(via someecards)

Not a fan of Valentine’s Day? You aren’t alone. First Person Arts could live without it too, and they want you to share in their collective disapproval at next week’s storyslam.

The Ex-Files, an annual First Person Arts Valentine’s Day tradition, hits World Cafe Live on Tuesday, February 14th. Ten storytellers will take to the World Cafe stage to share their true tales of love lost. Ranging from “the sweet to the sad, the hilarious to the ridiculous, it’s an unconventional night out on the most romantic day of the year.”

This particular Storyslam sold out last year, so you may want to get your tickets ahead of time. They’re only $10 for non-members, $8 for members of First Person Arts.

For more information, visit First Person Arts’ official website.

First Person Arts StorySlam: The Ex-Files
Tuesday, February 14th, 7:30pm, $10

World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
www.worldcafelive.com

This Wednesday, February 8th, Nerd Nite Philadelphia returns to Frankford Hall with (as always) a handful of awesome speakers. From a talk about using chemistry to “blow sh*t* up” (with demonstrations!) to a lecture on skydiving, this is easily the best line up I’ve seen Nerd Nite produce yet.

There are some great happy hour specials as well, including $5 half-liter drafts ($10 for a full liter), $6 for a beer and pretzel, or $8 to substitute that pretzel with a sausage. Nom!

Check out the list of the speakers and what they’re talking about, below.

Nerd Nite Philadelphia
Wednesday, February 8th, 7:30pm
philadelphia.nerdnite.com/updates

(more…)

About a week ago Drew Bacon of Music Box Dynamo sent me a tweet about his ridiculously geeky guitar, The Poppler. After watching the clip that shows off the axe (and his vocal prowess), I had to post a little something about the instrument.

Drew admits that this isn’t the fanciest guitar in the world, a simple Fender DG8 acoustic guitar… but to him, it’s pretty damn special. It’s the guitar he learned how to play music on back in 2007.

Fast forward to 2011, and he’s regularly performing with a better guitar. He spotted his old ax sitting lonely in the corner and broke out pads of paper and pencils, furiously sketching characters he admired.

“It’s a little bit of good and evil,” says Bacon about the art on the guitar, “Superman, The Death Star, Bender, Leeloo Multipass, Lord Voldemort, The Bride, Spiderman, Philadelphia Skyline, Batman, The Joker, Captain America, A Snow Willow Tree, Wolverine, The Man With No Name, Mickey Mouse, an Iron Man [Arc Reactor], and a hidden hometown logo I don’t mention unless someone spots it.”

The whole thing took a little over two months to create, and it looks awesome. And in case you didn’t know, Poppler is a brilliant Futurama reference.

Make sure to check out Music Box Dynamo as they perform all around the city over the year. The song in the video is actually about their first show together. Hit up the band on their official website and on Facebook.

Mega Bad Movie Night comes lumbering into the Academy of Natural Sciences next Thursday, February 9th, and will be poking fun at the second Jurassic Park film, The Lost World.

I’m psyched for another night of Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque hilarity with the Academy’s brilliant scientists, as they spend the evening pointing out the inaccuracies in the film. Make sure you show up early (doors open at 6:30pm), as the Academy’s staff will be showing a number of fossils from their vast Paleontology Collection.

Now, giveaway time.

I’ve got three sets of two tickets to dish out thanks to the folks at the Academy. How can you enter? Easy. Just leave a comment captioning the photo below. My three favorite entries will score a set of passes for two. I’ll contact the winners on Monday.

Good luck!

Mega-Bad Movie Night: Jurassic Park
Thursday, February 9th
mbmnthelostworld.eventbrite.com

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-1009
www.ansp.org

While Geekadelphia’s Jo absolutely adores the BBC’s Doctor Who (as you’ve likely noticed from her frequent giveaways and smokin’ TARDIS dress) I’m a big fan of the BBC’s underdog series, Primeval.

The premise behind the show is pretty ridiculous, even for BBC standards, but undeniably entertaining. Glimmering portals (known as Anomalies), are opening through out England, letting prehistoric (and sometimes mythical) creatures into our time. A ragtag group of scientists, soldiers, government officials and students are assembled to lead the charge against the time altering threat, with dramatic and action packed results.

I’ve been subscriber to the show since it popped up for sale on iTunes, and was thrilled when the BBC sent me Volume 3 of Primeval on Blu-ray to scope out and giveaway.

Trailer for Season 1, so you have an idea

I’d dish out details on the plot, but for those of you new to the series… well, spoilers! So let’s just talk about the release.

Volume 3 of Primeval isn’t packaged the way you might think, giving you all of season 3. Nope, instead, you’re getting all of season 4 and 5, thirteen action packed episodes in total. The digital transfer is fantastic. As someone who’s used to watching the series in standard definition via iTunes, the HD Blu-ray quality looks just great. And the special features are nice too, giving you a great making-of entitled New Dawn: Making the New Primeval.

All in all, this is a great box set for fans of the show. High resolution, excellent making of documentary, and two full seasons in one nice package. And hey, if you’ve never seen the program, enter in the giveaway and catch up on the show. You’ll love it, promise.

So about that giveaway! I’m giving away Volume 3 of Primeval on Blu-ray to one lucky commenter. Leave a comment about your favorite prehistoric creature, I’ll choose one of you at random and send you your copy. Good luck!

Alright, picking up chocolates and sweets for your beau on Valentine’s Day is cute and all, but why not give that special someone an evening of desserts they will truly remember?

Our good friends over at Whipped Bakeshop, who we adore for their frequently geektastic creations (see Battlestar Galactica cake, Master Chief and Star Wars cookies), will be hosting a series of special couple’s cake decorating workshops in February.

It’s only $55 per couple and they’ll provide a 6″ cake (your choice of chocolate, vanilla, or red velvet) for you and your date to decorate together.

Sessions run Thursday, February 9th, 11th, and 14th, each from 7pm to 9pm. Space is limited, so call soon to save your spot. For contact information, visit their official website.

Whipped Bakeshop
www.whippedbakeshop.com

Jennifer Hall, who many of you might know as that cute girl from Whipped Bakeshop with the R2D2 bike helmet, is at it again… this time, crafting some seriously adorable Stormtrooper leggings. How’d she make these? Check out the details on her blog.

I designed the stamp and printed the leggings, but I didn’t use the proper fabric paint. Instead, I used acrylic paint with some corn starch mixed in to increase its opacity. I think fabric paint would have been better; they have a little bit of a hand-printed rustic look (which I actually love), but we’ll see if the fabric paint brings more awesomeness to the table.

It does Jenn. So much awesomeness. You can scope out a ton of photos on her blog, and I highly recommend you do.

Oh and Jenn, if you’re reading this… please stop. Our nerdy hearts can’t take much more. *sigh*

Stormtrooper Leggings @ Philly Rawr Blog

Mega Bad Movie Night is back at the Academy of Natural Sciences, and screening a surprisingly not bad movie. The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

The evening starts a little earlier this time around, with doors opening at 6:30pm, giving attendees a chance to look around the museum. The Academy’s staff will have a number of fossils from their Paleontology Collection on display.

Unfamiliar with Mega Bad Movie Night? Shame on you. The knowledgeable (and surprisingly hilarious) staff at the Academy of Natural Sciences take to the stage while screening an outrageous film, and spend the next hour and a half pointing out the scientific inaccuracies within, Mystery Science Theater 3000 style. Free nibbles and beer are up for grabs beforehand.

And of course, we’ll have some sort of epic ticket giveaway. Check back next week, geeks.

Mega-Bad Movie Night: Jurassic Park
Thursday, February 9th
mbmnthelostworld.eventbrite.com

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-1009
www.ansp.org

This Thursday, January 19th, the Academy of Natural Sciences is hosting the first-of-the-year Urban Sustainability Forum on “many [of the] current efforts to make Philadelphia more pedestrian-friendly.”

The experts attending will talk about ways our lovely city can continue to improve how walkable our streets are, and offer up “various health, economic, and environmental benefits to its residents.”

Speakers include:

Bob Thomas (Moderator), Founding Partner, Campbell Thomas & Co. Architects; Trail Designer
Bradley Flamm, Assistant Professor, Department of Community and Regional Planning and Research Fellow, Center for Sustainable Communities at Temple University
Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director, Clean Air Council
Dom Nozzi, Adjunct Professor, University of Colorado at Boulder; Urban Design Consultant
Debby Schaaf, Senior Planner, Philadelphia City Planning Commission; Chair of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Task Force

You can register for the event for free here on Eventbrite. For more information, visit the Academy of Natural Sciences’ official website.

Walkability: Philadelphia Strides Into the Future
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Networking Reception: 6:00–6:30 pm, Program 6:30–8:30 pm
phillywalks.eventbrite.com

Miracle Beads

Last week, the National Constitution Center announced a number of events tied to the upcoming From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen exhibit. Parties, screenings, and a special appearance by Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez (the original E Street Band drummer) are just some of the highlights.

The National Constitution Center detailed the events in a press release. Scope ‘em out below. (more…)

What would the Founding Fathers think of Facebook? You gotta admit, that is one intriguing question, especially as Philadelphians. I mean, we kinda love those guys.

What would they have thought about using technology to bring down governments, serve as a platform to get folks elected, draft new laws, etc? Would they have loved Facebook and Twitter, or loathed it?

Well, next week the National Constitution Center is going to try to help answer that question, thanks to a visit from “bestselling author Lori Andrew, New York Times reporter Jennifer Preston and Forbes blogger Kashmir Hill to discuss the erosion of privacy online.”

Lori will be talking about her book I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy, and will be joined by Preston and Hill, on Thursday, January 12th at 6:30pm. Admission is only $7 for members of the NCC, $10 for non-members.

Founding Fathers & Social Media Talk @ the NCC
Thursday, January 12th, 6:30pm

National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street (19106)
(215) 409-6600
www.constitutioncenter.org

Photo via the Philly Metro

This Sunday, Philadelphia’s version of Improv Everywhere’s No Pants Subway Ride will gather at City Hall for a two hour ride that crosses the city and confuses the hell out of commuters.

Pantsless riders will take the Orange Line South to Ellsworth from City Hall, then transfer and came back up North to City Hall. After that, they’ll hop on the Blue Line (with pants still off) and head up to 69th.

Want to join in the fun? Concerned about the legality of something like this? Visit the event’s official Facebook page for details.

Good luck, and please, wear cute underwear.