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Imagine the mind of Katherine – a troubled, but hopeful dreamer who escapes into her own self-medicated delusions that feature musical numbers, a cabaret night club and lots of junk food – sounds pretty fun right?

Sift through bags of Pepperridge Farm cookies and M&M’s with Katherine to determine the difference between dreams and reality in Kate Brenna’s Some Assembly Required: A New Meta-Musical, coming to the Red Room at The Society Hill Playhouse.

Some Assembly Required, produced by BCKSEET Productions, introduces 12 original songs, features a six-piece band and examines the health care crisis in a whole new way.

This all-together new production begins with a preview on March 25th and opens March 26th and runs through April 17. Tickets are $15-$25, which includes one complimentary beverage from the bar (beer, wine, soda, or water).

Some Assembly Required
March 26th – April 17th, 2010

Society Hill Playhouse
507 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 923-0210
www.societyhillplayhouse.org

Chef Jennifer Carroll and crew with our Phanatic statue cut-out (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

Our Phanatic Around Town statue is popping up all across the city.

He recently stopped by 10 Arts, where Chef Jen Carroll and her crew were nice enough to take a minute from their busy schedule to pose for some pictures with our special edition Phanatic.

The Phanatic statue is making the rounds leading up to the big announcement this Monday, March 29 when all 20 of the “Phanatic Around Town” statues will be officially unveiled at a special event at the Please Touch Museum.

The event is free and open to the public. It begins at noon.

Fans are encouraged to attend and to bring their cameras since they will be able to take photos with all twenty statues at the Please Touch Museum until 3 pm that day, and then share the pictures they take with us on Facebook.

Also, people who attend the event and wear red and plan to visit the Please Touch Museum attractions that day will be given a $2 discount off general admission to the museum plus 10% off in the Kids Store.

“Phanatic Around Town” Statues Unveiling Event
Monday, March 29, 2010
12 Noon
Please Touch Museum

“Phanatic Around Town” Program [Visit Philly]
“Phanatic Around Town” [phillies.com]

Our Phanatic also stopped by Le Bec Fin... (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

Free Buttons at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Pst! The Philadelphia Museum of Art is dishing out free buttons right now, to anyone who says “Pablo” when buying a ticket.

These were created for the current run of Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris, on display now through April 25th.

For more information on the Picasso exhibit, visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s official website.

Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris
Now through April 25, 2010

Philadelphia Museum of Art
26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 763-8100
www.philamuseum.org

Inside

Have you ever been in the mood for Latino cuisine but found yourself torn between Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican or any other number of Latin flavors? Well, your problems are over, because now Square 1682 is offering an all in one special.

As part of their “Latino Night” Sunday dinner series, stretching through the summer, Chef Guillermo Tellez serves up a six-course tasting menu that explores Puerto Rico, Peru, Cuba and Mexico. Come hungry because you won’t want to miss any of the six dishes. And there’s nothing “square” about the cozy tables and private booths, which allow for easy conversation.

So what’s on the menu? How about starting off with a smoked marlin ceviche followed by (my favorite) Amish chicken tortilla soup. Most tortilla soups are spicy but this one was just right. Next you’re served a petite poblano pepper en nogada with pork and beef, followed by a seared dorado with smashed fingerling potatoes (my second favorite). Finally, you’ll finish the meal off with a surprising family style oxtail with black beans and mofongo. If you have room for dessert, I suggest the chocolate bread pudding.

If you want to pair your meal with a drink you can choose from a blood orange margarita, jalapeño and pomegranate infused mojito, caipirinha con fresa or cervecita. The tasting menu is served Sunday’s only, between 5:30pm and 10pm.

Square 1682
121 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-5008
www.square1682.com

Inside Supper, Photo courtesy of Supper Restaurant

Fairmount’s London Grill isn’t the only restaurant in Philadelphia hosting a special Passover menu. Supper, the acclaimed restaurant over on 9th and South, also has a celebration planned, with their own Seder Passover dinner.

Set at $50 per person ($25 for children 12 and under), the menu features a fine array of traditional dishes. Just check out the menu.

Hors d’oeuvres (Choice Of)

Chicken Liver Mousse
with port wine and crispy fried onions

Pickled Baby Beets
with orange gremolat

First Course (Choice Of)

Gefilte Fish
with fresh grated horseradish and beet essence

Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup
with matzo ball and dil

Main Course (Choice Of)

Oven-Roasted Giannone Chicken
with 40 cloves of garlic

My Mother’s ‘World Famous’ (She Swears!) Brisket of Beef
with sweet potato, carrot and apple tzimmes and cider-macerated fruits

Guests can also enjoy up to three sides for the table, including poached asparagus, crispy potato latkes, and desserts like caramelized apple-matzo kugels or house-baked macaroons. Reservations are highly recommended, so give the restaurant a call, and save your spot!

Supper
928 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 592-8180
www.supperphilly.com

Lace Fence @ the Design Center, Photo courtesy the Design Center

After a successful run, Lace in Translation at Philadelphia University’s Design Center is getting ready to pack up. The exhibit closes on Saturday, April 3rd. This still gives you plenty of time to check out the exhibit though!

Our good friends over at Philebrity posted a great photo gallery from the exhibit back when it opened. You can check out all their photos, here.

The Design Center is open Monday through Fridays, 10am to 4pm, and on Saturdays from 11am to 4pm.

Lace in Translation
Through April 3, 2010

Design Center
4200 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144
(215) 951-2860
www.philau.edu

The Independence Seaport Museum is wasting no time throwing events and parties around It Sprang from the River!, their latest exhibit that explores maritime inventions and discoveries.

The exhibit opens this Friday, March 26th, and they’ve already got a party scheduled this Saturday for a very special little guy. The Slinky.

Stop by the museum anytime between 1pm and 3pm, to celebrate the Slinky’s birthday. You’ll get to meet Tom James, the son of Slinky inventor Richard James, participate in Slinky races, eat some birthday cake, and more.

The event is free with general museum admission, and the gift shop will be stocked with exhibit-related items (Slinkys) for adults and children.

It Sprang from the River!
March 26th, 2010 – January 3rd, 2011

Independence Seaport Museum
211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3199
(215) 925-5439
www.phillyseaport.org

Inside the Star Pilates Studio

I learned many things in my private Pilates lesson at Star Pilates last week (besides that I have terrible posture and could work on my flexibility). I learned that Pilates itself is named after the man who created it, Joseph Pilates. And all along I thought it was just another made up name for a type of exercise, like zumba.

I also learned that my instructor, Amy, was taught by someone who was mentored by Joseph Pilates himself. So I really couldn’t have asked for a more enlightened instructor. I also couldn’t have asked for a better workout! I’ve only done DVD Pilates at home on the hardwood floor of my living room with my two dogs licking my face while I’m lying down. So heading to the Star Pilates studio was already a nice change of pace.

Amy teaches traditional Pilates (as Joseph intended) using machines; the Reformer and the Cadillac. Watch out for the Cadillac, it’s a doozy. Both machines involve tension rods and springs in order to get the most out of each Pilates move. Sometimes you have to fight the machine to let your body do the steps, which makes for a better workout. You have to use more control and focus on using your muscle.

After just one 55 minute session with Amy, I’ve already noticed an improvement in my posture and it has made my home Pilates workout more beneficial, now that I’ve had proper training on some of the exercises. Also the one-on-one time with Amy showed me what I needed to work on individually, and Amy can design sessions around that. She teaches all levels of Pilates from beginner to experienced, and each session is tailor made to fit the client’s wants and needs.

If you enjoy Pilates, or simply want to switch up your exercise routine, check out Star Pilates on 20th & Locust. You can schedule a 30, 45 or 55 minute session with Amy. She’ll even give you a complimentary 20 minute session if you’re unsure. But trust me, you will want to go back, week after week.

STAR Pilates
2043 Locust Street #2a, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(610) 618-0177
www.starpilatesphilly.com

Photo courtesy the Asian Arts Initiative

This week, Philadelphia’s Asian Arts Initiative are throwing their annual Asian American Performance Festival in Chinatown, bringing you three nights of dance, theater, and spoken word.

This year’s festival is entitled Home: Far & Near, and will present the work of eight Asian American artists from Philadelphia and abroad. This include’s Philly’s own Makoto Hirano, Anula Shetty and Catzie Vilayphonh.

The festival kicks off on Thursday, March 25th, with an evening of dance and theater, featuring Makoto Hirano and Kristina Wong. Hirano will perform selections from her latest piece, Boom Bap Tourism: The Lost Tapes, while Wong engages audience with her theatrical performance of The Wong Sans Wheels Chronicles.

The fun continues on Friday with Superstars of the Spoken Word, featuring Regie Cabico, Robert F. Karimi, and Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai. From tales about Broadway musicals to the Iranian Hostage Crisis, you can look forward to an enlightening, diverse evening of storytelling.

And lastly, on Saturday, join the Asian Arts Initiative for History in the Making, an evening of film and dance with Dan Kwong, Anula Shetty, and Catzie Vilayphonh. Expect plenty of dance, along with three short films by Anula Shetty.

Tickets are available via Brown Paper Tickets, and online at the Asian Arts’ Initiative’s official website.

Asian American Performance Festival
March 25th – 27th, 2010

Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 557-0455
www.asianartsinitiative.org

On March 29th and March 30th, Fairmount’s London Grill will host their annual Passover event; a special Seder Dinner. According to the restaurant, this $40, four-course prix-fixe meal will feature “modern interpretations of traditional dishes.”

Highlights from the menu include traditional items like gefilte fish, Matzah ball soup, and braised brisket, as well as new dishes like poached wild sea bass with braised artichokes, roasted veal breast with spring herbs, and braised lamb shank with olives and preserved lemon.

The bar is celebrating as well, with unique cocktails through the holiday, including:

Manischewitz Martini
concord grape Manischewitz, Krahn gin, bitters and lemon

Sweet Miriam’s Revenge
vanilla vodka with blood orange juice, orange flower water and orange bitters

The 11th Plague
Manischewitz with walnut liqueur, vodka, rhubarb bitters, horseradish and matzah crumb garnish.

All of these cocktails are modestly priced, at $9 each.

Can’t make it to the London Grill for Passover? Don’t worry, items from the special menu will be available a la carte through Monday, April 5th, along with the Passover cocktails.

Uwishunu blogger Mikey Il tried out the London Grill not too long ago. Read up about what he thought, here.

London Grill
2301 Fairmount Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 978-4545
www.londongrill.com
Twitter: @LondonGrill