Been There/Done That: April 12

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Been There/Done That: April 12

POSTED: Monday, April 12, 2010, 4:04 PM

Filed Under: Been There, Done That

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What We Watched

When we're not editing and writing and proofing and stressing, we A&E editors keep busy getting our culture on. Since we (that'd be Patrick Rapa, music editor; Carolyn Huckabay, arts editor; Molly Eichel, movies/agenda editor; and occasionally Holly Otterbein, staff writer/arts patron) know Philly's teeming with artsy happenings, we'll give you a weekly roundup of where we've been and what we've seen. But we can't see it all. We're taking a cue from Team Meal Ticket — who diligently report on how they've spent their foodie weekends — and opening the floor to you: Leave a comment and let us know what you've been up to since Friday at 5.

CH: Carolyn Huckabay ME: Molly Eichel PR: Patrick Rapa

What We Watched: — Have you ever seen the two-part episode of Criminal Minds where Garcia gets shot by her date? OMG it's so intense. Also, The Gube. —CH — Caught the Schwarzenegger-starring Last Action Hero, which I hadn't seen in a minute. I was a huge fan of the meta-actioner when I was a kid but it's funnier now that I get all the movie in-jokes (i.e. Joan Plowright talks about Hamlet and screens a clip of the version by her former husband Laurence Olivier). Take a look at Austin O'Brien now! Where We Went: — Trekked up Delaware Avenue Saturday afternoon for Grid magazine's one-year anniversary party. And it was PACKED. I guess that's what happens when you say things like "open to the public" and "free snacks from Birchrun Hills Farm" and "beer." Big ups to Grid! —CH — Had a blast at the Philly Roller Girls season opener. Whoever sings their National Anthem needs to become Philly's new Kate Smith. The Philthy Britches beat out their trans-Atlantic rivals London Brawling in a close match and the excellently-costumed Broad Street Butchers made mincemeat out of the Heavy Metal Hookers (both teams got mad bonus points for their mascots). Then spent the rest of the evening coming up with my roller derby named: Tina Fey-tal. But the best one I saw is still Axl Rolls. What's yours? —ME — Saturday morning I volunteered with my neighborhood association, East Passyunk Crossing, for some Philly Spring Cleanup action. Our group's assignment: cleaning up the 1300 blocks between Tasker and Snyder. Not technically A&E, but at least the theme — "keep up the sweep up" — was entertaining. —CH What We Read: — I canceled my subscription awhile ago because I was tired of reading about Bernie Madoff, but scooped up a copy of Vanity Fair with former local gal/Golden Age Girl Crush Grace Kelly on the cover. "Grace Kelly's Forever Look" by Laura Jacobs was an interesting read, nothing shocking but the pictures are stunning (check out the slideshow). The real must-read in the issue, though, is the piece on filmmaker Preston Sturges by Douglas McGrath. It's an excellent round-up of the forgotten screwball genius. —ME — This was the weekend I finally quit David Foster Wallace's The Broom of the System. I kept coming back to it because I did the Infinite Summer thing last year and it was just awesome. Turns out the relatively tiny Broom is no Infinite Jest. I found it tiring, wacky, hard to get lost in. Maybe one day I'll come crawling back, cause there's only so much DFW out there. —PR — Found a copy of Mommie Dearest by Christine Crawford, the tell-all memoir by Joan Crawford's adopted daughter, at Philly AIDS Thrift. Oh Holy Gods of Camp, I cannot wait for this scene:

—ME

So, what did you do? Tell us in the comments.

Jessie Bikel

Posted 2010-04-12 15:01:52

Really?!?!? Really??!?!  That was your favorite rollerderby girl name??? Are you kidding?  How does that beat "Heavy Flo" of the Heavy Metal Hookers?  I will say that Roller Derby was one of the few times in my life where (if there was one, I certainly wouldn't start one) I wanted to join in on a "USA! USA!" chant, we'll get it in next time London Brawling.

Lindsey

Posted 2010-04-12 15:16:40

do they have songs that they play when they come out by any chance? i hope at some point someone played "welcome to the jungle" for axl rolls!!

Drew Lazor

Posted 2010-04-12 16:37:21

I watched the movie Post Grad this weekend and I don't think I've ever regretted a $4.99 On Demand purchase more. (This is coming from a guy who's On Demand-ed shitfests like Silent Hill and No Reservations, aka the cooking movie that is ALL MONTAGES.) 

Girlie and I decided to watch it because we're both big Gilmore Girls fans and by proxy both fans of Alexis Bledel. But her character in this movie was such an unlikeable self-absorbed douchebag trollop. She graduates from college, doesn't land her dream job and can't find a job right away. Then she's forced to — ew — TEMPORARILY WORK FOR HER DAD. OH YOU POOR BABY, THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED TO ANYONE BEFORE! Making matters worse is her turd-ass male best friend who plays shitty acoustic guitar music and broods even though he got into Columbia Law School, as well as a completely unnecessary turn from Rodridgo Santoro (aka Xerxes from 300 — "All that Godking Xerxes requires is this: A SIMPLE OFFERING OF EARTH AND WATER!") as a Brazilian informercial director who she fucks/has tedious conversation with.

The only redeeming characters in the whole movie are Michael Keaton as Alexis Bledel's eccentric but lovable father and the kid who plays her Aspberger-afflicted little brother.

Rajiv

Posted 2010-04-12 17:45:55

If I were in the roller derby, I'd favor a more Phillycentric name like Benjamin Shanklin. Or maybe just go with something classic like Destroyer of Worlds. 

My favorite player name was definitely Robin Drugstores.

Scott

Posted 2010-04-12 18:13:24

Went to Mr. Martino's Trattoria on E. Passyunk for anniversary dinner on Saturday. It was wonderful. The food was very good and the atmosphere was great. Really did remind me of Italy. Not at all the kreepy karnival vibe I was expecting from the outside sign.

Emily G

Posted 2010-04-12 19:03:24

Robin Drugstores was clearly the best name!

FRIDAY: Karaoke at Ray's, which has a bizarrely high ratio of on-key singers to off-key singers. Designated cockblocker for friends of friends from out of town. May have slow-danced to a Disney song.

SATURDAY: Breakfast at New Deal Diner. Happy hour at White Dog with waitress who seemed very irritated about our sitting outside. Then, like apparently everyone else on the Philly internet, went to the roller derby, which was the most fun I've had shouting WOOOOO in a while. Then Sidecar and nachos. May have shouted woo about the nachos, too.

SUNDAY: Free Wake Up Yoga class cuz you gotta train student teachers somehow! Then got overpriced food at Mugshots on the way home. Ugh sorry writing this has made it really clear to me that I turned into a yuppie at some point over the last few years.

Caitlin

Posted 2010-04-12 19:38:13

Spent Sunday afternoon on the Schuylkill Banks with the Sarcone's hoagie (the Sinatra, of course) that I had been too hungover to enjoy on Saturday.  Alternatively gawked at the parade of rollerblading  twentysomethings and finished off Tao Lin's "Eeeee Eee Eeee" which is much better than its association with Miranda July would suggest.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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