Art

2012 Street Fairs and Fests!

2012 Street Fairs and Fests!

It’s here! Cheap Date Philadelphia’s extremely handy and quite dandy list of Street Fairs and Fests for summer 2012! As you well know, Cheap Dater is a huge fan of festivals. It gets you outside, there’s lots to see, hear, and talk about, and there’s always plenty of cheap eats and treats. Good for a first date, a friend date or a group date – a win, win, win! Check back often for updates, share with your friends, and let cheapdatephiladelphia@gmail.com know if there’s a festival that should be added! Happy Festing! MAY 26-MAY 27: Sundrop Music and Arts Festival. Live Music all day at the Fire, 412 W. Girard(1-8pm). MAY 28: Memorial Dei Picnic and Music Fest at Old Swede’s Church (noon-6pm – $10 entry). MAY 31-JUNE 3: Greek Festival at St. George’s Cathedral. Enjoy homemade Souvlaki, gyro, mousaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, baklava, play Coach Bag Bingo, listen to Greek music, learn…

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A Museum Date at the Perelman

Perelman

Museums make great dates. And the Philadelphia Museum of Art is world-class. But at $16 a head, it’s sadly out of range for this cheap dater. And though the museum kindly offers pay-what-you-wish admission on the first Sunday of every month, those days are predictably crowded – not necessarily the laid-back atmosphere you’re looking for on a date. What most people don’t realize, however, is that the Art Museum is not just the big building on the hill; it also includes the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building just across the street. With a stunning art deco facade outside, and sleek modern exhibit spaces inside, the Perelman is plenty impressive in it’s own right. The Perelman has showcased many of the museum’s collections, sometimes for the first time, yet it’s hardly ever mobbed. And because it is a smaller space, you can see everything in one visit without feeling overwhelmed,…

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THANK GOODNESS ITS FIRST FRIDAY!

THANK GOODNESS ITS FIRST FRIDAY!

On the first Friday of every month, Philadelphia’s art galleries stay open late and welcome everyone — from casual passerby to serious collectors — to come in and peruse their current curations.  The aptly dubbed “First Friday” has been happening, rain or shine, since 1991, and has become one of the city’s most visible and popular events.  Although historically focused on the 40+ galleries between Front and Vine and Market and 3rd streets in Old City, First Friday open houses are now hosted by galleries all over the city, from Space 1026 in Chinatown to the Projects Gallery in Northern Liberties to Highwire in Fishtown.  The best thing about this expansion is that, even though every First Friday shares the same core elements, depending on who’s showing what where, you can have a radically different experience every single time. How cheap we talkin’: FREE! Why this will impress your date: Because you can show you…

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I’m Seeing Other Blogs #2: Claire Folkman takes me to the Comix Jam

I’m Seeing Other Blogs #2: Claire Folkman takes me to the Comix Jam

My date’s stats:  Blog: Claire Folkman: A Web Comic Age: Started blogging in September 2008. Likes: Beef, noodle soup, word bubbles, young love. Dislikes: Superheros. Little Known Fact: Ms. Folkman is a vociferous reader of dime-store romance novels.  She likes them for the happy endings. Favorite Cheap Date:  Free Student Recitals at the Curtis Institute Claire Folkman is a self-described mid-twenties art hipster who writes an autobiographical comic about a mid-twenties art hipster named Claire Folkman.  But that is by no means all.  She is also a conceptual artist, a memoir comic web-blogger, and a most charming date. She has an art show coming up May 6-July 7, 2011 at the DCCA in Wilmington (accessible by SEPTA!) featuring her captivating video work that transforms life’s absurdities into one profound comic strip (or transforms life’s profundities into one absurd comic strip). Meanwhile her blog contains wry and insightful comics, reflections on art school classes…

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“Whenever Wednesdays” at the Institute for Contemporary Art

“Whenever Wednesdays” at the Institute for Contemporary Art

The Philadelphia Institute for Contemporary Art (“ICA”), located at 118 South 36th street on Penn’s campus in University City, is a nationally recognized museum dedicated to exhibiting innovative painting, art, and sculpture by contemporary (i.e., living) artists.  Founded in 1963, the museum gave Andy Warhol his first museum exhibition, and continues to have a reputation for identifying emerging bright stars in the art world.  The ICA is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, but stays open until 8pm on Wednesdays for “Whenever Wednesdays,” a rotating series of lectures, discussions, and screenings, usually connected somehow with the current exhibits. The best part? It’s FREE! That means that you’ll have plenty of cash left to indulge in a drink or a bite at a spot nearby, like the cozy and popular White Dog Cafe. How cheap we talkin’: Admission is FREE! The rest is up to you. Besides, White Dog, other fun watering holes near the ICA include POD…

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Brunch at Fitzwater Cafe, then Browse at Fleisher Gallery

Brunch at Fitzwater Cafe, then Browse at Fleisher Gallery

The Fitzwater Café is a bright, cheerful, and surprisingly affordable brunch spot in Bella Vista.  A classic breakfast of eggs, toast, and home fries is only $5.00, which means you can order bottomless coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice without breaking the bank.  For those with more of a morning sweet tooth, Pancakes and French Toast are each only $5.50.  After a leisurely brunch, it’s only a short stroll to the Fleisher Art Memorial  gallery at 719 Catherine street.  In addition to curating multiple art exhibitions throughout the year, the Fleisher also offers free (with membership) art classes for both children and adults. How cheap we talkin’: $5.00-$5.50 for breakfast, $1.75 for coffee, $2.95 for O.J., and approximately $3 for a must-have shared dessert (plus tax and tip). Entry to the Fleisher is FREE! Why this will impress your date:  As the oldest free community art school in the United States, Fleisher will impress both history and…

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