Manayunk.com Magazine

MANAYUNK LIVE|SHOP|DINE|PLAY

.COM SPRING 2013

Holding Nothing Back

Han Chiang’s Tongue is as Spicy as His Revelatory Food

On Tap: The Original Seasonal Craft Beer Fierce Floral Prints Signal Spring’s in Bloom A Field Guide to Manayunk’s Concert Venues

We Know the Neighborhood.

Residential Mortgages from East River Bank

Whether you’re moving in, moving up or refinancing, talk to us about our residential mortgage program.

Neighborhood Banking.

Wherever You Go. New! Mobile + Online Banking

With our suite of online and mobile banking services, a network of 50,000 AllpointÂŽ ATMs, free interbank fund transfers and even a courier service for business accounts, you can bank conveniently and securely, wherever you go.

Sound advice. Safe and secure loans. Exceptional service. And great rates, too.

Roxborough Contact Nancy Karahuta today to discuss your needs at (267) 295-6450, NMLS# 941171.

(267) 295-6420

East Falls

Old City

eastriverbank.com

s r a e Y r 0 e 1 b m u gn

ig b a s i This

! e t a r b e l e C s ’ t e L Rolling alo to 10 more ng years!

Ten years ago Winnie and Bob Clowry took a big bite out of life. They purchased LeBus of Manayunk and made a Philadelphia mainstay even better.

It’s been a long, fun ride and you have made it possible.

We thank our great friends and customers.

Come Celebrate with our extended dinner and bar menu.

Here’s to the next ten years!

4266 4266 Main Main St St Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA PA 19127 19127 || (215) (215) 487-2663 487-2663

Manayunk.coM Now oPEN

contents 06

LivE ShoP DinE PLay

March-May 2013

Mark Your Calendar A fail-safe plan to shake off that hibernation funk

OPENED: JANUARY 23 www.bisouonmain.com | 215-487-1230

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When the best-laid plans fall short, resort to what comes naturally.

For Clark Gilbert, that means serving simple French food in a fashion that feels a degree or two off from a lively dinner party among his closest friends. You could call it the humbling of Gilbert. You could also call it Bisou Bistro, the reimagining of his former upscale Italian-French restaurant, Gemelli on Main.

“I thought we had a great thing going,” Gilbert says. “But it just never took off the way we would have liked.” His initial menu catered to adventurous diners who proved as rare as the venison was cooked.

But as Gilbert pared down, he remembered the modest motivation that was trampled by his overzealous ambition. “When I had the restaurant in Narberth”—Gemelli started as a BYOB there before moving to Manayunk in June 2011—“I wanted people to feel as though they were coming into my home,” Gilbert says. In turn, a kind of casual, easy warmth became a unifying force behind Bisou (French for kiss). As did Gilbert’s reawakened self-awareness.

He is, foremost, a French chef.

In a nook of the new bistro, a crackling fire and nursed cocktails warm the fortunate few who claimed seats on the surrounding leather chairs and sofas. Downstairs, the low hum of conversation spiked with laughter drifts from tables of friends huddled over plates of mussels in a white wine broth, escargot and Shitake mushrooms, steak frites and roast chicken and mashed potatoes. In the kitchen, Gilbert’s parked over a simmering stove. As it should be.

—Scott Edwards

Manayunk.com Magazine is published quarterly by the Manayunk Development corp.

Manayunk Development Corporation 4312 Main Street Philadelphia, Pa 19127 215.482.9565 | info@manayunk.org 4

manayunk.com | Spring 2013

Sneak A Peek Chilling scenes from Manayunk On Ice

Map: Downtown Manayunk Cover Profile Resisting the unapologetic Han Chiang is futile

LIvE

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Public Art The masters recycled, appropriately enough

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Expert Advice The ultimate insider’s guide to Manayunk

ShoP

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Things We Love Everything’s coming up roses this spring. Truly, everything

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Glitz & Glam Meet your new florist, five generations in the making

DINE

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The Perfect Pour Come March, there’s only one seasonal brew you should be drinking. And, a pub crawl through Manayunk’s suddenlythriving craft beer scene

PLay

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Local A&E A salute to Manayunk’s prolific live music legacy. Plus, a tour of the venues that are still rocking hard most nights of the week

COVER Han Chiang photographed by SUSAN BEARD / SUSAN BEARD DESIGN (www. susanbearddesign.com) at Han Dynasty, 4356 Main Street. Assisted by Erika Smith.

Editorial + Production Editor

Scott Edwards

Design

Cantor Design

Sales

LUXE Marketing & Promotions, Inc. 856.685.4365 martin@luxephila.com

PHOTO (NOW OPEN) BY CANTOR DESIGN

Bisou Bistro | 4161 Main Street

mark your calendar

MARCH THROUGH MAY

april13

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june22-23

StrEAT Food Festival and Restaurant Week

Philly Flea Markets Comes to Main Street

Arts Festival

If the deluge of new Clean Plate Club members who flooded Main Street for blocks last fall was an accurate barometer, the second installment of the biannual StrEAT Food Festival April 13 should satisfy a few appetites. How could it not? We’re talking cheap, handcrafted food, passed directly from proud chef to salivating customer, as far as the eye can see. All of it complementing Manayunk’s standing treasures, which will be serving their own pedestrian-friendly menus for the occasion. This is a marathon, not a sprint—though it’s never good to mix eating and running metaphors—so plan your breaks around the farmers markets and local, gourmet vendors that will be set up in two Main Street parking lots. Then, take the night and digest, because this is just the beginning.

The spring Restaurant Week, featuring 22 venues and $10-, $20- and $30-three-course menus, opens the next day, April 14, and runs through April 26.

Thanks to HGTV, most of us believe we could easily find a credenza at a flea market and refurbish it to look like it was just delivered

by Crate & Barrel, even though we’ve never actually correctly assembled a single thing we ever bought from Ikea. Nonetheless, the real thrill is in the hunt, and the hunting will get a lot easier when the roaming Philadelphia Flea Markets comes to Main Street May 18. Expect a well-edited selection of antiques and vintage wares. (Read: Come early, before the seasoned pickers descend and start laying claim.) More info at philafleamarket.org.

mar1 apr5 may3 jun7

The Manayunk Arts Festival is the largest of its kind in the tri-state region. What does that mean, exactly? Last year’s featured more than 300 artists and craftsmen from 23 states along 10 blocks of Main Street. And those are the ones who made it through the jury. It feels cliché to say there’s something for everyone, but with a sampling this size, no matter how obscure your taste—fiber art, anyone?—you’re going to find at least a booth of it when the 24th annual festival sets up camp June 22 and 23. Aside from the scope, the setting is what distinguishes the Manayunk version from its peers. This isn’t a city of tents erected in some remote lot. This is a city of a tents erected in the middle of a dynamic downtown, with all of its restaurants and shops still very much at your disposal.

First Friday With the intimate shops and galleries along Main Street, and the ones just off the beaten path, along Shurs and Green lanes and some of the other quaint side streets, Manayunk is the kind of downtown that’s begging to be discovered during a casual stroll, display window by display window, especially during an occasion like First Friday, when cozy restaurants beckon at regular intervals for a quick cocktail and a nosh. Four hours can fly by rapidly. Follow the flags March 1, April 5, May 3 and June 7, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Event details can be found at MANAYUNK.COM 6

manayunk.com | SPRING 2013

Sneak a peek

A Winter Wonderland

PHOTOS BY JEREMY BERG / WWW.JMBPHOTOWORKS.COM

Between the Holidays In Manayunk events in December and the weekendlong Manayunk On Ice over Valentine’s Day weekend, cabin fever never stood a chance. If you missed them, or even if you didn’t and you want to relive them, here are a few of our favorite scenes from the winter that was.

Festival visitors had the chance to get their pictures taken with a giant heart in front of our Manayunk.com sign.

Did you make the cut?

Spring 2013 | manayunk.com

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Live

SHOP

M A N A Y U N K

D I R E C T O R Y

All bolded businesses are members of the Manayunk Development Corporation

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SEPTA Regional Rail Station

Pretzel Park

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MANAYUNK CANAL

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Evening & Weekend Parking Only

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Main Street Lock Street

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Shurs Lane

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Jamestown Street

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Evening & Weekend Parking Only

To Kelly Drive

MAIN STREET, MANAYUNK SHOPPING & DINING DIRECTORY & MAP

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LIVE

Hotels & Inns

Crowne Plaza West Philadelphia X 4100 Presidential Blvd. 215-477-0200 Manayunk Terrace Bed & Breakfast Y 3937 Terrace St. 215-483-0109

Community & Non-Profit

Friends of Pretzel Park Friends of the Manayunk Canal Manayunk Sport & Social Club 4245 Main St. 215-696-7969 Manayunk-Roxborough Art Center 419 Green Ln. 215-482-3363 Manayunk-Roxborough Food Initiative North Light Community Center 175 Green Ln. 215-483-4800 Guild of Handweavers Support of Older Women Network 4100 Main St. Ste #200 215-487-3000

Professional & Creative Services Andropogon Landscape Architecture Aureus Media & Design 200 Krams Ave. Suite #3-3 215-621-6390 BKT Architecture BRR Architecture 3 Rector St. Suite #1 215-606-3440 Canal Cleaners Canine Clippers 8

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Drexel Family Medicine Q 10 Shurs Ln. Suite #203 215-482-1234 Drexel OBGYN Q Drexel Sleep Center Q 10 Shurs Ln. #201 215-482-0899 East River Bank X 6137 Ridge Ave. 215-482-9401 Flat Rock Health R 4026 Main St. 267-437-3299 Hanson Associates, Inc. Q 4112 Station St. 215-487-7051 Intuitive Company N 3 Rector St. Suite #2 610-667-2492 J & J Computer Services M John E. McGovern & Associates O 4109 Main St. 215-483-5555 Liberty Insurance Services Q 10 Shurs Ln. Suite #104 215-829-1776 Loring Building Products A 4441 Main St. 215-483-7000 Lynece Austin Photography M Main Line Center For Bartending F Main Street Animal Clinic I 4331 Main St. 215-487-1037 Manayunk Cleaners H McCollum Insurance Agency Q Michael’s California Detailing D Northeast Parking System R Valet & Daily - Nights & Weekends 4000 Main St. Parkway Corporation I&K Monthly & Daily - 2 Cotton St., 101 Levering St., 112 Green Ln.

manayunk.com | Spring 2013

Patricia Gorman & Associates J Performance Kitchens C ReVision Architecture G Richards APEX N 4202 Main St. #24 215-487-1100 Robert Kreider - New York Life Insurance Safer Parking J Monthly & Daily-Indoor 4304 Cresson St. SERVPRO of Manayunk SES Advisors Q 10 Shurs Ln. #102 215-508-1600 Susan Beard Photography Z The Multihull Company T Top Tails J Venice Island Parking D Monthly & Daily - Main & Carson St. Venturi Scott Brown Associates N 4236 Main St. 215-403-0139 Walk This Way K William O’Brien-Manayunk Law Office H 4322 Main St. 215-487-3800

Real Estate & Housing AAG Consultants Belvedere Business Group Canal House Apartments 4312 Main St. 215-483-9990 Century 21 Real Estate 4370 Main St. 215-483-3131 Flynn & Company

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Jennifer Colahan—Re/Max 77 Rochelle Ave. 215-266-4549 Kershaw & Esposito Real Estate Neducsin Properties 161 Leverington Ave. 215-487-2700 Renaissance RJS Properties Sagal Realty Group 115 Levering St. 215-284-7003 SC Main Associates 3901 Main St. 215-487-7873 Sorokin Associates Venice Lofts - Dranoff Properties 4601 Flat Rock Rd. 215-483-4090

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Apparel & Accessories Armen’s Custom Tailor Studio Bendi Jewelry Benjamin Lovell Shoes Gary Mann Jewelers 4349 Main St. 215-482-7051 Greene Street Consignment His Rags Her Riches Martin J. Pulli Jeweler 4337 Main St. 215-508-4610 Nicole Miller 4249 Main St. 215-930-0307 Octavio Miles Paula Hian Design

F I J G J T I L L E

DINE ReMix 4355 Main St. 215-487-6590 Tag Denim 4358 Main St. 215-482-9656 The Attic The Eyeglass Works 4407 Main St. 215-487-2711 Touchables VAMP Boutique Worn Yesterday

G H I F J M N

Galleries & Specialty

Ridge Ave. SEPTA

Artesano Iron Works Gallery 4446 Cresson St. 215-483-9273 Chrissy’s Flowers Clairvoyant Monica 4400 Main St. 215-508-1400 Fleur Flowers Good Vibrationz 4107 Main St. 215-483-6900 Hidden River Yarns Latitudes And Longitudes 4325 Main St. 215-482-0417 Main Street Music 4444 Main St. 215-487-7732 Manayunk Greenworks 4235 Main St. 973-698-7057 Meadowsweet Mercantile 4390 Main St. 215-756-4802 Mediterranean Accents Next Level Wireless Orbit Art Gallery 4312 Main St. 215-508-6728 Philadelphia Vintage Photo Revival Smith 4223 Main St. 215-509-6550 Soft Illusions Fine Art Gallery Spectrum Scientific Sunrise In Tibet The Little Apple 4353 Main St. 267-335-4968 The Shops At Consignment Marketplace 4001 Main St. 215-298-9534 The Spiral Bookcase 112 Cotton St. 215-482-0704 Vision of Tibet

Health & Beauty

5th Avenue Hair Studio Art + Science Salon & Spa 4259 Main St. 215-482-2242 Autumn Nails & Spa Beans Beauty Store & Salon 4405 Main St. 215-487-3333 Chinese Tai Chi Center Chop Shop Christie’s Nails & Tanning

A A H K Q H I B M H M I K S M M F L G T I M F L M F D O B

Cinderella Nails CVS Pharmacy Euphoria Nail Bar 4430 Main St. 215-483-4341 Fedora Salon & Spa Grimaldi’s Hair Kings Barber Le’ Pink Champu’ Lou Tallerico Rumi Tattoo Salon L’Etoile 4360 Main St. 215-483-2500 Starshine Salon 4456 Main St. 215-483-8180 Style MedSpa 4352 Main St. 610-616-5140 Style of Man Tutis Barber Stylist

PLAY G U D O S L M C G H A H B H

Café & Counter Service Angelo & Josephine’s Gourmet Bake at Home Pizza 4457 Main St. 215-482-1044 Café Volo Caputo’s Pizzeria Chloe’s Corner Dice’s Deli Machismo Burrito Main Street Munchies Mike’s Pizza Riverside Pizza Sorrentino’s Deli Starbucks The Couch Tomoto Café 102 Rector St. 215-483-2233 Tommy Gunns American Barbeque Yunk’s Café

M B H M N B H J Q M F E L X Q

Home Décor & Furnishings DIGS 4319 Main St. 215-482-0315 Carson Wood Furnishings Dwelling 4050 Main St. 215-487-7400 Furniture Lifestyle Furniture Workshop Nadeau Furniture Pompanoosuc Mills 4120 Main St. 215-508-3263 Sleepy’s Mattress Store Three Potato Four TransAmerican Office Furniture 4001 Main St. 215-482-8550

J T R H G O P Q Y U

DINE Bars & Nightlife Bayou Bar & Grill 4245 Main St. 215-482-2560 Beat Street Station Castle Roxx Café Cresson Inn Flat Rock Saloon J.D. McGillicuddy’s Kildare’s Irish Pub 4417 Main St. 215-482-7242 Lucky’s Last Chance 4421 Main St. 215-509-6005 Mad River 4100 Main St. 215-482-2666 Manayunk Tavern 4247 Main St. 267-335-2121 Pitcher’s Pub Sapphire U.S. Hotel Bar and Grill

M E S E J J E C P M H Q A

Markets & Specialty

Agiato Bread Company Main Street Market Main Street Wine Cellar 4386 Main St. 267-385-7084 Palm Tree Market Sweet Elizabeth’s Cakes 4409 Main St. 267-331-8949 Whirled Peace Wine & Spirits Shoppe

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PLAY Activities & Entertainment Chew Philly Food Tours phillyfoodtours.com 855-CHEW-215 The Grape Room 105 Grape St. 215-930-0321 United Arts Movie Theater

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Dance & Performing Arts

CTO Music Artists B Merge Dance Studio Y 4047 Cresson St. 2nd Flr. 215-266-1311 Society Hill Dance Academy E 4401 Cresson St. 215-482-1611

Sports & Fitness

Awakenings Pole Fitness Bikram Yoga Manayunk 115 Levering St. 267-336-7872 Bryn Mawr Running Company 4320 Main St. 215-487-0220 Cadence Cycling & Multisport Goals Fitness Hotbox Yoga Human Zoom Bikes & Boards 4159 Main St. 215-487-7433 JL Design 4361 Main St. 714-479-0240 Joltin’ Jabs 4303 Main St. 215-482-4802 Never Give Up 100 Levering St. 610-389-5077 RowZone Indoor Rowing Studio Sweat Fitness The Wall Cycling Studio 100 Levering St. 267-336-7928 Triumph Motorcycles Yoga On Main

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Restaurants & Fine Dining Agiato Paninoteca & Enoteca Ali Baba Palace Bella Trattoria Bisou Bistro 4161 Main St. 215-487-1230 Bourbon Blue 2 Rector St. 215-508-3360 Cactus Cantina 4243 Main St. 267-385-6249 Chabaa Thai Bistro 4371 Main St. 215-483-1979 Derek’s Restaurant 4411 Main St. 215-483-9400 Han Dynasty 4356 Main St. 215-508-2066 Hikaru 4348 Main St. 215-487-3500 Il Tartufo Jakes & Coopers Wine Bar 4365 Main St. 215-483-0444 Laxmi’s Indian Grille Manayunk Brewing Company 4120 Main St. 215-482-8220 Manayunk Diner

The Tomato Bistro 102 Rector St. 215-483-2233 Winnie’s LeBus 4266 Main St. 215-487-2663 Yanako Zesty’s Restaurant 4382 Main St. 215-483-6226

G O K O K M G F H

H I B O O G J G F O F T G

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Live.CoveR PRofIle

The Unlikely Genius

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manayunk.com | SPRING 2013

Everything you thought you knew about Chinese food is wrong.

Han Chiang’s not going to bother to explain.

He’s just going to show you. Trust him on this, even though every instinct is probably telling you not to.

PHOTO BY SUSAN BEARD / WWW.SUSANBEARDDESIGN.COM / ASSISTED BY ERIKA SMITH

He’s loud. And he’s opinionated. He’s prone to rants riddled with four-letter words. And the occasional 12-letter bomb. Forget the small business owner’s mantra, “The customer is always right,” because he tells most of the ones that he comes in contact with that they’re wrong. And then he goes ahead and orders for them.

And yet, Han Chiang is perhaps Philly’s fastest rising chef at the moment. At six restaurants and counting in his Han Dynasty empire, including one in Manayunk, we can’t seem to get enough of Chiang, even though his food singes years off our taste buds.

He introduced us to a kind of authenticity we never realized was lacking. Before him, we assumed that there was such a thing as Chinese food, and that a nation of billions ate, essentially, the same thing. Sounds stupid now, of course. But it’s only because we were told we were ordering the wrong stuff, and then were promptly fed new stuff that we’re only beginning to wrap our tongues around. —Scott Edwards

rather than calmly constructing a salient point to express myself, I find it easier to instead exclaim, “F—!”

The most famous person I ever cooked for was … Harrison Ford.

You call him Dr. Jones, Doll.

The most underrated restaurant in Manayunk is … Agiato. They have the ill paninis. Actually, that’s a good name. I should start a restaurant called Ill Paninis. Hmm. Shout out to my man, Double R. Thanks for the good juju.

The craziest thing I’ve seen in China … Me! At the end of a long night, I like to … I believe it was the great urban lyricist Trick Daddy who once said, Get f—d up / Stay f—d up / Roll to the club in a Navigator truck. Well, I don’t go to clubs. And I drive a 12-year-old Acura TL. But still.

I was born in … Taipei, Taiwan

One thing Manayunk really needs is … Asian people. Where my Asian peoples at?

My parents … You know the term “Tiger Mom?” Well, my mom’s a “Dragon Mom.” My dad’s cool. His name’s Ben.

My drink of choice is … A strong IPA. Unfortunately, my liver told me to knock it the f— off.

I started cooking because … I used all my allowance on Super Nintendo games, so I couldn’t afford my Wawa mac-and-beef.

The achievement I’m most proud of … is that my name has become associated with the amazing cuisine of Sichuan, China.

I didn’t invent the double-cooked pork belly, people. I just make it the way you s’posed to.

I don’t tell many people that … I really like horses and elderly people. It doesn’t come up often.

The food I couldn’t live without … Chili oil. Duh. Yes, I was booted from a Sichuan culinary school, but … But nothing. I hate those guys!

I like to curse because … You have to understand that as a foreigner whose primary language is not English, my vocabulary becomes limited in periods of excitement or duress. At times,

The part of my job I like the least … is when I have to yell at customers.

I’ll die a happy man if … I find Jennifer Connelly.

My greatest unfulfilled ambition … Six down. Ninety-four to go.

It’s not spicy unless … it burns from mouth to a—.

Spring 2013 | manayunk.com 11

Rendered on unlikely canvases, a collection of student-made creations is designed to encourage you to think in both practical and profound ways.

By Alicia Dietzmann Come spring, Manayunk’s Main Street will be ablaze with creative expression. Though likely not as you’re imagining it, because the canvases won’t be walls, or sidewalks or even the street itself. They’ll be 25 BigBelly Solar Compactors, each wrapped in unique art pieces created by students at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.

The project, which is being staged in conjunction with the Manayunk Special Services District, is the brainchild of Karen Kolkka, the academy’s lower school new media specialist. The idea came as she looked upon a Center City mailbox decorated with a painting. That such a basic object could transcend its ordinary existence inspired Kolkka to replicate the feat on a grander scale in her own neighborhood. Smart Partners in Art followed soon after. Comprised of students from the academy’s art board, the Schyulkill River served as their muse.

Kolkka’s aim is to combine art and education, not just for the participating students but for everyone who comes into contact with their creations. Each student was asked to choose an animal that lives in or around the Schuylkill and then render it in the style of a legendary artist. We have an Andy Warhol frog, a Van Gogh turtle and a Henri Rousseau goose, for starters.

“This project is emblematic of a school that is dedicated to sustainability, creativity and innovation,” Priscilla Sands, the academy’s president, says. “We have a long history of partnerships such as this one with the Manayunk Development Corporation, which help our students explore their passions in a real-world context.”

The art studio at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy lacks none of the tools or atmosphere of a professional’s workshop. During a visit in January, paint splatters coated the floor and most of the chairs and lights. MacBooks filled the room with pop music. (It’s worth noting that not a single Justin Bieber beatbox was heard.)

The students kicked back, snacked, conversed and, when 12

manayunk.com | SPRING 2013

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAREN KOLKKA / SMART PARTNERS IN ART

Live.PublIc ARt

Around Every Corner, Opportunity

moved, created art. Sydney and Alison dove into their Jackson Pollock-inspired painting without hesitation. At work or simply lying in wait, a palpable energy coursed through everyone.

“I think everyone on art board is excited to be here. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere,” says Mia, a senior. “They can be independent and work on their own, can work on the project any way they want to without strict rules. We have a closet stocked with art supplies for whatever we need. It makes it easy to have fun.”

Several months after the project’s inception, the fun’s been had and the artwork’s done. It’s a matter of waiting now. Waiting for nature to shift gears. The compactors will receive their makeovers by April. Suitable wrapping conditions require temperatures to be consistently above 50 degrees for a week.

“I hope this project will be inspiring to others to see something ordinary be made more special through art,” says Katie, a senior.

“And I hope it will attract people to want to use the trashcans more frequently, since they will be more noticeable this way.”

The latter part of Katie’s vision isn’t necessarily a casual byproduct in the eyes of those involved. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy sports a stout reputation as a green institution. It was one of 78 schools across the country awarded a US Department

of Education Green Ribbon last year. Five separate solar panel fields fill the roofs of the middle and upper schools. Composting is done daily, recycling, weekly.

“Manayunk is the perfect historic town, nestled right on the banks of the Schuylkill River, to implement this public art project that also promotes a green initiative,” says Dan Neducsin, the president of the Manayunk Special Services District.

Jane Lipton, the executive director of the Manayunk Development Corporation, echoes the sentiment. “We are ecstatic to see public art being used to promote greener living, the Schuylkill River environment and the education of young people in the area,” she says. “We are so proud of the work these students have done and can’t wait to see the artwork come to life on Main Street in Manayunk.”

For Kolkka, regardless of the outcome, she’s already basked in the beauty that she was determined to discover. “This all comes back to the amazing group of kids,” she says, “and I’m lucky to have a group of wonderful people to work with.”

Spring 2013 | manayunk.com 13

Live.EXPERT ADVICE

Welcome to Juliet Sabella’s Manayunk

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manayunk.com | SPRING 2013

The indefatigable owner of The Wall Cycling Studio and new Manayunk homeowner (though longtime resident) shares a few of her favorite places.

It’s 4:02 a.m. and my alarm is sounding. I’m headed to one of two places, depending on the day, The Wall Cycling Studio (100 Levering Street), my favorite place in Manayunk, though I’m biased, or Joltin’ Jabs (4303 Main St.), for a 5 a.m. workout.

The Wall, of course, is part of the reason that my fiancé, Karl, and I bought a home here, but it’s not all of it. We love the character of the town and the convenience. Some of the best shopping and eating in the city is within walking distance. So is my studio, though I drive there in the winter. Do you know how cold it is at 5 a.m.? At least I can say that I spend more time on my stationary bike over the course of a week than I do in my car.

We have two dogs, Beckham, a sixyear-old boxer, and Brooklyn, an almost-two-year-old French bulldog.

(How can you live in Manayunk and not have a dog?) Rarely do we go anywhere without them. Brooklyn, a.k.a. Brookie, can be found most often lounging in the windows at the studio or being walked along Main Street. And when she goes on those walks, she also likes to shop, naturally. One of her favorite stores is the adorable gift boutique, The Little Apple (4353 Main St.). Brookie visits with the resident French bulldog, Penn, while I pick something out for us.

Manayunk will always mean so much more to me than simply the place where I call home. I met Karl here. At JD McGillicuddy’s (473 Leverington Ave.), specifically. Winnie’s LeBus (4266 Main St.) was the site of our first date in March 2010, and we’ve been back almost weekly ever since. It’s my favorite place to eat. The atmosphere is something out of a movie—excited conversations, con-

stant laughter and euphoric expressions the moment the fork hits the mouth. In fact, we’re holding our rehearsal dinner there, and you better believe that the honey chipotle wings and the Blue Colorado Salad will be on our menu.

When we manage to pull ourselves away from LeBus, takeout sushi from Yanako (4255 Main St.) is an always-welcome light at the end of a long day of teaching. The rolls are so creative and fresh. I also find my way a lot to Chabaa Thai Bistro (4371 Main St.) and Han Dynasty (4356 Main St.), so much so with the latter that they know my order— won ton soup and scallion pancakes— the moment I give my name. A glass of wine at Jake’s and Cooper’s Wine Bar (4365 Main St.) can be just as satisfying.

During the too-rare occasions when I pull my hair out of a ponytail and throw on what I like to call “civilian clothes,” which means anything other than spandex, I seek out Jamie Valoris at her Fedora Salon & Spa (4167 Main St.) to resuscitate my ‘do. The place is so gorgeous, the people so nice, that it feels like a mini-retreat.

If you forced me to pick one piece of Manayunk that I couldn’t live without, which my editor sort of is, it would be a particular spot on Main Street with a clear view of the Manayunk Bridge, at 4:30 a.m. At that place, at that time, it’s like I have the whole street to myself.

When we’re married this summer, we’ll be taking pictures all over Manayunk. I so badly want my “first look” shot taken on that bridge. It would be breathtaking.

(If anyone could help me with this, I’d be forever grateful.)

In the meantime, if you spot us walking Beckham and Brookie, please say hi. We love meeting new friends around town.

Spring 2013 | manayunk.com 15

Shop.Things We Love

Flowers With Attitude

Clockwise from top: Tape dispenser, $10, tape measure, $10, and hammer, $15, Latitudes and Longitudes, 4325 Main St., ww.livelatandlong.com; Forage Haberdashery necktie, $78, The Little Apple, 4353 Main St., www.thelittleapplestore.com; Flower Garden Pencil Pouch, $8, and Flower Garden Zipper Pouch, $10, The Little Apple; Flower Power Shopper, $15, The Little Apple.

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PHOTOS BY CANTOR DESIGN

Nature’s not the only one budding toward full-bloom at the moment. Dip into the trendy shops across town and you’ll pick up on a reoccurring theme: Floral prints are making a comeback this spring. Don’t confuse them with the pattern from your mother’s drapes. The modern versions are every bit as edgy as they are eccentric.

But fear not. There’s a print for everyone. For the timid, a tape dispenser. The brave, a pair of barely-there shorts.

Clockwise from top left: Homage Bow Detail Shorts, $38, VAMP Boutique, 4231 Main St., www.vampboutique.com; Very J Floral Top, $48, Tag Denim, 4358 Main St., www.tagdenim.com; Blue Eden Satin Crepe Zipper Dress, $465, Nicole Miller, 4249 Main St., www.nicolemiller.com; J Brand Flower Print Skinny Jeans (left and center), $205 each, and Citizens of Humanity Flower Print Skinny Jean, $192, Tag Denim.

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A florist’s roots run deep.

When Chrissy’s Flowers opened below the Green Lane bridge last fall, there was a certain sense of inevitability behind it.

See, Chrissy Botak, the shop’s owner, is a fifth-generation floral designer. How many people do you know who are doing exactly what his or her great-great grandparents did? Well, now you know one.

Her childhood is a fragrant stream of memories—hyacinths in the spring, poinsettias in the winter, frequent greenhouse explorations. Gradually, she moved closer, plucking flowers and greens from farmers markets and arranging them into something distinctly her own. And then, finally, there was the shop, where her aim is not to do what’s been done for the last 100 years or so—the expected, really—but to pull all the best parts and elevate the concept. Because five generations is an evolution, not a burden.

Here, Botak introduces herself by way of a spring-inspired arrangement that she created, and offers a glimpse of her deep design savvy through her dissection of it. www.chrissysflowers.com

“I used lemons in the lantern to lighten up the arrangement and to suggest a playful party theme,” Botak says.

As is, it’s best suited for a baby or bridal shower, or even Sunday brunch with close friends. Replace the lantern with a tall tower vase or a crystal candelabra, and it becomes a wedding centerpiece fit for the most discerning bride.

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The tropical protea provides the necessary contrast. “The harder form of the ‘stem’ balances out the softness of some of the garden roses and dendrobium orchids.”

These are premium garden roses, a lot like what you’re growing in your backyard. The heavy petal density makes them an ideal substitute for peonies when they’re out of season.

Dendrobium orchids are among Botak’s favorites because they’re equally at home in an arrangement and on their own, as a subtle accent to a living room or a workspace.

The tablecloth is part of the package, too. “Linens are probably one of the most underrated elements of a tablescape,” Botak says. “Don’t be afraid to go bold.”

PHOTO BY CANTOR DESIGN

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Spring 2013 | manayunk.com 19

Dine.The PerfecT Pour

The Original Seasonal

Before brewers got too creative for their own good, the goal was simple: quench a thirst. Centuries later, the understated Bière De Mars still obliges.

By Scott Edwards

APRIL 27 15th annual Manayunk Brewing Company Brew Fest (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

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EVAN FRITZ, FAR RIGHT, WITH FELLOW MBC BREWERS BILL YOUNG, LEFT, AND DOUG MARCHAKITUS.

PHOTOS BY CANTOR DESIGN

Ever since the near-catastrophic hops shortage of 2007, beer has taken a decidedly different turn. Many of them, actually. The old guard was forced to get creative. And while they fumbled through their dusty recipe books, boutique brewers spilled out of the backstreets and basements and sprinted through the gaping door, kegs on backs. Overnight, we were drinking with the seasons—light, citrus-y saisons in the heat and malt-y, chocolate-y bocks in the cold.

It only took five years to go overboard.

Seasonal craft beers these days don’t follow the calendar so much as they try override it. It’s why you’re taking your first pull of pumpkin ale in August. And it’s all the more reason to respect Manayunk Brewing Company’s Bière De Mars, a.k.a. The Original Seasonal.

The translation is “Beer of March,” simple as that. And it’ll be on tap for the whole of the month. Its roots are humble as dirt. Northern French and Belgian farmers developed the template, which dates at least to the early 19th century.

It’s a light-bodied, low-alcohol beer— MBC’s version, however, measures a stout 7.3 percent alcohol by volume— that was intended to quench a deep

thirst back in the olden days, when field hands were more inclined to tip a jug of suds than one of water.

Manayunk’s Bière De Mars delivers the requisite spice and fruit flavors. But the wild yeast, brettanomyces, or “brett” as it’s usually called, adds layer upon layer of unfamiliarity. Most brewers won’t touch the stuff, says Evan Fritz, an assistant brewer at MBC, because “it’s one of those things, once you’ve got it, you’ve got it. There’s no getting rid of it.” If you can harness it, though, brett is a game-changer. Aside from molding the Bière De Mars in mysterious ways, brett dries it out, turns it crisp, almost like a chardonnay.

Keep your floral notes and your licks of raspberries (for now). When I emerge from hibernation, a simple ale splashing down the back of my throat, triggering dormant senses as it goes, is all the comforting I’ll need to ease back into society.

Spring in Bloom Forget that groundhog. Mother Nature, too, for that matter. Spring’ll arrive when the brewers say so. A tour of the budding craft pub landscape in Manayunk.

A.G. Jameson’s US Hotel Bar and Grill 4439 Main Street | 215-483-9222 The brown liquors are the main attraction, so come prepared to order a beer—PBR, Sam Adams seasonal—and a shot. And try to leave with all of your faculties intact. Or most of them, at least.

The Bayou Bar & Grill 4245 Main Street | www.bayoubar.com The Brooklyn Brewery seasonal on tap—regardless of which one—pairs beautifully with the house specialty: crabs—regardless of which style.

Bourbon Blue 2 Rector Street | www.bourbonblue.com The New Awlins-minded restaurant maintains a rotating stock of seasonal beers from the Louisiana-based brewer, Abita. (Among a host of others from across the country.)

Cactus Restaurant and Bar 4245 Main Street | www.cactusphilly.com The beer here is merely the starting point. Opt for the Carta Blanca or a Negro Modelo, both brewed in Mexico, and then ask for it to be served michelada-style: in a salt-rimmed glass with a few ice cubes and some fresh lime juice.

Flat Rock Saloon 4301 Main Street | www.flatrocksaloon.com This is where you take the most finicky beer drinker you know.

Order him (or her) a bottle of the hard-to-find Cantillion Vigneronne (29 bucks). And then open a tab under his (or her) name.

Kildare’s Irish Pub 4417 Main Street | www.manayunk.kildaresirishpub.com The extent of the options is almost daunting. Our advice: Go in with a plan. Stick to a favorite genre—Belgian strong ales, pilsners. That’ll at least make the field a bit more manageable. Or, embrace the unknown and order a seasonal sampler.

Lucky’s Last Chance 4421 Main Street | www.luckyslastchance.com A deep craft list that’s updated weekly and pulls from near (Pennsylvania and Delaware) and far (California and Germany). Hone in on the Stillwater Hof Ten Dormaal Bronze Age, an earthy, saisonstyle beer that’ll make for easy drinking come spring.

Manayunk Tavern 4247 Main Street | www.manayunktavern.com Several crafts available on tap at any time, masterfully straddling the line between mainstream (Sierra Nevada Porter) and obscure (Tröegs Mad Elf Ale). The clear favorite in recent months, according to the barkeeps: Wells Banana Bread Beer. Really, how could it not be?

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Spring 2013 | manayunk.com 23

Play.LocaL a&E

For Those About to Rock, We Salute You Manayunk has long been the place to catch emerging musicians and bands and even a few wellestablished ones. In this age of the corporate-sponsored, massive-arena concerts, the handful of venues around town may be filling their most vital role yet as the last strongholds on an intimate experience. A field guide follows, to ensure that you don’t miss a beat. But first, two of the Manayunk music scene’s most well-versed aficionados relive the concerts they’ll never forget.

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The Land of Good ‘n Plenty From the happy-go-lucky cover band groupie (you know who you are) to the snobbish aficionado (you probably don’t know who you are), there’s a place for everyone, and a live act in every place.

A.G. Jameson’s US Hotel Bar and Grill 4439 Main Street | 215-483-9222 Small bar, filled by thick crowds on the weekends, sucking down drinks that go down like water, all of it fueled by a deafening set. It’s your favorite college bar. Only, you’re not too old to be hanging out here. Local bands every other Thursday and most Fridays.

The Night that Clive Came to Town

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF THE GRAPE ROOM; (OPPOSITE PAGE) BY CANTOR DESIGN

By Scooter Hassinger I remember hearing about The Doors and Jimi Hendrix rocking the former Empress Theater on Main Street in the late sixties. Manayunk’s reputation as a live music mecca is as entrenched as those memories, though its relevancy through the years has faded and reemerged dozens of times over.

In the late eighties, as this enclave began to gentrify, The Grape Street Pub became a household name by hosting the generation’s fastest-rising stars: Jeff Buckley, G-Love, Derek Trucks, Guster, Dispatch and Amos Lee. Groundbreaking performances were the norm. But there was one, even then, that stands out from the rest. It was the night that Clive Davis, the iconic record executive, came to Grape Street, in a limo, of course, entourage in tow, to see the band Silvertide play for a room packed full of its hometown fans. Davis signed the young group soon after that night.

I reopened Grape Street (now The Grape Room) in 2010, believing that magical nights like that one were still possible. And on a recent sleepy Wednesday night, a little-known band took the stage before 20 people. All of them by now, I’m sure, have bragged to everyone who’d listen that they saw The Lumineers before they blew up.

Brian “Scooter” Hassinger is the owner of The Grape Room.

Thank You, Good Night

By Pat Feeney When I was asked to recount my most enduring Manayunk concert experience, my mind immediately went to Grape Street. I’ve seen great shows at all three of its incarnations, including the current and excellent Grape Room.

But, ultimately, I couldn’t help but be a little selfish. I’m opting for an October 27, 2011 in-store concert that featured the Los Angeles band Dawes. I grew up listening to Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon and most other Californian singer-songwriters (along with The Beatles, of course), so, naturally, Dawes became my favorite new band a few years back. They recorded their second album at Browne’s studio, illustrating how proudly they wear their LA influences on their sleeves.

What I heard on that day were some of the best harmonies that have ever graced my ears among an excellent set by a band that was clearly hitting its stride. But the concert was more than even that because of its sentimental undercurrent. It was held to honor the 20th anniversary of Main Street Music.

I opened the store in October 1991. And I believe it’s still standing because we’re blessed with loyal—no, devoted—customers.

That Dawes concert came to symbolize our perseverance and articulate our gratitude.

Pat Feeney (pictured, opposite page) is the owner of Main Street Music.

Bourbon Blue 2 Rector Street | www.bourbonblue.com Remember that wedding when you—you!— couldn’t leave the dance floor because the band just rocked it out all night long? No, you probably don’t. If any of it ever comes back to you, the Canal Lounge is like that each weekend night.

The Grape Room 105 Grape Street | www.graperoommusic.com It’s from here that the future household names are most likely to emerge in just about every genre—pop, rock, folk, funk, country, metal, even musi-comedy. Concerts six nights a week, including an open mic night on Mondays.

Kildare’s Irish Pub 4417 Main Street www.manayunk.kildaresirishpub.com Pop and rock cover bands on Fridays and, during the occasional happy hour, live acoustic sets.

Mad River Bar and Grill 4100 Main Street | www.madrivermanayunk.com Come to get down. Pop, rock, reggae, EDM—these are not the sorts of concerts you gravitate toward if you’re a serial wallflower who double-fists Bud Lights all night long. Live acts most Thursdays and Fridays.

Main Street Music 4444 Main Street | www.mainstreetmusicpa.com Independent record stores have a reputation for being fiercely protective-verging-on-pretentious with regard to the music their staffs fawn over.

Which means that a concert staged at one, like its meticulously-edited inventory, is bound to be topshelf. This is not the exception.

Manayunk Brewing Company 4120 Main Street | www.manayunkbrewery.com Cover bands every Saturday, but we endorse the live jazz brunches on Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bloody Marys and slurry saxes, a lovely means to ease through a hangover-riddled morning.

Zesty’s 4382 Main Street | www.zestys.com Live opera on the second and fourth Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., every month. Seriously.

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