CYCLOPEDIA! P H I L A D E L P H I A
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JUNE 11 - JUNE 17, 2015
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IN THIS ISSUE … 8
RE-JOYCE LO CA L CA R TO O N I S T Robert Berry, who teaches at Penn, contributed this week’s comic on James Joyce’s Ulysses, just in time for Bloomsday. It’s a fitting complement to our lit-minded cover story. Close readers of City Paper — or maybe just maniacal completists — may recall that Berry first drew Leopold Bloom in these pages in 2007. Since then, he has been hard at work on a full-length Ulysses graphic novel, a massive undertaking for sure. In the meantime, he offers us this very, very abridged version of his (and Joyce’s) masterwork.
CP STAFF Associate Publisher Jennifer Clark Editor in Chief Lillian Swanson Senior Editor Patrick Rapa Arts & Culture Editor Mikala Jamison Food Editor Caroline Russock Senior Staff Writer Emily Guendelsberger Staff Writer Jerry Iannelli Copy Chief Carolyn Wyman Contributors Sam Adams, Dotun Akintoye, A.D. Amorosi, Rodney Anonymous, Mary Armstrong, Bryan Bierman, Shaun Brady, Peter Burwasser, Mark Cofta, Adam Erace, David Anthony Fox, Caitlin Goodman, K. Ross Hoffman, Jon Hurdle, Deni Kasrel, Alli Katz, Gary M. Kramer, Drew Lazor, Alex Marcus, Gair “Dev 79” Marking, Robert McCormick, Andrew Milner, John Morrison, Michael Pelusi, Natalie Pompilio, Sameer Rao, Jim Saksa, Elliott Sharp, Marc Snitzer, Nikki Volpicelli, Brian Wilensky, Andrew Zaleski, Julie Zeglen. Production Director Dennis Crowley Senior Designer Brenna Adams Designer/Social Media Director Jenni Betz Contributing Photographers Jessica Kourkounis, Charles Mostoller, Hillary Petrozziello, Maria Pouchnikova, Neal Santos, Mark Stehle U.S. Circulation Director Joseph Lauletta (ext. 239) Account Managers Sharon MacWilliams (ext. 262), Susanna Simon (ext. 250) Classified Account Manager Jennifer Fisher (215-717-2681) Editor Emeritus Bruce Schimmel founded City Paper in a Germantown storefront in November 1981. Local philanthropist Milton L. Rock purchased the paper in 1996 and published it until August 2014 when Metro US became the paper’s third owner.
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BEST BIG WEEKLY IN PA 2015 KEYSTONE PRESS AWARDS
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY Maria Pouchnikova COVER DESIGN Brenna Adams
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THE BELL CURVE
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Johns Hopkins’ list of “The top 50 hospitals that gouge patients the most” includes two in Philly. “Also, they really ran up my bill,” says man with little holes all over his body.
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White former Fox29 anchorman Tom Burlington is suing the station for firing him for saying the n-word, but not punishing his African-American co-workers for saying the same thing. “I am the ghost of Rosa Parks and I honor your struggle for true equality,” says a voice from the other side. “Just kidding, I’m Hitler. I hope you get to say the n-word as much as you want.”
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The fleet of tall ships will return to the Delaware this summer. That sounds like hella majestic or whatever. Just keep those pointy fuckers away from our giant rubber duck.
QUICK PICKS
more picks on p. 16 BEST COAST Best Coast has grown up from lovably scruffy stoners singing about cats and sunshine into a bonafide modern rock outfit, with all the respectable, immaculately polished production that suggests. But they’re growing comfortable — familiar, not boring. Bobb Bruno’s guitar hooks are as dependably catchy as ever, Bethany Cosentino’s voice is, if anything, even more lustrous (and her lyrics every bit as lackluster). And naturally, their home-state love will never die — look no further than the title of last month’s California Nights (Harvest), which kicks off, aptly enough, with a pair of winsome songs about feeling, respectively, “okay” and “fine.” 6/14, Union Transfer, utphilly. com. —K. Ross Hoffman
JANELL SHIRTCLIFF
Best Coast
M AT T H E
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American Water Works Co. is expected to be offered $164 million in tax credits to move from Voorhees to Camden. “This should generate some much needed tax revenue,” says Camden. Oh, Camden.
TONGUE & GROOVE: WHO Tongue & Groove’s monthly second-Friday performances continue with their uniquely realistic improvisation style, exploring the audience’s anonymous answers to the question, “Who are you?”The ensemble instantly creates scenes, monologues, online conversations and romantic situations inspired by what we provide. Tongue & Groove shows are always funny, which is what audiences expect of improv. Based on realistic feelings and behavior, though, they’re often surprisingly touching, sometimes sad or wistful and even profound. 6/12, The Playground at the Adrienne, tonguegroove.com. —Mark Cofta
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City Council is considering requiring all city parking garages to install security cameras. “I guess that’s the surveillance state we’re living in,” sighs career parking garage monster Morgoplog. “Next time I want to hide behind a car and do some creepy gurgling sounds, or put on my dress shoes and make mysterious footsteps from the shadows, I gotta worry about ending up on YouTube.”
W ST R A U B
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In a radio interview, Phillies GM says struggling second baseman Chase Utley “is still kind of the backbone of our club.” Adding: “We need him if we want to kind of compete the way we’ve been kind of competing.”
THE BAD PLUS JOSHUA REDMAN Fifteen years into their existence, The Bad Plus has finally completed the open-ended equation in their name. The irreverent piano trio adds versatile saxman Joshua Redman to the mix for their latest project, and it’s remarkable how well he meshes with their long-established sound. Redman navigates their tunes with bold finesse, darting between their odd angles like a pinball. In a very short time they’ve become a quartet, not just a trio plus one. 6/13, World Café Live, worldcafelive.com.
JAY FRAM
THIS WEEK ’S TOTAL: 0 // THE YEAR SO FAR: +15
OUR WEEKLY QUALITY-OF-LIFE-O-METER
—Shaun Brady
JOOKLO DUO The Italian twosome of saxophonist Virginia Genta and drummer David Vanzan take American free jazz as their leaping-off point, but where they land feels more like a swimming pool filled with razor blades. Genta plays like she’s trying to melt her sax from the inside out, while Vanzan pummels his kit with all the finesse of falling down stairs. They’ll share the bill with the local sax/drum duo of Keir Neuringer and Julius Masri. 6/13, First Banana, museumfire. com/events. —Shaun Brady
Jooklo Duo
INLIQUID’S ART FOR THE CASH POOR You’re no Mr./Mrs. Moneybags. You’ve got a Vesuvius-sized mountain of student loan debt and pay for things with quarters (just me?). It’s cool — here, you’ve got jewelry, paintings, photography, ceramics and more, all for less than $199. If that’s still “just browsing” money to you (cough), enjoy live music (The Meddlesome Meddlesome Meddlesome Bells are one act among eight), food trucks and a beer garden. Because frugality is no joke, you’ve got free admission and free street parking, too. Who likes rich people, anyway? 6/12 preview event $30-$40; 6/13-6/14 free, Crane Arts, inliquid.org. —Mikala Jamison
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THENAKEDCITY
LGBTQ ISSUES
BY ALEXANDER KACALA
FACING CHANGE IN LIVES OF GAY COMMUNITY
Images of gay youths and seniors are paired up in a new Mural Arts campaign that aims to bridge the gap between generations. IN A COFFEE SHOP in the Gayborhood, a self-identified queer boy pulls up a chair after ordering a mocha Frappuccino with extra whip. Next to him sits an older gentleman, in his 70s or so, drinking his small coffee. No cream. No sugar. Both of them sleep with men, but there is much more than just that one identifier. The boy takes a selfie with his coffee. Visibility has become his norm. The older man looks on. He struggled for representation, acceptance and legitimacy all his life. At times, the gap between these two
generations can seem like a daunting canyon to bridge. The Mural Arts Program accepted that challenge with its educational program and project, “Showing Face.” The week of June 15, in the middle of PRIDE month, the project will be introduced to the Philadelphia community when 30 billboards will go up in 15 locations for a month. Jameson Paige, who works as a project manager in the art education department at Mural Arts, had an idea. His department
NEWS // OPINION // POLITICS
runs programming for middle school and high school students citywide, and is involved with Attic Youth Center, Philly’s only independent LGBTQ youth center. He said they learned that the John C. Anderson Apartments, the senior-housing center project built by and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, was looking for a mural. So Mural Arts approached the Attic Center and said this would be “a really good opportunity to connect two really disconnected populations in the LGBTQ community — seniors and youth. “Their experiences are drastically different. At least on paper,” he told me over a cup of coffee at Square One, the café in the apartment complex located at 251 S. 13th St. “I think a lot of the seniors that live in the Anderson building have seen Stonewall [the milestone gay riots in New York]. They have grown up during the AIDS crisis. They have experienced trauma in a lot of ways that I don’t think the students we have been working with can wrap their heads around. At least, when the project started. “I also think that the youth, primarily being youth of color from an urban area
DOUBLE EXPOSURE: These two images of Anthony Martinez will be on a ‘Showing Face’ billboard. He was photographed with eyes closed to show his vulnerability and with eyes open to show his strength and individuality. CIT Y OF PHILADELPHIA MURAL ARTS PROGRAM/ASHLEY KOLODNER
that has a really high poverty rate, also have a completely different experience [from] the seniors. The project is complicated in that way of trying to bring these two populations together. But, something Mural Arts has honed and done really well is using art-making and public-art projects as a way to tackle really complicated issues. So, it seemed like it would be a good fit.” The billboards will feature work by Brooklyn-based artist Ashley Kolodner, who led a series of workshops with youths at the Attic, on ways to visualize identity. Kolodner photographed the residents from Anderson, letting each senior choose a backdrop. Each person’s photo session resulted in two portraits: one with eyes closed to show their vulnerability
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FACING CHANGE IN LIVES OF GAY COMMUNITY
and a second with eyes open to show their strength and individuality. The two images are displayed side by side to show this juxtaposition. The billboards will also be displayed in pairs, featuring one with a youth’s images next to another with a senior’s. One of those youths is Anthony Martinez. When asked what he has learned about the elderly in the LGBTQ community, he quickly corrects. “I learned that they don’t like to be called elderly. They like to be called seasoned. I got to hear some of their stories. They opened up more doors for us, and it is so different for us than what they had growing up. They fought for the LGBTQ community. If it weren’t for their hard work, it would be different for us as LGBTQ people today.� Michael Palumbaro, 71, a retired nurse, participated in the program as well. “Sometimes, older folks get shunned by young people. But our interactions were really nice. There were a lot of friendly exchanges.� Before moving into the apartments, Palumbaro lived alone in a not-so-gay-friendly neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia. Originally, the project was going to be a mural in the courtyard at the Anderson building, a beautiful space the residents cherish. “They are so proud of that building. I love it. It is a good thing to be proud of,� Paige said. But that soon changed. “Part of the reason we aren’t doing a mural there was this project seemed that it should be something everyone should see, and would function really well as a campaign,� Paige continued. “The courtyard is private. It would do the opposite of that. It would hide it and put it away. After working through designs and meeting with the residents, it didn’t seem like that was something that would showcase the work we were doing.� Then the project developed into subway panels and bus shelters. But Jane Golden, executive director of the Mural Arts Program, had even bigger ideas. “I have always been drawn to murals,� she said. “The fact that they are in the public domain is part of their power. It’s their size, their scale and their content. So when we do projects that are about critical issues, about representation, about respect, about shining a light on important things that our society grapples with, my tendency is to want to go big. I don’t want to go small. I don’t want people or an issue to be marginalized. I don’t want to replicate what society has already been doing. Instead, I want to crack the code. Shift the paradigm. And say no. This is an important issue and people deserve to have respect in their life. They deserve to be heard.� Originally, Golden got a call from Clear Channel billboards about a different project, but Golden mentioned “Showing Face� on the phone. “This is a quintessential Mural Arts story. We are an opportunistic program. But we are opportunistic on the behalf of good. We want to mine every moment,� she said. Through that partnership with Clear Channel, the series will be displayed on billboards throughout the Greater Philadelphia region and on citywide bus shelters. A book is also in the works.
When Mar tinez was asked where his pride comes from, he responded, “My pride comes from who I am. I will always love to be me. That is why I am so motivated. I now love who I am, and I want to be myself. I feel that pride as well for others who can’t speak up for themselves. I want to be there for them as well.� Asked the same question, Paige of Mural Arts, wrote in an email: “My pride comes from being a part of a community that reflects my beliefs, not only in terms of LGBTQ issues, but more broadly as well. I am so grateful to have a queer family that fully embraces me and my political, spiritual, and creative resolve. I think community really is the key to living fully and is one of most important things to fight for and be proud of.� (editorial@citypaper.net) For more information, visit www.muralarts.org.
GAY PRIDE EVENTS FRIDAY, JUNE 12: 4TH ANNUAL KICK-OFF BLOCK PARTY // 6 pm to 11 pm 12th Street. SATURDAY, JUNE 13: PHILLY DYKE MARCH // 3 pm to 6 pm Rally: 3pm at Kahn Park. WILLIAM WAY HOMECOMING // 7 pm to 10 pm The Courtyard of the John C. Anderson Residences. SUNDAY, JUNE 14: 27TH ANNUAL PRIDE DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL // Parade starts at 11:30 am at 13th and Locust. Festival gates open at Noon at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing.
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C Y C L O P E D I A A BOOKLOVER’S TOUR
of
LITERARY PHILADELPHIA.
WRITTEN BY CITY PAPER’S GET LIT BLOGGERS
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n her diaries, Virginia Woolf writes about how her days are filled with reading, writing, entertaining guests and the occasional air raid. She frequently drops in references to riding her bike. Who knew? Imagine her, hair pulled into a tight, low bun, headed to the post office, perhaps to pick up books. The arrival of the Indego bike share in Philadelphia last month, along with our summertime reading of Woolf’s diaries, prompted us to create this five-stop tour of the city’s literary highlights. If you haven’t tried Indego yet, all you need
B A R R - T O M A N
to know is that there are two main ways to rent the bright blue bikes. The first is to sign up on Indego’s website (rideindego.com). For $15 a month, you can get unlimited rides for up to an hour. Or, you can stop by a bike dock, use a credit card, and for $4 you can ride for a half hour. You can pick up a bike at one spot and drop it off at another. But those two wheels will only get you so far. We know booklovers need sustenance, too, so we’ve added places for quick bites and bookstores that still have soul. Get your Woolf on and get ready to be inspired by these literary hot spots. ➥
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Parkway Central Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St. WE ALL KNOW and love it for its lending library, free Internet and air conditioning, but there is a surprising amount of art here, too. Now through October, Kay Healy’s “Lost and Found” exhibit is on display inside the H.O.M.E. Page Café. Inspired by real stories of people’s lost items, she created threedimensional sewn and stuffed objects and gave them a home. At the top of the grand stairs are two pieces by Bob and Roberta Smith (aka Patrick Brill), “The MoMA Will Be Free” and “Creating Things.” Both works pro test the cost of entrance fees to New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In the spacious children’s library, originals of N.C. Wyeth’s book illustrations line the walls. As for books, you will find a first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustrations by Beatrix Potter and the works of Charles Dickens in the Rare Books Department. Don’t miss Dickens’ stuffed raven, Grip. Head back to the children’s library for kids’ books from all over the world, written in many languages, including Italian, Filipino and Latin (if you’re really kickin’ it old school). In the music room, listen to tunes on CDs, tapes and vinyl. You will find a large collection of sheet music from the Civil War era, and bound, complete works of composers. Upstairs is the Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, the largest of its kind, with more than 22,000 volumes. Conductors from all over the world only have to pay the price of postage to borrow these materials. The Parkway library also houses the Automobile Reference Collection, one of the largest collections of materials about cars — pictures, advertisements,
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literary success. Poe’s true love was poetry (destined by his name, no doubt), but he made more money from his stories. (He called the short story “the light artillery of the intellect,” but also said, “you must write what they want to read.”) He also dreamed of running a successful literary periodical, a dream that came
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manuals, license plates — outside of Detroit. The Book Corner, a bookstore run by the Friends of the Free Library, sits behind the Parkway library. Stop by and say hi to cats-in-residence Chaucer and Catticus Finch while you look through a large selection of used books. Each sale contributes money to the main library. Think you know a lot? A “Literary Quizzo” is held on the first Thursday of the month. It’s BYOB. If all this browsing makes you hungry, head to Sabrina’s, where breakfast is served all day. Try the stuffed French challah toast, a signature dish. Warning: It’s as big as your head, so you might want to split it with a friend. Nearby Indego Bike Dock: 302 N. 19th St., Cool Bookstore: Book Corner, 311 N. 20th St., Quick Bite: Sabrina’s Cafe and Spencer’s Too, 1804 Callowhill St., Pedal time to next stop: 10-12 minutes
true for short periods but always ended, as did much in his life, after financial failure. His wife’s ongoing bad health and eventual death at age 24 from tuberculosis sent the author into cycles of drinking and moodiness. But two years after her death, he was on the verge of starting a new literary journal and marrying a (welloff) childhood sweetheart, when he died mysteriously during a visit to Baltimore. The Poe home is open Friday to Sunday 9 a.m. to
Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 532 N. Seventh St. AUTHOR EDGAR ALLAN POE, known for creepy horror stories and for creating the detective story, spent six allegedly happy years of his life living in Philly, from 1838 to 1844. He, his young wife (and first cousin) Virginia Clemm Poe, and mother-in-law Maria Clemm, lived in five abodes in their six years here. After Poe earned the vast sum of $100 for his story “The Gold Bug,” he rented this brick house, the largest and nicest of their homes, at the corner of Seventh and Spring Garden streets. The small site is packed with information about Poe’s life: orphaned by age 3, raised by foster parents with whom he didn’t get along, unsuccessful stints at the University of Virginia and West Point, and then marriage and
5 p.m. (closed from noon to 1). Park Ranger Joanne Schillizzi finishes her tour by taking you into the cellar (yes, it’s dark and slightly scary) and reciting from memory Poe’s story, “The Black Cat.” Her passion for Poe is contagious! Nearby Indego Bike Dock: 802 Spring Garden St., Quick Bite: Silk City Diner, 435 Spring Garden St., for nibbles from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Perfect if you’re feeling peckish once upon a midnight dreary… Pedal time to next stop: 12-13 minutes
Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St. WHEN LIBRARIAN JAMES GREEN tells the story of the founding of the Library Company of
Philadelphia, you’d swear he was a FOB — friend of Ben Franklin — and that he had been there himself in 1731 when Franklin and his “Junto” club established what was once the largest public library in the country. Green has been with the Library Company for 32 years, and he’s part of the reason that history lives on at this historic institution. Back in the 1730s, Franklin and friends liked to get together regularly and talk about ideas, and they enjoyed, according to Green, “the kind of reading that would improve their minds, their community and
their position in the community.” This, says Green, “always came down to books.” The group tried to pool their individual collections into a makeshift library, but found themselves suffering from a common library problem: books weren’t being returned. So, they put some money into it and created what was called a “subscription library.” By organizing this way, they could then fine anyone who didn’t return a book (sound familiar?) and use the money to purchase more books. Green thinks this was the first time that a library was set up in this manner. This, he says, was the original Franklin invention. “It was his first cultural invention. He was taking something that had been tried and failed and making it succeed, and it became the first public lending library in the world.” The Library Company was the city’s main public library until the Free Library came into being around 1890. The Library Company for a time was located in a beautiful Frank Furness building at the corner of Juniper and Locust. That building was torn down in 1940 (yes, they put up a parking lot). It moved into its current location in 1966, where it mainly serves as a research library, open to all. It no longer lends books. The collection includes medical information for lay people, author George Lippard, and African-American history (the latter forming the basis of a public exhibition running until June 27, “The Genius of Freedom”). Says Green: “All you need to come and see anything we have is a photo ID and a mission.”
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Mission accomplished, check out the nearby Giovanni’s Room at 12th and Pine. The indie bookstore has been transformed into a Philly AIDS Thrift shop, which still features new and used LGBTQ fiction and non-fiction along with magazines, music, art and clothing. Snack at cozy Toast, where you can get a yummy breakfast sandwich and a coffee, or go for a cold snack at Capogiro, if you can decide what flavor to get from the many varieties of gelato. Kiwi? Lychee? Rhubarb, anyone?
personal library and elephant figurines. Included in the collection is her correspondence, so you can see what she and Ezra Pound or William Carlos Williams wrote to each other. Don’t be surprised if baseball is mentioned. Moore was a huge Brooklyn Dodgers fan. There are also thousands of her photographs. One, hanging right outside the room, shows her tossing out the first ball at Yankee Stadium in 1968. This week, the Rosenbach’s annual Bloomsday
Nearby Indego Bike Dock: 213 S. 13th St., Cool Bookstore: Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St., Quick Bite: Toast, 1201 Spruce St., and Capogiro, 119 S. 13th St., Pedal time to next stop: 5-7 minutes
Rosenbach Museum and Library, 20082010 Delancey Place BE HONEST. When you go into someone’s home for the first time, you immediately search for bookshelves. If they don’t have books, you may not be back. At the Rosenbach, you’ll come back again and again. Dr. Rosenbach’s library is just as he left it. There are two rooms; one devoted to English texts, such as Shakespeare and Jane Austen; the other to Americans, including the likes of Benjamin Franklin and Philliss Wheatley. Across the hall is Moder nist poet Marianne Moore’s complete Greenwich Village living room. It’s all ther e — fr om couches and lamps to her
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Festival gets underway. The celebration is named after the protagonist Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses, which takes place all in one day. This June 16, on the 2000 block of Delancey, fans of Ulysses will gather for readings of excerpts from the book from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss actress Drucie McDaniel’s reading of Molly Bloom’s soliloquy; it’s a crowd pleaser every year. If you’re confused by Ulysses, you are not alone; the Brits were convinced it was written in spy code. Through September, Rosenbach is displaying an exhibit, “Deciphering Ulysses: A Playful Introduction to Joyce’s Novel.” On view is a renowned cryptographer’s copy of Ulysses, with his handwritten notes in the margins. The museum is also a research library. If you want to see a rare book or have a research project in mind, make an appointment with librarian (and Indego enthusiast) Elizabeth Fuller. Hands-on Tours, held Fridays and Sundays at 3 p.m., let you touch selected pieces in the collection. Regular house tours begin at the top of the hour Tuesday through Sunday during museum hours. Need a nosh break? Stop by Pamcakes, where Pam
Kingsland creates beautiful cupcakes on site. Try the Triple Chocolate Threat. It may only last about three seconds, but they’ll be some sweet moments. Nearby you’ll find the independent Joseph Fox Bookshop for books by many local authors amid a wide range of topquality fiction and nonfiction, plus an extensive architecture section. Pick up Julie Lorch’s Where to Bike Philadelphia for ideas for routes for your next bike tour. Nearby Indego bike dock: 1911 Walnut St., Cool bookstore: Joseph Fox Bookshop, 1724 Sansom St., Quick bite: Pamcakes, 404 S. 20th Street., Pedal time to next stop: 8-9 minutes
University of Pennsylvania Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Van Pelt Library, 3420 Walnut St. OUR JAUNT AROUND TOWN visiting literary landmarks has shown us that that wily Ben Franklin had his fingers in a lot of pies, and the University of Pennsylvania is no exception — after all, he did help found the school. Head up to the sixth floor of Van Pelt, Penn’s main library, where the Rare Book & Manuscript Library has been housed since 1962, turn left as you exit the elevator, and there again is evidence of Franklin’s influence, this time in the form of what’s affectionately called “the Ben desk.” The old wooden CONTINUED ON P. 12
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desk is encased in a small glass room, complete with antique teapot and a walking stick that was a gift from Lafayette. It stands just outside the doors of the Henry Charles Lea Library, a spectacular two-story, wood-paneled library transplanted in 1925 from the original Lea home at 20th and Walnut. Rare Book & Manuscript Library visitors can actually begin their journey online. The Kislak Center website (library.upenn.edu/kislak) is a portal to view the holdings. Start there, and then follow up in person. Says Library Director David McKnight: “I encourage the public to come to view the exhibitions and even wander around the floor and enjoy the ambiance and the view.” There is an expansive campus and city view from this airy sixth-floor perch. Current exhibits include modern Japanese art books; posters, programs
and photos from Philadelphia’s Savoy Company, and “The Image Affair: Dreyfus in the Media, 1894-1906.” A smaller case holds an exhibit of T.S. Eliot’s books and manuscripts celebrating the 100th anniversary of the publication of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” At one end of the floor is the Furness Memorial Shakespeare Library, a huge and ever-growing collection of books and monographs by and about the bard. One floor down, there’s a modest collection of incunabula, books that were printed (as opposed to handwritten) before 1500. From Shakespeare to the history of chemistry, from 18th and 19th century printed sheet music to the Eugene Ormandy collection, to over 500 boxes documenting the career of Marian Anderson, this is a collection to be reckoned with. It’s not surprising that a rare book library is full of antiquities, but it is surprising that in this case, so many of them are so available and accessible. Says McKnight: “One of our greatest attributes is our willingness to provide direct, hands-on access to our rare and special
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Nearby Indego Bike Dock: 125 S. 36th St., Cool Bookstore: Penn Book Center, 130 S. 34th St., Quick Bite: Federal Donuts, 3428 Sansom St., Avril 50, 3406 Sansom St., Pedal time to next stop: Rest easy. Your tour is complete.
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collections both in the classrooms and for researchers in our reading room.” Members of the public can use the collection after presenting ID at the door downstairs. Shake out your brain after all this scholarly immersion with a trip to Federal Donuts. The crunchy fried chicken and the sugary treats will quickly clear your mind, but if that’s not sufficient, take a few steps to the magazine and chocolate shop Avril 50, where you can get an iced coffee with cubes made from frozen coffee that won’t water down your drink. Thus fortified, head around the corner to Penn Book Center, which has for years been offering an alternative selection to that of the official Penn Bookstore. Currently on display at the Book Center: Fun, colorful books about mathematics for adults and children — hard to beat the nerd appeal here!
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C I T Y PA PER . N ET // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
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ARTS // MUSIC // THEATER // BOOKS the three Jesuses (Jesi?) together for a group session to shock the trio (or at least two of them, right?) out of their claims by confronting each other’s delusional behavior. Their thinly sketched personas clash predictably, starting with the males’ shock at a woman claiming to be the resurrected Jesus, and each one’s quick denunciation of the other two impostors. With little at stake for any of the characters, however, the debate spins and drifts, and the play’s farcical energy lapses. The doctor’s desperation for a man (her only companion is her sick dog Archie) fuels many jokes, but feels lazy and dated. The Jesi briefly unite and declare the doctor their common enemy, but plans to either kill or convert her don’t lead to much. Their eventual exits feel contrived and leave a lot of questions, feeling like the characters had served their purposes and been let go.
‘It shouldn’t take a miracle to make a point.’
AN ALMIGHTY STRUGGLE: The cast of The Three Christs of Manhattan by InterAct has trouble keeping things peaceful. PLATE3PHOTOGRAPH Y
CURTAIN CALL
BY MARK COFTA
YOUR OWN PERSONAL JESUS The Three Christs of Manhattan by InterAct misses an opportunity to explore real issues. SETH ROZIN’S NEW COMEDY — which concludes InterAct’s 27th season — was inspired by a real case of three people each claiming to be Jesus Christ receiving treatment from the same therapist, but the play otherwise keeps a safe distance from reality. Leah Walton plays rookie analyst Paula Posner, “schvitzing” and complaining to her own therapist (Tom Helmer, on speaker
phone) about seeing her first patients. Her first is Dan Hodge’s long-haired, bearded Jesus, wearing a white robe, red sash and sandals as typically portrayed (costumed by Katherine Fritz). He wants to discuss “questions about my identity,” refers to New York City as Judea and non-Jews as Romans and speaks in King James version style, using “thou” and “thee” and “wouldst.” He speaks English, yet contemporary phrases and
technology dismay him — even though he apparently knows what Kleenex are. We don’t see all of their session, and jump forward in time to Dr. Posner’s second appointment: Akeem Davis as another Jesus. Dressed in an old green jacket, jeans and sneakers, and sporting Sideshow Bob dreads, he’s an energetic Black street preacher sent by his girlfriend because of his anger issues — and, while a “socialist” and “Canadian,” as others call him, he is equally certain of his divine identity. The third Jesus, played by Judith Lightfoot Clarke, is a sleek, sophisticated businesswoman who runs a successful company called JC Plenty, espousing a new gospel of “body, soul and bank account” salvation. This actually exists, by the way; a little channel surfing reveals TV evangelists promising that Jesus will make us rich if we first “plant a seed” by sending donations. This Jesus, though, has a better business plan than duping gullible people, and comes to Dr. Posner hoping to “disconfirm the perception of being Jesus Christ,” because her father — you know, up there — says her divinity is bad for business. This long setup leads to Dr. Posner forcing
Clever stagecraft in Rozin and co-director Kittson O’Neill’s production — Colin McIlvaine’s handsome salmon-walled set features some fun surprises, and Shannon Zura’s lighting excels at supernatural illumination — culminates in a lively albeit shallow punchline ending. Who’s the right Jesus for our times? The exploration of issues that defines InterAct’s impressive record of socially conscious plays is strangely absent, a missed opportunity when religious rights and freedoms are so divisive in America and around the world. The debate never rises above sitcom level about religion, psychiatry, American culture or relationships. It shouldn’t take a miracle to make a point. The Three Christs of Manhattan is InterAct’s last show at The Adrienne after 18 years in the former Wilma Theater Sansom Street home. In the fall, they open at The Drake, a new twotheater complex on Spruce Street that they’ll share with Azuka, Inis Nua, Simpatico and PlayPenn, tangible proof that theater continues to thrive in Philadelphia. (m_cofta@citypaper.net) Through June 21, $22 - $38, InterAct Theatre Company at The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 215-568-8079, interacttheatre.org.
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PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // C I T Y PA PER . N ET
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MOVIESHORTS
C I T Y PA PER . N ET // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER
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FILMS ARE GRADED BY CIT Y PAPER CRITICS A-F.
DRAMA
Film events and special screenings.
REPERTORY FILM
BY DREW LAZOR
LA SAPIENZA
/ B / The characters in Eugène Green’s fifth feature often stand in the center of his symmetrical frames and address the camera directly, as if speaking to, or at least for, an audience the movie hopes to convene through sheer force of will. But the American-born Green, who has lived in France for most of his life, seems fairly dubious about the prospects of anyone turning up, and doesn’t knock himself out luring in the crowds. La Sapienza, which uses Baroque architecture as a governing symbol of European cultural achievement, is like a glorious cathedral whose function as a house of worship has long since been eclipsed by its status as an objet d’art. Architect Alexandre Schmidt, played by Fabrizio Rongione (Two Days, One Night), calls the factories he builds “modern cathedrals,” but a trip to Italy reminds him of the classical virtues he once embraced. A dinner companion calls a hospital he built in São Paolo — or was it NewYork? — a “rectangle on matchsticks,” and he declines to
BRYN MAWR FILM INSTITUTE
824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-527-9898, brynmawrfilm.org. Man and Superman (2015, U.K., 220 min.): Theatercast of George Bernard Shaw’s intricate swing at Don Juan, starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma. Thu., June 11, 7 p.m., $20, and Sun., June 14, 1 p.m., $20. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942, U.S., 88 min.): Orson Welles introduces a well-heeled Midwestern clan whose wealth and status wane as society advances. A 35mm screening. Tue., June 16, 7:15 p.m., $12. My Darling Clementine (1946, U.S., 97 min.): John Ford’s seminal take on the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral, with Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp and Victor Mature as Doc Holliday. Wed., June 17, 7:15 p.m., $12. INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, ihousephilly.org. To Chris Marker, an Unsent Letter (2013, U.S., 78 min.) and Description of a Memory (2007, Israel, 80 min.): Two features made in tribute to late French filmmaker Chris Marker. Thu., June 11, 7 p.m., $9. Level Five (1997, France, 106 min.): A woman, operating within a virtual world, is tasked with developing a video game about the Battle of Okinawa. Fri., June 12, 7 p.m., $9. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958, U.S., 88 min.): Classic stop-action monster fantasy following the adventurous sailor on a quest to save his bride. Sat., June 13, 2 p.m., $5. Eraserhead (1977, U.S., 89 min.): David Lynch’s deeply unsettling debut was inspired by the industrial neighborhoods of Philadelphia. A 35mm screening. Sat., June 13, 7 p.m., $9. LUCIEN E. BLACKWELL WEST PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL LIBRARY
125 S. 52nd St., 215-685-7433, freelibrary.org. Autism for AfricanAmerican Families (2015, U.S., 60 min.):This new video series, produced by social worker Karen Krivit and Drexel television students, puts a personal face on autism in the African-American community. Sat., June 13, 1 p.m., free.
CATHEDRAL CEILINGS: Architecture mirrors life in La Sapienza.
disagree, regretting his decision to design a structure without windows to minimize any interference with scientific progress. He and his wife (Christelle Prot Landman) take on a pair of Italian teenagers as unofficial traveling companions and surrogate children, and together they marvel at the creations of the old world. To speak of characters or performance here seems slightly misleading: Like Robert Bresson, whose The Devil Probably La Sapienza strongly resembles, Green pushes his actors toward extreme minimalism, only without Bresson’s underlying spirituality. The movie’s classicism shades into conservatism, an elegant but airless evocation of a dead world. When a loudmouthed Australian (you were expecting some other kind?) shows up and rudely orders an Italian security guard to let him into a locked chapel, it’s an unintended relief, and one of the few times the film bothers to depict the barbarians it feels always at the gates. —Sam Adams (Ritz at Bourse)
PFS THEATER AT THE ROXY
2023 Sansom St., 267-639-9508, filmadelphia.org/roxy. The Summer of Sangaile (2015, France/Lithuania/Netherlands, 88 min.): Lesbian bildungsroman chronicling the sexual awakening of a timid Lithuanian teen. Thu., June 11, 7:30 p.m., $10. The Treatment (2014, Belgium, 125 min.): A successful detective, haunted by a family tragedy, dives deep into the troubling case of a missing 9-year-old boy. Fri., June 12, midnight, and Sat., June 13, midnight, $10. The Iron Giant (1999, U.S., 86 min.): Brad Bird’s touching animated tale about a young boy who befriends an enormous but inquisitive robot. Sat., June 13, 11 a.m., $10, and Sun., June 14, 11 a.m., $10. The Seven Year Itch (1955, U.S., 105 min.): “When it gets hot like this, you know what I do? I keep my undies in the icebox.” Mon., June 15, 2 p.m., $8, and Wed., June 17, 2 p.m., $8. Mean Girls (2004, U.S., 97 min.): “She doesn’t even go here!” A BYOB screening ($2 corkage fee per person). Wed., June 17, 7:30 p.m., $10. THE ROTUNDA
The Seven Year Itch
4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234, therotunda.org. Soul Man (1986, U.S., 104 min.) and Watermelon Man (1970, U.S., 100 min.): Two edgy comedies that use blackface and whiteface as a means of social commentary — C. Thomas Howell as a white student who fakes black to land a minority scholarship to Harvard; and Godfrey Cambridge as a racist Caucasian who turns African-American overnight. An Andrew’s Video Vault screening hosted by Mike Dennis of Reelblack. Thu., June 11, 8 p.m., free.
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PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // C I T Y PA PER . N ET
EVENTS
: JUNE 11 - JUNE 17 :
GET OUT THERE
CONFERENCE/TALKS
Ursula Rucker at TEDx Philadelphia 2010
TEDX PHILADELPHIA
A city-specific offshoot of the TED Talks you’ve come to know and love, this year’s TEDx explores the audience-voted theme “And Justice For All.” Speakers will explore “access and equity” and “ideas for building more just cities.” It’s well-timed; topics include surveillance, policing, the interests of at-risk children, even “rehabilitation robots.” (Cool.) If you can’t be there — only the highest-priced tickets aren’t sold out — a live video webcast streams all day. Presenters include names you know: Daily News’ Ronnie Polaneczky, PPD Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, National Constitution Center CEO Jeffrey Rosen and many more. —Mikala Jamison
thursday
6.11
LES MISERABLES
$25-$67 // Through June 28, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley, Pa., 610282-9455, pashakespeare.org. THEATER The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is the largest summer theater in the region — less than 90 minutes away by car — and offers five full productions plus two more just for kids now through Aug. 2, starting with this operatic 1987 Tony Award-winning musical on their main stage. Director Dennis Razze’s cast of 37 includes the most Broadway credits, recording artists and national tours of any PSF cast ever. The season continues with Around the World in 80 Days, The Foreigner and two Shakespeare productions, Henry V and the rarely seen Pericles. —Mark Cofta
EDIT BUNKER/ I THINK LIKE MIDNIGHT
$10 // Thu., June 11, 8 p.m., with Lanterna, Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford
Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com. ROCK/POP Watch some veteran Philly musicians get together and never say a word. Edit Bunker is a drumsand-bass duo featuring Owen Biddle, who held the low-end for the Roots for a while. He and sticksman Zach Danziger create a hypnotic blend of jazz, electronics and the voice of Edith Bunker, which gets warped and processed until it sounds like Mother Earth’s ghost in the machine. Meanwhile, I Think Like Midnight — featuring Andrew Chalfen (The Trolleyvox, The Wishniaks), Josh Newman (American Altitude) and Dean Sabatino and Joe Jack Talcum of the Dead Milkmen — place jangly guitar riffs into instrumental settings that are driving, playful and mysterious all at once. And this show functions as a reunion of sorts, as Biddle played bass for a time with Chalfen in The Trolleyvox. —Michael Pelusi
HELLO! SADNESS!
$23 // Thu.-Sat., June 1113, SEI Innovation Studio at The Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce streets, 215-8931999, kimmelcenter.org. THEATER Mary Tuomanen’s
one-woman show, developed in the 2014 Kimmel Center Theater Residency with poet and performance artist Dael Orlandersmith, features the popular Philadelphia actress (the title role in Hamlet, The Bearded Ladies, Applied Mechanics) in a comedy about art and activism that reinvents the female archetype through varied historical characters and, particularly, her fascination with Joan of Arc (explored also in her Fringe hit Saint Joan, Betrayed). Choreographer Annie Wilson directs, with contributions from Aaron Cromie and Rebecca Wright. —Mark Cofta
f riday
6.12 MAKING TIME
$15 // Fri., June 12, 9 p.m., with Viet Cong, Lower Dens and Girl Band, Making Time DJs, Voyeur, 1221 St. James St., 215-735-5772, voyeurnightclub.com. PUNK/ROCK It can be a head-scratcher when Philly’s defining hipster dance party books rock acts, but the powerhouse triple-bill for this 15th-anniversary install-
ment of Making Time should inspire — if not outright demand — plenty of potent bodily motion. Knotty, clangorous Calgary postpunkers Viet Cong shapeshift considerably across the seven tracks of their eponymous LP (Jagjaguwar), but twitchily insistent rhythms are a constant. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s moody Lower Dens modulate into surprisingly slinky ’80s pop mode on their new wavey new Escape From Evil (Ribbon), while Ireland’s (all-male) Girl Band’s excoriating Early Years EP features, among other incitements, a monstrously demented beat-punk reworking of UK bass icon Blawan. —K. Ross Hoffman
ACTIVE CHILD $15 // Fri., June 12, 8 p.m., with Low Roar, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215222-1400, worldcafelive.com. ELECTRONIC/R&B Pat Grossi, who now lives in LA, got his earliest performance experience as a member of the Philadelphia Boy’s Choir, and the music he creates as Active Child has a decidedly choral sense of grace and spacious evocation. That’s largely thanks to his spell-
binding, often multi-tracked falsetto, which manages to be ethereal and earthy in the same breath. Mercy (Vagrant), his first full-length in four years, occasionally revisits the clubbier direction teased on 2013’s Rapor EP, but its primary focus is on moody, gently dramatic electronic R&B. —K. Ross Hoffman
NICOLE MITCHELL/ TOMEKA REID/ MIKE REED
$15 // Fri., June 12, 8 p.m., Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St., 215-5454302, arsnovaworkshop.com. JAZZ Following last week’s performance by Wadada Leo Smith, Ars Nova Workshop concludes its celebration of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musician’s 50th anniversary with a performance by a trio representing the organization’s younger generation. Flutist Nicole Mitchell served as its first female president, remedying a longstanding blind spot, while both cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer Mike Reed joined her on the executive board. All three continue to advance the AACM’s mission of musical individualism. —Shaun Brady
LET’S TALK IT OUT: $75-$150, Thu., June 11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad St., tedxphiladelphia.org.
ALVVAYS $14-$16 // Fri., June 12, 8:30 p.m., with American Wrestlers, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100, utphilly.com. ROCK/POP A few months ago, Alvvays played a packed SXSW showcase put together by Pitchfork, so it’s no wonder they were able to land the lead spot at Union Transfer. Frontwoman Molly Rankin — heir to Canadian country group the Rankin Family Band — started out as a roots-driven solo artist, but you won’t catch that sound on Alvvays’ self-titled debut, released last July. Instead, enjoy the sugary distortion “Archie, Marry Me” and other bleached-out surf songs. —Nikki Volpicelli
C I T Y PA PER . N ET // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER
saturday
tuesday
6.16
6.13
ERIC REVIS TRIO
CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO
$22 // Sat., June 13, 8 p.m., Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0770, tinangel.com. JAZZ/ROCK Seven-string guitar ace Charlie Hunter is the rare artist who can unite the jazz and jam worlds, thanks to his knack for both intricate fretwork and grooves as elastic as a bouncy castle. His new trio brings together two NYC Downtown scene veterans — trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, familiar from the Lounge Lizards and Jazz Passengers, and the staggeringly diverse and prolific drummer Bobby Previte — to range through blues, funk and propulsive jazz. —Shaun Brady
BEN WILLIAMS
$20-$25 // Sat., June 13, 8 and 10 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St., 215568-3131, chrisjazzcafe.com. JAZZ Like many young, ambitious jazz musicians, Ben Williams seemed determined to show off everything he could do on his promising but uneven debut, State of Art. The bassist’s aptly-titled follow-up, Coming of Age, is a more cohesive effort while maintaining his diverse inter-
ests in post-bop, hip-hop and rock. Extensive touring with Pat Metheny has helped streamline his sound into a keen, fluid soul-jazz fusion. —Shaun Brady
RHYE
$25 // Sat., June 13, 8:30 p.m., with Moon Bounce, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100, utphilly.com. ROCK/POP For months after Rhye released Woman in 2013, I thought that’s what she was. The breathy, definitively female vocal tracks on “The Fall” and “Open” were proof of it. The sensual, black-and-white nape of the neck album art suggested it. And whoever was behind-the-scenes did nothing to disprove it. But I was wrong. Rhye is vocalist Miles Milosh and producer Robin Hannibal, R&B duo living in Los Angeles and borrowing bits and pieces from artists like Prince and Jessie Ware. While the jig is up, it’s still pretty interesting to consider the guys’ ability to break expectations between what you hear and what you think you’ll see as a result. —Nikki Volpicelli
$15 // Tue., June 16, 8 p.m., Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St., arsnovaworkshop.com. JAZZ For the better part of 20 years, Eric Revis is best known as the bassist for the Branford Marsalis Quartet, but all along he’s harbored a more abstract side, which has emerged in a
series of adventurous releases for the Portuguese label Clean Feed. This trio unites him with two other artists who routinely lean hard on jazz’s outer edge, pianist Kris Davis and drummer Gerald Cleaver. —Shaun Brady
citypaper.net/events
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PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // C I T Y PA PER . N ET
FOOD&DRINK
C I T Y PA PER . N ET // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER
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REVIEWS // OPENIN GS // LISTIN GS // RECIPES
AL FRESCO: Caramelized pork banh mi at Same Same. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA
formerly of Franklin Mortgage and Investment Co., so the bar program is predictable stellar with stirred, shaken and bottled cocktails on offer. They also have a comprehensive beer and wine draft list. Chef Brian Ricci has created a cocktail friendly menu with everything from bar bites to sharable rotisserie plates. 315 N. 12th St., 215-923-1596, brickandmortarphilly. com. Daily, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
the city’s dining scene has to offer. DOS TACOS Former Tashan chef Sylva Senat has a big project under construction at 13th andChancellor, but in the meantime he needed something to keep him busy. Enter Dos Tacos, a narrow takeout spot on 15th Street that’s taking a creative look at Mexican street fare. The tacos come in familiar crisp-shelled, ground-beef varieties and with a touch of Korean flair. 120 S. 15th St. Mon.-Wed., 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thu.-Sat., 11 a.m.-3 a.m. SAME SAME Stock proved to the city that there’s room for Vietnamese fare outside the confines of Washington Avenue, and Same Same is doing something similar. Coming from a chef with a Michelin-starred background, they’re offering a menu of banh mis, lettuce wraps and Southeast Asian desserts that reinforces the fact that South Philly pho is merely a gateway drug. 614 N. 2nd St., 215-460-8337, samesamephilly.com. Wed.-Sun., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-10 p.m.
NEW EATS
BY CAROLINE RUSSOCK
OPEN SEASON
Summer restaurant-opening season is here. SUMMERTIME BUCKET LIST eats tend to fall into three distinct categories: There are the must-eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, such as your Jersey tomatoes and corn, cherries, perfectly ripe peaches and nectarines. And then there’s the grillables: charred natural casing dogs and backyard burgers. And lastly, seaside fare; depending on where you are, this could be anything from smash-and-pick crabs to lobster rolls
or fried clam bellies. Crossing all of these off the list, this and every summer, is a must, but this season there are a few more to add to the list. Summer in Philadelphia is shaping up to be a very hot restaurant-opening season. And while June 21 is still a few weeks away, there are plenty of reasons to forgo that trip down the AC Expressway in favor of staying in town to check out the latest that
PIZZERIA VETRI If you’ve ever had the retolo at Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud’s Callowhill location of Pizzeria Vetri, chances are you’ve thought about how wonderful it would be if there were one closer to home. Happily, there’s a new location, right around the corner from Little Pete’s, and they’re wood-firing the same menu (and pouring the same great drinks) as the original. Be on the lookout for more Pizzeria Vetris to come, but in the meantime, take advantage of their signature Rittenhouse pie topped with scamorza and lobster. 1615 Chancellor St., 215-763-3760, pizzeriavetri.com., Sun.-Thu., 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. BRICK AND MORTAR The newest addition to the Loft District is an industrial-chic restaurant and bar on the ground level of the Goldtex Building. Brick and Mortar is the brainchild of Mike Welsh,
TRIANGLE TAVERN This beloved South Philly barroom got a new lease on life thanks to folks behind the Royal, Cantina and Khyber. Retro vibes rule the dining room while the menu is a mix of old school red sauce fare (think meatballs and roast pork sandwiches) with a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian options. At the bar, there are four reimagined Negronis plus spiked adult water ice and wines on tap. 1338 S. 10th St., 215-8001992. Daily, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. MORGAN’S PIER Morgan’s Pier is in its third season, but this year’s chef in residence makes a revisit a summertime must. Top Chef champ Nick Elmi redesigned the menu to include all sorts of
Summer in Philadelphia is shaping up to be a very hot restaurantopening season. seaside-inspired fare like smoked trout spread with roe and Knead bagel chips, a crab roll with yuzu mayo and grilled bronzino with preserved lemon and oven-roasted tomatoes. 221 N. Columbus Blvd., 215-279-7134, morganspier.com. Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m. - 2 a.m., Sat.Sun., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. (caroline@citypaper.net, @carolinerussock)
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PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // C I T Y PA PER . N ET
BY ADAM ERACE
REVIEW
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BIG TIME BIG GAY ICE CREAM // 521 S. Broad St., 267886-8024, biggayicecream.com. Hours: Sun.-Wed., noon-10 p.m., Thu.-Sat., noon-midnight. I DON’T REALLY EAT SOFT-SERVE. While the twisting turrets of machine-dispensed custard have their place (Ocean City boardwalk or spun into a DQ Blizzard consumed under the cover of night), to me it lacks the character and honesty of hard, hand-dipped ice cream. Often soft-serve is an industrial product that comes in a bag in a box, containing all the artisanship of a bottle of Nicki Minaj Moscato.* Hard ice cream offers a rainbow of flavors: mint, butter pecan, black raspberry-chocolate chip, Earl Grey-Sriracha. Soft-serve counters with vanilla, chocolate, twist. So now that you know my preference, you’ll forgive me for having mixed feelings about the locomotive of hype upon which soft-serve-peddling Big Gay Ice Cream charged into Philly from New York. I felt flattered, as I often do, when a restaurant or chef from another big city chooses to do business here; six-year-old Big Gay eyed us and L.A. for their expansion plans. But would the Salty Pimps and Bea Arthurs be as magical as the food writers up the N.J. Turnpike would have us believe? YES.Yes, yes, yes, yes. Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, Big Gay’s major players, changed the soft-serve game back in 2013 by switching to a proprietary base made not with mystery milk and synthetics, but with rich, ivory moo juice from Ronnybrook Farm Dairy in upstate NewYork. I didn’t know this when I peeked into Big Gay’s weekold South Street embassy minutes before closing one night. But I could taste something different in this softserve, dispensed in vanilla spirals, smothered in crimson strawberry sauce (that actually tasted like strawberries), paved in crushed Nilla Wafers and finished with a thick garland of Ronnybrook whipped cream. It tasted like fresh milk and sweet cream. And suddenly, soft-serve was not just for the boardwalk. In the following weeks, Big Gay’s long-lashed unicorn mascot and I would become well acquainted as I licked my way through the signature sundaes and cones. Quint and Petroff have a knack for introducing flavor in ways you don’t expect: injecting dulce de leche directly into the soft serves (the Magic Shell-ed Pimp and Nilla Wafer-ed Arthur), for example, and lining waffle cones with skims of Nutella (the Monday Sundae), speculoos and Awesomesauce, a literally-hot fudge situation spiced with all hell’s cayenne. I cooled off from that one with a spoonful of wife’s Mermaid, a sundae ribboned with tangy key lime curd. There are milkshakes, too, and paletas for the lactoseaverse, but not a whole lot else. Up in New York, Big Gay’s ice cream parlors are churning out flavors like horchata, coffee and Trix. “Philly, we haven’t forgotten that you aren’t getting special flavors yet,” the company Instagrammed a month ago. “Keep working your way through the regular stuff, k?” I’ll be patient for a while, but how many Bea Arthurs can one guy have? So far my tally is six. (aerace.citypaper@gmail.com, @adamerace)
*Yes, this is real. God help us.
C I T Y PA PER . N ET // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER
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PHIL ADELPHIA CIT Y PAPER // JUNE 11, 2015 - JUNE 17, 2015 // C I T Y PA PER . N ET