It's anarchy, I tell you; sheer bedlam. Not on the level of punk rock, Dada or Nestor Makhno, but Philly's ongoing revolution with regard to French culinary tradition makes me suspect that someone named Marie will be losing her head in the near future. First La Terrasse in University City turns into Doc Magrogan's. (No, it hasn't been much of anything since Penn bought it, but once upon a time LT was très formidable in its Parisian food options.) Now Georges Perrier hands the reins of Le Bec-Fin over to former LBF GM Nicolas Fanucci — the former Perrier employee currently stationed as GM at Napa Valley's French Laundry — so that a new day may dawn on Restaurant Row? Quelle heure est-il? Before Stein, Foo and Starr, there was Perrier and his daring dégustation menus and other Francophilic sensations. Fannuci is welcome (whether he involves Laundryman Thomas Keller who also owns NYC's Per Se is another story), but Perrier will be missed — though he isn't totally disappearing.
And where local dining institutions are concerned — as far from French finery as you'll get — we've been hearing a rumor in my rustic lil' Italian Market neighborhood that goofy Geno Vento is talking about selling his namesake, the cheesesteak-haus his dad built — lock, stock and orange everything. True or not, Joey Vento's rolling in his grave. Sacre bleu.
The HeadHouse will look more like Ziggy Stardust's rec room than a restaurant when Anthony Bosco and Therese Lavery throw a glam-rock ball there Feb. 17 with The Divine Miss Jimmi, some barely there burlesque from Kiki Berlin and Firebaby, Bike Stop DJ John Stanley, makeup artists from Lady Saint's Styledelphia Academy and live glitter-rock from Creem Circus and Cthulu Martini. Shags are a must. More info in Agenda.
I don't know who this Dani Deahl is addressing in her new song "Diplo Hates You" (the Philly-grown DJ likes everyone), but this whole damned album of hers is out on Beatport. Casting further suspicion on this assertion is the fact that, according to Deahl, Dip thinks the track is banging.
Philly's Jazz Bridge charities get a hit Feb. 16 from Society Hill Playhouse and singer Denise King as part of SHP's third-Thursday jazz monthly. Jazz Bridge assists local jazz and blues musicians in crisis; King is one of our longtime faves, a serene and soulful crooner who has worked with Hot Club of Philadelphia, Christian McBride, Orrin Evans and Uri Caine. This will be her last gig in Philadelphia before she embarks on a European tour with French pianist Olivier Hutman.
Congratulations are in order for Glamorosi (aka Mrs. A.D.) who marked her 10th year in the jewelry business (glamorosi.com).
More ice would be nice: Critical Mass.
