It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like (First) Friday....

Welcome one, welcome all to one of the best First Fridays yet. It's celebrated nationwide, statewide, and in Doylestown,  Lancaster, Phoenixville,  Hatboro, West Chester,  Fishtown,  Frankford Ave and the Main Line,  but nowhere is it celebrated better than Old City (okay, arguably, but go with it.) If you've never tried out First Friday in the Old City District of Philadelphia, today is the day.

Where can you drink for free? While most art galleries in Old City offer wine or beer, the only place to get an Alex's Lemon Moonshine Margarita is the Drink Philly One Year Anniversary First Friday Party Benefitting Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.* There will also be a chance to get your photo taken like a red carpet rockstar, samples from Khyber Pass Pub, jazz and of course art from local aspiring artists. From 5-9 p.m., head to 239 Chestnut St in Old City.

Your next stop (or first stop) of the night should be Penn's Landing. At 7:30, The Smooth Jazz Summer Nights begin: From now until the end of August there's a free jazz concert at the Riverstage of the Grand Plaza at Columbus Boulevard and Chestnut Street. This week's headliner is the talented Four 80 East with guests Matt Marshak and Marcus Anderson. 

Before after or during the concert, saunter down to the Race Street Pier at Penn's Landing to join in on the First Friday Party On the Race Street Pier. Between 7 and 10 p.m., enjoy something a little more upbeat than the smooth jazz down the street with music by DJ Jack Tripper and the Trinidelphia Steel Drum Band. Run by the Race Street Peers, (Friends of the Pier, clever, right?), and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, food and entertainment will be readily available.

For some family-friendly fun, or a bit of a trek from Old City, Fantastic Fridays at Penn Treaty Park provides a free concert and after-show fireworks. Tonight, the Sensational Soul Cruisers will be tearing it up as the 11-man horn group, which makes no sense because they don't all play the horn, playing classic tunes stolen from masters like Barry White, the commodores, the Drifters and Otis Redding. The magic starts at 6:30 and the dancing no doubt will follow soon after. Like Jazz Summer Nights, this concert series continues throughout August with dates on August 19 and 26, so if plans for First Friday take over you can still hit up the free music show later in August.

In Center City, Art After 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art continues. It's free after admission ($19.50 adults, downwards for kids, students and senior citizens) to "Catch a Set, Have A drink, Stroll the Galleries." Take advantage of the limited time happy hour if you're headed to the museum, because some tinis during Martinis On the Portico will loosen you up for some saucy Latin dancing later - Art After 5 today is a full-on Salsa Party, with music from the Johnny Cruz Latin Ensemble from Raices Culturales Latinoamericas. It all starts at 5...and goes until you can't take the Latin heat anymore! (or the band stops playing. Then it's kinda lame to stay.)


*Full Disclosure: Drink Philly is a client. ( But that's not why their party is on here. It's because it's going to rock.)

Do First Friday (Free!) in The Greatest City Never Sold

If you're ever on a search for Sailor Moon selling cookies or possibly a bar-wench mermaid at a tattoo parlour, there is another time you can find these crazies outside of Halloween or the full moon: First Friday. Apparitions such as these are a common occurrence as artists, hipsters and musicians of Philadelphia take over the streets of Old City once a month, and local shops shamelessly use free booze, food and wacky promotions to reel unsuspecting (or perfectly aware) passerby in.

In case you're not in the know, First Friday is a phenomenon that has taken over Old City in Philadelphia monthly. Art galleries are open and free to the public, and wandering in and out will often score you a free bevy or some finger-food. Parties, openings and demonstrations are prevalent in the neighborhood - keep an eye on Old City District, uwishunu.com, or Philadelphia Daily News for a rundown of events (or just ask me).

One sure thing is the Drinkphilly.com party hosted at 239 Chestnut St. every First Friday. They always have a sweet craft brew company, local winery or the like, plus a Philly eatery in addition to their featured art by aspiring local talent - you're guaranteed free drinks, cuisine samples and quality company so stopping by is a necessity. For the August First Friday event, expect Lemon Moonshine Margaritas with Philadelphia Distilling's new Shine Whiskey and samples from Khyber Pass Pub.  Plus, it's the one-year anniversary for the First Friday bash, so Drink Philly is going all out - for charity. All proceeds to benefit the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.

In addition to the art galleries and random exhibitions (like when Philly Science Festival "Jesus-ed" some ice cream out of liquid nitrogen and milk in April), 2nd Street is transformed into a bazar - not to be confused with bizarre, though you can find it there too. Jewelry, homemade treats and all forms of artwork imaginable are for sale, not just at the local shops but also by the table, tablecloth or armful. Music resonates through the streets as jazz musicians, classical trios and acoustic folk singers strut their stuff alongside the independent artists selling their wares.

If only I knew about Books,
I would have bought this for Cinco!

My favorite stop this month? A simple, thrifty looking shop called "BOOKS." (above) Vintage everything from sombreros to records. My Mother's Day present revealed itself to me here: a vinyl recording of The Eagle's Hotel California, circa 1967.

Check out First Friday for yourself: 
From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the first Friday of every month, between Front and 3rd, Market and Vine


*** Addition: First Friday at Frankford Ave - Try this Craft Bazaar on for size! An alternative to First Friday in Old City or outside the city (Lancaster, Phoenixville), you're sure to find some of the same delights you see on 2nd street tables in Old City. Up and down Frankford Ave you will find vintage, vino and artwork. Stop by Johnny Brenda's to participate in Philly Beer Week, or by Bookspace for a Circus Freak Show - uh, Side Show. However, as a lover of Argentina, I have to recommend that after enjoying the arts and crafts you head to the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School - free beginner lesson at 8:30 and drinks after!
If you went to last month's Frankford Ave First Friday please email me and let me know how it was!

Philadelphia, The Greatest City Never Sold: Bucket List May 2-9

Monday, May 2: The Flyers Game, obviously. I was too busy watching it last night to write this post.


Tuesday, May 3: "Shaken Not Stirred" Cocktail Party at the National Constitution Center. Accompanied by only spy-tinis and your wits, attend "A Covert Cocktail Party" where you get to play with spy stuff, see old Bond film clips and quite possibly save the world (or win some prizes for being the "ill"-est spy). Admission to the party is a little steep, $35, but it includes entry into the Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America exhibition. 


Wednesday, May 4: Krispy Kreme, Center City Edition: At 6 a.m., the first customer gets a dozen glazed weekly for a year, or until he/she dies of a heart attack. Other giveaways, details below. One glazed = 190 calories. Hooray, Grand Opening. http://www.krispykremephilly.com/grandopening/ Night-time plans? If you're a lady on the Main Line, hit up Wednesday Night Whinos' Spring Shopping Night in Wayne. I've been itching to give this networking, wine-drinking event a try...


Thursday, May 5: It's Cinco de Mayo - go out, get a marg and have some enchiladas. If you're in the burbs attend Tequila University at Verdad then stay for complimentary tequila tastings and $5 margs - or just come at 10 p.m. for the margaritas and $2 tacos. If you are celebratin' philly-style, try Distrito and get there early. From 3.p.m. on, the first floor will be serving up up $5 margarita and some discounted cheap Mexican bites. Runner-up pick for Cinco in Philly: Xochityl: Mexican Street Food under $10. If restaurant fare isn't for you, skip the foreplay and just get slammed at this Cinco de Mayo bar crawl (click for half off admission and details!)

Friday, May 6: First Friday everyone! In addition to the usual amazing wine-beer-food-art-music of Old City's First Friday, Longwood Gardens is offering free entry today. My plan for the night? Roam Old City, devouring free art, food and beverages until I get to Drink Philly's First Friday event, which always makes my FF list every month - last month it was Magic Hat, this month they are doling out free Yards beer & Continental nibbles. And don't worry, if the keg gets kicked, there will be another one waiting...

Weekend: Go to http://www.uwishunu.com/category/Weekend/ on Friday morning around 10 a.m., because frankly I don't have the time - there's just too much that goes on in our wonderful city of Philly for anyone other than the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation to keep track of... also, follow me on twitter for constant updates: www.twitter.com/Lindsay_L_Lewis 


(I can tell you this Sunday, May 8, you'll find me at Winterthur's Point-to-Point - ponies, dachshunds and children pitted against each other in a race to the finish while adults eat, drink, and be merry - It's worth the trip to DE.)