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Rennie Harris Puremovement is back in black at the Kimmel Center. Harris, the world-famous hip-hop troupe’s leader and choreographer, hails from North Philly, which might be why he and his exuberant performance seem so excited to be here. The feeling is mutual: Friday’s nearly sold-out show was given a standing ovation, and frequent hoots and hollers rang out throughout the performance.

The show was billed as the world premiere of “100NakedLocks,” a hip-hop version of a post-apocalyptic intergalactic war, complete with a video montage and the occasional Darth Vader sound byte, but I was delightfully surprised when they announced that Rennie had declared that “It’s Philly, I’ve gotta give them more,” and put an additional piece on the program.

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Tuesday, February 24th, Geechee Girl Rice Cafe will be hosting their first in a series of Dine & Sign Events to let readers experience literary works beyond the printed page. The café’s Dine & Sign patrons will feast on a specially prepared meal inspired by various books and listen to featured authors give readings / presentations about their work.

The first Dine & Sign author will be Lori L. Tharps, author of Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain, with a dinner that combines Spanish, Moroccan and African-American cuisine, prepared by Geechee Girl Executive Chef, Valerie Erwin.

On March 24th Lise Funderburg will be the invited guest, reading from her latest work, Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home.

April’s guest will be announced soon.

The price for the dinner and program is $35. Reservations are required. The first 10 people to make a reservation will have the option to be seated at a special table with the author for dinner. Books will be on sale at the event.

Dine & Sign Literary Series
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 6:30pm

Geechee Girl Rice Cafe
6825 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
215-843-8113
www.geecheegirlricecafe.com

The Flyers host the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night at 7 PM at the Wachovia Center. The Kings, led by Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Alexander Frolov, are in 12th place in the Western Conference playoff race, but are only five points behind the eighth-seeded Minnesota Wild. Great tickets are still available to see the Flyers try to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Kings in Los Angeles on January 3rd.

Despite a heartbreaking 5-4 home loss to the Penguins this past Saturday, the Flyers are victorious in five of their last seven games. Holding onto a narrow two-point lead over the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers for the Eastern Conference’s fourth playoff spot, the Flyers need the support of Philly’s best fans on Wednesday. The Flyers will try to win one more game without fan favorite Danny Briere, who is scheduled to return from a groin injury on Friday against Montreal.

Flyers team captain Mike Richards, red-hot after scoring eight points in two games last week, was just named the NHL’s First Star of the Week. Richards is showing true leadership this season, tallying 23 goals, 37 assists, and a plus 23 rating to go along with a league-leading seven shorthanded goals. Pull on your #18 sweater and come out to see the Flyers solidify their standing as one of the Eastern Conference’s dominant teams!

Philadelphia Flyers
flyers.nhl.com

The 3-hour tour didn’t work so well for Gilligan and his crew, but that’s because they weren’t being led by Eric and Rob of City Food Tours. This fabulous duo gives new meaning to Philly Flava, and has added a brand spanking new tasting adventure to compliment this years infamous flower show.

Their flower inspired food tour will explore specialty food spots that create artisanal goods blended with botanical elements (exotic teas, lavender dusted goat cheese, rose infuse chocolates), and participants will have the opportunity to meet and learn from the culinary experts behind this natural treats.

And to get even closer to nature, Joe Liana, Co-founder of Urbangreen will teach the group how to grow a simple, Italian garden via their hands on demonstration. Oh, and did I mention that Trip Advisor ranked their tours as the #1 attraction in Philly? Everyone loves a winner.

This very special tasting tour is only available for a limited time (March 2nd to the 7th). So snag a ticket and taste away before visiting the flower show (just don’t try to eat the plants at the show-the tasting stops when the tour ends).

Flower Inspired Food Tour
March 2nd – 7th, 10AM-1PM
Tickets: $39 for adults & $35 for seniors over 65.
www.zerve.com/CityFoods/Flower

Head over to BUS STOP to savor the last bits of winter (read: sales!) and get revved up for spring this Friday evening. The inconspicuous fine shoes boutique at 4th and Fitzwater is hosting Mad Hatter Ivy Glass for a sweater-donating, spring-collection-previewing, shoe-buying fête.

You’re encouraged to bring old sweaters that you don’t want anymore so that Ivy can transform them into stylish recycled headwear for next season. During the event receive an exclusive offer on selected Ivy Glass Ecouture styles, and 15% off eco-friendly Terra Plana, Ground Hog, and Vivo Barefoot shoes. Winter shoes and boots are marked down even further “” you could save up to 60% on some stylish new kicks!

So what makes this a party rather than just a sale? The music and booze, of course: the atmosphere will be one part tropical, with complimentary coconut dream cocktails, and one part Euro-chic, with DJ Operant 77 spinning French and Italian pop. Come out and groove with the well-shod!

Mad Hatter Party @ BUS STOP
Friday, February 27th, 5:30-8:30pm

Bus Stop Boutique
750 S. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 627-2357
www.busstopboutique.com

Post by Jacqueline Rupp

Party like you’re in the French Quarter without having to go any farther south than Walnut Street. Philly’s own Rum Bar brings the best of the French Quarter’s Mardi Gras celebration north with it’s all day par-tay on Fat Tuesday, February 24 starting at 6:00 P.M.

No need for floats or parades here, Rum Bar has its priorities straight for Mardi Gras-lots of specialty drinks, including $3 Rum Barrel Lagers, $4 Cruzan & Coke and $5 Cruzan Hurricanes. There’s no cover charge to attend, but you do have to be over 21!

The lush Caribbean atmosphere of Rum Bar sets the perfect mood for a tropical Fat Tuesday festivity. But that’s not all for the Creole ambiance. Steel drummer Kristin Paradis will be performing live and a special Cajun menu featuring Louisiana goodness like étouffée, catfish fingers, jambalaya and other Big Easy favorites will be served up.

All this partying should give you a warm feeling inside, knowing you are helping a good cause. Rum Bar will be raising money during the celebration for the St. Bernard Project, a preeminent New Orleans charity that is working to rebuild the Katrina-devastated 9th Ward. $1 of all Cruzan Drinks goes to the project, which means the more you party, the more you contribute. Talk about a win-win deal!

Rum Bar Lounge & Restaurant
2005 Walnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19103
(215) 751-0404
www.rum-bar.com

Erronious Krunk, who headline the Fire on Wednesday night.

Jazz and more… Where I’ll be and where you should be…

MONDAY 2/23/09
George Urgo
ERA Bar, 2743 Poplar St.
There’s a new weekly live music series at ERA organized by the Monday bartender, Pier Hart. She plans to mix things up a bit as time goes on, but for now George Urgo, a solo blues performer, is holding it down.
9 p.m., FREE

TUESDAY 2/24/09
Lucky Thompson & the Budesa Brothers’ Blue Tuesday Open Mic & Jam Session
Leroy’s Showcase Lounge, 4912 Baltimore Ave.
Veteran drummer Lucky Thompson has played with greats like Nina Simone and Patti LaBelle during his long career and led jam sessions all over the city (including at Natalie’s Lounge, where he was the music director for more than 10 years). Lucky and brothers Rich Budesa on keys and Rob Budesa on guitar are single-handedly keeping Philly’s great organ trio tradition alive. If you haven’t heard them play at the Showcase, a neighborhood bar with a friendly staff and a welcoming vibe, then you’re missing out on an essential part of Philly’s jazz scene.
8 p.m., FREE

WEDNESDAY 2/25/09
Erronious Krunk,
The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave.
Erronious Krunk is an R&B band. I don’t mean R&B in the way record companies use the term today, but R&B in the great tradition of guys like Wynonie Harris and Junior Walker. Drummer Alex Maio and bassist Rob Parks lay the groundwork with their tight, funky rhythms. Tenor saxophonist Tal Stuhl plays crowd-pleasing solos, honking and screeching to great effect. Guitarist Frank Velardo, the band’s leader, holds things together with his rhythm playing and plays solos inspired by guitar gods like Eddie Hazel. And I haven’t mentioned the most exciting part–vocalist Samantha Rise Roberson, a young jazz singer who sounds like she’s listened to a lot of Etta Jones and Betty Carter.
10 p.m., $7

THURSDAY 2/26/09
Bobby Zankel’s Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, featuring Marty Ehrlich
World Cafe Live – Downstairs, 3025 Walnut St.
This is the much-anticipated 2nd part of Ars Nova Workshop’s celebration of the work of the great Julius Hemphill. Local luminaries the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound (who’ve been playing monthly at Tritone since the club opened) will dig into some of Hemphill’s compositions for big band and saxophone sextet, with some help from Ehrlich, an original member of Hemphill’s sextet.
7:30 p.m., $13-18

FRIDAY 2/27/09
The Dukes of Destiny
LaRose Jazz Club, 5531 Germantown Ave.
Funky blues and roots music from the Dukes of Destiny, who’ve been making music in Philly for over 25 years. The show is part of an ongoing series of blues nights at LaRose, the last Friday of every month, hosted by yours truly.
8 p.m., $12

SATURDAY 2/28/09
John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble
The Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St.
Drummer/composer John Hollenbeck’s New York-based group is unlikely to sound like any other “big band” you’ve ever heard.
7 and 9 p.m., $25 ($12.50 for Bride members)

SUNDAY 3/1/09
Sci Fi Philly : Dan Blacksberg Quartet, Blast Off!!, Dave Sayers
Gojjo Ethiopian Restaurant & Bar, 4540 Baltimore Ave.
This weekly musician-run jazz & experimental music series never disappoints. I’m especially excited to hear trombonist Dan Blacksberg’s quartet with Carlos Santiago on violin, Leon Boykins on bass, and Dave Flaherty on drums.
9 p.m., $5

Lucky Old Souls is my weekly web radio show”¦ 2 hours of jazz, blues, pop standards, early rock & roll, soul, and more, plus occasional guests from Philly’s music scene. I don’t get too hung up on genre distinctions on the show, and my music picks reflect the same spirit. Listen live every Tuesday from 2-4 P.M. on gtownradio.com, or visit myspace.com/luckyoldsouls for free downloads of past shows.

Post by Kelly Housen

Spend an afternoon with budget-minded fashionistas at the Crystal Tea Room this week. Find that hot new look, sip on some complimentary cocktails and walk out with a goodie bag filled with swag from Kiehlʼs, Redken and more. What more can a girl want?

While youʼre at the Sheckyʼs Girls Night Out event, check out jewelry from Michabella Creations and Liane by Design, sassy knickers from Lolly 38, bags from Beijo Bags and accessories from Bucklette, among many other designers and boutiques.

The shopping is happening from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 through Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Crystal Tea Room, 100 Penn Square East at Chestnut St. If you want that goodie bag, admission is going to cost you $25 in advance, $35 at the door.

Post by Anna Cutler

Benjamin Franklin had the right formula: take a kite, a key and a little bit of lightning, and history will be made. This electrifying event was the inspiration behind the Kite & Key on Callowhill Street, and as a residents of the area to the owners of this pub, we would like to say “thanks.” We’ve been living here for too long without you, fighting the crowds at Sabrina’s for lunch, cabbing it to a downtown restaurant for dinner or trekking up to the Penitentiary for a decent beer. We wanted a place to go for wings and Stout, to watch the games and get a decent meal. We wanted high-top tables, a juke box and servers who know us by name. We wanted that special “spark” that makes a neighborhood bar feel like home. And Kite & Key, you have it.

With its extensive beer list and hearty fare, the Kite & Key remains true to all that Philadelphia stands for: filling food, local beers and friendly service. With $1 off beers during happy hour every weekday, it’s a great place to grab a drink after work. The innovative spin on typical pub-food is surprisingly delicious, with the best wings (sweet garlic chili!) this side of the Parkway. If you’re in the mood for more than apps, the Kite & Key also serves magic in the form of bacon-wrapped meatloaf (yes, you read that right) and other substantial entrees.

Almost every night in the summer, friends, couples and artists gather around the iron tables-a-plenty in a courtyard outside, sipping on Yards. But I wouldn’t wait until then to experience what this place has to offer. Because what makes the Kite & Key shine is more than the food and beer, it’s the people: the owner who stops by and says hello, the waiters who never rush you to pay the bill, and the spirit of Mr. Franklin that’s felt with every sip of freshly-brewed beer.

The Kite & Key Restaurant and Bar
1836 Callowhill St, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 568-1818
www.thekiteandkey.com

In addition to the acres of floral displays, the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show will feature live entertainment (opera singers from Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts, string trio and quartet, and Italian folk dancers), countless vendors with authentic Italian crafts, live culinary destinations by local chefs, and Italian delicacies, all of which will be available and take place in the recreated Italian Piazza.

If you want to rest your feet and revive your energy after walking through acres of displays, treat yourself to the well known and often sold out Garden Tea (FYI – additional tickets required for this event).

But if you would prefer to relax Italian style, then you might want to check out the wine tasting room created for this year’s show. Sample Italian wine for free and then pick up your favorite blend at the PLCB Wine and Spirits Store at the show. Oh, and if you’re an Always Sunny fan (who isn’t?) then you’re in luck, because Danny Devito will be showing his face on March 7th to introduce his limeoncello brand.

And who knows, you might get inspired to catch a flight to Italy or maybe just make reservations at the Italian BYO down the street.

Philadelphia Flower Show
March 1st – 8th

Pennsylvania Convention Center
12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19107
www.theflowershow.com