Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

For those who just won't let August go (I'm attached to my grotesque gym shorts, too, but) and still can't wrap their heads around the Zagat's ratings thing where Philadelphia has the country's highest tippers (I know six bartenders and eight waitresses who'll dispute that) I'mo let you linger but for a second longer in the summer wind. Let's talk to old friends before schoolkids clamor down the steps with their protractors and pencil holders and whatnot. Like: 'Member how Blue Comet — Glenside's 12-year-old home to all things rockabilly — had to go BYOB due to problems with LCB but figured everything would be back to its humma-humma-clambake-jukebox-baby-go-cat-go usual? Not quite yet. The Comet, for now, is closed. But, despite rumor/rant to the contrary it ain't over. Scott Acker, owner of Blue's building and business, claims his liquor license was revoked due to administrative issues, not criminal ones. "I tried for two and a half weeks to keep it open as a BYOB but it wasn't financially viable," he adds. "But we'll be back within 30 to 90 days. I've been there for nearly 13 years and open every day. This is breaking my heart."

► Is Stephen Starr doing designer Mexican for his Broad Street diner?

► Anyone who knows the craftiest craft Web site ever, Etsy.com, knows that one of its founders, Chris "Revolving Dork" Maguire, was from le Roxborough area. For three years, Maguire made the planet safe for stitch-witch sock monkeys and impressive jewelers while winning over design doyennes like Martha Stewart (she was rumored to have wanted to buy Etsy). But on Etsy's community site, The Storque, Maguire announced he'll be leaving. "With a heavy heart now we move onto other ventures," he and fellow Etsy founder, Haim Schoppik, wrote of their departure.

► When Cybergecko Alex Strang pulled his Puppet Karaoke Show out of M-Room this spring, he left fans of hands-up-the-ass theater clueless as to where it would land. But land it has. "The Puppet Karaoke Show left the apocalyptic ruins of Fishtown for the glitz and glamour of Chinatown," says Strang of PKS' new home starting Sept. 27 — Ly Michaels at 11th and Arch, where chef/raconteur Billy Wong resides.

► Philly salsa king Jose Rodriguez joins DJ Robbie Tronco for something impressive: a "Tango at Vango" night beginning Sept. 8 that starts early (8 p.m.), goes late (2 a.m.), and looks to unite the dinner crowd with a Latin/disco dancing crowd.

► Part one of Crane Arts Building painter/designer Kevin Kernan's "Wear" T-shirt exhibition starts at Glam Gallery on Second Street this First Friday.

► Before marveling at the sight of Philly's the Rev. Bob Levy, his pal Artie Lang and his nemesis Danny Bonaduce in the ring for Damon Feldman's Sept. 13 fight at Marple Sports Arena in Broomall, luxuriate in this Feldman Promotion: ex-WWE femme wrestler/Surreal Lifer Chyna hosting the Ms. Delaware County Bikini Contest Sept. 5. She's going to crown the "Hottest Girl in Delco" — hey, one of the two hot girls in Delco have to win — at Nicky Bigs Restaurant, 773 W. Sproul Road. I write this in full because I want you to know exactly where to find this.

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

► Pearl/Red Sky owner Scott Stein wouldn't confirm or deny that Amir Vana (Red Sky manager) would take over the Red Sky brand at the Old City restaubar. But what Stein would let onto was that Pearl hosted a party for Millville, N.J'.s Thunderbolt Raceway with Farnbacher Loles Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 cars, its inaugural Grand-Am Rolex series and racers Bryce Miller and Dirk Werner. "I didn't get the magnitude of the event 'til they started loading cars in front of Pearl," says Stein. He told me last week that Pearl exec-chef Ari Weiswasser would cater a Marquee Jet reception at the racetrack Labor Day weekend (did Patrick Dempsey show as rumored?) and Pearl may get further involved in the 700-plus acre entertainment complex.

► Congrats: Yes, you have to wish my dad, St. Alfonso's Pancake Breakfast, a big birthday. But give-it-up too for Quirk Books dropping The Rock Bible (by Henry Owings) at the same time editor Melissa M. Wagner got engaged to DJ/Pink Skull-er JG. And welcome Franzschubert's Ian Jarvis and burlesque maven Karen Deeney to the world of the fiancé-d. Can't wait for the opera singer at the altar.

► What's the story with two Local 44s at 44th and Spruce? Owen Kamihira (Bar Ferdinand) was doing a gastropub there by that name. Now Leigh Maida (Memphis Taproom) is doing a craft-brew joint at the same address with the same name? Whahappen?

► Don't shoot the piano player: I love ivory tickler/ funnyman Steve Odabashian. So when he told me his Andy Reid impersonation needed a new corporate sponsor to get him into the Eagles games (Forman Mills pulled out of the deal), I figgered I'd print his e-mail (odabashian@yahoo.com), he'd get another sponsor and he'd go on playing Wednesdays and Fridays at Piano Bar (20th and Arch). Then I got an e-mail saying: "Did my last Wednesday show last night. ... Every time I mentioned it would be my last Wednesday night, the place erupted in a sea of booing." Then this one: "Well, no more Friday shows either. The owner and I have too many creative differences, and I am not too crazy about him. So, now I'm looking for an Eagles gig and a piano-singing gig." We predict the front room at Helium'll take him — the piano player and the Reid impersonator.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)