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Archive: May, 2012
Chris Brown digs into our listings bin and pulls out a little something-something to do every day of the week.
OK, so technically in Nolan-verse it's never referred to as the Batmobile, but what else would you call a vehicle powered by the Batman? Today is your chance to take a gander as the Tumbler rolls through town as part of a blitz to drum up hype for the upcoming release of the Dark Knight Rises.
Wed., May 30, 10 a.m., Wal-Mart, 2200 Wheatsheaf Lane, tumblertour.com.
Judging by the commercials, that Hatfields & McCoys miniseries on the History Channel looks pretty good — dudes with grizzly beards cussin' at each other and eatin' beans — but it's the song that really stuck with me. A stomping, chanting, cowboy gospel kinda song. Now, apparently Kevin Costner wrote a concept album around the series, but this isn't that. The song is called "Bartholomew" by a bunch of roots-rocking Modest-Mousy hairballs called The Silent Comedy. Turns out they play World Cafe Live tonight. Now this video ain't much to look at, but it's fine for listenin'. And you stay away from my beans!
With Memorial Day over, so ends the new Barnes Foundation’s 56 straight hours of free opening festivities, readying it for its new life as a titan on the Parkway. I was one of those with a ticket that got me in during the wee hours of the night, 3 a.m. on Monday to be exact. As we approached the Museum, I strolled past Ellsworth Kelly’s Barnes Totem that overlooks a pool and path surrounded by Japanese maples: Not the same as the idyllic suburban location in Merion, but still tranquil enough to usher transformation from busy city into a peaceful park space.
Once inside, I noticed the lower level hosted the usual museum amenities — a coat check, gift shop, classrooms, auditorium and waiting areas. The upper level of the expanded space provided a special exhibition gallery that was dominated by a number of Barnes’ letters and other writings for those who desire a glimpse into the long-deceased curator’s thoughts.
Grand bronze doors greeted the stream of patrons moving into the principal museum area that holds Dr. Albert C. Barnes' impressive collection. One is immediately overwhelmed by the scale of the center gallery, the sheer number of pieces crammed into one room and Barnes’ idiosyncratic layouts. The figures from Matisse’s colorful mural The Dance II invite viewers to avert their eyes upward and then around at equally awe-inspiring pieces by masters like Cezanne, Picasso and Renoir.
Having visited the original location in Merion in 2004, the new space lived up to my memory of what once was. Among the notable changes was Matisse’s Joy of Life being moved from a staircase to a small room upstairs facing the aforementioned mural. While I can appreciate the eccentricity of Barnes’ gallery plans, I often found myself wishing I could look at some of the pieces at eye level. In the current space, general admission is $18, galleries are limited to 250 patrons at a time and there is enough on display to keep casual viewers busy for a couple hours — even if it's at the ass crack of dawn.
NERD ALERT (rather, nerd with a lot of money lying around alert): NextFab and Hive76 are holding a few workshops this summer where you can build your own self-replicating 3D printer:
Since many parts of the RepRap are made from plastic, they can be printed on a RepRap, meaning the RepRap self-replicates by making a kit of itself - a kit that anyone can assemble given time and some additional materials.
Unfortunately (for us, anyway), the parts and a spot in one of the two-day classes on the weekends of July 28, August 11 and August 25 cost a cool $2000. We're hoping that at some point enough people will have these things that getting the parts for one will be like getting a gmail invite, or (in West Philly) a kombucha mother.
A longtime professor of literature at Yeshiva University, Jay Ladin embodied all the characteristics of a good Jewish scholar. Dedicated to his work and faith, he inspired students to live out their full potential in their pursuit of academia. When he returned to school after one transformative summer as Joy Ladin, a woman with beautiful blonde, curly hair, the Orthodox Jewish campus was abuzz with curiosity.
In Through the Door of Life, Ladin reflects on her journey between genders, using faith as both a barrier and navigational tool throughout. She was forced to confront the fact that her religion — the place to which she turned for most major ethical questions — advocates for a strict separation of the genders, further highlighting the gulf between man and woman.
In constant dialogue with God, Ladin recounts the process of becoming a mother to her children and a Ms. Ladin to her students. After more than 40 years of living as a man, Joy's story is proof that identities are multi-faceted and often conflicting, making personal growth a lifelong affair. Learn more at her free discussion at Giovanni's Room (345 S. 12th St.), tomorrow (May 31) at 5:30 p.m.
Every Monday, Brittany Thomas rounds up the week's sure-bet live shows. This week: The Veda Rays, Cheers Elephant, The Spinto Band and more.
Tuesday: The final week of The Spinto Band’s residency at KFN will feature Philly faves Cheers Elephant along with Langor, a relatively new Philly indie-pop ensemble fronted with charming vocals and backed by a style that is whole-heartedly unique yet reminiscent of early Of Montreal. 8 p.m., $8, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 Front St., 215-291-4919.
I know, it's kind of gross, but it gives a whole new meaning to the term "family jewels!" Today we're giving away the sapphire-bedazzled Speedo/thong featured on the September page of our Ultimate Summer Fun Guide. To win, send a silly (how could it not be!?) haiku to josh.middleton@citypaper.net by 5 p.m. tomorrow, May 30.
Crucial deets:
- The speedo size is L/XL
- It has never been worn!
Before the dreaded wooden reality of Kim Kardashian at Harrah’s The Pool and the surreality of Beyoncé at the Revel hotel, spa and casino opening (both in Atlantic City, keep your eyes out for Icepack Illustrated and additional Ice Cubes) there was the unholy "Reality TV Divas Live" thing at Parx Casino in Bensalem.
The hang, consisting of pinot grigo slinger Ramona Singer from Bravo’s Real Housewives Of New York City, queen of mean Tracy DiMarco from Jerseylicious (on the Style Network) and Drita D'Avanzo from VH-1’s Mob Wives (the original NYC one, since Mob Wives Chicago starts this weekend) would have been an inauspicious pre-arranged meeting-of-the-minds (your own joke goes here) until the visibly agitated Singer got persnickety about posing with her other two reality sisters in front of the casino plastic signage backdrop. Singer wouldn’t be in any photos and physically separated herself from the other two during the walk of step-and-repeat shame. The blond Housewives member even made a point of walking out from the scene (an interview forum) and away from the stage while seated with DiMarco and D’Avanzo after Ice photog Scott Weiner asked Singer to move over to join the other divas. “I almost had the pea brain tricked into it because she started to move over and then she realized, 'Hey, that's what I said I won't do' and got up and walked out,” says Weiner.
Maybe Ramona doesn’t like Italian girls. Anyway, the other news (ugh, not news, just stuff I suppose) is that DiMarco announced she had just become engaged and showed off a five-karot diamond ring to prove it. You really have to go out of your way to prove things when you’re talking up reality television stuff.
(a_amorosi@citypaper.net) (@ADAmorosi)
Photos by Scott Weiner
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The Prize: We have 20 pairs of tickets to give away for the Roots Picnic, June 2 and 3.
The Contest: Write a haiku inspired by The Roots or somebody else playing the picnic. Send it to pat@citypaper.net with the subject ROOTS PICNIC HAIKU.
We'll pick our favorites next week. Yes, we count syllables.
The Roots Picnic is Sat., June 2, noon; Sun., June 3, 5 p.m.; $63 a day, $96 for both days, Festival Pier, Penn’s Landing, 201 S. Columbus Blvd., more info.
Condolences to the family and friends of Sam Mickey from Morning Glory, the sunshiny diner on S. 10th Street. Mickey passed quietly after a long bout with cancer. Very quietly. So quietly that many of us in the same neighborhood as Morning Glory didn’t know about this until Fergus Carey (another neighbor of Morning Glory) said as much. When Glamorosi and I first moved into the Italian Market, Morning Glory was our kitchen away from home. Carey mentioned that there is a good chance that the folk from the Glory will put on a benefit in Mickey’s name hosted by manager Jenny Greer on June 8 with its monies going to the Wellness Center. Stay tuned.
Tonight tonight, just like the song from West Side Story goes, Friday May 25, is the evening that Hop Sing Laundromat, Chinatown’s nearly hidden gem, opens according to Eater this morning. Drinks will cost you ten bucks — cash (this weekend only).
Before they play Jay Z’s Made in America fest in Philly, localite Meek Mill and his boss Rick Ross drop “So Sophisticated” here.
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