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Don't miss the Opera Company of Philadelphia's season opener, a FREE open-air, big-screen simulcast of 'Carmen' on historic Independence Mall. (Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

Grab your blanket and picnic basket and celebrate the opening of the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s 2011-2012 season with an under-the-stars live simulcast of Georges Bizet’s Carmen.

Opera enthusiasts and neophytes alike are invited to participate in “Opening Night Philadelphia!”, the first-ever live simulcast at Independence Mall this Friday, September 30 at 8 p.m.

An enormous HD screen rising above the Mall will project the much-loved opera about a beautiful Spanish gypsy who has her eye on an oh-so-handsome, yet incredibly naïve young corporal.

Bizet’s masterpiece encompasses everything an opera should have: seduction, obsession and, of course, deadly betrayal. All the while audiences are entranced by such powerful melodies as “Habañera,” “Seguidilla,” and the ever-popular “Toreador.” This production, performed in its original French with English translations, includes an all-star cast, many of whom trained at Philadelphia’s own internationally-renowned vocal institutions.

Aside from the simulcast at Independence Mall on September 30, which is made possible by a generous gift from the Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge, Carmen also runs on October 2, 5, 9 and 14 at the Academy of Music.

You can register online in advance for the free public simulcast. Below, watch a cool video of the Carmen cast sharing what they love about Philadelphia!

Opening Night Philadelphia! Opera Company of Philadelphia’s live simulcast of Carmen
When: September 30, gates open at 7 p.m., performance at 8 p.m.; rain date is October 1
Where: Independence Mall, 6th & Market Streets
Cost: Free
More info: www.operaphila.org

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River Wards Restaurant Week 2011 kicks off this Sunday, October 2 and lasts through Saturday, October 8.

It’s a great opportunity to sample some of the delicious cuisine in Kensington, Fishtown and Port Richmond at a special price. Last year was a success with eight major eateries participating, and this year’s has expanded even more.

The goal of the event is to encourage people to try foods for the first time, like Pho or roasted duck, and also hype old favorites in the neighborhood, which has been growing increasingly into a culinary hotbed.

This year’s River Wards Restaurant & Cafe Week has a few new participants, some new, some well established favorites. Think Frankford Hall, Johnny Brenda’s, Byrne’s Tavern, New Wave Cafe and more.

River Wards Restaurant Week
When: October 2-8
Where: Restaurants in Kensington, Fishtown and Port Richmond
Cost: Deals range from $5-$30
More info: www.riverwardrestaurants.wordpress.com

Hosted by the Philadelphia Comedy Collective, a consortium of local producers, performers and companies unified for the purpose of local comedy advocacy, Philadelphia’s Comedy Month will run for three uproarious weeks: October 3-23.

Kicking off the hilarity is the seventh annual Philadelphia Improv Festival, which runs from October 3-9. This year’s highlight is an appearance from Jill Bernard, a nationally-known improviser who will present her popular one-woman, multi-character musical, “Drum Machine.”

Also appearing are an array of talented teams from Chicago, New York, Boston, Baltimore, D.C., Austin and L.A.

Of course the local improv community will be represented, too. Favorites from last year’s festival, “Rare Bird Show” and “The Real Housewives of Philadelphia,” will have encore performances. ComedySportz Philadelphia will reprise its “Improvised Shakespeare,” a huge audience pleaser. Ar ecord number of local teams will be making their PHIF debut.

New this year is a partnership with Philadelphia Young Playwrights (PYP), an arts education organization. PYP will receive a generous portion of proceeds from both tickets sale and a charity raffle.

In addition to the Improv Festival, Comedy Month will also include Philly Sketchfest, City Spotlight and the Mid Atlantic Regional College Improv Championship.

Tickets for PHIF start at $10 per night. A full pass costs $60. A full pass to all of Comedy Month costs $125. Most shows are performed at the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, but a few are shows scattered around the city. All tickets are available online.

Philadelphia Improv Festival
When: October 3-9
Where: Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, 2111 Sansom Street
Cost: Tickets start at $10
More info: www.phif.org

Don’t miss this afternoon of autumn fun that has become an annual tradition for many families. (Photo by Paul Meyer courtesy Morris Arboretum)

With fall rapidly approaching, embrace the change of season with a day of fun fall activities for the whole family in a picture perfect Philadelphia landscape: the Morris Arboretum.

The 92-acre arboretum hosts its annual Fall Festival on Sunday, October 2 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., featuring seasonal arts and crafts such as pumpkin painting and scarecrow making.

The festival provides all the necessary scarecrow supplies, including scarecrow frames, hay and a vast selection of clothing so you decorate and dress as you please.

Don’t miss out on “Born in the USA,” part of the Philadelphia Zoo program Zoo On Wheels, an informative lesson on how animals spend fall preparing for the winter. Locally grown produce (including seasonal apples) and other assorted co-op products will be available through Weavers Way Co-op.

But that’s not it — entries from the Arboretum’s Scarecrow Design Contest will be on display during the 4th annual Morris Arboretum Scarecrow Walk, being held from October 1-16. There are two categories: the designer scarecrows, and Harry Potter-themed, fitting with Chestnut Hill’s Harry Potter Weekend.

Spend a day enjoying all the best things fall has to offer, in a glorious autumn setting.

Morris Arboretum’s Fall Festival
When: Sunday, October 2, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Where: 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill
Cost: Free with admission, pay as you go for pumpkins, food, etc.
More info: www.morrisarboretum.org

Chef Daniel Stern’s MidAtlantic Restaurant & Taproom has joined forces with Dock Street Brewery and Philadelphia Distilling to serve a “Birdies, Beers + Booze” multi-course fowl-centric feast with side-by-side beer and cocktail pairings, Thursday, September 29 at 6 p.m.

The night start outs with a Meet & Mingle complete with four hors d’oeuvres and a very special Beer + Booze Cocktail, followed by four courses, four beers and four craft cocktails. Dishes include: rolled pheasant, rotisserie duck, spit-roasted quail, and farm egg custard. Check out the full menu, below.

The event costs $35 for food, $25 for beer and booze pairings. Call (215) 386-3711 for reservations.

“Birdies, Beers + Booze” Dinner
Where: MidAtlantic Restaurant & Taproom , 3711 Market Street
When: Thursday, September 29, 6 p.m.
Cost: $35 for food, $25 for beer and booze pairings
More info: www.midatlanticrestaurant.com

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Tickets are on sale now for the Philadelphia stop of the Rock Of Ages national tour, coming to the Merriam Theater stage October 18-23.

The five-time 2009 Tony Award® nominated smash-hit musical is coming straight from Broadway, kicking off the Kimmel Center’s 2011/2012 Broadway Season.

Rock Of Ages is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, when a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer and they fell in love at an L.A. rock club to the greatest songs of the ‘80’s. You’ll hear the hit songs of iconic rockers like Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake and many more.

Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100, and are available online.

Rock Of Ages
When: October 18-23
Where: Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad Street
Cost: Tickets ranging in price from $20 to $100
More info: www.merriam-theater.com

For 31 days in October, Mural Arts will celebrate 31 Ways that Art Ignites Change as part of Mural Arts Month in Philadelphia.
(Photos courtesy the Mural Arts Program)

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has christened October Mural Arts Month.

As such, the entire month will be highlighted by events emphasizing “how art ignites change.” Exhibitions, mural dedications, mural tours, public painting opportunities and unusual events will take place throughout the city.

Check out a few highlights during the month-long commemoration:

• “How Philly Moves” Mural Dedication:Wednesday, October 12, 5-7 p.m., parking decks facing Interstate 95 at the Philadelphia International Airport. Join Mural Arts for a rooftop dance party to dedicate the nearly 50,000 square foot “How Philly Moves” mural by photographer Jacques-Jean “JJ” Tiziou and muralist Jon Laidacker. This project has the largest square footage of any of the 3,500 completed murals by Mural Arts Program, and is among the largest murals in the country. RSVP to howphillymoves@muralarts.org.

• Laurel Hill Cemetery Mural Dedication: Sunday, October 23, noon, 3822 Ridge Avenue. CYCLE OF LIFE: Peace Like a River, by Dennis Haugh, will be dedicated as part of th site’s 175th Anniversary. The mural draws visitors into the romantic landscape of the laurel and the hill and invites them to explore the history of the many generations whose lives have been commemorated by public art in a bucolic natural setting.

• Murals & Meals Tours: Saturdays, October 15, 22, 28, 10 a.m.-noon. Get a taste of Philadelphia’s renowned murals and enjoy a VIP lunch at an outstanding restaurant with one of Philadelphia’s celebrity chefs. The tours are on an antique trolley at 10 a.m., followed by lunch at noon. Tour departs from and returns to the restaurant location for $50 per person. Full schedule here.

• Bank of America-sponsored FREE Tour Series: Saturdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 10 a.m.-noon. Bank of America has sponsored FREE Trolley, walking, subway, and bike tours leaving from various bank branches throughout Philadelphia. Check out the full lineup here.

• “Finding the Light Within” Mural Paint Day: Saturday, October 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Mural Arts at The Gallery, 9th & Market Streets. “Finding the Light Within” is a new mural project, led by muralist James Burns, which sheds a light on suicide and provides a voice to survivors, their families and friends, and creates a new community around this issue. Roll up your sleeves and participate in the creation of mural on panels of parachute cloth. All supplies provided and no experience necessary.

• Albert M. Greenfield African American Iconic Images Mural Collection Exhibition and Tour: Presented by PNC Arts Alive and curated in partnership with the African American Museum of Philadelphia, this project includes 47 existing murals throughout the city that uniquely capture the rich African American experience in Philadelphia. Narrated by ?uestlove of The Roots, The Collection provides engaging information about the murals’ themes and communities.

Check the Mural Arts website for further details on the month’s events.

Mural Arts Month
When: October 1-31
Where: All over the city
Cost: Mostly free!
www.muralarts.org

Several restaurants in Philadelphia, including Supper, are toasting to the Jewish New Year with special menus available just for the holiday.
(Photo courtesy Supper)

Restaurants around Philadelphia are celebrating the first Jewish High Holiday of 2011 in high spirits, with special prix-fixe menus complementing their already delicious standard offerings. Our top picks are below.

L’Shana Tova 5772!

• Zahav: From September 26 to October 2, Chef Michael Solomonov will be dishing up a delicious five-course Rosh Hashanah menu, $45 per person. On the menu: Salatim and Hummus with house-baked challah; Matzoh Ball Soup yemenite style; Griddled Honey Cake with foie gras and apple; Coffee-Braised Brisket with turnips, chestnuts and pumpkin-saffron rice; and Honey Malabi with pomegranate syrup and apple sorbet.

• Supper: On September 28 and 29, you can feast on Chef Mitch Prensky’s five-course Rosh Hashanah-specific menu, $52 per person. Each course has multiple options, and everything is sourced from local farms for the ultimate fresh factor. Kugel of Egg Noodles with Linvilla Orchard Peaches? House-Baked Macaroons? yes, please.

• London Grill: On September 28 and 29, dine on three courses plus apples and honey for $35 per person, featuring “the best of Newish-Jewish Cuisine.” Sample menu items include Sweet Noodle Kugel, Matzoh Ball Soup, Sweet and Sour Brisket, Budapest Coffee Cake and Honey Cake. Fine Israeli wines are available as well as, new to Philadelphia, Crispin Cider, a premium natural hard apple cider.

• Delicatessen: Chef Michael Spector will prepare a special Rosh Hashanah menu September 29 and 30. Dishes include: Matzo Ball Soup, Butternut Squash Soup with Apples & Pomegranate, Slow Cooked Savory Brisket, Apricot Chicken with Honey & Thyme, Challah Stuffing with Figs & Pecans, Tsimmes with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, & Carrots, Braised Red Cabbage & Apples and Noodle Kugel with Figs, Apricots & Honey. They ask that you order up to 48 hours in advance.

• 1518 Bar & Grill: Choose from either a three-course ($19.50) or four-course menu ($25). For the former, you get either pork and lamb meatballs or hummus with pita and olives; mushroom risotto with grilled chicken or rib-eye steak with roasted potato and vegetables; and for dessert, flourless chocolate cake or New York cheesecake. For the four-course option, you start with soup (minestrone) and salad (choose from three: roasted beet with orange and goat cheese; grilled romaine with black peppercorn and parmesan dressing; or traditional Greek salad), followed by grilled salmon or tilapia and the same dessert choices. They’re both available over the next few weeks; just be sure to call 48 hours before.

The exhibition features Philadelphia-centric images such as this 16th & Carpenter streetscape.
(Image courtesy Robert Beck)

The Rosenfeld Gallery in Old City is presenting “Philadelphia Heartbeat,” a series of oil paintings by Bucks County plein air painter Robert Beck, from October 9-30.

The exhibition includes 24 paintings by the award-winning artist depicting decidedly Philadelphian scenes. Subjects are as diverse as the interior of Fiorella’s sausage store in the Italian Market, to the Amtrak control room at 30th Street Station, to the Firemen of Squad 47 making dinner at the station in Grays Ferry, to the lobby of the Inquirer building.

Robert Beck attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and both the Michener Museum in Doylestown and the Museum of the City of Trenton have presented in-depth exhibitions of his work.

The exhibition will open with an artist’s reception on Sunday, October 9, noon-5 p.m.

The Rosenfeld Gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Robert Beck at the Rosenfeld Gallery
Where: 113 Arch Street
When: October 9-30
Cost: Free
More info: www.therosenfeldgallery.com

Tonight, Main Line Restaurant Week kicks off seven days of awesome prix-fixe specials at 26 restaurants across the Main Line and Philadelphia’s western suburbs.

Menus will feature discounted, three-course dinners (appetizer, entrée and dessert) priced at $20, $30, or $40 per person. New this fall, Main Line Restaurant Week will also offer additional gluten-free menus from select restaurants.

“Dig In and Win” is your chance to share your dining experiences with other local foodies and win a $25, $50 or $100 gift certificate to a participating restaurant. To enter, dine out, take a picture of your meal and upload the image and a caption to Main Line Restaurant Week’s Facebook page during Restaurant Week. Gift certificates will be awarded to the best entries during the period.

Main Line Restaurant Week is the Philadelphia suburbs’ largest dining event. Check out the full list of participating restaurants so you can decide where to make reservations.

Main Line Restaurant Week
When: September 26-October 2
Where: 26 restaurants on the Main Line
Cost: $20, $30 or $40
More info: www.mainlinerestaurantweek.com