Well, another Thanksgiving has come & gone, and our family did the traditional Brussel Sprout toast. Well, not everyone. Not even the guy who invented it, actually, but he couldn't eat because of surgery. Other people are just, well, you know... But I digress... For those who don't know, our newish, wierdish, Thanksgiving tradition involves eating 3 Brussels Sprouts each. My brother started it a few years ago, because he doesn't like Brussels Sprouts, and is thankful that he doesn't have to eat them the rest of the year. Not only is this rather amusing, it has forced us to come up with clever ways to prepare the sprouts so that they actually taste good! (Yes, it is possible.) But even this misses the point. There are millions of people who go hungry every day, even in our 1st world industrialized nation. They don't get to choose what to to eat or not. They don't have the option of turning down that less savory side dish out of the 10 or so available. I don't want to give you the old "there are starving children in Africa" line (tho there are), but I would like you to keep it in mind over the holiday season. Food banks have less stock available, even as the need goes up. So, perhaps you will make a donation. Perhaps you can't afford to, but will be more grateful for what you do have. Perhaps when Granny offers you yet another helping of her slimey glazed carrots, limp green beans, or lumpy gravy, you will smile graciously, and make a silent toast to the Brussels Sprouts Gods, thanking them for the food available, the dog under the table who eats scraps, and the fortune that brought you to the position of such a wonderful dilemma.

On Sunday, November 16, 2008 Katie and Dana from Open Source Cupcakes hosted Cupcake Camp at IndyHall in Philadelphia, PA. This event was dedicated to people who like to bake (and eat!) cupcakes. Many people attended this successful event and there were 20 different types of cupcakes to try.

Nichelle Stephens from Cupcakes Take the Cake attended the event and took pictures as well.

Wish-Cake brought three flavors: cookie dough, pumpkin spice, and a modified version of the Princess cupcake.

Here is a photo of my flavors at Cupcake Camp!

There were so many cupcakes at the event that Katie and Dana provided boxes so guests could take some away. We were happy that people enjoyed our cupcakes and this event inspired us to do something like this again. Stay tuned for future cupcake events!

Wish-Cake bakes and delivers cupcakes to locations in the Philadelphia, PA area. For more information about Wish-Cake, or to place an online order, please visit our website at: http://wish-cake.com.

Enjoy!

Hormel Foods Corporation hard pressed to keep up with demand.
[Spam and eggs, spam and cheese, spam on toast... bleh.]

Story Link: Spam sales way up.

Cartoon from Sid in the City

Walk into Cream & Sugar Coffee and Sweet Shop at 4004 Spruce Street and be prepared to use all your sensory functions. See the gourmet individual-sized desserts in the bakery case immediately as you enter the store, smell the fresh brewing coffee, taste the chocolates, feel how dense their giant chocolate chip bakery cookies truly are, and hear the music - together these characteristics along with a friendly, helpful staff create a delightfully warm, welcoming, and tasty sanctuary from the chaos of our everyday world. Everything in the store from the cannoli cream and strawberry cream cheese to the milkshakes and chocolate covered cheesecakes to the bagels and bread puddings are locally or store made. Cream & Sugar caters to the neighborhood resident and college student alike on every budget. Try their coffee and donut special at only $1.50 - a real steal, or if you can splurge, try a gourmet biscotti latte and rice pudding special for $6.00. The shop also offers gift baskets, party platters, and custom bakery cakes. You imagine it and the staff there will deliver! Have a question about a product or interested in placing an order, email the store at creamandsugarsweets@yahoo.com or simply stop on in. The store is open 7 days a week 7am-11pm, and open until 1am Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Bring in a copy of this online write-up between now and October 31st for 10% off your first purchase of any bakery item. Also, stop on in Halloween afternoon between 3-7pm and say trick-or-treat for a sweet treat!

Max's produce is a great spot right off the square. Whether you need something that is made to pick up and take home and eat "ready made" or are looking for fresh items to cook with, I truly love this spot.

Recently I was making a home cooked meal and Kim was so helpful, she shared with me her suggestions for making the meal, perfect from a visual and taste appeal standpoint. This came in specifically to dessert. I bought fresh mango, raspberries and bananas from Max's along with fresh mint leaves and then ran over to Bacchus to buy dark, dark chocolate sorbet. The colors were perfect and Kim was right, it was the right end to a delicious meal in beautiful glass bowls.

So, for the urban, not so domestic young woman, I was able to make a delicious dessert with visual appeal.

Philly's own ClassicWines.com, one of the Internet's most popular wine portals, has reached a significant milestone: over 250,000 wines available online. Designed to meet consumer's increasing demand for unique and rare wines, the company is in the forefront of the wine industry's online evolution.

Fueling this dramatic expansion of online inventory is the company's proprietary WineRAC system which pulls product data from wine producers and merchants and offers consumers tools to find, explore, and purchase wines either from merchants or (thanks to the landmark 2005 supreme court case) directly from wineries.

"Ecommerce for wine is growing every day," explained Mark Shay, CEO of ClassicWines.com. "More and more wineries and specialty wine retailers are realizing that selling online is the wave of the future. With sophisticated tax compliance software and certified over-21-year-old delivery, wine selling is joining the Internet revolution and we are providing the marketplace for consumers to find and compare online buying options."

"WineRAC stands for wine retrieval and active classification," explained Mark Spangler, VP of ClassicWines.com. "The system uses multiple methods of retrieval to obtain as much data as possible from wineries and online retailers, and processes it for publishing."

One of the methods Spangler is referring to is 'feed processing.' Feeds are formatted lists of information posted online (utilizing RSS and XML) or through an excel spreadsheet, providing orderly access to data regarding region, varietal, price, and other statistics for every product in a retailer's inventory. Feeds can be constantly updated and are accessed dynamically. Once a feed is established, both the client and ClassicWines.com can go 'hands off' and allow WineRAC to process autonomously.

WineRAC also utilizes a technique called 'crawling.' "If a client decides that feeds aren't possible for them, we can work with them to crawl their site," explained Spangler. "This is where data is lifted straight off of the live webpage and filtered into WineRAC."

A unique feature of the WineRAC system is its integration of client listings in conjunction with product listings. By recognizing product association with retailers, WineRAC can assign a pricing record underneath each product. "Our price comparison system really stands out," stated Spangler. "When browsing for a particular wine bottle, online consumers can also view a list of retailers who carry that bottle, and at what price they list it. Shoppers can then click through to the desired retailer (usually the one with the lowest price), and purchase it from their online store. It's free enterprise at its best!"

Consumers can access the ClassicWines.com search engine at http://www.ClassicWines.com. For wineries and retailers, feed data processing is available at no cost. Details are available on Classic Wines Advertising.

3 Sisters Corner Café is located at the corner of Barnes and Loney Streets, just off Oxford Ave. in the Fox Chase Section of Philadelphia. The cozy café offers an intimate atmosphere for breakfast, lunch or a late afternoon snack. The friendly staff serves up
a delightful menu of homemade deserts in addition to a full line up of hot and iced coffee,
teas and cold drinks. In addition the café offers outside tables providing a beautiful view of the Fox Chase Towne Square. So if you are in the mood for a good cup of Joe, excellent breakfast sandwiches, tasty tuna salad or a slice of pie to die for, 3 Sisters Corner Café is the place to be. Located across from the Septa 18 Bus loop and the R-8 Fox Chase Train Station. 3 Sisters Corner Café also hosts the Fox Chase Book Club and The Mad Poets Society Fox Chase Reading Series.
The Café is open weekdays from 7am to 7pm and on Saturdays 8am to 4pm. To place an order in advance or for directions call 215-725-6848.

Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV and Brian Freedman of Classic Wines TV recently clashed in a contest of food and wine pairing skills. Hosted by The Wine School of Philadelphia, these two popular online personalities met in good-natured competition and wowed spectators with their competence and charisma.

Keith Wallace, founder and owner of The Wine School of Philadelphia, hosted the event. His plan was to create a high profile ‘Sommelier Smackdown,’ wherein the two wine professionals paired a four-course meal with the most appropriate wines they could find in a certain price range. The bottle selections were hidden from a team of dining judges, and both men had a chance to explain their choices during each portion of the meal. The judges scored each selection and declared a winner at the end of the final round.

Brian Freedman, one of Philadelphia’s most popular wine personalities, was a veteran of Smackdown events, while Gary Vaynerchuk, host of the Internet’s most popular wine video series, was no stranger to competition either. When asked how he secured the notoriously busy Vaynerchuk for the showdown, Wallace simply stated: “Getting Gary to join up was easy, I just emailed him. He's a busy guy, but he's got moxy. I knew he couldn't pass up a chance for an old-fashioned brawl.”

Click here to check out the first of four Smackdown videos.

Year in year out the South Street Head-House District is the city's most enduring and always exciting dining and entertainment destination. And more than ever before South Street is the best place to dine in all of Philadelphia.

3rd Annual “8 Days of Eats” Dining Week Wednesday April 29 thru May 7

With over 100 restaurants and casual eateries in the South Street area, there is no better place to eat in Philadelphia! The area's dramatic resurgence of great restaurants continues with the recent opening of the highly acclaimed Supper 926 South St., Las Bugambilias 148 South St., Irish Times 2nd & Bainbridge, and Coquette 5th & Bainbridge. Still going strong are other standouts from recent years Xochitl (so-cheet), Zot, Tori's, Ansill and Gayle.

And South Street has also become a Mecca for home cooking too since the enormously successful season of the Food Trust Head-House Farmer’s Market, which will start again May 3rd and held every Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 2 pm through Thanksgiving.

To celebrate good eating on South Street, the District hosts this 8-day dining event April 30 – May 7 offering discounted $30 dining specials at many of the most popular restaurants and small eateries. Since the”8 Days of Eats” falls on two Wednesdays, parking throughout the South Street area is FREE for two of the 8 days!

“8 Days of Eats” Kick-Off Party: Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Participating restaurants and sponsors host a menu sampling and refreshments Restaurant Festival at the Historic Head-House. This event is open to the public with $10 per person donations to go to the Head-House Conservancy, which maintains the historic Head-House.

Participating restaurants include: Bistro Romano – Bridget Foy’s – Chicks Café & Wine Bar – Core de Roma – Downey’s – Hosteria da Elio – Pad Thai – Sonam – XoChitl – Zot… and much more to come!

Last Tuesday, I went to the Trolley Car Diner (7619 Germantown Ave) in Mt. Airy for a local beer tasting course taught (in conjunction with the Mt. Airy Learning Tree) by none other than Joe Sixpack himself, Don Russell (pictured above). I attended the event with my good friend Pat who, along with his wife, bought me a ticket to the event as a Christmas present. After reading Tony's account of the February class, I was quite excited for the event.

About 30 attendees sat in booths and shared each bottle/can beer between them. Our table only had 3 so we had slightly larger portions per person than the rest of the class! Each student received a packet for the night complete with a list of all the beers we'd be sampling that night (I had had 5 out of the 11); a list of some of Don's favorite bars and a list, with examples, of various styles of beers. The first thing I learned was that all beers fall into one of two categories: Ales or Lagers. I never knew that. According to the handout, an Ale is "Brewed quickly with top-fermenting yeast at warm temperature." A Lager is "Brewed slowly with bottom-fermenting yeast at cool temperature." Who knew Beamish and Yards Philly Pale Ale were in the same family!

The first "beer" sampled was the most popular beer sold in Philadelphia. The watered down beauty taking this crown is Miller Lite. I thought, for sure, that Yuengling Lager would take #1, but nope. Don served this one first for the class to have an understanding of the baseline of beers in the town was. Moving on to the first real beer... a can of Phoenixville, PA's Sly Fox Pikeland Pils (German Pilsner, 4.9% ABV). The label on the can had a set of hops right on it so I knew I'd most likely not be a fan (not into hoppy beers yet at my young age). It was hoppy, but not overpowering. Don took a sec to explain the aluminum can phenomenon in craft beers these days. Apparently, a Canadian company has found a way to produce small quantities of aluminum cans (relative to the output of the Coors/Busch guys I suppose) at an affordable price. More durable than glass bottles, they end up being easier to transport. He said to be on the lookout for more and more small breweries to produce aluminum can versions of their beers. He added that the cans had a special coating to protect the beer from getting a tinny taste to them, but the psychological tie to drinking straight from the can still remains; he advised us to pour it into a glass instead.

MIRO DANCE THEATRE presents Cinco de Miro: ¡Super Salsa Sensacional!
First Annual Fundraiser @ Founder’s Hall, Girard College, May 9th
featuring music, Salsa dancing competition, Latin food & drinks and more

PHILADELPHIA – Miro Dance Theatre is thrilled to invite dance enthusiasts, supporters and members of the Philadelphia community to Salsa the night away at Cinco de Miro: ¡Super Salsa Sensacional! – the company’s first annual fundraising event, on Friday, May 9th from 6 – 11 p.m. This “Party for the People” includes Latin music, a Salsa dancing competition featuring Philadelphia personalities, a live auction, Latin inspired food catered by Breath of Life Caterers and a cash bar with Margaritas, Martinis and top shelf Tequila by Gran Centenario. Held at Girard College’s Historic Founder’s Hall, located at 2101 South College Ave. (at Girard Ave. & Corinthian Ave.), the unique social and fundraising event promises to be an exciting night for all, with proceeds benefiting Miro Dance Theatre programs including the free monthly Open Studio Series, local educational outreach and development of new work.

Cinco de Miro tickets are $25 and are available online at mirodancetheatre.org, by calling (215) 962-4773 and at the following Philadelphia locations: Halloween (1329 Pine St), Black & Brew (1523 E Passyunk Ave), and American Mortals (729 Walnut St).

The highlight of Cinco de Miro is the live Salsa dancing competition featuring Philadelphia personalities Marisa Magnatta of WMMR’s Preston & Steve Show, President of Girard College Hon. Dominic Cermele, hip-hopper Michelle Byrd-McPhee of Montazh Performing Arts Company, Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer Rita Jean Clark, Bucks County Community College student Chelsea Davis, Miro’s Producing Artistic Director Tobin Rothlein, and Antony Giblisi and Heidi Hirjak of American Mortals Salon. Led by Salsa Professional and DJ Victor Colon, the contestants will team up with professional salsa dancers from Fuzion Creativa Dance Company to strut their stuff on the dance floor. Prior to the event, each contestant will receive professional training with their dance partner in preparation for the competition. Audiences are invited to cheer on and cast their vote for the best dance team along with guest Judges including Kathy Romano of WMMR’s Preston & Steve Show, Ms. Tess Tickle and Jose Guillermo Ortega Tanus.

The competition will be followed by a dance party for all, with Victor Colon as DJ for the evening. Cinco de Miro will also include a live auction with items such as private Salsa lessons, dinner with Miro Artistic Directors, gift certificates to local establishments, and more.

A vital member of Philadelphia’s independent dance community, Miro Dance Theatre creates and performs original work that explores the collaborative intersections of dance, video, and visual art. Miro uses classical technique as a departure point from which to explore new and challenging dance vocabularies, ideologies, performance disciplines, and the way media co-exist within the performance space. The company was founded in 2004 by dancer and choreographer Amanda Miller and video and visual artist Tobin Rothlein, following five years as Co-Artistic directors of Phrenic New Ballet. Miller, with ten years experience as a dancer with the Pennsylvania Ballet and choreographic studies in Europe under Siobhan Davies, is at the helm of Miro’s choreographic exploration. Rothlein, whose work as video artist and visual designer for Rennie Harris Puremovement and others has garnered national and international accolades, oversees the company’s work in combining dance, multi-media and visual arts. As the 2007-08 Girard College artists-in-residence, the company also oversees an outreach program with the school’s students.

Cinco de Miro is supported by Gran Centenario, 1800, Three Olives, Whole Foods, American Mortals, and Black and Brew. Catering for the event is generously provided by Breath of Life Caterers; Smiley Ferebee, Rodney Gains and Munirah King.

Miro Dance Theatre and the Open Studio Series are supported by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Independence Foundation, Advanta Foundation, Samuel S. Fels Fund and Girard College.

Schedule of Upcoming Events & Performances

Thursday, April 17th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Open Studio Series: Behind-the-scenes of Self-Portrait
Girard College, Mechanical School
2101 South College Ave. (at Girard Ave. & Corinthian Ave.), Philadelphia
Admission is FREE.

Friday, May 2nd, 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
World Premiere of Self-Portrait
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Art After 5 series
26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
For additional information about the Museum’s Frida Kahlo exhibit and Art After 5, visit www.philamuseum.org.

Friday, May 9th, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Cinco de Miro: Super Salsa Sensacional
Girard College, Founder’s Hall
2101 South College Ave. (at Girard Ave. & Corinthian Ave.), Philadelphia
Admission is $25. Miro Dance Theatre is recognized as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization by the Federal government; all contributions and event proceeds are tax deductible. Tickets are available online at www.mirodancetheatre.org, by calling (215) 962-4773 and at the following Philadelphia locations: Halloween (1329 Pine St), Black & Brew (1523 E Passyunk Ave), and American Mortals (729 Walnut St).

Miro Dance Theatre is recognized as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization by the Federal government. All contributions and event proceeds are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Press Contact:
Canary Promotion + Design
Emaleigh Doley, emaleighATcanarypromo.com

WHEN: Saturday, April 5th, 2008 10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Depart - First Person Arts, One South Broad Street, Philadelphia
Arrive - Phillips du Pury & Company, 450 West 15th Street, New York

WHAT: First Person Arts announces an exclusive one-day excursion from Philadelphia to NYC to view the work of legendary photographer, Diane Arbus and hear the story of the discovery of vintage Arbus prints. On April 5th, a collection of Arbus photographs that have been missing since the 1960s will be exhibited for the first – and possibly last – time, after which they will be sold at auction by Phillips du Pury in NY. The First Person group will travel by chartered bus with antiquities dealer and discoverer of the lost photos, Robert Langmuir (recently featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer and whose story is the subject of a new book, Hubert's Freaks). A champagne breakfast will be served en route. Upon arrival, they will have a private reception at Phillips du Pury, a tour of the collection with Langmuir and curators from the auction house, and a seminar by experts on Arbus.

The discovery of the photographs in this collection came to light when Langmuir, a Philadelphia-based rare books dealer and collector of African-Americana, purchased the archives and memorabilia of a performer and manager of Hubert’s Dime Museum and Flea Circus located in Manhattan. Langmuir learned that Hubert’s is where Diane Arbus met many of the people who later became subjects of some of her most famous works. He also discovered 27 of her photographs, packed away in the box. These images turned out to be some of the first photographs she took of sideshow freaks and others on the margins of society – a subject that revolutionized her art and led her to create some of the most compelling photography of the last half century. The fascinating story of this discovery has been chronicled in Hubert's Freaks: The Rare-Book Dealer, the Times Square Talker, and the Lost Photos of Diane Arbus by author Gregory Gibson, and is being published on April 1.

Langmuir, who grew up in Delaware County in the primarily African American neighborhood known as Morton, began researching, collecting and selling memorabilia in his youth, including African American cultural objects and forms of artistic expression. He has spent his life exploring – as a Merchant Marine, traveler and wanderer who has lived in Europe and Russia, and roamed the United States as a roadie for the legendary blues musician Muddy Waters. In 1978, Langmuir settled in Philadelphia, where he operated the Book Mark, a Center City book shop that existed for twenty years. Now, Langmuir has turned his focus back to rare books and the collection of African-Americana.

The Now or Never: The Lost Photos of Diane Arbus excursion benefits First Person Arts, a nonprofit organization and producer of the annual First Person Festival and other programs featuring fascinating real life stories. Funds from the event enable First Person Arts to offer programs that share the power of personal stories with people from underserved and isolated communities. First Person Arts is guided by the belief that the sharing of personal experience is a powerful way for people to celebrate uniqueness, bridge differences, and find common ground. For more information, visit www.firstpersonarts.org.

ADMISSION:
Admission is $145 for the full trip or $55 for the New York portion only. A champagne breakfast with Robert Langmuir will be served en route to New York from Philadelphia. First Person Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; all contributions and a portion of the event proceeds are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For ticket information, please call (267) 402-2056 or email dang@firstpersonarts.org.

Press Contact:
Canary Promotion + Design
Emaleigh Doley, emaleighATcanarypromo.com

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Here is the newest update regarding the Shut the Duck Up! campaign.

Shut the Duck Up! is a running campaign to quiet down those annoying Duck Tours that literally ruin the beautiful nostalgia in Philadelphia. On April 4th at 10 am, our campaign efforts will be shown through a large protest at the Philadelphia Ride the Duck Tours Penn’s Landing water entrance (Where Race Street meets the water).

Over the past few months the local Philadelphia community has positively responded with arms wide open. In addition to the public and community, the local media has shown an enormous amount of support. Our petition has received over 100 signatures, and since the release of the Shut the Duck Up! Documentary video on YouTube, there has been over 2700 views.

If you would like to join us in our fight to preserve our beautiful city of Philadelphia, and send those ducks back to their pond, please attend the Shut the Duck Up! protest. We will be standing strong and demanding hard so that this mission can be considered a success.

For more information as well as updates please visit the Shut the Duck Up! website at http://shuttheduckup.blogspot.com/. I hope you will help us get the word out!

Best,

Walt Sherman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpynoYuFEBw
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/shut-the-duck-up

February 29 might only come once every four years, but Morton's STeakhouse in Philly is helping those with this specail leap year bday to make it a night to remember. They're offering a FREE dinner to the first 29 leaplings that make a reservation for Feb. 29. call 215-557-0724 or go to www.mortons.com