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Produce Galore @ the Marketplace at East Falls

When I first moved into the city, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a wonderful local market right outside my front door! Tucked away from Center City, across the street from Laurel Hill Cemetery lies The Marketplace at East Falls. East Falls Marketplace is home to a wide variety of fresh produce, homemade pastas, meats and lots of other tasty treats.

A few of my favorite vendors at the marketplace included Jeff’s Produce and Pappardelle Pasta. The produce was so fresh, practically begging me to create a wonderfully tasty meal. This was also my first experience with all natural homemade pasta. There were so many choices of different flavors and styles of pasta to choose from. I had never seen so much fresh pasta in my life!

Wine Tastings @ Crossing Vineyards

The Marketplace holds wine tastings from Crossing Vineyards as well as monthly beer tasting events. There is also hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations too. You can eat, drink and learn all in one place!

It in indoors, so weather is never an issue as well as free on-site parking! What could be better that that?

The Marketplace is opened Tuesday through Sunday.

The Marketplace at East Falls
3747 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132
(215) 228-0969
www.marketplaceateastfalls.com

Poster for Romeo + Juliet @ the Arden

Next week, the Arden Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The classic story of love and violence, family and betrayal, hits the Arden’s F. Otto Haas stage on Wednesday, March 3rd, and runs through April 11th.

Matt Pfeiffer, the director of the production, is a regular in the Philadelphia region, having worked with Theatre Exile on performances of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross and Tracy Letts’ Bug. Evan Jonigkeit stars as Romeo, returning to the Arden after appearing in The History Boys. Mahira Kakkar stars at Juliet, making her first appearance on the Arden’s stage.

Though the play officially opens on March 3rd, the final dress rehearsal this Wednesday, February 24th, is open to the public as a Pay-What-You-Can performance, with all proceeds going towards Outward Bound.

Ticket prices range from $29 to $48. For more information on discounts, show times, and seating, visit the Arden Theatre Company’s official website.

Romeo and Juliet @ the Arden
March 3rd – April 11th, 2010

Arden Theatre Company
40 N. 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 922-1122
www.ardentheatre.org

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

As one of five “Out of Print” cultural partners participating in the Philagrafika 2010 festival, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is hosting the provocative installation What in the World now through April 11, 2010. New-York based multidisciplinary artist Pablo Helguera developed the project that offers a unique glimpse into the “institutional unconscious of the Museum and the complex social and cultural fabric of its history.”

The installation is inspired by the popular 1950s television program What in the World, which featured a rotating panel of Museum scholars and celebrities who examined artifacts from the Museum’s collections, puzzling out where they came from and how they would have been used.

The installation lets visitors decide which of the five displayed Museum artifacts– including a beautiful 19th century China crystal sphere believed to have belonged to the Dowager Empress Cixi– they want to explore by watching a series of videos that provide “an unauthorized biography” of the 123-year-old Museum.

Be sure to mark your calendar for Sunday, February 28th at 2 p.m., when artist Pablo Helguera, Museum Director Richard Hodges, and a panel of experts, including artist Mark Dion, participate in a program that recreates the spirit of the original What in the World TV show (free with Museum admission donation)! You won’t want to miss this one.

Philagrafika 2010
www.philagrafika2010.org

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-4000
www.penn.museum

Heads up! The George Washington Carver exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences closes this weekend. On display since November, the exhibit displays over 150 historical artifacts from his life, as well as videos, interactive displays and more.

The exhibit is free with museum admission. Go check it out. Last day to see the display is this Sunday, February 28th.

For more information on the exhibit, visit the Academy of Natural Sciences’ official website.

George Washington Carver @ the Academy
Now through February 28th, 2010

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-1000
www.ansp.org

You know all those old clothes you’ve got just lying around, maybe crammed in your dresser or on your closet floor? Why not give them a new home, all while picking up new clothes and giving back to the arts?

This Saturday, the Bella Sera Cafe is hosting Swap-adelphia, a clothing swap and benefit for the Village of Arts & Humanities. The event is free, and clothing that isn’t swapped will be donated to the Village’s fashion design class as materials for their upcoming semester.

To learn more about the Village of Arts & Humanities, visit their official website.

Swap-adelphia!
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
3pm – 6pm

Bella Sera Cafe
2146 E Susquehanna Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(267) 939-5178
www.bellaseracafe.com

McGillin's strawberry stuffed French toast

McGillin’s Olde Ale House, Philly’s oldest continuously operating tavern, recently started offering brunch, and is continuing its tradition of having good food at reasonable prices into its 150th year. With an offering aimed to please and appease new and returning visitors alike, I’m hoping this brunch sticks around well-beyond this “Fe-BREW-ary.”

Alongside their typical lunch offerings, diners can stop in on Saturdays and Sundays between the hours of 11am and 3pm to try out gems such as a Frittaata du Jour with home fries or fruit, or perhaps the Morning Special — three eggs, with bacon, turkey bacon, Irish Bangers (traditional Irish sausage) or scrapple with a side of home fries or fruit.

French toast lovers can relish in the deliciousness of their Challah French Toast, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and coated in warm maple syrup. Aside from that, there’s also fruit of the day stuffed french toast (the banana and strawberry stuffed, pictured above) with farmer’s cheese and vanilla bean syrup. Sandwich fanatics should try the Eggs McGillin’s, a re-imagining of classic ham and cheese nestled atop layers of scrambled egg and served on a toasted kaiser roll. The best part about everything? All entrees are priced below $7.

Inside McGillin's / Mimosas and Blood Mary

What would an ale house be without a selection of beer and spirits to imbibe? McGillin’s definitely has brunchers covered with brunch-staples such as their Famous Bloody Mary and Mimosas ($3 each). Also available: their special Ithacan Mimosa made with Ithaca Apricot Wheat beer ($3). For the beer drinkers, there’s also daily pitcher specials ($5) as well as microbrews ($3).

Consider filling up on a hearty brunch with a drink, all for less than $10, sometime very soon.

McGillin’s Olde Ale House
1310 Drury Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 735-5562
Twitter: @McGillins
Web: www.mcgillins.com

J Karma Boutique

Tonight, the J Karma Boutique is hosting a fun winter party, complete with fantastic sales, music, and munchies.

The boutique is discounting all of their winter shoes and boots, dishing out savings of 40 to 75% off. You can also preview their upcoming spring line, with one-day-only discounts on new Spring shoes and bags.

Swing by the shop anytime between 5pm and 9pm to take advantage of the sales. And to the join the party, of course.

Shoes & Booze @ J Karma
Friday, February 19th 2010, 5pm – 9pm

J Karma Boutique
62 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2113
(215) 627-9625
www.jkarmaboutique.com

Oran Etkin, performing at the Please Touch Museum this weekend!

Friday

Darwin Inspired Concerts @ the American Philosophical Society
Poets and musicians perform new works inspired by the writings of Charles Darwin today and on Saturday.

One Book, One Philadelphia @ Temple University
Temple University’s History Department presents a talk on Persepolis. Phillyist has the whole story.

Bowerbird Turns 4
Head over to 40th and Walnut for an evening of inventive music, and join in the celebration.

8th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration @ International House
The festivities continue around the Chinese New Year, with this annual party at International House. Live music and dance, accompanied by traditional cuisine, all include under the $15 admission ticket.

Batman Begins @ Mugshots Coffeehouse
Stop by Leslie’s favorite coffeeshop, Mugshots, for a free screening of Batman Begins. Starts at 7pm.

Shoes & Booze @ J Karma Boutique
Shop for new kicks and sip on cocktails at J Karma this weekend. Up to 75% off select winter boots. 5pm – 9pm.

Saturday

Terry Galloway @ Giovanni’s Room
The acclaimed novelist and playwright stops by Giovanni’s Room for a special signing and reading. Don’t miss it.

Pig Roast @ the Institute
From 2pm to 7pm, the Institute is hosting a pig roast. For $40, you can nibble on all the pork you want, and they’ve even got vegetarian options. Meal Ticket has the full story.

21st Annual Celebration of African American Culture @ the Penn Museum
The annual festival at the Penn Museum takes place this Saturday. Expect dance, live music, activities for the family, and of course, lots of food.

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The Pennsylvania Ballet, Photo courtesy MANNA

Since 1993, the Pennsylvania Ballet has been raising funds for Philadelphia’s MANNA. With parties before and after the performance, this year’s Shut Up & Dance! is shaping up to be one fantastic evening of fundraising and dance.

This one-night-only performance by the PA Ballet takes place on March 20th, 2010. Tickets range from $35 for balcony seats to $200 for premium seating. Every ticket purchase to Shut Up & Dance provides more than 20 meals to MANNA clients.

As for the parties, the first kicks off at 6pm at the Forrest Theatre; a fancy cocktail party for those with premium seating. Everyone is invited to the after-party at Voyeur Night Club though, with DJ Robert Drake from WXPN spinning. It’s free with your ticket stub.

For more information on Shut Up & Dance! be sure to visit their official website. Check them out, and support a good cause.

Shut Up & Dance!
March 20th, 2010
www.mannapa.org/mannaevents/shutupanddance

Inside Giovanni's Room, Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

This weekend, famed playwright and novelist Terry Galloway is dropping by Giovanni’s Room for a special reading and book signing.

Her credentials are impressive. Her plays, Heart of a Dog, Out All Night and Lost My Shoes, Lardo Weeping, and In the House of the Moles have been performed around the world, and her writings have appeared in a wealth of newspapers, books, magazines, and journals.

She’ll be reading from her latest book, Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir. Giovanni’s Room will have a limited number of copies available for purchase at the event, for 10% off the cover price.

The reading is part of the ongoing effort to pay for the bookshop’s reconstruction efforts. A $5 donation is request. Donate more if you’ve got it!

Terry Galloway @ Giovanni’s Room
Saturday, February 20th, 5:30pm

Giovanni’s Room
345 S 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 923-2960
www.giovannisroom.com