Philadelphia is My Home

10
Dec

Fess Up

Author: Momish, Category: Attractions, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids, Philly Tourist, Something to Do

Hello, my name is Momish and I am a Christmas junkie.

Fess up, people.  I know I am not alone here.  You too love this stuff, admit it.  If you’re a junkie like me, you’ve got your car radio tuned to B101, singing along to the six versions of ”Jingle Bell Rock” they play every day. 

You’ve changed your Windows wall paper to a winter wonderland scene, complete with falling snow. Forget that it slows everything down to a crawl on your PC… you gotta have the falling snow.

You’re spending every weekend searching for that perfect gift, ornament or decoration.  You’ve marched along with the Winter Warlock, putting “one foot in front of the other” on more than one occasion.  And before you even take your coat off, you’re eagerly sifting through the mail to see what new cards you got.

But most of all, you’ve already been to Macy’s to see the holiday light show.  You sat your adult bum down next to that eagle statue, then you watched, smiled and sang along with all the third graders, just like you did when you were in third grade. 

As cheesy as it is, you know you still love it.  C’mon, how can anyone resist a smile when Frosty’s arms blink up, down, up, down, up, down.  It’s classic. Personally, I think it is the organ music that lends itself to that magical feeling.  Well, that mixed with a big, fat dose of nostalgia.

So, have you been yet?  Fess up!

Check out Centercityphila.org for all Holiday Events going on around the city.

Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC

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

18
Oct

Urg (um, I mean Erg) Is Too A Word

Author: Momish, Category: Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids, Resources, Something to Do

It’s a work unit.

I know this because I do a lot of crossword puzzles.  Which is also why I play a mean game of Scrabble.  I love Scrabble, but no one will play with me because I always win.

This is why I was thrilled to death to find the Free Library’s Philly Plays Scrabble program which holds Scrabble competitions throughout this month.

If you are a Scrabble buff, here’s your chance to shine.  You might even find yourself amongst some serious competition.

Bring. It. On.

Check out the Librabry’s website for more details, as well as a slew of other great events they host.  When was the last time you actually went to the library?  With the world’s wealth of imformation a simple Google click away, I am sure it’s been quite some time you have walked through those doors.  I know I haven’t been here in ages.  And I miss that old beautiful building on the Parkway.  It’s the first free library in the country, you know.

So c’mon, put on your Scrabble thinking caps and and haul your Google addicted butts over to the library.  I could use some stiff competition.

(Philly Plays Scrabble has events throughout many Library branches.  Check the website for dates and times, since each vary.)

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.

18
Aug

Penn’s Landing It Is Then

Author: Momish, Category: Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids, Something to Do

When making your plans this weekend, don’t forget about Penn’s Landing.  The annual PECO Multicultural Series is still going on and today’s featured culture is India!

Now you just know there is going to be great food and beautiful sights to see.  And with the weather being a tad cooler, you can actually enjoy being outside all day.

Tomorrow is the Caribbean festival.  I can’t promise you’ll see any authentic pirates (this is the busy season for them you know), but certainly more good food, not to mention amazing music.  I just love all those steel drums!

Both events go on all day from 12-8 at the great plaza and they are free! Free! Free! That is not to say that you won’t spend any money with all that cool shopping, sari to say.  (I couldn’t resist)   

23
Jun

Erin Go Bragh

Author: Momish, Category: Current Events, Family Friendly, Free Events, Something to Do

This is the weekend, folks!  

The weekend of the Irish American festival at Penn’s Landing during PECO’s series of cultural salutes throughout the summer. 

Now, no one likes to play favorites, but the Irish American festival is one of the best of the season, no denying it.  Well, that and the Italian American festival, which sadly is not part of the line up this year.  Damn, no tasty meatballs! So unfair.  But then again, I can just hit up my mom for them anytime, so all is good. 

Back to Erin’s day in the sun.  Good music, good fun, good entertainment and always a huge crowd.  And free, did I mention it is free? Can’t beat it.  Just the thought of all those good beers bagpipes makes me so giddy, I feel a gig coming on.

The event goes on all weekend 12-8 PM.    

For more information and musical guest concert details, visit the Penns Landing Corporation website.

More Upcoming Events in the PECO Multicultural Series:

June 23-24, 12-8 pm: Irish American Festival
July 7-8, 12-8 pm: Hispanic Fiesta
July 14, 12-6 pm: Southeastern Cherokee Celebration
August 18, 12-8 pm: Festival of India
August 19, 12-8 pm: Caribbean Festival
August 25-26, 12-8 pm: Philadelphia Multicultural Arts and Music Extravaganza
September 9, 12-8 pm: Russian Mosaic Festival
September 16, 12-8 pm: Mexican Independence Day Festival

17
Jun

The Good Ole Moonbounce

Author: Momish, Category: Family Friendly, Kids, Something to Do

If you are roaming around South Philly tonight, you might want to head over to St. Monica’s Parish.  They are having their annual carnival right now.

My sister was the one who told me about it yesterday.  Naturally, I jumped on the opportunity to get out of the house, not to mention get my hands on some funnel cake.  

Aside from the usual sugar laden junk, they have a slew of food stands hosted by local Italian restaurants, deli’s and bakeries.  So many, that it makes for a hard decision when your stomach can only fit so much, especially if you are trying to leave room for funnel cake and cotton candy and canolis and home made water ice…

Anyway, we ended up getting there a bit too early, which threw my niece into a tizzy because they hadn’t started any of the rides yet.  She was beside herself in angst, to the point of a complete meltdown.  Luckily, by the time we finished eating, they were beginning to blow up the two moonbouncy rides.  FINALLY!

She sat there (shoes already off) along with dozens of other kids, watching as they pumped air into the colorful sacks lying limp on the ground.  The mania mounted and mounted as they started growing bigger and bigger.  What is it about these blow up rides that turn kids into mini psycho spazzes?  I thought my niece’s head was going to pop off if she had to wait two more seconds longer. 

Little by little, they began to take shape until we were finally able to see that one of them was an obstacle course and the other was a three story slide.  I was impressed, these were way more sophisticated than the typical moonbounce, the big castle where it seems like all the kids do is jump around banging into each other. 

Truth be told, looking at that huge slide and watching my niece bounce her way through the obstacle course, I was jealous.  They never had such cool stuff when I was a kid.

16
Jun

Franklin Square

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

Take it from me, if you are stuck in the city all weekend long with a toddler, the last thing you should do is stay indoors, especially when the weather is this spectacular.

What to do, what to do?

Aside from the events that come and go, there is always Franklin Square.  This little park is the latest Philly nook to crop up.  They have miniature golf, a carousel in addition to the general park and playgrounds.  It adds a little more to the usual playground outing, yet is not overwhelming to the point where you start popping the Advil before you even leave the house.

Located at 6th and Race Streets, its easily accessible and within walking distance of other city places, so you are not “stuck” there once you get there.  (A must when you are dealing with the terrible twos)

For more information, call Once Upon A Nation @ 215-629-4026 

Cost is free to visit the park and playground areas, however the Miniature Gold and Carousel have fees.

Check it out!