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Rare Birds, performing at Kungfu Necktie tonight

FRIDAY

Soft Power, Gildon Works, Rarebirds
Kungfu Necktie, 1248 N Front
Princess of wizards Mary Timony‘s new band. 7:30pm, $10.

Friday Night Magic
Redcap’s Corner, 4040 Locust
Magic: The Gathering, in which you summon some dudes to fight against your bros. 7pm.

Lil’ Wayne, Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Drake
Susquehanna Bank Center
Mainly weekend picking this because of how into Gilly/Lil’ Wayne and GZA/Soulja Boy youtube beef vids I was last summer. $45-87.

SATURDAY

Dan Deacon, No Age, Deerhunter
The Flying W Airport & Resort
Almost a big enough pick to carry the whole weekend. Killer bands, huge airplane shaped pool, bus ride back and forth, all $17 with a
shuttle. Full details and hype at R5. 3pm, $12.

Chthonic Grave
Padlock, 1409 Ellsworth
New drawings and prints from recent Alabama transplant to weird North Philly, Lance Simmons. Read the press post at 1026. 8pm.

Hurrah
Medusa, 21st and Chestnut
Dance across the rainbow, become the pot of gold. 10pm, free.

SUNDAY

Shakespeare in the Park presents Comedy of Errors
Clark Park, 43rd and Chester
Closing night show for this summer’s Shakespeare in the park. Karina covered it here. 7pm, free.

When it comes to locations for great comedy, a few cities have been able to separate themselves from the rest as draws for potential stand-up and improv talent. New York and LA are always going to be draws for performers, but the most famous comedy destination has to be Chicago’s Second City. The comedy shop made a name for itself as the jumping off point for some of comedy’s biggest stars, spanning the last 40 years. Stars like Dan Aykroyd, Chris Farley, Mike Meyers, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert all called Second City home.

In the last few years, Philadelphia has really made a name for itself in the comedy world, with the massive hit comedy It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia using as their setting, and the Helium Comedy Club drawing comics from all over the globe. With this rising tide, the improv scene has joined in the fun. And a lot of the success is due to the national coverage of improv performances at the Philly Fringe Festival.

You would think Philadelphia’s renowned Philly Improv Theater would be relaxing and getting pumped up for the big show. But instead, to prepare audiences for the highly anticipated Fringe Festival, PHIT present a week of “preview” performances so attendees can get a taste for what the PHIT is all about.

The one-woman show Amnesia and Attempted Murder just finished an extended run at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade theater in New York and returns to Philadelphia for one night only. The show, written and performed by Jill Donnelly, follows the stories of an alternate reality where getting pushed down the stairs by a family member and going into a coma are common occurrences. The strange and hilarious plot twists from there. Tickets are $10 and the show takes the stage Friday, August 7th at 8 p.m.

This pre-Fringe celebration also features shows from The Comic Vs. Audience Show, Guilty Pleasures and CAGEMATCH competition events. Get the full list at Philly Improv Theater’s official website. Come on out to catch the next big comedy star before they become famous. But be careful. Split sides don’t look all that great in a bathing suit.

Philly Improv Preview Week
August 3rd – 8th, 2009
www.phillyimprovtheater.com

It’s as cool, and wacky, as it sounds. Sneaker Pimps is an international traveling sneaker culture show founded in Sydney, Australia by Peter Fahey. What started as the 26-year-old’s pride in his vast sneaker collection morphed into his first official show, a simple display of footwear arranged on a chain-like fence for just over 100 guests. Now the tour has traveled to more than 60 cities worldwide and produced over 200 shows since its 2003 inception, roping in world-renowned graffiti and hip-hop artists as well as a cohort of loyal subscribers.

But what exactly, you ask, is sneaker culture? You’ll have to see for yourself on August 8th at the Starlight Ballroom, when Sneaker Pimps makes a stop in Philly as part of its Verizon Wireless 2009 tour. Featuring over 1,500 pairs of rare, limited edition, vintage, celebrity-signed, artist-collaborated sneakers and a collection of sneaker-inspired artwork, fashion and photography, Sneaker Pimps is the world’s largest touring sneaker hip-hop lifestyle exhibition.

The production also includes live street art installations, live skateboarding demonstrations, street basketball competitions and live hip-hop and rock performances by some of the world’s foremost recording artists— think Nas, Lupe Fiasco, Redman, Clipse and dozens of other big names. Local shops and designers will participate in the event, including Undrcrwn, Ubiq, and Abakus Takeout. Doors open at 8 pm. Even if you’re footwear fetish-free (or not a “sneakerhead,” as the Pimps dub themselves), this event is a chance to plug into a vibrant urban culture in which Philly plays no small part.

Sneaker Pimps in Philadelphia
Saturday, August 8th, 2009
www.sneakerpimps.net

Starlight Ballroom
460 N 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA

The next time you’re over in University City, be sure to check out the newest place here to get coffee, Lovers and Madmen, found at the corner of 40th and Ludlow (between Chestnut and Market).

Lovers and Madmen offers the same great selection of coffees you’ll find at any Starbucks, but in a much more cozy, quaint atmosphere. In renovating the historic building’s storefront, they kept many of the original details and finishes, which would make most people think they’d been there for years. The staff is friendly and helpful in making selections for those of you who aren’t familiar with the organic and locally owned products they offer. While you may have a challenge finding seating on some days at the outdoor tables, there’s usually a table inside if you’ll wait for a minute or two.

The best part for Penn students is that with a newer laptop with a strong WiFi card, you can even pick up Penn’s network here. For the rest of us, Lovers and Madmen offers their own connection as well.

Lovers and Madmen
28 S. 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 243-9851

Photo courtesy Unbreaded

After the Phillies claimed the World Series title last year, it is hard to imagine a more compelling heater at Citizen’s Bank Park than the ones thrown from the mound. But with the newest addition to the Bank’s ever-expanding food menu, the concourse seems to exclaim: Bring It On!

This new Heater is a special cheesesteak brought to you by Campo’s, the family sandwich shop whose cheesesteaks and hoagies have been available at the Wachovia Center and Tweeter Center for years. Now that they have brought their Old City flavors to the home of the Phillies, Campo’s is bringing the heat.

And man does this sandwich live up to its name. Smothered in Jalapeno hot sauce and cheddar cheese, the Heater combines the gastro-goodness you have come to expect from Philly’s most famous sandwich, combined with a hurts-so-good hot streak you have to try for yourself. I washed mine down with a Dr. Pepper and I was sucking on the ice cubes before reaching the end of this fierce competitor that would have even Cole Hamels begging for mercy.

This is not Campo’s first celebrity sandwich. After creating a signature sandwich for the Philadelphia Flyers—a similarly interesting combination of steak, cream cheese and tomato—the search for a name was on. Requests poured in, even becoming political with interested parties vying to become the one to name the strange concoction. The sandwich became known simply as the Ice Steak and is now served alongside the other offerings at the Wachovia Center.

Can’t afford a trip to the ballpark this week? You can head down to Campo’s Old City location—dubbed the Home of the Heater—and have your sandwich made by the Campo’s themselves. But be careful: this sandwich is not for the weak of heart, or tongue. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Campo’s Old City
214 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 923-1000
www.camposdeli.com

We're extremely happy to have you! ; Photos courtesy of MLB.com

Over the past few weeks the Fightin Phils have beefed up their pitching staff with the additions of Cy Young award winners Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez.

With Lee set to join the team this weekend and Martinez finishing up work in Allentown, we decided to put our expertise  to good use by assembling this quick welcome guide to Philadelphia. Hope it helps…

Firstly, you need to get acclimated to Philadelphia with a city tour. Not just any tour, of course, but one of our recommended Top Five Offbeat Ways to See the City.

[Click here for the Top Five Offbeat Ways to See the City]

After a few hours of exploring, I’m sure you’ll have generated quite the appetite. Cliché or not, the first thing you, as a new resident of this great city, should consume is an authentic Philly cheesesteak. The only question is: where?

[Click here for our list of Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks]

Naturally after all of that exploring and eating, you will be clamoring for some good ol’ American history; the type only Philadelphia can offer. We’ve got you covered there too.

[Click here for everything Historic Philadelphia]

That’s just a start, but we need you to rest up; the Phils still have a lot of baseball left to play!

Extremely glad you decided to join us!

With Love,
Philadelphia
XOXO

Bar 210 at Lacroix; Photo courtesy Lacroix

Bar 210 is the relatively new bar inside Lacroix Restaurant at the Rittenhouse Hotel. It offers great views of Rittenhouse Square so you can get out of the heat and humidity and still eat and drink square-side.

The happy hour rundown:

Monday – Friday from 5 to 7 pm.

- 1/2 price hand-crafted cocktails
- $5 select wines
- $4 select bottled beers
- Complimentary hor d’oeuvres

CLICK HERE to visit the Bar 210 at Lacroix website for more info.

Lacroix at the Rittenhouse [gophila.com]

left photo from Star Trek: The Exhibition; right courtesy of The Franklin Institute

Star Trek fans, take heart! This fall, you won’t have to attend a sci-fi convention in order to get a chance to press the flesh with original series alum George Takei. As you may have heard, The Franklin Institute is currently playing host to Star Trek: The Exhibition, a multi-room display of costumes, props, set pieces and more from all five series.To capitalize on the popularity of Star Trek and this exhibition, the folks at the Franklin have arranged for An Evening with George Takei on Thursday, August 20th from 7 to 9 p.m.

Fans with have an opportunity to attend a moderated Question and Answer session with the actor who played Mr. Sulu, after which he will be available for pictures and autographs. All attendees will be given a glossy photo of Takei but are also encouraged to bring along their own memorabilia if they wish. As an added bonus, the exhibition will be open at 5 p.m. and be available until 9:30 p.m. that evening, so that fans can check it out.

Tickets are $25 for the public, $20 for Institute members. Call 215-448.1254 to book yours.

The Franklin Institute
222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 448-1200

Located directly across from Independence Hall, in the lobby of The Curtis Center, is The Dream Garden, an artistic cooperation between Maxfield Parrish and Louis Comfort Tiffany. USHistory.org offers an excellent description of the history of The Dream Garden.

The Dream Garden, a mosaic made of Tiffany glass, is stunning. I’ll leave it at that. It’s the sort of work you need to see to truly appreciate, so go check it out. There’s seating, it’s free, and it’s air conditioned. It’s a wonderful place for a short rest while exploring Independence National Historic Park. On weekdays, you can enter through 6th Street, right across from Independence Hall. On Saturday, enter though the Curtis Center’s 7th Street entrance.

The Dream Garden
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 10am-1pm
Free!

The Curtis Center
601-45 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 238-6450

It’s the season of free outdoor movies, and while there are plenty of well-publicized options in Philly’s parks, cinematic events abound in lesser-known places as well. For example, you can slip into the Old City Cheese Shop every Tuesday at 8pm to catch a film in the store’s secluded courtyard.

Co-owner Alex Baute has been running the series for the past three years, and takes a democratic approach to the film selection. After his choices (Akira Kurosawa was a favorite) were deemed too dark for laid-back summer nights, he began letting the regulars decide what to watch. The courtyard is setup with tables and chairs, and moviegoers can order from the menu of homemade soups, sandwiches, salads, and quiche for a full modern-dinner-theater experience. Those who prefer snacking have far more variety to choose from than a tub of popcorn. In addition to a rotating inventory of foreign and domestic fromage, the shop has become Old City’s go-to place for all the gourmet goodies you didn’t know you wanted: spiced nuts, dried fruits, pastas, balsamics.

European ambiance, lingering summer nights, and savory treats give the sense that you’re on a mini-vacation… rather than just a movie night.

Movie Night at the Old City Cheese Shop
Tuesdays at 8PM

Old City Cheese Shop
160 N. Third St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 238-1716