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ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Pretty Brits and ugly Americans
Give until it hurts, cineastes.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Pretty Brits and ugly Americans
If you like Philly film and think Kickstarter’s a kick, Philadelphia Film Society’s has your cup of tea. PFS took over the Roxy Theater building on Sansom Street (with more than one floor for screening) last year and now the local cine-festival producer has a $40,000 goal for its Kickstarter campaign: a Roxy renovation that includes everything from new seats to paint touch ups. Give until it hurts, cineastes.
Everything is coming up rosy — English rosy with the Philadelphia International Flower Show’s omnipresent Britishness — Brilliant! opened during the weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Along with serving up shepherd’s pie, a fine Beef Wellington and a well’s worth of gin drinks, the Brilliant! black tie gala offered an early look at mini-fields of green topped with pig statues, sensational manicured rose gardens and several Queens — cardboard cutouts of Elizabeth the likes of which are strewn throughout Center City.
While we’re on the subject of all things British, let’s discuss the fact there’s not been a good UK food presence in Philly since Dandelion opened. Oi. That’s why I’m thrilled that NJ’s Ed Strojan is opening Victoria Freehouse this week at ye olde Swanky Bubbles location on Front Street. Old City diners can expect full Brit-breakfasts on the weekend and UK usuals such as fish-n-chips and bangers n’ mash. Jolly good, that.
If you want to see University of the Arts’ associate professor of dance history Tymberly Canale shaking it this month you’re going to have to travel to the Hartford Stage in Hartford, Conn. That’s where Canale dances with Mikhail Baryshnikov in Man in a Case, an adaptation of Anton Chekhov work, until March 24.
Eater states that Jen Carroll is leaving the restaurant group set to open her Concrete Blonde project in Manhattan and heading back to Philly. Swell. Better still, Eater opines that Jen would make the perfect addition to Le Bec Fin 3.0 (2.0 being exec chef Walter Abrams who just left) as she cheffed at Le Bernardin for just under a decade. Sounds tasty.
I make fun of Pen & Pencil’s after-hours hot-dog-water haven. Then again how bad can they be if they’re holding a beef-n-beer (hmm) for the Mighty Writers and its move to bigger digs in West Philly? P&P’s dinner-and-draft gig is March 7.
John Coltrane’s N. 33rd Street homestead (he lived there from 1952 to ’58) is getting a Philly Preservation Alliance makeover. But not before the Alliance hosts an “I Love Coltrane” workshop, March 9 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center (2101 Cecil B. Moore Ave.). The free event will discuss the be-jazz-ling that the old Coltrane house will get later this year.
Philly-born-and-based producer John Powers Middleton may be anxious for his upcoming television series, the spooky Bates Motel, to air on the A&E network March 18. But according to IMDB, he’s got a slew of equally exciting upcoming projects with big names attached like a Poltergeist remake (to be directed by Sam Raimi), Run All Night (starring Liam Neeson), an animated LEGO flick (featuring the voice of Will Ferrell), the due-soon Hidden (with True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard) and the now-in-post-production Oldboy from director Spike Lee. Word has it, Middleton would like to film one of his new projects here. Make it happen. Meanwhile Jersey boy Jon Stewart is taking time off from Comedy Central’s Daily Show to produce and direct Rosewater, a film about an Iranian journalist’s incarceration. Sounds like a scream. Daily Show reporter/Brit comedian John Oliver acts as host during Stewart’s film leave. Ask Oliver all about his responsibilities when he hits Helium Comedy Club on Sansom Street March 8 and 9.
My pal Kevin Kelly from Bar Noir (backintheday) closed his late-night Pennsport nook, the Ugly American during the weekend. Ug. I mean, ugh, she’ll be missed. No word from Kevin as to what his next move is.
I previewed this weekend’s Roddenberries show (March 9, Underground Arts) in CP’s music section but neglected to mention the opening act: the 24-member Bowie/T. Rex cover band Candy Volcano. Photographer/singer Kevin Monko lined up a murderer’s row of Philly’s glitteriest rockers (Figgs’ Pete Donnelly, Chris DiPinto, Mike Vogelman from Ben Vaughn’s Combo) to aid him on his Candy-quest. For those who care not a whit about Bowie’s The Next Day, Candy Volcano tackles Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars in its entirety. Meanwhile Donnelly is just back from touring Japan with Philly pop songwriter Jim Boggia and has his own new EP due out with this week with a free-at-noon show at World Café Live on March 8.
WHOWHATWHERE: I spied Pete Donnelly, WXPN’s Dan Reed and their respective missuses at Saturday night’s Erykah Badu show at Electric Factory, where Ms. Badu gave a shout out to audience member James Poyser, the local producer and Roots member back home for the weekend. During Paoli-born comedian Todd Glass’ sold out run at Helium, he got visits from several family members including his Uncle Marty, “the cool uncle” according to Glass. Q102 FM had a small slew of visitors this week — Britt Nicole, Cher Lloyd and Air Dubai. Talking about Q FM and the family of Clear Channel radio stations she represents, PR mistress Loraine Ballard Morrill got a Points Of Transformation Awards this week. So did Kathy L Sykes, Dr. Arthur C Evans Jr. and councilwoman Cindy Bass. The Sheraton Hotel hooked them up. Lastly, Philly favorite Miley Cyrus — last seen at Sigma Sound while her man Liam Hemsworth was around the corner at Loews Hotel filming Paranoia this winter — is Twittering about leaving Twitter and Hollywood after the rumors surrounding her on/off nuptials and Hemsworth’s possible philandering with January Jones at a pre-Oscars bash. “I am so sick of L.A. and sick of the lies that come with it,” Tweeted Cyrus. Miley, come back to Philly. We’ll treat you right.
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