34th Street Magazine

Red, White and Bomb

migold — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:30:25 -0400

Is there any single day of the year more stimulating than Independence Day? Filled with explosions of fireworks (and, perhaps, drunken lighter fluid mishaps on the grill), the Fourth of July is a colorful event in any American city. And where better to celebrate America’s birthday than America’s birthplace?

Each year Philly plans a week-long extravaganza to remind us why it is that Americans gather around their barbecues on this most hallowed summer holiday. Here are the hottest city-wide events celebrating America’s 233rd. Happy birthday, nation!

Lights, Camera, Festival

migold — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:28:40 -0400

Something can’t really be “annual” until it’s happened at least two successive years, and this weekend the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival is making it official.

What Never Works

migold — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:25:09 -0400

Looking back at classics that glorify New York like Annie Hall and Manhattan, Woody Allen lovers were eager for the return to his beloved hometown. Having spent four films traipsing across Europe with hotties like Scarlett and Penelope, Allen has a new young starlet and is back stateside.

Pop, Lock and Drop It

migold — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:44:18 -0400

It’s been a tough road for this year’s Popped! Festival, which brought big names like Vampire Weekend and The Ting Tings to Drexel last June.

Plans to expand the 2009 event and move it to “The Lakes” of South Philly crumbled before our very eyes as partnerships with AEG and Live Nation fell through in succession. But Popped! planners didn’t give up. Instead, they’re bringing us a downsized, street fair-esque version of the much-loved tradition in what is now dubbed the 2nd Street Festival. The best part is, it’s free!

‘Tage Mahal

migold — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:40:20 -0400

Thanks to Philly’s vast and varied dining options, every Penn student racks up a list of “must-try” BYOs and bars over the course of four years. We traipse across the city, sampling the high-profile and the low-key, all in the hopes of getting through that list by grad time. At the top of our list for the past year? Meritage. An employer proclaimed that after tasting a Meritage burger, we would be “sad to have only one year left in Philadelphia to enjoy it.” We finally decided to check off our number one slot, and we headed to the upscale restaurant.

Last Chance Art

migold — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:37:25 -0400

If your summer job has kept you away from campus this month, get your ass in gear this week and trek down Locust Walk to Addams Gallery. While the Fine Arts Hall may be shrouded in a cave of construction, brave the scaffolding to check out the last week of “East West South North,” an exhibition featuring photos and art by Penn students who were in China this spring.

The Intern: A Summer Experience

migold — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:28:28 -0400

Rachel Stern-Stein is the typical Penn student, living the life and spending the summer interning at a top-notch investment bank. As she plugs away in her cubicle, a brilliant idea comes to mind: If Lauren Conrad can write a semi-autobiographical account of her life, why can’t I? An avid Danielle Steel fan and having taken ENGL 039.313: “Self-Help and Literature,” Rachel S-S brings you her finest work. So come laugh, cry and sigh with Summer Street’s installments of “The Intern.”

Illicit Lit

migold — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:17:31 -0400

The best part of 10 Things I Hate About You is, hands down, Ms. Perky, the headmistress slash aspiring erotica novelist. “What’s another word for ‘engorged?’” She asks, trying out ‘swollen’ and ‘tumescent’ before finally settling on “Reginald’s quivering member.”

While this scene may leave you “undulating with desire,” why stop at the movies? Philly’s got you covered next week at the monthly session of The Erotic Literary Salon.

Going, Going, Gone

migold — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:15:31 -0400

There’s something to be said for the perfect road trip. Dashing away to “find yourself” in the grand tradition of Kerouac is an oft-invoked cinematic theme. It provides the luxury of Otherness that throws life’s banality into sharp relief.

On Your Mark-et

migold — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:10:27 -0400

This weekend take a stroll to the Headhouse Farmers’ Market. Tucked between cobblestone streets and buildings as old as Mr. Franklin himself, the market is a mainstay of the often-forgotten Society Hill neighborhood.

The Round Up: 6.4.09

danielg — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:31:52 -0400

As always, we will be Old City-bound tomorrow to check out the latest and greatest from the contemporary art scene. On tap for this month? Check out the figure paintings of Nancy Halbert at Muse Gallery, 52 N. 2nd St. Then head down the block to hit up The Clay Studio, at 139 N. 2nd St., which will be featuring sculpture from Melissa Mytty and Rebecca Chappell and free Spaten beer for First Friday attendees. Last stop on our list is Space 1026, at 1026 Arch St., which is exhibiting new works by Matthew Palladino and Eric Shaw.

¡Tequila!

danielg — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:30:50 -0400

Way north of the Mason-Dixon Line, Q BBQ and Tequila Bar brings a taste of southern comfort to Philadelphia. Located in the heart of Old City, Q BBQ offers cuisine from not only the Deep South but also south of the border. Hailing from North Carolina, partner Tom Stewart combines his southern roots with the long-time experience of co-owners Kevin and Janet Meeker (of the former Philadelphia Fish Company, Q’s predecessor) to create a wide-ranging menu of southern BBQ dishes, traditional Mexican fare and, most importantly, tequila.

Hip to be Square

danielg — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:18:28 -0400

Though it may be the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and cheesesteaks, our beloved ultra-American Philadelphia can sometimes leave us yearning for influences from other hemispheres.

Honestly, we love Independence Hall as much as the next Franklin-ophile, but sometimes it’s hard not to wish for a Philadelphian counterpart to the beloved stone-paved square/plaza/platz of nearly every European city; a spacious central square at which to spend entire days wining, dining, shopping and generally making merry.

Summer '09 Style Guide

danielg — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:13:00 -0400

Now that summer is upon us, Penn students are again scattered across the globe. No matter your location, there’s no reason to not be stylin’ this summer. Whether interning at a froufrou firm in Manhattan or scooping ice cream in your hometown, here are a few key trends to adopt and make your own as summer heats up.

Neon Accessories

Pitch Your Tent in South Jersey

danielg — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:16:14 -0400

When I first received that fateful text — “i think i have mem day plans for us… camping?” — my mind instantly flashed back to trips of my youth. Though never true camping (my family tended toward locales with on-site bathrooms and pre-made firepits), I still hold fond memories of roasting marshmallows, snuggling in my sleeping bag, and swimming in the nearby lake. The promise of nostalgia plus 17 other people and booze? I was in.

Pimp my Tee

danielg — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:33:26 -0400

In theory, screen-printing T-shirts sounds like a really awesome concept: a cheap way to showcase your creative genius with the added bonus of a unique (i.e. non-Urban Outfitters) graphic tee. Cool. But in practice, screen-printing is a delicate, complicated and time-consuming art.

So why not leave it up to the artists? With the May 16 opening of Print Liberation, the love child of Jamie Dillon and Nick Paparone, you can do exactly that. At their new Philadelphia store, they can take your amateur ideas and create fresh, unconventional, professional fashions.

Sign us Up

danielg — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:32:40 -0400

We all have that friend who thinks he’s the only person in the world who can truly appreciate subtitles. “I just love foreign films,” he’ll say. “Reading subtitles is just such an experience.” Well, you can finally one-up him this Saturday when you take him to see Universal Signs, a movie with subtitles, but not because of the bonjours or adioses. Even better, it’s performed entirely in American Sign Language.

May-be You Missed It This Month

danielg — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:17:21 -0400

Here’s everything you need to know about May music (but were afraid to ask while we were on hiatus this month):

If Life Gives You Lemons...

kfranke — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:54:17 -0400

Palestinian widow Salma Zidane (Hiam Abbass) is tending to her lemon grove when Israeli Defense Minister Navon (Doron Tavory) moves into the upscale home across the street. Navon’s security details immediately declare that the trees could become a terrorist hiding spot, and the stage is set for the film’s major face-off.

Going Solo

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:58:18 -0400

In The Soloist, sardonic divorced journalist Steve Lopez (Downey Jr.) is searching for his next story. He happens upon homeless savant Nathaniel Ayres (Foxx), playing a two-stringed violin and babbling about Beethoven and his Julliard classmates. Lopez, smelling a potential human-interest piece, delves deeper, learning that Ayres was a child prodigy cellist whose battle with schizophrenia forced him to abandon his dreams.

Top 15 Movies Coming Out This Summer

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:54:36 -0400

1. Rudo y Cursi (5/8) The boys from Y tu mamá también play rival soccer champions. A better combination does not exist.
2. Goodbye Solo (5/8) An immigrant cab driver becomes ensconced in the life of a customer in this film festival gem.
3. The Brothers Bloom (5/15) Can you find all the literary references in this quirky, globe-trotting film? It’s like Where’s Waldo, but with con artists.
4. Up (5/29) Pixar goes to soaring heights once again. (We’re still nostalgic for Woody.)

Lords of Love Park

julia.rubin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:00:20 -0400

Rob stomps on his skateboard to flip it up to his hands. He pulls a black skullcap over his bangs and carries the board under one arm, dropping it in the trash can to keep it out of sight of police. He leans against the granite planter, on guard, arms crossed, eyes nervously scanning, ready to retrieve his most valued possession then bolt. Rob has been running from Love Park since he was 13.

Shoutouts: Spring 2009

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:55:03 -0400

To the avant-garde transfer: So, you’re bipolar. Too bad both of your personalities suck.

To my roommate who never showers: I spray you with Febreze while you’re asleep.

To all of you who start your sentences with, “I’m not gonna lie”: You guys should get together with those kids who start their questions with “I have a question…” Then you could go around stating obvious truths until you were comfortable with your intellectual abilities.

Defibrillator: Weezer, "Weezer" (1994)

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:51:14 -0400

In first grade my favorite song was “Buddy Holly.” I memorized the lyrics proudly, ready to show them off to the only willing audience I had: my older, cooler siblings. When the song finally came on the radio, I cranked up the volume and chimed in, “Ooh-eeh-ooh I don’t trust that Buddy Holly, oh-oh I love Mary Tyler Moore, I don’t care what they say about us anyway, I don’t care about cats.”

From the Editor: 4.23.09

julia.rubin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:39:17 -0400

With Fling (regrettably) over and reading days just a week away, I sat down to write this semester’s last letter with a mild case of writer’s block. I’ve written a lot this year. I’ve written about rock concerts, the Gap, gay bathhouses, the Roots — and that was just for my classes. Street has allowed me to write about Girl Talk, Miss Philadelphia, 90210… and pretty much whatever else was on my mind during any given week.

Your Summer in Music: 2009

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:34:00 -0400

Which concert attendee are you?
Let’s face it, working the drive-thru window at Taco Bell this summer is going to leave you with more dollar bills than you know what to do with. What better way to spend it than on tickets to see bands you thought were long gone? Invest wisely using the following quiz!
What’s in your hair?
A. Grease, dirt, maybe a bird.
B. Pink dye that you totally convinced your mom was permanent.
C. Rogaine
D. P. Simon's hat

The results have been tabulated…
Thanks for your patience!
Let’s see how you did!

‘Tric: a Treat

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:31:11 -0400

Despite stadium-ready hooks, polished vocals and slick guitars, Fantasies isn’t a selling out moment for Metric so much as the next step in a logical progression. After a punky debut and slower, synthesizer-driven follow up, their latest combines the energy of the former with the focus and confidence of the latter.

Speak of the Devil

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:25:52 -0400

With lead vocals (Eddie Argos) reminiscent of Bobby “BORIS” Pickett’s hit tune “Monster Mash,” and Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, rhymes like “satisfaction” and “can’t stop scratchin’” and subject matter ranging from using a cell phone as an alarm clock while riding public transportation to looking for missing socks, it might be hard to for anyone to believe that Frank Black produced Art Brut vs. Satan. But in this third album from Britain’s punk rock Art Brut, those skeptics are “Satan.”

The New Sincerity

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:21:50 -0400

April is my favorite month of the year. Another bleak winter is washed away by daytime showers. All of us who hibernate through the winter come out, and you are able to witness campus waking up from a deep sleep.

I invented a new game this semester. It’s called “Dream or Dread.” If I wake up after my alarm clock, all plans are off. If I wake up before the alarm, I’m left going through the routine motions that have defined four years of my college life.

The Round Up: 4.23.09

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:17:33 -0400

You came, you flang, you conquered. While you were busy blacking out in your old freshman room in the Quad, we were busy watching. So in case your memory hasn’t served you well, we were around to gather the finest tidbits of Fling scandals and mishaps. Things started off Thursday night with an overwhelming excess of downtown parties and an array of designer DJs. As a result, the normally $10 entry fee was levied to $15 or more at most venues.

Spring Fling Latin BBQ

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:14:45 -0400

Sometime after the Zete petting zoo and the Mask and Wig naked show but before I passed out for the day, I found myself at the annual Latin Fling Barbecue on Saturday afternoon. I am neither Latin nor was I hungry, but my fabulous memories of salsa dancing with a Spanish-speaking friend who dragged me drunkenly in years past compelled me to attend again this year.

Days of Our (College) Lives

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:02:12 -0400

Get accepted. Getting into college is tougher than it used to be, so you may need to resort to stealing the SATs. If it worked for the kids in The Perfect Score (2004), it can work for you. Once you’ve gotten in, throw a Risky Business (1983)-style party, complete with prostitutes and dancing in your underwear. Eventual conversion to Scientology is optional.

Freshman year

Make new friends. Literally. Weird Science (1985)

Go to a toga party. Gladiator (2000)

Guilty Pleasure: Frequency (2000)

kfranke — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:00:03 -0400

It’s impossible to describe the plot of Frequency without sounding like a raving lunatic, but I’ll do my best. John, played to bewildered perfection by Jim Caviezel, is a cop whose dad — Dennis Quaid, sporting the worst Queens accent of all time — died fighting a fire back in 1969. Thanks to the Aurora Borealis, John is able to warn Dad that he’s going to die. But whoops! By saving his father, John causes his mother’s murder by a serial killer. Together, the duo must solve the case and prevent Mom from getting whacked.

Al Fresco Dining in Philadelphia

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:08:15 -0400

Parc
227 S. 18th St.
The view: Bustling Rittenhouse Square
The food: Parisian brasserie
Best for: People-watching over a leisurely brunch
Don’t miss: Steak and eggs

Bar Ferdinand
1030 N. 2nd St.
The view: Trendy Northern Liberties
The food: Spanish tapas
Best for: Late night wining and dining
Don’t miss: Seared lamb with Moroccan relish

Standard Tap
901 N. 2nd St.
The view: Rooftop patio
The food: Upscale pub fare
Best for: Sharing pitchers of beer under the stars
Don’t miss: Grilled octopus

Dirty Little Secrets

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:02:54 -0400

The menus at most fast food and chain restaurants tend to become stale after a while. There are only so many ways to liven up a bland “patty” at McDonalds. In a quest to freshen up the fast food dining experience and expand your options at the counter, we’ve found a few places that offer secret, off-menu items. While West-Coasters might brag about In-N-Out Burger’s not-so-secret menu, we give you the low-down on some of the best-kept food secrets on Penn’s campus.

McDonald's

A Taste of the Weird and Wacky

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:59:17 -0400

On the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman, a bald-headed, somewhat loveable host tours the globe in search of the world's wackiest foods. Luckily for you, some bizarre delicacies are not all that far away. West Philadelphia’s vibrant (and growing) ethnic cuisine scene offers plenty of opportunities to try a taste of the weird.

From Cyprus, With Love

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:56:43 -0400

Far from the Island of Cyprus, Kanella — a new BYOB located on 10th and Spruce — brings a breath of fresh air to Philadelphia’s Mediterranean offerings. Kanella, which means cinnamon in Greek, offers a combination of dishes from Cyprus and the Greek Isles. Konstantinos Pitsillides, chef and owner of the restaurant, creates a wide range of appetizers and main courses that draw on the traditional Cypriot ingredients and simple cooking methods of his native culture.

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:27:39 -0400

As the prospect of the ever-daunting “real world” looms over the senior class, this job market’s slim pickings have inspired some seniors to jump on their 10-speeds and trade hedge funds for hard hats.

While some of us have only worn tool-belts as accessories for our Village People Halloween costumes, the do-gooders among us have already taken many an opportunity to make us look lame, rebuilding the world through Habitat for Humanity and Alternate Spring Break programs. The next level of hard-core humanitarianism? Bike & Build.

Movin' Out

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:23:43 -0400

As the time fast approaches to double-bolt our Beige abodes, the question arises, what do we do with all of our stuff? If you are concerned about where your mini-fridge will spend the summer, the outrageous cost to store your accumulated finds, or the safety of your arsenal of electronics, we have the solution to your move out crises — for the budget sensitive, the self-sufficient and the couch potato.

Door To Door

Penn Move Out
www.pennmoveout.com
(610) 535-4903
Box over 70 lbs: $55

Box My Dorm
www.boxmydorm.com
Box over 70 lbs: $59.99
Order by May 19

On the Road Again

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:07:08 -0400

New York:
New York Botanical Gardens
www.nybg.org
The New York Botanical Gardens is an impressive spectacle. The horticultural experts in the Big Apple claim to have the fourth largest herbarium in the world, and that’s saying something. After a long week of interning in an NYC skyscraper, a large dose of gorgeous plant life might be just what the doctor ordered.

Philadelphia:
Bastille Day Celebration
July 1-31
Eastern State Penitentiary

Ego of the Week: Kerry Golds

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:59:15 -0400

Street: What do you think of Street this semester, now that you’re gone?
Kerry Golds: Love it. A lot of people still think I work here, and I get credit for it without doing anything. It’s been a good deal.

Street: What will you miss most about Penn?
KG: Walking around in matching tee-shirts and sweatshirts with my friends. Group outfits don’t really happen in the real world. Unless you want fries with that?

Street: There are two types of people at Penn...

read more

Summer Syllabus

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:51:40 -0400

Marisha Pessl
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, 2006

read more

Mom Knows Best

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:44:55 -0400

Sometimes in restaurants, when my mom wants to get the waiter’s attention, she raises her hand gingerly, ever so slightly, a gesture so demure that it’s guaranteed to go undetected by not only the waiter, but by everyone but me. It drives me absolutely nuts — which is why, a few weeks ago over dinner with friends, I was so appalled to find my own elbow forming that familiar acute angle. In my head, I rolled my eyes and said what I always say, what everyone always says, when such situations arise: "Mooooom!"

read more

Earth to Disney

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:01:00 -0400

Cashing in on Earth Day, Disney brings us Earth, a nature documentary chronicling the trials and tribulations of various adorable critters. The good news: the film has some of the most picturesque shots of our big blue marble that have ever been filmed. Narration by James Earl Jones provides gravitas as can only come from Darth Vader and Mufasa. The bad news: if you’re a nature buff, you’ve seen this before, and you’ve seen it better. Earth is a re-cut version of the Discovery Channel’s award-winning Planet Earth series.

read more

Wright on the Money

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:57:26 -0400

Street: Why was it so important for you to use volunteer members of the homeless community as extras?
Joe Wright: I felt I had no absolutely right to speak for them and just pick their lives without their involvement. I wanted to make the film not just about them but also with them.

Street: The last two films you directed, Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, were both period pieces. Was making a modern-day film different?

read more

Tokyo Drift

kfranke — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:53:39 -0400

Wind enters through an unclosed window, disturbing an otherwise serene home. This opening scene of Tokyo Sonata foreshadows the storm brewing in the Sasaki family. The father loses his job and hides it from his family. The eldest son enlists in the army. The mother helplessly watches as her family falls apart. Tensions build, and ultimately the façade of an ideal family crumbles.

read more

Raindrops on Roses and Flowering Plants

kfranke — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:57:54 -0400

Going to school in an urban environment like good ol’ Philly satisfies many a desire, offering art museums, happening restaurants and establishments for dancing our asses off. One thing not included on this list? Mother Nature. April 19, however, we Philadelphians can have our cake and eat it too thanks to the annual Macy’s Flower Show.

read more

Gogh See It!

kfranke — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:54:48 -0400

An artistic genius and an incredibly haunted and complex man, Vincent Van Gogh remains one of the most accomplished artists in history. You may remember this Dutch painter as the guy who cut his ear off for the woman he loved; nowadays we consider ourselves lucky if a guy offers to buy us a beer at Blarney (maybe chivalry is dead, eh Van Gogh?).

read more

OLD MACDONALD HAD A ZOO?

kfranke — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:43:45 -0400

“We should talk.”

Despite the intention that Anne communicates in this opening line, as the play progresses we realize it ironically veils her truthful non-verbal urges. What she really wants to do is “fuck.” And by fuck she doesn’t mean-love making — which her husband Peter is suitably “good” at — but instead, her distinction refers to the aggressive, carnal act that would be more commonplace between two adolescent strangers after a Tuesday night at Smoke's.

read more

Ego(s) of the Week: Bobak Parang and Alex Livingston

kfranke — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:31:07 -0400

For all the work College seniors Bobak Parang (left) and Alex Livingston (right) do on campus, they really just want to make you laugh. Leading Without a Net and Simply Chaos respectively, both have equal command of Penn's stage.

Street: There are two types of people at Penn...
Bobak Parang: Those who take orders from Sally Katz and those who run their own organizations. Take that jump-start-kick-in-the-ass-non-existent senior society rivalry!
Alex Livingston: Those who laugh at others, and those who can laugh at themselves.

read more