Walnut Street Theatre’s hallowed main stage. Here’s how the story goes: when a group of strangers are trapped together at a manor house during a snowstorm, they soon discover one of them is a murderer.

Where: 825 Walnut Street
When: Thursday, January 26, 8 p.m.; show runs through March 4
Cost: Tickets start at $61.25