Issue Browser :: 2008-11-13 :: Philadelphia City Paper :: Philadelphia Arts, Restaurants, Music, Movies, Jobs, Classifieds, Blogs

2009-1-20 12:00:00 GMT+00:00

Click Here To Join The Celebration!

ISSUE . November 13th 2008

«« November 6th | November 20th »»

Cover Story

click for larger image

Meet South Philly's Stoya

You never know what's going to happen. Especially with her.

by Matt Stroud

If you've not already heard Stoya's name or seen her face in any number of magazines or on pornographic blogs, Adult Video News releases and Web sites — you might not know that she is, at the moment, an It girl of the mainstream sex industry.

Stoya: The Footnotes

Addendums to Matt Stroud's cover story

Opinion

Editor's Letter:

Fear Itself

by Brian Howard

There's just not nearly enough at stake now that the big win is in the bag.

Slant:

Barack the Machine-Slayer

by David Faris

The man they call No Drama Obama just dusted two of the most formidable machines in modern political history.

Loose Canon:

Encounter with a Porn Queen

I feared the vibe of her afterimage on our bed.

by Bruce Schimmel

Hmmm ... would I mind if a lithe woman with raven hair and alabaster skin came to my house, took off her clothes and played in my bed? Ahhh ... let me check my schedule.

Feedback:

Letters to the Editor

What You Say

"Because in my heart of hearts, I always knew treating another human being with disgrace and disrespect is very, very wrong."

Naked City

Still Life Yet

The nine lives of painter Felix Giordano.

by Mike Newall

Before he started painting again, Felix was moody and quiet. He would stare into his scotch and say things like, "I'm not living. I'm coping."

Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

Gone libraries are as serious as a heart attack, Nutter!

Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

I bet Nutter solves a mean Rubik's.

News

You Gonna Use That?

A neighborhood debates how best to develop abandoned property.

by Andrew Thompson

Instead of allowing someone to develop the land, NSCA has held on to much of it. Sometimes it uses the land to provide community services such as child care centers and low-income housing. And sometimes, caught in the slow process of trying to do development on its own, it allows parcels ripe for renovation to languish.

The Bell Curve

City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

A Library Legend

The Fishtown Branch was saved once before.

by Isaiah Thompson

Living in the same neighborhood for more than 80 years lends a bit of perspective. And this, Frank explained, wasn't the first time the library had been in trouble.

Sports:

The Chollies

The Phillies raised the bar. Can the Sixers reach it?

by E. James Beale

Everything that comes after a Big Win lives in its formidable wake. With that in mind, we're honoring the current champs by comparing their apples to the oranges of the 76ers.

Political Notebook:

Starry Night

by Mary Patel

Does celebrity support mean anything in an election?

Arts

Art:

Why So Serious?

Improv is much more than grown-up nerds cracking jokes — it's an art form.

by Christen Gruebel

"An improviser's credo is: You can work with any suggestion."

Re-View:

Good Neighbors

Robin Rice on Visual Art

by Robin Rice

Miyamori got help from the construction company in removing the roots after they were severed from the trunk. Then, like an archaeologist, she gently cleaned, removing and categorizing objects and countless fragments of glass and brick, artifacts of the tree's long history.

Theater Review:

What Is It Good For?

The War Party

by Mark Cofta

Susan Wilder plays Republican Sen. Laura Smith, prowling her empty war room after a crushing defeat, swilling champagne and lobbing hors d'oeuvres at sycophantic volunteer Jessie.

Dance:

Step Lively

La La La Human Steps

by Janet Anderson

The Montreal-based troupe landed at the Kimmel, performing Amjad, an unusual ballet that deconstructs Tchaikovsky classics Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Amjad, an Arabic word that can mean male or female, pretty much sums up their concept: During the 95-minute, intermission-less show, men partnered with men and danced on pointe, relentlessly bending gender clichés.

Opera:

Head of the Class

Anna Bolena

by Peter Burwasser

Angela Meade is not a rising star. She is there. Her impersonation of the doomed title character of Gaetano Donizetti's vibrantly violent Anna Bolena stood out in a superb cast of AVA students.

Arts Picks:

The Mystery Plays

Nov. 15-30, $15-$18, Philadelphia Theatre Workshop at Walnut Street Theatre Studio 5, 825 Walnut St., 215-316-1361, philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org.

by Mark Cofta

Horror film auteur Joe finds his real life becoming like one of his movies after surviving a train wreck and suffering the hauntings of a ghost of a not-so-fortunate passenger.

OED 80th Anniversary

Tue., Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m., free, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-567-4341, freelibrary.org.

by A.D. Amorosi

Sheidlower became the OED's North American editor at large, with a focus on slang and new usages. To join him on stage at the Free Library's celebration, he's invited OED outsiders Barbara Wallraff and Ammon Shea.

Arts Agenda

Last Chance

Catch it or Regret It

by Molly Eichel

Pretty Pretty | The Collection | Inside the Downtown Arts

Arts Agenda Picks:

Just Do It

Philly DJ Day Exhibition

by Deesha Dyer

"Philly DJs don't get the attention they deserve. Philly is known for their DJs. Some of the best in the country come out of here, so why not take a picture of them, right?"

Just Do It

48 Hour Dance Project

by Rachel Whitkin

Four choreographers will assign each other a list of directives that they need to incorporate into a dance of their own creation. The catch: They'll receive their instructions only two days before they are to produce and perform the routine.

Galleries

Museums/Exhibits

Performing Arts

Readings/Book Signings

Movies

Au Natural

Kristin Scott Thomas fits perfectly into I've Loved You So Long and Lance Hammer coaxes lived-in performances out of non-actors in Ballast.

by Sam Adams

Kristin Scott Thomas seems to be made of glass: fragile but sharp-edged, transparent but impermeable. Her skin, untouched by makeup, resembles those oceanic creatures that dwell in waters beyond the sun's reach, so used to living under pressure that when it is removed they can explode.

Burns Bright

Philly artist/animator Charles Burns

by Shaun Brady

"I don't think I'm going to do any more teenagers with diseases but you never know."

Repertory Film

Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings.

Send repertory film listings to molly.eichel@citypaper.net.

Music

Simmer Down

Troubadour Kenn Kweder is gonna get it out of his system on Saturday.

by A.D. Amorosi

Get this straight. Kweder's not stopping his solo shows. With a buggy storyteller's dedication to detail and a sense of lyrical ire and wonder comparable to Dylan and Reed, he's long been Philadelphia's Troubadour with a capital "T."

Suite Spot:

Young Blood

Peter Burwasser on Classical

by Peter Burwasser

The LA Philharmonic stunned the classical music world last year when it named then 26-year-old Gustavo Dudamel as its new music director. As things are shaping up, this may not have been that bold a move after all.

One Track Mind:

Gregory and the Hawk

"The Oats We Sow"

by Patrick Rapa

"It's bad to do what's easy, just 'cause it's easy." That's the idea Meredith Godreau keeps coming back to in "The Oats We Sow." It's It's a blunt truth spoken gently, an Aesopian life lesson tucked into a graceful little pop song.

Soundadvice

Get Out!

Music Picks:

Nate Wooley/Peter Evans

Thu., Nov. 13, 8 p.m., $8-10, Physick House Museum, 321 S. Fourth St., bowerbird.org.

by Shaun Brady

You could refer to Nate Wooley and Peter Evans as trumpet extremists. No matter how they wield their horns, both tend toward the boundary-straining end of the spectrum.

Hans-Joachim Roedelius

Sat., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., $10-$20, The Gatherings Concert Series at St. Mary's Church, Hamilton Village, 3916 Locust Walk, 800-965-4827, thegatherings.org.

by A.D. Amorosi

Philly's Brian Eno-y eggheads are having a banner November. Last week it was David Byrne's show of Eno collaborations. This week it's Hans-Joachim Roedelius, one of the ambient godhead's initial inspirations and earliest Krautrock-ing collaborators.

Robyn Hitchcock

Wed., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., $26-$40, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by M.J. Fine

Robyn Hitchcock was in top form, with ace solo renderings of songs from throughout his career and dryly delivered musings about David Bowie and time travel.

Flexible Music

Sun., Nov. 16, 3 p.m., $12-$20, Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St., 800-595-4849, chambermusicnow.org.

by Peter Burwasser

Composer David Laganella loves Mozart, but he is also an aficionado of the electric guitar and has written a treatise for contemporary composers who wish to incorporate that rebel sound into their music.

Food

Dropping Science

Mavericky chef Jonathan McDonald slows his roll at the simple, splendid Pub & Kitchen.

by Trey Popp

There's a lot more to celebrate than to lament about this upscale reincarnation. It can be annoying when a neighborhood taproom moves upmarket, but Pub & Kitchen is a model for how to do it right.

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Di Vino Wine Bar | Naked Chocolate Café | Caffeination | "Recession Proof" specials at Apothecary Bar + Lounge

Q-rious

Q-Ba

by David Snyder

Right now, most of the dishes on the current menu are more Mexican than Cuban — and many are in need of fine-tuning.

What's Cooking:

The Week In Eats

Get Out!

by Nikki Volpicelli

Roxy Brew Fest | Phiz Fest | Fork Brunch with Kim Sunée | Entertain for Less | The Wines of Germany and Austria

Agenda

Agenda Lead:

New Age

Mechanical reproduction gets a makeover.

by Holly Otterbein

"There are no Mona Lisas anymore," says creative director Ben Woodward. "And that's a good thing. I can't afford to keep a giant tank of formaldehyde in my apartment to keep restoring old art."

Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward

by Monica Weymouth

Giant Dwarf Make & Take Trunk Show | Delicious Boutique Anniversary Benefit | Castle in the Air | VIX Emporium AnniVIXary

Agenda Picks:

Just Do It

Empty Bowl Luncheon

by Jessica Geoghan

The $10 ticket gets you a handmade artisan bowl (that's yours to keep!) and gourmet soups, breads and desserts to fill it up with.

In The Event That...

You're Way More Stressed Out Than Your Wicker Basket Suggests

by Campbell States

Bicycling in the city is fun, healthy and eco-friendly, but it can get a little hairy. Ruchama Bilenky is here to help.

On The DL

The Rite of Passage Project

by Dianca Potts

The Rite of Passage project will collage Philadelphia rituals into a smorgasbord of creative expression, culminating in a series of performances planned for January.

Just Do It

2008: A Burlesque Odyssey

by Amy Strauss

The slightly raunchy and definitely satirical show, which hasn't been performed before, will feature a stripping Princess Leia, seductive Martians and "sexy space cats." Meow?

Join the
City Paper
Mailing List