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A symphony off South Street

(02/26/03 10:00am)

Nestled among tattoo parlors, novelty costume shops and Condom Kingdom, Overtures is a South Street oasis of maturity, class and European charm. The French and Mediterranean restaurant -- located at 609 E. Passyunk Avenue -- is rated among the city's top BYOs and is the ideal locale for a fairytale first date. Or a night out with your roommate. After entering the restaurant from the cold and walking through the enclosed patio area past the bar, the waiter offered to take our coats and chill our bottle of wine. And as we were shown to our table, we knew we were in for a treat. Overtures 609 E. Passyunk Avenue (215) 627-3455 Fare: French Bouquets of flowers ornament the restaurant's walls, quiet orchestral music fills the air and individual lamps with candles softly light each tabletop. With its pink marble-painted walls, sea-foam green molding and lace curtains on the windows, the dining room's ambiance is picture-perfect. Overtures offers both a $50 prix fixe menu, romantically scrawled in handwritten calligraphy, as well as an a la carte menu -- which, if you're looking to save money, is the better deal if you order one of the less expensive entrees. The prix fixe menu includes an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert -- I chose the creamy veloute of crab soup, the light but flavorful petite greens with a vinaigrette, the perfectly tender filet mignon and a moist chocolate cake with a caramel layer, placed on top of a sweet raspberry sauce. My guest ordered from the a la carte menu -- which consists of appetizers, pastas, entrees and desserts, as well as vegetarian options -- and enjoyed a delicious Blue Point crab cake ($8.50), a melt-in-your-mouth grilled breast of duck ($16) and a heavenly white chocolate cheesecake ($5). The entrees were served with carrots, asparagus and scalloped potatoes with onions. As we sipped our coffee ($1.25) and attempted to cram the last few precious bites of cake into our full stomachs, the restaurant's owner and head chef Peter Lamlein greeted us with two small glasses of cognac to help us wash down our meals. Lamlein regaled us with tales of his first restaurant endeavor -- a coffee and ice cream shop, which has since closed -- and on a side note, added with a calm chuckle that earlier that night, three people had entered the restaurant from the street and stole money out of the Overtures charity jar. So much for the oasis. Overtures is open Tuesday through Saturday night, 6-9:30 p.m. and Sunday night, 5-9 p.m. Dress nicely, and leave your rowdy friends at home.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2003/02/a_symphony_off_south_street

SPEC releases theme of 2003 Spring Fling

(02/06/03 10:00am)

The countdown to Fling has begun. "Testing... Testing... Is this Fling on?" has been chosen as the theme of this year's Spring Fling, the two days of music, food and games run by the Social Planning and Events Committee before final exams strike. The theme for the April 11-12 revelry beat out 30 other suggestions, including "License to Fling," "Fling it On" and "You Sexy Fling" -- compiled back in December "often by going through a playlist and changing words that rhyme with fling," according to SPEC Spring Fling Committee Co-Director Keri Vislocky. Reflecting the question over whether Fling could still be held in the Quadrangle post-renovation, the selection seemed appropriate, Vislocky said. "I think that's pretty clever," College freshman Rebecca McCarrie said, adding that she was looking forward to the Friday night concert, whose headliner has yet to be announced. Some other students aren't enamored with the theme choice, but most are nevertheless psyched about the festivities -- and not just those that are SPEC-sponsored. "Testing, testing -- what's going on?" Engineering sophomore Bashar Saleh asked. "We have no idea what's going on, because we all just get drunk." But for wholesome fun, students can attend the carnival in Wynn Commons and College Green -- which will feature celebrities from the WB Television Network -- plus the usual daytime events in the Quad. "It might look a little different with the beautiful Quad renovations affecting where we place things," Vislocky said. Testing... testing... does this Fling have a logo? Not yet -- SPEC will hold its annual logo design competition for a $100 prize.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2003/02/spec_releases_theme_of_2003_spring_fling

'El Wingador' repeats as Wing champ

(01/27/03 10:00am)

In the second-fattest city in the U.S., who needs football when you have competitive eating? Although Philadelphians had little to root for during last night's Super Bowl, last Friday morning they had El Wingador and barely clothed Wingettes to cheer on. Gluttony, cleavage and free admission drew 16,000 people to the First Union Center for the 11th annual Wing Bowl, established 10 years ago by radio station WIP-AM 610's Al Morganti as, ironically, a distraction for Philly fans from an Eagle-less Super Bowl. Beating the old record by a single chicken wing, four-time champion Bill "El Wingador" Simmons chowed down 154 wings during the three-round binge, defeating the second-place finisher by 25 wings. "I'm still hungry," announced Simmons -- ranked 22nd in the world by the International Federation of Competitive Eating --after Friday's breakfast. Trailing Simmons was Don "Moses" Lerman, the IFCE's 13th-ranked eater who boasts consuming three pounds of dog food in less than three minutes. The 26 contestants also included "Dan the Cop," whose claim to fame is eating eight crayons in 10 minutes, and "Yao Wing," who asked the crowd before his big meal, "Who wants to sex Yao Wing?" El Wingador fan Dean Gilbert, like many spectators, predicted the contest's outcome as he watched the competitors battle it out after Miss Wing Bowl Jennifer Burmeister dropped the ceremonial egg. El Wingador's "a three-time champ," Gilbert said. "I like the favorite." And what else attracted Gilbert to First Union that cold morning? "The girls," he responded with a grin, as the rows of male fans below him ogled the high-heeled, bikini-topped women through rented binoculars. Squealing and bouncing, the Wingettes are the muses of the art that is gorging. Each competitor is flanked by females who encourage them through the two 14-minute rounds and final two-minute sprint -- half-time highlighted Bob "Mize" Meyer crushing seven full beer cans on his forehead in two minutes. "Sometimes the Wingettes will make a huge difference," WIP's Rhea Hughes commented. However, the Wingettes were surely not to blame for "Coondog" O'Karma's sad performance -- the weak-stomached Ohioan quit after just over seven minutes of wing-gobbling. "They were making me sick," Coondog said. "The Wingettes are eating more than Coondog," Morganti commented. "They're basically calling him a loser." Philadelphia's own Danielle Kroungold won the title of top Wingette with her hula hoop stylings. But the Wingettes weren't the only women baring skin -- a few audience members took Wing Bowl as an opportunity to show off their own assets. In the end, however, El Wingador was the star of the show and rewarded with a new car to add to his collection. "You've just witnessed true greatness," WIP's Angelo Cataldi said after El Wingador's performance. "He's a class act, isn't he?"

https://www.thedp.com/article/2003/01/el_wingador_repeats_as_wing_champ

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