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Preview of The Barnes Foundation’s Picasso’s Great War Exhibit Opening February 21
By Lou Perri Explore Philly enjoys the many art museums Philadelphia has to offer and last Tuesday, February 16th, a member of the staff visited The Barnes Foundation for a new Picasso exhibit—Picasso: The Great War, Experimentation and Change. The exhibit will open to the public on February 21st and continue until May 9th. Picasso: The Great War, Experimentation and Change, organized in partnership with the Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, and premiering at the Barnes Foundation (February 21 through May 9, 2016) examines the dramatic fluctuations in Picasso’s style during the period surrounding…
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Rev Your Engines at the 2016 Philadelphia Auto Show at the Philadelphia Convention Center
Photos, story by Lou Perri This writer always enjoyed driving in a convertible. Not because he enjoyed driving with the top down, but because the convertible had special lines. During the last few years, we drove a cutlass supreme convertible, a yellow Fiat spider, an MG midget with a pale green paint job, a red Alpha Romeo, a black Toyota MR2, and a Nissan gray. So it was natural for us to visit the Philly Auto Show. The Philadelphia Auto Show is the perfect place to view the latest preproduction models and catch a glimpse of what will soon be available for purchase at local dealerships. The Philly Auto Show is proud to…
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Skirt: Bringing Customized In-Store Styling to Philly Fashionistas
Story, photos by Tori Radday Skirt, a fashion boutique, recently launched their third store in Rittenhouse Square at 212 S. 17th Street, in Philadelphia. Skirt brings customized styling and a new shopping experience to Philadelphia’s best-dressed. Skirt prides themselves on being much more than just another fashion retailer. They don’t have sales associates but rather they have stylists. Customers aren’t just seen as another sale or another commission but as someone to develop and nurture a relationship with. Maureen Doron, Skirt founder and owner, explains “what makes us unique is that we hire stylists, we don’t hire women who stand behind the counter to ring up your sales. All of…
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Independence Business Alliance Teams Up with Borgata at Holiday Party
Photos, story by Deja Cromartie The Independence Business Alliance (IBA) hosted their annual holiday party to spread the holiday cheer with business owners, professionals, corporate and community partners in Philadelphia’s vibrant LGBT business community. The fully packed Holiday Soiree was held at the beautiful Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel. Guests were dressed in festive attire and enjoyed a delicious selection of hors d’oeuvres, several impressive food stations and double open bars. During the event, the Director of the IBA announced a new partnership with the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City. The Independence Business Alliance is a membership-based business advocacy organization dedicated to making the Philadelphia region an influential and diverse LGBT business…
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Butlers in the Buff Serve Up Good, Clean, Cheeky Party Fun
*Disclaimer: Cheeky PG-13 Photos ahead! Photos, story by Christine Tarlecki Trimble When Butlers in the Buff reached out to us at Explore-Philly, we weren’t sure what to think. Sure in America, tradition dictates getting a stripper or going to a strip club for a bachelor or bachelorette party. However, times are changing (this writer just got married and didn’t go to a club. Bridesmaids, family and the newlyweds went to the Melting Pot for dinner!) So after we chatted with the Director of the Butlers in the Buff, Stacey Bramhill, she set us up with Daniel, our butler for the evening. Hosted at this writer’s house, with 7 closes friends, we arranged…
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Kun-Yang Lin Dancers Explore What Philly Really Means in “HOME/S. 9th St.”
Story, photos by Jill Beckel (unless otherwise noted) What does “home” mean to you? Is it your childhood home, your current home or maybe a place you visited once that felt like the home you never had? Maybe it’s a mix of a lot of feelings and images. Home is not the same for everyone. The world premiere of Home/S. 9th St. took place at FringeArts right near Penn’s Landing with shows on Nov. 19th, 20th and 21st. The notions of “home” and “American-ness” were discovered in part through stories of residents living on Philly’s diverse South 9th Street where the Kun-Yang Lin Dancers rehearse at CHI Movement Arts Center. Kun-Yang Lin teaches CHI Awareness Technique…
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The Brotherly Box Debuts Your Favorite Nostalgic Philly Foods
Photos, story by Christine Tarlecki Trimble Herr’s potato chips. TastyKakes. Soft pretzels. Cheesesteaks. The Liberty Bell.. are you thinking of Philly? Hungry yet? We have just the thing to satisfy your craving for all things Philadelphia- the Brotherly Box! The BrotherlyBox is the brainchild of Tim Thornton and it invokes feelings and tastes of home… of Philly. When his family moved from Philadelphia, his parents missed those delicious food items that speak and taste of Philly and that you can’t easily buy out of state. Tim created a subscription box service that brought these Philly icons directly to the recipient’s door- or even your own! “Send a box of Philadelphia to a…
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No Shave November Gets Hairy with Luksusowa Vodka and PYT at Fillmore
Photos, story by Bryce Lennon We had an opportunity to celebrate “No Shave November” with Luksusowa Vodka on Thursday, Nov. 19. If you are unfamiliar with “No Shave November,” it’s a month-long initiative where men let their hair grow freely to promote cancer awareness. Additionally, every earned dollar was donated to the Testicular Cancer Foundation. Needless to say, this event was the perfect opportunity to check out the most unique, whisker wonders of the city. Held at the beautiful Fillmore in Fishtown, the venue itself had a very nostalgic feel to it. The ambience of the venue was reminiscent of an old factory. With a bar located in the rear,…
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Haven’t Eaten at Abe Fisher Yet? You’re Missing Egg Cream with Bacon!
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler We went in expecting a Jewish restaurant. Boy, were we wrong. But we didn’t know for sure until the double sacrilicious chocolate bacon egg cream dessert arrived! (Because there’s bacon, cream and egg drizzled with honey in one deliciously tall jar equals a double no-no: no bacon, period, and no mixing dairy with meat!) Michael Solomonov’s (of Zahav, a modern Israeli restaurant) Abe Fisher opened in September 2014 and has been making tastebuds drool since then. Co-owner Steven Cook claims everything is fair game, not just Jewish Diaspora from around the world. Located across the street from the addicting FedNuts (Federal Donuts) on Sansom Street, it is a smaller space in an upscale diner setting.…
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Not Enough Cheesesteaks for the Hungry Crowd at the First Annual Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival
Story by Jill Beckel, Photos by Justin Schappell and Jill Beckel Local Philadelphians who attended the first annual Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival are used to ordering their wiz and wiz wit-out cheesesteaks at their favorite cheesesteak joints. Most are even willing to wait in line for their favorite. But the lines at Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival were unlike any line that you’d typically see at your favorite cheesesteak spot. They wrapped around throughout the crowds, seeming to go on forever and ever. The event was held at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday, Oct. 24. The cheesesteak vendors were set up in the parking lot in the K Lot section. Guests were hoping for the…