Philadelphia City Paper, November 18th, 2010

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citypaper.net123 Chestnut Street, Third Floor, Phila., PA 19106. 215-735-8444, Tip Line 215-735-8444 ext. 241, Listings Fax 215-875-1800, Classifi ed Ads 215-248-CITY, Advertising Fax 215-735-8535, Subscriptions 215-735-8444 ext. 235

Philadelphia City Paper is published and distributed every Thursday in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, Bucks & Delaware Counties, in South Jersey and in Northern Delaware. Philadelphia City Paper is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased from our main offi ce at $1 per copy. No person may, without prior written permission from Philadelphia City Paper, take more than one copy of each issue. Pennsylvania law prohibits any person from inserting printed material of any kind into any newspaper without the consent of the owner or publisher. Contents copyright 2010, Philadelphia City Paper. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Philadelphia City Paper assumes no obligation (other than cancellation of charges for actual space occupied) for accidental errors in advertising, but will be glad to furnish a signed letter to the buying public.

LETTERS & SUBMISSIONS Letters should be brief and are subject to editing. Authors must sign their name for publication and each must contain an address and telephone number for verifi cation, although neither address nor telephone number will be published. Unsolicited submissions are welcome but must be accompanied with a SASE if return is desired.

Publisher Paul CurciAssociate Publisher Nancy StuskiEditor in Chief Brian HowardSenior Editor Patrick RapaNews Editor Jeffrey C. BillmanSenior Writer Isaiah ThompsonStaff Writer Holly OtterbeinAssociate Editor and Web Editor Drew LazorArts & Movies Editor/Copy Chief Carolyn HuckabayEditorial Assistant Josh MiddletonAssistant Copy Editor Carolyn WymanContributing Editors Sam Adams, E. James Beale (sports)Contributors A.D. Amorosi, Janet Anderson, Rodney Anonymous, Mary Armstrong, Nancy Armstrong, Julia Askenase, Justin Bauer, Dwayne Booth, Shaun Brady, Peter Burwasser, Charles Cieri, Mark Cofta, Will Dean, Jesse Delaney, Jakob Dorof, Deesha Dyer, Adam Erace, David Faris, M.J. Fine, David Anthony Fox, Lauren F. Friedman, Cindy Fuchs, Ptah Gabrie, Julia Harte, Dan Hirschhorn, K. Ross Hoffman, Deni Kasrel, Gary M. Kramer, Gair Marking, Robert McCormick, Natalie Hope McDonald, Andrew Milner, Michael Pelusi, Nathaniel Popkin, Robin Rice, James Saul, Daniel Schwartz, Yowei Shaw, Jon Solomon, Amy Strauss, Matt Stroud, Andrew Thompson, Tom Tomorrow, Sam Tremble, Char Vandermeer, John Vettese, Bruce Walsh, Julia West, Kelly WhiteEditorial Interns Caitlin Durkin, Stephanie Johnson, Sean Kearney, Joel Maison-Gaines, Juliana Reyes, Eric Schuman, Laura Weber, Daniella WexlerWebmaster Dafan ZhangAssociate Web Editor/Staff Photographer Neal SantosSystems Administrator John TarngProduction Director Michael PolimenoEditorial Art Director Reseca PeskinSenior Editorial Designer Allie RossignolSenior Designer Evan M. LopezDesigner Alyssa GrenningContributing Photographers Michael M. Koehler, Jessica Kourkounis, Michael T. Regan, Mark StehleContributing Illustrators Dwayne Booth, Jeffrey Bouchard, Ryan Casey, Don Haring Jr., Thomas Pitilli, Matthew SmithHuman Resources Ron Scully (ext. 210)Accounts Receivable Coordinator Tricia Bradley (ext. 232)Circulation Director Mark Burkert (ext. 239)Advertising Director Eileen Pursley (ext. 257)Senior Account Managers Sharon MacWilliams (ext. 262), Stephan Sitzai (ext. 258)Business Development Manager Ruth Constantine (ext. 215)Account Managers Sara Carano (ext. 228), Robert Crain (ext. 250), William Newns (ext. 237), Donald Snyder (ext. 213)Office Coordinator/Adult Advertising Sales Alexis Pierce (ext. 234)Founder & Editor Emeritus Bruce Schimmel

cpstaffWe made this

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thenakedcity

I f theres one thing in this city that bothers us more than any other believe it or not, its neither the Philadelphia Parking Authority nor this states ridiculous booze laws, although we hate those things a lot its the tendency of public servants to act like theyre goddamn entitled to the sun, moon and stars, no matter what else is going on.

We saw this last year, when the Transit Workers Union (TWU) threatened to basically shut down the city during Halloween (!) and the World Series (!!) if SEPTA held the line on two-year wage freezes and some cuts to their health benefits. In the end, and after a weeklong (post-Series) strike, they got almost everything they wanted out of their temper tantrum.

We saw it this summer, after the Nutter administration called for ending the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP), which has cost this broke-ass city at least $258 million over the last decade, with nothing to show for it. The citys municipal unions threw their own temper tantrums and threatened to sue the city. And what did Council do? Spent tens of thousands of dollars on a new study of an old study, of course. (Surely, this dither-ing has nothing to do with the fact that six Council members are enrolled in DROP, including President Anna Verna,who stands to bank more than $584,000 in 2012.)

We saw it when Schools Superintendent Arlene Ackermanpocketed a $65,000 bonus, then rejected media requests for the

criteria the School Reform Commission used to award her that money. There are infinitely more examples, but you get the point. And all too often, as Ackerman demonstrates, this entitlement complex comes straight from the top.

Just last week, we saw two stunningly perfect new cases: first, Frank Rizzo Jr., who is running for re-election next year despite having signed up for DROP in 2008. If he wins, he plans to collect his nearly $200,000 bonus, retire for a day, then come right back to work at full salary. He wouldnt be the first: With the citys bless-ing, Councilwoman Joan Krajewski and City Commissioner Margaret Tartaglione have already done the same thing, and Verna might do it, too. After a potential challenger, attorney

Matthew Wolfe, announced that he may contest Rizzos eligibility to run in court, Rizzo told a reporter: If Matt Wolfe has a problem with DROP, thats his opinion. In other words,

piss off. At least Frank DiCicco, the other Council DROP enrollee to have announced a re-election bid, had the good sense to say that, while hell keep his DROP bonus and pension payments, hell donate his salary back to the city if he wins. Thats at least something.Rizzo, on the other hand, will take every last penny. After all, hes entitled oh, and he also voted to enact the program in 1999. Funny how that worked out.

But Carl Greene takes the cake. The former head of the Phil-adelphia Housing Authority (PHA), who was fired after being hit with more sexual harassment lawsuits and other scandals than we care to count, has reportedly demanded $4 million (!) from the PHA to settle his wrongful termination claim. If the case

AMILLIONSTORIES Now giving up the ghost

wasnt settled, Greenes attorney, Clifford Haines, threatened, he might just have to ask some very embarrassing questionsat deposition. Fortunately, PHA has to this point laughed off Greenes audacity. Good on them.

But there was one thing that stuck out in Haines bravado: He told the Inquirer last week, Short of a crime against PHA, they cant terminate him.

PHA had not responded to our request for a copy of Greenes contract by press time, but this statement leaves us with two possibilities: Either Haines is full of shit, or hes not, and that is an actual clause in Greenes actual contract and if thats so, the board of directors that approved that contract needs to have its head exam-ined.After all, Greene is a public official, paid with public money and his employ-ment should be at the publics will(manifested in the PHAs board).

Hes not entitled to anything. That he thinks otherwise, and thinks his firing is worth $4 million after the disgusting way hes allegedly behaved, is a testament to how monstrous this entitlement beast has become.

>>> continued on adjacent page

EVAN M. LOPEZ

He kept being evil.

EVILHonest to God, we never intended for the How Evil Is Tom Corbett? Barometer to become a weekly occurrence. We fig-ured wed use it a few times during the campaign, everyone would have a good chuckle, and that would be that.

But then, well, Tom Corbett became governor-elect, and just Kept. Being. Evil. Last week, it was his stated affection for that corpulent troll across the Delaware, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (as if anything admirable has ever come from the Jerz, besides Bon Jovi, of course). This week, its Corbett once again displaying, without shame, the degree to which hes been bought lock, stock and two fracking barrels by the natural gas industry that wants to pillage the Marcellus Shale.As you know, the industry spent north of a million bucks to give Corbett the keys to the governors mansion,and Corbett has requited by insisting that Pennsylvania be the only gas state in the country that doesnt tax drillers on the gas they extract. Corbett, you see, has bought into the industry argument that if Pennsylvania taxes gas drillers, theyll forego the billions of dollars worth of gas beneath the Shale, because theyd rather not make billions of dollars than fork over a small portion of those billions of dollars to the state. Or something.

Just as we were ingesting that little logic pretzel,we found out whom Corbett had tapped as the co-chair of his transition team: Christine Toretti, an Indiana County GOP bigwig whos raised gobs of money for Republicans over the years. Oh, and: Shes also the chairman and CEO of the S.W. Jack Drilling Co.,which is

wait for it drilling in the Marcellus Shale. In fact, S.W. Jack Drilling is the largest privately held land-based drilling company in the entire United States, and Toretti is such a muckety-muck that she served on the National Petroleum Council and the U.S. Secretary of Energys Advisory Board during last Bush administra-tion. This year, according to Pennsylvania Department of

Environmental Protection records, her company has been cited twice for violating regulations, including for abandoning a wellwithout plugging it. This isnt to say Toretti is a bad person; indeed, many companies have exponentially more violations than hers. And, not for nothing, from 1996 to 2006 she sat on the board of TheAndy Warhol Museum,which is pretty damn cool in our book. Still, its illustrative of the degree to which Corbetts administra-tion will be wedded to Big Gas that is, completely.

For making Pennsylvania a wholly owned subsidiary of the natu-ral gas drilling industry, Tom Corbett gets a 23 the full fucking Monty on the 23-point HEITC?B. And also, we give up. The end.

This weeks report by Jeffrey C. Billman. E-mail us at [email protected]. And get your daily fix of news, sports and commentary on The Clog, citypaper.net/clog.

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[ is choking on a logic pretzel ]

[ -4 ] After examining the Philadelphia Housing Authoritys records for two months, federal auditors decide to deepen their investigation of the agency. For instance, whats in the scrapbook labeled Carls Pussy Memories?

[0 ] I cannot comment other than to say we are fully cooperating and look forward to the findings, says PHA chairman John F. Street . Now, if youll excuse me, I believe I left my iPhone in the Caymans.

[ +3] Six nearby schools win the Department of Educations Blue Ribbon Schools of Excel-lence Award. The rest are given a PBR and one of those hugs thats like you tried.

[0 ] Superintendent Arlene Ackerman wins the Network for Teaching Entrepreneur ships 2010 Outstanding Community Service Award. I believe I shall put this on my shelf between the trophy bestowed up me by Citizens for Racially Motivated Violence and my medal of honor from the National Center for Ignoring Things and Hoping That They Go Away.

[ +5] Roy Halladay wins the National League Cy Young Award unanimously. Jamie Moyer wins $10 on a scratch-and-win card, then drops it down a sewer grate.

[ -2 ] Under a proposed pension law, the state and school districts will contribute an additional $5 billion to Pennsylvanias retirement sys-tems over the next four years. You go where the money is, says lawmakers. School districts.

[ +1] Cynthia Figueroa, a DHS deputy commission-er, becomes the new president of Congreso de Latinos Unidos. This is America name your organization in English, says Joey Vento to a guy who just wanted a cheesesteak.

[ +2]The Michael Vick-led Eagles thump the Donovan McNabb-led Redskins, 59-28, on Monday Night Football. After the game, Vick puts McNabb and Kevin Kolb in an empty swimming pool and makes them fight.

[ +2] Bennett S. LeBow, a corporate executive and Drexel Universitys biggest benefac-tor, gives $45 million more to the school. Thats cute, says God from inside Penns $4.5 billion Godcage.

This weeks total: 7 | Last weeks total: 9

thebellcurveCPs Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

A Million Stories

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ity [ the naked city ]

SCREAM IN THUNDERBeautiful character piece about an impressive Philadelphia figure [Cover Story, Prodigal Sonia: An Entreaty, Bruce Walsh, Nov. 11, 2010]. More of this type of writing would give face to such a great city. The last question Sonia reads flows right through the author to all of us: How does one scream in thunder? Well done!

Thomas E.C. Barclay V I A C I T Y PA P E R . N E T

THE REST OF THE STORYNice article, but it stops abruptly at the mid-1970s [Cover Story, Exiles on South Street, Nov. 4, 2010, Jonathan Valania]. There is much more to South Streets story that goes well into the 80s. Valanias focus is solely on the 60s generation and those who had a mainly entrepre-neurial interest in South Street. Wheres the rest of the story?

Jim RussoV I A C I T Y PA P E R . N E T

OR BUY THE BOOKAs the daughter of a lawyer, the late Robert Sugarman, who repre-sented the Citizens Council to Preserve & Develop the Crosstown

Communities, I was disappointed that community organizing and coalition building effort was not covered more extensively. The efforts of my dad, Alice Lipsomb and others involved with the coalition are widely credited as having been key to stopping the Crosstown, and their efforts represented a groundbreaking success for coalition-building and community organizing in Philadelphia. [That] story can also be found in a book authored by my dad, Tom Reinert and Janet Reinert, titled The Crosstown: A Case Study.

Karen SugarmanV I A C I T Y PA P E R . N E T

ALL ASSHOLEYou will never have to fear Pat Toomey eating your brain [Cover Story, 66 Reasons Not to Vote for Pat Toomey, Jeffrey C. Billman, Oct. 28, 2010]. Progressively controlled, Democratically owned papers like the Shitty Paper have no brains. They are all asshole. Progressives must be eradicated. By the way, the Eagles suck too! Steelers rule. Later Douchebags.

J.W. BumbargerV I A E - M A I L

feedbackFrom our readers

Send all letters to Feedback, City Paper, 123 Chestnut St., 3rd Floor, Phila. PA 19106; fax us at 215-599-0634; or e-mail [email protected]. Submissions may be edited for clarity and space and must include an address and daytime phone number.

BEHOLD THE BLUE RIBBONS IF PHILADELPHIAS SCHOOLS superintendent can do to school violence what shes done with the press, hoorah! Utopia is just a few press releases away. Last week, Arlene Ackerman and Mayor Michael Nutter announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on school violence and voila! the Internet was a cornucopia of news about the panel and its noble goal (we mean it) of reducing this citys number of persistently dangerous schools from 20 to zero and improving safety in 26 other dangerous schools.

This news came at an opportune moment: Ackerman was recently named top urban school leader by the Council of Great City Schools whose board she formerly chaired, natch and, following the announcement of the aforementioned blue ribbon panel, we learned that Ackerman will be honored at a gala by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.

It was all the right kind of news, too: forward-looking, full of promises and goals and bright visions of a near future. This new commission is collaborative, a partnership of community mem-bers, clergy and city and school officials. Its accountable, and will release regular reports and comes equipped with a subcommit-tee to check on progress on the ground, in the schools. It has four subcommittees, for crying out loud: Talk about thorough!

Had the media looked backward, however, the view wouldnt have been nearly so rosy. Had the press looked back just to this past February, theyd have seen no! basically the exact same story, from the last time Ackerman announced she would convene a panel to address school violence. That panel would begin its work in April, the Inquirerreported. (A District spokesman tells me that panel and the one announced last week are the same.) Whats more, had reporters looked back further still, theyd have found Ackerman announc-ing yet another panel to address school violence following the attacks on Asian students at South Philadelphia High School events already forgotten by the search engines. Last winter, you may recall, Ackerman formed a Racial and Cultural Harmony task force with no less than 80 members and 11 subcommittees (wow!), which was to deliver its own report goals, recommen-dations, etc. in April.

But it didnt. In May, the schools diversity chief whose job was to lead the task force resigned. When the report finally came out in September, it was five months past due and appeared to have been cobbled together literally sentence by sentence from a mishmash of recommendations that included such innovative racial-harmony plans as having students dress in native garb and introducing culturally diverse food to school lunch rooms. Egg rolls for peace, anyone?

Ackerman called that report solid. None of this is to say that theres anything simple about school

violence, or that there shouldnt be a blue ribbon panel, or that its reports wont be useful. But, thus far, the most substantial results these various task forces and panels seem to have gener-ated is good, good press.

If egg rolls could bring peace, Isaiah Thompson would be one hell of a diplomat. E-mail him at [email protected].

manoverboard!By Isaiah Thompson

This news came at an opportunemoment.

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M A S S A G E Y O G A R E I K ICome Find Peace In Calm

1214 Moore StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19148

267-909-8007 or [email protected]

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[ idea factory ]

BE HERE NOWTEDxPhilly invites local visionaries to expound upon whatevers on their mind at this very moment. By Holly Otterbein

W hen the speakers for TEDxPhilly talk about its theme right here, right now they dont bring up Eastern mindfulness, the zeitgeist or anything else highbrow.They talk about Van Halen, Fatboy Slim and Jesus Jones.My brain skipped right over the Buddhist interpretation of that

and went for the Van Halen song, says Zoe Strauss, Phillys un-official photographer laureate. Likewise, TEDxPhillys organizer, Roz Duffy, asks, Have you heard of the Jesus Jones song? From the 90s? Thats what I think of.

Its totally Philly to conflate a spinoff of TED the bourgeois, wonderfully cerebral conference founded in 84, which has fea-tured such speakers as Bill Gates, Malcolm Gladwell and Jane Goodall chatting about topics like fair labor practices, spaghetti sauce and strokes with Sammy Hagar et al. And thats not the only way weve made the California-born event our own: Most TEDx programs independently organized TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) events, which the community plans completely with the global conferences blessing invite speakers from all over. Not so in Philly: All 17 are locals (unless you dont count Stephen Powers, a current New Yorker who grew up in West Philly, though hes really an honorary citizen since plastering A

Love Letter for You along the El). We wanted to share Philadelphia with the world, explains

Duffy. Plus, we originally came up with a list of 200 people who could be speakers, and we had to whittle it down somehow. Duffy, who also co-organizes BarCamp Philly, was moved to create the citys first-ever TEDx event after attending one in Baltimore; any-one, even a child, can head her own TEDx program, so long as she gets approval from the nonprofit.

The final lineup is delicately curated: Theres Powers and Strauss, and theres urban ag activist Nic Esposito and West Philly Hybrid X Team founder Simon Hauger. Theres Science

Leadership Academy principal Chris Lehmann, Zahav chef Michael Solomonov, Temple neurologist Iyad Obeid, Night Catches Us director Tanya Hamilton and many more, all riffing on the right here, right

now theme for about 18 minutes each. Plus, therell be live music: Between speeches, Dallas Viettys Musette Project will play buoy-ant, French accordion waltz pieces from the mid-20th century, and parts of his unfinished suite about the Delaware River.

Interestingly, the musician in the group doesnt first think of Van Halen when interpreting the events right here, right now theme and he wont be covering the song, either, thank you very much. Instead, he believes the appreciation of his muse, the river, is rooted in the moment. I moved from the Mojave Desert to Bucks County, and the natural surroundings are very inspiring, he says.

a&eartsmusicmoviesmayhemMY ASS ISstill dragging from the 25th anniver-sary Greater Philly Film Office party and the new National Museum of American Jewish History opening. That doesnt mean we dont have jelly enough for a rip-snorting Icepack. As we speak, the Valanni/Varga Bar peeps are hiring folks for their yet-to-be-disclosed club with a concept for bottle-bar service. So, 40s in brown bags? Red wine fountains? Stay tuned. Is Tim Burtons DarkShadows remake withJohnny Depp (filming starts April 2011) shooting in the same Pennsylvania woods that Peter Jacksons Lovely Bones did or at least thinking about it? Back in the late 1980s/90s the boy-child A.D. created/promod weekends at Phillys sleaziest after-hours club, David CohensRevival (Bob Denny did it before me) in Old City, whereBunnydrums,ThorazineandAkashplayed and DJs Bobby Startup and Rikki Lee spun to the delight of people fucking and snorting in the bath-rooms. Fast forward to Nov. 22 and most of those characters new bands (e.g. Yeah Clementines)spin/play a mini-reunion with Philabundanceben-efiting from our new-found respectability at the same address where Revival was National Mechanicsat 22 S. Third. (Reunions at the original space put on by people who worked there weird concept, right, Kennel Clubbers 2009?!) If you have videos of that Revival moment, burn em onto DVD and well put them on a big screen. My eyes are watering already. And ask Startup when that Autistics LP from his punk-era band get its Rave/Up Dionysus release. On the-hop-hip tip, Roots MC Black Thoughtjoins Talib Kweli on not-so-conscious rap diva Chrisette Micheles title track for her upcomingDef Jam jam, Let Freedom Reign.Wicked. On the same week her sophomore joint Love Me Backdrops, R&B-hop singer/songwriterJazmine Sullivan gets the Rising Star Award at the 2010 Billboard Women in Music event on Dec. 2 in NYC. Fergie will get the mags Woman of the Year Award. (P.S. 2009s Rising Star winner? Lady Gaga.)And hey ladieees, an Evening of Wine, Women & Wisdomat Pinot Boutique Nov. 18 features Ben FM host-ess-with-the mostest Marilyn Russell with guest Shenielle Jones of Fox 29.Rox Box,we hardly knew ye: Were hearing the Manayunk/Roxborough live spot mayve rocked its last rock. Say it aint so. Stern-stalwart Gary Dell Abates signingThey Call Me Baba Booey on Nov. 18 at Borders Broad Street. Speaking of books: Im remiss if I dont mention local graphic designer/oddball standup/Americas Got Talent runner-up Doogie Horners new book, Everything Explained Through Flowcharts.And Look for Ice Cubes on the good (Nigella Lawson), the bad (Adam Carolla) and the ugly at citypaper.net/criticalmass.

([email protected])

icepackBy A.D. Amorosi

>>> continued on page 18

TALKING HEADS: TEDxPhilly participants include (from left) film

director Tanya Hamilton, Hybrid X Team founder

Simon Hauger and musi-cian Dallas Vietty.

ARTWORK: SEAN MARTORANAPHOTOGRAPHY: DAN KING

We wanted to share Philly with the world.

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[ wallowing in your terrestrial mire ]

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1[ B ]THE WEIGHTIEST INSTALLMENT of the Harry Potter canon, The Deathly Hallowshas sold 50 million copies since its 2007 release. The last book in J.K. Rowlings series is perhaps also her riskiest, considering it plucks our tousle-headed teen heroes out of the familiar confines of Hogwarts and drops them into numerous compromising situations lots of camping! designed to challenge allegiances and erode goodwill. David Yates, whos handled the last two Potter films, stays faithful to Rowlings blue-prints with the first half of his finale, so Part 1s sluggish swathes should be chalked up to the realization that this is less a battle of sparkly-wand wits and more an effete college road-trip movie just replace the smelly 95 Toyota Tercel with nifty teleportation tricks. A fuming Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), enraged by the death of his mentor, Dumbledore, sets off on a search for the Horcruxes, soul fragments the noselessly evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has hid-den to ensure he never really dies. Besties Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) at his side, Harry traverses landscapes magical and muggle alike for a good chunk of Part 1, wearing oversize sweaters, sulking and bickering about which direction theyre going. If this sounds dull, its because it is 2009s Half-Blood Prince did adolescent anguish to the death, so constant cinematic reminders that the students are sensitive kids first and sorcerers second might come off redundant. Luckily, Yates orchestrates a slew of exhilarating sequences that remind us why Rowlings universe is so compelling. Whether Harry and co. are infiltrating the Ministry of Magics bowels disguised as bureaucratic stiffs or breaking twigs on the run from a band of bounty hunters, the adventure at the core of the Potter mythology shimmers untarnished. Drew Lazor

flickpick [ movie review ]

[ kaleidoscope ]

comedy/tvTwo weeks ago, George Lopezs TBS show was pushed back an hour to make room for Conan, but instead of creating another Late Night-mageddon, the 49-year-old Mexican-American comedian who plays the Academy of Music Friday (Nov. 19, kimmelcenter.org) welcomed the change, and its paid off. The Washington Post reports that 1.4 million people tuned in to see Lopez Tonight in the new time slot double his average audience since the fall season began.

Daniella Wexler

drumsLooking for a lift? Go see a taiko ensemble leaping and shouting for joy literally while thundering on enormous drums. The emotion is contagious. Kenny Endo is renowned for the depth of his knowledge and accomplishment in this Japanese drumming tradition. The native Californian uses flutes and strings and the very modern vibraphone in his latest show, Gateway Ma vs Groove, which hits UPenns Irvine Auditorium Friday (Nov. 19, shofuso.camp8.org).

Mary Armstrong

space lectureAdmit it you wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up. And while you might have mastered the moonwalk, gravity has kept you grounded. Instead of wallowing in your terrestrial mire, dream vicariously through the experiences of a real-live space-man. Prior to teaching at Penn State, Jim Pawelczyk was anastronaut on the Columbia. On Sunday at Penn State Abington (Nov. 21, abington.psu.edu) hell discuss the physics and prac-ticality of humans living in space, dish on the secret history of local astronaut training facilities, and field your entirely sci-fi-informed questions. Eric Schuman

tv/soundtrackIt can be easy to overlook, but 30 Rock,staying true to its variety show within a show, is packed with music. While you may pick up the two-disc original soundtrack (out this week) to relive cast numbers like Muffin Top or Midnight Train to Georgia or Werewolf Bar Mitzvah, or to hear Tina Feys duet with Christopher Cross, youll be struck by the care that goes into the incidental music composed by Feys hubby, Jeff Richmond, and just how much that adds to the show. Brian Howard

THE ENGLISH PATIENCE: Harry, Ron and Hermione spend a lot of time waiting around

in the second-to-last Potter film.

REAR REVIEWWITH A DEBUT that sold more than 16 million copies in the U.S. alone, Hootie & the Blowfishcouldnt help but post diminishing returns. For those with their hearts set on the charts, a follow-up that sells only 3 million is a disappointment; the single-platinum third album is shameful. The last two barely cracked the Top 50 and didnt even go gold. As for frontman Darius Ruckers solo R&B record, released in 2002, no one knew and no one cared.

So Ruckers gotta feel good to be back on the up-swing. He topped the country charts in 2008 with Learn to Live,and hes done it again with Charleston, SC 1966 (Capitol Nashville). People acted pleasantly surprised the first time around itd been a while since a black artist left his mark on Nashville but listening to his latest, it seems a perfect fit. When it comes to songs written by committee, platitudes of gratitude delivered in a gruff but nonthreatening baritone, and glossy production, Ruckers no bald-headed stranger. Given all the crying in these songs, hes lucky his sturdy, soulful voice his biggest asset by far is so well suited to country.

Tears are on tap in nine of the 11 songs on 1996s Cracked Rear View,including two of the three Top 10 hits that made it such a tough act to follow. After two relatively dry openers, the crying jag kicks off with a damaged, R.E.M.-loving girlfriend (Let Her Cry) and a pussy-whipped Miami Dolphins fan (Only Wanna Be With You,) and doesnt let up until the piano-based Goodbye caps a relationship and the record. Along the way, he makes racists and no-good women weep, while he laments the passing of his mother and the passing of time.

Somehow, the songs all sound both bland and grandiose, but Ruckers pain always sounds sincere, as does his belief in the healing power of music. Heres a guy who swipes a whole verse from Bob Dylan, works references to Public Enemy and folk-singer Nanci Griffith into the same song, and on CharlestonsIn a Big Way compares himself to country legends George Jones and Charley Pride. Listening to the masters isnt enough to put Rucker in their league, but if he enjoys swapping mildly boorish quips with Brad Paisley on I Dont Care, well, hes suffered long enough.

([email protected])

reconsidermeM.J. Fine does it again

Kids first, sorcererssecond.

Do you have Type 2 Diabetes?Do you also have moderate kidney damage or disease?If so, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research trial. Participants may receive, at no cost, study-related

medication and medical care laboratory work and evaluations glucose monitoring supplies diabetic and nutritional counseling

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Drexel University College of Medicine is a separate not-for-pro t subsidiary of Drexel University.

Drexel University is not involved in patient care.

LET THEBARGAINSHUNT YOU.

Sign up at halfoffdepot.com/philadelphia to have Todays Big Deal sent directly to your inbox.

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y[ world/jazz ]

INFINITE FLUXGuitarist Eric Carbonara offers a glimpse of Paradise before returning to India. By A.D. Amorosi

I cant finish a piece until I feel a sense of closure to whatever the piece is about, says Eric Carbonara. In that way, the music is a victim to my life. Perhaps thats why The Paradise Abyss his new solo instru-

mental album featuring seven personal autobiographical narra-tives took two years to write. The Upper Darby guitarist used a friction peg flamenco guitar and techniques borrowed from Andalusian Romany, Hindustani, North African and Western clas-sical guitar music to shape what he calls thematic song poems.

Each of the pieces went through a variety of endings and transi-tions, he says. They develop as my life unfolds, so they can often take a long time to finish.

Next week, life is taking him to Kolkata, India, where hell again study with master slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya.

Carbonara, who grew up in the woods and cornfields of State College, stuck around his hometown to study anthropology at Penn State. There he got into ethnic music and ethnographic film, traded a Gibson SG for a sitar and took a semester in New Zealand, where ethnomusicologists turned him onto gamelan and Indian music. He barely let his graduation cap hit the ground before he was study-ing sitar at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, Calif.

That was mind-blowing, to sit with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, says Carbonara. I have a vivid memory of when he asked me to get his sarod, how I was holding something thatd been used to

transmit so much beauty and emo-tion. Carbonaras devotion earned him the chance to be a full-time student in Jamshedpur, but India and Pakistan were escalating their ancient war over Kashmir at the time. My teacher kept saying, its OK, you can come, if you keep love in your heart, you will be safe. My parents called me nuts and said youre not going over there.

Carbonara shelved the idea after a bombing in Delhi. Anxious to get out of State College, he found a

warehouse in Kensington in 2001, spent the money he saved for India on equipment and started recording albums like Toward a Center of Infinite Flux and Exodus Bulldornadius.An upcom-ing devotional effort with harpist Jesse Sparhawk, Sixty Strings,references the number of strings shared between the lever harp (38 strings) and Carbonaras 22-string hand-built upright Indian chaturangui. When he finally set foot on Indian soil in 2008 the day terrorists killed 166 people in Mumbai he found a country of converging polar extremes of religion and tradition. It must appease my Gemini nature, he says.

Convention has never been the guitarists strong suit. When he was a kid he had an instrumental acid-psych group with the unfor-tunate name of Jason Likes Science. But I never actually learned how to play. Never had a teacher until Ali Akbar College. I still dont know how to read, write music or hold the guitar in the correct way. He collected reel-to-reel analog recorders, became obsessed with doing Frippertronics and spent a Philadelphia minute in the band Soft People trying to imitate Tom Verlaine, to no avail. A big part of

me really wants to be in a more traditional band, but every time I try I just find that Im kind of bad at it.

Yet for all his disavowing of pop conven-tion and structure, The Paradise Abyss soft-ly spun spare melodies and twitchy pluck-ings connect with the force of a Bacharach or a Beatle. My brain sends a signal to my hands, which plucks the strings, makes the melody, the strings vibrate molecules and force changes in air pressure, which are picked up by a listeners ears, which sends a signal to their brain, which finally sends a signal to their heart, where they hopefully feel what I feel.

Carbonara has no ambition to strictly play Indian, flamenco or any other kind of music. He simply wants to develop a vast vocabulary of techniques to express himself with a form of pidgin language. Im not a spiritual person in most respects but I do devote myself to being a conduit through which musical and universal truth speaks.

([email protected])

Sat., Nov. 20, 7 p.m., $5, with Jesse Sparhawk and Little Ocean, Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave., 215-426-2685, ericcarbonara.org.

[ arts & entertainment ]

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[ arts & entertainment ][ menswear ]

THE SARTORIALISTSCRAIG ARTHUR VON SCHROEDER, a Philly construction attorney specializing in private con-tractors, got tired of wearing what he calls foreign-made button-down shirts with billowing fabric at the waist. He saw an opportunity to create dress shirts for men who demanded more for their image and their buck. After a few years of tinkering with patterns, he says, I eliminated the right amount of excess fabric that plagued most shirts.

Thats how Commonwealth Proper started in 2009, creating hand-stitched limited-edition shirts based on the notion that mens clothing, above all else, should fit properly. You can sacri-fice a lot of things related to clothing, but fit is not one of them, says the legal eagle. I wanted to ser-vice all clients, no matter what their size.

In a week and a half, von Schroeder, along with Commonwealth cohorts Jay Tidwell and Aaron Pierce (formerly of Barneys Co-Op), is opening the studio on 17th and Spruce, where clients can hang, shop and drink while gazing at the works in progress and the tools of their trade.

If this makes Commonwealth Proper sound like more than just a place to get a nice shirt, thats the point. Its more like an interactive art gallery, with custom made-to-measure (modified house patterns) and bespoke (from scratch, without pre-existing patterns) suits as their expressionist stock-in-trade.

Were devoted to offset pock-ets, which is a vertical pocket that is functional, yet slims the hips, says von Schroeder. While theyd never admit it, most guys dont like wide hips. Were able to make portly men look dashing and slim men sophisticated all by creat-ing a garment that fits their body perfectly. As for Commonwealth Propers studio concept: The whole thing was inspired by the founding fathers and Civil War generals, who, in their own time, gathered to philosophize about independence and strategize while smoking cigars. If this all makes you think of Union League-meets-Savile Row, youre on the right track. Its a social club of sorts, says von Schroeder, where one of the perks of mem-bership is dressing well.

A.D. Amorosi

([email protected])

Commonwealth Proper opens Dec. 1, 1732 Spruce St., 215-435-0809, com-monwealthproper.com.

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EXPLORE SCENIC RIVER ROAD IN BUCKS COUNTY PA

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Preserved towns, nestled along the Delaware River, are dotted with vintage farms, charming B&Bs, distinctive restaurants, unique shoppes, galleries, and vineyards- plus lots of outdoor activities. Just an hours drive from Philadelphia or New York City.

Youll be happy you found your way here.

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A lEcole Franaise

French for todays worldNEXT SEMESTER

Starting the week of November 29th No classes between 12/21 & 1/2

All levels, ages, & topicsBusiness, Literature, Culture, TravelTranslation/ Interpretation services

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alecolefrancaise.comTel 610.660.9645

No purchase necessary. Deadline for entries is Friday, November 19, 2010 at NOON ET. Theater is overbooked to ensure a full house. Arrive early. Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee admission. Texting services provided by 43KIX/43549 are free. Standard text message rates from your wireless provider may apply. Check your plan. One entry per cell phone number. Late and/orduplicate entries will not be considered. Winners will be notified electronically. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, except for members of the reviewing press. No one will be admitted withouta pass or after the screening begins. This film is rated R for strong violence, some drug use and language. Anti-piracy security will be in place at this screening. By attending, you agree to comply withall security requirements. All federal, state, and local regulations apply. CBS Films, Philadelphia City Paper and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accidentincurred in connection with use of a prize. Passes cannot be exchanged, transferred, or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. We are not responsible for lost, delayed, or misdirected entries, phone failures, or tampering. Void where prohibited by law. www.fasterthemovie.com

SLOW JUSTICE IS NO JUSTICE

THIS YEAR THANKSGIVING COMES FASTERSTRONG VIOLENCE, SOME DRUG

USE AND LANGUAGE

To enter for a chance to win a pass for two to a special action-packed screening,

text the word THROTTLE and your ZIP CODE to 43549.(Example: THROTTLE 19103)

and

IN THEATERS NOVEMBER 24THJOIN THE FASTER FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK! www.facebook.com/fasterthemovie

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[ arts & entertainment ]

CALENDAR BOYS

A NORTH PHILLY warehouse is awash in hues of red, black, white and yellowish brown. A carnival-esque crowd fills the wings: contortionists stretch-ing, a pole-walker strutting, an acrobat hanging, musicians playing. An androgynous figure stands at center, sporting a top hat and striped tights, a light moustache, shirt slightly unbuttoned, head slightly cocked, looking slyly at the lens.

This festive scene is a standout in Sarah Greens 2011 Glitterlip drag calendar (being released in a Dec. 4 variety show at Adobe Caf on East Passyunk), even though the Philly photographer would tweak it if she could.

Oh, I definitely like it, she says of the shot. I just had this vision of a crazy carnival, people blowing fire or spinning fire. I had this concept of filling up the empty space with a wall of loud people doing loud things.

To a degree, the calendar shows Greens vision. To a degree, she wants to respect the vision of the people she photographed. Some are performing drag queens, some are friends who felt like dress-ing in drag; many are both. Green asked each what their dream photo shoot would be, and she made it happen through brilliant art direction.

A colorful photo starring performer Dave End is set in a candy shop. Our subject wears a bright pink cake dress, adorned with pinned-on plastic fruits: red raspberries, yellow lemons, orange oranges. In congress with the multicolored check-ered floor and jars of jelly beans in the background, the colors practically leap out of the frame.

By comparison, a mostly monochromatic image can be just as much of a blast. Joey Juicebox Parzenese dresses as a superhero: black Uma Thurman-circa-Pulp Fiction wig, black unitard, black shoes, gray cape and tights, standing on a gray sidewalk against a painted black wall (pictured). A bright red ray gun is pointed at some unseen enemy, and Juicebox makes a comical, aggressive sneer.

Each subject picked his idea and wardrobe, while Green scouted for a matching location.

Im attracted to color, and Im always paying attention, she says. I look for bright places, but plain bright places.

This is the second year Green has put together

a drag calendar; the project evolved in response to a photo shoot she worked on in 2009 for a pinup calendar. Green describes the scene two gay soldiers kissed on Penns Landing behind a girl in a Marines shirt. Green remembers the art director standing out of frame, shout-ing, Show more panties! The misogyny grossed her out.

I cant say its not a political calendar, because it is all in sup-port of crushing the gender bina-ry, supporting the idea of gender being more fluid, she says.

Green calls it her genderfuck calendar one that has touches of home for subjects. But I also wonder if it engages in the kind of stereotyping she sought to avoid. For example, the trans community is arguably the least understood and most mocked wing of the LGBT acronym.

People dont differentiate among transgender, transsexual and transvestite. Further, someone could dress up in drag for a photo shoot and not necessarily be any of those. Indeed, some of Greens models are straight guys.

She sees my point, but believes her photos dont inadvertently lampoon the community.

Its fun, its lively, but its also supportive, she says. Its not visually degrading. As long as thats true, as long as you can see the love in the photos, its OK.

And what of the misunder-standing that exists among more general audiences?

Theres a lot of misunder-standing even in the queer com-munity, Green says. But if [the calendar] gets people talking about it, if it creates a dialogue, thats awesome. Its OK to have questions.

([email protected])

fullexposureJohn Vettese sees what develops

Its fun, its lively, but its also sup-portive. Its not visually degrading.

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nutcracker1776.com

Philadelphia's Children's Nutcracker

The Rock School for Dance Education presents

december 4 The Merriam Theater

at the University of the Arts

tickets start at $10call (215) 893-1999

december 11 & 12Centennial Hall

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tickets start at $15call (610) 431-4321

PRIEST STRANGLERS. GUITAR WIRES. LOVE LETTERS. Imaginative pasta-makers have been giving their cuts creative names for centu-ries, and the Italian renaissance thats currently sweeping this city (Barbuzzo, Zavino, Amis, etc.) has carb-lovers confronted with shapes that are hard enough to pronounce, let alone visualize.

Were definitely seeing a trend toward unique shapes and cuts, says Pete Severino, whose familys Westmont, N.J., pastaficcio has been rolling, pulling, pinching and brass-die-extruding 200 types of pastas for the past 40 years. Because [cooking] is getting back to grassroots, the appeal of many of these pastas is how old-school they are.

Severino is always on the hunt for unusual pastas he can broker to local restaurants. On a recent trip

to Bologna, he discovered gramigna (little weed) and had his brass man in Brooklyn cast a die for the fiddle-head-shaped twists. (Theyre now on Adam DeLossos menu at Garces Trading Co.) As more and more pasta shapes go mainstream, I keep trying to search out the funkiest cuts and stay ahead of the curve. Which means more and more Italian tongue-tanglers are coming soon to a restaurant near you. Let this primi primer prepare you for the pastas were seeing on menus right now, from postage stamps to handkerchiefs.

FrancobolliTranslation: Postage StampsEat It: Osteria (640 N. Broad St.)These ravioli relatives are just slightly larger than their lick-to-stick name-sake. This pasta is always on the menu [at Osteria], says chef/co-owner Jeff Michaud, who plumps the trans-lucent postage stamps with a mix of sticky Robiola and nutty Parmigiano

tied together with beaten egg. We toss [the francobolli] in the sauce, a simple simmer of butter, thyme, garlic and pasta water boosted with sauted royal trumpets, and top it with more grated Parm.

FazzolettiTranslation: Small HandkerchiefsEat It: Le Virt (1927 E. Passyunk Ave.)These 3-by-3-inch diamonds are as rustic as pasta gets, essentially rolled out dough cut (or torn) into thin kites. Le Virts Joe Cicala works fresh parsley into his semolina-free fazzo-letti dough of eggs and 00 flour, which gives the peasant pasta a pretty green speckling before theyre boiled and tossed with luxe Long Island duck ragu spiced with juniper berry, rose-mary, battuto, black pepper and cloves.

Scrigno de VenereTranslation: Venus Jewel Case

mealticket SUPPLEMENT | FALL/WINTER 2010


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theprimiprimerPeculiar pasta cuts are the chefs pajamas.By Adam Erace | Photos by Neal Santos

Pansotti at Paradiso Agnolotti at Mm

Eat It: James (824 S. Eighth St.)This jewelry box isnt so much a cut of pasta as a pasta dish, but its too cool not to include. I read about Venus jewel case a long time ago in one of my favorite cookbooks, says chef Jim Burke, who added the sexy bundles to his menu after introducing it at a collabo dinner with Blackfishs Chip Roman. There was a strictly-pasta restaurant in Bologna, and this was their specialty. Burke takes house-made spinach fettuccine in bacon-studded, bottarga-scented cauliflower bchamel and gift-wraps the just-shy-of-al-dente noodles in a wide round of thin, cooked pasta by bringing up the circles sides and pleating the edges. Egg-washed and dusted in bread-crumbs and Parmigiano, the cases go into a buttered gratin dish and bake until golden.

StrozzapretiTranslation: Priest StranglersEat It: Barbuzzo (110 S. 13th St.)Legend says the Catholic clergy that first ate these hand-rolled, 2-inch twists consumed them so quickly they choked to death. Some strozza-preti doughs call for Parmigiano and egg whites, but at Barbuzzo, Marcie Turney uses just semolina and water to make the stranglers she tops with perky preserved lemon-and-walnut pesto, Blue Moon Acres wild aru-gula, Roman sheeps milk ricotta and

roasted hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Its one of our most popular pastas, Turney says, especially because we can easily make it vegan by omit-ting the ricotta. (See our review of Barbuzzo on p. 30.)

PansottiTranslation: Pot-belliedEat It: Paradiso (1627 E. Passyunk Ave.)With their corners folded over each other like a glutton cradling his over-fed stomach, its no wonder pansotti means pot-bellied in Italian. This fat-filled pasta is a specialty of Genoa, as well as Paradiso, where chef/owner Lynn Rinaldi plumps pansotti with sheeps milk ricotta and dresses them in a traditional sauce made from crushed walnuts, toasted bread crumbs, garlic and grated Parm.

AgnolottiTranslation: Priest HatsEat It: Mm (2201 Spruce St.)According to Mms David Katz, the difference between agnolotti and ravi-oli is that the former employ a single sheet of pasta folded over itself, while the latter require a second sheet. Piedmontese housewives make agno-lotti, which can be triangular or cres-cent-shaped, one by one, but Katz and crew follow a more modern method, rolling out a long belt of pasta, pip-ing the filling currently butternut squash, onion, egg yolk, nutmeg and

Reggiano down half the belt and folding the naked side over the fill-ings. Once pinched and cut, Katz lets the filling shine by keeping the sauce straightforward: sage-brown butter and a priestly anointing of emerald-green Styrian pumpkin seed oil.

StradetteTranslation: Little RoadsEat It: Modo Mio (161 W. Girard Ave.)Stradette are long pappardelle-like noodles whose bright yellow color comes from cornmeal, an everyday ingredient in Piedmont, where this pasta comes from. Its a traditional Piedmontese pasta, says chef Peter McAndrews, who serves the pasta at his Modo Mio. Id never even seen stradette stateside. The cornmeal gives the noodles a natural sweetness McAndrews cuts with sauted leeks, meaty porcini, nutmeg and cream.

GramigneTranslation: Little WeedsEat It: Garces Trading Co. (1111 Locust St.)The loosely coiled short-cuts Pete Severino brought back from Bologna just debuted on the menu at Garces Trading Co., where chef Adam DeLosso deals the curls a wintry goat Bolognese fortified with Sangiovese and topped with salty Sardinian goats-milk Pantaleo cheese.

([email protected])

mealticketcitypaper.net/mealticket


citypaper.netMore on:

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Founded in 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? E-mail [email protected].

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Visit www.americanswedish.orgfor more info on culinary events

1900 Pattison AvePhiladelphia, PA 19145(215)389-1776

PHILADELPHIAS uptick of amazing cocktail destinations is reason alone to raise a glass. But what if you dont know what the hell is in that glass to begin with? Weve picked the ency-clopedic brains of some of our favorite drink mixers in the hopes of breaking down a handful of the not-so-familiar spirits we see on menus around town.

Amaro | What Now?Amaro refers not to a specific brand or spirit, but to a family of them. Amaro simply means bitter in Italian, and is a wide umbrella, says Al Sotack of Franklin Mortage & Investment Co. (112 S. 18th St.). Herbs, distinctive spices (think clove or cinnamon), fruit rinds and roots are typical flavoring agents in amari, which tend toward a bitter profile and generally hover around 60 proof.

Try This: For a amaro-immersive experience, order Sotacks Evil Woman Swizzle, which combines two amari Averna and Nardini Amaro with sugar, lemon, bitters, red wine, a clove tincture and Punt E Mes (see right) in a tall glass. It drinks like a punch, and is one in the face if you are not careful.

Aperol | What Now?An Italian apertif, Aperols chief flavor character-istic is bitter orange (think the pith of

the fruit), but sip it straight to pick up gentian root and rhubarb.

Try This: Go old-school at Cichetteria 19 (267 S. 19th St.) with a classic Spritz, which combines Aperol with Prosecco and soda. Or try the 2 to 2 at Catahoula (775 S. Front St.), in which Aperol does well smoothing out the aromatic presence of absinthe alongside lemon, simple syrup and orange bitters.

Cocchi Americano | What Now?A blend of fruit, spices and herbs is naturally infused, with quinine, into Moscato dAsti wine to create Cocchis unique bitter/spicy base.

Try This:At Oyster House (1516 Sansom St.), order the Lion Tamer, where Courvoisier and Dolin Rouge vermouth join Cocchi in a wine glass for a drink subtle enough to bolster a day-time drinking habit.

Cynar | What Now? Cynar (CHEE-nar), a low-alcohol spirit thats considered an amaro, is made with arti-chokes. But dont go drawing butter just yet. It doesnt necessarily taste like artichokes, says The Franklins Colin Shearn. But it does have a vegetal, earthy quality found nowhere else.

Try This:Get Shearns House of Lords, which sees Cynar curtailing the sweet profiles of Pimms and crme de peche.

Carpano Punt E Mes | What Now? Punt E Mes is a red vermouth with bitters already added, so its tech-nically a cocktail before its even mixed with anything.

Try This: At Noble (2025 Sansom St.), Christian Gaals Saratoga calls for equal parts rye and cognac, Punt E Mes and orange bitters for a tricked-out take on the classic Manhattan.

Green Chartreuse | What Now? Green Chartreuse is a very powerful (110 proof!), very peculiar herbaceous spirit. Its got a whimsical backstory its distilled by French Carthusian monks and contains a secret list of 130 herbs and plants go into the distilling, and its claimed that only two monks can make it. Its not for your average drink er, says London Grill bar manager Cris tina Tessaro. But if youre feeling adventuresome, this is a great step to take.

Try This: London mixes a mean Last Word equal parts Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, gin, lime juice and Chartreuse. At Oyster House, try bartender Andy DiGiulios The Truth About Us, which brings together bour-bon, Chartreuse, Campari (similar to Aperol), bitters and citrus peel.

([email protected])

mealticketcitypaper.net/mealticket



Founded in 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? E-mail [email protected].

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burdenofproofBreaking down the strange spirits neither of us have ever heard of. By Drew Lazor | Photos by Neal Santos

Evil Woman Swizzle at Franklin

Mortgage & Investment Co.

Peculiar spirits abound behind the bar at The Franklin.

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1310 Drury Lane Phila, PA 215.735.5562 www.mcgillins.com

A3@D73=>:34=@#G3/@A

$#>WbQVS`a0cR:WbS>0@/ZZ2Og3dS`g2Og

Know before you go.

citypaper.net/restaurantsSearch hundreds of local restaurants

by location, cuisine and price

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[ review ]

BUZZ WORDSIs Barbuzzo the best new restaurant in Philly?By Adam Erace

BARBUZZO | 110 S. 13th St., 215-546-9300, barbuzzo.com. Lunch Mon.-Fri., noon-3 p.m.; dinner nightly, 5 p.m.-mid. Snacks, $3-$9; salads, $6-$9; pizza, $13-$15; pasta, $11-$14; plates, $8-$18; boards, $13-$16; desserts, $6-$8. Reservations recommended. Wheelchair accessible.

T he last entry on George Sabatinos blog, georgesabatino.com, is dated July 19. I went from the bad kind of really busy to the wonderful kind of really busy recently, he wrote. Barbuzzo is around the corner and we have been able to get into the kitchen this past week.

Food porn pics follow pigs feet, sausages, fresh fior di latte with Sabatino listing the salumi he would craft. Four months later, some are ready and some are still curing, but Barbuzzo, the fourth restaurant in Marcie Turney and Valerie Safrans 13th Street empire, is open and thriving, and Sabatino hasnt updated since. As Turneys right-hand man, the chef de cui-sine has likely reached a whole new level of busy.

Effortless, exciting and affordable, Barbuzzo is so primally sat-isfying that youre planning a return visit before you even finish dessert. I went on a Sunday and returned the following night. My two-time server chuckled while pouring the house-bottled water: Weve been seeing a lot of that lately.

Lolita, Bindi and Grocery, Turney and Safrans other eateries, have always been very good Sabatino came from Bindi, execu-tive sous chef Nikki Hill from Grocery but have they ever ranked among the citys best restaurants? Barbuzzo does. Shes in the kitchen with Sabatino and Hill, turning out seasonal small plates with a bordering-on-reverential respect for ingredients. Every ooh and ahh youve heard about Barbuzzos food, from glass-brittle pig popcorn chiccharones dusted in espelette pepper to the dreamy budino tucked layer by salted-caramel layer into a Mason jar, is a million percent true.

Local greens are anointed with Italian oils and salves. Root veg-etables are exhumed from ground and raised on pedestals. Green Meadow pigs become lardo, guanciale, sausage find each on a pizza and, with the help of ground short rib, meatballs so light

theyd float off their cast-iron skillet were it not for the caper-studded red pepper relish holding them down.

I wanted the meatballs to be that dish people would come back for, Turney said in

an interview. Mission accomplished. As if these orbs werent boldly seasoned enough count fennel, coriander, red chili flake and chopped cornichons among their mix-ins Sabatino stuffs each with caciocavallo, a sharp Sicilian cows milk cheese that becomes the meatballs molten core.

But theres so much more Id go back for like pasta, all made in-house. Hills sheer ricotta-and-caciocavallo ravioli, slicked with brown butter; tender twists of strozzapreti buried under black wal-nut pesto, perked with preserved lemon. The breadcrumb-dusted

MY MAN POTS AND PANS WOMEN THINK MEN who cook are sexy, and it involves fire, sharp instruments and meat.

Were informed of this early on in Recipes Every Man Should Know (Quirk Books, Nov. 10 ), a handy-dandy cooking guide a little black book, literally marketed as a culinary build-ing block, essential reference for the kitchen-impaired XY-er in your life. If The Joy of Cookingis the bible for the ambitious at-home chef, then consider this the holy text for the man who eats Tombstone pizzas more often than he changes his bedsheets.

Though that introductory promise reads boor-ishly, the book itself doesnt go the predictable 12-year-old balls are funny! dude-humor route. (Ha-ha, balls!) Co-written by San Diego food blog-ger Susan Russo and Philly-based author Brett Cohen, Recipes is the feed-me-Seymour compan-ion to Cohens 2009 Stuff Every Man Should Know,a similarly slim volume that schools developmen-tally challenged gents in the fine arts of tying neck-ties and asking the boss for a raise. Instructions, often accompanied by fun little illustrations, are broken down in a spare and clear-cut manner, never spanning more than two pages.

There are some very helpful gems tucked into this pocket-size book, including sections on break-fast (dog-ear the eggy Hangover Cure), cocktails, cooking steaks and burgers (both on grills and in pans) and properly carving a turkey (helpful for the impending holiday). Straightforward crowd-pleasing recipes include beef-and-beer chili and bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Almost a quarter of one chapter is devoted to bacon recipes.

Then theres the silly filler, much of which does not involve actual cooking. A Real Beer Float (Pour beer in a glass. Add ice cream. Drink.) does not need its own page. A cook who would like to be taken seriously should never follow the books bacon brownie instructional, which suggests adding half a dozen strips of bacon to store-bought brownie mix. Now back to pizza. At some point, Recipes reads, a man has to make his own pizza. Thats very true, so much so that Im willing to forgive the fact that the recipe calls for pre-fab pizza dough (If frozen, thaw completely before using) and jarred marinara. Women definitely think men who cook are sexy and come on, whats sexier than flour-caked forearms? Make your own dough.

([email protected])

portioncontrolBy Drew Lazor


M O R E F O O D A N D D R I N K C O V E R A G E AT C I T Y P A P E R .N E T / M E A LT I C K E T.

f&dfoodanddrink


SPHERES OF INFLUENCE: Barbuzzos

signature light-as-air meatballs are flavoredwith fennel, coriander,

red chili flakes and chopped cornichons,

and stuffed with sharp caciocavallo cheese.

NEAL SANTOS

exit 37 off i-95 or exit 351 off the pa turnpike.

ante up in our new poker roomlocated at parx east adjacent to parx casino.visit parxcasino.com for details.

bring yourentouragehey bro, its where we playblackjack, roulette, craps andmidi-bacc

Friday, November 19split decision 7pm 11pmdj gabor kiss & maria laina 11pm 2am

Saturday, November 20spoiled rotten 3pm 7pmbig city 7pm 11pmdj bryan basara & maria laina 9pm 2am

Sunday, November 21your place to watch the birds game.stadium style food with a birds eye view.birds vs. giants 8:20pm

presentsthe mike missanelli showMondays 2pm 6pm

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J^[7ZeX[9W\4065)8&45&3/#"3"/%(3*--&"/%4"/5"'&45&",)064&

)"11:)0631*$563&40'."3("3*5"48&%&-*7&3"%0#&$"'&1)*-:$0.

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Open 7 days M-Wed 4pm-10pm Thu 11:30am-10pm F-Sat 11:30am-11pm Sun 11:30am-9:30pm1919 E. Passayunk Ave. 215.551.2243

4550 Mitchell St. 215-483-3947

CERTIFIED KOSHER TAKE-OUT AVAILABLECATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS BYOB

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTEDKARAOKE AVAILABLE

Southeast Asian vegetarian food including vegetarian dim sum.

Food derived from Buddhist, Hindu & Muslim cooking.

Strictly vegetarian including vegan. Brown rice available. Free Delivery in Center City.

THANKSGIVING DINNER WITHVEGETARIAN TURKEY

SINGAPOREKosher Vegetarian Restaurant

1006 Race Street Philadelphia 215-922.3288

Effies Restaurant

Serving Authentic Greek Cuisine for 14 years

NOW SERVING SUNDAY BRUNCH! 10AM 2PM

HOURS OF OPERATIONTues Thurs: 5-10pm . Fri & Sat: 5-11pm

Sunday Brunch: 10am-2pm . Sunday Dinner: 5-9pm

1127 Pine Street215-592-8333 . www.effiesrestaurant.com

Let the feeding

frenzy begin.

Food news, recipes, menu exclusives

citypaper.net/mealticket

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[ this week in eats ]

WHATS COOKING

Sixpoint Pop-Up Brewery at City Tap House Fri.-Sun., Nov. 19-21, $5-$10 City Tap Houses first-ever Pop-Up Brewery puts distinctive microbreweries on draft in the bars private lounge. First up is Brooklyns Sixpoint Craft Ales, serving Red Tuft ESB, Righteous Ale and many more brews including the nearly-kicked summer sea-sonal Apollo Wheat. (Only 10 kegs left!) Snag a limited-edi-tion glass with two draft pours for $10, or stick to the bars $5-per-Sixpoint price plan. City Tap House, The Radian, 3925 Walnut St., 215-662-0105, citytaphouse.com.

Country Delight at Pub & Kitchen Tue.,Nov. 23, 4 p.m., pay as you go Giddy up for Pub & Kitchens second annual Country Delight, a down-on-the-farm foodie eve-ning of the Southern-fried variety. Sip $3 canned beers, or order Mickeys Delightful Punch for $4 (max two per customer so its gotta be good). Food-wise, expect butter-milk fried chicken, cider-braised greens and Anson Mills grits with honey and butter. Yee-haw! Pub & Kitchen, 1946 Lombard St., 215-545-0350, thepubandkitchen.com.

A Taste of History: Dining in the 18th Century at

the Rosenbach Museum Thu., Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m., $10 Before TV dinners (and, for that matter, TV), eating was a complex affair: In the 1700s, etiquette was key, and food took much longer to prepare. Womens history/historic food specialist Kimberly Costas presentation will focus on food prep, presentation and preservation; afterward, guests can sample historically accurate sweetmeats and pick up recipes from the time period. RSVP at [email protected]. Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, 215-732-1600, ext. 123, rosenbach.org.

Pickletini Tasting at Hudson Beach Glass Thu., Nov. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $40 Philadelphia Distilling is showing off McClures Pickles newest products marti-ni brine and Bloody Mary mix at Hudson Beach Glass. The local companys Penn 1681 Vodka and Bluecoat Gin will be on hand to mix perfect pickletinis, served in Hudson-crafted jar goblets. Watch a demo on how the vessels are made, and take yours home once your glass is empty. Tickets at hbgphilly.ticketleap.com. Hudson Beach Glass, 26 S. Strawberry St., 267-319-1887, hudson-beachglass.com.

Rachel Burgos

[ food & drink ]

I'D RATHER

GO TO COPA

THAN GRANDMA

S!

TURKEY DINNER

$15.95

THE LEGENDARY CARD &MAGAZINE STORE IS

REOPENING BLACK FRIDAY520 S. FOURTH (NEXT TO JAVA)

gracetavern.com

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NEW127 HOURS|B+Devout outdoorsman and professional loner Aron Ralston (James Franco) finds the sticky end of solitude when hes trapped at the bottom of a remote ravine, his right arm pinned by a loose boulder. Apart from a few flashbacks, the movie stays with him, but Danny Boyles jittery, adrenal-ized camera is everywhere, even inside his rapidly draining CamelBak, working your nerves raw. Like a steroidal Into the Wild, the movie, adapted from a true story by Slumdog Millionaires Simon Beaufoy, follows Aron to the logical end of his lone wolf lifestyle, leaving him with nothing but his wits and the contents of his backpack. As theyre laid out in front of him, his belongings make up a paltry inventory, just as the two hikers (Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn) he meets and flirts with before his accident serve as a reflection of his transient relationships; theyre clearly interested in him, but when he doesnt show up at the party theyve invited him to, they just assume hes blown them off. Because they expect nothing from him, they have no reason to suspect anything is wrong. Boyles clangorous montage risks overkill, and it may take a while to recover from the movies stomach-turning climax. But thats only because he succeeds so thoroughly in getting under your skin. Sam Adams (Ritz East)

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1|BRead Drew Lazors review on p. 17. (AMC Cherry Hill, Pearl, Roxy, UA 69th St., UA Grant, UA Main St., UA Riverview)

LEAVING|B-Watching Catherine Corsinis morose potboiler, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Surely the story would grow more complicated than that of a well-to-do housewife

(Kristin Scott Thomas) who leaves her husband for a husky laborer (Sergi Lopez) and is made to regret her transgres-sion? Nope. The gunshot that ends the movies opening flash-forward gives you an idea how deep shell sink, and the rest is just charting her inevitable decline. Corsini at least has nailed down a top-flight cast, which also includes Yvan Attal as the vengeful cuckold who tightens the purse strings as if hes fitting his wife for a noose, but Lopez is cast so close to type theres little for him to do. Scott Thomas, as always, suffers exquisitely, but thats not enough to hang a movie on. S.A. (Ritz at the Bourse)

MARWENCOL|AMy memories that I do get, says Mark Hogancamp, they come back in stills, just a single shot, but no context. They remind him that he was married, lived in a nice house, and was beaten nearly to death one night outside the bar where he works in Kingston, N.Y. Since then, hes learned to walk and speak again and also to translate his experience into art. Jeff Malmbergs extraordinary documentary not only follows Marks self-narration, but also showcases the photos hes taken of the circa-WWII Belgian village hes made up out of plywood and dolls. Marwencols population includes 27 Barbies and Marks alter ego, a U.S. soldier. Having learned that before the attack he was a terrible drunk, antagonistic and angry, now Mark wants the bar in Marwencol to be a place where everyone can come together to drink and smoke cigarettes, the Americans, the Ger-mans, the French: Everybody got along, he says, nobody was against one another, no matter what clothing they wore. Attentive to details in his world, Mark drags jeeps along pavement to make sure the tires are suitably worn, paints dolls faces and meticulously sets up situations to photograph cat fights and romances, snowy street

movieshorts

Marwencol

FILMS ARE GRADED BY CITY PAPER CRITICS A-F.

SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A DE LINE PICTURES PRODUCTIONCHER CHRISTINA AGUILERA BURLESQUEA FILM BY STEVEN ANTIN ERIC DANE

JULIANNE HOUGHCAM GIGANDET ALAN CUMMING PETER GALLAGHERWITH KRISTEN BELL AND STANLEY TUCCI MUSICSUPERVISOR BUCK DAMON MUSICBY CHRISTOPHE BECK

EXECUTIV

Philadelphia City Paper, November 18th, 2010

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Transcript of Philadelphia City Paper, November 18th, 2010