Happy birthday Andy Warhol! SUMMER TWILIGHT TOURS AT EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY Yes, an abandoned prison is scary any time of day or night. But the folks over at Eastern State Penitentiary are hoping a Twilight Tour will provide the perfect ambiance for an evening behind bars. The "Left Behind" tour features replicas of the minutiae that once littered the prison: photos, crafts and other paraphernalia that prisoners and guards would have used during the prison's......

Sometimes, our curiosity and attention span are at odds: we see something we want to find out more about, make a mental note of it... and quickly forget at the first glimpse of something shiny. We've been noticing an increasing number of black buckets filled with white, full-sized umbrellas at restaurants and bars around the city. We'd always wonder what they were, but by the time we got home, we'd forget to look them up.......

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Um... This wasn't nearly as rare as these guys would have you believe.......

We're only listing two events tonight, but they are diverse enough that you should find one of them suitable to your discerning tastes. SPIRITS OF '76 GHOST TOUR You're right: it's nowhere near Halloween yet, but, alas, there won't be such a massive population of Philly-hungry tourists by then, either. We know what you're thinking: It's a tour, you know, for tourists. But we suggest having a little fun with this one. Blend in with......

Proofreading Philly tries to capture typos, wordos, and all other kinds of grammatical mistakes that we see around the city. But we need your help! Email photos to us from your computer or your phone, and show the city that you care about good grammar. Holy Dan Quayle, Batman! An "e" doesn't belong at the end of "tomato" anymore than it belongs at the end of "potato." And yet GiGi in Old City is far......

Hey remember The Broad Street Diner, the grey lady of Broad and Ellsworth? It used to be “A Place For Ribs.” Now it’s “A Place Stephen Starr May Turn Into A Chic Restaurant That I Can’t Afford.” (Sorry, didn’t mean to be snarky. Starr's done a lot for Philly.) According to Food and Drinq, Mr. Starr has signed a letter of intent, applied for a liquor license, and begun kicking around some ideas of what......

Dear National Mechanics: Two weeks ago tonight, I found myself at your door. I'd had some blood work done earlier in the day and I hadn't had much to eat, so I probably shouldn't have been drinking. But there were margaritas, and then there was sangria, and then I just really needed something of a more solid nature in my stomach. A friend suggested you. We walked to the door and were told it would......

I remember wondering, when I read Thornton Wilder's Our Town in high school, how the play could possibly be interesting when staged. The script calls for no set, no props, and minimal scenery. It's something that only sometimes works in modern (as opposed to "Modern") theatre, so the idea of a play written in the thirties that takes place between 1901–1913 and uses the type of set typically reserved for performance art was, I'll......

Some of you have work tomorrow. Others do not. To the former, our condolences. To the latter, our congratulations. TWO STAGES AT DOC WATSON'S This is one of our more basic but to-the-point event names. Yes, there will be two stages rocking tonight over at Doc Watson's Pub. We Are Castles, Domi, The Orange, Conversation with Friends, Common Crave and Bodega will be playing. Also, enjoy $3 Magic Hat #9 and a late-night Happy Hour......

$1.8M to buy Phillyist's happiness.......

Looking back on a week's worth of local craigslist hijinks... Fashion-conscious hipster-lover reaches out to a foxy girl in a grandma sweater he peeped on Wednesday in Old City. We are relieved to infer the attraction does not extend to his own grandma. To the girl who assures us she is not creepy, just cheap—tell us if your scheme works because we think paying rent is bullshit too. But if it doesn't work, we're sure......

Philadelphia may not be perfect, but on the whole, we're a city full of big-hearted people willing to open their hearts—and, sometimes, their pocketbooks—to those in need. The latest group to benefit from this philanthropic city of ours is the family of the late Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, who, you might recall, was killed while on duty just a few weeks ago. And funds will be raised in Phillyist's favorite fashion: through our stomachs. Several......

Battlestar Galactica is easily the best drama on TV! You're cut, The Wire! Get lost, Lost! Err, ER! If you can put the original campy Star-Wars knock-off (that we all loved back in the 70s) out of your head and give this Sci-Fi Channel reimagination a chance, you will be treated to some of the best writing, action, and drama this side of the Eye of Jupiter. (Plus some pretty hot "Human on Toaster" action.......

Wexler Gallery was so packed during Old City's First Fridays for the opening of the (In)Between exhibition that the owners had to stand by the doors and regulate traffic and let new visitors in as people left the show. It was clear that we weren't the only ones really looking forward to check out British bad boy of art Damien Hirst's debut in the Philly gallery scene. And Hirst didn't disappoint visitors. His two sculptures......

We've had friends who lived or worked near Old City tell us before that they had trouble finding fast, cheap, non-pizza food in the neighborhood. Nonsense, we'd say. There are so many restaurants in Old City, surely, there must be a slew of options for a quick lunch on the go. The hungry tourists have to eat something, right? Well, yes and no. Sure, there's the food court at The Bourse, and about a......

What is it about First Fridays that makes the weather come? It really does seem like every fourth Friday, the weather turns to crap, just in time to descend on art-loving urban hipsters traveling from gallery to gallery to imbibe free wine. If we feel like trading the Film Festival for First Friday, here's where we'll be imbibing: Pinot Boutique, an Old City shop that could only be improved upon if Pennsylvania laws allowed......

This article actually discusses why the two Democratic candidates for president have not yet visited a cheesesteak shop while in Philadelphia, while this article discusses why they haven't talked about urban housing issues. At Fourth and Arch Streets at 3:45PM yesterday, a car ran a red light, collided with another vehicle, then went up onto the sidewalk and injured three pedestrians, one of them critically. The drivers had only minor injuries. The four teens charged......

F is for freedom. R is for relaxing. I is for imbibing. D is for designated driver. A is for after-party. Y is for, um, yodeling? Oh whatever, it's Friday people, so look alive and act like it! Get the blood pumping by singing along, to the tune of "This Is How We Do It": This is how we Fridaaaaay....this is how we fri-i-i-day. La da da da di da da da...this is how......

It'll probably be pouring tonight, but so what? The temperatures are on the rise, Daylight Savings Time starts again on Sunday, and it's time to get this Spring started! Where better than at First Friday? Here are our top three picks. Khmer Art Gallery & Museum, home of a millennium's worth of Cambodian art, welcomes an exhibition of the work of local photographer Angie Campano. The two-month exhibition, opening tonight, features photographs she took while......

Looks like we're in for some flooding tonight, so bring your galoshes. But don't let the forecast foil your fun. There's plenty to do in Philly tonight, and a good swim is an excellent cardio workout, gets the endorphins pumping, and leaves one feeling fit and invigorated. Or, you could just get a cab home. THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS WITH SPECIAL GUEST JON ANDERSON FROM YES You remember Yes, no? Well......

When the United States finally gained its freedom from King George III, the Founding Fathers went down to the historic City Tavern and got wasted on Thomas Jefferson’s special ale and Ben Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Shooters." OK, not really, but freedom from tyranny is a damn good reason to celebrate with a drink. That is why Cube Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is offering complimentary "Cuba Libre" cocktails from Sunday, February 24 to Thursday, February......

It's nasty out, but don't let the weather keep you from exploring all that this city's artisans and art curators have to offer! Take, for instance, the special First Friday event the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts is throwing in honor of their new (aforementioned) Cecilia Beaux American Figure Painter exhibition, starting at 5PM. It's the first chance that Philadelphians will have to see the exhibit, plus, there will be live music and free food.......

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Holy crap, people! It's 2008! Take a moment. Process. Okay? Good. According to the Gregorian Calendar, the new year begins on the first day of January. According to several arts purveyors in Philadelphia, First Friday happens on, well, the first Friday of every month. Which happens to be today. So, if you're planning on partaking of the first First Friday activities of 2008, here are a few stops we'd suggest. The old Real World Philadelphia......

It's time again for First Friday. What's that you say? You don't like the looks of tonight's weather forecast? Silly readers! A little cold and wet never killed anyone (well, pneumonia and tuberculosis aside, at least). And besides, all those warm bodies packed into a little art gallery, accompanied by free wine? You'll be warm for sure, in no time flat! Here are a few places where we suggest keeping dry. Before jumping on the......

Every weekday of December (except for December 25, that is), Phillyist will be counting down to 2008 with our highlights from the past year and our predictions for the next. If you have a list you'd like to submit, let us know! 5. After kidnapping her two children, Britney Spears goes on the lam before being finally caught in Old City, Philadelphia, attempting to stuff her sons into the Liberty Bell. Seems she thought it......

The weather's gotten colder, but First Friday still has some goodies that should get you out of your homes, apartments, and cardboard boxes. So put on your fall jacket, nip a little wine or whiskey to keep warm, and get out to First Friday for some great events. A bit north of the ordinary Old City First Friday scene, Projects Gallery in Northern Liberties is giving you not one but two exhibitions to make it......

Wow-ee! At ten this morning, a brand new Ben Franklin sculpture (this one by James Peniston) was unveiled at 4th and Arch Streets, bringing the total number of sculptures of the founding father in Philadelphia up to 24,367.* To celebrate, we're going to be sure we do First Friday up right this month, starting with the very special reception to welcome the newest Ben in the city. "Keys to Community": The Ben Franklin Project set......