Uwishunu.com

Take advantage of 20 miles of city streets being car-free for a day. (Photo courtesy Bike Philly)

You can call this every cyclist’s dream — joyriding through the streets of Philadelphia with no signs of cars, trucks, or buses to get in your way. The only sounds made come from the cranking of the pedals and the crunching of the chain. It may just be bicycle utopia.

So pinch me when I say that this feeling of nirvana isn’t from something I drank but rather an invitation to Bike Philly — 20 miles of car-free and carefree cycling.

Beginning at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (where else?), traverse the city — through the Ben Franklin Parkway, Chinatown, Old City and the shambles of Headhouse Square — without worrying about any gas guzzlers or the sounds of a roaring engine.

Follow the pack to the Schuylkill River through the rolling hills of Fairmount Park. And after hitting the 20-mile mark, you’ll have the option to call it a day or trek further out, but on (gasp) shared roads! Click here to check out the complete route.

If you’re coming in from out of town, The Embassy Suites is offering a special weekend rate of $159/night. And be sure not to miss the Finish Line Festival at Eakins Oval.

Registration for Bike Philly is open all week. To learn more about the event and all the day’s activities, log on to bikephilly.org.

Four thousand people have already registered. What about you? Grab your helmet; it’s time to ride!

Bike Philly 2010
Sunday, September 12
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Meet at the Art Museum Steps at 7:30am!

I love riding my bicycle. It’s empowering, it’s green, and since it makes my commute to work faster, it means I can sleep late. And I’m certainly not alone.

Philly has come a long way in embracing bicycles. With the now permanent bike lanes on Pine and Spruce St and the ever-increasing bicycle racks, we’ve gone from gas pedals to foot pedals. And in our continuing quest to make us the greenest city in America, our own Mayor Nutter is inviting all of you to take a ride with him to work.

This Friday, May 21 is National Bike to Work Day, and what better way to celebrate than with an old-fashioned group ride. So bring the hybrid, fixed, BMX, or tandem, to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 7:30 am, where we’ll all be waiting.

Rain or shine, it’s going to be good!

For the full details, visit the Bicycle Coalition’s official website. Let’s ride.

National Bike to Work Day [ bicyclecoalition.org ]

New Year's in Chinatown

Join the residents of Chinatown (and one billion of our dearest and closest friends) this Saturday to welcome in the Year of the Dragon. Lions and dragons will parade the streets, accompanied by the sweet sound of fireworks.

Stop by the corner of 10th and Race for the parade at midnight this Saturday, February 13th. Can’t stay up that late? It’s alright, we’ll do it all over again at 11am on Sunday.

And speaking of Sunday, on the 13th the Chinese Cultural Center will kick off their Annual New Year’s Banquet. 10 courses! You can find out more details here.

Happy New Year or as we like to say, Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Chinese New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 13th: Midnight, Corner of 10th Race
Sunday, February 14th: 11am, Corner of 10th Race

Chinese New Year Celebration @ the Penn Museum, Photo by Jennifer Chiappardi

I was born a sheep. Not a dragon, an ox, or even a snake, but a wonderfully fluffy creature with four legs. Sigh. I am, of course speaking of the Chinese Zodiac.

2010 marks the the Year of the Tiger and although the New Year doesn’t officially start till 12:01 AM on February 14th, the Penn Museum is starting the festivities early with their Annual Chinese New Year Celebration tomorrow, January 23rd.

Penn is ringing in the Year of the Tiger with an appearance by celebrity chef Joseph Poon, live demonstrations of Tai Chi, a ceremonial lion dance performed by students of the Hung Gar Kung Fu Academy, and opportunities to taste traditional Chinese food.

For the entire list of activities for this day long celebration, be sure to log on to the Penn Museum website. Time to roar in the New Year!

Chinese New Year Celebration @ Penn Museum
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
11am to 4pm

Penn Museum
3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4001
www.museum.upenn.edu

Someone once told me that if I were to dig a hole deep enough, I’d end up in China. Although this idea may save me some substantial money on plane tickets, I’ve yet to entertain this Bugs Bunny mentality. Nevertheless, it this concept always makes me think how we live in such a small world, and this Sunday, you can see all of it without ever having to grab a shovel. Come take part in the 14th Annual Peace around the World Celebration @ the University of Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Each visitor will receive a free passport complete with itineraries for 10 different countries as they make their way through the museum’s many galleries, hearing about the history, festivals, languages and social customs from the very natives that call it home.

Here is just a small sample of what’s in store: Chioma Ancholonu, will introduce guests to a Nigerian celebration, moonlight games and teach igbo dance steps and drumming in the Museum’s African gallery. In the Southwest gallery, Carla Conti from Argentina shares her love of music with a presentation about the folklore of the tango. And in the upper Egyptian Gallery, sisters Hala and Maha Attia will talk about life in Egypt and offer a taste of traditional kushri. There is so much to learn and explore. Best of all, it’s free!

To learn about 14th Annual Peace around the World Celebration, log on the Penn Museum’s website by clicking here. All the world’s a stage and you have a front seat.

14th Annual Peace Around the World Celebration @ the Penn Museum
Sunday, December 6th, 2009
1PM – 4PM, FREE!

Penn Museum
3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4001
www.museum.upenn.edu

City Hall seen from Love Park, Photo by T. O'Keefe for GPTMC

Diet. Ugh, what an ugly little word. And exercise? Hah! Not in this guy’s vocabulary. Sadly though, obtaining a healthy lifestyle requires an acknowledgment of these two words, as well as commitment, perseverance, and a change in wardrobe. It’s no cakewalk but getting “heart healthy” is easier than you think, and you can find out how tomorrow over at City Hall.

Thursday, October 8th, Heart Healthy Philadelphia presents a Free Health Fair at City Hall! From 8am to 3pm, you can take advantage of free cardiovascular screenings from the folks at Thomas Jefferson University, get the latest tips on beauty and fitness, all while enjoying some cooking demonstrations. Of course, they’ll have free samples!

To learn more about this free health fair, log onto Heart Healthy Philly’s official website. We want to make sure you’re able to enjoy seeing the Phillies parading down Broad Street for years to come!

Heart Healthy Philadelphia Fair @ City Hall
Thursday, October 3rd, 8am – 3pm
www.hearthealthyphilly.org

For quite some time, the only sure fire way for us Asians to get on the silver screen, was to have a black belt. Bruce, Jackie, and a wealth of other lesser known heroes brought their flying fists and roundhouse kicks to millions, and thus became the calling card for a generation. However, that time has come and gone, and breaking concrete with your bare hands is no longer considered a screen test. Over the years, from behind the lens or standing in front of it, the Asian community has found their place in American Cinema.

To recognize this continuing effort, Philadelphia marks another milestone, the 2nd Annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival showcasing the best films by and about Asian Americans.

From October 9th – 11th, enjoy some movie screenings, engage in some Q & A, and celebrate the Asian experience in America. To learn more log on to the official website. There you’ll find screening locations, information about the films, and more.

2nd Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
Oct 9th -11th, 2009
www.phillyasianfilmfest.org

Chinatown’s first ever Restaurant Week may be over on Friday, but Saturday? That’s the real party.

Join us at the Chinatown Friendship Gate for a celebration of food, culture and a full moon during the 14th Annual Mid Autumn Festival. Kicking off at 12:45pm, Chinatown will host a full day of activities including a carnival, martial arts demonstrations, Beijing Opera and a mooncake eating contest.

Wait what? Mooncake? Sorry, let me explain. These revered round shaped pastries are a Chinese delicacy. Filled with lotus seed paste and whole egg yolks, they are sure to pack on the calories but hey, let’s face it, summer’s over. Who cares about fitting into a bathing suit. Bring ‘em on.

To learn more about this free outdoor event, check out the official website. It’s going to be a full moon on Saturday, so come dance in the moonlight.

14th Annual Mid-Autumn Festival
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
12:45PM – 6PM

Chinatown Friendship Gate
10th & Arch, Philadelphia, PA

Everyone at one point or another, has been a coin collector. I mean, who hasn’t saved up some loose change?

But do you have every state quarter or, like me, a lost collection of Susan B. Anthony coins tucked away in the attic somewhere? You’ll never know their true value unless you get them appraised, and luckily this weekend, it won’t cost you a dime! Yesterday, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the first ever Whitman Coin & Collectible Expo opened in Philadelphia. Normally held in other neighboring cities, they just couldn’t resist coming to our wonderful city.

What can you expect to see? International coins, paper currency dating as far back the Declaration, the world’s first million dollar currency note, and an exhibit of historic Nova Constellatio pattern coins, including three designs that were considered for the first coinage of the newly formed United States of America: the bit, the quint and the mark. That’s just for starters.

Take in a free seminar on how to distinguish the “Chinese counterfeit” from the genuine article and get some Kodak moments with some of our colonial forefathers. Bring your young collectors for the Expo’s Kid Korner for free activities today and Saturday. Every child aged 6-14 who attends will leave with some free coins and other fun prizes.

For more info, log on to their official website. You might have missed yesterday’s opening, but the expo runs all day today and into Saturday. Don’t miss the chance to turn some of your Lincolns into Benjamins.

First Annual Coin and Collectibles Philadelphia Expo
Now through September 26th, 2009

Pennsylvania Convention Center
12th & Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

Admit it. When you think about Philadelphia’s Chinatown, the first thing that comes to mind… is the food.

And with over 30 restaurants in an 8 block radius, I’m hard pressed to think of anything else.  Have you tried the soup dumplings from Sakura or the crispy Peking duck from Sang Kee? No? Well, drop the fork and grab some chopsticks because Chinatown is hosting their first Restaurant Week beginning Sunday, Sept 20th through Friday Sept 25th. In following with Restaurant Week tradition, plates will range from $10 to $30 and will not only include local Chinese restaurants but also Thai, Burmese and some Kosher Vegetarian establishments.

Settling on heaping bowl of rice with your order of General Tso’s chicken may fill your stomach, but certainly doesn’t leave much for the palate, so go try something new! For a list of participants and their tasty menus, check out the official Chinatown Restaurant Week website.

Restaurant Week begins a week of festivities concluding with our annual Mid-Autumn Festival. Stay tuned!

Chinatown Restaurant Week
Sept 20th -  25th, 2009
For a list of Restaurants and Prices:
www.chinatown-pcdc.org/restaurantweek