Posts Tagged ‘Olde City’

Tee-Shirt Review – Sugar Mom’s

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

We interrupt this message to bring you a warning: There has been a large tentacled monster attacking Old City Philadelphia. Thanks to the new t-shirt at Sugar Mom’s we now have an idea of what the beast looks like. Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea should be on the look out for a fifty foot squid like monster. The shirt shows us a pointy toothed, baby faced menace swatting at buildings that spell out the word Sugar while the streets run white with the name Mom’s.

The Bar that ATE Olde City

The Bar that ATE Olde City

This is the bar t-shirt I’ve been waiting for. The monster is strange, the lettering is unique ,and the subject is engaging without being complicated. I’m also relived that this isn’t a shirt that says “Property of Sugar Mom’s” on it, or have a silly little logo in the breast pocket area. Most Irish Pubs shirts have letters in some sort of Celtic style but because of this they become standard and end up looking boring. Most people realize that a Paddy’s shirt is no different than a Brownies’. Now, Moms’ shirt has nothing standard about it. If another bar has a t-shirt with a disaster scene on it I will be forced to consider it a rip-off.

What’s the reason for this scene anyway? Is it to scare the good citizens of Old City in to drinking at Sugar Mom’s because Sugar Mom’s is a hungry beast? Maybe the shirt tells everyone that the patrons of Sugar Mom’s enjoy 1950’s style horror movies. Marvel, at the tentacles whipping around the periphery of the bulbous batboy head. Cringe, at the super creepy shadows created by its black and white design. If you want a bar t-shirt with an original design run, don’t walk to Sugar Mom’s but beware of THE THING THAT ATE OLD CITY.

Drink me? – The end of ROOT

Monday, October 12th, 2009
A shot of ROOT
A shot of ROOT

ArtinBars devotees may remember my disappointing ROOT trip to National Mechanics over the summer. You know, when I went there to try one of the Art in the Ages flagship bar’s signature ROOT cocktails. Except they didn’t have one. OK, fine. I went again and they still don’t have anything, months later. So my friend and I simply had ROOT on the rocks, in lieu of topping it off with soda, which was our other option. So, I’ve thought about this second trip and I have 3 very important points to make, so I have broken them down:

1.) Consistency and creativity of the product: Why does Art in the Age promote places to drink ROOT in bars when the bars have no idea what to do with it? I have been to several places that have promoted ROOT, and either the place doesn’t have it, or doesn’t know how to make a drink with it. As a consumer it doesn’t make me trust the producers or the product.

2.) Price: Don’t get me wrong, I love a good, cheap drink. Happy hours, midnight specials, dive bars, I’ve done them all. But I am also willing to pay a pretty penny for a well-crafted cocktail. Creations with rare ingredients or house made liqueurs. Something I can’t get anywhere else in this whole metropolis. My point? National Mechanics charges $10 for ROOT plus ice. And when an entire bottle of ROOT is $32.99 at any liquor store in Philly it seems a little silly to pay $10 for 4oz.

3.) As of this article I am done discussing ROOT. I still think it is good, and will continue to buy it by the bottle, but I will not longer search for ROOT events or drinks around town. I sort of feel like I’ve wasted 5 months doing so. If no one else cares about this product’s potential then neither will I. I don’t work for Art in the Age; I am only a consumer that believed that this one of a kind, specialty spirit could change the local palette?

I’ve had some really good times at National Mechanics, and it is by far one of the most tolerable places in Old City and I’ve only been disappointed on ROOT specific excursions.

Stay bubbly Philadelphia!

Windows in Olde City

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

For Design Philadelphia the Olde City Business Collective has encouraged their shop owners to decorate their windows. With 50 participating locations there is a wide variety of displays to check out. Some are crafted by the employees, but many are the work of artists and designers, including Beth Beverly and Aubrey Costello. Take a stroll around the neighborhood and check it out.

Afterward, be sure to vote on your favorite, because the winning window will be awarded a grand prize of a weekend getaway in Savannah, Georgia and a private a tour of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Rad. This Friday October 9th there will be an opening reception at Dane Decor (315 Arch Street) with snacks and cocktails, where you can mingle with the artists. This is a super short happening, with the voting closing October 13th. Then, on Tuesday the 20th  there will be another party for the awards reception at F.U.E.L. (249 Arch Street) where the winner will be announced.

If you’re not around the area, you can check out the photos online, although there’s no way to tell which artists did what or even what business window it is. If you feel like strolling around, in this lovely weather, I have made a map with all of the participating businesses as well as the names of the artists.


View Windows Throughout Old City October 7-13, 2009 in a larger map

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…)

Drink Me – ‚ÄúROOT‚Äù espresso martini at National mechanics

Monday, July 27th, 2009
Root Martini
Root Martini

I have fallen in love. With an alcohol of course! ROOT is probably one of the most delicious liquids I have found in a bottle in a very long time. Sweet and spicy, potent and complex; ROOT has it all.

I‚Äôve been following the ROOT website for months now, and it seems every week they are promoting a new Philadelphia bar that has begun to carry ROOT. I chose National Mechanics because this bar is on my way home from work. When I sat down with my friend I was rambling excitedly about what the ROOT special could possibly be. When our server came to the table I asked about what sort of wonderful drinks National Mechanics have been manufacturing with ROOT. Her answer so disappointed me that I am still disappointed to this day. She said that she only found out what ROOT was that night (even though artintheage had been promoting National Mechanics as a ROOT hub for at least a month *see Editor’s Note ) and she and the bartender didn‚Äôt know what to do with it, and that the table that ordered ROOT earlier that night got it with ginger ale. ‚ÄúFresh ginger ale?‚Äù I asked, hopefully. ‚ÄúNo; soda‚Äù she says, a bit annoyed. And as much as I like paying $9 for alcohol and soda, I decided against that drink. So, I ordered the first thing I could think of, something I‚Äôve been making at my house anyway‚Äîthe espresso martini.

The martini was good. Very good. But I was so disenchanted by the ‘create your own cocktail’ apathetic attitude of National Mechanics that it ruined the whole experience for me. ROOT is awesome. I suggest you readers check out the Art in the Age website at artintheage.com and more specifically the history of this delightful infusion at the history page.

National Mechanics
22 S. 3rd St.
“ROOT” Espresso Martini

Reverend Michael Alan - the official artist of ROOT

Reverend Michael Alan - the official artist of ROOT - image from the aia website

* Ed note — This story is so weird. National Mechanics, Art in the Age, and Gyro have been heavily promoting ROOT at NM since at least late April with a teaser campaign and huge launch / pr blitz. I know this because¬† a) I’m on their mailing list and b) one of the very first AiB posts was nearly about Reverend Michael Alan’s Botanical Illustrations, which were on display at the¬† Art in the Age store in May, and for which there was a ROOT launch party AT NATIONAL MECHANICS. How is it the servers didn’t know about the signature liquor their company is partially responsible for launching? Also, why is there a lemon in an espresso martini? So many questions.