-
Hey, Jealousy? We Saw Gin Blossoms At SugarHouse
Story by Hannah Harkness, photos by SugarHouse Casino This summer 90’s fans in Philadelphia had a chance to relive their past. The Gin Blossoms brought their generation-defining alt rock sound to a high energy crowd at the SugarHouse Casino. First signed in 1991, the Gin Blossoms emerged with their pop-rock sound during a time when grunge and hair bands dominated the radio. They quickly gained public and critical acclaim with New Miserable Experience, which went multi-platinum and earned them a Grammy for As Long as it Matters. Their most recent album was 2010’s No Chocolate Cake, which reached No. 1 on Amazon. The venue was unorthodox; many commented on the slightly bizarre…
-
Fake Steak, Imitation Leather, Real Beer: Vegan Paradise at S.E.E.D. at Sugarhouse
Photos, story by Clare Shepherd Cheesesteak jokes aside, Philly is one of the best cities in the country to be vegan. There are so many here that former Mayor Michael Nutter named Nov. 1st Philly Vegan Day. But Philly’s extensive food festival scene has never reflected that. Enter S.E.E.D., the Sustainable Everyday Edibles and Drinkables Festival. Vendors from across the area set up booths at Sugarhouse Casino to show off all the options Philadelphia vegans had for food, drink, and clothing. And, if you can’t stomach vittles without tipples, rest assured it’s never a Philly food festival without at least 40 percent of booths devoted to beer with a little help…
-
Great Beer Expo was an Ocean of Philly’s Beloved IPAs for Beer Week
Photos, story by Clare Shepherd This is the most important thing this article has to say: go try Free Will Brewing’s Community Kolsch. Nearly every brewery at the 8th annual Great Beer Expo brought their most popular IPA. Philadelphia is, as one brewer put it, a crowded marketplace for this style: a representative from Double Nickel, one of the two newest companies at the event, said that if a company calls a distributor saying they have an IPA, or a pale ale, they won’t even get a call back. “It’s a crowded marketplace,” said one brewer. “When it comes to beer, if you can make it in Philadelphia, you can…
-
Guac Off: Charity, Competition, and a Whole Lot of Avocado for MANNA
Photos, story by Clare Shepherd Philly Mexican restaurants brought their best recipes to compete in June’s Guac Off, an annual fundraiser for local food charity MANNA. Only two restaurants took home awards, but all of them proved that Philly is a great city for guacamole. Square 1682 took home the People’s Choice Award for their mixture of sweet and savory flavors. They served up a tasty guac, but they also provided their own tortilla chips which would have gone a long way for the other contestants. I tried their guac again with the corn chips provided by Whole Foods and found it more comparable to other contestants. Revolution Taco was…
-
Amber Waves: Beer for Mural Arts at the National Museum of American Jewish History
Photos, story by Clare Shepherd Craft brewers and artists from all over the country lent a hand and raised a glass to the Mural Arts Program on Thursday. Amber Waves featured representatives from 27 breweries, all attendees at the nearby Craft Brewer’s Conference, pouring some of the best beers they had to offer at the National Museum of American Jewish History. While brewers discussed their product and offered samples of their amber colored brews, each brewery offered a chance to bid on unique artwork in a silent auction fundraiser for Mural Arts. This silent auction fundraiser/beer tasting event is held every year in the city hosting the Craft Brewer’s Conference, and…