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Don't miss a second of the action: Citizens Bank Park is the first Major League stadium to offer food ordering and delivery via your iPhone. (Photo by M. Kennedy for GPTMC)

Say you’re heading to Citizens Bank Park this weekend for the last few home games of the regular season and you don’t want to miss a minute of the action away from your seat, waiting in line for food. There’s an app for that.

The Phillies and Aramark are piloting a mobile concierge app that lets you order ballpark food through your iPhone and have it delivered directly to your seat.

Through “At the Ballpark” in the MLB At-Bat 2010 app, you can order up a variety of stadium favorites including: a classic cheesesteak, or a roasted pork sandwich from Tony Luke’s, a Bulls BBQ turkey sandwich, an Italian hoagie from Planet Hoagie and a Eastern Shore Crab Cake sandwich.

Once you’ve placed your order and entered your payment information, sit back and relax until your food arrives, in as little as 10 to 12 minutes.

Each sandwich comes with chips and a brownie. Prices range from $12 to $19. Water, soda and beer are also available. As this is a pilot program, the menu offerings will likely expand in 2011.

Regardless, it seems like a very convenient offering for fans at the game, especially as October baseball approaches…

Go Phillies!

MLB At-Bat 2010 – Official App [iTunes]
Phillies, MLBAM unveil app-etizing food concept [MLB.com]
Now there’s takeout out at the ball game [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Philadelphia Phillies [Visit Philly]

I am a hopeless (though totally harmless) snoop. I love taking a walk through Center City as the afternoon shifts into evening, in order to catch glances of the homes of strangers. I do this for the same reasons I read websites like Design*Sponge. There’s something so fascinating about seeing how other people live, work and decorate.

If you’ve got similarly benign Peeping Tom tendencies, then consider buying a ticket for the 52nd Annual Center City Residents’ Association Fall House Tour on Sunday, October 10. It’s an opportunity to explore 12 different living spaces in and around the Rittenhouse and Fitler Square neighborhoods.

The self-guided tour begins at Trinity Center for Urban Life, 2212 Spruce Street. Participants will receive a tour booklet upon ticket purchase, which includes a map noting stops/addresses and descriptions of each house on the tour. The event runs from 1-5 p.m., rain or shine.

Tour tickets are $20 and there is a group discount price of $15 each for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available by calling 215-546-6719, with a credit card through the CCRA website and at the following locations:

o Rittenhouse Hardware, 2001 Pine Street
o Reilly Real Estate, 1737 South Street
o Jomici Apothecary, 273 S. 15th Street
o Pure Florist Design, 500 S. 22nd Street
o CCRA Office, 1616 Walnut Street, Suite 705
o 18th & Spruce Streets, Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel (day of tour only)
o 22nd & Spruce Streets, Trinity Memorial Church (day of tour only)

Iron Chef Jose Garces has three projects in the works for Philly this fall. (Photo courtesy Garces Restaurant Group)

Foliage isn’t the only thing turning over in the Philadelphia region this fall — the landscape is also benefiting from a slew of new restaurants.

Among the latest trends are follow-up openings from already-successful restaurateurs, quirky concepts, a host of Latin eateries and some healthier options.

From an illustrious chef’s spin on farm-to-table food to a peanut butter-themed feast to a platter of grilled Argentinean meats at an Italian Market bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) spot, this season has all the edible options covered.

The following are just some of the latest places to check out.

Second (& Third) Helpings:

• Celebrated chef Shola Olunloyo, founder of the boutique eatery Studiokitchen, goes more public with Speck Food and Wine in Northern Liberties, where he serves his innovative creations like poached egg on brioche with truffle fondue and Comte cheese and ricotta agnolotti with lamb ragu a la carte (but continues to offer Studiokitchen tastings at an open-kitchen bar). 1050 N. Hancock Street, (215) 222-BIBA

• The younger sibling to the popular Tria wine bars, Biba is open noon to midnight and carries 26 wines by the glass, 10 select beers and light snacks such as cheese, charcuterie and chocolate in a low-key gathering space in the Left Bank Building. A 12-seat outdoor patio expands seating beyond the cozy 32-person bar. 3131 Walnut Street

• Already touted in preview press as what could well be Jose Garces’ version of the French Laundry, JG Domestic is the Iron Chef and prolific restaurateur’s take on American farm-to-table cuisine, housed in the fresh and green dining room of the Cira Centre. 2929 Arch Street

• Following up on the success of the beer snob’s paradise Grey Lodge Pub, Mike “Scoats” Scotese’s Hop Angel Brauhaus occupies the historic Blue Ox Brauhaus building in Northeast Philadelphia and is serving up Germanic-style local beers plus hearty fare like livercheese and fried eggs, fresh-baked pretzels and kasaspetzel (German mac and cheese). 7980 Oxford Avenue, (215) 437-1939

• Chef Mike Stollenwerk (owner of Fish and the now-shuttered Little Fish) brings his seafood-whispering skills to Fathom Seafood Bar, a gastropub/raw bar turning out dishes like smoked cod pierogi and lobster grilled cheese sandwiches, located, appropriately, in Fishtown. 200 E. Girard Avenue

We’re only getting started. Two more Garces projects, plus meatballs, upscale Latin, and a big-time New York City transplant below. (more…)

You’ve finally graduated to your own apartment, complete with real furniture (so what if it came in flat packs and in need of assembly), a kitchen and a bathroom that you alone are responsible for cleaning. All you need is a few pieces of original art to declare to the world that you’re truly an adult.

If this sounds like you, make sure to get yourself over to the Fleisher Art Memorial this Sunday, September 26th between 1-5 p.m. for the 4th edition of their Dear Fleisher, 4×6 Inches of Art event. This biennial contemporary art exhibition and sale supports arts education programs at Fleisher and offers a chance to purchase affordable art to the Philadelphia community.

The event includes more than 600 original pieces made by over 400 area artists. All pieces are four inches by six inches, but are done in a variety of styles and mediums. The exhibition is huge anonymously so that viewers can select pieces strictly based on appeal, and without influence from the names of the artists. Only after selecting and purchasing a piece will a buyer learn the identity of the artist, who has signed each artwork on its back.

All pieces are priced at $50, making the art accessible to people with a variety of budgets. There is a suggested $5 donation to view the exhibit. That price includes an array of light refreshments.

There is also a preview party for the exhibition, which is being held on Friday, September 24 from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $100 for the preview and include one raffle ticket. If you can’t afford the Friday night event, worry not. It’s a viewing only, sales will only be made on Sunday afternoon. For tickets and sponsorship information for the preview, please contact Meg Wise at 215-022-3456 ext. 311 or mwise@fleisher.org.

SugarHouse will boast 45,000 square feet of gaming, plus restaurants, bars and other entertainment. (Image courtesy SugarHouse Casino)

Get ready to place your bets. SugarHouse Casino, the first gaming and entertainment destination in the city of Philadelphia, is set to open along the Delaware River tomorrow.

Following a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m., the doors will officially open at 1 p.m. and remain open 24/7.

The casino is located just off I-95 near Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties and Fishtown neighborhoods and boasts more than 45,000 square-feet of gaming with slots and live table games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Poker.

There are also multiple dining options, including: The Refinery, a riverside restaurant; Jack’s, a 24-hour eatery; and Lucky Red, a sports bar with giant flat screen TVs.

If you need to stretch your legs, there will be scenic paths along the Delaware River for running and biking around the casino.

As far as getting there, beginning on October 1st, there will be a free trolley that will take guests from four stops in Center City to the new casino.

Called the Sugar Express, the trolley will make stops at Love Park, the Convention Center, the Independence Visitor Center, and Hyatt Penn’s Landing before arriving at SugarHouse.

SugarHouse joins Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack in Delaware County and Parx™ Casino in Bucks County — all located along the I-95 corridor — to make Philadelphia the largest major U.S. city with casinos that include both table games and slot machines.

We’ll have more to report on SugarHouse after we have a chance to check it out firsthand.

SugarHouse Casino [Official Site]

(Note: The Grand Opening celebration will be held pending final approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). A test run will be conducted Wednesday evening)

Last Wednesday cities across the U.S. celebrated the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. That shouldn’t stop you from celebrating more than once!

Here in Philly we love to celebrate our “cultura”; so that’s why this Sunday, September 26, the city is hosting the 48th Regional Puerto Rican Day Parade!

Youth groups, community organizations, schools, corporate sponsors and many others across the tri-state area participate in making this parade a showcase of Puerto Rican and Latino culture in the “city of hermano-ly love.”

Start the celebration early this weekend. Here’s a list of ways to spruce up your weekend:

• Mixto’s New Late-Night Hours – Need a break? Check out Mixto Restaurant’s brand new late night hours Thursday – Saturday. Enjoy the drink specials and the complimentary empanadas to soak it all up.

• Salsa on the Ship! – On September 25, grab your dancing shoes and head to the Battleship New Jersey’s Salsa on the Ship!, where you’ll groove to live salsa music by the talented Sonora Los Fanasticos and feast on a delicious buffet.

• Salsa Caliente! Dance Party – Make your weekend a Salsa Caliente party at the Painted Bride Center Art Center with Foto Rodriquez y Charanga la Unica y Tony Maldonado y su Orquesta. It’s true what they say, “If you haven’t danced to a live Latin band, you haven’t danced Salsa!” Tickets on sale now.

• 48th Annual Regional Puerto Rican Day Parade – Complete with music, dancing and fabulous floats, Philadelphia’s annual Puerto Rican Day Parade holds the designation of the oldest and largest outdoor event celebrating Puerto Rican and Latino heritage in the city. On September 26th, the parade begins at 12 noon at 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard and marches along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway towards the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

See you all next week for more fun Hispanic Heritage Month info in Philadelphia. To learn more about the city’s Hispanic heritage and what to do, visit visitphilly.com/teama.

Philly Te Ama [Visit Philly]

The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., the subterranean bar on 18th Street off Rittenhouse Square, has been honored once again as one of the best bars in the country.

GQ Magazine has named The Franklin among The 25 Best Cocktail Bars in America in its October, 2010 issue.

24. The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Philadelphia

They all provoke curiosity, and they’re all good. The European Oils was a favorite, though our notes are gibberish. (It has rum, apparently). This one was from the Booze in a Glass category.

The Franklin is a drinking establishment that specializes in cocktails inspired by the pre-prohibition era.

It opened in June 2009 and has already been named one of the Top 10 New Bars in America by Bon Appetit and Best of Philly 2010 Bar by Philadelphia Magazine — both in August of this year.

It can now add the GQ shout-out to their quickly growing list of accolades.

Stop by and see what all the fuss is about.

The 25 Best Cocktail Bars in America [GQ Magazine]
Top 10 New Bars in America [Bon Appetit]
The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. [Official Site]

Design Philadelphia is the largest design festival in the United States. (Photo courtesy Design Philadelphia)

The largest design festival in the United States, Design Philadelphia marks its sixth year with an 11-day celebration featuring 500 designers across all disciplines and including more than 110 events focused on all things — well, design.

Ever wonder how an office tower was made or what a movie would look like shown in the Broad Street subway? You can find the answers to these questions and many more during Design Philadelphia.

From October 7-17, venues throughout the city host exhibits, workshops, studio tours, lectures, runway shows and more. Among this year’s events: an experiment with LED light graffiti; an underground subway video festival; an exhibition of products, from jewelry to furniture, made entirely of trashed skateboards; a temporary interactive public mural made of lights; and a mobile app that takes the form of a game to uncover Philadelphia design gems.

During the 11-day event, the city will be transformed into a mecca of all things design as more than 500 artists, professionals and students show off their skills in the largest event of its kind.

Bonus: most events are free and open to the public.

Check out the official website for a complete list of events and stay tuned for more Design Philadelphia information in the weeks to come.

Design Philadelphia [Official Site]

 
Is ESPN trying to stoke the rivalry a little??

We like it.

October baseball is the best.

Go Phillies!!

Philadelphia Phillies [Visit Philly]
Phanatic Around Town [Visit Philly]

Enjoy the last Free Neighborhood concert of the summer. (Photo by Joe Kaczmarek/The Philadelphia Orchestra Association)

Don’t miss The Philadelphia Orchestra’s last FREE Neighborhood Concert of the summer tonight at Dilworth Plaza at Philadelphia’s City Hall.

The weather is perfect. And the concert is FREE and open to the public.

Seating is general admission, first come, first served. Audiences are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets since chairs will not be provided.

The concert will last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission. So pack a picnic and enjoy a beautiful evening outdoors while listening to the sounds of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Free Neighborhood Concert at City Hall [Philadelphia Orchestra]