Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

I'm licking a feathery ink pen and it don't taste good. No matter. I'm so passionate about this stuff I'm quilling. To Leonore Annenberg's survivors after the society doyenne's passing, I send condolences. I ask that though they're living in Paris and California, they keep A-berg Foundation money here. Jeff Lurie has your mom's house. We need something to remember her by. To Mo Cheeks, who wouldn't stand at the last Sixers Spectrum game with fellow '82-'83 champ-teammates Dr. J and Moses Malone: shame. To Jersey's Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling, who may make Brazilian waxing illegal, I say spend a day on one of your beaches see how hairy things can get. And to ABC-6 for not renewing Don Polec's contract, all I can think of is "boing" and some sputtering noises. That's how Polec would've wanted it.

► I wrote the exclusive after Valentine's Day that restaurateur Jose Garces was nosing around 11th and Locust's Western Union building — not to send telegrams but to open a small BYOB café. Well, PA's Liquor Control Board would like to be a partner in that first-floor space with Garces selling cheese-n-sweets and the LCB selling unusual wines. Sounds simple until you realize LCB'll sell stuff at retail prices. Apparently neighborhood restaurants selling wine at their prices with their meals are pissed — unless they, too, can open LCB-sponsored café spaces.

► Walnut Room just started a cute thing: LunchBox Bottle Service — 10 airplane bottles of liquor and prizes like jelly bracelets, temporary tats, mini 8 balls (I'm certain they mean toys) and a note from mom in the box. Which is funny 'cuz my mom usedta send me to school with booze. There's food there, too. I'm more interested in the hand-designed box ($20 extra) and that 8 ball.

► Bistro 7's Michael O'Halloran is opening a Hong Kong/Chinese food thing called Kong on N. Second in NoLibs in May.

► Girlgirlsgirls: While we say "atza nize" to PR maven Nicole Cashman for Philly's Special Achievement Award in Business from the National Italian-American Political Action Committee (it's that black hair o'hers), we bid good night to Carrie Estok, who left her position as Yelp Philly community manager. "Just like Jell-O Pudding Pops, all good things come to an end," says she.

► Word is G Lounge is finalizing its deal to buy Wayne Schulick's Denim and run some after-hour ops at the relaxed-fit Walnut Street locale.

► While the (fear of a black) planet is enthused about The Roots backing Public Enemy for their live rendition of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back during ?uestlove's Second Roots picnic at FestPier June 6, I'm thrilled Asher Roth's on the bill. The suburban Pennsylvania Caucasoid gets comparisons to Eminem (who blows now) and can talk about the hype machine with fellow machinists/picnickers Santigold and TV on the Radio that day.

Academy of Natural Sciences: Family Four-Pack of Tickets | Mango Moon | Prive | Bliss | Raw Dawgs Saloon | Cream and Sugar | S & H Kebab House | Cafe Nola | Copabanana | Hollywood Tans: $50 for $25

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

► WHOWHATWHERE: Didn't see Roots' mouthpiece/actor Tariq Trotter or director Mark Webber (the latter filming in Toronto) at their Explicit Ills' screening after-party at Bochetto & Lentz's Locust Street office but Ills star Lou Taylor Pucci, Phillyfilmorg doyennes Sharon Pinkenson and Joan Bressler and locals Michaela Majoun, Joe Barber, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Tayyib Smith, Mary Patel, Arun Prabhakaran, Jimmy Contreras (opening a lifestyle shoppe on East Passyunk in May, I hear) and Webber's activist ma, Cheri Honkala, were there. The Beat 100.3 Music Convention at the Marriott not only found Mayor Nutter giving city proclamations to Jamie Foxx, Patti Labelle, BoyzIIMen and Teddy Pendergrass. It found buddy/photog Scott Weiner falling off stage while Foxx was on. "Oh I have to do a picture with you," said Foxx, posing thumbs-up with the mayor once Weiner got back up. Then Weiner was tossed off stage by security (too crowded) when Labelle got her prize. Beanie Sigel hung at Silk City during the Mo Money party. WYSP's Danny Bonaduce and gal-pal Amy Railsback hit LaFourno Monday afternoon for cocktails. Backseat FilmFest hosted Adam Rifkin, Ron Jeremy and last-minute-spied guest Rockabilly Baby's Todd Farr, whose face we know from Polo/Ralph Lauren ads. Terry Lee Barrett spied actor Roger Guenveur Smith while sittingwith LiveArts honcho Nick Stuccio (discussing next Fest collaboration) at Old City Coffee. Barrett ran home, grabbed copies of his scripts for Kata (The Iron Thorn) and Shady Dawgs and gave them to Smith. Smith said he'd read and loved Barrett's dad's book, The Rastafarians.

► See I mentioned ex-CP columnist/film producer Mary Patel? She's going to court. Not for a film or a story, either. Patel has filed a complaint against Make U Famous Productions LLC et al. for fraud, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of contract. MUF is Michael and Jerry D'Addesi (the brothers who own Vesuvio) and Christopher Perez. Patel, who is not talking, was a member/owner. She is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 on an investment of $300,000 and rights to projects such as the graphic novel Dead Bitch Army (retitled Hollow Eyed Mary) and her procuring of scriptwriter Mark Webber for his services in penning their film version of Continuing Ed. We'll be speaking with lawyers on the Clog.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)