For those of you who haven’t seen that big ass banner on Bridge Street, the Phoenixville Pub Crawl is happening this Saturday March 13th from 1-5pm. Aside from the banner, there’s a website devoted to the event, a grassroots marketing campaign (postcards in bars), and various other attention grabbing mechanisms… So what does this all mean???

It means that Phoenixville knows how to party, dammit!

Where else is excessive mid-day drinking so heartily encouraged? I mean, other towns host pub crawls (such as Manayunk, etc), but they aren’t advertised and promoted like this one is… And they aren’t as organized either.

It’s a great thing that the local bars all came together on this, as they should all do a ton of business on this day. Each location will be will be offering a different micro brew(s)… here’s the rundown and my personal preferred crawl order:

Sly Fox Brewery – Sly Fox Beer

Epicurean – Ithaca, Lagunitas, Spring House

PJ Ryan’s – Longtrail

Bistro on Bridge – Heavy Seas, Rogue, Brooklyn Brewery

Molly Maguire’s – Victory, Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

Iron Hill Brewery – Iron Hill Beer

Baxter’s 101 Bridge – Stoudts Brewery

Pickering Creek Inn – Founders, Weyerbacher, Cigar City

Of course there are more bars in Phoenixville, the bars above are only the ones that chose to participate. These additional bars could easily be worked into your crawl (see our story, Pub Crawlin’ Comes a-Callin’ This Thanksgiving Eve).

Have fun, rock hard, and be safe!

Every four years, millions of people uniformly assemble to observe and take part in the Olympics. Far beyond the main events such as Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, Snowboarding, etc exists a competition largely unnoticed by the general public: the Cultural Olympiad. The Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad is a collaboration and a celebration of the contemporary arts and disciplines featuring such talents and events as music, dance, film, visual arts and more. These events are a remarkable spectacle of talent that is not given the proper exposure that these extraordinary individuals deserve.

One vastly underexposed event in the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad is the Ice Art World Championship. This event, which is held in Richmond B.C.’s O-Zone, consisted of a two-day carving competition between 12 two-man teams from across the world. Richmond’s O-Zone is home to the Olympic Oval, City Hall & Richmond Cultural Centre. Since opening day on February 12, 2010 a crowd of over 300,000 people have enjoyed the many family-friendly activities that the O-Zone offers.

Saturday, February 20 was the first day of the Ice Art World Championship. Each Ice Carving team was given a total of 3,000 pounds of ice to sculpt. With a tight criterion, the sculptures were judged based upon the predetermined theme: hopes and dreams, as well as other areas of technicality such as: team skill, artistic expression, stability and originality.

The United States was well represented by three two-man teams. Phoenixville’s very own locals and returning Olympic title holders Kevin Gregory & Antonio Young from Ice Concepts Inc. set out to defend their names. Their previous world titles emerged from their 2002 bronze medal win in Salt Lake City, Utah and their 3rd place victory in realism & 4th place victory in abstract categories from 2006 in Torino, Italy.

On the first day of their timed-12 hour carve they battled nature with abnormally warm temperatures. All contestants were forced to carve beneath a protective tent in effort to fight the warming effect of spring like weather. Thousands of spectators lined up single file, patiently waiting to watch the carvers’ mid-action.

The spectators were left speechless at the almost magical construction of the ice, the drone of the chainsaws, the ease at which the chisels would glide across and detail the ice, and many other tools that were put to use with a seeming effortlessness and a sense of grace by the carvers. The adults were astounded much like little children at Disney World, flashing cameras & asking more questions than a toddler. Due to the volume of people the carvers were beyond thankful that the noises of the equipment drown out the mass of questioning adults.

Throughout the day the judges called out time as it declined. When the 20 minute warning was issued, there was a rush of last minute detail performed by all. Every piece that was constructed was seemed to immediately sparkle as time expired. Relieved and exhausted, every team had successfully completed the first round of their two-day carve.

In line with the predetermined theme Kevin and Tony focused on the innocence of a child’s “hope and dreams.” Their piece features a little girl who is unknowingly guarded by an angel who watches over her as majestically as the little girl is outwardly dancing. The second day of the competition featured a single block speed carve that was to parallel the previous days’ theme of hopes and dreams.

At the close of the event Kevin and Tony placed 4th and received the “Carvers Choice” award which was a prestigious honor among well-respected industry professionals and peers.

by Third Ave Hooligan

I’m not one who believes pizza could be (or really should be) a healthy meal.  Then again, I am also a firm believer in the ideology that pizza should only be made by Italians (see our Liberty Square’s Mediterranean pie review).  I’ve heard some great reviews by others about a whole wheat pie made by Palermo’s, so the missus and I decided to be adventurous and give it a whirl.

Just upon calling for a pick-up order, the voice on the other line was friendly and inviting.  I could sense a smile on the other end of the phone.  When I picked up the pie, it was piping hot and the gentleman on the other side of the counter was kind enough to double-check that my pizza was properly topped with peppers and onions.

Upon initial inspection, you can’t even tell that the super-thin crust is made of healthy whole wheat.  The gang at Palermo’s also does a great job at piling on the toppings, but not adding too many that they’re falling off your slice when you liberate it from the rest of its compadres.

The sauce is slightly sweet, but in no way overpowering, and the cheese is plentiful.  The wheat-yness of the crust is unnoticeable until you get to the very end of the slice.  Sadly, that’s where the pie lost me.  One of my favorite parts of pizza is getting to crust and the dryness of the wheat flour did not make me want to eat the whole slice.  So, dare I say, I didn’t eat the whole slice of pie.  My wife, on the other hand, ate my crust AND ate the man-imum (3 slices for those of you who don’t know).

Another drawback is the price, the whole wheat is not cheap ($16 with 2 toppings) and only available as a large.

IMHO, there’s nothing better in life than a slightly greasy slice of ‘za and a cold beer, but I have to say that Palermo’s whole wheat pizza made me a believer that a restaurant specializing in Isreali and Mediterranean cuisine can make a fine pizza that has some healthy qualities.  I’d suggest that rather than having a beer with this pizza, you have a glass of red wine.

Six out of eight slices, because it’s heart-healthy.

Phoenixville’s own Big Green Limousine will bring their old school pop punk assault to the Bistro on Bridge this Saturday at 9PM. It’s a $5 cover, but you’ll also be treated to special guest Metal J.

Back in 1994, BGL began playing shows in basements and wherever they could find an ear (or two). After recording a demo, the quartet quickly gained an impressive following of fans and friends. The following several years were challenging as BGL sought to find their own sound and maintain permanent members. Guitar and bass players came and went…each leaving their individual mark on the evolutionary process. Skip ahead to 1999, where the remaining original members (Chris Noecker and Corey Reid) found their connection with local musicians Tom Woods and Andy Miller, fusing their line-up and forming a collective vision.

Big Green Limousine’s live show is a flurry of hard rock pop songs, laced with a driving, melodic, punk edge. Music, stage props, and the occasional costume rental have made BGL one of the area’s premiere hard rock acts. Every performance is different from the last, due in part to the band’s absolute demand for attention. Irreverent humor, audience participation, and loud, fast music are all staples of a BGL show. Their enthusiasm for performing has enabled them to sell thousands of demos, t-shirts, and other merchandise in nine different states.

To further promote the Big Green Limousine experience, the band decided to enter the studio and cut an album. With the help of producer Frank Phobia, mixer Joe Mattis of Pumptown Studio, engineer Matt Edgecomb of LVC Studios, and mastering by Tom Volpicelli, Big Green Limousine recorded their first release 40’s, Beef Jerky and Porn.

Big Green Limousine’s shameless self-promotion and attention to detail on a shoestring budget have gained them an ever increasing following and respectable sales. Their latest release, Title Track Conspiracy, can be purchased here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bgl

Cleveland was recently deemed the nation’s most miserable city (see http://tinyurl.com/yldp7oa), maybe it’s because they haven’t hosted MTV’s Real World yet. Personally, I don’t know why they could be so miserable, I mean, its got King James, Shaqtus (despite his new crappy Comcast commercials with the humungous head of Ben Stein) and Antwoin Jamison on the Cavs, who can make a serious run at the NBA crown, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, the Drew Carey show and it was the birthplace of the Cleveland Steamer.  Regardless, the Pick will be featuring three brews from the Forest City’s finest Great Lakes Brewing Co. this Thursday night (2/25) starting at 6.

The featured trio seemingly runs the gamut with n lager, an IPA and a porter.  Great Lakes’ Dortmund Gold Lager is the brewery’s flag ship beer and is made in the same manner as beers in 19^th Century Dortmund, Germany.  The beer’s name “reflects the unprecedented accolades and recognition it has earned in major worldwide beer tasting competitions” and is neither too hoppy nor too malty, according to the brewery.  More specifically, the company describes the 5.8 % ABV Dortmund Gold as “a smooth lager that strikes a delicate balance between sweet malt and dry hop flavors.” Ziggy zaggy ziggy zaggy oy oy oy!!!

The Commodore Perry IPA is described by Great Lakes as a pale ale that was exported to the multitude of British soldiers, colonial administrators and settlers in India. This pale ale style was a strong candidate for shipping due to the high potency and high level of attenuation.  With an ABV of 7.5 %, this sounds like a tasty brew if you’re a fan of IPAs.

Lastly, the dark selection is the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter.  For those of you who don’t know about the Edmund Fitzgerald, the freighter sunk while in Lake Superior in November 1975 without first sending a distress signal.  According to Wikipedia, the vessel’s crew of 29 perished with no bodies being recovered and when the wreck was found, it was discovered that the ship had broken in two. The ship was also immortalized in a 1976 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Canadian folkie Gordon Lightfoot. The Fitzgerald beer is a British-style porter with a 5.8 % ABV.

Well, depending on how Great Lakes’ selections taste, Cleveland could at least have good beer to drown their sorrows.  Hopefully the snow blizzard won’t interfere with this bi-monthly event.

I’m gonna be straight with you folks, the Handcrafted Cookie Company is freaking awesome. For a little over a year now (it opened on January 27, 2009), owners Chad and Theresa Williams have been serving up their signature cookies and doughs as well as a collection of sweet homemade treats such as sticky buns, mini gourmet cakes, brownies, macaroons, and meringues, not to mention their vast selection of tasty teas served iced, hot, and in “bubble” form (a Thai-style beverage that contains a tea base mixed with fruit, or fruit syrup, and/or milk and also contains tapioca balls).

A major facet of the HCC is their passion and commitment to healthy and natural, eco-friendly living. It has led them to the development of their natural cookie dough creations, to choose packaging made from recycled materials and green shipping options, and to offer organic, fair trade coffees, teas and other café beverages. Their hope is to provide customers with cookies made with high quality natural ingredients and delicious and unique flavors that can be home-baked to one’s own personal standards. These delectable treats are sans dubious additives, preservatives, partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), or high fructose corn syrup.

I recently stopped by the HCC to chat with Chad Williams. He’s been cooking professionally since the age of 15 and has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University. He and his wife have long had ambitions to own and operate a restaurant, so the HCC materialized as a way to test their skills, patience, and ability to work with one another. Williams said, “This was something where we could get our feet wet, work our day jobs, and figure out if we could do it without killing each other. And so far, we’ve collaborated well.”

Williams claims, “I hate to admit it, but she (Theresa) is the creative force. I have the technique, but she’s the one who has come up with just about all of things that we offer.” And what they offer is a cookie lover’s dream: Sixteen signature cookie varieties, original Handcrafted Cookie Dough Pops, cookie cakes, cookie crust cheesecakes, molten cookie pies, and custom cookie gifts, favors and platters.

The many varieties offer a little something for just about everyone, so please have a look at them all on their website – http://www.thehandcraftedcookiecompany.com. Below, I have highlighted one particular variety from each of the four flavor groupings: Chocolate, Classic, Oatmeal, and Sugar…

Chocolate Hotties – Little kicks of fiery jalapeno in a rich chocolate cookie, mellowed by the coolness of smooth, white chocolate chips.

Honey Nutsies - Honey-kissed cookies chock-full of roasted pecans, almonds and walnuts, and topped with a pistachio dusting- a rich, salty-sweet pleasure.

Blueberry Bliss Oatmeal – Sweet dried blueberries and creamy white chocolate chips swirled together in an oatmeal cookie.

Raspberry Mint – A refreshing combination of tangy raspberry preserves and minty freshness enveloped in a warm sugar cookie.

There’s a lot to like about the HCC: variety, good principles, convenience, and quality. As for business in general, Williams said, “So far so good. We’re very happy with where we’re at right now.” And that my friends is a very good thing… Consider it Phoenixville’s premiere patisserie!

N’Awlins is by far my favorite city in the U.S…great food, great atmosphere and great music.  Though I’ve never been there for actual Mardi Gras I could only imagine the debauchery and good times, especially combined with the Saints’ Super Bowl victory.

In celebration of Mardi Gras and the tastes of the Crescent City (no mention of the Saints’ win, though), Iron Hill is offerin’ up some gator gumbo and a schwarzbier (black beer) named Voodoo in honor of New Orleans’ own Dixie Brewing Company.

According to Iron Hill Head Brewer Tim Stumpf, Dixie “produced a very dark beer as their core product in a time that all other American beers were of the fizzy, yellow variety. This beer revived their brewery in hard times, but then they were ravished by Hurricane Katrina.”

The gator gumbo features authentic Creole seasonings and has hints of subtle herbal notes from German Hopes.  Stumpf explains that the darkness of the Voodoo brew mixes nicely with the soup’s dark buttery roux. The gumbo should be ready by tomorrow (Weds.) and free samples of the beer and soup will be given out then as well.

Recovery from Mardi Gras never sounded so delicious.

Wasn’t all of that snow great? Yea… It was. Even the shoveling that came with it was a breeze, if you got to it early enough. I began shoveling at 1pm on Saturday, just after the snow stopped falling. It was light and fluffy, not too much trouble at all.

Aside from clearing off my walkways, porch, and steps, I also dug out the car I had parked on the street. This was a bit more of a hassle because the space between the tire and the curb was kinda difficult to access with the shovel, but still it wasn’t a big deal. I shoveled the few feet of snow that were in front of the car, and same deal in the back.

Later Saturday afternoon / early evening, I walked down to Bridge and saw many instances of “parking spot marking” with fold out chairs. I hate this practice… always have. It’s a town-wide epidemic that must stop. In some cities, such as Washington DC, if you get caught marking a parking space you could be slapped with a fine. Does this exist in Phoenixville? If not, it should.

Just because someone clears a parking spot does not mean that person owns the space and has the right to reserve it. This was clearly evident when I glanced out at the parking spot I had cleared only to discover someone else had put a chair there!

So this individual just decided that they would claim the spot I cleared for their own… Was it because I didn’t put a chair there? I don’t know what goes through someone’s head when they are doing that, and I don’t want to know. I don’t want to play the game. I will, however, kick over any chairs that get in my way.

Bottom line, the street is a public place and no portion of it should be reserved for any one indivdual (with the exception of the handicapped).

I’d really like to hear what other people think about this, so please leave comments.

Painted Blue will return to the Pickering Creek Inn with a whole new lineup this Friday, February 5th. OneNineSixFourZero was unable to acquire details on these changes, so we’ll just have to go to the show to find out (we would have anyway).

Painted Blue’s skilled brand of folk and bluegrass (or “newgrass” as those in that genre call it) is a nice change of pace, making them a much welcomed monthly musical addition to the acts playing around town.

Tim Dodson (guitar and vocals) leads the group through songs about old-timey topics, train travel, and a myriad of emotions. As the master mood maker, Dodson’s gentle demeanor lends itself well to the overall vibe of the band. His guitarmanship is mega-legit and establishes the professionalism of the band.

As strings set the tone, Nichole Campanale definitely delivers on the fiddle. Not to be outshined, Mike Spillane makes magic on the mandolin, and Jerome McCaffrey is bangin’ on the upright bass. The chemistry between them is charming… It’s heartwarming drinking music.

Painted Blue conjures up images of fun in autumn. Even their songs with a more somber aesthetic seem to feel comfortable and warming. It’s the kind of thing that never gets old, even if it’s not modern.

Their first release Time Rolls On (2007) displays their skills wonderfully, but they’ve progressed as a band since then. Hopefully, they’ll record and release a new record soon.

Calling all Iron Hill Mug Clubbers:  have you gotten tired of lookin at that same old 2009 mug, with its’ black and blue façade? Well, get ready because now’s the time to renew your membership.  Next Thursday, Feb. 4, Iron Hill is hosting its Mug Club Renewal Party from 6 to 8 p.m.

For those of you who  don’t know about the Mug Club, it’s $35 beans per year and your account is instantly credited with 200 points.  Upon reaching 300 you earn a $25 gift card.  How are points accrued, you ask? Simple, by enjoying Iron Hill beers and food (both of which are quite tasty).  You earn a point for each dollar spent (tax, tip and purchase of gift cards not included).   On top of that, you get to keep your mug, which is a 24 oz bomber, at the time you sign up, and every time you flash your card you get your mug filled while paying the price of a pint, depending on the alcohol content of the beer (trust me, you may not be able to handle 24 oz of some of their Belgians).  That’s an extra 8 oz of beer people!!  What’s more, you also get an invite to Members-only (not the jacket) events where you can get a taste of new and specialty brews before Joe Schmoe.

Take it from me, if you regularly visit Iron Hill, this Mug Club card is a deal.

The Hill is currently featuring its Belgian Pale Ale, a light and refreshing brewski with the complexity of an Abbey ale.

More deets are available at the Web site:  http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/phoenixville/.