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ISSUE . May 27th, 2010
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Cover Story


Summer Fun Guide 2010
Truth. Justice. Fun.
by Molly Eichel
There's no mistaking him for a bird or a plane. That's Ultimate Summer Fun Man, and it's his sworn duty to uphold the awesomeness of the days between Memorial and Labor, and to defeat the nefarious Dr. Winter, cold-hearted leader of the Society of Suck. But he can't do it alone.

June
City Paper's Summer Fun Guide 2010

July
City Paper's Summer Fun Guide 2010

August
City Paper's Summer Fun Guide 2010

September
City Paper's Summer Fun Guide 2010

May
City Paper's Summer Fun Guide 2010


Opinion


Editor's Letter:
My Green Heaven?
I might be going a little overboard in the garden.
by Brian Howard
I've got a gardening problem. I'm not talking about squirrels or slugs (though I have those, too).

Loose Canon:
Hometown Con
Wheeler has torn another little hole in the trust that holds us together.
by Bruce Schimmel
People here will tell you that what he's accused of is wrong. But many found all sorts of ways to justify it. Call it hometown pride.

Feedback:
Letters to the Editor
What You Say
"There is a great deal more to the story than 'protect the environment' or 'deepen the river.'"


News


News :: SLAPP Happy?SLAPP Happy?
An art school shuts down a gripe site with a lawsuit.
by Holly Otterbein
The heading of Hummel's site said it all: "I made the mistake of going to Hussian School of Art for a year and fully regret it. I'm writing this to save you the trouble."

Man Overboard!:
The Malaise
It's the omnipresent funk that seems to drag this city backward even as it crawls ahead.
by Isaiah Thompson
Division Judge Catherine Blunt called me a racist and threatened to get the police if I didn't leave immediately. When I didn't, she grabbed two nearby policemen who, to their credit, let me stay: "Freedom of speech," shrugged one.

Sports:
We're the Worst
In Philadelphia, assholes aren't few or random.
by E. James Beale
As fans, we're the worst, and it's time we admitted as much and shaped the fuck up.

Soapboxer:
Message Fail
Jeffrey C. Billman tells you what to think
by Jeffrey C. Billman
Mayor Nutter, mind if I ask what you're doing this Friday evening? If you're free, some buddies and I would love to invite you to our weekly poker game. Nothing big, really: some no-limit Texas Hold 'Em, maybe some Omaha Hi-Lo. But, you know, bring cash.

A Million Stories
All the news we care to print.
by A.D. Amorosi, Jeffrey C. Billman, Holly Otterbein, Valerie Rubinsky and Brendan Skwire
Man, what's in the water up there in Wyoming County?

The Bell Curve
City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter
When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.


Arts


Arts :: Charted Territory
Re-View:
Charted Territory
Robin Rice on Visual Art | Mapping: Outside/Inside at Gershman Y
by Robin Rice
Maps typically show us where something is — but they can also show when.

Theater Review:
Wrong Number
REVIEW: Philadelphia Theatre Workshop's 516 (five sixteen)
by David Anthony Fox
Academia may seem like a bastion of idealism, intelligence and honesty — but scratch the surface and you'll find a cesspit of cheating and low-stakes fraud. If this strikes you as a novel or interesting idea, perhaps you'll be entertained by 516 (five sixteen). If not, don't waste your time.

Arts Picks:
Black Pearl Sings!
June 2-27, $25-$29, InterAct at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 215-568-8079, interacttheatre.org.

by Mark Cofta
It's a powerful tale about being a woman in a man's world, being black in a white world, and preserving artistic integrity in a commercial world.

Last Chance
Catch it or regret it
by Holly Otterbein
Bus Stop Boutique | Crane Arts | Institute of Contemporary Art

Kaleidoscope
Lost States | The Harvest: Spoken Soul 215 Open Mic | Okayplayer 10 Year Reunion | The Atlantic


Movies


Movies :: Survival of the DeadSurvival of the Dead
City Paper Grade: C
by Shaun Brady
The strength of Romero's zombie films, as opposed to those of his legions of gore-hound followers, has been that the horror takes a back seat to some form of social commentary, no matter how broad.

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


Music :: Wired For SoundWired For Sound
Fishtown's Free Energy makes a connection.
by K. Ross Hoffman
Wittingly or not, sparky Fishtown-based rock 'n' rollers Free Energy seem like Tesla's spiritual sons, poised and fully capable of completing the inventor's vision of global electrification.

Music Picks:
Grouper
Tue., June 1, 8 p.m., $13, with (((Taco))), First Unitarian Side Chapel, 2125 Chestnut St., 877-435-9849, r5productions.com.

by Patrick Rapa
Portland's Liz Harris pushes the right buttons.

The Futureheads
Wed., June 2, 8 p.m., $13-$14, with The Like, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 877-435-9849, r5productions.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman
The Futureheads always seemed like they were having way more fun than their U.K. compatriots.

Hang The DJ:
Twisted
Janelle Monáe's The ArchAndroid and Nachtmystium's Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II
by J. Edward Keyes
If you need any further evidence of the irrelevance of genre tags, consider that there is now an album on the Bad Boy label that features an appearance by oddball cross-dressing indie-poppers Of Montreal.

Music Picks:
Of Montreal
Sat., May 29, 9 p.m., $24, with Noot D'Noot, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011, livenation.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman
Kevin Barnes' waggish, wild-eyed brainchild was born 14 long years ago.

Holy Fuck
Sun., May 30, 9 p.m., $12, with Nice Nice and Grandchildren, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman
In a funny way, these fiercely grooving Torontonians are charting a course comparable to their long-absent countrymen Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Koboku Senju
Fri., May 28, 8 p.m., $10, Fleisher/Ollman Gallery, 1616 Walnut St., arsnovaworkshop.org.

by Shaun Brady
The name of this Japanese/Norwegian quintet translates as "selection of dead trees," and it's hard to imagine an image that could be more evocative of the stark, spare beauty of their music.

Parts and Labor
Univox drops its lush and textured debut. Finally.
by A.D. Amorosi
When Univox released its eponymous debut CD last month, one question immediately came to mind: What took so long?


Food


Food :: Wiener Take AllWiener Take All
Philly, all of a sudden, is a hotbed of hot dog and sausage activity.
by Drew Lazor
In the past months, a number of new players to the hot dog game have joined those ranks, compounding our exposure to nitrate-laden wonderment.

Way To Be
Five things you should know about the long-awaited Weavers Way Chestnut Hill.
by James Saul
Northwest Philadelphia's Weavers Way Co-op now has three locations to provide shoppers with local, organic, eco-friendly goods.

What's Cooking
Get Out!
by Hadley Assail
Gusti d'Italia with Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix | Meet Your Local Cheesemaker at Fair Food Farmstand | Wyck Farmers Market | Center City District Sips | Chef Jeff Michaud Cooking Demonstration at Linvilla Orchards | Hava NaGrilla

Feeding Frenzy
Restaurants opening, closing and pending
by Drew Lazor
Momiji Sushi | West Side Gravy | Philly Kitchen Share | Tweed | Le Cochon Noir | Brown Betty Dessert Boutique


Agenda


Agenda :: All-Male Review
Agenda Lead:
All-Male Review
Who wins when Shmitten Kitten goes looking for Philly's studliest man? We do.
by Julia West
With the pageant, her words are made flesh, local studs are beckoned to parade around Johnny Brenda's stage and maybe get named the coolest dude on the block.

Agenda Picks:
Ladies Rock Camp Showcase
Mon., May 31, 6 p.m., $5, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215-545-0475, tritonebar.com, girlsrockphilly.org.
by Molly Eichel
For the first time ever, the great minds behind Girls Rock Philly are allowing their (slightly) older sisters some time in the spotlight.

Wheels, Wire and Whimsy from the Jersey Shore
June 1-30, free, Langman Gallery, 2500 W. Moreland Road, Willow Grove, 215-657-8333, langmangallery.com.
by Mandy Bee
Tammy Smith artistically rings in the summer by paying homage to a season staple: the Jersey shore.

Icepack
Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
by A.D. Amorosi
Between the passing of Wee Willie Webber and the sale of Shane Candies, both in the last week or so, I can't help but think about being a kid and those damnable family value thingies that went with

Shopping Spree
Fashion > Forward
by Julia West
Lithuanian-born Zivile Pupinyte creates jewelry that wavers between her sleeping world and our waking one.

Agenda Picks:
Philadelphia International Tango Festival
Fri., May 28, 8 p.m.-3 a.m.; Sat., May 29, 2 p.m.-4 a.m.; Sun., May 30, 4 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; $10-$40, Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, 2030 Frankford Ave., 617-291-3798, philadelphiatangofestival.com.
by Tom Tiballi
"This way of living — staying out till 4 dancing, listening to live music and going out to dinner afterward — is common in Buenos Aires but not here."

Rockin' Reels
Thu., May 27-Thu., Sept. 16, 7 p.m., free, Piazza at Schmidts, 1050 N. Hancock St., atthepiazza.com.
by Molly Eichel
The series begins with Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz, about The Band's last gig; and ends with native son Jonathan Demme's Talking Heads film, Stop Making Sense.

Slate Political Gabfest
Thu., May 27, 7 p.m., $12-$30, Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St., 215-241-7000, phillygabfest.eventbrite.com.
by Tom Tiballi
David Plotz, John Dickerson and Philadelphia's own Emily Bazelon are dropping in for a live broadcast and self-described "gabfest" on today' hot-button issues.




 
 
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