Things That Matter To People Who Matter
Coheed and Cambria | H.P. Lovecraft | Martial arts in Philly | Soy Cafe smoothies
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My partner, Mike, introduced me to the progressive alternative musical sound of Coheed and Cambria. I can't admit to taking to them right away but recently found myself listening to them more thanks to our recent Rock Band jam sessions. Yeah, go figure! A video game opened my ears and mind to new music. I dig trying to ride their bass player Michael Todd's complex groove while playing Rock Band. Coheed and Cambria's albums are concept albums, revealing the plot of a story called "The Amory Wars," written by lead singer Claudio Sanchez. A sketchbook with character profiles and sample art has also been released.
H.P. Lovecraft
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I cannot resist reading H.P. Lovecraft's stories every spring. The master of weird fiction from the 1930s is every bit as interesting as when I first lost a week's sleep over "The Dreams in the Witch House" as a teenager. At Whodunit? bookstore on Chestnut Street, I recently found a cache of 1970s Lovecraft titles from Ballantine. Their pulp art covers are ... God-awful is the best way to describe them. They strike just the right mix of campiness, absurdity and nose-wrinkling revulsion. I just can't understand why no one would sit next to me on the train with this staring at them.
Martial arts in Philly
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One of the nation's best-kept secrets is Philly's place in the martial arts pantheon. Many historic instructors teach the art of living through the practice of martial movement within sight of Billy Penn's hat. A unique cheap date is to watch a class in Aikido, Kendo, Kung Fu or Capoeira — each of which has a major headquarters here. I personally enjoy getting tossed around by sixth dan Henry Smith at Aikikai of Philadelphia, but I've also seen film legend Joe Lewis at Martial Posture Studio and international Aikido master Yoshimitsu Yamada as a guest at Center City Aikido. Classes are cheap, watching is free and it's better than TV.
Soy Café smoothies
I am very attached to places that sell original, natural, good food and treats. I have an intense sweet tooth, though I'm not vegan or vegetarian or even dairy-intolerant. Since discovering Soy Café's (630 N. Second St., 215-922-1003) unbelievably good drinks a while back, I can't stop trying to convince people that they have to try them even if they usually shy away from soy products. I have genuinely disliked every other smoothie I've tasted since ... and the half-hour I spend enjoying a hot ginger, cocoa or mint soy on a dreary winter day can make me feel like winter isn't so bad after all. Their food is fantastic, too. I love knowing a place that shares my food standards!
Also In This Week's Arts Section
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