Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

I neither like nor read Nick Hornby. If I wanna know about bad things the '80s gave us, I have a diary and a shattered nervous system to reference. But a quote from his new Juliet, Naked caught the eye of a wise reader (thanks, D. Carroll) and we're swinging for da fences. Of course Hornby's fuming over age, doubt and song in the Twitter era, that's his deal, but hit page 85: "We believe the Phillies are going to win the World Series every year but that's not true either." It's suck-my-cock-Nick time all over.

► My idea of tricking and treating Oct. 31 is this: Go early to zombie-power-pop-locals Conversations with Enemies' CD preview-release block party with a tiki bar and monster drinks in a lot next to Enemies Central (219 Mercer, 1 p.m.) with Toy Soldiers and The Great Vibration (if you miss TGV, check their bomb-psychedelia Nov. 6 with Cheers Elephant at Danger Danger). Early eve = Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority-Omega's Diamonds and Pearls Masquerade Ball at the Please Touch Museum, 8 p.m. Finish with the big bang of Henri David's hallowed Halloween Ball at Sheraton City Center (16th and Race) and wait for something decadent to happen.

Mike Zienowicz Conversations with Enemies (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

► And the night before? That's Mischief Night. Go pluck tomatoes from your neighbor's garden, throw 'em at trolleys, then hit the massive Patou Oct. 30 bash with cabaret mistress Nicki Jaine and her pals The Scarring Party.

► While Stephen Starr's got Midtown IV at 20th and Chestnut (possibly to be a Mexican spot, something he considered when he had Broad Street Diner for a sec) to occupy his mind for the moment, his ex-chef Jose Garces is taking a page from the Starr playbook. After participating in a James Beard event recently, Garces looked at two Manhattan properties for two restaurants with eyes-to-buy.

► FM-voiced Randy Kotz just returned to WYSP-FM. Yahoo. 94's where "Smooth" was before spending several years at WMMR, until he left Feb. 2009. It's ohm-sweet-ohm, weekend overnights for Kotz.

► Matthew "Feldie" Feldman held a dinner party at Moonstone, the 13th Street home of his one-Sunday-a-month live-jazz bash, Lucky Old Souls. While I couldn't make it to hear Truth and Consequence reeds man Dan Peterson or eat the homemade Southwestern organic chili 'n' cornbread, I did catch that Feldman's readying a Lucky Old Souls venue at the corner of 17th and McKean and Colorado. He'll book all kinds of jazz, blues and classical in a two-floor with a balcony/mezzanine setting and serve food with local, seasonal, sustainable ingredients and beer from local breweries. "The plan is to start the construction after the liquor license gets approved, which will probably be another few months," says Feldman, who hopes to push his luck come spring 2010.

► Still boarded-up is Steve Gonzalez's Zavino on South 13th Street, his spicy-meat-a-ball that had an Oct. 13 due-date. Problem?

► Andy Hurwitz isn't just a Ropeadope, a Temple U teacher or the man who sadly takes heat when Piazza bookings go wrooong. He's co-founder of Baby Loves Disco, the Philly-based kid-dancing parent-chilling worldwide phenomenon. Andy started it so he'd never have to worry about making money off those Philadelphia Experiments anymore. KIDDING. His BLD with dancer Heather Murphy Monteith and DJ K-Tel turns five and has an anniversary PJ jam at Shampoo Nov. 1. There'll be juice.

► Chef Brian Lofink jumped ship from Matyson to head the kitchen at Sidecar Bar & Grille. All aboard.

► Penthouse Club on Castor's Oct. 30 party includes DJs Ian St. Laurent and Wolffang and a bus trip from Tommy Up's PYT.

► Fashion-forward? While the ebullient Joe "Squirrel" Carrasquillo (Aero/Pier at Caesar's Eleganza) is currently managing Joe Rocco's Joey's on Fifth and South, we're hearing sad things about Locust Street's toniest men's clothier, Wayne Edwards — that it soon may close. (We couldn't get anyone at Wayne Edwards for comment by press time.)

►At the still-shaky early stages of career rehabilitation, Michael Vick appears Oct. 29 as part of Vesuvio's Oct. 29 Thursday Player Show sports chat series. Jay-Z gave Vick (backstage at Powerhouse, with Phillies' Jimmy Rollins) a shout-out during "99 Problems." He can't be all bad. Which reminds me.

► WHOWHATWHERE: Ryan Howard was at Recess. Hey, somebody has to be. Social Climbers' Beth Dunn, Sister Mary Scullion and Jonathan Saidel hit a Kelly Boyd-hosted jawn for Seth Williams' District Attorney chat-up on Delancey Street. Training Day director Antoine Fuqua noshed at Alma de Cuba with a few friends he called location scouts. I use that excuse any time I want free ceviche. Dem. Sen. Arlen Specter ate at Stella (the magic bullet special with buffalo mozz) over the weekend and talked with folk at neighboring tables.

► Nov. 1 is the West Philly Orchestra's third anniversary. Yay noise. They're hosting a studio-cost benefit (gotta pay producer/label boss Mikronesia) at Studio 34, 45th and Baltimore.

► Jen Karwoski just couldn't stay away. After moving to the Scandanavias for five months, she's back hosting Kinky Quizzo at Valanni every Tuesday.

► Matt Werth (ex-File 13/Aspera Ad Astra/Mazarin) works for the RVNG label with Dave Pianka in NYC, from whence he sent me DJ/sequencers Julian and JG's Pink Skull's new vinyl-only LP Endless Bummer. RVNG letter-pressed close to 1,000 different bummers ("from butt acne to nuclear warfare," says Werth) across all LP jackets. That's some gig.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)