Meet Me at McGillin’s

A happy coincidence – New Year’s Eve this year will coincide with the 150th anniversary of McGillin’s Olde Ale House – and that translates into a fun, affordable celebration this year.

To start the party – and their anniversary year – off right, the good folks at McGillin’s are serving up open a limited quantity of its very own beer, McGillin’s 1860 IPA. They’re also resolved to serve 150 brands of beer in the new year, so stop in between the comics and the string bands to make a dent or two in that number.

Can’t make it this week? Well, the celebrating will be going on all year, so check out their site and follow ‘em on Twitter or Facebook.

The Eye of the Buyer

Hey everyone,

I had to stop blogging for a while – life just got in the way. But I’m planning to relaunch this site with the New Year, so watch this space. Good things will be happening in 2010.

And to warm up, I’ll be drinking raw eggs, smacking sides of beef and running up the Art Museum steps….okay, mebbe not. But I’ll be posting here from time to time to get ready for the launch. Stop by and get a head start on some great, POTC deals.

In the mean time, head to the Macy’s shows, visit a live Nativity, make some gingerbread or do whatever it is that makes you feel all warm and Christmas-y. I hope you all enjoy the blessings of the season….and stick with me to help you with your “budgetary resolutions” next year!

Music on the Mall – Free this Thursday

Music on the Mall, the city’s free summer concert series, which runs the first Thursday of each month, concludes this week with a special presentation of World Music on August 6. The event will feature the stylings of Paprika, a Brazilian-influenced girl group, from 6 to 7 pm and Casplash, a Carribean band, from 7 to 8. So put on your boogie shoes and come on out to Independence Mall.

And save this date – on September 3, the series will close out the season with a “Battle of the School Bands” right before the first bell rings. Find more info here.

I Scream, You Scream…Ice Cream Festival 7/3-7/5

My family looks forward to this one all year….starting at noon today, the eleventh annual Super Scooper Ice Cream Festival will be held at Penn’s Landing.  For a mere $5, you get a spoon and access to all the ice cream and water ice you could possibly want, served up by over 20 different companies including Breyers, Good Humor, Ben & Jerry’s, Starbucks and Turkey Hill. Heck, Mr. Softee even shows up for this one!

And while you’re snacking on your summertime favorite, you’ll be helping lick leukemia. All net proceeds from the event will benefit the Children’s Hospital Oncolology Division and the Joshua Kahan Fund, which aims to raise awareness and funds for pediatric leukemia research.

The event isn’t just a fundraiser, or a cheap way to fill up on great ice cream. It’s also held to honor the spirit of Josh Kahan, a little boy who lost his five-month battle with AML leukemia in September 1997.  Joshua’s short life proved it takes more than courage or spirit to lick leukemia…it takes research to battle this disease, and research takes money. So why not get in on the sweetest way to make the dream of licking leukemia come true?

Hope to see you there….just remember, don’t toss your spoon!

It’s Our B-Day Party – And You’re All Invited

When most people think of Philadelphia, they think of history. The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, 1776 and the Fourth of July, right? Well, it’s that time of year again, and Philly is dressed up in red, white and blue for the holiday. So much to do….and all for so little money!

Most of the events come under the “Sunoco Welcome America” Banner.” The “Welcome America” festivities have gone on for a number of years now, and people keep coming back for more, because each year the party gets bigger and better. I’ll be covering some of the events in posts later on, but I want to focus on the showstopper event right now – that’s the Party on the Parkway held on the Fourth beginning at noon.

Okay, deep breath, ’cause there’s a lot to cover. On the Parkway there will be three stages – the Kids’ Stage (noon-6:45), the Multi-Cultural Stage (noon-7:15), and the Sound of Philadelphia stage (3-6). The names are pretty self-explanatory and the concert schedules can be found here. Let me just say that there will be a diversity of good music up and down the Parkway (and, of course, good food and other fun activities too!).

The evening closes with the largest free concert in the country – just fitting for the national birthday party. This year’s headliner at the “Life, Liberty and You” concert is pop-rock sensation Sheryl Crow, she of “All I Wanna Do” and “If It Makes You Happy” fame. And to top off the celebration, the Philly skyline will be set ablaze in sparkles, thanks to one of the best fireworks displays in the country.

Lincoln 200 Birthday Festival – free this weekend!

Okay, so as all good state workers know, Lincoln’s birthday is really in February (February 12, to be exact). But heck, we’re heavy duty celebrating in Philly this weekend, so why not some applause for honest Abe – particularly since he would have been 200 this year?

Lincoln200, Abraham Lincoln’s 200 birthday bash will be held from July 2 through the 5 on Independence Mall. Tomorrow night’s festivities, which include a grand opening party and ribbon cutting, get started at 4 and continue through 9 pm. Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s activities will run from 9 am to 6 pm, and will highlight President Lincoln’s close ties to Philadelphia, including our state’s pivotal role in preserving the union during the Civil War.

But it’s a party, not just a history lesson, so look for some really cool interactive features, including Lincoln for Kids, Green-Linc, Lincoln Logs and iLincoln, as well as an arts and crafts marketplace. Proceeds of the festival will be donated to veterans and military families – and admission is free! – so come on down and take part in this celebration!

Fast Five for Free Friday

Hey you guys!

Since we’re now headed into the summer and good weather, I know you’ll want to be out and about more. How can you do that and keep a reign on your cash flow?

Well, let me present the OnTheCheap solution for this common dilemma – the Fast Five For Free Friday. (See, Mrs. Ackerman, I wasn’t sleeping through that lesson on alliteration!) Every Friday I’ll shoot off a quick list of things you can do that weekend for free…so just check back when you have some time on your hands, m’kay?

Without further ado, here’s the first list of Five For Free.  And according to the Weather Channel, all signals point to a beautiful weekend. Go enjoy – without busting the budget.

*Speaking of Peace: A Festival of the Arts – What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding? Find out through the photo essays, storytelling and music at this festival, presented by the Frazer Mennonite Church
in Frazer, PA. Tomorrow, 1-7 pm. Call 610-644-3397 or check the web site for details.

* Ruby’s Walk Across America – Reality star Ruby Gettinger’s anti-obesity walk kicks off in Philly (just in time for swimsuit season, eh?).  Meet Ruby and the other walkers at Lloyd Hall, One Boathouse Row, from 8 am to 2 pm.

* Lincoln High School Glory Days – Ah, nostalgia! Apparently Lincoln High School is scheduled for demolition – but not before one last blow-out celebration. Flea markets, music, tours, games and memorabilia will mark the goodbyes from 8 am to 2 pm tomorrow. 3201 Ryan Avenue; 215-335-5653.

* ARTspiration! – Billed as a free community arts festival for the whole family, this event will be held at the Fleisher Art Memorial from 10-4 on Sunday. Check out the arts and crafts, book sale, bake sale and free performances at the nation’s oldest tuition-free art school. Tip: don’t miss the “Play With Your Food” booth.

* And, for those headed to the shore – the Boardwalk Spring Family Fun Fest will be going on all weekend in Ocean City. Face painters, bands, pony rides and a juried art show are some of the featured attractions on the boards from 9-6. Call 609-457-1151 for info.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 11 – Philadelphia City Pass

Give mom the city – without having to gift wrap – with the City Pass.

Wouldn’t you love to wrap up the best Philly has to offer for mom this Mother’s Day? Well, this year give her the National Constitution Center, The Philadelphia Zoo and Adventure Aquarium – without the hassle of wrapping. Easy to do, with the CityPass,your ticket to the best the city has to offer.

Better yet, buy one of these ticket booklets – at $58 a book – for each of you, then share the next few days together exploring six of the most popular Philadelphia attractions, including the Franklin and the Academy of Natural Sciences. You’ll both have wonderful memories of your “staycation,” – and you’ll be saving a whopping 45% off the price of these tickets sold separately.  Passes are valid for nine days, and you’ll see savings if you just check out three of the attractions – but in a city this great, why stop at three?

So make Philly the City of Motherly Love this year by sharing it with the CityPass.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 10 – PJ’s from Hatley Nature

Give a gift that’s as cozy and as comfortable as mom is! Remember how mom used to tuck you in, read you a story, listen to your prayers and kiss you goodnight? Some of my fondest memories of my mom center on these bedtime rituals. So it just seems fitting that I recommend pajamas for mamas this Mother’s Day. But we’re not talking just any pajamas – we’re talking the cute, coy and comfy pj’s sold at Hatley Nature. The cute fitted or classic T’s – with sayings like “Bear-ly Sleeping” and “Dam Tired,” illustrated with the appropriate animal – are 100% cotton jersey, roomy and comfortable. And they pair up perfectly with the cotton jersey print sleep pants, each with a drawstring waist for ultimate comfort. As the weather gets warmer, mom may want to sleep in something cool – and what can be cooler than a tank and boxer combo? So cook up the breakfast in bed, then let mom lounge all day in a comfortable new sleep outfit. Prices range from $20 to $30 a piece, and you can catch some favorite pieces on sale for additional savings. So head over to Hatley and wish mom Happy Mother’s Day – and sweet dreams!

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 7 – Pretty In Pink Cookies

This Mother’s Day, give mom a gift as sweet as she is, and watch her crumble.

Remember way back, when you’d come home from school each day to find mom waiting, a plate full of freshly-baked cookies and a tall glass of cold milk in hand?

Okay, my mom had to work too. But that’s the way it always was for Wally and the Beav, and that’s the way we’d like to remember it, too. So maybe that’s why we always associate mom with cookies. After all, does any perfume smell as wonderful as pure vanilla extract?

But I digress. The point is that, besides the Cookie Monster, the person I most associate with cookies is mom. So it just seems logical to present mom with a lovely box of cookies for her special day. May we suggest the Pretty In Pink Box by Geoff and Drew’s? This luscious combination of four different cookies (White Chocolate Cranberry, Double Fudge, Oatmeal Raisin & Chocolate Chunk) is packaged along with four moist, decadent brownies (two chocolate chip and two toffee). And they come in a gorgeous pink box – no need for giftwrap.

The Pretty in Pink Box is available for only $20 at Chocolate.com, the sweetest place to shop for Mother’s Day.  Just add a glass of cold milk, and let mom see what a tasteful child she raised. She’ll eat it up!