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Summer is a great time to try Barbuzzo's amazing Mediterranean-inspired fare. (Photo courtesy Barbuzzo)

In a piece this week titled “Dinners to travel for: There’s good eating aplenty along the Northeast Corridor,” the New York Post Travel section highlights the Philadelphia culinary scene, along with Boston’s.

The piece specifically calls out Chef Michael Solomonov of Zahav, Xochitl, Percy Street Barbecue and the soon-to-open Federal Donuts, as well as Chef Marcie Turney, “queen of her own section of 13th Street,” including Lolita, Bindi, Grocery, Open House, Verde and Barbuzzo.

These two are billed as two of Philadelphia’s most buzzed-about chefs, rivaling the likes of Andrew Carmellini, David Chang and April Bloomfield in New York.

Later, the article’s “Worth A Special Journey” section profiles five top tables on the Northeast Corridor, and Barbuzzo and Zahav make the cut.

It’s great to see the widespread recognition for two of Philadelphia’s most notable chefs, along with their restaurants — both perfectly refreshing for a summer meal.

Dinners to travel for [New York Post]

 
So The Roots drummer Questlove is continuing his push into the food world with a new specialty roll at Zama, the awesome Japanese restaurant on Rittenhouse Square.

Questlove has teamed up with Chef Zama to create a delicious new specialty sushi roll to be featured on Zama’s regular menu.

Ever the Philly ambassador, Questlove decided to go with a roll that would promote Philadelphia.

The “Drum Roll,” also known as the Questlove Roll and the Cheesesteak Roll, is a Japanese take on a classic Philly cheesesteak. The roll is made with premium Japanese Wagyu beef, provolone cheese and sautéed onions, plus a little spicy mayo, all rolled in a red pepper flaked soy paper and served with horseradish aioli. It even comes with a cherry pepper on the side.

Check out the above video to see Questlove in action behind the sushi bar with Chef Zama as they prepare Questlove’s specialty roll.

The Questlove Roll will be available on the menu at Zama beginning next week. $1 from each sale of the roll will go toward Harlem Village Academies, Questlove’s chosen charity.

This is latest in a series of Celebrity Rolls at Zama that already include entries by Marc Vetri, Pierre Calmels of Bibou, and Tony Luke.

Zama Restaurant
128 S. 19th Street
www.zamarestaurant.com

Bug Fest is an annual celebration of everything creepy crawly, and it's fun for the whole family.
(Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

The Academy of Natural Sciences celebrates Bug Fest on Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14, with a Beetlemania-themed celebration.

There will be thousands of beetles of all kinds — including a Beatles tribute band, Britishmania of Cherry Hill, NJ. See amazing live beetles, eat delicious cooked beetles (!!), cheer on racing cockroaches, hunt for beetles outside in Logan Square and see the Academy’s world-renowned beetle collection.

Learn how to collect, pin, and care for your own insect specimens during this hands-on demonstration. You’ll even get to take home your own pinned beetle. You (or the kids in tow) can also have your face painted, get an insect tattoo, or play bug-related games.

Cure yourself of bug phobia, or revel in your love for the creepy crawly. Bug Fest is free with museum admission.

Academy of Natural Sciences Bug Fest
Where: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
When: August 13-14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission (Adults $12, Kids 3-12 $10, Kids under 3 Free, Seniors/Military/Students $10)
More info: www.ansp.org

Try the new summer fare outside in Sampan's back patio, the Graffiti Bar. (Photo courtesy Sampan)

Throughout July and August, Chef Michael Schulson’s modern Asian restaurant Sampan is serving warm weather friendly seafood offerings, plus perfectly refreshing cocktails, available both by the glass and by the carafe.

New dishes, seafood-focused with Schulson’s signature Asian twist, include: Lobster Gazpacho with tomato, cucumber and mint oil; King Crab Satay with yuzu, mirin and charred pineapple; Shrimp & Pork Crepe with coconut, mango and cilantro; and Lobster Stir Fry with egg noodle, bok choy and sesame.

Summer cocktails include: Gin Saketini, Plymouth gin with sake and St. Germain elderflower liqueur; Plum Tea, Finlandia vodka with plum oolong tea and mint; Sampantini, Beefeater 24 gin with aloe vera and cucumber; and Honey-Yuzu Chiller, Jack Daniels Tennessee honey whiskey with yuzu and soda.

The Graffiti Bar behind the restaurant, a private open-air patio, offers great bar- and high-top seating in which to enjoy these new summer offerings. And sidewalk seating out front provides an alternative.

Sampan
124 S. 13th Street
www.sampanphilly.com

It was the biggest crowd for a soccer match at the Linc in years and the atmosphere was absolutely electric; even Ryan Howard was there. (Top and bottom left courtesy Philadelphia Union; bottom right photo courtesy Real Madrid)

This was the biggest soccer match in Philadelphia in a long time.

Last year, 44,000 fans watched the Union take on Manchester United at Lincoln Financial Field. Also last summer, 55,000 fans watched the U.S. Men’s National Team take on Turkey at the Linc in the U.S. Men’s last International Friendly before the World Cup.

Saturday night beat them both. More than 57,000 fans turned out to watch the Philadelphia Union battle Real Madrid and their roster of superstars at the Linc on Saturday night.

Even Ryan Howard was on hand — posing for a picture with superstar Christiano Ronaldo before the game.

And what a match it was.

The Union ended up losing 2-1, but it was an incredibly exciting game, with a great energy coming from the crowd for the entire 90 minutes. The Union definitely stepped up their game. And Real Madrid wanted to keep the fans on the edge of their seats as well. Ronaldo put on a show every opportunity he had, including attempting to score with a bicycle kick off a cross in the second half.

Check out a full gallery of awesome photos from Saturday’s match on the Union’s Facebook page.

Now, we’re even more excited for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s upcoming match against Mexico, set to take place on August 10 at Lincoln Financial Field. Should be an awesome atmosphere for that game as well.

After shaky start, Union prove a point against Real Madrid [Philadelphia Union]

Previously:
The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team To Take On Arch Rival Mexico At Lincoln Financial Field On August 10

Nothing says summer like a fresh, juicy piece of watermelon.

And in celebration of National Watermelon Day, Wednesday, August 3, City Tap House in University City is throwing a melon of a party.

From 4–8 p.m., enjoy $5 spiked watermelon cocktails, $4 watermelon lager and watermelon wheat beers. Live music courtesy of band Replay will fill out the evening.

At 7 p.m., only the strong will survive City Tap House’s first ever Watermelon Eating Contest. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to see the Kings of Leon August 12 at the Susquehanna Bank Center.

Bonus: all watermelon is provided by Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal!

City Tap House’s outdoor patio makes for a perfect sunbathing spot; soak up the sunshine, enjoy refreshing fruit and ice cold drinks and refuse to count the days until September 1.

Watermelon Day at City Tap House
When: Wednesday, August 3, 4-8 p.m.
Where: 3925 Walnut Street
Cost: $4 & $5 Cocktails & Beer
More Info: www.citytaphouse.com

Samuel Smith wrote inflammatory letters during Thomas Jefferson's 1800 presidential campaign marked 'Burn This.' (Photo courtesy Rosenbach)

The centerpiece of summer at the Rosenbach Museum & Library is the new exhibition Burn This: Censorship, Secrecy, and Survival, opening Wednesday, August 10.

The exhibition tells the story behind books, manuscripts and art deemed dangerous, highly secretive, embarrassing and threatening, revealing riveting stories from the past about the material and time in which it was written.

Objects on display include coded Civil War telegrams; John Tenniel’s proof illustrations for the original Alice in Wonderland books, singed in a bindery fire; and a commonplace book with an inked-out version of John Donne’s erotic poem, “To His Mistress, Going to Bed,” the text of which is now legible thanks to infrared photography.

Bonus: you can interact, hands-on, with the materials during the museum’s popular Hands-On Tours, offered each week in July and August. They’re offered most Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 3-4 p.m.

Burn This: Censorship, Secrecy, and Survival
Where: Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place
When: August 10-December 11
Cost: Adults $10, Seniors $8, Students and kids $5, Kids under 5 Free
More info: www.rosenbach.org

Grab a buddy or significant other and enjoy an evening filled with crafts and snacks.
(Photo courtesy Clay Studio)

If you’ve been searching for the perfect date night, or just the perfect night out, then look no further than August Date Night at the Clay Studio, Friday, August 19.

Located in the heart of historic Old City, The Clay Studio will be offering up its space for you and your guests to learn the art of sculpting in one of Philadelphia’s most beloved galleries.

Instructors will guide you through the basics of pottery-making, and then you become the artist. Guests are invited to have completed work glazed, fired and even mailed to their homes for an additional $5 fee.

Snacks, beer and wine are provided throughout the class, so no need to rush out for Happy Hour.

While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the amazing work on display and for sale at by some of The Clay Studio’s resident artists and students. And with two floors of work, there’s a lot to see.

Classes fill up fast, so call ahead to reserve your spot: (215) 925-7774.

Date Night at The Clay Studio
When: Friday, August 19, 7-9 p.m.
Where: 139 N. 2nd Street
Cost: $30 per person for members, $35 for non-members
More info: www.theclaystudio.org

Battle of the cheesecakes begins tomorrow at Davio's. (Credit: iStockPhoto)

In the quest to determine which city has the best cheesecake – Philly or New York – Davio’s Philadelphia and Manhattan’s ‘CESCA have declared a friendly “cheesecake war” and challenged each other to a three-day competition.

From Tuesday, July 26 to Thursday, July 28, Davio’s will pit its signature vanilla bean cheesecake with blueberry compote against ‘CESCA’s mascarpone cheesecake with orange cream and orange brittle.

Now here’s the delicious part: for three days, diners at each restaurant will be able to order the competition’s special ‘Cheesecake War Dessert’ — meaning Davio’s will be serving ‘CESCA’s signature mascarpone cheesecake and ‘CESCA will serving Davio’s blueberry specialty — with both desserts accompanied by a comment card for judging.

On July 30, National Cheesecake Day, the restaurants will tally the numbers and announce the winner on their Twitter and Facebook pages.

The battle for cheesecake supremacy runs July 26 though July 28, and as is true with most food competitions, the real winners are the judges. Enjoy.

Cheesecake War
When: July 26-28
Where: Davio’s Steakhouse, 111 S. 17th Street
Cost: The “Cheesecake War” dessert – $10
More Info: www.davios.com

The 2011 Champions Tennis Series is making its way to Philadelphia on September 24, featuring an epic lineup of all-stars: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and (just announced) eight-time Grand Slam Champion Jimmy Connors.

The pro athletes are going to do a little butt kicking on the tennis courts of the Wells Fargo Center. On this night, tennis fans will get to relive the Agassi/Sampras rivalry and then watch Connors take on Agassi or Sampras or both, with his right hand tied behind his back.

Okay, maybe not with his right hand tied behind his back, but you get the picture — it’s going to be a great night of watching some of the greatest tennis stars ever battling each other.

The Champions Series, co-founded by former No. 1 in the World Jim Courier, is a circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30 and also includes Michael Chang, Bjorn, Borg and Matts Wilander.

Tickets, starting at $35 and up to $250 for floor seats, are available online.

Mega fans have the option of upgrading their tickets to VIP to go backstage for a Q&A with the all-stars, enjoy dinner with them or get tips from them on your serve.

2011 Champions Tennis Series: Champions Shootout
Where: Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street
When: Saturday, September 24
Cost: Tickets start at $35
More info: www.championsseriestennis.com