Results tagged “westside”

This week's quote comes from Tom Stoppard, who said in an interview: "I think theater ought to be theatrical ... you know, shuffling the pack in different ways so that it's – there's always some kind of ambush involved in the experience. You're being ambushed by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is." Now, on with the listings!

Leonard Bernstein has long held a place in our hearts as one of America's great composers and conductors. In honor of the 90th anniversary of his birth, the Philadelphia Orchestra, along with world- renowned soloists such as Joshua Bell and Jennifer Koh, has put together some truly timeless and innovative programs together for its Bernstein Festival, taking place from now until early February. In addition to celebrating Bernstein's music, the Philadelphia Orchestra also recognizes his influence on current composers with world premieres of works by one of today's great American composers, Jennifer Higdon. Even if you only know a few works by Bernstein, this festival has some wonderful gems that showcase all that American classical music has to offer.

Fun around town, for $10 or less:

I love La Viola. It was the site of my first foodgasm, and a couple of foodgasms since. It's one of the first places I recommend to people who want a romantic meal before a night at the Kimmel or the Merriam. It's one of the first places I tell people to go for a first date. And when Ross and I decided to celebrate being Libras together, it was one of the first places that we thought of to go with our friends.

For a band with only a three-song EP to its name, Vampire Weekend sure has polarized the indie rock blogs. It’s like a cage match between hype and backlash: on one side you’ve got a long line of critics and fans hailing the New York band’s refreshingly polyrhythmic, Afro-pop sensibilities, while on the other, there are just as many people resenting the mounting hype or their sunny tunes or both. (You can sample some of that criticism, which ranges from “What’s the big deal about this band?” to “They’re the Jimmy Buffetts of indie rock,” here.)

Londonist are starting to think their city is getting just a little bit too expensive, when even Christian Slater can't afford to go out there. And there's no escaping, as local singer Lily Allen discovered when she was barred entry to the US. The British mapping agency caused further bad karma, by blocking a 3-D representation of London in Google Earth. But the smiles returned to Londonist's faces as they interviewed Baroness von Reichardt, who has completely covered her house in mosaic tiles.

Seattlest has a talk with the photographer from last week's "Segway Mom" and then experiences some dissension in the ranks over the question of wine vs. beer. It's not West Side Story, but about as close as they'll get. They're also still waiting on some inbox relief after a spammer is arrested.

Walking along the west side of Rittenhouse Square, with a few extra minutes to kill while waiting to meet a friend, I looked in through the open doors of the Church of the Holy Trinity. A man by the entrance, possibly a priest, noticed my curiosity and invited me inside.

Dwarfed by the square's high rise apartments and condos, the seemingly small church opened up to an awesome dome that made the structure seem less like a church and more like a cathedral.

So, too, do most of the Puerto Ricans in , the show whose original cast featured Chita Rivera singing the song “America.” Now, on with the listings!

*The Schuylkill was originally used for recreation...a use they hope to renew. (It's nice enough to cruise on, but you won't catch this Phillyist kayaking in it. It's a bit too murky for us to chance falling in.)

. It is not: “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well!” No no no. The verse doesn’t even work there. The monologue instead begins: “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio…” (You can find the rest of the monologue by performing a simple Google search for it. This was our “I feel lucky” hit.) Now, on with the listings!

Seattlest points us to the best license plate ever. Photo above.

This Friday's ride is dubbed The Critical Massquerade, and attendees are encouraged to wear costumes - in fact, the specific request is that you wear "your most awesome costume ever!!!!" With four exclamation points in their request, Phillyist is pretty sure Critical Mass intends to "take back the streets" in style. We just recommend that when you plan "your most awesome costume ever!!!" that you're careful about bits that might get caught in the spokes...unless "ER Patient" is the look you're going for.

It’s a quiet week in Philly Theater, as local companies wind down their seasons in preparation for the 2005/2006 seasons set to begin, for the most part, in September. Here’s what Phillyist could find: - The Bernstein/Sondheim/Laurents vehicle that’s been bringing audiences to tears since 1958 is coming to the close of its run at the Walnut Street Theatre. It’s Romeo and Juliet with singing and dancing; a perennial favorite. July 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 8 PM. July 9, 16, 23 at 2 PM and 8 PM. July 10, 17, 24 at 2 PM and 7 PM. For tickets and pricing information: call 215.574.3550, or visit their website. , and tells the tale of two families’ schemes to marry their children. You’d be surprised at how much music is familiar to you. Call for performance times and pricing information: 215.574.3550. The Walnut Street Theater is located at 825 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. - The name says it all, doesn’t it? Shows at the Society Hill Playhouse, Tuesday through Saturday at 8 PM, Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, and 5:30 PM on Sunday. Tickets are $45. Call 215.923.0210 for reservations. The Society Hill Playhouse is located at 507 South 8th Street in Philadelphia. only they’re Italian and you’re invited. Tickets include wedding buffet and post-show dancing. July 9, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, on board the Spirit of Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing. $79 plus handling fee. For information, visit: them on the web. If you’ve got a theater listing in the Philadelphia area, let us know! We’re expanding our listings and we need your help!