Alex Koppelman
ARTICLES
Hallcest 101
In the days of yore, Street editors would fuck with freshmen every week. Now, we only do it occasionally.
The resurrection
The Marigold Kitchen, formerly known as the Marigold Dining Room, has been around in some form or another for 70 years now, tucked away on 45th and Larchwood, but it may have finally hit the bigtime with its newest incarnation.
Ego
Looney toons
Comedy Central has always tended to the absurd -- foul-mouthed eight-year-olds, fake news shows and the idea that Colin Quinn is funny, for example.
Ordinary people
The little boy in John Legend doesn't come out until his album comes on. He's an animated person normally, sure, but play a little of his album and an excited smile begins to light up across his face.
Film
$300 An Hour
Some Kind of Monster, a new documentary about iconic heavy-metal group Metallica, will undoubtedly inspire some comparisons to the seminal mockumentary This is Spinal Tap.
And to some degree, that's valid.
Music
Spear-mint
Michael Franti is 6'6" and thin -- wiry, some might say. Long dreadlocks peek out the front and back of the hat he customarily wears onstage, but they never seem to stay contained.
From the editor
I've gotten some complaints that my last column just plain wasn't funny, so I thought I'd start this one off with a joke.
Lowbrow
Money Munching
There's a new porn video coming out, and for the first time in my life, I'm tempted to go out and buy it.
Music
The Way They Move
Dave Navarro once said that going solo is the kiss of death. Then he went solo. Now he's playing guitar for Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Life Saver
George McMahon smokes ten joints a day, over a quarter ounce of marijuana. The street value of that amount of marijuana is over $100, but since 1992, McMahon has been getting it for free.
Film
Guilty Pleasure
I've admitted it before, and I'll admit it again: I love MTV's reality shows. Real World, Road Rules, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, Fraternity Life, Sorority Life, True Life, The Osbournes, Newlyweds. They're all masterpieces, Shakespearean in their comedy, tragedy and poetry.
Music
Time to relapse
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Fuck Nirvana.
Credit where credit is due, the real impetus for the alt-rock revolution of the early 1990's wasn't Seattle and Nirvana.
Fingers, wings, and indie music
Stepping in to fill the void below Smoke's left by Fingers, Wings, and Things is Milan Marvelous: artist, musician, certified prosthesist, with his new store The Marvelous, selling all sorts of books, music and comic books.
Not for all the tea in Philly
"My husband and I are big tea drinkers," says Lynette Chen, proprietor of the Tea Leaf, a teashop in Reading Terminal Market, as she reaches to a hot water tap.
"This is what i understand"
Sami Dakko has been running Rami's, a Mediterranean food cart at 40th and Locust for 18 years now, since he came to the country from Lebanon, and his consistently good food has made him something of a celebrity on campus.
Music
Digging in the crates
Hip-Hop musicians have never felt a particular tie to the album format. Some purists might have a problem with that, but in some cases, it can work out quite well.
Film
Surprisingly angelic
I felt a bit defensive tonight. At some point in every conversation I've had, I had to throw up my arms in a mock defensive posture and say, "No, really, I'm not kidding.
Who's Tommy?
Tommy Dinic's is a minimalist place. A countertop with barstools rings a small area where one waitress and three cooks bustle about filling orders.
Music
Smooth and Tasty
It's always refreshing to hear a band not afraid to bring plenty of different styles into its playing, and Soulive is just such a band.
Music
Disc Ressurection
I have a confession to make. I have a horrible secret, one that may ruin any bits of a social life I have here at Penn, one that I did my best to keep secret, a part of my life I thought closed when I left all those who knew me as a child.
PennConnects
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