tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31306307426543389482023-11-16T06:48:00.993-05:00Know it All, PhillyCommentated news with a Philadelphia focus: Eats, Articles & EssaysMarilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.comBlogger311125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-78666704469047544002014-04-09T23:54:00.001-04:002014-04-10T00:09:50.607-04:003rd annual Philly Farm and Food Fest this weekend<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZjtPbf7tSYUHMg5BiBki-XRYC5KJqvzCY3sDc1ngMGvXeK8KtSeR2IHbicquQLGK3OYFQjMKx3XjQ-GWzHzGmAxz3qSWxpJCEY5i6oMhopL8d5goYPX7lOITwpW0FRMsMNUvdjrt4N3R/s1600/pff_header.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZjtPbf7tSYUHMg5BiBki-XRYC5KJqvzCY3sDc1ngMGvXeK8KtSeR2IHbicquQLGK3OYFQjMKx3XjQ-GWzHzGmAxz3qSWxpJCEY5i6oMhopL8d5goYPX7lOITwpW0FRMsMNUvdjrt4N3R/s1600/pff_header.png" height="81" width="320" /></a>The Philly Farm and Food Fest is back for its third year, boasting two-times the sustainable flavor this Sunday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Annex at Broad and Race streets in Philadelphia.<br />
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With 150 exhibitors on the roster, PF&FF is twice the size of its inaugural event back in 2012. The <a href="http://phillyfarmfest.org/2014-exhibitors/" target="_blank">exhibitors list</a> is literally a fair-foods who's who of farmers, bakers, fisherman, chefs and proprietors offering locally grown and produced foods.<br />
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I just got really excited... I bet there'll be all sorts of special honeys and jellies there!<br />
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So yeah, there's sure to be tons of bites and lots of swag. Browse the tables of sustainable service providers, health and beauty products, and a <i>Marketplace</i> of local restaurants that support local farmers. It's kind of refreshing to see some new faces at the table, and not just Philly's resto-event usual suspects.<br />
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Ticket prices are still way affordable -- $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Kids are free.<br />
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This year, organizers are offering some add-ons to the <a href="http://phillyfarmfest.org/" target="_blank">gen-pop tickets</a>. For an additional $15 in advance, check out the Philly Distilling <i>Libations Lounge</i> or the <i>Shellfish Salon</i>, where Oyster House's Sam Mink will be doing shellfish demos.<br />
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The annual event is a joint project of Fair Food Philly and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture designed to connect shoppers with food artisans, producers, and local farmers.<br />
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Here's a couple shots from last year's event, courtesy of Food Shelter:<br />
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Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-2472567415338313352014-03-31T21:06:00.000-04:002014-03-31T21:32:57.379-04:00Party Politic By the way, have you visited my new blog? I launched it earlier this month.<br />
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It's called <a href="http://www.partypolitic.com/" target="_blank">Party Politic</a>.<br />
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It's a good place for the politically inspired events and information I tend to come across. Be sure to check it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jxb_NiX18BG_WWvuE8zmgQsdS1K7vd1VAPLX5MWrqE6Twk3PXH8_1-BEdVJY61jatza9i9hTj_iFPXC8gelfEhr4oGCrxsA5OwTGPax4vEMgT_Ts48r26lCCick3-L6ov5qpiqM08Axw/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-31+at+9.32.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jxb_NiX18BG_WWvuE8zmgQsdS1K7vd1VAPLX5MWrqE6Twk3PXH8_1-BEdVJY61jatza9i9hTj_iFPXC8gelfEhr4oGCrxsA5OwTGPax4vEMgT_Ts48r26lCCick3-L6ov5qpiqM08Axw/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-31+at+9.32.08+PM.png" height="193" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-51102985075790504382014-03-31T20:51:00.001-04:002014-03-31T21:07:05.575-04:00Beer, chocolate and prix-fix eats for Easter and Passover in Philly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdQa9EsdgBrQy7txrOuawUSqSHUL5Vo8FLVjHg1umdiXkvL5Bp2lNVA9tb_ShFKqOoln5ePwgeKaqXCYLuxCRz6cwwUoaZpbjoGO5NVHgFVu3iKSR9Q_eqy0mGh09FId_CvI6o1y8T2_r/s1600/Yards:Ashers+White+Monkey+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdQa9EsdgBrQy7txrOuawUSqSHUL5Vo8FLVjHg1umdiXkvL5Bp2lNVA9tb_ShFKqOoln5ePwgeKaqXCYLuxCRz6cwwUoaZpbjoGO5NVHgFVu3iKSR9Q_eqy0mGh09FId_CvI6o1y8T2_r/s1600/Yards:Ashers+White+Monkey+1.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Alright peeps, I got some Easter eats (and drink) for ya.<br />
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Here are some of this year's Passover and Easter offerings that have come across my radar.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.victorybeer.com/news/victory-and-ashers-a-winning-local-combination/" target="_blank">Victory Brewing and Asher's Chocolates</a> have teamed on a chocolate covered pretzel and beer pairing. Victory brings its oak barrel aged triple, White Monkey. Asher's limited edition dark chocolate and mini pretzel was developed exclusively for the flavors in the White Monkey.<br />
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Here in the city you can pick this duo up at "select neighborhood Fooderies." Otherwise, Victory has um, Asher's.com's got um, The Greeks Next Door in Narberth have them, and Link Beverage in Coopersburg -- where is Coopersburg? Anyway, they have them too. The price point is less than $20 for the pair and could be a good buy for a special someone's Easter basket.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD_2PVVPzFaInCQAf11EvF6_uEAB3U4b1u1993Qe8-Qmct4IFC2V4WoFGk-ro0_YAL3G8-vAdQTpj4ncI4SlE6J6CAK028ti7buODzLL9B4hCuLfhx1UHvMbV1q2PWpAs28u6s8tI0UeW/s1600/120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD_2PVVPzFaInCQAf11EvF6_uEAB3U4b1u1993Qe8-Qmct4IFC2V4WoFGk-ro0_YAL3G8-vAdQTpj4ncI4SlE6J6CAK028ti7buODzLL9B4hCuLfhx1UHvMbV1q2PWpAs28u6s8tI0UeW/s1600/120.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a>2. Chef Tim Spinner has concocted a Mexican Passover menu at <a href="http://www.cantinafeliz.com/" target="_blank">Cantina Feliz in Fort Washington</a>: Feliz Passover. While the four course prix-fix menu isn't really for the super religious (it's not kosher), it does "meet most Passover requirements" as the tostadas are made of root vegetables and the taco shells are being subbed out with bibb lettuce. $27 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Here's the menu:<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Times-New-Roman; font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild King Salmon Tostada, Mango, Jicama, Pineapple, Malanga Chip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matzo Ball Soup, Red Chile, Avocado, Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Braised Short Rib Taco - Morita Chile Barbeque Sauce, Chipotle Coleslaw, Boston Bibb Lettuce</span></div>
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Flourless Chocolate Cake - Sweet Potato Caramel, Rhubarb Mousse </div>
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3. The <a href="http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-philadelphia" target="_blank">Radisson Blu Hotel Warwick</a> is offering a prix-fix Easter Brunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Easter Sunday, April 20, at Tavern 17 on the first floor of the hotel.<br />
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They're offering three courses for $32 per person, $17 for kids 12 and under. Reservations are recommended. Check the menu below. The focaccia and dijon crusted rack of lamb sounds like a win, but the menu, in full sounds solid.<br />
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Here's the menu:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 10.75pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">First course:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 10.75pt;"><u></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Carrot ginger soup topped with crème fraîche and toasted sunflower seeds<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Arugula, watercress and strawberries, spiced walnuts, goat cheese and citrus vinaigrette<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Entrée:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 10.75pt;"><u></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Focaccia and Dijon crusted rack of lamb, roasted fingerling and artichokes, oven roasted asparagus<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Tangerine glazed ham, celeriac whipped Yukons and baby carrots<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Grilled organic salmon with sweet chili glaze, sugar snap peas and wasabi mash potatoes<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dessert:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Lemon tart berry coulis and fresh raspberries<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Triple chocolate mousse, salted caramel in a chocolate tulip<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<u></u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 10.75pt;">Four layer carrot cake filled with raisins, walnuts, and pineapples, finished with cream cheese icing</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgrZIfhXeP48wNMv-ZqDaT1de9cmi5o7EzjjnQsYE4tLoxMAZEkYcVKRn-COZcLmy6GD38jgAxuTnKWDrLzXTt-05QQJ_RKS3Hk7Wav9FCrmkTkvy6fcRy-ZmZz2fbVZOSXw3SXQlxrdl/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-06+at+10.48.25+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgrZIfhXeP48wNMv-ZqDaT1de9cmi5o7EzjjnQsYE4tLoxMAZEkYcVKRn-COZcLmy6GD38jgAxuTnKWDrLzXTt-05QQJ_RKS3Hk7Wav9FCrmkTkvy6fcRy-ZmZz2fbVZOSXw3SXQlxrdl/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-06+at+10.48.25+PM.png" /></a>The Brewer's Plate returns for its 10th year this weekend bringing together a whole heap of local foods, brews, and businesses, all for a good cause.<br />
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Ten years of anything is nothing to scoff at... </div>
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- 10 years of marriage...<br />
- sobriety...<br />
- time served...<br />
- <strike>aged meats...</strike><br />
- fine wine...<br />
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The bottom line? Ten years is a big deal. And on Sunday, Mar. 9, 2014, <a href="http://www.brewersplate.com/" target="_blank">The Brewer's Plate</a> kicks off its 10th annual event to benefit <a href="http://www.fairfoodphilly.org/" target="_blank">Fair Foods Philly</a>.<br />
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Some of the city's top local purveyors, brewers, chefs, cheese makers, chocolatiers, mixologists and foodies will converge at the Kimmel Center for a night of tastings beginning at 6:30 p.m. (5:30 for VIPs). <a href="https://tickets.kimmelcenter.org/Cart/Cart.aspx?perf_no=21279#PageSeating" target="_blank">Tickets</a> are still available, just in case you're enticed.<br />
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A quick background on the roots of this locavore feast: Ann Karlen, founding director of Fair Foods, has spent the past decade connecting local growers to area restaurants, originating with Judy Wicks (Fair Foods founder) and White Dog Cafe. Out of White Dog came the Victory Brewing connection with Bill Covaleski.<br />
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"Bill approached Fair Foods over 10 years ago with an idea for an event that would match micro brews with fine foods," said Karlen. "In the beginning it was much smaller, but it's still based on this idea of pairing beer with
something awesome to eat."<br />
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For the first few years it was held at the Reading Terminal Market where Fair Foods Philly has its farm stand to this day (open all year and offering the largest selection of locally made cheeses in the city).<br />
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This year, having The Brewer's Plate at the Kimmel allows for more offerings then ever as well as some friendly competition including a "Best of the Wurst" sausage contest between chefs from each of Jose Garces' seven restaurants and catering company, as well as an Angry Orchard Cider cocktail competition, thanks to new sponsor, Sam Adams.<br />
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Plus, a special collaborative brew, the Brewer's Plate Stout, from Victory Brewing and Sam Adams will be unveiled on Sunday. The word is that it won't be available in stores. And what ever doesn't get tapped will be finished off at the brewer's pubs: Victory in Downingtown or Sam Adams in Boston.<br />
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As for the menu, there's an increased emphasis on vegetarian options this year, as well as a "Locavore Lounge" highlighting a few of the brighter stars who work exclusively in small batch format.<br />
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A few pairings on the menu to look out for:<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">El Camino Real – Drunken
maple bacon shake & pork belly slider paired with Weyerbacher Brewing Co.’s
Last Chance IPA and Heresy Russian Imperial Stout</i><br />
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<i style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Varga Bar – Braised short
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Head Brewery’s Rufus Ale and ‘Secret Bonus Beer’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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involtini paired with Yard’s Brewing Co.’s Schwarzbier</i></span></div>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-50912012096047780122014-02-16T13:50:00.000-05:002014-02-16T13:54:05.998-05:00Top Chef at Sea offers vacationers Bravo dining and Celebrity cruising<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding famous food destinations is a growing travel to-do. I mean, when's the last time you went on a trip that didn't include searching out at least one fun food spot? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, package deals, like on cruises and resorts, sometimes have the tendency to be a bit of a let-down when it comes to culinary prowess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The solution seems to be to travel for food or travel for ambiance... Two very different experiences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vacationers can now get the best of both worlds - a top culinary experience and a destination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Top Chef and Celebrity Cruises have teamed up to offer a new cruise option -- <a href="http://www.celebritycruises.com/genericHtmlTemplate.do?pagename=top_chef_at_sea"><span class="s1">Top Chef at Sea</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Destinations include Bermuda (July), Alaska (August), Europe (December) and the Caribbean (November) and will feature former "Top Chef" contestants. The trip can include private cooking classes and events hosted by former chef’testants (at an additional cost as part of their vacation experience).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to the four exclusive cruises with “Top Chef” alums, Celebrity will also introduce Quickfire Challenges and “Top Chef”-inspired menu evenings to its luxury vacations onboard 10 ships for all sailings departing July 2014 – June 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Way back in January 2012 <a href="http://www.knowitallphilly.com/2012/01/new-philly-based-web-series-my-ruined.html" target="_blank">I posted about a new web series with a Philly focus, My Ruined Life</a>. Back then its quirky insights were just in its infancy. But over the past two years this original, now award-winning comedy web series has shown some serious dedication and gained a loyal following.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In celebration of the series' success, Retro Peel Productions, and writer/producer/director of My Ruined Life, Lee Porter are hosting a FREE Season 3 premier party at Underground Arts on 12th & Callowhill in Philadelphia this Wednesday, January 8, from 7 -11 p.m..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They have a solid line up of musical guests including<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Work Drugs' Nero Catalano who performs the MY RUINED LIFE theme song, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">TJ Kong & The Atomic Bomb's Dan Bruskewicz,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and Sean Huber of Modern Baseball and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Steady Hands. DJ KidC will spin funk, soul and dance grooves and there will be a sn</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">eak preview of select Season 3 episodes.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fun stuff, good peeps and most importantly, Philly made. Support. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click through to <a href="http://myruinedlife.com/">MyRuinedLife.com</a> and catch up on seasons one and two. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's a bit from season two. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/53675988" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-10860618165489317982013-12-01T13:43:00.000-05:002013-12-01T13:48:09.986-05:00Snowdon’s secrets sold; eBay founder to invest $250M in Greenwald, Poitras media start-upWhen you’re a journalist on the story of a lifetime, with the mother load of government intelligence, and someone offers to invest $250 million to hire you, your partner and your super-secret stash of intel and launch a new for-profit media venture, what do you do?<br />
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If you’re Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras – the two reporters whom Edward Snowdon had entrusted full access to his cache of NSA files – you take the deal.</div>
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<br /></div>
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According to a post on <a href="http://pando.com/2013/11/27/keeping-secrets/" target="_blank">Pandodaily.com</a>, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar invested a quarter of a billion dollars to hire the two journos for a new media venture.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In the piece, ‘Keeping Secrets: Pierre Omidyar, Glenn Greenwald and the privatization of Snowden’s leaks,’ which published on Nov. 27, author Mark Ames seems to be firing more of a disclosure warning shot, preemptively stressing the importance of fair and accurate reporting.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://pando.com/2013/11/27/keeping-secrets/" target="_blank">It’s lengthy, but is worth a read</a> for a bit more background on the parties’ financial interests. It also raises some interesting questions as to the legality of the deal, and the choice these writers made not to make the documents public, like Wikileaks.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://utdocuments.blogspot.com.br/2013/12/questionsresponses-for-journalists.html" target="_blank">Greenwald posted a response</a> this morning on his site, <a href="http://utdocuments.blogspot.com.br/2013/12/questionsresponses-for-journalists.html" target="_blank">UT Documents.</a> In it he addresses the points raised in the Pando piece, at length, and raises some questions of his own.</div>
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But it’s not a denial.</div>
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Greenwald writes:</div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I consider the opportunity to help build this new media venture to be a once-in-a-career dream opportunity. That's because the organization is being built from the start to support, sustain and encourage truly independent, adversarial journalism.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The people we have hired and will continue to hire - and, ultimately, the journalism we produce - will speak volumes about exactly the reasons we're doing this and why I'm so excited about it.”</blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div>
As to the legality, Greenwald writes:</div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The UK government is formally equating our journalism with "terrorism" and "espionage" and has said there are criminal investigations pending. Eric Holder's recent statements about whether I'd be prosecuted if I tried to enter the US was so riddled with caveats and uncertainties that it raised more questions than it answered.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One of the few protections you have when you're reporting on classified materials is that you're doing it as a journalist. It's therefore vital that we never act as a source or distributor of the materials, which is what the DOJ would eagerly claim if - as individuals - we just started handing out massive amounts of documents to media organizations around the world, rather than doing what we've been doing: reporting on them on a story-by-story basis with those outlets.”</blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div>
According to the <a href="http://utdocuments.blogspot.com.br/2013/12/questionsresponses-for-journalists.html" target="_blank">UT Documents</a> post, both Greenwald and Poitras began covering the Snowdon files under freelance contracts with <i>the Guardian,</i> <i>NYT</i>, <i>Washington Post</i>, and <i>der Spiegel</i>. They’ve partnered with media outlets all over the world strategically offering information to individuals whose privacy has been invaded.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The former freelancers have now been offered a very lucrative, and exclusive contract, (in addition to a pending book deal) all built upon their full access to what are estimated as between 50,000 and 200,000 classified NSA documents.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It will be very exciting to watch what kind of work a couple of dedicated writers and an Internet mogul can produce.</div>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-37428154895031233672013-11-30T17:36:00.001-05:002013-11-30T19:15:10.895-05:00New book from Philly restaurateur, DiFillippo of Davio’s<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g9k_IUTn4pDHmkYDrfcChkHPVluixKGWqJ07d7kS8UKcIJ24HrLpz9e_bAm8-fztdm97IHO38jXNgJ4jRMIy1JY7viJdF8drlAShcYLZB-aSPvp5NKjgJmi7K-xMfewBiT90Hn8XZECv/s1600/MDguestdifillippoFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g9k_IUTn4pDHmkYDrfcChkHPVluixKGWqJ07d7kS8UKcIJ24HrLpz9e_bAm8-fztdm97IHO38jXNgJ4jRMIy1JY7viJdF8drlAShcYLZB-aSPvp5NKjgJmi7K-xMfewBiT90Hn8XZECv/s320/MDguestdifillippoFB.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a>Looking for that special something ... for the foodie in your life? </div>
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How about a new book?! </div>
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One that dishes the dirt on what it’s really like to be in the business.</div>
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It’s the story of a successful restaurateur – but told as if a bunch of us were having dinner, sharing experiences over a bottle of wine.</div>
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It’s an insider’s perspective, and a must-read for every would-be, up-an-coming restaurateur:</div>
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"It’s All About The Guest, Exceeding Expectations in Business and In Life, The Davio’s Way" by Steve DiFillippo</div>
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DiFillippo opened his first restaurant at 24. He’s now the CEO of Davio’s Italian Steakhouse and has taken his brand from Boston to Philly and just recently expanded into Atlanta and New York.</div>
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Doing it big in the restaurant business is tough cookies. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Only a few names stack up when it comes to the art of expansion. Especially when they’ve spared no expense.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You’ve got Starr, Garces and Vetri – the holy trinity of Philly food.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They’ve created a brand and rarely disappoint. We love them for it, and reward them generously with packed-house patronage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As is the case at Davio’s. They never fail to impress. And though the man behind the brand may not have a household name in the blog-o-sphere, he’s built himself quite the emerging empire.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Culling years of experience on the floor and behind the line, DiFillippo mixes anecdotes with helpful advice on controlling costs, the truth behind Open Table’s booking fees, finding a good public relations firm and the importance of sound legal advice.</div>
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He dishes the dirt on Yelp, on a narcissistic wait staff, on drugs in the kitchen and "why it's not all about the chef," chapter 8. </div>
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DiFillippo also pays homage to his “big immigrant family," and the influences that his Italian-American grandmother and Portuguese-American mother had on him at a very young age.</div>
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And, of course, there was Julia Child.</div>
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Her Pomodoro recipe is listed among others that have inspired him, progressing along with the chapters like a prix-fix menu.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybKTOjz9wVT3W9jCBGNh94vcka9BFi8wo_JGcN-ZUD9xB6Fq_MUWyd7ufF8CpACwvtcPQsWH7Pp-v0m-Ak3C5DiTmoFBH9aDVKW05kO-RTG7RaGmMhEFqwfDEFJbAkypzRUdH8yl64HDp/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-30+at+4.21.53+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybKTOjz9wVT3W9jCBGNh94vcka9BFi8wo_JGcN-ZUD9xB6Fq_MUWyd7ufF8CpACwvtcPQsWH7Pp-v0m-Ak3C5DiTmoFBH9aDVKW05kO-RTG7RaGmMhEFqwfDEFJbAkypzRUdH8yl64HDp/s320/Screen+shot+2013-11-30+at+4.21.53+PM.png" height="249" width="320" /></a>Recipes for, Kobe beef meatballs, basil pesto lobster, and panna cotta are brief, and easy to interpret.</div>
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Each chapter is punctuated with “Restaurant Lessons to Live By,” just a few words to the wise, from a man who’s been there, and done that.</div>
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Some final takeaways?</div>
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1: Treat your people like family.</div>
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2: Stay fresh or die. </div>
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3: Bad things happen. Deal with it.</div>
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Good book and <a href="https://davios.com/shop/books/its-all-about-guest" target="_blank">a good buy, signed for less than $30</a>. </div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-22601962849478592242013-11-12T23:20:00.000-05:002013-11-12T23:20:37.513-05:00Romeo and Juliet: The Killers, Dire Straits, Mark KnopflerGreat song. Feedback on your favorite?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/o7GJgncybV8" width="420"></iframe>Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-2815279357327297522013-11-12T22:48:00.001-05:002013-11-12T22:59:19.753-05:00Youtube videos. Because I can. Love Lily Allen.<br />
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<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-78017492022900269332013-11-12T22:37:00.000-05:002013-11-12T22:38:25.798-05:00YO -- GOOGLE. WTF #photouploaderAll I wan to do is upload a photo.<br />
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IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?<br />
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<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-4444954232563816142013-10-29T23:25:00.000-04:002013-10-30T13:15:59.440-04:00South Street Halloween hair event to benefit Unicef A fun Halloween hair event happening on South Street this Thurs., Oct. 31, 2013, from 2 - 7 p.m.<br />
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In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the <a href="http://www.chopshopphilly.com/" target="_blank">Chop Shop</a> will be setting up a mock "Walking Dead" set with stylists dressed as flesh-eating zombies out on South Street. Three stations will be set up amongst the chain link fence and caution tape where clients can be part of the act and get a haircut outside.<br />
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There will be music, trick or treats for the kids, and the first 10 people dressed in Halloween costumes will receive free haircuts.<br />
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In all, minus the 10 freebies, 50 percent of the day's take will go to benefit <a href="http://www.unicefusa.org/" target="_blank">UNICEF</a>, which works to help children in over 190 countries.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chop Shop</span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: large;"> | </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">513 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107</span></i></div>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-70048460553452592362013-10-10T16:33:00.002-04:002013-10-10T17:10:42.248-04:00Top Chef Season 11 contestant, Jason Cichonski, hosts Alamos wine dinner at Ela<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1sClKY6eED4heKqf8hhhzUrlxLY_DxPZKwjzYcyzln_cVkZsSTjGvrGZ3T4i093607-QfGF5K5HKgO868p2MLdY7mRFHZoidyPn4juSbWmmHToEHVCans4D8OAPcLAqZMVG0Xrm6nSVu/s1600/alamos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1sClKY6eED4heKqf8hhhzUrlxLY_DxPZKwjzYcyzln_cVkZsSTjGvrGZ3T4i093607-QfGF5K5HKgO868p2MLdY7mRFHZoidyPn4juSbWmmHToEHVCans4D8OAPcLAqZMVG0Xrm6nSVu/s1600/alamos2.jpg" /></a>I was recently invited to attend a wine dinner at <a href="http://elaphilly.com/" target="_blank">Jason Cichonski's Ela</a>.<br />
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My dirty little secret? I'd never been.<br />
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I know, right?!<br />
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Cichonski is one of the best chefs in Philadelphia. I've interviewed him more than a few times, and he's never failed to impress. He's got a laundry list of accolades for his culinary prowess. His, ahem, other attributes aren't too bad either... Eater named Cichonski <a href="http://philly.eater.com/archives/2012/02/17/elas-jason-cichonski-is-phillys-hottest-chef.php" target="_blank">Philly's Hottest Chef in 2012</a>, and Bravo gave the Bucks County native a whole package nod when they cast him as a <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/people/jason-cichonski/bio" target="_blank">Top Chef Season 11 contestant</a>. Though he was the <a href="http://philly.eater.com/archives/2013/10/10/cichonski-booted-from-top-chef-but-is-he-done.php" target="_blank">most recent chef sent packing</a>, there's no telling if his Top Chef tenure is truly through... We'll just have to wait and see.<br />
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It's been a whirlwind year for Cichonski, for sure. But one thing's certain. Ela's doors are open and the food's divine.<br />
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The dinner at Ela featured five courses, each paired with an <a href="http://www.alamoswines.com/en/" target="_blank">Alamos wine</a>.<br />
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The affair was intimate, with about a dozen of us tucked into a candlelit chef's table at the rear of the restaurant. Cichonski was his usual eloquent self, entertaining the group with tales of Polish grandmas, and expletive laden dish descriptions.<br />
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We love it. Don't ever change.<br />
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Dinner was fabulous. Each course was better than the last. And as the courses kept coming, so did the wines.<br />
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The Alamos wines vineyards, are located in Mendoza, Argentina, are grown in what was described as a high altitude desert up in the Andes mountains, and are irrigated by glacial waters.<br />
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This geographical recipe for success is bottled and sold for a very approachable price; around $10 a bottle off the shelf. It's also available at Ela, to be paired with any of Cichonski's culinary creations.<br />
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Argentinian wines like Malbec are most well known, but Alamos also offers a full profile of wines. Cichonski paired the Alamos Torrontes, a crisp white wine, with spruce smoked amberjack for a first bite. The second course, a roasted beet tartar was paired with the Alamos Malbec. A very, very drinkable Red Blend, married perfectly with the flavors of his house made pasta. The way-too-good Wagyu beef dish went wonderfully with the Seleccion Malbec, and the Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon was perfectly paired with a final bite of soft, raspberry pistachio chocolate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9G4o7yhkwIM1sOjzrAvBR82R4HOx4crYOwIkxAhgOlnBK8O2vDEbZQ8TMXpZ6fmqFZ87YoJAzdhHvvcFhuNeajpZQ6EQ9H7JJseeYCikHGYNsEBOgLNYUJFYjsPpBhYeTqbprxoBdWZt/s1600/alamos1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9G4o7yhkwIM1sOjzrAvBR82R4HOx4crYOwIkxAhgOlnBK8O2vDEbZQ8TMXpZ6fmqFZ87YoJAzdhHvvcFhuNeajpZQ6EQ9H7JJseeYCikHGYNsEBOgLNYUJFYjsPpBhYeTqbprxoBdWZt/s200/alamos1.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
I was very impressed with the Alamos ambassador, the vibe at Ela and of course the food and drink. Thanks to Liz Conant of FleishmanHillard for the invitation, and to the lovely ladies who kept me company: The fabulous, <a href="http://taranurin.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Tara Nurin</a>, <a href="http://smithreports.com/eatshopgo/" target="_blank">Eileen Smith Dallabrida of EatShopGo</a>, and <a href="http://www.southjerseylocavore.com/" target="_blank">Robin Shreeves of SouthJerseyLocavore.</a><br />
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The event was wonderful and more importantly, you've got an Alamos drinker for life.<br />
<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-60311842878900264772013-10-10T14:23:00.001-04:002013-10-10T14:25:46.367-04:00Slackin' in the 215<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2013.<br />
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The year of the dragon.<br />
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You know what?<br />
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I'm not a dragon.<br />
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I'm a cock, and this year's been a beast.<br />
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Self-perpetuated deadlines just didn't seem to happen.<br />
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Fulfilling my need to write took a back seat, as I find it does every once in a while. When the things I want to write begin to centralize around a few apocalyptic themes, I take that as a time to be more introspective and quiet the voice outside.<br />
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Take this montage of recent youtube videos I've played out over the past year or so as my gift to all of you -- an apology playlist, if you will.<br />
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Love you -- Mean it!<br />
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I've missed you all.<br />
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Time to get back on the horse.<br />
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M<br />
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<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-65511425476514792902013-07-09T12:41:00.002-04:002016-02-07T17:04:15.243-05:00Mos Def gets a taste of the Guantanamo treatment<div class="p1">
Today we find ourselves at the intersection of Cuba and famous rappers. Again. </div>
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Three months ago, JayZ and Beyonce came under fire for a "business trip" to Cuba and subsequent song lyrics criticizing the president. <a href="http://www.knowitallphilly.com/2013/04/following-trip-to-cuba-jay-z-gets.html" target="_blank">I posted about it here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI378XEc83jBxvZaz8mwrP9AEwE73RxMF89iRmt7MQ0eTUS-lwuYcCs1ennL7tC5Uw75LbQlRgC2Z-QylEX2DAcCoAifeyw4eH0PZWP2WfMHxqwF4mfDHOnW2yWfVWp84zeJB8Wu-5PIAT/s1600/MosDefx300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI378XEc83jBxvZaz8mwrP9AEwE73RxMF89iRmt7MQ0eTUS-lwuYcCs1ennL7tC5Uw75LbQlRgC2Z-QylEX2DAcCoAifeyw4eH0PZWP2WfMHxqwF4mfDHOnW2yWfVWp84zeJB8Wu-5PIAT/s320/MosDefx300.jpg" width="212" /></a>This morning, as I have most days in the past two weeks, I opened up my YouTube app to search and obsessively replay Robin Thicke's, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU" target="_blank">Blurred Lines</a>."</div>
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A top suggestion quickly diverted my eye - a man in prison orange, head restrained. The title - only partially visible - said all it needed to earn a click.</div>
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"<a href="http://youtu.be/z6ACE-BBPRs" target="_blank">Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) force fed under sat…</a>"</div>
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While waiting for the video to load, the mind reels. <i>Why would Mos Def have to be force fed? In prison orange. Damn. What could he have done? I didn't realize we force feed our prisoners. </i></div>
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The 4:minute :38second video uploaded just a day ago by Britain's <i><a href="http://www.guardiannews.com/" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></i> documents Bey's attempt at enduring the "standard operating procedure" of force feeding detainees at Guantanamo Bay. </div>
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It's currently got 819,534 views. The clean version of Blurred Lines boasts 83,849,401.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z6ACE-BBPRs" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
A couple of facts, in case you haven't yet used the past four minutes wisely to watch the video. Or at least as much of it as you can take to understand the severity of the situation.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
A title screen in the video states that <span style="text-align: center;">there are are currently 120 detainees on hunger strike in Guantanamo Bay and that </span><span style="text-align: center;">44 of them are being force fed against their will.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br />
<span class="s1">Though as of about 18 hours ago, <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/08/19357962-federal-judge-denies-guantanamo-inmates-request-to-end-force-feeding" target="_blank">NBC</a> reports that "the U.S. military holds 166 foreign captives at the detention camp </span>on the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba. Of those, 106 are on hunger strike, with 45 being force-fed as of Monday, according to a Guantanamo spokesman."<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I believe I can safely say this was Bey' first encounter with a feeding tube. After having his wrists and ankles cuffed he's strapped to a chair. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c3mIKCzbz_5LnNgrW9ONjXcgUSLOpvjnGf665p1n8N5hJjMcFBMlLCbEjXroETQzeOzy6Yer7MXBAXGPTmsEJ7yRwKDDTTja6EA-aIv_amW4SAaUrpHzWIPfXxtjUpdTa94MlzjSXrdS/s1600/MosDef+youtubefact2x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c3mIKCzbz_5LnNgrW9ONjXcgUSLOpvjnGf665p1n8N5hJjMcFBMlLCbEjXroETQzeOzy6Yer7MXBAXGPTmsEJ7yRwKDDTTja6EA-aIv_amW4SAaUrpHzWIPfXxtjUpdTa94MlzjSXrdS/s400/MosDef+youtubefact2x300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The "SOP" starts. Gloved hands begins the obviously painful process of inserting a feeding tube into this man's right nostril. At one point it took at least three faceless <i>medical professionals</i> to restrain him - holding his head and laying across his chest to keep him in the chair as part one of the procedure was complete.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It ends there. Part two never happens.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Bey begs for it to stop, emotionally breaking down and finally getting his signal across that this was not for show - that he was done with the experiment in which he had agreed to partake.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
In retrospect, a safeword may have been helpful. Just saying.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
For Bey, this experience was obviously traumatizing. He may be a very talented rapper, but last I checked he didn't have any Oscars. It was painful for him. He was visibly shaken. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It was painful to watch; At times I felt my gut wretch.</div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p1">
But Bey is a force feed virgin, and he's no Terri Schiavo either.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
The detainees have been doing this a while. And after spending the past so many years being held in Guantanamo, I confidently believe that this is not the worst of the treatment many have received under the care of our watchful government. </div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The video raises questions. Red flags, if I may.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I ask myself, why would this man volunteer to do such a thing? To raise awareness, obviously. Precisely why I decided to write this post.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
But for me, it's not just about the force-feeding. I mean, technically, we're keeping these men alive by feeding them. Doing a service if you will… I'm sure someone somewhere is telling themselves that at night.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The point is, Americans are told that we are a great people. And that I'm not negating. But how are we seen to the rest of the world? </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Our ambassadors and liaisons may be saying all the right things, using all the right buzzwords and making sure the media reports the right version. But the men and women working for the government as soldiers, spies and most recently drone operators -- these are the impressions that will be lasting.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
An <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130708/guantanamo-bay-gitmo-hunger-strike-enemy-combatants-terrorists" target="_blank">article in the Global Post</a> cites a May 23 speech in which President Obama addresses the force feeding practice in Cuba and asks, <span class="s1">"Is that the America we want to leave to our children? Our sense of justice is stronger than that."</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/08/19357962-federal-judge-denies-guantanamo-inmates-request-to-end-force-feeding" target="_blank">NBC reports</a> that a US Court denied inmate's requests to end the force-feeding on Monday, and that only President Obama has the power to intervene. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnEE1XEvGTpgsRFTi8FsUDK_wGnijS66HHp2puOy0YJs3deKrt3LDcQUWnxUW91l7R2FaqCPI4IRvuphpeDpXOipOm9IFIECIk4LF8YXvsClb_dit4lDfChEs-ACZp7BrG0jB5rgZTubS/s1600/cubaxsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnEE1XEvGTpgsRFTi8FsUDK_wGnijS66HHp2puOy0YJs3deKrt3LDcQUWnxUW91l7R2FaqCPI4IRvuphpeDpXOipOm9IFIECIk4LF8YXvsClb_dit4lDfChEs-ACZp7BrG0jB5rgZTubS/s1600/cubaxsmall.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="p2">
What you reap is what you sew, my friends. And my concerns are over the treatment of human beings within our own borders and beyond. We've designated our leaders to act on our behalves and they've taken liberties that we as a nation have so tamely relinquished.<br />
<br />
It's time to demand better.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-20065357807447907712013-05-30T13:44:00.000-04:002013-05-30T14:39:12.243-04:00Throwback Thursday: WuTang Clan - 36 ChambersWU-WU-WU-WU<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BuZVbShtNeU" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
A well spent hour.Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-34252437205045766612013-04-11T15:30:00.000-04:002013-04-11T16:07:29.693-04:00Following trip to Cuba, Jay Z gets political Following a controversial trip to Cuba, Jay Z releases this song. Truth be told, I want to go to Cuba too! If Canadians can do it, why can't we?!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NZqnYcnX7oU" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Hove!<br />
<br />
Also, looking forward to Made in America!! Philly 2013!!Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-87723288270033098192013-04-03T14:17:00.000-04:002013-04-03T14:19:36.379-04:00Dinner and the Iron Throne tonight at Old Eagle Tavern<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlre7Udvq8gl0Oq1ONd6hQlAW5TMvEY4HuCl-mSjfi5xdt5GZ2feKHAF2V5HYusVR5QPik9IZjsDv2UbyS-mVxqX2eDFBfrx5UXlN2MhCrkhD4JOmDQ76QKa8cSd-ZWInTsUobrc4h71HW/s1600/150492_10200837246202363_391618526_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlre7Udvq8gl0Oq1ONd6hQlAW5TMvEY4HuCl-mSjfi5xdt5GZ2feKHAF2V5HYusVR5QPik9IZjsDv2UbyS-mVxqX2eDFBfrx5UXlN2MhCrkhD4JOmDQ76QKa8cSd-ZWInTsUobrc4h71HW/s320/150492_10200837246202363_391618526_n.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">Chances are you’ve already seen the Game of
Thrones season three premier at least once. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">And for most, once may suffice. But for those
with an insatiable thirst for fantasy the place to be tonight is Old Eagle
Tavern in Manayunk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">A replay of Sunday’s new episode may draw a few
fans, but it’s specialty brew and the medieval menu that’s really the news. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">Old Eagle Tavern has obtained a stash of the
Ommengang Iron Throne, a collabo beer between the brewery and HBO. Ommengang
Iron Throne is a 750 ml bottle of blonde ale brewed with pils, honey malt and
red wheat. It’s the first of four limited release beers created for the third
season and is already sold out in most area shops [<a href="http://www.americansardinebar.com/" target="_blank">American Sardine Bar</a> announced that they tapped a keg just yesterday, but there's not telling how long it will last].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">Old Eagle Tavern’s chef Morgan Malachi has a
menu full of medieval fantasy with dishes including roasted turkey legs with a
fiery dragon sauce, a dragon egg appetizer (spicy deviled eggs) and dragon
chili sauced corn on the cob.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">So pull up a stool and enjoy a horn of ale
that’s made from the stuff of legends. And while you’re eating your turkey leg,
don’t forget to thank the old gods and the new - for the long summer to come. Cause
here in Philly, winter is over!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11.0pt;">
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.oldeagletavern.com/" target="_blank">Old Eagle Tavern</a> 177 Markle
Street in Manayunk<br />
<!--[endif]--></span><!--EndFragment--></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-52234256927699033912013-03-11T14:31:00.001-04:002013-03-11T14:34:23.131-04:00Government Responsiveness & Twitter<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve always
been critical of Philly311.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like Big Belly
trashcans, it works better in theory. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calling 311 has
never led me anywhere near the department or answer to my question that I’d
been looking for. Only to a seemingly confused receptionist that I imagine is
referencing an outdated one-sheet of city departments and nonexistent
extensions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be fair,
that was a couple of years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More recently the
city’s foray into technological responsiveness and transparency may actually be
working to the advantage of residents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here in Philly
we don’t have four seasons. We only have two: winter and road construction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s been a
mild winter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of
street damage the lack of snow means less water freezing and thawing in the
cracks of the streets and less salt and brine to exacerbate the issue. So
unless Floridian sinkholes begin turning up, this spring should be smoother
than in years past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But inevitably,
potholes happen. It’s the city and sometimes the road more traveled can be a
bumpy one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m a writer.
Which means I sit online all day and read the Internet. All of it. Every day.
In bits and pieces, headlines and tweets. Sometimes I’m impressed. Generally I’m
not. Like I said – I’m a writer. And a Philadelphian. Which means I’m a
skeptic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But today, I
was genuinely impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A person tweets
a pothole picture/location to a neighborhood association twitter handle.
Neighborhood association <a href="https://twitter.com/fishtown/status/310868391391002624" target="_blank">tweets the issue</a> to Philly311.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only does
the attentive employee manning Philly311’s twitter account pass the issue onto
the Streets Department, accomplishing what years of messages left on unmanned
phone lines have seemingly never been able to do. But they also had a moment to
respond to my undeniably snide inquisition as to how long the process of fixing
said pothole would actually take.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long story
short:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you see a
pothole, and tweet its location to @Philly311, they will respond with a Streets
Department tracking number of the complaint and a link where you can follow
along with the progress, online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who knew?! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>Initial
complaints will be investigated within 24 hours” </i>and the hole will be<i> “made
safe.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;">Though permanent repairs don’t begin until the
threat of snow is long gone – usually in April, this immediate attention is a
thing of beauty… in theory, at least. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;">Like I said, I’m a skeptic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.5pt;">But hey, if a tweet can get a pothole filled in
within 24 hours, just imagine the possibilities.</span></div>
Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-32127109437668463002013-03-06T23:29:00.001-05:002013-03-07T12:23:19.959-05:00Military Aid & Thoughts on Spending<div class="p1">
Since the newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry returned from his first official Middle East trip, it’s been one announcement after another. Meets here, greets there; nine days and nearly as many countries. Kerry’s itinerary had him making stops in England, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, with most of the European leg focusing on Africa’s violent conflicts. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The nation's top diplomat has returned bill in-hand having made aid commitments to regimes spanning millions of square miles. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
For Egypt, Kerry promises a needed infusion. With one caveat: No guns. Humanitarian only. But it’s just an installment; some good faith, walking-around money. There was the billion in support promised to the victors during Egypt’s rebellion in 2011, but for now, of the $450 million on the table, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy will receive $190 million. </div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">There’s a cool $60 million headed to the Syrian rebels fighting against </span>dictator Bashar Assad. That’s if it makes it; of the $385 million promised little is reported as being seen on the ground. Aid comes two years into the <span class="s1">brutal </span>conflict, a debilitating pace pointed out long-ago by critics. And there’s the same deal on this agreement. No guns.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
We’ve also promised $3.1 billion in military aid to Israel. It's a little different on this one. Lots of money, all for guns. This continues what will be a decade-long $30 billion military aid agreement from the Bush era. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div class="p1">
Within our own borders rebellion's a quality society actively works to suppress. Yet we support it internationally. Are we rebels? Or are we newly appointed diplomats with a passive charm? Considering our nation's dialogue on gun rights and safety, it would make sense that our policies at home reflect our behaviors abroad. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Back here in America, the ink’s barely dry on the government’s forced spending cuts. There’s turmoil amidst and the affects of our self-imposed sanctions have yet to be felt.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
With all the time spent funding the rise of this leader or that, America's lost control of its most important foothold.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
It’s time we got our house in order. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
The neighbors can wait.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
REFERENCE LINKS:</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://factcheck.org/2013/03/biden-exaggerates-aid-to-israel/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://factcheck.org/2013/03/biden-exaggerates-aid-to-israel/<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/03/04/syria-rebels/1962261/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/03/04/syria-rebels/1962261/<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/28387/john-kerry-middle-east-trip-visits-to-other-countries-will-help-u-s"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.policymic.com/articles/28387/john-kerry-middle-east-trip-visits-to-other-countries-will-help-u-s<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial; padding: 0in;"><span style="border: none; color: #003399; text-decoration: none;"><span style="border: none;"><a href="http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/03/20130303143613.html#ixzz2Mo9RAhAf"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/03/20130303143613.html#ixzz<span style="border: none;">2Mo9RAhAf</span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-7001124530221206802013-03-05T15:09:00.000-05:002013-03-05T17:30:40.277-05:00Philly Council to hear testimony on student safety following January’s elementary school abduction<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The safety of students within the walls of Philadelphia’s
schools has now come under fire. And when Philadelphia’s parents take the mic
in defense of their own, the Lord himself can’t stop the blow back.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Tuesday, March 12, Council’s committees on public safety
and education will convene a specially scheduled public hearing on the
Philadelphia School District’s policy for the dismissal or release of students
to parents and guardians.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hearings will begin at 1 p.m. at City Hall in room 400, in the Council chambers. Following the hearing, the joint committees will consider
what action should be taken to better verify the identity of persons who remove
a student from a Philadelphia public school.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s an unspoken societal agreement, even here in
Philadelphia that once a kid enters the walls of their school, he or she is
safe. Sure there’s still bullying and the occasional weapon, but by and large,
schools are a safe place. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a Monday morning in January that started just as any
other. Children across Philadelphia made their way to school, some walking,
some by bus and public transportation and others taken door to door by their
parents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But on this January morning a woman disguised in a
traditional Muslim head scarf entered a West Philadelphia elementary school,
scribbled her name on a sign-in sheet and asked to take her daughter out for
breakfast. She proceeded to the child's classroom where she asked for the girl
by name. She then escorted her from the premises.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The woman did not show identification. And her decision to masquerade
in an Islamic veil has enraged the Muslim community, members whom gathered at a
February meeting of Philadelphia’s City Council to voice their disdain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The unspoken societal contract has been broken. In the
process, a child was abducted and brutally abused, and the Muslim community has
been victimized. With hearings scheduled for Tuesday, the conversation about
the security of Philadelphia’s schools is just beginning.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-5281624128161042652013-02-27T19:24:00.000-05:002013-02-28T12:22:03.264-05:00Know it All at Large: Jack Lew<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jack Lew.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the guy who will be in charge of the economy for the
next few years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know all those stories that you hear where ‘Timothy
Geitner’ was mentioned?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, those stories will reference Jack Lew or Treasury
Secretary Lew. It’ll gloss over soon enough. The name may sound fresh for a
minute, but after that, he and his responsibilities will slunk back into the
netherworlds of economic discourse – that of which you or I may never
completely understand.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before that happens, let us be civically minded enough to at
least question; who is this guy and what’s he going to do for us? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because that’s the key of it all, isn’t it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jack Lew.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
White House Chief of Staff for the past year or so, served
under Clinton, and a registered democrat. Born in New York. Studied in D.C., and
worked out of Boston.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nice pedigree, to be sure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out of the possible 100 votes in senate, Lew was confirmed
with a 71-26 vote, a few of which were actually republicans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Interestingly enough, Lew’s employment at Citigroup during
that pesky financial meltdown/crisis, of which the repercussions we are living
with now… you know, the housing mess. Fanny, Freddy, all that jazz. Yeah that
one. Lew was employed at Citigroup then. And though he's cited
as saying he wasn’t one of the people who made investment decisions, the
pick-fork wielding homesteader in me says a bank guy’s a bank guy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And why are we trusting him?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be it republican hate ads or democratic propaganda, the
result is apparent. Wall Street’s bailout and Main-Street’s sellout wasn’t exactly election year rhetoric.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-29293294624747021232012-12-13T17:16:00.001-05:002013-03-23T21:44:22.065-04:00It's been a whileAnd my love of heading out into the city for cocktails, apps and shameless shenanigans is still as true as ever. But professionally, I'd like to concentrate on things of greater societal importance...like Philadelphia City Council meetings, for instance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Today [the last meeting of the year] it was ugly sweaters, skateboarding vandals and digital billboards. Tomorrow, the world!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCB8D6bGAASOZx7D3a042KNsY78ZkvVZ5gWYPkao_CVV_urOarpOcOhH-GI3LCbBPbouS6WLelvgGnYSzAPdueFqfpAdVWrhIvidssHoTBYG1g-shtSFEP9vmhnpq0vJAbYU9j9j_2v79/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCB8D6bGAASOZx7D3a042KNsY78ZkvVZ5gWYPkao_CVV_urOarpOcOhH-GI3LCbBPbouS6WLelvgGnYSzAPdueFqfpAdVWrhIvidssHoTBYG1g-shtSFEP9vmhnpq0vJAbYU9j9j_2v79/s200/large.jpg" width="193" /></a><br />
Look how awesome -----------------------------------------><br />
<br />
Seriously though. I can't be the only one that thinks local government is exciting...am I?<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Either way. There's important stuff happening. And I'll be here to tell you all about it.</span><br />
<br />
But first, some of those shenanigans!<br />
<br />
Cheers!Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-2690692356079090162012-07-18T15:22:00.000-04:002012-07-18T15:46:32.517-04:00Free pretzels at Philly Pretzel Factory<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQWYPjPBJNbRt5cWSanYAM5OfeGL7K-YLeS7tAyCQOr6_AT5ptiHB8gtvn8EIQyzK5MuNCyhig66HhfdhH-RmKhDYE8rZlW075N7pZOolL_g1GpNSMcL04YJdBXJAkWjt3PsH3GXOj6Fq/s1600/glowing_transaction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQWYPjPBJNbRt5cWSanYAM5OfeGL7K-YLeS7tAyCQOr6_AT5ptiHB8gtvn8EIQyzK5MuNCyhig66HhfdhH-RmKhDYE8rZlW075N7pZOolL_g1GpNSMcL04YJdBXJAkWjt3PsH3GXOj6Fq/s200/glowing_transaction.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64M0PabaqqSXZvV9yu_34V7W_xIMe8JbZDXpsUp6IV-JKzsBTuLIXd06ueOFJyLFRjrUSsB5QaJH2QY0x0qU9raag_67vTGu_88Y3rPJ-k_vN0pyr4YxYxKjuSEHi4Vc-zNdE-O6CI9Jm/s1600/Picture+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64M0PabaqqSXZvV9yu_34V7W_xIMe8JbZDXpsUp6IV-JKzsBTuLIXd06ueOFJyLFRjrUSsB5QaJH2QY0x0qU9raag_67vTGu_88Y3rPJ-k_vN0pyr4YxYxKjuSEHi4Vc-zNdE-O6CI9Jm/s1600/Picture+6.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whether you know me in
real life or strictly online, you know I love the ‘F’ word. (It’s one of my
all-time favs). And this week, we have <a href="http://www.phillysoftpretzelfactory.com/#/home/" target="_blank">Philly Pretzel Factory</a> and LevelUp. to
thank for dropping an <i>f-bomb</i> on us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">This week is free pretzel week at </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Philly Pretzel Factory and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">anyone who pays with their phone using the </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.thelevelup.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">LevelUp</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"> app, will
automatically receive $5 towards their purchase.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /><i><b>UPDATE: LevelUp has UPPED the ante to $10. </b></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i><b>Now, you can get 25 pretzels (which would normally be $9) for free. Boom.</b></i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">This deal is good through July 20<sup>th</sup>
at the following locations:</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1001 Market
St. The Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1500 Market
St. Philadelphia</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1600 JFK
Blvd. Suburban Station Philadelphia</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1839
Chestnut St. Philadelphia<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">132 S. 11th
St. Philadelphia</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1532 Sansom
St.</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"> <i>Philadelphia<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3bbWZX8jt7iDj4OhiKaBoUL2GBJdHMaBGYPF0k02LgBvEtCpk1-qoyMgBeKpGQSkHp34ub9M4mAF8a3qwLNGnRqih8uw0WJGM1VIrPxuCaq0TQFGKHA0VzqGj9iJWN4gfvOsTCcmoKnD/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3bbWZX8jt7iDj4OhiKaBoUL2GBJdHMaBGYPF0k02LgBvEtCpk1-qoyMgBeKpGQSkHp34ub9M4mAF8a3qwLNGnRqih8uw0WJGM1VIrPxuCaq0TQFGKHA0VzqGj9iJWN4gfvOsTCcmoKnD/s400/Picture+4.png" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">< On a side note,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> while surfing their website for images, I swear on
my mother’s eyes that I got a whiff of fresh baked pretzels…crazy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Go
get yours! </span></div>Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3130630742654338948.post-81661231535588316772012-06-12T19:00:00.000-04:002012-06-12T23:20:24.885-04:00Dinner at American Cut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">You can only imagine my excitement when I was invited to
dinner at American Cut, Marc Forgione’s restaurant in the Revel Resorts. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I’d yet to go to Revel, so expectations were running high. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">For better or worse, preconceived notions are a part of
human nature. You draw from past experiences and try to fit the unfamiliar into
some mold that you already know: like casino dining. It’s pretty standard
across the board. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">You’ve tried one casino joint you’ve tried them all,
right? </span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8TdMOkD6LgmPmiYzKn_SAhsG2uKsVFejjxFokbChbwFkHRTluqDfZIxPy8HogF__D2C28lSoYrG-ZJSnahk3iv6qpyvloGq4XhyphenhyphenpHdbh4E8ZgEbrjhsXqUIKxgQhgyANTv1HGvknsubh/s1600/Eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp;jsessionid=19D6FBA77FE9EBC4A46C9A709D37C3E9.ecom204_main?token=974226064214%3A2117702586&fbTitle=Check+out+my+photos+at+the+Kodak+Gallery&fbThumbURI=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kodakgallery.com%2Fimaging-site%2Fservices%2Fdoc%2F6160770841105%2Fjpeg%2FBG%2F.jpg%3Fp%3D5417&_requestid=65883" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8TdMOkD6LgmPmiYzKn_SAhsG2uKsVFejjxFokbChbwFkHRTluqDfZIxPy8HogF__D2C28lSoYrG-ZJSnahk3iv6qpyvloGq4XhyphenhyphenpHdbh4E8ZgEbrjhsXqUIKxgQhgyANTv1HGvknsubh/s320/Eagle.jpg" title="http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp;jsessionid=19D6FBA77FE9EBC4A46C9A709D37C3E9.ecom204_main?token=974226064214%3A2117702586&fbTitle=Check+out+my+photos+at+the+Kodak+Gallery&fbThumbURI=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kodakgallery.com%2Fimaging-site%2Fservices%2Fdoc%2F6160770841105%2Fjpeg%2FBG%2F.jpg%3Fp%3D5417&_requestid=65883" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Not so, my friends. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’ve eaten a fair share in Atlantic City and with each meal
came it’s own sordid stories, some with better outcomes than others. And I can say in good conscious, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">American Cut is impressive. A</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">nd this sordid story ended with
BJs, dolled out by Chef Forgione himself. No, for real! </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Read on.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">American Cut is a quintessential steak house: t</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">he menu offers raw, cold, and hot apps, and the steaks, sides, and sauces are all served a la carte. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The chairs are large, the lights are low, and the vibe is impressive. A <strike>b</strike></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><strike>ig-ass</strike> dominating eagle greets you in the entryway, so much so that your awe is only <i>briefly</i> interrupted by the sights and sounds of aging guests in sport coats belittling hostesses. The usual. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">We were seated at a table towards the rear of the restaurant, in view of the open kitchen. To my surprise, Chef Marc was not only there, but even offered up conversation and a recommendation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">“Get the Tomahawk Chop, for the table,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">At his request, we chose only our entrees and he would take care of the rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">First out was a </span><i style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Hiramasa Tartare</i><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> with a Sechuan button, avocado, and Saratoga chips.</span><br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hiramasa, Tuna & Shrimp</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t7VBadm1p5jRlKkBue18Jw_jx6cCQZyP4vrv1JpM4znemeh4SIotvCrrHbcj0MwNfMqzk2puaLhETJdCL0jVsmMWrV_dQCjBL1gZ9jUQn9i_AjQ-mkc7a-kpZawhoQHM9RjSJ5t1Lr5W/s1600/hiramasa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t7VBadm1p5jRlKkBue18Jw_jx6cCQZyP4vrv1JpM4znemeh4SIotvCrrHbcj0MwNfMqzk2puaLhETJdCL0jVsmMWrV_dQCjBL1gZ9jUQn9i_AjQ-mkc7a-kpZawhoQHM9RjSJ5t1Lr5W/s1600/hiramasa.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">It came with directions on a a step-by-step process. First, chew up the Sechuan peppercorn: a little tingle will wake up your tongue. Next take the chip and get a scoop of the hiramasa and avocado giving your tongue an instant cooling sensation. A fun way to start. More importantly, the fish was cold, fresh and the perfect pair to the creamy avocado.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOeuuVPVDsXS9sEYZG51u1riRX5toEAwO_4aVLbS-yTKGZwkwOct4YLxtu9YDvDp3scZOYMAaRVpzz4cVMKuJn41S_zyUMqjViFcAsULxL0Icbw0Di3-ZzHb4fiuvZdab0TgzmyBwtFBw/s1600/tuna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOeuuVPVDsXS9sEYZG51u1riRX5toEAwO_4aVLbS-yTKGZwkwOct4YLxtu9YDvDp3scZOYMAaRVpzz4cVMKuJn41S_zyUMqjViFcAsULxL0Icbw0Di3-ZzHb4fiuvZdab0TgzmyBwtFBw/s200/tuna.jpg" title="American Cut" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt7VkxNYcH2Rrkvqi0m36xQ02NmQcuJ5b3QxAOFTyzrUm7JkA0DDwiAT0CEgJrCHPRruonKC_Ju4kSrilrCDS96z6QzFlJpjm3O8STkO2u2g0FyXYMUHZpXVhaQNPRmJLImB1SQLv5N1f/s1600/shrimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt7VkxNYcH2Rrkvqi0m36xQ02NmQcuJ5b3QxAOFTyzrUm7JkA0DDwiAT0CEgJrCHPRruonKC_Ju4kSrilrCDS96z6QzFlJpjm3O8STkO2u2g0FyXYMUHZpXVhaQNPRmJLImB1SQLv5N1f/s200/shrimp.jpg" title="American Cut" width="200" /></a></div>
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< The tuna was delish; sliced paper thin, and delicately wrapped around a golf-ball sized tomato. The shrimp > (sorry for the blurr) were submerged in a flavorful cocktail sauce. A solid rendition of a classic. </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">OG 1924 Hotel Caesar Salad</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFoAn0bFojqhBTc_8lufm3vHgq8A62ohFVwq5T-Ikpmh-MEapb722gbWdAEIwAPCP_dTTNfiF2yLnoHd_MM-A1QvGOWQbrM6j8W4mX7H5l1DW_N5nCsITe9BjwpJxn9bFdbOncfvOxWLX/s1600/Forgione.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFoAn0bFojqhBTc_8lufm3vHgq8A62ohFVwq5T-Ikpmh-MEapb722gbWdAEIwAPCP_dTTNfiF2yLnoHd_MM-A1QvGOWQbrM6j8W4mX7H5l1DW_N5nCsITe9BjwpJxn9bFdbOncfvOxWLX/s1600/Forgione.jpg" title="Marc Forgione, American Cut" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next up was the </span><i>OG 1924 Hotel Caesar Salad.</i> A work station was wheeled out table side and back to chat it up, was the chef. </div>
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He told us that he prefers that the servers <i>chop</i> the salad table-side, this way, he knows that it's properly dressed. Lucky for us, he was up for a demonstration and did it himself. </div>
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Though it looks overdressed, the creamy, zesty Caesar dressing was perfectly portioned over the fresh, crisp romaine. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aIQHdpqgqRiODU1t_ArG797KaBqt7qBGL7ArGR8bso3wMvsC6I4Ql5_K2veAnJahIB9YN8-jFDAhVsNgwhXOnvCW-0C4rF04rlYoAQrnsMM3FETvWC1IoOt-zeLoWfpNSMsacc-08kka/s1600/salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aIQHdpqgqRiODU1t_ArG797KaBqt7qBGL7ArGR8bso3wMvsC6I4Ql5_K2veAnJahIB9YN8-jFDAhVsNgwhXOnvCW-0C4rF04rlYoAQrnsMM3FETvWC1IoOt-zeLoWfpNSMsacc-08kka/s200/salad.jpg" title="American Cut" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Bacon & Eggs</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZGaT8UCNbfJaEs6zJOysw7GwPxUOzb1-27tJ790jK2mB8xhyphenhyphen7O1VxT2vFl5M6OUDJFWiR7eJ8LjO2Bhy4v4HHwrpTAykClICbXu21t21BQ1waCMEKqnEJNVzVTGa3oAbFZNmC9Rx2msL/s1600/scrapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZGaT8UCNbfJaEs6zJOysw7GwPxUOzb1-27tJ790jK2mB8xhyphenhyphen7O1VxT2vFl5M6OUDJFWiR7eJ8LjO2Bhy4v4HHwrpTAykClICbXu21t21BQ1waCMEKqnEJNVzVTGa3oAbFZNmC9Rx2msL/s320/scrapple.jpg" title="American Cut" width="238" /></a></div>
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I'm a Philly girl. And scrapple is one thing that's close to my heart. You can call it lips and ass-holes all you'd like, but it's not gonna slow me down. Especially when doused with syrup. </div>
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That being said, while his accent may confuse you, Forgione is from New York. And when I heard him say "mustard" in his scrapple dish description I nearly threw it in reverse. It sounded like sacrilege to me. </div>
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Truth be told, how dare I second guess an Iron Chef because it sure was tasty! Crisp scrapple, gooey egg yolk, and that tang of mustard?! It's literally a whole new flavor combination and I'm all about it.<br />
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Next out were the BBQ Baked Oysters, the Chili Lobster with Texas Toast, and the Bone Marrow with Burgandy Escargot and a ‘James Beard Salad' which Marc explained was Beard’s favorite –
parsley and onion. All were solid winners, hands down. The oysters were fun, with a kind of A-1 flavor. If I could bathe in the chili lobster broth I would. And the marrow was out of this world.<br />
I'll let you scroll through on the food porn shots.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">BBQ Baked Oysters</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUP9BfJtNHurCeHyhibyGytUtlqfKVD7sEJ74LT7Q2toKkMsoKI_ZeRon9yOwkQSTmP35_1IWeQFueffyKX_a-th1R5l_Xx9VRuw211r_K3qJxgLQZQjiQtO8IfePABDDjZZAFbPpKAm8/s1600/oyster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUP9BfJtNHurCeHyhibyGytUtlqfKVD7sEJ74LT7Q2toKkMsoKI_ZeRon9yOwkQSTmP35_1IWeQFueffyKX_a-th1R5l_Xx9VRuw211r_K3qJxgLQZQjiQtO8IfePABDDjZZAFbPpKAm8/s1600/oyster.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Chili Lobster</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStKWmpmMbIIN8Vz6WPBkL7dGSrFDu69g_UBBq-G6dOgiVY72ZVMVXiXWdvfD8KKOpb-h_5skW5HWQGOk9VnhYSZODBPnz33FKe2TqQrxBT7pJBu7qljo_VGiL9IM0G6LrKXhBrNdoDYdy/s1600/chili+lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStKWmpmMbIIN8Vz6WPBkL7dGSrFDu69g_UBBq-G6dOgiVY72ZVMVXiXWdvfD8KKOpb-h_5skW5HWQGOk9VnhYSZODBPnz33FKe2TqQrxBT7pJBu7qljo_VGiL9IM0G6LrKXhBrNdoDYdy/s1600/chili+lobster.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Bone Marrow</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqquxAzyGkwQhdxhY4EInYCPF6BPrqJrBw95BKifBCjm2JotzaauwpJ3GxdxK2_x25neKTZW1AIiP1E1m0vAZ7py__ggRrwEVTZw-HUqIlxoEVXFw8uCX0HUuLJLBLOeCfBxMC8vrDbBB/s1600/bone+marrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqquxAzyGkwQhdxhY4EInYCPF6BPrqJrBw95BKifBCjm2JotzaauwpJ3GxdxK2_x25neKTZW1AIiP1E1m0vAZ7py__ggRrwEVTZw-HUqIlxoEVXFw8uCX0HUuLJLBLOeCfBxMC8vrDbBB/s1600/bone+marrow.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIh0bID8UZxL5dgFOL8ObGI4vxM3T9_ywcMC5Sdw4JhVzd8lrr4ebK1_JWhtun2m53v7vZLFmjc39klx8jDqMENqNqrk6uIV4l1-DWxz8hYYBEcjbCDOnp8OC7dO1pPyym2Y76FcXG5gP/s1600/hen+of+the+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd6pALrK_HtejTFYqj-AK7duZ-_s_n6-HtUMpLP24uNX62LAsvyRJoQhgbfqUmU25yXEVqhkf7CXii223mO9cE449RAh6zYQXyqiUy7uwQd6gffxNJixIqOOBbE4BaTW0tr3_hnE0XTn9/s1600/filet+and+foie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd6pALrK_HtejTFYqj-AK7duZ-_s_n6-HtUMpLP24uNX62LAsvyRJoQhgbfqUmU25yXEVqhkf7CXii223mO9cE449RAh6zYQXyqiUy7uwQd6gffxNJixIqOOBbE4BaTW0tr3_hnE0XTn9/s320/filet+and+foie.jpg" title="American Cut" width="320" /></a><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Being the only woman at the table, I had felt completely
stereotypical ordering the </span><i>10 oz. filet topped with foie gras</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, but I did and
was perfectly happy with my choice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I sliced through the charred exterior to reveal a perfectly pink and juicy medium-rare filet. The foie was crisp and creamy and the red wince sauce (not pictured) that I had chosen brought all the flavors together wonderfully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes, when I write about my food experiences and even
whilst I’m enjoying eating them, I have a temporary moment of disbelief. People
are starving in the world, there’s war and sorrow. And here I am quipping about
the gender implications of my ordering preferences. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXF0gjOEs34nr2kQ63S7pqEw1FJCDNff28RsNK7TNRJI0cqoXE324Pbn7DWFr0W0GTPT0Ib0xr0MqyJs2w5B_QYWltlk0eiWj2Cxj4VWoncXPzqLX8Fzm9-uQXxxBmHS-KP43xXkLV0Xv/s1600/onion+rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXF0gjOEs34nr2kQ63S7pqEw1FJCDNff28RsNK7TNRJI0cqoXE324Pbn7DWFr0W0GTPT0Ib0xr0MqyJs2w5B_QYWltlk0eiWj2Cxj4VWoncXPzqLX8Fzm9-uQXxxBmHS-KP43xXkLV0Xv/s200/onion+rings.jpg" title="American Cut" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Wtf. This is not my beautiful life. Nah mean?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Back to the meal at hand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">Between the hen of the woods mushrooms, the </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><i>beer battered onion
rings</i></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">, and the </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><i>truffled, twice-</i></span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><i>baked parmesan potatoes,</i></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"> I completely forgot to try both the spinach and the corn that were ordered. But these twice-baked potatoes </span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">(see below) </span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">are absolutely not to be missed. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fnrPcbuOIwTuTdEYrCHhtXmZTSRhkZbdOOlhd4Am5hpjhyphenhyphenR7gVYxxVUojpnMPTIKj9VoC6oxK01H3gPqX5wkie-AIcuhFX75_SmK4JzQj_MbJBuHdcsF2ZNjnqqy6CtJlZoO7QIbG-kF/s1600/twicebaked+truffle+potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fnrPcbuOIwTuTdEYrCHhtXmZTSRhkZbdOOlhd4Am5hpjhyphenhyphenR7gVYxxVUojpnMPTIKj9VoC6oxK01H3gPqX5wkie-AIcuhFX75_SmK4JzQj_MbJBuHdcsF2ZNjnqqy6CtJlZoO7QIbG-kF/s1600/twicebaked+truffle+potatoes.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
Of the<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> three men whom rounded out our party of four, each ordered a variation on a theme: one with a steak and the chili lobster, one with a steak and the bone marrow and the third, a hanger steak with foie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">When the Tomahawk chop hit the table, flaked by half a dozen sides, each settled into its own cast iron pot, visions of Fred Flintstone dancing around with a brontosaurus bone flashed through my head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;">Tomahawk Ribeye Chop</b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciVbrEBjjz8ukOvhFKil7vgePq_aVAk8qB_8yigGSdlKsm7SLIaEnV9ZqiqrF3ZSBFG4uaigksbKQ7SAAgDEQZVbRnL1BzPU2TkNajNBTTQgXt3bQzyp1cj4NxMf05xWcwDQq0M4bMAMg/s1600/tamakawk+chop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciVbrEBjjz8ukOvhFKil7vgePq_aVAk8qB_8yigGSdlKsm7SLIaEnV9ZqiqrF3ZSBFG4uaigksbKQ7SAAgDEQZVbRnL1BzPU2TkNajNBTTQgXt3bQzyp1cj4NxMf05xWcwDQq0M4bMAMg/s1600/tamakawk+chop.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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Did I mention, the Pinot Noir by the glass? There’s only the
one. It’s a wonderful match to the flavors of the menu; it’s served in a small
carafe and poured at the table.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The wait staff was wonderful: well spoken, attentive, and
friendly. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">And to have the Chef there was an especially nice touch. </span><span style="text-align: left;">He warned that they’d have to wheel us out. And they nearly
did. Dessert was a meal in itself and not to be missed. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"> Mini Ice Cream Cones </span></span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"> Pineapple Cake</span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ95Nko0_3fKWXlbH7oYeBE2NrZJ9ZkqgmUqZFxdg4GeV5WXYdqo5JD-8-8gLaQA5VWD28SIKDAAZUkUHHh91wFRPyYjOkrSVhp0xEa2SxUj28WJNxmMa8OXZaYoLKYRfF3r8NMcpXrb2Q/s1600/pineapple+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ95Nko0_3fKWXlbH7oYeBE2NrZJ9ZkqgmUqZFxdg4GeV5WXYdqo5JD-8-8gLaQA5VWD28SIKDAAZUkUHHh91wFRPyYjOkrSVhp0xEa2SxUj28WJNxmMa8OXZaYoLKYRfF3r8NMcpXrb2Q/s1600/pineapple+cake.jpg" title="American Cut" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvXtG6LG9fWSIUbS15PEM1JRMgGiVEjXHMWgisVxgv0EisMF0iRMwclRGdx0PwEmk1fDIlY8sOBKVzo0f9NvSCiKnDjuZj9-IyDrdWI_GThG3Mlc-hhDcCXQTtXqE8FVaIudHJlbvRCfW/s1600/cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo by Know it All Philly" border="0" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvXtG6LG9fWSIUbS15PEM1JRMgGiVEjXHMWgisVxgv0EisMF0iRMwclRGdx0PwEmk1fDIlY8sOBKVzo0f9NvSCiKnDjuZj9-IyDrdWI_GThG3Mlc-hhDcCXQTtXqE8FVaIudHJlbvRCfW/s640/cookies.jpg" title="American Cut" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6V_lOlYfqY62TqERDuPTB-xwzK0PItKNxKe2zBONpVzf8T9cCd7S58hh6FX6Re8GXURDP-UDWlCigTgzsKLGFr_vyo1lpuQddqsF_vB6Rw8zawR9OhKocnJcYJi58NTyUVHYeotzfqIy/s1600/chocolate+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6V_lOlYfqY62TqERDuPTB-xwzK0PItKNxKe2zBONpVzf8T9cCd7S58hh6FX6Re8GXURDP-UDWlCigTgzsKLGFr_vyo1lpuQddqsF_vB6Rw8zawR9OhKocnJcYJi58NTyUVHYeotzfqIy/s320/chocolate+cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Holy dinner: that was delish. So get to <a href="http://www.revelresorts.com/dining/signature/american-cut-by-forgione" target="_blank">American Cut</a>. It's totally worth the scratch.</div>
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Oh yeah, BJs. I knew I forgot something. Dinner at American Cut isn't complete without a BJ, said Chef Marc as he passed out Banana infused Jameson, chilled with a single cube. Ice cold, very cool. </div>Marilyn D'Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13750636192465397697noreply@blogger.com1