My homeboy was a Baboon
Darwin Day
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Art & Archaeology
3260 South St.
Sun, 1 p.m., free
(215) 898-4000
www.museum.upenn.edu
Natural selection, origin of species, evolution --- do these phrases sound familiar to you? Perhaps you've managed to catch such words in between frequent catnaps in Biology 101. Whether you're a science nerd, an art history buff or a Wharton robot, you have undoubtedly heard of Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory. Penn's Museum of Art and Archaeology wants you to get down with your naturally-selected self in celebration of Charles Robert Darwin's 198th birthday. With everything from expert lecturers to plaster bone casts, Darwin Day is a party you don't want to miss. Rumor has it that Darwin himself will be on hand to read from his own books, eat birthday cake and play badminton, allegedly one of the world's most evolved games. Plus, you can add to your bookshelf by picking up a free copy of Darwin's Origin of Species. Free cake, badminton, and books - it's good to be on the winning end of evolution.
-Lauren Talman
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Festival
Philadelphia New Play Festival
Until Feb. 18, times & prices vary
www.theateralliance.org
If you're the type of person that must have the newest version of everything, then make sure to check out the first ever Philadelphia New Play Festival. Festival events include the world premier of nine plays at theaters all over the city, readings of 14 new plays and panels of playwrights and directors discussing their upcoming works. At 20 bucks, a festival pass saves you some serious moolah on performance tickets and restaurant bills at places like Fork, L2 and Astral Plane. For those desperately trying to plan something original for Valentine's Day, L2 is hosting The Wedding Consultant and offering special deals on tickets and dinner for the 14th. What's more romantic than watching a wedding gone awry, complete with angry lesbians and missing groom(s)? When you get lucky later for being so brilliant, remember us. Or would that be weird.?
-Sarah Cantin
they will beat your ass
Yo La Tengo
The Trocadero
1003 Arch St.
Sun, 8 p.m., $16.50
(215) 922-LIVE
www.yolatengo.com
Yo La Tengo can't decide who they want to be. Are they love balladeers eager to make women heave? Are they poppy indie musicians, wanting nothing more than to make the crowd shake? Are they harbingers of summer, reminding their fans how much better life is by the ocean? Or are they philosophical noisemakers, getting people to think they are contemplative, and in effect, sexy? Whatever they are, their eclecticism has been working for 13 albums and some 20 years. Their latest effort, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, topped Billboard's independent music chart and made many magazines' Top Albums of 2006 lists. Known for their performances of obscure cover songs, Yo La Tengo's live show is not to be missed.
-Pamela Takefman
Hands off the Live nudes
The Naked at the Philadelphia Museum Scavenger Hunt
Philadelphia Museum of Art
26th St. & Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
Sat, 2 p.m., $25
(877) 9GO-HUNT
www.watsonadventures.com
Fancy Nancy Drew? A Sherlock Holmes enthusiast? Well, finally a chance to let your inquisitive skills shine. But this ain't your little brother's third grade birthday party. Watson Adventures caters toward the adult crowd with their innovative scavenger hunts. This one even rewards you for finding nudity! Hot, voluptuous Rubenesque women not your thing? Other hunts have you on the prowl for clues to help solve the murder of a (fictional) museum curator. Teams of up to six compete against each other to answer the most questions correctly about various works of art and sites of interest. Winners will receive what the company deems a "rare" and "coveted" Watson Adventures T-shirt. Come tackle down fellow Philadelphians for the sake of that damn T-shirt and maybe learn a little about art along the way.
-Marianne O'Brien
We will eat your stripes
Penn vs. Princeton Basketball
The Palestra
220 S. 32nd St.
Tue, 7 p.m., $14-20
(215) 898-6151
www.pennathletics.com
After the Quakers face off against the Dartmouth Big Green and the Harvard Crimson this weekend, they will have ample time to set their sights on the Princeton Tigers - our traditional rival for the Ivy League Championship and the only Ivy that Penn has yet to play. This season has seen record weakness for Princeton, however, and even the most pacifist of Coach Glen Miller's Quakers should have no problem hunting Tigers this Tuesday at the Palestra. Ibby Jabber's quick moves and Mark Zoller's dexterity have the potential to turn this affair into a free-for-all. Not only are the Tigers winless in the conference, they have scored the least points of any team in the whole NCAA. Nothing like saving the worst for last.
-Jon Treble
