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The Rocky Steps were immortalized in the 1976 movie 'Rocky,' when Sylvester Stallone famously ran up them and raised his arms triumphantly at the top. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art)

Every year, tens of thousands of residents and visitors make their way to the iconic Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to recreate and pay homage to Rocky’s famous run. It’s actually amazing to think about just how many people visit the Art Museum steps to check out the statue, run up the steps, and admire the view from the top.

And now there’s a new Top 10 list that makes you realize just how famous the Rocky Steps really are.

Screen Junkies, a TV and movie site published by Break Media, has just published their ranking of the 10 most famous movie locations in the entire world, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Rocky Steps coming in as #2.

The image of Rocky Balboa running up his now eponymous steps is definitely iconic in cinematic history. The film’s sequels, “Rocky 2” “Rocky 3” and “Rocky Balboa,” utilized the same location.

Making the trip up the steps, which lead up to the East Entrance of the museum, is regarded in Rocky’s honor as a symbol of perseverance and determination. Once you reach the top, your reward is gratifying: a breathtaking view of the scenic Center City skyline.

10 Most Famous Movie Locations [Screen Junkies]

Chinese New Year celebrations abound. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

We may be well into 2011, but that doesn’t meant the new year celebrations have to stop. Why not ring in the year of the rabbit with the International House Philadelphia (IHP)’s ninth annual Chinese New Year celebration?

On Friday, February 4th, IHP will host the University of Pennsylvania Pan-Asian Dance Troupe to kick off the event, along with other dance performances from the Chinese community in Philadelphia and a sampling of traditional Chinese food. Then, at the end of the evening, a time-honored lion dance will take place to welcome the coming year once and for all.

Chinese tradition states that the year of the rabbit is associated with the home and the family, as well as diplomacy and keeping the peace. And there’s no better place to start the year off right than at IHP with one of the city’s biggest Chinese New Year celebrations. At the very least, it will give you the chance to take a mulligan on those resolutions you’re already struggling to maintain.

International House Philadelphia’s Ninth Annual Chinese New Year Celebration
When: Friday, February 4th, 6 p.m.
Where: Ibrahim Theater, 3701 Chestnut Street
Cost: $8 general admission, $5 for IHP residents
More info: www.ihousephilly.org/

USA Today recently compiled a list of 10 great rooftop bars in the country, and Stephen Starr’s Continental Midtown made the cut.

The global tapas spot’s rooftop lounge, partially enclosed and heated so that it’s servicable year-round, is Midtown’s pièce de résistance.

And the drinks aren’t too shabby: a bar that sells a Twizzler martini alongside a solid beer list can’t do you wrong.

10 Great Rooftop Bars Across The USA [USA Today]

The chicharrones are the first dish of the week. (Photo courtesy Xochitl)

Each week this February, Xochitl will feature a different plate from Chef Lucio Palazzo’s flavorful menu served alongside a specialty tequila cocktail, all at a special price.

Mexican food and drink makes for the perfect warming-up fare during the winter, from the heat of spices to the glow of well-made cocktails.

Featured ‘Dish and Cocktail’ pairings will include:

Week One, February 1st-7th: Chicharrones, house-fried pork rinds served with radish, mint and salsa verde, paired with Bochito, El Jimador blanco tequila, Aperol, simple syrup and hand-squeezed lime ($13)

Week Two, February 8th-14th: Mollejas, veal sweetbreads a la plancha, served with root vegetable ceviche, grapefruit, avocado and habanero, paired with El Fumador, Del Maguey Vida mescal, El Jimador blanco tequila, muddled grapefruit, sugar and habanero ($17)

Week Three, February 15th-21st: Albondigas, veal tongue meatballs served with tomato-chipotle salsa, almonds, Castelveltrano olives and rice, paired with Nublado, red wine with tequila, orange, hibiscus, canela and strawberries ($20)

Week Four, February 22nd-28th: Arroz con Pollo, a half chicken roasted with carnitas and served with beer, creamy rajas, celery and rice, paired with Michelada, Dos Equis amber lager with spicy tomato and a chili-salt rim ($18)

Xochitl is co-owned by recent James Beard Award nominee and Iron Chef America contestant Michael Solomonov, and was named one of the nation’s top 10 Mexican restaurants by Bon Appetit in 2008.

Xochitl
408 South 2nd Street
www.xochitlphilly.com

(Photo courtesy Village Whiskey)

The 10th annual Food Network-sponsored South Beach Wine And Food Festival, February 24th-27th, includes the super popular Amstel Light Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray, a burger-building craftsmanship competition matching up 26 all-star chefs from around the country, including our own Jose Garces.

Garces will prepare his classic Village Whiskey burger (served on a sesame roll topped with house-made thousand island dressing) and, on the side, his equally popular duck fat-fried potatoes.

It’s great to see some Philadelphia representation in such a premier national event. Obviously, we’ll be pulling for Chef Garces to bring home the crown.

The Burger Bash Lineup at the SoBe Wine & Food Festival [Eater National]

Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop arrives Februrary 5.
(Photo courtesy Franklin Institute)

Direct from Milan, Italy, Leonardo da Vinci’s Workshop will open on Saturday, February 5th at The Franklin Institute.

Leonardo da Vinci was the original Renaissance man, and this exhibit shows why. It brings to life dozens of Leonardo’s inventions, concepts and visions, in which many elements of modern day technology and machinery can be found.

Highlights include three-dimensional models featured in Leonardo’s designs, created using innovative touchscreen technology. Examples include the Aerial Screw (check out the similarities to today’s helicopters); the Harpsichord-Viola (an instrument too complicated to be built in his lifetime); and a model of the Mechanical Lion (exactly what it sounds like).

Visitors will also have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Leonardo’s writings, like his “mirror writings,” written left to right. These papers were so detailed that one of them (Codex Atlanticus) contains 1,750 diagrams in 1,119 pages. In addition, over 500 computerized 3-D renderings of Leonardo’s designs will be on display, plus pre-and post-restoration views of some of Leonardo’s most well known paintings.

Step inside Leonardo’s Workshop!

Tickets are available online. Also check out hotel packages offering discounts on Leonardo tickets.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Workshop
Where: The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street
When: February 5th to May 22nd
Cost: Tickets range from $6 to $24.50
More info: www.fi.edu/leonardo

Monday, February 7th marks the first of All-You-Can-Eat Baby Back Ribs nights at Percy Street Barbecue.

For just $23 per person, guests can enjoy a limitless spread of baby back ribs, accompanied by house-baked biscuits, pinto beans and collard greens.

Serving up the barbecue goods is Chef Erin O’Shea, one of the country’s best, and only, female barbecue pit mistresses. She was even profiled in Bon Appetit magazine.

O’Shea uses a dry rub on the ribs, which are then put into her J&R smokers sourced straight from Texas. After a few hours, she finishes them off on the grill with a mixture of Percy’s “Streets Old Faithful” and “Sweet Thang” barbecue sauces.

Start saving room for one of the best new dining deals in Philadelphia.

Percy Street Barbecue
900 South Street
www.percystreet.com

You have a few more lunch and dinner opportunities left to take advantage of Center City Restaurant Week, which ends this coming Friday, January 28th.

Each of the 55 participating locations (full list available online) offers indulgent prix fixe menus — appetizer, entree, dessert — that are both delectable and easy on the wallet: $35 per person for three-course-dinner, $20 for a three-course lunch. (Tax, alcohol and gratuity are not included.)

For assistance in deciding which places to fit into your schedule, check out our Restaurant Week guides on fine Italian dining, star chefs, best lunch picks, local food and newly opened restaurants.

A list of parking spots discounted for Restaurant Week is online.

Center City District Restaurant Week
When: Now through January 28th
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek

Young dancers from the Chinese for Families language school will perform. (Photo courtesy Anne Martin-Montgomery for Penn Museum)

If you visit the Penn Museum Saturday and Sunday, February 5th and 6th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., be assured, your eyes are not deceiving you: there are indeed two large double-humped camels circling the building.

These beasts of burden are part of the opening celebration for the museum’s new exhibition Secrets of the Silk Road. The outdoor garden area will host a big tent, complete with a bustling foreign scenario featuring goods from the famed Silk Road trading route, such as furniture, and
of course, fine silks.

Two portable dwellings, known as yurts, offer a real feel for how nomads who traversed the route lived their daily lives. Craft exhibitions provide hands-on experiences for gaining further insight into this culture, including the opportunity to make “Bronze Eyeshades,” early versions of sunglasses dating back to the 7th century.

Performances by Chinese dancers and musicians run throughout the two days. In addition, for an authentic taste (literally) of the Silk Road adventure, there are teas, sweets and a selection of popular Silk Road spices available. As an extra dash of fun, you can decorate you teacup (if you buy it) with paint and glitter.

The event is free with admission to the Secrets of the Silk Road exhibition.

Below, we’ve included a sneak peek video of the museum preparing for the exhibition.

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If you like to spend an evening sampling small bites of delicious food from area restaurants and drinking beer from more than a dozen local brewers, then you won’t want to miss the Brewer’s Plate on March 13, 2011. This is the 7th Fair Food fundraiser to be held in this fashion and with more than 50 restaurants, breweries and distilleries participating, it is not to be missed.

Taking place at the Penn Museum, the Brewer’s Plate allows you three to four hours (depending on your ticket level) of unlimited access to food and drink. This year, they’re expanding the event to include a speakeasy downstairs in lower Eygpt, a variety of sweets and chocolates and a VIP tent set up in the Warren Garden.

Tickets are $45 for non-drinkers, $65 for general admission and $125 for access to the VIP tent. Make sure to buy your tickets now, as those general admission tickets will go up to $75 per person on March 1. Do note that this is a 21+ only event and that parents are asked to leave their little ones at home with a babysitter.

For more general information about the event, click here. To buy your tickets, click here.