Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

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Published: Feb 17, 2010

Progress and style aside (way aside), remember when developer Bart Blatstein started his Piazza project with talk about Italian classicism and social engagement, maybe even invoking the spirit of the Medicis? Anyway, fast forward. Everyone's thrilled he's bringing a Pathmark to the NoLibs building block. Klassy with a k, that is.

► That 'cross-the-street-from-Johnny Brenda's spot Stephen Starr's been in neighborhood association meetings about may go from German Wurst-haus to Greek taverna. Or not.

► We still love record labels even if you won't buy any records: Philly's velvety Walkmen just signed to Fat Possum. No more natty suits. Closer to home, Andy Hurwitz, new prez of Drexel's Mad Dragon label, is "turning shit around big time" by signing mega-funkateers Black Landlord (away from his own Ropeadope label!), the glam big band Toy Soldiers (most of whom are from Temple U) and MAYBE the West Philadelphia Orchestra. Plus he's close ("not done yet") to signing jazz-bo Charlie Hunter and Oklahoma City's Ugly Suit. I don't care. They're out-of-towners.

► Not only did the Gayborhood's new rustic pizzeria Zavino get a liquor license last weekend, it got well-heeled David Howard — ex-manager from Barclay Prime and Del Frisco's — as on-site consultant. Cheers.

► Feb. 24 finds the Troc/Balcony hosting bop-jazz guitarist Matt Davis' Aerial Photograph, Victoria Spaeth's Spaeth Cadets (love that name), Stellastar honcho Tommy Lugo's nu-Latin ensemble and the friggin' already-legendary Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra. Davis' new CD, Ways and Means, captures the drama of his "Philadelphia, 2008" series honed at Tritone back in the day. He'll play, too, at Tritone Feb. 21.

► 10 Arts boss Eric Ripert and chef Anthony Bourdain start Turn & Burn, a trash-talking five-week radio series on Feb. 18 on Martha Stewart's XM station.

► Philly painter Kristen Stein (studioartworks.com) is getting more credit for stuff hanging on film sets than on gallery walls of late: Several paintings, prints and tiles of hers got purchased by a set designer for FOX's Past Life for episodes airing ASAP. And one of her collaborative works, Spirit of Autumn Fire, is on the permanent set of SYFY Channel's Warehouse 13. And a painting and several prints were purchased for use in Leighton Meester's flick The Roommate, due in 2010. Phew.

► WTF? The new owners of Doc Watson's (who bought it from ye olde Barry Sandrow for a British pub, Sherlock's) won't actually open it until autumn 2010. Why? I'm hearing they want to do Doc Watson's for now. It didn't work for 20 years, yet somehow it makes sense to these cats to Doc it. Progress!

►11th Hour Theatre Co. has its annual Philly Rocks concert fundraiser at World Café Live on Feb. 22. Throughout the year, 11HTC asked its audiences to select a list of classic rock hits for cats such as Jess Conda, Jonathan Shade, Jennie Eisenhower, Megan Nicole O’Brien and Nero Catalano to sing and play. If you hate it, be more careful with those audience surveys, pal.

➤ A**Holeology: The Science Behind Getting What You Want — And Getting Away With It, penned by Lawrenceville, N.J., scribe Chris Illuminati (with help from Steven Green and Dennis LaValle), just hit No. 350 on the Amazon sales chart. That’s AFTER the syndicated TMZ TV show mentioned the book on its Feb. 15 broadcast.

➤ Right before they drop the drum-bubbly High Two label selection Sonic Liberation Front Meets Sunny Murray, the SLF play Feb. 21 at Painted Bride with an expanded lineup of percussionists and dancers. PLEASE do this.

➤ Philly’s art-pop megastars The Great Vibration take a whack at hosting the big dangerous open mic with Danny Ozark at National Mechanics Feb. 22.

➤ WHOWHATWHERE: M. Night Shyamalan ate at Vetri last week. That’s super. Least he’s a celebrity of some sort. With news that MTV is cracking down on the Jersey Shore kids’ appearances (to make them, you know, actually worth something, good luck), perhaps we won’t get too many more events like “Snooki” Polizzi’s Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras hosting gig celebration at Bootlegger’s (1936 MacDade), in Woodlyn, DelCo. WTF DelCo, brah?! A trip with intrepid photog Scott Weiner to the Casbah at the Trump Majal over the weekend to see Paulie D and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino led me to one big observation of pus-busting proportions — he had a red blistery thing on his lower lip that was the size of a boxing glove. Yuck. Not quite so yucky but still: Shore snorer “JWoww” Farley was at a private party at Denim. Yawn.

➤ Welcome Wawa to Welcome America 4th of July ring of sponsorship hell, rather than the same old Sunoco. You throw pepperoni on a roll and I’ll be there at your Penns Landing fête.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

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