Shameless Plug -- Exile's SHINING CITY

In case you haven't heard, Theatre Exile's production of Conor McPherson's Shining City is FABULOUS. I could go on about all the glowing things reviewers have been saying, or about all the emails I've been getting from patrons who loved the show. I could tell you how the cast, director, and designers came together to create a seamless, eloquent, and heart-wrenchingly honest evening of theatre. I could, because I've done all these things through other venues -- I work for Exile, so it's my job.

Rather than repeat myself, I'll just urge you to come see the show before it closes on the 25th. You won't be disappointed. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 215-218-4022.

Weekend Happenings

In the spirit of spring and a renewal of posting, I wanted to let everyone know that I will be attending the Free Library Festival this weekend, April 17 and 18. (You should go too--tell your friends!)

Although the festival launched in 2007, and I'm usually a proponent of this sort of thing, I have yet to attend. According to the library's website, the event is "an annual 2-day celebration of books, music, people, and ideas." Hosted by Philadelphia's Central Library on the Parkway, the festival is a free public event that draws 25,000-35,000 booklovers from across the mid-Atlantic region. "Highlights include appearances by celebrity authors, engaging children’s programs, live music and other performances, plus a Street Fair & Literary Marketplace featuring numerous literary exhibitors—including publishers, booksellers, independent authors, and cultural organizations."

I'm not yet sure which events I'll be able to hit, but here are a few of my favorites:

• Robin Black | If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This
• Storybook Parade
• Heidi W. Durrow | The Girl Who Fell From the Sky: A Novel
• Chang-rae Lee | The Surrendered
• David Lipsky | Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace
• Second Annual First Person Inter-City StorySlam: Philly vs. Washington D.C.
  

And that's just a taste of what's going on Saturday. Many more on Sunday (including an event with Sapphire, the author of Push, the novel for which the movie Precious was based).

Other noteworthy going ons this weekend: I'm getting my first tattoo!

Fall Fun

There were so many fun fall things scheduled for this weekend--friends going to a corn maze and apple picking, free Mural Arts tours, Clark Park Flea Market, zine fair at Little Berlin--I was going to have to pick and choose. However, the weather had something different in mind for this fall Saturday.

Definitely too cold and rainy for outdoor fall funning, the dreary cold is fine for BYOTY (Bring Your Own Table...Yo?), I'm not sure what that last Y stands for...Yourself? The Little Berlin gallery space in Kennsington (119 W. Montgomery St.) is hosting a one-day zine fair this afternoon. Tables have been sold out for weeks, so it's sure to be a nice representative of artists. The event is 12 noon - 6 pm today. Admission is free and home-brewed beer is a $5 donation. I'm going to try to get there early to have my pick of favorites. Check it out with me!

The rest will have to wait until next weekend. As an end to their 25th anniversary year, Mural Arts was planning a public celebration (Muralissimo!) at the Piazza in Northern Liberties today. However, due to the weather it has been rescheduled for next Saturday, October 24. I've been wanting to do one of the Mural Arts tours, and for those that know me, I'm a sucker for things that are free.

Fall is my most favorite time of year, and I feel as if I've missed it entirely. The weather acting like winter isn't helping. Maybe next week the sun will be out, and I'll have a chance to get lost in a corn maze, pick some pumpkins and see some murals. For now I'm going to have to settle for indoor activities and maybe a hot apple cider.

Philly Arts Get Some Press

Check out this "Art to Make You Laugh (and Cry)" article in The New York Times yesterday. It's about Philly's art scene, but mentions other aspects of the city as well. It's an interesting read.

Today is day 29 of the 31-day August blogger challenge. Only two more days of daily posts.

Photo: Fluxspace in Philadelphia taken by Steve Legato for The New York Times

U.S. Top 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods

I grew up in the Midwest. My hometown has just over 2,000 people, more churches than bars, and no stop lights--only a flashing red light at what everyone refers to as "the four-way stop." My hometown doesn't really have bad neighborhoods as far as violent crime is concerned, only neighborhoods with more or less money.

This afternoon, my dad sent me an email forward. He likes the email forward. The subject heading was "25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods." My dad writes in abbreviations--his own baby boomer version of a texting language. He sent me a link to the article with his abbreviated commentary mentioning that 4 of the top 25 most dangerous neighborhoods are in Chicago (where my sister lives)--the most of any city. No city had 3 neighborhoods listed but Baltimore, Dallas, Kansas City, Memphis and Orlando all had 2. "Only 1 Philadelphia neighborhood made the list," he wrote with a :)

My dad also observed that no East LA, Torrance, Oakland or other California cities were listed. No Phoenix, San Antonio, Houston, Vegas, New Orleans, Alabama or Mississippi in the top 25. He ended the email by saying, "Hope you find this interesting."

I guess I did. The report was based on FBI data from 17,000 local law enforcement agencies. They broke it down by neighborhood vs. cities because as we Philadelphia residents know, even cities with high crime rates can have safe neighborhoods. I've pasted the Philadelphia information below, but here's the full article.

25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods

AOL

16. (Worst) Philadelphia, Pa.

Neighborhood: Broad St./Dauphin St.
Found Within ZIP Code(s): 19132, 19133
Predicted Annual Violent Crimes: 199
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 117.13
My Chances of Becoming a Victim Here (in one year): 1 in 9

' More on This Neighborhood

Split post: I got a job!!! and why Philly rocks in a recession

Well, friends, I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately, because I've been overwhelmed with nerves about The Perfect Job For Me, for which I interviewed and about which I was kept on tenterhooks for a week. Well, guess what: I got it!!!!

I am the new External Relations Director for Theatre Exile, my favorite theater company here in Philly, and I cannot wait to get started. In fact, I start tomorrow. The company is small but growing by leaps and bounds, and I want nothing more than to be with them five years from now when, mark my words, they OWN the Philadelphia theater scene!

This is huge for me, because it is quite literally the very first time I have had a job I really really really wanted, was excited about, could see myself doing for a career. Amazing.

Of course, the pay is what can be expected from a small non-profit arts organization, particularly now. So I'll be keeping that shoe store job, and trying to move to a cheaper apartment in South Philly.

And now for the economic musings portion of the post: Maybe I'm wrong, but Philadelphia seems to be weathering the storm. I know a bunch of still-unemployed people, but I also have seen several friends put their skills and talents to work for them in different industries from where they started. Construction continues apace, new shops open as others close, and bars and restaurants are still packed pretty regularly. Let's face it: as major cities go, Philadelphia is cheap. My 2-bedroom bi-level just off Fitler Square is under $1000 a month. A cab ride from one end of town to the other is about $10, maybe $15 tops. You can eat really well for $15, and catch some great entertainment for free to $50. On nice days the parks are packed with people enjoying live music, watching jugglers or acrobats, or reading a book. And how many of us don't own cars? No gas, no parking, no insurance ... no problem.

I'm telling you, during the recession as in times of plenty, Philadelphia is the place to be. So stay tuned here for our suggestions of cheap/free things to do, and please feel free to send us some of your own! And, oh yeah, wish me luck on my first day of my new career!

Baked Love

Corporate fundraisers, wedding favors, opening nights, housewarmings, graduation parties? Think cookie!!!

I'm going to let the photos of Zoë Lukas's amazing cookies from Whipped Bakeshop, based here in our lovely city, speak for themselves ...




(via Whipped Bakeshop's flickr photostream, which you should definitely check out.)

A Michael Nutter cookie? Wow. Love him, hate him, you have to appreciate the artistry.

And, oh yeah, she also does cakes.



From the website:
"Zoë went on to earn a degree in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and her paintings have appeared in numerous shows. Zoë's love of art and baking combined when she moved to Philadelphia in 2003 and worked for three of the top bakeries in the city, all the while continuing to create her own treats for friends and family. In 2007, she decided to take the plunge and start Whipped Bakeshop. Zoë vows never to work in a cubicle again!"

Here's to cubicle-less-ness, Zoë.

Urban Renewal

Yesterday was a rough day. After a long day of selling shoes, walking around in fabulous but decreasingly comfy heels, I headed out to meet some friends and watch the all-star game. (At The Keep, in NoLibs -- a great little bar with a patio in back!) On the way, I found out that my son has been getting into still more trouble at school; that getting divorced amicably is a challenge no matter how you slice it; and that my martial arts training hasn't completely left me. As I walked down Chestnut Street, a guy walking towards me kept moving in my way. I'd move, he'd move. He was obviously doing it on purpose. So when I was right up close to him, he leaned in with his shoulder as if to knock me down or make me flinch, and I did a rising block with my forearm and shoved him outta my way. Kept walking. Didn't look back.

So on my way home, I was still in a growling mood. In my head, stressing about a job interview, thinking about parenting, and so forth. As I entered Rittenhouse Square on the corner of 18th and Walnut, I noticed some skateboarders sitting on the wall by the entrance. One of them called out to me: Hey! Check this out! I looked, expecting something unsavory ... and what I got was this.

With a goofy grin, the one guy lifted up his skinny-jean-clad leg, and put his ankle behind his head. The other guy, with an equally goofy grin, just nodded, as if to say, "That's right. That's what I'm talking about."

I, who had up until this point had a Don't Mess With Me glare on my face, burst out laughing. It felt so good ... and suddenly I noticed the stars were out. There were lovers kissing on a bench. Someone had plugged Christmas lights in and decorated one of the stone urns in the center of the square. Others had brought plastic chairs with them and were sitting in a group, eating and playing soft guitar music.

I love Philadelphia. And what I realized last night was that the city loves me back.

My favorite thing from last year's Philly Fringe

It's getting hotter, summer is almost here--and that makes me think of my favorite event of the Philadelphia summer, the Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. This was my hands-down favorite at last year's fringe. But maybe you had to be there.



I didn't make it to many Live Arts performances (too broke, even though tickets were mostly just $25), but I did catch Sweet By-and-By, a collaboration between our own Pig Iron Theatre Company and Teater Slava. It was gorgeous, moving, and gave me that "I LOVE LIVE THEATER!!!" feeling.

Come on, September ...

What were your favorite festival moments, readers? What are you looking forward to this year?

Survival Guide: 15 Things That Make Philly Life Easier, Better, and More Fabulous!

So, this weekend the craziness of employment after a long time of no employment hit me, and I missed 2 days of posts!!! I apologize. To make up for it, my survival list of 15 things is going to go all the way up to 17. I hope you'll let me know what goes on your Philly Survival Guide!

1. Food trucks. You heard me. Everything from fruit salad to falafel, cheese steaks to crepes to sushi, it can be found in a food truck. Especially those trucks over in University City -- lots of delicious food for about $5. Recession-proof!

2. TLA Video. Yes, I have Netflix too ... but for the impulse rental TLA cannot be beat. Art house, GLBT, foreign, and yes, of course, porn -- TLA has some of everything. And their DVDs for sale are worth a browse on a hot summer evening.

3. Events at Penn's Landing. Free! Coming up: 6/13 is the Islamic Heritage Festival, 6/14 is the Philly Pride Parade and Festival, 6/20 is the Asian Festival, and 6/21 is the Portuguese Heritage Festival.

4. PATCO. Yes, I'm a Philly girl, but my boy goes to school and lives half-time in Jersey. I can walk him to his school, thanks to this excellent train! The trains are reliably on time, and service runs all night long. Are you listening, SEPTA? Hello?

5. Unmetered, no-permit-required parking south of South Street. Depends very much on where you are, but the Grad Hospital area (So-So? South of South? I heard this the other day and resented the implication ... G0Ho ain't much better!) has plenty of blocks where parking is available AND free, for out of town guests, car share cars, and other non-permit-holding cars. Which leads me to

6. Car shares. There is no reason for anyone who both works and lives in the city to own a car. I know Pop Culture prefers Zip Car, and I'm totally fine with Philly CarShare ... as far as I'm concerned, both services make my number one beef with the city (how expensive and annoying it is to own a car) disappear.

7. Pay What You Wish Sundays at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I love being able to develop a relationship with pieces of art--my favorites are always shifting, and seeing them regularly lets me feel like I'm visiting old friends who always have something new to say.

8. The American Institute of Architects Bookstore. There's no better place to find beautifully designed gifts, conversation pieces, and coffee table books, and their kids' toy and book section is stunning. But my favorite time to visit is immediately after Christmas, when all their beautiful ornaments, wrapping paper, decorations, and calendars are on sale. The new location is at 1218 Arch Street, for those who frequented the shop on 17th Street and were wondering what happened.

9. I was about to put The Original Computer Doctor, at 1725 South Street, as my go-to place for fixes and maintenance, but I just checked their website and they're CLOSING the business! Sniff! Any recommendations out there for actual human beings who can fix my laptop without charging me all my money?

10. Fergus Carey. Without Fergie, where would I drink the best beers in the city? Where would I eat delicious mussels? Where would I ... oh, you get the picture. What's your favorite Fergie joint? I'd be hard-pressed to pick one. Grace is closest to me, Monk's is probably my favorite but it's usually too packed, Nodding Head is a great choice when I want food, and Fergie's itself is where I met one of my most awesome friends (and fellow blogger here, too!).

11. I'd be remiss if I didn't do a shout-out to my other two favorite bars--and this is going to show my true proletariat nature. Jose Pistola's on 15th Street (where Copa Too used to be) sees more of me than any other bar in the city, I'd wager. I know the staff. I know the regulars. I love the beer. Casey, Adam, Buddy, Molly et al.--I love you guys! And then, honorable mention goes to McGlinchey's, my favorite smelly dive bar. Yes, you can still smoke there. Yes, they still serve those hot dogs ... but you can also get a $3 Boddington's draft there, watch a game, and make conversation with the fun (colorful?) people you find here.

12. The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. For two weeks out of the year, at the end of the hot wet Philadelphia summer, Philadelphia positively sparkles with creative energy. The Live Arts shows are always amazing and a good bargain for high-production-value performances (last year's tickets were generally $25, as opposed to the $40 norm during the season at the main big theatres in town). And the Fringe is a whole heap of fun, especially when you make use of the various word-of-mouth reviews available on the festival site, the local papers, and the rest of the theatre-going community. I'll be posting my favorites here, for sure!

13. The Kimmel Center. This is the best spot in the city to stop in for beautiful, clean restrooms with plenty of diaper-changing space, quiet spots to sit (especially for you nursing moms out there!), and as I've mentioned before, the lovely rooftop garden. Next time you or your 5-year-old need an emergency potty break and you're within a 5-block radius, I recommend stopping in! Beyond that, the performance spaces are amazing and definitely worth catching a performance in.

14. Trader Joe's. I just had a 3.99 Chicken Tikka Masala dinner from their frozen foods section. Tomorrow it'll probably be pizza margherita. I'd be completely broke (or starving) if it weren't for TJ's.

15. Pearl Fine Art Supplies, on South Street at 4th. Where else can I go for various supplies to entertain both my son and myself? I've been working on my watercolors lately. I've framed a bunch of my son's work, too!

16. Urban Outfitters for tee shirts and tanks, the basement of Anthropologie for jeans, H&M for big chunky rings and basic button-downs, and as of recently, Cole Haan for shoes and bags.

17. And finally, after a day of walking around the city (and after several days straight of retail work on my feet all day), nothing feels better than getting out a Lush massage bar and rubbing my feet. Except, perhaps, having someone else do it for me. Hint, hint.

City of Love

My favorite block in Philadelphia right now is the 1900 block of Waverly, on the east end. A narrow street, tree-lined, the houses lining it have eight or so steps up to the front door, pressed flat against the building in an inverted "v" so that each house looks like it has a moustache. Flowers and polished wooden doors complement the homes, and children playing ball in the street often complete the charming picture. There's a house for sale on this street, but as I can barely afford my rent each month, I won't be buying there anytime soon. Still, on my walks home from the train, I try to guide my steps down this lovely little block, and I sigh as the traffic sounds fade for a moment.

What I love about Philly is that the city is full of charming blocks, quirky buildings, community gardens, and neighborly people. There's the family who let my son into their home one evening as we were walking past, because he needed to use the bathroom and their daughter overheard him say so; the elderly woman in my friend's building who gives advice and tells anyone who'll listen about her days growing up in racist North Carolina in the 30s and 40s; the man who runs my laundromat and knows everyone within a four-block radius by name; the locksmith who, though he still charged me to open up my door, offered me a receptionist job when I cried that I had no money. (Too bad I'd have needed a car to get there!) Then there's the drunk guy who hangs out on his stoop with his cat and tries to look up women's skirts, the fevered youth preaching hellfire and damnation with a bullhorn in Rittenhouse Square, the inescapable campaigners with their clipboards, and the bus drivers who keep going when you run three blocks to try to catch them. The city is full of beautiful blocks and bombed-out shells, of meticulous parks and rambunctious cottage gardens, of drag queens and society queens. I can't guarantee you won't get mugged here or berated by the homeless or cheated out of a cab by a drunk debutante. But I can guarantee that Philadelphia can blossom for you too, if you smile at it and say hello. And I promise I'll keep sharing with you the little gems I find in my daily meanderings.

Scandal Gosselin Style

The season 5 premiere of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" on Monday drew 9.8 million viewers, which was a record for the TLC network. With the scandals swirling around the marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin, people could not resist to see the drama played out on television

The bodyguard, mistress, and hair scandals are just a few of the juicy backstory that punctuated the first episode.

Now how can we here at One Fine Philly capitalize, er comment on this story of a family in turmoil in nearby Berks County, PA. We can learn from the Gosselins, in that scandal will create a deluge of attention.

And that attention may be converted in cash, which means that One Fine Philly can stop working and devote our time to blogging full time. And we all know what blogging full time brings.

In the interests of boosting readership, I've decided to disclose a few choice Philly-themed tidbits about myself. These disclosures may shock, but they are here to educate. I hope you use them to feel superior.

Disclosure one: I am a Philadelphia schooling failure. I dropped out of Drexel University's accelerated nursing program. My rotation at Hahnemann's labor & delivery unit was the worst kind of hell I had ever experienced. I became barren from the experience, as my uterus fled the state and is living under an assumed name.

Disclosure two: I am a big liar. I tell people I attended Live Aid in 1985 as a fetus in mommy's tummy. But really I was 15 and long out of the womb by then. And actually my parents wouldn't let me go. But I redeemed myself (sort of) by dancing my face off to Def Leppard during Live 8. The kids around me were horrified.

Disclosure three: I am a stupid criminal. After some imbibing at the now defunct West Philly Walsh's bar, I and five others were arrested at 30th street station for defacing a Coors light billboard. It was our 4th outing to the same location at the same time of night. Cops were waiting for us. But in the paddy wagon, we got a good laugh when Bernie dubbed us the "Coors six pack."