Kensington Sculpture Derby date set
photo by Karl Seifert
FYI: the Kensington Sculpture Derby date for 2010 has been set for Saturday, May 22, noon to 5pm. Hooray! Those who have been, mark your calendars; those who don’t know what this is, they explain it better here so there’s no point in my rephrasing it; those who want to be in it this year, here’s the registration info; those who have heard of it but are all “Kensington’s faaaaaar,” really, suck it up and go, it’s free, it’s a delight and it’s probably not that faaaaaaaar.
We took some pictures last year, if you’d like to see them.
Oh, and on a related note, crafters:
Spring 2010 Art Star Craft Bazaar
Robert Siegel (I'm assuming not the NPR one) Ceramics at last year's Bazaar
Hey, all you crafty-type readers, they’re now accepting vendor applications for the spring Art Star Craft Bazaar (which I enjoy much more than the fall one for the reason that I don’t have to wear a coat). It’s going to be May 15th and 16th this year at Penns Landing. If you’re considering getting a booth, it’s a $10 application fee and $250 vendor fee if you’re accepted, but you’ve got until March 23rd to submit. If you’re just a amateur crafty type like myself, then it’s freeeeeeeeee and we’ll both have to wait until May.
Shopt Out
I’ll be honest, despite doing this style blog thing and occasionally posting when places I like have sales, because some people do have money, I don’t generally go buy things that often. I have a long history of being broke as hell, and having gotten in the habit of having Buffalo Exchange count as high-end when it comes to clothes shopping, a dress marked down to $200 from $300 is not something that counts as ‘on sale’ for me.
But there’s a pop-up shop by the name of Shopt Out going on today and tomorrow at which I actually just bought things. No kidding, this is a legit sale.
The clothing/jewelry side is a mix of the three boutiques who went in on the pop-up shop together: Petulia’s Folly, Sevilla Smith and Reward. Seeing as how those three can be pretty expensive, even at 40-80% off the stuff isn’t quite at Buffalo Exchange prices, but it’s more like dresses marked down to $75 from $300. It’s not just crap that clearly nobody would ever want, either, a disappointment common to many hyped-up sales I’ve been to; as advertised, they did indeed have Philip Lim 3.1, Opening Ceremony, Catherine Malandrino, etc., and there’s just as many 80% offs as 40% offs.
Two beauty places, Moko and Tierra Mia, went in on it too, and there’s a bunch of beauty/bath stuff along with dry haircuts for twenty bucks. There was actually quite a bit of hair on the floor next to the impromptu barber’s chair although nobody sat down while I was looking around, so it looks like some people have been taking advantage of that.
So if you’ve come into some holiday cash and are looking to get a dress for New Year’s anyway, Shopt Out will be around today until 6 and tomorrow 10-6.
Note: pay no attention to uwishunu/anyone who wrote it up off the press release. The address is given as 1528 Walnut Street, which is the lobby of the building my doctor is in, weirdly enough, but the entrance is around the corner on 16th St. below Walnut between the Starbucks and the Kaplan test place, as seen in the top picture.
Puttin’ on the glitz
OK, if I can’t wring at least another blog post out of this behemoth of a roundup of salon/boutique New Year’s Eve specials I did for this week’s PW print edition, I am going to cry because seriously, guys, this took hours and hours and hours to do and I think most people are not going to be doing a ton of internet-reading between now and 2010. So before everyone takes off: where to get yer hair done in Philly while drinking champagne, and where is having ridonk sales.
Omoi turns 3
Omoi’s turning 3 tomorrow, and they’re having a party:
Join us from 6 – 10pm on Wednesday, December 16th to celebrate the milestone with a trunk show by one of Omoi’s oldest friends. New jewelry from Blood Milk will be introduced for you to own, including several pieces inspired by and made especially for Omoi!
And don’t forget the day you’ve been waiting for all year:
Our birthday gift to you! 10% off your entire purchase ALL DAY!
Excluding Blood Milk, cause we wanna support our girl, but INCLUDING EVERYTHING ELSE!!!
FYI!
Bus Stop holiday sale/party
Tonight there’s a holiday party/sale at Bus Stop boutique:
Celebrate the holidays and pick up some brilliant gifts or a party treat for yourself – scarves, wallets, earrings, handbags, hosiery, gift certificates, as well as shoes or boots for the woman or man in your life! An array of gifts to suit every budget.
Complimentary gift wrapping, cocktails and 10% OFF + Extra 5% OFF anything Green or Red on 12/10!
Bus Stop has a selection that I like very much, including the girlish/boyish pairs of shoes in the picture above by Mexican brand Dionella by Dione. Plus, cocktails and owner Elena’s delightful British accent. Again, as with most boutiques, I don’t know how many people buy clothes or shoes as Christmas presents, but whatever.
And now, “Waiting for the Bus” by the Violent Femmes, the best bus stop music that exists.
What-to-do Wednesday
Couple o’ things going on today: Genetic Denim and White + Warren trunk show at Joan Shepp from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here’s some stuff from Genetic Denim’s Spring 2010 lookbook:
I kind of want to do that things with the metallic bits to some pair of old ratty jeans.
White + Warren is a line of mostly ’spensive cashmere stuff, but it’s not too too Rittenhouse:
OK, so $140 cashmere leggings are officially a ridiculous thing, but can you imagine what those would feel like? It’d be like swimming in a pool of kittens all day. Here’s some stuff from White + Warren’s Spring 2010 line for good measure:
The other thing: as lovers of all champagne, regardless of quality (don’t even get me started on the last time I drank Andre, which was during a game of cham-pong. So terrible and yet so good!) we feel that it is an obligation to our readers to mention any time there is free champagne anywhere in a three-mile radius of the PW office. And Scarlett Alley would like to say:
Joan Shepp, 1616 Walnut St.
Scarlett Alley, 241 Race St.
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out
Poor Tuesday. He’s always been the odd man out. He’s not Monday so he doesn’t get the hate mail of being day one of the workweek. He’s not Wednesday so he doesn’t get the shout outs for “hump day,” Thirsty Thursday is self-explanatory and Friday-Sunday all make Team Awesome because they usually are synonymous with things like dressing casual, brunch and sleeping in until noon.
Poor Tuesday.
Well, now, thanks to a new night hosted by DJ Joe H. at National Mechanics, Tuesday has purpose. Tuesday is cheap fun for kids surviving a recession. Tuesday is karaoke night.
I know what you’re thinking, karaoke? Really? I understand, I’ve avoided karaoke for most of my 25 years of life but I’m of the belief that anything that is easy on the wallet, undeniably funny and can be paired with alcohol has to be coming back into style in this economic environment. Also take into consideration singing in a place that once housed a church, the acoustics must be banging. Did I mention the wireless mics and the fact that the lyrics are projected onto a big ole screen? This means you’ll be able to walk around and serenade (embarrass) any friends hiding in the booths and at the end of the bar.
Hooray Tuesday!
And I am hoping I will end up singing embarrassing ballads alongside my own Joseph Gordon-Levitt and he’ll totally fall head over heels for me even if I am a little off on my version of Nancy Sinatra’s “Sugar Town”. What? It happened in (500) Days of Summer, a girl can dream!
Karaoke with DJ Joe H. National Mechanics. 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Do it.
And on a totally unrelated note, since the “About” section of this blog blatantly points out “We also sometimes (read: often) post pictures of cute kittens and ironic T-shirts,” here’s a cute kitten video that is vomit-inducing-adorable:
What To Do This Weekend
Far be it to me to enforce the Black Friday shopping pandemic in your already intense schedule of travelling and eating (two more of my favorite things!), but if shopping brings you enjoy joy at all, which presumably it does if you’re browsing a style blog when you could be on Facebook, Twitter, or some other form of social media, then you should at the very least take a peek at what’s going on during retailer’s favorite holiday.
Avoid the headaches and hour-long lines at King of Prussia or Cherry Hill by hitting up some of Philly’s smaller boutiques, most of which are holding events over the course of the weekend. Buy a present for yourself, buy a present for a friend, and let the karmatic act of giving bring peace and joy to your weekend. Happy holidays everyone!
Black Friday Smackdown, from our friends at Smak Parlour, has a whole lot going on. From 5-8pm, enjoy 40% selected merchandise, a free pair of gloves with $40 purchase, and the unveiling of the holiday windows, entitled “Jungle All The Way”. Artwork from local artist Sarah Folger, will be featured in the display, and she’ll also be attending the event. Wintry alcoholic bevvies include Weyerbacher Winter Ale and Merry Monks Belgian Tripel. How festive.
For a tamer version of the shopping scene, head to Reward, which will be opening early on Friday for your shopping convenience. This does not mean 5 am, but rather a much more manageable 10 am. Fellow blogger Emily already posted their very aesthetic flyer and subsequent deets in her fab Black Friday Roundup, but as a refresher: They’ll reward (hah!) you with some brekkie and coffee from Red Hook Coffee & Tea, and 20% off all boots, coats, and sweaters. Basically, everything you’ve been coveting anyway.
If shopping just isn’t up your alley, Urbanfront Pilates is having an Project H.O.M.E. Open House Fundraiser. Show up anytime between 12-3pm for your choice of a 20,40, or 60 minute workout. Suggested donations are $10, which is less than you’d be paying for a class without making a donation to a great charity.
Another completelyshopping-void event (and actually, after doing this you might want to refrain for a few days—let the bloating go down, ya know?), food blogger Lee Frank will be hosting the Philadelphia Nacho Crawl. Starting at 3pm, Frank will tour through Royal Tavern, La Lupe, and Cantina Los Caballitos different cheesy offerings. $10 gets you all the nachos you’ll need. RSVP by emailing lee [at] nachosny [dot] com. Consider this an alternative to your weekend spent sitting at home eating leftover crescent rolls stuffed with turkey odds and ends and reheated mashed potatoes.
Don’t fret if you can’t make it out on Friday. Sales continue all weekend long at Grasshopper, which will be offering 40% off all regular priced merchandise until Sunday night (or online on Cyber Monday). The store stocks smaller, independent brands like La Merde, Grey Ant, and this BBW mini skirt that I’ve already put on my Christmas list.
And as a final bit of festive cheer, ring in the holiday season officially (it’s after Thanksgiving, after all) on Sunday by stopping by Headhouse Square Winter Wonderland and annual tree lighting ceremony. From 5-7pm, listen to carols by the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center and regress in time to your five year-old self (or bring a child) with face painting and balloon art. Santa will probably make an appearance. Tree lighting starts at 6. Check out uwishunu.com’s post on the evening.
Picture this all strung up in lights
Hope everyone’s Thanksgivings leave you pleasantly plump and food-sedated!