Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Farmer's Cabinet

Let's Do the Time Warp Again!

I've visited The Farmer's Cabinet twice. Once before I embarked on this project, and once just after. Neither visit included food, so apparently I'm kicking off by doing the exact opposite of what I promised, which is to eat at each establishment. Forgive me. I assure you that this will absolutely happen again. Before we get started, here's what Philly Mag has to say about The Farmer's Cabinet, at 12th and Walnut:

This place is what would happen if Ridley Scott were directing a happy hour for beer snobs, cocktail historians, Jazz Age hep cats and righteous old drunks. It’s one of the strangest and most amazing places to have a drink in Philly right now.

And here’s my take:

You know the feeling of seeing a a movie after having viewed too many previews beforehand, or better yet, having read the book? It's always kind of disappointing, isn't it?

Sunday, November 27, 2011

85 Firkins of Beer on the Wall...

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.



A few weekends ago, my boyfriend and I drove to the embarrassingly charming Peddler's Village in Bucks County and, as we do, stopped into a Wawa for a soda. He spotted the November issue of Philadelphia Magazine, plastered with the month's feature - their take on the 85 best bars in Philly - and picked up a copy. As we drove back to Philly, I read aloud the often hilariously accurate descriptions of all the bars we have visited since we moved to our Center City home in January, just 9 months prior. We concluded that we are either 1) in need of a hobby or 2) extremely dedicated supporters of Philly's food and drink scene. We went with the latter, even if it's slightly delusional, and suddenly an idea was born: Why not go to all of them to decide how our own impressions stack up to Philly Mag's? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Aside from pickling ourselves. But we'd eat at each spot, too, I decided. That seems much less borderline alky. Right? And I'll give myself an entire year in the name of liver preservation.

So, I give you Whiz & Firkin, the spot where I will document our "scientific findings" as we work our way through the 85 spots listed. But what about the other great places to find a drink? The outcry over the McGillin's snub that can be found in the comments section of the piece (and my own confusion over the lack of representation for North Third or the inexplicably towney Doobies in Center City) means that I will color outside of the lines now and again. Because it's my party and I'll blog if I wanna.

Ready? Set. IMBIBE!