Miscellaneous: August 2009 Archives

LAist rocked out hard at the Vans Warped Tour to a lineup of "new-age punkers."

You know how Bill and Ted finish their history project and make the future better? Sure, there's all that traveling back in time to grab So-crates, and the part where Joan of Arc leads an aerobics class, and George Carlin in those weird sunglasses, but there's one more part us eighties kids remember: be excellent to each other. (And keep a close eye on Napoleon.)

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial, especially during the summer months (a/k/a kitten season). Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

Recently we received a request from an out of town reader for our non-touristy recommendations for the best local spots. More specifically our favorites in Food, Galleries, Booze, Books, Clothes, Music, "Women" (back to this later) and "Any other cool shit that you think people who are into eating, drinking, art, reading, music, etc. would like to see." Well, we like to appease so we'll give it a shot. Oh, and dear reader, we're not a hipster either, so if you accidentally wander into hipster territory based on our solid normal person advice, sorry. It can't be helped. It's Philly. They're everywhere.

Lately, I've loved going to farmers' markets with my daughter. It helps me get my shopping done, supports local farms, and could keep my baby amazed for hours. The site of a bright red tomato, the smell of pot after pot of basil, an Amish guy's crazy beard—she loves it all. Farmers' markets are hitting their stride, tomatoes and bell peppers are in their prime, and best of all, you can spend the whole day meandering around the tables and never spend more than twenty bucks tops.

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial—especially during the summer months, a/k/a kitten season. Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

I have a sort of Medicare attitude toward robbery. A lot of people I know have been held up for their wallets or had things lifted out of their apartments. For some, it was like an almost friendly business transaction--one fellow asked if he could get his driver's license back so he wouldn't have to stand in line at the DMV, and the thief acquiesced because nobody should have to suffer that hell. For others, it was simply terrifying.

It wasn't even a year ago that I left the post of editor and wrote my first farewell to Phillyist. I've been sticking around as a contributor since then, writing Whiz of the Web and Photoist as often as I could, but now I've finally decided to call it quits completely. So it's time for another farewell post! I'll make this one short and sweet. Thanks to the staff and readers of Phillyist for a great 4 years! I've really enjoyed the opportunity to write for such a large and friendly audience, and I hope you've enjoyed reading what I had to say. If you have, and you'd like to continue reading it, you can follow me on Twitter, and/or check out my personal blog. Thanks again, and much luck and happiness to you all. Be seeing you.

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial, especially during the summer months (a/k/a kitten season). Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets.

Who needs an RSS feed when you have us? Bringing you the best of the 215 blogosphere this week...

A tall, icy glass of our favorite internet junk, just for you.

...but VHS still did.

There's a nice little park catty-corner to Washington Square, at 6th and Walnut Streets. I always wondered what this park was called. Well, turns out it's Independence Square, and it is part of Independence National Historical Park, which gave me pause about covering it. Should Parking only cover "Philly" parks, or are National parks within Philadelphia all right? I've decided it's all right if I only discuss the actual outdoor park part, and not the bells and whistles that go along with it (i.e., Independence Hall and Liberty Bell and pretty much anything over in that part of the city that requires that you wait in line and pass a security check). You may note my obvious hypocrisy here; a few weeks ago, I gushed over Shofuso in Fairmount Park, which you have to pay to get into and isn't really a park in the sense of you can picnic at it, etc. But, oh well.

This column is featuring a single venue this week, mostly because its just such a fabulous, amazing place it deserves what I have deemed a SUPER SHOUTOUT!

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you.

A feline is a feline. This cougar acts exactly like the Phillyist fosters at naptime.

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial—especially during the summer months, a/k/a kitten season. Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

Note: Hey, Phillyist readers! Whiz was out of commission for a bit there, and actually we can't promise we'll be back again anytime soon, but at least for today, let's enjoy some crazy links together, eh?

Londonist witnessed unecessary tabloid shock at the languages spoken by some of London's children.

This week really isn't short on assholes. Whatever your take on that "Philly-related sports story," there is no denying that the internet is just about exploding. Whenever that happens, we get visited by the jerk-face fairy who turns everyone we know into raving lunatics. But that isn't what this story is about. You already know that story.

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial—especially during the summer months, a/k/a kitten season. Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

Because we all need a break from that drama this morning.

Who needs an RSS feed when you have us? Bringing you the best of the 215 blogosphere...

Sometimes, I forget that there are certain parks in Philadelphia that I absolutely love. Take Logan Square (or Logan Circle, depending on your grasp of geometry). I hadn't been there for a long while, until this past weekend when I spent a few hours reading on the grass there. At the center of Logan Circle is the Swann Fountain, which was designed and created by Wilson Eyre, Jr. and Alexander Stirling Calder in honor of the founder of the Philadelphia Fountain Society, Dr. Wilson Cary Swann. The fountain is (in my mind) the most magnificent fountain in the city, and I think the vast number of people who visit Logan Circle just to jump in the fountain during the summer agree with me. (Side note: you're not actually allowed to swim in the fountain. "No Swimming" is pretty clearly painted around the fountain. But people do it anyway. And the faint smell of chlorine in the air when I was there last suggests to me that the city is going to look the other way on this issue.) It is also known as the Fountain of the Three Rivers as the three Native American figures in the center of the fountain were meant to represent Philly's three main waterways: the Wissahickon, the Schuylkill, and the Delaware. The fountain's design is a bit fun: there are turtles and frogs scattered around its perimeter, and the three figures in the center are each holding swans (haha, get it?). The geyser in the center of the fountain can shoot water up to fifty feet in the air.

PAWS is in constant need of support, both personal and financial—especially during the summer months, a/k/a kitten season. Click through for information on volunteering, fostering, or making a donation. If you have specific questions about fostering, you can e-mail the PAWS foster parent coordinator Robin at robin@phillypaws.org.

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you.

...at least for straight guys who like football. It's FantasySportsGirl FTW!

The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment.

DCist revisited the saga of Molly, the stolen and ultimately returned local dog, when aggressive animal rights group PETA decided to speak up on the issue of leaving your pets tied up alone on the sidewalk.

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets.

Ringo (ID# A08184941)

Who needs an Google Reader when you have us? Bringing you the best of the 215 blogosphere this week...

Belmont Plateau is the last section of our Fairmount Park mini-series. The Plateau (located at Belmont and Montgomery Avenues) is mentioned in the song "Summertime" by a certain Will Smith, which I will spare you the quote from, and Philadelphia Weekly ran an article on it a few months ago, wondering if it is still "the place" to be. The article cites litter and people's excessively carefree attitudes about drinking out of doors as two major reasons why the Plateau is losing its appeal for some.

There is A LOT going on in Philly this weekend for families. Let's just dive right in!

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you.

Chase (ID# A08039455)

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you.

The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment.