Modern Pioneers
One of my favorite shows to watch when I was very young was Little House on the Prairie. There was something so quaint and fantastical about a family of pioneers living off the land and enjoying the simpler things that we all seem to take for granted in modern times. Even as a grown woman, I still like to imagine myself hopping through the grass with a bonnet and a lunch pail looking for a new creek to explore. Interestingly enough, after stepping into Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, I had a strong hunch I wasn’t the only one longing for such simple times in a complex millennium.

Get In The Spirit(s)! It's Free!

Wednesdays rule at Art in the Age, Topstitch, and Reward. Not only is there sales galore, but free festive adult-style beverages, and free gift-wrapping. All of this merriment, sponsored by ROOT, the liquor that is supposed to taste like root beer, but really taste like sugar-free root-beer barrels that have melted in the sun. But, no one is really tasting anything when it’s free, so, drink up!

CURATOR: Flexing Our Mussels

I could bitch about politics all day, but luckily there’s some good news on Art in the Age’s blog to distract me. We as a country have been polluting our waters over the years, killing off valuable members to our rivers’ ecosystems.  The good news is that the Delaware River is actually bucking this trend.  The alewife floater and tidewater mucket, two of the seven species of mussels found in the Delaware River, are alive and well.  See, mussels are important because they act as water filters, gobbling up bacteria and other stuff that would likely leave you on the toilet if you came in contact with it. Because of the declining quality of America’s waters, mussel populations have been falling rapidly. Don’t get ahead of yourself, though, clean and cleaner are two very different words. Taking a big gulp of ship yard water still probably isn’t a good idea

Make Your Own Snow Globe

This Thursday (6-8 p.m.), book two hours to learn how to make your own snow globe with Art in the Age's Nicole Hutnyk. The boutique will supply what you need to make your own holiday-themed globe, but you're welcome to bring your own figurines or what-have-you to create something a bit more personalized.

Don't Just Make a Gingerbread House, Create a Masterpiece with the Reverend
Joe Petrucci Tuesday, December 07, 2010

If you should happen to be curious enough to ask Reverend Michael Alan what it is he does, be prepared to spend a good five or 10 minutes talking about it. He's an accomplished graphic designer who has helped brand some of the city's most impressive new products (think adult beverages Root and Snap), an artist who's a card-carrying member of the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators, and resident baker/culinary contributor at Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (AITA) in Old City. And yes, he is an ordained man of the cloth, having legally presided over the marriage of two friends a few years back..

  Philadelphia
      Emailed on: Monday December 6, 2010
      Handmade Ornaments
      Available at Art Star Gallery & Boutique: 623 N 2nd St; Northern Liberties; 215.238.1557

      Get tree-crazy Mom something from this wide-ranging selection of hand-crafted ornaments, like a painted glass owl, a sewn-and-stuffed mouse, or stencil prints on wooden blocks, including a cute...  Read more