icepack illustrated: Kimmel’s new booker? Gerald Kolpan’s next moves? Kid Rocco’s new club?
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.
News, gossip, goings on.
First, let’s give a hearty congratulations to Philadelphia chef and Laurel owner Nicholas Elmi on his victory on Bravo’s Top Chef. That’s two Top Chefs for Philly: Elmi and Kevin Sbraga. So when will Bravo film the series here?
Make mine a double: We’re hearing that the Kimmel Center just hired Ellie Stefano — a one time bartender at World Café Live, amongst other things — as one of its new program directors responsible for booking elements of the Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, the Academy of Music and the Merriam Theatre.
Say hello to the new Uhuru Furniture at 832 N. Broad, (Parrish between Girard and Fairmount). In a bit of presto-switch-o relocation after having lost its longtime lease at Camac and Spruce. The new Uhuru has far more space than its previous incarnation. Still, I’ll miss seeing office furniture and couches stacked high on Spruce, so hopefully the new Uhuru will offer some form of juggling.
When I wrote about Keen, Randall Hoppmann’s casual restaurant takeover of the Lombard Street space that held Astral Plane, in this week’s Icepack-in-Print, I neglected to mention Brick, which has been at that address for several years. Did I miss something though? I like(d) Brick, but It’s like having slept through the second Bob Newhart wife, only to wind up the first one at the end.
Philadelphia newshound-turned-novelist Gerald Kolpan is all about the American West. Kolpan’s Etta: A Novel (2009) and Magic Words: The Tale of a Jewish Boy Interpreter, the World’s Most Estimable Magician, a Murderous Harlot, and America’s Greatest Indian Chief (2012) are living proof. So of course, he’s interviewed as part of PBS’ upcoming American Experience documentary on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid airing Tue., Feb. 11, on Channel 12. Here’s seven minutes to ponder. As for Kolpan’s next works, he’s got a brand new nonprofit that he’s running, The PHILO Project where he and is team “provide high quality professional video to small Philadelphia area nonprofits who could otherwise never afford it,” says Koplan. (See sample videos at philoproject.org.) As far as new books go, the novelist states, “I’m in the planning stages of one set during World War II, again, based on a true story, only this one actually happened in my family.” Kudos.
No one ever does that thing in their mind where you pair one person with another and come up with “Philly’s preeminent Latin culinary sensation Jose Garces” and “country crooner Luke Bryan.” You just don’t. Yet here we are, with 92.5 XTU all pardnered up with the Garces Group to raise money for the Garces Foundation through an upcoming Luke Bryan Auction where station listeners can bid on the opportunity to win two tickets and a meet-n-greet to the sold out Bryan show on Feb. 15 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. The prize package includes $100 gift certificate to Amada at Revel with two glasses of champagne and dessert, and a two-night stay on Valentine’s weekend at the hotel with 100 percent of the auction’s proceeds benefiting the Garces Foundation. Yee-ha.
Kid Rocco sounds like the guy behind the guy behind the guy at Delaware Live, a new venue in Wilmington, DE (3421 Kirkwood Highway) that pops its top Fri., Feb. 7 with Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee and his DJ partner Aero. There are a fleeting few reasons to head to the first state beyond cheap cigarettes, but this could very well be one.
WHOWHATWHERE: It’s always nice to see where top-tier chefs eat when visiting Philly. Robert Irvine hit up Davio’s (111 S. 17th St.) the other night and we’re pretty certain he had the cheesesteak spring rolls. Speaking of cheesesteaks, Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin tried to sneak away from Geno’s with 21 cheesesteaks (he swears they weren’t for him) before heading to South Philly Taproom (via Uber) to give the winner of the Uber Win a Tailgate promotion, Sarah Lockwood, at least 19 of those sammiches. Paris Hilton not only got $100,000 pay from Harrahs Atlantic City for DJing the Pool last Saturday night but then went and won another $50,000 playing blackjack. Dag. The Philly premiere of Kids For Cash at the Kimmel’s Perelman Theater found film critic Carrie Rickey rubbing shoulders with Amanda Lorah, Robert May, Hillary Transue, Charlie Balasavage and Sandy Fonzo. Bala Cynwyd’s Radio 104.5 studios got loud visits from Morning Parade and Walk Off The Earth this week. To wrap up their sold out two-night stand at Electric Factory, Philly’s Dr. Dog welcomed the Phillie Phanatic to the stage. When legendary Philly jazz drummer Tootie Heath made his first appearance with Ars Nova Workshop for a show at the Art Alliance last Saturday with Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson, they got visits from local producer Larry Gold and Hooter-turned-studio-owner Rob Hyman and his sons. Lastly, how can another week go by (didn’t we do this just weeks ago with Ride Along?) without Philadelphia comic Kevin Hart making an appearance? This week Hart showed up with Regina Hall for a red carpet stroll and a Q&A for About Last Night at the Prince Music Theater.
