icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Know what the problem with last Tuesday’s election was? There was nothing sexy about it. Zip. Neither guy had smooth moves or sultry campaign talk. Neither guy looked like he could talk a woman into a peep-show booth with cold cash, let alone a voting booth. I had to get all my sexy political chatter from Drexel U.’s MAD professor, Jonathan Estrin, who gave this week’s Entertainment Weekly the slinky on CBS’ controversial siring, then firing, of The Reagans. And if you wanted something lurid, something more flesh and filigree, you had to check Center City Proprietors Association President Krista Bard’s first Philly art show, "Sacred Love" (at Perry Milou Gallery), based on the Kama Sutra and Ananga Ranga teachings. Holy Om Ma Nee Pay May Hung! I know. I’m teasing. There are, of course, representations of the religious ties to tantrism in her abstracted canvases. But now you know how Bard gets through those long meetings. Dag, gurl. The folks at 32° and Electric Factory were a little less symbolic, a little more obvious, in their quest for T&A, bringing in scantily clad contestants at the behest of Coors Light and Maxim magazine for their model search.Ö WhoWhatWhere: TLA’s night with Phantom Planet, Philly’s Cordalene and Ben Lee (starring recently departed Philly-ite McGowan) wound up completely charming with Phantom Planet ending its set with a stage bum-rush by all of the evening’s artists, singing Planet’s new single, "Big Brat," while Cordalene’s Mike Kiley waltzed with Lee and did some kung fu fighting with McGowan during the instrumental break. Still-alive Arkestra members, directors, producers and crew types all hit Tritone for the 30th anniversary/PlexiFilms DVD release of the legendary flick Sun Ra: Space is the Place. Either Oscar-winning director Ron Howard has too much time on his hands or he was looking for his daughter, Bryce, who’s in M. Night Shyamalan’s Village in Chester County. Alicia Silverstone was at Electric Factory, hanging with the singer from S.T.U.N. while Chevelle revved on. To celebrate his very first concert 38 years ago (Nov. 6, Rolling Stones, Convention Hall), PR gentleman Tom Sheehy strolled on stage at the mighty venue on 34th Street, unstopped by the crew and cast of Hack, currently filming there. Is there no security anywhere?Ö When Amy DiCamillo’s not busy strutting across stages with Undergirl, she’s boogie-ing in through the multicolored doorway of her Fifth and Bainbridge hair salon, Twist, with the music up way loud.Ö Talking about loud, Philly’s new sloppy trip-hip-hop unit, V.I.P. (with ex-Vertebrae DJ Andy and MCs Jonny S. , Bear Smith, Sienna Freeman -- they call her the "token female MC" -- and ex-Walkie Talkies member Peter Seprish), opens for Patsy Division at The Khyber on Nov. 17.Ö Not yet? Despite several rumors that he has already bought it, Stephen Starr is merely a bidder in Neil Stein’s Striped Bass sale. Starr’s busy with El Vez, which finally opens this week. Also opening within the next two weeks: Mimosa on Ninth Street off South; Reef, a jamming Jamaican-Caribbean nightclub at Third and South; Next, that swanky BYOB at Second and South I blabbed up a while ago; Bonte, a waffle joint on South 17th Street where Torreo once brewed; and Suede, Old City’s first cloth-related hot spot, debuting Nov. 13.Ö Fashionista alert: It’s Carlos Falchi Trunk Show time, Nov. 15 at Stiletto (124 S. 18th St.), with a handful of new, never-seen haughty handbags from the man who put the clutch in Madonna, Cher and the cast of Sex and the City. Ö Wonder-Full: The Stevie Wonder tribute party with DJ Spinna and ?uestlove hits Solefood at Loews Hotel, Nov. 14. The party will be a genuine wonder, since the Square Biz/Beautiful People/BBE party throwers for soul doyenne/b-day lady Dyanna Williams could still be there.Ö Get-Well-Soon Time: Send a shout to ailing Kweder/Rolling Hayseeds stalwart Kevin Karg, to legendary sound man George Pierson (who makes the Tin Angel sound as great as it does) and to Don Lee Van Winkle of Philly’s American Dream, whose Todd Rundgren-produced album was a smash back in the day, and who is also known for solo albums like Fallin’ Idol and his work on the CD Last Minute Jam Vol. 2.Ö Lots of anniversary celebrating this week: Pif celebrates two years in the Italian Market with some redecoration; Stonegraham’s girL dance jams celebrate their first year of all-gal DJs and go-go dancers with two parties -- Nov. 15 at Vesuvio (Eighth and Fitzwater sts.) and "Circuit Kitty," Nov. 20 at The Hot Point (622 S. Sixth St.); Manayunk’s Bourbon Blue and Glow salon both have their first anniversaries, Nov. 13 and 14, respectively; Phantom Gallery marks its 10th this week. And since I started with sexy, I’ll cap off Icepack with the sexiest: Happy birthday to my wife, Patrice Amorosi, jewelry designer to the stars, of whom David Bowie once said, upon being gifted with one of her haute necklaces, "She’s not fucking around, mate."

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