I have been fascinated by the Eastern State Penitentiary ever since a friend of mine got a job working as a tour-guide there. She would call me after she got off of work and tell me all of these elaborate stories about every weird occurrence that happened throughout her day.

   Some of these stories included moaning that seemed to leak from the cell walls, mediums who could conjure up restless souls, and dark shadows that lurked in the far corners of the prison. Around Halloween, I rounded up a large group of people and we all participated in Philadelphia’s annual “Terror Behind the Walls,” a ghost tour that takes place at Eastern State every Halloween.

   It seems like many people have been inspired by this striking historical landmark, including a group of musicians that plan on performing a concert there. The Cellblock concert production will feature the original work of Philadelphia-based music composers who took their inspiration directly from Eastern State Penitentiary.

    The setting of the concert will actually take place inside the walls of this dark and dismal place, creating an unparalleled musical experience for both the musicians and their audience. Four concerts are schedule for April 24, 25, May 1 and 3 and will feature the work of Phillip Maneval, David Lagnella, Richard Belcastro and Richard Brodhead. For more information and to order tickets, please visit http://www.chambermusicnow.org/cellblock.html.

   I am not a domestic goddess. There is nothing in this world that I hate more than cleaning and cooking. So when my boyfriend casually mentioned to me last week that it's time for spring-cleaning, I immediately popped open a beer.
   Spring-cleaning, however, doesn't just apply to your home anymore. The second annual Philly Spring Cleanup will take place on April 4  from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The one-day event will concentrate on the cleaning and beautification of neighborhoods, parks, recreation centers and streets.
Last year's cleanup was the largest single-day, citywide clean-up on record in the United States. Together, the city removed over 2.5 million pounds of trash and 48,000 pounds of recyclable materials; and cleaned an estimated 71 commercial corridors and 3,500 blocks.
You can sign up at www.phillycleanup.com  to host your own cleanup project. The Web site has its own Google map that show you where the cleanups are taking place. Many parts of south and west Philadelphia do not have a coordinated cleanup in place yet. So if you live in one of those neighborhoods and love this crazy city, you should sign up today! You can have a BBQ in your newly cleaned park as a reward for your efforts.
 

   I love music. For years, I have longed to go to one of the big annual music festivals that take place on each corner of the United States. South by Southwest, Cochella and Bonnaroo have eluded my grasp, though, due to a lack of money and a reliable car. There is some hope, however. The Philadelphia Experiment, a local underground music company, has recently announced that their PEX Summer Festival is scheduled for July 3 through 5.
    The PEX is a multi-dimensional celebration of both music and art. It will be held on 200 acres of private land that is only an hour south of Philadelphia and a convenient ninety minutes away from Washington, D.C. PEX is promising 40 different musical acts, including live bands, DJs and other performers. The actual lineup will be announced on April 1, so check their site.
    PEX will offer their guests dormitory style cabins with showers and bathroom facilities. In addition to all of their live music acts, PEX will also offer art, education and dance. They will also have an Olympic-sized swimming pool with daily pool parties, half-a-mile of scenic river views, three sound stages, fire and drum circles, an outdoor amphitheater, lectures and workshops Including Yoga, Aerial Silk and fire staff, tent and car camping, free drinking water, a ropes course, a meal hall with optional standard, vegetarian and vegan meal plans, and secure car parking.
    If you want the Bonaroo experience without having to drive all the way down to Tennessee, then this is the music festival for you! For more information, please visit www.pexsummerfestival.com.
 

   I'm ready to move. Today is the first day of spring and yet, when I drove to work, I saw snow on the ground. They may be giving away free Rita's water ice today, but that is about the only thing that shows me the season has arrived.

    Instead, the weather is still cool. It is still dark outside when I get up. Once again, I feel like we are in an endless winter. I have always lived in Pennsylvania, all of my life. People that aren't from here say that it must be wonderful to live here, as we have “four full seasons,” and get to enjoy each of them for a decent amount of time.

    I beg to differ. Instead, I feel like winter lasts an eternity. Spring and fall whiz by unnoticed and summer goes by even faster.

   I'd love someday to live somewhere where it is summer all the time. Some think that might be a bore, to have the same weather 365 days a year. But, if I never saw snow for the rest of my life, that would be just fine with me. And, anywhere I can wear shorts an flip flops every day doesn't sound too boring to me, either.

»  More It's spring now, right?

    When I was in my teens, my older sister, who came of age in the 1980s, introduced me to the Smiths. It was love at first listen. The Smiths were an English rock band formed in 1982 and headed by lead-singer Steven Patrick Morrissey.
    He later changed his name to simply Morrissey, his surname. The band’s cult fame was in large part due to the angst-ridden vocals that spoke of unrequited love and teenage alienation.
    They had a unique sound that stood out from the synthesized pop music that was so big in that decade. Morrissey’s deep, gloomy voice and the band’s complex melodies were unlike anything I had ever listened to before, and I found quick comfort in their songs. 
    The band broke up in 1987, and Morrissey eventually went on to start a very successful solo career. His first solo album, Viva Hate, reached Gold Status in November 1993 and was widely acclaimed by music critics.
Morrissey’s success also includes ten Top Ten singles in the United Kingdom. He is a steadfast believer in vegetarianism and animal right and these beliefs often come up in his song lyrics.
    Morrissey’s ninth album, entitled “Years of Refusal,” was recently released to rave reviews. He is on a nation-wide tour of the United States and is scheduled to play at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia on March 22nd.
For more information on this legendary music artist, visit www.itsmorrisseysworld.com/tour.php.

   In the mid 1960s, a new kind of sport surfaced that few had ever seen before, and it took the United States by storm.  This American-invented contact sport was called “roller derby,” and the city of Philadelphia was no stranger to it.
   The Philadelphia Warriors, which was led by the petite yet ferocious Judy Arnold, were a hit on local television channels. Teams skated around an oval-shaped, banked track and were composed of both men and women.
   Contemporary roller derby is a predominantly female sport that operates on an amateur circuit, and has a strong do-it-yourself mentality. Modern day bouts (or games) take place on a flat-track and have both the offense and defense play simultaneously. Bouts are composed of three periods of simultaneous “jams” or two-minute countdown periods where both teams attempt to score points.
   There are five players from each team on the track — three blockers (defense), one pivot (last line of defense) and one jammer (scorer). Helmet covers are used to distinguish the different positions: a striped cover is used for pivots, a cover with a star is used for the jammers, and there is no cover for the blockers.
   Pivots and blockers from both teams start the game by forming a single pack. The two jammers, are positioned 20 feet behind the pack. The referee signals the start of jam formation by blowing a whistle. When the last person in the pack has passed where the front of the pack had initially started, the referee blows the whistle a second time, signaling the jammers to start skating. The first jammer to lap the entire pack wins the status of lead jammer for the remainder of the jam.
   The lead jammer can decide to end the jam at any time before the two minutes are up. She does this by placing her hands on her hips, which signals the referee to officially call off the jam.
   Roller derby is still very popular in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Roller Girls are a skater-owned and operated all female team that was formed in early 2005. Their three teams, the Broad Street Butchers, Heavy Metal Hookers and Philthy Britches - compete each year for the Warrior Cup at home tracks.
   Their all-star travel team, the Liberty Belles, represent Philadelphia in bouts (or games) around the country. They currently play all of their bouts, at the 23rd Street Armory in Center City.
   Their next bout, which will be a double header, is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 6 p.m. Come out and see for yourself what makes this unique sport so much fun! For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit phillyrollergirls.com.

   It was 8:45 p.m., and I was pumped to see David Cook perform. The crowd was finally starting to walk into the venue. Then, it was my turn to take my seat, and I realized that I was able to grab one in the fifth row, although, as I looked around, it was obvious that any seat was a good seat.
   Being that this concert was held at Rowan University, there were, of course, a lot of college students, but surprisingly, there were also families. Then, too, there were also many older women. I guess the ladies love David Cook.
   A little after 9 p.m., the lights went down, and before I knew it, a guy came to the stage with his guitar. It was so dark that I was thinking it was David Cook, but I was proven wrong when a spotlight hit his face. The singer was Ryan Star.
   I had never heard of him, and by the look of the crowd, only a handful seemed to know who he was. He played an acoustic set of eight songs. His music reminded me of Gavin DeGraw, but his humor was that of Adam Sandler.
   He would sing a sweet song about love and then go into a more harsh song, such as “Psycho Suicidal Girl.” He drew the crowd in and made them part of the music by bringing a fan onto the stage to play tambourine during a song. As my eyes went from him to the crowd, I saw that he was winning the crowd over with his humor, as well as his music. By the end of his set, everyone, including myself, was cheering well after he left the stage.
   There was about a 20 minute interlude before the man himself took the stage. Everyone was excited, and I couldn’t help joining in the madness. The lights went down again, and everyone stood up and began screaming and shrilling. Then, before I knew it, there he was: David Cook and his band. It was amazing how he got the crowd going.
   He seemed so cool on stage, with that rocker edge, but yet so down to earth when he spoke. The crowd went crazy with every song, and Cook even played a couple of covers, including Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher,” which I thought was completely appropriate given the place I was in. Students, children, teachers and everyone else that compiled the crowd were on their feet the whole time, and I was among them, dancing and singing along.
   Cook had a solo moment with just him and a band member playing the keyboard. The crowd was quiet and just listened as he sang. It was like he was exposing himself, his personality and music, in a good way. Throughout the concert, there were solos from the drummer and the guitarist, as well.
   As a music fan, I love seeing performers who look so appreciative of where they are and where they are going. David Cook looked like he’d been doing this for years and loved every second of it and his band was right there with him, enjoying the moment.
   He played about an hour-long set and ended the concert with his latest single “Light On.” He said his thank yous and then was off the stage. The crowd wasn’t done though, and they began chanting his name. They wanted him back for more.
   Sure enough, he and his band came back for an encore performance. During this time, he introduced each member. Then, for the final time he said thank you and good night, and that was the end. The lights went out and he was gone for good.
   The concert was excellent and the screams from the audience were evidence of that. David Cook proved why he won American Idol last season, and I think he is going to do great things in his career.

    Movies are one of America's favorite pastimes, the ultimate component to any date and a unique form of expression. Film festivals celebrate the movie as an art form, awarding directors, producers and cast members for their hard and honorable work. There are few festivals however (the Sundance Film Festival awards aside), that cater to the little guys. Philadelphia's Backseat Film Festival is out to change all of that.
    A self-proclaimed "rock 'n roll film fest," the Backseat Film Festival is a week-long event showcasing movies of all budgets and genres, though it tries to feature modest work that people would mainly not see at more traditional festivals. The Backseat Film Festivals also travels to other cities each year, bringing some if its past winners and audiences favorites with it.
    The Backseat Film Festival will be screening 14 different features, all of which are Philadelphia premiers. They will also be running over 50 shorts and music videos from all over the world. Main weekend screenings will be taking place at the 941 Theatre in the city's Northern Liberties section, and other special events will be held at the North Third Lounge and Trocadero throughout the week.
    A few of this year's highlights will be "Minghags," directed by West Chester's skateboarding celebrity Bam Margera; Academy Award Nominee Bill Plympton’s newest animated feature, "Idiots and Angels," and on Saturday, March 14, a screening of "Homo Erectus," the latest film from Detroit Rock City director Adam Rifkin, followed by a Q&A session with Rifkin. 
    Tickets are $8 per screening block, $20 for three, and $50 for a festival pass. For more information, please visit www.backseatfilmfestival.com.

View gallery

   As I sipped an Italian cappuccino and strolled through the exhibits at the Philadelphia Flower Show, with its Bella Italia theme, I was struck by all the interpretations of flowers.
   I expected to see the displays of mini-gardens featuring fences, vine-covered arbors and courtyard tables. I went to the show to get ideas on how to convert my backyard into a little city oasis, complete with edible flowers and vegetables and maybe a setup for dining al fresco. This was going to be the event that defined my garden projects for the year.
   I didn’t see anything I could actually apply in my South Philly backyard. Each display was too extravagant, spacious or unpractical for my row house.
   Instead, I saw many applications that were inspired by flowers, which surprised me.
   The artists whose work is displayed at the flower show use flowers as a launching pad, as though the beauty of a summer garden is a metaphor, not a literal place.
   It reminded me that perhaps enjoying pleasant landscapes isn’t about running home and planting an identical yard, it’s about stirring up creativity.
   Who knew people could take a garden scene and turn it into a painting made with real pressed flowers rather than paint? Or the miniature gardens that created life-like scenes in a small space complete with scale models of tree houses and resin babbling brooks?
   I appreciated the tablescapes created with both a region and a dinner in mind. The description cards named the chair, table and lighting fixtures with romantic names and called to mind a couple reveling in a Tuscan sunset over wine or a family enjoying an afternoon picnic. The table settings, each one more unique than the other, used grape vines as a base for a table or for a chandelier and logs for benches.
   All this was just from the concept of a flower.
   The most impressive, though, is the fashion inspired by flowers. Fashion designers created dressed and shoes, purses and accessories all with flowers in mind, yet none of them stooped to sewing petals together, constructing a fairy costume.
   The flashy gold dress and the billowing white gown were made not to mimic the arrangements, but as a nod to them.
   The festive green boots and demure earth tone mules with acorns atop are not a carbon copy of floral designs, but inspired by them.
   This year, as you stroll through the exhibits, barter for ridiculously rare and inexpensive plants and listen to a sampling of traditional Italian music, think not of your garden, but of your spirit that needs replanting for spring.
   Go with expectations of being amazed with the color, texture and scents of flowers and think of how you can apply them in even the simplest tasks of your life, from creating a new recipe for family dinner to piecing together a new outfit. Pull the colors and shapes into a room design or hairdo.
   Think beyond your own backyard and be carried away to beautiful Italy, and a more beautiful self.