Archive: January, 2011

POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011, 5:00 PM
Filed Under: Shopping
jean-jacquesgallery.com
The storefront during less-snowy times
After four years under new ownership, Jean Jacques Gallery, the eclectic Mt. Airy purveyor of funky housewares, jewelry and knicknacks, is closing to join forces with One Salon just across the street. Store owner Sherman Oberson says the new locale will be a hybrid between both outlets — featuring salon and spa services, as well as a boutique toting his trademark merch. The grand opening is scheduled for Fri., Feb. 4. To prepare for the big move, he and his partner Pete are holding a special First Friday event at Jean Jacques Gallery (7118 Germantown Ave., 215-242-5440) tonight from 6-9 p.m. They'll be serving drinks and light refreshments, as well as offering bargains on some of the goods they're not able to take with them to the new location. Oberson says among the clearance items up for grabs between now and the end of January is Skagen watches marked 30 percent-off; and housewares, select jewelry, and books and stationary reduced by 50 percent. Good luck with the new move, guys!
sheilajbowen
Posted 2011-01-08 05:21:09
I found a site where you can get coupons for restaurant called "Printapons" they are on all over the news, search online
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 5:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Friday, January 7, 2011, 3:01 PM
Filed Under: Poetic License
Devoted poet/avid concert-goer/nerd-grrrl extraordinaire Jane Cassady's weekly horoscopes run in this space every Friday morning. Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20): Inventory your coffee cups. Count house cleanings like a yearlong Advent calendar. Evaluate the necessity of every scarf, hat and necklace. Visit your local thrift stores like a January Santa. Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19): Declare all 2010 complaints complete. Unsubscribe to your grudges, put salve on your scars. Be ready for more loves and more exquisite disappointments. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): One word of advice for you this week: Pillows. Aries (March 21-April 18): In the words of Hafiz: Now That All your worry Has proved such an Unlucrative Business, Why Not Find a better Job. Taurus (April 19-May 18): The Maven of Emotional Awesome, Jen "Flash" Andrews of Too Beautiful to Live has the most lovable New Year's resolution: Give yourself and others a break. Don't lay awake worrying about spilt words or misspent kitchen table diatribes. Gemini (May 19-June 21): I spent New Year's Eve at my Aunt Patti's house getting pretty drunk with my brother and my cousins and my cousins' friends. I played my first game of Flip Cup (with chardonnay!) at 36. I wasn't good at it. Do something rewardingly foolish — let yourself off the leash a little. Cancer (June 22-July 23): Take a break. Everything doesn't have to be written today, even if it seems that way. To paraphrase LCD Soundsystem's spoken word/workout tune "Pow Pow Pow": (No need to keep) "Coming back, coming back, coming back/ Until there's nothing left in the well. Is that what they call it, the well?" Leo (July 24-Aug. 23): My lovely Leo wife has decided to split the year into 52 mini-projects, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with. What can you make in a week? Is it beautiful? Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23): I spent a pretty big chunk of my Christmas vacation watching episodes of Ally McBeal. It's so romantic; it's like the How I Met Your Mother of its time. Walk home from work in soft focus, with dreamy/feminist '90s music for your guide. Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 21): Irony is so last year. See how much sincerity you can get away with. Scorpio (Oct. 22-Nov. 22): Bring last year's photos into the physical realm. Frame something optimistic. Spread all the pictures out like Tarot cards and read the future — you'll like what you see. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22): Leave all of your self help books on someone else's doorstep, like so many paperback orphans. It turns out you're perfect.
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POSTED: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 5:00 PM
Filed Under: Events | Interview | Movies screening
Kazuhiro Soda
Still from Mental
As mentioned in this week's Agenda section, Japanese documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda will be at the International House (3701 Chestnut St.) to screen his documentaries Campaign on Mon., Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., and Mental on Tues., Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. You can also catch him at Scribe Video Center (4212 Chestnut St.) on Tue., Jan. 11 at 5 p.m. leading a "Master Class" workshop. But first, we caught up with him for a little Q&A action. Critical Mass: The first film you're going to screen in Philly will be Campaign. What can you tell us about it? Kazuhiro Soda: It's an observational style feature documentary I made in 2007 about an election campaign, which won the Peabody award in 2008. A friend of mine ran for office in Kawasaki city, a suburb of Tokyo. He didn't have any experience in politics, and he didn't have much money. He was a merchant who made a living selling stamps and coins. He was backed by the powerful LDP (the Liberal Democratic Party) in Japan. How can he win the race without any experiences? He had no money and didn't know anybody in the town, but we'll see how he fared. CM: What can you tell us about Mental?
Kazuhiro Soda
KS: It's a similarly styled observational feature length documentary, about small mental clinic in Okayama Japan. I observed patients and caregivers, staff and doctors in the clinic. I tried to observe the microcosm. It questions the boundary between the mentally ill and healthy people. If you closely look at them, the more you observe, it becomes more questionable the differences between the healthy and the ill. CM: How did you get interested in that topic? KS: I got interested in the subject because, I have experience in visiting a mental clinic at age 20. I was working too hard, I was diagnosed with burnout syndrome. It's very common among Japanese businessmen. You work too hard, you get burned out. I recovered quickly, but the doc told me I could get ill at any time. I was working on this project for a long time in Japan, a lot of colleagues of mine were ill or going to the mental clinic regularly. Some people committed suicide. I felt like this whole country was in this mentally ill state, like an epidemic. CM: What kind of reaction did Mental get? KS: A lot of people came up to me and said things like, "I used to have the same kind of issue" or "my mother is ill" or "my best friend is ill". Everybody is somehow touched by this, but it's kind of taboo. I wanted to lift the taboo. The world of mental illness is kind of covered by this invisible curtain. I wanted to lift the invisible curtain by aiming the camera. This film won many awards, one of which was the Best Documentary Award (PIFF Mecenat Award) at the Pusan International Film festival in South Korea. This is the biggest film festival in Asia. It also won best documentary at the Dubai film festival, and the Hong Kong film festival. At the Miami International Film Festival, it received Special Jury Mention (for the courage of subject matter). CM: How did you end up planning a screening in Philly. KS: I live in New York, and I met the director of the Scribe Media center at the Robert Flaherty Film Seminar. I was one of the filmmakers who was on that seminar previously. He saw my work over there and he wanted to invite me. CM: What can we expect at your lecture? KS: During the class, I'll talk about my observational method of documentary film-making. This style is directly inspired by direct cinema tradition--a style in documentary filmmaking from the 60's--as well as masters like Frederick Wiseman. When the portable 16mm cameras became available, film-makers took them too the street and started making documentaries. I developed my observational film-making method by watching these films. It's not so popular now, especially in America. Michael More style documentaries are much more popular. They have graphics, music and interviews. Direct cinema doesn't use any music, graphics or interviews; it quietly observes what's going on in front of the camera. It's like what people might call the fly on the wall type of approach.
Kazuhiro Soda
Still from Campaign
One of the things I practice is I don't do any research before making films, I don't even write any synopsis before I shoot. Because, if I do any research or meetings beforehand, I'm kind of locked in to my preconception. I usually just go to the scene with my camera and start shooting spontaneously, and I shoot whatever interests me. At that point I don't have any scene in my mind. I try to observe what's going on in front of me. I try to discover something new. Michael Moore always has a script, they always know what they want to say. They know what they want to accomplish before they make the film. For me, it's too boring because if you know what the film is all about before you film, then you don't discover anything--or, it's harder to discover anything. For me this observation method is a way to make myself open to many different accidents and possibilities. Life is full of accidents and full of possibilities, if you're open. Rather than being locked up to my original idea, I want myself to be open to the world and learn something. That's the key point to my style. I'll talk about my method and philosophy, and why I took particular choices. I'll also explain in detail how I made the films, and discuss the behind the scenes. CM: In regards to burnout syndrome, which you mentioned as being common in Japan, do you feel there is a vast philosophical difference between the work ethic of the West and the work ethic of the East? KS: What you are expected at the work place is different between Japanese society and American society. In Japan, no matter what you have, you have to do certain work in a certain way. For example, you have to make a 2 hour documentary and you have one million dollars budget. And you are supposed to make this documentary, but your budget gets cut to ten thousand dollars. In Japan you are still expected to deliver the same kind of film. I'm exaggerating but there is some sense like that. In America, it's more like everybody works according to the budget, nobody expects you to deliver the same things with different budget. *laughs* I don't think it's genetics, because Japanese Americans who grow up here, they don't share the same work ethic as Japanese living in Japan, I think it's cultural, just part of the tradition...
Harold A. Maio
Posted 2011-01-07 08:31:23
the boundary between the mentally ill and healthy people. If you closely look at them, the more you observe, it becomes more questionable the differences between the healthy and the ill.
The appearance of this "the" ought be a red flag to anyone, sadly it is not. "The" Jews, "the" Blacks, over time many groups have been subjected to it, and a great many of us accepted it. I am not sure why it is such a popular metaphor, but reducing groups to an abstraction seem to entertain us.

The reality behind each is the same. Mental illnesses do not discriminate, people with them are as likely highly successful as not, earn in the millions, hold high office, professional, blue and white collar jobs. We are first people, and then ill, Black, Jewish, whatever. 

Harold A. Maio, retired Mental Health Editor
khmaio@earthlink.net
Ryan Carey
Posted 2011-01-07 12:31:21
Harold, Kazuhiro Soda used "the mentally ill" the same way he would have used "the young" or "the wealthy" or "the syntax sticklers". It should be clear from reading the complete article (or even the rest of the sentence) that he does not descriminate against the ill (i.e. he refers to healthy people as "the healthy").

However, I can appreciate your empathy towards mentally ill people, and if you attend the screening, I think you'll find that Kazuhiro Soda does as well.
Harold A. Maio
Posted 2011-01-07 22:09:14
"The" healthy and "the" young differ from "the" mentally ill, as they differ from "the" Blacks. It is an interesting form, it can be employed  poetically, "the" gifted, and can be entirely the opposite. 

We are presently fascinated with the form, "the" mentally ill, and a few others, "the" homeless, "the" disabled among them.  They delimit our understanding.  

In my youth I fully appreciated "the" Blacks, their limits were carefully desribed for me. I believed those limits, only to discover culture had lied to me. 

I have not seen the film, will likely not get the opportunity, but I hope it includes a professor teaching German. Illness intrudes on our lives to various degrees, from little to consuming. It does not consume most of us. I hope the film shows that range.

Harold
Marce L.
Posted 2011-01-10 07:45:14
I had the opportunity to watch  K. Soda's documentary and read some interviews about it. 
In my opinion this kind of exchange is an interesting starting point to discuss about "the conception of mental illness" in the context of "the concept of culture ."

Harold refers to the concept of  "sub-cultures" when he talks about  "the black culture", "the youth culture"  ... on his words: "as a way to discover how culture (or  these cultural categories) had lied " to him .
From his point of view these categorizations are a risky way to divide, discriminate and control different expressions of the culture... and he adds "They delimit our understanding. "

The concept of "subculture" is an operational concept in the field of Anthropology for the purposes of the study of "inter cultural exchange"  (in Spanish language "interculturalismo " ).
This concept allows to analyze how these subcultures relate one to the other to confront or negotiate their interests.

Other examples of these categorizations are: "gender culture", "original cultures ", "the culture of cybernauts" ... etc.
To be part of a subculture, members of the same should be aware of it, have  a sense of belonging.

From this theoretical starting point... can we consider that " THE mentally ill " is  a sub culture ? are there any previous studies in this regard? I don't consider this category as possible.

As Harold writes "Mental illness" does not discriminate social classes or ethnic groups.
From the psychopathology field,  psychic structures are universal, that means,  cultures do not discriminate pathologies.

As social anthropologist I would like to add that the treatment of these diseases or their denial are culturally determined.
From this point of view mental illness are "ALSO" culturally defined not only psychologically determined.

we have to admit that we are "locked" by our cultural point of view.

Kazuhiro Soda  describes in his documentary how mental illnesses are treated at an mental institution in Japan.
His view is extremely respectful in relation to the mentally ill as well as mental illness, and he complains about the economic insecurity faced by mental institutions, which depends on government subsidies, (allowing to discuss about a "sort of institutionalized discrimination")

I am sure that if Harold has the opportunity to watch this documentary he will be  fascinated by Soda 's work. 

Marcela L.
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POSTED: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 3:00 PM
Filed Under: Ice Cubes
Scott Weiner
Welcome to the first Icepack of 2011. Well really, this one's the first, with info on Guvnah Rendell's farewell gifts to Philly and his Beach Boys/John Stamos (ugh) bye-bye-bash, chef David Katz and Philly's porn giants. But this is the year's first Ice online. So, have a photo of the Mummers taken by Icepack snapper Scott Weiner to start your year proper. Chamber Philly faves Buried Beds just announced a tour that will immediately whisk them away with homeboys Dr. Dog, starting Jan. 29 at DC's 9:30 Club. Beat it. Q102 is holding a contest on Saturday (3 p.m.) at the Plaza at the King of Prussia Mall to sing Justin Bieber songs and win a trip for four to the LA premiere/meet-n-greet of his concert film, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
Scott Weiner
Julianna White and Frankie Valli
How about a contest for grown-ups? The Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible (eateries with too few customers and too many problems) is looking to cast local restaubars. Has your hot spot gone cold? Go to restaurantimpossible.com. The show premieres Jan. 19. No doubt about it: I love Philly's raw and coolly twisted trio, Northern Liberties. Google my name and theirs and you'll find out how much. That said, I'm proud as peach pie to announce that director Jon Foy's documentary about Libert-ine Justin Duerr Resurrect Dead, about Justin's quest to solve the Toynbee Tile mystery — will premiere Jan. 20 at the Sundance Film Fest. BUT, they need to do sound correction before it hits Colorado. Please donate here and read the director's story. Who dared to deface Fathom, Mike Stollenwerk's Girard Ave. still-unopen fisherie that we've written up repeatedly? Spotted the graffiti and the taggers ain't original. Why don't you go hit the neighborhood McDs?
Scott Weiner
Kathi Griffin and A.D. Amorosi
WHOWHATWHERE: You know when Kathy Griffin was in Philly in November I asked her how she could keep her BRAVO network show My Life on The D-List going what her obvious up-lift in status. She said she wasn't and that she was trying to figure out when it should end and when she'd begin what she called an improvisational "Larry David Curb Your Enthusiasm-like series" on her exploits. People.com states that the time is now for the D-List to die and that she and BRAVO will film and show four live comedy stand-up events a year. She mentions the improv series too, but no definitive network. For People, Griffin states, "it's time to spread my wings and show that I'm a little different than Kate Gosselin." Gosselin, I may add was spotted filming something worthless with her children on the Art Museum steps a few weeks ago. Oh, and remember I mentioned that Jersey Shore shawty Snooki had her ball-dropping MTV NYE event moved from Times Square to Seaside Heights, the home of the Jersey Shore house? Well, she did it in Seaside and it aired on MTV on Dec. 31 at midnight. But according to our photog Scott Weiner when he went to Seaside Heights on Dec. 31. all he found was left over scaffolding. "They shot it the night before after a dress rehearsal," says Weiner. Has MTV ever stated on-air that it was taped? I don ti'nk so Queekschtraw. Dog killer Michael Vick hit the new Mitchell & Ness (12th and Chestnut) shop the other day and bought Flyers and 76ers gear. Whatever. Luckily he didn't sully the even newer Mitchell & Ness shop-in-a-shop at 15th and Walnut's UBIQ where M&N's more fashion-forward sports gear lives. The MUNBIQ (my abbreviation) that had a quiet opening in December has to have a loud opening. That's Jan. 21. Comic Kevin Hart, last seen in Philly at the Diddy Joy to the World event two weeks ago, hit the Buck Wild/Turae Gordon show on Saturday at the Laff House and did a quickie routine. Limelight hog. Bradley Cooper's birthday was Wednesday. Will anyone at Sampan — where he'll soon be shooting a new finale to Limitless (his Philly filmed DeNiro-costarrer once titled The Dark Fields) — serve a b-day cake? Miss New Jersey Julianna White met up with Frankie Valli, original Jersey Boy and pal of Jerry Blavat, during the Four Seasons-er's Jan. 1 gig at Borgata's Music Box Theatre. Speaking of the Geator, he'll start 2011 with a bang when he hits the Philadelphia History Museum Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. for a "Conversation on Doo Wop" with Philadelphia magazine editor Tom McGrath. It's going to be a long night. Thankfully. Along with sadly ending 2010 with the passing of Philly boxer Bennie Briscoe, this city lost a most renowned and prominent actress in Melissa Lynch due to fatal injuries from a car accident. Lynch, cast in Theater Exile's Martin McDonagh-penned/Matt Pfeiffer-directed black comedy The Lieutenant of Inishmore, has been recast in her role by Elena Bossler. "It's a miserable business, having to relay this in light of the circumstances," says Exile's Tenley Gwen Bank.
Scott Weiner
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POSTED: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 8:00 PM
Filed Under: Critical Mass
visitphilly.com
The folks at Equality Forum recently announced that for 2011 they'll move their popular SundayOut event from the Piazza to Penn's Landing — only a month before Philly Pride hosts the annual Pride Parade there. And they were pissed about it. In retaliation, Philly Pride announced that they would throw a Gayborhood Block Party on the exact same day (May 1) as SundayOut to lure revelers away from the Equality Forum event. That's about as catty as it gets, huh? And it seemed to work. Now Equality Forum has announced that they will keep SundayOut at the Piazza in Northern Liberties, but Philly Pride won't back down with their plans until a written agreement is drawn up and signed by both parties. Whew, girls! Why all the bickering. You're both pretty!
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POSTED: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 7:00 PM
Filed Under: Just Do It
Shooting a scene from It's Always Sunny. Who needs Hollywood?
Shoot in Philadelphia, a Greater Philadelphia Film Office-sponsored venture, is seeking submissions for their annual film making competition. Screenwriters from across the globe are eligible to enter with a feature- or TV pilot-length screenplay that will be shot in Philadelphia. Winners will be determined depending on the quality of the scripts and by the likelihood that it can be shot locally. The grand prize is $10,000, with three subsequent cash awards following — one of which is the $2,500-prized "Great Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Regional Award" that specifically recognizes local filmmakers. All it takes to win is a lot of talent and a minimal entry fee, which is reduced to $45 if you submit your shit by Feb. 1. Otherwise, it'll cost $65 if you enter by the final deadline of Mar. 1. For more information, go to THIS website. Good luck!
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 7:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 5:00 PM
Filed Under: Critical Mass Theater
lesmis.com
For the 25th anniversary of Les Misérables, Broadway-Brit Sir Cameron Mackintosh re-invented the scenery and staging of the Boublil & Schönberg 1985 masterpiece. The new production is designed to be more visually tuned-in to Victor Hugo's original 1862 novel. Rumoured to be sans that giant turntable, the updated version utilizes video rear projection for much of the setting. Mackintosh — of Phantom of the Opera and Cats fame — will showcase his creation at the Academy of Music through January 15th. For tickets, visit KimmelCenter.org.
Wicked The Musical
Posted 2011-02-02 05:15:35
Hey there, I searched for this blog on Yahoo and just wanted to say thanks for the great read. I would have to agree with it, thank you again!
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POSTED: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 3:00 PM
Filed Under: TV Idol Hands
nydailynes.com
For you American Idol buffs out there, we've become privy to changes being made to the upcoming season. You already know about the new judges (Jenny from the Block and Steven Tyler), but with them comes a few formatting tweaks that producers are hoping will give the show a fresh twist, such as ... Instead of flying 60 contestants to Hollywood for that agonizing three-week initial round, there will only be 40 contestants whittled down to 20 by the judges. At that point, America will decide the remaining (10 or 12) songbirds in a "sudden death" voting round. Also, they're not dividing the final 20 into an equal number of males and females — they'll be chosen by talent alone. So now you know what's happening. The question, however, is: Do you still give a damn?
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 3:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 6:00 PM
Filed Under: Critical Mass
Did you resolve to bulk up your savings account or personal library in 2011? If so, we know how you can get a start earning extra cash or books this week in Mt. Airy. On Wed., Jan 5 at 4 p.m. and Fri., Jan. 7 at 9 a.m., Big Blue Marble Bookstore (551 Carpenter Ln.) is looking for a few good men or women to help move book shelves and heavy boxes from their children's reading area so they can make room for renovations. You'll need to be able to lift 40-50 lbs., so skinny minnies need not apply. As a reward, they're offering $7.50 an hour, or $9 an hour if you want to turn the fruit of your labor into store credit. If you're interested, send an email to info@bigbluemarblebooks.com.
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 6:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 4:00 PM
Filed Under: Shopping
Photo | Ryan Carey
Frügal, a thrift boutique, is now open on the Haddon Avenue shopping strip in Collingswood. As a '90s style slacker, I have to warn you— you're not going to find dozens of used copies of Megarace on CD-rom. But as an unbiased thrift connoisseur, I can say plainly that this place has some snazzy schwag.
Photo | Ryan Carey
Since Friends in Deed packed it in, Frügal offers Haddon Ave's only thrift shopping opportunity. The majority of the clothes at Frügal is women's and children's, and a recession is not the only reason to shop resale. While not a non-profit, Frügal still gives a portion of their profits to a different charity each month. Food Bank of South Jersey received $188 over Frügal's first seven weeks. And next month, Frügal will partner with Friends of the Library which works to develop education and cultural development within the community. Frügal is only a drop in the Haddon Ave. bucket of reasons you should hop on PATCO and take it to the Collingswood stop. As one of Philly's nicest suburban stretches, there's a bevy of shopping, scenery and more restaurants than you could shake a blog at.
Photo | Ryan Carey
Posted by Ryan Carey @ 4:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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About this blog
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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