friends forever
AFSC Annual Public Gathering
Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Saturday, 1:30-4:30 p.m., Free
http://www.afsc.org/
When most people picture a Quaker, they envision the Quaker Oats man, with his funny little hat and black and white garb. And when you oxymoronically cheer "Fight Quakers, Fight!" you may not think too often about what our oh-so-intimidating mascot actually represents. But really, the Quakers are more than a hearty breakfast dish and an emblem of the Red and the Blue: the Quakers, a.k.a. The Religious Society of Friends, are a group of peace-lovin' people that are still around today. This year, the American Friends Service Committee opens their doors for a Public Gathering to feature Joan Countryman, a Quaker educator who has worked as an innovator in Quaker schools for more than thirty years. So whether you're a Religious Studies major or just want to look beyond your oatmeal box, this promises to be a friendly event.
-Lauren Talman
Hey, You're OLD.
Loren Eiseley's 100th Birthday
Celebration
Penn Museum
3260 South Street
Today, 6:00 p.m., Free
(215) 898-4000
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/
Yes, we're going to a party. And this is not just any party, but the 100th birthday celebration of one of the Penn community's most honored members. Loren Eiseley, known for his "hidden essay" style of making complex scientific ideas accessible to the general public, wrote numerous books throughout his lifetime and received thirty-six honorary degrees. Come learn about the life of the famous anthropologist, University of Pennsylvania Provost, science writer, ecologist and poet whose writings on the relationship between humans and nature are said to have provided inspiration for the modern environmental movement. Who knows, maybe you, too, will be inspired. by the free birthday cake.
-Liza St. James
always a bridesmaid
15th Annual Bridesmaid Ball
The Diamond Club
Citizens Bank Park
Saturday, 9:00 p.m., $70-$85
www.bridesmaidsball.org
Ever wondered what to do with that hideous taffeta bridesmaid dress your older brother's ex-girlfriend's sister made you wear to her wedding? Now's your chance to reach into the depths of your overflowing closet and pull out the meringue-like concoction because the Annual Bridesmaid Ball is finally here! The Bridesmaid Ball gives you all the benefits of attending a real wedding, i.e. the free food, the open bar and the drunken divorcees, without the hassle of having to feign honesty when congratulating the newlyweds. And all this in aid of the Philadelphia Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If your charitable spirit is somewhat wanting, have no fear, there will be an Ugliest Dress and a Tackiest Tux contest to rouse the spirit of competition from within your soul. Ah, the joys of matrimony.
-Raya Jalabi
On the catwalk
Pets on the Rebound Night with the
Philadelphia 76ers
Wachovia Center
3601 South Broad Street
Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., $25-$45
(215) 426-6304 x227
www.pspca.org
Like animals? Like sports? Well, this week you can combine your two passions at the Philadelphia 76ers game against the Charlotte Bobcats. A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and pets up for adoption will perform a fashion show at halftime. After the game, you can play with the animals and, if you find that perfect pet, provide one with a home (and a few new fashionable outfits). Even if you can't adopt a new puppy, you can still help them by increasing awareness of PSPCA and their mission to help Philadelphia's animals in need. Just because we want the Bobcats to go home crying doesn't mean all cats should leave crying, too!
-Jessica Goldstein
POON-ani
Chef Joseph Poon: Hands-On Cooking Classes
1010 Cherry Street
Sunday, 4:00 p.m., $75-$95
(215) 500-9774
http://www.josephpoon.com/
classesHandsOnCooking.htm
Are you looking to put some spice in your life without the monotony and potential food poisoning of trips to Beijing? Chef Joeseph Poon (yes, we wish we had his last name too) can help. This fall, Poon will be hosting a variety of Asian cooking classes from "Vegetable Sculpture" (Michelangelo meets Asian food) to "Noodle Making" (guys: major kudos if you can make your own noodles). Also available is a seminar on "Sensational Seafood," which includes working with live fish. Each session includes hands-on instruction, a full meal that won't land you on the commode, a trip to the Asian grocery store, and the best part: a walk to the Fortune Cookie Factory. So whether you are looking for a tasty meal and a good time or trying to acquire some cooking skills that don't involve a microwave and styrofoam cups, give it a go. Remember, the way to the heart is through the stomach.
-Sarah Kinosian
