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The Mann Center is an amazing place to see a summer concert. (Photo courtesy The Mann)

Philly has plenty of great music venues, but few are better suited for summertime shows than The Mann Center in Fairmount Park.

With a lineup for late summer 2010 that includes MGMT, Pavement, Herbie Hancock, Yo Gabba Gabba, Tony Bennett, Cake, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia with Fireworks, the Mann has a show for just about anyone.

And this weekend features two of those shows. On Friday night, the Mann aims to please jazz aficionados, hosting Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project. Best known for his work with Miles Davis and his 1973 album Head Hunters, Hancock will play hits from throughout his career, including cuts from his most recent release, The Imagine Project.

And on Sunday, progressive pop-synth outfit MGMT bring their psychedelic beats and unparalleled stage presence to the Mann, touring in support of their latest release, Congratulations.

Regardless of which concert you attend, the bigger question will be: do you get seats under the amphitheater closer to the stage and the music, or do you bring a blanket and sit up on the lawn to take in the amazing view of Fairmount Park and the Philadelphia skyline?

The Mann Center for the Performing Arts [Visit Philly]

Mood's Farm Market (photos by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

There is not a day that goes by during which I don’t find myself feeling appreciative for some aspect of Philadelphia. On Tuesday afternoon, I found myself grateful for what’s near the city as opposed to what it contains. The spot that triggered that gratitude? Mood’s Farm Market and the edible summer bounty it has on offer this time of year.

Now normally, we don’t talk about things happening in South Jersey. However, thanks to the Philly Homegrown project, we’ve been given the opportunity to brag on the best regional local food and there’s just no way to do that without mentioning our neighboring state. After all, there’s a reason that Jersey is known as the Garden State. Its soil produces some of the most amazing fruits and vegetables money can buy.

What makes Mood’s Farm Market so appealing is its flexibility. You can choose to pick your own (right now you can head out into the fields for blackberries, raspberries, peaches and grapes) or just shop the farmstand.  You can buy in bulk to save money or you can pick out just a couple of ears of corn. Best of all, it only take about 35 minutes to get there from Philly.

Click here to finish reading this article on Just In at Homegrown…

Bridget Foy's boasts excellent outdoor dining on South Sreet. (Photo courtesy Bridget Foy's)

Bridget Foy’s is one place you’ll want frequent this summer to experience the taste of the season.

Start off with the refreshing Watermelon Gazpacho. Served cold with mint and blueberries, it’s guaranteed to cool your palate. Then, order the Softshell Crab for an exquisite taste of the sea blended with fruit and cheese flavors.

Sitting atop a bed of rice, blanketed with a rich sauce and topped with a delicious summery salsa, the Softshell Crab will have your mouth watering at just the description. The experience only gets better when you bite in.

The specials don’t stop at the dinner plate. Make sure to try the Peach and Blackberry Cobbler, made with crystallized ginger and served warm in a skillet with cold, creamy Bassett’s Vanilla Ice Cream on top.

Bridget Foy’s regular menu also serves up traditional summer favorites like a cool, fresh goat cheese salad, with mixed greens, berries, goat cheese, spiced walnuts and white balsamic vinaigrette. Craving something a little more hearty? Try the turkey burger, packed with avocado aioli, gruyere, alfalfa sprouts and topped with cranberry relish.

The food isn’t the only way to soak up summer at Bridget Foy’s. With a Boardwalk-esque outdoor dining area, you can feel like you are on vacation while enjoying the weather and the sights. The restaurant is located on South Street—a prime spot for observing and participating in the excitement of the city.

Bridget Foy’s
200 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-2306
(215) 922-1813
www.bridgetfoys.com

The Rittenhouse Hotel was rated the #10 Hotel in the Continental United States. (Photo courtesy The Rittenhouse Hotel)

To celebrate its Travel + Leisure rankings as the #52 hotel in the world and the #10 hotel in the U.S., The Rittenhouse Hotel is inviting their guests to stay over and take advantage of a great end-of-summer deal.

The special offer is called the Remarkable Rittenhouse Relief Rate and it’s just $249 per night. What’s more, the special rate includes a $100 food and beverage voucher for use at the hotel’s acclaimed Lacroix Restaurant, or at its Bar 210 or The Mary Cassatt Tearoom. One potential way to use the $100 credit: the amazing, Best of Philly-winning Sunday Brunch prix-fixe at Lacroix…

The offer is available through Labor Day, September 6. For more information, call (215) 546-9000 or visit rittenhousehotel.com.

World’s Best Hotels 2010 [Travel + Leisure]
The Rittenhouse Hotel [Visit Philly]

Outside Amada in Old City. (Photo courtesy Amada)

Starting on Wednesday, August 18th, Chef Jose Garces’ Old City restaurant Amada will host a special $55 Heirloom Tomato Chef’s Tasting Menu.

The four-course tasting menu will include:

Tomate Coca, a crispy flat bread with tomato sofriget sauce and Manchego cheese, topped with herb-marinated heirloom tomatoes; Salmorejo Soup, chilled heirloom tomato soup garnished with farm-fresh egg and Serrano ham salad; and Ensalada de Tomate con Chorizo, heirloom tomato salad with a warm Chorizo Bilbao and sherry vinaigrette, served with fresh goat cheese and Jamon Iberico.

All of this is in honor of the annual La Tomatina Festival in Buñel, Spain. You know, the festival that features the world’s largest food fight, and involves over 150,000 tomatoes hurled around town. But please, don’t throw your food around at Amada. It is way too delicious.

Amada [Visit Philly]

Join Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts to view the meteors from the Franklin's rooftop (Photo courtesy The Franklin Institute)

On the second Thursday night of every month, the Joel N. Bloom Observatory at the Franklin Institute is open late to the public and offers five different telescopes for you to view celestial objects in the sky, including stars, planets, nebulae, and if conditions are right, a galaxy or two.

This month’s “Night Skies in the Observatory” event takes place during the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower.

Tonight’s program — hosted by Chief Astronomer at The Franklin Institute Derrick Pitts — features a presentation on the Perseid meteor shower and planetary viewing in the observatory, weather permitting. (Note: It’s supposed to be cloudy.)

The Observatory will be staffed with knowledgeable observers and free star maps are provided. The program starts at 7 pm.

Night Skies in the Observatory – Perseid Meteor Shower Peak! with Derrick Pitts
When: August 12, 7-10 pm
Where: The Franklin Institute
Cost: Admission is $5. Members are free.

Night Skies at the Observatory [The Franklin Institute]

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 11th. That’s when the annual Rib Cook-Off, organized by A Full Plate Cafe, will take over Liberty Lands Park and scent the air with the delicious smells of grilling, slow cooking and barbecuing. Teams of four will be competing in up to three categories: Pork Ribs, Whole Chicken and Vegetarian. All entries are cooked on location over a fire of either wood, charcoal or gas.

The event begins at 12 noon and runs until 4 p.m. The Cook-Off will be followed by the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association Music Festival. More information should be coming soon about that as well!

The Amberella Gallery in Northern Liberties is launching a new exhibition this Saturday, August 14th, and they want you to come out for the opening reception.

Entitled Planchette, the exhibit is” a collection of paintings, writings, and miniature altars based around the on-going discourse between [participating artists] J.L. Schnabel and Danielle Vogel.”

The opening reception kicks off at 7pm and wraps up at 11pm. The exhibit runs through September 1st. For more information on the gallery and the artists participating, visit Amberella’s official website.

Amberella Gallery Presents: Planchette
August 14th – September 1st, 2010

Amberella Gallery
1050 N Hancock St, Ste 62, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(610) 283-5669
www.amberellagallery.wordpress.com

Le Bar Lyonnais, below Le Bec Fin

Want to enjoy a sophisticated happy hour without having to pay the sophisticated price? Head over to Le Bec Fin’s Le Bar Lyonnais for some fancy and low-priced cocktails and bar bites.

You’ll enjoy $6 specialty drinks like the Pink Lady, made with vodka, homemade grenadine and lemon juice. The price doesn’t compromise the mixture. The drinks are made strong, but the taste is perfectly mixed as to not be too overpowering. Accompany any drink with one of four $5 bites. You can nosh on delicious foods like Shrimp Tempura or Duck Rillettes without spending too much of your hard earned cash—I spent less than $15! And this isn’t typical bar food. There’s no grease, no plastic baskets and no question of taste.

This also isn’t your typical bar scene. Le Bar Lyonnais, located below Le Bec Fin, is dimly lit, with rich tones, candles and soothing French music pouring out of the speakers. The ambiance is laid back, classic and elegant, with a touch of mystery and romance any French establishment should have.

Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 5-7 pm.

Le Bec Fin
1523 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 567-1000
www.lebecfin.com

Take a picture with a bunch of fellow fans in front of this impressive backdrop. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

The 20 “Phanatic Around Town” statues will be leaving the City of Philadelphia at the end of the month — but before that happens, fans and tourists are invited to wear their Phillies red and take part in one “Big Phanatic Photo Op” on Monday, August 16, 2010 at noon, on the lawn of the Independence Visitor Center.

The event will celebrate that only two weeks remain for “Phanatic Around Town,” the popular public art project that features twenty, life-size Phillie Phanatic statues located at local attractions until Sunday, August 29. Since the program launched, thousands have toured the city to take photos with the statues.

At the event, plans will also be announced regarding a new “Phanatic Walk” for the month of September at Citizens Bank Park and a phillies.com online auction for the statues (the auction will begin on Friday, August 27) which will benefit Phillies Charities, Inc.

Fans are asked to arrive early, so they can be included in the Big Phanatic Photo Op, centered around one of the Phanatic Around Town statues, and of course, the Phillie Phanatic. The Big Phanatic Photo will also be highlighted during an upcoming Phillies broadcast.

Participants in the Photo Op will include the Phillies Ballgirls, Phillies Scott Palmer, the artists who painted the statues, and other special guests.

Phanatic Around Town Independence Mall Photo Op Event
When: August 16, 2010 – 12 p.m. (Arrive a little early)
Where: The lawn of the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market Street
Cost: FREE

Phanatic Around Town Summer Promotion [Visit Philly]
Phanatic Fan Photos on Visit Philly Facebook [Facebook]