Archive for August, 2009

Update – Clearly, we take this blog seriously.

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Seriously. I do. However, the Portland jaunt lead to a lot more being outside of Portland than I anticipated, like, in NATURE, and stuff. Then, strangely, as also happens in Philadelphia, seeking out art in bars kinda became drinking in bars – a lot of drinking – which I will give a rundown of (with pictures!¬† Beer reviews! Maybe even statistics!) Although I also managed to see lots of art in alternative spaces. Don’t get me started on the street art.

Couple that with contributors still not having the internet after three weeks, it slows the pace. I’m even behind on September listings (which I would have started collecting by now) as it seems the end of August is an extremely popular time for everyone to bail on the city and the blogs about the city. For the gallery job I’ve noticed that listings are lagging on their updates. It’s just that time of the year, I suppose.

We’re still alive and posting though. Look for resumed schedule this week. Hopefully. If I get stuff done today. Maybe. I leave you with a picture of my partner about to kiss one of my parent’s chickens, Roxy. Don’t be frightened by the monster on his shirt; it’s eating people, not chickens.

Roxy and my partner

Roxy and my partner

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Tee Shirt Review – Bob’s Happy Hour

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Bob's Happy Hour

Bob's Happy Hour

A t-shirt is a piece of Art. The graphic tee is a powerful piece of art in America. A t-shirt can be a billboard for a business or organization. In the 7-UP campaign in the late ’90′s the slogan was : Make 7-Up Yours. Then oops, something must have gone wrong in the Ad Department. On the front of the shirt it says “Make 7″ but on the back it just says “Up Yours.” In the case of the “Stop Snitchin’” shirts in the early 2000′s a t-shirt enraged whole communities and made people question how much they trust the police. Don’t underestimate the power of a t-shirt as art.

I went to Bob’s Happy Hour at 2301 Frankford Avenue to review their t-shirt. The shirt says Bob’s Happy Hour on the front. The white on hunter green makes a good contrast. The Notre Dame fighting Irish leprechaun brings the whole Irish American theme together. If I get some orange pants I could stand next to any St. Pattys’ Day float. The leprechaun is the focus of the design. His turn of the century bare knuckle boxing stance gives the viewer a sense of motion. The texture of this cotton shirt is incredible. When it was sold to me I was told it wouldn’t shrink and I believe it. Wearing a t-shirt with this type of knitting makes me feel like I could repel lazer blasts.

One of my favorite forms of artist expression is repetition. The name Bob is repeated twice. Once on the front in the name then again on the sleeve. The sleeve simply states in cursive “In Loving Memory of Bob Harris.” This brings me to the coolest part of the shirt. There is a big white number 19 on the back! The 19 does double duty as a players’ number and as Bob Harris’ birth date. Bobby Harris was a good friend of the Philadelphia Phillies and former owner of the bar. Bobby played with the Phillies during training. There are photos in the bar showing him in his uniform throwing his famous pitches. The true beauty of the shirt is in the sentiment. Sure, the oversized logo makes it unique but it’s not just a wearable sign for a bar but memorial for a recently lost family member.

Bob’s Happy Hour Bar
2301 Frankford Avenue

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Water Closet Review – Tattooed Mom’s

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Mom's Bathroom

Mom's Bathroom

Starting with the negative; the bad thing about Tattooed Mom’s bathroom is that there is only one. One ladies room for the whole downstairs bar, in a bar that can get packed, and the line to the ladies room can become the stereotypical stereotype.

The bathroom is pretty clean. This and almost every other time I’ve been in there.  Maybe the staff cleans it on a schedule or maybe there is a certain level of respect for the establishment. You are in Tattooed Mom’s for Christ’s sake!

The bathroom itself has green tile all around the walls with a light tan tile as the floor. It kind of feels like you are in a 1970’s hospital. Two rolls of toilet paper at all times, paper towels and plenty of soap. Very spacious and well lit. A working lock on the door and the mirror is large and clean and usually has fliers for upcoming Mom’s events and weekly specials.

On this visit, the bathroom was a little overflowing with paper towels. But at least there was no garbage on the floor. Tattooed Mom’s: clean, cheap, comfortable, great all around!

Tattooed Mom’s
530 South Street

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Places I love: Tattooed Mom’s

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

What's that out the window?

What's that out the window?

How can you not love Moms? Granted, there are two, Sugar Mom’s and Tattooed Mom’s, both both share an affinity for feeding you free lollipops, giving your toys, and looking the other way when you write on the walls. Sugar Mom’s in closed two days, and located in a basement of an apartment building in an alley in olde town, and Tattooed Mom’s is on dirty, dirty South Street, and is divided by and upstairs / downstairs dynamic that rivals Victorian England. Both fill with die hard locals on the off hours, have some of the best bar tenders in the city, and fill with headache inducing out of towners (both the Jersey and suburb variety) on the high hours. Either way though, you have to be a stone cold bastard and jerkass if you don’t like Mom’s.

Ah, yes. Terrifying trash monsters.

Ah, yes. Terrifying trash monsters.

Seriously, what kind of ass are you to not like Mom’s? What is wrong with you?¬† Tell me in the comments.¬† Seriously, what could you have against the places? Granted, much like my own¬† mother (and probably yours) Mom’s has flaws. And not just subtle flaws, but proud, glaring, heart-on-the-sleeve flaws. Those flaws aren’t for everyone, but you have not love in spite of, if not like for, flaws. But with those flaws comes great love and rewards. (more…)

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Quizzo Round Up – Battle of the Johns

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Johnny Goodtimes

Johnny Goodtimes

I. Love. Quizzo. Of course I love Quizzo. It combines my two favorite things: showing off how smart I think I am and drinking to reduce said smarty-pantsness. But Quizzo is a fickle beast; depending on where you go it can be all Guinness book of world records trivia, arcane sports knowledge, nothing but pop culture, nothing but pop culture you don’t know, or all things that Penn kids just studied for their midterms. Many people are loyal to a host, being either squarely in the camp of Johnny Goodtimes or Irish John or someone else – never have I met someone who feels equally sanguine to both.

Irish John

Irish John

Quizmasters each have different standards for how they run any given Quizzo event. I’ve seen as few as three rounds and up to six, although I hear rumor of an eight rounder somewhere. Sometimes only written, sometimes with picture identification, and even sometimes a yell out loud round. Generally, however, it is a written quiz, with either different rounds having increasing difficulty and point value, or otherwise an option to “joker” or double your points for one round. Invented in Philadelphia (at least under the name Quizzo) this bar trivia / pub quiz is a fun way to spend an evening (other than Friday or Saturday) while justifying having more rounds of drinks. Here’s a round up by day of the week, which may or may not be just for my own use:

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Update – I’m sick

Monday, August 17th, 2009

It may have been a bug I was carrying from Philly. It may have been the stress of missing my flight and having to wait 13 hours for the next one. It may have been being trapped on an airplane next to a four year old for a six hour flight. Regardless, I landed in Portland and immediately got sick. Coughing, fever, aching, lung butter. It has affected my itinerary. As in, I haven’t gone out as much as I would like. And as two of my contributors are in the process of moving, they haven’t either.

In my weakened state, I was able to watch the hilarious 1979 screwball comedy “The In-Laws” starring Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. Pretty wacky. I bring it up only to tell the anecdote that in a throw away scene set in the bedroom, I managed to identify the artwork on the back wall as being an Alberto Giacometti drawing, impressing everyone in the room with my arcane knowledge.

Art History. A useful degree in the real world.

I have made it out to one art happening in Portland, although clearly I have not written about it (coming soon.) And shockingly, I haven’t made it out to many bars. Tomorrow I’m heading deep south to Ashland, OR for three days to visit my dear friend Muranda, so I may not make my post a day schedule. Hopefully when the partner lands in town on Friday and I’m back in drinking form again I can bring some quality art in bars on the road. Until then.

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What to do tonight – Art Benefit at Benna’s Cafe

Friday, August 14th, 2009
forthosetocome

For Those to Come

Fresh from my facebook (my personal source for all reliable news,) there will be an opening reception tonight at Benna’s Cafe for the show “For Those That Come” a group show of bird themed art with the proceeds to go to the American Bird Conservatory. Theme shows: a great way to get a bunch of disparate artists showing. I am a genius and tried to search the internet to figure out who all was taking part, when I realized that the names are on the poster. S-M-R-T.

Artists involved include: Nishat Akhtar, Ben Brower, Michael Bukowski, Avalon Clare, Ryann Casey, Charlie Cottone, Anthony Croasdale, Alex Curtis, Adriane Dalton, Jeanne D’Angelo, Matt DiFilippo, Monica Elder, Melissa Farley, Ashley Gehman, Alyssa Grenning, Justin Gray,¬† Eleanor Grosch, Joseph Hasenauer,¬† Katie Henry, Zia Hiltey,¬† Jessica Hoffman, Andrew Johnson-Lally, Kettner, Doug Larocca, Erik Mato, James McCullough, Jen Mercer, Kat Moran, Kaitlin Mosley, Alicia Neal, Justin Quinlan, Joe Reynolds,¬† Josh Robeson, Natalia Smith, Yank Spade, Erin Turner, Laura Walczak, Ketch Wehr, Justine Wilson,¬† Clint Woodside, Greg Zadrozny, and Avalon Zimmerman.

Once again, some familiar names in there. The opening reception is tonight August 14, from 7-9 p.m.

Benna’s Cafe 1236 S 8th St

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Water Closet Review – McKenna’s

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Just for the Ladies

Just for the Ladies

McKenna’s Tavern cares about the ladies!

Not only is there a separate bar entrance for ‘ladies’; but there is one of the most awesome and strangest bathrooms I have ever seen. When you walk in everything is a crisp, fresh white. White tiles, white floors, toilet, sink, and hand dryer. Everything is also marvelously clean. Empty trash can and full toilet paper, a little scrub brush next to the toilet. One positive thing I’ve noticed with reviewing these bathrooms the drain in the middle of the floor. If a bathroom has a drain in the floor then I’ve found it is more likely to be clean. Probably because it’s just easier to mop up. This restroom has a drain.

Shot of one toilet, as seen from the other toilet. Weird.

Shot of one toilet, as seen from the other toilet. Weird.

As I’m looking around, I turn the corner of the wall behind me and what do I find? Another toilet! This other toilet is just to the left the first toilet, around a corner. No curtain, no door, just maybe 5 inches of wall that separates you from the other toilet. So, if you really wanted to, you could lean forward and just start chatting with the other person in this restroom and see you are talking too! [Ed note: This happens a lot when drinking at McKenna's. For a while there was no lock on the outside door so peeing with someone else was bound to happen. No separation while on the toilet leads to fast bar buddies. Hi, Barbie, if you're still alive!] Very odd! I mean odd for a ladies room. I know you guys deal with this kind of design all the time, but for a ladies room—weird. The other toilet stall area is equally as clean as the first one.

Note the high-quality soap

Note the high-quality soap

The most impressive thing about the bathroom is the soap. Philosophy’s Grace. You know exactly what I’m talking about. That’s awfully fancy for just a neighborhood bar. Very clean, fully stocked and fancy soap! This is why you’ve gotta admit—McKenna’s Tavern cares about the ladies!

McKenna’s Tavern
24th and Brown Street

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Cheap Drink Challenge – McKenna’s

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
McKenna's is an Irish bar, btw
McKenna’s is an Irish bar, btw

When I proposed the Cheap Drink Challenge this summer – the quest to find the lowest priced well drink in the city – I knew right away what my submission would be. McKenna’s is not a bar you have heard about. It is not in a fashionable neighborhood, nor a fashionably slummy neighborhood, so chances are you’ve never seen it unless you happen to live in Fairmount, which I did for two years, after working in it for two years before that. Even then, the college aged kids in the neighborhood gravitated slightly south to Bishops’ Collar or London Grill, eschewing the local dive. They don’t know what they’re missing.

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In the Biz Round Up

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

I am not (yet) in the biz of food. Just the biz of art. But I do spend a lot of time online, looking for good drinking and eating deals. And I have found that if you poke around a bit, those that work so hard to make sure we have a enjoyable time out usually can get theirs as well. In honor of Jenn, who is tres stressed out from moving, I present some of the deals in the city available to those who work in the restaurant business.

Ansil – 627 S. 3rd St. – 15% off total bill Monday. (Closed for the season.)

Cantina Dos Segundos – 931 N. 2nd St. – If you bring your $0.00 pay stub you can get one free classic margarita or draft beer. The offer is good at any time, 7 days a week.

Devil’s Den – 148 S. 11th St. – Sunday 5-7 PM. In the biz 20% off all day.

Good Dog – 224 S. 15th St.- In the biz 20% off whole tab with proof (all week?)

Intermezzo - 3131 Walnut St. Mondays 8 – 11 PM: Bar and Restaurant Employees Bring Paystubs or Work ID.

Misconduct Tavern – 1511 Locust St.- In the biz discount (can only find vague references about this, sorry.)

Swift Half – 1001 N. 2nd St. – Sunday through Wednesday 20% off discount to restaurant employees.

Zot – 122 Lombard St. – Wednesday is In the Biz Discounts (Again, vague, don’t really know what this means.)

1601 Cafe – 1601 S. 10th St. - 20% off whole check all day on Sunday.

As always, if you’re looking for more great deals involving food and booze, the place to check out is Foobooz, especially the essential “recession specials” guide. If you’re just looking for a happy hour, I recommend (with reservations) Philadelphia Weekly’s¬† Happy Hour guide. It’s not terribly efficient or correct. There will be weird things like bars coming up that don’t actually have their specials listed, and golly knows it’s a cluster-eff sorting out what they think is Queen Village vs. South Street vs. Society Hill vs. Olde City, with places geographically miscategorized. Also of use, and also thanks to FooBooz, the mysterious Philly Happy Hour Google Spreadsheet.

Happy Happy Hour Jenn. We’ll drink when I’m back in town.

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