Uwishunu.com

Autumn has officially arrived! And what better way to welcome this lovely season than by taking a trip to the heart of beautiful Bucks County to visit Peddler’s Village. Now in its 47th season, the brick-paved little gem of a village has become famous for its quaint boutiques, restaurants and family-friendly annual festivals and events. Now through October 25, the 31st Annual Scarecrow Display celebrates the harvest season by showcasing a colorful display of hand-made scarecrows ranging in six categories like “Extraordinary Contemporary”, Kids Only!”, and “Quiet the Character to The Keystone Krow.”

After you browse the fun display, be sure to vote on your favorite piece of traditional American folk art. Winners will be announced October 3. Trust me, picking your favorite scarecrow won’t be easy. The Phillies fan in me is all about the traditional/whirligig “Edgar Allan Crow.”

31st Annual Scarecrow Display @ Peddler’s Village
41 Peddler’s Village Road, Lahaska, PA 18931
(215) 794-4000
www.peddlersvillage.com

As the saying goes, "Everybody who knows goes to Melrose." And with 24/7 service, you have every opportunity to saddle up for some omelettes and pancakes. (Photo by G. Widman)

Melrose Diner [gophila.com]

T-Shirts from the Where The Wild Things Are Collection at Urban Outfitters (Photos courtesy of Urban Outfitters)

As part of the push to promote their vast Maurice Sendak collection to coincide with the release of the feature film version of Where the Wild Things Are, The Rosenbach Museum & Library is kicking off their new “Where the Wild Things Are” Hands-On Tour today at the museum.

And by “hands-on,” they really mean it: attendees will get to safely handle original artifacts from the Sendak collection, checking out manuscripts of the story from Sendak’s old notebooks and passing around original drawings of the beastly Wild Things. The tour will also include an exclusive look at photos of Sendak’s family — his aunts and uncles who inspired the Wild Things — and a hand-written draft of Where the Wild Horses Are, Sendak’s earliest version of the story.

The tour is today at 3 pm and is appropriate for ages 8 and up. You can also catch the tour on October 14, 18, 23.

Meanwhile, Philly-based retail giant Urban Outfitters is also getting in on the fun. In anticipation of the movie’s release in October, they’ve partnered with Warner Brothers and Director Spike Jonze to celebrate the movie with a special clothing collection, an interview with director Spike Jonze and some in-store promotions.

You can admit it — you want a t-shirt.

The Rosenbach Museum & Library [Gophila.com]
Urban Outfitters and Where The Wild Things Are [Urban Outfitters]

Sugarskull by David Perillo

That’s “Day of the Dead” for those of you who may have skipped Spanish class in high school. Artists from across the country have joined forces via The Autumn Society to celebrate the day when the souls of the dead get to hang out with their living buddies.

And what better way to celebrate this holiday than by supporting your local up and coming gallery, Proximity ? Based in the heart of Fishtown, Proximity opened their doors to Philadelphians everywhere just over a year ago, and have already hosted 14 exhibitions.

The exhibition is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 2nd at 1PM with no end date yet announced. This will be Proximity’s last show of 2009, so mark this one on your calendar, your smart phone of choice, or the old school method: your hand.

The Autumn Society’s Dia De Los Muertos
First Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Proximity
2434 East Dauphin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(267) 825-2949
www.proximityart.com

The inaugural Philadelphia Fashion Week — a three-day celebration of fashion, arts, culture and dining, taking place at the 23rd Street Armory from October 8-10 — is just weeks away.

The full schedule of events was released just this week :
*Based in Philadelphia

Thursday, October 8
- Student Designers: Moore College of Art & Design
- Designers: Brooklyn Royalty / Wrath Arcane / Lve Brigade / Palmieri Jeans* / Delicious*
- Entertainment: This is a Shakedown / DJ Alan Astor / DJ Tinypants / Black Landlord*
- Emcee: David Evangelista

Friday, October 9
- Student Designers: Philadelphia University
- Designers: Street Star Custom Clothing* / GAR-DE / 9 Days / S. Love / Triple 5 Soul
- Entertainment: The Model* / DJ Bonics / DJ Phsh* / Tu Phace*
- Graffiti art installation: Dream Like Reality Studios

Saturday, October 10
- Student Designers: Art Institute of Philadelphia
- Designers: strangefruit* / Commonwealth Proper* / Marina Makaron Moscow* / SA VA* / Parke & Ronen / Melani Von Alexandria*
- Entertainment: Rivers Monroe / DJ Dirty* / DJ Jeff Ramos / Ballet X* / The Hustle*

To purchase tickets, click here.

Philadelphia Fashion Week [gophila.com]

I can still remember the first time I tasted apple butter. My neighbors were old-order Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonites and when they handed me a slice of homemade bread generously slathered with apple butter, I swore off peanut butter and jelly for years. I still put this delicious apple cinnamony treat on everything I can, from sandwiches to roasts.

Luckily, the Apple Butter Frolic at the Mennonite Heritage Center in Harleysville, PA has enough apple butter so I can stock up for the winter season. The festival, on October 3rd, features samples of Pennsylvania Dutch cooking (including apple butter), demonstrations of antique farm equipment and dozens of folk craft vendors.

And if you’re not apple buttered out, check out the bonfire at Pennypacker Mills in Schwensksville where you can cozy up to haunted stories around a bonfire while roasting marshmallows. Apple butter + bonfire = perfect autumn day.

Mennonite Heritage Center
565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438
www.mhep.org/frolic.htm

Pennypacker Mills
5 Haldeman Road,
 Schwenksville, PA 19473

Every Wednesday, head over to the Food Court at the historic Bellevue Hotel for a $7.99 lunch (including tax!). Each of the Food Court’s 11 merchants are participating.

Some options include:

- Tien Bo: Any two entrees with rice or lo mein, plus an eggroll and small drink
- Asahi: Bento lunch box with small soda
- Rick’s Steaks: Mini cheesesteak (beef or chicken) with soda and bag of chips
- Bain’s: Corned beef or turkey special, side of potato or pasta sald and 20 oz. drink
- Ellen’s: Any small hoaige or wrap with fries, plus soup and 20 oz. drink

And that’s just the half of it. Get thee to the Bellevue.

The Shops at the Belleuve [gophila.com]

Erronious Krunk, performing at Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus this Friday

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

TUESDAY 9/22/09
New Directions Chamber Brass, Free Radicals
World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.
Trumpeter Tom Madeja’s New Directions Chamber Brass is the kind of boundary-busting ensemble that excites musicians and casual listeners alike. Opening is Free Radicals: Dan Peterson on reeds, Dave Kaczorowski on bass, and Adrian Valosin on drums.
8 p.m., $6

WEDNESDAY 9/23/09
Ben Schachter’s re:Trio
TIME, 1315 Sansom St.
Tenor sax giant Ben Schachter and his talented young bandmates, bassist Leon Boykins and drummer Matt Scarano, are at TIME every Wednesday night. There’s not a better regularly working band in Philly.
9 p.m., $5

THURSDAY 9/24/09
Gunter Hampel European Trio, Khan Jamal
Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave.
One of the icons of European free jazz, 72-year-old Gunter Hampel plays vibraphone, clarinet, sax, flute, and piano. The show will open with a solo set from Philly vibes legend Khan Jamal.
9 p.m., $12

FRIDAY 9/25/09
Erronious Krunk
Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus, 847 N. 3rd St.
Tenor saxophonist Tal Shtuhl is studying abroad in Amsterdam, but this Temple U. 5-piece is pressing on. They’ve replaced him with a 2nd percussionist, Chad Brown. The grooves laid down by bassist Rob Parks and drummer Alex Maio are as heavy as ever; guitarist Frank Velardo gets more rockstar everyday; and Samantha Rise Roberson’s voice still has that perfect balance of sweetness and grit.
8 p.m., $10

(more…)

Carving a pumpkin for PumpkinFest (photo courtesy Shady Brook Farm)

While Halloween is still more than a month away, it’s really not too early to start thinking about costumes, decorations and your yearly jack-o’-lantern. Luckily, Shady Brook Farm in Bucks County has you covered when it comes to pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides, petting zoos and corn mazes.

Their annual PumpkinFest kicks off this weekend and runs straight through to October 31st. Admission is $10 per person and that gets you access to the fest and all the fun events at the farm (it does not, however, include the cost of the pumpkin). PumpkinFest offers fun activities for both kids and adults, so even if you’re currently kid-free, consider heading out there to soak in all the goodness of autumn, harvest and all things pumpkin-y.

Shady Brook Farm PumpkinFest
931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, PA 19067
(215) 968-1670
http://www.shadybrookfarm.com

Kia Motors is taking over the 23rd Street Armory all weekend with a series of free concerts, art displays and design showcases, as part of their Kia Soul Collective series. There will be five shows in total, highlighted by an MGMT concert on Sunday night (click here to check out the rest of the performance schedule).

How does one obtain tickets to the free MGMT show, you ask? Surprisingly, all you have to do is test-drive a brand new car and you’re in! The Kia Soul Collective opens shop at the Armory on Friday at noon and will be offering test drives of the new Kia Soul in exchange for a pair of passes to Sunday night’s show.

Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis, so it’s in your best interest to arrive early and ready to drive on Friday if you’re interested in seeing MGMT rock live.

Check out the official site for the full weekend schedule and more details!

Kia Soul Collective
23rd Street Armory (22 South 23rd Street)
Friday, September 25th through Sunday, September 27th
Noon – 8pm, daily

www.kiasoulcollective.com [Official site]