Mojito Mondays in October

The weekend is over and just another "Manic Monday" has begun. This October, there's no need to surrender to the blues of another week beginning. Instead, head to the Rum Bar for the Mojito Olympics, sponsored by Don Q Rum. Four bartenders will be mixing and pouring their best mojitos for judging, and if you're lucky you can even join the panel of judges since one lucky member of the crowd will hand-picked (yes, hand picked, then possibly required to crowd surf) to judge and get a $50 gift certificate to the Rum Bar.

Getting in will only strip you of $6, which earns you a Don Q-jito as well as a front row seat for the action. Added Bonus? The first Monday, October 3rd, I'll be judging...the 10th and 17th, you'll miss out on hanging out with yours truly, but can still kick the Monday blues and cheer on the barkeeps. The 24th is the "playoffs" where winners from other October weeks compete in the Medal round (and if we are lucky, the Phils will still be in the playoofs as well, if not the victor).

With no Phils game tonight and the heartbreak of yesterday's games to get over, there's really no excuse not to drown your sorrows. It all starts tonight at 7 p.m., at the Rum Bar on 2005 Walnut St. Keep away from feeling like the Bangles song below and make it a Mojito Monday instead of a manic one...

Cinefest Philadelphia 2011 Closing Party - With special guest Morgan Spurlock

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 14, 2011) - After the last question of a stirring Q&A with Morgan Spurlock about his documentary "POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," Philadelphia Cinfest 2011 pulled the curtains closed on a successful one-week run last Thursday night. The closing night crowd applauded Spurlock's latest addition to American cinema and flooded out the doors of Ritz East into the night - or across Walnut Street to Positano Coast for the closing night party. There, Spurlock waited to greet the partygoers as they arrived, shaking hands and smiling for photos like the cat who ate the (product placement) canary. He even stopped for a photo with me and boyfriend Quin Turner - aspiring musician - and then stayed well into the night mingling with Philadelphia filmsters. (Note on his Q & A - ask a question about it and all will be revealed.)

As the location for Cinefest Philly's closing night party, Positano Coast was the perfect venue for what can only be described as a networking event. With an outdoor balcony and wind softly blowing through the open second floor on Chestnut Street, the atmosphere was upstaged only by the fantastic nibbles that the Positano staff were continually circulating with. With hipsters and artists in every corner sipping on Cinefest-influenced cocktails, I made some interesting connections with Delco reporter Nathan Lerner and art institute mogul Hayden Craddolph. Look forward to hearing about some developments or events coming about in the wake of Cinefest - and if you're in withdraw from indie flicks or documentaries, check out the upcoming West Chester Film Festival - http://www.westchesterfilmfestival.com . Check the blog for tomorrow's entry about another Philly area restaurant week, in case you missed the other 100 recent ones.