19104 Travel Guide
Tags: New Philadelphia Restaurants / Bars / Beer Travel / → All Tags
New Pub Keeps New Year's Spirit Going
Philly boozehounds who didn't get enough partying in on New Year's Eve have a shiny new watering hole in which to continue the celebration. Local 44 just opened Thursday night, but this West Philly pub isn't for those resolving to take it easy, as it boasts one of the town's best beer lists.
From the husband-and-wife team behind Fishtown favorite Memphis Taproom, Local 44 ups even that bar's impressive brew offerings, with a full 20 taps pouring an impressive array of craft beers, from East Coast standbys like Allagash White and Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre, to rarer brews from Belgium, England, Scotland and Germany, as well as cask ales by Philly's own Yards Brewing Company.
Local 44 doesn't have enough pretension to adopt the gastropub label, but the bar snacks are a step above the usual, with specialties like honey-ginger-red pepper flake hot wings and mahi mahi fish tacos served on homemade tortillas.
Related Stories:
· Local 44 [Official Site]
· New Philly Restaurant: Pub and Kitchen [Jaunted]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: bunch of pants]
Tags: Philadelphia-Music-Venues / Best-Music-Venues-in-the-US / Music Travel / Live Music / → All Tags
Philly Music Venue: The Rotunda
You won't hear the hottest new touring band at The Rotunda, and whatever you do hear, it won't have the state-of-the-art sound system that Philadelphia's larger venues offer.
What will you hear at the Rotunda? It's hard to say. Could be Middle Eastern drumming, freestyle rapping and breakdancing or teenage scream-rockers.
Tags: Museums / Art / Public Art / → All Tags
Contemporary Art Travel: A New Philly Freebie
Nothing's more appealing to our ears than hearing about brand new freebies, like admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philly. The museum, through underwriting via a recent super-donation, has just announced it will charge zero admission for the next five years.
Head there for a fun summer getaway and check out current exhibits like "Mike's World" (through August 3), the first major retrospective of internationally renowned performance/video/installation artist Michael Smith and his New York-based collaborator, director/artist Joshua White.
For foodies there's Trenton Doyle Hancock's "Wow That's Mean and Other Vegan Cuisine" (also through August 3), part of a narrative installation between the Mounds (human-plant hybrids) and the Vegans (a tofu-worshipping mutant species of ape man).
ICA is on the campus of UPenn and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so be sure to plan your gratis visit accordingly.
Related Stories:
· Institute of Contemporary Art [Official Site]
· Datebook: Philadelphia [NYT]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of a Trenton Doyle Hancock installation: Aaron Igler]
Tags: Jaunted Field Trips / Philadelphia Field Trip / Food / Restaurants / WiFi / → All Tags
PhillyStyle: Rx Has Frittata, WiFi
At behest and via the courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Jaunted spent the weekend in 6th Borough for a sleepover and tour--meaning this trip was on Ben Franklin, Rocky, and Boyz II Men--or something like that. Our thoughts are scattered below. Enjoy.
Just yesterday we were consuming the above frittata at Rx. The restaurant is located in an adorable old house on a picturesque row of similarly cute dwellings in Philly's University City area. B.Y.O.B. joints are a dime a dozen in Philadelphia, and Rx is no exception: if you want to enjoy a mimosa with your brunch here, be prepared to bring the bubbly. If you prefer to get your kicks from coffee, Rx serves the good stuff in stainless steel mugs.
The restaurant is dedicated to local agriculture, and sources most of its food from local farmers. With the exception of a few items that customers demand--tomatoes year-round, for example--everything is not only local, but in season as well. A sample from November's dinner menu: Jersey fluke with local haricots verts and saffron shrimp risotto, listed at $18.
Rx also has free wifi, though it was so busy when we visited that we're not sure if they'd appreciate you plopping down with the laptop for an entire afternoon. We appreciate a note on the menu that reads "we can always come up with more vegetarian/vegan options if you need them," though we were told the breakfast tofu wasn't great. For brunch, why not go all-out and order the french toast? It isn't quite traditionally made, but if no one was around, we probably would have ordered an extra dish to go with our eggs. Toastporn and more after the jump.
Related Stories:
· Philadelphia Field Trip Coverage [Jaunted]
