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Eater is running a Sweet 16-like elimination tournament among the chefs competing in the new season of The Next Iron Chef premiering on the Food Network next week.

Each day a chef and his or her home city is pitted against another chef and that chef’s home city. Each chef answers a few questions about the food scene in their home town and why it’s great. And then readers vote.

Yesterday, it was our very own Jose Garces, who did a With Love Letter Q&A here just last week, against one Holly Smith out of Baltimore.

And unsurprisingly, Chef Garces does a great job in talking up Philadelphia with his responses.

So jump over to Eater and be sure to vote for Chef Garces and Philadelphia.

The good news: Garces and Philadelphia are currently winning their Round 1 challenge with 83% of the vote.

SPONSORED POST: Next Iron Chef City Challenge, 1st Rd. [Eater]

Did you know that tomorrow is National Public Lands Day? It’s the largest, hands-on volunteer effort to help improve the public landscape that we enjoy. Parks, trails, lakes… tons of outdoor sites all around the country are participating, including a few right around our city.

Tomorrow, September 26th, the Appalachian Mountain Club is inviting families out to the the Pennsylvania Highlands for a free day of family-friendly activities at the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Hiking, apple picking, biking, and self-guided historical tours are some of the many goings-on at the park, and if you help out with some trail work for National Public Lands Day, you’ll earn a free pass good for any national park or federal site that charges an entrance fee.

Participants will get free copies of AMC’s new recreation map, which highlights fun activities through out the Pennsylvania Highlands. If you’re planning to help out on the trail, be sure to wear sturdy boots and bring some gloves!

National Public Lands Day @ Hopewell Furnace National Historic Park
Saturday, September 26, 2009
10AM – 4PM

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, Pennsylvania 19520

In a city that loves competition, it’s no surprise that Philadelphia’s own Gayborhood is set to announce its “best of” winners on Saturday, September 26th during the first annual Gayborhood Games at PURE Nightclub. This groundbreaking event takes place tomorrow, September 26th, and will pit local talent against one another for prizes and a year’s worth of citywide bragging rights.

Join local talent and a plethora of celebrity judges as they choose the best bartender, drag performer, best singer, hairstylist/salon, and even comedian. Celebrity judges include Christopher Ciccone (Madonna’s brother and best selling author), Tim Bennett of Sirus OutQ’s Focus Group and Philly’s own Karen Gross, editor of Where Philadelphia Magazine.

So put on your game face, come on down, register for some friendly competition, and show us what you got. All area residents are eligible to participate. For more information on the games, please visit the official Philadelphia Nightlife Gay website.

First Annual Gayborhood Games
September 26th, 2009

Pure Nightclub
1221 St. James Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 735-5772

Chinatown’s first ever Restaurant Week may be over on Friday, but Saturday? That’s the real party.

Join us at the Chinatown Friendship Gate for a celebration of food, culture and a full moon during the 14th Annual Mid Autumn Festival. Kicking off at 12:45pm, Chinatown will host a full day of activities including a carnival, martial arts demonstrations, Beijing Opera and a mooncake eating contest.

Wait what? Mooncake? Sorry, let me explain. These revered round shaped pastries are a Chinese delicacy. Filled with lotus seed paste and whole egg yolks, they are sure to pack on the calories but hey, let’s face it, summer’s over. Who cares about fitting into a bathing suit. Bring ‘em on.

To learn more about this free outdoor event, check out the official website. It’s going to be a full moon on Saturday, so come dance in the moonlight.

14th Annual Mid-Autumn Festival
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
12:45PM – 6PM

Chinatown Friendship Gate
10th & Arch, Philadelphia, PA

Fashionistas and wannabe fashion bugs, welcome to the Philly 360 fashion video series!

In part one, host Rakia Reynolds – stylist extraordinaire, marketing maven and all around It Girl – brings you a taste of the hottest accessories from some of Philly’s most amazing indie boutiques.

You’ll get the scoop on what to wear and how at places like Topstitch, Bus Stop and Letau Designs. Come back soon for part two of the series when we explore more gems on the Philly fashion scene.

For more fashion picks, check out Philly 360’s Top Boutiques.

www.gophila.com/philly360
www.twitter.com/philly360

Everyone at one point or another, has been a coin collector. I mean, who hasn’t saved up some loose change?

But do you have every state quarter or, like me, a lost collection of Susan B. Anthony coins tucked away in the attic somewhere? You’ll never know their true value unless you get them appraised, and luckily this weekend, it won’t cost you a dime! Yesterday, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the first ever Whitman Coin & Collectible Expo opened in Philadelphia. Normally held in other neighboring cities, they just couldn’t resist coming to our wonderful city.

What can you expect to see? International coins, paper currency dating as far back the Declaration, the world’s first million dollar currency note, and an exhibit of historic Nova Constellatio pattern coins, including three designs that were considered for the first coinage of the newly formed United States of America: the bit, the quint and the mark. That’s just for starters.

Take in a free seminar on how to distinguish the “Chinese counterfeit” from the genuine article and get some Kodak moments with some of our colonial forefathers. Bring your young collectors for the Expo’s Kid Korner for free activities today and Saturday. Every child aged 6-14 who attends will leave with some free coins and other fun prizes.

For more info, log on to their official website. You might have missed yesterday’s opening, but the expo runs all day today and into Saturday. Don’t miss the chance to turn some of your Lincolns into Benjamins.

First Annual Coin and Collectibles Philadelphia Expo
Now through September 26th, 2009

Pennsylvania Convention Center
12th & Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

The always buzzing Midtown Village hosts the second annual Midtown Village Fall Festival on Saturday, October 3 from 12 noon to 8 p.m. (Photo by G. Widman)

Midtown Village Fall Festival [gophila.com]

Gluten. This oft-misunderstood and vilified grain protein seems to have created a recent fad of non-inclusion in food. But for sufferers of the digestive disorder known as celiac disease, gluten can cause pain, physical debilitation and even death. Unfortunately, some of the world’s most beloved foods contain gluten and it can be hard to avoid.

But the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a solution: hire all the chefs in town to create new, gluten-free recipes for all celiac sufferers out there. They call it Appetite for Awareness: A Gluten-Free Cooking Spree. Like the protein itself, this event has flown under the radar but in its 6th year, the gluten-free cookoff has a lineup no one can ignore.

35 chefs from the Philadelphia area’s varied culinary community will partner with top doctors to create gluten-free dishes for everyone to try. The cooking competition will pit these chefs against each other as they vie for a prize for ‘Best Gluten-Free Dish’ awarded by a panel of celebrity judges. NFCA will also present the ‘People’s Choice Award,’ giving the guests the chance to vote for their favorites. With music, wine, gluten-free beer, an auction, raffle, and lively Marketplace to round it all out, this year’s Appetite for Awareness will put gluten (or the lack thereof) on the map for good.

Gluten-Free Cooking Spree
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wachovia Center
3601 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19148

Chef Michael Solomonov (Photo courtesy of Zahav)

Welcome to a new post series on uwishunu called “With Love Letters,” in which our With Love Philadelphia campaign interviews noteworthy Philadelphians in order to learn more about their relationship with the city and why they love it here.
 
Today we’re talking with Rising Star Chef / Restaurateur Michael Solomonov.

 
Note: links were added to the interview during editing.

Introduction:

 
Chef Michael Solomonov’s restaurants include Zahav, Philadelphia’s only modern Israeli restaurant where he’s Executive Chef, Xochitl, serving authentic Mexican fare, and the highly anticipated Percy Street Barbecue coming to South Street this Fall.

Since opening Zahav in May 2008, Chef Solomonov and the restaurant have received rave reviews including: #1 on Philadelphia Magazine’s 50 Top Restaurants 2009 (May 2009); Conde Nast Traveler’s 50 Hot Tables in the World (May 2009); Travel + Leisure’s 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants 2009 (May 2009); and Esquire – Best New Restaurants 2008 (November 2008).

In 2009, Solomonov was nominated for the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious “Rising Star Chef” award.

In Philadelphia, it’s clear that his star has already risen.

The With Love Letters Q&A:

 
With Love: Hi Michael, thank you so much for talking with us. Ok, first question — be honest: have you ever run up the Rocky Steps?

Solomonov: Of course! I thought that was a required activity for all Philadelphians…?

With Love: Yeah, you’re probably right about that. Ok, let’s dive right into some food-centric questions. What do you love about Philadelphia’s restaurant and food scene?

Solomonov: What’s not to love? I think that our restaurants are a perfect example of the best thing about our food scene: the diversity. Philadelphians weren’t always so open-minded, but today, ours is one of the country’s foremost restaurant cities, with excellent examples of just about any cuisine you’ve ever heard of, and even some you haven’t.

With Love: We love lots of choices too! Ok, so when you’re not working at your own restaurants, where are some of your favorite places to eat in Philadelphia?

Solomonov: I’ve always been a fan of Osteria — it’s just a personal favorite, and I loved working with owner Marc Vetri at his first restaurant, Vetri a few years ago. I’m also hooked on Pho 75, which serves Vietnamese pho, a soup that is typically only eaten for breakfast. Finally, I guess I’m a sucker for the newest thing, because I love checking out the latest restaurant openings all over town.

With Love: Pho 75 is sooo good, it’s almost unfair. And you have to keep up with what’s new… it’s just too much fun. (Not to mention tasty.) Ok, how about when you host friends and family from out-of-town; where do you like to take them? Are you especially hot on any one Philly neighborhood right now?

Solomonov: I love taking guests to brunch at Fork, especially since my old friend and mentor Terence Feury took over the kitchen there this past year. While we’re in Old City, I’ll take them to see some of the neighborhood’s historic synagogues, or to a photo show at one of the galleries, much like the one we hosted at Zahav when we opened the restaurant, displaying my friend Michael T. Regan’s images from our inspirational tour of Israel as we brainstormed how to bring the flavors of that country to Philadelphia.

After the jump, we find out what food Chef Solomonov is craving right now, one of his favorite hotels in the city, and when he’s targeting for the opening of Percy Street Barbecue on South Street. (more…)

On Saturday September 26th, the world’s greatest DJs will converge on Fairmount Park for the 2nd Annual Philly DJ Day.

DJ Day is an opportunity for the biggest mix-masters from all genres of music comes together, and last year local legends ?uestlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff and even former DJ Mayor Michael Nutter came out to support.

The celebration will be held block party style with food, free giveaways, games and obviously incredible music. Music lovers of all ages get the chance to meet generations of legendary DJs, and even participate in a workshop with their favorites.

The day’s main event, the Old School DJ Battle, pits DJ against DJ to see who reigns supreme on the turntables. Each participant will get five minutes so spin his or her best set and the top ten will battle head to head, leaving the public (and a panel of pioneer artists) to judge.

Philly DJ Day
4800 N. Parkside Avenue (between Belmont Ave. and 49th Street)
12 noon to 8pm

phillydjday.com [Official Site]