Issue Browser :: 2009-11-26 :: Philadelphia Events, Arts, Restaurants, Music, Movies, Jobs, Classifieds, Blogs

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ISSUE . November 26th, 2009

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A Voice For The Fallen

One man's quest to memorialize the 4,600 gay men who died of AIDS in Philadelphia.

by Christopher Wink

The Gay History Wiki is a community-edited, online encyclopedia of the people, places and things that made up this city's gay community during the AIDS epidemic, from 1981 until a new cache of treatment methods made the disease more manageable in the mid-1990s. Though local gay histories exist in several others cities, none are opened to the masses. In that sense, Bartlett's is unique.

Opinion

Editor's Letter:

38 Ounces of Joe

Biden's kinda wacky.

by Brian Howard

Bleary-eyed, shirt tucked in and press credentials around my neck, I met up with similarly under-caffeinated news editor Jeffrey Billman at 7:30 at the Bellevue for the Committee of Seventy's annual bigwig breakfast, this year featuring veep Joe Biden.

Feedback:

Letters to the Editor

What You Say

"We need more leaders like Willie Brown."

Loose Canon:

Good Kitchen Karma

"Clean the sinks! Clear the drains! Be friends with your friends!"

by Bruce Schimmel

In the interest of less petulance in the holiday pantry, I consulted with a legend of good kitchen karma, master chef and Buddhist priest Edward Espe Brown.

News

Pipe Down

Dear Temple nurses, please don't tell anyone about any of our problems. Thanks, Management.

by Joshua Fernandez

If hospital employees don't speak out for their patients, who will?

Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Before the tryptophan hits, I'd like to share things that MY Philadelphia is thankful for this week — besides snagging bragging rights to having two Iron Chefs.

A Million Stories

In related news, local pop-rock musician/obvious Beach Boys aficionado Charles Ramsey (no relation, presumably) has a new record out, good morning & good night. It's not terrible, and — added bonus! — it won't destroy your civil liberties.

The Bell Curve

City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Sports:

Trade Ryan Howard

This writer thinks we should deal the Big Man.

by E. James Beale

If there were no Ryan Howard, there would have been no WFC in 2008, and there would have been no World Series berth in '09. No Phillie should ever wear No. 6 again. Trade him. Trade him now. Here's why.

Man Overboard!:

Going Rogue

There's too much wrong with Council's proposed bike bills.

by Isaiah Thompson

For perspective, the fine for running a red light — in a freaking car —is only $119.50; the city's penalty for reckless goddamn driving — $294.50 — is less than what Kenney wants you to pay for sidewalk-biking.

Arts

Full Exposure:

Anything Goes

John Vettese sees what develops: "The Photo Show" at My House Gallery

by John Vettese

To outsiders, the group might come off as a bunch of Boho art school grads living collectively on a rough-ish block in deep South Philly because rent is cheap, thus giving them the freedom to comfortably turn their living space into a show space. But using these identity traits to dismiss their shows would be a mistake.

Arts Picks:

Anne Carson

Wed., Dec. 2, 7 p.m., free (registration required), ARCH Building, 3601 Locust Walk, 215-573-8280, humanities.sas.upenn.edu.

by Julia West

Reading Anne Carson's poems is like searching through a box of someone else's trinkets.

The :nv:s:ble Play

Through Dec. 13, $15-$18, Philadelphia Theatre Workshop at Walnut Street Theatre Studio 5, 825 Walnut St., 215-316-1361, philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org.

by Mark Cofta

In Philadelphia playwright Alex Dreman's The :nv:s:ble Play, Existential Publishing Co. workers are literally vanishing.

Tom Judd: Evidence of a Collected Past

Through Jan. 10, 2010, Allen Sheppard Gallery at Globe Dye Works, 4500 Worth St., 212-989-9919, allensheppardgallery.com.

by Lauren Seibert

To Tom Judd, nothing is more fascinating than someone else's life.

Marcel Wanders: DAYDREAMS

Through June 13, 2010, $16, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-763-8100, philamuseum.org.

by Julia West

I'd love to decorate my place with ornate Marcel Wanders pieces.

Dance Review:

New Wave

REVIEW: BalletX

by Janet Anderson

BalletX wound up its fall 2009 season at the Wilma with three exquisite original works of choreography, demonstrating not only the wide range of the Xers' talents, but exactly why they'll be back in the spring playing to more full houses.

Theater Review:

Sweetness and Light

REVIEW: The Light in the Piazza

by David Anthony Fox

Composer/lyricist Adam Guettel and playwright Craig Lucas adapted Light as a musical. I'll admit I was surprised at the prospect. What would two contemporary artists make of it? Something simply gorgeous, that's what.

Kaleidoscope

Bleach | Planes, Trains and Automobiles | Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital | There Goes That Idea

Arts Picks:

Upcycle: Sk8lamps

Opening reception Sat.-Sun., Nov. 28-29, noon-8 p.m., free, through Dec. 28, VGroove Studio, 306 E. Girard Ave., 267-296-5098, sk8lamps.com.

by Lauren Seibert

Two years ago, artist and former skater Victor Perez had a lightbulb moment and decided to collide his two passions.

Movies

Less Traveled

John Hillcoat's The Road detours from the bleak beauty of Cormac McCarthy's source material.

by Sam Adams

There may be no cinematic equivalent to the stark obscurity of Cormac McCarthy's prose, etched in sentences as hard as rock and sometimes as impenetrable.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

City Paper Grade: A

by Shaun Brady

For all their cuddly charm, Anderson restores a core wildness to his anthropomorphized critters, as they claw viciously into family dinners or bare fangs and growl during friendly disagreements.

DIVE in

The vital role Philly played in John Hillcoat's The Road.

by Molly Eichel

It's apt that we're responsible for making the end of the world look believable.

Repertory Film

Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings.

Send repertory film listings to molly.eichel@citypaper.net.

Music

Aid or Invade:

Russia!

Rodney Anonymous vs. The World

by Rodney Anonymous

Songs Unrecantable, the sophomore effort (or The Ol' Number Two, as it's known in the music industry) from Ersatzmusika, is a truly mesmerizing piece of work.

Music Picks:

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Wed., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., $12, with The So So Glos, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

by Patrick Rapa

Last time he was here, Ted Leo was fronting a bunch of Philly punks in TV Casualty, a just-for-Halloween Misfits tribute act. (Yes, they played "Mother," too.)

Sam & Ruby

Sun., Nov. 29, 8 p.m., $13-$15, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by Mary Armstrong

Technically Sam Brooker and Ruby Amanfu are not sweethearts, but you can't tell that from the songs they write together or the dreamy-soft close harmonies.

Ellery Eskelin-Erik Deutsch-Allison Miller Trio

Sun., Nov. 29, 8 p.m., $12, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, arsnovaworkshop.com.

by Shaun Brady

Saxophonist Ellery Eskelin has his share of ongoing projects, but his primary mission seems to be constantly seeking out new contexts for his wiry, inventive tenor.

The Mountain Goats

Sat., Nov. 28, 9 p.m., $18-$21, with Final Fantasy, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011, livenation.com.

by Patrick Rapa

The latest album is The Life of the World to Come and it's as beautiful a musical and lyrical statement as Darnielle has made in all his 20 years at the mic.

Jay Reatard

Sat., Nov. 28, 9 p.m., $12, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.

by Julia West

Heavy with guitar fuzz, manic energy and raw grit, Jay Reatard's music is the kind you want to listen to at a dangerous volume.

Free Energy

Fri., Nov. 27, 8 p.m., $10, with Tough Shits and Post Post, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

This decade and its impressively persistent '80s obsession have to come to an end sometime. How's January 2010 sound?

Mike Doughty

Fri., Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m., $30-$40, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Following a few more wanly received, instrumentally fleshier intervening releases, Doughty's agreeably glib Sad Man Happy Man oughtta perk up a few neglectful ears.

Food

Vine Ripened

The revamped, newly casual Meritage gets nearly everything right.

by Trey Popp

Four years after buying the place, owners Michele DiPietro and Irene Landy have finally exorcized the formality that made it too forbidding to really click as a neighborhood restaurant.

A Lucid Dream

REVIEW: Louisa Shafia's Lucid Food

by Felicia D' Ambrosio

Shafia's non-preachy tone and sparkling enthusiasm make the book an inspiring read, and even the converted can learn a thing or two.

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Agenda

Agenda Lead:

Family Matters

Half-baked comic Jim Breuer finally grows up.

by Scott Yorko

"Philly fans can come out busting my balls, I don't care — they're gonna love my opening bit on the Mets."

Agenda Picks:

Blow Your Own Christmas Ornament

By appointment through Jan. 7, noon-7 p.m., $35, Hudson Beach Glass, 26 S. Strawberry St., 267-319-1887, hudsonbeachglass.typepad.com.

by Josh Middleton

Hudson Beach Glass is letting customers who have a little cash and a healthy set of lungs blow their own Christmas ornaments in their Old City studio.

Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

Crafty Balboa Holiday | Morihata Holiday Pop-Up Shop | Ruffles and Heels | Traveling Wares

Agenda Picks:

Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational

Sat.-Sun., Nov. 28-29, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., free, Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., takii.pdnmz.com.

by Kristen Humbert

If Hello Kitty and Ryan Seacrest had a one-night stand, their child might be the Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational.

Blue Redo Reprise

Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., $20-$25, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888, thetroc.com.

by Josh Middleton

The blue-wigged performers Azure, Perriwinkle and Cobalt haven't graced the party scene since 2004's official Blue Ball closing party, but now they're itching for a comeback.

Tibetan Festival and Bazaar

Fri., Nov. 27, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; free, Ethical Society Building, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, 215-701-7018, tibetanbuddhist.org.

by Nicole Saylor

Skip picking up Buddha figurines at Pier 1 and shop for authentic Tibetan gifts instead at this festival, showcasing Tibetan-American artisans selling everything from silk brocades to Buddhist prayer items to silver jewelry.

Night of 1,000 Hexes

Fri., Nov. 27, 7 p.m., free, Germ Books + Gallery, 2005 Frankford Ave., 215-423-5002, germbooks.com.

by Julia West

Yoder's presentation with Patricia Hall will cover the history and culture of hexology, as well as the superstition that hex signs provide good luck and protection from evil.