A crash course in Philadelphia culture

Penn students study in Philadelphia, live in Philadelphia, eat, sleep and breathe Philadelphia -- but do Penn students really know Philadelphia? With love in the air, the Social Planning and Events Committee is providing Penn students with the opportunity to grow a bit more intimate with Philly this Valentine's season. From Feb. 15-21, SPEC committees are sponsoring events on campus and throughout Philadelphia in a collaborative effort to sponsor the second annual "Philly Week" and to break students out of the University City bubble. SPEC Secretary Jennifer Toll, a College senior, said that this week is "a great way to celebrate Philadelphia and to introduce Penn kids to more of the options in Philly." Some of the events planned include a free concert by The Ally, a discounted trip to the Degas exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a food-tasting from some of Philly's most prized restaurants, a performance of Carmina Burana sponsored by the Philadelphia Ballet and a jazz concert with an accompanying lecture by jazz expert Steve Rowland. College freshman Ruth McAdams said that she still has never even tried a Philly cheesesteak, so she would welcome an event like "Philly Week" to help expose her to the city's culture. "I've only been here for a couple of months, and I haven't done a lot of that stuff yet," McAdams said. "And I'd like to." College senior Gregory Hess said that although he has taken advantage of Philadelphia over the past four years, "Philly Week" will be successful in versing Penn students in the "historically and culturally significant city." "I think that kids here are pretty enthusiastic about Philadelphia," Hess said. "I know that I'm always looking for stuff around here that involves the city." SPEC members said that if last year's event is any indication, great things are expected this year. "Last year, all of the events were a huge success," Toll said. For the week-long extravaganza, each of the 10 SPEC committees work to present a feature to attract students and highlight an aspect of Philadelphia culture. "Each individual committee of SPEC does their own event, trying to relate it to Philadelphia," said College senior Kirk Freeman, director of SPEC Concerts. Many of the events are free or partially subsidized by SPEC funds.