Market On Your CalendarWhere to get fresh with the locals this spring
by Tami FertigThe produce will soon be scattered across more than 30 farmers markets, and it's our job to track it all down. Aft all, we asked for it.
Soil SurvivorWe sent our writer to work the land at Mill Creek Farm.
by Sam TrembleMill Creek Farm has no intentions of expanding — but it does intend to be a model.
They Came from the Ground!Does anyone actually know what these vegetables are?
by Tami FertigGiven the choice between a green bean and an unidentifiable vegetable with hairs growing from it, who among us — besides daredevil foodies — would opt for the latter?
More Farmers MarketsListings by day and location

Editor's Letter:
Dining for LifeWe're a town that appreciates food.
by Brian HowardIf you take just one thing this week's issue, let it be that everything
you could want — countless little everyday choices, say — can be made
and grown not far from you.
Slant:
Slam BuntingSix and a half years of a little red, white and blue lie.
by Nathaniel PopkinFood, energy,
and housing have been removed from the government's gauge of inflation,
the Consumer Price Index, rendering it false — and irrelevant to most
consumers.

Loose Canon:
A Sewer Runs Though It by Bruce SchimmelTime moves forward, and can't be unwound. We can remake an old creek,
but can never really re-create it. And some mistakes are best left
buried.
Feedback:
Letters to the EditorWhat You Say
"There was a great debate about who was the fastest in the school —
Marvin or another young speedster. To settle the issue the student body
briefly blocked off Vine Street and the two raced. Marvin was fastest."
Cricket at Square OneModern batsmen champion their sport in a city once known for it.
by Annamarya ScacciaToday, there are about 20 clubs keeping the game alive in Philadelphia,
including 13 in the Philadelphia Cricket League, which Mandelia helped
establish in 2006.
IcepackAmorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
by A.D. AmorosiYou could've stood on my corner and listened to neighbors make dick
jokes about the big top tent-raising for Cirque du Soleil's KOOZA.
Running NumbersA scholarly look at the digits that matter.
by Nick NorlenCome marvel at how much more talented children are than you.
When Ends Don't MeetFood prices are going up. Food stamp allowances aren't.
by Tom NamakoEven if changes can be brought about, the relief won't be immediate. In the meantime, Philadelphians on food stamps continue to wait — and improvise.
The Bell CurveCity Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter
When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Two Minutes With...:
William BurrellCorrections Consultant
by Doron TaussigIs there a better way to do this? Or is this parole thing essentially a crapshoot?

Political Notebook:
Minnesota StampedeWith Democrats competing, Republicans can kick back and plan a party
by Mary F. PatelThe Republicans have recently held grander, more extravagant
conventions than Democrats simply because they have more money to spend
on them.

Professor Street Says:
Prof. Street ConcludesFinal excerpts from the former mayor's class at Temple.
Goodbye Professor Street! We'll miss you!

Art:
Pig LatinLocal theater companies bridge the cultural divide, one Fiesta at a time.
by A.D. AmorosiWhile local liberal-minded companies comfortably gravitate toward
topics of gender and sexual identity, race is often left out of the
equation.

Culture Shock:
Things That Matter To People Who MatterHot rods | Brushes | Amman, Jordan | Biking the Schuylkill River and Perkiomen trails
Hot rods | Brushes | Amman, Jordan | Biking the Schuylkill River and Perkiomen trails
Art:
Very Long EngagementWith some big backing, a local group is looking to give the city a shot of culture.
by Natalie Hope McDonald"We're imagining what Philadelphia could look like if we did everything right. It's a license to be able to think big."

Re-View:
Glass Half-FullRobin Rice on Visual Art
by Robin RiceVanitas art was supposed to make people think. The fact that the links
between the artists in the show are more intuitive than explicit is
unexpectedly effective.

Theater Review:
Up to ScratchTheatre Exile's Bug is a creepy-crawly must-see.
by Mark CoftaThe brilliance of director Matt Pfeiffer's superb production is that we
care so much about these characters, even as their horror builds.
To Inch His OwnHedwig rocks Philly so hard.
by David Anthony FoxDito van Reigersberg is everything you could hope for. He
looks just right — like Ingrid Thulin on a very bad day — and he can
really sing the difficult score, a compendium of pop idioms.

Arts Picks:
Moving Research: slipThrough May 18, $15, Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Ave., myspace.com/movingresearch, danceboxoffice.com.
by Shaun BradyMeg Foley will inaugurate Moving Research with a new piece, slip, which will explore the concept of viewer perception.
PhiladancoThu.-Fri., May 8-9, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., May 10, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sun., May 11, 2:30 p.m.; $34-$46, Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St., 215-763-8100, kimmelcenter.org.
by Janet AndersonHinton Battle, known as much as a performer as a dance-maker (he was in Dreamgirls) is choreographing a piece called Commitments.
IolantaFri., May 9, 8 p.m.; Sun., May 11, 2:30 p.m.; $33, Curtis Opera Theater at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., 215-569-9700, curtis.edu.
by David ShengoldIolanta's simple message (belief in love conquers all impediments) needs nothing elaborate to be a moving musical experience.
Last ChanceCatch it or Regret It
by Nadia StadnyckiBaseball as America | Bertha Leonard Retrospective | In Praise of Apathy

Arts Agenda Picks:
Day TripperTrue Norwegian Black Metal
by Shaun BradyOpening reception Fri., May 9, 6-8 p.m., runs through June 7, Steven Kasher Gallery, 521 W. 23rd St., second floor, New York, N.Y., 212-966-3978, stevenkasher.com
On The DLPhèdre
by Mark CoftaRuns May 9-24, $15, Vanity House Theater, 4373 Main St., 610-955-9282,
vanityhouse.org GalleriesGalleries are usually open Tuesdays through Saturdays; please call the gallery for exact days and hours. Receptions are denoted with Reception
Museums/ExhibitsMuseums and exhibits have varying schedules;please call for exact days, hours and prices.
Performing ArtsPlease call the phone number listed with the venue for specific dates, times and ticket information.
Readings/Book SigningsAllen C. Guelzo | Barbara Daniles and Therese Halschied | Claudine Wolk...
He Kids You NotHarmony Korine's Mister Lonely has something to say, even if we don't understand it.
by Sam AdamsSoon the air is filled with skydiving nuns, single and in packs, and in one case with a dirt bike clamped between her legs.
Taking FlightHou Hsiao-hsien's quiet nod to The Red Balloon soars on its own.
by Cindy FuchsRepeatedly framed by doorways and windows, each character in Hou
Hsiao-hsien's film exists in a separate space, but they also reach
toward one another.
Screen Picks by Sam AdamsDocumentaries about forgotten bands tend to act as if their lack of
success were the fault of a blinkered society intent on overlooking
genius. But in Sam Wainwright Douglas and Paul Lovelace's The Holy Modal Rounders: Bound to Lose, it's clear that this duo were their own worst enemies.
Repertory FilmYour weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings.
Send repertory film listings to tami.fertig@citypaper.net.
Aim for the HeadJazz band Shot x Shot target their collective consciousness.
by Shaun BradyOver the past five years, the members of Shot x Shot have become that rarest of entities in the jazz world — an actual band.

Aid or Invade:
New ZealandRodney Anonymous vs. the World
by Rodney AnonymousFlight of the Conchords is one of those CDs you'll
laugh along with once and never listen to again.

SoundadviceGet Out!
Natalia Zukerman | Mike Ness/Jesse Dayton | Michael Pedicin Quintet | Dolce Suono | Donny McCaslin

Music Picks:
El-P/Dizzee Rascal/BusdriverFri., May 9, 8:30 p.m., $15, all ages, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.
by John VetteseScrew the qualifiers. It's all hip-hop, one and the same, and should all be treated equally.
New Philadelphia Classical SymphonyFri., May 9, 8 p.m., $15-$35, Trinity Center for Urban Life, 22nd and Spruce streets, 610-664-8481, classicalsymphony.org.
by Peter BurwasserFor the all-American closer of the New Philadelphia Classical Symphony
season, director Karl Middleman has chosen music that represents a
European style as filtered through the American experience.
Aunt DraculaSat., May 10, 8 p.m., $8, with Papertrigger and Hermit Thrushes, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.
by A.D. AmorosiAunt Dracula went from playing odd,
frightened psychedelic folk to creating an edgier, irked noise pop that
comes across like Tom Zé fronting Can.
By Georges!The city's most celebrated restaurant has gone casual. Does the food still astound?
by Trey PoppAfter 38 years of coats and ties, Le Bec-Fin is attempting to open its proverbial collar and relax. Saying that he has
"no fun anymore," founding chef Georges Perrier has decided to take his
high-end French temple into casual terrain.
Feeding FrenzyRestaurants opening, closing and pending
by Drew LazorSouth Philly Bar & Grill | El Fuego | Lazaro's | Chipotle | Zento Contemporary
Everyone's a VintnerHow to approach this year's Philadelphia Wine Festival
by Shaun BradyOnce a year, the wine world takes pity and comes to us for the
Philadelphia Wine Festival, which this year gathers nearly 200 wineries
from around the world for a marathon couple of hours of Convention
Center tasting.
Top 5:
Latin BrunchesPalm Sunday
by Kelly White1 Cuba Libre | 2 Café Con Chocolate | 3 Tinto | 4 Tierra Colombiana | 5 Isla Verde

What's Cooking:
The Week In EatsGet Out!
by Dena MerlinoUrban Nutrition Initiative Dinner | Pierre Robert Wine Dinner at Horizons | SustainaBall | Mother's Day on the Moshulu

Agenda Lead:
Maxwell's HouseBrini shows Philly how it's done.
by Natalie Hope McDonald"Cheese is such a great comfort food. It can be high-brow, like a good
cheese fondue, or low-brow, like mac 'n' cheese. And all of it makes
you feel safe and warm."

Agenda Picks:
Just Do ItBrain Machine Workshop
by Rick ValenzuelaSat., May 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $40 ($25 if at least 12 people attend), the Hacktory, 1524 Brandywine St., 267-687-9996,
thehacktory.org
Just Do ItChristian Finnegan
by Ben KharakhWed.-Thu., May 14-15, 8 p.m., Fri.-Sat., May 16-17, 8 and 10:30 p.m.,
$15-$30, Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St., 215-496-9001,
heliumcomedy.com
Just Do ItLiberty Rodeo Stampede
by Nadia StadnyckiThu.-Sun., May 8-11, $20 (per event)-$55 (weekend pass), visit
libertygra.org or call 888-321-3603 for complete schedule and locations
What We HeartArt in the Age T-shirts