ART GALLERY
Believe it or not, our interests as children have shaped our careers, politics, and the passion we feel for certain causes. Just a quick look at our childhood heroes, favorite books, TV shows, video games, and other activities can say a lot about the person we grew up to be. Ryo Shimura found inspiration at a young age and a growing interest in the environment thanks to a single statue of a hippo he loved as a child. As a child the bronze statue of a hippo in a local park fascinated him, and as he grew, he learned about the great decline in hippo population. He also learned the unfortunate fact that much of it was due to poaching.
If the thought of another Friday night spent struggling to get the bartender’s attention at an overly crowded and sweaty bar or screaming to be heard above the din of top 40’s hits pulsing through blown-out overhead speakers has you down, rest assured that there are alternative nightlife options available here in Philly - ones that include neither fist pumping nor painstakingly-crafted $12 cocktails.
If your idea of an ideal Friday night revolves more along the lines of free wine, art appreciation, and intellectual conversation, mark your calendar now for the first Friday evening of every month and plan to head down to the Old City art district for the monthly gallery open house/ exhibit sneak peak known as First Friday. The Soho-like strip of galleries and event spaces between Front and Third and Market and Vine Streets serves as the epicenter of Philadelphia’s happening art scene, with 40-plus galleries packed densely among the cobblestone streets of the city’s most historic neighborhood.
Kick off 2011 at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. The stellar lineup includes DJ Juan MacLean, Holy Ghost!, Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem and DJ Jee Day. Doors open at 9:00 p.m. Don't miss out on the first party of the new year. For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
This speakeasy-esque wine den doesn’t have a sign out front so look for the Prohibition Gothic façade of the 1920s warehouse. Step up to the big metal door and enter into The Secret Wine Shop. This is your own private tasting room where you can discover ambiguous wines by the glass or bottle for your personal satisfaction.
This safe haven is now open by appointment only but you’ll want to try it. The Secret Wine Shop is part wine tasting, part wine shop and part art gallery. Pull up a stool at the wooden table in the middle of the room and take a look at the ever changing menu with hard-to-find varieties of hand crafted California wines.
Carolynne McNeel and Lauren Parker, former fashion design students at Drexel University, opened Mew Gallery in October 2006 with the bold intent of creating a community-fueled boutique. Nestled like a hidden gem amid the sidewalk groceries of the Italian Market, Mew swaps Christian Louboutin and YSL for collections from local designers like Stephanie Kao and Nicole Rae Styer. Highlights include Kao's feather-embellished headbands and Styer's decorative slips that can be worn as lingerie or a dress with tights.
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