Varga Bar

Oh. My. God.

Varga bar is opening next Wednesday 5/20!

Sneak Peak via Meal Ticket!

Tap List:

• Founders Breakfast Stout
• Founders Double Trouble
• Founders Backwoods Bastard
• Sly Fox Helles Lager
• Sly Fox O’Reilly’s Stout
• Victory Prima Pils
• Victory Root Beer
• Victory Lager
• Green Flash Triple
• Stone Ruination
• Legacy Hoptimus Prime
• Russian River Damnation
• Flying Fish Farmhouse Ale
• Flying Fish Imperial Espresso Porter
• Flying Fish Cask Ale
• Bells Porter
• Allagash Triple
• Ithaca Apricot Wheat
• Rogue Hazelnut Brown
• Rogue Imperial Pilsner
• Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA
• Dogfish Head Black & Blue
• Troegs Hopback

And Growlers! Roger is going to piss himself!

photo by Drew Lazor via Meal Ticket

Siete de Mayo

The rain finally let up last night, so I surprised Roger by taking him on a bike ride with a 6pack of Negra Modelo in tow to La Lupe, where the best tacos in the city are served. It was a lovely night and it seems like La Lupe was still recovering from Cinco de Mayo, so Siete de Mayo was chill. 

Queso Taco + Chorizo Taco + Flan =  love

Afterwards, we took a nice long bike ride home, ran into a dog who despised skateboards so much, he ran after them (while some one was riding it, mind you) and bit it out from under this poor kid's feet. We also discovered a Banjo-centric concert happening behind the Mummers Museum. 

Philly Love.

36 Hours in Philadelphia

This week's NYTimes 36 Hours is right here in Philly.

It's a nice little slice of the city. 

I especially like the inclusion of Fabric Row, Zahav, 

& biking Kelly Drive.

And I'm glad all of my secret Philly spots weren't published.

Save Arts in Philadelphia!

Please take a moment and send this Action Letter to our State Decision Makers about the dire situation of Arts funding in Pennsylvania. 

The Pennsylvania State Senate is calling for ZERO funding for arts and culture in the FY 09-10 state budget.. If the Senate version (SB 850) prevails, there will be no arts and culture grants in the state of Pennsylvania starting on July 1 of this year (PCA and PHMC).

Institutions (like our beloved ICA) depend on these to-be-cut grants for their  exhibitions. I'm not usually one to send out dire-situation action letter requests...

But this one is important to me.

Please take a few clicks. And send the letter.

Many thanks,

Darcey

Whiskey Village

Ooooh, Foobooz has the low-down on Village Whiskey, a Jose Garces restaurant slated to open in June. I'm really excited to see it. The location isn't too far from Tinto, another Garces spot, and most likely my favorite Garces in the city. Love the concept and menu, and I know Roger will appreciate the whiskey and bourbon selection. I can't wait to get a bison burger, spicy cheddar popcorn and a prohibition cocktail...

The Space

• Corner of 20th and Sansom
• Interior designed by Jun Aizaki of Creme Design Collective
• Inspired by turn-of-the-century social clubs and old-fashioned liquor advertisements.
• Black and white tiled floors, white tiled walls
• Russet leather banquettes
• Marble topped tables
• Pewter bar
• 30 seats

The Menu

• The menu will feature bar snacks, burgers and raw bar
• All items from $4 to $20
• Chef de Cuisine is Dave Conn
• Highlights include:
  • Seasonal oysters and clams
  • Charcuterie and cheese plate
  • Housemade cheesy puffs
  • Spicy cheddar popcorn
  • Honey roasted Smokey Mountain Peanuts
  • House-cured pickles
  • Ground to order Angus beef burger
  • Veggie burger
  • Bison burger
  • Burgers topped with house-made thousand island dressing, Bibb letuce, beefsteak tomato and potato-beer bun
  • Optional toppings include bacon, caramelized onion, truffles, artichokes
  • Vienna all-beef hot dog
  • Duck fat French fries

The Drinks

• Between 80 and 100 varieties of whiskey, bourbon, rye and scotch from:
  • Scotland
  • Canada
  • Ireland
  • United States
  • Japan
• Prohibition Cocktails (Traditional)
  • Manhattan, mixed using house-made bitters
  • Old Fashioned, with Noah’s Mill bourbon, Boissiere Italian vermouth, Fee’s Brothers oak-aged bitters, cherry and orange
  • Sazerac, with Sazerac rye, Herbsaint absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters and lemon
  • Philadelphia Fish House Punch, in the style of the sangrias of Amada and Tinto, with rum, brandy, peach brandy, lemon, lime, orange and maraschino.
• Repeal (Contemporary Cocktails)
  • Village Idiot, Fighting Cock Kentucky straight 108-proof whiskey with The Bruery Black Orchard seasonal black wheat beer and ginger
  • The Latin Quarter Club, Cazadores reposado tequila, Flor de Cana rum, Johnny Walker Red, grapefruit and grapefruit bitters
  • Sansom Street Flip, Charbay blood orange vodka, seasonal fruit and egg white.
• Cocktails will range in price from $11 to $18
• Exclusively American craft beers
• Wine list will focus on sparkling wines

Whiskey Village @ Foobooz

Philly in a bag

I've seen these map tote bags before. Very cute - I especially like the natural beach totes. And I'm all about city pride... but WTF is up with the "Philadelphia Bag"? I'm disappointed to see that the only things my wonderful city has going for it are The Liberty Bell, Rocky, and the LOVE statue, lest we forget that this is the city of brotherly love. I didn't realize that I'm living in a city comprised entirely of tourist traps. I'm surprised there isn't a greasy cheesesteak in the middle. Ugh, even the font is less than desirable! 

I'm still waiting with bated breath for my Philadelphia Ork poster. Hopefully that will be at least a bit more pleasing to the eye. And I'll be on the lookout for more Philly map totes - a great idea for out-of-town wedding guest gift bags.