From now until February 29th, Hot Diggity is displaying the artwork of local illustrator and food lover, Hawk Krall. Prints and original paintings are also on sale. Hawk’s name (aside from sounding like one of the coolest you’ve ever heard) might be familiar for readers of Serious Eats, as a regular contributor.

His wonderful cartoon-like food illustrations are seemingly endless in number. Many are based on real foods from his travels. The detailed listing of ingredients on his work should delight any foodie with a taste for art. If you’ve ever been to Hot Diggity, he’s the one responsible for each one of their beautiful menu items. Said menu item prints are also on sale for the first time.

Be sure to stop in, enjoy some hot dogs and check out Hawk’s artwork.

Hot Diggity
630 South Street (19147)
www.thehotdiggity.com

Interested in seeing more of Hawk Krall’s artwork? Be sure to check out his website.

The Academy of Natural Sciences’ annual Paleopalooza festival returns this weekend, bringing two days of family-friendly, dinosaur-related festivities with it.

Guests can look forward to browsing through the Academy’s “world-renowned collections as well as displays from the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society. Visitors will meet Academy scientists and learn what it’s like to reconstruct the past using fossils, imagination, and sound science.”

Other festivities include hands-on activities, arts and crafts, tours, interactive presentations (including a live show with Dr. Scott Sampson, star of the hit PBS children’s series Dinosaur Train), and more.

Tickets are a mere $7.50. For more information and to pick up tickets, visit the Academy’s official website.

Paleopalooza @ the Academy
February 18th & 19th, 2012
www.ansp.org/paleopalooza/advanced-non-members.php

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

You know, for all the stories about gamers ignoring their significant others for their consoles and keyboards, there are some great examples of gamer geeks going above and beyond to profess their love for one another. Need a little inspiration or digital courage this Valentine’s Day? Check out some of the best video game related proposals below.

5. Comic Con Halo Proposal (Above): When you and your lady are in the habit of reenacting scenes from popular Halo machinima Red vs. Blue, having an audience at Comic Con is no big deal. Besides, you’ve got helmets on, right?

But what happens when our partner goes off script and decides to make things a little more… personal?

4. Super Mario Proposal: There’s something to be said for knowing what the love of your life really enjoys. Super Mario Brothers, for example. This guy really nails it.

You always want to make sure you work out the logistics though… I mean, what would’ve happened if he hadn’t caught the ring? What if it turned out there was a fire flower in there?

3. Chrono Trigger Custom Hack: As you may or may not know, Chrono Trigger is pretty much the best game ever. How can you make it better? Hacking in a marriage proposal, obviously.

The couple’s story is interwoven into a brand new storyline in the game centered around a mountain that represents something special to the pair. The custom quest culminates at the top of the mountain with something very special for the intrepid adventurer. Continue Reading…

8 Static returns this weekend at Studio 34. The chip-tune guru’s have quite a show planned for this month with a lineup that will have you dancing like a Dalek. They do the Brisbane Shuffle inside their tin can skirt.

If you like your chip-tunes a bit more experimental with songs like “My Girlfriend Left Me For a Tentacle Monster,” then be sure to catch SKGB. Their latest album “CondomTune” is being sold via digital download code printed on packages of multicolored glow-in-the-dark condoms. Hopefully they have enough for the tentacle monster if he shows is his ugly mug.

Rounding out the bill is a quirky duo called D&D Sluggers. Armed with a Super Nintendo, a keyboard with a strap, and a guitar, these guys are able to turn out some unbearably catchy songs. They were recently at Raleigh’s Hopscotch Festival, alongside acts like The Flaming Lips and Drive-By Truckers.

Philly’s own Animal Style is back in the seat behind the projector to delight your eyes and compliment the melodies pouring out of that old video game hardware. Warning, welding goggles might be necessary cause Animal Style’s visuals are so hot they might scorch your corneas.

To top it all off, Kitsch Bend has kindly offered up for raffle some sweet bits and bobs for the budding chip-tune composer/fan. They also have some incredible gear up for sale on their site like some custom GameBoy Advance and custom circuit cases.

Sadly, after three years of rocking West Philly, 8 Static is moving out of Studio 34. Lets be sure to pack the house for this stellar lineup and give the place a sendoff like it’s never heard before! Be sure to RSVP because this show is sure to be one the geeks will talk about for ages.

As always, tickets are $8 and $5 with and RSVP. The raffle tickets are going for $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 8 tickets, $10 for 14 tickets.

Stay tuned and we’ll keep up to date with whats going on with 8 Static and where the next show will be.

His name was Colin, these are his papers…

The dream of the ‘90s will be alive in Philly this Sunday when Portlandia: The Tour rolls into town. While there’s no word yet if show masterminds Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein will attempt to pickle a cheesesteak or the Liberty Bell, it’s a safe bet that they’ll be showcasing the offbeat humor that has made the IFC sketch series such a breakout hit.

What can attendees expect? Live tunes from Brownstein (cross your fingers for some Sleater-Kinney jams) and Armisen (who along with bringing the funny on Portlandia and Saturday Night Live is also an accomplished drummer whose indie cred was cemented when he performed with Les Savy Far a few years back), as well as performances from some surprise musical guests.

So far dates on the tour have included everything from full-band renditions of Portlandia’s signature tune, The Dream of the ‘90s is Alive in Portland, to a spirited cover of Salt-n-Pepa’s immortal classic “Push It.” In other words, anything goes.

Along with the music, there will be sketches featuring some of the series’ hipster-baiting characters and video clips aplenty. The 8pm show sold out so quickly that the Troc added a second performance later in the evening. If you go, just remember to save your ticket stub so you can take it home and make it all crafty like by putting a bird on it. Fred and Carrie would want it that way.

Portlandia: The Tour
Sunday, February 19th, 8 & 10:30pm $30

The Trocadero
1003 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
www.thetroc.com

For this week’s Comic Roundup, I continue my Dark Knight obsession with the new issue of Batman & Robin, check out part one of Myths & Legends new story arc and read the beginning of the end for John Byrne’s Next Men. Enjoy!

Batman & Robin #6
By Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

It was about midway through month three of DC’s New 52 that I realized one Batman book was not going to be enough. I had quickly become obsessed with Scott Snyder’s Batman and was really enjoying Batgirl, but knew I needed more. One second print of Batman & Robin #1 later and I had my third Bat-family book and so far it has been awesome. Continue Reading…

You’re gonna hear a lot about love this week, some of it right here on Geekadelphia. But a lot of the time, the love that we all talk about is that Hollywood, “chick-flick”, shirtless Matthew McConaughey on horseback stuff that might be funny to watch, but really doesn’t have anything to do with the real world.

Ok, so maybe I watched The Wedding Planner recently.

Twice.

The point is, there’s a lot more to real love than that. It’s a complicated, sophisticated thing. This week’s Kickstarter, Maya, hopes to explore those nuances. Writer and director Dan Papa provides some details:

The Story: Maya is a story about love and the way it changes over time. It starts with the two main characters of Maya and Leo in a passionate relationship. They are intimately devoted and infatuated with each other. As time passes and they begin to move in different directions, they seek out attention from other people, and their dreams begin to reflect a new reality. Eventually they have to confront what the future will hold for their relationship. Maya is a Sanskrit word, used in Buddhism and Hinduism, that refers to the universe at large as a complex illusion or dream. This is one main theme that threads through the story.

The Style: We plan for the finished film to be in black and white. The performances will be guided by the script but we also plan to do a lot of improvisation, to capture real and truthful moments. We will also have mysterious surreal sequences that will reflect the inner workings of the characters. Shooting on locations in Philadelphia and Asbury Park NJ, we will give a strong sense of visual place to the movie. For music we will have an original improvisational jazz score.

The project is currently a little over half way funded and has a great shot at making it. With our annual celebration of the martyrdom of St. Valentine coming up tomorrow, what better time to help make this unique, Philadelphia-centric look at love a reality?

The Project: Maya, a film

Creator: Dan Papa

The Sweet Spot: $25 gets you a Kickstarter Producer credit and a DVD copy of the movie. Bump that up to $50 and you can score yourself free tickets to a screening of the movie as well.

Funding Deadline: March 1st, 2012

More Info: The main Kickstarter page expands on Dan’s thoughts above, and you can check out Dan’s blog, Sacred Geography, for more.

Every Monday Geekadelphia features a Kickstarter created by locals. Check ‘em out and support our local geek scene. If you have a project that you’d like featured on site, contact geekadelphia@gmail.com

I love the Indie Humble Bundles. When it comes to picking up games off Steam for my Netbook, those discount packages are my go-to for scoring discount titles. And hey, proceeds go towards charity. You get games, help out some kids, everybody wins.

Well, thanks to local entrepreneur JP Toto, I found out about the Game Music Bundle, which is currently on its second package… and features a Philly based game!

Right now you can score the epic orchestral soundtrack to Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony, an award winning title from Philadelphia’s Final Form Games. You can pay-what-you-want for five awesome soundtracks (including Sword & Sworcery!), or pay $10 and pick up ten more soundtracks. TEN.

Definitely check it out, and donate what you can. A portion of the revenue goes towards the American Cancer Society.

Keynote Speaker Adel Ebeid, Photo via Tech Philly

Technology is cool. Seriously, I’m writing this article using technology. And while we might not have flying cars or moon cities (yet), we can play seventeen versions of Angry Birds on our phones. What an age we live in!

We all know that technology is essential to modern business. Companies must be willing to embrace new technologies in order to succeed. It’s for that reason that the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce is hosting Innovations in Technology: Changing the Way We Do Business.

Taking place between 8 and 10 AM this Wednesday, Innovations in Technology will feature folks from real companies discussing the benefits and disadvantages of adopting the most up-to-date technologies and suggesting strategies and techniques for implementing and managing new systems and programs, with an eye towards helping businesses of any size grow. The program includes keynote speaker Adel Ebeid, Philadelphia’s first Chief Innovation Officer (check out this Q&A with him via Technically Philly).

Pre-registration is necessary and ends February 14th. You can find more details about speakers and information on attendance by visiting the GPCC’s website.

fashion online

Photo via Visit Philly

As a reader of Geekadelphia, you no doubt have vast quantities of knowledge on obscure topics stored away in your brain. Why not put that to good use at the 8th Annual Quizzo Bowl?

The event has a Caribbean theme this year, which may well include tropical-themed questions on geography, movies & entertainment, and sports. There will also be a live-music round, so get pumped up by listening to come Caribbean tunes and get Quizzo-ing!

Quizzo Bowl is usually hosted by Johnny Goodtimes, but a posting on the event’s website indicates that Quizzo Bowl VIII will now be hosted by Johnny Greattimes. That may be confusing, but it’s kinda like how Gandalf the Grey falls with the Balrog into the deep subterranean lake under Moria and becomes Gandalf the White. This of course can only mean positive things for the event.

What would your Caribbean-themed team name be? Leave it in the comments!

Quizzo Bowl VIII
February 18th at 7:30pm
johnnygoodtimes.com/2012/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-quizzo-bowl-viii

World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut Street (19104)
(215) 222-1400
www.worldcafelive.com

When I was asked to review this, I had never watched an episode of Merlin before. I had come to understand it was a pretty good show but had never actually bothered to watch it. But I figured “What the hell” and sat down to see if it was as enjoyable as I had heard.

After watching all 13 episodes of season 3, I can honestly say I’ll be looking into buying the first two seasons as soon as possible. Wow, this is a really great show.

Without giving too much away, Merlin is the story of the young wizard with a destiny doing everything in his power to make sure it comes to pass. Along the way he has to deal with a traitorous Morgana, King Uther, who feels anyone with magic should be dead and Prince Arthur Pendragon, who lives to make Merlin’s life more difficult. Along the way there is high adventure, romance and the occasional dragon.

What really impressed me about the series is how well written it is. The Arthurian Legend is not dumbed down for television as each episode’s story is deep and rich with plot. Plus the special effects are pretty damn good for a television show and the acting is not half bad.

The 13 episodes are spaced out over 4 DVDs (alas, no Blu-ray) and also includes a 5th disc of bonus features, including commentaries, outtakes, a “Making of” special and more. The picture is crisp and clean and the packaging, something a lot of companies are skimping on nowadays, looks great and holds up over time.

Merlin: The Complete Third Season is a great was to kill a weekend. I highly recommend it and know any fan of the Lord of the Rings or Skyrim will enjoy it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to see how much Amazon wants for Season One.

Wondering what to get the geek who has everything for Valentine’s Day? Then check out this list of local businesses that have plenty of great gift ideas to ensure that your boo has an unforgettable holiday.

Shanghai Bazaar (1016 Race Street): There’s a variety of great places to get gifts in Chinatown, but none are geekier than the Shanghai Bazaar.

Looking for foreign language versions of the Harry Potter books, Ultraman merchandise, import DVD box sets of your favorite obscure anime shows or terrific (and somewhat copyright-infringing) paper lanterns? The Bazaar has got you covered. One warning though: be prepared to set aside at least an hour and a half to explore the store’s two floors of wonders.

Brave New Worlds (45 N. 2nd Street): Comics. Graphic Novels. Action Figures. Collectibles. You name it, and Brave New Worlds has it. From the friendly and knowledgeable employees to the always great music playing, this is hands down the coolest comic store in Center City.

In terms of specific gift ideas, you can’t really go wrong with the Ugly dolls or local indie comics, like Box Brown’s insightful “Everything Dies” or the Phillies-themed Dugout Phunnies. It’s also the best place to get a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift without having your partner find out you waited until the last minute. That kind of thing usually puts a crimp on the holiday’s nocturnal activities.

Continue Reading…