This Week in Philly -

Here’s whats going on this week in Philly…

Monday, January 27th

Totally Awesome 80’s Party – Celebrate and support the production of “Dear Diary, Bye.” in the year of its 30th anniversary. There will be plenty of 80’s karaoke, music and dancing, a costume contest, and specialty 80’s-inspired drinks at the bar at Quig’s – plus a teaser preview of Arlen Shane Hancock’s incredible and hilarious performance of diary-obsessed 4th grader, Ellie Brown.
Open Casting Call for Ink Master 5 – If you have “artistic and creative tattoo skills” with an “outgoing, dynamic personality” to match, come on out for Spike TV’s open call at the Hilton Garden Inn Center City. Auditions are from 10 am until 2 pm. If you can’t make it, you can always submit a home video to www.InkMasterCasting.com – or grab a ticket to the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention happening this weekend.

Tuesday, January 28th

Winter Adventure Tours at Eastern State Penitentiary – On this hour-long guided tour or self-guided audio tour, guests of the famed jail can explore the cellblocks, center surveillance hub, and Al Capone’s notorious cell. Tickets are $14 for adults, and $10 for children, students and seniors from now through March 14th.
Center City Restaurant Week – Grab a three-course lunch for $20 or dinner for $35 at one of Philadelphia’s many participating restaurants when you order off the prix fixe menu during CCRW. Here are just a few of our top picks this season!

Wednesday, January 29th

PHS Garden Tenders 102: Starting a Community Garden – This one-session class from 6 to 8:30 pm teaches how to recruit and maintain volunteers, finding your garden site and getting permission and discovering resources and partnerships in your local neighborhood. Tickets are $25, click here to register.
Winter 2014 Launch Party – Presented by Penn Fashion Collective: Celebrate the release of Teh WALK’s Winter 2014 issue, “The WALK After Dark”. Come out to the Castle on 36th and Locust from 6 to 8 pm and enjoy drinks, food, music, makeup consultations by Blue Mercury, a silent auction and giveaways!

Thursday, January 30th

Variety Comedy: House of Black – Mistress Black and Mister O’Connor host this Philly Improv Theater show sure to cure your winter blues! Consider this your invitation to a night of laughs that pose comedy as curiosity and humor as oddity. Starting at 10:30 pm, tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door of the Adrienne Theater.
Midnight Lion Dance Performance – Welcome in the Year of the Horse on Chinese New Year’s Eve! Chinatown entertains with firecrackers and amazing lion dances, featuring the Philadelphia Suns. The parade will begin at 11:30 pm at 10th and Race Streets, and continue through Chinatown.

Friday, January 31st

Global Glam: Young Professionals Friday Night at the Barnes. Art, style, networking, and music by DJ Royale – all in one night – we’ll see you there!
50 Shades the Musical – For two nights only, this musical parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon comes to the Merriam Theater. The show’s interpretation of the bestselling novel includes dance numbers, original songs and a live, on-stage band to back a hilarious and outrageous cast. Tickets run $37.50 to $49.50.
Need a little live music fix? Head over to Ortlieb’s to catch Empire Escorts, Kid Feliz, and Black Stars.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – This South African a cappella group, which you may recognize as the group mentioned in Mean Girls, celebrates over 50 years of uplifting and passionate music. This Grammy-winning ensemble combines South African musical traditions with the joy of Christian gospel music, and is playing for one night only at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

Saturday, February 1st

GAEMS Pro XP Super Bowl Gaming Event – Hank Baskett joins GAEMS for this event in which gameras take on real celebrities in four different video games: Battlefield, Call of Duty: Ghosts, FIFA 14 and Need for Speed. Battle online and play in front of a live audience at Crowne Plaza from 11 am until 3 pm. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for kids and $250 for VIP, and includes food, drinks, and the whole afternoon to mingle with over 30 confirmed celebrity guests and pro-athletes.
Bye Bye Liver: The Philadelphia Drinking Play – 1 part comedy and 2 parts drinking game, this lively troupe takes to the back room of Fairmount’s Urban Saloon and delivers a hilarious show, broken up with drinking game antics and fun participatory games. Tickets are $15 and the cash bar will be open before and throughout the show.
Wagner’s Winter Wonderland – Between 1 and 2:30 pm, take your kids out for an afternoon of storytelling, activities, and arts and crafts. Explore the Wagner Free Institute of Science with a winter-themed scavenger hunt and examine and touch real specimens from the teaching collection. The museum is open from 12 to 4 pm, with a suggested donation of $8 for adults and $5 for children.

Sunday, February 2nd

Varga Bar at 10th & Spruce is the official Superbowl headquarters of Philly PR Girl. Our owner Kate will be guest judging a competition called “SuperFowl” along with DJ Royale, Roberta from Homemade Delish, and local DJ & foodie Kevin Kong. Varga Bar Chef Evan Turney will compete against a local contestant to see who can make the best wings. There will be specials on beer, whisky, and of course wings!
Taste of Philly Dance Fitness Workshop – Looking to integrate fitness into your New Years resolution, but unsure of which class is right for you? Philly Dance Fitness is hosting a workshop that lets you sample everything from Zumba, ballet (and BalletEXTREME), Power Jam Stretch, hip-hop, Impact Jazz and more at the Arts Parlor. Registration is $20-25.
The Underground Railroad in Philadelphia – The National Park Service presents a 30-minute slideshow at from 4 to 4:30 pm on weekends in February that depicts Philadelphia in the 18th and 19th centuries as an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The presentation is free, and takes place at the 2nd Bank Portrait Gallery on Independence Mall.
Dream/Vision Board Workshop – How big are your dreams? Discover who you are and learn how to plan your dream life in this powerful workshop that will assist you in developing a personal mission, purpose, and vision statement through a guided meditation. A $30 ticket includes supplies for your board and light refreshments.