Philadelphia is My Home

26
Nov

There’s Still Time

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Entertainment, Free Events, History, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

You have until December 31st, so there is still plenty of time really.  

I am not talking about any holiday stuff here.  No, nothing to do with shopping or decorating or cocktail parties or anything hectic like that. I am talking about culture.  Treating yourself by taking a nice needed break from the hectic. 

In between the endless commercialism and the agony of battling consumerism, wouldn’t you just love to squeeze in some culture?  Take a relaxing and educating stroll around a museum?  How about one that is actually doable, as in you can see all the exhibits in less than two hours.  

And for free!  Now that sure makes it a bit more doable, doesn’t it? No dipping into your Christmas Club savings.

The Perelman Building at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has free admission until the end of the year.  Right now, the exhibits include a great collection of evening gowns from three Philadelphian designers and a collection of modern decorative art among others. 

But the best part (aside from being free, of course) is that it is just enough without being overwhelming.  Because the last thing you need right now is more overwhelming. You want to escape overwhelming at all costs, right?

Just think, after a two hour stroll that awakens your visual and mental senses, you just might be ready to tackle those long lines and crowded stores again.  It might even inspire you to get a little more creative with your wrapping this year.

At the very least, you’ll have something interesting to talk about at all those holiday cocktail parties you’ve got lined up on your calendar.  I’m telling you, you need this.

 The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

08
Nov

Scarred For Life

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Entertainment, Family Friendly, Local News, Nightlife, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

When I was around ten years old, my girlfriend and I sneaked into her parent’s bathroom and started snooping around.

We found a bottle of her mom’s perfume and went to town.  We dabbed it all over our wrists and behind our ears, just like grown up ladies do before a fancy night out on the town.

Then my friend dropped the bottle.  It fell into the toilet, where it promptly shattered into a million pieces when it hit the porcelain.  A more apt description would be that it exploded.  Glass went flying in every direction and one sharp piece sliced an inch gash in my leg.

I still have the scar.  As far as scars go, it isn’t that big.  Yet, it is there.  For life.  It doesn’t smell like Oscar de la Renta anymore, but I notice it every time I am wearing a skirt and cross my legs.

Every scar has a story.  Some funny, some heart breaking, some just bizarre.  But a story, none-the-less.  This is why I think the exhibit Thin Skinned Thick will be mesmerizing.

Photographer Amie Potsic’s collection examines scarring in an artistic, beautiful way.  And each photograph is accompanied by the subject’s story behind the scar.

The exhibit’s grand opening is this Friday at 6:00 PM at the Sol Mednick Gallery (The University of the Arts, 211 S. Broad St., 15th flr. 215-717-6300).  Continues until December 14th. 

OK, so there’s lots of time, but why wait? Everyone loves a good story.  But more importantly, eveyone needs a chance to see beauty where we never thought to look before.

25
Oct

Clue In Real Life

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Entertainment, Family Friendly, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

Here’s a fun event that fits in well with Halloween: 

The Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion Mystery Tour.   The tour is 20 minutes long, and takes you throughout the mansion.  As you visit each room, you meet a new character who will tell his or her story as they drop you hints and clues as to which of them is the murderer.

It’s like the Clue game, only live in person.  Just being in a mansion seems to drum up the old Clue memories.  What did Mrs. Peacock really do with that candlestick?

Anyway, the murdering is only going on for this weekend, so get you handy dandy notebook ready and get sleuthing. 

Tours are on October 26, 27 & 28, from 6PM - 9PM and cost 10-12 bucks.  Check out the site for more detail and directions.

But hey, if you pre-order from Fun Savers, they only cost you 7 boo bucks. (call 215-438-1861 and mention “fun savers”)

EVENTS

21
Sep

Thrill Me

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Current Events, Entertainment, Nightlife, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

Thrill me, chill me!

I love Halloween and am beginning to see the signs of this great season everywhere. (Just go into any CVS, orange and black assault you the second you walk in)

I’m always looking for the fun things to do around this time.  There are lost of hayrides and pumpkin picking farms.  The one thing that is right in our back yards which I have never done is Terror Behind The Walls at the old and creepy Eastern State Penitentiary.

I would think just being in that place at night would give me enough chills.

Has anyone done this?  Is it worth the price? (tickets start at 20 bucks!)

13
Sep

Bloody Good Ballet

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Entertainment, Family Friendly, Nightlife, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

The Pennsylvania Ballet is performing Dracula again this year.  And indeed, it is a bloody good ballet!

The costumes and set design of this ballet are magnificent.  I have seen it twice and each time was mesmerized by the contrast between the graceful and beautiful dances against the gloomy and sinister settings.

 Kids too would like this ballet due to it’s special effects and easy-to-follow well known story line.  Lots of beautiful fairy tale like costumes paired with dancers flying around stage (literally). 

 Performances begin October 26th, just in time to jump start that Halloween feeling.  They even have a performance on Halloween, if you aren’t bogged down with taking your little ones trick or treating that is.

I will probably skip it this year, seeing as I have already seen it.  But, you never know.   This kind of stuff never gets old.

If the full priced tickets are too steep for you, remember you can always show up an hour before performance time and try your luck at scoring half priced tickets.  Considering this is the third year they are doing this ballet, chances are good that most regulars and die-hards have already seen it.

Here’s a tip: Go in pairs for the half priced tickets.  Last time we went to the ballet an hour before show time, there were three of us.  The best seats they could give us were in the nose bleed section.  Meanwhile, we saw plenty of empty seats much closer, but only with two seats together at the most.  Therefore, I suggest going in even numbers so you can break up into pairs and get the best seats available!

Visit the PA Ballet website for more details about Dracula and other upcoming performances.  Dracula runs from 10/26-11/03.

29
Aug

Fringe Benefits

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Current Events, Entertainment, Philly Tourist, Resources, Something to Do

Are you gonna be stuck in the city this weekend like me?

Still looking for something to do? 

Well, check out the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival schedule and see if anything tickles your fancy.

Be prepared to have your mind blown away.  There is so much going on!  Reading through that schedule is like scroll, scroll, scroll, still scrolling, holy high water still scrolling, mega more and still scrolling, my wrist hurts, still scrolling…

If you can’t find something to do with all that, then I am so sorry, but I can’t help ya! I don’t think anybody can.

27
Aug

American Idol In Philly

Author: Momish, Category: Entertainment, General, Local News, People

So, the American Idol try outs were today at the Wachovia Center. Oh man, how I would have loved to have seen that!

I am sure we have a TON of talented young people here, but I am even more sure of the fact that we have plenty of wackos too.

Whenever I watch the try outs, I just have a hard time really believing that half the people are serious. That they really have no clue just how awful they are. So, it would have been interesting to see if part of the try outs are a set up or paid actors to make the show more interesting. Or, if some people are just there intentionally making fools of themselves, adopting the philosophy that any attention is attention.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone of you were there or know someone who went and tried out.

Any sightings of Simon, Paula or Randy??? How ’bout Ryan?

Now I’m gonna have to watch this season’s show just to see our Philly folks.