Icepack: A.D. Amorosi on the news, nightlife and bitchiness beats
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Since this is our annual People Who Died issue, where we bring out 2013’s dead and celebrate them with handsome portraits and kind words, may I mention some things that died in the more metaphorical sense. In 2013, the real Bon Jovi ended (it’s not the band without Richie Sambora). The mind-numbing wealth of violent crimes dialed back quite a bit, with the 247 homicides in Philly last year being a significant decrease from 331 in 2012 — let’s keep that up. The Farmers’ Cabinet shriveled up, as did Walnut Street’s Alfa. NBC’s Philly-set medical drama Do No Harm was DOA, as were locally lensed films Paranoia and Dead Man Down. And, finally, the constant rage and ill will toward Eagles’ quarterbacks slipped away (for now). You’ll be missed.
Ooh, wait, guess what else is gone: Salento, on 22nd and Walnut. For the last six years, it’s been a cute eatery on a block that lacks cuteness. Hey, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Mac’s Tavern 2 bar peeps still looking for a property to settle into: 2216 Walnut could be a good location for you.
If you’ve read my City Paper coverage of Broad Street Ministry and Bill Golderer, you know I love their policies and outreach beyond mere charity. So ordaining young David Norse as the city’s first openly gay male Presbyterian minister, as BSM just did, is one more super-duper feather in Golderer’s cap. Good job.
Hey, several new-ish Philly restaurants did some switcheroo-ing during the holidays: My Italian Market neighbors the Calmels (of Bibou fame) just released chef Val Stryjewski from running the kitchen at their new Le Chéri on Rittenhouse Square, and rumor has it that Jose Garces’ Rosa Blanca just swapped out their chef de cuisine with a chef from Tinto.
Rustic Music near 13th and Pine has long been a must-stop. If you’re drinking hard at Dirty Frank’s and suddenly want to buy a squeezebox or a used Boz Scaggs album, Rustic is your place. Well, stretch those calves, drinkers: Rustic will move to the 200 block of South 10th Street any second now.
Jere Edmunds is one of my oldest friends — a Grace-Jones-lookin’ model, an excellent documentary filmmaker and one heckuva promotional wheatpaster. This January, Edmunds is also Scribe Video Center/PhillyCAM’s Member of the Month. Several of his films from the ongoing 5 on the Go series will screen at Scribe this month, including one he directed with his uncle Allan Edmunds — the visual artist and educator, not the shoe guy.
Icepack gets illustrated every Thursday at citypaper.net/nakedcity.
