Uwishunu.com

Come December, Chef Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka, will open his new authentic Japanese restaurant, Zama, right in Rittenhouse Square. Zama will serve “innovative, visually stunning sushi alongside exquisitely prepared Japanese dishes” accompanied by a “diverse selection of cocktails, beer and wine in a chic, gracious atmosphere.”

For those of you unfamiliar with Tanaka, he’s responsible for overseeing kitchens at Philly restaurants like POD and Morimoto. The menu will include a wide array of special sushi rolls, soups, salads, and entrees, with items ranging in price from $5 to $28.

Check out some of the menu after the jump!

Zama plans to serve dinner seven days a week, from 5PM to 11PM, with lunch service planned for the future. Looking forward to the opening!

Zama
128 South 19th Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 568-1027

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(Clockwise from bottom left) Seurat's Models, on view at The Barnes Foundation; Rodin's The Thinker outside the Rodin Museum; and the National Constitution Center. (Images: Georges Seurat, Models 1886-88, 78 1/4 x 98 3/8”, © The Barnes Foundation. Photograph reproduced with the permission of The Barnes Foundation, All Rights Reserved; by J. Smith; and by G. Widman)

It’s true what they say: Philadelphia has arts out the wazoo…not to mention museums, sculptures and theaters. We’re thankful to be able to view a Picasso in one direction, Italian sports cars the next and an avant-garde performance just a few blocks from home. A little culture? Please, and thank you.

Dear Culture Vultures,

Drop these facts next time you’re stretching your legs at intermission.

1.  Philly is the mural capital of the world, boasting more than 3,000 indoor and outdoor murals created by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

2.  The oldest continuously operating theater in the nation, the Walnut Street Theatre was the first theater to install gas footlights and air conditioning.

3.  The Rodin Museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway houses the largest collection of Rodin’s works outside of Paris.

4.  100 theater companies and even more museums reside in Philadelphia.

5.  Three generations of the Calder family left their mark on Philadelphia: Alexander Milne Calder created the William Penn statue perched on City Hall; his son Alexander Stirling Calder designed the Swann Fountain on Logan Circle; and grandson Alexander Calder’s mobiles grace the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

(From left) A larger-than-life mural of Frank Sinatra; and Swann Fountain in Logan Square. (Photos by G. Widman)

6.  Exhibitions, recordings and personal items pack the small Paul Robeson House, the home of the athlete, scholar, singer, actor and social activist.

7.  Founded in 1812 as the nation’s oldest natural history institution, The Academy of Natural Sciences displayed the first and most complete dinosaur skeleton ever discovered in 1858 — and it’s still on view today.

8.  In 1824, The Franklin Institute Science Museum was established as the first professional organization of mechanical engineers and professional draftsmen in the United States.

9.  Designed by Maxfield Parrish and produced by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Dream Garden, which includes more than 100,000 pieces of stained glass, is on display inside the Curtis Center near Independence Mall.

10.  The Brandywine River Museum features works by three generations of Wyeths, including N.C. Wyeth’s Treasure Island paintings, Andrew Wyeth’s Snow Hill and Jamie Wyeth’s Portrait of a Pig.

11.  The National Constitution Center holds the distinction of being the world’s only institution dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.

12.  Freedom Theater, founded in 1966, is one of the nation’s oldest and largest African-American theater companies.

13.  The Philadelphia Museum of Art holds — and occasionally displays — the wedding gown of Philadelphia-born Grace Kelly inside its 225,000-piece collection.

(Clockwise from bottom left) The new Perelman Building at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; a classic Alfa Romero at the Simeon Foundation Museum; and Taller Puertorriqueno. (Photos by G. Widman, courtesy of the Simeone Foundation and by R. Kennedy)

14.  Mummy fans can find one of the world’s great collections of Egyptian treasures at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, which houses the third-largest sphinx in the world and more than one million other objects.

15.  The Walk of Fame, comprising the 106 brass plaques embedded into the sidewalk along the Avenue of the Arts, honors musicians with a Philadelphia connection.

16.  Taller Puertorriqueño was the first Latino organization in the state to receive the Governor’s Award for the Arts.

17.  Albert Barnes’ internationally acclaimed art collection, displayed at The Barnes Foundation, is widely considered among the most extensive of French Impressionism — even compared to Paris. It houses 181 Renoir works, the largest amount of works by the Impressionist icon in the world.

18.  Philly music masters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff‘s smooth sound and socially conscious lyrics paid off with 175 gold and platinum albums and 80 number-one pop singles.

19. Opened in 2008, the Simeone Foundation Museum houses 60 classic and antique racecars, chronicling more than 100 years of automobile history in its world-class collection.

This Thanksgiving, We’re Thankful For… [uwishunu]

The Official Philly Brag Book [gophila.com]

Thanksgiving is just a week away and the familiar twinges of pre-holiday panic are beginning to set in. Should you serve sweet potatoes or mashers? Brussels sprouts or green beans? Relish tray or just a few dishes of toasted nut for pre-meal snacking? And remind us how you’re supposed to bake pies when the turkey will be in the oven all day long?

One way to reduce the stress of hosting a holiday meal is to outsource the pies completely. And, for the socially conscious dessert shopper, Manna, a local agency that delivers meals to the hungry and housebound, is the only place to buy said pies. Each year, just prior to Thanksgiving, they sell a wide variety of pies as a way to raise funds to support their mission. As their pie tagline says, “It’s a delicious way to donate.”

If you haven’t yet solved your dessert dilemma, the deadline to order pies from Manna is Friday, November 20th (that’s tomorrow) at 12 noon. Pies will be available for pick-up on Tuesday, November 24th. When you place your order, you’ll be able to select from over 40 locations throughout greater Philadelphia, so that getting your pies in hand is as easy as placing your online order.

Manna Pies

We’re a mere seven days from Thanksgiving, which means the annual Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is just around the corner! The annual parade is chocked full of floats and balloons of your favorite characters, along with special performances and a special Winter Wonderland expo.

Our Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade page has all the important info, including the best places to watch and the closest hotels to the parade (tip: booking a room for Wednesday night is the perfect way to wake up right next to all the action), so take a look before making any parade plans.

When: Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 26th

Time: The parade begins at 8:15am and ends at approximately 12 noon

Where: Along Benjamin Franklin Parkway (the parade starts at 20th St. and JFK Boulevard and concludes at Eakins Oval)

Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade by 6abc/IKEA [gophila.com]

Check out a map of the parade route, after the jump.

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The South Philly Bar and Grill is meant to be a place where you come to watch the game – any game. Football, soccer, baseball, hockey… whatever suits your fancy.

The place has an ideal location at 9th and Passyunk – right across from Pat’s and Geno’s. But SPBG has more to offer than a quick beer before your cheesesteak. Their menu has all the classic bar staples done well, plus a few more artisan entrees to lure you in on the rare night there isn’t a game going on.

Last time I stopped in, my friends and I started out with the appetizer sampler, and the onion rings were definitely the highlight. Dipped in homemade batter, they held up when you bit into them and weren’t overbearingly salty or greasy. And the grilled portabella sandwich is a surprisingly good vegetarian bet, especially for a place that, rightfully so, isn’t catering to the meatless among us. The marinated mushroom was topped with delicious caramelized onions, all squeezed between a potato roll with a heaping mound of waffle fries on the side.

Much like the menu, the draught list is chock full of the staples, plus a few fancier selections, including Dogfishhead 90 Minute IPA and Legacy’s Hoptimus Prime.

If you’re looking for a good place to watch the game, this place is a solid bet. It’s always a good sign when the bartenders are more into the game than many of the patrons, complete with an air horn siren that goes off every time a home team scores.

South Philly Bar and Grill
1235 Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 334 3300
www.southphillybar.com

The oldest open-air market in the country is a place to play, shop and, above all, eat. While it's open every day of the year, the Italian Market Festival in May is especially fun. (Photos by R. Kennedy)

The Italian Market is surely too eclectic and diverse for just one photo. So, a few more:

Authentic Italian music and cupcakes from Isgro Bakery get the party started.

More than 20 Cheer Zones for spectators will be set up along the course. (Photo by R. Kennedy)

The Philadelphia Marathon returns this weekend with three-days of activity, capped by the main event on Sunday. This year the city-wide race is bigger than it’s ever been, with 20,000 runners participating and spanning over 26 miles of various neighborhoods and landmarks.

Click here to download the course map (PDF).

The Marathon is for more than just hardcore runners, with a weekend of exciting events free and open to the public, including the Philadelphia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, the Rothman Institute 8K, the Half Marathon and more than 20 fan Cheer Zones.

Friday and Saturday: Health & Fitness Expo at the Pennsylvania Convention Center
Friday: noon to 7pm; Saturday: 10am to 7pm

The Expo includes:

- exhibits, events and seminars offering expert advice from leaders in the field

- approximately 70 vendors showcasing the latest in running gear

- the Verizon Kids Fun Run: a short-distance, non-competitive event for future Philadelphia Marathoners ages 4-12

- the Discount Fan Pass, containing deals and discounts to nearly 100 participating shops and restaurants

Sunday: The Philadelphia Marathon and Fan Cheer Zones
Start time and location: 7am at 22nd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The Philadelphia Marathon spans many different neighborhoods throughout the city and luckily there are Cheer Zones strategically located in nearly all of them!

Cheer Zones are a great way to participate in the 2009 Philadelphia Marathon Weekend events and feature unobstructed, transportation accessible, fan-friendly “perches” to catch all of the race activity.

(Photo by. R. Kennedy)

Check out the full list of all 20 Cheer Zones after the jump.

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Chef Marc Vetri at Osteria (Photo courtesy of the Chef)

Welcome back to our Q&A series on uwishunu called “With Love Letters,” in which our With Love Philadelphia campaign interviews notable Philadelphians in order to learn more about their relationship with the city and why they love it here.
 
Next up is Chef Marc Vetri.

Note: links were added to the interview during editing.

Introduction:

 
Marc Vetri is the James Beard Award-winning Chef and Owner of two of Philadelphia’s most highly regarded restaurants, Vetri and Osteria. This winter he will open his third restaurant, Amis, a Roman-style neighborhood trattoria in Washington Square West.

Chef Vetri knows Philadelphia — he grew up just outside the city in Abington, Montgomery County and spent many weekends as a child cooking with his Sicilian grandmother in her South Philadelphia home. He then spent four years in University City while attending Drexel before traveling to Italy to train as a chef.

When he returned to Philadelphia, he set about to open his own restaurant, which he did to rave reviews in 1998. By 1999, he was named one of ten “Best New Chefs” by Food & Wine Magazine. In 2005, Vetri won the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.” In 2007, Chef Vetri opened his second restaurant, Osteria, also to rave reviews. And in 2008, he published his long-awaited debut cookbook, Il Viaggio Di Vetri.

Today, Chef Vetri is working on his latest venture, Amis, a restaurant that he promises will be lively, fun and inviting — the perfect place for “amis” or “friends” to get together.
 

The “With Love Letters” Q&A:

 
With Love: Hi Chef, Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us. Ok, let’s start with a few warm-up questions. Be honest: have you ever run up the Rocky Steps?

Marc Vetri: Of course.

With Love: Iconic Philly snack preference — a Philadelphia soft pretzel or a Tastykake?

Vetri: Tastycake… Butterscotch Krimpets to be exact.

With Love: How about the Philly cheesesteak vs. the roast pork sandwich vs. an authentic Philly hoagie — which do you prefer?

Vetri: Geno’s, wiz wit.

With Love: Wiz wit all the way…

Ok, You grew up just outside the city and went to college in University City, so you’ve been around Philadelphia for a while now. How have you seen it change and grow? And what excites you about Philadelphia as a restaurant/food town today?

Vetri: Philly has really become a destination place. When I went to Drexel, it was just that city between Washington and New York. Over the last 20 years, it has become an epicenter for culture, the arts and food and wine. The restaurant scene has exploded within the last 10 years. We have so many great chefs and restaurants popping up in all areas. I love that there are so many neighborhoods and that the scene keeps growing.

With Love: Speaking of neighborhoods, we know you spent some quality time as a youth in South Philadelphia learning to cook with your Sicilian grandmother — are there specific influences from those early days in South Philly that you retain in your cooking today?

Vetri: I would say those influences are more about the philosophy of my cooking than any specific style. For me, an evening out revolves around family and friends, that’s what sticks with me about those days. Sitting around a big table, laughing, talking and eating great food.

With Love: We’ve also read that you try to use local ingredients in your kitchen as much as possible. Why are local ingredients so important to your cooking philosophy?

Vetri: I think it’s important to make the most use of the land around you and support the efforts of farmers in the area. It keeps the cycle going. Anytime you can substitute a locally farmed product from an industrial farmed product, you’re doing the environment a favor, you’re creating jobs and you’re assisting your community. It’s really that simple.

With Love: Your next project, Amis, is going to be a Roman-style neighborhood trattoria in Washington Square West. Will simplicity and local ingredients be prevalent themes there as well?

Vetri: Absolutely, great Italian food is always about ingredients and simplicity, it’s really the definition of it.

With Love: Sounds delicious. Ok, when you’re not working on your next project or at your own restaurants, where are some of your other favorite places to eat in Philadelphia? Any under-the-radar neighborhood gems?

Vetri: I always love to go Amada in old city. Morimoto is a favorite when we’re in the mood for sushi. Zahav is so original and always great. There are so many great places I wouldn’t know when to stop listing. Meme, Bibou, Xochitl, Blackfish… I mean the list could just go on forever!

With Love: You’re right, the list could go on and on… but that’s a problem that we’re happy to have.

Below we find out where Chef Vetri likes to picnic, where he goes to satisfy a pho craving, and what new addition at Osteria will give you front-row access to all the action in the kitchen… (more…)

Photography courtesy the Devon Theatre

Like so many fun and energetic shows that have graced the Devon Theater’s stage, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat promises to electrify audience members while telling the biblical story of a man who had a dream – and a gift of seeing the future.

Somewhat askew of traditional Joseph performances, the Devon’s stage show promises to rock the house with rock and pop music amid the re-telling of the story of Joseph, his jealous brothers, and one very loud garment.

The Devon Theater’s production will feature eight men and six women playing each and every role in this classic story.
Evening performances are currently running Thursday through Saturday at 7:00 PM, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM. There’s also a special mid-week matinee next Friday, November 17th, at 2PM.

Joseph is running now through December 13th. Tickets cost $25 for an adult and $15 for students. For more information please visit the Devon Theater’s official website.

Devon Theater
6333 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19135
(215) 338-6300
www.devontheater.org

We just heard that Royal Tavern has changed their mind, and will be doing another week of blast-from-the-past specials in place of the Burger and Beer Bash touted below. So don’t go expecting another Bash, but do go if you want some Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots or that glorious Smoked Duck Club.

East Passyunk’s Royal Tavern has been going all out in recent days, celebrating their seventh anniversary with a series of theme nights, menu specials and drink deals. Last night, they rolled out their first Burger and Beer Bash (and from what we hear, they hope to make an annual thing out of it), and it proved to be so popular that they’re giving it an encore tomorrow night.

Starting at 5 pm on Thursday, November 19th, Royal Tavern will be offering the same line-up of special burgers and craft beers that made up the menu on Tuesday, all over again. So, whether you missed it last night, or you just can’t get enough, tomorrow night, Royal Tavern is the place to be. Again.

(They’ll also have their very special Smoked Duck Club, which sold out on Tuesday, back on the menu. I hear it’s not to be missed!)

937 E. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 389-6694
http://www.royaltavern.com/