In Philadelphia, we have the cheesesteak. I have personally seen people argue about where to get the best cheesesteak and how it should be made (wit? onions?) for hours at a time. In Chicago it is deep dish pizza. In the south it’s barbeque. Every area has that one food that is distinctly theirs and theirs alone. And in Sweden it is the semlor.

Originally a pre-Lent dessert, it has since become a treat you can enjoy in Sweden all year long. For those that don’t know, a semlor is a puff pastry filled with almond paste and whipped cream, served alongside strong coffee. Swedes have been know to compete to see who can make the best semlor and take part is surveys to find the best in town.

Now you can find out what all the fuss is about as the American Swedish Historical Museum presents Selmor and a Movie on Saturday, February 18th. For $12 in advance or $15 at the door you can enjoy some fresh made selmor and coffee and watch a movie at the same time. Not a bad deal at all.

The American Swedish Historical Museum is located at 1900 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia and they ask that you RSVP by February 13th. So put down your bagel or cheesesteak and go try something new. You might find that you have a new favorite dessert before the night is over.

The American Swedish Historical Museum
www.americanswedish.org

When doing pre-production on a film, one of the most important things to do before your cameras start to roll is the script read through.  The read through is a great way to not only let the actors practice their parts and get a feel for their characters; but it also gives the director and writer a chance to see if the dialogue works and feels natural.

The Dysfunctional Screenwriters Society, a screenwriting/networking group in Philadelphia is holding an event called “The Big A** Read Through” at The Free Library of Philadelphia on February 22 from 6-9pm. The event will take scripts submitted by local screenwriters and pick 4 to have read aloud by local actors. There will also be a seminar by Adam Lebovitz speaking about the pre-production process and his experience in the film industry.

So check out their official website to submit your 10-30 page script to try and get it read at the event.

Mercury Radio Theater (Jo chatted with them back in September) has put together an exciting murder mystery themed event entitled The Death of Mercury Radio Theater, taking place this weekend at Johnny Brenda’s.

Mercury’s most recently released album Kilroy was the final in their LP “Monster Series” installments. Now with The Death of Mercury Radio Theater, the band will kill off their longest running characters, with the only hope of finding the murderous culprit will be left in the hands of the audience.

Mercury will have a number of special guest musicians on hand to help properly eulogize the recently deceased as well as music acts Gringo Hotel and Cape Wrath. Clue themed burlesque interludes will be performed by D20 Burlesque troupe.

Be sure to join Mercury Radio Theater for this eclectic event that will sure to be a feast for the ears, mind and eyes. Help solve the mystery Saturday February 11th starting at 8pm. This is a 21+ over event so remember your ID along with your Sherlock Holmes cap!

Check out the Facebook Event Page here.

The Death of Mercury Theater Radio
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
www.facebook.com/events/ 271382389587485

Johnny Brenda’s
1201 Frankford Avenue (19125)
(215) 739-9684
www.johnnybrendas.com

The 16th annual Israeli Film Festival is back, showcasing Israeli life and culture from February 25th through April 1st.

With screenings of 9 films in venues throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, the six-week Festival features prize-winning films exclusively by Israeli filmmakers. The Festival celebrates Israeli cinema with the aim of enriching the American vision of Israeli culture and society through film.

For a list of the films playing and advanced ticket sales check out their website at www.iffphila.com. A limited number of free tickets for high school and college students are available for each screening and can be reserved online as well.

The 16th Annual Israeli Film Festival
February 25th – April 1st, 2012
www.iffphila.com

If you’re a genre fan in Philadelphia, there are two events that have become mandatory throughout the year. The first being Exhumed Films 24 Hour Horror-thon and the second being Exhumed Films eX-Fest; now in its second year.

I attended last year’s eX-Fest, which was 12 hours of some really rare and amazing exploitation from almost every sub-genre you could possible think of… and a few I never even imagined.

Well, tickets just went on sale last week for this year’s iteration of eX-Fest and I can’t wait to see what the guys at Exhumed Films have in store for us. eX-Fest will take place at the iHouse on Sunday, April 29th from 11:00am until 11:00pm and tickets are a mere $25 for 12 hours films all projected in 35mm.

My only suggestion is if you are thinking about going, getting your tickets sooner than later. It seems like as word continues to spread about Exhumed these events they tend to sell out quicker and quicker. Get your tickets here, while they last!

Today we talk to Cory Anotado, a good friend of mine and a graduate of La Salle University’s Digital Art and Multimedia Design program. Sadly, since we did this interview, he’s moved down to Baltimore to be an Interactive Production Developer at GKV Communications. However, we’re being nice and posting it anyway.

Of all the geeks I know, Cory is hands-down the biggest game geek, and I’m not talking video games.

How did you get into loving game shows so much?

I blame my grandmother for keeping the TV on while she watched me when I was a kid. Family Feud was at 10, and then the Price is Right was at 11. Various cable game shows, like Press Your Luck, Debt and some USA originals were in the afternoon. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune came on at 7. I suppose saturation breeds obsession.

Tell me about your favorite game show and why.

Narrowing my favorite game show down to one is an oft-requested, futile task. If it’s based on current consumption, then it would be the British game show QI: Quite Interesting. It’s a panel show flanked at the help by Stephen Fry. They ask seemingly simple questions like, “Who was the first President of the United States? And give the seemingly complex (and quite interesting) answer of “Peyton Randolph.” Other shows I enjoy are Pointless (a British game show best described as ‘Backwards Family Feud’), Jeopardy!, Press Your Luck and Family Feud.

What’s something obscure about game shows that most people don’t know about?

I think the most obscure face about game shows is the amount of minutiae that people commit to memory. Although the fan base of game shows online is small, it’s fervent and as nerdy as any other fandom online. You can read more about it in Ken Jennings’ book Brainiac.

How many game shows have you been a guest on?

I appeared on Jep!, the children’s version of Jeopardy! airing on GSN, in 1998. I was a contestant on the grown-up version of Wheel of Fortune in 2004, when they taped a Teen Best Friends Week here in Philly. While in the Philippines in 2006, I snuck into a taping of a Filipino game show called “Wowowee” at ABS-CBN studios in Quezon City. I won the P10,000 (equivalent to $200 USD), not bad at all!

What kind of games do you enjoy designing?

I enjoy making intellectual online games that don’t rely on twitch mechanics to succeed. I also enjoy making physical board games based on topics you wouldn’t normally see as a board game. I’ve already crafted a game based on baseball (PDSN Diceman Baseball) and pitching television shows (Pitch Machine). Down the pipeline, I’ve got a name based on running a restaurant. All of my board games can be purchased at The Game Crafter.

Philadelphia’s very own Red Tettemer + Partners, still hot on the heels with being the first Philly ad agency to create a Super Bowl ad, has just cooked up something sweet for The Melting Pot this Valentine’s Day.

They’ve created a simple app for the chain of restaurants called Cupid’s Fondue Forks for a contest running through February 17th. It’s accessible from the Melting Pot’s Facebook page.

Basically, like the Melting Pot on Facebook, enter the app and launch a fork at someone you’ve got your sights set on. Flinging that fork enters you a chance at winning one of 10 $100 gift cards. Ten randomly-selected winners will be announced on February 21st.

Good luck!

The Melting Pot Restaurants on Facebook

We could spend hours unexpectedly discussing Star Trek; from the good, the bad and to the ugly, error-riddled decision making of Captain Janeway. Why not join a crew of Trekkies at the regular Philadelphia Star Trek meetups?

The next meetup is happening at 2pm on Sunday, February 12th at the hackerspace Hive76. From what we’re told, attendees will be watching back-to-back episodes of The Original Series and The Next Generation. Rounding out the afternoon will be a co-operative starship bridge simulation using Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulation with a Star Trek mod on top.

The folks at Hive76 tell us it’s essentially a live-action roleplaying game aided by computers, and they’re seeking to complete their bridge crew with an engineering and science officers. Do you have what it takes to be Spock of Scotty?

Philadelphia Star Trek February Meetup
2pm @ Hive76
915 Spring Garden St. Suite 519
Philadelphia, PA 19123

If you grew up during the ’80s and early ’90s (you know — before it was cool to be a geek), you probably remember hearing that video games (and rap, and metal, and Dungeons & Dragons) were all tools of the devil. But what if there were some truth to those rumors? What if those old school cartridge games really were, literally, portals to hell, capable of unleashing a zombie apocalypse? Then you might end up with something like Underbelly’s upcoming comic Nerds Girls Guns & Ghouls, described as “Retro gaming meets the grindhouse” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. Evil Dead.”

Underbelly, for readers who don’t know, is a South Jersey-based review and skit comedy crew who draw their inspiration from video games, comic books, the Internet and all aspects of geek culture. Underbelly has enjoyed huge success, garnering over 25,000 YouTube subscribers, a legion of Facebook fans and weekly video posts that have accumulated over 1.3 million total views. Sounds like Underbelly’s onto something here — and what better to celebrate than with a comic book?

Nerds Girls Guns & Ghouls is an homage to the geek culture Underbelly loves: Despite rumors that an old ’80s game, Castle Quest, has the ability to open a portal to hell, the Underbelly team plays the cartridge they mysteriously receive in the mail, unleashing a zombie apocalypse that can be stopped only with guns and scantily-clad women. (Don’t worry, ladies; this is a “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” kind of deal. I think.) With punchy dialogue and gorgeous artwork — a mix of standard comic art, manga and 8 bit graphics — Nerds Girls Guns & Ghouls looks to be a blast. Unholy video games and geeks with shotguns slaying zombies — what more could you want?

To scope out some of the artwork, visit the comic’s official Facebook page. We can’t wait to get our hands on this!

(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