May 12, 2009
One of the most notorious prisons in the world is having a reunion.
Eastern State Penitentiary is hosting its annual “Alumni Reunion” on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 2:30 pm. Every year, former inmates and officers return to the first penitentiary’s abandoned cellblocks to share stories and answer questions from the public. This event is free with standard admission.
Visitors to the reunion are often surprised that many of these former inmates and officers are quite young and enjoy returning to what is now a National Historic Landmark, but was then an innovator in incarceration, hosting famed criminals like bank robber Willie Sutton and gangster Al Capone in its long history between 1829 and 1971.
The former inmates, officers and staff will meet first for a private lunch with their families. At 2:30 pm, the alumni will gather with the public for an informal round table discussion, comparing their memories of the 180-year-old penitentiary. Previous discussions have addressed work details, recreation, race relations and daily life for inmates and officers at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Alumni Reunion
Sunday, May 17 at 2:30 pm
Eastern State Penitentiary
2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 236-3300
www.easternstate.org
May 12, 2009
Leave your car parked in the garage, because two wheels is all you’ll need this month. Afterall, Philadelphia recognizes May as National Bike Month.
To promote a greener healthier Philadelphia, our own Mayor Nutter invites you on Friday, May 15th to come ride with him to City Hall on National Bike to Work Day.
So bring the hybrid, fixed, bmx or even tandem, to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 8:30AM to enjoy the smoothest commute you’ll ever experience.
Don’t pass up this invitation to rediscover and rejoice in the freedom of being on two wheels. So dust off the chain, inflate your tires, and find that banana seat because rain or shine, we’re going to be rolling!
National Bike to Work Day with Mayor Nutter
Friday, May 15th, 2009 | 8:30AM
www.bicyclecoalition.org
Philadelphia Museum of Art
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 763-8100
www.philamuseum.org
May 11, 2009
Salad served at last month’s event held at Langostino Restaurant. Mmm!
Don’t feel like cooking dinner every night? On May 18th you don’t have to. Instead, have some of Philly’s top culinary talents cook for you at ChefAMe. All you have to do is watch in awe and secretly wish you could make these decadent dishes at home for yourself. Which you know you’ll never be able to, so please, leave it to the professionals.
This year, those professionals will be Chef Alyssa Shilliday, and chef turned writer turned chef Felicia D’Ambrosio. Alyssa has cooked at several restaurants including the Olive Garden, World Cafe Live and Cuba Libre. She is an aspiring restaurateur and her specialty is pastries. Yum! Felicia writes for City Paper’s food and drinks blog, Meal Ticket, and she’s apparently as good with food as she is with her laptop.
Each chef will prepare 3 dishes and one dessert for a tasting-style meal. This means a better variety and more food than last year’s event. The menu will be available in advance at www.openchefame.com.
Grab a $35 ticket for Open ChefAMe taking place at the Dark Horse Pub in Society Hill. You cannot pay at the door, so get tickets soon! And 20% of the profits made at this event will be donated to a charity in the area, which will be announced by Alyssa and Felicia at the end of the night. Everybody wins!
Open ChefAMe
Monday, May 18th
www.openchefame.com
Dark Horse Pub
421 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 928-9307
www.darkhorsepub.com
May 11, 2009
Fairmount Park along the Schuylkill River, Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
Volunteer opportunities in Fairmount Park for individuals and groups happen year round, thanks to organizations like Greater Philadelphia Cares, but a favorite event for me and my family has been the annual Philadelphia Cares About Fairmount Park Day. This year, mark your calander for Saturday, May 16th, and feel free to tell all your friends. It is a great way to share company with those you love, and to meet new people who also are crazy for Fairmount Park.
Over 1,000 people are expected to take part this year, with over 40 site specific projects happening throughout. If you would rather do a little something on your own, grab your biggest pruners and nippers, head to the nearest corner of the park, and have at the thorny Devil’s Walking Stick and any of the invasive vines attacking the trees… just steer clear of the poison ivy!
Philadelphia Cares About Fairmount Park Day 2009
Saturday, May 16th
www.philacares.com/events/annualpages/fpd.htm
Greater Philadelphia Cares
www.philacares.com
May 8, 2009
The Painted Bride Quarterly is one of the oldest independent literary magazines in the country; a non-profit literary magazine — and it’s housed in town, in Drexel University.
On Wednesday, May 13th, the PBQ is hosting it’s first annual Bookfair for Literacy. The Bookfair will run simultaneously with Drexel University’s Week of Writing, which will bring together regional small presses, academic publishers, and literary magazines. By participating in the The Bookfair you will help fight illiteracy and support PBQ’s efforts to acknowledge the importance of the written word in the digital age.
The PBQ will also sponsor a used book sale with all proceeds donated to Philadelphia Reads, an awesome local literacy group that is dedicated to eradicating children’s illiteracy in Philadelphia. The additional books will be donated to Books Through Bars, an NPO that serves the incarcerated and their families.
During the afternoon, from 12:00pm to 1:30pm, the public is invited to take part in a Speed Editing session, which will have editors from various fields and disciplines, such as journalism, creative and academic writing.
For more information, visit Drexel’s website for a full schedule of Week of Writing events, or contact pbq@drexel.edu to be involved!
Berhakis Hall, Creese Student Center
32nd and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
www.pbq.drexel.edu
May 8, 2009
When visitors first experience the Magic Gardens on South Street, their interaction always produces the same result… shock and awe. And with the national release of In a Dream Isaiah Zagar’s life’s work will no longer be a hidden gem, but a celebrated masterpiece.
Starting next week, the Philadelphia Magic Gardens will launch their mosiac mural tours. Spanning as far east as 4th Bainbridge to the starting block of 10th South, locations include rarely seen mosaic murals. Guides on the tour discuss the materials, techniques, imagery and stories of the artwork, while incorporating pieces of local Philadelphia history.
Tours cost $12 per person, range an hour in length and include general admission to the Magic Garden Reservations are strongly suggested and only take place on weekends.
For more info, log on to www.phillymagicgardens.org.
Mosaic Mural Walking Tour
May 16th thru Sept 20th
Philadelphia Magic Gardens
1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 733-0390
www.phillymagicgardens.org
May 7, 2009
Inside Bob & Barbara’s
Spring time craft fairs are not the kinds of things you generally associate with bars. Little old ladies selling knitted sweaters next to a guy who makes custom painted flower vases doesn’t scream bitchin’ nightlife to anyone.
Which is why Bob and Barbara’s Craft Bazaar had a lot to live up to when the weekly event premiered last week. But the location and the extremely low vendor fees (booth rates start at just $10) kept the top-notch young crafters coming.
Philly artists, textile makers and art students gathered to sell their wares at the bar most famous for the Philly Special. The 15th-and-South institution hosted half booth spaces inside the bar and the other half out. And while this is still a bar, the ownership is lax about the door during the Craft Bazaar. That means feel free to bring the kids. And your little dog, too.
According to the Bob and Barbara’s MySpace page, the Craft Bazaar is set to be a monthly event, giving you the best Philly gear for recession-level prices. You can check it out this and every Saturday through the summer from 11am-3pm. Because this ain’t your grandmother’s craft fair. This one is a Philly Special!
Bob & Barbara’s
1509 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 545-4511
May 7, 2009
Just a short walk from Independence Hall, Triumph Brewing Company in Old City is an excellent choice for a brew, a meal, or just some good old fashioned people watching from the sidewalk seating, which overlooks the cobblestones of Chestnut Street.
Triumph has a great selection of beers, both domestic and imported, and of course, the stuff they brew on the spot right over the bar. If you’re hungry, pairing one of these with a great meal is easy, and more importantly, affordable. At lunch the other day, I got the Triumph Burger (quite possibly the best burger I have ever had in my entire life) while my friend enjoyed the Reuben sandwich, and both were less than ten bucks. It was a tough call, too, since there were several other selections at that price point that all looked appetizing.
The service was friendly, and the presentation was pretty impressive too. On top of that, the interior decor could only be described as fantastic. It’s a modern look with a cozy feel.
All things considered, Triumph was just an excellent choice. It’s a bit out of the way from some of the popular spots on Market Street, but it’s well worth a special trip.
Triumph Brewing Company
117 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
215.625.0855
www.triumphbrewing.com
May 7, 2009
Any traditional pina colada or margarita already carry a taste of hot summer nights and parties on the beach”¦ but this season, why not try their Mexican adaptation at Distrito?
From $6 to $12, you can sip on some wonderful Distrito cocktails that will add a touch of summer feeling to your evening, but with a unique twist. There’s the Mistico, vodka with fresh tangerine and kiwi; the Blue Demon Mojito, rum muddled with fresh blueberries and mint; the El Santo Gimlet, reposado tequila with fresh lime juice and cilantro; the Horchata Colada, blanco tequila with sweetened rice milk, coconut and pineapple; and the Esquilito, mezcal, creme de peche and apricot nectar. All colorful, flavorful, little drops of heaven! Yum!
And of course, Tequila bar oblige, the cocktail list also includes five signature margaritas from traditional to flavored, available by the glass or the pitcher. Best time to give this new cocktail list a try: Happy Hour! Monday through Friday, leave work early and from 4 to 6 PM enjoy Distrito’s special prices on margaritas and beers.
Distrito
3945 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 222-1657
www.distritorestaurant.com
