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Sitting Barside @ Bar Ferdinand, Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC

Bar Ferdinand, a delicious tapas restaurant nestled in Northern Liberties, is hosting a special five course tasting menu tomorrow, appropriately entitled Beer & Steer.

The tasting menu will feature Black Angus Beef, which was, according to the restaurant, “graded Prime, then dry aged for 21 days, from a free range steer raised on Green Meadow Farm in Gap, PA.”

Each course on the tasting menu will be paired with one of River Horse Brewery’s craft beers.

The meal is set at $65 per person for the Chef’s Tasting Menu and beer pairing, $45 per person without the beer. Check out the full menu on Bar Ferdinand’s official website.

Bar Ferdinand
1030 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123-1552
(215) 923-1313
www.barferdinand.com

It’s the first week of summer and Week 11 of the “Phanatic Around Town” photo submission contest. Continue sending in your photos and remember, winners receive free Philly baseball gear. Check out last week’s winners after the jump.

Week Eleven’s featured Phanatic Around Town location: The Betsy Ross House

This week’s featured statue is The Betsy Ross House’s “Patchwork Phanatic” statue and the deadline to submit your photo is Monday, June 28th.

Photo Op:

This weekend is the opening of Wawa Welcome America and with just a week before July 4th, The Betsy Ross House and Historic Philadelphia will be bustling with activity. Welcome America begins Friday with the popular Taste of Philadelphia food festival on Penn’s Landing, allowing attendees to sample cuisine from the region’s best chefs.

On Saturday, Welcome America hosts its first free concert and fireworks show of the eleven day festival on Penn’s Landing. Morris Day & The Time will rock the waterfront and an exciting fireworks will follow right after.

While enjoying the sights, sounds and attractions of Historic Philadelphia and Penn’s Landing, visit The Betsy Ross House and the “Patchwork Phanatic” statue (located under the large American flag in the courtyard) and snap your best photo!

To submit your photo, upload it to our Visit Philly Facebook fan page or share it on Twitter using the hashtag: #Phanatic. Each week’s winners will receive free Philly baseball gear. Click here for all the details.

Who: You and a “Phanatic Around Town” statue.
What: Take a picture of you with the “Phanatic Around Town” statue of the week and share it with us via Facebook and/or Twitter.
When: Every week for 20 weeks beginning on Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Where: At 20 locations across the city, changing each week.

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The Comcast Center Reflecting Center City, Photo by J. Holder for GPTMC

On Saturday, the Market & Shops at Comcast Center will host a free outdoor yoga course and trunk show.

The complimentary yoga session, led by Karen Harmelin of Y2, is an all-levels Ashtanga class. After you’re done stretching, bending, and yoga-ing, you can pick up the latest in yoga and running gear at a trunk show hosted by lululemon athletica.

Participants can also look forward to complimentary Vitamin Water and Smart Water at the class, as well as discounts on food in the Market.

Starts at 10:30am!

The Comcast Center [ www.visitphilly.com ]

Tasty Desserts Served Up With Tea @ the Four Seasons

Thought that afternoon tea was only for friends across the pond? Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. Dig into your closet and pull out your Sunday best. The luxurious British custom has made its mark in Philadelphia at Center City’s acclaimed Four Seasons Hotel.

The hotel offers the afternoon tea six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 3PM to 5PM in their gorgeous Swann Lounge. Rich tunes from a beautiful baby grand piano, deep and inviting couches, and majestic marble-topped tables all set a lavish and elegant atmosphere.

Tea Box Full of Tea Leaves

Tea-goers have two packages to choose from: the social tea or the royal tea (same as the social tea but includes a cocktail of your choice). Upon arrival you are greeted with a tea box full of nine loose leaf teas with detailed descriptions.

The teas selection includes green, herbal, and black teas – all of which can be sampled for smell. The tea is then freshly brewed right in front of you in a personal tea pot.

Three-Tiered Trays of Desserts & Finger Foods

A stunning three-tiered display of food is provided for each table, with seasonal finger sandwiches and canapés, Scottish scones, and assorted tea cakes, fruit tartlets, and pastries. Each tier is more delicious than the previous, and the mouth-watering Devonshire clotted cream, homemade jam, and lemon curd sides are an added treat.

If you’re not feeling hungry enough to do an entire package or don’t care for everything it includes, you’re welcome to pick and choose from the a la carte menu.

The excellent drinks, dining, ambiance, and service will leave you feeling like a queen or king – and everyone deserves to be treated like royalty once in awhile!

Four Seasons Hotel
1 Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 963-1500
www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia

This Saturday, June 26th, Rittenhouse Square’s Rum Bar is throwing their annual Strawberry Nights celebration, a party in honor of… well, strawberries.

The festivities and drink specials kick off at 9pm. DJ: Na:Tev will be spinning tunes through the evening, whilst the bar serves up a number of strawberry-inspired spirits, from cocktails to beer.

Highlights from the drink menu include Strawberry Mojitos [$7], Strawberry Daiquiris [$6], Strawberry & Cream Shots [$5], Strawberry Infused Rum Shots [$4], and Strawberry Blonde Beers [$3].

See you there!

Rum Bar Lounge & Restaurant
2005 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 751-0404
www.rum-bar.com

Taste of the Nation @ the Philadelphia Loews Hotel

Some of Philadelphia’s greatest chefs came together last night for Share our Strength’s Taste of the Nation, held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel.

The chefs and mixologists involved donated their time and energy to put on a great evening, and ticket sales benefited local organizations such as Philabundance, The Food Trust, The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, and The Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center. The goal? Ending childhood hunger in America.

LaCroix's Foie Gras Stuffed Cherries

The event featured food and drinks to please every foodie, from classic dishes like Cochon’s cassoulet to simply crazy combinations such as LaCroix’s foie gras stuffed cherries.

Draft Brews & Nibbles @ Taste of the Nation

Attendees sampled as much as they liked while enjoying cocktails from Philadelphia’s hottest mixologists, as well as beers from Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe.

Guests Checking Out Items @ the Silent Auction

A silent auction was held throughout the evening, with a variety of items large and small, including various restaurant gift certificates, hotel stays, and more. At the end of the night a live auction was held to auction off a helicopter city tour for two, Philadelphia Trolley Works, and a Four Seasons Dream Package.

If you couldn’t make it this time, be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event, which will be held on June 20, 2011.

Taste of the Nation Philadelphia [ www.strength.org ]

Beginning at midnight on June 30th, the Franklin Institute’s Tuttleman IMAX Theater will start screening Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Fans of complicated vampire / werewolf / human love triangles can catch the film daily at 3PM, 5:15PM, 7PM, 9:45PM and at midnight, from June 30th through July 15th. Tickets are only $14 for adults, and $12 for Franklin Institute members.

The Franklin Institute is also keeping their 2nd floor exhibitions open on select evenings. For more information on that, visit their official website.

Now, this wouldn’t be a screening at the Franklin without some kind of special event. On June 29th, from 10PM til the premiere at midnight, the Franklin is hosting a party, with prizes, activities, and giveaways.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse @ the Franklin Institute [ www.fi.edu ]

The Museum's Gift Shop

With the National Museum of American Jewish History getting ready to pack things up and move to their new location, they’re hosting a big sale in their museum shop to clean out their inventory.

Right now, the shop has discounted its entire inventory by 30% for in-store purchases. This includes hand-crafted jewelry, books, toys, and a number of other wares inside the shop.

This sale continues through June 30th, and then goes online at www.judaicashop.net.

The new National Museum of American Jewish History opens up November 14th.

National Museum of American Jewish History [ www.visitphilly.com ]

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a new music director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, and we’re happy to have him in our town! Welcome, Yannick!

A young director at 35, we’re looking forward to Yannick breathing new life and energy into our historic and wonderful Orchestra.

Philly.com has a great photo slideshow of Yannick touring Philadelphia and meeting with students from the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School. Take a look!

Welcome Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the next Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra [Philadelphia Orchestra]

A sustainable sausage from Renaissance Sausage (photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

Interested in learning more about sustainably raised meat? Then a program taking place next Monday night (June 28) at the Reading Terminal Market might just be the thing for you. Called Nose to Tail, Back to Belly: Chefs and Farmers Share Methods for Getting the Most from Sustainably Raised Meats, this two and a half hour session is an opportunity to learn about and taste house-cured meats, sausages, hot dogs and other specialty products crafted from locally raised beef, pork and lamb.

Demonstrations will be done by Charles Giunta of Giunta Meats at Reading Terminal Market, Michael McNally Chef/Owner of London Grill, Ian Moroney, Chef/Owner of Pumpkin Restaurant, Linda Geren, farmer from Highview Farms and Brooks Miller, farmer/salumeria maker from North Mountain Pastures farm.

The program will be moderated by local chef-author-consultant Aliza Green. Attendees will receive a copy of her book, Field Guide to Meat. The event costs $20 and will be held at La Cucina at the Market, the kitchen classroom space adjacent to Amy’s Place.

Nose to Tail, Back to Belly
Monday, June 28
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Reading Terminal Market