Posts Tagged ‘Tshombe’
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
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.
Tags: Mom's, monster, Olde City, Philadelphia, Review, Sugar Mom's, Tee Shirt Review, Tshombe
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Steph Cisso
Tritone is that bar on the West side of South Street. It’s got that handicap ramp that leads up to the door and behind that door are blood red walls. Usually the walls are sparse. There’s a chalkboard menu here or a demonic painting there, but mostly blood red walls. Occasionally there’s a piece of art that goes up that doesn’t fit the decour so I was surprised to see this 8″ x 10″ beauty during one of my visits.
I don’t know who Steph Cisso is but I’m asking her to prom. I’m sure she will agree to my idea of having a tuxedo made entirely of black leather while she sports the Carrie White look covered head to toe in fake blood. I don’t care what grade she’s in or if she’s pretty ’cause this chick’s rad. My favorite part of this collage is the outline of the center figure that creates frame within a frame, and the pink makes a slick contrast to all the black. I’m sure Steph Cisso didn’t learn any of her techniques from Mrs. Harpers art class – unless I missed the day her lesson was on skulls and death.
Tshombe
Tritone 1508 South
Tags: Art in Bars, Review, Steph Cisso, Tritone, Tshombe
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Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Presentation is very important when selling merchandise. Instead of a discussing the design elements of a particular bar t-shirt, here are some ideas on how t-shirts are displayed. It’s hard to make any piece of clothing look good when it’s dangling from a knob, or a pipe from the sprinkler. Most bars just put their t-shirt on a white plastic hanger behind the bar. I believe a t-shirt is the canvas of a graphic artist and the bar is the gallery space where they mount their art. Bars should frame their shirts and hang them right above the bar like some famous guys’ sports jersey. Since bars t-shirt designs have sports themes anyway, it wouldn’t be out of place. Or they can get busty mannequins; they could always put on one of those girly shirts with the capped sleeves. Or they really shouldn’t be mounted at all; there should be a t-shirt gun at last call every night.
Woody's Tees
Woody’s the bar/club on the corner of 13th and Walnut has a kind of merch table. It’s a glass display case with t-shirts in different styles. It’s nice idea ,but I couldn’t get a shirt. The bartender told me he didn’t have a key to the case and to come back at four. I came back at four. Still no shirt. They told me to come back at night and that made sense because at night Woody’s is a humpin’, pumpin’ and bumpin’ club and that’s when you’d get a t-shirt. I returned the next night and didn’t go in because Woody’s is a humpin’, pumpin’ and bumpin’ club and the line was too long.
Some of those shirts were pretty cool too. One said “Woody’s” all Sailor Jerry-style inside a ribbon, across a red heart. The rest of course had a sports theme. I came back to this place three times and still didn’t get a shirt. Maybe Woody’s has the best t-shirt because you gotta work for it.
Tags: gayborhood, Philadelphia, Review, Tee Shirt Review, Tshombe, Woodys
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Thursday, October 8th, 2009
I wish there was a Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company when I was younger. The Franklin would have totally impressed my dates, or my friends visiting from my hometown. This place would have been perfect to rock my brown and cream wingtips with my double-breasted pinstriped suit. This would be back during that curious swing dance craze in the nineteen nineties. This place would’ve blown their minds. This bar is set up like a speakeasy with all the details in place. The shiny dark brown leather seats and chandeliers makes you feel like you’re drinking in secret luxury. If this place would have been around when I was in college, we would go to the Franklin just before going dancing. After a couple of excellent top shelf old timey drinks we’d be ready for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
The art in the Franklin is a 20 foot long mural depicting scenes from 1920’s life. The focus of the mural is a three piece suit wearing gangster in the middle. I’d like to believe men walked around casually carrying around Tommy guns with sweet brown and cream wingtips. I’d also like to believe the boxer Jack Dempsey had a fight at a party while a beautiful couple danced the night away. The greatest thing in the mural is Ben “Mr. Electric” Franklin is in a crap game with what looks like the cast of Newsies.
These scenes play out nicely because of the well-placed columns and doorways to separate the vignettes . Because all the figures are about 4 1/2 feet tall, it makes me believe this is the actual size of 1920’s/ 30’s Philadelphians. You gotta experience this in person. Feels like you’re in a time when adults drank illegally.
Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company
112 S. 18th St.
Tags: Bar, Drinking, mural, Rittenhouse, The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Tshombe
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Friday, August 21st, 2009
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
Tags: Bob's Happy Hour, dive, Tee Shirt Review, Tshombe
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Friday, August 7th, 2009
When I think of Rat Fink? I think of rock-a-billy teddy boys with their blue jeans cuffed just so, hot rods racing to their fiery conclusion, punks and greasers lighting cigarettes with Zippos.
Ray Fink is Ed “Big Daddy” Roths’ nightmare-ish cartoon character from the ‘60s. Usually you see him as a half man half rat in a hot rod car with flames or smoke shooting out the exhaust pipes. Some say Rat Fink was custom car cultures’ answer to Disney’s sweet and friendly Mickey Mouse. When I walked into 12 Steps Down (that bar on the corner of 9th and Christian) I didn’t expect to see a drawing of Rat Fink on display. I didn’t expect anything but the $2 Bloody Marys and Mimosas that they have on Sundays. The bar is cool but I didn’t think it was badass or anything.
Art on the Cigarette Machine, Artist Unknown
This drawing that’s 10×8 and ripped from a sketchbook is great because it’s on a cigarette machine. The giant rat is in a T-shirt on a house phone yelling help “I smell smoke!” I love all the vulgar cartoony detail. Of course Rat Fink’s on the phone yelling for help. He just took a little crap on the bottom right hand side of the drawing. This drawing also suggests that it’s St. Patty’s Day because of his clover shirt. The artist points out that the thing poking out of Rat Finks’ shirt are “man boobs.” It’s nice to know that Rat Fink has Human advantages such as fingers as well as disadvantages like man boobs. There are only a few bars left in Philly that have cigarette machines with the knob you have to pull out to get smokes and a tiny book of matches.
Maybe the artist drew this drunk one night. Maybe someone asks him to draw something to cover the dated cheesy cigarette ads on the machine. I know it’s not a framed proper piece of bar art, but it’s nice to know that someone out there is still drawing Rat Fink like I used to draw band logos and mascots in grade seven. Oh, and the drawing’s pretty badass.
12 Steps Down
9th and Christian
Tags: 12 steps down, Art, Italian Market, South Philly, things on walls, Tshombe
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
It seems cliché to mention that a phrase is an old cliché. To quote Poly Styrene “I am a cliché.” This Cliché I’m going on about is: A picture is worth a thousand words. But what if left my picture taking machine at home and I just give you the words?
For a while now Art in Bars has given you photos of artwork, drinks and even bathrooms. I want to give you a feel for the bar Whistle in Rittenhouse with just the words. By reading this list of things I saw on the wall you’ll understand what type of bar this is.
-Framed photo of the Phillies #41 Gavin Floyd
-Framed jersey of the Phillies #6 Ryan Howard
-Framed photo of Bobby Abreu 2003 All Star Homerun Champion
-Framed Miller High Life Champagne of Beers mirror
-Framed Miller High Life Champagne of Beers mirror
-Neon Miller High Life sign
-Neon Blue Moon sign (not plugged in)
-Camel cigarettes chalkboard
-Mirrored shelves behind the bar
-Buttershot schnapps
-Pomegranate Smirnoff vodka
-Watermelon Smirnoff vodka
-Green apple Smirnoff vodka
-Washington apple Smirnoff vodka
-Kamikaze Burst Schnapps
-Redheaded Burst Schnapps
-Soccer ball
Whistle
38 S. 19th St.
Tags: Bar, Rittenhouse, Tshombe, whistle
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Friday, July 24th, 2009
This very night, the super cute thrift store / boutique / gallery The Curiosity Shoppe will be hosting its bi-monthly gallery opening. Every couple of months they stick a whole bunch of local artist’s works up on the walls, and do fairly brisk business with it. This cycle features new work by: Bryan Smith, Free Lauren Marsella, Liz Krick, Woodcut Block Prints by Rebecca, Key 77, Steven Michael Quinn, and Tiffany Davis. And you’re invited.
What does this have to do with Art in Bars? Besides my ongoing internal struggle as to include boutiques or not. (Psst – you can still vote on that issue.) Well, in addition to being a great source of very affordable local art, the opening will feature the styling (dj, performance, who knows) of Lunch Money, aka Art in Bars reviewers Mike and Tshombe. You should stop by. 9pm. It’s byo but ‘alcohol friendly’ and will feature competitive thumb wrestling, which is free to sign up for and participate in. See the work and mingle with the culturati of Philly. Come out support your local artists, local business and local economy.
The Curiosity Shoppe
529.S 4th St
myspace.com/areucurious
Tags: Free Lauren Marsella, Key 77, Liz Krick, Lunch Money, Mike Smith, party, Ryan Smith, South Street, Steven Michael Quinn, Tiffany Davis, Tshombe
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Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Shackamaximum is not like any stout I’ve ever had. The Philadelphia Brewing Company has made a stout that isn’t rich and hardy. It’s not milky and isn’t even that dark. Shackamaximum is out of this world or a least that’s where you’ll end up after drinking a couple. I literally mean a couple, meaning two. That’s all you’ll need.
I should have known what was up when my bartender raised his eyebrows above his glasses frames and said “That comes in a smaller glass . . . its high octane.” After my first sip I began to fear the height of bar stools nowadays. My third sip I’m thinking “I could really fall off this thing.” Around the fourth or fifth swallow I think to myself “How am I going to ride my bike home.” Any other subsequent sips are hazy. I do know at one point I was smiling to myself because I was so drunk it was a little difficult to operate my phone.
Shackamaximum definitely falls under the imperial stout category. Where Guinness would have you feel like your drinking bread, Shackamaximum goes down like a porter. This makes it dangerous. The cool thing is that it still has the roasted malt flavor that you would get from a stout but you still have a big alcohol taste at the end. Cuidado mes amigos. This beer is $3 on tap at Atlantis the Lost Bar at 2442 Frankford Ave. Drink responsibly. I’m pretty sure that this is one of the select brews that the Philadelphia Brewing Company has for draught service only. The Lost Bar serves it in a rocks or Old Fashioned glass that’s about 8 to 10 ounces. If you try to make it to last call slamming some Shackamaximums you’ll be on the outside of your damn mind. Don’t let the smooth name fool ya.
Shackamaximum:American Double / Imperial Stout aged on French Oak. 10% abv
Tags: beer, Drinking, PBC, Review, Shackamaximum, Tshombe
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Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
The Art in Bars contributor family keeps expanding, with new posts coming this week from two new contributors. Each brings a unique perspective to either art or bars, and I look forward to bringing their voices to this blog.
Jenn works in the restaurant industry and will be passing along gossip, providing a humorous (but useful) bathroom reviews, tips for ‘in the biz’ deals, drink recipes, as well as exploring the less known bars in the city. You know, the places that the people who work at the fancy places go in their free time.
Tshombe is an artist, actor, and playwright. He will be specializing in performance art in bars, reviewing shows, art openings, happenings, cocktails ratings, and pretty much whatever else he feels like writing about.
Of course, clearly if someone wants to contribute something I’ll put it up as long as it’s at least tangentially related to art in bars. It’s much easier to find contributors interested in the Bars aspect. I hope to soon balance this with more Art – real reviews of shows, ask-an-artists, and unsolicited advice.
Tags: contributor, Jenn, Tshombe, Updates
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