Summer 2013: Morgan’s Pier Reopens Tonight
This just popped into our Inbox from the Morgan’s Pier team:
“We can’t believe it’s almost here! Our doors re-open TODAY at 4pm, and the kitchen fires up at 5, with some exciting new additions and some old summer favorites.
Dave P of Making Time will be kicking-off our entertainment season in a BIG way with a FREE DJ set of futuristic sounds for your ears from 10pm-2am! We’ve also got a weekend of incredible DJ’s lined up like Harvard Bass, Liv Spencer + Prince Language. See the full list here and click here to RSVP for FREE admission to this Friday & Saturday’s shows!
Keep the dance vibes going all summer with local DJs every weeknight, and DJs from across the globe every weekend—like Simian Mobile Disco, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, and Dimitri From Paris.
Throughout the season, our buds over at R5 Productions are pulling out all the stops with FREE shows every Wednesday Night—including some heavy-hitters like Cold Cave, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and We Were Promised Jetpacks—from June 5th-August 28th.
DINING
This year, we’ll have a picnic menu, with all items around $10, that’s foodie, vegan, veggie, kid, omnivore—you name it—friendly. This menu is served in our Picnic Area. Although we won’t be taking reservations for this section, with 300 seats, there should be plenty of room for all.
In addition to the picnic options, there’s also a $30 fixed price menu, served exclusively in the elevated Dining Area. Space is limited so we encourage you to make your reservations here.
You can always find our upcoming events, specials and information at MorgansPier.com and for our nightly dinner specials & updates as they happen keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter. Can’t wait to see you at the Pier!
xoxo,
MP”
Man, oh man. We’d been checking in on the site to see what kind of shows and schedule they were booking, but we weren’t expecting this kind of fullness. Not gonna lie: In reading the hours of operation—and by that, we guess, they mainly mean when the kitchen’s open, not how late they’ll be serving drinks—it’s gonna be a service industry summer at the Pier. The picnic menu’s available from 5 to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and only 5 to 10pm on Friday and Saturday.
Things I can’t wait to put in my mouth from that menu: Smoky Party Wings; honey + chili glaze ($7.50), Blistered Shishito Peppers; ranch dressing + lemon wedge ($7.00), BBQ Pulled Mushroom Buns; house tofu + cucumber salad ($6.50), Really Good Fries; spicy salt + daily aioli (Side $3.00/Basket $7.00), Poached Lobster & Bibb; green goddess + brioche crumbs ($10.00), White Fish Salad Sammie; baby arugula + pickled red onion ($8.00), Slow Roasted Bacon Sammie; pickled cabbage + spicy mustard ($7.50).
Oh, and the talent. A handful of shows that made our eyes bug: a Classixx DJ set on Friday, June 14th ($5.00), a Cold Cave show a few days later on Wednesday, June 19th (free), then a Simian Mobile Disco DJ set on Saturday, the 22nd ($5.00), and OMG a Small Black free show on Wednesday, June 26th, and DAMN a James Murphy DJ set on the weekend of July 4th ($10.00) on Saturday night, the 6th). There’s obviously a ton more booked, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg and the tip that’s closest to May.
Check out this cool lil’ mini-short doc about DFA records to get excited for James Murphy to visit our little pier on Columbus Ave.
Photos: Forking Stupid at The Farm and Fisherman
At roughly the same time this week’s installment of Forking Stupid hit newsstands, it was announced that this fall, The Farm and Fisherman’s Chef Joshua Lawler will be bringing his farm-to-table cuisine and hospitality to the good people of New Jersey, opening a second and much larger restaurant, The Farm and Fisherman Tavern & Market, in Cherry Hill (1442 East Route 70).
The Market will feature the freshest seasonal and local products, ranging from sustainably, humanely raised meats and fish, butchered by hand, to fair trade coffees, craft beers, bountiful produce and painstakingly aged cheeses. Meanwhile, the Tavern will serve similarly honest and artfully prepared small plates, snacks, entrees and family-style meals in a casual, 100-seat dining room.
Now that I’ve filled you in on this exciting piece of breaking news, check out the elaborate spring salad Josh and I crafted as well as the unmentioned masterpiece I used my fingers to create with the salad’s remnants…
Photos: Philadelphia Flower Show
Finally, after 25 years as a Philadelphian, I attended the Flower Show. And I gotta say–it’s not just for old ladies. Hell, it’s not even necessarily for gardeners. I initially didn’t go in expecting to post a photo gallery afterwards, rather I just started snapping photos of exhibitions and displays I really liked (ya know, to Instagram). And by the end, I had like 100 photos.
Best part: The floral art instillation by Schaffer Designs. It was hands down the coolest exhibition in the place, and the only one that I would call a legit “art exhibit.”
Worst part: Trying to find booze. Actually, trying to find anything in that place was a pain in the ass.
Mark Bittman’s A Big Deal Food Writer But No Restaurant Critic – There’s A Big Difference
From our Calendar for Wednesday, March 13th: The Future of Food with Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman’s a killer writer, you guys. Have you seen his New York Times blog? This man’s on his game. He writes about food sometimes, but mostly it’s about the grander picture of how our worlds work, how we use resources, how we’re trying to innovate ways of thinking about groceries and diet. Obesity’s a touchy subject, sometimes one that’s close to home—look no further than the brutal shade thrown at Melissa McCarthy by Rex Reed, calling her a hippo in print like that. Well, Bittman’s genuinely trying to convert the masses into a movement, and it starts with knowledge.
He’s fighting pretty hard against GMOs, or genetically modified organisms—biotechnology used for creepy, inorganic and environmentally-harmful methods of yielding the most commercial crop possible despite potential long-lasting consequences. A lot of the no-GMO believers simply want to see a more legit and realistic supermarket-item labeling system. Especially for sugar. And super-processed stuff. Cheese puffs, candy bars, dried-meat sticks, high-fructose iced tea, fruit punch—it’s all so bad for our bodies. But we love it. We’re addicted to it. We have to be stronger and start standing up to these giant companies that tempt us with their evil, delicious intoxication.
What’s worth discussing is how Bittman’s kind of thinking can get spread. Really, it could be as simple as a smarter choice about where to go in your neighborhood. Do you go to the McDonald’s on Girard or do you go to the SuperFresh a block away and buy a pound of hamburger and a loaf of good bread? If you can make it to BJs or Sam’s Club, do you get cases of soda instead of flats of bottled waters? Do you patronize local restaurants or bars that celebrate honest and fair food? It’s about spending wisely and yielding the greatest purchase power over what goes in our bodies.
Bittman’s been working with Temple University’s Feinstein Center for American Jewish History for a while now, addressing the question “What Is Your Food Worth?” in a two-year-long engagement with healthy eating, socially conscience diet, public health and animal rights. Tonight’s event is sponsored by the National Museum of American Jewish History and focuses on the future of food. RSVP is encouraged.
7:30pm. Free. Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St. rodephshalom.org
Here’s his NY Times blog. He’s also a highly-respected and regarded chef in his own right, and the author of two biblical cookbooks: How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
Cast Your Vote For The Flower Show’s Window Decorating Contest
If you’ve left your house at all the past week or so, chances are, you’ve notice one or more storefronts decked out in all sorts British-inspired décor. Seriously, you can’t walk down a street in this city right now without falling under the stern gaze of at least one cardboard cutout of Queen Elizabeth.
Needless to say, this is all apart of a promotional campaign and contest, held to fuel hype around the 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show while also giving local businesses a chance to really showcase their creativity. Using Britain’s picturesque landscapes, royal icons, traditions and pop culture as inspiration, a total of 71 participating boutiques, restaurants and other establishments around the Philly region have crafted stunning displays inside their windows or lobbies, all of which will remain on display through March 10.
A panel of judges will be selecting winners in various categories including, “Most Creative,” “Best Interpretation” and the ultimate “2013 Grand Champion.” Meanwhile, it’s up to the public to determine this year’s “Crowd Favorite.” All of the winners will be announced this Thursday, so if there’s any businesses that you think did a particularly stellar job, go ahead and “Like” the Facebook contest page, peruse the gallery of contenders and cast your vote. As an incentive, with every vote you place, you’ll be entered to win two tickets to the Flower Show.
With over a hundred votes each, right now the front-runners appear to be Urban Princess (750 S. Fourth St.), Indigo Schuy (8432 Germantown Ave.) and Worn Yesterday (4228 Main St.). If you want to check out a few of these displays on your lunch break or on walk home, there’s an interactive map online that shows where each of the participating businesses are.
In the meantime, here are a few of my own personal faves…
Bredenbeck's Bakery (8126 Germantown Ave.)
London Grill (2301 Fairmount Ave.)
Arcadia Boutique (265 S. 20th St.)
Modern Eye (145 S. 13th St.)
The Bourse (111 South Independance Mall)
Local Gifts For Your Sibling
Sister…
Glass Chickadee Vase, $14 / Three Potato Four, 376 Shurs Lane, Building A
Evelyn K Scarves Sequin Chunky Knit Infinity Scarf, $38 / South Moon Under, 1731 Chestnut St.
12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (Pink), $69.95 / Kitchenette, 117 S. 12th St.
Hanging Glass Light Bulb (For Tealight or Terrariums), $26 / City Planter, 814 N. Fourth St.
Brother…
611 Black and White Scarf, $22. / 611’s Pop-Up Showroom, 1024 N. Third St.
South Philly Tailgate Union Tee, $24.99 / Philly Phaithful, 737 N. Fourth St.
CARTOLOJI Pennsylvania Pillow, $59.99 / Scarlett Alley, 241 Race St.
Richer Poorer Socks, $12-$20 / SugarCube, 124 N. Third St.
Find Some Holiday Cheer This Week
If all that holiday shopping over the weekend didn’t quite get you in the Christmas spirit, there happens to be several festivities going on this week that might do the trick.
The Pennsylvania Horticulture Society is temporarily taking over a 400 square foot storefront smack dab in the heart of Chestnut Hill offering exclusive, hand-selected holiday gifts not just for the green thumbs on your list, but design, culinary and Flower Show enthusiasts. More specifically, you can expect an array of unique home décor like vintage glass glitter ornaments and soy candle-ariums as well as a beautifully packaged tea set for two and advance tickets to the 2013 Flower Show, “Brilliant!” which will be bringing the gardens and landscapes of Great Britain here to Philly in March. The pop-up shop will also be hosting a series of special appearances, demos and on-site product samplings throughout December. In conjunction with Chestnut Hill’s “Stag & Doe Nights,” each Wednesday evening from 6-9pm, the shop will host a “Swag & Bow” event in which folks are invited to come and enjoy complimentary wine and cheese while taking part in some custom bow-making. Wednesday, 3-9pm. Open daily through Sun., Dec. 23. Free. Across from the Chestnut Hill Hotel at 8232 Germantown Ave.
Stop by Rittenhouse Square tomorrow night and join locals near the guard- house to watch their massive Christmas tree light up the entire park. Be sure to bring a new, unwrapped toy along with you as The Salvation Army will be there collecting donations for local children in need. You can also make a $10 donation by texting the word “JOY” to 80888. Wednesday, 5pm. Free. Rittenhouse Square.
The Gingerbread House Display/Fairmount Park Holiday Tours
Now on display inside the Shops at Liberty Place (Chestnut St. Entrance), ten local chefs have concocted elaborate gingerbread houses, each one representing a different Fairmount Park historic site including, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Mount Pleasant and The Please Touch Museum. The display is actually just a preview of the stunning, picturesque homes locals can see starting Dec. 1 when the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park Holiday Tours begin. Each of the mansions are decked out to the nines for Christmas and you have the option of touring them either alone by foot or via trolley. Display: Through Dec. 9. Tours: Dec. 1-9. Times, prices and locations vary.
Just in time for the holidays, InLiquid is offering a special preview of their annual Art For The Cash Poor event inside William Way all this weekend. Much like their signature summer event, an array of handmade arts and crafts will be on display for sale, with nothing priced higher than $199 and most items priced for less than $100. Got kids? Bring them along and send them over to the craft-making station. Can’t wrap a gift to save your life? There will be a station for that too. Fri., 5-8pm. Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm. Free. William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
Finally, there’s always of course Christmas Village in Love Park.