August 14, 2009
The Philly Folk Fest or Jazz at Penn’s Landing? Decisions, decisions!
Friday
Fee-Free Weekend in Historic Philadelphia
Get out of your air-conditioned house and take a mini-stayvacation to a National Park for an entrance fee-free weekend on August 15th and 16th. Places include the Poe House, Betsy Ross House, and more.
Smooth Jazz and Penn’s Landing
Today you can catch Brian Simpson and Marc Antoine performing at Penn’s Landing. Kicks off at 7:30!
Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philly Folk Fest kicks off today and runs through Sunday. With performers like The Decemberists and Iron & Wine, this looks to be one stellar festival.
Emanuel Xavier at Giovanni’s Room
Author of Christ Like, Xavier will be read passages form his book at Giovanni’s Room to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Saturday
Red Bull Race Block Party
Make your way around Philadelphia and see if you can hit up all three block parties. Make sure you end up at 215′s Adrenaline party. It’s going to be a blast.
Wine Cheese Art Fest at Comcast
The Market & Shops at the Comcast Center are hosting a wine-art-food-awesome festival today. Runs from noon til 5PM.
Rodney Lofton @ Giovanni’s Room
Lofton, the author of No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love, will be reading and greeting at Giovanni’s Room today.
Bill Harley @ World Cafe Live Harley brings his family friendly music to the World Cafe. Tickets are only $10 for adults, $7 for kids.
(more…)
August 14, 2009
The inaugural Philadelphia Fashion Week (PFW) will take place October 8-10, 2009 at the 23rd Street Armory.
It’s going to be a large-scale event full of music, drinks, food and, of course, fashion — including nationally recognized designers, local retailers and up-and-coming designers from local universities.
Tickets go on sale Saturday at 12 p.m., with one-day and weekend passes available. Tickets include:
- Runway shows (15+ throughout the weekend)
- Lots o’ music
- Open bar and hors d’oeuvres
- On-site shopping
This is a great opportunity for Philadelphia designers to show what they got; and for all you shopaholics out there, it’s a great excuse to treat yourself to some new duds. Fashion!
Philadelphia Fashion Week [Official Site]
August 14, 2009
Post by Deni Kasrel
Back in the 1800′s through early turn of the last century, Philadelphia was known as “the workshop of the world,†due to the amount of mills and manufacturing facilities scattered all about our fair city.
While these days might be gone, they are certainly not forgotten, as witnessed by Philadelphia and its Manufactures: Photographs and Objects from Factories Here and Gone at Art in the Age. Created by artist/activist Jacob Hellman, the presentation shows his personal fascination with both functioning and abandoned factories.
Setting out original photos as well as assorted artifacts, the presentation aims to prod us to ponder notions of disposability, materialism and the fact that while our manufacturing roots have been largely severed, there are pockets where production does indeed still happen here today.
Hellman was inspired to create the show after reading a long out-of-print book titled “Philadelphia and Its Manufactures,†passages from which are beside photos he took of places described in the text. The juxtaposition of reading about what once was and then seeing how those same sites look today may offer additional food for thought.
Meanwhile, the show is appropriately staged in the Old City shop Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, which was recently named by Philadelphia Magazine as the “Best Place to Find Really Original Stuff.â€
Philadelphia And Its Manufactures
On Display Now through August 30th, 2009
Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
116 N. Third St, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 922-2600
www.artintheage.com
August 13, 2009
There’s nothing quite like hanging out on an outdoor deck and sharing a frosty cocktail with friends when the sun is shining and the mercury is rising. My Media crew know the deal pretty well. The place is Joclyn’s on State Street.
Anyone who’s anyone in Media knows to meet on the deck at the so-called “Office†for happy hour, and even more so for “Sunday Funday.†Often times, you’ll hear a rockin’ band all Sunday afternoon, like cover specialists Math or Jealousy Curve. Another huge draw on Sundays is karaoke with DJ Mike at 9PM. Anything goes and everybody is a professional singer. The Sunday special features Heineken Light bottles for $2.00, and they also carry the highly in-demand Sparks. It’s the only place in town that I’ve seen it served.
Other nightly specials include:
Monday – Open Mic Night @ 8PM, $1.75 Coors Light drafts
Thursday – 9-11PM, $2.50 Corona, Corona Light and Red Stripe Bottles
Friday – Happy Hour 4:30-6:30PM, Free hot dogs and hamburgers
Saturday – 8-10PM, $2.00 Dos Equis drafts
As far as bar munchies go, Joclyn’s serves up your bar standards, like wings, crab fries and mozzarella sticks, and it’s all very fairly priced. During times the kitchen is closed, you’re welcome to bring in take-out food. The bartenders even have Media’s favorite pizza joints on speed dial for hungry drinkers.
Sporting fans will dig this place too, especially during Phillies season. Out on the deck, there’s a huge wall painted white where they project the games once the sun goes down.
Joclyn’s
109 W State St, Media, PA 19063-3203
(610) 627-2102
www.joclyns.com
August 13, 2009
Del Frisco’s Photo by Christopher Gabello
Del Frisco’s, the acclaimed Double Eagle Steak House housed within the historic Grande Building on 15th and Chestnut, is currently hosting one fantastic happy hour. Taking place on Thursdays from 5PM until 9PM, Del Frisco’s VIP Happy Hour offers up $5 bar entrees, $4 Stella Artois, $6 glasses of red and white wine, and their Signature VIP Martini for $7.
Featured on the extensive $5 bar menu, includes…
- Filet Mignon Tips with chateau potatoes
- Pesto Crusted Salmon with a spring mix in balsamic reduction
- Cheesesteak Dumplings with spicy ketchup
- Steak Quesadillas with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole
- Vegetable Quesadillas with the same
- Wild Mushroom Gnocchi served with white truffle oil and Parmesan dust
Looks good to me!
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
1426-28 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 246-0533
www.delfriscos.com
August 13, 2009
With their newest event, ArtBeat: Making It To Music, the crafty bloggers of Handmade Philly have created a veritable craft concert complete with knitters, quilters and other hobbyists working right alongside musicians.
Regardless of what you might think about knitting and sewing, cool or uncool hardly seems the issue for the organizers of ArtBeat, who offer attendees a supply swap and a variety of workshops including Basic and Advanced Knitting, Flavor Saver Pins, ArtMoney, Paper Piecing (Quilting) and Drawing Basics.
The vibe described sounds more tea party than artist rave. Creative types are encouraged to bring works-in-progress, supplies to be swapped, instruments for the open mic and their creativity. The evening is open to artists of all ages and skill levels, and the first 50 receive free homemade cookies from a member vendor.
Handmade Philly is offering up 20% of the proceeds from ArtBeat to support the Philadelphia Arts In Education Partnership. And that’s something even the most vitriolic knit-critics can appreciate.
Handmade Philly’s ArtBeat
Saturday, August 15th
www.phillyartbeat.com
Studio 34
4522 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 387-3434
www.studio34yoga.com
August 12, 2009
Sidewalk dining at Caribou Café.(Photo by S. Tamburino)
Everyday, I walk by the trés français Caribou Café — this week’s Center City Sips spotlighted restaurant — on my way home from work. And everyday, without fail, I feel the urge to pull up a seat next to the happy alfresco diners, announcing my arrival with a triumphant “Bonjour!” Julia Child-style.
The thing is, everyone I’ve ever seen dining at Caribou Café looks like she’s having the time of her life. Since no one can be happy all the time, I’m assuming there’s something in the drinks. Or food. Or decidedly European atmosphere.
So tonight from 5 to 7 p.m., brush up your French-speaking, -drinking and -eating skills at the always buzzing Caribou Café. You’ll swear you’re in Gay Paree — even though you’re nestled, quite happily, in the Gayborhood.
Caribou Café
1125 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Caribou Café [gophila.com]
Center City Sips [gophila.com]
Caribou Café’s Sips menu after the jump. (more…)
August 12, 2009
Picture the 1920′s. Sexy flappers flit around town with their scandalous new hemlines, dapper young men cruise the streets in Model T’s and… two young millionaires from Chicago senselessly murder a 14 year old boy “for the thrill of it.” Called “the crime of the century,” the trial – which featured legendary defense attorney Clarence Darrow – and media frenzy that surrounded the murder, rival those of any of today’s most shocking slayings. Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story is based on the true events surrounding the incident. The critically-acclaimed 1985 play has been called “a taut, compelling psycho-sexual waltz.” That’s enough to get me in a seat!
Never the Sinner is being produced by the Mauckingbird Theatre Company, a relatively new Philly company that focuses on gay-themed drama. (Sensationalizing the story of the murder even more, the bored, handsome murderers are lovers.) The controversial themes and ideas that made the crime the cultural behemoth that it was in the 20′s (homosexuality, the role of media in society, the death penalty) were just as relevant when the play was written in the 80′s, and continue to be on the forefront of the culture wars today.
Mauckingbird’s production takes a personal tack, delving into the complex relationship between Leopold and Loeb, and The Adrienne’s intimate space is ideal for the tight production. The play runs until August 30th. Check out their website for more info.
Never The Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story
August 8th – 30th, 2009
www.mauckingbirdtheatreco.org
The Adrienne Theater
2030 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA
August 12, 2009
Scenes from last summer's Concerts in the Park. (Photos by M. Kennedy)
**UPDATE** Due to threat of rain, tonight’s concerts will take place at Lucky Strike Lanes (1336 Chestnut Street, (215) 545-2471).
Tonight marks the first of three free concerts in Rittenhouse Square’s wildly popular Concerts in the Park series.
Gracing the stage tonight are two bands proud to call the 215 home:
- Welcome to My Face, self-described as an “80s Glam Rock Tribute Band from Hell!!!” Nice. You can sample a few tracks here.
- The Peace Creeps, rock/psychedelic/pop guys with a big, drum-heavy sound that might blow the tree-tops off Rittenhouse Square. Listen here.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and runs until 9 or so. Since tonight is Center City Sips, parking in Center City is free. Giddy up.
Concerts in the Park @ Rittenhouse Square
Wednesday, August 12, 19 and 26 | 7 – 9 p.m.
Concerts in the Park [gophila.com]
