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Local Life
Maria’s: one year of spectacular Italian cuisine by LEN LEAR You might say this article is a testament to the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” bromide. Hugh Gilmore, owner of Gilmore’s Used Book Store, 43 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., made it quite clear that he had my telephone number, and there was no way he would stop calling me until I did an article on Maria’s Ristorante, which is celebrating its first year in business today (July 15) at 8100 Ridge Ave. In upper Roxborough (at Summit, the first traffic light north of the Andorra Shopping Center). “We go there once a week,” Hugh said in more than one recent, civilized phone call. “We love the food, prices are reasonable, the restaurant is beautiful, and Maria and her family... Hill gallery owner explores the ‘mystery of creativity’ by MONIQUE SEYLER Last winter, when I was thinking of a name to call the next exhibit here at Gallery Saint Martin, I was searching for a name that speaks about the process of art — that reflects some aspect of what artists go through — something that would speak to other artists and to people in this community who are interested in art. Over the years, I’ve discovered again and again that to many people, the process of art is a mysterious ting. Many people don’t understand how it is that art comes about. Over and over again I’ve heard people wonder aloud how an artist creates “Something from Nothing.” So it didn’t seem too surprising to me when the phrase “Something from Nothing” popped into my mind. Ironically, some days after I came up with that title, I began to read... Clinton book: is ‘pretty good’ good enough? By DAVID CROSS Bill Clinton’s mammoth memoir, My Life, is nothing more or less than a long, long conversation with the most verbosely charismatic public figure of our time. Critics will say, as Bart Simpson said about the memoir of Krusty the Clown, that the book is “self-serving and contains huge omissions.” What any reader has to realize, before he gets into this thing, is that a presidential memoir is sort of like a last big, fat State of the Union speech (except the writer gets a cool $10 million for it). It is, after all, a political document, and to expect great art to come out of a current political document is to expect a palm tree to grow out of cow dung. That being said, Clinton’s contribution to the genre adds to the infinitesimal number of these books that are actually readable. By far the most interesting part of this book is the beginning. Clinton discusses his childhood in a relaxed, anecdotal style, and goes right into the issues of mortality and sin. If Monica... Two magnificent Chestnut Hill concerts in the park By MICHAEL CARUSO What a difference a week can make. Two weeks ago, on Wednesday, June 30, beautiful weather graced that evening’s concert in Chestnut Hill’s Pastorius Park by the Allentown Band. One week later, however, on Wednesday, July 7, the rains rolled in across Northwest Philadelphia and the concert by the City Rhythm Orchestra was moved indoors to the auditorium of the nearby Springtide School. While the former performance was heard by one of the largest audiences I’ve encountered in my 18 years of covering these concerts for the Chestnut Hill Local, only a small band of hearty music-lovers were on hand for the latter event. Making its 28th appearance at Pastorius Park, the Allentown Band claims to be America’s oldest such musical ensemble — and, most assuredly, it’s a traditional concert band... Tasty bites added to free Mt. Airy concerts by GAIL COHEN Weavers Way Co-op has joined in supporting the East Mount Airy tradition of free evening concerts at the Mount Airy Train Station. Walk a Crooked Mile Books, located in the train station at Gowen and Devon Streets on the R7 line, is the largest used bookstore in the area, with seven rooms of out-of-print books. Greg Williams, the owner of the store, “loves the neighborhood” and began the concert series four years ago as a way of serving the community, and it has grown to a full schedule of once-a-week concerts in the beautiful natural amphitheater. Over the years, there have been well over 20 different performers who have volunteered their services at the concerts, ranging... |