Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Icepack can't stress enough the continued need to take care of our Haitian brethren. See hpphilly.org for worthy efforts accepting donations. Support can't cease just 'cause George Clooney summoned a celeb-charitable whirlwind this weekend. (Keep your eyes and wallets on Wyclef Jean. He's a soldier for the cause, but his tax records and self-serving payouts displayed at The Smoking Gun scare us.)

► There are also other events for good causes in Philly this week I think you should pay into. Money's tight; spread what you can during Jan. 21's Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) fashion show at Trust (on Arch Street) with Fox 29's Mike Jerrick, Kerri-Lee Halkett and friends. This is not to be confused with Union Trust steak house's happy hour with tailor/consultant Henry A. Davidsen for his MenzFit charity (boys, bring your old suits to help those less fortunate to hit the job market) Jan. 26. MusiCares on Jan. 22 sponsors a free flu-shot clinic for music industry folk-and-families at The Recording Academy's 200 S. Broad St. Suite (410). And though it might seem frivolous, Pig Iron Theatre's "Hams Across America" with GANG, Dhamaka and Philly's Circus School at the Troc, Jan. 29, is about feeding your mind, freeing your ass, drinking a "Bob Geldof" (you'll find out) and getting Pigs the cash they need. Give till it hurts.

► With the east side of the South/Bainbridge area turning tony, word has Tori's at 119 South becoming an upscale steak house. No idea yet who's making it so. We're expecting a similar move upward when North (at 222 South) changes hands ASAP, as is rumored. And what's this I hear about Old City's Rain Lounge going up for sale? With a Latin club being the most interested party?

► Open mic hostess/soul folkie Dani Mari (Lickety Split, National Mechanics) just released her first single, with a vid and full CD to follow. The lurvely Mari plays Tin Angel Jan. 22 with The Parsnip Revolt for her troubles.

► House music all night long: Tracy Buchholz'sThe Scene party celebrates its first anniversary with a move to its new monthly venue, Voyeur, Jan. 23 with perf-artist Jennifer Alvarez doing sumpin' outrageous with props.

► Speaking o' props, Philly house landlord Lee Jones has a new toy: a worldwide iPhone application for his weekly Sundae party. "I'm consumed by this program," says Jones, who asks y'all to review his app, good or bad, in the Apple store. I'll talk to Jones for Critical Mass this week.

► Shang Skipper, we hardly knew ye: Before celebrating Del Frisco's' first anniversary Jan. 27, the Chestnut meathaus's CEO got a promotion. He'll be regional manager at Sullivan's in King of Prussia. Rich Furino (who managed the KoP Sullivan's) takes over the downtown Del. Yum.

► While the Anti- label antes up the date on our homeboys Dr. Dog's debut for the company, April 6 for Shame, Shame (and expect a release date soon on the just-finished recording sessions for Anti's next Man Man CD!), Altitude Records releases the new Matt Pond PA record, The Dark Leaves, the same day. Yay! I think. I mean, you used to like Pond when he was a local yokel — now what?

► Stephen Starr might be talking with developer Roland Kassis (Domani Developers) about a Bier Garten across the street from Johnny Brenda's that'll go all the way to Thompson Street. But there's still the little matter of dining locations that he's eyeballed, courtesy Bart Blatstein a la Piazza. Starr's peeps looked at several spaces on the Blatstein block for a restaurant more casual than formal.

► When bicycler David Byrne comes to the Academy of Natural Sciences for the Feb. 4 bike confab you read about in Icepack, ask him about putting the pedal to the metal with Philly's own Santigold who sang on "Please Stop" for Byrne's Fatboy Slim collaboration. Check it here: davidbyrne.com/here_lies_love.

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HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

► The man who bought Old City's Café Spice, executive chef/owner Paul Sankaralingam, starts its new cost-conscious menu in Feb. Yes, it's true. He used to be a bus boy there.

► Italians up north this week include drummer Peppe Merolla who'll celebrate his new CD, Stick With Me, at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus Jan. 22 with trombonist Steve Turre and trumpeter Joe Magnarelli. Then there's Tony Danza, the A&E series teacher whose students at Northeast High (along with some from Furness and Washington high schools) celebrate the Taxi star (last seen at Ruth's Chris) with a musical called ExtravaDanza on Jan. 21. Get tix at tapandsing.com with an option to get a meet-and-greet with the big man.

► WHOWHATWHERE: When vapid Brody Jenner of The Hills hit Dusk, Joanna Ward — matchmaker and Steve's mom on the VH-1 show Tough Love — stopped by, maybe to practice for her and her boy's A.C. Valentine's week run at several different casinos. Jon Gosselin sat at Field House and drank the other night, supposedly with friends, but who would label themselves as such? I know that Flyers champs Bernie Parent and Bob Clarke, Jerry Blavat and Lauren Hart were at last weekend's private end-of-the-Spectrum party. But I would've been so psyched to see that Kate Smith ice sculpture. When I die, that's what I want to happen to me — to be iced. First he engineered George Manney/Tony Luke Jr.'s Mummer song. And now Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson was spied shooting a video for a solo tune "They Don't Deserve You" at O.N.E. (ugh) with the guys from Invictus Films and Chip Roberts, the Philly dude Stinson co-wrote the song with.

► Emily Bate, late of The Mitten/now of the Green Line Café and Rich Wexler's Sherman Arts, has turned the Sherm into a thing called Quaker Inch Arts. They'll take a yard.

► Looks like Argentine-born Lucas Manteca'll take over ye old Azafran/Gayle spot on S. Third for a thing called Hoof & Fin, therefore winning my restaurant name of the winter. Look at a February opening. Meanwhile blocks away in Manteca's new Queen Village, Bistrot La Minette's Peter Woolsey is doing a "Dinner in Alsace" Jan. 27-28. Ask for the veal paté in pastry, pistachios, mustard and cornichons.

► Lastly, I read magazines even if you can't be bothered. That's why I saw February's Esquire mag with Mémé owner/chef David Katz informing men about the manly-man act of grilling meat — pork chops, yet — in the winter in its "Eat Like a Man" section. Grrr. Then check out the Jan./Feb. ish of Playboy and its grooming feature "A Cut Above," as it stars America's top barbershops, including 11th Street's/Jahmal Rhaney's 2B Groomed Studios. And I read all the articles, punks.

► Already told you about the Jersey Shore cast's B-list extravaganza at McFadden's Jan. 22. Next up for the kids in the area are appearances at the Deck in Essington with spinner/Rolling Stone cover boy Pauly D (May 14, DJing) and Taylors’ Bar & Grill in Cherry Hill with JWOWW on Feb 23. Be Italian.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)